Fantasy Football News

Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) missed a fourth straight practice on Monday with an undisclosed injury, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Mitchell was seen working off to the side with a trainer. It does not sound like a serious injury, and the 24-year-old will have all of next week to return to practice before the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 13. Still, it is something to keep an eye on for the Chargers' backfield, as both Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal could be in line for bigger roles if Mitchell is limited or out to begin the season. For what it is worth, general manager Joe Hortiz said that he thinks Mitchell will be active next weekend against the Cardinals. Hampton, who is entering his second season, is the Bolts' clear lead back, but new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel could ride the hot hand with Hampton, Mitchell, and Vidal on a week-to-week basis. Mitchell has explosive abilities out of the backfield, but volume will be a concern, and he has played in just 26 games (two starts) in his first three NFL seasons due to injuries. Fantasy managers should consider Mitchell an interesting late-round handcuff or depth piece for RB depth. RotoBaller has him ranked as the RB46 for 2026.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) was non-committal about any specific game return date, be it Week 1 or otherwise, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Nabers is feeling great, but he still has some checkpoints to know that he is completely ready for game action. He is focused on a regular-season return and being better than he was before, whenever that will be. "I'm gonna be making sure that I'm ready to go out there and I'm healthy enough to play all four quarters," Nabers said. The 23-year-old has been eased in during training camp this summer after tearing his ACL and meniscus early on last season, but he shed his non-contact jersey last week and continues to make strides towards being ready for a Week 1 showdown on Sunday night against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13. The former first-rounder from LSU has high-end WR1 upside after his 109-1,204-7 line in 15 games played as a rookie in 2024, but his return from a season-ending knee injury in 2025 has put him as more of a risk/reward, low-end WR1 in fantasy football drafts this fall. If Nabers is active in Week 1, it would not be surprising if he was on a strict snap count.

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) was not participating in Monday's practice, but it sounds like he should return to the field next week, according to John Keim of ESPN. Croskey-Merritt is believed to be dealing with a minor groin injury that caused him to sit out of the team's final two preseason games. But as long as JCM is back on the practice field next week, he should be in line to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 13. Heading into his second year in the NFL, Croskey-Merritt is positioned to lead Washington on early downs, but his fantasy upside will be capped by the presence of newcomer and pass-game specialist Rachaad White (hamstring), who is expected to see most of the targets out of the backfield as a receiver. Both backs are a little banged up, though, so it is possible that rookie Kaytron Allen sees a bigger role out of the gates in Week 1. In season-long redraft leagues, Croskey-Merritt should be drafted as an RB3/flex with upside in his sophomore campaign. The former seventh-rounder from Arizona impressed with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries in his first NFL season, adding only nine receptions for 68 yards through the air in 17 games.

Kicker Blake Grupe is now the favorite to become the New York Jets' starting placekicker after they released veteran Jason Sanders on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Grupe was claimed by the Jets off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts after he lost out to Spencer Shrader for the kicking job in Indianapolis this summer. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent from Notre Dame has only three years of experience kicking in the NFL, making 81.9% of his 105 field-goal attempts (19-for-27 from 50-plus yards out) while converting on 98% of his 98 extra-point tries. In 16 games in 2025 with the Colts and New Orleans Saints, Grupe went 29-for-37 (78.4%) on his field-goal attempts, including going 7-for-10 from 50-plus yards. He also made all 25 of his extra-point opportunities. Although the Jets' offense could be better in 2026 with veteran quarterback Geno Smith running the show, not much is expected, and fantasy managers should be able to find more stable kicking options in 12- and 14-team leagues.

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said on Monday that rookie first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) is on track to be ready for the Week 1 contest against the Tennessee Titans, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Sadiq still has lots of long-term fantasy upside in dynasty/keeper leagues, but managers in single-year formats should be tempering expectations for the Oregon product after he missed most of training camp this summer following surgery for a hernia. The Jets have already acknowledged that they will scale back Sadiq's role on offense early in 2026 to ease him in after he missed so much valuable developmental time in camp. It is good news for Mason Taylor, who caught 44 of his 65 targets for 369 yards and a touchdown in his first 13 games in the league a year ago. Once Sadiq is fully healthy and learns the offense, he will be deployed down the field as a high-upside pass-catching tight end with elite athleticism. For now, though, RotoBaller has Sadiq ranked as the No. 28 fantasy TE entering his rookie campaign.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) will be eased into practices over the next three days, head coach Kyle Shanahan told Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Kittle will not be a full-go this week as he prepares to potentially make the trip with the team to Australia to take on the division-rival Los Angeles Rams next Thursday. We will have a better idea of the veteran tight end's Week 1 availability once the 49ers release their official practice reports for Week 1, which will start next Monday. He was just activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list last week after tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoffs in January. Kittle has been targeting Week 1 for his return all offseason, but the Niners may play it safe and keep him out, especially when considering how banged up they have been over the last couple of seasons. If Kittle is inactive against the Rams, Jake Tonges figures to be a tight end streamer in fantasy, although Luke Farrell could also get involved. Injury concerns for Kittle have caused him to slip in the rankings in 2026 as a low-end TE1.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said on Monday that rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is "progressing really well" toward playing in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers after taking another step on Sunday, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. LaFleur said Love was set to take another step forward on Monday. The third overall pick out of Notre Dame suffered a high-ankle sprain in the preseason earlier in August, putting his availability for the 2026 regular-season opener in question. Although Love is heading in the right direction, fantasy managers may want to prepare for a limited workload in his NFL debut in the regular season against the Bolts if he is not quite 100%. Trey Benson (knee) is out for the year, and veteran James Conner (foot) is starting on Injured Reserve, but Tyler Allgeier figures to be the Cardinals' lead ball-carrier in Week 1, potentially even if Love is active. Love has clear three-down abilities and a future as a bell-cow back in the NFL, but the Cardinals are expected to ease him into his rookie season. RotoBaller currently has the 21-year-old ranked as the RB18, right behind the Chicago Bears' D'Andre Swift.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed battled through an injury-marred season in 2025, as he missed 10 games due to collarbone and foot issues. Across the seven games he was active for, Reed hauled in just 19 catches for 207 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets. Throughout his career in Green Bay to this point, Reed's fantasy ceiling has been held down by the Packers' crowded wide receiver room and the team's run-heavy play-style. However, the Packers lost a pair of veteran wideouts in Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks over the offseason, and the team may be forced to turn to the air more often with star running back Josh Jacobs currently on the Commissioner's Exempt List due to an offseason arrest. Green Bay still has two up-and-coming wideouts in Christian Watson and Matthew Golden who could eat into Reed's playing time and target share. Still, Reed looks well-positioned for the heaviest workload of his career. In addition to his work as a receiver, Reed has 34 career carries and could be relied upon more in the run game with Jacobs sidelined. As a late mid-round pick by current redraft ADP, Reed could end up being a great value selection for fantasy managers.

Entering 2026, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray is looking to revitalize his career. A foot injury limited the 29-year-old to just five games in 2025, his final season with the Arizona Cardinals after they selected him first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray's performance also suffered even before the injury, as he was averaging a career-low 6.0 yards per pass attempt. However, Murray has been named the starting quarterback in Minnesota, and he appears to be in an ideal spot for a resurgent season. Vikings head coach and play-caller Kevin O'Connell has helped maximize the play of multiple different veteran quarterbacks, and Minnesota has one of the top wide receiving corps in the NFL between Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings. Murray has been a dangerous dual-threat quarterback as recently as the 2024 season, when he recorded 3,851 passing yards, 572 rushing yards, and 26 total touchdowns across 17 games. At his current redraft ADP of QB16, Murray carries sleeper appeal into 2026.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London had the tail end of his 2025 season disrupted after he suffered a knee injury that kept him sidelined from Week 12 through Week 16. However, even in a season in which he ultimately missed five games due to injury, London finished the year with 68 catches for 919 yards and seven touchdowns on 112 targets. Over the last two seasons with Atlanta, London has averaged 9.3 targets per game and hauled in 16 touchdown catches. While the Falcons have a pair of capable pass-catchers in tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. and running back Bijan Robinson, London profiles as the team's most dangerous wide receiver by a mile and should dominate target share once again in 2026. Atlanta's uncertain quarterback situation is a potential limiting factor for London's fantasy upside, but the 25-year-old has proven he can produce through underwhelming quarterback play in the past. Particularly in PPR-scoring leagues, London remains a viable fantasy WR1 despite the less-than-ideal offensive environment around him in Atlanta.

Across 12 games in 2025, Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze recorded 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns on 90 targets. The 24-year-old got off to a hot start to the year, but his production tailed off in the second half of the season, and he missed time with a foot injury down the stretch. Including the Bears' two playoff contests, Odunze recorded more than three receptions in just one out of seven games he suited up in after Week 8. However, Odunze has been healthy throughout this summer, reportedly having no issues with the foot injury that hampered him in 2025. In contrast, Bears wideout Luther Burden III (groin) has been dealing with a groin injury throughout much of training camp. Additionally, Chicago could be looking to funnel more targets to Odunze in 2026 after the team traded away veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills at the start of the offseason. Entering the year, Odunze may be flying under the radar at his current redraft ADP of WR27.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (lower body) did not practice on Monday and "seems to be dealing with a lower-body injury," according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. Across 17 games in 2025, the 25-year-old recorded 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. With a fully healthy season from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Flowers' numbers could take another leap forward in 2026. However, Flowers has been battling an undisclosed injury for about a week now. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter has previously said that the star wide receiver should be ready for Week 1, so it does not appear to be a serious ailment. Still, Flowers' health status is definitely something for fantasy managers to monitor until he returns to the practice field with no restrictions. When he's on the field, Flowers profiles as a high-end fantasy WR2.

Quarterback Joe Milton III is being released by the Dallas Cowboys, according to Adam Schefter. The move comes just one day after Dallas initially kept Milton, Dak Prescott and Sam Howell on its 53-man roster. Milton and Howell spent the summer battling for the backup job, and Milton looked like the favorite after the first two preseason games. He finished August 29-of-43 for 378 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for a score. His final outing wasn't nearly as strong, however, as Milton went 8-of-15 for 92 yards against New Orleans before Howell threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Milton also appeared in four games for Dallas last season, throwing for 183 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His release leaves Howell as the clear backup behind Prescott for now, unless the Cowboys make another move at quarterback.

Across 17 games in 2025, Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum recorded 746 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries. With an average of 5.1 yards per attempt, the 25-year-old was a highly efficient player. However, the presence of star Rams back Kyren Williams prevented Corum from seeing more opportunities. Entering 2026, Corum and Williams appear poised to once again share touches. Corum slowly ate into Williams' playing time over the course of the season in 2025, so the backs could operate with a true 50/50 split in 2026. Corum also profiles as maybe the top handcuff running back in fantasy football, as his value would skyrocket if Williams were to miss any time. Still, Corum's production upside appears limited as long as Williams remains healthy. Corum also may not have much standalone appeal in PPR leagues in a split backfield, as he's recorded just 15 total receptions across 34 career NFL games. Corum has definite upside, but he also carries some bust potential at his current top-100 redraft ADP.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle came out of final cuts with a cleaner path to touches. Pittsburgh traded Kaleb Johnson to Green Bay and moved on from Travis Homer and Lew Nichols, leaving Jaylen Warren and Dowdle as the only players listed strictly at running back on the initial 53-man roster. Eli Heidenreich remains as an RB/WR and is third on the depth chart, but the top of the room is clearly Warren and Dowdle. That matches what the Steelers said all summer. Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said both backs would be a big part of the offense, and Dowdle played 10 snaps to Warren's nine in the preseason game against the Jets. Dowdle also brings consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries for Carolina last year. Warren still sits first on the depth chart, so this is not a workhorse setup. The cuts do make Dowdle's share of the backfield feel a lot safer heading into Week 1.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring) will be eased in, but he is expected to be ready to go for Week 1 in a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. The Steelers are expected to have both Pittman and DK Metcalf (undisclosed) available for the season opener, but they could both be on a snap count after missing a chunk of time in training camp this summer. The 28-year-old Pittman had a career-high seven touchdowns in 17 games in his final year with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 before the Steelers traded for him in the offseason. He also had just 784 receiving yards on 80 receptions, his lowest yardage total since his rookie season in 2020. In his first year in Pittsburgh, the former second-rounder from USC will give quarterback Aaron Rodgers another experienced pass-catcher underneath. But in an offense that could remain a run-first unit, Pittman will be more of a WR4/flex target in fantasy football drafts while playing second fiddle to Metcalf. RotoBaller has Pittman ranked as the WR42 as he heads into his seventh NFL campaign.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is still being treated like a QB2, but the setup around him is getting more interesting. Love threw for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 15 games last season, completing a career-high 66.3% of his passes. The fantasy output lagged behind, with Love averaging 16.1 points per game while Green Bay finished 27th in pass attempts. We've already seen the other side of this. Love threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2023. Matthew Golden has been one of the Packers' biggest playmakers this summer, Tucker Kraft is back from his torn ACL, and Love went 5-for-7 for 56 yards and a touchdown on his lone drive against Denver. Josh Jacobs' status is also uncertain after landing on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which could put more on the passing game. Love still doesn't offer much with his legs after rushing for 199 yards and no touchdowns last year. RotoBaller has him at QB19. That's QB2 territory, but the ceiling is considerably higher.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (undisclosed) is going to be eased in, but he is expected to be ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Metcalf missed a good chunk of time in training camp this summer with an undisclosed ailment, but he was able to return to practice last week and should be active to kick off the regular season. Fantasy managers setting lineups for Week 1 do not exactly want to hear that the 28-year-old is being eased in, though, which means he could be on a snap count, along with Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring). Not only will Metcalf be working with an aging quarterback in the final year of his career in 2026, but he will have added competition for targets from Pittman, so fantasy managers should not just assume he will bounce back from a 59-850-6 line in 15 regular-season games in 2025 in his first year in the Steel City. With a minor injury concern heading into his eighth year in the NFL, Metcalf is more of a WR3/flex with touchdown upside in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has quietly had the kind of August fantasy managers wanted to see. He caught 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, even with Joe Burrow limited to eight games, and that scoring connection has carried into camp. Burrow ended an Aug. 9 practice with a touchdown to Higgins, who boxed out DJ Ivey in the end zone. Eleven days later, Higgins caught all five passes thrown his way during a joint practice with Chicago, including another red-zone score. There is still no getting around Ja'Marr Chase, who commanded 185 targets last season, and durability remains the obvious concern after Higgins has completed only one 17-game season in his career. Still, the role has looked exactly as advertised this summer. RotoBaller has Higgins at WR16 after a WR15 finish in 2025, and he enters Week 1 looking like one of the stronger high-end WR2 bets on the board.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is healthy again, but his path back to the very top of the fantasy position looks a little less clean than it did earlier this summer. Lamb still topped 1,000 yards last season despite missing three full games with a high ankle sprain, finishing with 75 catches for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns. The bigger issue now is George Pickens. Pickens led Dallas with 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, and the buzz around him only grew during camp. DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Eatman recently suggested Pickens may have elevated into the receiver defenses worry about most, while RotoBaller noted Monday that there has been plenty of chatter about Pickens having the better camp. Lamb remains an elite option and has looked sharp with Dak Prescott, including several deep connections in August. He is also healthy entering Week 1. Still, RotoBaller currently has Lamb at WR5 in half-PPR. With Pickens pushing for an even bigger role, Lamb's ceiling looks a little less automatic than it once did.