Aug 26, 2026, 12:47 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters in Green Bay that running back James Conner (foot) is "progressing well," but it's too early to tell if he will be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. Conner is still working his way back from foot surgery that ended his 2025 campaign after only three games played. When healthy, the 31-year-old former third-rounder by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Pittsburgh figures to operate as the team's RB3 behind Jeremiyah Love (ankle) and Tyler Allgeier, but that type of role isn't going to make the veteran back relevant in any single-year fantasy leagues. Conner had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024 in the desert, but it all came crashing down last year, when he played in just three games. Until Conner is able to make his way back onto the field, Bam Knight figures to operate as the team's RB3 with Trey Benson (knee) done for the season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake

Aug 26, 2026, 12:40 PM ET

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) will participate in 11-on-11 team drills in training camp practice on Wednesday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Kraft has been taking part in team drills in camp for a week-plus, but he will also be cleared to take part in team drills on Wednesday in a joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals, which is notable. There have been reports that the Packers plan on easing the 25-year-old tight end into their offense early on in the 2026 regular season, which is not what fantasy managers want to hear. Despite that news, the former third-rounder in the 2023 NFL draft from South Dakota State is an easy top-10 fantasy TE who could easily break out in 2026 if he can stay healthy following his ACL tear a year ago. Before Kraft's season-ending knee injury, he was among the best players at his position, catching 32 of his 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight starts. RotoBaller currently has Kraft ranked as the No. 6 overall TE for 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman

Aug 26, 2026, 12:30 PM ET

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ja'Seem Reed is getting plenty of run with the first-team offense with Xavier Legette (ankle) sidelined at training camp, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. The Panthers already lost rookie Chris Brazzell II (knee) for the entire season, which has opened up an opportunity for Reed, David Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr., and Brycen Tremayne to compete with Legette for the WR3 gig behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker heading into the start of the 2026 season. Reed, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, is a former undrafted free agent out of the University of San Diego who has yet to play in an NFL game. The 23-year-old spent the entire 2025 campaign on the Panthers' practice squad. It is notable that he is getting some run with the first-team offense in camp, but Reed should be viewed as a long shot for any kind of fantasy relevance in 2026, with Legette's injury not deemed very serious.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye

Aug 26, 2026, 12:22 PM ET

Sports Illustrated's John Shipley points out that Jacksonville Jaguars running backs Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten got seemingly equal reps throughout the entire training camp practice on Wednesday, but when the team went to their end-of-game drill in the final portion of practice, it was Rodriguez "who got the nod at RB." It mostly meant pass protection for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, although the Jags did throw a screen to Rodriguez earlier on the drive. It is important to note that pass-catching back LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is out with a soft-tissue injury and will miss the rest of camp. Without Allen, there is a clear void when it comes to the passing-down depth chart. Shipley recently stated that he thinks C-Rod is the team's best pass-protecting RB with Allen injured, which means his fantasy stock could receive a significant early-season boost if Allen is not ready to handle his normal pass-blocking and third-down role. The 25-year-old Rodriguez has been lauded this summer for his power running as well, and his previous experience with head coach Liam Coen in college at Kentucky could eventually give him the upper hand over Tuten in 2026, despite Tuten's obvious explosive tendencies and home run ability at the position.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley

Aug 26, 2026, 12:10 PM ET

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (knee) is not taking part in Wednesday's training camp practice after he banged up his left knee on Tuesday, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Chase was not sporting any protective equipment on his knee, though, and the 26-year-old All-Pro wideout downplayed the injury after getting hurt on Tuesday. For now, it appears that Chase has dodged a potentially significant knee injury, but we will obviously keep close tabs on his progress with the 2026 regular season quickly approaching in early September. Chase has had 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first five seasons in the NFL with the Bengals and has added 54 touchdown receptions, including a league-high 17 scores in 2024, when he also led the league in catches (127), targets (175), and yards (1,708). He led the league with 185 targets last year as well and finished with 125 catches for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 starts. Chase's knee injury in camp should not dissuade fantasy managers from making him the first WR off the draft board.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Ben Baby

Aug 26, 2026, 12:02 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd is quickly becoming a priority late-round fantasy stash in 2026 amidst the news that the Packers are bracing for a potential suspension for starting RB Josh Jacobs. Nothing is certain right now, and Jacobs might only be facing a short three- or four-game suspension, but the potential for Jacobs to miss games early in the year will only boost Lloyd's appeal. The 25-year-old former third-rounder in 2024 from USC has only played in one NFL game due to injuries, but he has plenty of potential, and the Packers remain firmly committed to him going forward. In the team's preseason win over the Denver Broncos last Friday, Lloyd rushed six times for 17 yards and caught his only target for an 11-yard touchdown. All signs point to Lloyd having the inside track on the RB2 job over Chris Brooks in Green Bay to begin the 2026 season, so if the NFL slaps a suspension on Jacobs, Lloyd would be in line for lead-back duties. RotoBaller has Lloyd ranked as the RB49 right now. Fantasy managers who select Jacobs as their RB2 should be handcuffing Lloyd to him in the later rounds.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman

Aug 26, 2026, 11:53 AM ET

Carolina Panthers veteran tight end Darren Waller was seen lining up in the slot with the first-team offense in training camp practice on Wednesday, and per Kyle Bailey, it looks like Waller still has "some real burst off the line." The 33-year-old came out of retirement last year to join the Miami Dolphins, but he managed to play in only nine games while catching 24 of his 34 targets for 283 yards and six touchdowns. Fantasy managers should not be getting too excited yet about Waller in his new digs in Carolina, but it is notable that he is mixing in with the first-team offense in practices. The Panthers are going to continue to ease Waller into the fold, but if he is healthy, he figures to be their top pass-catching tight end option over Ja'Tavion Sanders, who could now be on the roster bubble. Waller is a former Pro Bowler who had two straight 1,000-yard seasons with 12 combined touchdowns in 2019 and 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Durability is the biggest question mark for the oft-injured Waller as he embarks on his 10th NFL season in 2026. Right now, he is merely a sleeper at the position in two-TE fantasy leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Kyle Bailey

Aug 26, 2026, 11:42 AM ET

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said that the team has been preparing for the scenario of running back Josh Jacobs being suspended just to cover all of their bases in case that happens, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Gutekunst is confident in the running back room behind Jacobs but is not ruling out an additional move to give the team more backfield depth early in the season if/when a Jacobs suspension is handed down. The 28-year-old has also been managing a groin injury that has kept him out of training camp practices for the better part of two weeks, so it has not been a great summer for Jacobs as he gets set to enter his eighth year in the NFL (third with Green Bay). The NFL is still reviewing a personal-conduct matter involving Jacobs after he was arrested in May of this year following a domestic-disturbance complaint. He has denied all allegations, and prosecutors have not formally filed criminal charges against him. If Jacobs is suspended, it should not be for more than three or four games. If he's not suspended, his current groin issue should not keep him from playing in Week 1 in early September. A potential suspension hanging over his head definitely makes him a much riskier low-end RB1/high-end RB2 selection in upcoming fantasy football drafts, though.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman

Aug 26, 2026, 11:42 AM ET

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (calf) is sidelined with a calf injury, per Mike Chappell of FOX59. The 25-year-old was also unable to practice on Tuesday, and it appears this injury will keep him sidelined for a bit longer. Managers should continue to pay close attention to his status ahead of the final week of the preseason. Downs is expected to take on a much larger role in 2026 with Michael Pittman Jr. now in Pittsburgh. Additionally, the team's top wideout, Alec Pierce, is battling an ankle injury and has yet to return to practice. While the Colts did sign veteran wideout Keenan Allen earlier this month, Downs figures to open the season in a prominent role. In 2025, Downs brought in 58 passes for 566 yards and four scores. If he were to move past this injury, the wideout could have post-hype breakout appeal with a full-time role.--Andy Smith
Source: Mike Chappell

Aug 26, 2026, 11:34 AM ET

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (lower body) remains sidelined at Wednesday's training camp practice, according to Tashan Reed of The Washington Post. Croskey-Merritt is believed to be day-to-day with a groin injury that he suffered in practice last Thursday. Rachaad White (hamstring) and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) have also been banged up lately, so Washington's backfield is a little beat up right now. Head coach Dan Quinn said last week that Croskey-Merritt is expected to return to training camp practice at some point this week, so he should be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in early September. The 25-year-old had a successful rookie year in 2025 after he was a seventh-round pick out of Arizona, leading the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries while also catching nine passes for 68 yards as a receiver in 17 games. The Commanders are giving Bill every opportunity to earn a bigger role in the backfield, but the offseason addition of pass-catching specialist White will likely keep his overall fantasy upside limited, especially in PPR leagues. RotoBaller currently has JCM ranked as the No. 37 fantasy RB for 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Washington Post - Tashan Reed

Aug 26, 2026, 11:24 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles rookie tight end Eli Stowers is athletic and versatile at 6-foot-4 and 239 pounds, which is undersized for a tight end. He was a high school quarterback, but he shifted to TE at Vanderbilt and lined up all over the formation to create mismatches against slower linebackers and smaller defensive backs. The downside is that Stowers was a big receiver coming out of college and would need to become a better blocker to develop into a well-rounded NFL tight end. Throughout training camp, Stowers has not "shown much to get excited about as a receiver or as a blocker." He has not exhibited explosive traits, and he has "sometimes looked tentative as a blocker." The hope is that Stowers will eventually catch up and begin playing fast, but Kempski says Stowers is "unplayable" right now and will "likely be a game-day inactive." He is also currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, which is not helping his cause. With all that said, Kempski does not believe that Stowers will be a "redshirt" IR candidate in 2026 after they used a valuable second-round pick on him.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Philly Voice - Jimmy Kempski

Aug 26, 2026, 11:13 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (undisclosed) is not participating in Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders after also missing Monday's practice. Flowers missed time early in training camp with a quadriceps injury but had returned to action and had not appeared to reaggravate the injury. He was seen on the field on Monday in sneakers and a T-shirt and looked to be moving without limitation, so his absence may be part of a planned veteran rest, but his status bears monitoring. Coming off a career year in which he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards, Flowers is expected to be a focal point of Declan Doyle's offense that has placed an emphasis on explosive plays while working more regularly from under center, and he is RotoBaller's WR15.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Brian Wacker

Aug 26, 2026, 11:00 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle (Achilles) was activated from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list on Sunday and has since taken part in two training camp practices, though his involvement has been limited to non-competitive periods, according to 49ers digital editor Brooke Evans. On Tuesday, Kittle continued to run routes against air while working with quarterbacks and the offensive line in hopes of a potential return to action for a Week 1 divisional matchup with the Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Kittle ruptured his Achilles in a Wild Card playoff game against the Eagles less than eight months ago and has made remarkable progress just to get to this point, but now almost 33 years old and coming off a serious injury, there are reasons to fade Kittle as draft season ramps up. That said, he has been one of the position's most exciting and productive players for the better part of a decade, and even without the benefit of a possible early-season IR stash, he could prove to be one of the best values in 2026 drafts at his current ADP of TE13.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Brooke Evans

Aug 26, 2026, 10:48 AM ET

Tennessee Titans rookie running back Nicholas Singleton (foot) returned to practice on Tuesday after missing a week with a lower body injury, and he was immediately given a notable workload, according to senior writer Jim Wyatt. Singleton was busy as a runner and also stayed involved in the passing game, finding the end zone on one of his three credited catches. A fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Singleton faces an uphill climb to finding a significant role in a room with established veterans Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, both of whom have reportedly had strong camps and looked sharp through the team's first two preseason games. Singleton, who led the team with eight carries in the preseason opener before missing Sunday's win over the Seahawks, should have one last chance to make his mark in the Titans' third and final preseason tilt against the Bears on Saturday. Still, he does not possess a clear path to fantasy relevance as a rookie and is unlikely to factor into 2026 draft plans as RotoBaller's RB74.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Jim Wyatt