August 23, 2025
Cleveland Browns starting center Ethan Pocic (knee) left Saturday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams with a knee injury, the team announced. Pocic "appeared to get rolled up on during a 14-yard pass from quarterback
Joe Flacco to rookie running back
Dylan Sampson," according to Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. Pocic exited in the first quarter, and the Browns replaced him with Luke Wypler. The 30-year-old Pocic is entering his fourth season as Cleveland's No. 1 center and has started in all 44 of his appearances with the team. He made a career-high 16 starts a year ago and ranked 28th among 64 centers at Pro Football Focus. If he misses any regular-season time, it would be an unwelcome development for Flacco and the Browns' running backs.
--Connor ByrneSource: Dan Labbe - Cleveland.com
August
23,
2025
The
Cleveland
Browns
plan
to
head
into
the
regular
season
with
quarterbacks
Joe
Flacco,
Kenny
Pickett
(hamstring),
Dillon
Gabriel,
and
Shedeur
Sanders
(oblique)
on
their
read more...
August 23, 2025
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton noted more than a week ago that he would use mostly starters in the team's preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints for eight to 10 plays, according to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. On offense to begin Saturday's game, rookie second-round running back
RJ Harvey was the starting RB. Veteran
J.K. Dobbins will also be heavily involved in Denver's backfield this year, but he's been injury-prone in his career, and Harvey wasn't drafted in the second round for no reason. The 24-year-old from Central Florida was very productive in college despite standing at only 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds. While Harvey won't be a workhorse right away in the NFL, that could quickly develop if Dobbins misses more time due to injury. The rookie is shifty, quick and tough to tackle and should be a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 target for fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Denver Gazette - Chris Tomasson
August 23, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Jonnu Smith (knee) is back in uniform at practice on Saturday after missing the entire preseason with a knee injury, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. This will be Smith's first practice since tweaking his knee on Aug. 5. The 30-year-old should be on track to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the New York Jets. However, after a career year in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, Smith's fantasy value took a huge hit after being traded to Pittsburgh in the offseason. He should still be involved in offenive coordinator Arthur Smith's system, but he's expected to take a back seat to incumbent Pat Friermuth. In single-TE fantasy formats, managers can avoid Smith on draft day. Outside of his 88-884-8 line last year, Smith's best season was a 50-582-3 line the year prior in Atlanta.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike DeFabo
August 23, 2025
Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud is not playing in the team's preseason finale on Saturday against the Detroit Lions, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Other starters that will sit out include running back Nich Chubb, receivers
Nico Collins and
Christian Kirk and tight end
Dalton Schultz. Stroud and the rest of Houston's offense will be looking to get off on the right foot in a Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Sept. 7. The 23-year-old Stroud has enough pass-catchers to rebound from a frustrating 2024 campaign, but it will all depend on how well Houston's offensive line holds up after he took a whopping 52 sacks in 17 regular-season starts last year. The former first-rounder threw for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 picks in 2024 and is currently ranked as the QB19 in fantasy going into Year 3.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
August
23,
2025
Houston
Texans
running
back
Nick
Chubb
will
not
suit
up
for
the
team's
preseason
finale
on
Saturday
versus
the
Detroit
Lions,
according
to
Jonathan
M.
Alexander
of
the
Houston
Chronicle.
Alexander
notes
that
unless
Chubb
is
read more...
August 23, 2025
JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington thinks it's interesting that Washington Commanders running back
Chris Rodriguez Jr. is getting carries in the team's preseason finale on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens with rookie
Jacory Croskey-Merritt sitting out. It "might tell the RB depth-chart story" heading into the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. The Commanders' backfield picture is still a bit blurry, but after the team traded
Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers, Croskey-Merritt has a real opportunity at a big role on early downs in D.C. in 2025.
Austin Ekeler will be the team's primary pass-catching/third-down back, which leaves JCM and Rodriguez fighting for the RB1 role. Washington also likes
Jeremy McNichols, though, and this backfield could be more of a timeshare. At the very least, though, Croskey-Merritt is quickly rising on draft boards as an RB3/4 target.
--Keith HernandezSource: NBC Sports Washington - JP Finlay
August 23, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback
Tanner McKee (finger) is uncertain for Week 1, as reported by Zach Berman of The Athletic. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said, "We'll see," when asked about the club's primary backup, so Philadelphia may have to turn to rookie
Kyle McCord or
Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the No. 2 spot. In any case, it's the
Jalen Hurts show in Philly for as a long as he's healthy, relegating McKee mostly to an emergency spot in fantasy leagues with very deep rosters.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic.
August 23, 2025
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) said he's not ready to rule out playing in Week 1, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. The Cowboys' No. 1 cornerback has ramped up his rehab recently, though it's still viewed as unlikely he'll play right away. That Diggs is quickly getting back to full speed, however, could be a good sign that he won't miss as much time as some early projections feared. Dallas likely will have to go with DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, and Caelan Carson at corner if Diggs isn't ready right away.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
August 23, 2025
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that wide receiver
Xavier Gipson (shoulder) was held out of Friday's game because of the injury, according to a report from Zach Rosenblatt of The Athletic. The third-year receiver's primary value to the team is as a return man, but the injury could impact whether he's ready for Week 1. Gipson sustained the injury in the Jets' second preseason game, which isn't ideal for a player uncertain to make the first 53-man roster. New York signed
Josh Reynolds and
Tyler Johnson this offseason to a receiver corps that also includes
Garrett Wilson and
Allen Lazard.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
August 23, 2025
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said quarterback
Tyrod Taylor (knee) should be ready for Week 1, as reported by Rich Cimini of ESPN. The veteran has missed most of the preseason recovering from an arthroscopic procedure, but looks to have a role behind projected Jets starter
Justin Fields. As per usual, Taylor's fantasy value will totally depend on the health of the starter in front of him, making him a useful insurance policy in deeper formats.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
August 23, 2025
Wide receiver
Elic Ayomanor started and caught all three of his targets for 25 yards in Tennessee's preseason-concluding victory against the Minnesota Vikings on Friday. The rookie from Stanford already has developed a connection with Titans quarterback
Cameron Ward and looks to be carving out a role for 2025. Ayomanor set up a touchdown with a red zone target on Friday, a week after hauling in a 47-yard pass from Ward. Though
Calvin Ridley is all but sure to be the Titans' No. 1 receiver, Ayomanor's competition for playing time is journeyman
Van Jefferson and fellow rookie
Chimere Dike, making immediate playing time look realistic.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
August 23, 2025
Dallas Cowboys running back
Jaydon Blue (ankle) said he's not worried about the injury sustained during Friday's game, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. The rookie is stepping into one of the most uncertain backfield situations in the league, so calling the injury "nothing serious" is a positive development for Dallas. The team signed short-term deals with running backs
Javonte Williams and
Miles Sanders for a rotation that also includes
Deuce Vaughn, giving Blue a very realistic path to playing time during his first season. He remains an intriguing rookie breakout candidate on a Cowboys offense that has significant skill-position talent around him.
--Nick Piotrowicz - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
August 23, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels will not play in the team's final preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Daniels is joined on the bench by most of the team's starters, including wide receiver
Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Daniels played one drive in the team's second preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday without attempting a pass. The 24-year-old can now turn his full attention to Washington's Week 1 matchup against the division rival New York Giants. Daniels is a high-end fantasy QB1, but he may be without his top weapon in wide receiver
Terry McLaurin to open the season due to McLaurin's ongoing contract dispute with the team.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
August 23, 2025
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Feleipe Franks caught all three of his targets for 24 yards, most of which came on a 23-yard catch and run that he was able to take in for a touchdown. Franks also caught one pass for nine yards last week and was not targeted in the first preseason game. He was battling
Teagan Quitoriano for the third tight end spot behind
Kyle Pitts Sr. and
Charlie Woerner, and with Quitoriano not receiving a target in the preseason, Franks appears to have a leg up. Unfortunately, third-string tight ends don't have any value for fantasy, so no need to roster him in any leagues.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
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