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Cardinals to Promote No. 7 Prospect Leo Bernal to Majors
The St. Louis Cardinals are promoting catching prospect Leo Bernal to the majors, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. The 22-year-old originally signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent out of Panama in 2021. Up until this point, he had spent the entire season in Triple-A, slashing .279/.364/.469 with 16 home runs, 77 RBI, nine steals, an 11.8% walk rate, a 20.0% strikeout rate, and 116 wRC+ across 100 games. Bernal is a switch-hitter and has made impressive strides from a platoon standpoint this year. Specifically, he improved upon his ability to hit right-handed pitching, bringing his OPS against righties up from .668 to .846 this year. He's also been solid on defense, throwing out 27.4% of base stealers. Bernal should have a chance to carve out significant playing time right away, as both of the Cardinals' active catchers have a sub-.600 OPS.
Source: Francys Romero
Source: Francys Romero
Willson Contreras Experiencing Hamstring Tightness
Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hamstring), who exited during the seventh inning of Sunday's loss against the New York Yankees, was dealing with hamstring tightness, interim manager Chad Tracy told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. "The hamstring was a little tight," Tracy said. "Just felt like at that point of the game, I don't want to push it. So we got him out of there." It's worth noting that the Red Sox were trailing 6-0 at the time of Contreras' exit, and it's unclear whether he would have been able to keep playing if the score were closer. We wouldn't be surprised to see him get the day off Monday against the Seattle Mariners, and we also can't rule out an IL stint if the injury persists or worsens in the next day. Nick Sogard would be the most likely candidate to play first base in Contreras' absence, but the team could also recall Mickey Gasper from Triple-A.
Source: Christopher Smith
Source: Christopher Smith
Jordan Hawkins Could Fall Out of the Rotation
The New Orleans Pelicans recently signed Bennedict Mathurin to a two-year deal. The new addition is going to significantly impact the Pelicans' rotation this upcoming season. The team will need to figure out how to mix Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole, and Mathurin all into a rotation together. Given all the depth the Pelicans have right now, Jordan Hawkins might end up outside the rotation to begin the season. There's not going to be enough playing time for everyone, so somebody needs to be the odd man out. Hawkins already didn't have a ton of fantasy value coming into the season, but he probably won't be worth stashing in most fantasy formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
George Holani Has a Path to an Early-Season Role
Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani should carve out a role early in the season after Zach Charbonnet (knee) was placed on the PUP list. Rookie Jadarian Price projects as the Seahawks' No. 1 running back to open the year, but Holani will likely earn a significant snap share, too. Price never averaged more than 9.4 carries per game at school, so he's presumably not capable of handling an every-down role while Charbonnet is sidelined. Holani, who is heading into his third pro season, spent most of last year as the Seahawks' No. 3 running back behind Kenneth Walker III and Charbonnet. He had 12 touches in Week 3 last season, but his best game actually came in Week 10, when he logged seven carries, 31 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. Holani has just three targets through 16 career games, so we'd expect most of his snaps to come on early downs. He could have some early-season appeal as a low-end RB3/flex in deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jordan Poole Could See Reduced Role
The New Orleans Pelicans recently signed free-agent guard Bennedict Mathurin to a two-year deal. The 24-year-old gets $16 million over two years and a player option in his new deal. The presence of Mathurin is going to significantly impact the rest of the Pelicans' rotation. The team will need to find minutes for Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears, and Jordan Poole to all get playing time with Mathurin in the mix as well. Out of the bunch, Poole is likely going to lose the most playing time with Mathurin joining the team. Poole is coming off a disappointing season where he averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.0 rebounds across 39 games with the Pelicans this past season. He's probably the most inconsistent player of the bunch, so it wouldn't be shocking to see his minutes take a hit this upcoming season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Saints Place Devin Neal on Season-Ending Injured Reserve
The New Orleans Saints have placed running back Devin Neal (hamstring) on season-ending injured reserve, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. He suffered the injury during Week 2 of the preseason. Neal had an impressive stretch of games from Week 12 through Week 15 during his rookie season in 2025, but there wouldn't have been much of a role for him this year, even if he were healthy. Travis Etienne Jr. was given a large contract to lead this backfield for the next few years, and the Saints have Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, and Audric Estime to round out the running back room. Neal's next chance to make an impact will be the 2027 season, which lines up well with the expiration of Alvin Kamara's contract.
Source: Nick Underhill
Source: Nick Underhill
Justin Joly Was a "Little Bit Behind" Before Being Cut
Denver Broncos rookie tight end Justin Joly was "just a little bit behind" throughout the offseason and training camp, general manager George Paton said during an appearance on Orange and Blue Today. "We knew when we drafted him -- we knew he was raw, and we still liked the player," Paton said. "We still like the player. We think he's going to have a nice career. You just gotta make tough decisions to build the best 53 you can make." He added that Joly had been improving lately, and he scored an 88-yard touchdown in Saturday's preseason finale, albeit on a play where the defense broke down. Paton hinted that if the preseason were one or two games longer, the outcome may have been different. Presumably, Denver will look to get Joly back on the practice squad so that he can continue to develop. However, with fifth-round draft capital, we wouldn't be surprised if any of the other 31 teams try to claim him off waivers.
Source: Andrew Mason
Source: Andrew Mason
Mariners to Promote Top Prospect Lazaro Montes
Seattle Mariners top outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is being called up to the majors, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. The talented outfielder signed with the Mariners as an international free agent out of Cuba in 2022 and has quickly developed within the organization's farm system. Up until this point, Montes had split his 2026 season between Double-A and Triple-A. Through 43 games at the Triple-A level, he was slashing .267/.359/.564 with 13 home runs, an 11.6% walk rate, a 31.3% strikeout rate, and 125 wRC+. Strikeouts are evidently a concern with the 21-year-old, but he makes up for it with incredible power, slugging 38 total homers in the minors this year. There's a strong chance that he could be in the lineup for his MLB debut tomorrow against the Boston Red Sox. Regardless of whether he plays on Monday, he should earn consistent playing time in the thick of the playoff race, as the Mariners are five games back in the AL West.
Source: Francys Romero
Source: Francys Romero
Jadarian Price Set for Lead Role to Begin Season
Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price sits atop the depth chart heading into the regular season. The Seahawks placed Zach Charbonnet (knee) on the PUP list on Sunday, which means he'll miss at least the first four games. That leaves Price as the strongest candidate to operate as the No. 1 back, ahead of teammates George Holani and Emanuel Wilson. While we do expect to see Holani and Wilson get involved in Charbonnet's absence, Price is the member of this backfield who is best equipped to handle the lead-back role. He had at least 113 carries and at least 674 rushing yards in each of his final two seasons at school, scored 13 total touchdowns last year, and is capable of contributing both on the ground and in the passing attack. Price has jumped all the way up to RB22 in RotoBaller's latest redraft fantasy football rankings for 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Terrance Ferguson Remains Absent From Practice
Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson (soreness) remained absent from practice for a second consecutive day on Sunday, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Last week, head coach Sean McVay said that Ferguson is dealing with soreness, so that's likely the reason why he isn't practicing today. There's still more than 10 days until the Rams' season opener against the 49ers, but we're starting to get to the point where fantasy managers should pay close attention to injury news and practice statuses. Ferguson has a real chance to separate himself from the rest of the Rams' tight end room this year, but first, he'll need to be healthy. Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Max Klare would likely handle more snaps and increased volume if Ferguson misses any time.
Source: Sarah Barshop
Source: Sarah Barshop
Tank Dell Officially Starting the Season on Injured Reserve
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) has been placed on injured reserve to open the regular season, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Dell is working his way back from a complicated knee injury, including a torn ACL, torn MCL, torn LCL, and a dislocated kneecap. He suffered the injury 18+ months ago, but due to the severity of the injury and the lengthy recovery process, he's still not ready to play. The first bit of good news is that he'll be eligible to return after Week 4, so we should expect to see him back on the field at some point this season. The other good news is that he has been involved in some team drills, so he's getting closer to reintegrating into practice. The Texans would love to get Dell back as soon as possible; they recently lost Jayden Higgins (knee) to season-ending IR, leaving Jaylin Noel and Kayshon Boutte in competition to start opposite Nico Collins.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Xavier Restrepo Makes the Titans' 53-Man Roster
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Xavier Restrepo has made the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Arye Pulli of USA TODAY. Restrepo signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent last year, and although he spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad, he did suit up for two regular-season games. During those contests, he caught three of seven targets for 41 yards. Restrepo is an established target for second-year quarterback Cam Ward, as the two were college teammates at Miami. In their final year at school, they connected for 69 completions, 1,127 yards, and 11 touchdowns. It's unlikely that they'll replicate that level of production here in the NFL, but at the very least, Restrepo making the 53-man roster gives Ward a target to whom he's very comfortable throwing the football. With that being said, the 24-year-old receiver is pretty low on the depth chart, so he can be left on waivers in all fantasy leagues.
Source: Arye Pulli
Source: Arye Pulli
Jalin Hyatt Waived by the Giants
The New York Giants have waived wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Hyatt had a very high ceiling coming out of college at Tennessee. During his final season at school, he won the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the most outstanding receiver in college football. He went on to be drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he never lived up to the hype. His best season came in 2023 as a rookie, when he caught 23 passes for 373 yards. He tallied just 13 catches over two years since then, and he's still searching for his first NFL touchdown. His quest for the end zone will have to continue somewhere else, as the Giants are cutting ties with him. Hyatt is the odd man out from a receiver room that features Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, and Odell Beckham Jr.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Brevin Jordan Released by the Texans
The Houston Texans have released tight end Brevin Jordan (knee), according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Jordan hasn't played in a regular-season game since Week 2 of the 2024 season due to a complicated knee injury, including an ACL tear and a torn patellar tendon. He also suffered a new knee injury earlier this month that kept him out of training camp practices and preseason games. Jordan will go down as a big "what-if" story, as he possessed plenty of upside coming out of college. During his final season at Miami in 2020, he caught 38 passes for 576 yards and seven touchdowns despite playing in just eight games. He peaked as a rookie in 2021 with 178 yards and three touchdowns, but he has never finished higher than TE44 in a single fantasy football season. Now 26, Jordan will look to land somewhere else for his sixth year in the NFL.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Zach Charbonnet Lands on PUP List to Open the Season
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. He'll miss at least four games. This move was widely expected, as Charbonnet is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered during last year's playoffs. He could end up missing more than the minimum four games as he continues to recover and rehab. In the interim, Jadarian Price will likely occupy the lead-back role while George Holani and Emanuel Wilson also earn snaps out of the backfield. Charbonnet had 874 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns last season, so when he does return to the 53-man roster, he'll likely have low-end RB2 appeal in fantasy football.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
