RADIO
Rashod Bateman Emerges in Houston's Receiver Search
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman has come up in Houston's search for outside help after Jayden Higgins' season-ending injury. Aaron Wilson reports that the Texans have made exploratory trade calls about Bateman, but there is no indication that Baltimore is shopping him. Bateman is under contract through 2029 after signing a three-year, $36.75 million extension last offseason, and the Ravens are finding different ways to use him in their new offense. The 26-year-old said earlier this month that he's moving around more under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle after feeling like a one-dimensional receiver in the past. Bateman is trying to rebound from a rough 2025 season in which he caught 19 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He had 756 yards and nine scores the year before. Houston's interest is still in the exploratory stage, but Bateman would be a much more established addition than a typical depth signing if talks ever went anywhere.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Kayshon Boutte On Texans' Trade Radar
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is one of the players Houston has checked on as it searches for help at receiver. Aaron Wilson reports that the Texans have made exploratory trade calls about Boutte following Jayden Higgins' season-ending injury. There is no indication that a deal is close, and Boutte doesn't completely match Houston's reported preference for a bigger receiver at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds. He does bring some downfield production. Boutte caught 33 passes for 551 yards and a career-high six touchdowns last season, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. He's also entering the final year of his rookie contract, while New England added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs during the offseason. Boutte has already acknowledged the trade rumors surrounding him this summer. Houston is now one team actually making calls, and a move would give Boutte a chance to find a clearer place in a receiver rotation.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Jordan Whittington Has More Real-Life Value Than Fantasy Appeal
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington has a role Sean McVay clearly values, but it still isn't much of a fantasy role. Whittington played all 17 games last season and started six, yet finished with only 18 catches for 171 yards on 25 targets and never found the end zone. He remains directly behind Puka Nacua on the Rams' unofficial depth chart and is also their top kick returner. McVay has called him steady and consistent, and Whittington was one of the receivers who stepped in when Nacua left the Aug. 11 joint practice. Nacua was still out Thursday with psoas soreness, so Whittington has gotten another look. The problem hasn't changed. Nacua and Davante Adams sit at the top of the passing game, and Los Angeles leaned heavily on three-tight-end personnel last season. RotoBaller has Whittington 347th overall and WR128 in its Aug. 19 PPR rankings. He's useful depth for the Rams, but standard redraft managers don't need to force him onto a roster.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jake Tonges Has a Short-Term Window for Fantasy Value
San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges has a chance to matter early, but the window may be shorter than it looked a few weeks ago. George Kittle is still on Active/PUP after tearing his Achilles in January, which has left Tonges atop the current unofficial depth chart. Tonges earned some trust last year when Kittle missed time, catching 34 passes for 293 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games. He also had seven catches for 60 yards and a score against Chicago in Week 17, so there is at least some proof he can handle more than a blocking-only role. The 49ers brought him back on a two-year deal in March, and he's stayed involved with Brock Purdy during camp. The catch is Kittle's recovery. He said this week that Week 1 remains the goal, and the latest signs have been encouraging. Luke Farrell is getting work too. If Kittle isn't ready right away, Tonges could have some early streaming value. If Kittle is back on schedule, there isn't much season-long redraft appeal here.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Malik Davis Refuses to Go Away in Dallas' Backfield
Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis looked like the forgotten man in this backfield earlier in camp. He's making that harder to justify now. Davis led Dallas with 39 yards on seven carries in the preseason opener, and Brian Schottenheimer praised his vision and feel for the blocking scheme afterward. He was also the first back on the field after Javonte Williams during team work earlier this week. Davis has handled a bigger load before. When Williams went down in Week 17 last season, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound back ran 20 times for 103 yards. He finished the year with 250 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries. Dallas' unofficial depth chart still has Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah ahead of him, so Davis hasn't won the backup job. Blue's shoulder issue and Mafah's recent injury have given him another opening, though, and he's taking advantage of it. RotoBaller has Davis at RB92 in PPR. He's outside normal redraft range, but this backup race is a lot less settled than it looked earlier in camp.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jayden Higgins Placed on Season-Ending IR
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins was officially placed on season-ending injured reserve Friday, according to Adam Schefter. Higgins tore his ACL during Tuesday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders, ending his second NFL season before it could begin. The 23-year-old was coming off a promising rookie year in which he caught 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns while starting 10 of 17 games. His role had grown as the season went along, making this a tough loss for a Houston passing game that was expecting more from him in Year 2. The Texans will now have to replace those snaps and targets behind Nico Collins. Higgins can be dropped in all redraft leagues, while dynasty managers will have to stash him through what will be a lengthy recovery.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Cam Ward Putting Together a Strong Training Camp
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward hasn't been perfect this summer, but Robert Saleh has liked a lot more than he hasn't. Saleh told Terry McCormick that Ward has had practices where he's been "elite," along with a few days he'd probably like back. More often than not, though, Saleh said Ward is "doing a hell of a job" and making good decisions. The swings have shown up over the past week. Ward completed 21 of 25 passes with five touchdowns during arguably his best practice of camp, then went just 5-for-12 for 57 yards in Tennessee's preseason opener, despite leading a 95-yard touchdown drive to start the game. Ward threw for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a rookie, with another 159 yards and two scores on the ground. There is still plenty of room for him to grow, but Saleh clearly likes the progress Ward is making heading into his second season.
Source: Terry McCormick
Source: Terry McCormick
Jake Bobo Suffers Major Knee Injury
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo suffered a major knee injury during Friday's joint practice with the Tennessee Titans, head coach Mike Macdonald said, according to Gregg Bell. Bobo went down after linebacker James Williams broke up a pass intended for him, and players from both teams took a knee while he was being checked out. Macdonald said his heart goes out to Bobo, who he described as a beloved player, and noted that both teams said a prayer for him. Bobo was able to get back to his feet with help before leaving the field on a cart. He isn't much of a fantasy factor after catching only two passes for 20 yards last season, but the Seahawks value him for much more than receiving production. Bobo has carved out an important role as a blocker, special-teams contributor and depth receiver, making this a tough loss for Seattle this late in the summer.
Source: Gregg Bell
Source: Gregg Bell
George Pickens Continues to Stand Out in Cowboys Camp
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has been one of the biggest standouts of training camp, and Dak Prescott says it is exactly what he expected. Jon Machota reports that no Cowboys player has stood out more this summer. Prescott praised Pickens for his energy, catches and playmaking, then pointed to the different ways Dallas can use him alongside CeeDee Lamb. Pickens is coming off a career year in his first season with the Cowboys, finishing with 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He is playing 2026 on the franchise tag, but there has been no sign of that affecting his work. Dallas has seen Pickens make plays throughout camp, and Prescott believes the next step is figuring out how he and Lamb can stress defenses together, including using one to create openings for the other. Pickens already proved he can produce at a high level in this offense. Nothing from camp suggests that is about to change.
Source: Jon Machota
Source: Jon Machota
Keaton Mitchell Is Becoming a Sneaky Late-Round Target
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell has a little more separation in the race behind Omarion Hampton. The Chargers' current depth chart lists Mitchell second at running back, with Kimani Vidal on the next line, and Mitchell was involved early Thursday night before a 21-yard catch was wiped out by penalty. The 5-foot-8, 191-pound back doesn't need many touches to change a game. He ran for 341 yards on 59 carries last season, averaged 5.8 yards per attempt and added nine catches for 63 yards. Los Angeles also noted that Mitchell led the NFL in average run speed in 2025 at 14.49 mph and had 11 runs of at least 10 yards. Mike McDaniel has already said he expects to use Hampton, Mitchell and Vidal every week and could ride the hot hand, so this isn't a clean backup situation. Hampton still leads the room. Mitchell just looks like the best bet for the change-of-pace work right now, and his speed gives him enough standalone upside to stay interesting late in deeper redraft drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyreek Hill Not Expected to Sign Before Season
Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill is not expected to sign with a team before the regular season begins. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said on "The Pat McAfee Show" that Hill looked good in a recent video of him running hills, but added that Hill still feels he has a long way to go, according to David Furones. Hill is trying to make his way back from the serious left knee injury he suffered last September, when he dislocated the knee and tore multiple ligaments, including his ACL. He underwent two surgeries and was released by Miami in February after failing a physical. Hill had 21 catches for 265 yards and one touchdown in four games before the injury last season. There is still a path to a 2026 return, but this latest update makes September look increasingly unrealistic. For fantasy managers, Hill is a speculative stash in deeper leagues rather than someone to draft with an early-season role in mind.
Source: David Furones
Source: David Furones
Barion Brown Is Emerging as a Late-Round Sleeper
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Barion Brown has gone from interesting camp name to somebody worth considering late in deeper drafts. The sixth-round rookie kept making plays through the first two weeks of camp, then caught four passes for 53 yards in the preseason opener. Jordyn Tyson's hamstring injury opens the door a little wider, too, with the first-round pick expected to miss up to two months. Brown still has to earn those snaps. Devaughn Vele is ahead of him, and Bryce Lance, Kevin Austin Jr. and the rest of the room aren't just going away. But Brown has one thing nobody has to project: speed. He ran a 4.30 at the combine and has already shown New Orleans can use it beyond the return game. There isn't enough here to call him a standard-league target yet. In deeper formats, though, Brown has played his way into the late-round sleeper mix, and Tyson's absence gives him a real shot to matter early.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chris Brooks Still in the Mix for Packers' RB2 Role
Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks is back where he needs to be after losing the first week and a half of camp to a hamstring strain. Green Bay's Aug. 10 unofficial depth chart had Brooks directly behind Josh Jacobs, with MarShawn Lloyd next, but there is still a competition here. Brooks didn't play in the preseason opener, while Lloyd got his chance after Jacobs went down with a groin injury. Brooks has since returned to team work, and the Packers trust the 6-foot-1, 219-pound back in pass protection and the passing game. His 2025 numbers weren't much, just 27 carries for 106 yards and 13 catches for 91 yards. He did get 13 carries in Week 18 and turned them into 61 yards. Jacobs is back at practice and remains the clear lead back, so this is strictly about the spot behind him. Brooks has a real chance to win it. Until somebody separates, though, he's more insurance-back watch than a late-round redraft target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Woody Marks Makes His Case for a Larger Role
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks stood out on Thursday night against the Raiders, playing very effectively on his team's opening drive, which he capped with a 20-yard touchdown run. He finished with 37 rushing yards to go with his touchdown on four carries and added a six-yard reception. The second-year running back had a strong track record as a pass-catcher in college and could step into a larger role as a receiver after the season-ending injury to Jayden Higgins (knee). Marks appears lined up to share work in the backfield with David Montgomery, but with a strong showing like Thursday's and some extra targets available, he could be a great grab with upside when you're searching for running back depth. His pass-catching potential makes him an even stronger play in PPR formats. Marks is the RB46 in RotoBaller's rankings, but he could get enough work to return great value at that spot even though he'll be working in a timeshare.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jared Wayne Earning Time with the Texans' Starters
Houston Texans side receiver Jared Wayne could be part of the team's plan to fill in for some of the production lost when Jayden Higgins (knee) went down for the season earlier this week. Wayne has had a very strong training camp and caught the team's only touchdown in the first preseason game. On Thursday, in the second preseason game, Wayne played in the first series of the game with starting QB C.J. Stroud, and he picked up a key 12-yard reception that converted a third down and kept the drive alive. Wayne finished with just two catches for 13 yards, but his involvement with the starters could indicate the team has bigger plans for him once the season starts. At the very least, he looks in line to make his first NFL roster after spending last year on the practice squad. He could open the season as the team's WR2 across from Nico Collins, at least until Tank Dell (knee) is ready for action.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
