Aug 31, 2026, 9:14 AM ET

A rash of injuries has limited Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd to only one game since being drafted in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but his return to health could not have come at a better time. Starting running back Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List on Sunday after being formally charged with two misdemeanor counts stemming from his May arrest, and with the roster being trimmed down to 53 players on the same day, the Packers are poised to enter the season with Lloyd as the number one running back. He will be backed up by Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson, who was acquired via trade on cutdown day and could take some time to get up to speed in a new offense. Lloyd has looked sharp throughout training camp and the preseason, and if he can stay healthy to begin the year, he has RB1 upside in Matt LaFleur's run-heavy offense, with Jacobs' return date entirely in the hands of Commissioner Roger Goodell.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Matt Schnedman

Aug 31, 2026, 12:41 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens enjoyed a career year in 2025, but he might soar even higher during the 2026 season. In his first campaign with Dallas, Pickens caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He ranked as the overall WR5 in PPR leagues and outproduced teammate CeeDee Lamb -- not only in total, but also on a points-per-game basis. At first glance, it seems like Lamb, who missed three games last year but is now healthy, should step back up as the top pass catcher in Dallas this year, but that's not guaranteed. Recently, an audio clip went viral of DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Eatman saying that Pickens could end up being the No. 1 receiver ahead of Lamb in 2026. "This might cause some issues, but it does seem like Pickens has kind of elevated as the dude," Eatman said. "CeeDee is really good, but Pickens is the one that defensive coordinators are going to have even more of a problem with." In a similar vein, there has been plenty of chatter in recent weeks that Pickens had a better training camp than Lamb. To be clear, this is not an anti-Lamb sentiment, but rather excitement about the potential for Pickens to take an even bigger step forward in 2026. If it seems like he could repeat or even surpass his WR5 finish from last year, then he's somewhat of a steal at his current ADP of 25.4, which corresponds to the third round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 10th receiver off the board.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 31, 2026, 12:32 AM ET

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane should be the primary playmaker on offense this season. Miami parted ways with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Tua Tagovailoa during the offseason, leaving Achane as the only returner from an offense that has featured some star power in recent years, despite underperforming. Miami also ushered in this fresh start with a new head coach, new general manager, and new quarterback. The new signal-caller for Miami is Malik Willis, who has a fair arm but makes a much bigger impact with his ability to run the football. The Dolphins have a pretty weak receiver room, so we expect them to emphasize running the football with Willis and Achane this year. Head coach Jeff Hafley previously said that Achane could get 40+ touches in a game this year, and while that comment was clearly an exaggeration, it's also evident that the Dolphins aren't going to place any restrictions on his workload. We do envision him consistently getting at least 20-25 touches per game, and given his speed and receiving upside, he should emerge as one of the lone bright spots in this otherwise underwhelming Miami offense. Touchdowns may be harder to come by in Miami this season, but we're still banking on Achane as a mid-range RB1 option in redraft leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Aug 31, 2026, 12:12 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens running back Adam Randall (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve ahead of Sunday's 53-man roster deadline. The rookie had 17 carries, 71 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown across two preseason games, and he also caught four passes for an additional 47 receiving yards. We don't know exactly what ailment Randall is dealing with, but it was evidently severe enough to sideline him for at least the first four games of the 2026 regular season. The Clemson product occupies one of the two IR spots for players who are designated to return, so he's now eligible to be activated as early as Week 5. In the meantime, Rasheen Ali should operate as the Ravens' No. 3 running back behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Baltimore Ravens

Aug 31, 2026, 12:06 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf) was placed on injured reserve ahead of Sunday's 53-man roster deadline, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. Kirk injured his hamstring in late July and wasn't able to play in any of the 49ers' preseason games. Now, he'll also miss at least four regular-season games before being eligible to return starting in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks. Wide receiver injuries are nothing new for the Niners, who already placed Ricky Pearsall (knee) on season-ending IR. The injuries to Kirk and Pearsall should pave the way for De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) to open the year as the No. 2 wide receiver alongside Mike Evans. Kirk will presumably slot into the second or third receiver spot when he's healthy enough to play again.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Matt Maiocco

Aug 30, 2026, 11:52 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks have released veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs. However, general manager John Schneider told Gregg Bell of The Seattle Times that he hopes to re-sign Diggs to the practice squad. Schneider noted that Diggs continues to acclimate to the Seahawks' defense, and he added that the players and coaching staff "love him." Before he signed his contract less than two weeks ago, Diggs had not worn full pads since January. Across nine games with Dallas and Green Bay last year, he logged 27 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Diggs has declined significantly since the early portion of his career, when he made back-to-back Pro Bowls. In fact, in 2021, he was named a First Team All-Pro with an NFL-leading 11 interceptions. Assuming he does return to the Seahawks as a practice squad player, he'll be a candidate for elevation to the 53-man roster once the regular season gets underway. He might not be a defensive starter for the reigning Super Bowl champions, but he'll at least offer a solid veteran presence.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Gregg Bell

Aug 30, 2026, 11:43 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) appears on the team's initial 53-man roster, which means that he was not placed on injured reserve. As a result, he'll be eligible to play in the Ravens' first four games this season, although it remains uncertain whether he'll be available for Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. The former Pro Bowler continues to work his way back from a very serious cervical neck injury that he suffered during Baltimore's second game last season. Prior to that, though, he had played every game for three consecutive seasons from 2022 through 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, he amassed 99 tackles, 19.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He ranked as a top-12 defensive tackle in IDP leagues during both of those seasons.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Jamison Hensley

Aug 30, 2026, 11:38 PM ET

The Carolina Panthers placed running back Trevor Etienne (ankle) on injured reserve ahead of Sunday's 53-man roster deadline. Etienne will occupy one of the two IR spots for players who are designated to return later in the season. The team can activate him in Week 5 or later, and when they do so, he'll count toward the 53-man roster. Etienne was originally slated to operate as the Panthers' No. 3 running back behind Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks, but those responsibilities will belong to AJ Dillon for now. Etienne had just 107 scrimmage yards, zero touchdowns, and one fumble lost through 17 games as a rookie last year. He can be left on fantasy waivers in most leagues as long as Hubbard and Brooks are both healthy.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Carolina Panthers

Aug 30, 2026, 11:28 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (back) has been activated from the PUP list and is officially on the team's initial 53-man roster. Porter missed all of training camp, and prior to suffering the injury, he had been seeking a new contract. It's unclear whether those talks will continue into the regular season, but the good news is that it doesn't seem like Porter has any plans to let his contract status impact his availability. He should be on the field for the Steelers' season opener against the Falcons on September 13, lining up alongside fellow projected starting cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Jalen Ramsey.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Pittsburgh Steelers

Aug 30, 2026, 11:22 PM ET

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton made the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. There was a slight risk that he might be cut prior to Sunday's roster deadline, but instead, the Giants parted ways with former third-round pick Jalin Hyatt. Slayton will now round out a wide receiver room that also features Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney, and Odell Beckham Jr. He had a solid 37 catches for 538 yards and one touchdown last year, but he could have trouble replicating that stat line in 2026 given that he's likely fifth in the wide receiver pecking order. We also can't rule out the possibility of the Giants adding another receiver who was cut loose by another NFL team on Sunday. Slayton has fallen to WR100 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings, so although he did make the team, he's off the radar in most fantasy football leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Paul Schwartz

Aug 30, 2026, 11:14 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. has made the team's initial 53-man roster. There had been plenty of chatter about Richardson potentially being cut or traded before Sunday's roster deadline, but he ultimately remains with the Colts for the time being. The former No. 4 pick once again projects to occupy a depth role behind starter Daniel Jones, and there's a chance that he could even fall to third on the depth chart behind Riley Leonard. Richardson hasn't seen meaningful playing time since the 2024 season, when he completed just 47.7% of his passes for 1,814 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also had 499 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, and three fumbles lost that year. The 24-year-old has tremendous rushing upside, but injuries, turnovers, and an atrocious completion rate have kept him from living up to his early first-round draft capital. A change of scenery seems likely at some point, but as long as Richardson remains with the Colts, he should be avoided entirely in fantasy football.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Indianapolis Colts

Aug 30, 2026, 11:07 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance has made the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. He won the backup quarterback job behind Justin Herbert after the Chargers released DJ Uiagalelei on Sunday. Lance has seen occasional playing time as a depth option for the Chargers, Cowboys, and 49ers over the last few years, but he hasn't scored a touchdown since his rookie season with the Niners in 2021. He has appeared in just 16 games since being drafted, flashing impressive mobility but never coming close to meeting the expectations that came with being the No. 3 overall pick. The North Dakota State product remains off the fantasy radar in all leagues, and even if he gets thrust into action due to a Herbert injury, he'd still be tough to trust in weekly fantasy lineups.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Matt Zenitz

Aug 30, 2026, 11:03 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints have officially placed wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) on injured reserve, according to Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune. This move was merely procedural, as we already knew that Tyson would miss approximately two weeks due to a hamstring injury he suffered during training camp. It's been an injury-riddled couple of years for Tyson, who has now endured three different hamstring strains since the start of 2025. By landing on IR, the first-round pick will now be sidelined for at least four games. The earliest he could possibly return to action would be the Saints' Week 5 contest against the Minnesota Vikings on October 11, but we wouldn't be surprised if he needs a little more time beyond that date. With Tyson sidelined, Devaughn Vele is expected to step up as the Saints' No. 2 receiver alongside Chris Olave.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Matthew Paras

Aug 30, 2026, 10:56 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping four quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Head coach Mike McCarthy previously hinted that this was a possibility, and now it's official. Aaron Rodgers will remain the team's starter while Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar round out the depth chart. Entering training camp, it seemed like Allar would be the odd man out, but he earned a roster spot by throwing for 351 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions this preseason. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers make any additional quarterback moves before Week 1, as it seems like it would be difficult to keep four of the 53 roster spots tied up to quarterbacks for a long period of time. On the other hand, it makes sense to keep Rudolph, who has flashed starter potential at the NFL level, as well as both Howard and Allar, who could compete to take the reins from Rodgers after his retirement.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Adam Schefter