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Max Muncy Battling Power Outage in Recent Games
Across 474 plate appearances entering play on Tuesday, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy had hit .251/.347/.494 with 26 home runs, 68 RBI, 69 runs scored, and two stolen bases. While the 36-year-old's numbers for the year remain strong, he's run into some struggles of late. Across his last 10 games played dating back to August 18, Muncy has recorded just seven hits and one home run. Muncy has also seen his strikeout rate rise to 28.4% across 137 plate appearances after the All-Star break, after posting a 23.5% strikeout rate across 336 plate appearances in the first half. The Dodgers routinely take Muncy out of the lineup against left-handed starting pitchers, which limits his run production upside for fantasy managers despite his high-end power. In stretches where Los Angeles is facing multiple lefties, fantasy managers may want to take Muncy out of their lineups until he turns things around.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Travis Hunter Continues to be Utilized on Both Sides of the Ball
Jacksonville Jaguars 2025 second overall pick, Travis Hunter, enters the 2026 season with reports from camp suggesting that head coach Liam Coen plans to utilize Hunter on both sides of the ball, and Hunter has reportedly taken reps almost exclusively at cornerback for the last few weeks. While Hunter holds value as a professional football player, his ability to play both sides of the ball impacts his ability to be impactful in fantasy football when he is splitting his time. The Jaguars also have a crowded receiver room that includes Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Brenton Strange. While it's possible that Hunter may have spike weeks where he goes off for a big play, it's too unpredictable and unreliable when it comes to the fantasy football lens. RotoBaller currently ranks Hunter as the WR81 and the 210th overall player off the board, making him undraftable in most 12-team formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
James Wood Likely to Return to Nationals Lineup on Wednesday
Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera said that outfielder James Wood (oblique) will "be back in the Nationals lineup (on Wednesday) if he feels good in the AM," per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. Wood has been sidelined by an oblique injury since early August. However, the 23-year-old has now made a couple of rehab appearances with Double-A Harrisburg and appears to be ready to return to the big leagues. Across 535 plate appearances before the injury, Wood slashed .265/.393/.535 with 30 home runs, 73 RBI, 100 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases. Wood owns an elevated 28.6% strikeout rate, but he's walked in 16.8% of his plate appearances and owns elite barrel (20.8%) and hard-hit (57.6%) rates. Once activated, Wood profiles as a must-start fantasy outfielder.
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Saquon Barkley Has Looked Sharp in the New Eagles Offensive Scheme
Philadelphia Eagles' 29-year-old running back Saquon Barkley had a disappointing season last year after finishing as the RB1 in 2024. During the 2025 season, he finished as the RB14, rushing for 1,140 yards (4.07 YPC) and hauling in 37 of his 50 targets for 273 yards and two touchdowns through the air. The Eagles offense struggled under former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo last season and has brought in new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion for the 2026 season, who is rooted in the Sean McVay coaching tree, which focuses on a rhythm-based system in which the run and play-action pass concepts look identical. Reports from camp have indicated that Barkley has been one of the biggest standout performers on the field and is in line for a major workload under Mannion's new offensive scheme, setting him up for a bounceback season. RotoBaller currently ranks Barkley as the RB7 coming into the season, and fantasy managers looking to lock in a workhorse runing back in the first round will want to target him.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brandon Marsh Losing Playing Time Amidst Second-Half Slump
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh has had a solid season overall in 2026, hitting .271/.318/.426 with 17 home runs, 57 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 511 plate appearances. However, the 28-year-old has run into a rough patch of late. After hitting .301 with 15 homers across 363 plate appearances in the first half of the season, Marsh has hit just .195 with two long balls across 148 trips to the plate since the All-Star break. The lefty-swinging Marsh has also been significantly worse against same-handed pitching this season, posting a .624 OPS with a 36.9% strikeout rate against southpaws. If his overall struggles persist, Marsh could continue to lose playing time against left-handed starting pitching. Fantasy managers should monitor Marsh closely as we hit the final month of the regular season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chase Brown Expanding His Role, a Bonafide RB1 For Fantasy Football
Cincinnati Bengals 26-year-old running back Chase Brown finished the 2025 season as the RB8 and rushed for 1,019 yards (4.39 YPC) and six touchdowns, along with 88 targets, 69 receptions, 437 receiving yards, and five touchdowns through the air. Reports from camp have been glowing, as head coach Zac Taylor has put Brown at the center of unique offensive schemes, moving him out wide, in the slot, and utilizing him in pre-snap motion. Additionally, camp reports highlight that Brown is looking explosive and has been making big plays throughout training camp. There's no question that Brown is going early in drafts this season; however, the added context of his versatility in the passing game only raises his ceiling, and with quarterback Joe Burrow healthy, Brown has the upside to finish as a top-10 running back for a second straight season. RotoBaller ranks Brown as the RB9 heading into drafts, and he is in line for another massive season in a potent offense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joe Ryan Throws 42 Pitches, Strikes Out Four in Rehab Outing on Tuesday
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (glute) allowed one earned run and recorded four strikeouts across three innings in a rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday. The 30-year-old has been sidelined by a glute strain since early August, but it appears he is nearing a return to the big leagues. Across 125 2/3 innings (23 starts) before the injury, Ryan recorded a 6-8 record with a 3.65 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts. Ryan rarely allows free passes (5.2% walk rate) while also being a consistent source of strikeouts (26.4% strikeout rate) for fantasy managers. It's unclear whether Ryan will require a second rehab outing before returning to the Twins, but either way, he will need at least one more start before being built up to a full starter's workload. Once he's fully healthy, Ryan profiles as a must-start fantasy pitcher.
Source: milb.com
Source: milb.com
Oronde Gadsden Falling Down Draft Boards Due to Added Competition
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden impressed in 2025, finishing as the TE17 and hauling in 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards (13.6 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. He was the most explosive tight end in football with a 131.3 explosive rating, and while he was very efficient and productive, his blocking limitations and the addition of David Njoku and Charlie Kolar are making it more difficult for him to find playing time or to increase his snap share. Additionally, in most of the Chargers' preseason games, Gadsden often played with the backups. Gadsden may be an explosive option in specific passing situations, but it's possible we'll see his 61.4 percent snap share, which was 28th in the NFL last season, continue to decline with the additional tight ends in the room. RotoBaller ranks Gadsden as the TE31 on the season, making him a clear fade in all one-tight-end formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Devin Taylor Being Promoted to Triple-A
Athletics outfielder Devin Taylor is being promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Las Vegas, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. A second-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Taylor opened the 2026 season at High-A and logged an .851 OPS across 254 plate appearances. He's continued to hit following his promotion to Double-A in early June, hitting .323/.409/.534 with 14 home runs, 54 RBI, 52 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 325 plate appearances at the level. Swing-and-miss is an issue for the 22-year-old, as he posted a 28.6% strikeout rate at Double-A. However, he also walked in 12.6% of his plate appearances and carries high-end power potential. With less than a month to go before the end of the regular season, Taylor seems unlikely to factor at the big league level in 2026. Still, he could be in the mix for a role with the Athletics in 2027 if he closes this year strong at Triple-A.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Jordan Mason Showcasing Improved Explosiveness in Training Camp
Minnesota Vikings 27-year-old running back Jordan Mason continues to generate positive reviews from training camp thus far, with reports that he has shown better conditioning and improved explosiveness, and that head coach Kevin O'Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Philips have both been speaking highly of his physical transformation and mindset as he enters his second season with the Vikings. During the 2025 season, Mason rushed for 758 yards and six touchdowns on 159 carries. He contributed a small amount through the air, hauling in 14 of his 16 passes for 51 yards as well. Mason had a solid 4.77 YPC last season, and with Aaron Jones Sr. now 31 years old and the Vikings wanting to run more of a vertical wide-zone run scheme, Mason appears to be the preferred running back option to take in fantasy in what is projected to be a top-half offense. Mason finished last season as the RB35, aligning with RotoBallers' current ranks of RB35.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Athletics Promoting Jamie Arnold to Triple-A
Athletics pitching prospect Jamie Arnold is being promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Las Vegas, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. A 22-year-old left-hander who was the 11th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Arnold is considered one of the top prospects in the A's system. Across 113 1/3 innings (23 starts) at Double-A this season, he's recorded a 6-5 record with a 3.57 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 125 strikeouts. Arnold is known for having an excellent slider and has struck out 25.1% of the batters he's faced so far this season. The Athletics could potentially bring Arnold up for a start or two at the end of the year if he pitches well at Triple-A, but more likely he will be in the mix for a spot in the team's big-league rotation entering 2027.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Jadeveon Clowney Expected to Be Ready for Week 1
Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (hip, ankle) is expected to be ready for Week 1, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. Clowney suffered a "minor soft-tissue hip injury" during the preseason and has also battled a mild ankle issue, but it does not appear that either ailment is particularly serious. Across 13 games with the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, Clowney recorded 8.5 sacks and 12 TFLs. The 33-year-old is more of a pass-rush specialist than an every-down player at this point in his career, but he still has the ability to be a highly impactful defender when healthy. With star edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter ahead of Clowney on the depth chart, Houston should be able to limit Clowney's workload throughout the year.
Source: KPRC 2 Houston - Aaron Wilson
Source: KPRC 2 Houston - Aaron Wilson
Nick Richards Enters Camp in Prove-It Mode
Miami Heat center Nick Richards said the teams that passed on him in free agency were wrong, and he plans to prove it in Miami. "There's a lot of teams that passed up on me that I felt like they should have given me more consideration," Richards told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday. The 28-year-old has spoken with Erik Spoelstra about bringing energy and physicality, but the path to minutes is tight behind Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Nikola Jovic. Richards started 51 games for Charlotte in 2023-24, averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds, but he slipped to 14.6 minutes per game between Phoenix and Chicago last season. He needs a strong preseason to become more than emergency fantasy depth.
Source: Ira Winderman
Source: Ira Winderman
Steelers Won't Negotiate with Joey Porter Jr. During Regular Season
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said that the team will not hold contract extension negotiations with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (back) during the regular season, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. When asked whether he would play without a deal getting done, Porter Jr. said, "I don't know," per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. A second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Porter Jr. is entering the final year of his rookie contract with Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old has established himself as the Steelers' top cornerback, recording 120 solo tackles, 31 passes defensed, and three interceptions across 47 career games (41 starts). While the Steelers and Porter Jr. still have time to work out a deal before Week 1, his contract status and availability to Pittsburgh are worth monitoring extra closely now that the calendar has flipped to September.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Thanasis Antetokounmpo Leaves NBA for Aris BC
Aris BC of Greece signed forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a two-year deal with a team option for a third season, according to NBA correspondent Marc Stein. The 34-year-old spent six of the past seven seasons with Milwaukee and appeared in 34 games last season, averaging just 4.4 minutes per contest. Thanasis carried no fantasy value in that role, but his exit adds another marker to Milwaukee's post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era. Tyler Herro has the clearest path to scoring volume, while Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are the more interesting fantasy names to track from the trade return.
Source: Marc Stein
Source: Marc Stein
