RADIO
All Three Raiders QBs "Deserve First-Team Reps"
When asked if rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick in April's NFL draft, has earned more first-team reps after a strong performance in Thursday's preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said, "All three of those guys deserve first-team reps." Kubiak was referring to Mendoza and QBs Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell. Mendoza went 10-for-16 passing for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in the 27-14 loss to Arizona, adding two rushing attempts for six yards in his NFL debut on Thursday. The Indiana product looked more comfortable as the night went on and led the Raiders on a 10-play, 79-yard drive that concluded with a six-yard touchdown pass to second-year receiver Jack Bech. Mendoza had a solid night for sure and could be pushing Cousins for the Week 1 starting job, but Kubiak did say after the game that it's still Cousins' "job to lose." If Mendoza continues to look good in the preseason and in training camp practices, we could see the 22-year-old leading the Raiders' offense in the 2026 regular season sooner rather than later.
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
Will Shipley Slipping Off the Redraft Radar
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley has a tough path to fantasy relevance entering his third season. He barely touched the ball in 2025, finishing with 14 carries for 49 yards and nine catches for 56 yards, while most of his work came as a kick returner. That part of his job is still safe. Philadelphia lists Shipley first at kick returner, but the offensive depth chart is another story. Saquon Barkley is first, Tank Bigsby is second, and Shipley is in the third group. Bigsby averaged 5.9 yards per carry after joining the Eagles last season, and he has continued getting meaningful work in camp. During Tuesday's run-out-the-clock period, Barkley and Bigsby were the backs getting carries. Barkley did have his left foot and ankle checked by a trainer Thursday, but there is no diagnosis yet and nothing to suggest Shipley suddenly moves up. His receiving ability gives Philadelphia another option if injuries pile up, but right now he looks more useful to the Eagles than to fantasy managers. In standard redraft leagues, Shipley is hard to justify as anything more than a very deep stash.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian Kirk Rested During Preseason Opener
San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf) did not play in the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Veteran Mike Evans (quadriceps) was also held out as a precaution. Both Kirk and Evans have missed practice recently in training camp with what are considered minor injuries, but they may both be cleared to play in the second preseason tilt next Thursday, Aug. 20, against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road. The 29-year-old was brought in this offseason to bolster San Fran's receiving corps out of the slot. Ricky Pearsall (knee) has already been knocked out for the entire 2026 campaign, but the team's recent addition of Deebo Samuel Sr. has been bad news for Kirk's potential upside in his first year in the Bay Area. Kirk had only 28 catches on 52 targets for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 regular-season games for the Houston Texans a year ago, and he continues to be hampered by injuries. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues will be ignoring Kirk on draft day.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Jordyn Tyson's Hamstring Injury Confirmed, Timeline Unclear
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) has a confirmed hamstring injury after leaving Thursday's joint practice with Jacksonville. Head coach Kellen Moore told reporters Friday that the Saints are still gathering information and don't have a timeline yet, according to Nick Underhill. That's worth watching closely with Tyson's recent injury history. The No. 8 overall pick missed four games at Arizona State last season with separate hamstring injuries and had his workload managed by New Orleans during the offseason after another hamstring issue. Tyson was healthy enough to return for training camp and had been working with the first-team offense before Thursday's exit. He caught 61 passes for 711 yards and eight touchdowns during his final college season and is expected to have a significant role alongside Chris Olave in New Orleans. There was some optimism Thursday that the injury wasn't serious, but Moore's comments make the next update on Tyson's timetable the important one. UPDATE: Moore said that Tyson has a right-hamstring injury, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football.
Source: Nick Underhill
Source: Nick Underhill
49ers Remove Brandon Aiyuk's Locker Stall
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's locker stall has been removed from the team's locker room, according to David Lombardi. His stall had remained there even after Aiyuk left the squad late last season, but it is no longer in place. Aiyuk remains under contract with San Francisco and is still on the Reserve/Left Squad list, so nothing has officially changed with his status. The disappearing locker is another sign of a relationship that has been headed toward a split for months. The 49ers voided Aiyuk's guaranteed money for 2026 last year, and general manager John Lynch said in January that it was safe to say the 28-year-old had played his final snap for the team. Aiyuk hasn't appeared in a game since suffering a serious right knee injury in October 2024 and missed all of last season. Until his status is resolved, there remains little reason to expect him back on the field for San Francisco.
Source: David Lombardi
Source: David Lombardi
Kaelon Black Still Dealing With Thigh Injury, Sits Out Preseason Opener
San Francisco 49ers rookie third-round running back Kaelon Black (thigh) missed out on a big opportunity to cement himself as a depth option in the team's backfield behind Christian McCaffrey going into his first year in the NFL and was held out of the preseason opener on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The good news is that Black's primary competition, Jordan James (ribs), was also held out. The 24-year-old Black has a big believer in head coach Kyle Shanahan, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he'll beat out James in 2026 to become the primary change-of-pace option behind the oft-injured CMC. The 5-foot-9, 211-pounder didn't have amazing production in college at James Madison and Indiana, and he's old for a rookie. Going into the 2026 season, Black will be a handcuff option to McCaffrey, at best, in deeper leagues if he's able to beat out James.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Brock Bowers Plays Just One Snap in Preseason Opener
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers wasn't on the field for long in Thursday night's preseason-opening loss to the visiting Arizona Cardinals, as he played just one offensive snap before coming out of the game. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Ashton Jeanty stayed in a bit longer with the starting offense, but the Raiders weren't going to take any chances with their star TE. The 23-year-old former 13th overall pick from the University of Georgia battled a knee injury last year and finished with only 64 receptions for 680 yards in 12 games, but he still managed to post a career-high seven touchdown receptions on 86 targets. It was a step back after his 112-1,194-5 line in 17 games as a rookie in 2024. With an improved QB situation with Cousins/rookie Fernando Mendoza in new head coach Klint Kubiak's offense, the sky is the limit for Bowers, which is why he's the consensus top fantasy football TE in most formats going into Year 3. Despite missing five games due to injury last year, Bowers still managed to finish as the TE10 in half-PPR scoring.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Javonte Williams Excited About Cowboys' Offense in 2026
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams had a career year in his first season in Dallas in 2025, rushing for a career-high 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns to earn a three-year, $24 million contract extension with the team in February. Going into his second season with the Cowboys, Williams is excited about the potential of the offense, according to Tommy Yarrish of the team's official website. "Just a whole other level of maturity," Williams said of Dallas' offense this year. "I feel like we hit the ground running. We didn't really start from the ground up, we just kind of built on what we could've done better last year. I feel like we're executing and communicating well." Personally, Williams said his conditioning is in a better place as he heads into his second year in Dallas and his sixth year in the NFL. In one of the league's highest-scoring offenses, Williams should carry a high fantasy floor as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in 2026.
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Tommy Yarrish
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Tommy Yarrish
MarShawn Lloyd Takes Every Snap with First Team, Earns Five Touches
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd took every snap with the first-team offense during Green Bay's 28-9 defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Lloyd, the third-year pro out of USC, took every snap with the first-team offense on the Packers' first drive and earned four carries for 13 yards and caught his only target for minus-four yards. Josh Jacobs (groin) was sidelined, clearing the way for Lloyd to gobble up all the first-team work. It's been an odyssey for Lloyd in his pro career, who has been more injured than not heading into his third season as a pro with just seven career touches of the football in that time. That said, he's getting the first crack to be the main spell behind Jacobs. Consider Lloyd a worthwhile bench stash in deeper leagues, but a name to certainly keep in the back of your mind after drafts conclude.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Marvin Harrison Jr. a "Winner" During Preseason Debut
Sports Illustrated's Donnie Druin named Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. a "winner" after the team's preseason victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night. Harrison's drops and mistakes have been amplified in training camp this summer, and although he wasn't on the field for long on Thursday, he made two impact plays and found the end zone. His first impact play was drawing a pass-interference penalty, which noticeably came from the slot. Harrison's second big play was his touchdown reception in double coverage. Druin writes that the former first-rounder "silenced some of the noise" of his struggles in camp, and he reminded everyone that he's still a very talented receiver for the Cardinals. The 24-year-old appeared in only 12 games in 2025 in his second year in the league and caught 41 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns. Harrison has failed to live up to the sky-high expectations he had coming into the league as the fourth overall pick from Ohio State, but he's fully healthy going into the 2026 season and should still see plenty of targets from veteran QB Jacoby Brissett. Harrison is worth targeting as a WR3/flex value pick in fantasy drafts this fall.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Donnie Druin
Source: Sports Illustrated - Donnie Druin
Pat Freiermuth Catches One Pass in Preseason Opener
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth had a quiet preseason opener in Thursday night's win over the Green Bay Packers, catching his only target for a two-yard gain in the 28-9 victory. Freiermuth didn't do much on offense on a night in which the Steelers rested veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and top wide receivers DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman Jr. (leg). His lone reception came near the goal line on a fourth-down pass from backup QB Mason Rudolph. The 27-year-old was a sleeper target at the TE position last year, but he never panned out, catching 41 of his 54 targets for 486 yards and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in his fifth year in the NFL. Jonnu Smith and pass-catching running back Kenny Gainwell left town in the offseason, but the addition of Pittman to new head coach Mike McCarthy's offense will most likely continue to keep Freiermuth's fantasy ceiling pretty low. With Rodgers running Pittsburgh's offense for one more year, fantasy managers should treat Freiermuth as a low-end TE2 option who is dependent on finding the end zone.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Dominic Lovett Leads Lions in Targets in First Preseason Game
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett was heavily featured in his team's passing game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, recording three catches for 28 yards on a team-high eight targets. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Lovett appeared in 12 games for Detroit in 2025 but did not see a single target. Entering 2026, the Lions appear to have a clear top three at the wide receiver position in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa. However, the team lost veteran slot receiver Kalif Raymond in free agency, opening the door for Lovett to potentially slide into Detroit's WR4 role. Lovett is likely competing with veterans Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. for playing time and potentially a role on the 53-man roster. While Lovett likely remains an injury or two away from fantasy-relevant target volume, his stock is trending up after Detroit's first preseason game.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Fernando Mendoza Called an "Ascending Player" by Head Coach
Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza took over on the second drive of the team's preseason opening loss to the Cardinals, and in almost three full quarters of action, he completed 10-of-16 attempts for 97 yards and a touchdown pass to second-year receiver Jack Bech. After the game, he drew the praise of his head coach. "I see an ascending player," Klint Kubiak told reporters on Thursday night. "We just got to keep getting better." While the first overall pick of the 2026 Draft showed promise in his first NFL action, he was quick to look for areas of improvement, reflecting on his night by saying, "It showed me that I need to grow a lot... I'm definitely [watching the game film] after this. I have nothing else to do tonight." Veteran Kirk Cousins looked sharp in his first start with the team, completing 5-of-6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown of his own, but recent reports out of Raiders camp have suggested that Mendoza could see regular-season work earlier than initially expected. At RotoBaller's QB29, the rookie is not worthy of selection in single-quarterback leagues, but he's an ideal upside swing as a third quarterback in superflex formats.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Jacob Saylors Leads Lions' Rushing Attack on Thursday
Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors led his team's ground attack in preseason action against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, rushing for 55 yards on eight carries while also logging three catches for 28 yards on five targets. Saylors appeared in 16 games for the Lions in 2025, but his impact mostly came on special teams, as he recorded just two carries for 11 yards. Entering 2026, Detroit has running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco locked in at the top of their depth chart. However, Saylors could be leading the team's RB3 competition, which also features Sione Vaki (nose), Kye Robichaux, and Raheem Blackshear. As long as Gibbs and Pacheco are healthy, Saylors is highly unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role in Detroit. Still, he could be a name to know in deeper leagues in case one of the two top Lions backs suffers an injury.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Kyren Williams Still Boasts RB1 Upside Despite Falling Draft Cost
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has been a top nine fantasy finisher in each of the past three seasons, but even with the Rams having the league's highest projected scoring total for 2026, he is currently being drafted as the RB12, routinely falling out of the second round. Concerns of Blake Corum's late-season emergence have created a worst-case timeshare scenario in many drafters' minds, seemingly overlooking the fact that as Corum came on as the RB17 over the final six weeks of 2025, Williams still saw featured back usage and finished as the RB10 over the same stretch. Williams could see a dip in total touches, but as the superior receiver and more efficient goal-line back, he should retain his most valuable work, and he remains one of the league's safest bets to reach a double-digit touchdown floor. Yet to turn 26, Williams still has obvious RB1 upside but is often available closer to an RB2 price point.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
