August 28, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie running back
Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned but is not considering a return to college, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Earlier in the week, NBC's Mike Florio reported that the former Ohio State standout could begin to pursue a return to college, but Cabot's recent report suggests the running back is not planning to go this route. Earlier in the offseason, Judkins was arrested for domestic violence and battery charges. While his prosecutors dropped the charges against him, he has yet to agree to a rookie contract with the Browns. Additionally, the NFL could still suspend him after conducting their own investigation. Given his uncertain situation, it is best to leave Judkins off your draft board for the time being. Throughout the preseason, fellow rookie
Dylan Sampson and veteran
Jerome Ford have shared the backfield and will likely open the season as the 1A and 1B in the running back room.
--Andy SmithSource: Mary Kay Cabot
August 28, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles received a boost Thursday as wide receiver
DeVonta Smith (groin) returned to practice alongside
A.J. Brown. His presence is a positive sign for the offense heading into their Week 1 Thursday night clash with the Cowboys. Smith is coming off what many considered a "down" 2024 season, tallying 68 catches for 833 yards and eight touchdowns. Still, he remains a strong mid-round fantasy target with WR2 upside in one of the league's most explosive offenses. With questions surrounding the Cowboys amid the Micah Parsons storyline, Philadelphia's offense will look to set the tone early in the opener.
--Shaun AlbinSource: John McMullen
August 28, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels expressed confidence in his continued chemistry with star wideout
Terry McLaurin, noting, "It never leaves." McLaurin, who returned to practice this week, is coming off a 2024 season with 82 catches, 1,096 yards, and a career-high 13 touchdowns. His steady presence makes him Daniels' clear top target heading into 2025. Currently being drafted as WR16, McLaurin carries strong upside and could be one of the better value picks among mid-tier receivers this season.
--Shaun AlbinSource: JP Finlay
August 28, 2025
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (undisclosed) has been out of practice since August 11, and his status remains uncertain as Week 1 approaches. While the team doesn't expect Smith to miss significant time, his absence is worth monitoring given his role as a six-time Pro Bowler and defensive leader. If Smith were sidelined for the opener, the Bears' rushing attack, led by D'Andre Swift and rookie
Kyle Monangai, could benefit from a softer matchup. Smith's health will be a key storyline for Minnesota's defense heading into the season.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Alec Lewis
August 28, 2025
Denver Broncos wide receiver
Marvin Mims Jr. (groin) is expected to be back at practice Monday, head coach Sean Payton confirmed. Entering his third season, Mims produced 503 yards and six touchdowns on 39 receptions last year, and his role could expand as quarterback
Bo Nix develops in year two. Mims is trending upward on fantasy draft boards and should be in line for standard usage in Week 1 against the Titans. Beyond his receiving work, Mims is also one of the league's most dynamic return specialists, adding sneaky value in leagues that reward return yardage and touchdowns.
--Shaun AlbinSource: Zac Stevens
August 28, 2025
Veteran free-agent wide receiver
Hunter Renfrow, who was released by the Carolina Panthers on roster cutdown day on Tuesday, is receiving interest from multiple teams, including the Panthers, a league source told David Newton of ESPN. Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Thursday that it's up to Renfrow to decide where he wants to be, and Morgan said the Panthers are open to adding Renfrow to the 53-man roster. However, if Renfrow was going to return to the Panthers, it would seem it would have happened already. Carolina just traded veteran
Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings, so it makes sense why they'd be interested in bringing the 29-year-old Clemson product back for depth. Renfrow was a Pro Bowler in 2021 with the Raiders and had a 1,000-yard season, but he fell off a cliff in 2022 and 2023 due to health issues before being released.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - David Newton
August
28,
2025
Cleveland
Browns
head
coach
Kevin
Stefanski
told
reporters
that
rookie
fifth-round
quarterback
Shedeur
Sanders
will
open
his
first
NFL
season
as
the
third
QB,
which
means
he
will
be
able
to
dress
for
regular-season
games.
Veteran
read more...
August 28, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Darnell Mooney (shoulder) is at practice and in uniform on Thursday for the first time since July 24, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Mooney injured his shoulder on the first day of training camp and is just now returning. Although it's unclear if the 27-year-old will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was able to avoid landing on short-term Injured Reserve, which would have kept him out for the first four games of the year. Expect Atlanta to begin ramping Mooney back up in advance of next week's season opener. In his first year with the Falcons in 2024, Mooney had one of the best years of his career, posting a 64-992-5 line on 106 targets over 16 starts. It might be a stretch for him to duplicate those numbers in 2025, but he's at least worth a late-round flier for receiving depth in fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Marc Raimondi
August 28, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
A.J. Brown (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to be on the field for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Thursday, Sept. 4, against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Brown has been dealing with a hamstring injury since early in August, and the Eagles have been playing it safe with their star wideout. The 28-year-old looked good while doing a pre-game workout last Friday before the preseason finale, and it appears that he's slowly being ramped up before next week's season opener. As long as he doesn't have a setback in his return to practice in the next week, fantasy managers should expect to have him in their starting lineups against Dallas. In two games against the Cowboys in 2024, Brown caught eight of his 12 targets for 145 yards and a touchdown.
UPDATE: Brown practiced for a second straight day on Thursday.--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zach Berman
August
28,
2025
Miami
Dolphins
running
back
De'Von
Achane
(calf)
did
not
put
in
any
practice
work
on
Thursday,
according
to
David
Furones
of
the
South
Florida
Sun-Sentinel.
Achane
hasn't
practiced
in
over
a
week
due
to
a
nagging
read more...
August 28, 2025
David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Miami Dolphins wide receiver
Tyreek Hill (oblique) is practicing on Thursday, per head coach Mike McDaniel. McDaniel said earlier on Thursday that Hill is expected to play in Week 1 of the regular season against the Indianapolis Colts despite missing a lot of training camp due to a nagging oblique injury. Now that the 31-year-old speedster is back on the field with another week until the season opener, it's safe to assume he'll be active on Sunday, Sept. 7. Although Hill was limited on Thursday, McDaniel said that "everything looks great." The Cheetah will slowly be ramped up going into next weekend as both he and the Dolphins offense look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 campaign. Hill still has the skills to produce 1,000 yards for fantasy managers, but his value is tied to the health of oft-injured QB
Tua Tagovailoa, putting him on the WR1/2 borderline.
--Keith HernandezSource: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones
August 28, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers placed rookie quarterback
Will Howard (hand) on the Reserve/Injured list on Thursday, according to Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. Howard was drafted in the sixth round (185th overall) in April out of Ohio State, but he suffered a fractured bone in his left hand in training camp on Aug. 5 that kept him sidelined for the entire preseason. He will now begin his NFL career in Pittsburgh on IR, which means he won't be eligible to play in the first four games of the season. The good news is that the injury is to Howard's non-throwing hand, so he should be ready to go when he's eligible. When Howard is cleared, he should operate as the team's emergency third signal-caller behind starter
Aaron Rodgers and backup
Mason Rudolph.
--Keith HernandezSource: Steelers.com - Teresa Varley
August
28,
2025
Carolina
Panthers
general
manager
Dan
Morgan
said
specifically
that
wide
receiver
Jalen
Coker
will
play
in
the
slot
this
year
after
the
team
traded
veteran
Adam
Thielen
to
the
Minnesota
Vikings
read more...
August 28, 2025
Miami Dolphins running back
Jaylen Wright (leg) had surgery on his injured leg and could be back "Septemberish," according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Wright is not out for the entire season, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The 22-year-old is expected to miss multiple week, although an exact timetable is not known. With
De'Von Achane (calf) also battling a nagging calf injury that could put him up in the air for Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts, it's possible that rookie
Ollie Gordon II could serve as Miami's primary ball-carrier to open the 2025 regular season. Achane and Wright should still be drafted in all fantasy formats, but these injuries have also made Gordon much more intriguing as a late-round flier, especially as a handcuff to Achane. Wright has not gone on Injured Reserve, which means Miami thinks he can return within the first four weeks of the season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Herald - Barry Jackson
August 28, 2025
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that wide receiver
Tyreek Hill (oblique) looks good for Week 1, per Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com. Hill has been limited throughout training camp due to an oblique injury and missed practice on Wednesday, but it appears the team anticipates him playing in the opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Hill played all 17 games for Miami in 2024, but he battled through a wrist injury and posted his fewest receiving yards per game (56.4) and lowest receiving touchdown total (six) since his rookie season. The 31-year-old profiles as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy, but the potential for age and injury-related regression makes him a somewhat risky selection in the early rounds.
--Will BradySource: MiamiDolphins.com - Travis Wingfield
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