RADIO
Kenny Pickett to Start Hall of Fame Game Against Cardinals
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Monday that quarterback Kenny Pickett will start the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 6, against the Arizona Cardinals, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. No clear-cut starters will play in the game for the Panthers. Now that veteran Andy Dalton is no longer in Carolina, Pickett is the favorite to serve as Bryce Young's backup in 2026 in his first year with the team. The 28-year-old former 20th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 from the University of Pittsburgh is with his third different team in the last three years, having spent 2024 with the Philadelphia Eagles and 2025 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Pickett played in 11 games (three starts) the last two seasons and threw for only 479 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions with the Eagles and Raiders in a backup role. He will only become an option in the deepest of superflex leagues in 2026 if he's forced into the starting role if Young goes down with an injury.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Brock Bowers Has Been the Star of Raiders Training Camp
After an injury-hampered 2025 campaign, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has appeared healthy through the opening days of training camp, with The Athletic's Sam Warren calling him the star of camp, while pointing out that he has made "at least one big play in each practice, and seemingly in every team period." Warren also notes, "He's had his way with every defender he's gone up against." Bowers broke the rookie reception record with 112 catches in 2024, and he recorded 103 yards in the opening game of his second season, but a knee injury sustained in that contest slowed him for much of the year and kept him in and out of the lineup. Now, seemingly ready to dominate again, Bowers is RotoBaller's TE1 and offers a rare positional advantage that makes him worth spending up for in 2026 drafts.
Source: Sam Warren
Source: Sam Warren
Jalen Tolbert Goes Down During 1-on-1s
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jalen Tolbert appeared to sustain an injury during one-on-one sessions of Monday's training camp practice, with beat reporter Omar Kelly writing that "he won't get off one knee." Tolbert signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason after four seasons with the Cowboys, and in one of the league's most wide-open receiver rooms, the opportunity is there to earn a primary role and top his career-best 49 receptions and 610 yards from 2024. He has been wearing a protective sleeve through the early days of camp, with Kelly drawing attention to it even before he went down, but should he miss any time, the Dolphins would become a candidate to add a veteran free agent. Along with Tolbert, the current depth chart is topped by Malik Washington and Tutu Atwell, with the team selecting receivers Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, and Kevin Coleman Jr. in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Source: Omar Kelly
Source: Omar Kelly
Andrew Armstrong Getting First-Team Reps for Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs training camp has been impacted early by injuries at the wide receiver position, and with Xavier Worthy and Cyrus Allen not practicing on Monday, 2025 undrafted free agent Andrew Armstrong received first-team reps during 11-on-11s, according to beat reporter Jesse Newell. After a productive collegiate career with Texas A&M-Commerce and Arkansas, Armstrong spent training camp of his rookie year with the Miami Dolphins, but was released as part of the team's final roster cuts. He spent about a week in December on the Lions practice squad before again being released and signing a reserve/future contract with the Chiefs in January. While not likely the role Kansas City had in mind for him at the time of the signing, the elevated opportunity could provide Armstrong with a chance to make the team's initial 53-man roster, and he will be a player to watch when the Chiefs open their preseason schedule with an August 15 matchup with the Rams.
Source: Jesse Newell
Source: Jesse Newell
David Njoku Helping to Unlock Chargers Offense
The Los Angeles Chargers' new-look offense is thriving in the early days of training camp, and one of the reasons, as pointed out by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, is the addition of tight end David Njoku and the improvements made to the position as a whole. Veteran Charlie Kolar was an early free agent signing, and as expected, he has been used primarily as an inline blocking tight end throughout the early days of training camp. With Njoku signing later in the process, there were questions about how his usage would impact second-year player Oronde Gadsden II, and Breer mentions that the former first-round pick of the Browns was brought in to play the F or "move" tight end position. A split between Njoku and Gadsden in that role could make both difficult to consistently trust for fantasy production, making any information coming out of camp all the more important. While that situation has pushed the veteran down to TE24 by current ADP, Gadsden is going around TE18, still in a range where some of the other available options appear to provide more certainty but a lower ceiling.
Source: Albert Breer
Source: Albert Breer
Fernando Mendoza "Living in the Building"
After months of intense scouting, the Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, and the early returns have been exactly what the team both hoped for and expected, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who reports that the 22-year-old has been "living in the building as a tireless, football-obsessed worker." Mendoza is still working primarily with the second-team offense behind presumed early-season starter Kirk Cousins, but Breer points out both his ability to bounce back from bad plays and his natural feel for picking up the unblocked defender as veteran-like traits that could soon see him folding in more with the ones. How soon Mendoza takes over as a full-time starter will likely come down to his own readiness and how prepared the team is to support him, but early signs indicate that he is more than capable of handling his own end, making him a worthwhile third quarterback target in deep bench superflex leagues.
Source: Albert Breer
Source: Albert Breer
Patriots Still Looking to Move Kayshon Boutte
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was one of the team's most impactful players in 2025 and has been a standout to begin training camp, but that has not quieted speculation of a potential roster move, with beat reporter Alex Barth noting that his request for a trade remains open, and the team is still looking for a potential suitor. Boutte opened camp red-hot, credited by the team beat as the best offensive player through the first three practices of summer, but as expected, that baton has since been passed to Drake Maye and A.J. Brown, with Romeo Doubs and Kyle Williams also showing up more regularly in recent practices. After a number of lean years, receiver has become arguably the Patriots' deepest position group, with seven players currently on the roster who saw at least 128 snaps in 2025, and three-receiver sets have consisted mostly of Brown, Doubs, and DeMario Douglas out of the slot. While Boutte continues to show up and make plays whenever his number is called, an injury anywhere around the league could change his situation in an instant, and he remains an intriguing dart-throw selection at the end of 2026 drafts.
Source: Alex Barth
Source: Alex Barth
Trey Benson Absent from Practice
Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson, who has been working primarily with the second-team offense as he works his way back from the torn meniscus that ended his 2025 season, was not spotted during Sunday's practice. The third-year back was not mentioned as an expected absence when head coach Mike LaFleur addressed the media before practice, and he is not a player who can afford to fall any further behind, already battling for a roster spot in a crowded room featuring roster locks Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier, as well as veteran James Conner. The Cardinals open up preseason action with the Hall of Fame Game on August 6, and Benson's participation will need to be monitored, as he may need to prove himself during in-game action to earn a spot on the team.
Source: Theo Mackie - The Arizona Republic
Source: Theo Mackie - The Arizona Republic
Ashton Jeanty Eyeing Big Year 2 Jump
As a rookie in 2025, Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty ran for 975 yards while adding 55 receptions and 346 yards through the air, but he understands that the bar will be raised even higher in Year 2. Jeanty recently told reporters, "It's always tough being in the first year trying to figure out so much stuff... But this year, there's a lot of expectations for me, and I think I've got to make a big jump." The sixth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Jeanty spent his rookie season operating behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, gaining only 1.6 yards per attempt before contact, but improvements across the line and a new coaching staff should see him better positioned to make more plays in space. Jeanty is RotoBaller's RB7, but if the Raiders can find themselves in enough positive game scripts, he has a legitimate chance to crack the top five of the position.
Source: Around the NFL
Source: Around the NFL
Isaiah Likely the No. 2 Option in Giants' Passing Attack
Despite a deep room of wide receivers on the New York Giants roster, NFL insider Connor Hughes reports that it is tight end Isaiah Likely standing out as the No. 2 option behind 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers. Hughes calls Likely "more of a utility weapon than a traditional tight end" and points to his early chemistry with Jaxson Dart and the team's willingness to move him across the formation as indicators that a big year could be on the horizon. Likely has made plays at all three levels through the early days of training camp and could be in line for the heaviest target share of his young career after spending four seasons in Baltimore with All-Pro Mark Andrews. Likely is RotoBaller's TE14 and represents the exact type of upside that fantasy managers should be seeking in the later rounds of 2026 drafts.
Source: Connor Hughes
Source: Connor Hughes
Ben Johnson Compares Luther Burden III to Lions Star WR
Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Luther Burden III has been one of the most dramatic risers throughout the 2026 draft season, and the recent comparison made by his head coach Ben Johnson will do nothing to slow the momentum. In an interview with Cassie Carlson of Fox 32, Johnson compared Burden's mindset to those of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jarvis Landry, two receivers he spent time with in Detroit and Miami. Johnson had remarked earlier in the offseason that Burden is destined to become one of the top receivers in the NFL, and when asked to expand, the second-year head coach linked him to two players with nine Pro Bowl selections between them, saying, "He's got that competitive edge and desire to be great. It's carried over into the spring and summer as well. He's been a regular in the building, working with our strength staff. He wants to be the most conditioned player on the team. Wants to be one of the strongest receivers on the team and just continues to soak in all the knowledge." Burden is RotoBaller's WR21, but he has the clear belief of his coach and a ceiling to emerge as a fantasy WR1 in his second season.
Source: Kevin Patra
Source: Kevin Patra
Cam Skattebo the Giants' Clear Lead Back
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has been the first player up in almost every running back drill through the early stages of training camp, and NFL insider Connor Hughes calls him the team's clear lead back. After starting his rookie season in a timeshare, Skattebo's run as the primary ball carrier lasted only a handful of games before a lower leg injury ended his 2025 campaign, but he has handled the majority of work through the opening practices of summer and should see heavy volume in his second season. Skattebo is RotoBaller's RB20, but his ADP could rise throughout the draft season as he distances himself from the gruesome season-ending injury, and he is a legitimate threat to finish as an RB1 in 2026.
Source: Connor Hughes
Source: Connor Hughes
Kyle Monangai's Injury "Status Quo"
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (undisclosed) has missed multiple training camp practices with an undisclosed ailment, but head coach Ben Johnson does not seem overly concerned, referring to the soft-tissue injury as "status quo." Monangai has been tabbed as a popular breakout candidate after flashing whenever seeing an expanded role as a rookie, averaging 153 rushing yards in the two games in which he saw more than 20 carries. His recent absence has created an opportunity for veteran Salvon Ahmed to work behind starter D'Andre Swift, who led the team with 1,087 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 2025. Still, with Monangai sounding as if he may soon return to practice, he'll look to force more of a committee in 2026. Monangai is RotoBaller's RB35, and on standalone value alone, he should be able to meet ADP expectations, while his insurance upside is what makes him an attractive pick in the later rounds of drafts.
Source: Sean Hammond
Source: Sean Hammond
Bryce Young Turning Heads at Panthers' Camp
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has gotten off to a strong start at training camp and has taken full command of the Panthers' offense. Young had his best practice of the summer during the Panthers' second padded practice last week, and there is a completely different feel at their camp this season. The former first overall pick led the Panthers to their first postseason appearance since 2017, totaling 3,011 passing yards and 23 touchdowns in 16 games last season. Young is entering a contract year and his third season under head coach Dave Canales as the Panthers look to take another step in 2026. While Young is currently outside the range to be drafted in single-quarterback leagues, he remains an option in Superflex or deeper leagues.
Source: Dean Jones - Cat Crave
Source: Dean Jones - Cat Crave
Jeremiyah Love Handles First-Team Snaps in Practice on Sunday
For the first time in training camp, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love took the first snap of the day with the Arizona Cardinals' first-team offense during 11-on-11 work. Love has spent time with the second-team offense, behind Tyler Allgeier, who signed a two-year, $12.25 million contract with the Cardinals this offseason. Reports indicate that Allgeier and Love have split touches so far in training camp, even though veteran James Conner has yet to practice. The Notre Dame prodigy was drafted third overall by the team and is currently among the NFL's highest-paid running backs this season. While the talent gap should push Love to the top of the depth chart, there are plenty of red flags surrounding this situation.
Source: Theo Mackie - AZC Sports
Source: Theo Mackie - AZC Sports
