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Olen Zellweger Suffers Concussion in Preseason Game
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Olen Zellweger (concussion) is in danger of missing the start of the 2026-27 campaign after being hurt during Tuesday's preseason action. In a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zellweger suffered a concussion. He was hurt in the second period when Blue Jackets defenseman Carson Soucy delivered a big hit. Zellweger is a fresh face in Buffalo after the team acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks this offseason. Following a back-to-back 20-point campaign, he will look to take the next step in 2026-27. Buffalo also lost Mattias Samuelsson (undisclosed) on Tuesday night, a further blow to their blue line just a week before the season opener.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Dan Vladar Sustains Upper-Body Injury
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (upper body) saw his night end early in Tuesday's preseason contest against the Boston Bruins. He left the game in the first period due to an upper-body injury. Vladar allowed one goal on seven Boston attempts. The Czech netminder had an impressive debut campaign in Philadelphia, posting a 29-14-7 record, a 2.42 goals-against average, and a .906 save percentage. The Flyers will be sweating over his health before opening night. If Vladar misses time, Joseph Woll could take on an increased workload.
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Source: Philadelphia Flyers
Drew Helleson Out for One Week
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson (lower body) has been ruled out until next week, Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune reports. The 25-year-old is dealing with a lower-body injury and will miss the rest of the preseason. However, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville hopes to have Helleson available for the regular-season opener. Early in his NHL career, Helleson has showcased versatility. He finished last season with 15 points (two goals, 13 assists), 39 SOG, 79 blocks, and 63 hits in 60 games. Moving forward, Helleson must improve his offensive output to become a viable fantasy option.
Source: Zach Cavanagh
Source: Zach Cavanagh
Klay Thompson Emerges as Front-Runner to Start for Miami
Miami Heat guard/forward Klay Thompson is the clear front-runner to open the season at shooting guard, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, though Erik Spoelstra is expected to hold a preseason competition. The 36-year-old made 202 threes at a 38.3 percent clip on 7.6 attempts per game with Dallas last season despite averaging just 11.7 points. His shooting gives Miami needed spacing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, but his fantasy appeal remains fairly narrow at this stage of his career. If Thompson wins the job, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson would likely come off the bench, while Thompson would mainly help fantasy managers in the three-point category with limited contributions elsewhere.
Source: Anthony Chiang
Source: Anthony Chiang
Matt Duchene Expected to Skate Wednesday
Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene (undisclosed) is expected to skate on Wednesday. The two-time All-Star has been granted maintenance days at the start of training camp as a precaution. Dallas had Duchene in the lineup only 57 times last season and is being cautious with his health. Duchene played well when available, averaging nearly 0.8 points. He was a point-per-game player in 2024-25, so another 60-point campaign should be well within his reach this season. The Stars also hope to have fellow forward Colin Blackwell (lower body) back on the ice Wednesday.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Boopie Miller Set to Sign Exhibit 10 Deal with Denver
Guard Boopie Miller has received a training camp invite from the Denver Nuggets and is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The 23-year-old went undrafted after earning All-ACC Second Team honors at SMU, where he averaged 19.1 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 41.4 percent from three. Miller also played for Milwaukee during Summer League. Denver already has Jamal Murray and Tyus Jones at point guard, with KJ Simpson also competing for backcourt minutes. That leaves Miller with a difficult path to an NBA role, and his clearest route may run through the Grand Rapids Gold. He remains off the fantasy radar for now.
Source: Marc Stein
Source: Marc Stein
Alex Ovechkin May Skip Preseason
Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin (lower body) may not be available during the preseason. He hasn't practiced due to a lower-body injury and is day-to-day. Washington won't open its regular season until Oct. 2, so Ovechkin still has more than a week to get ready for the real action. However, if he only sees limited practice time during the preseason and can't play in any games, the veteran star may struggle to find his stride early in the campaign. Ovechkin is prepping for his 22nd NHL season. He has scored at least 30 goals and 60 points in five consecutive years. Extending that streak will be challenging now that he's 41.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Cale Makar Returns to Full Practice
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (lower body) participated fully in Tuesday's practice, Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now reports. The superstar defenseman was dealing with a lower-body injury as training camp opened, but he has shaken it off. Makar could jump into action later this week, when the Avalanche complete their preseason schedule. Jared Bednar's team starts the regular season on Sept. 30 against the Los Angeles Kings. There doesn't appear to be any danger of Makar missing opening night. Makar has racked up more than 250 points over the last three campaigns and will be among the league's most prolific defensemen again in 2026-27.
Source: Aarif Deen
Source: Aarif Deen
Miles Barnstable Joins Spurs on Training Camp Deal
The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard Miles Barnstable to a training camp contract, according to Paul Garcia, bringing their camp roster to 20 players. The 6-foot-2 rookie went undrafted after averaging 14.6 points in 30.3 minutes during his lone season at Tulsa while shooting 40.6 percent from three and setting a program record with 103 triples. Barnstable also played for San Antonio in Summer League, finishing with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting against Phoenix. With De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper already commanding backcourt minutes, Barnstable faces a steep path to an NBA role and carries no immediate fantasy appeal.
Source: Paul Garcia
Source: Paul Garcia
James Johnson Returns to Pacers on Exhibit 9 Deal
Forward James Johnson is returning to the Indiana Pacers on a training camp deal, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. The IndyStar reports that the contract is a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal. The 39-year-old sat out the 2025-26 season after appearing in just 39 games across three previous seasons with Indiana, averaging 6.3 minutes. Johnson remains valued more for his veteran presence than his on-court production. Indiana is only about $2.2 million below the first apron, and keeping Johnson on a veteran minimum deal would cost roughly $2.4 million against the cap. That makes his chances of sticking on the opening-night roster slim, and he remains off the fantasy radar.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Stars Sign Sam Steel to Four-Year Extension
Dallas Stars forward Sam Steel has landed a contract extension ahead of the new season. He will be on a four-year, $14.8 million contract heading into the 2027-28 campaign. Steel earned a significant raise from his current deal, which pays him $2.1 million annually. While his numbers don't jump out, Steel has been a consistent contributor for the Stars, bagging a career-high 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 73 contests last season. At 28, he's in his prime years, and significant improvement isn't anticipated moving forward
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Fred VanVleet to Skip Back-to-Backs Early in Season
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (knee) will not play in back-to-backs initially this season, head coach Ime Udoka said Tuesday. The good news is that VanVleet "looks good" and is taking part in full-contact, five-on-five work as he returns from the torn ACL that cost him all of 2025-26. The 32-year-old averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 37.8 percent shooting in his last healthy season. Reed Sheppard should have more opportunities to handle the offense whenever VanVleet rests, while Marcus Smart gives Houston another veteran option in the backcourt.
Source: Jackson Gatlin
Source: Jackson Gatlin
Austin Ekeler Working Out for the Panthers
Free agent running back Austin Ekeler is set to work out for the Carolina Panthers later on Wednesday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Ekeler has been a free agent for the entire 2026 season and has not stepped onto an NFL field since Week 2 of the 2025 season. In his last NFL game, Ekeler sustained a serious Achilles tear, which cut his season short. However, the veteran back is attempting to make a comeback to the NFL. Ekeler would be a necessary addition for the Panthers, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network recently reported that Jonathon Brooks is set to undergo core muscle surgery, which will keep him out for at least six weeks. In the 2024 season, Ekeler played a key role in Washington's run to the NFC Championship Game, taking 77 carries for 364 yards and four scores and catching 35 passes for another 356 yards. If Ekeler were to join the Panthers, he would likely take some third-down opportunities, away from the workhorse Chuba Hubbard.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Jonathon Brooks to Undergo Core Surgery, to Miss at Least Six Weeks
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (core) is set to undergo core muscle surgery, which will place him on the injured reserve. Per Rapoport, the young running back is expected to miss at least six weeks, but should be able to contribute down the stretch. This is a tough blow for Brooks, who has dealt with many serious injuries throughout his career. He joined the Panthers in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft but has appeared in only five regular-season games in his career, two of them being this season. In Week 1, Brooks took only four carries but made a splash in the receiving game, catching one pass for 48 yards. In Week 2, Brooks took only five carries before exiting early. With Brooks now in line to miss nearly half of the season, Chuba Hubbard should operate as the clear workhorse and carry weekly RB2 upside given his projected workload.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Adam Scott Makes Yet Another Presidents Cup Appearance
Adam Scott will be playing in his 12th Presidents Cup at the age of 46. The Australian golfer had qualified in 10 of his previous 11 appearances. Behind a very good 2026 season on the PGA Tour, Scott qualified yet again for the event at Medinah Country Club. Scott did not win in 2026 but had three top-10 results. He brings a ton of experience to an International squad seeking to turn the tide against Team USA. His approach to the green saw him gain 0.523 strokes (14th) in 2026. The bigger key may be putting, where Scott has been average in 2026 (122nd in putts per round at 29.35). It is the largest concern when it comes to Scott in match play and a big reason why he is under .500 at the Presidents Cup (20-28-6).
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
