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Eli Stowers Struggling in Camp, Difficult to Trust in Redraft Formats
Philadelphia Eagles' second-round rookie tight end Eli Stowers, out of Vanderbilt in the 2026 NFL Draft, has struggled in camp. He has faced heavy criticism and struggled to stand out as a receiver or blocker during practices, including a tough joint practice against the New England Patriots. Ultimately, the learning curve has been steep for him, and while he flashed some upside at the combine with his athleticism, recent reports from camp suggest he's not ready to play at the NFL level. He has also been slowed down by a hamstring injury, and Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice reported that he could be a healthy scratch on Sundays. During his senior season at Vanderbilt, he had 62 receptions, 769 yards, and four touchdowns. At this point, Stowers is a dynasty stash at best. RotoBaller ranks Stowers as the TE64 and 377th player off the board, making him undraftable in most standard-sized redraft formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Sam Darnold Should Benefit From Second Season in Seahawks Offense
2025 Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold enters his second season with the Seattle Seahawks with a chance to emerge as a high-end QB2, alongside star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the emergence of Rashid Shaheed, with a full offseason under his belt to build chemistry with Darnold. Shaheed was brought over to the Seahawks in Week 9 of the 2025 season. Darnold finished the 2025 season as the QB13, throwing for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. This was followed by a season with the Vikings in 2024, where he finished as the QB9. Although he lost his offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, who was brought on to be the head coach for the Raiders, RotoBaller currently ranks Darnold as the QB23 and the 140th player taken off the board. Fantasy managers in superflex formats could look to target Darnold as their QB2, as he has finished in the top 15 at the position in back-to-back seasons.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Adley Rutschman Goes Deep Twice in Return From Injury
After missing the previous three games with an elbow injury, Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman broke a recent slump and returned with a bang on Thursday to help beat his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, by a score of 6-5 at Camden Yards. Rutschman went 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs and three RBI on the night to raise his season average to .240 and his OPS to .741. It was a much-needed turnaround for a player who has never really been able to hit his stride in 2026 due to injuries. The 28-year-old switch-hitter and former first overall pick in 2019 from Oregon State came into Thursday's series opener against Baltimore with a weak .237/.318/.400 slash line with a .718 OPS, only nine home runs, 51 RBI, and 35 runs scored in 300 at-bats. The three-time All-Star had been even worse in 15 games since being traded to the BoSox, going 9-for-59 (.170) with a homer, six walks, and 15 strikeouts. The Red Sox gave up a lot to secure Rutschman as their catcher of the future, and they are hoping his bat begins to heat up as they push to make the postseason.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Brooks Lee a Waiver-Wire Priority Amid Power Outburst
Minnesota Twins infielder Brooks Lee is suddenly up to a career-high 22 home runs entering play on Thursday after homering again in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Athletics. In his last 11 games, the switch-hitting infielder has hit .319 (15-for-47) with a .930 OPS, four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, and eight runs scored to boost his overall 2026 slash line to .250/.299/.435 with a .734 OPS, 77 RBI, 62 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in his second full season in the big leagues. The 25-year-old former eighth overall pick from Cal Poly in 2022 has been much better as a lefty against right-handed pitchers, going 91-for-345 (.264) with 19 of his 22 homers, as opposed to a .218 average (34-for-156) with just three long balls as a right-handed hitter against southpaws. With eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop, Lee is also valuable for his infield versatility in fantasy baseball, and he's available in 40% of Yahoo leagues with the playoffs approaching quickly.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jayden Daniels Primed for a Bounce-Back Season in 2026
Washington Commanders third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, out of LSU, had a down season in 2025 after his rookie campaign, in which he finished as the QB5 while rushing for 891 yards and throwing for 3,568 yards, and led the Commanders to the NFC title game. His 2025 season was derailed by multiple injuries, and he played in only seven games. Daniels is healthy entering the 2026 season with an improved receiving group. The Commanders brought in Stefon Diggs over the Patriots, Chig Okonkwo from the Titans, and Terry McLaurin is healthy entering the season. Diggs remained efficient on a per-route basis with the Patriots last season, and McLaurin had a career year with Daniels in 2024, when he had 1,096 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 117 targets. Daniels still has elite rushing upside and should bounce back in a big way this season. RotoBaller ranks Daniels as the QB4 for the season and the 60th overall player off the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Griffin Conine a Waiver Option Against Righties in Deeper Leagues
Miami Marlins first baseman/outfielder Griffin Conine is not flashy by any means, but he could help fantasy managers down the stretch in September as a left-handed-hitting outfielder against right-handed pitching in the right matchups in deeper leagues. Going into Thursday's game against the Kansas City Royals, Conine entered play with a career-high 14 home runs and 32 RBI in 72 games (238 plate appearances) while hitting .254/.357/.488 with an .845 OPS. Conine has limited overall fantasy appeal because of his struggles against southpaws -- he is hitting only .178 (8-for-45) in limited exposure against lefties. He was nothing special in August, either, going 18-for-80 (.225) in 26 games, although he did have five home runs and 11 RBI after hitting six homers in 25 games in July. The 29-year-old former second-rounder by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018 out of Duke also still strikes out a third of the time, although he is sporting a career-high 12.2% walk rate in 2026. At best, Conine is worth a look off the waiver wire in deeper fantasy leagues to close out the season. He is rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jake Ferguson Restructures Contract With the Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys 27-year-old tight end Jake Ferguson restructured his contract with the Cowboys, turning his $7.25 million base salary into a signing bonus, and Ferguson's cap number will increase by $1.2 million, Todd Archer of ESPN reports. Archer also mentions that the adjustments are accounting tools and do not change how much the players are paid weekly. Ferguson finished the 2025 season as the TE5, hauling in 82 of his 105 targets for 600 yards and eight touchdowns. His 7.32 YPR was very modest, and the eight touchdowns were a career high for him. With Dak Prescott leaning mostly on his two stud wide receivers, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, it will be tough sledding for Ferguson to be a reliable fantasy asset if he experiences any sort of touchdown regression. RotoBaller ranks Ferguson as the TE16 for the season, and fantasy managers who decide to wait on the tight end position should look to target Ferguson based on the high-powered nature of this Cowboys offense.
Source: Todd Archer
Source: Todd Archer
Kyle Stowers Leaves Early With Hamstring Tightness
Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) left Thursday's game against the Kansas City Royals early with tightness in his left hamstring, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Before hitting the showers early, Stowers went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and two strikeouts before he was replaced at first base by Deyvison De Los Santos. Stowers has already been on the injured list this year due to hamstring issues, and he could be headed back to the shelf, depending on what tests show on Friday. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his first full season in Miami, slashing .288/.368/.544 with a .912 OPS, a career-high 25 home runs, 73 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 117 games. Through 103 games this year going into Thursday's action, he has posted a .247/.331/.470 slash line, .801 OPS, 18 homers, 59 RBI, 48 runs scored, and one steal in 433 plate appearances. Stowers played in just 15 games in August due to injury and did not have a home run, but he did go 15-for-51 (.294) in 59 plate appearances. If he is forced back to the IL with another hamstring injury, it could be a wrap on Stowers' 2026 campaign.
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola
Jonah Coleman Could Be Between-the-Tackles Complement in Denver
Denver Broncos rookie running back out of Washington, Jonah Coleman, was drafted in the fourth round by the Broncos to work alongside J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. However, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic wrote about how Coleman could be involved between the tackles as a complementary piece to Dobbins to lessen Dobbins' rushing load with the aim of keeping him healthy throughout the season. Dobbins has a long injury history, having yet to stay healthy for a full season in his six-year career. Last season, Dobbins rushed for 772 yards (5.05 YPC) with four touchdowns before going down with an injury and playing in only 10 games. Coleman was a solid back at Washington, rushing for 25 touchdowns over his past two seasons and 1,053 yards during his junior season. Coleman has a receiving profile as well, as he saw 54 receptions in his final two seasons, but Harvey is expected to assume most of that work. RotoBaller ranks Harvey as the RB54 entering the season, but any injury to Dobbins would propel him into RB3 consideration.
Source: Nick Kosmider
Source: Nick Kosmider
Alejandro Kirk a Viable Catching Addition for Final Month of the Season
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk got the day off on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, but it had nothing to do with his offensive performance of late. The 27-year-old missed over a month of action early in the first half of the season due to injury, but he has been back since June and just finished a highly productive month in August, slashing .341/.412/.534 with a .946 OPS, five home runs, two doubles, 20 RBI, nine runs scored, and a stolen base in 25 games played. It was by far Kirk's best month of the 2026 season as he rounds into form for the final month of the regular season as Toronto looks to sneak into a wild-card spot in the American League. The 27-year-old Mexican backstop is now hitting .271 (59-for-218) overall with eight long balls, 32 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a stolen base in only 63 games played this season. Kirk is the Jays' primary catcher and can help fantasy managers in two-catcher formats who are trying to win a championship. He is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .282 with a career-high 15 home runs and 76 RBI in 130 regular-season games. Despite his red-hot month in August, Kirk is still rostered in less than half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jarkel Joiner Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets signed guard Jarkel Joiner to an Exhibit 10 contract this week, with Kyle Mangas waived in the corresponding move, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Joiner went undrafted out of NC State in 2023 and spent last season with Raptors 905, averaging 11.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in the G-League. Charlotte has cycled several players through the back end of its offseason roster, making this look more like organizational depth than an NBA rotation push. Coby White, Dennis Schroder, and Grayson Allen are among the guards ahead of him in Charlotte, leaving Joiner off fantasy radars.
Source: Rod Boone
Source: Rod Boone
Geno Smith is Voted Jets Captain
New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith was voted as a captain by his teammates ahead of the 2026 season, according to the team's official website. Smith hasn't played in a regular-season game for the Jets since the 2016 season. He's back after having a resurgence with the Seattle Seahawks and Raiders over the last four years. We'll see what the 35-year-old still has left in the tank after throwing 17 interceptions with the Raiders last season. It's nice to see the Jets players respecting Smith enough to give him the captain status, even with this being his first year back in New York in over a decade.
Source: New York Jets
Source: New York Jets
Max Clark a High-End Waiver-Wire Prospect Despite Up-and-Down Start
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark has been hit or miss in his first 30 major-league games since making his debut on July 31 against the Athletics with a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. The 21-year-old former third overall pick in 2023 came into Thursday's slate with a .257 average (27-for-105) with two home runs, seven doubles, three triples, 14 RBI, 14 runs scored, a stolen base, nine walks, and 25 strikeouts in 118 plate appearances. The left-handed-hitting outfielder came into Wednesday's game against the division-rival Minnesota Twins with a .179 average over his previous 10 games, but he reminded us why he has plenty of upside to close out the 2026 campaign with a 3-for-4 performance with three doubles, an RBI, three runs scored, and two walks. Clark became the first Tigers player with three doubles in a game since Miguel Cabrera did it in 2018. The Tigers' top overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has high-end power-speed potential and is only rostered in 19% of Yahoo leagues. There will be growing pains, but fantasy managers should ride the upside.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Bryce Young Working with New Play-Caller in 2026
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young will be working with a new play caller this upcoming season. Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will be taking over the play-calling duties from Dave Canales, according to Mike Kaye of ESPN. Idzik is entering his third season as the OC in Carolina. Young recently described the new play calling as aggressive, so we'll see what that means during the regular season. Young completed eight of 11 passing attempts for 67 yards during the preseason. The Panthers are limited in terms of offensive weapons, but Tetairoa McMillan could be in for a big year.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tyler Mahle a Waiver-Wire Priority After Strong Start With Atlanta
Right-hander Tyler Mahle went 3-9 with a 5.13 ERA (4.37 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 89 strikeouts and 37 walks in 94 2/3 innings and 18 starts to begin the 2026 season with the San Francisco Giants before the Atlanta Braves acquired him in a trade at midseason. Since the move to the first-place Braves, the 31-year-old veteran has looked like a different pitcher, going 2-1 with a 1.48 ERA (2.87 FIP) and 0.96 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and only five walks in 30 1/3 frames over five starts. Mahle has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his five starts so far for Atlanta, and he gave up only one earned run with no walks and a season-high nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings in his last outing on Sunday, Aug. 30, against the Colorado Rockies. He will have a pretty big test his next time out this weekend against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. In two starts already this year against the Phils, Mahle allowed five earned runs on nine hits while walking seven and striking out nine in 10 2/3 innings. Mahle will be a riskier fantasy streamer in that matchup, but regardless, he deserves more waiver-wire attention down the stretch. Mahle is currently rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
