RADIO
Peyton Watson Lands in Cleveland
The Cleveland Cavaliers are acquiring forward Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a multi-team sign-and-trade, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Watson is set to land in Cleveland on a four-year, $88 million deal, while Max Strus heads to the Clippers and Cam Whitmore comes to the Cavaliers from Washington. The 23-year-old broke out last season, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 0.9 steals in 29.6 minutes while shooting 41.1 percent from deep. His fantasy stock rises with a cleaner role, but Whitmore and Jaylon Tyson keep the wing competition relevant. Watson's defensive stats and improved shooting give him standalone appeal if the minutes hold.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Bryce Lance Operates as Saints' WR2
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that New Orleans Saints rookie fourth-round wide receiver Bryce Lance (undisclosed) operated as the team's WR2 in his return to training camp practice on Tuesday. The Saints will not have first-round rookie wideout Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) to begin the 2026 regular season, and Devaughn Vele was rested on Tuesday, so Lance worked opposite Chris Olave in the joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys. The 23-year-old Lance, the younger brother of QB Trey Lance, should have an opportunity to carve out a role in the Saints' offense early in the year with Tyson sidelined, although it probably won't be enough volume to make him interesting in most fantasy football leagues. The 6-foot-3, 204-pounder has good size and speed and scored 28 total touchdowns in 57 games at North Dakota State in his collegiate career. Lance is an interesting dynasty/keeper stash for his athleticism in an up-and-coming offense.
Source: NewOrleans.Football - Nick Underhill
Source: NewOrleans.Football - Nick Underhill
Audric Estime to Miss Some Time With an Ankle Injury
New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime (ankle) will miss some time, but Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports that it does not sound like his injury is serious. Kendre Miller and Devin Neal returned from injuries on Tuesday, but Estime and veteran Alvin Kamara (knee) will miss some time and could be questionable to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. The 22-year-old Estime was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2024 out of Notre Dame and had 76 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games that year. In only seven games with the Saints last season, Estime had 46 rushing attempts for 198 yards and a touchdown. He has caught 17 of 18 targets for 130 yards as a pass-catcher in his two NFL seasons and figures to operate in a depth role in the Big Easy again in 2026 if he even makes the 53-man roster out of training camp and the preseason. Estime is off the fantasy radar in single-year leagues.
Source: WWL Louisiana - Ross Jackson
Source: WWL Louisiana - Ross Jackson
Former Seahawks Running Back TJ Harden to Enter Transfer Portal
Former SMU and UCLA running back TJ Harden was one of the 16 players who were granted a temporary restraining order on Wednesday to gain a fifth year of college eligibility. Harden plans on entering the transfer portal to find a new home for the 2026 season. He spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks this offseason, and even was involved on Saturday in Seattle's preseason game. Harden was waived on Monday and finds himself entering the transfer portal in hopes of returning to college just two days later. Harden rushed for 787 yards and nine touchdowns last season at SMU.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Georgia Still Searching for Third-Down Running Back
Former Georgia running back Cash Jones is off to the NFL after five seasons in Athens. Jones played the third-down role the past two seasons for the Bulldogs, chipping in with his pass-blocking and receiving chops. He amassed 470 yards and five touchdowns through the air over the past two years. With his departure, Kirby Smart has stated that the team is still looking for his replacement. Last year's top two rushers, Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens, are both back. The rest of the running backs in Bo Walker, Dwight Phillips, and Jae Lamar, are all searching for a role in Smart's offense. Just over two weeks away from kickoff, the Bulldogs do not have a designated third-down back.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Notre Dame's Receiver Rotation Shaping Up
Marcus Freeman's 2026 Notre Dame team boasts a loaded group of wide receivers for redshirt sophomore CJ Carr to throw to. Fall camp is giving us an indication as to how that room will shake out. Jordan Faison, who led the team with 640 receiving yards a season ago, is back in his starting role. It appears that Jaden Greathouse, who missed the bulk of the 2025 season with hamstring and thigh injuries, will be starting in the slot. Micah Gilbert, a sophomore with just 93 yards to his name thus far, appears set to start on the boundary. Behind those three starters, Ohio State transfers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter figure to see significant playing time. Redshirt freshman Jerome Bettis Jr. has also made noise this offseason and could push to see playing time in the loaded room.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Skyler Locklear Wins Missouri State Quarterback Job
Veteran quarterback Skyler Locklear has earned the starting job at Missouri State and is set to make his debut in the season opener on the road at Texas A&M. Locklear started in 16 games at UTEP over the past two seasons, throwing for 23 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Locklear won the job over Duke transfer Henry Belin IV, who has played in a handful of games over the past four seasons with the Blue Devils. Missouri State is set to be coached by first-year head coach Casey Woods, who was previously the offensive coordinator at SMU.
Source: Ryan Collingwood - Springfield Daily Citizen
Source: Ryan Collingwood - Springfield Daily Citizen
Kennesaw State Names Rickie Collins the Week 1 Starting Quarterback
Syracuse transfer quarterback Rickie Collins has won the quarterback job at Kennesaw State as they gear up for a Week 1 matchup against West Georgia. The Owls are coming off a Conference USA title in head coach Jerry Mack's first season at the helm. Collins started five games at Syracuse last season, which is where Kennesaw State's previous quarterback, Amari Odom, is now. Collins completed 53.6% of his passes for 1,042 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions a season ago. Stepping down the competition a bit, he hopes to improve his play.
Source: Yahoo
Source: Yahoo
Luke Weaver Named San Jose State Starting Quarterback
San Jose State has named Hawai'i transfer Luke Weaver as their starting quarterback. Weaver will take the field for the first time with his new team in Week 0 as the Spartans play 14th-ranked USC. He started his career at Modesto Junior College in California, where he played for three seasons before transferring to Hawai'i last season. Weaver started two games, going 2-0 and throwing for 628 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. He beat out redshirt freshman Robert McDaniel and true freshman Daniel Rolovich to win the job, replacing last year's starter Walker Eget, who is now at Duke.
Source: Yahoo
Source: Yahoo
DJ Giddens Returns From Hamstring Injury on Wednesday
Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens (hamstring), who missed a considerable amount of time in training camp due to a hamstring injury, made his return to the practice field on Wednesday, according to Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star. Before his hamstring injury, Giddens had mixed in with the first-team offense, but his time away due to injury may have opened the door for rookie sixth-rounder Seth McGowan to claim the RB2 role behind Jonathan Taylor to begin the 2026 regular season. Whoever wins the RB2 job in Indy is looking at a light workload as long as Taylor stays healthy, but it will be worth watching for handcuff purposes in deeper fantasy football leagues. After being selected with the 151st overall pick in the fifth round last year from Kansas State, Giddens saw only 26 rushing attempts for 96 yards (3.7 yards per carry) in nine games played as a rookie. Giddens is currently outside RotoBaller's top 94 rankings at RB for 2026.
Source: Indianapolis Star - Nathan Brown
Source: Indianapolis Star - Nathan Brown
Dylan Stewart, Jacarrius Peak Unlikely to Be Ready for Week 1
South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart and offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak have not practiced this fall as they both recover from injuries. While both are trending towards returning to the practice field, it sounds unlikely that either player will be ready to take the field in Week 1 when Kent State comes to Columbia. South Carolina follows that game up with a home game against Towson, before opening the SEC season with Mississippi State on September 19. Chris Low of On3 reported that neither player will be rushed back until they feel 100%. Stewart is one of the nation's premier athletes, and is widely expected to be a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Peak is the Gamecocks' best offensive lineman, transferring in from NC State. Having both players healthy will be monumental for South Carolina's success this season.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Louisiana Lawsuit Grants Return to College Football for Current NFL Players
A judge in Louisiana has granted a group of 16 graduated football players, some of whom are currently on NFL rosters, eligibility for the 2026 college football season. The group is headlined by a trio of former Ole Miss starters who helped lead the Rebels to the semifinals a season ago in tight end Dae'Quan Wright, defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, and safety Wydett Williams Jr. Williams and Wright are currently on NFL rosters. Other impact players on the lawsuit include former Oregon State running back Anthony Hankerson, former South Carolina safety DQ Smith, former LSU linebacker Jack Pyburn, former James Madison linebacker Trent Hedrick, and former Notre Dame defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka. If those who are on NFL rosters are released by September 1st, they will be allowed to join college rosters under the restraining order.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Texans Plan to Ramp Jaylin Noel Back Up
The Houston Texans got wide receiver Jaylin Noel (hamstring, finger) back from his injuries this week in training camp, and they plan to ramp him up to get him back to where he was in the spring when he caught several touchdowns, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Noel's fantasy football stock rose dramatically on Wednesday after it was announced that fellow wideout Jayden Higgins (knee) suffered a season-ending torn ACL. The 23-year-old recently returned to practice after missing several weeks with a hamstring and pinkie injury, and now that he's back, the former third-rounder from Iowa State has a clear path to WR2 duties in Houston in his second year in the NFL now that Higgins is done for the season. In 17 regular-season games as a rookie in 2025, Noel caught 26 of his 35 targets for 292 yards and two touchdowns for the Texans. At the very least, Noel should see a big rise in target share as the Texans continue to work Tank Dell back from a knee injury that kept him out for all of last year. RotoBaller now has Noel ranked as the No. 65 overall fantasy WR.
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
Edwin Diaz's MRI Comes Back Clean, to be Shut Down for a "Couple Days"
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-handed closer Edwin Diaz (neck) got a "best-case" prognosis from his doctor's visit on Wednesday, with his MRI exam coming back clean, per Jack Harris of The California Post. There were no other "findings" in his neck. Diaz will be shut down from throwing for "a couple days," according to Roberts, before the team sees how he is feeling from there. The Dodgers placed the struggling closer on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday due to inflammation in his neck, which the team believes may have been caused by a lower arm angle this year. Diaz also missed time in his first season in L.A. after having surgery to clean up loose bodies in his right elbow. Since coming off the IL for his elbow surgery, the 32-year-old Puerto Rican really struggled, posting a 12.91 ERA (6.86 FIP) with two losses, three saves, and three blown saves in nine appearances over 7 2/3 innings. Diaz has been a major bust in his first year with the Dodgers, but he might not require a lengthy IL stay this time around, and he is still rostered in 72% of Yahoo leagues. Until he returns, lefty Tanner Scott should resume primary closing duties for Roberts.
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris
Bo Nix to Play About 14 Snaps in Second Preseason Game
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that quarterback Bo Nix will have a similar workload to the starters in last week's preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons when he makes the start this week in the second preseason contest against the Green Bay Packers at home, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. It will be Nix's first game since suffering a broken right ankle in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs in January. The 26-year-old former first-rounder out of Oregon had a cleanup procedure on his ankle in April, but he's been a full participant since the start of training camp and isn't expected to have any limitations when the 2026 regular season kicks off in Week 1 in a showdown on Monday night versus the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Nix has been a top-10 fantasy signal-caller in each of his two seasons in the NFL, and while many folks might be hesitant to select him after ankle surgery, he could also have his highest ceiling yet in his third year after the addition of speedy receiver Jaylen Waddle. RotoBaller has Nix ranked as the No. 16 fantasy QB.
Source: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
Source: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
