RADIO
Parker Washington Projected to Lead Jaguars in Receiving
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington is being projected to lead the team in receiving this season. Sports Illustrated's John Shipley made the call after watching Washington look like Trevor Lawrence's favorite target throughout training camp. Washington already led Jacksonville last year with 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games, doing that on 95 targets. The competition for looks is real with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter and tight end Brenton Strange all in the offense, but Washington kept getting work even as Jacksonville leaned more heavily into tight-end usage this summer. Shipley also picked Washington to lead the Jaguars in receiving yards at the midway point of camp, so this is not a one-practice reaction. Washington broke out when his role expanded in 2025 and has spent August looking like one of Lawrence's most trusted options again. Another team-leading season is firmly in play.
Source: Sports Illustrated
Source: Sports Illustrated
Caleb Williams Praised for the Strides He's Taken in the Red Zone
Ahead of Thursday's joint practice with the Titans, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was praised by his head coach for the advancement he's made in the red zone, and he backed those words up with another solid showing and a touchdown connection with Kaden Davis while working against Tennessee's top defense. "I think that's been probably the best thing so far this camp, just the anticipation, the timing, the understanding of where we want to put the football," Ben Johnson told reporters to begin the day. "He is not afraid to fit it into tight windows. He trusts his pass catchers. A year ago, a lot of the things were foreign to him, and now you can tell he has some banked reps and he's able to anticipate where he wants to go with the football." After finishing as the QB5 in a year where he left plenty of fantasy production on the bone, Williams is a candidate to take a significant step forward in his second season in Johnson's offense, and he could prove to be a league-winning value as the seventh quarterback off the board by current ADP.
Source: Larry Mayer
Source: Larry Mayer
Gage Larvadain Stays Busy in Browns' Dominant Preseason Win
On a night where seemingly everything went right for the Cleveland Browns offensive reserves, second-year wide receiver Gage Larvadain led the team with six targets and five catches, connecting with Dillon Gabriel on the first play of the night and ending Thursday's 37-13 win with 48 receiving yards and an additional four yards on the ground. An undrafted free agent in 2025, Larvadain caught seven passes as a rookie, but even following the release of fourth-year veteran Cedric Tillman on Thursday, he could still face a numbers crunch ahead of Sunday's roster cutdown deadline. The Browns spent two top 40 picks in the 2026 NFL draft on receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and with Jerry Jeudy and Isaiah Bond expected to round out the room, even should Larvadain stick on the roster for his special teams contributions, there is very little fantasy production to be found on the fringes of an offense that still faces serious questions at quarterback.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Gregory Desrosiers Puts Solid Production on Tape in Preseason Finale
Playing primarily with the third-team offense, Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Gregory Desrosiers led all players with 118 rushing yards on only nine carries in Thursday night's preseason loss to the Rams. The undrafted free agent out of Memphis bounced off a pair of would-be tacklers early in the fourth quarter for a 34-yard touchdown run and caught one of his two targets for an additional eight yards, but unless Keaton Mitchell's undisclosed injury, which has been described as a "mild setback" stretches into the regular season, Desrosiers may still find himself on the wrong side of a numbers crunch. The Chargers have a deep and versatile room with the free agent acquisition Mitchell joining 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton and the team's leading rusher from a season ago, Kimani Vidal. Still, ahead of Sunday's roster cutdown, Desrosiers was at least able to put solid production on film for any teams in search of running back depth.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Eli Heidenreich Finds The End Zone in His Push for Steelers' RB3 Role
While the top of the Steelers running back depth chart has provided spirited debate among the fantasy community for much of the offseason, the team's third spot is also very much up for grabs, and during Thursday night's preseason loss to the Bills, rookie Eli Heidenreich put in a strong claim, leading the team with nine carries. Heidenreich opened up the second half scoring, capping off an 11-play, 68-yard drive by following his blockers and fighting through contact for a nine-yard touchdown run off the right side. While the exact order might still be contested, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are locked in as the Steelers' top two running backs, leaving Heidenreich battling with fourth-year player Lew Nichols and 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson for the third spot in the room. Nichols has been the most consistent runner throughout the preseason, but after catching 90 passes across his final two seasons with Navy and adding further versatility in the return game, Heidenreich could force his way onto the team's initial 53-man roster. Even still, without a number of catastrophic injuries ahead of him, the seventh-round pick is unlikely to see fantasy relevance in 2026.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Germie Bernard Scores a Statement Touchdown in Preseason Finale
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard caught only one of his two passes in Thursday night's preseason loss to the Bills, but he made it count. Following an opening drive three-and-out by the Steelers and a muffed punt by the Bills, Pittsburgh began its second drive deep in Buffalo territory and took only one play to find paydirt. Lined up in one-on-one coverage against 2025 first-round pick Max Hairston, Bernard took a quick pass from Will Howard and muscled his way through to the end zone. "I played running back for a very long time in my childhood," Bernard said after the game. "I always had the ball in my hands. It just always translated and stayed with me." Bernard enters his rookie season seemingly locked out of the Steelers' third wide receiver spot by 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson, but the versatility and playmaking that he has flashed throughout camp and on Thursday night could help him find the field and earn targets from Aaron Rodgers earlier than is customary for most rookies in the veteran's orbit. At RotoBaller's WR83, Bernard is not a player who needs to be targeted in 2026 drafts. Still, fantasy managers will need to monitor his early-season involvement and be ready to make a waiver claim if and when his role expands.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Michael Hawkins Jr. Expected to be QB1 at West Virginia
Oklahoma transfer quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is expected to be named West Virginia's starter of the 2026 season, according to On3's Pete Nakos. The third-year player appeared in nine games for the Sooners over the last two seasons, backing up Jackson Arnold and John Mateer, and he tallied 950 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 262 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. Hawkins is a dynamic athlete on the ground and could be a great fit in Rich Rodriguez's offense. He beat out Scotty Fox for the QB1 job. Hawkins is worth monitoring early in the season, as his rushing skill set could make him a viable college fantasy football streaming option in favorable matchups this season.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Cal Petersen Signs Tryout Deal With Capitals
Goaltender Cal Petersen will join the Washington Capitals' training camp on a professional tryout agreement. After a strong start to his career, Petersen has been limited to AHL action in recent campaigns. In 2025-26, he posted a 13-16-2 record, a 2.73 goals-against average, and a .896 save percentage with the Iowa Wild. The 31-year-old made his last NHL appearances in 2023-24 with the Philadelphia Flyers. Petersen has also suited up for the Los Angeles Kings in the big league, compiling a 46-44-10 record. Across 106 NHL games, he has registered a 2.96 goals-against average with a .903 save percentage. Petersen could be a solid depth piece for Washington in 2026-27, behind Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Justin Herbert Shakes Off Early Mistake, Showcases Elite Arm Talent
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and some of the team's starting offense played two series against the Rams' defensive reserves in Thursday night's preseason finale, with both drives lasting exactly two plays. After his fumbled handoff attempt on the Chargers' second play of the game led to a Rams' field goal, Herbert quickly made up for the mistake on his next opportunity, uncorking a 65-yard touchdown strike to fourth-year receiver Quentin Johnston. Herbert's physical abilities have never been in question, but since a QB2 finish in 2021, he's been unable to overcome a series of environmental setbacks, with a number of catastrophic injuries to his offensive line most recently holding him back in 2025. While the Chargers have already lost center Tyler Biadasz (knee) to a season-ending knee injury, the returns to health of bookend Pro Bowl tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater have Herbert well-positioned for a fantasy bounceback in Mike McDaniel's new-look offense. As RotoBaller's QB7, Herbert is already priced higher than any of his fantasy finishes since his second season in the league, but with the skill set, the surrounding cast, and the playcaller all seemingly in place, he could ultimately prove to be a league-winning value in 2026.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Flames Invite Alexander Nylander to Training Camp
Left wing Alexander Nylander will join the Calgary Flames for training camp on a professional tryout agreement, Bryan Wilson of The Hockey News reports. Nylander is looking to return to NHL action after playing exclusively in the AHL last season. He had a good year with the Toronto Marlies, recording 53 points (24 goals, 29 assists) in 65 games and winning the Calder Cup. The Swedish forward has tallied 25 goals and 49 points in 126 NHL career games. Earning a spot on the Flames would be special for Nylander, a Calgary native whose father, Michael, played for the team for five seasons.
Source: Bryan Wilson
Source: Bryan Wilson
Quentin Johnston Shows Off Boom Potential with Long Touchdown
With the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive starters playing two series against the Rams' defensive reserves in Thursday night's cross-town preseason finale, fourth-year wide receiver Quentin Johnston helped quarterback Justin Herbert atone for an opening drive fumble by splitting two defenders for a 65-yard touchdown to give the Bolts an early 7-3 lead. A first-round pick in 2023, Johnston struggled with drops early in his career, but has flashed moments of underrated excellence over the past two seasons, particularly during a four-week stretch that saw him open 2025 as the fantasy WR4. While volume and consistency concerns still exist in what is expected to be a run-first Mike McDaniel offense, Johnston should be schemed into space and put in a position to make use of his run-after-catch abilities, and Thursday night's deep touchdown served as a reminder of his big-play potential. As RotoBaller's WR38, Johnston can still be viewed through a boom-or-bust lens in 2026, but all signs point to the booms being more explosive with the busts less detrimental.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Buddy Hield Leads Bahamas Past Uruguay with 28 Points
Atlanta Hawks guard/forward Buddy Hield posted a team-high 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the Bahamas' 103-94 win over Uruguay on Thursday in the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers. The 33-year-old shot 8-for-16 from the field, 6-for-11 from three, and 6-for-7 at the line in 32 minutes, though he also committed four turnovers. The shooting burst fits Hield's profile, but it does little to change his fantasy outlook in Atlanta. He appeared in only seven regular-season games after February's trade to the Hawks, averaging 5.1 points in 7.3 minutes. With CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luguentz Dort, and Dyson Daniels ahead of him in a crowded perimeter mix, Hield has no clear fantasy path unless injuries or another move opens minutes.
Source: Keith Smith
Source: Keith Smith
Chris Driedger Joins Canucks on Professional Tryout Agreement
The Vancouver Canucks announced they have signed goaltender Chris Driedger to a professional tryout agreement. Recently, it emerged that Thatcher Demko (hip) might not be available at the start of training camp, and adding Driedger to the mix gives Vancouver an additional option between the sticks. Driedger has been out of the NHL for a couple of seasons and suited up for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL last term. He holds a solid 31-24-5 career record in the NHL, along with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Yves Missi Posts 24 Points, Four Blocks for Cameroon
New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi scored 24 points in Cameroon's 78-62 win over Nigeria on Thursday in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers. The 22-year-old went 9-for-13 from the field and 6-for-8 at the line while adding nine rebounds, two steals, and four blocks in Rades, Tunisia. That free-throw line is worth noting after Missi shot just 55.9 percent at the stripe last season, which remains the biggest drag on his category profile. His NBA role shrank in 2025-26, when he averaged 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 19.7 minutes across 66 games with 14 starts. Jamahl Mosley now inherits a center mix that includes Derik Queen, Karlo Matkovic, and DeAndre Jordan, so Missi still has work to do. New Orleans reportedly turned away trade interest in him, at least keeping his path tied to the Pelicans' in-house competition.
Source: Keith Smith
Source: Keith Smith
Simon Nemec Eyes Major Role With Flames
Calgary Flames defenseman Simon Nemec hopes to play a major role with his new club. "It's a new challenge," Nemec said. "That was a good spot for me, for the team. I feel like they need a player like me. I can play a lot of minutes there. I can be part of the future there and be one of the leaders of the team." Nemec moved to Calgary this offseason following a modest three-year run with the New Jersey Devils. He notched a career-high 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 68 contests last season, but the former second-overall pick has the potential to make an even bigger impact. Speaking at the European Player Media Tour, Nemec said he wants to earn a spot on the Flames' top power-play unit, which would certainly boost his fantasy production.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
