Fantasy Football News

Puka Nacua • WR • Rams

Puka Nacua Not Spotted at Practice on Thursday

ESPN's Sarah Barshop did not spot Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (groin) at training camp practice on Thursday. It doesn't come as much of a surprise after Nacua was pulled from Tuesday's practice as a precaution with a minor groin injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Wednesday that the Rams could keep Nacua out for "a few days," and he almost certainly won't be available to suit up in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Barring a setback with his groin, Nacua should be all systems go for a Week 1 showdown in Australia against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in early September. The 25-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2023 from BYU has quickly become one of the best receivers in the NFL through three seasons, making two Pro Bowls and accumulating 4,191 receiving yards, 313 catches, and 19 touchdowns in 44 regular-season games for the Rams. Nacua is the team's undisputed top target for quarterback Matthew Stafford, and he's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 2 fantasy WR as he enters his fourth year in the league.

4 hours ago

Dontayvion Wicks • WR • Eagles

Dontayvion Wicks Looking Like Eagles' WR2 in Training Camp

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks keeps making noise in training camp. John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia called Wicks the Eagles' WR2 on Thursday and said he was "outstanding again" before highlighting another connection with Jalen Hurts. Wicks beat cornerback Riq Woolen for a touchdown on the play, talked a little trash afterward and then celebrated with Hurts. This hasn't been a one-day flash, either. Wicks has been making plays throughout camp, including a one-handed grab earlier this month, and Philadelphia has him with the starting group on its first unofficial depth chart. The Eagles acquired him from Green Bay in April after he caught 30 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns last season. He has 108 catches for 1,328 yards and 11 scores through three NFL seasons. With A.J. Brown now in New England, there was always going to be room for another receiver to step forward. So far, Wicks looks like he is doing exactly that.

4 hours ago

Barion Brown • WR • Saints |

Rashid Shaheed • WR • Seahawks

Barion Brown Draws Comparison to Former Saints Wideout

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Barion Brown received a pretty notable comparison from Chris Olave on Thursday. According to Erin Summers, Olave said Brown reminds him a lot of former Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed, adding that the two are "basically the same player." Brown came to New Orleans as a sixth-round pick after finishing his college career with 175 catches for 2,060 yards and 12 touchdowns. His return work stands out even more. Brown averaged 29.4 yards on 65 kickoff returns and took six of them for touchdowns, an SEC career record. He has also been making plays as a receiver in camp, with Kellen Moore praising his progress earlier this month and the Saints noting that Brown was on the receiving end of several deep balls early in camp. New Orleans has plenty of competition at receiver, including Chris Olave, first-round pick Jordyn Tyson, Devaughn Vele and fourth-round pick Bryce Lance. Brown may not have an immediate redraft role, but he is giving dynasty managers something to watch.

5 hours ago

Caleb Williams • QB • Bears

Caleb Williams to Sit Out of Preseason Opener

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that the team will sit "a number" of their starters in their preseason opener on Saturday against the Cleveland Browns, which includes quarterback Caleb Williams, who will not play, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson could very well rest Williams for the entire preseason as he heads into his third year as the team's starter in 2026. With the 24-year-old sitting this weekend, QBs Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum, and Miller Moss should all see playing time against the Browns. In his second NFL season in 2025, Williams, the former first overall pick out of USC, took a step forward with 3,942 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in 17 starts after he took a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie. He also added 383 rushing yards and three rushing TDs to finish as a top-10 fantasy signal-caller. Even though Williams lost receiver DJ Moore to an offseason trade, the third-year QB has plenty of weapons to work with, and he has the overall athleticism to take another step forward in Johnson's system with potential to become a high-end QB1 sooner rather than later. RotoBaller has Williams ranked as the QB8 for 2026.

5 hours ago

Kyler Murray • QB • Vikings |

Justin Jefferson • WR • Vikings

Kyler Murray Showing Strong Chemistry With Top Receiver

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray and wide receiver Justin Jefferson have given the offense some encouraging signs during training camp. MLFootball said the two have "looked elite together," and there have been several plays to back up the growing chemistry. Earlier in camp, Murray gave Jefferson a chance on a deep ball into double coverage during a two-minute drill, and Jefferson went up between two defenders before taking it into the end zone. Murray also found him for about 20 yards on a high-pointed curl Tuesday, the same day he was officially named Minnesota's starting quarterback. Jefferson is coming off a down year by his standards, finishing 2025 with 84 catches for 1,048 yards and only two touchdowns. Murray played just five games for Arizona last season before a foot injury ended his year. There is a long way to go before camp connections mean anything on Sundays, but Murray and Jefferson getting comfortable with each other this quickly is a good start.

5 hours ago

Tyreek Hill • WR • Chiefs

Chiefs Lead Polymarket Odds for Tyreek Hill

Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) continues to be connected to his former team, but the latest link to the Kansas City Chiefs comes from a prediction market rather than an NFL report. According to NFL Rumors, Kansas City is currently the leading team on Polymarket's market for where Hill will play in 2026. The Chiefs are only around 12%, however, so this is hardly an indication that a reunion is close. Hill remains unsigned after Miami released him in February and is still working his way back from the major left knee injury he suffered last September. The 32-year-old said in July that he still had "no power" in the leg and has not announced a timetable for his return. Kansas City was reportedly planning to monitor Hill's recovery earlier in the offseason, but there has been no verified indication that a deal is currently in the works. For now, the Chiefs connection remains speculation rather than a developing transaction.

5 hours ago

Hollywood Brown • WR • Eagles |

Jalen Hurts • QB • Eagles

Hollywood Brown Gets Extra Work After Practice

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hollywood Brown put in some extra work with quarterback Jalen Hurts following Thursday's practice. According to Jeff McLane, Hurts and Brown stayed behind to work specifically on an out route into the end zone. Earlier in 7-on-7 drills, a Hurts pass intended for Brown was intercepted, though there was no indication that Brown was responsible for the turnover. The veteran joined Philadelphia on a one-year deal in March after catching 49 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns with Kansas City last season. Brown has made some plays during camp, but McLane described his overall showing as underwhelming earlier this week. The Eagles expected Brown to be heavily involved in the receiver rotation this summer, so the extra work with Hurts is notable as the two continue trying to sharpen their timing before the season.

5 hours ago

Ricky Pearsall • WR • 49ers

Ricky Pearsall Officially Undergoes Knee Surgery

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) underwent season-ending surgery for his PCL injury to his right knee, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. In Pearsall's social-media post, the former first-rounder said he had never missed a game due to a football injury in his entire career at any level. The 49ers expect Pearsall to miss anywhere from six to 12 months, and he's already been ruled out for the entire 2025 season. The 25-year-old played in just 20 games (13 starts) in his first two years in the NFL due to injury, including only nine starts last year. He's recorded 67 catches on 99 targets for 928 yards and three touchdowns in his 20 regular-season games. It's unclear if Pearsall will be ready for the start of training camp and the regular season in 2027. Pearsall's redraft and dynasty/keeper value has hit rock bottom. In his absence in 2026, rookie second-round receiver De'Zhaun Stribling will have an opportunity to carve out a larger role alongside veterans Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Christian Kirk.

5 hours ago

Zay Flowers • WR • Ravens

Zay Flowers Returns to Team Drills on Thursday

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (quadriceps) returned to team drills at training camp practice on Thursday, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. The Ravens held Flowers out of team drills earlier this week due to a minor left-quad contusion, but he's back in team drills now. Even though he appears to be back to full health, the Ravens are expected to hold their top wideout out of the preseason opener this Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 25-year-old former 22nd overall pick from Boston College had a career-high 1,211 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 17 starts in 2025 for his second straight 1,000-yard campaign in his third year in the NFL. Flowers is without question Baltimore's WR1, and he could have an even higher target share in new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle's scheme in 2026. Especially in PPR leagues, Flowers has a high fantasy floor as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 target in upcoming drafts.

6 hours ago

Jordyn Tyson • WR • Saints

Jordyn Tyson Suffers Minor Hamstring Injury on Thursday

New Orleans Saints rookie first-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) suffered what is believed to be a minor hamstring injury in training camp practice on Thursday, according to Nick Underhill and Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. It's not a serious injury for Tyson, but it's also not ideal as he looks to gear up for his first NFL season. The 22-year-old also had his reps managed during the offseason program due to a hamstring issue that occurred before the NFL Draft in April. The Arizona State alum had an injury-plagued collegiate career as well, so this is definitely not ideal news with the regular season around a month away. If healthy, Tyson is expected to carve out a role as the Saints' WR2 in his first NFL campaign behind Chris Olave in an up-tempo offense under head coach Kellen Moore, giving Tyson plenty of fantasy value in Year 1. But given his injury history and the fact that he lost valuable developmental reps this offseason, fantasy managers in redraft leagues should consider him more of an upside WR3/flex target than a strong WR2 choice in upcoming drafts.

6 hours ago

Patrick Mahomes • QB • Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes Will Not Play in Preseason Opener

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Andy Reid told Matt McMullen of the team's official website. With Mahomes sitting, Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier, and Chris Oladokun will split up the game under center. Mahomes has been participating in all 11-on-11 work in training camp as he recovers from a torn ACL and LCL in his knee last December, but the Chiefs are in no rush to throw the 30-year-old veteran into a preseason game, especially the first one. Barring a setback with his knee, Mahomes looks to be on track to suit up for the Week 1 showdown against the division-rival Denver Broncos on Monday night on Sept. 14. It will be a pretty tough first matchup for the two-time MVP as he and the Chiefs look to bounce back from missing the postseason entirely in 2025. Mahomes and KC's offense are looking for more explosiveness, and coming off major knee surgery, Mahomes is better off drafted as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 this year with some question marks about his mobility going forward.

6 hours ago

Ja'Tavion Sanders • TE • Panthers

Ja'Tavion Sanders Might Have to Battle to Keep his Job

ESPN's Mike Kaye writes that Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders "might need to battle to keep his job" in Carolina after the addition of veteran Darren Waller on a one-year deal on Wednesday. Sanders has struggled with ankle injuries over the last two seasons and had surgery for his most recent ankle injury last season. The Panthers kept Sanders, Mitchell Evans, Tommy Tremble, and James Mitchell on their 53-man roster in 2025, but with Waller now on board, a dynamic shift could be coming to the team's TE room. Evans and Tremble are traditional TEs, with Waller and Sanders primarily pass-catchers. The 34-year-old Waller will become the oldest non-specialist on the roster when he officially signs. Kaye observes that the Panthers entered Wednesday with just three non-specialists over 30 years old. Feleipe Franks is also held in high regard for his contributions on special teams, which could push Sanders off the roster at the end of the preseason.

6 hours ago

Makai Lemon • WR • Eagles

Makai Lemon Missing Another Practice on Thursday

Philadelphia Eagles rookie first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring) is missing his seventh straight training camp practice on Thursday due to a hamstring injury, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com. The good news is that Lemon was seen with a helmet on while catching passes from a JUGS machine on a side field on Thursday. Fellow wideout DeVonta Smith is also missing his seventh straight practice with a hamstring injury, and both pass-catchers are unlikely to play in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens. With Smith and Lemon sidelined, Dontayvion Wicks has cemented himself as the team's WR2 behind Smith and has displayed strong chemistry with quarterback Jalen Hurts as he heads into his first season with the Eagles after a trade sent Pro Bowler A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots. The 22-year-old Lemon should have a key role in the Eagles' new offense in 2026 after being taken in the first round, but Wicks' emergence and Lemon's hamstring injury have put a damper on his redraft fantasy stock. Lemon is now ranked as the No. 50 WR at RotoBaller and could get off to a slow start in the NFL.

6 hours ago

Tyler Shough • QB • Saints

Tyler Shough "Cooking" in Thursday's Practice

NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill reports that New Orleans Saints second-year quarterback Tyler Shough is "cooking" during training camp practice on Thursday. Shough is apparently picking up where he left off this summer after an impressive rookie campaign in the Big Easy in which he threw for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions in his first 11 games (nine starts) in the NFL. The 26-year-old second-rounder from the University of Louisville immediately connected with WR1 Chris Olave and benefited from head coach Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense to go 5-4 as a starter as a rookie. The Saints added running back Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson to the offense, potentially helping Shough to a breakout in his sophomore season in the NFL. To do so, Shough will need to improve his deep passing game, but he has the rushing ability to be a strong QB2 for fantasy managers in 2026.

6 hours ago

Puka Nacua • WR • Rams

Puka Nacua Reportedly Runs into Glass Door at a Party

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua admitted on the "Impaulsive" podcast that he ran into a glass window pane at a party hosted by Fanatics founder Michael Rubin, according to Oliver G. of Rams Wire. Nacua said he got distracted while looking for teammate Davante Adams and didn't see the freshly cleaned glass pane in front of him. Podcast host Mike Majlak, who witnessed the aftermath in person, said that Nacua was "bleeding" from his face. Fortunately for Nacua and the Rams, his injury wasn't serious. The 25-year-old pass-catcher suffered a minor groin injury in Tuesday's training camp practice and could miss a couple of days, but that injury also is nothing serious and shouldn't prevent him from being ready for the Week 1 opener in Australia against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The former fifth-rounder from BYU has 4,191 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns (10 last year) in his first three NFL seasons to quickly become one of the best receivers in the game. Nacua is ranked as the WR2 at RotoBaller for 2026, behind only the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase.

7 hours ago

Chuba Hubbard • RB • Panthers

Chuba Hubbard Considered Week-to-Week With Hamstring Injury

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury in training camp and is considered week-to-week, head coach Dave Canales told Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Rico Dowdle is out of town in 2026, which set up Hubbard to lead Carolina's backfield. However, a hamstring injury could potentially threaten the 27-year-old's availability for the start of the 2026 regular season, which means that RB2 Jonathon Brooks, who has played in just three games in the NFL since entering the league in 2024 due to two torn ACLs, will become much more interesting as a breakout candidate in 2026. After his first 1,000-yard season with the Panthers in 2024, Hubbard rushed for only 511 yards and one touchdown on 134 carries last year while losing out on work to Dowdle, who was the much more efficient and explosive back. Hubbard still has time to get ready for Week 1 in September, but his hamstring injury will certainly make him a riskier RB3/flex option in upcoming fantasy football drafts.

7 hours ago

DeVonta Smith • WR • Eagles

DeVonta Smith Set to Miss Another Practice

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) looks set to miss another training camp practice on Thursday, but he was out early getting in some work on a side field, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports. Smith is missing his seventh straight practice due to a hamstring injury that is not considered serious. The Eagles are just playing it really safe with their new WR1 early in camp. Smith will almost certainly sit out Saturday's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. Going into his sixth season in the NFL with the Eagles, the 27-year-old will have the highest fantasy ceiling he's ever had now that he's not sharing targets with Pro Bowler A.J. Brown. Smith's slight 6-foot, 170-pound frame has always been worrisome from a durability standpoint, but he's stayed relatively healthy in his career to this point, and he's already produced three 1,000-yard seasons in five years. With more target volume in a new offense looking to put a disappointing season behind them, Smith has clear WR1 upside in fantasy football in 2026.

7 hours ago

Josh Allen • QB • Bills

Josh Allen, Healthy Bills Starters Expected to Play on Saturday

Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady said that the plan for Saturday's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers is that if a player is healthy, they will play, according to Maddy Glab of the team's official website. Brady added that he wants quarterback Josh Allen to be competitive but mindful. If Allen actually does play this weekend, it will probably be only for a few offensive series at most. Backups Kyle Allen and Shane Buechele are fully expected to see most of the snaps against Carolina. Allen, a four-time Pro Bowler, is the consensus No. 1 overall fantasy QB again in 2026 despite failing to throw for 4,000 yards for the second straight season in 2025 in his eighth year in the NFL. He still managed to finish as the QB1 in fantasy last year by rushing for a league-high 579 yards and 14 touchdowns on 112 rushing attempts. In Brady's first year as Buffalo's head coach, Allen could return to the 4,000-yard passing mark after the addition of receiver DJ Moore, who should help the Bills succeed more down the field with explosive passing plays. The prospect of bigger chunk gains through the air only raises Allen's already high fantasy floor.

7 hours ago

Tank Bigsby • RB • Eagles

Drumbeat Growing Louder for Tank Bigsby

Without the benefit of training camp with the team following an in-season trade from the Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby saw limited offensive work and ran for only 344 yards in 2025. While the raw production is far from staggering, his 5.9 yards per carry were hard to ignore, especially with three-time Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley averaging only 4.1 yards per attempt behind the same banged-up offensive line. In his first training camp with the team, Bigsby has been praised for his physicality, and there is a growing belief that he could see a significant uptick in between-the-tackles work this season in an attempt to keep the 29-year-old Barkley fresh. While no one is reasonably suggesting a 50/50 split, Bigsby could see enough volume in 2026 to hold standalone value in what has been one of the league's run-heaviest offenses since Nick Sirianni took over in 2021. Bigsby is RotoBaller's RB46, and even if he is unable to carve out a flex-worthy role, he remains one of fantasy's most valuable insurance backs.

7 hours ago

Jordan Mason • RB • Vikings

Jordan Mason's Solid Summer Continues

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason has been lauded throughout training camp as an offensive standout, and on a Wednesday practice in which the running game was clicking, he was once again credited with the play of the day by team writer Rob Kleifield. Taking advantage of perfectly executed blocking against the second-team defense, he showed off some burst and ran untouched for a long score. The 230-pounder also displayed physicality and balance on a big gain against the starting defense. On a day when Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. were listed as co-starters on the Vikings' first unofficial depth chart, both players were credited by Kleifield with productive outings. Ever a standout pass-catcher, Jones is now 31 years old, and there is at least some expectation that the two backs could settle into clearly defined roles for 2026, with Mason the between-the-tackles bruiser and Jones as more of a passing-downs specialist, potentially providing fantasy managers with matchup-based clues on when to lean on either. Gaining steam throughout training camp, Mason has risen to RB36 by current ADP.

7 hours ago

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