RADIO
Justin Herbert Growing More Comfortable in Chargers New Offense
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is growing comfortable in his new offensive scheme, according to ESPN's Kris Rhim. Under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Herbert has improved his timing and has been sharp and accurate with his receivers. Herbert's fantasy value has declined over the past two seasons under Greg Roman, averaging 17.3 fantasy points per game, 2.4 points below his previous average from his first four seasons. If McDaniel's offense unlocks more passing volume than Roman's, Herbert could return to his old form as a consistent Top-5 quarterback. Fantasy managers should expect Herbert to rank as a mid-QB1 in 2026 drafts.
Source: Kris Rhim - ESPN
Source: Kris Rhim - ESPN
Brock Purdy Gaining Chemistry With Rookie Receiver
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had one of his better practices of training camp on Monday and continues to build chemistry with rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, with veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk still sitting out with injuries, according to Marc Adams of 49ers Web Zone. Purdy connected with several receivers on Monday for explosive plays, including with Stribling for a 50-yard touchdown down the right sideline. Purdy also connected with Demarcus Robinson on a couple of deep throws, and he had another explosive play with veteran Deebo Samuel Sr. Stribling has continued to make plays for the 49ers' offense, and his work ethic has drawn praise from WRs coach Leonard Hankerson. With Ricky Pearsall (knee) done for the year, Purdy and Stribling could be hooking up for big gains down the field a lot in 2026. Even with injuries already prevalent throughout the 49ers' locker room in training camp, Purdy is an obvious bounce-back candidate this season after missing a large chunk of 2025 with a foot injury. Fantasy managers should view him as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 target in upcoming drafts.
Source: 49ers Web Zone - Marc Adams
Source: 49ers Web Zone - Marc Adams
Jadarian Price Without Timetable for Return
Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price (lower body) missed his third straight practice on Monday, and his return is not imminent. Head coach Mike MacDonald said the team is in no rush to get him back on the field before the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys. While it's unclear what injury he's currently dealing with, Price is in no rush as he ramps up for Week 1 in September. With Zach Charbonnet (knee) on the PUP list, the first-round pick has a chance to start early in the season. While we will have to understand what injury he's dealing with, Price should be a starting option in fantasy formats in 2026.
Source: Tim Booth - Seattle Times
Source: Tim Booth - Seattle Times
Michael Penix Jr. has Good Day in 7-on-7 Drills
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) had a good day in training camp practice on Monday while working in 7-on-7 drills, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. Penix looked strong in the pocket and "worked the middle of the field well," hitting receiver Drake London several times. The lefty QB also dropped a long ball into tight end Kyle Pitts Sr.'s arms around 25 yards down the field, down the sideline. It's nice to hear for Penix, but the 26-year-old has yet to be cleared for team drills after suffering a partially torn ACL in his left knee in Week 11 of the 2025 season. The Falcons have yet to name a starter in their QB competition this summer between Penix and former Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, but all signs point to Tua getting the nod, at least to begin the 2026 regular season. Penix will almost certainly sit out Friday's preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, and he'll most likely be holding the clipboard on the sideline for Tagovailoa in Week 1 of the regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His redraft and dynasty value has tanked going into his third year in the NFL.
Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
Source: AtlantaFalcons.com - Tori McElhaney
De'Von Achane Set for Heavy Workload in 2026
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane is set for a heavy workload in the 2026 season, according to head coach Jeff Hafley. Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, Hafley said, "[Achane] will never give a head tap. I said, 'Don't worry, buddy.'" "After you touch the ball 40-45 times, I'm going to have to pick you up and carry you back to the locker room." In his third season, Achane had over 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns on 305 attempts. With strong endorsement from his head coach, Achane may be in line for a larger workload in 2026. With defenses more focused on stopping Achane, he could be more inefficient than he's been over his three-year career. If his volume improves, he could threaten to be the RB1 overall this season.
Source: FinsXTRA
Source: FinsXTRA
Falcons Don't Have a Timetable to Name a Starting QB
The Athletic's Josh Kendall reports that the Atlanta Falcons don't have a timetable to name a starting quarterback between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. (knee). "Obviously, we will get to that point when we feel it's necessary," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. It's unclear if Tagovailoa will play in the team's preseason opener on Friday against the Denver Broncos, but the Falcons should make an announcement by Wednesday. The 28-year-old Tagovailoa is the clear leader in the QB competition in Atlanta because Penix has yet to be cleared to participate in team drills in training camp after tearing his ACL last year. It would be a massive surprise if Tagovailoa is not the Falcons' starting signal-caller for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tua is looking to bounce back with a change of scenery, and although he has the weapons to do it in Atlanta, his history of concussions makes him a risky bounce-back QB option in superflex fantasy formats. And because Tagovailoa rarely runs with the football, he'll have minimal QB2 upside.
Source: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
Source: The Athletic - Josh Kendall
Denzel Boston to Work With First-Team Offense
Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston is set to work with the first-team offense, according to head coach Todd Monken. Monken said, "He wants to see what the offense looks like with Denzel Boston as the boundary receiver and the ability to move Jerry Jeudy around." Boston has had a fantastic training camp, making big plays every day and showing the most consistent hands in the receiver group. The 6'4 wideout fits the traditional "X receiver" mold, since Jeudy and first-round rookie KC Concepcion are smaller receivers. Ranked WR62 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Boston is a great value for managers to target this season.
Source: Daniel Oyefusi - ESPN
Source: Daniel Oyefusi - ESPN
Alec Pierce Has Second PRP Injection
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) recently received a second platelet-rich plasma injection and has no timetable for a return. Pierce underwent surgery on his left ankle in March and has yet to practice this offseason. PRP injections are used to accelerate healing, reduce pain, and improve function. It's not ideal that nearly five months later, Pierce is still experiencing pain and instability. With no timetable for return, fantasy managers should be legitimately concerned. Websites and medical advisors report that improvements typically occur two to six months after the injection, so Pierce may be out until after the season begins. Ranked WR38 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Pierce should drop significantly after this report.
Source: James Boyd - The Athletic
Source: James Boyd - The Athletic
Sam Darnold Working to Gain Comfort in New Offensive Scheme
After helping the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl in his first year with the team in 2025, veteran quarterback Sam Darnold has been looking to get more comfortable in training camp this summer in new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury's scheme, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Darnold and Fleury overlapped with the San Francisco 49ers, but Fleury has never called plays before. It gives the two men "a nice foundation with a ton of carryover within the system," but they need experience together. The 29-year-old signal-caller has been trying to fine-tune elements of his game while also working to get more comfortable with Fleury, and on the exterior, Darnold "looks to be at ease." Although Darnold hit the 4,000-yard mark for the second straight year in 2025 and made the Pro Bowl for a second straight season, he wasn't in the top 10 in fantasy scoring at his position. And outside of Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle's WR corps is rather weak. On volume alone, Darnold should have a safe floor as a low-end QB2 target, but expecting more than that doesn't seem wise.
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Howe
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Howe
Browns Undecided on Which QB Will Start Preseason Game
Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders continue to battle for the starting job during training camp. According to Mary Kay Cabot, head coach Todd Monken hasn't decided who is going to be the starter for this week's preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Whoever doesn't start this game will start against the Buffalo Bills next week. It's worth noting that Sanders was getting first-team reps during Monday's practice. This remains a close competition that probably won't be resolved until after the preseason games have concluded.
Source: Mary Kay Cabot
Source: Mary Kay Cabot
Bengals Offense, Joe Burrow "Showing Their Teeth" in Camp
The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. wrote that the Cincinnati Bengals offense bounced back in training camp practice on Sunday by posting two scores, and quarterback Joe Burrow "still looked like himself with touchdowns to receivers Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas." The Bengals' offense has "started to show their teeth" with more unscripted periods in practice, which began on Friday in the new stadium with a bomb from Burrow to All-Pro receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Big moments like that for the Bengals' offense have "become increasingly more frequent" after the defense had mostly dominated early in camp. Burrow looks to be at full health this summer and set for another big year leading Cincy's offense in his seventh year in the NFL. The 29-year-old former first overall pick from LSU is the highest-ranked fantasy QB who doesn't have a high-end rushing skill set. Burrow makes up for it with a strong arm, precision passing, and one of the best WR duos in the league in Chase and Higgins. He's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 5 fantasy signal-caller for the 2026 campaign.
Source: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
Source: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
Tucker Kraft Running Routes in Full Pads
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) was running routes in full pads while catching passes from Jordan Love during Monday's practice, Ryan Wood of USA Today reports. Kraft continues to work his way back from a torn ACL injury that he suffered last season. The biggest takeaway here is that Kraft wasn't wearing a sleeve on his right knee that he has been wearing all training camp. Kraft is eyeing a Week 1 return, but he might not be fully ready yet, considering he tore his ACL in Week 9 of last season. He's unlikely to play during the preseason, but that shouldn't surprise fantasy managers. The Packers are hopeful he can return to his TE1 ways once he's back to full health.
Source: Ryan Wood
Source: Ryan Wood
Jalen Hurts Gaining Chemistry With New Receiver
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has developed some nice chemistry in training camp this summer with new wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, who has emerged as the team's WR2 behind DeVonta Smith, according to Geoff Mosher of Philly Voice. Wicks has had an impressive start to camp as the Eagles' offense looks to bounce back and adjust to life without Pro Bowler A.J. Brown, who was traded to the New England Patriots in the offseason. Smith and rookie Makai Lemon have been sidelined lately with a hamstring injury, too, which has allowed Wicks to get even more looks from Hurts. "Just the work off the field, the talking, the connections off the field that build up to connections on the field and chemistry," Wicks said when asked about his chemistry with his new QB. "Getting together off the field, like we did in the summer, that also built up for now, and will build up for the season." Wicks already had familiarity with Eagles' new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion from his time in Green Bay, and now that he's been standing out in camp, he's been a riser on fantasy football draft boards. The Philly Voice's Jimmy Kempski recently wrote that it's "reasonable to assume" that Lemon won't be ready for a starting role to open his rookie season in 2026.
Source: Philly Voice - Geoff Mosher
Source: Philly Voice - Geoff Mosher
Marvin Mims Jr. is Back in Pads on Monday
Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (undisclosed) was spotted working on the side during Monday's practice, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Mims left Friday's practice with an undisclosed injury and didn't work out at all on Saturday. He's back in pads on Monday, which is a step in the right direction. It seems like the Broncos are easing him back into action, which isn't shocking this early into camp. Fantasy managers should consider Mims day-to-day ahead of Friday's preseason matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons.
Source: Parker Gabriel
Source: Parker Gabriel
Jaylen Waddle Misses Monday's Practice
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) was not seen practicing on Monday, according to Parker Gabriel. Waddle hasn't practiced since leaving early during this past Wednesday's session due to muscle tightness. Fantasy managers don't need to panic as this doesn't sound like a long-term issue. Head coach Sean Payton said he expected Waddle to return to practice this week. It's early in camp, so the team will hold out players even with minor issues. Fantasy managers should expect Waddle to be fully healthy and ready to go for the start of the season.
Source: Parker Gabriel
Source: Parker Gabriel
