RADIO
Rico Flores Jr. Ruled Out Against NC State
Virginia wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Week 0's matchup against NC State. Although no injury was reported during fall camp, Flores will be unavailable for Saturday's opening game. Flores has had an injury-riddled college career, including a torn ACL that cost him most of his 2024 season and part of the 2025 season. The former UCLA receiver transferred to Virginia this season and was expected to be one of the starting receivers for the Cavaliers. With him out, wide receivers Jacquon Gibson, Kameron Courtney, and Ty'Lyric Coleman are expected to see more volume. Flores's next chance to make his debut with the Cavaliers is in Week 2 against Norfolk State.
Source: Noah Fleischman
Source: Noah Fleischman
Tyreek Copper Ruled Out Against Virginia
North Carolina State freshman wide receiver Tyreek Copper (undisclosed) was ruled out for Week 0's matchup against Virginia. While the school has not specified an injury, Copper will not make the trip to Charlottesville on Saturday. The freshman has received praise throughout camp and, during his senior year of high school, totaled over 2,200 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns, both of which are North Carolina State records. With Copper ruled out, receivers JoJo Trader and Davion Dozier could see more volume, though neither is a startable fantasy option against Virginia's strong pass defense. Copper's next chance to suit up for his first college game is in Week 2, when they host Richmond.
Source: Noah Fleischman
Source: Noah Fleischman
Endy Rodriguez Has Season-Ending Hip Surgery
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher/first baseman Endy Rodriguez (hip) had season-ending surgery to fix the labrum in his left hip on Wednesday, the team announced. Rodriguez is expected to resume baseball activities within seven to nine months, which will likely delay his start to next season. The 26-year-old switch-hitting Dominican backstop will finish his third year in the majors with a .267/.373/.467 slash line, an .840 OPS, a career-high seven home runs, 20 RBI, 20 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 45 games across 159 plate appearances. In three total seasons with the Pirates, Rodriguez has only played in 120 games while hitting .231 (86-for-373) with 10 homers, 35 RBI, 52 runs, and six steals. His 2024 season ended prematurely, too, after having right-elbow surgery last June. Until Rodriguez can stay healthy and prove himself over a full season, he will be tough to get behind, even in two-catcher fantasy leagues. The Pirates will roll with Henry Davis and Rafael Flores Jr. behind the plate the rest of the way in 2026.
Source: Jason Mackey
Source: Jason Mackey
Arch Manning Believes Emmett Mosley will "Go Off" in 2026
Texas quarterback Arch Manning believes wide receiver Emmett Mosley is going to "go off" this season. Manning praised Mosley, saying, "Emmett's had a really good fall camp. He's a really good player, and I think he's going to have a great year." After a strong freshman season at Stanford, Mosley struggled after transferring to Texas, totaling 408 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. With DeAndre Moore Jr. and Parker Livingstone at different schools, there is a window for volume behind Cam Coleman, the projected WR1. Currently listed as WR52 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Mosley is a late-round player to watch in 2026.
Source: Orange Bloods
Source: Orange Bloods
Casey Mize Will Start on Friday Against Rays
San Diego Padres right-hander Casey Mize (ankle), who sprained his right ankle in his last outing on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, came out of his bullpen session this week feeling good and will make the start on Friday on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, manager Craig Stammen told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Overall, Mize has had a strong 2026 season, his sixth in the majors, going 5-7 with a 3.44 ERA (4.15 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 104 2/3 innings pitched across 20 starts with the Padres and Detroit Tigers. Injuries have still been an issue, though, and he has not exactly been trustworthy in his first four starts for the Friars since being acquired from the Tigers at the trade deadline at the start of August. Mize has a 7.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and seven walks in his first four starts with SD. He will not get an easy matchup coming off an ankle sprain either against the first-place Rays, who hold the sixth-best OPS (.732) in MLB. Mize is rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues with August nearly over.
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
Omarion Miller Continues to Shine at Fall Camp
Arizona State wide receiver Omarion Miller continues to shine at fall camp with the Sun Devils. Miller spent the first three seasons of his college career at Colorado and had a strong 2025 season, totaling 808 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games. After transferring to Arizona State, Miller is expected to be the team's primary replacement for former Sun Devil receiver Jordyn Tyson, who was drafted eighth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. He has lived up to the hype in spring and fall camps, remaining one of the biggest standouts on the roster. With former quarterback Sam Leavitt transferring to LSU after last season, the Sun Devils still have question marks surrounding their quarterback situation. Fantasy managers should temper expectations for Miller, though he should still be a starting player in leagues this season.
Source: PHNX Sun Devils
Source: PHNX Sun Devils
Tucker Kraft Expected to be Full-Go for Week 1
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee), who will not play in the team's preseason finale this week, is expected to be full-go for the Week 1 regular-season opener despite tearing his ACL last year, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. Kraft took part in the team's joint practice against the Arizona Cardinals and took a couple of hard hits, but he did not seem to be bothered at all. "I needed some contact like that to wake up the nervous system and get ready for Week 1," said Kraft. The 25-year-old continues to practice despite not having come to an agreement with the team on a contract extension, but Kraft has made it sound like something could get done sooner rather than later. There have been reports that the Packers could put Kraft on a snap count early in the 2026 season as he continues to recover from a season-ending torn ACL, but if Wednesday is any indication, that could be out the window by the time Sept. 13 comes. After catching 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns in just eight games last year, Kraft has clear breakout potential and top-five upside at the TE position for fantasy managers in his fourth year in the NFL.
Source: ESPN.com - Rob Demovsky
Source: ESPN.com - Rob Demovsky
Matt Jeffrey Buzz is Real at Notre Dame Fall Camp
Notre Dame wide receiver Matt Jeffrey has generated buzz throughout fall camp and is now in the conversation to be a true contributor for the Fighting Irish this season. Jeffrey played lacrosse at Notre Dame and earned ACC Freshman of the Year, All-ACC, and All-American honors in 2026. Because lacrosse runs only in the spring, Jeffrey has spent the fall with the football team and has reportedly put on a show. Notre Dame's offensive coordinator said, "Matt has been incredible in fall camp and really has stepped into the discussion with all of the other four top WRs." With Jordan Faison, Quincy Porter, and Mylan Graham as the team's top receiver options, Jeffrey will likely struggle to find playing time in 2026. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on this wide receiver, as quarterback C.J. Carr is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the nation this season.
Source: Jack Soble
Source: Jack Soble
Chris Olave Returns to Practice on Wednesday
After an injury scare on Tuesday, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (upper body) returned to training camp practice on Wednesday, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Olave got the wind knocked out of him when he landed hard on his back during practice on Tuesday, and he sat out the rest of practice. It was a brief scare for the team's best pass-catcher, but the 26-year-old is now completely fine and will be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season in early September. Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough will continue to lean on Olave, with rookie first-rounder Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) set to miss the beginning of the season. Olave, a former 11th overall pick from Ohio State, was rewarded with a four-year, $132 million contract extension last month after setting career highs in catches (100), targets (156), receiving yards (1,163), and touchdowns (nine) in 2025 in his fourth year in the league. With enough volume in head coach Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense, Olave should continue to have a high floor in 2026, making him at least worthy of low-end WR1 status in fantasy football drafts. He is ranked as RotoBaller's WR10 in half-PPR scoring.
Source: ESPN.com - Katherine Terrell
Source: ESPN.com - Katherine Terrell
Legend Glasker Drawing Praise
BYU freshman wide receiver Legend Glasker has drawn a ton of praise across the organization. On BYU Sports Nation, Glasker was hyped as an "All-Big 12 receiver." "He has absolutely ripped through camp. Not only was I told he could be one of the best freshmen in the Big 12, but he's going to be one of the best wide receivers in the Big 12." Listed at 6'1, 175 lbs, Glasker was a three-star recruit in high school but has reportedly been the buzz of camp at BYU. While Kyler Kasper, Jojo Phillips, and Tiger Bachmeier are the three receivers listed ahead of Glasker, the freshman's hype should have fantasy managers monitoring him throughout the season.
Source: BYU Sports Nation
Source: BYU Sports Nation
Mike Evans Plans to Play in Week 1 Despite Being Banged Up in Camp
San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Mike Evans (groin) plans to play in Week 1 in Australia against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams despite dealing with injuries in training camp this summer, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Evans' latest injury, a groin ailment, is considered to be minor, barring a setback. The future Hall of Fame wideout has also been held out of practices with quadriceps and calf injuries, although the Niners have mostly been cautious with their WR1. The 49ers have every reason to be extra cautious when considering their bad injury luck in recent seasons, let alone with an aging 33-year-old receiver who is no stranger to nagging lower-body injuries. The six-time Pro Bowler broke a string of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons in 2025 in his final campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing in only eight games due to injuries while catching 30 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns on 62 targets. A bounce-back could be coming in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense in 2026, but durability concerns alone make Evans a pretty big risk. His ideal value now comes as a low-end WR2/high-end WR3/flex in fantasy football drafts.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Lamar Jackson Says Injuries Led to Fewer Runs Last Year
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson started and finished just 11 of 17 games last season due to hamstring, knee, ankle, back, and toe injuries, which is why he says he attempted the fewest rushing attempts of his career, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "I believe you know ... a lot of people know [that] I was hurt last year, so I really could not do anything like I wanted to," Jackson said. Before last year, Jackson averaged 144 carries per season, but he only ran the ball 67 times in 2025. His bad injury luck began in Week 4, when he injured his right hamstring and missed the next three games. Despite the disappointing season, Jackson holds the NFL record for all-time rushing yards by a QB with 6,522. He is also 38 rushing attempts shy of breaking Cam Newton's record for most career carries by a signal-caller. When asked if he will run the ball more with better health in 2026, Jackson said, "Whatever it takes to win." With better health this year, Jackson should bounce back for fantasy managers as a high-end QB1 because of his elite rushing ability.
Source: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
Source: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
Players Leaving for NCAA Can't Return to NFL in 2026 Season
The NFL informed its clubs on Wednesday that any player who returns to the college ranks will be prohibited from signing with an NFL team this season, according to ESPN. The league also reminded teams of the rule that any player signed to an NFL contract who is subsequently cut is a free agent. Those players can sign with another NFL team, join the CFL, or return to college. Any player cut by an NFL team who returns to the college ranks in 2026 will still be considered a free agent and therefore not subject to a future draft. Two NFL players, Cleveland's Dae'Quan Wright and New Orleans' Zxavian Harris, were cut by their respective teams to join the roster at LSU. A court order has recently granted players like Wright and Harris an unexpected extra year of eligibility. Players can regain their college eligibility if they terminate their NFL contracts and repay any pro earnings. After the recent court order, the SEC and Big Ten approved new rules on Tuesday that prevent players from leaving the NFL to join college teams.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Malik Davis Could Still Earn RB2 Job in Dallas
Nick Eatman of the Dallas Cowboys' official website writes that the running back hierarchy below starter Javonte Williams "is a question mark." They are not even sure anyone besides Williams has a solid spot on the roster, but "one would assume" that Malik Davis "has done enough to remain the backup." Second-year back Jaydon Blue played well in the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals last week, though, as did Phil Mafah, who turned his only carry into a trip to paydirt. Blue is younger and has more all-around upside, but the 27-year-old Davis is not going away and could at least open the 2026 season as Williams' primary backup until further notice. Mafah and Israel Abanikanda are probably more on the 53-man roster bubble. In the long run in 2026, Blue figures to have the best chance to unseat Davis as Dallas' RB2 if everyone remains healthy. Davis had 52 rushing attempts last year for a career-high 250 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in 10 games played, and his efficiency carries some weight. He has some handcuff appeal in deeper fantasy leagues, but if you are looking for pure upside in that role, Blue is probably the better bet.
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Nick Eatman
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Nick Eatman
Mason Taylor Could Offer TE2 Upside
New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor showed flashes of potential during his rookie campaign last year. Despite playing fairly well, the Jets went and drafted Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) in the first-round during this year's draft. Sadiq has been slow out of the gate while he recovers from injury, which has given Taylor time to take advantage of the extra playing time. Taylor has reportedly been a standout player early during training camp. It'll be interesting to see how the Jets operate once both tight ends are healthy again. Fantasy managers shouldn't count out Taylor as an option just because Sadiq is there now. The 22-year-old has TE2 upside in an offense that could favor tight end usage this upcoming season.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
