RADIO
James Conner to Begin the Season on Injured Reserve
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (foot) has been placed on injured reserve, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. Conner has been designated to return later in the season, which means he can rejoin the 53-man roster as early as Week 5. Conner was the overall RB11 with nine touchdowns in 2024, and he had 133 scrimmage yards through three games last year before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Presumably, when Conner returns from IR, he'll find himself in a significantly smaller role than last year now that the team has added Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier to the backfield. Conner's NFL experience is useful, but it's probably not enough to get him onto the fantasy radar once he returns. He can be avoided in all redraft leagues, and he should be dropped to waivers in shallower dynasty formats.
Source: John Gambadoro
Source: John Gambadoro
Commanders Release Wide Receiver Van Jefferson
The Washington Commanders have released veteran wide receiver Van Jefferson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. He had been in camp as a depth option for the Commanders, who watched Deebo Samuel Sr. depart in free agency. His departure confirms that Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, Treylon Burks, and Dyami Brown have made the team as depth behind Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, and Antonio Williams. This preseason, Jefferson caught four passes for 48 yards. The 30-year-old will now look to join his sixth team in five years. He has finished as WR88 or worse in five of his six pro seasons, so even if he does end up on a different 53-man roster, it's unlikely that he would have any sort of fantasy relevance. He can be left on waivers in all leagues.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Isaac Guerendo Placed on PUP List, Out for Four Games
San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (pectoral) has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. He will now miss at least four games, keeping him sidelined through the entire month of September. At the earliest, he can return in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks on October 11. Guerendo did not play an offensive snap last year, but he was heavily involved as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey in 2024. That year, he tallied 420 rushing yards, 152 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. There's a chance that Guerendo could return to that level of production (and his role as the No. 2 ball-carrier) once he's healthy again, but in the meantime, Kaelon Black and Jordan James will round out the depth chart behind McCaffrey.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Puka Nacua Back at Practice on Sunday
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (groin) returned to practice on Sunday, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. Nacua avoided being placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List when Roger Goodell handed down a flurry of punishments to other players on Sunday, and now, the superstar receiver is also healthy enough to practice. The 25-year-old finished last season as the overall WR1 in PPR leagues, and he currently checks in as the WR2 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for the 2026 season. As it stands, Nacua is on track to play in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, but a lot could change between now and the Rams' regular season opener on September 10. In the event that he does miss any time, Davante Adams would step up as Matthew Stafford's favorite target while jumping to the WR1 tier.
Source: Sarah Barshop
Source: Sarah Barshop
Odell Beckham Jr. Makes the Giants' 53-Man Roster
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has made the 53-man roster, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. After the Giants' preseason finale, head coach John Harbaugh said that Beckham proved he earned a spot on an NFL roster. At the time, he didn't say if the veteran receiver would make the Giants' roster, but that's now official. As Ranaan notes, Beckham faced an uphill battle to make the team this summer, but he earned the spot by proving he can get open and by staying healthy. The 33-year-old was out of the league last year and hasn't been targeted in a game since 2024 with the Miami Dolphins. Not only is this Beckham's second stint with the Giants, but it's also his second time playing for John Harbaugh, who was his head coach in Baltimore in 2023.
Source: Jordan Raanan
Source: Jordan Raanan
Spencer Shrader Wins Colts Kicking Battle
Indianapolis Colts kicker Spencer Shrader has made the 53-man roster, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. He won the kicking competition after Indianapolis released Blake Grupe. Although Grupe reportedly had a good camp, he went just 2-for-4 on field goals during the preseason, while Shrader went 5-for-5. Furthermore, Shrader excelled from long range. All five of his field goals came from 40+ yards out, including two from at least 60 yards. The 27-year-old was impressive last season, going 14-for-14 on extra points and 13-for-14 on field goals. If he continues to demonstrate a blend of accuracy and power, he could sneak onto the fantasy radar as a kicker who gets plenty of opportunities in the Colts' upward-trending offense.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
Colts Release Kicker Blake Grupe
The Indianapolis Colts have released kicker Blake Grupe, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. By process of elimination, Spencer Shrader has made the 53-man roster after making two field goals from 60+ yards during the preseason. Grupe reportedly made more than 90% of his kicks in camp, but he was just 2-for-4 on field goals during preseason games. He also had an iffy 78.4% field goal rate in 2025. He seems like someone who will earn a new job when rostered kickers struggle or get injured during the regular season, but at this point, it's unlikely he'll latch onto a 53-man roster for Week 1.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
Taylen Green Sticks in Browns' Four-QB Room
Cleveland Browns quarterback Taylen Green has made the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Daniel Oyefusi, citing Mary Kay Cabot. Cleveland is now expected to carry four quarterbacks, with Green joining Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. The sixth-round rookie didn't play in either of the Browns' first two preseason games, but he finally got his chance Thursday against New England. Green completed five of seven passes for 27 yards and did most of his damage with his legs, leading Cleveland with 66 rushing yards on eight carries. The Browns drafted the 6-foot-5 Arkansas product 182nd overall after being drawn to his size, speed and arm talent. Watson is the starter and Sanders is expected to serve as the Week 1 backup, leaving Green buried for immediate fantasy purposes. Cleveland clearly saw enough developmental upside, though, to keep him rather than risk exposing him to waivers.
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
Browns Place Dillon Gabriel on Injured Reserve
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (back) has been placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Cleveland planned to keep four quarterbacks from the preseason into the regular season, and placing Gabriel on IR will allow them to use just three roster spots on quarterbacks. Rookie Taylen Green has made the team as the third-string quarterback, but Gabriel will presumably return to the No. 3 quarterback role once he's activated from IR. With that being said, Watson is the only fantasy-relevant quarterback in Cleveland right now, as he'll get the nod to start Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns also have Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings in case Watson struggles out of the gate.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Javonte Williams Set for Workhorse Role After Cowboys' Latest Cuts
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams appears poised to remain in the workhorse role following the team's latest batch of cuts. Dallas cut running backs Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, and Israel Abanikanda on Sunday, leaving the Cowboys with a backfield of just Williams and Malik Davis. We saw Dallas carry just two running backs into game day quite often last year, and it looks like they're sticking with that same strategy this year. We could see Blue or Mafah return to the practice squad, but at the very least, the Cowboys are making it clear that they only felt compelled to keep Williams and Davis. That's great news for Williams' fantasy managers, as it points to him being used as the workhorse back once again this year. If the Cowboys wanted to spread the workload around, they would've likely kept three running backs. Williams' exact workload will depend on game script, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him consistently get at least 18 to 20 touches per game. Last year, he averaged 18.9 touches per game with 1,138 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns by season's end. He remains a mid-to-low RB1 for fantasy purposes in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Micah Parsons Placed on PUP List, Out Four Games
Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons (knee) has been moved to the reserve/PUP list, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. As a result, Parsons will miss the first four games of the regular season, although it has been widely reported that he's targeting Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys for his return, barring a setback. Parsons is working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 15 of the 2025 season, just a couple of months after being traded from Dallas to Green Bay. Across 14 games last year, he amassed 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Now 27, Parsons will offer a major boost to the Packers' defense in a competitive NFC North once he's healthy enough to play. Brenton Cox and Barryn Sorrell are early candidates to earn more defensive snaps in his absence.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Cowboys Release Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Dallas Cowboys are releasing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, according to Aaron Wilson. Dallas signed the veteran to a one-year deal shortly after the draft, but he never separated himself in a crowded battle behind CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy. Valdes-Scantling caught three passes for 45 yards during the preseason, including two for 31 yards in Friday's finale against New Orleans. The 31-year-old spent last season between San Francisco and Pittsburgh, finishing with 14 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown across 10 games. He brought plenty of experience to camp with 3,686 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns over 116 career games, but Dallas had several younger receivers pushing for the remaining roster spots. Valdes-Scantling was brought in as veteran depth with field-stretching ability, but he'll now look for another opportunity as teams finish setting their opening rosters.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Justin Joly Waived After 88-Yard Touchdown in Preseason Finale
Denver Broncos tight end Justin Joly has been waived as the team trims its roster to 53 players, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. As Klis noted, the fifth-round rookie had struggled early in training camp, but it seemed like he had turned a corner when he scored an 88-yard touchdown in the Broncos' preseason finale on Saturday. Nevertheless, he'll now be subject to waivers, allowing any of the other 31 teams to claim him. If he clears waivers, he'd be a candidate to return to the Broncos' practice squad, where he can continue to develop without counting toward the 53-man roster. This move would seem to indicate that Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, and Nate Adkins will round out Denver's tight end room for Week 1, barring any unforeseen moves.
Source: Mike Klis
Source: Mike Klis
Malik Davis a Big Winner After Cowboys Backfield Cuts
Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis came out of Sunday's cuts with a much cleaner path behind Javonte Williams. Dallas waived both Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, two backs who had spent the summer competing with Davis for the No. 2 job. The timing matters because Davis was already pulling ahead before either move. Jon Machota reported last week that the Cowboys seemed most comfortable with Davis as their RB2, and Cowboys.com made the same call after the second preseason game. Davis gave them reasons to trust him. He led Dallas' backs with 39 yards on seven carries in the preseason opener, then flashed in pass protection against Arizona. He also rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries last season, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. This still isn't a path to major standalone volume with Williams healthy, and Dallas could add another back after cuts. For now, though, two of Davis' biggest competitors are gone. He's one of the clearest redraft winners from the Cowboys' roster moves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Aaron Donald Returns to the Rams on a One-Year Deal
The Los Angeles Rams have signed defensive tackle Aaron Donald to a one-year deal worth $20 million, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The deal could pay him up to $30 million with potential incentives. Donald is coming out of retirement and will return to the team where he played 10 seasons from 2014 to 2023. During his first stint in Los Angeles, he tallied 111 sacks and 24 forced fumbles. He made the Pro Bowl in all 10 seasons, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and was an eight-time First Team All-Pro. One of the greatest defensive players of this century, Donald will join forces with fellow superstar Myles Garrett, who was traded from the Browns to the Rams this past offseason. All of a sudden, the Rams D/ST is back to being the #1 unit in fantasy football.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
