Aug 27, 2026, 10:20 PM ET

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso has been on another level at the plate recently. Over the last week, Alonso is slashing .429/.448/.893 with four home runs and 10 RBI. It's not just a one-week wonder as Alonso owns a 1.343 OPS over the last 14 days. The 31-year-old is making a statement during his first season with the Orioles. Across 133 games, Alonso is slashing .276/.365/.516 with 32 home runs, a league-leading 91 RBI, and five steals. He has been unbelievable during their current series against the St. Louis Cardinals with two homers and six RBI during the first two games. Fantasy managers need to ride with Alonso and hope he keeps up this pace during the fantasy playoffs.--Andy Webb
Source: Baseball Reference

Aug 27, 2026, 10:14 PM ET

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez has not been able to put it together at the plate this season. Fantasy managers have stayed hopeful that Rodriguez would figure it out, but it hasn't happened yet. Over the last two weeks, Rodriguez is 10-for-57 with one home run, four RBI, and two stolen bases. The three-time All-Star still has 20 homers and 17 steals, which is good, but fantasy managers expect more out of Rodriguez. The 25-year-old still has a month left in the regular season to turn it around and help his team make the postseason. At this point, fantasy managers can't really do anything but stick with Rodriguez and hope things turn around.--Andy Webb
Source: Baseball Reference

Aug 27, 2026, 10:02 PM ET

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been nearly impossible to get out at the plate lately. Over the last two weeks, Witt is slashing .327/.450/.551 with three home runs and six RBI. His hot play stretches longer than that as Witt owns a .930 OPS over the last 30 days. It is well known that Witt is one of the best players in baseball, but now he's really showing it. Witt has been limited to 115 games due to injury, but he has been incredible when healthy. This season, Witt is slashing .288/.366/.458 with 16 home runs, 48 RBI, and 35 steals during his fifth season in Kansas City. Witt is obviously a must-start in all fantasy formats.--Andy Webb
Source: Baseball Reference

Aug 27, 2026, 10:00 PM ET

Tennessee Titans second-year receiver out of Florida, Chimere Dike, is looking to build off a rookie campaign that saw him get 74 targets, 48 receptions, 423 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Dike finished the season as the WR50, and while he has great speed (4.34 40-yard time), the Titans drafted rookie Carnell Tate in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, have Calvin Ridley, and signed Wan'Dale Robinson from the New York Giants. Target competition for Dike will be an uphill battle this season, as even without Tate and Robinson in the picture, he only saw a 14 percent target share. Robinson is known as a target hog, as he's seen 280 targets over the past two seasons, and Tate profiles as a legitimate future WR1. The one silver lining for Dike is he was ninth in the NFL in red zone target share last season, but with the increased target competition, Dike is going undrafted in most formats. RotoBaller ranks Dike as the WR96 and 249th player off the board. Fantasy Managers should look elsewhere in redraft formats.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 9:54 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski (forearm) is gearing up to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. According to David Vassegh, Wrobleski will head to Triple-A Oklahoma City to begin a rehab assignment this weekend. Wrobleski had a throwing session on Wednesday and appears ready to get back on the mound now. It seems possible that Wrobleski rejoins the Dodgers roster after one rehab outing. He has been on the Injured List since August 16 due to left forearm inflammation. He could be back on the Dodgers roster by early September, but his fantasy value will be limited if he goes to the bullpen.--Andy Webb
Source: David Vassegh

Aug 27, 2026, 9:48 PM ET

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has put together two top-20 finishes at the wide receiver position over the past two seasons and three of the last four. Last season, Higgins finished as the WR15, hauling in 59 of his 98 receptions for 846 yards (14.3 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns. He was 13th in the NFL with 14.1 fantasy points per game and played in 15 games. In 2024, he finished as the WR5 in fantasy points per game with 18.5 and played in 12 games. The key for Higgins is health, as he has played only one full 17-game season and has had multiple seasons with only 12 games played. In 2025, Higgins finished 3rd in the NFL in deep targets, second in total TDs, and is a high-upside player being drafted in the late third round. On a points-per-game basis, Higgins is one of the top receivers in the game. RotoBaller ranks Higgins as the WR16, so fantasy managers looking to capitalize on a high-upside player at the receiver position should look in Higgins' direction.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 9:48 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (thumb) was scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Arenado was removed ahead of this game due to right thumb inflammation, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The veteran slugger was dealing with a left side issue last week, but this absence is unrelated. Jose Fernandez will draw the start at third base during Thursday's game. Fantasy managers should consider Arenado as day-to-day. There should be another update on his status ahead of Saturday's contest. Arenado has been struggling at the plate lately, but is still worth rostering in deep leagues.--Andy Webb
Source: Nick Piecoro

Aug 27, 2026, 9:36 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb is looking to bounce back in 2026 after a down season in 2025 that was plagued by an ankle injury and saw him finish as the WR22 for the season. In 14 games played, he finished the season with 75 catches on 117 targets, 1,077 yards, and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns were a career low for him, and with George Pickens joining this wide receiver room in 2025, it was clear that it gave quarterback Dak Prescott another reliable target in the passing game. Over the previous three seasons, Lamb finished as a top-10 WR and is looking to regain his WR1 status. Most draft boards have Lamb going in the first round, ahead of Pickens, who finished as the WR5 last season, showing the market is expecting a bounceback season for Lamb. RotoBaller ranks Lamb as the WR5 and 10th player overall. Fantasy managers looking to draft a motivated 27-year-old receiver primed to regain his WR1 status in a high-powered offense should look Lamb's way.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 9:25 PM ET

According to Evan Lazar, senior reporter for the Patriots, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will not be playing Thursday night in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Brown is one of 37 Patriots not in uniform tonight, which indicates the team will be resting a majority of its key starters. Brown did not record any preseason stats in any of the three Patriots preseason games, but reports from camp have suggested good chemistry with third-year quarterback Drake Maye. Brown enters his eighth NFL season at 29 years old and his first season with the Patriots, where he should be the clear alpha in the wide receiver room. Brown has recorded north of 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons and has scored seven-plus touchdowns in seven of his eight seasons. He projects to be a WR1 for fantasy managers and is one of the trendiest names in fantasy football entering the 2026 season.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Evan Lazar

Aug 27, 2026, 9:17 PM ET

According to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard, San Francisco 49ers rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) won't be playing in Thursday night's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in the final preseason game for the 49ers before they open up their season at MCG Stadium in East Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, September 10th, against the Los Angeles Rams. Stribling is projected to be the No. 3 receiver in this 49ers passing attack after Ricky Pearsall (knee) has been ruled out for the season. Additionally, he made his presence felt in training camp and backed it up in his first two preseason games, hauling in 11 of his 13 targets for 109 yards. It appears the team will rest him along with a majority of their key starters, and fantasy managers targeting a wide receiver late in drafts should be looking Stribling's way.--Nicho Roessler
Source: David Lombardi

Aug 27, 2026, 7:44 PM ET

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Thursday that the team has ruled out a long-term injury for second-year wide receiver Tory Horton (undisclosed), according to Corbin K. Smith of Emerald Spectrum. Horton has not practiced within the last week with an undisclosed ailment, but it sounds as though he will have a chance to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch. The 23-year-old former fifth-rounder from Colorado State only played in eight games in his rookie campaign in 2025 due to injuries, and although he had just 13 receptions for 161 yards, he made noise with five touchdowns as a big-play threat for quarterback Sam Darnold. With Jake Bobo (knee) already ruled out for the entire season, Horton will have an opportunity to seize an important depth role on offense behind wideouts Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp. However, for fantasy purposes, Horton is going to need to show more to attract interest off the waiver wire in redraft leagues in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Emerald Spectrum - Corbin K. Smith

Aug 27, 2026, 7:29 PM ET

The New York Giants officially placed wide receiver Calvin Austin III (knee) on season-ending Injured Reserve on Thursday, according to Patricia Traina of Sports Illustrated. Austin will miss the entire 2026 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during training camp practice on Tuesday. With the 27-year-old now out of the picture in the Big Apple this year, it will help Odell Beckham Jr.'s odds of making the 53-man roster as he competes with Braxton Berrios, Jalin Hyatt, and Isaiah Hodgins in a depth role behind Malik Nabers (knee), Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney. Austin was heading into his first year with the G-Men after signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the team in March. The former fourth-rounder in 2022 by the Pittsburgh Steelers from Memphis failed to capitalize on his opportunity in Pittsburgh last year, catching just 31 of 55 targets for 372 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular-season games after going for a career-high 548 yards and four TDs in his second year in 2024. Austin can obviously be ignored in all fantasy formats in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Sports Illustrated - Patricia Traina

Aug 27, 2026, 7:22 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd is currently surging up fantasy football draft boards ahead of the 2026 season, even though he has only appeared in one game with the Packers due to injuries since being drafted in the third round in 2024 out of USC. Lloyd has also been rising up RotoBaller's RB rankings for the upcoming season now that there is a real possibility that he could open the 2026 regular season as the Packers' starting running back in light of Josh Jacobs' (groin) legal issues. Jacobs was formally charged on Thursday with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property for an incident that occurred back in late May. Packers brass admitted on Wednesday that they are preparing for the possibility that Jacobs is suspended by the NFL. Chris Brooks would be Lloyd's only competition for lead-back duties if Jacobs were to miss games in 2026. Although Lloyd has not been able to stay on the field early in his NFL career, the Packers still believe in his abilities. His speed and athleticism will make him very intriguing as a fantasy starter if Jacobs is suspended.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

Aug 27, 2026, 7:14 PM ET

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker has made it clear that his running style preference is to work under center, which is expected to be a big part of the team's offense in 2026, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. Walker, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, presents a dangerous threat that should force linebackers and safeties to move forward before quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempts a play-action pass. Walker ranked fourth in percentage of runs that gained 10-plus yards, according to NextGen Stats. "No. 9. That's all I can say," Mahomes said, referencing Walker's jersey number, when asked what intrigues him most about the offense. "That change and the ability to catch, run, pass protect, do everything. [He can] make a play out of nothing into a 20-yard gain. That's going to be the biggest impact, I think, we'll have -- just finding the ways to get him the ball." If KC can make Walker more of a true dual-threat player, they should have more success as they attempt to get back to the playoffs. "He looks like he's the full package," head coach Andy Reid said of Walker. "He works at it. That's the part I appreciate. He's always asking questions." If Walker can avoid injuries in 2026 in his first year in KC, his volume alone as the team's workhorse should give him a high floor as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in fantasy.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor