RADIO
Jam Miller Could Have Inside Track to Patriots' Third Running Back Spot
New England Patriots seventh-round rookie running back Jam Miller has had a relatively quiet summer, but a piece of under-the-radar news from before the Patriots' first preseason game could have him positioned to seize the team's third running back spot behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. Third-year player Terrell Jennings, who by most accounts was the leading candidate to win the job, was placed on season-ending injured reserve before the Patriots' 13-13 tie with the Colts, and in starting the game and earning 55 hard yards on 14 carries, ESPN's Mike Reiss believes Miller may have shown enough to give him the inside track to the RB3 role. Second-year player Lan Larison, now the clearest competition for the job, gained only one yard on seven carries, but caught a team-leading six passes and also returned kicks, staying in the battle for what could be one of New England's final roster spots.
Source: Mike Reiss
Source: Mike Reiss
Caleb Williams in "Complete Control" of Bears Offense
After entering his second training camp down 10-15 pounds, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was one of the team's best players through the opening days of summer practices, routinely making the type of highlight plays that defined his 2025 season. As practices began to stack, however, he hit a lull that head coach Ben Johnson has shouldered responsibility for, recently telling reporters, "Those first four practices I thought were really, really good, and then as the volume has continued to go up -- and it's my fault as much as anything, just because I think I've put in more this year on offense than I did a year ago by design." In recounting Williams' electric finish to one of the team's most recent practices, ESPN's Courtney Cronin points to evidence that the lull has been snapped, and Johnson would seem to agree, also saying of his 24-year-old quarterback, "He's taken complete control of what we're trying to do, and so we're on the right track." Williams is RotoBaller's QB8, but with one of the league's most dynamic surrounding casts, he is fully capable of cracking the top five after a QB6 finish in his second season.
Source: Courtney Cronin
Source: Courtney Cronin
Calvin Ridley Makes His Presence Felt on Opening Scoring Drive
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley got the start along with the rest of the team's first-unit offense during Thursday night's preseason opener, and he connected with quarterback Cam Ward on an 18-yard pass as part of the Titans' 11-play, 95-yard opening scoring drive. Ridley missed most of the 2025 season with a hamstring injury and a broken fibula, but his 925-yard pace across his five healthy games would have led the team by a significant margin. An overhauled receiver room featuring free agent acquisition Wan'Dale Robinson and fourth overall pick Carnell Tate adds significant target competition in 2026, but often going undrafted outside of deeper leagues, Ridley is a player to watch early in the season, as his versatility could still lead to usable fantasy contributions, even as the third option in what could be an ascending offense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Up-and-Down Night for Cam Ward in Preseason Opener
Tennessee Titans second-year quarterback Cam Ward had completions of 18 and 16 yards in an 11-play, 95-yard scoring drive to open Thursday's preseason win over the 49ers. Unfortunately, while playing well into the second quarter, the rest of his night was not without its rough patches. Ward finished the game 5-of-12 for 57 yards and missed more than one open target while also setting the team back with an intentional grounding penalty on the second drive of the game. After a promising finish to his rookie season, the Titans surrounded the 2025 first overall pick with new playmakers in the form of free agent acquisition Wan'Dale Robinson and fourth overall pick Carnell Tate, and while Ward has shown flashes throughout training camp, most reports would indicate that he's still searching for consistency in year one of Brian Daboll's offense. Ward is RotoBaller's QB25 and not a player who needs to be targeted outside of superflex leagues.
Source: Jim Wyatt
Source: Jim Wyatt
Quiet Preseason Debut for Rookie Carnell Tate
Ten different Tennessee Titans players caught a pass in the team's preseason debut against the 49ers on Thursday night, but rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate was not one of them. Playing into the second quarter with the rest of the team's starters, the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was targeted three times, all from Cam Ward, but the two were unable to connect. With Ward having an up-and-down night and most of the team's success coming on the ground, the Titans completed only 12 total passes on 26 attempts, and Wan'Dale Robinson's 19 receiving yards were enough to lead the team, so it's not as if Tate missed out on what was otherwise a fantasy bonanza. Still, after a hype-filled training camp, more will be expected when the Titans host the defending champion Seahawks in their next preseason outing.
Source: Jim Wyatt
Source: Jim Wyatt
Nicholas Singleton Runs with Second Team on Thursday Night
With most of the Tennessee Titans' starters playing well into the second quarter of the team's preseason debut against the 49ers, rookie running back Nicholas Singleton did not see his first action until the closing minutes of the first half, but he looked good on his first carry, running up the middle for eight yards on first down. Singleton would end the night with 31 yards on a team-leading eight carries but found no involvement in the passing game on a night where the Titans completed only 12 total passes. Singleton has had a strong training camp, but with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears appearing to have well-defined roles on the depth chart ahead of him, he could be hard-pressed to carve out standalone value in 2026. In the long term, however, the rookie should only see his value rise, as both veterans are on the final year of their respective contracts, and Singleton is RotoBaller's dynasty RB42.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyjae Spears Impresses in Preseason Debut Amid Depth-Chart Battle
With the Tennessee Titans' rushing attack looking potent for the duration of the team's preseason debut, a 19-13 victory over the 49ers on Thursday night, fourth-year running back Tyjae Spears ran for 35 yards on only four carries, breaking off a 25-yard run on the Titans' opening scoring drive. Spears also added four receiving yards by reeling in his lone target of the night, and he figures to see a significant role in the passing game in 2026. By all accounts, he has stood out in that regard throughout training camp, and with veteran Tony Pollard still expected to see the bulk of the carries, Spears will likely need to rely on his receiving work to find and maintain fantasy relevance. With rookie Nicholas Singleton also expected to factor into the team's plans, Tennessee's running back situation remains too muddled to make Spears a must-land draft target. Still, as RotoBaller's RB50, he's a player whose usage should be watched in the opening weeks of 2026, as he could quickly reveal himself to be an early-season waiver wire priority.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Wan'Dale Robinson Draws High Target Share in Team Debut
Titans wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson signed a four-year deal with Tennessee after leading the Giants with 131 targets in 2025, his second consecutive season with at least 130 targets, and in his preseason debut with his new team, he quickly found himself in familiar territory. With many of the Titans' starters playing into the second quarter of a 19-13 win over the 49ers, Robinson caught two of his four targets for what was a team-leading 19 yards. On a night where the Titans completed only 12 passes, Calvin Ridley, Carnell Tate, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike combined for eight targets, coming away with only two total catches. While Tate has drawn most of the training camp attention after being made the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it should come as no surprise if Robinson's jitterbug presence underneath and his familiarity with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's system once more allow him to lead his team in targets, and he could provide plenty of late-round fantasy value as RotoBaller's WR49.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jam Miller Overcomes Late-Round Draft Stock in Preseason Opener
New England Patriots running back Jam Miller rushed for 55 yards on 14 carries during Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He was unable to haul in his only target. Miller was a seventh-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, but the Alabama product was quickly thrust into the mix as New England's primary ball-carrier on Thursday. He led the team in touches and was relatively efficient with 3.9 yards per carry. That falls in line with his final collegiate season at Alabama in 2025, when he averaged 3.9 yards per carry with 504 total rushing yards, 109 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. There's very little fantasy upside for Miller behind TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, but he still has a decent chance to make the Patriots' 53-man roster out of camp.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Kyle Williams Opens Second Preseason with a Touchdown
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams caught two of three targets for 37 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Williams is gearing up for a potential breakout campaign in his second NFL season, and scoring the first touchdown of the preseason is a step in the right direction. As a rookie last year, Williams caught 10 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Head coach Mike Vrabel has expressed a desire to get Williams more involved in 2026, and he could come out of this preseason as high as No. 3 on the depth chart. He won't surpass AJ Brown or Romeo Doubs, but Williams could make his presence felt more than players such as DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Mack Hollins. Williams is an intriguing low-cost target in dynasty leagues, but it's a bit too soon to snag him in most redraft formats.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Lan Larison Shines as Receiver in Preseason Opener
New England Patriots running back Lan Larison was stymied on the ground during Thursday's preseason opener against the Colts, rushing for just one yard on seven carries. However, he was much more productive in the passing game, catching six of his eight targets for 38 receiving yards. Larison is no stranger to producing in the preseason, and it's too early to say he's going to make the 53-man roster. With that being said, he certainly made a positive impression on the coaching staff Thursday. A 2025 undrafted free agent out of UC Davis, Larison spent his rookie season on injured reserve with a foot injury. New England's backfield is headlined by TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, but we could see Larison push for a back-end roster spot if he continues to produce throughout the preseason.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Concern for Andy Borregales After Three Missed Field Goals?
New England Patriots kicker Andy Borregales went 2-for-5 on field goal attempts during Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He made kicks from 40 and 52 yards. Meanwhile, his misses came from 49, 55, and 56 yards out. The Patriots and Colts ended in a 13-13 tie, so Borregales' missed kicks proved to be the difference-maker in the final score. While winning a preseason game doesn't really matter, the Patriots would have liked to see that the 23-year-old could make pivotal kicks in high-leverage scenarios. After the game, head coach Mike Vrabel expressed his disappointment, and in regard to the field goal attempts, he said that "we're expected to make them." New England doesn't have any other kickers on their roster, but we can't rule out the possibility of them bringing in a free agent, even if it's purely just to light a fire under Borregales with the regular season approaching. With that being said, this also could have just been one abnormally bad outing. Borregales was impressive as a rookie last season, going 27-for-32 on field goals and ranking as the overall K10 in fantasy football.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Patrick Taylor Jr. Scores 49ers' Only Touchdown In Loss
San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. had an unimpressive showing in Thursday's 19-13 preseason loss to the Titans but came out of it with a touchdown. Taylor was targeted twice in the game and had two receptions for 13 yards but finished with negative yardage on the ground, handling five carries and netting -5 rushing yards. Taylor's longest run of the game was the one-yard plunge into the end zone for the 49ers' only touchdown. With Christian McCaffrey (soreness) the undisputed RB1, the rest of San Francisco's running backs derive their fantasy value from their handcuff potential. Despite his touchdown against Tennessee, Taylor does not appear to be a challenger for that role. His next chance to show what he can do will come against the Chargers on August 20.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Sincere McCormick Leads 49ers Rushers Against Titans
San Francisco 49ers running back Sincere McCormick led the team in carries and rushing yards in Thursday's preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. McCormick finished the game with 10 carries for 38 yards in a difficult day on the ground for San Francisco. He also fielded one kickoff for a 27-yard return and had one target but could not bring in the catch on what was a broken screen play. Past Christian McCaffrey (soreness), the 49ers' running back depth chart is a big question mark. McCormick does not have any fantasy value at present, but as long as he is competing for San Francisco's RB2 role, managers should keep tabs on him through the preseason. Given McCaffrey's injury history, whoever wins the depth chart battle will have value as a handcuff once the regular season opens. McCormick's next chance to work his way up the roster will come on August 20 against the Chargers.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Kurtis Rourke Tabbed For Start In Preseason Opener
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (ribs) was called on to start the team's first game of the preseason. He completed 12 of 14 pass attempts for 101 yards and gained 14 rushing yards on three carries. Rourke nearly had a rushing touchdown in the second quarter but was ruled just short of the goal line. Rourke left the game following the 49ers' touchdown drive in the second quarter after he reported difficulty breathing. Head coach Kyle Shanahan later said that Rourke was taken to the hospital as a precaution. A seventh-round pick in 2025, Rourke has not seen action in the regular season and is not expected to challenge Mac Jones as Brock Purdy's direct backup. If Rourke can recover in time, his next chance to play will be on August 20 against the Chargers.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
