RADIO
Michael Mayer Has Path to Fair Share of Targets with Raiders
While all of the buzz is on Brock Bowers in Las Vegas -- and rightfully so -- don't count out Michael Mayer as a relevant deep-league fantasy tight end for the Raiders this season quite yet. Mayer is entering the final year of his contract in 2026 and has a lot to prove. Mayer is listed as the second tight end on the Raiders' depth chart, behind Bowers. While Bowers is likely to lead the team in targets, he will also get a lot of defensive attention. Las Vegas' wide receiver corps of Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Jack Bech, among others, is largely underwhelming on paper, which should allow Mayer to have opportunities in the passing game with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins at the helm. Despite this, Mayer is not necessarily somebody to roster just yet in standard redraft leagues. In fact, he is only rostered in 1% of Yahoo leagues right now. He is somebody to monitor on the waiver wire as he currently ranks as RotoBaller's No. 33 tight end in PPR/half-PPR leagues. If the WR room struggles early on, Mayer could carve out a role on a weekly basis.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Trent Grisham Goes on Injured List With Hamstring Strain
The New York Yankees announced on Saturday that they placed outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring and recalled outfielder Jasson Dominguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a corresponding move. Grisham will miss at least the next 10 days after being pulled from Friday's series opener against the San Diego Padres early with a right-hamstring injury. The good news is that the Yankees expect Grisham to be back with the team later in September. But for fantasy purposes, Grisham can probably be dropped in single-year formats at this point. With Grisham sidelined going forward, expect young outfielder Spencer Jones to see more playing time in center field for the Yankees. The 29-year-old Grisham failed to keep things going this year after hitting a career-high 34 home runs and driving in 74 runs in 143 regular-season games in the Bronx in 2025. In his third year in pinstripes, Grisham is currently batting only .211 (88-for-418) in 2026 with 18 round-trippers, 59 RBI, 67 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in his 121 games played.
Source: New York Yankees
Source: New York Yankees
Tua Tagovailoa Could Be on a Short Leash if Named the Starter
NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport expects Tua Tagovailoa to be on "a little bit of a short leash" if he is named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Tagovailoa is competing with Michael Penix Jr. for the QB1 role in Atlanta. Penix is recovering from a partial ACL tear that he suffered in November 2025, which required surgery. Penix was fully cleared to practice in late August, but his timeline for returning to game action remains unknown. Tagovailoa struggled in the preseason, and his confidence seems to be waning. Rapoport noted that Penix would likely be the starter if he were healthy, but that Atlanta is left in "limbo" in terms of what to do at the quarterback position right now. The Falcons signed Tagovailoa to a one-year contract worth $1.215 million in March. Tagovailoa has a current Yahoo ADP of 201 and is best left on the waiver wire in all standard leagues as things currently stand.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Chase DeLauter Sitting With Sprained Wrist
Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) is not in the team's starting lineup for Saturday's game against the division-rival Detroit Tigers after spraining his right wrist on Friday in the second game of a doubleheader, according to MLB.com. Angel Martinez is making the start in right field and will bat second against Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez after having an injury scare of his own in the series opener on Friday. The good news is that DeLauter is being considered day-to-day, but do not be surprised if he does not play in the remainder of the series against Detroit. Cleveland cannot afford to lose the 24-year-old DeLauter to another stint on the injured list down the stretch, as he has been extremely consistent in his first year in the big leagues in 2026 with a .294/.365/.458 slash line, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across his 445 at-bats. If DeLauter sits out the rest of the weekend series, his next chance to return to the lineup will come in Monday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Bryson Stott Back After One-Game Absence
Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryson Stott (personal) is starting at third base and will bat eighth on Saturday against the division-rival Atlanta Braves and veteran left-hander Martin Perez at Citizens Bank Park, per MLB.com. Stott was out of the starting nine for Friday's series opener against Atlanta due to personal reasons, but he is back now and looking to put a recent slump behind him. Fantasy managers setting DFS lineups should consider the 28-year-old left-handed-hitting infielder an easy fade near the bottom of the batting order, even though he has hit .276 (29-for-105) against left-handed pitchers on the season. Stott has gone 7-for-45 (.156) with one home run, two doubles, two RBI, five runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and 10 strikeouts in his last 13 games, dating back to Aug. 19, to drop his season slash line to .255/.331/.403 in 526 total plate appearances. In a very small sample size, Stott is hitting 1.000 off Perez in just two at-bats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Will Shipley Is Firmly Third in Philadelphia's Backfield
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley played well enough this summer, but nothing he did changed his place in the backfield. Shipley rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against New England and comfortably survived final cuts. He also enters Week 1 behind both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby. Bigsby separated himself as the primary backup during camp after rushing for 344 yards and two touchdowns on only 58 carries last season, while Shipley barely touched the ball on offense. He finished 2025 with 14 carries for 49 yards and nine catches for 56 yards, doing much more of his work on special teams. Philadelphia kept only three running backs on the initial 53-man roster, so Shipley's standing is pretty clear. There is some contingency value if injuries start piling up, and his receiving ability gives the Eagles another option. For fantasy purposes, though, Bigsby is the insurance back behind Barkley. Shipley is difficult to justify in ordinary redraft leagues while he remains third in line.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rhamondre Stevenson Continues to Gain Redraft Momentum
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has picked up another reason to climb draft boards. TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) was in street clothes for Saturday's practice and has not been back on the field since getting hurt Aug. 24. New England opens at Seattle on Wednesday, so Henderson is running out of time to get meaningful work in before Week 1. Stevenson was already making a push for the larger role. He handled 58 carries during New England's four playoff games last season, while Henderson had 30, and Stevenson also caught 12 passes for 126 yards during that run. His regular season included 948 yards from scrimmage and a career-high nine touchdowns despite missing three games. Henderson could still return before Wednesday and will have a role once healthy, but this backfield looks a lot less murky than it did earlier in the summer. RotoBaller now has Stevenson at RB23 in half-PPR formats. For drafts happening this weekend, he's one of the clearer running back risers on the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elijah Sarratt Comes Out of Camp Behind the Rookie Curve
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Elijah Sarratt had a solid first NFL summer, but another rookie made a much stronger push for immediate work. Sarratt opened the preseason with six catches for 66 yards against Philadelphia, then managed only two catches for four yards over the final two games. Meanwhile, Ja'Kobi Lane kept stacking plays throughout camp and has emerged as Baltimore's No. 3 receiver behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The current depth chart has Sarratt behind Lane, while Devontez Walker is also expected to have a significant role in the offense. That leaves Sarratt looking at more special-teams work than offensive snaps to begin the year. There is still plenty to like long term about a fourth-round pick who led the nation with 15 receiving touchdowns at Indiana last season, and his strong preseason opener wasn't meaningless. For 2026 redraft purposes, though, Lane's emergence made an already difficult path to targets even tighter. Sarratt is better viewed as a dynasty stash than someone likely to help fantasy managers early.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pat Freiermuth Has More Receiving Work Up for Grabs
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth should have a little more room to operate after spending last season stuck in a crowded rotation. Freiermuth played just over half of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps and saw 54 targets, the exact same number as Jonnu Smith. Smith is gone now after being released in March, leaving Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Robert Tonyan in the tight end room. That doesn't mean Washington disappears. He actually played slightly more snaps than Freiermuth last season and should remain heavily involved, especially as a blocker. There is still less competition than a year ago, when Freiermuth fell to 41 catches for 486 yards and four touchdowns after posting a 65-653-7 line in 2024. He also showed some early chemistry with Aaron Rodgers this summer, including a 23-yard touchdown during a two-minute drill in camp. DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. will command plenty of targets, but Smith's departure gives Freiermuth a better chance to stay on the field and get back into the TE2 conversation.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Legette's WR3 Role Looks Much Safer
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette has a clearer hold on the No. 3 role after Chris Brazzell II went down with a season-ending knee injury. Brazzell had looked good early in camp and was expected to have a role, but surgery on the LCL in his left knee ended his rookie year before it started. Legette is now listed with the first-team offense alongside Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, and Carolina held all three out of the preseason finale because their roster spots were secure. That matters after Legette slipped to 35 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns last season. His own summer was encouraging, too. Dave Canales praised the work Legette put into the details of his game, and the former first-round pick was having a strong camp before a foot issue cost him some time late in August. He returned to practice on Sept. 1. McMillan and Coker remain ahead of him in the target pecking order, so the fantasy ceiling is still limited. The WR3 path, though, looks much cleaner than it did entering camp.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
TreVeyon Henderson in Street Clothes for Saturday's Practice
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) is in street clothes for the team's practice on Saturday, according to Andrew Callahan of The Boston Herald. Henderson tweaked his ankle in practice early last week and has not returned since, putting his availability for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday firmly in question. His injury and the fact that he did not stand out as a pass protector in training camp have caused backfield mate Rhamondre Stevenson to become more attractive in fantasy football drafts in New England's backfield. When Henderson is healthy, he will have a significant role alongside Stevenson after rushing for 911 yards and nine rushing touchdowns on 180 carries as a rookie in 2025, but it is clear that head coach Mike Vrabel still has a ton of trust in Stevenson. At RotoBaller, Stevenson is ranked as the RB23 with the season opener in less than a week, with Henderson checking in at No. 29 at the RB position. If Henderson is out or limited in the Super Bowl rematch next week, Corey Kiner would be in line to work as the RB2 behind Stevenson.
Source: The Boston Herald - Andrew Callahan
Source: The Boston Herald - Andrew Callahan
Brenton Strange May Have a Hard Time Taking the Next Step
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange still has plenty of sleeper appeal after catching 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns in only 12 games last season. Finding another big jump in volume might be the difficult part. Jacksonville enters 2026 with Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington leading a deep receiver group, and Travis Hunter is still expected to have a role on offense. The Jaguars also added rookie tight ends Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol, both of whom flashed as receivers during camp. That doesn't put Strange's job in danger. Jacksonville gave him an extension in June, and he remains the clear starter after becoming one of Trevor Lawrence's more reliable options last year. The team also plans to use more multiple-tight-end sets, which could open up different ways to deploy him. There are just a lot of players asking for the football. Strange still makes sense as a TE2 with upside, but the crowded passing game makes a full breakout tougher to count on.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colby Parkinson Facing More Pressure for Passing-Game Work
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson is coming off the best season of his career, but his grip on the receiving work looks shakier heading into 2026. Parkinson caught 43 passes for 408 yards and a franchise-record eight touchdowns last year, production that leaned heavily on his work near the goal line. The Rams still use enough multi-tight-end sets to keep him involved, but Terrance Ferguson made a strong push for more this summer. The second-year tight end flashed throughout camp, drew praise from Sean McVay for his versatility and playmaking, and now shares first-team billing with Parkinson on the Rams' unofficial depth chart. Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen and second-round rookie Max Klare only make the room deeper. Parkinson isn't being pushed out of the offense, and he had his own good moments in camp. The concern is how many routes and red-zone looks are left once the snaps get spread around. After scoring eight times on only 56 targets last season, Parkinson looks much more touchdown-dependent than his 2025 finish suggests.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jameson Taillon Likely Headed to Injured List
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (elbow) underwent testing on his injured elbow on Friday night after exiting a game earlier in the evening. The 34-year-old pitcher lasted just two innings before being lifted after 29 pitches. It has been a disastrous season on the field for the veteran, who has struggled to find success in both Chicago and Toronto. With him likely headed to the Injured List, it could signal an end to his season, leaving him with a career-worst 5.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 86.0 innings pitched. This couldn't have come at a worse time for the Blue Jays, who are trying to make a late-season push to the playoffs but are running out of options to use on the mound. They are still a ways away from welcoming Trey Yesavage back, and in the meantime, will need to use capable arms on the mound to get them through these games.
Source: Shi Davidi
Source: Shi Davidi
Andrei Iosivas Has Less Room for Error This Year
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas is still holding onto the No. 3 job, but the players behind him made that spot feel a little less comfortable this summer. Iosivas caught 33 passes for 435 yards and two touchdowns last season, numbers that already left him well outside the weekly fantasy picture behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He had a good camp himself, and Cincinnati's current depth chart still lists him with the first-team offense. The concern is what happened behind him. Fourth-round rookie Colbie Young kept making plays downfield and scored in the preseason, while Dohnte Meyers finished August with a team-high 11 catches for 121 yards and repeatedly stood out in practice. Bengals coaches have continued to point to Iosivas' experience as an advantage, so this is not a case of him losing the job. It is a case of the margin getting thinner. With Chase and Higgins already soaking up most of the useful volume, even a small reduction in snaps would make Iosivas tougher to justify outside of deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
