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Bryce Lance Emerging as a Deep Threat
The New Orleans Saints spent a 2026 fourth-round pick on wide receiver Bryce Lance, and while earlier in camp it was sixth-round rookie Barion Brown grabbing the majority of headlines with his work downfield, Lance is himself emerging as a vertical threat, coming down with another long touchdown catch on Wednesday. Earlier in the week, Lance connected with Spencer Rattler for a 50-yard touchdown, and on Wednesday he raised the difficulty by working through double coverage to come down with a 40-yarder in the end zone. Lance averaged a ludicrous 21.2 yards per catch in his final season at North Dakota State, and he's capable of providing a field-stretching presence that's likely to open things up for Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson whenever they're on the field together in three-receiver sets. While the younger brother of former third overall pick Trey Lance is not a player to target in lineup leagues, his big-play ability makes him an intriguing dart-throw in best ball formats.
Source: Todd Graffagnini
Source: Todd Graffagnini
Freddie Freeman Hoping to Play on Thursday
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (soreness) said he's just sore after falling into the dugout while trying to catch a pop-up in Wednesday's game against the Kansas City Royals, and he's hoping to play on Thursday in the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, according to David Vassegh of 570 AM LA Sports. Dodgers trainer Thomas Albert said that Freeman is dealing with a sore hand, knee, foot, and shoulder. Freeman apparently wants to play against Milwaukee on Thursday, but manager Dave Roberts might have other plans to give him a day off. The 36-year-old veteran, former MVP, and 10-time All-Star went 1-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in Wednesday's 4-2 win over KC, and he's now slashing a cool .306/.380/.472 with an .852 OPS, 15 home runs, 57 RBI, 58 runs scored, and five steals in 118 games in 2026 in his 17th year in the majors. Despite his age, Freeman is a must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues when he's in the Dodgers' lineup. Check back to see if he's active on Thursday night against Brewers lefty Shane Drohan.
Source: 570 AM LA Sports - David Vassegh
Source: 570 AM LA Sports - David Vassegh
Cincinnati Inducting Jason Kelce into School's Hall of Fame
Cincinnati is set to induct former star offensive lineman Jason Kelce into the school's Hall of Fame, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native played four seasons under Brian Kelly before one year under Butch Jones. A former walk-on, he started 26 games at left guard in his third and fourth years on campus, earning All-Big East honors during the Bearcats' undefeated 2009 campaign. He was moved to center in 2010 and was named an Honorable Mention All-American. The 2011 sixth-round draft pick went on to become a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection in his 13-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is Pro Football Hall of Fame-bound in the future, so his place in the Cincinnati athletics Hall of Fame is well earned.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
A Mixed Bag for Malik Willis in Joint Practice
In what was his first competitive work against another team since taking over as the starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, Malik Willis showcased some of the highs and lows that fantasy managers will likely need to endure for the 2026 season. In a joint practice with the Commanders on Wednesday, Willis found success, as he has through much of camp, when targeting rookie Caleb Douglas, who was recently named a starter and praised before practice by head coach Jeff Hafley. Willis also threw an interception to Mike Sanristil that was returned for a touchdown. Those types of ups and downs are to be expected from a first-time starter on one of the more talent-depleted offenses in the league, but an area highlighted by team writer Travis Wingfield, and the reason Willis is worthy of a late-round selection in single-quarterback drafts, is his rushing upside. Wingfield notes that Willis broke contain several times and scrambled for what would have been lengthy gains in a real game scenario. Willis provides one of the highest rushing floors in the league, and if he can simply keep things on track offensively while avoiding costly mistakes, he has a chance to far surpass his current ADP of QB21.
Source: Travis Wingfield
Source: Travis Wingfield
Jeff Monken Agrees to Five-Year Contract Extension with Army
Army head coach Jeff Monken has agreed to a five-year contract extension through the 2030 season, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. The 59-year-old has tallied six consecutive .500 or better seasons, an outstanding accomplishment considering Army's recruiting limitations. The Black Knights won the American Conference behind a 12-2 record in its first season in the conference in 2024 before posting a 7-6 record a season ago. Overall, Monken has an 89-63 record with the program over 12 seasons, including five seasons of at least nine wins. He ranks second all-time in Army history in career wins, trailing only Earl Blaik, who won three national championships and 121 games from 1941 to 1958.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Brian Thomas Jr. to Be Showcased in X Role
Following a disappointing sophomore campaign in 2025, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. could find renewed success as a field-stretcher in 2026. After experimenting with more of an in-traffic role last season, the team wants to make better use of his speed, which NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe described as his superpower. Thomas is expected to be featured in a similar X-role to the one that netted Brandin Cooks 80 receptions and 1,204 yards while working in this offense with the Rams in 2018, and Wolfe has been told that "it's night and day how he's looked in training camp this year compared to last year." Thomas is RotoBaller's WR34, and while his spike weeks will likely prove capable of single-handedly deciding a handful of fantasy matchups, in a crowded Jaguars receiver room, weekly consistency could still be hard to come by.
Source: Cameron Wolfe
Source: Cameron Wolfe
Stefon Diggs the "Missing Piece" for Commanders Offense
Veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs signed with the Washington Commanders less than a week ago, but already he's making his presence felt as a vital piece of the offense being built around exciting young quarterback Jayden Daniels. During Wednesday's joint practice with the Dolphins, Diggs tormented Miami's defensive backs throughout the day, according to CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles, first looking uncoverable in his one-on-one work and then making plays throughout team sessions with savvy route-running and an innate feel for finding the soft spots against zone coverage. In a rotational role with the Patriots in 2025, Diggs reached 1,013 yards on an impressive 2.42 yards per route run, and after practice Daniels spoke of what he's already brought to the offense. "It's awesome, just his feel for space... He's a dawg. He goes out and makes plays. He brings energy, he's a leader, so I'm super happy to have Stefon in that room, not just for the offense but for the whole team in general." Following a long offseason without a team, Diggs fell to the late rounds of 2026 drafts, and with the market slow to adjust, the four-time Pro Bowler could prove to be one of the year's best values at his current ADP of WR48.
Source: Zachary Pereles
Source: Zachary Pereles
Hyunjung Lee Works Out for Pelicans
South Korean guard/forward Hyunjung Lee is getting a minicamp look from the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Dylan Sanders of Sports Illustrated, who cited South Korean journalist Sung Jin-hyuk. The Boston Celtics are also expected to bring Lee in during August as he tries to land a camp deal or two-way spot. The 6-foot-7 shooter went undrafted out of Davidson in 2022 before building his career overseas, including an NBL title run with the Illawarra Hawks and a move to Nagasaki Velca in Japan. Lee most recently averaged 9.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across five Summer League games with San Antonio on 35.5/33.3/81.8 shooting splits. He remains off the fantasy radar unless he turns a camp invite into a real NBA role.
Source: Dylan Sanders
Source: Dylan Sanders
Ethan Thompson Nears EuroLeague Switch
Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson has agreed to terms with Partizan Belgrade on a one-plus-one deal, according to Sportando, citing Nova.rs. The move cannot become official until Indiana parts ways with Thompson, who remains on a two-way contract. The 27-year-old Puerto Rico national team guard went undrafted out of Oregon State and joined the Pacers last December after previous stops in the G-League. He appeared in 32 games as a rookie, making 13 starts for a 19-63 Indiana team while averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 threes in 20.4 minutes. Thompson had no NBA fantasy value, and a move to Partizan would take him off the board entirely.
Source: Sportando
Source: Sportando
Charlie Kolar a Player on the Rise
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar was one of the first players the team added in free agency, and while his biggest strength has always come as a blocker, he has a chance to thrive in a Mike McDaniel offense projected to see a lot of multiple-tight-end sets. NFL Daily Podcast's Gregg Rosenthal visited Chargers camp on Wednesday and made note of Kolar's heavy usage, adding that the team's unique personnel allows McDaniel to run just about anything he can think of. Kolar was listed as a co-starter on the team's first unofficial depth chart, along with David Njoku and Oronde Gadsden, and it should come as no surprise if all three regularly find the field at the same time and contribute in the passing game, creating a fantasy floor for all, but a much murkier upside case. Kolar is not a player who needs to be drafted in 2026 lineup leagues, but could at least warrant a late-round dart throw in deeper best ball formats.
Source: Gregg Rosenthal
Source: Gregg Rosenthal
Jalen Pickett Officially Signs Two-Way Deal with Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers officially signed guard Jalen Pickett to a two-way contract Wednesday, completing the deal that Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported last week. Pickett spent his first three NBA seasons with Denver after going 32nd overall in the 2023 draft, but the Nuggets declined his team option earlier this summer. The 26-year-old averaged 5.2 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.3 rebounds across 50 games last season, and his near-39 percent three-point shooting remains his best NBA selling point. Two-way status points more to depth than steady rotation minutes, especially with Darius Garland and lottery pick Keaton Wagler ahead of him in the Clippers backcourt. Pickett remains off the fantasy radar unless injuries open a real role.
Source: LA Clippers
Source: LA Clippers
MarJon Beauchamp Signs with Bayern Munich
Forward MarJon Beauchamp has signed with Bayern Munich for the 2026-27 season, moving to Europe after four NBA seasons. The 25-year-old played 149 regular-season games across stints with the Bucks, Clippers, Knicks, and 76ers after Milwaukee selected him No. 24 overall in 2022. Beauchamp last appeared on a two-way deal with Philadelphia, averaging 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 14 games, while his bigger scoring flashes came in the G-League. He averaged 23.8 points across 24 games with Delaware while shooting 37.0 percent from three. Beauchamp said he still sees himself as an NBA player, but the Bayern move takes him off the NBA fantasy radar.
Source: Basketnews
Source: Basketnews
Cardinals Believe Trey McBride Can Still Do More
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride's 126 receptions in 2025 were a single-season positional record, while his 252.9 half-PPR fantasy points were almost 90 more than the next closest tight end, but new head coach Mike LaFleur indicated on Wednesday a belief that the first-team All-Pro still has room for growth. "Here was your route tree since you've been here... What can we expand off it?" he recounted to the media. "I think he can have maybe a deeper intermediate route tree." Among 53 tight ends with at least 25 targets in 2025, McBride's 9.8 yards per reception ranked 34th, and while his underneath work allowed him to dominate in PPR leagues, the addition of more explosive plays could raise his ceiling even higher in 2026. The two-time Pro Bowler is RotoBaller's TE2 and a player who rarely escapes the second round of drafts.
Source: Theo Mackie
Source: Theo Mackie
Chris Paul Emerges as Lakers Front-Office Name to Watch
Recently retired guard Chris Paul has emerged as a name to watch for a possible off-court role with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. Paul is close with Bob Iger, who has agreed to buy the Lakers alongside Josh Kushner in a record $12.5 billion deal that still needs NBA approval. Sportando also relayed ESPN's Dave McMenamin reporting that head coach JJ Redick has already agreed to a contract extension aligning his timeline with general manager Rob Pelinka. Nothing is formal with Paul, who retired in February after 21 seasons and ranks second all-time in assists and steals. For fantasy managers, this is a continuity note. Redick staying in place matters more than any Paul speculation, and neither development changes the Lakers' rotation or Luka Doncic's offensive role.
Source: Sportando
Source: Sportando
Jayden Daniels Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter to LSU
An attorney representing Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has informed LSU that the school can no longer use Daniels' name, image, or likeness, as reported by ESPN's Mark Schlabach. The Tigers recently allowed sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett to wear the same number five Daniels wore during his time at LSU. While the number has not been officially retired, Pickett is the first player to wear it since Daniels departed for the NFL in 2024, prompting the letter from his attorney. "Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected," the statement from Daniels' spokesperson said. "His Heisman Trophy-winning season and everything he accomplished on and off the field cemented his place in LSU history. To see his number given to another player is incredibly disappointing and feels like a failure to honor the significance of what Jayden accomplished at LSU." Daniels threw for 3,811 yards and 40 touchdowns in his final season at LSU, adding 1,250 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground before the Commanders made him the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Source: Mark Schlabach
Source: Mark Schlabach
