RADIO
Cyrus Allen Draws Team-High Targets on Saturday, Continues to See Fantasy Stock Soar
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen caught two of his five targets for 20 yards during Saturday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams. It wasn't the greatest statistical performance, but Allen's five targets led the entire Chiefs team, suggesting that he'll be able to carve out a significant role this season. Allen drew the start alongside Jalen Royals and Tyquan Thornton on Saturday, so it seems like those three receivers are competing for the No. 3 role behind Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. The rookie appears to have an early leg up on the competition, and while there are still two more preseason games to be played, Allen is a quick riser in dynasty fantasy football leagues. The fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati currently ranks as the WR86 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Ceyair Wright Stepping Away to Star as Lead Role in Major Film
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Ceyair Wright has accepted a lead role in a major film, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Wright decided the opportunity was too important to pass up, and he has stepped away from the team for the time being. Wilson notes that Wright plans to resume his football career after filming concludes in October. In the meantime, he has been placed on the exempt/left-squad list, which means he won't count towards the Bengals' 90-man roster. This is one of the most bizarre NFL headlines we've seen in a while, but it isn't exactly foreign territory for Wright. The 23-year-old has appeared in several shows and films, with his most notable role so far being Darius James in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Wright also played college football at USC and Nebraska. He tallied 68 tackles, two interceptions, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble over his final two seasons with the Cornhuskers, leading to an undrafted free agent deal with the Bengals in May 2026.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Audric Estime Injures Ankle on Saturday
New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime (ankle) suffered an ankle injury during Saturday's preseason contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Kellen Moore told Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Estime's final touch of the game was a loss of six yards on a reception with 8:40 left in the second quarter. Prior to exiting, the 22-year-old had five carries, 28 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. It was an impressive performance, and it might have been enough to vault Estime to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara. Assuming he's not sidelined for too long, he's likely on track to earn a roster spot, albeit as a depth piece with minimal fantasy value. Ty Chandler took over as the Saints' primary ball-carrier after Estime left the game.
Source: Mike Triplett
Source: Mike Triplett
Christian McCaffrey Sits Out Another Practice
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (undisclosed) missed Saturday's practice due to "tightness," according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. So far, we don't have much info on McCaffrey's injury. We know that it sidelined him for several practices and the 49ers' preseason opener, but we can't read too much into those absences since the 49ers have been lightening many of their starters' workloads anyway. With that being said, fantasy managers would be justified if they take the injury into consideration when drafting this year. In the event that he does have a clean bill of health, though, McCaffrey is worth drafting as an early-to-mid first-round pick. He was the overall RB1 in PPR leagues with 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns last year, and he ranks as the overall RB3 in RotoBaller's latest 2026 fantasy football draft rankings.
Source: Nick Wagoner
Source: Nick Wagoner
Saquon Barkley Sits Out Preseason Opener
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley did not suit up for Saturday's preseason contest against the Baltimore Ravens. There's no indication of an injury for Barkley, so his absence is purely a result of the Eagles trying to keep him healthy for the regular season. The 29-year-old is coming off another solid season in which he tallied 1,140 rushing yards, 37 catches, 273 receiving yards, and nine total touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown totals were down compared to his RB2 finish in 2024, but he still contributed for fantasy managers as the overall RB14 in PPR leagues. We expect a similar finish -- low-end RB1 or high-end RB2 -- for Barkley in 2026, assuming he stays relatively healthy. He might lose some rushing volume to Jalen Hurts, but the good news is that Barkley faces minimal competition in the running back room, and there's one less mouth to feed in this offense after A.J. Brown was traded to New England.
Source: Brooks Kubena
Source: Brooks Kubena
Skyler Bell Working Through Lower-Body Injury
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Skyler Bell (lower body) is working through a lower-body injury, head coach Joe Brady told Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. It sounds like Bell's absence from Saturday's preseason opener was merely precautionary, as Brady noted that Bell likely would have played if it were a regular-season game. The fourth-round pick has intriguing upside after tallying 101 catches, 1,278 yards, and 13 touchdowns in his final season at UConn. Once he clears the injury hurdle, he has a chance to compete for meaningful playing time ahead of Keon Coleman and behind DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir. Neither Moore nor Shakir seems to be the long-term solution in Buffalo, and while Bell may not possess the skills to be an alpha receiver in the NFL, there's still No. 2 receiver potential with legitimate top-36 fantasy receiver upside. Bell is an intriguing dynasty target in a system that will allow him to catch passes from star quarterback Josh Allen.
Source: Joe Buscaglia
Source: Joe Buscaglia
Ty Simpson Lives Up to the Hype in Preseason Debut
Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback Ty Simpson completed 21 of his 25 pass attempts for 190 yards, two passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Saturday's preseason contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Rams shocked the world when they selected Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and while the keys to the offense still belong to Matthew Stafford for now, the rookie showed that he can play pro football at a high level. Throwing for two touchdowns is impressive, but we're even more encouraged by his stellar 84% completion rate in a game where neither Puka Nacua nor Davante Adams played. Dynasty managers should feel reassured that Simpson has high-end QB2 or low-end QB1 potential once Stafford's playing days are over. That may require some patience, but the upside is indisputable.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Isaiah Likely Sees Prominent Role on Third Down in Preseason Opener
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely caught both of his targets for 11 yards in the team's 13-10 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Likely caught both of his passes on third down, converting both to move the chains. While his receiving role appears to be a major factor (especially on third down) in offensive coordinator Matt Nagy's offense, his snap share was notable. In 16 snaps that the first-team played during their first preseason matchup, Likely played just six snaps, while Theo Johnson played seven and blocking tight end Chris Manhertz played five. Likely played all six of his snaps in 11 personnel, while Johnson and Manhertz operated primarily in heavy personnel. We've seen highly valued tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Evan Engram struggle to produce last season due to their low snap counts, so this could be something to watch for Likely during the course of the 2026 season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Malachi Fields a Lone Bright Spot in Preseason Loss to Vikings
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields hauled in all three targets for 34 yards and a touchdown in the team's 13-10 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Fields was a factor on the first-team offense and earned more trust from quarterback Jaxson Dart, who threw him a 50/50 ball in the back of the end zone, which Fields came down with. The third-round pick played nine of 16 snaps with the first-team offense, while veterans Darnell Mooney (12) and Darius Slayton (12) each played more snaps. With star receiver Malik Nabers (knee) inactive for their preseason opener, all three receivers likely played more than they would have if Nabers had been on the field. However, Fields' production and highlight-reel touchdown from Dart were a bright spot amid the Giants' ugly offensive output.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mike Vrabel Impressed By Eli Raridon's Improvement as a Blocker
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is impressed with rookie tight end Eli Raridon's improvement as a blocker, according to Patriots beat reporter Taylor Kyles. Raridon continues to have an impressive training camp and was taking snaps with the first-team offense. The Patriots selected Raridon in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft and is set to be New England's No. 2 tight end behind Hunter Henry. The 22-year-old has shown flashes in camp and could be a key contributor this season. Henry did sign a two-year extension with the Patriots this offseason, so dynasty managers might have to wait a few years before they see Raridon as the team's starting tight end. Raridon could force his way onto the field, and his stock in dynasty and redraft is rising as he continues to have an impressive training camp.
Source: Taylor Kyles
Source: Taylor Kyles
Cam Skattebo Not on Field on Obvious Passing Situations on Saturday
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo carried the ball four times for 19 yards and went without a target in the team's 13-10 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Skattebo saw his first game action since suffering a compound fracture of his right leg in Week 8 of the 2025 season. Despite the quick turnaround to the 2026 season, the second-year back looked strong, breaking multiple tackles less than a year after the gruesome injury. However, a split was evident among running backs Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary, and Skattebo. On the first two first-team drives, Tracy played seven of 16 plays, Skattebo played five, and Singletary played four. Skattebo also did not play in obvious passing-down situations, with Tracy handling most of the third-down work on Saturday. While the team is likely easing Skattebo back into football shape after a significant injury, fantasy managers should temper expectations, especially in the receiving game and early in the season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
DeVonta Smith Sits Out Preseason Opener
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, per Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, Smith did go through pregame warm-ups despite the injury. The 27-year-old missed seven straight practices at one point with his hamstring injury, but did do some work on the side. Smith would have played if it were a regular-season game, as the injury doesn't appear to be serious. He caught 77 passes for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns over 17 games last season. Smith is set to be Philadelphia's No. 1 wide receiver after the Eagles dealt A.J. Brown to the Patriots during the offseason. Smith is the Eagles' top wide receiver weapon and could be set for a career year as long as his hamstring injury doesn't linger into the regular season.
Source: Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer
Source: Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer
Trevor Etienne Flashes Receiving Ability in the Preseason
Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne rushed for seven yards on six attempts while catching all four targets for 18 yards in Saturday's 29-14 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Etienne led the team in receptions and tied Feleipe Franks and Eliah Cooks with four targets. The 22-year-old has natural hands and has shown flashes in the passing game. However, he started in the Hall of Fame game against Arizona and was limited to 11 total yards. With Jonathon Brooks' injury history and Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) being week-to-week with a hamstring injury, Etienne could have an expanded role if either were to miss any time. The former fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is battling AJ Dillon for Carolina's RB3 spot behind Hubbard and Brooks. Etienne is a dynasty stash for now, but a name to watch in deep-league PPR formats if Hubbard continues to be sidelined with his hamstring issue into the regular season.
Source: Pro Football Focus
Source: Pro Football Focus
Ja'Seem Reed Makes Case For More Targets After Strong Preseason Showing
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ja'Seem Reed caught all three targets for 17 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 29-14 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Kenny Pickett found Reed for a six-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter to put the Panthers on the scoreboard. The 23-year-old has run 35 routes, while catching five of six targets for 47 yards and two touchdowns over Carolina's first two preseason games. Carolina's quarterbacks have a 138.9 passing rating when targeting Reed. With Chris Brazzell III (knee) out for the season, Reed has had a strong preseason and is making a case to be Carolina's WR4 behind Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette. He is currently battling John Metchie III and Jimmy Horn Jr. for that spot. Reed is not on the fantasy radar but could be worth stashing in deep dynasty leagues if he continues his strong preseason showing thus far.
Source: Mike Kaye of ESPN
Source: Mike Kaye of ESPN
Bills Not Worried About DJ Moore's Injury
Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady indicated that wide receiver DJ Moore (lower leg) is "good" following his injury scare during Saturday's preseason win over the Carolina Panthers, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Moore sustained a lower leg injury during his last catch in the first quarter of Saturday's preseason opener. According to Buscaglia, Moore will be further evaluated, but the Bills don't seem to be too worried. The 29-year-old looked impressive, finishing with three catches on four targets for 61 yards, averaging 20.3 yards per reception. Keon Coleman also picked up an injury on Saturday but is expected to be fine. Moore is set to be Buffalo's WR1 and star quarterback Josh Allen's No. 1 target after Buffalo acquired him from the Bears during the offseason. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation, but it appears Moore avoided a severe injury.
Source: Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic
Source: Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic
