RADIO
Is Cooper Kupp Still Worth Rostering in Deeper Leagues?
Across 16 games in 2025, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp recorded 47 catches for 593 yards and two touchdowns on 70 targets. In Seattle's run-heavy offense, Kupp was still the team's second-highest target-earner behind superstar wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. However, Kupp's average of 4.4 targets per game was still the lowest of his decorated career by a sizable margin. Entering 2026, Kupp is expected to slide down to the WR3 role in Seattle behind both Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed. However, Seattle has significant questions in their backfield to open the year, which could force them to throw the ball a bit more this season. Additionally, Shaheed averaged fewer than three targets per game across nine games with Seattle last season, so there's no guarantee that he will take significant work off Kupp's plate. In deeper league formats, Kupp could be worth rostering early in the year while it's still not entirely clear what his role in Seattle will be.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tennessee's Joakim Dodson Out for Season
Tennessee sophomore wide receiver Joakim Dodson (knee) is out for the rest of the season after suffering an LCL injury in the Week 1 win over Furman. The Memphis native did not catch a pass in Week 1, but he posted a 45-yard kickoff return on the play in which he was injured. Dodson caught two passes for 38 yards and had a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown as a freshman. "You just hate it for him," head coach Josh Heupel said. "He had a really good kickoff return. Unique just in how he gets tackled and the leg plants. From year one, finishing the season to January, just how he prepared, practiced, trained." Although Tennessee will lose a key piece of its special teams for the rest of 2026, its wide receiver room remains deep with Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews, TK Keys, Radarious Jackson, and Travis Smith Jr.
Source: Austin Price - Volquest
Source: Austin Price - Volquest
Brian Robinson a Top Stash Candidate Ahead of Week 1
Entering 2026, Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson appears unlikely to be a consistent fantasy producer as long as star Falcons running back Bijan Robinson stays healthy. Playing a similar role behind Christian McCaffrey for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, Robinson Jr. recorded 92 carries for 400 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games. However, Robinson Jr. has clear handcuff appeal as the obvious go-to option in Atlanta should Bijan Robinson suffer an injury. He may also see a bit more goal-line work this year, as former Falcons back Tyler Allgeier recorded eight rushing touchdowns in 2025 while playing a supporting role in the Atlanta backfield. In leagues where Robinson Jr. is available on the waiver wire ahead of Week 1, he may be worth stashing in a bench spot as a high-end handcuff running back.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Woody Marks Expected to Share Plenty of Backfield Work
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks appears headed for plenty of work in Year 2. Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reported that Houston used Marks and David Montgomery nearly evenly throughout training camp, with the carry split expected to be close even if it doesn't land exactly at 50-50. Marks led the Texans with 703 rushing yards on 196 carries as a rookie, scoring twice on the ground while adding 24 catches for 208 yards and three receiving touchdowns. He also looked sharp in his main preseason appearance, turning five touches into 43 yards with a 20-yard touchdown against Las Vegas. The Texans have talked about expanding Marks' work on third downs and in the passing game as well. Montgomery will have a significant role, but Marks looks like more than a change-of-pace option heading into the season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Alec Pierce Should Be Good to Go for Week 1
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) "should be good" to play in Sunday's season opener against Baltimore, head coach Shane Steichen said, according to Joel A. Erickson. Pierce underwent ankle surgery in March and spent nearly all of training camp on the Active/PUP list before finally returning to practice Aug. 27. The Colts have been ramping him up since then, with Week 1 always the target. Pierce is coming off the best season of his career, catching 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games. He also led the NFL with 21.3 yards per reception for the second straight year. After spending most of the summer rehabbing, Steichen's latest update is a strong sign Pierce will be back in the lineup when Indianapolis opens against the Ravens.
Source: Joel A. Erickson
Source: Joel A. Erickson
Rhamondre Stevenson Expected to See Plenty of Work Wednesday
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to see plenty of snaps in Wednesday night's opener against Seattle, according to Chad Graff. Head coach Mike Vrabel pointed to Stevenson's pass protection Monday, saying "the protection for me is what stands out" when discussing what he values in the veteran's game. That part of Stevenson's skill set could keep him on the field regardless of how the carries are divided. He played 14 games last season, rushing for 603 yards and seven touchdowns on 130 carries while adding 32 catches for 345 yards and two more scores. TreVeyon Henderson's ankle injury could open the door to even more work, but Stevenson already has a strong case for a heavy snap count because New England trusts him to protect the quarterback.
Source: Chad Graff
Source: Chad Graff
Kayshon Boutte Will be Active in Week 1, Worth a Look on Waiver Wire
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that wide receiver "Kayshon Boutte is picking up the playbook really well" and that he will be active on Sunday, Sept. 13, for the Week 1 season opener against the Buffalo Bills, according to DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. The 24-year-old has the clearest path to fantasy relevance in his new home in Houston since entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick in 2023 by the New England Patriots out of LSU. The Texans acquired him in a trade with the Patriots this summer after they learned that second-year wideout Jayden Higgins (knee) would miss the entire 2026 season. Boutte, who has developed chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud quickly, is expected to serve as the team's WR2 behind Nico Collins despite limited time to learn the offense in training camp. In three seasons with the Pats, Boutte recorded 78 catches on 121 targets for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns, with six of his scores coming in 14 regular-season games in 2025. Boutte is rostered in only 20% of Yahoo leagues currently, but he could quickly become a popular waiver-wire target if he lights up the box score early on for Houston.
Source: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
Source: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
Dalton Schultz a Strong PPR Streamer for Week 1
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz is one of the easier waiver-wire answers if you need help at tight end for Week 1. He caught a career-high 82 passes on 106 targets last season, and the Texans are already down two receivers before facing Buffalo. Jayden Higgins is out for the year after tearing his ACL, while Tank Dell will begin the season on injured reserve and cannot return until at least Week 5. Houston did trade for Kayshon Boutte, and Nico Collins remains the clear top target. Still, Schultz does not need a huge role change to matter in PPR. He already saw 106 targets last year, and RotoBaller's current Week 1 waiver column has him rostered in only 43% of Yahoo leagues. The three touchdowns from 2025 are a reminder that the ceiling can be frustrating, especially in non-PPR formats. If you drafted the position late and are already looking around, Schultz is an easy enough player to use Sunday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Max Meyer Resumes Throwing
The Miami Marlins told Sports Grid's Craig Mish that right-hander Max Meyer (neck, rib) has resumed throwing. However, there is not a lot of time left to make it back into Miami's starting rotation in 2026. Meyer initially went on the 15-day injured list seven weeks ago with a strained neck, and the 27-year-old suffered a setback recently due to discomfort in his rib. If Meyer can make it back before the end of September, he will most likely return to the Marlins' bullpen as a reliever and not as a starter, which pretty much kills what little fantasy appeal Meyer might have had left. It is disappointing for fantasy managers who have been holding him after his excellent 2026 campaign before his neck injury. Meyer was a first-time All-Star this year, going 9-1 with a 2.68 ERA (3.50 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with a career-high 121 strikeouts and 41 walks in 111 innings pitched across his 20 starts in just his fourth major-league season. Meyer is being rostered in just 60% of Yahoo leagues now and is not a must-stash down the stretch in redraft formats.
Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
Source: Sports Grid - Craig Mish
Khalil Shakir Still Has PPR Appeal on the Waiver Wire
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is sitting on waivers in more leagues than he probably should be, though there is one obvious concern heading into Week 1. Shakir has been out of team drills since Aug. 20 with an undisclosed injury, so this is not a player to pick up and immediately throw into a flex spot. There is still something here for PPR managers. He caught 72 passes for 719 yards and four touchdowns last season after posting 76 catches for 821 yards the year before, and Josh Allen has consistently looked his way underneath. DJ Moore joining the offense probably keeps Shakir from becoming much more than that, especially with Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid also needing targets. That's fine. Shakir does not need a breakout to have some use in fantasy. If he is available in a 12-team PPR league, he is worth grabbing for the bench while we wait to see where his health stands going into Houston.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ian Happ Absent on Monday With Knee Injury
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (knee) was held out of the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener in Milwaukee against the division-rival Brewers due to discomfort in his left knee, according to MLB.com. Happ is considered day-to-day for now with a minor injury, so fantasy managers should check back on Tuesday to see if the 32-year-old veteran is feeling good enough to return to action. With Happ sitting on Monday, Tyrone Taylor made the start in left field for the Cubbies. The switch-hitting Happ has hit .221/.326/.416 with a .743 OPS, 23 home runs, 64 RBI, 81 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 138 games across 577 plate appearances in 2026 in his 10th year in the big leagues with the Cubs. He needs just three more home runs to set a new career high in that category, but he has really struggled from the right side of the plate against southpaws, slashing .152/.226/.280 with a .506 OPS and only four of his 23 home runs in 138 plate appearances. Happ's power has also been down in the second half, with six homers and 22 RBI in 46 games compared to 17 homers and 42 RBI in 92 games in the first half.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Deebo Samuel Sr. Offers Immediate Waiver-Wire Appeal
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. is more than a bench stash for fantasy managers who can still find him on waivers. He's back in a familiar offense and opens the season with a real role after Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk landed on injured reserve. San Francisco's current depth chart has Samuel with the first team, and he showed during camp that the reunion wasn't just for show, catching five passes and scoring twice during team work in the Aug. 11 joint practice with Tennessee. Samuel also wasn't finished last season, catching 72 passes for 727 yards and five touchdowns with Washington while adding another score on the ground. Mike Evans, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey will keep this offense crowded, but Samuel doesn't need huge target volume to be useful. RotoBaller has him seventh among its pre-Week 1 wide receiver pickups and WR40 for the opener. He's a strong add in 10-team PPR leagues and can already be considered for a FLEX spot.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chase DeLauter Sits Out Again on Monday
Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter (wrist) missed another game in Monday's series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, but manager Stephen Vogt did say that DeLauter is "feeling a lot better." The 24-year-old left-handed hitter was scheduled to do some hitting before the game. DeLauter suffered a sprained wrist late last week, but he managed to avoid a significant sprain and is considered day-to-day. The Guardians are not expecting him to land on the injured list. Angel Martinez got another start in right field on Monday for Cleveland with DeLauter out. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday to see if DeLauter is feeling good enough to return to the starting nine. The former 16th overall pick has handled himself quite well in his first year in the big leagues in 2025, slashing .294/.365/.458 with an .823 OPS, 13 homers, 60 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored across 120 games and 499 plate appearances. Even more impressively, he has hit .336 (47-for-140) with an .861 OPS in 154 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lucas Ramirez Making a Name For Himself In Minor Leagues
Los Angeles Angels outfield prospect Lucas Ramirez has homered in three of his last four games and is putting together a scorching start to September at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 20-year-old left-handed hitter is 6-for-21 early on this month with three homers and five RBI to go with nine runs scored and two stolen bases. Ramirez is a 17th round draft pick in 2024 and is the son of Manny Ramirez. Lucas has hit nine homers with 61 RBI for Rancho Cucamonga this season with 55 runs scored and 10 stolen bases while hitting .242. Ramirez is not ranked by MLB.com as one of the top 30 prospects in the Angels system but has shown late in this season that he can produce some stats. Ramirez could put himself on the fantasy radar, much like his dad, but it could be a few years before he does so.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Kaleb Johnson Worth Stashing in Deeper Leagues
Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson is worth keeping an eye on while Josh Jacobs remains unavailable. The Packers traded a 2028 sixth-round pick for Johnson on Aug. 30 after his quiet rookie season in Pittsburgh, where he managed only 69 yards on 28 carries. The opportunity in Green Bay is better. MarShawn Lloyd should get the first crack at leading the backfield, but Johnson has already worked alongside him with the first-team offense, while Chris Brooks is better suited for passing-down work. Johnson also has some familiarity with Matt LaFleur's system after playing in a similar offense during his final season at Iowa. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter, and RotoBaller currently has him at RB70 for the opener against Minnesota. The waiver outlook is more interesting than the immediate lineup value. RotoBaller recommends Johnson in leagues with 14 or more teams, which fits where things stand. He's a speculative stash with a path to more work if this backfield stays unsettled.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
