RADIO
Savion Hiter Is a Risky Play Against Iowa
Michigan running back Savion Hiter finally broke through against UTEP, rushing 11 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns. He also lost a first-half fumble, and the backfield is not his alone. Jordan Marshall carried 12 times for 59 yards and a touchdown in the same game and, despite dealing with a lower-body injury, is expected to play against Iowa barring a setback. That matters against a Hawkeyes defense allowing only 66 rushing yards per game and 2.2 yards per carry through three weeks. Hiter has earned a larger place in the rotation, but this is a rough spot to bet on another two-score day. He is a risky flex in deeper formats and a bench option in shallower leagues while Marshall remains available.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Wayne Knight Faces His Toughest Test Yet
UCLA running back Wayne Knight has scored in bunches since arriving from James Madison. After six rushing touchdowns in his first two games, he ran 18 times for 177 yards and two more scores against Purdue, pushing him to 345 rushing yards and eight touchdowns through three weeks. Maryland is easily his toughest run-defense matchup so far. The Terrapins have allowed only 69.3 rushing yards per game and 2.1 yards per carry, with two rushing touchdowns surrendered through three contests. That is enough to lower the ceiling, not enough to send Knight to the bench. UCLA has given him at least 13 carries in each of the past two games, and his scoring role has been too productive to ignore. He remains a strong Week 4 start on the road in College Park.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Isaac Brown's Week 4 Ceiling Takes a Hit
Louisville running back Isaac Brown scored his first touchdown of the season against SMU, finishing with 67 yards on 10 carries and one catch for minus-2 yards. The problem for Week 4 is not Wake Forest. It is the other Brown in Louisville's backfield. Keyjuan Brown also received 10 carries against SMU and exploded for 163 yards and two touchdowns, giving him 231 rushing yards on only 18 attempts this season. Isaac Brown has 164 yards on 39 carries through three games. Wake Forest has allowed 144.3 rushing yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry, so the matchup at home is playable. The workload is much harder to trust than it was entering September. Brown is a matchup-dependent flex until Louisville shows whether last week's even carry split was a one-game development or the new normal.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Can Fame Ijeboi Survive Notre Dame's Front?
Purdue running back Fame Ijeboi was held to 47 yards on 17 carries at UCLA, but two rushing touchdowns kept the fantasy day alive. He has scored six times on the ground through three games and has already shown he can handle volume, including 27 carries for 114 yards and three touchdowns against Wake Forest. Notre Dame is a different problem. The Irish have allowed only 175 rushing yards all season, 58.3 per game, at 1.9 yards per carry, with one rushing touchdown surrendered. Purdue gets this game at home, and Ijeboi's workload should keep him in the RB2 or flex mix rather than on the bench. Expectations for efficiency need to come down, though. The matchup is brutal. The volume is still good enough to keep him in lineups.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nate Sheppard Could Feast on William & Mary
Duke running back Nate Sheppard has handled 82 carries through three games, and the production has matched the workload -- 528 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, plus three more scores through the air. He just went for 154 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 23 carries against Stanford, his third straight game with at least 147 yards on the ground. Now William & Mary comes to Durham after allowing 281.3 rushing yards per game, 7.0 yards per carry, and 14 rushing touchdowns through four games. There is blowout risk here, so Sheppard may not need another 20-plus carries. That is the only real concern. With his role and this matchup, he is still a must-start and one of the strongest running back plays of Week 4.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kaleb Johnson Becomes More Interesting After Week 2 Usage
Green Bay Packers second-year running back Kaleb Johnson did not see a single offensive snap in the team's Week 1 loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings after the Packers acquired him in a training camp deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson played only 27% of the offensive snaps in the Week 2 win over the New York Jets, but he saw a team-high eight carries for 32 yards (4.0 yards per carry), signaling that he could start becoming a much bigger part of the Packers' committee backfield with starter Josh Jacobs still on the commissioner's exempt list. The 23-year-old Johnson was not involved in the passing game, while MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks combined for three catches for 21 yards and a touchdown (Lloyd). Johnson has familiarity with Green Bay's offense from playing in a similar scheme in college at Iowa, so he could slowly become more of a trusted early-down back for head coach Matt LaFleur for as long as Jacobs remains out. Fantasy managers searching for RB depth will want to give Johnson a look in deeper leagues. He is rostered in just 4% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Koby Howard's Status Uncertain for Wisconsin Matchup
Penn State wide receiver Koby Howard's (undisclosed) status is uncertain for Saturday's game against Wisconsin, according to Pete Nakos of On3. Head coach Matt Campbell said Tuesday that Howard got "dinged up" in the win over Buffalo and that Penn State does not yet know where he will be by the end of the week. No specific injury has been disclosed. Howard caught three passes for 115 yards and a 70-yard touchdown against Buffalo and added a 20-yard rushing score. Through three games, the sophomore has 12 catches for 344 yards and two receiving touchdowns, and he has a reception of at least 30 yards in every game. His 28.67 yards per catch ranks third in the FBS. Penn State hosts Wisconsin at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday in its Big Ten opener.
Source: Pete Nakos
Source: Pete Nakos
Leo De Vries Looks Like The Real Deal
Athletics shortstop prospect Leo De Vries excelled during the 2026 season, playing 93 games at Double-A Midland and putting together an elite statistical season. De Vries hit .290 with 13 homers and 55 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 34 stolen bases. The 19-year-old switch hitter flashed his enormous potential by showing off his five-category skill set. He is the top overall prospect in the Athletics system and one of the top prospects in baseball. He has a 60-grade hit tool with a 55-grade power and speed combination. De Vries actually was signed by the San Diego Padres and was traded to the Athletics in the Mason Miller deal. De Vries looks like a future fantasy star with elite bat-to-ball skills and speed to burn on the basepaths. Even though he is still very young at 19, look for him to debut with the Athletics in 2027.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Xavier Hutchinson a Deep-League Waiver-Wire Candidate
With Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) potentially missing another game in Week 3 against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts this weekend, Xavier Hutchinson should be on the waiver-wire radar this week. Hutchinson did not exactly stand out in the box score in the Week 2 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday with Collins sidelined -- he caught three of his nine targets for 37 yards -- but he was targeted a team-high nine times and played 81% of the offensive snaps, which was the most among Houston's pass-catchers. If Collins misses a second straight game this weekend, Hutchinson will be in line for an elevated role again and could be a nice sleeper flex play in deeper leagues against a Colts defense that has allowed a league-high 337.5 passing yards per game through he first two weeks of the season. Through two games in his fourth NFL season, Hutchinson has six grabs on 15 targets for 69 scoreless yards. He is rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues, so he is widely available.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jamie Arnold Flashes Potential In First Minor-League Season
In his first minor league season, Athletics pitching prospect Jamie Arnold showed off some of his potential, pitching at two different minor-league levels. Between Double-A Midland and Triple- A Las Vegas, Arnold finished with a 7-6 record and a combined 3.50 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. He struck out 130 batters over 118 1/3 combined innings. The 22-year-old left-handed pitcher out of Florida State had an extremely promising first professional season even though he exited the season early with an injury. Arnold is the No. 3 overall prospect for the Athletics and has a 60-grade slider with a 55-grade fastball and a 50-grade changeup. An experienced prospect out of college, Arnold showed his promise this year in the minor leagues. He should make his way up to the Athletics and make his big-league debut in 2027, looking like a future fantasy starter.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Drew Lock Could Have Streaming Potential Again in Week 3
Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Drew Lock has led the defending Super Bowl champions to a 2-0 start in 2026 after starting QB Sam Darnold injured his glute early in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. The 29-year-old has completed 35 of his 48 pass attempts (72.9%) while throwing for 422 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He was much better in the Week 2 win over the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, going 19-for-26 for 235 yards and three touchdowns in an easy 31-7 blowout. Darnold is making good progress from his injury and could return to practice this week, so it is up in the air right now whether he will have a realistic chance to make his return this weekend. If Seattle plays it safe and holds Darnold out for another week, Lock will have plenty of streaming potential in a Week 3 matchup this Sunday against a Washington Commanders defense that just allowed four passing touchdowns to Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. Lock is only rostered in 4% of Yahoo leagues, but he will make for an interesting QB2 streamer in superflex leagues if he makes a second straight start for Seattle this week.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Gage Wood Has Extremely High Upside With Elite Fastball
Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Gage Wood had a bit of mixed results during his age-22 minor-league season in 2026. Wood pitched to a combined 1-5 record between Single-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. He showed a good strikeout rate with 139 strikeouts in 95 combined innings pitched and posted a 4.36 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Wood has enormous potential as the top prospect in the Phillies' system and possesses a 70-grade fastball with a 55-grade curveball, 50-grade slider, and 45-grade changeup. He still has room to improve his offspeed stuff, but his fastball is pretty much major-league level. He can strike out batters with his elite fastball, but he is working hard to improve his changeup. The minor league numbers weren't necessarily elite this season, but expect Wood to get a look at some point in Philadelphia in 2027.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Aaron Judge Likely to Miss Wild-Card Series
New York Yankees superstar outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) is likely to miss the American League wild-card series against the division-rival Boston Red Sox next week, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We're planning on him not being a part of that," manager Aaron Boone said. Judge received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right calf on Monday during the team's off day. After recently returning from a stress fracture in his rib that kept him out for the majority of the 2026 season, Judge injured his right calf and was placed on the 10-day injured list last weekend. If the Yankees advance past the Red Sox in the wild-card series, it is unclear if Judge will be available to play in the Divisional Series, and it likely depends on how much progress he is able to make before then. In the meantime, Heliot Ramos is expected to see most of the playing time in right field for the Yanks. Not having the three-time MVP will be a huge loss for the Yankees to begin the playoffs. Judge has only played in 66 games in 2026, slashing .241/.360/.511 with an .871 OPS, 18 home runs, 41 RBI, 45 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 285 plate appearances.
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Jacob Cowing Should Have Bigger Role With 49ers
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (ankle) suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins and is a candidate for Injured Reserve. With Ricky Pearsall (knee) out for the season and rookie second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) out for around 10 weeks, The Athletic's Matt Barrows points out Jacob Cowing as a receiver who could replace Robinson for however long he is out. Cowing's 24 snaps in Week 2 were the most since he had 50 in the 2024 regular-season finale, which came two weeks after the 49ers had been eliminated from the postseason. Jordan Watkins, who has been a healthy scratch for the first two weeks of the season, will also likely be used as receiver depth with the Niners really hurting at the position. The 25-year-old Cowing, a fourth-rounder from Arizona in 2024, did not play at all last year and caught four of six targets for 80 yards in 15 games as a rookie. He is not currently rostered in any Yahoo leagues and is strictly a deep-league dart throw for fantasy managers devastated by injuries already at the WR position.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
Ethan Holliday Will Be Crushing Balls At Coors Field Soon
Colorado Rockies top shortstop prospect Ethan Holliday missed the last four months of the 2026 season with a stress fracture to his left foot and, at age 19, will look to make the most of his 2027 season. Holliday played in 33 games for Single-A Fresno and showed unbelievable promise with nine homers and 32 RBI while hitting .262 with 29 runs scored. The left-handed hitting shortstop is the top overall prospect in the Rockies' system with a 50-grade hit tool with 65-grade power and 50-grade speed. He is still very young and raw, and the injury was unfortunate for his age-19 season. But in his brief time healthy with Fresno, he showed off elite power, which is in line with how he is rated as a prospect. He has the bloodline as the son of Matt Holliday and brother of Jackson Holliday. It might take a few years, but he should be crushing baseballs at Coors Field in the near future.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
