RADIO
Jayden Daniels, Commanders Offense Have Brutal Day Against Ravens
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and the starting offense had a miserable joint practice against Baltimore on Wednesday. Nicki Jhabvala called it the worst she has seen the Commanders' offense look in years and described the offensive line as "inoperable." Washington was shorthanded up front, which matters here. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil remains out after undergoing surgery for a torn triceps, center Nick Allegretti is dealing with a calf injury, and right guard Sam Cosmi missed Wednesday's work because of an illness. The Commanders signed veteran tackle D.J. Humphries on Wednesday, but he obviously wasn't going to fix everything overnight. Daniels played only seven games last season, throwing for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions while adding 278 rushing yards and two scores. One ugly August practice isn't a reason to knock Daniels far down draft boards, but Washington's battered offensive line is becoming a legitimate concern with Week 1 approaching.
Source: Nicki Jhabvala
Source: Nicki Jhabvala
Kenneth Walker is "Gonna be Fine"
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Wednesday that running back Kenneth Walker's (ankle) shoe caused some swelling around his ankle but added that "he's gonna be fine," according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star. The initial report on Walker was that he missed training camp practice earlier this week with a foot injury, but it was never considered very serious after he was seen walking without a limp and without a brace of any kind on his foot on Tuesday. The 25-year-old will most likely be held out of the preseason finale on Friday against his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, but all signs point to the Super Bowl MVP being a full-go as KC's workhorse RB for a Week 1 showdown on Monday night against the division-rival Denver Broncos. The former second-rounder by Seattle in 2022 from Michigan State played all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and had the second 1,000-yard rushing season of his career while scoring five times on the ground and adding 31 catches for 282 yards as a receiver. Walker has a history of lower-body injuries, but if he can stay healthy, his volume alone with the Chiefs should give him a high floor as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in fantasy football.
Source: The Kansas City Star - Sam McDowell
Source: The Kansas City Star - Sam McDowell
Parker Washington Dominates After Injury Absence
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington has shown no obvious effects from the undisclosed injury that kept him out of practice last week. Black & Teal highlighted Washington for a second straight day against Tampa Bay on Wednesday after he caught a red-zone touchdown from Trevor Lawrence. Washington returned to practice Sunday and was described by the Jaguars as back to full speed. He also picked up where he left off before the absence, when he had been one of Jacksonville's most consistent camp standouts. Washington is coming off a breakout 2025 season with 58 catches on 95 targets for 847 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games. He closed the regular season especially well, putting up 400 receiving yards and two scores over the final four games. Washington and Brenton Strange were also Lawrence's favorite targets Wednesday, particularly in the red zone. With Washington back making plays, the brief injury absence does not appear to have disrupted his standing in Jacksonville's offense.
Source: Black&Teal
Source: Black&Teal
Jalen McMillan Not Expected to Play in Preseason Finale
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) did not travel with the team to Jacksonville for joint practices this week and is not expected to play in the preseason finale against the Jaguars on Friday, according to Pewter Report. McMillan has been practicing in a limited fashion in training camp, but the 24-year-old will end up missing the entire preseason while battling a knee injury this summer. When fully healthy, the former third-rounder from the University of Washington should start in three-wide sets in Tampa alongside Emeka Egbuka (toe) and veteran Chris Godwin Jr. A significant neck injury suffered last preseason limited McMillan to only four games last year, but he impressed with 37 receptions for 461 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games played in 2024 as a rookie, and there's room for upside in 2026 in Tampa's passing attack now that Mike Evans is no longer in town. Still, injury concerns are not going away, and McMillan is going to have to prove it before most fantasy managers in 12-team leagues take notice. RotoBaller currently has McMillan ranked as the WR57 in half-PPR formats, right behind 49ers veteran wideout Deebo Samuel Sr.
Source: Pewter Report
Source: Pewter Report
Dontayvion Wicks Set to Open Season as Eagles' WR2
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is expected to open the season as the team's No. 2 option behind DeVonta Smith, according to Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice. Kempski called the battle for Wicks earlier in camp, and that read hasn't changed with first-round rookie Makai Lemon back as a full participant. Wicks has earned consistent praise for his work with Jalen Hurts and did not play in Philadelphia's first preseason game, another sign of how the team views him. The Eagles traded a fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder to Green Bay for Wicks in April, then extended him through 2027. He caught 30 of 46 targets for 332 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games last season, though he did post 581 yards and four scores as a rookie in 2023. Wicks now has a cleaner path to regular snaps than he ever had in Green Bay, giving him a path to fantasy relevance in deeper redraft leagues.
Source: Jimmy Kempski
Source: Jimmy Kempski
Michael Penix Jr. Thinks he'll be Ready for Week 1
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee), who was cleared to participate in team drills earlier this week, thinks he will be ready to go for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. "I felt good. I felt confident," Penix said about his return to training camp practice this week. He will not participate in the preseason finale on Friday against the Miami Dolphins, but if the Falcons decide they want to roll with Penix as their starter over the struggling Tua Tagovailoa, he should be physically ready after suffering a partially torn left ACL last year. The 26-year-old was the eighth overall pick in 2024 from the University of Washington, and the Falcons are still holding out hope that he is the long-term answer under center. Given how bad Tua has looked this summer, it is looking more plausible that Penix could be named the Week 1 starter despite missing a big chunk of camp while rehabbing his knee. Still, for fantasy purposes, Penix should be viewed as nothing more than a low-end QB2 option in superflex leagues after throwing for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three picks in nine starts in 2025.
Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
Jeremiyah Love Doing Light Agility Work on a Side Field
Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) was seen doing some agility work with trainers on a side field ahead of Wednesday's training camp practice, according to Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic. Love suffered a high-ankle sprain in the preseason game on Aug. 13, which puts his Week 1 availability for the contest against the Los Angeles Chargers in question. James Conner (foot) continues to rehab from foot surgery, and Trey Benson (knee) has been ruled out for the entire 2026 season, so Tyler Allgeier is getting even more work as he enters his first year with the team. The 21-year-old Love is making progress, but he will not appear in the team's preseason finale and is just trying to work himself into a position to be active for the regular-season opener on Sept. 13. Love's ankle injury almost guarantees that the Cardinals will ease him back into their backfield early on in his rookie campaign alongside Allgeier, so fantasy managers should be drafting him as an RB2 with upside instead of surefire RB1.
Source: The Arizona Republic - Theo Mackie
Source: The Arizona Republic - Theo Mackie
Tua Tagovailoa to Start Friday Against Former Team
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will start Friday night's preseason finale against his former team, the Miami Dolphins, according to Ari Meirov. Tagovailoa spent six seasons in Miami before the Dolphins released him in March, and he landed with Atlanta shortly afterward. His Falcons debut didn't offer much, as he completed three of five passes for 22 yards against Denver. He didn't play in Atlanta's second preseason game. Meanwhile, Michael Penix Jr. has now been cleared for full-team work and rotated with Tagovailoa during first-team periods Monday. Atlanta still hasn't named its Week 1 starter. Tagovailoa is coming off a 2025 season in which he threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 14 starts. Friday gives the 28-year-old one more preseason opportunity, this time in a familiar building. The start itself doesn't settle Atlanta's quarterback situation, especially with Penix finally back in the mix.
Source: Ari Meirov
Source: Ari Meirov
Zay Flowers Will Be Ready for Week 1
Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter said that wide receiver Zay Flowers (undisclosed), who was held out of training camp practice on Wednesday for precautionary reasons, will be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. The Ravens are just playing it safe with their WR1 in the latter stages of training camp this summer. The 25-year-old remains the team's unquestioned top wideout, and the former 22nd overall pick from Boston College could have even more fantasy upside in 2026 in the team's new offense under coordinator Declan Doyle as he enters his fourth year in the league. Flowers has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons with a total of 2,270 yards, nine touchdowns, and 160 receptions on 234 targets. Especially in point-per-reception fantasy leagues, Flowers is a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 target with a high floor if he can stay healthy. He also had 77 receptions for 858 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games played in 2023 as a rookie in Baltimore.
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Jonas Shaffer
Source: The Baltimore Banner - Jonas Shaffer
Luther Burden III Gets Light Work in Return From Groin Injury
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (groin) was back on the field Wednesday for the first time since getting injured on Aug. 8, according to Sean Hammond. Burden only took part in a short, light practice, so this wasn't a full return to action, but it's an encouraging step after more than two weeks on the sideline. The Bears previously expected him to miss the entire preseason while hoping to have him available for their Sept. 13 opener against Carolina. Burden remains listed as a starter on Chicago's latest unofficial depth chart after catching 47 passes for 652 yards and two touchdowns across 15 games as a rookie. With DJ Moore traded to Buffalo during the offseason, Burden is positioned for a larger role alongside Rome Odunze in his second season. Wednesday's limited work is a positive sign, though he'll still need to progress beyond a light practice before his Week 1 status can be considered settled.
Source: Sean Hammond
Source: Sean Hammond
Jalen Tolbert Losing Appeal as a Late-Round Redraft Pick
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert looked like a reasonable late-round flier when camp opened because Miami had no established pecking order at receiver. That case has weakened. Tolbert did not play on Miami's 14-play opening drive in the preseason opener against Washington, with Malik Washington and rookie Caleb Douglas handling most of the first-team work and Jalen Reagor joining them in three-receiver sets. Tolbert later caught one of three targets for 27 yards. Douglas has been one of Miami's camp standouts and is listed with the starters, while fellow third-round rookie Chris Bell (knee) has now shed his non-contact jersey and is expected to play in the preseason finale. Tolbert is not out of the picture. He caught a 15-yard touchdown from Malik Willis in Monday's practice and remains a strong bet to make the roster. Still, the competition is getting tougher for a veteran whose production fell from 49 catches for 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 to 18 catches for 203 yards and one score last season. RotoBaller's updated half-PPR top 400 has Tolbert 248th overall. He is looking more like a deep-league dart throw than a standard redraft target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nick Pivetta Goes Three Innings at Single-A in Latest Rehab Outing
San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (forearm) restarted his minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday at Single-A Lake Elsinore and allowed three earned runs on four hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out four in three innings of work. It was Pivetta's second rehab start after suffering a setback in his first outing with Lake Elsinore three weeks ago. His results in his return were not exactly great, but the good news is he avoided another setback with a right-forearm injury that has limited him to only four starts in 2026. The Padres are still holding out hope that the 33-year-old Canadian veteran can join their starting rotation at the big-league level for the stretch run in September, but he's running out of time to make a significant fantasy impact, and he will likely need at least a couple of more rehab starts before he's activated from the 60-day injured list. The 10-year MLB veteran went 13-5 in 2025 in his first year in SD with a career-best 2.87 ERA (3.49 FIP) and 0.98 WHIP with a career-high 190 strikeouts and 50 walks in his 31 starts. Pivetta is still being held in 65% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Rory McIlroy Looking to Add Another Win at East Lake
After a week of shaking off the rust at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Rory McIlroy bounced back nicely at the BMW Championship, finishing third. He was tied with Wyndham Clark after 10 holes on Sunday, but a bogey on 17 ultimately ended his chances of winning. He now turns to East Lake for the Tour Championship, a course where he has had tremendous success. McIlroy has recorded nine top-10 finishes, including three wins, in 12 trips here. He ranks eighth on Tour in strokes gained tee to green (+1.153 per round), 33rd on approach (+0.367), and 38th in putting (+0.242). He is also in the 95th percentile in proximity from 200+ yards, a range that accounted for 35.3% of all approach shots here last year. McIlroy enters East Lake in strong form and looks primed to contend for his fourth Tour Championship.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
JC French Officially Named Cincinnati's QB1
Cincinnati has named transfer quarterback JC French the starter heading into the 2026 season, according to On3. French was the primary starter at Georgia State over the last two seasons and threw for 5,460 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions in 26 games. He's a capable runner too, with 612 yards and eight rushing touchdowns in his career ledger. French is set to replace Brendan Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech before ultimately leaving the program due to off-the-field issues. The Bearcats' top five receivers from last season are gone, so returner Isaiah Johnson and transfers JV Gibson (Arkansas Pine-Bluff) and Malachi Henry (Central Arkansas) are expected to operate as the team's starting wide receivers to open the year.
Source: Pete Nakos
Source: Pete Nakos
Elmer Rodriguez to Make the Start for Yankees on Wednesday
The New York Yankees officially announced that right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez will start on Wednesday against the Houston Astros, according to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican will be making his fifth major-league start after going 8-3 this season with a 2.59 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 99:46 K:BB in 97 1/3 innings pitched across 19 starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez hasn't been as good in his four starts for the Yankees earlier this year in the majors, though, allowing nine earned runs on 19 hits (one homer) while walking 11 and striking out 10 in 17 innings pitched in starts against the Texas Rangers (twice), New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds. The 6-foot-4, 177-pounder primarily features a fastball/slider combination while also featuring a curveball and changeup. Because he is long and lanky, Rodriguez has had issues with his control and command in the past in the minors, and it has resurfaced in a small sample size at the big-league level. The team's No. 3 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, might be given another start beyond Wednesday, but he will be a very risky starter for fantasy purposes.
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
