RADIO
Turbo Richard Pushing for Lead-Back Duties at Indiana
Indiana running back Turbo Richard has put together a strong camp and is pushing for the starting role for the defending College Football Playoff National Champions, according to On3's Pete Nakos. "The Hoosiers have been excited about the return of Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe, but they also feel like they got a steal in the portal with the [Richard]," Nakos wrote. As a sophomore at Boston College, Richard rushed 145 times for 749 yards and caught 30 passes for 213 yards, scoring 11 total touchdowns. Martin and Beebe played third-and-fourth fiddle to Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black last season, combining for 105 carries for 714 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. The Hoosiers backfield will likely remain a committee in 2026, but Richard could handle the most touches after a strong first spring and fall camp with the program.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Rico Dowdle Still Has a Real Shot to Lead Pittsburgh's Backfield
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle has a real chance to come out of camp with the larger share of this backfield. He rushed for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries with Carolina last season, added 39 catches for 297 yards and another score, and has now cleared 1,000 rushing yards in back-to-back years. Pittsburgh did not bring him in to sit, but Jaylen Warren is not going away either. Warren is still listed first on the initial depth chart, and the Steelers have continued giving both backs first-team work. The interesting part is that Pittsburgh itself has called Warren's No. 1 designation temporary while the coaching staff sorts out the split. Both backs have been described as capable of handling every down, so this could change by game plan or even by who has the hot hand. RotoBaller has Dowdle at RB29. That's a fair spot for the uncertainty, but there is more upside here if Dowdle ends up getting the heavier side of the workload. He looks like a solid middle-round target rather than someone to fade because of the committee.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Shedeur Sanders Tosses Interception Late in Preseason Opener vs. Bears
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders had mixed results in Saturday's preseason opener against the Chicago Bears but his performance was marred by a fourth-quarter interception. Deshaun Watson, Sanders' main competition for the starting quarterback job, led the Browns on their two scoring drives in the team's 34-10 loss to Chicago. Meanwhile, Sanders was 6-of-11 passing for 79 yards. He added two rushes for three yards, playing most of the third quarter and early in the fourth. Sanders completed a 24-yard pass to Gage Larvadain and hit Luke Floriea on a 35-yard strike. Sanders will continue to compete with Watson for the starting quarterback job.
Source: Cleveland Browns
Source: Cleveland Browns
Hunter Goodman Out Against Giants
Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (shoulder) will not start in Sunday's series finale against the division-rival San Francisco Giants after being scratched from Saturday's lineup with inflammation in his left shoulder, per MLB.com. Brett Sullivan is doing the catching for right-hander Gabriel Hughes and will bat eighth against Giants right-hander Blade Tidwell. Goodman, who has become one of the best slugging backstops in all of baseball in the last two years, should be considered day-to-day for now. His next chance to play will be in Monday's series opener at Coors Field against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time All-Star leads all catchers in the majors this year with a career-high 34 home runs, just one season after clubbing 31 long balls and driving in 91 runs in 144 games played in his first full season in the majors. Goodman has added 69 RBI, 69 runs scored, and a career-best five steals in 111 games so far in 2026. Check back on Monday to see if he's back in action against the Dodgers. He's gone 9-for-36 (.250) with three homers, a triple, nine RBI, and five runs scored in 10 games so far in August.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
TCU Quarterback Jaden Craig Has Exceeded Expectations
Former Harvard quarterback Jaden Craig is slated to take over for Josh Hoover at TCU this season, and although the program believed they found something special in Craig, he has exceeded expectations this fall. Craig is Harvard's all-time leader in passing touchdowns (52) and yards (6,074), and he has two full seasons of starting experience under his belt. Hoover, who transferred to Indiana this offseason, was productive for the Horned Frogs, but he threw 33 interceptions over the last three seasons. Craig has just 12 career interceptions on 714 passing attempts. Craig will be under the national spotlight when TCU kicks off the college football season in Week 0 against Bill Belichick's North Carolina squad on August 29 in Dublin, Ireland.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Auburn Expects "Big Things" from Chas Nimrod in Return to SEC
Auburn wide receiver Chas Nimrod spent the first three years of his college career at Tennessee, catching 29 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown in 27 career games. He transferred to South Florida to reunite with former Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh and caught 23 passes for 466 yards and three touchdowns. He's now with Golesh at Auburn, and although he wasn't the flashiest transfer the Tigers picked up this offseason, his experience in the system and in the SEC gives him "huge upside," according to an On3 source. Pete Nakos reports that the program expects "big things" out of the senior pass-catcher. Auburn's offense could surprise this season, as many of its starters come from South Florida, and there won't be a substantial learning curve. Nimrod will be a key piece of that effort.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Tre' Harris Flashes With One-Handed Catch at Saturday's Practice
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tre' Harris made one of the better plays of Saturday's practice, snagging a one-handed catch during team work. It would not have counted in a game, as the Chargers noted a false start and a Tuli Tuipulotu sack on the rep, but Harris still put his ball skills on display. The 2025 second-round pick had 30 catches for 324 yards and one touchdown as a rookie. His finish was more encouraging than the full-season line, with 187 receiving yards over the final six games. Mike McDaniel has liked what he's seen, saying this offseason that Harris has "a lot more juice" than he realized coming out of Ole Miss. A WR1 push is probably getting ahead of things. Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston remain listed as the starters on the Chargers' current depth chart, with Harris behind McConkey. But Harris is making a real case for more work in Year 2, and Saturday's highlight only adds to that push in Justin Herbert's offense.
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
De'Zhaun Stribling Gets "Vet WR Treatment" at Practice
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling continues to get encouraging signs about where he stands with the team. During Sunday's special teams period, David Lombardi noted that Stribling worked individually with offensive assistant/wide receivers coach Andrew Hayes-Stoker instead, the same setup veteran Mike Evans received. Lombardi described it as the "vet WR treatment." It comes just a few days after Stribling caught seven passes for 63 yards in his preseason debut against Tennessee. The 49ers had seen enough by midway through the second quarter, pulling the No. 33 overall pick from the game with nearly eight minutes left in the half. Stribling has also been making plays in camp since returning from some early hamstring tightness. Sunday doesn't guarantee where he'll land in the receiver rotation, but San Francisco continuing to prioritize his offensive work is another positive development for the rookie.
Source: David Lombardi
Source: David Lombardi
Javin Gordon Leading Tennessee's RB2 Competition
Tennessee running back Javin Gordon has drawn rave reviews since transferring to the program from Tulane, and On3's Pete Nakos reports he is trending to win the RB2 job behind DeSean Bishop. Gordon flashed in Tennessee's scrimmage on Saturday, running hard and ripping off a few explosive runs. As a freshman for the Green Wave, Gordon tallied 128 carries for 516 yards and five touchdowns. He added 13 receptions for 93 yards and a receiving score. While Bishop, who totaled 1,076 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns last season, is expected to carry the bulk of the load in the backfield, the Vols have often produced multiple productive ball carriers, and Josh Heupel could lean heavily on the ground game with a freshman quarterback under center. If Bishop has to miss any time this year, Gordon could be in for explosive weeks. Tennessee is expected to have one of the best offensive lines in the SEC.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Willy Adames Still Out With Back Issue on Sunday
San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (back) remains on the bench for Sunday's series finale in San Fran against the division-rival Colorado Rockies, per MLB.com. Christian Koss is making another start at shortstop and will bat out of the nine-hole against Rockies right-hander Gabriel Hughes. Adames aggravated an ongoing lower-back injury in Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros and will miss a third straight game on Sunday. If Adames cannot return to action early next week, the Giants may be forced to place him on the 10-day injured list. The 30-year-old Dominican shortstop is sitting at 19 home runs in 116 total games in 2026 after hitting 62 long balls in his last two seasons combined with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Giants. The power is still there, but Adames is hitting a weak .224 (100-for-446) with a career-worst .285 on-base percentage in 485 plate appearances in his ninth year in the major leagues. With the second-worst record in the National League (ahead of only Colorado), the Gigantes don't have any incentive to rush Adames back into the lineup.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tennessee Coaching Staff "Pleased" with George MacIntyre's Consistency
Tennessee second-year quarterback George MacIntyre continues to compete with true freshman Faizon Brandon for the starting role in Josh Heupel's offense, and both signal-callers had bright moments in Saturday's team scrimmage. On3's Pete Nakos reports that the Tennessee coaching staff has been happy with MacIntyre's consistency throughout camp. Brandon was a more highly-touted recruit, but MacIntyre was a four-star in his own right and has a year of experience learning Heupel's system. Serving as the Vols' QB3 behind Joey Aguilar and Jake Merklinger last year, the Franklin, Tennessee native completed seven of his nine passing attempts for 69 yards. This QB battle could continue all the way up to just before the Week 1 outing against Furman, though both quarterbacks could play. The Vols are around a seven-touchdown favorite against the Paladins.
Source: On3
Source: On3
A's Place Tyler Soderstrom on Injured List With Hip Impingement
The Athletics announced on Sunday that they placed first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 15) with a left-hip impingement and recalled infielder Darell Hernaiz from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger won't be eligible to return from the IL until Aug. 25, but fantasy managers shouldn't necessarily expect him to return to the A's roster by then with the team in last place and well out of playoff contention in 2026. Soderstrom broke out at the plate in 2025 in his first full season in the big leagues, slashing .276/.346/.474 with an .820 OPS, 25 home runs, 93 RBI, 75 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 158 games played across 624 plate appearances. He hasn't been quite as dominant in 2026, but he's still enough of a power threat in a hitter-friendly home environment to be a must-start in most fantasy baseball leagues when he's active. Soderstrom hits the shelf with a current .245/.338/.472 slash line with an .810 OPS, 19 homers, 56 RBI, and 58 runs scored in 109 games in his fourth year in the majors.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Jared Curtis Flashes in Vanderbilt's Team Scrimmage
Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis, who was the No. 3 overall recruit in the Class of 2026 (Rivals), continues to compete with senior signal-caller Blaze Berlowitz for the QB1 role in Nashville, and his play in the team's weekend scrimmage could give him the leg up heading into the next phase of fall camp. "I thought Jared probably had his best day, just start to finish, which is really positive," Head coach Clark Lea told On3. "He's adapting to college football. He's also playing against the defense and giving multiple looks, multiple pressure looks, and we're not holding back in practice. So it's been baptism by fire for him, but it seemed to slow down a little bit for him today, which is positive." Replacing Diego Pavia will be no easy task, but Curtis has all the talent required to be a high-level SEC quarterback and potential NFL player in the future. That said, starting as a true freshman in a power conference will come with plenty of growing pains. The Tennessee native is building momentum ahead of the Week 1 matchup against Austin Peay.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Darius Cooper Draws Hefty Target Share in Eagles' Passing Attack
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper, who was singled out by quarterback Jalen Hurts earlier in training camp as an emerging player, was busy in the team's preseason opener on Saturday in the 24-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, hauling in two of his team-high five targets for 21 yards. The 24-year-old went undrafted last year out of Tarleton State before latching on with the Eagles and catching nine of 11 targets for 92 yards and zero touchdowns in 13 games played (zero starts). Cooper has had more of an opportunity in camp of late with both DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and first-round rookie Makai Lemon (hamstring) missing over a week of practice. The Eagles are also without A.J. Brown now, so there is more opportunity for Cooper to make some noise in Philly's WR room as he competes for a role behind Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. If Lemon gets off to a slow start in his rookie campaign after missing valuable time in camp, Cooper could be the primary beneficiary. He's also competing for offensive snaps with veteran Hollywood Brown.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Manuel Pena Has Power Numbers to Warrant Stash Look
Arizona Diamondbacks utility prospect Manuel Pena has hit for power all this season with 31 combined homers between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno. He has combined for 91 RBI while hitting .294. Since being recalled to Reno on June 16, Pena has hit five homers with 27 RBI for the Aces with a .269 batting average. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 29 prospect for the Diamondbacks and has 55-grade power with just a 40-grade hit tool. So the power numbers look legit while the overall hitting (and batting average) could leave something to be desired. Pena has a lot of position flexibility with the ability to play multiple infield positions as well as the outfield. So he could be useful if Arizona wants to give him a big-league opportunity the rest of the way. In deep leagues, he could be worth a stash look for the potential power output.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
