Aug 18, 2026, 11:18 AM ET

Across 38 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 5, Cleveland Guardians infielder Angel Genao is hitting .294/.368/.412 with one home run, three RBI, seven runs scored, and one stolen base. The 22-year-old has spent time at every infield position other than first base, which should allow him to stick in the everyday lineup. Genao also demonstrated intriguing five-category potential this year in the minor leagues, hitting .300 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI, 65 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances split between Double and Triple-A. Genao hits the ball on the ground a ton, which may ultimately limit his power upside in the big leagues. Still, his combination of speed and contact ability allows him to profile as a batting average asset. In leagues where he's available on the waiver wire, Genao should be a priority target for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 18, 2026, 11:17 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell has emerged as a potential sleeper to draft in fantasy football this year, and now, quarterback Baker Mayfield is singing his praises. "He's much more than a gadget guy," Mayfield said about Gainwell, who signed with the Bucs this offseason after a year in Pittsburgh. "I've just been completely overwhelmed with the amount of talent that he has." The veteran quarterback also made a point to shout out Gainwell for his versatility on offense, where he contributes as both a receiver and ball-carrier. The stats back up that claim, too, as Gainwell caught 73 passes for 486 receiving yards in Pittsburgh last season. The Bucs signed Gainwell to join a backfield that also features Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. While Irving is the clear No. 1 running back here, we expect to see Gainwell get plenty of volume, similar to his role with the Steelers in 2025. In Pittsburgh, he handled 114 carries and 73 receptions (187 touches) while teammate Jaylen Warren had 211 carries and 40 catches (254 touches). When all was said and done, the two backs combined for 441 touches, but Warren only had 67 more than Gainwell. Don't be surprised if we see Gainwell support Irving in the same way he did with Warren, which could allow him to rank as a top-24 running back in fantasy football once again. For now, he ranks as the RB37 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Greg Auman

Aug 18, 2026, 11:11 AM ET

Across 42 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 4, New York Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. is hitting .270/.357/.459 with two home runs, three RBI, seven runs scored, and one stolen base. The 21-year-old is widely considered to be the top prospect in the Yankees' system and one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Since being promoted to the big leagues, Lombard Jr. has been handed the full-time role at shortstop for New York. He's shown off an impressive plate approach for a young player with an 11.9% walk rate and a 21.4% strikeout rate. His ability to get on base was one of his greatest assets in the minor leagues, as he posted a 17.2% walk rate across 262 plate appearances at Triple-A this season. Lombard Jr. may still need some time to adjust to the big leagues fully, but he carries significant upside and should be targeted on the waiver wire in leagues where he remains available.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 18, 2026, 11:05 AM ET

New York Jets rookie first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) is trending toward being available for the regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans, head coach Aaron Glenn told Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. "The goal has always been getting those guys ready for Week 1," Glenn said in reference to Sadiq and fellow rookie D'Angelo Ponds. Sadiq, who was selected 16th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, suffered a setback in early August and was reportedly seen working on a side field on Tuesday. He projects to be the Jets' No. 1 tight end for this season and beyond, but given that he has missed a large portion of training camp, he could initially open the year as the backup to Mason Taylor. Nevertheless, there's plenty of upside behind drafting Sadiq in all leagues. RotoBaller's experts rank him as the TE28 in redraft leagues and the TE9 in dynasty leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Zack Rosenblatt

Aug 18, 2026, 11:04 AM ET

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (groin) exited Monday's practice with a groin injury and is now expected to miss 2-3 weeks, with head coach Aaron Glenn telling reporters he will be ready for the start of the regular season, according to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt. Hall pulled up after catching a pass on Monday and went down without any contact, but the team's lead back appears to have avoided serious injury. The former second-round pick has lived in mid-RB2 territory in each of the past two seasons after an overall RB4 finish in 2023. Still, with the Jets offense projected to take a sizable step forward following a change at quarterback, Hall could be seen as an underrated draft target, as his ADP has seen little movement. Now projected to be available for the team's Week 1 matchup with the Titans, Hall remains an attractive third-round option at RotoBaller's RB15, adding upside as an RB2 or allowing WR-heavy drafters to still find a trustworthy starting back outside of the first two rounds.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Zack Rosenblatt

Aug 18, 2026, 10:57 AM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (groin) will be back at practice on Tuesday, head coach Matt LaFleur told Aaron Nagler of CheeseheadTV. The veteran ball-carrier missed a few days of practice but is now getting back on the field. The Packers wouldn't have him practice if he wasn't close to 100%, so fantasy managers should feel confident that he's healthy and this injury won't impact his availability for Week 1. There is still an off-the-field hurdle to clear, though, as Adam Schefter of ESPN previously reported that Jacobs could face discipline for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. With that being said, until punishment is issued, Jacobs remains on track to play Sept. 13 against the Vikings. He's coming off a 14-touchdown season and ranks as the overall RB17 for the 2026 fantasy football season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Aaron Nagler

Aug 18, 2026, 10:52 AM ET

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been sharing reps as the No. 3 receiver with Travis Hunter, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. For most of training camp, when Thomas has been on the field, Hunter has been on the sideline, and vice versa. Additionally, DiRocco reports that although Thomas has been impressive this summer, the Jaguars have given far more reps to Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington, whom they are reluctant to take off the field. At this point, fantasy managers should be concerned that Thomas is going to open the season sharing reps as the Jags' No. 3 receiver. Additionally, although Hunter is expected to play more defense than offense, all signs point to Thomas coming off the field when the Jaguars choose to give Hunter reps at wide receiver. Thomas has fallen to WR33 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings, making him a fringe WR3/flex in most leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Michael DiRocco

Aug 18, 2026, 10:49 AM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears has had a productive summer, accumulating 39 yards on five touches in the team's preseason opener and carrying that momentum back to the practice field. With Tony Pollard (foot), Nick Singleton (undisclosed/foot), and Kalel Mullings (hip) all held out of Monday's session, Spears was the Titans' most active back, particularly in the passing game, where senior writer Jim Wyatt credits him with a practice-high six catches. Spears has stood out for his receiving work for much of camp, and he figures to carry a significant pass-catching role into the regular season, making him an underrated late-round target in PPR leagues. Currently being selected as the RB53, he has standalone value that more than justifies his draft cost and can lead the backfield if forced into a larger role, as evidenced on Monday.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Jim Wyatt

Aug 18, 2026, 10:40 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren recently saw his draft stock rise with the news of Alec Pierce (ankle) being shut down for the rest of training camp, but he's now falling back down draft boards after the team signed wide receiver Keenan Allen. Even with Pierce sidelined, Warren's volume will likely be impacted by the addition of Allen. The veteran receiver had at least 121 targets in each of the last two seasons with the Bears and Chargers, respectively. Last year, he finished with 81 catches, 777 yards, and four touchdowns, which ranked as the overall WR29. Given how productive he has remained deep into his career, the 34-year-old has a decent chance to command another 100+ targets in this Daniel Jones-led offense. Warren has the talent to maintain a fantasy-relevant role even when both Pierce and Allen are on the field, but the presence of those two receivers might limit his upside and impact his ability to string together a bunch of big performances week after week. At a certain point this offseason, Warren had a late third-round ADP, but he has now fallen to the start of the sixth round in most formats. Still, he is pretty consistently the fourth tight end off the board following Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and Colston Loveland.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 18, 2026, 10:36 AM ET

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen missed most of the 2025 season with a sprained MCL, but after an offseason of intensive rehab, he told the media on Monday that he is faster and more explosive than ever. With starting running back Breece Hall (groin) exiting practice with a groin injury, the third-year back could be in line for an expanded workload, and head coach Aaron Glenn shared on Monday his belief that Allen could handle the role. "I know that most people think that once you lose a starter, there's a huge drop-off," he said. "I like to look at it as all our guys are starters and there shouldn't be a drop-off. So, anytime we lose a player, I expect the next guy to come in and operate just as good." Allen is currently being drafted as the RB60, but he is built to handle an every-down role should Hall miss time in the regular season, making him an important insurance back to roster in deeper leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Jack Bell

Aug 18, 2026, 10:25 AM ET

By the end of the 2026 season, the NFL will have played 65 regular-season games outside of the United States, and commissioner Roger Goodell believes it is only a matter of time before the league expands internationally. "At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA," he told former NFL player Markus Kuhn in an interview for German broadcaster RTL/ntv. "I have no doubt that this will happen one day." Goodell also expressed a belief that the Super Bowl could one day be hosted internationally, but he would want to see an NFL team established in any such city first. Dating back to 2007 with a game between the Dolphins and Giants at London's Wembley Stadium, the NFL International Series continues in 2026 with nine regular-season games, including a Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Pro Football Talk

Aug 18, 2026, 10:13 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) is back at practice on Tuesday, working in pads after missing almost two weeks with a sore knee. Head coach Todd Bowles had shared with the media on Monday that the third-year receiver was considered day-to-day, and with McMillan back in action a day later, he will look to pick back up where he left off in what had been reported as a solid start to training camp. Injuries have unfortunately become a major piece of McMillan's story, as he missed 13 games in 2025 after suffering a serious neck injury in the preseason, but when he's on the field, he's been a fantasy difference-maker, topping 14 half-PPR points in six of his last nine games. At RotoBaller's WR59, McMillan offers underrated value from the closing rounds of 2026 drafts. UPDATE: McMillan will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Pewter Report

Aug 18, 2026, 10:03 AM ET

Dallas Mavericks forward Tarik Biberovic is treating his NBA arrival as a starting point, telling Anadolu Agency that he wants to earn minutes and grow into one of the team's most reliable players. The 25-year-old said he will "start from zero" after an emotional exit from Fenerbahce, where he spent eight seasons and credited Sarunas Jasikevicius for helping unlock his game. Biberovic averaged 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 41.9 percent from deep across 41 EuroLeague games last season. The shooting is real, but he remains off fantasy radars while fighting for minutes in a crowded Dallas wing mix featuring Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Eurohoops

Aug 18, 2026, 10:01 AM ET

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (neck) is currently on the physically unable to perform list due to a neck injury sustained during the team's mandatory minicamp in June, and there's a growing belief he could carry the designation into the regular season. In a recent 53-man roster projection, CHTV co-founder Aaron Nagler and Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company have Musgrave starting the regular season on the PUP list, making him ineligible to play in the team's first four games. Multiple tight end sets project to be a major part of the Packers offense in 2026, but with Musgrave potentially unavailable to begin the year and Tucker Kraft (knee) facing a potential snap count as he works back from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 campaign, that plan could be put on pause. With the team potentially leaning on three-receiver sets early in the season, the trio of Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed all become attractive targets at their current draft costs.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Cheesehead TV