Sep 7, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that the team's RB2 role behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs will be by committee, according to Brad Galli. Campbell thinks that both Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki will be ready when Gibbs needs a breather. The head coach sees Vaki getting carries, but knows that Saylors will contribute on offense and special teams. The news makes it hard for fantasy managers in deeper leagues to pinpoint the preferred handcuff option for Gibbs. For what it is worth, Vaki is not currently rostered in any Yahoo leagues, while Saylors is rostered in just 2% of leagues. Vaki, a former fourth-rounder from Utah in 2024, has seen only seven carries for 18 yards and has three catches for 37 yards in 27 games (zero starts) in his first two NFL seasons. Saylors, a former undrafted free agent out of East Tennessee State, ran the ball twice for 11 yards last year and was not targeted as a receiver. Neither RB will have any standalone fantasy appeal as long as Gibbs is healthy, and if Gibbs misses time with an injury, Vaki and Saylors would likely split the backfield down the middle.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Brad Galli

Sep 7, 2026, 2:27 PM ET

Miami Marlins first base prospect Jonathon Long is coming off a two-homer game on Friday night and has had a pretty good statistical spell with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp since he was traded to the Marlins from the Chicago Cubs. In 24 games in Jacksonville, Long has three homers and 16 RBI to go with 23 runs scored and a .259 batting average. Long, who mostly plays first base, is the No. 19 prospect for the Marlins with a 50-grade hit tool and 50-grade power. Long had a nice season in the Cubs farm system prior to the trade with 12 homers and 62 RBI for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs with a .283 batting average. The 24-year-old could see a promotion in Miami late in the season with more likelihood than he had in the Chicago system. Long could be a sneaky stash play down the stretch in deep fantasy leagues.--Brian Buckey - RotoBaller
Source: Minor League Baseball

Sep 7, 2026, 2:22 PM ET

Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway (ankle) is viewed as day-to-day after suffering an ankle injury in the one-point loss to Auburn on Saturday, according to head coach Dave Aranda. His status for Week 2 against Prairie View A&M is unclear early in the week. Despite the injury, Lagway had some bright moments against the Tigers, completing 27 passes for 333 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He had a costly fumble on a potential scoring drive in the first half, though. Still, Lagway had a chance to win the game near the end of the fourth quarter, but the Bears fell less than a yard short on a two-point conversion to take the lead with under 10 seconds to play. He could have a monster game if he can play in Week 2, but the program might opt to be cautious with him. Sophomore Nate Bennett is No. 2 on the depth chart.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBaller
Source: Pete Nakos

Sep 7, 2026, 2:20 PM ET

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (heel) was back on the practice field on Monday, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway. In addition to Higgins, star wideout Ja'Marr Chase (knee) was also participating in the portion of practice open to the media. Both wideouts could be limited, but the fact that they are both practicing early in the week bodes well for their availability in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Zac Taylor said early last week that Higgins was dealing with a minor bruised heel, so the 27-year-old has never really been in danger of missing the start of the 2026 campaign this weekend. The former second-rounder was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2025, catching 59 of his 98 targets for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns in only 15 games played. Higgins also had 10 TDs the year prior, and he will be a must-start in all fantasy football formats this Sunday against the Bucs if he is active, as is expected. Fantasy managers will want to check back in on Cincy's first official practice report of the year on Wednesday for a better idea of Higgins' status.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Kelsey Conway

Sep 7, 2026, 2:15 PM ET

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (knee) was back at practice on Monday as the team prepares for its regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13, versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Fellow wideout Tee Higgins (heel) was also seen practicing on Monday, so quarterback Joe Burrow figures to have both of his top pass-catchers available to kick off the 2026 campaign. The 26-year-old Chase, who is the consensus top overall fantasy receiver, hyperextended his left knee in practice on Aug. 25 while trying to come down with a pass and was held out of action last week as a precaution. Thankfully, the star wideout avoided a serious injury that would sideline him for the start of the upcoming season, and he should be active as a must-start in all fantasy football leagues against the Bucs. The Bengals will release their first official practice report of the year on Wednesday, at which point we should have a clearer picture of Chase's Week 1 status. For now, though, fantasy managers should have him locked into starting lineups until further notice.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Kelsey Conway

Sep 7, 2026, 2:10 PM ET

New England Patriots second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) was not at practice again on Monday and has not practiced since Aug. 24, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN on The Pat McAfee Show. Schefter adds that "it's hard to imagine" that Henderson will be active for Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch. The 23-year-old also did not take part in practice over the weekend as the Patriots get set for their Week 1 clash on Wednesday. We will continue to keep a close eye on New England's official practice report over the next couple of days, but if you have Henderson rostered, you should already be preparing to have him on your bench as he starts his sophomore season in the NFL. The 23-year-old former second-rounder from Ohio State had a successful first year in the league in 2025, carrying the ball 180 times for 911 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season while adding 35 catches for 221 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. Henderson's fantasy ceiling is limited, though, as long as he continues to share the backfield in a near-even split with Rhamondre Stevenson, especially since he does not figure to be a major weapon in the passing game.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter

Sep 7, 2026, 2:01 PM ET

Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich is the lone veteran in the room after the team drafted Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore in the 2026 NFL Draft and claimed rookie Justin Joly off waivers following his release from the Denver Broncos. In breaking down the position group in a recent appearance on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov, Dolphins reporter Kyle Crabbs highlighted the early buzz already surrounding Kacmarek as one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, while pointing out that Dulcich should work as the primary pass-catcher of the group. With Miami profiling as a run-first offense, Kacmarek has the potential to lead the team in tight end snaps. However, the prevalence of 12- and 13-personnel in today's NFL should still help Dulcich find the field regularly, and at RotoBaller's TE29, he has the chance to enter the streaming conversation early in the year as a reliable option in an offense looking for contributors outside of Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Kyle Crabbs

Sep 7, 2026, 1:51 PM ET

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane touched the ball 305 times in 2025, and team beat reporter Kyle Crabbs believes another 300-plus touches are on the table again in Miami's new-look offense. Appearing on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov on Monday, Crabbs acknowledged that the mobility of quarterback Malik Willis could cap Achane's targets after seeing 170 opportunities in the passing game over the past two seasons, but he believes the quality of targets could improve with more potential use out of the slot. Crabbs also profiles Miami as a run-heavy team, with Achane standing significantly above the rest of the team's runners, which include Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II. Achane is RotoBaller's RB11 and should be viewed as a locked-in RB1 option when the Dolphins travel to Vegas to face the Raiders in Week 1.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Kyle Crabbs

Sep 7, 2026, 1:46 PM ET

The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday that they reinstated right-hander Joe Ryan (glute) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Garrett Acton to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Ryan is making his return to Minnesota's starting rotation for Monday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Detroit Tigers. The 30-year-old will be a pretty risky fantasy starter in his first game back in the big leagues after he threw only 42 pitches in his only minor-league rehab start. Ryan has been solid for fantasy managers in 2026, though, going 6-8 with a 3.65 ERA (3.42 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 138 strikeouts and 27 walks in 125 2/3 innings pitched across his 23 starts in his sixth big-league season with the team. In his lone start this year against the Tigers, Ryan picked up his first win of the year on April 6, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits while walking three and striking out seven in five innings of work. Now that Ryan is back and recovered from his glute injury, he could be a key asset for fantasy managers seeking a championship.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Minnesota Twins

Sep 7, 2026, 1:40 PM ET

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (soreness) continues to deal with general soreness, and after he was seen working with trainers during the media accessible portion of Monday's practice, head coach Dave Canales declined to offer an update on his status. Canales told reporters on Thursday that he was "very optimistic" about Brooks' availability for Week 1, and when asked on Monday if that remained the case, he said he "hopes so." The Panthers host the Bears to open the 2026 season, and with the first official injury report to be released on Wednesday, Brooks' status will need to be monitored, as he has become a popular breakout candidate in what had looked to be the first fully healthy season of his professional career.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Mike Kaye

Sep 7, 2026, 1:36 PM ET

After seven second-place finishes in the 2026 season, Christopher Bell earned his first career victory of the year at the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Bell started from 11th, but showcased that he had one of the fastest cars of the field early on as he climbed up to fourth by the end of the first stage. In the second stage, Bell took advantage of tire strategy by running more laps under green-flag conditions, then passing other drivers on fresher tires after stopping on pit road. This strategy paid off as he eventually passed the whole field to win the second stage over Kyle Larson. In the final stage, Bell had to work his way back to the front after his pit crew lost positions due to a slow stop during the stage break. Midway through the stage, he was chasing after Larson again and then eventually dueled with his teammate, Chase Briscoe, before rain stopped the race on lap 338. After the rain stopped and the race resumed, Bell pitted for tires for the final run, but lost a few positions as drivers stayed out on older tires. However, Bell went through all of them in a short amount of time before spending the rest of the race chasing after and eventually passing Larson on lap 356. From there, Bell held off Ty Gibbs and went on to get his first Cup Series win at Darlington. Bell is now second in The Chase standings after 27 races and is only 12 points behind Denny Hamlin for the championship lead.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Sep 7, 2026, 1:35 PM ET

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs finished as the runner-up in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Gibbs started the race from deep in the field in 28th, after qualifying was canceled on Saturday due to weather. Gibbs did not carry much of a presence towards the front throughout most of the race until the final stage. He spent most of the first stage recovering from his deep starting spot, but made it all the way to 10th by the end of the stage to score one stage point. In the second stage, he continued to run between the top 15 and top 10 throughout the entire stage, but fell short of earning more stage points as he placed 11th at the end of the stage. The final stage saw Gibbs make moves through the field and take advantage of tire strategies to move up through the field. By the end of the race, he moved up into the top five, passing Josh Berry, Chase Briscoe, and others on the way. On the final run to the finish, Gibbs moved past Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson and spent the final few laps chasing Christopher Bell. Ultimately, Gibbs could not make up the gap to Bell in the closing laps and settled for second, a new career-best finish at Darlington. With his second-place run, Gibbs is now sixth in The Chase standings and sits 39 points behind first.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Sep 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET

Tyler Reddick did not win the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, but still had a strong performance with a great finish. Reddick began the race from the pole position after practice, and qualifying was canceled due to weather on Saturday. In the first stage, Reddick lost the lead to Daniel Suarez and then Denny Hamlin, but regained it on lap 29 by passing Hamlin. He lost it again to Hamlin through the first stage, but eventually nabbed it again and went on to win the first stage. In the second stage, Reddick continued to lead the race until midway through the stage during a pit stop sequence, when he lost the lead to his teammate, Bubba Wallace. Reddick's final pit stop of the second stage was slow as his pit crew struggled to complete it, causing him to lose positions on track and eventually end the stage in ninth. In the final stage, Reddick returned to the top five, but was unable to get back to the lead. The first half of the final stage saw him run behind Kyle Larson, while in the second half, he fell behind Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs. Reddick made it up to third and passed Larson, but was unable to pass Bell and Gibbs, leaving him with another third-place finish after placing third at Daytona last week. The No. 45 Toyota driver is now fourth in The Chase standings and sits 29 points behind first after 27 races this season.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Sep 7, 2026, 1:33 PM ET

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson had an uphill battle at Darlington Raceway, but finished fifth and had a shot at winning the Cook Out Southern 500. Larson's uphill battle started from the beginning when he was given a starting position of 25th after qualifying was canceled due to weather. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver spent the entire first stage making up positions, but only reached 13th and failed to score stage points. In the second stage, Larson took a contrarian strategy of running out longer before pitting during green-flag pit sequences. This paid off as the tire advantage Larson gained over other drivers moved him up to second at the end of the stage behind Christopher Bell. In the final stage, Larson led on the restart after coming out first after pit stops during the stage break. Larson led through most of the stage until a lap 317 caution caused him to lose the lead on pit road to Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe. The Hendrick driver lingered behind these two until the race was stopped for rain on lap 338. Once the rain went away, Larson decided to stay out on older tires for track position on the race's final run. Larson held the lead until lap 356, when Bell passed him and then fell back to fifth as he was unable to hold off other drivers on older tires until the race ended. After the 27th race of the season, Larson remains seventh in The Chase standings, but cut the gap to first down to 49 points with nine races left before the championship.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com