RADIO
Justin Verlander Faces Live Batters
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander (hamstring/hip) took a big step forward in his injury progression on Saturday by facing live batters prior to the team's game against the Colorado Rockies. This marks the first time that the 43-year-old has faced live hitters since he went on the Injured List very early in the season. It is worth noting that the batters who stood in the box did not take any swings, but the fact that they were there marks a significant step in the right direction. Verlander is hoping to cap off his career with one final start on the final weekend of the season. With the Tigers almost out of playoff contention and with potentially nothing to play for, that feels like the perfect sendoff to one of the game's greats. From a fantasy perspective, he is only worth consideration if he does, in fact, return, but there's no guarantee that he makes it back in time to pitch again.
Source: Jason Beck
Source: Jason Beck
Jahan Dotson Atlanta's No. 2, but Not On Flex Radar in Week 1
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Jahan Dotson will be Atlanta's No. 2 receiver on Sunday for the team's Week 1 road matchup against the Steelers. While that can be a potentially fantasy-friendly role on many teams, the former first-rounder could realistically be the fourth option, likely behind Drake London, Kyle Pitts Sr., and Bijan Robinson in the receiving hierarchy. Additionally, with third-string quarterback Cooper Rush under center in Week 1 for Atlanta, that could mean that a very quiet game could be in store for the Penn State product. The 26-year-old projects as the No. 90 wide receiver overall this week at RotoBaller, and with the Falcons having one of the lowest implied point totals in Week 1 (17.5), he's off of the Flex radar altogether.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Arizona State Loses Starting Right Guard
Arizona State has seen one of its starting offensive linemen suffer what appears to be a significant injury during a matchup with Texas A&M. Right guard Wade Helton was carted to the sideline after going down during the second quarter of Saturday's contest, according to On3's Pete Nakos. DevilsDigest.com provided additional context, posting to its X account, "Cannot put weight on right leg as he's being assisted off the field." Helton played 10 games as a freshman for the Sun Devils a season ago and helped them rush for a whopping 249 yards during a 70-7 win over Morgan State a week ago. Rob Lapuaho has replaced Helton at right guard. Lapuaho was on the Arizona State scout team a season ago.
Source: Pete Nakos/On3
Source: Pete Nakos/On3
Charlie Kolar Has Fantasy Appeal in Deeper Leagues in Week 1
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar is coming off a strong offseason filled with under-the-radar hype after signing a lucrative three-year, $24.3 million contract in free agency. The 27-year-old was named the TE1 on the team's first unofficial depth chart over David Njoku and Oronde Gadsden II and saw limited work during preseason games with the rest of the offensive starters. Kolar is RotoBaller's PPR TE32 heading into Week 1 and should remain out of lineups in standard 12-team leagues. However, he is a sneaky touchdown-dependent tight end option with upside in deep tight end premium leagues. Kolar will face a Cardinals defense that allowed the sixth-most passing touchdowns (31), ninth-most completions (375), 10th-most passing yards (4,128), and the 11th-highest completion percentage (65.6) last season. In a favorable matchup, he could have a productive fantasy outing and is a name to monitor on waivers to begin the year.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Edward Cabrera Activated And Added To Bullpen
Chicago Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera (finger) was activated from the Injured List on Saturday and added to the team's bullpen ahead of their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 28-year-old pitcher has started in all 15 of his appearances this season but will now be moved to the bullpen after suffering multiple injuries all year long. The right-hander has only been in one game since the All-Star Break because of hamstring and blister issues, and the hope is that with a smaller workload, both his health and productivity will stabilize. He will likely only receive low-leverage opportunities while he works on fixing his command and control, as both his 5.68 ERA and 1.45 WHIP are the highest either stat has been since his rookie season with Miami.
Source: Patrick Mooney
Source: Patrick Mooney
Nicholas Singleton Should be Ignored in Starting Week 1 Lineups
Tennessee Titans rookie running back Nicholas Singleton, the 165th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft in April in the fifth round from Penn State, enters his first year in the NFL as the team's No. 3 RB behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. Singleton is not rostered in most standard-sized, single-year fantasy leagues, but an injury to either Pollard or Spears could quickly make him attractive off the waiver wire in the Titans' new-look offense this year under coordinator Brian Daboll. The 22-year-old had two 1,000-yard rushing campaigns in his four collegiate seasons with the Nittany Lions and added 45 rushing touchdowns in 53 total games. He was also proficient as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 102 passes for 987 yards and another nine touchdowns as a pass-catcher. A broken foot limited him to 549 rushing yards in his senior season, but he still added a career-high 13 touchdowns on the ground. Singleton is fully healthy now as Tennessee's RB3, but he should be on benches in deeper fantasy leagues for his NFL debut against the New York Jets this Sunday.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Tre' Harris Remains Hidden in Crowded Offense for Week 1
Los Angeles Chargers wideout Tre' Harris had a quiet offseason heading into his sophomore campaign, even though his offense was often discussed with the arrival of Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. McDaniel is viewed as an offensive guru who has called plays for some of the most explosive offenses over the last few seasons. However, Harris has been overlooked by analysts even as they have attempted to get as much exposure to the offense as possible. The 24-year-old will likely be deployed as the WR3 in the Chargers' offense that has heavy target competition with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Charlie Kolar, Omarion Hampton, and Keaton Mitchell all vying for targets. Harris is RotoBaller's PPR WR72 in a favorable matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. The Cardinals defense allowed the sixth-most passing touchdowns (31), ninth-most completions (375), and 10th-most passing yards (4,128) last season. Harris should remain out of fantasy lineups in Week 1 and should be viewed only as a touchdown-dependent flex option for managers in a tough spot in deeper leagues.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Deshaun Watson Hard to Trust in Week 1 Return
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will make his first regular-season start in nearly two years when the Browns visit Jacksonville on Sunday. There is not much reason for fantasy managers to take the same chance. Watson missed all of 2025 after undergoing a second surgery on his right Achilles, then had an uneven preseason after returning this summer. He opened 11-for-15 for 126 yards against Chicago before completing just five of 12 passes for 36 yards with an interception against Buffalo. Jacksonville picked off 22 passes last season, so this is not an especially comfortable spot for a quarterback trying to get settled again. Cleveland also enters the opener with five new starters along the offensive line, including rookie Austin Barber replacing the injured Teven Jenkins at right guard. RotoBaller has Watson at QB32 for Week 1. He should stay on the bench in one-quarterback leagues and is only a desperation option in deeper Superflex or two-quarterback formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ryan Weathers To Throw From A Mound Next Week
New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers (forearm) is set to throw from a mound at some point next week. The 26-year-old has been on the Injured List with a forearm flexor strain but continues to make progress toward a regular-season return. After completing a series of long-distance throws from the outfield on Saturday, manager Aaron Boone said that the next step for Weathers would be some mound work. Once that is complete with no setbacks, there is still a chance for him to return to the Yankees as a reliever before the playoffs begin. That being said, with so many options already, it is unclear if he will receive high-leverage opportunities at all, given the nature of his injury.
Source: Gary Phillips
Source: Gary Phillips
Kip Lewis Exits Again
Once again, fifth-year linebacker Kip Lewis has left Oklahoma's game against Michigan due to a knee injury he sustained well before the Wolverines seized a 7-0 lead on a 38-yard touchdown run from quarterback Bryce Underwood. Lewis left the field with about six minutes remaining in the first quarter and later returned after working through the injury and applying a knee brace during his time on the sideline. He was initially replaced by James Nesta before making his way back to the field and exiting again prior to the end of the first quarter. Lewis led the Sooners in tackles a season ago with 76.
Source: Parker Thune/On3
Source: Parker Thune/On3
Titans D/ST a Top-12 Fantasy Unit Against Jets in Week 1
The Tennessee Titans defense/special teams unit is not projected to be a defense that fantasy managers will want to be starting each and every week in 2026, but in their Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets, they are squarely in the streaming conversation. New Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who comes from a defensive background, will be looking to turn Tennessee around on that side of the ball after they allowed 28.1 points per game (fifth-most in the league) and 345.1 yards per game in 2025. Respected defensive coordinator Gus Bradley should be able to help Saleh get more out of this Titans unit, which is anchored by star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. They upgraded the defense in the offseason with John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson II, and Solomon Thomas. Against the new-look Jets offense led by veteran QB Geno Smith, who threw 17 interceptions with the Raiders last year, the Titans defense has upside as a streaming sleeper out of the gate in 2026.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Aaron Judge to Have Planned Days Off
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is set to receive a planned day off either on Sunday or Monday, according to manager Aaron Boone. While he is set to be the team's designated hitter on Saturday, Boone noted that the 34-year-old will receive a planned day of rest on either Sunday or Monday. Entering action on Sunday, Judge will have played in three games since his extensive absence due to a stress fracture in his first rib. Upon his return, it was mentioned that he would be eased back into a full-time role, and this planned day of rest is part of the plan. That being said, with the postseason being the main focus for the Yankees, it's unclear how many more games Judge will miss down the stretch. Fantasy baseball managers need to be prepared for shortened weeks as they manage their own teams down the stretch.
Source: Bryan Hoch
Source: Bryan Hoch
Andrei Iosivas Tough to Trust Despite Favorable Matchup
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas opens the year as a starter, but that still does not make him easy to trust in fantasy. Cincinnati lists him with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and Tampa Bay was vulnerable through the air last season, allowing 4,049 net passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns. The matchup is not the problem. The targets are. Iosivas saw 58 targets in 17 games last year and turned them into 33 catches for 435 yards and two touchdowns. Chase and Higgins are both on track to play, so it is hard to project much more than a handful of opportunities unless Cincinnati gets Iosivas involved near the goal line or the game turns pass-heavy. RotoBaller has him at WR81 in its Saturday update. That puts him well outside normal starting range. Managers in deeper leagues can take a shot if they need a receiver from a strong passing offense, but Iosivas is better left on the bench in most formats for Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brian Robinson has Flex Appeal with Potential Goal-Line Work
Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson will complement Bijan Robinson in the backfield for Sunday's road matchup against the Steelers. That role could be a lucrative one, as last year's RB2 in Atlanta, Tyler Allgeier, racked up eight rushing touchdowns, much to the dismay of Bijan Robinson managers. Though Robinson Jr. had a career-low 400 rushing yards in San Francisco last season, he averaged 776 rushing yards per season from 2022 to 2024 with Washington, despite playing in no more than 15 games during that time, and totaled a career-high eight rush TDs in 2024, so he has legitimate goal-scoring ability. Even so, he projects as more of a low-end flex play this week, with Atlanta (+6) having an implied point total of just 17.5 and potentially needing to lean on the pass later in the contest as they try to play catch-up. The 27-year-old ranks as a low-end flex/RB5 at RotoBaller, but is still one of the top RB handcuffs heading into Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kip Lewis Returns After Leaving With Knee Injury
After he left the game early during the first half due to a knee injury, Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis returned to action sporting a knee brace as he hopes to help guide the Sooners' defense through a high-profile non-conference tilt. Lewis, who was initially replaced by James Nesta, led all Oklahoma defenders with 76 tackles last season and is a key piece of head coach Brent Venebales' resistance. Lewis and Nesta each performed well during a 51-0 Week 1 win over UTEP, combining for seven tackles. Oklahoma is currently trailing Michigan at 7-0 late in the first quarter, following a 38-yard touchdown run from Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Source: George Stoia III
Source: George Stoia III
