RADIO
Rhamondre Stevenson Expected to See Plenty of Work Wednesday
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to see plenty of snaps in Wednesday night's opener against Seattle, according to Chad Graff. Head coach Mike Vrabel pointed to Stevenson's pass protection Monday, saying "the protection for me is what stands out" when discussing what he values in the veteran's game. That part of Stevenson's skill set could keep him on the field regardless of how the carries are divided. He played 14 games last season, rushing for 603 yards and seven touchdowns on 130 carries while adding 32 catches for 345 yards and two more scores. TreVeyon Henderson's ankle injury could open the door to even more work, but Stevenson already has a strong case for a heavy snap count because New England trusts him to protect the quarterback.
Source: Chad Graff
Source: Chad Graff
Kayshon Boutte Will be Active in Week 1, Worth a Look on Waiver Wire
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that wide receiver "Kayshon Boutte is picking up the playbook really well" and that he will be active on Sunday, Sept. 13, for the Week 1 season opener against the Buffalo Bills, according to DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. The 24-year-old has the clearest path to fantasy relevance in his new home in Houston since entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick in 2023 by the New England Patriots out of LSU. The Texans acquired him in a trade with the Patriots this summer after they learned that second-year wideout Jayden Higgins (knee) would miss the entire 2026 season. Boutte, who has developed chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud quickly, is expected to serve as the team's WR2 behind Nico Collins despite limited time to learn the offense in training camp. In three seasons with the Pats, Boutte recorded 78 catches on 121 targets for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns, with six of his scores coming in 14 regular-season games in 2025. Boutte is rostered in only 20% of Yahoo leagues currently, but he could quickly become a popular waiver-wire target if he lights up the box score early on for Houston.
Source: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
Source: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
Dalton Schultz a Strong PPR Streamer for Week 1
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz is one of the easier waiver-wire answers if you need help at tight end for Week 1. He caught a career-high 82 passes on 106 targets last season, and the Texans are already down two receivers before facing Buffalo. Jayden Higgins is out for the year after tearing his ACL, while Tank Dell will begin the season on injured reserve and cannot return until at least Week 5. Houston did trade for Kayshon Boutte, and Nico Collins remains the clear top target. Still, Schultz does not need a huge role change to matter in PPR. He already saw 106 targets last year, and RotoBaller's current Week 1 waiver column has him rostered in only 43% of Yahoo leagues. The three touchdowns from 2025 are a reminder that the ceiling can be frustrating, especially in non-PPR formats. If you drafted the position late and are already looking around, Schultz is an easy enough player to use Sunday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Max Meyer Resumes Throwing
The Miami Marlins told Sports Grid's Craig Mish that right-hander Max Meyer (neck, rib) has resumed throwing. However, there is not a lot of time left to make it back into Miami's starting rotation in 2026. Meyer initially went on the 15-day injured list seven weeks ago with a strained neck, and the 27-year-old suffered a setback recently due to discomfort in his rib. If Meyer can make it back before the end of September, he will most likely return to the Marlins' bullpen as a reliever and not as a starter, which pretty much kills what little fantasy appeal Meyer might have had left. It is disappointing for fantasy managers who have been holding him after his excellent 2026 campaign before his neck injury. Meyer was a first-time All-Star this year, going 9-1 with a 2.68 ERA (3.50 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with a career-high 121 strikeouts and 41 walks in 111 innings pitched across his 20 starts in just his fourth major-league season. Meyer is being rostered in just 60% of Yahoo leagues now and is not a must-stash down the stretch in redraft formats.
Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
Khalil Shakir Still Has PPR Appeal on the Waiver Wire
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is sitting on waivers in more leagues than he probably should be, though there is one obvious concern heading into Week 1. Shakir has been out of team drills since Aug. 20 with an undisclosed injury, so this is not a player to pick up and immediately throw into a flex spot. There is still something here for PPR managers. He caught 72 passes for 719 yards and four touchdowns last season after posting 76 catches for 821 yards the year before, and Josh Allen has consistently looked his way underneath. DJ Moore joining the offense probably keeps Shakir from becoming much more than that, especially with Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid also needing targets. That's fine. Shakir does not need a breakout to have some use in fantasy. If he is available in a 12-team PPR league, he is worth grabbing for the bench while we wait to see where his health stands going into Houston.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ian Happ Absent on Monday With Knee Injury
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (knee) was held out of the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener in Milwaukee against the division-rival Brewers due to discomfort in his left knee, according to MLB.com. Happ is considered day-to-day for now with a minor injury, so fantasy managers should check back on Tuesday to see if the 32-year-old veteran is feeling good enough to return to action. With Happ sitting on Monday, Tyrone Taylor made the start in left field for the Cubbies. The switch-hitting Happ has hit .221/.326/.416 with a .743 OPS, 23 home runs, 64 RBI, 81 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 138 games across 577 plate appearances in 2026 in his 10th year in the big leagues with the Cubs. He needs just three more home runs to set a new career high in that category, but he has really struggled from the right side of the plate against southpaws, slashing .152/.226/.280 with a .506 OPS and only four of his 23 home runs in 138 plate appearances. Happ's power has also been down in the second half, with six homers and 22 RBI in 46 games compared to 17 homers and 42 RBI in 92 games in the first half.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Deebo Samuel Sr. Offers Immediate Waiver-Wire Appeal
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. is more than a bench stash for fantasy managers who can still find him on waivers. He's back in a familiar offense and opens the season with a real role after Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk landed on injured reserve. San Francisco's current depth chart has Samuel with the first team, and he showed during camp that the reunion wasn't just for show, catching five passes and scoring twice during team work in the Aug. 11 joint practice with Tennessee. Samuel also wasn't finished last season, catching 72 passes for 727 yards and five touchdowns with Washington while adding another score on the ground. Mike Evans, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey will keep this offense crowded, but Samuel doesn't need huge target volume to be useful. RotoBaller has him seventh among its pre-Week 1 wide receiver pickups and WR40 for the opener. He's a strong add in 10-team PPR leagues and can already be considered for a FLEX spot.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chase DeLauter Sits Out Again on Monday
Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) missed another game in Monday's series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, but manager Stephen Vogt did say that DeLauter is "feeling a lot better." The 24-year-old left-handed hitter was scheduled to do some hitting before the game. DeLauter suffered a sprained wrist late last week, but he managed to avoid a significant sprain and is considered day-to-day. The Guardians are not expecting him to land on the injured list. Angel Martinez got another start in right field on Monday for Cleveland with DeLauter out. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday to see if DeLauter is feeling good enough to return to the starting nine. The former 16th overall pick has handled himself quite well in his first year in the big leagues in 2025, slashing .294/.365/.458 with an .823 OPS, 13 homers, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across 120 games and 499 plate appearances. Even more impressively, he has hit .336 (47-for-140) with an .861 OPS in 154 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lucas Ramirez Making a Name For Himself In Minor Leagues
Los Angeles Angels outfield prospect Lucas Ramirez has homered in three of his last four games and is putting together a scorching start to September at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 20-year-old left-handed hitter is 6-for-21 early on this month with three homers and five RBI to go with nine runs scored and two stolen bases. Ramirez is a 17th round draft pick in 2024 and is the son of Manny Ramirez. Lucas has hit nine homers with 61 RBI for Rancho Cucamonga this season with 55 runs scored and 10 stolen bases while hitting .242. Ramirez is not ranked by MLB.com as one of the top 30 prospects in the Angels system but has shown late in this season that he can produce some stats. Ramirez could put himself on the fantasy radar, much like his dad, but it could be a few years before he does so.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Kaleb Johnson Worth Stashing in Deeper Leagues
Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson is worth keeping an eye on while Josh Jacobs remains unavailable. The Packers traded a 2028 sixth-round pick for Johnson on Aug. 30 after his quiet rookie season in Pittsburgh, where he managed only 69 yards on 28 carries. The opportunity in Green Bay is better. MarShawn Lloyd should get the first crack at leading the backfield, but Johnson has already worked alongside him with the first-team offense, while Chris Brooks is better suited for passing-down work. Johnson also has some familiarity with Matt LaFleur's system after playing in a similar offense during his final season at Iowa. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter, and RotoBaller currently has him at RB70 for the opener against Minnesota. The waiver outlook is more interesting than the immediate lineup value. RotoBaller recommends Johnson in leagues with 14 or more teams, which fits where things stand. He's a speculative stash with a path to more work if this backfield stays unsettled.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rome Odunze Missing From Monday's Practice
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (leg) was the only player missing from Monday's brisk, 50-minute practice, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Odunze is still not back on the practice field after leaving Thursday's practice early with a right-leg injury. The 24-year-old's status will be closely monitored heading into the team's Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. We should have a better read on the former first-rounder's status for this coming weekend once the Bears release their first official practice report of the season on Wednesday. But for now, Odunze's status is firmly up in the air. If he is limited or out against the Panthers, receivers Luther Burden III (groin), Kalif Raymond, and Zavion Thomas could all see extra targets, as well as tight end Colston Loveland. Odunze regressed with 44 catches and 661 receiving yards in his sophomore season in 2025 while playing in just 12 games due to a foot injury, but he also had a career-high six receiving touchdowns, and he is expected to have a bigger role in 2026 with DJ Moore out of the picture. As of right now, Odunze is shaping up as a shaky WR3/flex in Week 1 in fantasy because of his leg injury.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Zyhir Hope Has All the Tools To Be a Future Fantasy Stud
Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Zyhir Hope is off to an excellent start to his career in the Tigers system after a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Hope has been off to a red-hot start with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves, with five homers and 20 RBI in 25 games in Erie to go with a .263 batting average and 16 runs with six stolen bases. The 20-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 2 prospect in the Tigers system behind only Max Clark and was the headliner coming back in the Skubal trade. Prior to the trade, Hope had 23 homers and 87 RBI for Double-A Tulsa in the Dodgers' system with 18 stolen bases and a .283 batting average. Hope has elite five-category skills and is graded out with a 50-grade hit tool, 60-grade power, and 55-grade speed. While he might be a year or two away from the big leagues, Hope looks like a future fantasy stud.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
D'Andre Swift Returns to Practice on Monday
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (abdomen) was back at practice on Monday, according to The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. The Bears held a brisk, 50-minute practice session, but it was good to see both Swift and Kyle Monangai (knee) back on the field. Swift was pulled from last Thursday's practice early with abdominal cramps, so the 27-year-old should be just fine for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Monangai's status is a bit more uncertain after he suffered a hyperextended knee back on Aug. 16 in training camp. If Monangai is out or limited, Swift could see an even larger piece of the backfield pie to kick things off against Carolina this weekend, making him a must-start low-end RB1/high-end RB2 option as Chicago's starting RB. Swift finished as the RB14 in half-PPR scoring last year, producing 1,087 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 223 carries while adding 34 receptions for 299 yards and another score through the air in 16 regular-season games. Swift could have an even better year in 2026 if the Bears' offense can take another step forward in head coach Ben Johnson's second season in the Windy City.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Sebastian Walcott Showing Fantasy Superstar Potential
Texas Rangers top shortstop prospect Sebastian Walcott has hit three homers in his last five games with Double-A Frisco and is off to a red-hot start to September in what has largely been an injury-plagued season. The 20-year-old has recovered from a right elbow UCL tear and was activated from the 60-day IL in July. In 136 at-bats between two levels of the minors this season, Walcott is hitting .324 with nine homers and 19 RBI to go with 43 runs scored and nine stolen bases. The right-handed hitter is one of the best prospects in baseball and profiles as an elite shortstop in the future with a 55-grade hit tool, 65-grade power, and 50-grade speed. Look for Walcott to reach the Rangers' big-league club in 2027, with a start out of the gate in the majors not out of the question. This is a future fantasy superstar with five-category statistical skills to boot.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Kyle Monangai Back at Practice on Monday
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (knee) was back at Monday's practice, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. It was a brisk, 50-minute practice, but it is notable that Monangai was back on the field. Backfield mate D'Andre Swift said that Monangai "looked good" while doing some running before last Wednesday's practice following a hyperextension of his right knee in training camp practice back on Aug. 16. The 24-year-old was being considered week-to-week as early as last week, so although he has returned to practice on Monday, it is not a guarantee that he will be active for Sunday's Week 1 season opener against the Carolina Panthers. But with Swift also returning to practice on Monday, the Bears' backfield is looking much healthier entering the season opener. When fully healthy, Monangai, a seventh-rounder last year, will continue to be the primary change-of-pace option behind Swift after he recorded 783 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 169 carries in 2025 as a rookie. If Monangai is active on Sunday, he should be viewed as an RB4/flex option at risk of being on a snap count. If Monangai is inactive against Carolina, Roschon Johnson is expected to serve as the backup to Swift.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs
