Sep 3, 2026, 9:42 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets waived guard Kyle Mangas on Thursday, one day after signing him, and replaced him with Jarkel Joiner on an Exhibit 10 contract. Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer reported the corresponding move, which continues Charlotte's back-end roster churn ahead of training camp. Mangas is the third player the Hornets have rotated through that open offseason spot this week, following Josiah Allick and Trey Townsend. Greensboro acquired Mangas' returning rights in August, so the likely path is a Swarm stint tied to an Exhibit 10 bonus if he stays long enough. The 27-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 35 G League games for Austin last season, but this move has no fantasy impact.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Rod Boone

Sep 3, 2026, 9:37 PM ET

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix recently received praise from his teammate, defensive back Patrick Surtain, Susanna Wier of the team's official website reports. Surtain talked about the growth in Nix and how he believes he'll take another step forward this upcoming season. He continued by saying Nix can bring all the guys together and that he's a tremendous leader. Both tight end Evan Engram and offensive tackle Garett Bolles also praised Nix for his leadership. Nix has made a full recovery after suffering a broken ankle during the AFC Championship Game last season. He threw a league-high 612 times this past season, so it wouldn't be shocking to see the Broncos attempt to run more this season. The 26-year-old should remain a top-10 quarterback this upcoming season.--Andy Webb
Source: denverbroncos.com

Sep 3, 2026, 9:35 PM ET

The Orlando Magic officially signed guard/forward Malaki Branham to an Exhibit 10 contract, one of two camp deals completed alongside JD Davison. Branham, a former Ohio State guard, finished last season with the G-League's Cleveland Charge after Charlotte waived him in February. Orlando has 13 guaranteed contracts plus Jamal Cain's non-guaranteed deal, leaving Branham and Davison to compete for a possible final standard roster spot under new head coach Sean Sweeney. The two-way path is already closed, with Izaiyah Nelson, Alex Morales, and Colin Castleton occupying those slots. Branham has a scoring pedigree, but Orlando's guard depth leaves him buried unless the roster picture changes.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Jason Beede

Sep 3, 2026, 9:28 PM ET

The Orlando Magic signed guard JD Davison to an Exhibit 10 contract, one of two camp deals the team completed alongside Malaki Branham, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. Davison, the 2024-25 G-League MVP, was waived by Houston in August after the Rockets had converted him to a standard contract in April. His path into Sean Sweeney's rotation is close to blocked. Orlando has all three two-way spots filled by Izaiyah Nelson, Alex Morales, and Colin Castleton, while Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Anthony Black, Jevon Carter, and Jase Richardson crowd the guard rotation. Davison is likely competing for an Osceola role, not fantasy relevance.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Jason Beede

Sep 3, 2026, 9:21 PM ET

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) appeared to be running without any issues ahead of Thursday's practice, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports. Kraft continues to work his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in November of last year. He missed all of the preseason, but was able to take part during joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals last week. It seems that Kraft is trending in the right direction ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. He appears to be moving well and could very well be ready to go in time for the first game of the season.--Andy Webb
Source: Matt Schneidman

Sep 3, 2026, 9:15 PM ET

According to Adam Schefter, Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (abdomen) left early during Thursday's practice due to a cramp. Swift was reportedly in significant discomfort when he was forced to leave due to abdominal cramping. This is not good news for the Bears, who are already without Kyle Monangai (knee) right now. The hope is that this is a day-to-day issue for Swift and that he'll be back before the season opener. If not, Roschon Johnson could be a popular waiver wire pickup over the next few days. Fantasy managers will need to stay tuned for more updates on Swift.--Andy Webb
Source: Adam Schefter

Sep 3, 2026, 9:11 PM ET

Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale extension with the franchise, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a 10 percent trade kicker and locks in one of Houston's core pieces after Thompson led the NBA in minutes last season. The 23-year-old logged 37.4 minutes per game across 79 starts while averaging career highs of 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. That workload remains the fantasy hook. Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun will command touches, but Thompson's rebounding, defensive production, and ball-handling role keep him firmly valuable. The jumper is still the swing skill, so his ceiling rises only if the shooting catches up.--Brian Dailisan
Source: Shams Charania

Sep 3, 2026, 8:20 PM ET

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (knee) missed another practice on Thursday, according to Zack Pearson of 247 Sports. Monangai suffered a hyperextended right knee in training camp practice on Aug. 16 and was deemed week-to-week earlier this week, but the good news is that the 24-year-old "looked good" while running on a side field on Wednesday, per starting RB D'Andre Swift. Monangai's status for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 13, is firmly up in the air, and with Swift suffering an undisclosed injury of his own in Thursday's practice, Chicago's backfield is banged up with the regular-season opener closing in. With the statuses of both Monangai and Swift now in question, Roschon Johnson is becoming a bit more popular for some potential short-term value in Chicago's offense against Carolina in Week 1. Monangai produced an impressive 783 rushing yards and five rushing scores on 169 carries as a rookie after being taken in the seventh round out of Rutgers, but when Swift is healthy, he will continue to be the clear RB2 with little pass-catching upside. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 42 fantasy RB for the 2026 campaign.--Keith Hernandez
Source: 247 Sports - Zack Pearson

Sep 3, 2026, 8:11 PM ET

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been liking what he has seen out of quarterback Caleb Williams as he prepares to take a step forward in his third NFL season in 2026, according to Larry Mayer of the team's official website. "I've seen a very composed person every time he steps into the building," Johnson said. "I think his teammates feel that as well. He's getting to the practice field early. He's making sure his part is taken care of. He's warmed up, he's ready to go. He stays after with the guys after practice on a regular basis. He's taking a lot of pride in his approach right now, and it trickles down to everyone around him. I think it's a great thing. He continues to grow up, and he's going to be a huge leader for us this year." The 24-year-old former first overall pick from USC has also been a more vocal leader after finishing as the QB8 in fantasy football after throwing for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in 17 regular-season starts in 2025 after taking a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie. Williams has shown a flair for the dramatic late in games, and his ability to produce off-script has been a strength of his. Despite losing receiver DJ Moore in an offseason trade, Williams still has plenty of weapons around him, and if he cleans some stuff up, he could take the next step as a passer for an up-and-coming Bears squad. Williams has plenty of appeal as a midrange to low-end QB1 in fantasy drafts for managers who wait a bit on the position.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ChicagoBears.com - Larry Mayer

Sep 3, 2026, 8:04 PM ET

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (groin) has been working his way back to full fitness after dealing with a groin injury in training camp this summer, and he is expected to be back and take his place in the starting backfield for Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 13, according to Jack Bell of NewYorkJets.com. The 25-year-old former second-rounder from Iowa State is coming off his first 1,000-yard season in 2025 and was rewarded with a three-year, $45.75 million contract extension in May to solidify his position to see the lion's share of the backfield work again in 2026 in a new offense led by veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Hall was seen running on a side field last week, and he should be back at practice with the rest of the team next week as they prepare for the season opener. If Hall has his snaps limited at all in Week 1, Braelon Allen would see a larger piece of the pie, but he will not be a realistic standalone fantasy starter. Hall is a do-it-all back who should see plenty of volume, but the less-than-ideal QB situation in NY makes him more of a high-end RB2 than a low-end RB1 in fantasy drafts.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NewYorkJets.com - Jack Bell

Sep 3, 2026, 7:51 PM ET

Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) as day-to-day, and further discussions will determine whether he is available off the bench in Thursday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals or as the designated hitter for Friday's series opener versus the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com's Sonja Chen. Roberts still views a stint on the injured list as unlikely for Ohtani, "but not impossible." The four-time MVP has not pitched since July 3 due to left-knee and right-biceps injuries, but he has stayed in the lineup as the team's primary DH. The Japanese superstar's health has been declining, though, and he was primarily feeling discomfort in the right biceps and neck areas while striking out four times in Wednesday night's loss to St. Louis, per Roberts. How quickly the 32-year-old returns to the starting lineup as a hitter remains to be seen, but as a pitcher, fantasy managers should not be as hopeful that he will return to the mound in September. Despite playing at less than 100% for a good chunk of the season, Ohtani is still batting .279/.381/.525 overall with a .906 OPS, 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 steals in 499 at-bats. However, his production has declined over the last month, and he was noticeably wincing after swings on Wednesday evening.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen

Sep 3, 2026, 7:44 PM ET

Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) threw a successful bullpen session on Thursday, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Eovaldi is working his way back slowly from inflammation in his right elbow that landed him on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 10, but he is making progress and should rejoin the Rangers' starting rotation before the end of September, barring a setback. However, time is running out for him to make an impact in fantasy baseball leagues. The 15-year veteran has been solid when healthy in 2026 in his fourth year with the team, going 10-9 with a 4.21 ERA (4.26 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 137 strikeouts and 32 walks in 132 2/3 frames over 22 starts. Despite time running out in the season, Eovaldi is rostered in just over 80% of Yahoo leagues. He has not been quite as good in just four second-half starts, posting a 5.06 ERA with six walks and 17 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant

Sep 3, 2026, 7:37 PM ET

Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (neck) has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season, according to Taylor McGregor of the Marquee Sports Network. This should not come as a huge surprise, since Brown has been sidelined on the injured list since June with a stress reaction in his neck, something that he has dealt with in the past. The 26-year-old former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 will finish his 2026 campaign with a 4-2 record, a sharp 1.85 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, one save, 65 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 68 innings pitched across 20 appearances (eight starts) for the Cubbies. Brown has good stuff and plenty of potential, but because he has been unable to stay healthy, his future could be as a full-time reliever in 2027 and beyond. In 25 outings (15 starts) last year for Chicago, Brown had a career-worst 5.92 ERA (4.08 FIP) but also 121 strikeouts and 32 walks in 106 1/3 innings pitched. Barring another setback with his neck injury, he should be ready in plenty of time for spring training in 2027, barring a league lockout.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Marquee Sports Network - Taylor McGregor

Sep 3, 2026, 7:36 PM ET

Updating a previous report, Colorado wide receiver Danny Scudero (ankle) is now probable to play on Thursday night vs. Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Kickoff is in 25 minutes, so get him in your fantasy lineups. This is a great matchup for Scudero in Colorado's new "go-go" offense, the brainchild of offensive coordinator Brennan Marion. Scudero had a great season at San Jose State last year. Colorado is a 6.5-point underdog to the Yellow Jackets, but this game was a thriller last year. Having Scudero available for Colorado could turn it into another thriller.--Mike Marteny - RotoBaller
Source: RotoWire