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Marcus Mariota Suffers Knee Injury in Preseason Opener
Washington Commanders veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee) was pointing to his right knee when athletic trainers came out to check on him during Friday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Mariota was sent to the blue medical tent and was replaced by Sam Hartman at QB. The 32-year-old signal-caller played in 11 games and made eight starts in 2025 in his second year in Washington, with starter Jayden Daniels only starting seven games. Mariota went 2-6 in his eight starts, throwing for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in his 11th year in the NFL. The Commanders' QB depth behind Daniels would be in serious trouble if Mariota is dealing with a major knee injury, as they only have Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis on the QB depth chart behind Mariota. He almost certainly will not return to Friday's game against Miami, even if his knee injury turns out to be minor.
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Teams Checking in on Vita Vea, Bucs Don't Want to Trade Him
NFL teams such as the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers have called the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to check on the availability of disgruntled defensive tackle Vita Vea, but the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that Tampa remains steadfast that they are not trading him. They have kept the lines of communication open on a potential new deal, but nothing is imminent. Vea has been holding in during training camp as he seeks a new deal before the start of the 2026 season, so he will unsurprisingly not be playing in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the New York Jets. The 31-year-old is set to make around $18 million in 2026 in the final year of the four-year, $71 million deal he signed with the team in January of 2022. Vea was reportedly dealing with a back injury at the start of camp, but it's unlikely to be anything serious enough to keep him from suiting up for Week 1 in early September. Vea is a two-time Pro Bowler and has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Bucs after they took him 12th overall in the 2018 NFL draft out of the University of Washington.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Jaylen Waddle Not in Uniform for Preseason Opener
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Fellow wideout Marvin Mims Jr. is also sitting out, as is starting quarterback Bo Nix and running back J.K. Dobbins. It's no surprise that Waddle is being held out after exiting training camp practice last Wednesday with muscle tightness in his leg. The speedy pass-catcher has not yet returned to team drills, but there doesn't appear to be any concern that it's an injury that will linger into the start of the 2026 regular season. The 27-year-old former first-rounder by the Miami Dolphins in 2021 from the University of Alabama was acquired by Denver in the offseason in hopes that he could unlock the explosiveness in the Broncos' passing attack. Waddle could be Nix's go-to target over Courtland Sutton this year, giving him a lot of upside as a WR2 target in fantasy football drafts. He could be in line to make his team debut in the second preseason game at home next Friday against the Green Bay Packers.
Source: The Denver Post - Parker Gabriel
Source: The Denver Post - Parker Gabriel
Chig Okonkwo Sitting Out With Rest of Starters
Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo is not suiting up for Friday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, according to The Athletic's Ben Standig. Okonkwo will have to wait at least another week before potentially making his debut with the Commanders after they signed him to a three-year, $27 million deal in free agency earlier this year. In his four seasons in Tennessee with the Titans, the 26-year-old had a total of 194 receptions for 2,017 yards and eight touchdowns on 272 targets across 68 games played. He had a career-high 560 receiving yards and a career-high 56 catches a year ago, despite sharing valuable playing time with rookie Gunnar Helm. The former fourth-rounder from the University of Maryland will have a much higher ceiling in Washington as long as QB Jayden Daniels can stay healthy, and he could be the team's No. 3 target behind receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. If you decide to wait on the TE position in fantasy drafts, Okonkwo is a nice sleeper to target later on.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Sitting Out of Preseason Opener
With the Washington Commanders sitting their key offensive players in Friday night's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt will be in street clothes, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) aren't playing either, so rookie Kaytron Allen, Jerome Ford, and Robert Henry should split backfield touches against Miami. Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders' backfield in 2025 after being taken in the seventh round out of the University of Arizona, recording 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries in 17 games played. The Commanders will give Bill every opportunity to earn a bigger workload in Year 2, but White poses a real threat to JCM, especially in the passing game. Croskey-Merritt must also clean up his ball-security issues in order to take the next step. Going into his sophomore campaign, Croskey-Merritt is best viewed as an RB3/flex target in standard-scoring formats. His next chance to suit up in the preseason will come next Saturday on the road against the Detroit Lions.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Emeka Egbuka has Sprained Toe, Bucs Optimistic he'll be Ready for Week 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) underwent more testing on Friday with a specialist, and it was confirmed that he has a sprained toe, but it's stable, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Buccaneers are "very optimistic" that Egbuka will be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick from Ohio State will not play in Friday's preseason opener against the New York Jets, and there's a very real possibility that he won't play at all in the preseason. Egbuka's role is destined to grow in Year 2, especially with veteran Mike Evans no longer in town, but Egbuka's toe injury should cast some doubt for fantasy managers in upcoming drafts when considering taking him as a WR2. He came out of the gates hot in his rookie campaign with five touchdowns and 445 receiving yards in his first five games before closing out the year with 493 receiving yards and just one TD in his final 12 contests. Egbuka's toe injury could make him a nice value pick in fantasy drafts as long as his toe injury doesn't have any kind of negative impact on his early-season form.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Rick Stroud
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Rick Stroud
Stefon Diggs Won't Make Debut With Commanders on Friday
The Athletic's Ben Standig reports that Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs will not suit up for Friday's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. Fellow wideout Terry McLaurin will also be on the sideline as the Commanders rest most of their key offensive weapons. The New England Patriots dumped Diggs for salary-cap purposes after their Super Bowl run, even though the 32-year-old led the team with 85 catches, 1,013 yards, and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts. Diggs doesn't appear to have much big-play ability left at this point in his career, but he can definitely be a solid WR2 option for quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2026 across from McLaurin, which puts him on the fantasy football radar as a potential WR4/flex target in his new digs in Washington. At some point, Diggs and the rest of the Commanders' starting offense should see some preseason action, potentially next Saturday, Aug. 22, against the Detroit Lions.
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Source: The Athletic - Ben Standig
Geno Smith Won't Play in Preseason Opener Due to Foot Soreness
New York Jets veteran quarterback Geno Smith (foot) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to foot soreness, a source told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Jets are not concerned about the injury, though, and if it were a regular-season game, Smith would be a go. Depending on how Smith recovers in the next week, he could be active for the second preseason contest next Friday, Aug. 21, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the 35-year-old now sitting out on Friday, rookie Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook, and Bailey Zappe will split the reps under center for the Jets. Smith flopped last year in his lone season with the Las Vegas Raiders, throwing for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-high 17 interceptions in 15 starts while being benched late in the year. He has more intriguing offensive weapons to work with in New York than he did in Vegas, but at best, Smith will probably be no better than a potential QB2 bounce-back candidate in superflex fantasy formats.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Sam Darnold Won't Play in Preseason Opener Against Dallas
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that quarterback Sam Darnold will not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to FOX 13 Seattle's Curtis Crabtree. Backup QBs Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe will likely rotate series instead of handing off. Darnold surprised everyone by winning the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots in his first year in Seattle in 2025. The 29-year-old former third overall pick from USC in 2018 has been a Pro Bowler in back-to-back seasons now as a late-bloomer in the NFL, and he's thrown for over 4,000 yards with an even 60 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in 34 regular-season starts with the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. Darnold has arguably one of the top receivers in the game to work with in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but his strong season in 2025 with Seattle culminated in only a QB13 finish in fantasy. He's now learning a new offense and doesn't have star RB Kenneth Walker around in the backfield, which screams regression. Darnold might have a solid QB2 floor in fantasy, but he's merely a bench stash in single-QB, 12-team leagues.
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Jadarian Price "On the Mend," Won't Play on Saturday
Seattle Seahawks rookie first-round running back Jadarian Price (lower body) will not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. "He's on the mend," head coach Mike Macdonald said. Price has been slowly returned to training camp practice after dealing with lower-body soreness in the last week. With Zach Charbonnet (knee) already not expected to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, the Seahawks are understandably playing it safe with their new first-round investment in the backfield. Price was listed as the RB2 behind George Holani on the first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, but if healthy, he's expected to have a significant role early in his rookie season as Charbonnet continues to rehab. He has a bright NFL future long-term, but fantasy managers need to temper expectations early on in what is shaping up to be a committee backfield, making Price an RB3/flex target in upcoming drafts, at best.
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Source: FOX 13 Seattle - Curtis Crabtree
Tua Tagovailoa has "Inside Track" on Starting QB Job
The Atlanta Falcons have yet to name a starting quarterback ahead of Friday night's preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, but ESPN's Jeremy Fowler says that Tua Tagovailoa has an "inside track" on the starting gig. Tagovailoa is the obvious favorite to eventually be named the Falcons' Week 1 starter under center, primarily because Michael Penix Jr. (knee) has yet to be cleared for team drills in training camp after suffering a partially torn ACL in his knee in Week 11 of last year. As long as Tagovailoa stays healthy through the preseason and doesn't totally flop, he should enter his first year in Atlanta as the starter over the rehabbing Penix. However, with that said, that won't suddenly make him a super popular QB2 target in superflex leagues, as there's still plenty of injury risk with the former first-rounder, and the Falcons will likely have a short leash on him if he struggles. Head coach Kevin Stefanski may wait until after the preseason and for Penix to get a fair shake before making an official announcement. At RotoBaller, Tagovailoa is ranked as the QB30, one spot behind Raiders' rookie Fernando Mendoza.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Seth McGowan Quiet in First Opportunity as a Preseason Starter
Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan started in Thursday's 13-13 preseason opening tie against the New England Patriots. With lead running back Jonathan Taylor held out, McGowan only racked up 17 yards on his five carries and lost a fumble. McGowan was unable to capitalize on this early opportunity to solidify himself as the team's RB2, as fellow running back DJ Giddens (hamstring) was held out of the game due to injury. Deep Dynasty managers should continue to hold out hope for McGowan as the young rookie develops and gains more experience next week against the Atlanta Falcons. If McGowan can earn that RB2 role, he could also be a valuable handcuff for Taylor managers in redraft leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Terry McLaurin Not Playing on Friday Night
Washington Commanders wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs will be on the sideline for Friday night's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, per The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala. The Commanders are also resting quarterback Jayden Daniels and most of their other key offensive starters. It remains to be seen if McLaurin and Diggs will be allowed to suit up for the team's second preseason game next Saturday against the Detroit Lions. The 30-year-old veteran had the worst season of his career in 2025, catching 38 passes on 60 targets for 582 yards and only three touchdowns in 10 starts. It wasn't all his fault, though, as he missed time with injury and was mostly working with backup QB Marcus Mariota when he was healthy. The former third-rounder in 2019 from Ohio State should benefit from the recent addition of Diggs as a prime bounce-back candidate with WR2 upside if both he and Daniels can stay on the field together. Before last year, the two-time Pro Bowler had five straight 1,000-yard seasons and a career-high 13 touchdown receptions in 2024.
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Jayden Daniels Not Playing in Friday's Preseason Opener
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Miami Dolphins, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. The Commanders will hold out their key starters on Friday, which also includes receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, running backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, and tight end Chig Okonkwo. It remains to be seen if Washington will roll Daniels and the starting unit out there for their second preseason tilt next Saturday against the Detroit Lions. The 25-year-old has recently been in the headlines over a dispute with his alma mater at LSU, but that shouldn't distract fantasy managers from the fact that Daniels has top-five fantasy upside at the QB position in 2026 if he can stay healthy. The former second overall pick was unable to do that last year, starting just seven games and throwing for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. Daniels became a bit more interesting as a high-end bounce-back candidate when the Commanders added Diggs to the fold to give McLaurin help in the passing game.
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Riley Leonard Stumbles in Preseason Opener
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Riley Leonard started the second half of the Colts' preseason opener against the New England Patriots and completed 10 of 21 passes for 89 yards. Leonard also managed to eke out 12 yards on the ground from two rushing attempts. The sophomore quarterback out of Notre Dame threw one interception early in the third quarter while under pressure from a collapsing pocket, but eventually found his rhythm. Leonard seems to be playing for the third position on the Colts' quarterback depth chart behind Anthony Richardson Sr. and ahead of Easton Stick. He has another chance next week against the Atlanta Falcons to demonstrate progress and improve his efficiency in the air.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
