RADIO
Josh Downs Dealing with Calf Injury
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (calf) is sidelined with a calf injury, per Mike Chappell of FOX59. The 25-year-old was also unable to practice on Tuesday, and it appears this injury will keep him sidelined for a bit longer. Managers should continue to pay close attention to his status ahead of the final week of the preseason. Downs is expected to take on a much larger role in 2026 with Michael Pittman Jr. now in Pittsburgh. Additionally, the team's top wideout, Alec Pierce, is battling an ankle injury and has yet to return to practice. While the Colts did sign veteran wideout Keenan Allen earlier this month, Downs figures to open the season in a prominent role. In 2025, Downs brought in 58 passes for 566 yards and four scores. If he were to move past this injury, the wideout could have post-hype breakout appeal with a full-time role. UPDATE: Downs said he's dealing with a "very minor" calf injury.
Source: Mike Chappell
Source: Mike Chappell
Zac Thornton Remains a High-End Starting Pitcher Streamer
New York Mets starting pitcher Zac Thornton put together another solid outing in his team's 3-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, allowing one earned run while striking out four across six innings of work. The 24-year-old is in the midst of an impressive rookie season, as he's recorded a 3-4 record with a 2.88 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts across 56 1/3 innings (10 starts). Thornton is averaging just 91.9 miles per hour on his fastball and has posted just a 17.9% strikeout rate, limiting his high-end fantasy upside. Still, the crafty lefty limits free passes (6.3% walk rate), and his ability to pitch to contact has allowed him to work deep into games. He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine out of his 10 appearances and has already logged six quality starts. As a matchup-dependent streamer, Thornton offers clear appeal on the waiver wire for deep-league fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Still Out With Lower-Body Injury
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (lower body) remains sidelined at Wednesday's training camp practice, according to Tashan Reed of The Washington Post. Croskey-Merritt is believed to be day-to-day with a groin injury that he suffered in practice last Thursday. Rachaad White (hamstring) and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) have also been banged up lately, so Washington's backfield is a little beat up right now. Head coach Dan Quinn said last week that Croskey-Merritt is expected to return to training camp practice at some point this week, so he should be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in early September. The 25-year-old had a successful rookie year in 2025 after he was a seventh-round pick out of Arizona, leading the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries while also catching nine passes for 68 yards as a receiver in 17 games. The Commanders are giving Bill every opportunity to earn a bigger role in the backfield, but the offseason addition of pass-catching specialist White will likely keep his overall fantasy upside limited, especially in PPR leagues. RotoBaller currently has JCM ranked as the No. 37 fantasy RB for 2026.
Source: The Washington Post - Tashan Reed
Source: The Washington Post - Tashan Reed
Henry Bolte a High-End Speed Source to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across 341 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is hitting .276/.351/.379 with six home runs, 26 RBI, 37 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. The 23-year-old has established himself as the A's everyday center fielder and has now batted in the leadoff spot in his team's lineup in 10 out of his last 11 games. Bolte's elevated 27.6% strikeout rate is a potential red flag in his profile. However, he's logged a stellar 47.4% hard-hit rate and has logged a 63.3% ground ball rate. His tendency to hit the ball on the ground limits his power upside, but when combined with his speed, it should allow him to continue producing an elite batting average on balls in play. Bolte's BABIP across 488 minor league plate appearances in 2025 was .407, and he's logged a .379 BABIP in the big leagues in 2026. For fantasy managers in need of speed, runs scored, and some batting average, Bolte offers clear waiver wire appeal.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eli Stowers Likely to be a Game-Day Inactive
Philadelphia Eagles rookie tight end Eli Stowers is athletic and versatile at 6-foot-4 and 239 pounds, which is undersized for a tight end. He was a high school quarterback, but he shifted to TE at Vanderbilt and lined up all over the formation to create mismatches against slower linebackers and smaller defensive backs. The downside is that Stowers was a big receiver coming out of college and would need to become a better blocker to develop into a well-rounded NFL tight end. Throughout training camp, Stowers has not "shown much to get excited about as a receiver or as a blocker." He has not exhibited explosive traits, and he has "sometimes looked tentative as a blocker." The hope is that Stowers will eventually catch up and begin playing fast, but Kempski says Stowers is "unplayable" right now and will "likely be a game-day inactive." He is also currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, which is not helping his cause. With all that said, Kempski does not believe that Stowers will be a "redshirt" IR candidate in 2026 after they used a valuable second-round pick on him.
Source: Philly Voice - Jimmy Kempski
Source: Philly Voice - Jimmy Kempski
Parks Harber Makes Push for Late-Season Promotion
San Francisco Giants infield/outfield prospect Parks Harber's strong campaign at Triple-A continued on Tuesday, with a three-hit game that included a double, a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored. The effort pushed his slash line to a robust .313/.401/.492 with five home runs in 32 games for Sacramento. The Giants' 13th-ranked prospect earned the promotion to Triple-A after a strong showing at Double-A to begin the year, and now finds himself on the doorstep of the majors. There is a chance the 6-foot-3 slugger makes his MLB debut this season, however, he is not on the 40-man roster and was not one of the three players recalled from Triple-A this past Sunday, so he'll have to wait a bit longer. The ability to play both infield (1B, 3B) and all over the outfield gives him versatility and multiple pathways to the majors. The 24-year-old strikes out more than average, but has shown a propensity to hit for a high average throughout his minor league career, and with 17 home runs across both levels this year, there is enough power to make him interesting for fantasy. Even so, he's realistically only stashworthy in very deep 15+ team leagues or NL-only leagues, and outside of those, you could likely snag him off the waiver wire if he were to be called up.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Spencer Jones Establishing Himself as a Priority Waiver-Wire Target
Across 182 plate appearances in 2026, New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones is hitting .233/.313/.429 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, 21 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The 25-year-old remains a potential batting average liability due to his swing-and-miss tendencies, as he's struck out in 35.2% of his trips to the plate. However, Jones' underlying batted-ball metrics are elite, as he's posted a 15.2% barrel rate and a 57.6% hard-hit rate. The lefty slugger is also in the midst of a hot streak at the plate, recording seven hits and two home runs in his last 19 plate appearances. There was some thought that Jones would be sent down when Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger returned from the injured list on Sunday. Instead, Jones has remained on the roster and looks to be on the big side of a platoon in right field for the Yankees with outfielder Heliot Ramos. With his immense power/speed upside, Jones should be a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers in leagues where he's not already rostered.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zay Flowers Not Participating in Joint Practice with Commanders
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (undisclosed) is not participating in Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders after also missing Monday's practice. Flowers missed time early in training camp with a quadriceps injury but had returned to action and had not appeared to reaggravate the injury. He was seen on the field on Monday in sneakers and a T-shirt and looked to be moving without limitation, so his absence may be part of a planned veteran rest, but his status bears monitoring. Coming off a career year in which he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards, Flowers is expected to be a focal point of Declan Doyle's offense that has placed an emphasis on explosive plays while working more regularly from under center, and he is RotoBaller's WR15.
Source: Brian Wacker
Source: Brian Wacker
Nick Sogard Emerging as a Deep-League Target Amidst August Hot Streak
Across 160 plate appearances in 2026, Boston Red Sox infielder Nick Sogard is hitting .275/.389/.405 with two home runs, 10 RBI, and 20 runs scored. The 28-year-old has spent much of the season in the minors, logging 224 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. However, Sogard appears to have taken over a near-everyday role as Boston's leadoff hitter in recent weeks. Sogard's carrying tool is his ability to get on base, as he's posted a 15.6% walk rate in the big leagues and logged a 19.3% walk rate during his time at Triple-A. While Sogard is unlikely to provide much power production for fantasy managers, he profiles as an asset in both batting average and runs scored, as long as he continues to set the table for Boston's potent lineup. In deeper leagues, Sogard has value on the waiver wire as a versatile depth piece.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
EJ Crowell Unlikely to Play in Week 1?
Alabama freshman running back EJ Crowell (ankle) could be "iffy" to make his collegiate debut against East Carolina in Week 1, according to On3's Chris Low. The five-star recruit has flashed big-time upside in his first fall camp, but he suffered a minor ankle injury and has been out of practice. Head coach Kalen DeBoer said the team is not rushing Crowell back to action, and a return for the SEC opener against Kentucky in Week 3 is a realistic expectation. Crowell is expected to have a significant role right away for the Tide, but the start to his career could be delayed. If he's out of action, along with AK Dear (ankle), Daniel Hill and freshman running back Trae'shawn Brown are expected to carry the load for the first few weeks of the new campaign.
Source: Chris Low - On3
Source: Chris Low - On3
George Kittle Not Yet Participating in Competitive Periods
San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle (Achilles) was activated from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list on Sunday and has since taken part in two training camp practices, though his involvement has been limited to non-competitive periods, according to 49ers digital editor Brooke Evans. On Tuesday, Kittle continued to run routes against air while working with quarterbacks and the offensive line in hopes of a potential return to action for a Week 1 divisional matchup with the Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Kittle ruptured his Achilles in a Wild Card playoff game against the Eagles less than eight months ago and has made remarkable progress just to get to this point, but now almost 33 years old and coming off a serious injury, there are reasons to fade Kittle as draft season ramps up. That said, he has been one of the position's most exciting and productive players for the better part of a decade, and even without the benefit of a possible early-season IR stash, he could prove to be one of the best values in 2026 drafts at his current ADP of TE13.
Source: Brooke Evans
Source: Brooke Evans
AK Dear Expected to Miss A Few Games
Alabama running back AK Dear (ankle) is expected to miss a few games at the start of the 2026 season, according to On3's Chris Low. The sophomore impressed this fall before getting banged up in the team's first preseason scrimmage. However, it was originally feared that he would miss up to half the season. That's not the case anymore. "He's going to miss a few games," Head coach Kalen DeBoer said. "But it's not going to be something where I expect him to miss five or six games. I think he should be back before then." Dear played in five games as a freshman last season, posting 19 carries for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He added three receptions for 18 yards. With freshman running back EJ Crowell (ankle) also dealing with an injury, Daniel Hill is slated to lead the backfield early in the year, though Crowell might play in Week 1.
Source: Chris Low - On3
Source: Chris Low - On3
River Ryan Still Without Clear Return Timeline
Detroit Tigers pitching prospect River Ryan (hamstring) has yet to progress beyond bullpen sessions as he works his way back from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since mid-June. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch acknowledged the bullpen sessions over a week ago, but there hasn't been any update on his status since then. Hinch mentioned that Ryan's velocity looked "great" and the 28-year-old is recovering well, but he's yet to face live hitters. Once he does, a clearer picture should emerge as to when the right-hander will return, but whether that is this season or next remains a mystery. If the 6-foot-2 hurler can take the next step in the progression soon, there is still time for him to make it back this season, though it may be too late to help fantasy managers hoping to get to the playoffs. The Tigers' top-ranked pitching prospect boasted a 22.2 percent K-BB% at Triple-A in his eight starts before the injury and has the stuff to be successful at the major league level, but at this point, he's a speculative stash (preferably in an NA spot) in hopes he returns this season.
Source: Cody Stavenhagen
Source: Cody Stavenhagen
Nicholas Singleton Busy in His Return to Practice
Tennessee Titans rookie running back Nicholas Singleton (foot) returned to practice on Tuesday after missing a week with a lower body injury, and he was immediately given a notable workload, according to senior writer Jim Wyatt. Singleton was busy as a runner and also stayed involved in the passing game, finding the end zone on one of his three credited catches. A fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Singleton faces an uphill climb to finding a significant role in a room with established veterans Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, both of whom have reportedly had strong camps and looked sharp through the team's first two preseason games. Singleton, who led the team with eight carries in the preseason opener before missing Sunday's win over the Seahawks, should have one last chance to make his mark in the Titans' third and final preseason tilt against the Bears on Saturday. Still, he does not possess a clear path to fantasy relevance as a rookie and is unlikely to factor into 2026 draft plans as RotoBaller's RB74.
Source: Jim Wyatt
Source: Jim Wyatt
Wan'Dale Robinson Has Been the Titans' Most Active Receiver
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson joined the team as a 2026 free agent after signing a four-year deal that could prove to be one of the team's most important moves of the offseason. Quarterback Cam Ward has reportedly had an up-and-down second training camp after being made the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Still, when he's found success, it has generally come as a result of targeting Robinson. After catching three more passes on Tuesday, including two that went for touchdowns, Titans senior writer Jim Wyatt unofficially credits Robinson with a team-leading 52 receptions throughout training camp. Having caught 185 of his 263 targets across his final two seasons with the Giants, Robinson is no stranger to a heavy workload, and although 2026 fourth overall pick Carnell Tate arrived to camp with higher expectations and more fanfare, the fifth-year veteran has a realistic chance to lead his new team in targets and receptions. At RotoBaller's WR52, Robinson is a player to target late in drafts, particularly in full-PPR leagues where his high floor should make him a viable starting candidate week in and week out.
Source: Jim Wyatt
Source: Jim Wyatt
