RADIO
Alvin Kamara Does Not Participate in Saints Practice on Wednesday
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee) was among the players who did not participate in practice on Wednesday, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Kamara is currently battling a sprained MCL, and his availability for the Saints' Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions is in question. The veteran running back missed the final six games of the 2025 season due to a separate MCL sprain, making his current injury all the more concerning. Kamara averaged a career-low 4.0 yards per touch across 11 games last season and is expected to play a minimized role in the Saints' offense in 2026 following the team's offseason acquisition of running back Travis Etienne Jr. If Kamara misses the start of the year, Etienne Jr.'s early-season workload outlook could be significantly improved.
Source: NewOrleans.Football - Mike Triplett
Source: NewOrleans.Football - Mike Triplett
Justin Tucker Works Out for Jets
Free-agent kicker Justin Tucker was part of a group workout with the New York Jets on Wednesday, according to Tom Pelissero. The Jets are continuing to look at their options at kicker despite claiming Blake Grupe off waivers earlier this week and bringing Jason Sanders back on the practice squad. Tucker has not kicked in a regular-season game since 2024, when he made 22 of 30 field-goal attempts in his final season with Baltimore. The seven-time Pro Bowler served a 10-game suspension last season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Grupe currently has the roster spot and made all 11 of his field-goal attempts during a five-game stint with Indianapolis late last season. Tucker's workout doesn't mean another move is coming, but the Jets are clearly still evaluating the position.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Source: Tom Pelissero
Charlie Kolar a Deep-League Sleeper Target Following Strong Camp
After spending the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, veteran tight end Charlie Kolar is entering his first season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2026. Kolar saw very limited usage as a receiver during his time in Baltimore, recording just 30 receptions and four touchdowns across 47 games. In Los Angeles, Kolar could play a similar role as the blocking complement to the Chargers' receiving-focused tight ends Oronde Gadsden and David Njoku. However, Kolar has drawn strong reviews for his work in training camp, and he could be carving out a sizable role in his new team's offense. Given Kolar's extremely limited pass-catching track record, it's too early to prioritize him in fantasy drafts. Still, managers may want to consider him as a deep-league sleeper name to monitor entering 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Monangai Still Not Practicing
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (knee) remained out of practice Wednesday, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. Monangai has not practiced since hyperextending his right knee during an Aug. 16 session, when he got tangled with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Head coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday that Monangai remains week-to-week, so his continued absence is not unexpected. The second-year back rushed for 783 yards and five touchdowns on 169 carries as a rookie, adding 18 catches for 164 yards. Chicago opens the season Sept. 13 at Carolina, leaving Monangai less than two weeks to get back on the field. His Week 1 status remains uncertain, and D'Andre Swift would be in line for a heavier workload if Monangai can't go.
Source: Jason Lieser
Source: Jason Lieser
Malik Nabers Handles Individual and Team Drills Wednesday
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) took part in individual drills and team work Wednesday, head coach John Harbaugh said, according to Connor Hughes. Nabers is still working his way back from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season after four games. He had 18 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns before going down. Tuesday brought another encouraging sign when Harbaugh said Nabers handled most of the team reps after spending the early part of practice with the training staff. Wednesday's work keeps that progression moving, but Nabers has not committed to being ready for Week 1. The Giants open Sept. 13 against Dallas, leaving more than a week for his workload to build before a decision has to be made.
Source: Connor Hughes
Source: Connor Hughes
Isaac TeSlaa Still Has Lions' Trust After Quiet Summer
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a rough summer, but the team isn't backing away from him. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said he is "not too concerned" about TeSlaa's camp and preseason. Detroit intentionally gave the second-year receiver more work against top cornerbacks, and he remains the No. 3 option behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. TeSlaa caught just 16 passes for 239 yards as a rookie, but six of those catches went for touchdowns. He also finished the year with eight receptions for 119 yards and two scores over the final three games. His preseason opener against Cincinnati was ugly, including a drop that turned into an interception, but Detroit hasn't let one uneven month change its plans. TeSlaa still has a bigger role waiting for him in Year 2.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Source: Detroit Free Press
Mike Evans Back at Practice
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (groin) returned to practice Wednesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Evans had been sidelined since leaving an Aug. 18 joint practice with the Chargers early and was later listed with groin tightness. Kyle Shanahan said earlier this week that Evans was ahead of schedule in his recovery and could get back on the field before the team left for Australia. That happened Wednesday, although it remains to be seen how much work Evans handled. The 33-year-old signed a three-year deal with San Francisco this offseason after spending his first 12 seasons in Tampa Bay. He was limited to eight starts last year, catching 30 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Getting Evans back into practice is a good step with the 49ers set to open the season against the Rams on Sept. 10.
Source: Nick Wagoner
Source: Nick Wagoner
Tetairoa McMillan in Line for More Slot Work
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan could see more time in the slot this season, according to Sheena Quick. Head coach Dave Canales has talked about moving McMillan around more heading into Year 2, and the Panthers used him inside at times during his rookie season as well. McMillan doesn't need much help getting involved after starting all 17 games and catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He went on to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Giving him more snaps from the slot would add another wrinkle to a passing game already built heavily around him and could create some different matchups for Bryce Young to attack. McMillan will still see plenty of work outside, but Carolina appears interested in making his alignment less predictable this season.
Source: Sheena Quick
Source: Sheena Quick
Omar Cooper Jr. Rebuilds Momentum Late in Camp
New York Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. needed a strong finish to camp after Isaiah Williams had started to pull ahead for slot work, and the rookie gave the Jets one. Cooper caught the touchdown that finished Geno Smith's two-minute drive on Aug. 24, with Aaron Glenn saying afterward that the first-round pick was improving every day. He followed that up with four catches from Smith during the final open practice, trailing only Adonai Mitchell and Garrett Wilson among Smith's targets that afternoon. Cooper also finished the preseason with three catches for 40 yards, including a 26-yard gain against Tampa Bay. The role is not settled. New York's current depth chart still has Cooper behind Wilson, while Mitchell and Williams remain ahead of him on the other side, and RotoBaller currently ranks Cooper WR79 in half-PPR. Still, the late-camp work with Smith matters. Cooper looked a lot more involved at the end of August than he did in the middle of it, giving his redraft stock a needed push before Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ty Johnson Absent for Another Practice
Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson (leg) remained sidelined for Wednesday's practice, according to The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia. Johnson suffered a lower-leg injury in early August and has been out of action since, although he resumed running and sprinting last week. The 28-year-old's status is still up in the air for the Week 1 season opener against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 13, which could leave the Bills' backfield depth a little thin behind starter James Cook III. If Johnson is unable to play in Week 1, Ray Davis would see a bigger change-of-pace role behind Cook. Johnson, a sixth-rounder by the Detroit Lions in 2019 from Maryland, had 50 carries for 200 yards and a career-high three rushing scores in 2025 in his seventh year in the NFL, adding 24 receptions on 33 targets for 263 yards and two receiving touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues can avoid Johnson until further notice. We should have a better idea of Johnson's Week 1 status when the Bills release their official practice reports next week.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
Source: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
Steelers Looking to Get the Football to DK Metcalf
Pittsburgh Steelers veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is ready to get the football to wide receiver DK Metcalf as much as possible in 2026, according to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We gotta get the ball to DK. He's our No. 1 for a reason," Rodgers said on Wednesday. The 28-year-old veteran receiver has missed the last several weeks of training camp with an undisclosed injury, but Metcalf is expected to be fine for Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, and he could be targeted heavily right out of the gates. In his first year in the Steel City in 2025, Metcalf caught 59 of his 99 targets for 850 yards and six touchdowns in 15 regular-season starts. He is looking to bounce back in 2026, but the addition of veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr. could pose a roadblock. The two-time All-Star should remain the focal point of the Steelers' passing game, but with the aging Rodgers running the show for one more year in an offense that could lean on the ground game, fantasy managers may want to temper expectations for Metcalf as more of a WR3/flex.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Chris Adamski
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Chris Adamski
J.K. Dobbins Ready to Go for Start of the Season
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that running back J.K. Dobbins is "moving well" and "ready to go for the season," according to Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette. Dobbins dealt with a minor soft-tissue injury during training camp, but he is fine now and will be a full-go for the Week 1 contest against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. The 27-year-old has had a lengthy injury history since being drafted in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens out of Ohio State, but he was in the midst of a career year in 2025 in his first year in Denver before suffering a season-ending foot injury. Dobbins finished with 153 carries for 772 yards and four rushing touchdowns in 10 games while adding 11 catches for 37 yards through the air. He should be in line for plenty of early-down work and goal-line touches, but in the Broncos' expected three-man committee (also involving RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman), he is best drafted as an RB3/flex in an offense on the rise.
Source: The Denver Gazette - Chris Tomasson
Source: The Denver Gazette - Chris Tomasson
Vikings Expect J.J. McCarthy to be on the Week 1 Roster
Minnesota Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley said on Wednesday that he expects quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), who has practiced in full the last two days, to be on the Week 1 roster, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. However, Teasley would not discuss whether McCarthy would be the backup to starter Kyler Murray over veteran Carson Wentz. The 23-year-old former 10th overall pick from Michigan in 2024 injured his ankle in the second preseason game and then was held out of the preseason finale, leading to speculation that the Vikings might cut McCarthy altogether if they could not find a trade partner for him. Not only will he be on the Week 1 roster, but McCarthy could still win the backup job now that he appears to be recovered from his ankle injury. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season after having knee surgery, and he flopped as the full-time starter in 2025, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in only 10 games while dealing with multiple injuries. His dynasty/keeper stock is at an all-time low going into the start of the 2026 season.
Source: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
Source: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
Zay Flowers Does More Work on the Side on Wednesday
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (lower body) was on the field doing sprints and a workout on Wednesday, but he did not practice with the rest of the team, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Flowers has not practiced since last week due to a lower-body injury, but CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reports that Flowers is expected to be a full-go next week, which would put him in line to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13. The 25-year-old enters his fourth year in the NFL with potentially the highest fantasy football ceiling he has ever had, which is saying a lot after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 and 2025 with nine combined touchdowns. The former first-rounder from Boston College had a career-best 1,211 yards and five touchdowns on 86 receptions last year, even with quarterback Lamar Jackson missing some time with various injuries. As long as Flowers is active next weekend, he will be a must-start in all fantasy leagues as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
Blake Corum "Could Emerge as the 1A" in Rams' Backfield
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum saw his workload increase over the back half of the 2025 season, and there was a case to be made that he was a more explosive runner than veteran Kyren Williams. With both backs again healthy heading into the 2026 season, there is an expectation that they could share something closer to a 50/50 workload split, and while ESPN's Dan Graziano acknowledges that Williams is likely to begin the year in a nominal lead back role, he believes that if Corum can improve as a pass protector, he could emerge as the Rams' 1A to William's 1B by year end. Both players performed as top 17 fantasy running backs over the final six weeks of the regular season, so there is obvious room for both to succeed, but with Corum going nearly six rounds later in 2026 drafts, he would prove to be a league-winner should Graziano's prediction bear out.
Source: Dan Graziano
Source: Dan Graziano
