RADIO
Tua Tagovailoa Dealing With Oblique Injury
Updating a previous report, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) was added to the injury report on Thursday with an oblique injury, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. Tagovailoa was listed as limited on Thursday's report. During the open period of Thursday's practice, Tagovailoa was seen touching his back before sitting down on the field during individual drills. The Falcons already announced that Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will not be active for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, so if Tagovailoa cannot play, it will likely be Cooper Rush making the start under center for the Falcons in the season opener. Tagovailoa joined the Falcons this offseason hoping for a new start after the Dolphins cut him after a disappointing 2025 campaign in which he was benched late in the year. Tua also dealt with back spasms early in training camp, so it seems more unlikely that he will be able to recover in just a couple of days and start on Sunday. This new injury could threaten Tagovailoa's chances of ever starting a game for the Falcons in 2026.
Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
Zay Flowers Upgraded to Full Participation on Thursday's Injury Report
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring) was listed as a full participant on the team's Thursday injury report, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Zrebiec notes that Baltimore held a walkthrough rather than a full practice, so Flowers' practice designation is an estimate. Still, it's a positive sign for Flowers that his status was upgraded after he practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday. Across 17 games in 2025, the 25-year-old recorded 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. When he's on the field, Flowers profiles as the clear number one option in the passing game for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Assuming he's active for Baltimore's Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, Flowers profiles as a high-end WR2 option for fantasy managers.
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
Cooper Rush Could Start at QB For Falcons in Week 1
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush said he took all the reps with the first-team offense in Thursday's practice after Tua Tagovailoa (back) suffered a lower-back injury, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Tagovailoa, who missed the start of training camp this summer with lower-back spasms, is now up in the air to play in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Michael Penix Jr. (knee) has already been ruled out for the season opener while he continues to recover from a partially torn ACL he suffered late last season. If Tagovailoa is ruled out for this weekend, Rush would most likely make the start, with undrafted rookie Jack Strand backing him up. The 32-year-old Rush would be a desperation QB2 in deep superflex leagues if he makes the start this weekend, which would be only his 17th NFL start since entering the league in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan. The Steelers' defense/special teams unit should be considered a top-five option, regardless of who starts under center for the Falcons. Rush played in four games (two starts) with the Baltimore Ravens in 2025 and threw for 303 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions.
Source: ESPN.com - Marc Raimondi
Source: ESPN.com - Marc Raimondi
Nicholas Singleton Still Worth Stashing Despite Crowded Backfield
Tennessee Titans running back Nicholas Singleton is still only 3% rostered on Yahoo, but this is a pretty deep stash. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are clearly ahead of him, and Tennessee's latest depth chart lists Singleton with Julius Chestnut on the third line. He did not do much to change that in preseason, either. The fifth-round rookie finished with 57 yards on 15 carries and caught two passes for 18 yards. There is still something worth watching here. Singleton is 6-foot, 219 pounds and caught 102 passes during his Penn State career, so he has more to his profile than just early-down work. But the path is crowded, and RotoBaller has him at RB84 for Week 1 against the Jets. Singleton is not someone to start, and he does not need to be rostered in normal-sized leagues. If benches are deep and managers can afford to wait on a back who may need an injury ahead of him, though, he is worth a stash.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cade Otton an Intriguing Tight End Streamer in Week 1
Across 16 games in 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton recorded 59 catches for 572 yards and one touchdown on 81 targets. While the 27-year-old does not profile as a consistent fantasy producer, he enters 2026 as the clear top receiving tight end in Tampa and may have an opportunity to see increased usage in the early portion of the season. Buccaneers wideouts Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) are dealing with lingering injuries that limited their availability throughout the summer. While both players logged full practices on Wednesday, Tampa Bay could look to manage their workloads early on. Otton also has a favorable matchup on paper in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, who fielded one of the NFL's worst defenses in 2025. As a deep-league streamer, Otton could have some appeal on the waiver wire for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tua Tagovailoa Up in the Air for Week 1 With Back Injury
Updating a previous report, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (back) went down in Thursday's practice with what looked like lower-back pain, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Falcons are prepping to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 with a QB3 right now. Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is not cleared yet after suffering a partial tear of his ACL, so if Tua cannot go on Sunday, it could be Cooper Rush who gets the nod under center. ESPN's Marc Raimondi reports that Rush said he took all of the reps with the first-team offense on Thursday after Tagovailoa tweaked his back. If not for Penix not being quite ready to return, Tagovailoa most likely would have lost the QB competition during training camp in his first year outside of Miami. Already with a concerning history of head injuries, durability is not Tua's strong suit, and it now looks like he will not be able to make his Falcons debut in Week 1. The Falcons' plan is to let Penix take over the starting gig in Atlanta when he is ready, so Tagovailoa's fantasy value in deep two-QB leagues will be fleeting. If Tagovailoa is ruled out this weekend, Jack Strand would be in line to serve as Rush's backup.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Kirk Cousins Worth a Look in Two-Quarterback Leagues
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins is only 4% rostered on Yahoo, which is awfully low for a quarterback who will open the season with a starting job. The Raiders made it official last week, choosing Cousins over rookie Fernando Mendoza. Cousins also played well enough in the preseason, completing 13 of 17 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in two appearances. There is not much rushing help coming here, and his 2025 numbers were fairly modest. Cousins threw for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games with Atlanta. He also might have to open the year without his best target, with Brock Bowers expected to miss Sunday's game against Miami following knee surgery. RotoBaller has Cousins at QB27 for Week 1. That keeps him out of the streaming mix in most one-quarterback leagues. Superflex and two-quarterback are different. Cousins has a starting job right now, and at 4% rostered, that alone makes him worth picking up in those formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Limited Again on Thursday
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) was listed as limited in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week, according to the team. With two limited sessions to begin Week 1 preparation, Odunze is still up in the air to play in the season opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, and he might need to upgrade to a full practice on Friday to be cleared to play this weekend. If he is limited or out on Sunday, Kalif Raymond and Zavion Thomas would have a path to elevated roles alongside Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland. Odunze, the ninth overall pick in 2024 from the University of Washington, had a career-high six touchdowns in 12 regular-season games in his sophomore campaign in 2025, but he was limited with a concerning foot injury that he says is in the rearview mirror. He is shaping up as more of a WR3/flex option to begin the 2026 season if he plays against the Panthers. Check back for Odunze's final injury status on Friday.
Source: Bears Communications
Source: Bears Communications
Tyreek Hill Only a Deep-League Stash for Now
Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) is still sitting on plenty of waiver wires, with his Yahoo roster rate at 4%. There is at least a little more reason to watch him now. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Wednesday that doctors have recommended Hill wait until sometime in October before trying to come back, but he also said teams have shown interest after seeing recent video of Hill running and cutting. That does not make Hill a usable fantasy option anytime soon. He is 32, still unsigned, and coming back from a left-knee dislocation with multiple torn ligaments, including his ACL. Hill had 21 catches for 265 yards and one touchdown in four games before the injury last season. There are still a lot of hurdles here, and even a signing would not mean an immediate fantasy role. But in deeper leagues with an open bench spot, Hill is worth stashing before there is a team attached to his name. Managers in shallower formats can keep watching the situation instead.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bryce Young a Risky Streaming Option for Week 1
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is available in most leagues heading into Week 1, with his Yahoo roster rate sitting at 13%. There was progress last season, but fantasy managers still had to live with some rough weeks. Young finished as the QB19 after throwing for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns in 16 games, while adding 216 yards and two scores on the ground. Only four of those 16 games went over 200 passing yards. One of them was a huge one, a 448-yard, three-touchdown game against Atlanta. That is pretty much the issue with Young right now. The ceiling showed up, but not often enough. Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette are all back, so the supporting cast is familiar, and Young opens at home against Chicago. RotoBaller has him at QB30 for Week 1, which tells you where the trust level is. He belongs on rosters in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. In one-QB formats, Young is more of a risky streamer or bench stash than someone managers need to rush out and add.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Aaron Rodgers Only Belongs on the Radar in Two-QB Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still available in most leagues, and there is not much reason for one-QB managers to change that before Week 1. Rodgers was efficient enough last season, completing 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 16 starts. Pittsburgh also gives him a better-looking receiver group with DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson all listed as starters. The fantasy problem is the same one it has been for a while. Rodgers added only 61 rushing yards and one touchdown in 2025, leaving him dependent on passing volume and touchdowns to keep pace with more mobile quarterbacks. He is rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues and sits at QB28 in the current Week 1 rankings. That is enough to make him useful depth in Superflex or two-QB formats. In standard one-QB leagues, he can stay on the wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Justice Hill Fits Better as PPR Insurance Than a Week 1 Play
Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill has a cleaner hold on the No. 2 job than he did earlier this summer, but that still doesn't make him a priority Week 1 add. Rookie Adam Randall is on injured reserve with a designation to return, leaving Hill second behind Derrick Henry and Rasheen Ali third on Baltimore's current depth chart. Hill's value comes from passing downs. He caught 21 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown in 10 games last season, and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle has called him one of the league's best third-down backs. Hill is healthy after last year's neck injury, too. The catch is that he is not an obvious candidate to absorb Henry's entire workload if something happens. Ali could take some early-down work, and Hill sits at RB56 in the current Week 1 rankings. In deeper PPR leagues, he is a reasonable bench stash. In standard 10- or 12-team formats, there are better ways to use the spot.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Oronde Gadsden Still Has a Path to Fantasy Value
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is already cautioning fantasy managers against reading too much into how his tight ends are used in Week 1. McDaniel said Thursday that it "might not be the smartest move" to make fantasy decisions after one game, adding that the group is going to grow and the Chargers will be able to do plenty with them. Oronde Gadsden is the name fantasy managers will be watching most closely. He caught 49 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie, but Los Angeles added both Charlie Kolar and David Njoku during the offseason. The Chargers' first unofficial depth chart has Kolar or Njoku starting, with Gadsden behind them. Kolar was brought in largely for what he can add as a blocker, while Njoku gives Justin Herbert another proven receiving option. That makes this a crowded room, but McDaniel's comments are another reason not to make a quick call on Gadsden based solely on Sunday's opener against Arizona. His rookie production is still worth betting on while the Chargers figure out how all three tight ends fit.
Source: Kris Rhim
Source: Kris Rhim
Kenny Gainwell Called a "Freak of Nature"
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs called new running back Kenny Gainwell "a freak of nature," according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Wirfs also called RB Bucky Irving "a joystick" because of how elusive he can be. Wirfs is very excited about the 1-2 punch that the Bucs have in the running game this year in new coordinator Zac Robinson's scheme. Even in a new offense in 2026, the 27-year-old Gainwell was a popular mid-round target in point-per-reception leagues this year after he caught an eye-opening 73 passes on 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games last year in his lone season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gainwell also had a career-high 114 rushing attempts for 537 yards and a career-high-tying five rushing touchdowns. While fantasy managers should not necessarily expect Gainwell to match his passing-game production from 2025, he should at least be a strong weekly RB3/flex option for his pass-catching prowess, and he could be busy right away in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals in a game that could force the Bucs to pass more than they would like.
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Source: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
Sam Darnold Receives "Really, Really Good News"
Updating an ongoing story, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (hip) received "really, really good" news on the right-hip injury that forced him from Wednesday's season-opening win over the New England Patriots, head coach Mike Macdonald said on Thursday after Darnold had an MRI exam. ESPN's Adam Schefter and the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport both reported that Darnold is expected to miss the Week 2 contest against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals, but there is a chance he will be ready to return for Week 3 against the Washington Commanders on Sept. 27. "The hip is intact, and it's good," Macdonald said. "It's more of a muscle thing. So that's good news." After the 29-year-old left following the first drive of the game, backup Drew Lock entered and led the Seahawks to a come-from-behind win. Lock should be expected to make his first start of 2026 in Week 2 against the Cardinals, where he will be a low-end QB2 streamer in superflex leagues. Because Darnold dodged a bullet and could only miss one game, fantasy managers should hold him if they have him rostered.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
