August
19,
2025
Second-year
Philadelphia
Eagles
wide
receiver
Ainias
Smith
has
enjoyed
a
healthy
training
camp,
and
his
coaches
have
taken
notice.
Last
season,
as
a
fifth-round
rookie,
he
struggled
through
camp
with
a
stress
fracture
in
his
shin
that
read more...
August 19, 2025
Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Hugh Douglas was a guest on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, and he is bullish on the 2025 Falcons offense. He boldly predicted fireworks, and he believes second-year quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. is the key to unlocking fifth-year tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. Pitts exploded onto the scene with a 1,000 yard rookie campaign after being the highest drafted tight end in NFL history, but he has yet to top 55 receptions or 700 yards in any of his three seasons since, and his four touchdowns in 2024 were a career high. His raw talent and intriguing physical profile will keep him on many a draft radar, despite the scars of the past. His current Yahoo Fantasy ADP of TE17 is the lowest of his career, and if his connection with Penix can match what he had with
Matt Ryan in 2021, he may finally reward drafters willing to take another shot on him.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Scott Kennedy
August 19, 2025
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. is approaching Year 2 differently from his rookie season, and his connection with quarterback
Kyler Murray continues to strengthen. Harrison entered training camp physically transformed, packing on about 10 pounds of muscle, and he has worked closely with wide receivers coach Drew Terrell to add nuance to his route-running. Harrison and Murray connected several times in a recent joint practice against the Denver Broncos, showing enough for head coach Jonathan Gannon to rest his starters in the team's second preseason game. Harrison's first year in Arizona was solid, if unspectacular. However, he left many drafters feeling burnt after seeing the highest ADP ever for a rookie wideout. He is currently being drafted as the WR15, but he could easily turn in a WR1 season if he can earn the same Year 2 trust from Murray that we saw from teammate
Trey McBride in 2024.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Zach Gershman
August 19, 2025
After sitting out of his team's first preseason game, Chicago quarterback
Caleb Williams led the Bears on a seven-play, 92-yard opening drive on Sunday Night that ended with a 35-yard TD pass. Over his 13 total snaps, he completed six of 10 passes for 107 yards and a 103.6 passer rating to go with his lone TD pass. According to head coach Ben Johnson, William's preseason debut came during his best stretch of training camp. "I thought really the three days of practice we had this week and this game were the most he's stacked up good days in a row right now," said Johnson. "The challenge is going to be keep pushing that direction." Williams enters year two after a disappointing rookie season with notable improvements to his pass protectors, playmakers, and playcaller. If he can continue to make strides in Johnson's fantasy-friendly system, he could be a late-round steal as RotoBaller's current QB12.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Courtney Cronin - ESPN
August 19, 2025
Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. rushed for 62 yards on six carries Monday night against the Bengals. Rodriguez ripped off a 40-yard run on Washington's opening drive, with the offensive line executing perfectly and him bursting through the hole. Rodriguez is a downhill runner who consistently falls forward and gains yards after contact. In a small sample of 35 carries last season, he led all running backs in success rate and ranked fifth in yards after contact per attempt. The Kentucky product profiles as an early down, hammer back that should be a good eventual replacement for Brian Robinson in Washington. He should now have a solid chance of sticking on the 53-man roster and complements
Austin Ekeler and
Jacory Croskey-Merritt well. Rodriguez is worth monitoring in deep leagues and as the Washington backfield gets sorted out.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
August
19,
2025
Washington
Commanders
wide
receiver
Jaylin
Lane
led
the
team
in
receiving
with
three
catches
for
42
yards
in
a
31-17
loss
to
the
Bengals.
The
Virginia
Tech
product
looked
impressive
as
he
used
his
speed
to
read more...
August
19,
2025
Commanders
running
back
Jacory
Croskey-Merritt
ran
for
46
yards
on
11
carries
and
added
two
receptions
for
no
gain
against
the
Bengals.
Croskey-Merritt,
more
commonly
known
as
"Bill",
followed
the
hole
that
was
beautifully
created
by
read more...
August 19, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels finished with 14 rushing yards and a touchdown in Washington's 31-17 loss against the Bengals. Daniels didn't need to attempt a pass on the Commanders' explosive four-play, 74-yard opening drive. The drive began with an end-around to newly acquired weapon Deebo Samuel for 19 yards. The Commanders then gashed Cincinnati again in the run game with Chris Rodriguez getting loose for 40 yards. Daniels capped it off with a 14-yard scramble up the middle of the field, where he made a move on Bengals safety Jordan Battle near the goal line, and bounced right off him into the endzone standing up. Head coach Dan Quinn saw enough from the second-year signal caller, who looks primed for an MVP-caliber year after his historic rookie season. The next step will be getting his star wideout,
Terry McLaurin, back on the practice field to get ramped up for week 1 at home against the Giants
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
August 18, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Mitchell Tinsley was dominant, hauling in five receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. It was the Tinsley show against his former team, scoring touchdowns from 21 yards and 13 yards, thrown by backup quarterback
Jake Browning. The third-year receiver adds some depth in the Bengals' wide receiver room behind
Ja'Marr Chase and
Tee Higgins. Tinsley is fighting for a roster spot, but with performances like this, he will secure it with ease. The former undrafted free agent will have another chance to shine next Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 18, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
Tee Higgins was again held without a reception in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Higgins has had only one target in the first two preseason games, while his running-mate
Ja'Marr Chasehas racked up five targets in both games. Higgins is currently being drafted as the WR12 on the current RotoBaller half-PPR rankings and is the only projected WR2 on his respective team to be ranked inside the top 20 of wide receivers. Higgins' last opportunity to see the field is next week when the Bengals host the Indianapolis Colts.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 18, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals running back
Chase Brown carried the ball five times for 16 yards and a touchdown in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Brown was able to find the endzone on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, which is a sign that the Bengals trust him in short-yardage situations. Brown has now carried the ball 10 times for 40 yards and a touchdown, adding three receptions for 25 yards through the air in the first two preseason games. The 2023 fifth-round pick has league-winning upside as the starting running back for one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Brown's last chance to get preseason reps will be Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 18, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase hauled in one reception for 11 yards in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Chase caught a quick pass from quarterback
Joe Burrow and drew a 25-yard pass-interference penalty that set up running back
Chase Brown for a one-yard touchdown run. The 2024 "Triple Crown Winner" has now caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, as well as scoring a touchdown that got called back due to a holding penalty. Chase enters the 2025 season as the consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts, and if this preseason is any indication, he should be in line for another monstrous season.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August
18,
2025
Cincinnati
Bengals
quarterback
Joe
Burrow
completed
nine
of
14
passes
for
62
yards
and
a
touchdown
in
the
31-17
win
against
the
Washington
Commanders.
Burrow
led
a
nine-play,
58-yard
scoring
drive,
where
running
back
read more...
August 18, 2025
Free-agent guard Dalton Risner is scheduled to visit with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, according to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports. The 30-year-old Risner has started 81 games across six NFL seasons, spending the last two years with the Minnesota Vikings. Cincinnati has veteran Lucas Patrick penciled in as the starter at right guard and third-round rookie Dylan Fairchild atop the depth chart at left guard. The Bengals have struggled to find consistent play on the interior of the offensive line for multiple years now, so it's no surprise that they would be interested in an experienced veteran like Risner. Pro Football Focus graded Risner as the NFL's 13th-best pass-blocking guard in 2024 but the league's 96th-best run-blocker at the position. That would indicate that adding him to the mix in Cincinnati might benefit quarterback
Joe Burrow, but could potentially harm running back
Chase Brown.
--Will BradySource: Fox Sports - Jordan Schultz
August 18, 2025
New England Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf says that the team would be willing to trade away a first- or second-round pick if the right deal emerges, per Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. Perry notes that several big-name players are searching for new contracts at this point in the offseason, and that the Patriots are at the top of the NFL in available cap space. Speculatively, current Washington Commanders wide receiver
Terry McLaurin could be a fit in New England if McLaurin and Washington remain at a financial impasse. There's no indication that a McLaurin deal or any other deal is close, but the Patriots are a team to monitor on the trade market given Wolf's willingness to speak publicly about upgrades.
--Will BradySource: NBC Sports Boston - Phil Perry
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