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Deebo Samuel Sr. Set for Multi-Purpose Workload in San Francisco
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. will "have a varied role at receiver, running back, and kick returner" in the upcoming season, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Samuel Sr. spent the first six years of his NFL career with the 49ers before being traded to the Washington Commanders ahead of the 2025 season. Across 81 career games with San Francisco, Samuel Sr. collected 1,143 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns to go along with nearly 4,800 receiving yards and 22 touchdown grabs. While the 30-year-old is no longer the same level of athlete he was earlier in his career, Samuel Sr.'s dual-threat ability provides an added element of value for fantasy managers. He's also expected to play a significant role in the 49ers' offense with San Francisco wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) set to miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery.
Source: ESPN - Nick Wagoner
Source: ESPN - Nick Wagoner
Rashod Bateman Praises New Coaching Staff, Criticizes Former Regime
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman criticized his former coaching staff while praising his new coaches on Thursday. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Bateman said that new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter's staff "harps on the details," which is "not what we've had here." Bateman's first five years in the NFL were all played under former Ravens and current New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh. While Minter is a first-time NFL head coach with significantly less experience than Harbaugh, it appears as though some in Baltimore feel that he is holding the team to a higher standard. Bateman himself had one of the least productive years of his career in 2025, recording 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns on 38 targets across 13 games (12 starts). With a fresh start in 2026, Bateman could get closer to his 2024 production, when he recorded 756 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns across 17 games. He currently ranks as the RotoBaller's WR74 heading into 2026.
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
Andy Dalton Leading Eagles QB2 Battle
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Andy Dalton "still appears to be the leader" in the team's backup quarterback battle, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Dalton had a rough showing in the Eagles' first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens last Saturday, but Berman writes that the veteran "showed improvement" during the team's joint practice session with the New England Patriots on Wednesday. Dalton's competition for the QB2 role behind Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia is Tanner McKee, who has played in six games (two starts) since being picked by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2023 Draft. Dalton obviously has significantly more NFL experience, as he's logged 169 career starts across 15 seasons. As long as Hurts stays healthy, neither Dalton nor McKee will play a fantasy-relevant role. Still, fantasy managers in deeper, two-quarterback formats looking for the handcuff option to Hurts may want to target Dalton.
Source: The Athletic - Zach Berman
Source: The Athletic - Zach Berman
Saquon Barkley Standing Out in New-Look Eagles Offense
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley "consistently found running room within (new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion's) wide zone concepts" during the team's joint practice session with the New England Patriots, per Zach Berman of The Athletic. After collecting 2,283 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns across 16 games in his first season with Philadelphia in 2024, Barkley's numbers regressed across the board in 2025. While still highly productive overall, Barkley's yards per carry dropped from 5.8 to 4.1, and his yards per touch fell from 6.0 to 4.5. The Eagles have a new play-caller for the upcoming year in Sean Mannion. Based on the early returns in camp, it appears as though the new system could be a boon for Barkley's production as he enters his age-29 season. RotoBaller currently ranks Barkley as the RB7 for redraft leagues ahead of 2026.
Source: The Athletic - Zach Berman
Source: The Athletic - Zach Berman
Jared Goff Still Belongs in the QB1 Conversation
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is learning his fourth offense since arriving in Detroit, and camp hasn't given fantasy managers much reason to worry about this one. Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman has raved about Goff's accuracy and ball placement and said he already has a "great grasp" of Drew Petzing's system. That's coming off 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2025. The weapons aren't the concern either. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta are all back. Goff's fantasy problem is the same as ever: he gives you almost nothing on the ground. He ran 19 times for 45 yards and no touchdowns last year, so his big weeks have to come through the air. Fine when Detroit is throwing like this, less helpful when it isn't. But Petzing was the biggest new variable entering camp, and Goff looks comfortable so far. If you're waiting on quarterback in a one-QB draft, he still belongs in that late QB1 mix.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Keenan Allen Already Working With Colts' First-Team Offense
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen got thrown into the mix quickly Thursday. Mike Chappell reported that Allen was working with the first-team offense in 11-on-11 drills, which is a bigger step than the Colts initially laid out for his first practice. Head coach Shane Steichen said Wednesday that Allen would work into individual drills Thursday and that the team would "really get him going next week." Instead, he was already taking team reps with the starters. Allen signed with Indianapolis on Tuesday after catching 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns with the Los Angeles Chargers last season. The 34-year-old also knows Steichen well from their seven seasons together with the Chargers. One practice doesn't lock in a role, especially with Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren all competing for targets, but this was an encouraging first look. Allen appears to be moving into the offense quickly and still has some PPR appeal if he earns a steady share of the passing game.
Source: Mike Chappell
Source: Mike Chappell
Fernando Mendoza Expected to Play First Half Against Texans
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to play roughly the first half of Thursday night's preseason game against the Houston Texans, according to Adam Schefter. Aidan O'Connell is expected to take over for the second half. Mendoza got an extended look in the opener against Arizona, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown over four drives. The Raiders have kept adding to his workload since then. He saw valuable snaps against Houston's first-team defense during Tuesday's joint practice, while Kirk Cousins continued to handle the bulk of the first-team work. Head coach Klint Kubiak has been clear that Mendoza needs reps, and Thursday should give the No. 1 overall pick plenty more. Cousins still sits ahead of him, but Mendoza is getting a longer runway in these preseason games as Las Vegas continues bringing its rookie quarterback along before Week 1.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Ka'imi Fairbairn Remains a Top Kicker Option in Redraft
Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn is coming off about as good a fantasy season as a kicker can have. He made 44 of 48 field-goal attempts in 15 games, tying David Akers' NFL single-season record for makes, and went a perfect 28-for-28 on extra points. The distance wasn't a problem either. Fairbairn hit all 16 of his tries from 40 to 49 yards and went 9-for-13 from 50 to 59, with a long of 57. Houston also gave him a two-year, $13 million extension in March that keeps him under contract through 2028. The only thing worth pushing back on is last year's volume. His 48 field-goal attempts led the league, and counting on another season like that is asking a lot. Fairbairn doesn't need to get there again to be useful. He has the leg, the accuracy, and a secure job on a Houston offense that gave him plenty of chances last year. He still belongs near the top of the kicker pool in redraft.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isaiah Likely Emerging as Major Piece of Giants Offense
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely is becoming one of Jaxson Dart's most trusted targets, according to Jordan Raanan. Likely caught six passes during live drills in Thursday's joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, with Raanan describing him as Dart's security blanket and favorite receiver. This hasn't come out of nowhere. Dart and Likely started building chemistry during the spring, and the Giants have featured their tight ends heavily throughout training camp. Likely gives Dart a big target in the middle of the field and can move around the formation, something New York has taken advantage of all summer. Malik Nabers is still working his way back from last year's knee injury, but Raanan expects Likely to remain a major part of the offense even once Nabers returns. Likely caught only 27 passes for 307 yards and one touchdown with Baltimore last season. His role in New York is shaping up to be much bigger.
Source: Jordan Raanan
Source: Jordan Raanan
Dawson Knox a Touchdown-Dependent TE2
Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox still has a real role in this offense, and Buffalo made that pretty clear by keeping him under contract through 2028. Fantasy is another story. Knox caught 36 passes for 417 yards and four touchdowns last season on just 49 targets. Every one of those scores came from inside the 20, which tells you where most of the appeal is coming from. The Bills are still using him there, too. Josh Allen targeted Knox on back-to-back red-zone plays during an Aug. 3 practice, with Knox scoring on a screen. Dalton Kincaid was heavily involved that day as well and has looked healthy throughout camp after knee and hamstring trouble last season. Buffalo picked up Kincaid's fifth-year option, and he remains the tougher obstacle to Knox seeing a real jump in targets. Knox can absolutely pop for a week when Allen finds him near the goal line. But 49 targets across 17 games is hard to draft around. He's still a touchdown-dependent TE2, not a sleeper.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kendrick Bourne Still Has Little Redraft Appeal
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has a real job in this offense. Fantasy managers just shouldn't confuse that with a big one. Arizona has him slotted behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, and the team called Bourne an "upper-level No. 3" this week. Bourne seems perfectly fine with that. He told the Cardinals he chased a bigger role in New England and now feels back in the role that fits him best under Mike LaFleur. Last season gives you a pretty good picture of the upside and the problem. Bourne caught 37 passes for 551 yards and no touchdowns, with 284 of those yards coming in back-to-back 142-yard games. He did catch a 12-yarder from Jacoby Brissett in Arizona's second preseason game, but there isn't much here pointing to a volume jump. Harrison, Wilson and Trey McBride all have stronger claims on targets. Bourne can help Arizona. In standard redraft leagues, he's still mostly an injury-away depth option.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Geno Smith to Start Friday Against Steelers
New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith will start Friday's preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Connor Hughes. Smith missed the opener against Tampa Bay after developing ankle soreness during joint practices, but he's been back at practice throughout this week. Friday will be his first game action since returning to the Jets in a March trade with Las Vegas. New York has already made it clear that Smith is its starter for 2026, so this is about getting him some live reps in Frank Reich's offense before the games count. Smith started 15 games for the Raiders last season and completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The Jets originally planned to play him in the preseason opener before the ankle issue got in the way. Now they'll finally get that first look at Smith running the offense in a game.
Source: Connor Hughes
Source: Connor Hughes
Puka Nacua Remains Out With Psoas Soreness
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (psoas) remained out Thursday and did not take part in the joint practice with the New Orleans Saints, according to Sarah Barshop. Nacua has been sidelined since developing soreness in his psoas during the Aug. 11 joint session with Dallas. His absence Thursday was expected. Sean McVay said Monday that Nacua was doing well but the Rams could hold him out until next week, stressing that they want a return to performance rather than simply getting him back on the field. Nacua has continued conditioning and weight work while sidelined. He is coming off a huge 2025 season, leading the NFL with 129 catches while piling up 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games. The Rams are clearly taking the cautious route with one of their most important offensive players, and Thursday's absence doesn't appear to represent a setback from the timeline McVay laid out earlier this week.
Source: Sarah Barshop
Source: Sarah Barshop
Ja'Kobi Lane Continues to Turn Heads at Ravens Camp
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane continues to be one of the loudest stories of training camp, with Rookie Watch highlighting the rookie's catch radius and ability to win contested throws. The buzz is backed up by Baltimore's own camp reports. Lane has made difficult catches over Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey and other Ravens defensive backs, and head coach Jesse Minter said earlier this month that the consistency is starting to show up every day. He carried that into the preseason opener, catching three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia. Baltimore took Lane 80th overall in April after he finished his final USC season with 49 catches for 745 yards and four touchdowns. He is currently listed behind Rashod Bateman on the depth chart, but the rookie keeps forcing his way into the conversation. At 6-foot-4 with a 40-inch vertical and huge hands, Lane gives this offense a different kind of target.
Source: Rookie Watch
Source: Rookie Watch
Quinshon Judkins Misses Second Straight Practice
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins was not practicing Thursday, his second straight absence, according to Daniel Oyefusi. Judkins also sat out Wednesday after working throughout camp up to that point. His absence began one day after a particularly physical Tuesday practice in which he took some extra contact, though Cleveland has not said the two are connected. Judkins led the Browns with 827 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 230 carries as a rookie, adding 26 catches for 171 yards. His season ended in Week 16 with a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula, but he recovered in time for full offseason work and had been participating normally this summer. Two missed practices in a row now make this more than a one-day maintenance note. Until Cleveland provides some context, Judkins' availability remains an open question.
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
Source: Daniel Oyefusi
