Aug 27, 2026, 1:02 AM ET

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has emerged as a superstar in the NFL, ranking as a top-three fantasy running back in each of the last two seasons. The Lions' backfield looks a little different this year now that Isiah Pacheco has replaced David Montgomery, but the vision for Gibbs should look pretty similar. He remains the undisputed lead back, offering a spectacular ability to run the ball, catch passes, score touchdowns, and even block a little. Pacheco should mix in on short-yardage opportunities, but it's worth noting that Montgomery did the same in Detroit, and Gibbs still scored 38 touchdowns over the last two years. In other words, we're not worried at all about Pacheco's presence. In fact, it could help Gibbs over the long run, as it keeps him fresh and healthy for the full 17-game span. He hasn't missed a single regular-season game since his rookie season in 2023. The University of Alabama product ranks as the RB1 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026, ahead of even Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 12:58 AM ET

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech only played three snaps in the first quarter of the team's second preseason game. However, he was likely used sparingly because he already has the primary slot receiver role locked up for the 2026 season. Bech caught a touchdown during Week 1 of the preseason, but according to Levi Edwards of the Raiders' official website, what has really solidified the receiver's role is his blocking ability. "He's the best blocking wide receiver on the roster," Edwards wrote about Bech. "He had a key block that led to a 53-yard rush from Mike Washington Jr. against the Arizona Cardinals. It's certainly a determining factor as to how Bech has remained the team's primary starting slot receiver throughout camp." All signs point to Bech getting a very healthy dose of snaps once the regular season arrives, which could put him onto the fantasy radar as a low-end WR3/flex in deeper leagues. At the moment, he's flying somewhat under the radar as the WR102 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Levi Edwards

Aug 27, 2026, 12:52 AM ET

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson remains in the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, but he should still carve out a role this season as a key pass-catching option for veteran starting quarterback Deshaun Watson. Sampson had 33 catches for 271 receiving yards (and just 175 rushing yards) as a rookie last year. For the most part, he operated behind fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins and mostly saw the field on passing downs. Judkins is expected to be the lead back once Week 1 comes around, so the big question is whether Sampson can have enough involvement to get on the weekly fantasy radar. It's not as simple as Judkins getting the early downs and Sampson getting the passing downs, as the former is a very capable pass catcher, and the latter does earn some carries from time to time, too. For now, Sampson has a little bit of RB3/flex appeal in deeper full-PPR leagues, but in all other formats, he's a better fit as a handcuff for fantasy managers who already have Judkins on their roster. Sampson is the RB53 in RotoBaller's latest half-PPR and full-PPR draft rankings for the 2026 fantasy football season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 12:46 AM ET

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, ranking as the fantasy WR15 or better during both campaigns. Being healthy for all 17 games was key to Sutton's success over the last two years, but even if he remains off the injury report in 2026, there could be a new obstacle in his way. The offseason addition of Jaylen Waddle adds another mouth to feed, and given that Waddle typically commanded 100+ targets for 1,000+ yards in Miami, he could significantly eat into Sutton's workload. We still expect Sutton to produce somewhat consistently with Bo Nix at quarterback, but the veteran receiver may no longer be a dependable top-20 wide receiver in fantasy football. Instead, he's falling to more of the mid-range WR3/flex tier. In fact, as it currently stands, he has fallen all the way to WR40 in RotoBaller's latest half-PPR draft rankings for the 2026 fantasy football season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 12:37 AM ET

The Cincinnati Reds placed third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder T.J. Friedl on outright waivers on Wednesday, people briefed on the process told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The other 29 MLB teams can claim either player during a 48-hour period before waivers expire, but the likelihood is that both Suarez and Friedl will clear and remain with the Reds, unless the Reds move to cut ties by designating one or both for assignment. The 35-year-old Suarez is owed just less than $3 million for the remainder of the 2026 season, while the 31-year-old Friedl is owed slightly more than $700,000. Neither player was popular at the trade deadline, and they are both not expected to return to Cincy in 2027. Suarez had a grand slam in the team's miraculous seven-run, ninth-inning rally on Wednesday to beat the San Francisco Giants, but the 13-year veteran came into the contest with a .205 average, 18 home runs, 53 RBI, and a career-worst 34.8% strikeout rate. Suarez also missed almost a month earlier this season with a strained left oblique. He still has pop, but he strikes out way too much, and the Reds could save money before the end of the year on a player that isn't going to be part of their future.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal

Aug 27, 2026, 12:22 AM ET

Miami Marlins right-handed closer Pete Fairbanks (hand) received injections for the nerve irritation in his right hand, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. He will stay behind and rehab in Jupiter, Florida, and the Marlins will have a better idea of his timeline in a few days on whether he can begin throwing. For the second time this season, Fairbanks was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a nerve issue in his throwing hand. With time running out in the 2026 regular season and with Fairbanks carrying a lot of baggage for fantasy managers chasing saves, he is not a must-hold while he recovers. In the meantime, the Marlins figure to employ a closer-by-committee situation that will be difficult to navigate for desperate fantasy managers. Calvin Faucher and Michael Petersen seem like the best options for saves for however long Fairbanks is out, but Tyler Zuber and Dax Fulton could also get involved. Fairbanks has 18 saves in 40 1/3 innings in 2026 in his first year in South Beach, but it has come with an ugly 6.02 ERA (4.47 FIP) and 1.31 WHIP with 57 strikeouts and 19 walks in 44 appearances (one start). If Miami falls any further out of the NL wild-card race (currently four games out of the third and final spot), it is possible that Fairbanks is shut down entirely.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola

Aug 27, 2026, 12:16 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson has flashed some upside in the past, but he may have trouble carving out a consistent role early in the 2026 season. Initially, it seemed like Wilson might step in as an every-down back ahead of both Zach Charbonnet (knee) and Jadarian Price, but the fact that he hasn't touched the ball in either preseason game should be concerning. Prince now seems like the favorite to lead Seattle's backfield, winning the job over Wilson, George Holani, and Velus Jones Jr. In particular, Wilson is no longer the ideal Seattle running back to roster in redraft or dynasty leagues. RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings have Wilson ranked #73 at the running back position, which keeps him off the radar as long as Price and (eventually) Charbonnet are healthy.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 27, 2026, 12:13 AM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Roki Sasaki (finger) will go on the 15-day injured list after leaving his start early on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves with a blister on his right middle finger, according to Jack Harris of The California Post. Sasaki only went 3 1/3 innings in Atlanta on Wednesday before being pulled, allowing four earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out three in a no-decision. Although he could be ready to rejoin L.A.'s starting rotation in two weeks, the 24-year-old Japanese hurler is not a must-hold in fantasy leagues, especially 12-team leagues. He came into Wednesday's contest with a 5-5 record, 4.42 ERA (4.79 FIP) and 1.30 WHIP with 114 strikeouts and 46 walks in 116 innings pitched across 22 starts in just his second major-league season. Sasaki has boosted his strikeout rate to 23.1% in 2026 and has also lowered his walk rate from 13.7% as a rookie to 9.3% this season. The Dodgers plan to move forward with a six-man rotation, with left-hander Eric Lauer taking Sasaki's spot for at least the next two weeks. In his previous three starts in August, Sasaki had allowed exactly two earned runs in each of his three starts against the Diamondbacks, Brewers, and Rockies while walking seven and striking out 13 in a total of 17 innings.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The California Post - Jack Harris

Aug 27, 2026, 12:05 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is a superstar in the NFL, and he could be due for another big year after flirting with the MVP sweepstakes at times last year. Taylor was simply remarkable in the Colts' 10 games prior to the bye, amassing 1,139 rushing yards, 260 receiving yards, and 17 total touchdowns. During that span, he was the overall RB1 in fantasy football, averaging 6.4 points per week more than the second-highest-scoring running back Christian McCaffrey. Taylor's productivity declined after Daniel Jones (Achilles) was shut down for the season, effectively bringing his somewhat improbable MVP candidacy to an end. Assuming he can return to his first-half 2026 form, Taylor should have no trouble turning in another top-five finish. As it stands, he's the RB6 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 26, 2026, 11:59 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry may be 32 years old, but he hasn't shown many signs of slowing down. He was the RB8 in PPR leagues last year, with most of his production coming on the ground. He finished the season with 1,595 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, plus an additional 150 receiving yards. Catching passes has never been a core part of Henry's rushing skill set, but he certainly makes up for it with his physicality on runs. Whether it's short yardage or a big gain moving down the field, Henry is capable of fighting through contact for extra yards. The biggest concern for the veteran running back last year was a growing turnover issue. After losing just one fumble across 34 games in 2023 and 2024, he coughed up the football three times last year. That'll be something fantasy managers hope Henry is able to fix, as he's still worth drafting as a top-12 fantasy running back in non-PPR leagues where his limited receiving role won't hurt him too much. He currently ranks as the RB6 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 26, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris (undisclosed) continues to be projected as the third option in the receiver room, despite the fact that he has missed the team's first two preseason games due to an undisclosed injury. Even for the duration of his absence, Harris has held on to the No. 3 job without any teammates threatening to take his spot. In fact, we expect him to take a step forward this year and have a much larger role than he did as a rookie in 2025. Last year, as the Bolts' No. 4 receiver, he caught 30 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown. Now that Keenan Allen is gone, he's jumping to third in the pecking order behind just Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. The 24-year-old Ole Miss product currently ranks as the WR65 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 26, 2026, 11:26 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah is not expected to make the 53-man roster for Week 1, according to roster projections from Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. Watkins did have a 15-yard touchdown run during Dallas' last preseason game, but that was the only time he touched the ball during the entire contest. Volume has been hard to come by, and it seems like he'll be the odd man out. "Mafah has done nothing wrong here," Watkins wrote. "[Malik] Davis and [Jaydon] Blue just played better in the preseason." As things stand, it looks like Davis and Blue will round out the backfield behind starter Javonte Williams, with Davis also playing a key role on special teams. Mafah, meanwhile, might need to look for a new team after just one season with the Cowboys. As a rookie last year, he tallied 29 scrimmage yards on seven touches.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Calvin Watkins

Aug 26, 2026, 11:02 PM ET

Across 366 plate appearances in 2026, Kansas City Royals second baseman/outfielder Michael Massey (head) is hitting .274/.308/.441 with 11 home runs, 43 RBI, 46 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The 28-year-old has largely been solid throughout the year, but he's really picked up the pace of late. Across 69 plate appearances in August, Massey is hitting .323 with three home runs. Massey does not profile as a huge source of power for fantasy managers, but he's struck out in just 16.9% of his plate appearances. The lefty-swinging Massey is also hitting .323 against same-handed pitching so far this year, which could help him earn a bit more playing time against left-handed starters down the stretch. With his balanced profile at the plate, Massey profiles as a valuable depth piece to target on the waiver wire in deeper leagues.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 26, 2026, 10:45 PM ET

Across 27 innings (six starts) in 2026, Los Angeles Angels right-hander George Klassen has recorded a 2-2 record with a 3.67 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts. The 24-year-old has had major issues with control so far, as he's posted a 16.8% walk rate. However, Klassen has been effective since being promoted from Triple-A to rejoin the Angels' rotation in early August. Across his last 22 1/3 innings (four starts), Klassen has logged two wins while allowing just five earned runs. Klassen has averaged 96.6 miles per hour on his fastball, and he's shown an ability to keep the ball on the ground (51.9% ground ball rate). Klassen has also shown higher-end strikeout stuff in the minors, recording a 27.7% strikeout rate across 108 2/3 minor league innings in 2025. Given his recent hot streak, Klassen deserves some waiver-wire consideration from fantasy managers as a matchup-based streamer.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller