RADIO
Tyler Warren Confirmed to Have Suffered Groin Injury
Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (groin) was forced to exit early during Wednesday's practice session. Warren went down and limped off the field with a trainer. According to Adam Schefter, Warren has officially suffered a groin injury during Wednesday's joint practice. It's unclear at the moment how much time Warren could miss from this injury. His absence could mean a larger target share for Josh Downs and newcomer Keenan Allen, with Alec Pierce (ankle) still sidelined at the moment. Mo Alie-Cox will probably operate as the TE1 while Warren is down, but that shouldn't excite fantasy managers. There should be a better timetable for Warren in the coming days.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
T.J. Hockenson Should be Viable TE2 Option
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson hasn't been the same on the field since tearing his ACL in January of 2024. Since returning from injury, Hockenson has 92 receptions for 893 receiving yards and three touchdowns across 25 games. He hasn't been horrible, but Hockenson used to be a top-five player at his position. It's tough to have success when J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer are offering subpar play at the quarterback spot. The hope is that the 29-year-old bounces back with Kyler Murray under center for the Vikings to begin the season. Murray had a ton of success when he was in Arizona with stud tight end Trey McBride. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Hockenson to be a top option at his position, but he could offer viable TE2 value.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Bryce Lance Operates as Saints' WR2
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that New Orleans Saints rookie fourth-round wide receiver Bryce Lance (undisclosed) operated as the team's WR2 in his return to training camp practice on Tuesday. The Saints will not have first-round rookie wideout Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) to begin the 2026 regular season, and Devaughn Vele was rested on Tuesday, so Lance worked opposite Chris Olave in the joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys. The 23-year-old Lance, the younger brother of QB Trey Lance, should have an opportunity to carve out a role in the Saints' offense early in the year with Tyson sidelined, although it probably won't be enough volume to make him interesting in most fantasy football leagues. The 6-foot-3, 204-pounder has good size and speed and scored 28 total touchdowns in 57 games at North Dakota State in his collegiate career. Lance is an interesting dynasty/keeper stash for his athleticism in an up-and-coming offense.
Source: NewOrleans.Football - Nick Underhill
Source: NewOrleans.Football - Nick Underhill
Audric Estime to Miss Some Time With an Ankle Injury
New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime (ankle) will miss some time, but Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports that it does not sound like his injury is serious. Kendre Miller and Devin Neal returned from injuries on Tuesday, but Estime and veteran Alvin Kamara (knee) will miss some time and could be questionable to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. The 22-year-old Estime was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2024 out of Notre Dame and had 76 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games that year. In only seven games with the Saints last season, Estime had 46 rushing attempts for 198 yards and a touchdown. He has caught 17 of 18 targets for 130 yards as a pass-catcher in his two NFL seasons and figures to operate in a depth role in the Big Easy again in 2026 if he even makes the 53-man roster out of training camp and the preseason. Estime is off the fantasy radar in single-year leagues.
Source: WWL Louisiana - Ross Jackson
Source: WWL Louisiana - Ross Jackson
DJ Giddens Returns From Hamstring Injury on Wednesday
Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens (hamstring), who missed a considerable amount of time in training camp due to a hamstring injury, made his return to the practice field on Wednesday, according to Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star. Before his hamstring injury, Giddens had mixed in with the first-team offense, but his time away due to injury may have opened the door for rookie sixth-rounder Seth McGowan to claim the RB2 role behind Jonathan Taylor to begin the 2026 regular season. Whoever wins the RB2 job in Indy is looking at a light workload as long as Taylor stays healthy, but it will be worth watching for handcuff purposes in deeper fantasy football leagues. After being selected with the 151st overall pick in the fifth round last year from Kansas State, Giddens saw only 26 rushing attempts for 96 yards (3.7 yards per carry) in nine games played as a rookie. Giddens is currently outside RotoBaller's top 94 rankings at RB for 2026.
Source: Indianapolis Star - Nathan Brown
Source: Indianapolis Star - Nathan Brown
Texans Plan to Ramp Jaylin Noel Back Up
The Houston Texans got wide receiver Jaylin Noel (hamstring, finger) back from his injuries this week in training camp, and they plan to ramp him up to get him back to where he was in the spring when he caught several touchdowns, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Noel's fantasy football stock rose dramatically on Wednesday after it was announced that fellow wideout Jayden Higgins (knee) suffered a season-ending torn ACL. The 23-year-old recently returned to practice after missing several weeks with a hamstring and pinkie injury, and now that he's back, the former third-rounder from Iowa State has a clear path to WR2 duties in Houston in his second year in the NFL now that Higgins is done for the season. In 17 regular-season games as a rookie in 2025, Noel caught 26 of his 35 targets for 292 yards and two touchdowns for the Texans. At the very least, Noel should see a big rise in target share as the Texans continue to work Tank Dell back from a knee injury that kept him out for all of last year. RotoBaller now has Noel ranked as the No. 65 overall fantasy WR.
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
Bo Nix to Play About 14 Snaps in Second Preseason Game
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that quarterback Bo Nix will have a similar workload to the starters in last week's preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons when he makes the start this week in the second preseason contest against the Green Bay Packers at home, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. It will be Nix's first game since suffering a broken right ankle in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs in January. The 26-year-old former first-rounder out of Oregon had a cleanup procedure on his ankle in April, but he's been a full participant since the start of training camp and isn't expected to have any limitations when the 2026 regular season kicks off in Week 1 in a showdown on Monday night versus the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Nix has been a top-10 fantasy signal-caller in each of his two seasons in the NFL, and while many folks might be hesitant to select him after ankle surgery, he could also have his highest ceiling yet in his third year after the addition of speedy receiver Jaylen Waddle. RotoBaller has Nix ranked as the No. 16 fantasy QB.
Source: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
Source: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
Vita Vea, Buccaneers Agree on One-Year Extension
Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached an agreement on Wednesday on a one-year contract extension for $30 million, which ties him to the team for two more seasons, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Vea receives $6 million in new money this year. The two sides came together on a new deal before the start of the 2026 season in September after the 31-year-old interior defensive lineman requested a trade at the start of training camp. The Bucs made it clear that they had no plans to trade him, even with a handful of interested teams checking in on his availability. Vea's new-money value of $30 million ranks him fifth in average annual value in the league. The former 12th overall pick in 2018 from the University of Washington is not really a fantasy asset in IDP formats, but he has been a key run-stuffing cog for the Bucs defense in his eight years in the league. Vea had a career-high seven sacks in 2024 and followed it up with a 4.5-sack season and 34 total tackles in 17 starts in 2025.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Shane Steichen Gives Positive Update on Alec Pierce
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen gave a positive update on wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) after Wednesday's training camp practice, saying, "Alec is in a great spot right now. I watched him work out (Tuesday) in the indoor (facility) and he's moving around really good. Hopefully we will have him back soon," per Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. The 26-year-old remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list in camp after having surgery on his left ankle in April, but the Colts remain optimistic that he will be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season in early September. He was seen doing individual work off to the side on Wednesday, perhaps indicating that he could be getting close to coming off the PUP list. When fully healthy, Pierce is expected to have an elevated role in Indy's passing attack in 2026 now that Michael Pittman Jr. is in Pittsburgh. The former second-rounder from Cincinnati led the NFL in each of the last two years in yards per catch (21.8), scored 13 total touchdowns in those two seasons, and had his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2025. Still, with plenty of time missed this summer and in the offseason, Pierce has become a shaky boom/bust WR4/flex target in fantasy football drafts.
Source: 107.5 The Fan - Kevin Bowen
Source: 107.5 The Fan - Kevin Bowen
Tucker Kraft Standing Out at Training Camp
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) had a big practice in training camp on Sunday in his return to 11-on-11 work for the first time since suffering a torn ACL last year, and he was impressive again in Tuesday's session, according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. Huber writes that Kraft showed that "he's going to be a force to be reckoned with this season." "He's worked his tail off. You know, congratulations to him," general manager Brian Gutekunst said. Kraft caught four passes on Sunday and another five on Tuesday as he works his way back into the fold in Green Bay's offense as a high-end target for quarterback Jordan Love. The 25-year-old said on Sunday that the Packers could put him on a snap count early in the season as he works back from his ACL tear. The former third-rounder from South Dakota State was one of the best TEs in the league in 2025 before he got hurt, catching 32 of 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games. Regardless of potential snap-count concerns early on, Kraft is going to be drafted as a top-five player at his position.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Bill Huber
Source: Sports Illustrated - Bill Huber
Sam LaPorta Misses Practice With Undisclosed Injury
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (undisclosed) was not present at Wednesday's training camp practice due to an undisclosed injury, according to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. Reisman writes that there is no word yet on the nature of LaPorta's injury after he worked all offseason to rehab from back surgery that limited him to nine games in 2025. Fantasy managers should be worried if LaPorta's absence on Wednesday is related to his back. But for now, we will consider him day-to-day. After recovering from back surgery, the former second-rounder in 2023 from Iowa has been excellent in training camp practices to this point and could easily bounce back to being a high-end pass-catching TE for fantasy managers in 2026. RotoBaller currently has LaPorta ranked as the No. 6 fantasy option at the position, behind Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, and Tucker Kraft. He is a fine target at TE if you do not want to spend top dollar at the position. Don't forget that LaPorta burst onto the NFL scene in his first two years in the league with 146 receptions (203 targets) for 1,615 yards and 17 total touchdowns.
Source: Pride of Detroit - Jeremy Reisman
Source: Pride of Detroit - Jeremy Reisman
Ryan Flournoy Standing Out in Cowboys Camp
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy "continues to build" on his 2025 breakout, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Machota also reports that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott "has a lot of trust" in Flournoy. Flournoy established himself as the WR3 in Dallas behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens last season, recording 40 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns on 56 targets across 16 games. As long as Lamb and Pickens stay healthy in 2026, it could be difficult for Flournoy to provide consistent production for fantasy managers. Still, the 26-year-old is an improving young player who appears to be carving out a role for himself in the Cowboys' offense. In deeper league formats and dynasty leagues, Flournoy could be worth rostering entering 2026.
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota
Bhayshul Tuten "Looked Like an Absolute Star" in Joint Practice
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten "looked like an absolute star" in the team's joint practice with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, according to John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tuten recorded 386 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 93 touches across 15 games as a rookie. With former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. now a member of the New Orleans Saints, Tuten could have a chance to break out as the clear RB1 in Jacksonville in 2026. The Jaguars signed veteran back Chris Rodriguez Jr. in free agency, and the team is currently listing Tuten and Rodriguez Jr. as co-starters. However, it appears as though Tuten could be separating himself with his play in training camp. The 22-year-old profiles as a high-upside running back who could wind up as a steal for fantasy managers at his current redraft ADP of RB25.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Jaydon Blue Dealing with Sore Shoulder
Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue (shoulder) sat out the team's joint practice with the New Orleans Saints due to shoulder soreness, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. Machota reports that Blue suffered the shoulder injury during the Cowboys' preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Blue appeared in just five games as a rookie and finished the year with 134 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 39 touches. Entering 2026, veteran running back Javonte Williams remains firmly atop the Cowboys' depth chart at the position. However, Blue appears to have a chance to earn the team's RB2 role, with Phil Mafah and Malik Davis profiling as his primary competition. While Blue has reportedly had a solid training camp so far, this shoulder injury could threaten to derail his progress. Fantasy managers should monitor for further updates on Blue in the coming days.
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota
Jacory Croskey-Merritt atop Commanders Running Back Depth Chart
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is the current favorite to be his team's starter in the backfield, according to Ben Standig of the Last Man Standig Substack. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Croskey-Merritt recorded 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries across 17 games (seven starts) as a rookie. The Commanders also roster veteran backs Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps), as well as rookie Kaytron Allen, all of whom could push Croskey-Merritt for playing time. Croskey-Merritt recorded just nine catches on 13 targets last season, so he's unlikely to play a true three-down role in Washington. Still, the 25-year-old is a high-upside rusher who should provide value for fantasy managers as long as he sees regular work in the Commanders' offense. RotoBaller currently ranks Croskey-Merritt as the RB38 for redraft leagues entering 2026.
Source: Last Man Standig Substack - Ben Standig
Source: Last Man Standig Substack - Ben Standig
