August 21, 2025
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that quarterback
Lamar Jackson (foot) is fine after he was stepped on during Wednsday's training camp practice. Jackson got an X-ray, which came back negative, just for peace of mind. "Prayers do get answered," Harbaugh said. The Ravens held Jackson out of practice on Thursday because his foot was still sore. The 28-year-old two-time MVP will not play in the team's preseason finale on Saturday against the Washington Commanders, but he'll be just fine for the Week 1 regular-season opener in a showdown with the Buffalo Bills. Jackson was already an elite fantasy threat with his legs, but he took the next step as a passer last year, too. He finished as the QB1 with 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions while rushing for 915 yards and four more scores.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
August 21, 2025
Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. will likely be used in short-yardage situations and at the goal line this season, according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. With
Brian Robinson Jr. almost certainly on his way out in Washington, the team appears to be comfortable with a committee of
Austin Ekeler,
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez Jr., and
Jeremy McNichols at the running back position. In 22 career NFL games over the last two seasons, Rodriguez Jr. has 86 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns. He could be worth a late-round dart throw in deep leagues given his presumed role and the opportunity to earn more touches in Washington.
--Will BradySource: Ben Standig
August 21, 2025
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. has been studying historically elite quarterback/tight end relationships and wants to foster that with Falcons QB
Michael Penix Jr., according to ESPN's Marc Raimondi. Raimondi says that this is a noteworthy change from how Pitts has spoken about the quarterbacks he has played with in the past. In the three games that Penix Jr. started for the Falcons in 2024, Pitts was targeted 10 times and hauled in seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. The 24-year-old tight end remains one of the most physically gifted players at his position, and he may have an opportunity for increased targets early in the season with Falcons wide receiver
Darnell Mooney (shoulder) currently sidelined. Pitts profiles as a fringe TE1 for fantasy with solid upside but a very low floor.
--Will BradySource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
August 21, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
Johnny Wilson (knee, ankle) will undergo surgery on his knee and ankle and miss the entire 2025 season, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Wilson suffered the injuries in practice on Tuesday. The 24-year-old was selected in the sixth round by the Eagles in 2024 and appeared in 16 games as a rookie, recording five catches. Wilson was expected to play a larger role on offense in his second season, but that will now have to wait until 2026. Philadelphia acquired wide receiver
John Metchie III from the Houston Texans earlier this week, and Metchie III looks like the favorite to take Wilson's role as the team's WR4.
--Will BradySource: The Philadelphia Inquirer - Jeff McLane
August 21, 2025
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that the plan for the preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders would be "similar" to last week in which almost all of the starters and a few other key players did not suit up. Murray and most of the offensive starters only played two possessions in the preseason opener againt the Kansas City Chiefs before sitting out in last weekend's loss to the Denver Broncos. While Murray and the rest of the starters probably won't face the Raiders, it was widely reported this summer that the signal-caller and second-year receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr. have improved their chemistry heading into the 2025 season. Murray threw for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 17 starts in hi sixth year in the NFL in 2024, but it's his rushing/scrambling ability that puts him in contention as a low-end QB1 in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: AZCardinals.com - Darren Urban
August 21, 2025
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that he plans for the starters to play at least a little of the preseason finale on Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The amount of playing time the starters get will be determined on how they perform in Thursday's joint practice with the Jags, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa will get one more dress rehearsal before the regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Indianapolis Colts, although he'll be without receiver
Tyreek Hill (oblique) and running back
De'Von Achane (calf), basically his two best offensive weapons. At the most, Tagovailoa will likely get a couple of offensive series before being pulled. The 27-year-old and Miami's offense was a dink-and-dunk unit last year, and Tua missed more time with a head injury. He has become an injury-prone, low-end QB2 fantasy option.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
August 21, 2025
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime writes that Houston Texans rookie wide receiver
Jayden Higgins has been rotating on the outside with
Xavier Hutchinson when the team goes to 11 personnel (three receivers). Fellow rookie
Jaylin Noel has seen most of his reps from the slot but has also seen some work on the outside. With
Christian Kirk currently locked in as the starting slot wideout in Houston, Higgins, the No. 34 overall pick in April, should have a clearer path to playing time in 2025. The two wideouts were teammates at Iowa State, and head coach DeMeco Ryans has described them as inseparable. The 22-year-old Higgins made a highlight-reel 14-yard reception on his only catch of the second preseason game last weekend. In a Texans offense that could throw the ball often, Higgins is absolutely worth a late-round flier in fantasy for receiver depth.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
August 21, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (foot) is not practicing with the team on Thursday after leaving Wednesday's practice early after having his foot stepped on, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec. The Ravens said on Wednesday that Jackson is fine, so they are just giving th two-time MVP a day off after a minor injury. Jackson is not going to play in the preseason finale on Saturday against the Washington Commanders, but he'll be ready to rock for Week 1 of the regular season on Sunday, Sept. 7, in a rematch of the AFC Divisional Round versus the Buffalo Bills. The 28-year-old former first-rounder is in his prime as an elite dual-threat quarterback. Jackson threw for a career-best 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions in 17 regular-season starts in 2024 and also ran for 915 yards and four more TDs.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
August 21, 2025
Seattle Seahawks running back
Kenneth Walker III (foot) is in full pads at practice on Thursday for the third straight day, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. Walker suffered a minor foot injury earlier this month and had been alternating practice days as a precaution given his lengthy history with lower-body ailments. The 24-year-old appears to be moving past the foot issue in the final week of the preseason, but he'll probably be held out of the finale this weekend against the Green Bay Packers. Walker has been very productive for Seattle and fantasy managers when he's healthy, but he's almost guaranteed to miss some time again in 2025 due to injury. It's why the Seahawks have hinted that they will involve
Zach Charbonnet more in order to try and keep Walker available. He has become a risk/reward RB2 for fantasy purposes.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell
August 21, 2025
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said quarterback
Josh Allen will not play in the team's preseason finale Saturday, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Last year's MVP previously had appeared in at least one preseason game every year of his career, but that appears to be coming to end this season. Like many teams with a franchise quarterback, Buffalo doesn't have much to gain by playing Allen and won't take any risks as a result. They'll open the regular season with a Sunday Night Football debut against Baltimore on Sept. 7.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
August 21, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) will begin the season on the 53-man roster, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. One of the best tackles in the game, Wirfs is recovering from knee surgery and likely will be on a similar track to return as receiver
Chris Godwin (ankle), Bowles said. That means the Iowa product likely won't play immediately this season, but is eligible to return to practice and does not have to miss a mandated four games now that he has been activated from the physically unable to perform list. He has missed all of training camp so far.
UPDATE: Wirfs is unlikely to play until October.--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
August 21, 2025
The defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs are in the market for another running back, according to The Athletic's Diana Russini. The Chiefs are joined by the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns as teams looking for added help in their running back rooms, Russini reported. Projected Kansas City starter
Isiah Pacheco is coming off a broken leg last year, while veterans
Kareem Hunt and
Elijah Mitchell are next on the current depth chart. Cleveland drafted two rookies,
Quinshon Judkins and
Dylan Sampson, to go with
Jerome Ford, while New Orleans has ample room for another running back behind
Alvin Kamara.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
August 21, 2025
Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said that tight end
Luke Schoonmaker (concussion) is officially in concussion protocol, as relayed by Jon Machota of The Athletic. The third-year tight end left Monday's practice early and now must clear protocol before returning to the field. Schoonmaker is coming off a career-best 27 catches and 241 yards in a year in which Dallas played half the season without quarterback
Dak Prescott.
Jake Ferguson, who finished second on the team in targets in 2024, is still on track to be Dallas' top receiving tight end.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
August 21, 2025
Quarterback
Kyle Trask is in line to start Tampa Bay's final preseason game against Buffalo, according to Rock Riley of the Tampa Free Press. The Bucs are holding starter
Baker Mayfield out of the game, so Trask will get the first look with newly signed
Teddy Bridgewater to follow. The fifth-year veteran has spent his entire career in Tampa, but has attempted just 11 passes in four years backing up Mayfield and
Tom Brady. From a fantasy perspective, both of the the Tampa reserve quarterbacks are just Mayfield insurance in deeper dynasty formats.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Free Press
August 21, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end
Cade Otton said he hopes to remain with the team long-term, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. The big tight end is approaching the final year of his rookie contract and is coming off the best season of his career from a receiving standpoint, compiling 59 receptions for 600 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Tampa still rosters receiver
Mike Evans, inked a three-year deal with receiver
Chris Godwin, and drafted
Emeka Egbuka earlier this year, so Otton's consistency as a pass catcher with Tampa looks to be in question. At any rate, he's scheduled to hit the open market next year unless a new deal comes to fruition.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports
RADIO
