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Nick Pivetta Moves Rehab to Spring Complex
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) had his minor-league rehab assignment paused after leaving an Aug. 4 outing at Single-A Lake Elsinore after only 14 pitches. He has continued to play catch and build his arm up, but his throwing program has been moved to the team's spring training complex in Arizona, per MLB.com. The 33-year-old veteran still has a chance to return for the final month of the regular season in September to help the Padres with their playoff push, but he is running out of time to make an impact for fantasy managers. After a breakout 2025 campaign in his first year in SD, Pivetta has made only four starts for the Friars this year and has been on the injured list since April 12 with a right-forearm/elbow issue. Pivetta will need to resume facing live hitters before the Padres even think about sending him back on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. He is now rostered in only 67% of Yahoo leagues and will make only a handful of starts for the Padres again this year in a best-case scenario.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Walker Jenkins a Top Offensive Stash with Multi-Category Potential
Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Walker Jenkins continues to show off the toolset that made him a fifth-overall draft pick in 2023, hitting .378 with six multi-hit efforts, a 1.107 OPS, three home runs, and three steals in 11 games in August. The Twins' top-ranked prospect missed time with an injured shoulder earlier this season, but in the 66 games he's played, the left-handed hitter owns a .289/.388/.477 slash line with seven home runs, 13 steals, and nearly as many walks (36) as strikeouts (43) at Triple-A St. Paul. The 6-foot-3 slugger is expected to make his major league debut over the final month of the season, and with a strong combination of hit, power, patience, and speed, the 21-year-old should be considered one of the top offensive stashes left in the minor leagues for redraft leagues because of his potential to be a multi-category contributor.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Tyler Glasnow Making Another Rehab Start on Wednesday
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) came out of his Aug. 14 67-pitch minor-league rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City with no issues and is expected to go five innings or 75 pitches in another rehab outing on Wednesday, Aug. 19, before rejoining the major-league starting rotation during a road trip to Atlanta and Detroit, according to MLB.com. Glasnow was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 6 but has been out since May 8 due to lower-back spasms. Barring a setback on Wednesday, he should return to the Dodgers' rotation at some point next week. The 32-year-old veteran will likely be eased back into the big-league rotation, but he deserves to be rostered in all fantasy baseball leagues for his strikeout upside in the final month of the 2026 regular season. Before hurting his back, Glasnow had gone 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings pitched across seven starts. He is currently rostered in 91% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Eric Bieniemy Says Wife Gave Blessing for Chiefs Return
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said Tuesday that his wife, Mia, is doing great and that she gave him her blessing to return to the team. Bieniemy had been away from the Chiefs after Mia was shot at the family's Virginia home on July 26, then returned to camp on Aug. 10. He stayed involved while he was gone, watching practices remotely and joining team meetings from home. Bieniemy said Mia's recovery was one of the main reasons he felt comfortable coming back, joking that he had started driving everyone at home crazy. This is Bieniemy's first season back in Kansas City after previously serving as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator from 2018 through 2022. He returned to the same role in January after spending last season coaching Chicago's running backs. There isn't much of a fantasy angle here, but it's good news for Bieniemy and the Chiefs as he settles back into his normal work with the offense.
Source: ProFootballTalk
Source: ProFootballTalk
Kade Anderson a Must-Stash with Clear Path to MLB Innings
Seattle Mariners pitching prospect Kade Anderson's dream season continued in his latest start this past Friday, allowing zero earned runs for the fourth consecutive contest and the 13th time in 18 total starts. The performance lowered his season-long ERA to a miserly 1.08, with a 0.64 WHIP, and an elite 36.6 percent K-BB%. All of those statistics, along with his 135 strikeouts and 13.67 K/9, are all the best in the minors among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched. The former third-overall draft pick is positioned to debut in the majors in the coming weeks, with Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto confirming that the lefty will be a starter, not a reliever, whenever the team decides the time is right to call him up. At this point, it looks like he'll make the leap to the majors straight from Double-A, and it could be soon, with Bryce Miller struggling mightily over his last six starts (6.12 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 7.6 K-BB%). Anderson should be considered the top pitcher to stash in all redraft leagues for the stretch run.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
TCU Dismisses Jacob Fields from Program
TCU safety Jacob Fields has been dismissed from the program for violating team rules, according to Jeremy Clark of HornedFrogBlitz.com. The senior transferred to TCU this offseason after two years with Louisiana Tech. He tallied 145 tackles (84 solo), nine pass deflections, five interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns over the last two seasons. Fields was taking the majority of the first-team reps this fall following the departure of second-round 2026 NFL Draft pick Bud Clark, so this is a significant loss for the Horned Frog defense. Jordan Lester, who has 18 total tackles in three collegiate seasons, will likely start at safety when the team opens the season in Week 0 against North Carolina.
Source: Jeremy Clark - HornedFrogBlitz.com
Source: Jeremy Clark - HornedFrogBlitz.com
AJ Smith-Shawver to Start on Wednesday Against Twins
The Atlanta Braves will start right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It will be only Smith-Shawver's second start in the big leagues this year after returning from Tommy John surgery. His first start with Atlanta in 2026 came on July 29 against the division-rival New York Mets, when he allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four in only 4 1/3 innings for a no-decision. The 23-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2021 has fared better in seven minor-league starts (28 2/3 innings) this year with Single-A Augusta and Triple-A Gwinnett, going 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 34:9 K:BB. Whether Smith-Shawver sticks around in Atlanta for more starts going forward could depend on how he does in his start on Wednesday against the Twins. In his first three years in the big leagues, Smith-Shawver posted a 3.77 ERA (4.79 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 34 walks in 74 innings across 16 outings (15 starts). UPDATE: Smith-Shawver is expected to stay in Atlanta's rotation behind his start on Wednesday.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
Za'Darius Smith Coming Out of Retirement to Join Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith on Tuesday, bringing the three-time Pro Bowler out of retirement less than a year after he stepped away from the NFL. Smith retired on Oct. 13, 2025 after playing five games for Philadelphia, where he recorded 1.5 sacks. He was much more productive the year before, finishing 2024 with nine sacks while splitting time between Cleveland and Detroit. Atlanta has an immediate need on the edge. Jalon Walker is out for the season with a torn ACL, while James Pearce Jr. will miss the first eight games because of a league suspension. Smith also has some familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski from their time together in Cleveland. He turns 34 in September and has not played since last October, so his early workload is still something to watch. Even so, Smith brings 70.5 career sacks to a Falcons front that suddenly needed another proven option.
Source: Jonathan Jones
Source: Jonathan Jones
Trey Benson Not Yet Ready for 11-on-11 Drills
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) was back at practice Monday, but head coach Mike LaFleur said Tuesday that Benson is not yet ready for 11-on-11 drills. The third-year back has been dealing with another flare-up in the surgically repaired left knee that limited him to four games last season. He ran well when he was out there, finishing 2025 with 160 yards on 29 carries and another 64 yards on 13 catches. The problem now is time. Arizona has to cut its roster to 53 players on Aug. 30, and Benson is currently listed fourth on the depth chart behind Tyler Allgeier, Jeremiyah Love and James Conner. Love is dealing with an ankle injury and Conner still hasn't done 11-on-11 work either, so there is an opening if Benson can get healthy enough to take advantage of it. For now, though, Monday's return was only a first step. He still has to show the Cardinals he can handle full team work before cutdown day.
Source: Theo Mackie
Source: Theo Mackie
Chris Bell Ramping Up Practice Work
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) will remain in a red non-contact jersey Tuesday, but head coach Jeff Hafley said the rookie is set to do a little more after making his practice debut Monday. Bell was activated from the non-football injury list Monday as he works back from the torn ACL he suffered at Louisville on Nov. 22. He only took part in individual drills in his first session back. The next step is team work while still wearing red, though Hafley said he doesn't expect Bell to practice against the Giants or play in Saturday's preseason game. Miami is taking this one slowly. Bell, the 94th overall pick in April, caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last season before the injury ended his year. There's still no clear date for full contact. Bell getting back onto the field matters, but he's not close enough yet for fantasy managers to count on an immediate role.
Source: Marcel-Louis Jacques
Source: Marcel-Louis Jacques
Xander Schauffele Continues to Impress Ahead of BMW Championship
After a poor stretch through the middle of the year, Xander Schauffele has now recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes after his T7 in Memphis. The iron play and putting were the problem areas, but both have rebounded nicely, averaging 0.513 strokes gained putting and 0.843 on approach in his last three tournaments. If there were any lingering qualms heading to Bellerive this week for the two-time major champion, it would be in three-putt avoidance, where he ranks 108th this year. However, this week should be more heavily focused on making birdies than at TPC Southwind. Schauffele is still the caliber of player that could pop off at any tournament, which should grant him plenty of DFS viability come Thursday.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Jayden Higgins Leaves Practice With Leg Injury
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (leg) left Tuesday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders after going down during a red-zone period. Trainers checked on him for several seconds before Higgins got back up and left the field under his own power. He did not return. C.J. Stroud offered some encouragement afterward, saying he thinks Higgins will be fine, but Houston has not announced a diagnosis or timetable. Higgins has been one of the standouts of Texans camp after catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He started 10 games last season and has been pushing for a bigger role in Year 2. That makes the injury worth watching even if the early signs aren't especially alarming. Stroud's reaction helps, and so does Higgins getting off the field on his own. The next update from Houston will carry more weight than either, especially if Higgins has to miss practice time.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
CJ Abrams "Not Thrilled" With Move to Second Base
The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum reports that Washington Nationals two-time All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams "remains uneasy" about the team's decision to move him from shortstop to second base, according to his agent, Mike Sanders. However, both Abrams and the Nationals' front office have a desire to find common ground despite "lingering disagreement about the timing and the necessity of the position change." "I think, first, CJ was not thrilled about the decision to move him off shortstop at this time," Sanders said. "But his priority is to win games for the Nationals and to be a team-first player, so that is what he's going to do." Abrams views himself as a shortstop long-term and plans to spend the winter focusing on improving his defense at his preferred position. The 25-year-old is in the middle of an offensive breakout in 2026 -- he ranks sixth in FanGraphs' offensive value -- but he also ranks last in baseball in several defensive metrics despite his athleticism. For fantasy purposes, if Abrams' move to second does not tank his offensive numbers, it will boost his fantasy appeal by giving him eligibility at both second and shortstop for the 2027 campaign.
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Jaylen Waddle Back in Full Pads Tuesday
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) was in full pads Tuesday, another step forward after returning to practice Monday. Waddle had been out since leaving an Aug. 5 practice with a muscle strain in his left leg. Head coach Sean Payton initially expected him back within four or five days, but Denver gave him more time. He was nearly a full participant Monday and even caught a pass from Bo Nix during a red-zone period. Now the pads are back on. Waddle came over from Miami in a March trade after posting 64 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games last season. Denver gave up first-, third- and fourth-round picks in that deal while also getting a fourth-rounder back with Waddle. The Broncos have plenty invested in him, and he is expected to be a major part of the passing game alongside Courtland Sutton. After almost two weeks of dealing with the strain, Tuesday's step is a good sign.
Source: Chris Tomasson
Source: Chris Tomasson
Justin Herbert to Start Preseason Game on Thursday
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that the team's starters will play a series on Thursday in the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, including quarterback Justin Herbert, according to Steve Wyche of the NFL Network. It will be important for Herbert in terms of game operation and to get game reps with new center Tyler Biadasz. It will be the first preseason action this year for the 28-year-old after he sat out the opener last week against the Houston Texans. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has given the 28-year-old signal-caller plenty of praise for picking up his offense extremely quickly during training camp. McDaniel should put Herbert in a better position to succeed in 2026 in his sixth year in the league, and with his dual-threat abilities at the position, Herbert will be an intriguing midrange QB1 for fantasy managers after the big names come off the board. Although the Chargers' receiving corps does not strike fear in opposing defenses, the Chargers' offense should be more explosive with McDaniel running the show.
Source: NFL Network - Steve Wyche
Source: NFL Network - Steve Wyche
