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AJ Smith-Shawver to Start on Wednesday Against Twins
The Atlanta Braves will start right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It will be only Smith-Shawver's second start in the big leagues this year after returning from Tommy John surgery. His first start with Atlanta in 2026 came on July 29 against the division-rival New York Mets, when he allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four in only 4 1/3 innings for a no-decision. The 23-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2021 has fared better in seven minor-league starts (28 2/3 innings) this year with Single-A Augusta and Triple-A Gwinnett, going 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 34:9 K:BB. Whether Smith-Shawver sticks around in Atlanta for more starts going forward could depend on how he does in his start on Wednesday against the Twins. In his first three years in the big leagues, Smith-Shawver posted a 3.77 ERA (4.79 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 34 walks in 74 innings across 16 outings (15 starts). UPDATE: Smith-Shawver is expected to stay in Atlanta's rotation behind his start on Wednesday.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
Za'Darius Smith Coming Out of Retirement to Join Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith on Tuesday, bringing the three-time Pro Bowler out of retirement less than a year after he stepped away from the NFL. Smith retired on Oct. 13, 2025 after playing five games for Philadelphia, where he recorded 1.5 sacks. He was much more productive the year before, finishing 2024 with nine sacks while splitting time between Cleveland and Detroit. Atlanta has an immediate need on the edge. Jalon Walker is out for the season with a torn ACL, while James Pearce Jr. will miss the first eight games because of a league suspension. Smith also has some familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski from their time together in Cleveland. He turns 34 in September and has not played since last October, so his early workload is still something to watch. Even so, Smith brings 70.5 career sacks to a Falcons front that suddenly needed another proven option.
Source: Jonathan Jones
Source: Jonathan Jones
Trey Benson Not Yet Ready for 11-on-11 Drills
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) was back at practice Monday, but head coach Mike LaFleur said Tuesday that Benson is not yet ready for 11-on-11 drills. The third-year back has been dealing with another flare-up in the surgically repaired left knee that limited him to four games last season. He ran well when he was out there, finishing 2025 with 160 yards on 29 carries and another 64 yards on 13 catches. The problem now is time. Arizona has to cut its roster to 53 players on Aug. 30, and Benson is currently listed fourth on the depth chart behind Tyler Allgeier, Jeremiyah Love and James Conner. Love is dealing with an ankle injury and Conner still hasn't done 11-on-11 work either, so there is an opening if Benson can get healthy enough to take advantage of it. For now, though, Monday's return was only a first step. He still has to show the Cardinals he can handle full team work before cutdown day.
Source: Theo Mackie
Source: Theo Mackie
Chris Bell Ramping Up Practice Work
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) will remain in a red non-contact jersey Tuesday, but head coach Jeff Hafley said the rookie is set to do a little more after making his practice debut Monday. Bell was activated from the non-football injury list Monday as he works back from the torn ACL he suffered at Louisville on Nov. 22. He only took part in individual drills in his first session back. The next step is team work while still wearing red, though Hafley said he doesn't expect Bell to practice against the Giants or play in Saturday's preseason game. Miami is taking this one slowly. Bell, the 94th overall pick in April, caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last season before the injury ended his year. There's still no clear date for full contact. Bell getting back onto the field matters, but he's not close enough yet for fantasy managers to count on an immediate role.
Source: Marcel-Louis Jacques
Source: Marcel-Louis Jacques
Xander Schauffele Continues to Impress Ahead of BMW Championship
After a poor stretch through the middle of the year, Xander Schauffele has now recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes after his T7 in Memphis. The iron play and putting were the problem areas, but both have rebounded nicely, averaging 0.513 strokes gained putting and 0.843 on approach in his last three tournaments. If there were any lingering qualms heading to Bellerive this week for the two-time major champion, it would be in three-putt avoidance, where he ranks 108th this year. However, this week should be more heavily focused on making birdies than at TPC Southwind. Schauffele is still the caliber of player that could pop off at any tournament, which should grant him plenty of DFS viability come Thursday.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Jayden Higgins Leaves Practice With Leg Injury
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (leg) left Tuesday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders after going down during a red-zone period. Trainers checked on him for several seconds before Higgins got back up and left the field under his own power. He did not return. C.J. Stroud offered some encouragement afterward, saying he thinks Higgins will be fine, but Houston has not announced a diagnosis or timetable. Higgins has been one of the standouts of Texans camp after catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He started 10 games last season and has been pushing for a bigger role in Year 2. That makes the injury worth watching even if the early signs aren't especially alarming. Stroud's reaction helps, and so does Higgins getting off the field on his own. The next update from Houston will carry more weight than either, especially if Higgins has to miss practice time.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
CJ Abrams "Not Thrilled" With Move to Second Base
The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum reports that Washington Nationals two-time All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams "remains uneasy" about the team's decision to move him from shortstop to second base, according to his agent, Mike Sanders. However, both Abrams and the Nationals' front office have a desire to find common ground despite "lingering disagreement about the timing and the necessity of the position change." "I think, first, CJ was not thrilled about the decision to move him off shortstop at this time," Sanders said. "But his priority is to win games for the Nationals and to be a team-first player, so that is what he's going to do." Abrams views himself as a shortstop long-term and plans to spend the winter focusing on improving his defense at his preferred position. The 25-year-old is in the middle of an offensive breakout in 2026 -- he ranks sixth in FanGraphs' offensive value -- but he also ranks last in baseball in several defensive metrics despite his athleticism. For fantasy purposes, if Abrams' move to second does not tank his offensive numbers, it will boost his fantasy appeal by giving him eligibility at both second and shortstop for the 2027 campaign.
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Source: The Athletic - Spencer Nusbaum
Jaylen Waddle Back in Full Pads Tuesday
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) was in full pads Tuesday, another step forward after returning to practice Monday. Waddle had been out since leaving an Aug. 5 practice with a muscle strain in his left leg. Head coach Sean Payton initially expected him back within four or five days, but Denver gave him more time. He was nearly a full participant Monday and even caught a pass from Bo Nix during a red-zone period. Now the pads are back on. Waddle came over from Miami in a March trade after posting 64 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games last season. Denver gave up first-, third- and fourth-round picks in that deal while also getting a fourth-rounder back with Waddle. The Broncos have plenty invested in him, and he is expected to be a major part of the passing game alongside Courtland Sutton. After almost two weeks of dealing with the strain, Tuesday's step is a good sign.
Source: Chris Tomasson
Source: Chris Tomasson
Justin Herbert to Start Preseason Game on Thursday
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that the team's starters will play a series on Thursday in the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, including quarterback Justin Herbert, according to Steve Wyche of the NFL Network. It will be important for Herbert in terms of game operation and to get game reps with new center Tyler Biadasz. It will be the first preseason action this year for the 28-year-old after he sat out the opener last week against the Houston Texans. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has given the 28-year-old signal-caller plenty of praise for picking up his offense extremely quickly during training camp. McDaniel should put Herbert in a better position to succeed in 2026 in his sixth year in the league, and with his dual-threat abilities at the position, Herbert will be an intriguing midrange QB1 for fantasy managers after the big names come off the board. Although the Chargers' receiving corps does not strike fear in opposing defenses, the Chargers' offense should be more explosive with McDaniel running the show.
Source: NFL Network - Steve Wyche
Source: NFL Network - Steve Wyche
Tyquan Thornton Suffers Strained Hamstring on Tuesday
The Kansas City Chiefs are saying that wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (hamstring) suffered a strained hamstring in Tuesday's training camp practice, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. Thornton had to be carted to the locker room, so he is probably looking at missing some time going forward, although it's unclear if his hamstring strain is serious enough to potentially keep him out of the Week 1 Monday night showdown against the division-rival Denver Broncos. The 26-year-old almost certainly will not be active this Saturday for the preseason contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Thornton misses extensive time, it will give rookie Cyrus Allen and Jalen Royals more of an opportunity to earn WR3 duties in KC behind starters Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Thornton, a former second-rounder by the New England Patriots from Baylor, caught 19 of 37 targets for a career-high 438 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games in his first year with the Chiefs in 2025. If fully healthy, he mostly profiles as an unpredictable boom/bust downfield threat for the Chiefs' offense. It is hard to justify drafting Thornton in 12-team fantasy leagues if both Rice and Worthy are fully healthy.
Source: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
Source: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
Najee Harris Signs With the Giants
The New York Giants are signing free-agent running back Najee Harris (Achilles) to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The veteran Harris will be added to an already crowded Giants' RB room that includes Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary. The 28-year-old former first-rounder in 2021 by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of Alabama had four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to begin his career in the Steel City before playing in just three games in 2025 with the Los Angeles Chargers due to a torn Achilles tendon. Harris appears to be fully recovered from his injury after impressing the Giants during his visit with the team on Monday, but he will have a steep hill to climb in 2026 for a fantasy-relevant role in the Big Apple. For now, Harris should remain off the fantasy football radar in standard-sized leagues. In his three games with the Bolts last year, Harris had 15 carries for 61 yards on the ground while catching all three of his targets for 25 yards.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Tommy Fleetwood is Still a Great DFS Addition But His Ceiling Seems Limited
Like everyone else last week at TPC Southwind, Tommy Fleetwood couldn't make enough birdies to make up ground on the lead. It was the second event in his last three starts in which he's lost strokes on putting, and while he continues to post modest ball-striking numbers, they're not at the level needed to win. He continues to have some of the best hands around the greens, but an upcoming Bellerive Country Club may require lower scores than last week. That would limit the ability of Fleetwood's second-ranked strokes gained around the green, and the continued putting woes add to that fear. It isn't to say the 35-year-old is someone to avoid, but the ceiling is lower at a place that asks questions he hasn't been able to answer.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Fernando Mendoza Gets Extensive Reps With First-Team Offense
Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza got extensive reps with the first-team offense on Tuesday during the team's joint practice with the Houston Texans, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Veteran Kirk Cousins would go first, but Mendoza subbed in for a few team periods. The first overall pick from Indiana is gaining steam to potentially steal the starting gig from Cousins to begin the 2026 regular season, and he looked like a future star in his NFL debut in last Thursday's preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, going 10-for-16 passing for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He also had six yards rushing. Cousins will most likely open the year as the Raiders' starter under center, but if Mendoza continues to impress, he will get his shot sooner rather than later. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues must still temper expectations, as Mendoza could face a steep learning curve with a weak collection of receivers if he is making starts in 2026.
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren
Sam Burns Still Searching For a Win at BMW Championship
If golf tournaments ended after 54 holes, Sam Burns would be the unquestioned player-of-the-year frontrunner. His play had kept him within striking distance entering the final round last week in Memphis, but a three-over-par 73 continued an all-too-familiar trend. Even with the incredible ball striking on display, it overshadows an underlying problem that his statistics in that area have suffered immensely on Sunday compared to the first three days. The former LSU Tiger clearly has the resilience needed to become a winner. He'll have another opportunity this week at the BMW Championship, as Bellerive Country Club sets up well for his current iron play trends and affinity for making putts.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Ketel Marte Returning to Arizona for MRI on his Knee
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (knee) is returning to Arizona to undergo an MRI exam on his knee, a source told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Marte did not show up to the team's series opener on Monday in Boston against the Red Sox and was placed on the restricted list due to a personal matter. In addition to a personal issue, the 32-year-old All-Star is not 100% healthy, even though it was reported on Monday that he was physically fine. The D-backs are considering him day-to-day for now, but it sure feels like Marte might be looking at an extended absence with everything that he is currently going through. In the meantime, Ildemaro Vargas, who made the start at the keystone in Monday's loss at Fenway Park, should see most of the playing time at second until Marte returns. Marte, a three-time All-Star, is currently hitting .249/.314/.446 with a .760 OPS, 21 home runs, 67 RBI, 65 runs scored, and four steals in 118 games this year. He is a must-start in fantasy lineups when he is active, and he needs to be stashed in all leagues while he is away from the team.
Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
Source: The Arizona Republic - Nick Piecoro
