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Marcus Mariota Suffers Knee Injury in Preseason Opener
Washington Commanders veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee) was pointing to his right knee when athletic trainers came out to check on him during Friday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Mariota was sent to the blue medical tent and was replaced by Sam Hartman at QB. The 32-year-old signal-caller played in 11 games and made eight starts in 2025 in his second year in Washington, with starter Jayden Daniels only starting seven games. Mariota went 2-6 in his eight starts, throwing for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his 11th year in the NFL. The Commanders' QB depth behind Daniels would be in serious trouble if Mariota is dealing with a major knee injury, as they only have Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis on the QB depth chart behind Mariota. He almost certainly will not return to Friday's game against Miami, even if his knee injury turns out to be minor.
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Brice Turang Missing Second Straight Game With Knee Injury
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (knee) will miss a second straight game against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday due to pain in his left knee, according to MLB.com. David Hamilton is making another start at the keystone and will hit eighth against Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Turang's knee issue could eventually turn into an injured-list situation, but for now, the Brewers are considering him day-to-day. Fantasy managers should check back to see if he's in the starting nine for Game 3 of the series in L.A. on Saturday night. The 26-year-old has been one of the most consistent offensive producers at the second base position in fantasy for the second straight season in 2026, slashing .268/.360/.450 with an .810 OPS, 16 long balls, 16 stolen bases, 76 RBI, and 74 runs scored in his 451 at-bats for the first-place Brewers. Turang's knee injury could be plaguing him in 12 August games, though, as he's hit .245 (12-for-49) with no homers, three doubles, eight RBI, three runs, and a steal.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Willy Adames Out With Back Injury Against Rockies
San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (back) is not in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Colorado Rockies due to a back injury, per MLB.com. Christian Koss will start at the 6 and will bat ninth against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. Adames has been bothered by a back injury for a bit now, with an MRI exam showing a lower-back strain. For now, the 30-year-old veteran will avoid a trip to the injured list, but if Adames cannot return during the weekend series against Colorado, the Gigantes might be forced to deactivate him. The Dominican shortstop is in danger of breaking his two-year streak of 30-plus-homer seasons in his second year in the Bay Area. Adames is currently slashing just .224/.285/.413 with a career-worst .697 OPS, 19 home runs, 48 RBI, 59 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 116 games across 485 plate appearances. He continues to struggle to hit for average and has gone 8-for-38 (.211) with just one homer, a double, three RBI, three runs scored, one steal, seven walks, and 10 strikeouts in 11 games so far in August. Check back on Saturday to see if he's back on the field for San Fran.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Salvador Perez Not Ready to Return on Friday
Kansas City Royals catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (elbow) remains out of action for Friday's series opener on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. Carter Jensen is doing the catching for right-hander Seth Lugo and is batting leadoff against Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. Perez was pulled early from Wednesday's contest, and he's not ready to return just yet despite having a scheduled day off on Thursday. The 36-year-old Venezuelan veteran still has some power with 16 home runs on the year, but he comes into Friday's action hitting just .216 (94-for-436) with a 3.8% walk rate in his 473 plate appearances. The 15-year veteran and nine-time All-Star should be considered day-to-day, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if his elbow injury turns into a stint on the injured list. Perez has gone 8-for-35 (.229) with a single homer, two doubles, seven RBI, two runs scored, one walk, and two strikeouts in 10 games so far in August. His offensive decline has become very real after hitting 30 homers and driving in 100 runs just last year.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Teams Checking in on Vita Vea, Bucs Don't Want to Trade Him
NFL teams such as the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers have called the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to check on the availability of disgruntled defensive tackle Vita Vea, but the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that Tampa remains steadfast that they are not trading him. They have kept the lines of communication open on a potential new deal, but nothing is imminent. Vea has been holding in during training camp as he seeks a new deal before the start of the 2026 season, so he will unsurprisingly not be playing in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the New York Jets. The 31-year-old is set to make around $18 million in 2026 in the final year of the four-year, $71 million deal he signed with the team in January of 2022. Vea was reportedly dealing with a back injury at the start of camp, but it's unlikely to be anything serious enough to keep him from suiting up for Week 1 in early September. Vea is a two-time Pro Bowler and has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Bucs after they took him 12th overall in the 2018 NFL draft out of the University of Washington.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Jaylen Waddle Not in Uniform for Preseason Opener
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Fellow wideout Marvin Mims Jr. is also sitting out, as is starting quarterback Bo Nix and running back J.K. Dobbins. It's no surprise that Waddle is being held out after exiting training camp practice last Wednesday with muscle tightness in his leg. The speedy pass-catcher has not yet returned to team drills, but there doesn't appear to be any concern that it's an injury that will linger into the start of the 2026 regular season. The 27-year-old former first-rounder by the Miami Dolphins in 2021 from the University of Alabama was acquired by Denver in the offseason in hopes that he could unlock the explosiveness in the Broncos' passing attack. Waddle could be Nix's go-to target over Courtland Sutton this year, giving him a lot of upside as a WR2 target in fantasy football drafts. He could be in line to make his team debut in the second preseason game at home next Friday against the Green Bay Packers.
Source: The Denver Post - Parker Gabriel
Source: The Denver Post - Parker Gabriel
Chig Okonkwo Sitting Out With Rest of Starters
Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo is not suiting up for Friday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, according to The Athletic's Ben Standig. Okonkwo will have to wait at least another week before potentially making his debut with the Commanders after they signed him to a three-year, $27 million deal in free agency earlier this year. In his four seasons in Tennessee with the Titans, the 26-year-old had a total of 194 receptions for 2,017 yards and eight touchdowns on 272 targets across 68 games played. He had a career-high 560 receiving yards and a career-high 56 catches a year ago, despite sharing valuable playing time with rookie Gunnar Helm. The former fourth-rounder from the University of Maryland will have a much higher ceiling in Washington as long as QB Jayden Daniels can stay healthy, and he could be the team's No. 3 target behind receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. If you decide to wait on the TE position in fantasy drafts, Okonkwo is a nice sleeper to target later on.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Sitting Out of Preseason Opener
With the Washington Commanders sitting their key offensive players in Friday night's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt will be in street clothes, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) aren't playing either, so rookie Kaytron Allen, Jerome Ford, and Robert Henry should split backfield touches against Miami. Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders' backfield in 2025 after being taken in the seventh round out of the University of Arizona, recording 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries in 17 games played. The Commanders will give Bill every opportunity to earn a bigger workload in Year 2, but White poses a real threat to JCM, especially in the passing game. Croskey-Merritt must also clean up his ball-security issues in order to take the next step. Going into his sophomore campaign, Croskey-Merritt is best viewed as an RB3/flex target in standard-scoring formats. His next chance to suit up in the preseason will come next Saturday on the road against the Detroit Lions.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Emeka Egbuka has Sprained Toe, Bucs Optimistic he'll be Ready for Week 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) underwent more testing on Friday with a specialist, and it was confirmed that he has a sprained toe, but it's stable, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Buccaneers are "very optimistic" that Egbuka will be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick from Ohio State will not play in Friday's preseason opener against the New York Jets, and there's a very real possibility that he won't play at all in the preseason. Egbuka's role is destined to grow in Year 2, especially with veteran Mike Evans no longer in town, but Egbuka's toe injury should cast some doubt for fantasy managers in upcoming drafts when considering taking him as a WR2. He came out of the gates hot in his rookie campaign with five touchdowns and 445 receiving yards in his first five games before closing out the year with 493 receiving yards and just one TD in his final 12 contests. Egbuka's toe injury could make him a nice value pick in fantasy drafts as long as his toe injury doesn't have any kind of negative impact on his early-season form.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Rick Stroud
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Rick Stroud
Stefon Diggs Won't Make Debut With Commanders on Friday
The Athletic's Ben Standig reports that Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs will not suit up for Friday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. Fellow wideout Terry McLaurin will also be on the sideline as the Commanders rest most of their key offensive weapons. The New England Patriots dumped Diggs for salary-cap purposes after their Super Bowl run, even though the 32-year-old led the team with 85 catches, 1,013 yards, and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts. Diggs doesn't appear to have much big-play ability left at this point in his career, but he can definitely be a solid WR2 option for quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2026 across from McLaurin, which puts him on the fantasy football radar as a potential WR4/flex target in his new digs in Washington. At some point, Diggs and the rest of the Commanders' starting offense should see some preseason action, potentially next Saturday, Aug. 22, against the Detroit Lions.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Geno Smith Won't Play in Preseason Opener Due to Foot Soreness
New York Jets veteran quarterback Geno Smith (foot) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to foot soreness, a source told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Jets are not concerned about the injury, though, and if it were a regular-season game, Smith would be a go. Depending on how Smith recovers in the next week, he could be active for the second preseason contest next Friday, Aug. 21, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the 35-year-old now sitting out on Friday, rookie Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook, and Bailey Zappe will split the reps under center for the Jets. Smith flopped last year in his lone season with the Las Vegas Raiders, throwing for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-high 17 interceptions in 15 starts while being benched late in the year. He has more intriguing offensive weapons to work with in New York than he did in Vegas, but at best, Smith will probably be no better than a potential QB2 bounce-back candidate in superflex fantasy formats.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Taylor Ward Out Again With Quad Injury on Friday
Seattle Mariners outfielder Taylor Ward (quadriceps) will miss a second straight game due to quad tightness on Friday on the road against the division-rival Houston Astros, per MLB.com. Dominic Canzone is starting in right field and batting third, Victor Robles is in center and hitting eighth, and Julio Rodriguez will be the designated hitter and bat cleanup against Astros right-hander Peter Lambert. Ward's fantasy stock is falling fast. The 32-year-old veteran has been a massive disappointment in 2026 after hitting a career-high 36 home runs and driving in 103 runs in 157 games with the Los Angeles Angels a year ago. In 111 games with the Baltimore Orioles before being dealt to the M's at the trade deadline earlier this month, Ward hit just .246 (101-for-410) with seven home runs and 30 RBI in 506 plate appearances. He's gone 5-for-32 (.156) with zero homers, no walks, and six strikeouts in his first eight games with Seattle and is now nursing an injury. There's little hope for a turnaround for Ward to close out the year at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
CJ Abrams to Make the Transition to Second Base
The Washington Nationals announced on Friday that shortstop CJ Abrams is going to start making the transition to second base for the rest of the 2026 season, with Nasim Nunez becoming the team's primary shortstop, according to Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com. The Nationals broached the subject with Abrams around a week ago, and he was on board with it. Abrams is at the 6 and is hitting leadoff for Friday's contest against the division-rival New York Mets, but the Nats will slowly begin to transition him over to the keystone. The 25-year-old has not played second base since he was with the San Diego Padres back in 2022. While the move will improve Washington's middle-infield defense, it will also make him more attractive in fantasy with both second base and shortstop eligibility for the 2027 season. The former sixth overall pick in 2019 is having his best year in the big leagues in his fourth full season in D.C., as he enters Friday's action with a .284/.357/.541 slash line, .898 OPS, a career-high 29 home runs, a league-leading 91 RBI, 23 stolen bases, and 76 runs scored in 119 games across 512 plate appearances.
Source: NatsJournal.com - Mark Zuckerman
Source: NatsJournal.com - Mark Zuckerman
Sam Darnold Won't Play in Preseason Opener Against Dallas
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that quarterback Sam Darnold will not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to FOX 13 Seattle's Curtis Crabtree. Backup QBs Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe will likely rotate series instead of handing off. Darnold surprised everyone by winning the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots in his first year in Seattle in 2025. The 29-year-old former third overall pick from USC in 2018 has been a Pro Bowler in back-to-back seasons now as a late-bloomer in the NFL, and he's thrown for over 4,000 yards with an even 60 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in 34 regular-season starts with the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. Darnold has arguably one of the top receivers in the game to work with in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but his strong season in 2025 with Seattle culminated in only a QB13 finish in fantasy. He's now learning a new offense and doesn't have star RB Kenneth Walker around in the backfield, which screams regression. Darnold might have a solid QB2 floor in fantasy, but he's merely a bench stash in single-QB, 12-team leagues.
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Jadarian Price "On the Mend," Won't Play on Saturday
Seattle Seahawks rookie first-round running back Jadarian Price (lower body) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. "He's on the mend," head coach Mike Macdonald said. Price has been slowly returned to training camp practice after dealing with lower-body soreness in the last week. With Zach Charbonnet (knee) already not expected to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, the Seahawks are understandably playing it safe with their new first-round investment in the backfield. Price was listed as the RB2 behind George Holani on the first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, but if healthy, he's expected to have a significant role early in his rookie season as Charbonnet continues to rehab. He has a bright NFL future long-term, but fantasy managers need to temper expectations early on in what is shaping up to be a committee backfield, making Price an RB3/flex target in upcoming drafts, at best.
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
