RADIO
Rashee Rice Clearly Not 100 Percent Recovered From Knee Surgery
Arrowhead Pride's Ron Kopp Jr. writes that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) has been leaving training camp practice early each day for planned rehabilitation. Rice clearly is not 100% recovered from his knee surgery in May. The 26-year-old wideout had a cleanup procedure on his knee in the offseason, and the Chiefs have elected to ease him into camp workouts. It's definitely something to watch this summer, but as long as Rice doesn't suffer any sort of setback, he figures to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season on Monday night against the division-rival Denver Broncos. Rice's absence from team drills has allowed rookie receiver Cyrus Allen to stand out early on. When healthy, Rice will be quarterback Patrick Mahomes' go-to target in the passing game. The former second-rounder from SMU had nearly 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games as a rookie, but he's played in just 12 games the last two seasons combined due to injuries and off-the-field issues. Rice is a risk/reward No. 2 fantasy wideout entering his fourth year in the NFL. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 16 WR for 2026.
Source: Arrowhead Pride - Ron Kopp Jr.
Source: Arrowhead Pride - Ron Kopp Jr.
Chris Olave Returns to Team Drills
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (chest) returned to team drills on Friday, according to Ross Jackson of LouisianSports.net. The 26-year-old recently signed a four-year contract extension worth up to $132 million after breaking out in 2025. Olave was medically cleared after dealing with a blood clot that sidelined him for the closing game of the 2025 season, which was his only absence of the year. The former Ohio St. star will look to build on last season after hauling in 100 catches for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns on 156 targets. He should see more favorable matchups after the team selected Jordyn Tyson with the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. On paper, the two are perfect complements to each other's game. Additionally, Olave will get to work with Tyler Shough for a full season, which could lead to bigger statistical numbers this year.
Source: LouisianaSports.net - Ross Jackson
Source: LouisianaSports.net - Ross Jackson
De'Zhaun Stribling Continues to Impress as Starting Role is in Reach
The Athletic's Vic Tafur reports San Francisco 49ers rookie wideout De'Zhaun Stribling continues to check off nice practices with a starting receiver role within reach. Stribling has been turning heads at the start of training camp and generating buzz that will start to increase his ADP in fantasy football. With recent news of Ricky Pearsall (knee) likely heading into season-ending surgery on his knee, it has opened the door for Stribling to be a fantasy-relevant receiver in Year 1. However, the team decided to bring back Deebo Samuel Sr. on a one-year deal on Thursday. It has yet to be seen if adding Samuel was a move to add depth to the roster or to play a contributing role this season. Stribling was the 33rd overall pick and the 49ers' first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was widely considered a big-bodied development receiver coming out of Ole Miss and was seen as a reach to some in the football community. Nonetheless, Stribling has a chance to be a starting receiver in a Kyle Shanahan offense, which means he will be worth keeping tabs on as training camp progresses.
Source: The Athletic - Vic Tafur
Source: The Athletic - Vic Tafur
Emeka Egbuka Having a Strong Summer So Far
Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is having a strong summer so far and had a big touchdown catch from quarterback Baker Mayfield that was the highlight play of Friday's training camp practice, according to Adam Slivon of PewterReport.com. Egbuka added a few more catches on the day. There were questions coming into camp about who would be the beneficiary of a bigger workload after the departure of future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, and it appears that Egbuka is ready to handle more targets. Chris Godwin Jr. has plenty of chemistry with Mayfield, but durability is a concern with him. The 23-year-old Egbuka, the 19th overall pick last year from Ohio State, started strong with 25 catches, 445 yards, and five touchdowns in his first five NFL games. However, he faded down the stretch and had just one TD the rest of the way in 12 games played while moving around on offense and learning the entire route tree. Egbuka should have a more defined role in 2026 in the Z spot in new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson's scheme, and it would not be a surprise if he finishes the year as the team's leading wideout. RotoBaller has Egbuka ranked as the No. 20 fantasy WR, making him a strong WR2 target for a potential Year 2 breakout.
Source: PewterReport.com - Adam Slivon
Source: PewterReport.com - Adam Slivon
49ers "Continuing to Evaluate" Ricky Pearsall
The Athletic's Matt Barrows reported that the San Francisco 49ers are continuing to evaluate Ricky Pearsall's (knee) after he aggravated last year's knee injury in practice on Wednesday. Pearsall had experienced swelling during the first couple of days of training camp, which led to the initial health concerns. The news got worse for Pearsall on Thursday after reports that the 49ers were not expecting the 25-year-old to make any contributions in 2026. The 49ers were hoping the PCL issue would heal itself in the offseason, but it now appears that Pearsall is heading for season-ending surgery. As a result, the 49ers have signed Deebo Samuel Sr. for extra receiving depth, but he has yet to start practice with the team.
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
Kenny Gainwell Used "Primarily as a Receiver"
During Friday's training camp practice, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving saw most of the first-team work, with Kenny Gainwell "primarily utilized as a receiver out of the backfield," according to Adam Slivon of PewterReport.com. Gainwell was quarterback Baker Mayfield's primary checkdown option out of the backfield as well, which is where he thrived last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, catching a career-high 73 passes for 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets in 17 regular-season games. Rachaad White is no longer in Tampa, but the Bucs signed the 27-year-old Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract to help complement Irving. Irving should be Tampa's primary early-down back, but there are signs that the Buccaneers want to manage his workload after a down sophomore season in 2025 due to ankle and shoulder injuries. Gainwell is primarily a pass-catching back, but he has also averaged 4.4 yards per carry as a runner in his five NFL seasons, and he probably won't strictly be a third-down option for head coach Todd Bowles. The former fifth-rounder in 2021 by the Philadelphia Eagles is an ascending RB3/flex play (more valuable in PPR leagues) as he enters his first year in Tampa.
Source: PewterReport.com - Adam Slivon
Source: PewterReport.com - Adam Slivon
Wan'Dale Robinson Projected to Lead the Titans in Catches
Buck Reising of A to Z Sports writes that former New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson gives him a reason to believe he could be a "cheat code" for Tennessee Titans second-year quarterback Cam Ward in 2026 in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's scheme. The Titans gave the 25-year-old a four-year, $78 million deal in free agency, which seemed like a lot for a slot receiver with limited physicality because of his size (5-foot-8, 185 pounds). Reising adds that Robinson could be a "huge key" to unlocking the potential for the rest of the Titans' offense under Daboll, who worked with Robinson in New York. The former second-rounder in 2022 from the University of Kentucky had 185 catches for 1,713 yards and seven touchdowns the last two years in the Big Apple, including his first 1,000-yard season in 2025. Reising projects Robinson to lead the Titans in catches in his first year with the team, and he could be the primary reason why Ward takes a step forward in his sophomore campaign. Robinson is a nice flex wideout to have, especially in point-per-reception leagues.
Source: A To Z Sports - Buck Reising
Source: A To Z Sports - Buck Reising
Bucky Irving Given Most Carries During Practice on Friday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was given the most carries during practice on Friday, according to Pewter Report's Adam Slivon. The Bucs had their best day on the ground so far in training camp with Irving leading the way. The 23-year-old provided the biggest run of the day on a delayed handoff through the middle of the field that would have been a "game-changing run." Additionally, Kenny Gainwell was primarily utilized as a receiver out of the backfield during practice. Irving has seen his fantasy stock steadily decline over the summer due to unfavorable reports about his health. If he continues to impress in camp, it will not take long for his ADP to rise back to where it was a year ago.
Source: Pewter Report - Adam Slivon
Source: Pewter Report - Adam Slivon
Panthers Place Chris Brazzell II on Injured Reserve, Officially Ending His Season
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Carolina Panthers have placed rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (knee) on Injured Reserve, officially ending his season. The 22-year-old suffered a torn LCL in his left knee on a noncontact play during training camp on Wednesday. The Panthers selected Brazzell with the 83rd overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Brazzell offered a rare combination of size and speed to the Carolina offense, which would have allowed for Tetairoa McMillan to be moved around the formation more often. McMillan has spoken publicly about wanting to play from the slot more often to get the ball in his hands and create more mismatches. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until 2027 to see both 6'4 receivers on the field at the same time.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Matt Gay in the Lead in Kicker Competition in Vegas
The Athletic's Sam Warren reported that kicker Matt Gay is in the lead for the Las Vegas Raiders' kicking competition. Additionally, Gay was perfect during practice today, while undrafted rookie Kansei Matsuzawa doinked one off the right upright from 40 yards away but made everything else. The two are competing to replace long-time Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson. Gay enters camp as the favorite to win the competition because of his NFL experience. However, Matsuzawa has an opportunity to win the kicking competition if he can perform consistently on deep kicks. Over the last few seasons, Gay has struggled on 50-plus-yard kicks with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders.
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren
Source: The Athletic - Sam Warren
Buccaneers Not Happy About the Way Baker Mayfield Spoke About the Organization
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are unhappy with quarterback Baker Mayfield's comments about the organization recently. This comes a day after Mayfield said he feels "disrespected" by his contract situation after trying to work out an extension with the team before training camp. However, the team has offered him a two-year deal worth slightly above $100 million, according to Schefter. Mayfield is heading into the final year of the three-year, $100 million deal that he signed with the Bucs in 2024. The 31-year-old wanted to get a deal done before training camp and will now focus solely on playing football. This could be Mayfield's final season with the Bucs, and it will be interesting to see how the situation plays out during the 2026 season.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Cowboys Want to Get Jaydon Blue More Involved in Passing Game
Dallas Cowboys second-year running back Jaydon Blue has been a standout so far in training camp this summer and "continues to burn up the practice field with big runs," according to All City DLLS's Clarence Hill. Blue had two would-be touchdowns on long runs on Thursday and also saw a lot of run with the first-team offense, alternating with RB1 Javonte Williams. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the team loves Blue's speed and "want to get him involved in the passing game" to take advantage of opposing defenses that are looking to take away receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens on the outside. "I think what we feel like we have in Jaydon when you're playing defenses that are trying to change the math and cheat to really elite receivers, which we have, there's usually a favorable matchup in that regard," Schottenheimer said. After a disappointing rookie year in 2025, Blue is looking like the favorite for RB2 duties in Dallas behind Williams and ahead of Malik Davis and Phil Mafah. At the very least, Blue is shaping up as the handcuff to roster if you also have Williams.
Source: All City DLLS - Clarence Hill Jr.
Source: All City DLLS - Clarence Hill Jr.
Rashee Rice Being Eased in After Knee Surgery
The Athletic's Jesse Newell reports that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) is still sitting out live drills in training camp as he recovers from offseason knee surgery. Rice's absence has allowed young players like Cyrus Allen and Andrew Armstrong to get more run with the first-team offense early in camp. When everyone is fully healthy, Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton are the Chiefs' top three receivers, while Allen and recent draft pick Jalen Royals figure to be rotational players for depth at the position. The Chiefs are in no rush to get the 26-year-old Rice back into the fold, but the full expectation is that he'll be a full-go for the start of the 2026 regular season. Injuries and off-the-field issues have made him somewhat of a risk as a fantasy wideout, but when he's been on the field, there's no arguing that he has high-end upside as quarterback Patrick Mahomes' favorite weapon. The former second-rounder in 2023 from SMU had 938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, but he played in a combined 12 games the last two years. If Rice can put in a full season in 2026, he has clear WR1 upside when it's all said and done.
Source: The Athletic - Jesse Newell
Source: The Athletic - Jesse Newell
Courtland Sutton Could See Load Management
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and the team will meet to discuss load management for certain players, specifically pointing to wide receiver Courtland Sutton, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. Sutton is not injured, but the Broncos could limit his workload over the course of the season to keep him fresh for another potential postseason run in January. It comes after the Broncos gave up a first-round pick to acquire speedy receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins in the offseason. The 30-year-old Sutton had his third 1,000-yard season (and second straight) in 2025, catching 74 passes for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season games as quarterback Bo Nix's go-to target. The former second-rounder in 2018 from SMU and two-time Pro Bowler may struggle for a third straight 1,000-yard season with Waddle in the fold and tight end Evan Engram potentially being more involved. Sutton should continue to be an asset in the red zone, but age-related decline and fewer targets have dropped him into WR3/flex territory in fantasy going into the 2026 campaign.
Source: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
Source: DNVR Sports - Zac Stevens
Matthew Golden Showing Out in Friday's Training Camp Practice
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden is making more noise early in training camp during Friday's practice, according to Ryan Wood of USA Today Sports. Golden skied to catch a pass from quarterback Jordan Love in the middle of the field for an 18-yard gain, which Wood says was the "best catch of camp so far." It didn't take long for Golden to top that with a 20-yard fade down the right sideline from Love. Cornerback Keisean Nixon had great leverage on the sideline, but Golden shielded him with his back and caught the ball over his shoulder in the same motion. It displayed "tremendous body control" and immediately became the new best catch of camp. With Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks no longer in town, the 22-year-old former 23rd overall pick out of the University of Texas has clear Year 2 breakout potential in the Packers' offense as a locked-in starter in three-wide sets next to Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. Golden only had 29 receptions for 361 yards and zero touchdowns in 14 regular-season contests, but he became the team's most consistent wideout late in the year, and he found the end zone for the first time in his career in the playoffs. His fantasy ADP figures to continue rising this summer as one of the more intriguing young pass-catchers in the league.
Source: USA Today Sports - Ryan Wood
Source: USA Today Sports - Ryan Wood
