RADIO
Zay Flowers Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (lower body) did not practice on Monday and "seems to be dealing with a lower-body injury," according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. Across 17 games in 2025, the 25-year-old recorded 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. With a fully healthy season from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Flowers' numbers could take another leap forward in 2026. However, Flowers has been battling an undisclosed injury for about a week now. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter has previously said that the star wide receiver should be ready for Week 1, so it does not appear to be a serious ailment. Still, Flowers' health status is definitely something for fantasy managers to monitor until he returns to the practice field with no restrictions. When he's on the field, Flowers profiles as a high-end fantasy WR2.
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Jonas Shaffer
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Jonas Shaffer
Joe Milton III Released by Cowboys
Quarterback Joe Milton III is being released by the Dallas Cowboys, according to Adam Schefter. The move comes just one day after Dallas initially kept Milton, Dak Prescott and Sam Howell on its 53-man roster. Milton and Howell spent the summer battling for the backup job, and Milton looked like the favorite after the first two preseason games. He finished August 29-of-43 for 378 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for a score. His final outing wasn't nearly as strong, however, as Milton went 8-of-15 for 92 yards against New Orleans before Howell threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Milton also appeared in four games for Dallas last season, throwing for 183 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His release leaves Howell as the clear backup behind Prescott for now, unless the Cowboys make another move at quarterback.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Blake Corum a Potential Draft-Day Bust at Current ADP
Across 17 games in 2025, Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum recorded 746 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries. With an average of 5.1 yards per attempt, the 25-year-old was a highly efficient player. However, the presence of star Rams back Kyren Williams prevented Corum from seeing more opportunities. Entering 2026, Corum and Williams appear poised to once again share touches. Corum slowly ate into Williams' playing time over the course of the season in 2025, so the backs could operate with a true 50/50 split in 2026. Corum also profiles as maybe the top handcuff running back in fantasy football, as his value would skyrocket if Williams were to miss any time. Still, Corum's production upside appears limited as long as Williams remains healthy. Corum also may not have much standalone appeal in PPR leagues in a split backfield, as he's recorded just 15 total receptions across 34 career NFL games. Corum has definite upside, but he also carries some bust potential at his current top-100 redraft ADP.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Quincy Porter to Miss Week 1 Against Wisconsin
Notre Dame wide receiver Quincy Porter (knee) is out for Week 1 against Wisconsin because of a left knee injury. The transfer is projected to start when healthy, so his absence is a blow to the Fighting Irish's offense. In 2025 with Ohio State, Porter caught four passes for 59 yards. With Porter out, look for wide receivers Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse, Mylan Graham, and Micah Gilbert to factor in a bit more. Tight ends Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan could also help pick up the slack, or the Fighting Irish could lean more on starting running back Aneyas Williams or backup Nolan James Jr. While Porter's absence hurts the team's offense a bit, expect Notre Dame to be able to move the ball and put up points against Wisconsin's defense.
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Rico Dowdle's Role Looks Safer After Final Cuts
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle came out of final cuts with a cleaner path to touches. Pittsburgh traded Kaleb Johnson to Green Bay and moved on from Travis Homer and Lew Nichols, leaving Jaylen Warren and Dowdle as the only players listed strictly at running back on the initial 53-man roster. Eli Heidenreich remains as an RB/WR and is third on the depth chart, but the top of the room is clearly Warren and Dowdle. That matches what the Steelers said all summer. Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said both backs would be a big part of the offense, and Dowdle played 10 snaps to Warren's nine in the preseason game against the Jets. Dowdle also brings consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries for Carolina last year. Warren still sits first on the depth chart, so this is not a workhorse setup. The cuts do make Dowdle's share of the backfield feel a lot safer heading into Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa Questionable for Opening Game
Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (knee) is questionable for the team's Week 1 game against Wisconsin. He's working his way back from a torn ACL in his left knee and is projected to be second on the depth chart at middle linebacker behind Drayk Bowen. Viliamu-Asa played in 11 games last season before suffering the injury; he had 48 total tackles on the year, with three sacks, an interception, and two passes defensed. Look for Bowen to handle most of the middle linebacker snaps anyway, but especially if Viliamu-Asa is unable to go against Wisconsin. With Viliamu-Asa being second on the depth chart anyway, this is probably not going to be a big blow for the Fighting Irish and the team's chances of taking down the Badgers. Look for the Notre Dame defense to be a great unit again this year.
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Michael Pittman Jr. Expected to be Ready to Go for Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring) will be eased in, but he is expected to be ready to go for Week 1 in a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. The Steelers are expected to have both Pittman and DK Metcalf (undisclosed) available for the season opener, but they could both be on a snap count after missing a chunk of time in training camp this summer. The 28-year-old Pittman had a career-high seven touchdowns in 17 games in his final year with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 before the Steelers traded for him in the offseason. He also had just 784 receiving yards on 80 receptions, his lowest yardage total since his rookie season in 2020. In his first year in Pittsburgh, the former second-rounder from USC will give quarterback Aaron Rodgers another experienced pass-catcher underneath. But in an offense that could remain a run-first unit, Pittman will be more of a WR4/flex target in fantasy football drafts while playing second fiddle to Metcalf. RotoBaller has Pittman ranked as the WR42 as he heads into his seventh NFL campaign.
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Caleb Hawkins Has Massive Upside In Oklahoma State Debut
Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins is looking to build on his incredible freshman campaign in 2026. In the 2025-2026 season, Hawkins led all freshman running backs with 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns on 231 attempts at the University of North Texas. Hawkins transferred to Oklahoma State in the offseason as he looks to maintain his dominance in a new conference. Oklahoma State opens the season on the road against a weak Tulsa team that allowed 182 rushing yards per game in 2025. Hawkins is currently ranked as RotoBaller's RB2, and he should have a big debut for his new school in week one.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Trey'Dez Green Set For TE1 Season
LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green is set up to be one of the most productive tight ends in 2026. Last season, Green hauled in 33 receptions for 433 yards and seven touchdowns and finished the season as the ninth-best tight end in P4 leagues with 85.3 fantasy PPG. LSU made major changes in the offseason, bringing in quarterback Sam Leavitt and head coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin's 2025 offense supported another top-10 tight end in Dae'Quan Wright, and since 2020, Kiffin's offenses have averaged 300 passing yards per game, which raises Green's ceiling and floor. Green is currently ranked as RotoBaller's TE1, and he should have a big game in Death Valley against Clemson.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jordan Love Has Legitimate QB1 Upside at a QB2 Price
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is still being treated like a QB2, but the setup around him is getting more interesting. Love threw for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 15 games last season, completing a career-high 66.3% of his passes. The fantasy output lagged behind, with Love averaging 16.1 points per game while Green Bay finished 27th in pass attempts. We've already seen the other side of this. Love threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2023. Matthew Golden has been one of the Packers' biggest playmakers this summer, Tucker Kraft is back from his torn ACL, and Love went 5-for-7 for 56 yards and a touchdown on his lone drive against Denver. Josh Jacobs' status is also uncertain after landing on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which could put more on the passing game. Love still doesn't offer much with his legs after rushing for 199 yards and no touchdowns last year. RotoBaller has him at QB19. That's QB2 territory, but the ceiling is considerably higher.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Malachi Toney Primed for Fast Start Against Stanford
Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney will get his 2026 season started with a game against Stanford on Friday night. Stanford already has a win this season, but gave up 276 passing yards in that one. Add in that Stanford is playing on a short week and is facing a much tougher opponent in Miami, and Toney is lined up for a big fantasy showing this week. He's coming off a freshman season in which he posted 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns on 109 receptions. Toney has a new quarterback throwing to him, but transfer Darian Mensah is no stranger to college football success, so expect the Miami offense to keep rolling in 2026. Look for Toney to pick up where he left off and open the 2026 season with a bang. If Stanford can hang around, Toney could deliver one of the top fantasy scores of the week among wide receivers.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
DK Metcalf Expected to be Ready for Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (undisclosed) is going to be eased in, but he is expected to be ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Metcalf missed a good chunk of time in training camp this summer with an undisclosed ailment, but he was able to return to practice last week and should be active to kick off the regular season. Fantasy managers setting lineups for Week 1 do not exactly want to hear that the 28-year-old is being eased in, though, which means he could be on a snap count, along with Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring). Not only will Metcalf be working with an aging quarterback in the final year of his career in 2026, but he will have added competition for targets from Pittman, so fantasy managers should not just assume he will bounce back from a 59-850-6 line in 15 regular-season games in 2025 in his first year in the Steel City. With a minor injury concern heading into his eighth year in the NFL, Metcalf is more of a WR3/flex with touchdown upside in 2026 fantasy drafts.
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Jeremiah Smith Poised for Huge Showing in Opener
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith gets his 2026 season underway with a test against Ball State on Saturday, so the top-end talent should be in store for a monster fantasy outing. He's coming off a 2025 season in which he caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Smith is arguably the best fantasy player in college football, and he should be in store for another huge season, starting in Week 1 against the Cardinals. The Cardinals allowed 405.7 total yards per game last year, and 226.8 of that was through the air. Even if Smith doesn't play a ton in what should be a blowout win for the Buckeyes, expect him to connect early and often with quarterback Julian Sayin, leading to a top-end fantasy showing. Start him confidently in all fantasy setups, and expect greatness every week he suits up.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tee Higgins Looks Ready to Pick Up Where He Left Off
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has quietly had the kind of August fantasy managers wanted to see. He caught 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, even with Joe Burrow limited to eight games, and that scoring connection has carried into camp. Burrow ended an Aug. 9 practice with a touchdown to Higgins, who boxed out DJ Ivey in the end zone. Eleven days later, Higgins caught all five passes thrown his way during a joint practice with Chicago, including another red-zone score. There is still no getting around Ja'Marr Chase, who commanded 185 targets last season, and durability remains the obvious concern after Higgins has completed only one 17-game season in his career. Still, the role has looked exactly as advertised this summer. RotoBaller has Higgins at WR16 after a WR15 finish in 2025, and he enters Week 1 looking like one of the stronger high-end WR2 bets on the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Red Sox Place Willson Contreras on Injured List With Hamstring Strain
The Boston Red Sox announced on Monday that they placed first baseman Willson Contreras (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and recalled catcher/first baseman Mickey Gasper from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Gasper will start at first base and bat second for the BoSox in their series opener on Monday at Fenway Park against the Seattle Mariners and right-hander George Kirby. Contreras was pulled from Sunday's series finale against the New York Yankees with tightness in his hamstring, and he will now miss at least the next 10 days. The 34-year-old Venezuelan reportedly had been playing through the issue for around a month, which helps explain why he went 3-for-27 (.111) with two walks and eight strikeouts in his last seven games. Overall, Contreras has been one of Boston's most consistent offensive producers in 2026 in his first year with the team, though, slashing .274/.384/.516 with a .900 OPS, 26 homers, 79 RBI, 66 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 434 at-bats. Fantasy managers must keep the four-time All-Star stashed in all formats.
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
