RADIO
Should Aaron Jones Sr. Be Off Fantasy Radars for 2026?
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. is entering his 10th season in the NFL and will remain with the Vikings after restructuring his contract in March. The 31-year-old will be splitting snaps with Jordan Mason for a second season, as they were listed as co-starters on the team's unofficial depth chart. Jones is expected to be the primary back on passing downs while Mason will be the lead back on early downs. The team deployed a similar plan last year with the two backs, and Jones finished as the RB41 overall in PPR leagues while averaging 9.9 points per game. RotoBaller has the former fantasy star ranked as the RB44 in full PPR formats and should be viewed as a low-end RB4 with limited upside in redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bryan Woo Encouraged After Throwing Bullpen Session
Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (shoulder) said he is encouraged coming out of a bullpen session on Sunday, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Woo never thought his season was in jeopardy after being pushed back from his scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs this weekend, but he wants to be cautious about pushing through discomfort in his right shoulder. No decision has been made about when he will make his next start. The M's pulled the 26-year-old after just 75 pitches in his most recent start last Sunday against the division-rival Houston Astros, when he allowed only two earned runs with a walk and five strikeouts in six innings for his ninth win of the year. Woo allowed 10 earned runs in 10 innings to the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers in his last two starts in July, but he has given up just two earned runs with three walks and 15 K's in his three starts so far in August. Seattle has an upcoming three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, followed by a three-game series next weekend in Toronto against the Jays.
Source: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
Source: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
Kyle Stowers Expected to Come Off Injured List on Monday
Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers (hamstring) is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list on Monday, according to Isaac Azout of Fish on First. To make room for Stowers on the major-league roster, the Marlins are optioning Deyvison De Los Santos to the minors, according to a source. Even though Stowers did not go on a minor-league rehab assignment, he should be back in the team's starting nine for Monday's series opener at home against the visiting Boston Red Sox and left-hander Ranger Suarez. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder last played for the Fish on Aug. 9 when he strained his left hamstring. The former second-rounder by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Stanford University will be returning to a .242/.327/.462 slash line with a .788 OPS, 16 home runs, 52 RBI, 44 runs scored, and a stolen base in 351 at-bats in his second full season with the Marlins. Stowers has not lived up to his breakout campaign from a year ago, when he hit .288 (115-for-399) with 25 home runs, 73 RBI, 61 runs scored, and five steals in 117 games played.
Source: Fish On First - Isaac Azout
Source: Fish On First - Isaac Azout
Devin Neal Sees the Slightest Tick in Fantasy Value
New Orleans Saints running back Devin Neal (hamstring) recently saw a slight bump in his fantasy value after fellow running back Alvin Kamara suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys early last week. However, Neal is battling his own hamstring injury, which he aggravated in the first quarter of yesterday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. The 23-year-old has been dealing with a hamstring issue over the last two weeks, despite returning to practice last week. With Kamara sidelined, Neal has a chance to compete with Kendre Miller (back) for the No. 2 running back spot behind Travis Etienne Jr. for the rest of training camp and preseason. However, it would take an injury to Etienne and Kamara for Neal to have fantasy value during the regular season, and he should remain off fantasy radars during drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Willy Adames Injures his Elbow on Sunday
San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (elbow) left Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox early in the fifth inning with a left-elbow injury, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. It is a new injury for Adames, who has also missed time recently with a recurring back injury. Before leaving, Adames went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a strikeout. Christian Koss shifted from third base to the 6, with infielder Buddy Kennedy entering the game to play third base for the Gigantes. The belief is that Adames injured his elbow on a slide into home plate in the first inning of the team's eventual loss at Fenway Park. Although the 30-year-old Dominican veteran entered Sunday's series finale hitting just .229 (106-for-462) on the season, he has at least one hit in his last 11 contests, hitting .333 with three homers, four RBI, five runs scored, and a steal in that span. Fantasy managers should consider the veteran shortstop to be day-to-day and check back on his status before Monday's series opener at home versus the Cincinnati Reds. If Adames misses more time, Koss will likely take over at shortstop for San Fran.
Source: NBC Sports - Alex Pavlovic
Source: NBC Sports - Alex Pavlovic
Payton Pritchard Wants to Improve at Drawing Fouls
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard recently talked about his goals for the upcoming season. Pritchard mentioned that he'd like to get better at drawing fouls. He made it clear that he doesn't want to flop, but instead improve on his technique and learn when to draw the foul. He has been working on his footwork as well because he wants to become a more efficient finisher. Last season, Pritchard averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists across 32.4 minutes per game in 79 contests. The departure of Jaylen Brown could mean that Pritchard takes on a larger role offensively. It sounds like his value should be on the rise heading into the 2026 season.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Ted Hurst a Late-Round Sleeper to Target in Redraft Leagues
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected wide receiver Ted Hurst of Georgia State in the third round with the 84th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Hurst has been a standout during training camp so far and has put himself in a position to be a contributor in the Tampa Bay offense. Sports Illustrated's Caleb Skinner reported Hurst has stepped in for some first-team reps while fellow wideouts have been in and out of practice due to various injuries and has shown why the Bucs selected him in the third round. The 22-year-old is an athletic freak with his 6'4" size and 4.42-second 40-yard dash speed and has the chance to be the team's "X" receiver from the jump. Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and Jalen McMillan are all slot and Z receivers by nature, which gives Hurst the chance to be the starting X receiver. If this happens, Hurst has the chance to be a fantasy-relevant receiver with touchdown upside in his rookie season.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Caleb Skinner
Source: Sports Illustrated - Caleb Skinner
Dennis Schroder Wants to Play 2-4 More Years
Charlotte Hornets guard Dennis Schroder would like to play in the NBA for 2-4 more years, according to heavy.com. Schroder has been playing in the league for 13 years, but he still feels that he has a few more years left in him. His main reason to keep playing is that he wants to make it to 2028 when the salary cap rises. Schroder has been all around the league, playing for 11 different organizations since joining the league in 2013. He was most recently traded to Charlotte, so we'll see what kind of role he has on the rebuilding Hornets. This past season, Schroder averaged 10.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 70 games between the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers. The 32-year-old feels like he could play at least four more seasons, so we'll see if that's true.
Source: heavy.com
Source: heavy.com
De'Zhaun Stribling in No-Contact Jersey on Sunday
Updating a previous report, San Francisco 49ers rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) returned to training camp practice on Sunday after he missed Saturday's session with a shoulder injury, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Stribling was seen wearing a no-contact jersey in his return. The 23-year-old from Ole Miss is considered day-to-day for now after suiting up for Thursday's 41-17 win in the preseason over the Los Angeles Chargers. He has been standing out in practices and in two preseason games, catching 11 of his 13 targets for 109 yards. Stribling should have a key role in San Fran's passing game right away in 2026 after the Niners learned that Ricky Pearsall (knee) would miss the entire season with recurring PCL issues. The team added veteran Deebo Samuel Sr. to the fold, but Stribling has looked the part all summer and is worth a late-round flier in all single-year fantasy football leagues. He is currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 51 fantasy WR for 2026. Barring a setback with his shoulder, Stribling should be fine for Week 1 of the regular season in Australia versus the division-rival Los Angeles Rams.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Mike Evans Participates in "Much" of Sunday's Practice
ESPN's Nick Wagoner reports San Francisco 49ers wideout Mike Evans (ankle) participated in much of practice on Sunday, but did not go all the way through it and stopped participating near the end. Wagoner noted that Evans was "moving fine," and connected with quarterback Brock Purdy for a big gain during practice. However, Evans and the 49ers want to be cautious to get him ready for Week 1 against division rival Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Evans had some tightness in his quad earlier this week and had his left foot/ankle wrapped and iced. The 33-year-old is expected to be the No. 1 receiver in the offense this year and will have a big role in the passing game, especially in the red zone. If Evans can play a full 17-game season, he will have an opportunity to lead the league in receiving touchdowns in 2026.
Source: ESPN - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN - Nick Wagoner
Klay Thompson Signs Two-Year Deal with Heat
According to Shams Charania, veteran guard Klay Thompson is finalizing a two-year, $13 million deal with the Miami Heat. It's a two-year deal, but the second year is a player option. Thompson must wait until he officially clears waivers following a buyout from the Dallas Mavericks. After two bad years in Dallas, it's unclear if Thompson is going to start on the Heat. This past season, Thompson averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 21.7 minutes per game in 69 contests. His shooting percentages have taken a hit in recent years, but Thompson can still be a decent contributor, whether it's on the bench or in the starting five. Pelle Larsson will likely see a reduced role with Thompson now headed to South Beach.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Christian McCaffrey's Absence Part of the Plan
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (undisclosed) said his absence in training camp was always part of the plan to have him ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "Obviously when you don't practice, the way the media works now it's a firestorm," McCaffrey said. "But this was kind of part of the plan from the jump was to ramp up pretty big, get nine, 10 practices in, kind of come back down and then ramp back up so we're fresh for the duration... And again, I feel great. I feel fresh, and it's good to be back out there." The Niners have been holding out their star RB late with undisclosed tightness, but he returned to practice on Sunday and even jumped into team drills. San Francisco is taking every precaution to keep the oft-injured four-time Pro Bowler as fresh as possible going into Week 1 after he had 1,202 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns on a career-high 311 carries in 2025 in 17 regular-season games, adding 102 catches for 924 yards and another seven scores. CMC remains one of the most talented dual-threat backs in the league, but his lengthy injury history makes him high-risk, high-reward as RotoBaller's No. 3 overall RB.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Oso Ighodaro is Working on his Three-Point Game
Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro is working on improving his game this offseason. He sat down with Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic to discuss his goals and the overall outlook of his team for the upcoming season. Ighodaro is young, but he wants to keep stepping into a leadership role on the team. He wants to work on his offensive game, knowing his defense is his strong suit at the moment. During the offseason, Ighodaro has been working on his free throws and shooting from beyond the arc. Both areas could use improvement, so it's nice to see him focusing on that. Last season, Ighodaro averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 22.0 minutes per game in 82 contests. His value should be on the rise if he can improve his game offensively.
Source: Azcentral.com
Source: Azcentral.com
Malik Nabers Could Shed No-Contact Jersey This Week
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh said there is a chance that wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) could shed the no-contact jersey this week at practice, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. "That's a possibility. We'll just have to see where he's at," Harbaugh said. With three weeks until the 2026 opener, Harbaugh does not think it's a necessity for Nabers to take contact this week. The 23-year-old former first-rounder from LSU returned to team drills last week at training camp, but he has yet to be cleared for contact and did not take part in joint practices with the Miami Dolphins before Saturday's 26-3 preseason win. Barring a setback from his torn ACL and meniscus suffered early last year, Nabers is trending in the right direction to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season on Sunday night against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13. He is still a risk for fantasy managers coming off a major knee injury, but Nabers' progress in recent weeks should make him a more attractive low-end WR1 pick in upcoming drafts.
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
KJ Jackson Beats out AJ Hill in Arkansas QB Competition
Arkansas has named KJ Jackson its starting quarterback to open the 2026 season, according to Daniel Fair of HawgBeat. Jackson has been competing with Memphis transfer AJ Hill for QB1 duties in Fayetteville and has emerged victorious. Despite Hill following head coach Ryan Silverfield from Memphis and having familiarity with the system, Jackson outperformed him in camp. Jackson appeared in five games (one start) for the Razorbacks last season and completed 33 of his 54 passing attempts for 441 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He added 52 yards and two scores on the ground. Jackson will have his work cut out for him in 2026, as the Razorbacks have arguably the toughest schedule in the country. After opening the year against North Alabama, Arkansas will face No. 21 Utah, No. 3 Georgia, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 20 Tennessee, No. 25 Missouri, No. 5 Texas, and No. 11 LSU in seven of its final 11 games.
Source: Daniel Fair - HawgBeat
Source: Daniel Fair - HawgBeat
