RADIO
Brian Thomas Jr. "Makes a Statement" in Sunday's Practice
Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. "made a statement" in training camp practice on Sunday as he continues to stand out this summer. Shipley thinks Thomas' performance on Sunday "was the best day overall he has had." Early on, Thomas had "stellar reps" in one-on-one work in the red zone and caught a touchdown pass against Jarrian Jones, who has been one of the team's best cornerbacks in camp. BTJ's strong work continued in team drills, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence connecting with Thomas on a perfectly thrown downfield pass. Lawrence and Thomas continue to show elevated chemistry ahead of the 2026 regular season. In addition to downfield prowess, Thomas is "running crisper routes" and isn't putting as many balls on the ground. Shipley adds that he is "simply looking more and more like the 2024 version of himself," when he opened eyes with an 87-1,282-10 line as a rookie. With teammate Parker Washington's price soaring in fantasy drafts, Thomas is the better value pick of the two in fantasy drafts in 2026.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Ryan Blaney Trending Towards Another Dominating Win at Iowa
The stars are aligning for Ryan Blaney this weekend, as the Team Penske driver has a perfect path to domination in Sunday afternoon's Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway. We saw Blaney absolutely dominate the first Cup Series race here back in 2024, and it's looking likely to happen again. Blaney won the pole on Saturday and will lead the field to the green on Sunday. He also had the best practice speeds of anyone in the garage, ranking best in 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-lap average during the session. To put it bluntly, Ryan Blaney has a rocket ship of a race car this weekend, and many of the presumed contenders that could challenge him qualified deep in the field. In DFS, Blaney ($10.5K on DraftKings) should absolutely be an anchor of your daily fantasy lineups at Iowa.
Source: ifantasyrace
Source: ifantasyrace
Christopher Bell Qualifies 22nd at Iowa
Christopher Bell is one of the best at short, flat tracks, and Iowa Speedway should be no exception. However, after the first two Cup races here, it's looking as though Bell hasn't quite figured out this short, flat track. He finished fourth here back in 2024, but had a driver rating of just 97.2 and only led seven laps--not quite the dominating effort we're used to out of Bell. Last season, he started 17th and finished there as well. This weekend for the Iowa Corn 350, Bell will roll off the starting grid from 22nd place, and the No. 20 Toyota looked great in practice on Saturday, ranking second-best in all major lap categories behind Ryan Blaney. Heading into Sunday's race, Bell ($10.7K on DraftKings) looks to be a great Place Differential DFS pick, but you could make a case for staying away from him. The big question is, which Christopher Bell will show up on race day?
Source: ifantasyrace
Source: ifantasyrace
Max Anderson Hitting Well In Month of August at Triple-A
Detroit Tigers infield prospect Max Anderson has started August nicely with one homer and two RBI in seven games this month while hitting .435 at Triple-A Toledo. The infielder has had a solid season between two levels of the minors this year, hitting .314 with 14 homers and 45 RBI in 299 at-bats with 51 runs scored. He was out at the beginning of the year due to injury and made a few rehab starts with Lakeland. Anderson is the No. 9 prospect in the Tigers system after playing his college ball at Nebraska. He boasts a 50-grade hit tool with 50-grade power. The Tigers are getting healthier at the major league level, but Anderson could still factor into their decision-making this season with the ability to play second or third base. Anderson is a name to watch on the waiver wire and stash away for the end of this season should he get called up for his debut.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Carson Benge Back in Sunday's Lineup
New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge (wrist) is starting in right field and will hit cleanup for the Mets in Sunday's series finale against the hosting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Jared Jones, according to MLB.com. Benge jammed his left wrist while making a catch against the outfield wall on Friday at PNC Park and was held out of the lineup on Saturday, but he's back on Sunday and should be returned to starting lineups where he's rostered. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick from Oklahoma State University has been one of the pleasant surprises for the Mets in another disappointing season, slashing .270/.330/.412 with a .742 OPS, 13 home runs, 46 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored in his first 422 at-bats in the major leagues. Benge has been seeing the ball well lately, too, going 15-for-39 (.385) with a 1.041 OPS, two home runs, two doubles, a triple, six RBI, seven runs scored, and two steals in his last 10 games, dating back to July 29. He probably deserves to be rostered in more than half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Chase Elliott Wrecks in Practice at Iowa
Chase Elliott got loose during his practice run at Iowa Speedway on Saturday afternoon and backed his No. 9 Chevrolet into the wall, sustaining damage to the front and rear of the left side of the race car. His Hendrick Motorsports crew will have to repair the damage before the race starts on Sunday, and Chase will have to drop to the rear when the Iowa Corn 350 goes green. That's not too much of a disadvantage, though, as Elliott was already slated to start near the back after qualifying 32nd on Saturday. Unfortunately for Chase fans, he didn't have much speed before the wreck either (30th-fastest in practice), so it may be a long race day on Sunday for the sport's most popular driver. With finishes of third and 14th here at Iowa in the two Cup Series races ran here, Chase Elliott may look like a grand Place Differential pick for DFS, but be cautious, because that No. 9 team is struggling to find speed right now.
Source: Motorsport
Source: Motorsport
Parker Washington Responsible for Biggest Play of the Day Again
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington, who had a breakout season with the Jags in 2025, has been by far the most hyped receiver in the NFL in training camp this summer. Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that Washington had the biggest play of the day yet again during practice on Sunday, which came on a frozen rope down the field from quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The 24-year-old ran by safety Rayuan Lane for the biggest gain of the day. Washington has been "the most consistent playmaker all camp," and yet he's ranked as only the No. 30 fantasy WR at RotoBaller going into the 2026 season. The former sixth-rounder in 2023 from Penn State has plenty of competition for targets with Brian Thomas Jr., who has also looked good in camp, and Jakobi Meyers, but Washington's chemistry with Lawrence has ratcheted up to a new level this summer. After catching 58 of his 95 targets for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 16 regular-season games in 2025, Washington looks primed to improve on those numbers and have the first 1,000-yard season of his career.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Brad Keselowski Wrecks in Qualifying After Posting Fast Lap
It was a great day for Brad Keselowski on Saturday at Iowa Speedway, and then it wasn't. In practice, the No. 6 Ford showed some respectable speed (14th-fastest), but once qualifying came around, Keselowski was one of the best, and he actually ended up fourth-fastest in the session. Unfortunately, he will have to drop to the rear of the field on Sunday at the start of the Iowa Corn 350, as the No. 6 Ford got loose heading into turn one and slammed the wall. The Roush-Fenway Keselowski Racing team decided to repair the race car, but because of those modifications, Brad will have to go to the rear at the start. That's not insurmountable, though--just inconvenient. Keselowski has been one of the best at Iowa Speedway in the Cup Series, with 10th- and second-place finishes to his credit. As long as he can work through the field and get track position back on Sunday, another top-10 result is possible. Keselowski ($7.9K on DraftKings) is a very risky DFS play, though, as he now has very limited dominator potential and a high chance at negative Place Differential.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden With Rehab Group on Sunday
Green Bay Packers wide receivers Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden are not practicing in training camp on Sunday and are instead with the rehab group on the side, according to Andy Herman. It's unclear at this time what Reed and Golden are dealing with, but we'll have more information on their statuses once we know more. For now, it's something to keep an eye on, but there are no indications that they are dealing with anything significant. Along with Christian Watson, Reed and Golden are in line to start in three-receiver sets in the Packers' offense in 2026. Reed has been injury-prone early in his NFL career, and he dealt with a fractured foot and broken collarbone last year, playing in just seven regular-season games. The 26-year-old has a nose for the end zone, though, and should have career-best volume in 2026 if he can stay healthy, making him a boom/bust WR3/flex target in fantasy. Golden, a first-rounder last year, was quiet for most of his rookie campaign before turning it on late. The 23-year-old has a clear path to a Year 2 breakout, especially if Watson and Reed continue to struggle with injuries.
Source: Andy Herman
Source: Andy Herman
Austin Cindric Needs a Mistake-Free Race at Iowa to Keep Chase Hopes Alive
Austin Cindric is currently sitting 16th in points with four races to go until the Chase cutoff. He has a comfortable 38-point cushion over 17th-place, Ryan Preece, but we all know how quickly that can evaporate. Thankfully for Cindric, though, the NASCAR Cup Series is at Iowa Speedway this week, and the Team Penske Fords have plenty of speed. The short, flat tracks are where Penske (and Cindric) show their power, and that was true last season when Cindric started fourth here at Iowa, finished top three in both Stages, and went on to finish 12th when the checkered flag flew. This weekend, Austin qualified 12th for the annual Iowa Corn 350, and the No. 2 Ford showed top-10 speed during practice on Saturday. As far as DFS goes, Cindric makes for an interesting tournament pick, but he shouldn't be anchoring the majority of your lineups. A top-10 finish is possible for this No. 2 team, but that's about the ceiling.
Source: Driver Averages
Source: Driver Averages
Ross Chastain Has Strong Start to Weekend at Iowa
Ross Chastain's No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet has looked stout at Iowa Speedway thus far this weekend, as the "Melon Man" had respectable speed in both practice and qualifying on Saturday. Chastain ranked third-best in 30-lap average during practice--showing that he had good long-run speed--and then went out and qualified ninth for this weekend's Iowa Corn 350, which is just his third top-10 starting spot in the last 11 races. Now the question is, will Chastain be able to finish? Ross has been notorious for disappointing on race day this season, as he only has one top-five finish and four top 10s. However, Iowa has been a good track for Chastain, as he has finished 11th in both starts here. At $7.1K on DraftKings this weekend and with limited Place Differential upside, Ross is a very risky pick, but you should probably have some exposure in large field tournaments.
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Ja'Kobi Lane Continues to Stack Highlight Receptions in Camp
The hype continues for Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane at training camp, with The Baltimore Sun's Josh Tolentino writing that Lane "just keeps stacking highlight receptions." The latest was a 20-yard completion from quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday in which Lane used his impressive frame to get in front of and box out cornerback Marlon Humphrey to haul in the pass. The 22-year-old third-rounder from USC appears to have locked himself in as the WR3 for Baltimore going into his first year in the NFL behind Zay Flowers (quadriceps) and Rashod Bateman, so far outperforming fellow rookie Elijah Sarratt as the Ravens look for another wideout to step up in their new offense. At the very least, the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder will be an interesting red-zone weapon for Jackson in his rookie campaign, and he should be rising up draft boards thanks to his impressive play so far this summer. Right now, Lane is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 107 fantasy WR for the 2026 season. He's shaping up as an intriguing late-round flier for WR depth in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: The Baltimore Sun - Josh Tolentino
Source: The Baltimore Sun - Josh Tolentino
Bryce Young Will Play in Preseason Game Against Buffalo
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that the starters, including quarterback Bryce Young, will play in the team's preseason game this week against the Buffalo Bills, according to Panthers reporter Kassidy Hill. Young and the starters should get around 10 to 20 plays, depending on how the drives develop. The 25-year-old Young didn't take part in the team's Hall of Fame game last Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, so he'll see his first preseason action this week. The former first overall pick in 2023 from the University of Alabama had the best year of his career in his third season in 2025, completing 63.6% of his pass attempts for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts while leading the team to the NFC South title. However, it's debatable as to how much higher a ceiling Young has, especially since he doesn't have a big arm or very exciting targets outside of receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Young appears to be trending towards being a solid NFL starting QB, but for fantasy purposes, he's more of a low-end QB2 target with a low ceiling.
Source: Kassidy Hill
Source: Kassidy Hill
Kevin Jennings "Very Limited" in Saturday's Practice
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (undisclosed) was "very limited" in Saturday's Family Day practice, according to Billy Embody of On the Pony Express. Jennings did not throw a pass, but took part in individual drills and simulated dropbacks during team period. Not much is known about his status, but the Mustangs have four weeks until the Week 1 matchup against Florida State, so it's too early to be overly concerned. Jennings is one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC heading into his third full season as a starter. Over the last two years, he's thrown for over 6,800 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. He's added nine rushing scores. In 2024, he led SMU to the College Football Playoff before leading the team to a 9-4 campaign in 2025.
Source: Billy Embody - On the Pony Express
Source: Billy Embody - On the Pony Express
Darnell Mooney Could be a Sleeper in New York
The New York Giants need at least one more wide receiver to step up this year, even if Malik Nabers (knee) is ready for the start of the regular season, and Alex House of Sports Illustrated writes that it could be veteran Darnell Mooney. The 28-year-old never was able to get on track in 2025 in his second year with the Atlanta Falcons after he suffered a shoulder injury in training camp, and he finished with a 32-443-1 line in 15 starts after catching 64 passes for 992 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 16 games in 2024. The speedster could become a fine downfield threat for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart in 2026, and he already has a built-in rapport with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy from their time together in Chicago, where Mooney had his lone 1,000-yard season in 2021. Mooney has a 12.3 average depth of target in his career and can be effective on intermediate throws. House believes that if Mooney can get on the same page with Dart, he'll have a chance to become the Giants' second-leading target behind Nabers. The biggest obstacle for Mooney achieving that will be new tight end Isaiah Likely, who has been one of Dart's favorite targets in training camp. Mooney is currently ranked as the No. 85 fantasy WR at RotoBaller, making him worth considering as a late-round flier in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Alex House
Source: Sports Illustrated - Alex House
