August 18, 2025
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Tyrell Shavers turned in his second straight solid preseason performance in a 38-0 defeat against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. On a night that saw few Bills contribute anything of note, Shavers caught two of his three targets for 29 yards. The lone miss came after Shavers beat cornerback Jeremiah Walker on a 25-yard pass down the sideline. Quarterback
Mike White's throw was catchable but slightly out of Shavers' reach, and it fell incomplete. To cap off his night, Shavers drew a 23-yard pass interference penalty on a third-and-18 play in the third quarter. Undrafted out of San Diego State in 2023, Shavers has played in just three regular-season games (all last year) and caught one pass (a 69-yard touchdown), but he has garnered rave reviews in camp and stepped up in preseason action with four receptions for 99 yards. The 25-year-old helped his cause again on Sunday in his bid for a roster spot.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
August
18,
2025
Buffalo
Bills
running
back
Frank
Gore
Jr.
was
one
of
the
team's
few
bright
spots
in
a
38-0
preseason
loss
to
the
Chicago
Bears
on
Sunday.
The
5-foot-8,
195-pounder
led
the
Bills
in
total
yards
read more...
August
18,
2025
Buffalo
Bills
quarterback
Mitchell
Trubisky
wasn't
able
to
generate
much
offense
during
a
38-0
preseason
loss
to
the
Chicago
Bears
on
Sunday.
After
Mike
White
played
the
first
half
and
struggled
mightily,
Trubisky
read more...
August
18,
2025
Buffalo
Bills
quarterback
Mike
White
had
an
opportunity
to
make
hay
in
the
race
for
the
No.
2
job
on
Sunday
night,
but
he
fell
short
in
a
38-0
preseason
shellacking
at
the
hands
of
the
read more...
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Luther Burden III hauled in all three targets, gaining 49 yards in Sunday’s 38-0 preseason win over the Buffalo Bills. The rookie wide receiver caught his three passes from backup quarterback
Tyson Bagent and took most of his snaps with the second-team offense. The second-round pick has performed well this preseason as both a receiver and a blocker, but has yet to garner significant playing time with the first-team offense. However, keeping Burden off the field might be difficult if he keeps stacking stellar performances like his one on Sunday. The next time we can see Burden in action is next Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
Carolina Panthers wide receiver
David Moore caught all three of his targets for 26 yards during Saturday's preseason contest against the Houston Texans. The veteran pass-catcher now has five receptions on nine targets through two games this summer. He was somewhat productive in a low-end depth role last season, but he's likely competing for a roster spot now that Carolina brought in external reinforcements during the offseason.
Jimmy Horn Jr. and
Hunter Renfrow are among the players with whom Moore is battling as the roster crunch approaches.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
August 17, 2025
After a fast race at Iowa, Austin Cindric quietly delivered again by finishing fifth at Iowa's "sister track" in Richmond, giving him his first top five on a non-drafting oval since Martinsville last year. Team Penske's decision to pit all its cars early in Stage 1 reaped dividends and proved to be the correct decision as it allowed Cindric to dive from 15th to finish fifth in Stage 1. He remained in the top ten for nearly all of Stage 2, finishing eighth, but faded somewhat in Stage 3 before reemerging in the top five over the last 100 laps. After being first pigeonholed as a road racer and later as a drafting track driver, he is clearly becoming more well-rounded in his fourth season and his driver rating of 106.5 was his best since his win at Gateway last year.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
August 17, 2025
Although Ryan Blaney traditionally hates racing at Richmond, he has recently improved with the Next Gen chassis, and on Saturday night, he had probably his best race ever there, factoring for the win and earning his first top-five finish (third place). After starting 20th, steady long run speed and savvy strategy propelled him to a seventh-place finish in Stage 1 and a third-place finish in Stage 2, but he really came alive in Stage 3 when he passed Carson Hocevar for the lead on Lap 304 before eventual winner Austin Dillon caught him and they had a frantic duel, running side-by-side nearly continuously for 10 straight laps until Dillon ultimately took the lead on Lap 340 before pitting the next lap. Blaney pitted four laps later, and by then he had fallen seven seconds behind and couldn't catch Dillon. Eventually, Alex Bowman passed him for second, but nonetheless, Blaney running this well at a track where he had struggled is a great sign for the playoffs.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
August 17, 2025
Alex Bowman finished second at Richmond yet lost ground in the playoff picture thanks to Austin Dillon's win from far below the playoff cutline. He ran barely in the top ten in the early stages of the race before staying out of the pits for the entirety of Stage 1, which droppd him to 17th when that turned out to be the wrong strategy. However, he slowly recovered to finish fifth in Stage 2 and advanced to third on lap 242, which he generally maintained until passing Ryan Blaney for second on lap 385. Although Bowman gained some time on Dillon, lapped traffic prevented him from really making a race of it. Dillon's win knocked Chris Buescher below the playoff cutline and put Bowman on the bubble. Since he holds a 60-point lead over Buescher, he clinches a playoff spot if a driver from above the playoff cutline wins, but if a driver below the cutline wins, he needs to outscore Tyler Reddick by 29 points.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
August 17, 2025
Although many people think of Bubba Wallace as being primarily an expert on drafting tracks, in recent years, he has actually had his most consistent performances on short tracks. Yesterday's race at Richmond marked the first time that he potentially had winning speed on a short track as he led a race-high and career-high 123 laps, giving him nearly twice as many laps led as his conventionally higher-rated teammte Tyler Reddick. Although Reddick won Stage 1, Wallace beat him out of the pits on the stage caution. Reddick beat Wallace out of the pits on a green-flag pit cycle before Wallace repassed him to win Stage 2 and he later also passed Michael McDowell for the lead before eventual winner Austin Dillon passed him the next lap. Wallace was beginning to fade somewhat before a loose wheel relegated him to a 28th-place finish; he still beat all three of his 23XI Racing teammates.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
August
17,
2025
Dallas
Cowboys
tight
end
Jake
Ferguson
(back)
did
not
play
during
the
team's
preseason
contest
against
the
Baltimore
Ravens
on
Saturday.
The
26-year-old
was
sidelined
near
the
start
of
the
month,
and
although
he
returned
to
the
read more...
August 17, 2025
Chris Buescher's weeks of treading water for most of the summer have now caught up with him as Austin Dillon's win coupled with Alex Bowman's second-place finish and Buescher's shockingly bad 30th-place finish at a track he won at a mere two years ago have combined to eliminate Buescher from the NASCAR playoffs on points. Buescher was outrun by his teammates Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski all race and he never seemed to have much speed prior to that either. Despite sitting just inside the playoffs for months, he seemed to be more complacent and conservative this year than he was in previous years, which is never a good sign when nearly 16 drivers win prior to the playoffs each year. Since he is 60 points behind Bowman, who now sits on the playoff cutline, and second-place only pays at most 55 points, Buescher cannot advance to the playoffs unless he wins at Daytona.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears tight end
Cole Kmet caught one pass for 29 yards in Sunday’s 38-0 preseason win over the Buffalo Bills. On the second play of the game, Kmet caught a beautiful seam pass from quarterback
Caleb Williams and took it for a big gain. Kmet played two drives with the first-team offense, splitting reps with 2025 first-round tight end
Colston Loveland. Despite being listed as the starting tight end on the Bears' unofficial depth chart, Kmet is ranked 275th (TE38) on the current RotoBaller half-PPR rankings. With how Loveland has been performing, it's hard to imagine that Kmet has much fantasy value at the moment.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Olamide Zaccheaus caught one of two targets for 36 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 38-0 win over the Buffalo Bills. Zaccheaus capped off a seven-play 92-yard drive with a long touchdown catch from quarterback
Caleb Williams. The veteran receiver signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears this offseason and has made some big plays in both training camp and the preseason. Zaccheaus is currently listed as the WR3 in the Bears' unofficial depth chart and could be a flier in deeper leagues with potential to provide some early-season production as rookie wide receiver
Luther Burden III learns the offense.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears cornerback Terrell Smith (knee) was carted off and ruled out after suffering a non-contact injury during Sunday's preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. Smith had two tackles prior to his departure. The 26-year-old was competing for a larger role on defense after appearing in 14 games (two starts) last season. Throughout the 2024 campaign, he amassed 19 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception. The Bears will hold their breath as they wait for an update on Smith, but non-contact injuries can be quite serious, and the fact that he was quickly ruled out is not an encouraging sign. If the University of Minnesota product misses extended time, there will be more defensive snaps available for Jeremiah Walker, Nahshon Wright, and Zah Frazier.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ari Meirov
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears tight end
Colston Loveland caught two passes on two targets for 26 yards in Sunday’s 38-0 win against the Buffalo Bills. The 2025 first-round pick caught the game's first pass from quarterback
Caleb Williams, as well as hauling in an 18-yard reception over the middle on 2nd-and-14. Despite Loveland's solid night, he only played four of nine snaps when the Bears ran one-tight end formations. A tight end rotation is currently in the works with veteran tight end
Cole Kmet, but expect Loveland's role to grow as the season progresses. With the crowded receiving corps and an uncertain role early in the season, Loveland should only be considered in the late rounds of fantasy drafts.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
The Jacksonville Jaguars have acquired defensive tackle Khalen Saunders from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for center Luke Fortner, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. Ironically, the Jaguars and Saints played against each other on Sunday, so perhaps the two players won't have to travel far before joining their new teams. Saunders is a six-year NFL veteran who began his career in Kansas City before spending the last two years with New Orleans. A starter for the Saints, he totaled 43 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, three passes defended, and one interception during the 2024 campaign. Meanwhile, Fortner is a Kentucky product who spent three years with the Jaguars after they selected him in the third round of the 2022 draft. He started every game during his first two seasons but did not register a single start last year.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ari Meirov
August
17,
2025
Chicago
Bears
running
back
Kyle
Monangai
(undisclosed)
did
not
play
in
the
team's
second
preseason
game
against
the
Buffalo
Bills
on
Sunday.
Brad
Briggs
of
the
Chicago
Tribune
reported
that
Monangai
was
not
in
uniform
for
read more...
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Rome Odunze went without a reception in his preseason debut against the Buffalo Bills. Odunze was targeted once on the game's second drive, but dropped his lone target on a curl route on a third down. Despite the dull night from the second-year receiver, Odunze ran half of his routes from the slot and could slide into the coveted
Amon-Ra St. Brown role in head coach Ben Johnson's scheme. Odunze is having an impressive training camp and continues to see his fantasy stock rise this offseason. Even with a subpar night, the 2024 first-round pick remains a breakout candidate in fantasy this season.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Lars Nootbaar (cramping) was pulled from the game after seven innings in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Yankees. While it was initially concerning, it turned out that he was just experiencing muscle cramping, reports Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was 3-for-4 in the game before being replaced by
Garrett Hampson. There was no specific muscle region mentioned by team officials, so this seems to just be a minor inconvenience that isn't expected to be an ongoing issue. The 27-year-old is slashing .233/.326/.386 with 13 home runs on the year and will hope to recover enough to return to the lineup on Monday.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Derrick Goold
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
DJ Moore caught two passes for 16 yards in his preseason debut against the Buffalo Bills. Moore caught a six-yard pass from quarterback
Caleb Williams on the first drive and a 10-yard out route that moved the chains on third down. Moore's role under new head coach Ben Johnson is being determined, but he appeared to be a focal point in his two drives with the first-team offense. Moore is ranked 43rd (WR24) on RotoBaller's current half-PPR rankings and should see an uptick in production with
Keenan Allen out of the picture and Williams entering a potential breakout season.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Wade Miley (forearm) was pulled from his rehab assignment after experiencing soreness during his first outing with Double-A Chattanooga on Friday, reports Pat Brennan of The Cincinnati Enquirer. The soreness was presumably in his throwing forearm, which is what has kept him sidelined since June 15. There are no updates on the severity of the soreness or what the next plan of action will be, but any significant setback would likely keep the 38-year-old out for the rest of the season. The veteran only appeared in three games in 2025, in which he allowed nine runs in 12 innings of work.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Pat Brennan
August 17, 2025
Chicago Bears quarterback
Caleb Williams was solid in his pre-season debut against the Buffalo Bills, completing six of 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. Williams played his first snaps under new head coach Ben Johnson. Despite being under scrutiny during this training camp, looked like a seasoned pro. Williams was electric in his first drive, leading a seven-play, 92-yard drive that was capped off by a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Olamide Zaccheaus. Williams played two drives and was pulled for backup quarterback
Tyson Bagent before the start of the second quarter. Fantasy managers have to be pleased with Williams' stellar performance on Sunday night as he looked sharp in command of the Bears' new system. Williams and the starters have one more chance to get preseason reps in against the Kansas City Chiefs next Friday.
--Nathan HarveySource: ESPN
August 17, 2025
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher
Erik Miller (elbow) felt something in his elbow during a rehab outing on Friday and is headed for an MRI, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports. This isn't good news at all for the lefty, who has been on the injured list since the beginning of July due to an elbow sprain. It seems that the injury wasn't fully healed or he re-injured it in the early going of his rehab assignment, and a setback at this stage could jeopardize his ability to return this season. The 27-year-old was solid when healthy, posting a 1.50 ERA through 30 innings this season.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Justice delos Santos
August 17, 2025
According to Ashish Mathur of Dallas Hoops Journal, "multiple teams" have attempted to acquire Chicago Bulls guard
Coby White. However, Chicago has "shot down all inquiries." The Bulls have made several moves in the last few seasons that indicates the club is heading in a new direction. Still, it appears the front office isn't looking to move White, who is entering the final season of the three-year deal he signed back in 2023. He is coming off a productive year, averaging a career-high 20.4 points, adding 4.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds. With that in mind, White is expected to improve even more moving ahead, making him an even bigger asset for fantasy managers. He's also an excellent free throw shooter and has improved his shot from deep, which is a plus for category participants.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Ashish Mathur
August 17, 2025
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher
German Marquez (biceps) is set to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. He'll be making the start at Triple-A Albuquerque with the plan to make a follow-up start on Sunday before returning to the major league rotation. The 30-year-old has been out since July 20 with right biceps tendinitis, so if everything goes well, he will end up missing a little over a month with the injury. In 20 starts this season, the right-hander has posted an unsightly 5.68 ERA and 1.64 WHIP, but there's not much competition in Colorado to challenge for his spot in the rotation.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Thomas Harding
August 17, 2025
San Diego Padres outfielder
Jackson Merrill (ankle) left Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Dodgers in the fourth inning due to a sore ankle, reports Bob Scanlan of Bally Sports San Diego. He twisted his left ankle while running out of the box during Saturday's game, and it ultimately didn't heal to a point where the 22-year-old could finish Sunday's contest. Right now the youngster should be considered day-to-day, as there's nothing yet that suggests a trip to the injured list would be necessary. Merrill is having a down year after breaking out as a rookie in 2024, slashing just .261/.317/.413 with nine home runs and one steal in 91 games.
UPDATE: Merrill said he's hopeful to play in Monday's series opener against the division-rival San Francisco Giants.--Jeremy HeistSource: Bob Scanlan
August 17, 2025
Dallas Mavericks center
Dereck Lively II (foot) underwent surgery in July to remove bone spurs in his right foot. It was the same foot he injured back in January, resulting in a lengthy stint on the shelf. Fortunately, the 21-year-old is expected to be ready for training camp. He averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks last season. However, despite Lively's production, the Mavs have plenty of depth in the middle, so he mave have trouble being a consistent fantasy producer during the 2025 campaign. He's also been limited to 91 regular-season games in his first two seasons, which is another reason his fantasy ceiling isn't as high. To make matters worse, Lively isn't the best free throw shooter, sinking only 56.5% of his attempts throughout his career.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Grant Afseth
August 17, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Trevor Lawrence was solid in a 17-17 tie against the New Orleans. Lawrence finished with one passing touchdown, to wide receiver
Parker Washington, on eight completions on 10 attempts for 76 yards. He also ended the first of his two drives with a fumbled snap. The former top pick was sharp in this game, earning a 131.7 QB rating. With no
Travis Hunter, Lawrence was able to involve Washington and tight end
Brenton Strange more. If the Jaguars QB is able to spread the ball around well to his numerous weapons, he should be in for a much better season, both in real football and fantasy football. Lawrence has some rushing potential as well, so for managers who still believe in his potential, he should be viewed as a QB2 with low-end QB1 upside, boosted by new offensive-minded head coach Liam Coen.
--Seth Quinn - RotoBaller
August 17, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars running back
Travis Etienne Jr. was efficient in limited game time in a 17-17 tie against the New Orleans Saints. Etienne Jr. was the second back out on the field, where he played with the starters on the second drive of the game. That was all he got, but he did pretty well in his limited game time, finishing with three carries for 24 yards and 19 yards on one reception. Etienne Jr. has looked better than last year's disappointing year so far this preseason, and the coaching staff seems to agree, giving him run with the starters. He started the first preseason game, and while
Tank Bigsby started this game, Etienne Jr. still got game time with the starters. It seems entering the season as of now, the veteran back will split touches with Bigsby, making him a decent, but upside-capped fantasy option in redraft.
--Seth Quinn - RotoBaller
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