August 25, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Jauan Jennings (calf) was not practicing on Monday, according to Tracy Sandler of Fan Girl Sports Network. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, as it appears Jennings could be in danger of missing the start of the season. However, the 49ers have not placed the wideout on the injured reserve yet, which is leaving the door open for him to suit up in their season opener. With top wideout
Brandon Aiyuk (knee) not expected to be ready until after the first month of the season, the San Francisco wide receiver room could be quite empty without Jennings. Last season, Jennings enjoyed a career year, totaling 975 yards and six scores. If Jennings were to miss time, second-year wideout Rickey Pearsall and tight end
George Kittle will likely see a majority of the targets.
--Andy SmithSource: Tracy Sandler
August 25, 2025
New England Patriots wide receiver
Stefon Diggs (knee) "looks" ready for Week 1, according to The Greg Hill Show of WEEI. The veteran wideout has been working his way back from a torn ACL during training camp. The Patriots have opted to keep the veteran out of action during the preseason out of precaution. However, seeing him participate fully in the team's recent practice sessions suggests he should not face many restrictions at the start of the regular season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback. In the offseason, the Patriots signed Diggs to a three-year deal to lead a weak New England pass-catching room. Given his role as the clear WR1 in the offense, Diggs is an intriguing option as a WR2 in PPR formats, given his hefty projected target share.
--Andy SmithSource: The Greg Hill Show
August 25, 2025
The Cincinnati Bengals have begun to restart contract talks with star defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Accoridng ot Jordan Schultz, both sides have started to explore a "unique" way to get a deal done. Throughout camp, the star defensive end has participated in a "hold-in" as he signs a contract extension. Schultz noted that a source has expressed optimism regarding the negotiations, but there is "more work to be done." Last season, the 30-year-old was one of the few bright spots on a struggling Cincinnati defense as he racked up 17.5 sacks for the second-straight campaign. He also logged a career-high 46 combined tackles and added six pass deflections. If Hendrickson were to remain sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Joseph Ossai to have a larger role on the defensive line.
--Andy SmithSource: Jordan Schultz
August 25, 2025
According to Sarah Barhop of ESPN, Los Angeles Rams quarterback
Matthew Stafford (back) was seen participating in 11-on-11s during Monday's practice session. This is an excellent sign as the veteran quarterback has been dealing with a lingering back injury throughout most of training camp. Seeing Stafford continue to participate in full during the team's practice sessions suggests the 37-year-old may not be in danger of missing time during the regular season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback. Last season, Stafford had a bit of a down season, throwing for just 3,762 yards and 20 scores. If Stafford were to face a setback and miss time in the regular season,
Jimmy Garoppolo would slot in as the team's QB1.
--Andy SmithSource: Sarah Barshop
August 25, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (foot) returned to practice on Monday, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. A teammate stepped on Jackson's foot during training camp practice last Wednesday, and although the issue was never considered serious, the Ravens gave the 28-year-old two-time MVP a few days off to rest last week. Now that Jackson is officially back at practice, he'll have two full week of practice to prepare for the Week 1 regular-season opener versus the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Sept. 7. Only the Bills'
Josh Allen is ranked higher at the QB position at RotoBaller for fantasy going into the 2025 season, so managers are going to have to pay a pretty penny to secure Jackson as their starting signal-caller in upcoming drafts. The four-time Pro Bowler is as dangerous as they come with both his arm and legs after throwing for 4,172 yards and 41 TDs and running for 915 yards last year.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
August 25, 2025
Kevin Clark of ESPN believes that Washington Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels is already in the elite tier of quarterbacks. "The sky is the limit there...I put Daniels on the tier with the
Lamar Jackson and
Josh Allen...The way I view it those guys prop up a championship window wherever they go," Clark said. Daniels lived up to his second overall draft slot immediately in his first year in the NFL, throwing for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 17 regular-season games and leading his team to an appearance in the NFC Championship. The 24-year-old signal-caller also ran for 891 yards and six touchdowns during the regular season to finish as the QB5 in fantasy. Daniels' scrambling ablility and creativity to make plays outside the pocket give him a high fantasy floor and ceiling, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the QB4 entering his sophomore campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Kevin Clark
August
25,
2025
New
York
Jets
wide
receiver
Allen
Lazard
(shoulder)
is
on
track
to
be
available
for
Week
1
against
the
Pittsburgh
Steelers
on
Sunday,
Sept.
7,
according
to
head
coach
Aaron
Glenn.
Lazard
suffered
a
shoulder
injury
read more...
August
25,
2025
The
New
Orleans
Saints
released
running
back
Cam
Akers
on
Monday,
according
to
Adam
Schefter
of
ESPN.
Akers
should
land
on
his
feet
somewhere
else
after
he
ran
for
444
yards
and
two
touchdown
on
104
read more...
August 25, 2025
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans declined to give an update on the health of injured running back
Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) on Monday, according to Will Kunkel. Mixon remains on the Non-Football Injury list with ankle and foot issue that have kept him from participating in the entire offseason program, training camp and the preseson. The fact that Mixon hasn't been able to practice at all makes him a major question mark to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Los Angeles Rams and has negatively impacted his fantasy stock during draft season. The 29-year-old was a do-it-all back in his first year in Houston and racked up 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns in 14 regular-season games. Mixon has five straight 1,000-yard seasons, but that streak is in serious jeopardy if he's unable to start the 2025 season on the active roster.
--Keith HernandezSource: Will Kunkel
August 25, 2025
The Athletic's Joseph Person projects rookie wide receiver
Jimmy Horn Jr. to be one of seven wide receivers who make the team's initial 53-man roster. A sixth-round pick out of Colorado, Horn Jr. recorded 37 catches for 441 yards and one touchdown in 11 games for the Buffaloes in 2024. The 22-year-old was targeted seven times in the preseason, hauling in six catches for 29 yards. Horn Jr. appears to be somewhat buried on the Panthers' wide receiver depth chart to begin the season, and he's unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025. However, Horn Jr. could be a name to monitor in dynasty formats, as veterans like
Adam Thielen and
Hunter Renfrow currently block his path to playing time and don't project to be part of Carolina's long-term plans.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Joseph Person
August 25, 2025
The Washington Commanders have signed star wide receiver
Terry McLaurin to a three-year contract extension worth over $96 million, per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports. McLaurin has been engaged in a highly publicized standoff with the team for the majority of the summer in search of a new deal, and it appears his wish has now been granted. The 29-year-old is coming off a career year in 2024, recording 82 catches for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's played in all 17 games for Washington in four consecutive seasons and hasn't had fewer than 77 catches or 1,002 receiving yards in a season since his rookie year in 2019. Now that McLaurin is back, he's the undisputed top target for quarterback
Jayden Daniels in Washington. McLaurin profiles as a solid WR2 in fantasy, although it's possible his absence from training camp practices and preseason play affects his performance early in the regular season.
--Will BradySource: Fox Sports - Jordan Schultz
August 25, 2025
The Washington Commanders and wide receiver
Terry McLaurin "have been apart all offseason and continue to be apart" on the value of a potential new contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. On ESPN's Get Up this morning, Schefter said there "doesn't seem to be progress" in discussions between the two sides. Based on the latest reporting, it appears McLaurin's "hold-in" is set to continue. The 29-year-old projects as a WR2 in fantasy and would clearly be the top target-earner in Washington if he were on the field. However, he's obviously a risky pick for fantasy managers as long as his status for the start of the regular season is uncertain. If McLaurin were to miss time, Commanders wide receiver
Deebo Samuel Sr. could be looking at a heavy volume of targets and touches.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
August 25, 2025
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime projects Houston Texans wide receiver
Xavier Hutchinson to open the season on the team's 53-man roster. A sixth-round pick in 2023, Hutchinson has recorded 20 catches for 207 yards and zero touchdowns across 32 career games for Houston. He's reportedly been rotating with second-round rookie
Jayden Higgins as an outside receiver alongside
Nico Collins and
Christian Kirk when the Texans line up in three-receiver formations. Hutchinson is unlikely to block Higgins from full playing time for the entire season, but Hutchinson could take snaps and targets away from the highly-touted rookie early in the year.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - DJ Bien-Aime
August 25, 2025
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime projects Houston Texans running back
Dare Ogunbowale to be one of five backs who make the team's initial 53-man roster. Notably, Bien-Aime does not include
Joe Mixon (foot), writing that Mixon "can land on the non-football injury list to start the regular season." Without Mixon, the path to playing time in the backfield in Houston appears to be wide open. Veteran
Nick Chubb will likely get the first crack at early-down work, but Ogunbowale could have a role on passing downs. In 17 games with the Texans last year, Ogunbowale had just 30 rush attempts but was targeted 28 times, recording 19 catches for 198 yards and a touchdown.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - DJ Bien-Aime
August 25, 2025
After trading away veteran wide receiver
D.K. Metcalf and letting
Tyler Lockett walk in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks spent Day 3 draft picks on rookie receivers
Tory Horton and
Ricky White III. While Horton has all but assured himself of a meaningful spot on the team, White has had an uneventful summer, and he is not projected to make the team's initial 53-man roster. After garnering steam in the pre-draft process following a highly productive college career at Michigan State and UNLV, White fell to the 7th round. He appeared in all three of Seattle's preseason contests, making three catches for 40 yards and failing to register a stat on his 20 special teams snaps. If released, White is a potential practice squad candidate, either in Seattle or somewhere else, but those who drafted him early in dynasty leagues should feel free to move on if facing a crunch for bench spots.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Matthew Schmidt
RADIO
