Aug 7, 2026, 2:55 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck put on a show in the NFL's first preseason game of 2026. Beck operated as the signal-caller for the first half plus the opening drive of the third quarter. He went 15-for-19 for 188 passing yards and one touchdown in the eventual 33-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The rookie engineered a 96-yard drive in the first quarter that culminated in a rushing touchdown from running back Corey Kiner. Beck kicked off Arizona's next drive with a 49-yard bomb to receiver Jalen Brooks and three plays later hit Simi Fehoko on a five-yard fade route for a touchdown. Beck's performance added some fuel to the simmering quarterback competition in Arizona. Jacoby Brissett, who signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract in July, is still the presumed starter, but free agent signee Gardner Minshew II's position on the depth chart suddenly looks less secure. Beck's next chance to impress will come on August 13 against the Las Vegas Raiders.--Dan Stephens
Source: NFL.com

Aug 7, 2026, 12:41 AM ET

Los Angeles Angels shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala (hand), who was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in the trade involving right-hander Jose Soriano, is day-to-day after leaving Double-A Rocket City's game on Thursday with a left-hand laceration, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Nimmala, who is considered the Angels' No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, doubled twice for the Trash Pandas before leaving the contest. The 20-year-old former 20th overall selection by Toronto in 2023 spent most of his time this year at Double-A New Hampshire, hitting .279/.355/.451 with an .806 OPS, four home runs, 11 RBI, 21 runs scored, and four stolen bases in only 33 games across 138 plate appearances. Nimmala came into Thursday's game, his second with Rocket City, hitting .261 (59-for-226) with eight homers, 34 RBI, 41 runs, and six stolen bases in 63 minor-league games with five different teams in 2026. The 6-foot, 190-pounder might only be average, at best, at defense at the 6 long-term, but he has intriguing power potential from the right side of the plate. Nimmala isn't expected to be a candidate for his MLB debut until 2028.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger

Aug 7, 2026, 12:32 AM ET

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that wide receiver Xavier Legette (neck) "feels great" and is "back," according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. The Panthers held Legette out of the Hall of Fame preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night as a precaution, but it sounds like he could be ready to return to practice soon after being carted off due to a neck stinger earlier this week. The health of Legette is pretty important now after rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II (knee) was already ruled out for the entire 2026 season. The 25-year-old former 32nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft from South Carolina is now considered the favorite to hold WR3 duties behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, although that role probably won't afford Legette enough volume to be taken seriously by fantasy managers in standard-sized 12-team leagues. Legette has been a disappointment in his first two years in the league, and he caught only 35 passes on 64 targets for 363 yards and three touchdowns in 15 regular-season games in his sophomore campaign.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye

Aug 6, 2026, 11:50 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Thursday that he doesn't have an update on wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) after he had offseason ankle surgery, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. "His rehab's going great, I'll say that. I don't have the timetable on his return, but he's doing a hell of a job in his rehab process," Steichen said. Pierce still has time to get ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season, but it's a bit ominous that there have been very few details on Pierce's recovery from ankle surgery. The 26-year-old is expected to take over WR1 duties in Indy in 2026 with Michael Pittman Jr. now in Pittsburgh, but so far in training camp, it has been Josh Downs impressing as the team's top pass-catcher while working with quarterback Daniel Jones, who looks fully recovered from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2025. Pierce led the NFL with 21.3 yards per catch for the second straight season while posting a 47-1,003-6 line in 15 games in a breakout campaign. The longer Pierce stays on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the more of a risk he'll be for fantasy managers as a big-play threat in the Colts' offense. He's currently ranked as the No. 39 fantasy WR for the upcoming season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - James Boyd

Aug 6, 2026, 11:42 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said he still views veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield as the team's franchise signal-caller, even though the two sides were unable to agree on a contract extension before the start of training camp this summer, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Tampa offered Mayfield a two-year deal, but he turned it down and felt disrespected by the organization. "We love Baker. Baker's in a great place right now. We're in a very good place," Licht said. The GM also acknowledged that using the franchise tag on Mayfield is an option for 2027. Mayfield gave the team a deadline of the start of training camp to get a deal done, but Licht said the Bucs have left the door open if Mayfield and his agent, Tom Mills, decide they want to resume negotiations. Whether the two sides eventually agree on an extension might come down to how Mayfield plays in 2026 after taking a step back in 2025 after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons in 2023 and 2024 in his first two years with the team. For fantasy purposes, Mayfield's arrow is pointing down after an injury-plagued year as he heads into his ninth year in the league in a new offense that won't feature Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans. He'll go undrafted in single-QB, 12-team fantasy leagues, and he's merely a low-end QB2 in superflex formats without a ton of upside in his age-31 season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jenna Laine

Aug 6, 2026, 11:31 PM ET

New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Brock Rechsteiner was suspended by the NFL on Thursday for the first six games of the 2026 regular season, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. No reason was given for the suspension. In the meantime, the 23-year-old will be allowed to practice during training camp and participate in preseason games. His suspension will begin after the Saints' roster is reduced to 53 players on Aug. 30. Rechsteiner was signed by New Orleans as an undrafted rookie after rookie minicamp in May. He spent three collegiate seasons at Jacksonville State, recording a total of 53 receptions for 629 yards and seven touchdowns in 37 games in Conference USA. His best season came last year, with Rechsteiner catching 36 passes for 383 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games played. He will continue to compete for a spot on the Saints' 53-man roster, but his six-game suspension will not help his cause.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Katherine Terrelle

Aug 6, 2026, 11:24 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said he doesn't know yet whether former All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald will come out of retirement for the 2026 season, but he said that Donald "looked outstanding" during his workout with the team on Tuesday, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. Donald spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Rams before hanging up his cleats in March of 2024. "He's very deliberate and intentional about what this looks like," McVay said of Donald. "Things are going in the right direction. He's feeling good, but we're not to where we are able to say whether or not he is or isn't ready to do it. But he's doing great, and he looked outstanding, as I think all of us would expect." McVay doesn't want to put a timeline for Donald's decision, but he has said in the past that if he returns, he would be "all-in." The belief is that if the 35-year-old 10-time Pro Bowler and eight-time first-team All-Pro comes back, it would be in more of a rotational pass-rushing role for the Rams' D-line, but Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported on Thursday night that Donald could be ready to take on 30-40 snaps in Week 1 against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Australia if he unretires. It's looking more and more like an already stacked Rams' defense is going to get more help this year from a future Hall of Famer.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop

Aug 6, 2026, 11:14 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease continued his amazing first season with the Jays at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, throwing seven shutout innings with two hits allowed, one walk, and 10 strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 2.28, which ranks second in the American League, behind only the Yankees' Cam Schlittler. Cease was handed a no-decision in the eventual 3-2 extra-inning loss after closer Louis Varland gave up a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to third baseman Alex Bregman. The 30-year-old hurler has been electric in 2026, and he's been especially hard to hit since the beginning of July, having allowed just four earned runs with 56 strikeouts in his six starts over that span. In addition to being second in the AL in ERA, Cease leads the league with his 184 strikeouts and is second in all of baseball. Cease will face Boston for the fourth time this year in his next outing. He's 2-1 against them with a sharp 1.83 ERA, 10 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. In his last meeting against them, he threw a one-hitter. Obviously, Cease has been a no-brainer must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Aug 6, 2026, 10:45 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt has been unbelievable on the mound lately. Since being recalled on June 30, Pfaadt owns a 1.55 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 40 2/3 innings across seven starts. He has quietly been excellent on the mound and deserves to be rostered in more fantasy leagues going forward. Overall this season, Pfaadt owns a 3.66 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 52:22 K:BB across 20 games (10 starts) with the Diamondbacks. He's currently slated to take the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Fantasy managers seeking pitching help should consider adding Pfaadt ahead of that start.--Andy Webb
Source: Baseball Reference

Aug 6, 2026, 10:38 PM ET

New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has really struggled to make an impact during his first year with the team. Due to injuries, Robert has played in fewer than 40 games this season. When healthy, Robert is posting a .189/.280/.307 slash line with four home runs, 12 RBI, and two steals. Robert finally came alive with the bat during Thursday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. Robert collected three hits at the plate in the 13-6 victory. Hopefully, it's a sign that Robert is finally turning the corner at the plate. Deep league fantasy managers might want to give him a chance because his overall upside might be worth the risk.--Andy Webb
Source: baseba

Aug 6, 2026, 10:29 PM ET

Chicago White Sox catcher Joey Bart (hand) was forced to make an early exit from Thursday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Bart was removed from the contest after getting hit by a pitch on the hand during the seventh inning of this contest. He was immediately removed from the game and replaced by Drew Romo. Before leaving, Bart was 0-for-2 at the plate and was hit by a pitch twice. It was announced afterwards that Bart suffered a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand. He'll likely undergo further testing, but a stint on the Injured List is almost guaranteed. Romo should see increased playing time behind the plate, and Edgar Quero will likely be recalled from Triple-A if Bart misses time.--Andy Webb
Source: Chicago White Sox

Aug 6, 2026, 10:20 PM ET

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (finger) is scheduled to make his return to the mound versus the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, according to manager Terry Francona. Lodolo has been on the 15-day Injured List since mid-July due to a recurring blister issue. He allowed three runs on five hits while striking out four batters across 4.1 innings of work during his lone rehab start. It appears the Reds have seen enough to reinstate Lodolo after one rehab outing. He has registered a 4.60 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and a 50/27 K/BB ratio across 12 starts this season. He could be someone worth scooping up off the waiver wire if fantasy managers need another arm.--Andy Webb
Source: Mike Petraglia

Aug 6, 2026, 10:10 PM ET

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Robbie Ray is set to make his team debut against the Houston Astros on Friday. Ray is ready to take the mound after being acquired by the Padres during Monday's trade deadline. He should be well-rested with seven days off ahead of this start. The southpaw owns a 3.08 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and a 107/57 K/BB ratio across 22 games (21 starts) with the San Francisco Giants this season. He should bring some life to a Padres' pitching staff that has been crushed by injuries. The 34-year-old should be rostered in almost all fantasy formats at the moment.--Andy Webb
Source: mlb.com

Aug 6, 2026, 9:57 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is in line for a solid 2026 season. Andrews had a down 2025 season, with 48 receptions for 470 yards and six touchdowns, finishing as the TE16 in half-PPR formats. That was with Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar still firmly in the mix, and star quarterback Lamar Jackson missing several games. Now, the Ravens hired Declan Doyle as the new offensive coordinator in 2026. Doyle came from the Chicago Bears in 2025 and has been under Broncos head coach Sean Payton for most of his coaching career. Both Payton's and Ben Johnson's offenses favor tight ends, with players like Sam LaPorta, Colston Loveland, and Saints tight end Jimmy Graham when Payton coached in New Orleans. There's a strong chance Andrews is the second option in the receiving game behind Zay Flowers, with a great quarterback supplying him as well. Ranked TE9 and 104 in RotoBaller's rankings, Andrews could be a great value this season.--Nathan Harvey
Source: RotoBaller