RADIO
Jaguars Won't Play Starters in Preseason Opener
The Jacksonville Jaguars will not play any of their starters in Week 1 of the preseason against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Liam Coen told Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union. On the offensive side of the ball, that means we won't see quarterback Trevor Lawrence, tight end Brenton Strange, or wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington. Presumably, we also won't see running backs Bhayshul Tuten or Chris Rodriguez Jr., who are listed as co-starters on the team's first unofficial depth chart. Meanwhile, two-way player Travis Hunter is technically a second-string receiver on the depth chart, but we'd be surprised to see him get any offensive snaps on Saturday, too. Veteran journeyman quarterback Nick Mullens should earn the start, and there will be opportunities for plenty of backups to carve out roles. All eyes are on the tight end position after critics doubted the Jags' decision to draft Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol back in April. Rookie receivers Josh Cameron and CJ Williams should get plenty of snaps, and second-year running back LeQuint Allen will look to strengthen his grasp on a roster spot.
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Paul Skenes Lifted Early From Contest After Notable Velocity Drop
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes was pulled out early during Tuesday's outing due to a drop in velocity, according to Talkin' Baseball. Skenes only threw 65 pitches during this game, and none of those pitches registered at 97 MPH or higher. The right-hander allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out four batters in the loss. Fantasy managers don't need to panic yet, but Skenes throwing under 97 MPH is certainly alarming. There is no word on him being injured, so maybe his early exit was for another reason. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation closely over the next few days.
Source: Talkin' Baseball
Source: Talkin' Baseball
Travis Etienne Jr., Alvin Kamara Listed as Co-Starters
New Orleans Saints running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara have been listed as co-starters on the team's first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Fantasy managers shouldn't invest too much stock in unofficial depth charts with the regular season more than a month away, but it's still noteworthy that the Saints aren't declaring a clear-cut No. 1 running back yet. Etienne figures to be the lead ball-carrier after signing a $48 million contract during the offseason, but Kamara is still hanging around ahead of his age-31 season. Last year in Jacksonville, Etienne had 1,399 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, ranking as the RB10 in PPR leagues. Meanwhile, injuries limited Kamara to just 11 games, and he turned in the worst season of his career with just 657 scrimmage yards, one touchdown, and a pair of fumbles. He was the overall RB46, marking the first time in his career he finished a season lower than RB46. With all that in mind, we would expect Etienne to claim sole possession of the No. 1 spot on the depth chart by the end of the preseason. As it stands, he ranks as the overall RB17 in RotoBaller's latest half-PPR draft rankings for the 2026 fantasy football season.
Source: Mike Triplett
Source: Mike Triplett
Travis Hunter Listed as Backup WR, Starter at CB
Jacksonville Jaguars two-way player Travis Hunter is listed as the backup wide receiver, but a starting defensive back on the first unofficial depth chart, according to Ryan O'Halloran. The Jags have been shy about saying how they plan to deploy Hunter this upcoming season. According to Michael DiRocco of ESPN, Hunter has taken nearly 100 snaps on defense and 61 on offense during 11-on-11 drills. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Hunter won't need to know the entire offensive playbook this year. This offense does have Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington, so having Hunter is just a plus. Hunter is currently ranked as Rotoballer's WR72, but he could be a difference-maker depending on how the Jags use him.
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Source: Ryan O'Halloran
Eli Raridon Continues to Take More Snaps with First-Team
New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon continues to see action with the first team offense. The Pats are having joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts, and Raridon is still playing with the first team, according to the Boston Herald. The 22-year-old was a third-round pick of the Pats this year out of Notre Dame. He's going to remain behind Hunter Henry to begin the season, but that isn't going to last forever. Given his success early in camp, Raridon is looking like a solid stash in dynasty and keeper leagues, but is someone who can be ignored in redraft formats with Henry ahead of him right now.
Source: Boston Herald
Source: Boston Herald
Stephen Curry Expected to Finish His Career in Golden State
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is entering the final season of his contract, but general manager Mike Dunleavy expects him to finish his career with the franchise. "He really, really wants to win, and he wants to finish his career as a Warrior," Dunleavy said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Curry becomes eligible on Aug. 29 for a two-year extension worth up to $136.7 million, and both sides appear motivated to continue the partnership. The 38-year-old was limited to 43 games last season by knee and other injuries, but still averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 4.4 threes in 30.9 minutes. Curry remains an elite per-game fantasy option, though availability is the clear draft-day risk.
Source: Danny Emerman
Source: Danny Emerman
George Holani is Listed as RB1 on Depth Chart
Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani is listed as the top back on the first unofficial depth chart, according to Field Gulls. This doesn't mean too much considering they haven't played any preseason games yet, but it's an interesting development. The expectation is that Holani and first-round pick Jadarian Price are going to compete for the starting gig during the preseason. It seemed like the team was leaning towards Price as the early down back, but maybe they've changed their tune. Zach Charbonnet (knee) is still recovering from a torn ACL, but he figures to be the lead back once he's healthy again. Holani or Price are likely only placeholders until Charbonnet is ready to go.
Source: Field Gulls
Source: Field Gulls
Cam Thomas Draws Little Free-Agent Interest
Free-agent guard/forward Cam Thomas has drawn little to no interest on the open market this offseason, according to Evan Sidery. Sidery cited concerns about Thomas' character and whether his scoring-heavy style fits winning basketball. The 24-year-old was waived by Brooklyn in February, signed with Milwaukee shortly after, and was waived again in March. In 24 games with the Nets last season, Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three. He remains off the fantasy radar until he signs, and even then, his value would likely be limited to points and threes in a bench-scoring role.
Source: Evan Sidery
Source: Evan Sidery
Cade Cunningham Praises Pistons' Frontcourt Upgrade
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is excited about the team's offseason addition of John Collins, telling ClutchPoints' DJ Siddiqi that he and Collins are "excited to get on the court together." Collins joined Detroit on a three-year, $51 million deal after averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds with the Clippers while shooting a career-best 40.6 percent from three. The fit is easy to see for Cunningham, who averaged 9.9 assists last season and now gets another athletic frontcourt target. Detroit also added Isaiah Joe to boost its spacing, giving Cunningham more help after a 60-win season ended in a Game 7 loss to Cleveland. Collins' scoring may stay modest, but his shooting and lob-finishing put him back in the fantasy conversation.
Source: DJ Siddiqi
Source: DJ Siddiqi
Luther Burden III Hopeful to Play in Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) is hopeful to be ready for the beginning of the regular season, Courtney Cronin of ESPN reports. The second-year wideout suffered a groin injury during Saturday's practice. He's expected to miss all of the preseason games while recovering from this injury. The Bears don't have their season opener until Sept. 13, so Burden has plenty of time to recover and get in game shape. The 22-year-old is a potential breakout candidate with DJ Moore no longer in Chicago. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status closely over the next month.
Source: Courtney Cronin
Source: Courtney Cronin
Norman Powell Says Heat Never Made Offer
Chicago Bulls guard/forward Norman Powell pushed back at Heat fans on X after criticism of his free-agency exit, saying Miami "never offered anything," according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. The 33-year-old landed a two-year, $45 million deal with Chicago after the Heat were squeezed by the first-apron hard cap following their trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. Powell also exchanged posts with Portis while defending his decision. The move should give Powell a cleaner scoring path in Chicago, where he joins Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Nicolas Claxton on a roster that needed shooting. After averaging 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals on 47.0 percent shooting and 38.0 percent from three, Powell carries useful points-and-threes appeal if his role holds.
Source: Anthony Chiang
Source: Anthony Chiang
Puka Nacua is Dealing with Groin Soreness
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (groin) left early during Tuesday's practice session, according to Ian Rapoport. Nacua is dealing with minor groin soreness, but it's not expected to be anything serious. The Rams are going to be extremely cautious with their superstar wideout, but fantasy managers shouldn't be worried right now. Fantasy managers should consider Nacua as day-to-day, and expect him to be fine for Week 1. He remains a consensus top-five pick in all fantasy drafts this year.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Tyler Nickel Expected to Join Knicks This Season
New York Knicks forward Tyler Nickel is expected to begin his pro career with the team this season rather than return to college for a fifth year, according to Jared Schwartz of the New York Post, with SNY first reporting the plan. The 22-year-old sharpshooter, selected 47th overall out of Vanderbilt, received extra eligibility through a recent court ruling but appears ready to turn pro. It remains unclear whether Nickel will sign a two-way or standard contract, though a standard deal would complicate New York's pursuit of a third center. He averaged 12.2 points across five Summer League games while shooting 41.3 percent from three, but he remains off the fantasy radar unless the Knicks' wing rotation opens up.
Source: Jared Schwartz
Source: Jared Schwartz
Josh Hoover Growing Into Cignetti's System
Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover is entering the season as the unquestioned starter after three straight seasons of starting at TCU. Hand-picked by national championship-winning coach Curt Cignetti to succeed Fernando Mendoza, the expectations are through the roof this season for Hoover. On Hoover, Cignetti stated: "Josh Hoover has won a lot of football games, thrown for a lot of yards, a lot of touchdown passes. He has an innate ability to play the position of quarterback. He's kind of a natural passer, very accurate, processes very quickly. The things we'll ask him to do are different than the things TCU asked him to do. We're not going to put the ball in his hands and say go out, win the game, outscore people. We're going to give him a running game, defense, and special teams." Cignetti is very happy with the way that Hoover has progressed in his system throughout the summer, and it sounds like the veteran is the perfect fit to keep the Hoosiers' momentum rolling coming off of the national title.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Hollywood Smothers: Most Consistent Texas RB in Camp
Texas notoriously hit the transfer portal to improve the running back position this offseason. They now have a loaded room made up of NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers, Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown, and true freshman Derrek Cooper. Between those three players, it appears that Smothers has been the most consistent thus far when it comes to gaining positive yardage and following his vision. This comes as no surprise, as Smothers was electric last season as the Wolfpack's lead back. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry, rushing for 939 yards and six touchdowns on the season. While Brown and Cooper will undoubtedly mix into the rotation, Smothers looks like the top back as of right now.
Source: On3
Source: On3
