RADIO
Josh Manson to Miss Eight Weeks With Ankle Injury
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (ankle) is expected to miss eight weeks, head coach Jared Bednar said Friday. The veteran blue-liner, who has recorded a team-high 28 hits, suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday's win over New Jersey. Manson has four points (one goal, three assists) in 13 games this season. Colorado will bring Noah Juulsen into the lineup as Manson's replacement. Juulsen is similar to Manson but less productive. In eight outings this season, the Finnish blue-liner has recorded one assist, four SOG, 10 blocks, and 17 hits.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Dennis Schroder Upgraded to Available Friday
Charlotte Hornets guard Dennis Schroder (foot) is available for Friday's NBA Cup matchup against the Washington Wizards after initially being listed as questionable. The 33-year-old has started all five games with Coby White (calf) sidelined, averaging 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 32.5 minutes. Kon Knueppel (hamstring) also remains out, leaving Schroder with a steady role as one of Charlotte's main ball-handlers. His return should keep Christian Anderson in a smaller reserve role, while Sion James is less likely to see an expanded workload.
Source: Charlotte Hornets PR
Source: Charlotte Hornets PR
Michael Carter Unlikely to Make Fantasy Impact in Week 8
Tennessee Titans running back Michael Carter appears positioned to maintain a complementary role in the backfield following the injury to Tyjae Spears (knee), who has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against Cincinnati. Carter made his Titans debut against Cleveland last week, playing 25% of the offensive snaps while recording three carries for seven yards and one reception for seven yards. Meanwhile, Tony Pollard handled 25 rushing attempts and played 75% of the snaps, making it clear that Carter remains firmly behind him in the backfield hierarchy. Sunday's matchup offers little reason for optimism, as Cincinnati has been one of the league's tougher defenses against opposing running backs, allowing the third-fewest PPR fantasy points to the position. The one silver lining for Carter is his ability as a pass-catcher, which could earn him additional playing time if Tennessee falls behind early and is forced into a pass-heavy game script. With the Titans entering as double-digit underdogs, that scenario is certainly possible, although Carter's limited role makes it difficult to project meaningful fantasy production. He remains little more than a speculative handcuff with some deep-league PPR appeal and should be left on fantasy benches in standard formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
AJ Dybantsa to Remain on Minutes Restriction Friday
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa (ankle) will remain on a minutes restriction for Friday's game against the Charlotte Hornets, head coach Brian Keefe said. The No. 1 overall pick played 27 minutes in his NBA debut Wednesday and made good use of them, scoring 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting with two rebounds and two assists in a 121-111 loss to Cleveland. Dybantsa already showed he can produce without a full workload, so the restriction should not take him off the fantasy radar. As long as he continues getting minutes in the mid-20s, there should be enough scoring opportunity for him to remain useful while Washington eases him back.
Source: Greg Finberg
Source: Greg Finberg
Colton Parayko Probable for Saturday
St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (upper body) missed Friday's practice but is probable for Saturday's game against Detroit. "Just cautionary," Blues head coach Jim Montgomery said. "Just giving him a little more rest. Probable is the way I would list him. Just upper-body. We'll just see how it feels and looks tomorrow when he does his stretching and stuff like that." Parayko leads the Blues with 26 blocks in 13 games and has chipped in with four assists offensively. The Blues have Quinton Burns as an extra defenseman to step in for Parayko if needed.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
RJ Harvey's Knee Injury Not Believed to be Serious
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey's knee injury is not believed to be severe or hold him out long-term, a source told Sam Jane of The Denver Post. Harvey was ruled out of the team's game on Sunday against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8 after popping up on Thursday's injury report and failing to practice on Friday, but this is encouraging news for the second-year back. The 25-year-old needs to be removed from starting lineups this weekend against KC, but it seems possible that he could return as early as next weekend on the road against the Carolina Panthers. With the former second-rounder from Central Florida out in Week 8, rookie fourth-rounder Jonah Coleman and J.K. Dobbins will split backfield duties against the Chiefs. However, when Harvey returns, Coleman could have more of a stranglehold on backfield touches in Denver, which might make Harvey harder to trust as an RB3/flex in PPR formats. Harvey has only 24 carries this year for 87 yards and a touchdown on the ground, adding 25 catches for 217 yards and another score on 28 targets as a receiver through six games.
Source: The Denver Post - Sam Jane
Source: The Denver Post - Sam Jane
Andre Szmyt Is A Good Kicker Option in Week 8
Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt can be counted on as a starting kicker option for fantasy teams in Week 8 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. Szmyt is 14-of-16 on field goals this season and 11-of-12 on extra points. Szmyt has a season-long field goal of 56 yards, which he made against Pittsburgh in Week 4. Szmyt had a good performance against the Steelers in the first matchup, making 2-of-2 field goals and 3-of-3 extra points. The matchup at Pittsburgh should be fairly high scoring, giving Szmyt the opportunity to convert on some field goals and extra points. Szmyt has entered the circle of trusted fantasy kickers and can be counted on this week.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Gunnar Helm Still a Bad Fantasy Option Despite Favorable Matchup
Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm continues to play a significant role in the team's offense without generating much fantasy production. The second-year tight end played 84% of Tennessee's offensive snaps against Cleveland last week but managed just three receptions for 24 yards on four targets. Despite playing nearly 80% of the team's offensive snaps this season, Helm has struggled to establish a consistent connection with quarterback Cam Ward and is averaging fewer than four PPR fantasy points per game. This week's matchup against Cincinnati offers some encouragement, as the Bengals have allowed 14.8 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, the 11th-most in the NFL. The absence of leading receiver Carnell Tate (shoulder) could also open up additional opportunities for Helm in the passing game. However, his limited looks and Tennessee's overall offensive struggles make him difficult to trust even in a favorable matchup. Helm remains a touchdown-dependent TE2 who should stay on fantasy benches outside of much deeper leagues.
Source: The Football Database
Source: The Football Database
Filip Chytil Added to Injured Reserve
Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil (upper body) has been placed on Injured Reserve. The Canucks made the move Friday after Chytil couldn't practice because of an upper-body injury. He has re-aggravated an injury that sidelined him for the first eight games of the season. Injuries have ruined many campaigns for Chytil, who has already missed more games than he's played in 2026-27. In seven outings, he's contributed two assists. The Canucks recalled Jacob Quillan from the minors to fill Chytil's spot on the roster. Brendan Gallagher could see regular action again until Chytil returns, though he has zero fantasy value.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Jalen Smith Cleared to Play Friday
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (finger) is available for Friday's game against the Boston Celtics, according to The Athletic's Joel Lorenzi. Smith had been questionable with a finger sprain after logging 30 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Knicks. The 26-year-old has started all five games while Nic Claxton (hamstring) remains sidelined, averaging 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.4 minutes. Tobe Awaka (ankle) is also available, giving Chicago another option up front, but Smith should continue handling the bulk of the center minutes until Claxton returns.
Source: Joel Lorenzi
Source: Joel Lorenzi
Harold Fannin Jr. Could Be Counted On In Week 8
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. saw a season-high nine targets in Week 7's win over the Titans and will look to stay involved in Week 8 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fannin Jr. caught six passes for 91 yards against the Titans last week but did not find the end zone. He has three touchdowns on the season including one receiving touchdown in the first meeting between the Browns and Steelers. He caught three catches for 27 yards against the Steelers in Week 4. Fannin Jr.'s involvement in the passing game has been hit or miss this season and he has performed to some highs and lows so far. He caught two touchdown passes against the Panthers in Week 3, but caught one pass against both the Jets and Ravens in Weeks 5 and 6 respectively. If Fannin Jr. can find some consistency, he should be one of the top fantasy tight end options. With the Steelers secondary potentially making things tough for Browns wide receivers, Fannin Jr. could find some room to make some plays this week.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Treylon Burks Questionable to Play in Week 8
Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks (foot) is listed as questionable to suit up on Sunday night against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. Burks sandwiched limited practices on Wednesday and Friday this week around a DNP on Thursday, putting him up in the air to play this week. With Washington's game coming on Sunday night, it is almost impossible to trust the 26-year-old former first-rounder as a deep-league flex in Week 8, even with Terry McLaurin (knee) out for the season. Even if Burks is cleared to play on Sunday Night Football against the Eagles, rookie Antonio Williams could be the better bet for the WR2 role in Washington alongside veteran Stefon Diggs in the Commanders' passing attack. If Burks does not get the green light to play this weekend, Dyami Brown would likely operate as the team's WR3. In his second season in D.C., Burks has caught only nine of his 17 targets for 152 yards, although he has already hit paydirt a career-high two times.
Source: Washington Commanders
Source: Washington Commanders
Tony Pollard Faces Tough Matchup Against Bengals
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard is coming off the best fantasy performance of his career, exploding for 129 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries while adding three receptions for 26 yards against Cleveland. Pollard's 36.5 PPR fantasy points marked a new career high, surpassing his previous best and rewarding fantasy managers who were brave enough to trot him out in their starting lineups. The veteran running back has now accumulated 478 rushing yards through seven games, ranking ninth in the NFL, and has seen his workload increase significantly with Tyjae Spears sidelined. Spears has already been ruled out for Sunday's matchup, positioning Pollard to once again dominate Tennessee's backfield touches. However, Cincinnati presents a challenging matchup, allowing just 16.2 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, the third-fewest in the league. The Bengals also held Derrick Henry to just 45 rushing yards on 2.6 yards per carry last week. Tennessee's status as a double-digit underdog introduces additional game-script concerns, and fantasy managers should temper expectations following Pollard's career-best outing. Nevertheless, his expected volume makes him a decent RB2/flex despite the difficult matchup.
Source: The Football Database
Source: The Football Database
Joel Eriksson Ek Evaluated for Injury
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) is under evaluation for an injury, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. The Swedish forward was hurt in Thursday's loss to the Islanders and met with team doctors on Friday. It's unclear whether he will get the green light to play Sunday against Washington. Eriksson Ek has a four-game point streak, scoring in three of those games. Overall, he has five goals and 12 points in 15 games this season. Danila Yurov and Ryan Hartman are candidates to take over first-line center duties if Eriksson Ek isn't healthy enough to play Sunday.
Source: Michael Russo
Source: Michael Russo
KC Concepcion Jr. Looks To Build Off Career Game
Cleveland Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. had the best game of his career in Week 7's win over the Titans with eight catches on 10 targets for 129 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Concepcion Jr. has yet to find the end zone this season and will face a tough Steelers' secondary in Week 8. In the first meeting between the two teams, Concepcion Jr. had five catches for 64 receiving yards on eight targets. The rookie out of Texas A&M is up to 30 catches this season for 315 yards, good for 10.5 yards per catch. Concepcion Jr. will look to build on his last outing and could be matched up with Jalen Ramsey a lot as Ramsey is the nickel corner for the Steelers and Concepcion Jr. often lines up in the slot. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson seems to be building trust in Concepcion Jr. as the weeks go on. The next step is for Concepcion Jr. to find the end zone. It's hard to trust Concepcion Jr. as a starting receiver until he puts back-to-back solid weeks together.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
