RADIO
All Three Raiders QBs "Deserve First-Team Reps"
When asked if rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick in April's NFL draft, has earned more first-team reps after a strong performance in Thursday's preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said, "All three of those guys deserve first-team reps." Kubiak was referring to Mendoza and QBs Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell. Mendoza went 10-for-16 passing for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in the 27-14 loss to Arizona, adding two rushing attempts for six yards in his NFL debut on Thursday. The Indiana product looked more comfortable as the night went on and led the Raiders on a 10-play, 79-yard drive that concluded with a six-yard touchdown pass to second-year receiver Jack Bech. Mendoza had a solid night for sure and could be pushing Cousins for the Week 1 starting job, but Kubiak did say after the game that it's still Cousins' "job to lose." If Mendoza continues to look good in the preseason and in training camp practices, we could see the 22-year-old leading the Raiders' offense in the 2026 regular season sooner rather than later.
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
Source: ESPN.com - Ryan McFadden
Will Shipley Slipping Off the Redraft Radar
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley has a tough path to fantasy relevance entering his third season. He barely touched the ball in 2025, finishing with 14 carries for 49 yards and nine catches for 56 yards, while most of his work came as a kick returner. That part of his job is still safe. Philadelphia lists Shipley first at kick returner, but the offensive depth chart is another story. Saquon Barkley is first, Tank Bigsby is second, and Shipley is in the third group. Bigsby averaged 5.9 yards per carry after joining the Eagles last season, and he has continued getting meaningful work in camp. During Tuesday's run-out-the-clock period, Barkley and Bigsby were the backs getting carries. Barkley did have his left foot and ankle checked by a trainer Thursday, but there is no diagnosis yet and nothing to suggest Shipley suddenly moves up. His receiving ability gives Philadelphia another option if injuries pile up, but right now he looks more useful to the Eagles than to fantasy managers. In standard redraft leagues, Shipley is hard to justify as anything more than a very deep stash.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian Kirk Rested During Preseason Opener
San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf) did not play in the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Veteran Mike Evans (quadriceps) was also held out as a precaution. Both Kirk and Evans have missed practice recently in training camp with what are considered minor injuries, but they may both be cleared to play in the second preseason tilt next Thursday, Aug. 20, against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road. The 29-year-old was brought in this offseason to bolster San Fran's receiving corps out of the slot. Ricky Pearsall (knee) has already been knocked out for the entire 2026 campaign, but the team's recent addition of Deebo Samuel Sr. has been bad news for Kirk's potential upside in his first year in the Bay Area. Kirk had only 28 catches on 52 targets for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 regular-season games for the Houston Texans a year ago, and he continues to be hampered by injuries. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues will be ignoring Kirk on draft day.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Jordyn Tyson's Hamstring Injury Confirmed, Timeline Unclear
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) has a confirmed hamstring injury after leaving Thursday's joint practice with Jacksonville. Head coach Kellen Moore told reporters Friday that the Saints are still gathering information and don't have a timeline yet, according to Nick Underhill. That's worth watching closely with Tyson's recent injury history. The No. 8 overall pick missed four games at Arizona State last season with separate hamstring injuries and had his workload managed by New Orleans during the offseason after another hamstring issue. Tyson was healthy enough to return for training camp and had been working with the first-team offense before Thursday's exit. He caught 61 passes for 711 yards and eight touchdowns during his final college season and is expected to have a significant role alongside Chris Olave in New Orleans. There was some optimism Thursday that the injury wasn't serious, but Moore's comments make the next update on Tyson's timetable the important one. UPDATE: Moore said that Tyson has a right-hamstring injury, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football.
Source: Nick Underhill
Source: Nick Underhill
Edward Cabrera to Rejoin Cubs' Rotation on Sunday Against Cardinals
Chicago Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (hamstring) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start on Sunday against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, manager Craig Counsell told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Cabrera will return to Chicago's rotation for the first time since suffering a strained hamstring in late June. Although he struck out 15 and walked just one batter in his nine innings over three minor-league rehab starts, fantasy managers have every right to be hesitant to trust the 28-year-old Dominican hurler now that he's on the verge of returning to the big leagues. Cabrera has been inconsistent in 2026 in his first year with the Cubbies, going 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA (5.04 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 29 walks in 72 1/3 frames over his 14 starts. He only threw 65 pitches in his last rehab outing, too, so we'd recommend avoiding him in his first start back this Sunday versus St. Louis. With Cabrera returning, left-hander David Peterson is now a candidate to shift back to the bullpen.
Source: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney
Source: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney
49ers Remove Brandon Aiyuk's Locker Stall
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's locker stall has been removed from the team's locker room, according to David Lombardi. His stall had remained there even after Aiyuk left the squad late last season, but it is no longer in place. Aiyuk remains under contract with San Francisco and is still on the Reserve/Left Squad list, so nothing has officially changed with his status. The disappearing locker is another sign of a relationship that has been headed toward a split for months. The 49ers voided Aiyuk's guaranteed money for 2026 last year, and general manager John Lynch said in January that it was safe to say the 28-year-old had played his final snap for the team. Aiyuk hasn't appeared in a game since suffering a serious right knee injury in October 2024 and missed all of last season. Until his status is resolved, there remains little reason to expect him back on the field for San Francisco.
Source: David Lombardi
Source: David Lombardi
Oneil Cruz Won't Rejoin the Pirates on Friday Night
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) is expected to continue his minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona on Friday night, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cruz will not be joining the Pirates for their series opener against the Boston Red Sox. It's unclear if the Pirates will consider activating Cruz from the 60-day injured list for the remainder of the weekend series against the BoSox. Through four rehab games so far at Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, the left-handed slugger has gone 2-for-13 at the plate with six strikeouts and three walks. He probably won't return to the big-league roster until he plays in back-to-back games in center field, so fantasy managers should probably not expect him back in Pittsburgh until at least early next week. The five-category contributor has been sidelined since the middle of June with a fractured hand, but he should remain stashed in all fantasy baseball leagues with the potential to be a difference-maker in the final month of the regular season. The 27-year-old Dominican was hitting .264/.350/.472 with an .822 OPS, 14 homers, 44 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 45 runs in 250 at-bats before his hand injury in 2026.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
Jordan Lyle Arrested on Reckless Driving, Aggravated Fleeing Charges
Miami Hurricanes running back Jordan Lyle was arrested Thursday in Broward County on charges of reckless driving and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer at high speed, according to Adam Lichtenstein. Lyle was booked into Broward Main Jail and released on $55,000 bond later that day. The aggravated-fleeing charge is a second-degree felony. Miami acknowledged the incident Friday morning, saying it would have no further comment while due legal process runs its course. Lyle had been having a strong camp before the arrest. Mario Cristobal said Tuesday that the junior was healthy again and back to playing at full speed after injuries limited him to 108 rushing yards and one touchdown in six games last season. Lyle ran for 400 yards and four scores as a freshman in 2024 and was pushing for more work in Miami's deep backfield this fall. The school's statement did not announce any discipline or change to his availability.
Source: Adam Lichtenstein
Source: Adam Lichtenstein
Kaelon Black Still Dealing With Thigh Injury, Sits Out Preseason Opener
San Francisco 49ers rookie third-round running back Kaelon Black (thigh) missed out on a big opportunity to cement himself as a depth option in the team's backfield behind Christian McCaffrey going into his first year in the NFL and was held out of the preseason opener on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The good news is that Black's primary competition, Jordan James (ribs), was also held out. The 24-year-old Black has a big believer in head coach Kyle Shanahan, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he'll beat out James in 2026 to become the primary change-of-pace option behind the oft-injured CMC. The 5-foot-9, 211-pounder didn't have amazing production in college at James Madison and Indiana, and he's old for a rookie. Going into the 2026 season, Black will be a handcuff option to McCaffrey, at best, in deeper leagues if he's able to beat out James.
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
Brock Bowers Plays Just One Snap in Preseason Opener
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers wasn't on the field for long in Thursday night's preseason-opening loss to the visiting Arizona Cardinals, as he played just one offensive snap before coming out of the game. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Ashton Jeanty stayed in a bit longer with the starting offense, but the Raiders weren't going to take any chances with their star TE. The 23-year-old former 13th overall pick from the University of Georgia battled a knee injury last year and finished with only 64 receptions for 680 yards in 12 games, but he still managed to post a career-high seven touchdown receptions on 86 targets. It was a step back after his 112-1,194-5 line in 17 games as a rookie in 2024. With an improved QB situation with Cousins/rookie Fernando Mendoza in new head coach Klint Kubiak's offense, the sky is the limit for Bowers, which is why he's the consensus top fantasy football TE in most formats going into Year 3. Despite missing five games due to injury last year, Bowers still managed to finish as the TE10 in half-PPR scoring.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Joshua Baez Continues to Slug His Way to Major-League Call-Up
St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Joshua Baez has done nothing but hit for power all year long at Triple-A Memphis and he is hoping it leads soon to an MLB debut. At Memphis, Baez has 34 homers and 90 RBI with 79 runs scored and 21 steals while hitting .256. Not many players in the minors can boast 30-plus homers and 20-plus stolen bases. The power-speed combination is elite and the Cardinals seem to have an opening in the outfield outside regulars Jordan Walker and Nathan Church. Baez is the No. 3 prospect for the Cardinals and has 60-grade power with a 50-grade hit tool and 50-grade speed. At 23 years old, Baez is primed to make his MLB debut this season and it would be wise for fantasy managers to stock up on Baez shares in redraft leagues as he could be a game-changer late in the season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Javonte Williams Excited About Cowboys' Offense in 2026
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams had a career year in his first season in Dallas in 2025, rushing for a career-high 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns to earn a three-year, $24 million contract extension with the team in February. Going into his second season with the Cowboys, Williams is excited about the potential of the offense, according to Tommy Yarrish of the team's official website. "Just a whole other level of maturity," Williams said of Dallas' offense this year. "I feel like we hit the ground running. We didn't really start from the ground up, we just kind of built on what we could've done better last year. I feel like we're executing and communicating well." Personally, Williams said his conditioning is in a better place as he heads into his second year in Dallas and his sixth year in the NFL. In one of the league's highest-scoring offenses, Williams should carry a high fantasy floor as a low-end RB1/high-end RB2 in 2026.
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Tommy Yarrish
Source: DallasCowboys.com - Tommy Yarrish
Josue Briceno Hoping There is One More Promotion For Him Coming Soon
Detroit Tigers catcher/first base prospect Josue Briceno was promoted to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens on August 11 and is hoping he can play his way to a promotion to the Tigers big league club. Briceno is coming back from a right wrist injury that sidelined him for much of this season and has played for four different levels of the minors this season, combining to hit nine homers and 25 RBI in 104 at bats with 18 runs scored while hitting .279. In just three games with the Mud Hens, Briceno already has three RBI and is hitting 3-for-11. The left-handed hitter is the No. 5 prospect for the Tigers and is blessed with 60-grade power. At the big-league level, the Tigers are well stocked at the catcher position with Dillon Dingler and Eduardo Valencia with Spencer Torkelson manning first base. It's looking like 2027 might be a more likely timeline for Briceno to join the Tigers.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Jonah Tong Hopes Improved Results Lead to Spot in Mets' Rotation
New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong tossed four innings of one-run ball in his last start for Triple-A Syracuse but got a no-decision after walking four batters and giving up four hits and striking out six. Other than a start before his most recent one when he gave up five earned runs, Tong has actually been quite good for Syracuse and could be looked at to make another appearance for the big-league club before the season ends. For the Mets this season, Tong pitched three relief appearances and recorded a 1-1 record after allowing four earned runs in 10 innings pitched. Tong is the No. 5 prospect for the Mets and boasts a 60-grade fastball-changeup combination. The right-hander has pitched in a starting role at Syracuse this year and is trying to get back into the Mets' rotation before the end of the season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
MarShawn Lloyd Takes Every Snap with First Team, Earns Five Touches
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd took every snap with the first-team offense during Green Bay's 28-9 defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Lloyd, the third-year pro out of USC, took every snap with the first-team offense on the Packers' first drive and earned four carries for 13 yards and caught his only target for minus-four yards. Josh Jacobs (groin) was sidelined, clearing the way for Lloyd to gobble up all the first-team work. It's been an odyssey for Lloyd in his pro career, who has been more injured than not heading into his third season as a pro with just seven career touches of the football in that time. That said, he's getting the first crack to be the main spell behind Jacobs. Consider Lloyd a worthwhile bench stash in deeper leagues, but a name to certainly keep in the back of your mind after drafts conclude.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
