RADIO
Ben Joyce Emerging as a Waiver-Wire Target
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Ben Joyce notched his first save of 2026 on Wednesday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout in his team's 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers. Joyce has barely pitched in the last two seasons due to shoulder issues. However, the 25-year-old has been steady since making his 2026 season debut on August 5, allowing just one hit and zero earned runs across four innings. If Joyce can stay healthy, he may be the highest-upside reliever in the Angels bullpen. He's averaging 101.3 miles per hour on his fastball and features a power sinker that should make him very difficult to take deep. While Joyce does not have an established track record as the Angels closer, he could still be the team's preferred option at this point in the season. Fantasy managers in need of saves should target Joyce on the waiver wire.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Drumbeat Growing Louder for Tank Bigsby
Without the benefit of training camp with the team following an in-season trade from the Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby saw limited offensive work and ran for only 344 yards in 2025. While the raw production is far from staggering, his 5.9 yards per carry were hard to ignore, especially with three-time Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley averaging only 4.1 yards per attempt behind the same banged-up offensive line. In his first training camp with the team, Bigsby has been praised for his physicality, and there is a growing belief that he could see a significant uptick in between-the-tackles work this season in an attempt to keep the 29-year-old Barkley fresh. While no one is reasonably suggesting a 50/50 split, Bigsby could see enough volume in 2026 to hold standalone value in what has been one of the league's run-heaviest offenses since Nick Sirianni took over in 2021. Bigsby is RotoBaller's RB46, and even if he is unable to carve out a flex-worthy role, he remains one of fantasy's most valuable insurance backs.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jordan Mason's Solid Summer Continues
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason has been lauded throughout training camp as an offensive standout, and on a Wednesday practice in which the running game was clicking, he was once again credited with the play of the day by team writer Rob Kleifield. Taking advantage of perfectly executed blocking against the second-team defense, he showed off some burst and ran untouched for a long score. The 230-pounder also displayed physicality and balance on a big gain against the starting defense. On a day when Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. were listed as co-starters on the Vikings' first unofficial depth chart, both players were credited by Kleifield with productive outings. Ever a standout pass-catcher, Jones is now 31 years old, and there is at least some expectation that the two backs could settle into clearly defined roles for 2026, with Mason the between-the-tackles bruiser and Jones as more of a passing-downs specialist, potentially providing fantasy managers with matchup-based clues on when to lean on either. Gaining steam throughout training camp, Mason has risen to RB36 by current ADP.
Source: Rob Kleifield
Source: Rob Kleifield
Cade Otton "Shows Out" in Joint Practice
In a joint practice with the Jets on Wednesday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton had one of his most productive days of the summer, cluing in onlookers to the role he can serve in this Zac Robinson offense. Buccaneers staff writer Brianna Dix praised Otton for the presence he brings to all three levels of the field and his ability to uncover through savvy route-running and strong spatial understanding. Otton has never boasted the highest ceiling for fantasy, and even with the team's receiving core struck by injury in 2025, he caught only one touchdown in 16 games, but he provides enough of a weekly floor to keep him in the streaming conversation, having caught exactly 59 passes in each of the past two seasons. Otton is RotoBaller's TE28 and profiles as a no-frills TE2 in deeper leagues or a player who will likely provide viability off the waiver wire as injuries and bye weeks start piling up.
Source: Brianna Dix
Source: Brianna Dix
Eugene Hilton Jr. Slated for Starting Role at Wisconsin
Wisconsin wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. has been working with the first-team offense during fall camp, according to Seamus Rohrer of Si.com. The son of former Indianapolis Colts star T.Y. Hilton entered the transfer portal this offseason before deciding to return to the Badgers' program. As a freshman, Hilton caught eight passes for 91 yards in 12 games, but the team's three leading receivers from last year, Lance Mason, Vinny Anthony II, and Trech Kekahuna, are no longer with the program. The passing game in Madison is expected to take a step forward with Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph under center, so it will be worth watching for a potential Hilton breakout in 2026. He is a former three-star recruit out of Indiana.
Source: Seamus Rohrer - Si.com
Source: Seamus Rohrer - Si.com
Salvador Perez Suffers Elbow Injury on Wednesday
The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday evening that catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (elbow) left the contest early against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to right-elbow irritation. It's unclear exactly how serious Perez's injury is right now, so we'll consider him day-to-day until more information is available. The good news is that KC has a scheduled day off on Thursday, giving the veteran catcher an extra day to recover before potentially returning for Friday's series opener in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. The 36-year-old has primarily been working as the Royals' designated hitter to keep him off his feet as much as possible. Perez went 1-for-2 with an RBI in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Dodgers before leaving early. The nine-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner hit 30 homers in 2025, but he's been in full offensive decline in 2026 with a .216/.262/.369 slash line, a career-low .631 OPS, 16 homers, 52 RBI, and 41 runs scored in his 15th year in the big leagues. Check back on Friday to see if he's included in the Royals' starting nine.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Bryce Lance Emerging as a Deep Threat
The New Orleans Saints spent a 2026 fourth-round pick on wide receiver Bryce Lance, and while earlier in camp it was sixth-round rookie Barion Brown grabbing the majority of headlines with his work downfield, Lance is himself emerging as a vertical threat, coming down with another long touchdown catch on Wednesday. Earlier in the week, Lance connected with Spencer Rattler for a 50-yard touchdown, and on Wednesday he raised the difficulty by working through double coverage to come down with a 40-yarder in the end zone. Lance averaged a ludicrous 21.2 yards per catch in his final season at North Dakota State, and he's capable of providing a field-stretching presence that's likely to open things up for Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson whenever they're on the field together in three-receiver sets. While the younger brother of former third overall pick Trey Lance is not a player to target in lineup leagues, his big-play ability makes him an intriguing dart-throw in best ball formats.
Source: Todd Graffagnini
Source: Todd Graffagnini
Freddie Freeman Hoping to Play on Thursday
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (soreness) said he's just sore after falling into the dugout while trying to catch a pop-up in Wednesday's game against the Kansas City Royals, and he's hoping to play on Thursday in the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, according to David Vassegh of 570 AM LA Sports. Dodgers trainer Thomas Albert said that Freeman is dealing with a sore hand, knee, foot, and shoulder. Freeman apparently wants to play against Milwaukee on Thursday, but manager Dave Roberts might have other plans to give him a day off. The 36-year-old veteran, former MVP, and 10-time All-Star went 1-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in Wednesday's 4-2 win over KC, and he's now slashing a cool .306/.380/.472 with an .852 OPS, 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 58 runs scored, and five steals in 118 games in 2026 in his 17th year in the majors. Despite his age, Freeman is a must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues when he's in the Dodgers' lineup. Check back to see if he's active on Thursday night against Brewers lefty Shane Drohan.
Source: 570 AM LA Sports - David Vassegh
Source: 570 AM LA Sports - David Vassegh
Cincinnati Inducting Jason Kelce into School's Hall of Fame
Cincinnati is set to induct former star offensive lineman Jason Kelce into the school's Hall of Fame, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native played four seasons under Brian Kelly before one year under Butch Jones. A former walk-on, he started 26 games at left guard in his third and fourth years on campus, earning All-Big East honors during the Bearcats' undefeated 2009 campaign. He was moved to center in 2010 and was named an Honorable Mention All-American. The 2011 sixth-round draft pick went on to become a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection in his 13-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is Pro Football Hall of Fame-bound in the future, so his place in the Cincinnati athletics Hall of Fame is well earned.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
A Mixed Bag for Malik Willis in Joint Practice
In what was his first competitive work against another team since taking over as the starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, Malik Willis showcased some of the highs and lows that fantasy managers will likely need to endure for the 2026 season. In a joint practice with the Commanders on Wednesday, Willis found success, as he has through much of camp, when targeting rookie Caleb Douglas, who was recently named a starter and praised before practice by head coach Jeff Hafley. Willis also threw an interception to Mike Sanristil that was returned for a touchdown. Those types of ups and downs are to be expected from a first-time starter on one of the more talent-depleted offenses in the league, but an area highlighted by team writer Travis Wingfield, and the reason Willis is worthy of a late-round selection in single-quarterback drafts, is his rushing upside. Wingfield notes that Willis broke contain several times and scrambled for what would have been lengthy gains in a real game scenario. Willis provides one of the highest rushing floors in the league, and if he can simply keep things on track offensively while avoiding costly mistakes, he has a chance to far surpass his current ADP of QB21.
Source: Travis Wingfield
Source: Travis Wingfield
Jeff Monken Agrees to Five-Year Contract Extension with Army
Army head coach Jeff Monken has agreed to a five-year contract extension through the 2030 season, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. The 59-year-old has tallied six consecutive .500 or better seasons, an outstanding accomplishment considering Army's recruiting limitations. The Black Knights won the American Conference behind a 12-2 record in its first season in the conference in 2024 before posting a 7-6 record a season ago. Overall, Monken has an 89-63 record with the program over 12 seasons, including five seasons of at least nine wins. He ranks second all-time in Army history in career wins, trailing only Earl Blaik, who won three national championships and 121 games from 1941 to 1958.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Brian Thomas Jr. to Be Showcased in X Role
Following a disappointing sophomore campaign in 2025, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. could find renewed success as a field-stretcher in 2026. After experimenting with more of an in-traffic role last season, the team wants to make better use of his speed, which NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe described as his superpower. Thomas is expected to be featured in a similar X-role to the one that netted Brandin Cooks 80 receptions and 1,204 yards while working in this offense with the Rams in 2018, and Wolfe has been told that "it's night and day how he's looked in training camp this year compared to last year." Thomas is RotoBaller's WR34, and while his spike weeks will likely prove capable of single-handedly deciding a handful of fantasy matchups, in a crowded Jaguars receiver room, weekly consistency could still be hard to come by.
Source: Cameron Wolfe
Source: Cameron Wolfe
Stefon Diggs the "Missing Piece" for Commanders Offense
Veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs signed with the Washington Commanders less than a week ago, but already he's making his presence felt as a vital piece of the offense being built around exciting young quarterback Jayden Daniels. During Wednesday's joint practice with the Dolphins, Diggs tormented Miami's defensive backs throughout the day, according to CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles, first looking uncoverable in his one-on-one work and then making plays throughout team sessions with savvy route-running and an innate feel for finding the soft spots against zone coverage. In a rotational role with the Patriots in 2025, Diggs reached 1,013 yards on an impressive 2.42 yards per route run, and after practice Daniels spoke of what he's already brought to the offense. "It's awesome, just his feel for space... He's a dawg. He goes out and makes plays. He brings energy, he's a leader, so I'm super happy to have Stefon in that room, not just for the offense but for the whole team in general." Following a long offseason without a team, Diggs fell to the late rounds of 2026 drafts, and with the market slow to adjust, the four-time Pro Bowler could prove to be one of the year's best values at his current ADP of WR48.
Source: Zachary Pereles
Source: Zachary Pereles
Hyunjung Lee Works Out for Pelicans
South Korean guard/forward Hyunjung Lee is getting a minicamp look from the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Dylan Sanders of Sports Illustrated, who cited South Korean journalist Sung Jin-hyuk. The Boston Celtics are also expected to bring Lee in during August as he tries to land a camp deal or two-way spot. The 6-foot-7 shooter went undrafted out of Davidson in 2022 before building his career overseas, including an NBL title run with the Illawarra Hawks and a move to Nagasaki Velca in Japan. Lee most recently averaged 9.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across five Summer League games with San Antonio on 35.5/33.3/81.8 shooting splits. He remains off the fantasy radar unless he turns a camp invite into a real NBA role.
Source: Dylan Sanders
Source: Dylan Sanders
Ethan Thompson Nears EuroLeague Switch
Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson has agreed to terms with Partizan Belgrade on a one-plus-one deal, according to Sportando, citing Nova.rs. The move cannot become official until Indiana parts ways with Thompson, who remains on a two-way contract. The 27-year-old Puerto Rico national team guard went undrafted out of Oregon State and joined the Pacers last December after previous stops in the G-League. He appeared in 32 games as a rookie, making 13 starts for a 19-63 Indiana team while averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 threes in 20.4 minutes. Thompson had no NBA fantasy value, and a move to Partizan would take him off the board entirely.
Source: Sportando
Source: Sportando
