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Jayden Maiava Leads USC To Blowout Win Over Fresno
Jayden Maiava put together another fantastic game to lead No. 14 USC to a 39-0 win over Fresno State. Maiava completed 23-of-25 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the return of star WR Tanook Hines, USC freshman Trent Mosley had another big game with four receptions for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In two games, Maiava has only six incompletions in 54 pass attempts. He has five touchdown passes without an interception. Despite this, Maiava is still available in 16% of Yahoo leagues. Go check your league's waiver wire and see if he's out there in yours!
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Darian Mensah Dominates In Miami Debut
Duke transfer Darian Mensah led the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes to a big 45-6 win over Stanford at The Farm on Friday night. Mensah completed 27-of-30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdown passes in Miami's big win. 234 of those yards and three of the touchdowns went to star receiver Malachi Toney. Mensah is still available in 57% of Yahoo leagues. If you are in a shallow league, go pick him up immediately. If Toney's 2026 debut is any indication, you need to target him in trades. Miami's schedule doesn't get much tougher than this.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Lazaro Montes Dealing With Hip Soreness
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes (hip) exited Friday night's game early against the division-rival Athletics with soreness in his left hip, according to the team. In just his third MLB game, Montes left hobbled after crashing into the outfield wall while attempting a catch. Until we know the severity of the 21-year-old's injury, we will consider him day-to-day. Before being replaced in right field by Taylor Ward, Montes went 0-for-2 at the plate. In his first two games for the M's, the team's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline went 3-for-9 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored. Seattle recently called up the 21-year-old Cuban outfielder in hopes that he would give the team a shot in the arm as they try to stay in the playoff race in the American League down the stretch. In 123 games (542 plate appearances) in the minors this year with Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, Montes hit .249/.369/.558 with a .928 OPS, 38 home runs, 96 RBI, 99 runs scored, and eight stolen bases, so he can certainly do serious damage at the dish when he is on. Because he sells out for lift and power most of the time, fantasy managers will have to put up with plenty of strikeouts. But his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame can produce high-end power.
Source: Mariners PR
Source: Mariners PR
Bryan Baker Pulled Early Friday, "Nothing Physical"
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that right-handed closer Bryan Baker (illness) was pulled from his outing early on Friday against the Texas Rangers with an illness and is dealing with "nothing physical," according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Baker was brought in for the ninth in a save situation and allowed an earned run on two walks without recording an out before he was replaced by Tyler Wells, who hung on for his sixth save of the season in the 7-6 win in Texas. The 31-year-old Baker might not be available for the rest of the weekend series against the Rangers, but it is unlikely that he will need a stint on the injured list, which is great news for fantasy managers. The former 11th-round pick by the Colorado Rockies in 2016 from North Florida came out of nowhere in 2026 to be an elite source of saves. Baker, a first-time All-Star this year, came into Friday's outing with a 1.47 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, a league-leading 39 saves, 60 strikeouts, and 18 walks in 55 innings pitched. Before this season, Baker had four saves in five MLB campaigns with the Rays, Orioles, and Blue Jays. Consider him day-to-day going into Saturday.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
Should Fantasy Managers Temper Expectations for Makai Lemon?
"Expectations should be tempered early" for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon, according to Tim McManus of ESPN.com. Lemon entered the league with plenty of upside, fueled by his first-round draft capital. However, some of that excitement faded away after he struggled in the preseason, catching just three passes for three yards. He also missed a portion of training camp due to a hamstring injury. The rookie noted that he needs to be more professional about how he conducts himself off the field in regard to proactively avoiding injuries, and the coaching staff followed that up by encouraging him to learn from experienced receiver DeVonta Smith. The rookie's slow summer will likely result in a slow start to the regular season, so he's unlikely to make a big impression right away. Instead, he's more of a developmental option in fantasy leagues, especially after falling to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Currently, he has an ADP of 106.4 in redraft leagues; that corresponds to the ninth round of fantasy drafts, which feels like a bit of a reach given the latest chatter from Philly-based media.
Source: Tim McManus
Source: Tim McManus
Tyler Allgeier a Top Running Back Target in the Later Rounds
Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier should take on a larger role early in the season, making him a very appealing late-round target for fantasy managers in 2026. Rookie Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is at risk of missing a few weeks and James Conner (foot) will open the year on injured reserve, leaving Allgeier in line to start at running back in Week 1. The ex-Falcons ball-carrier has a track record of producing on the ground and through the air, giving him upside in all league formats, from standard to full-PPR. Over the course of the full season, he ranks as RotoBaller's overall RB48. However, for Week 1, he should break into the top-25 range. Managers looking for him to step into the RB3/flex role in their lineup can currently get him at an ADP of 140.7 (RB44) in fantasy drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Stefon Diggs Set for High-Volume Role in Washington
Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs is set for a high-volume role with his new team. Diggs is coming off an impressive season with the Patriots, in which he caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. He finished as the overall WR17 in PPR leagues and turned in his seventh 1,000-yard campaign in the last eight years. Now with the Commanders, Diggs finds himself in a slightly different role compared to last year. This year, he'll operate as the No. 2 receiver behind Terry McLaurin. While that could lower his ceiling and threaten his chance of another 1,000-yard season, it should also benefit him by taking away some of the defense's attention. In other words, he'll likely be covered by opponents' No. 2 cornerbacks, while the top corners lock onto McLaurin. As long as quarterback Jayden Daniels stays healthy for most of the season, Diggs has a great chance to be a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 this year.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jahmyr Gibbs the Consensus 1.01 in Fantasy Drafts
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has an ADP of 1.1, which means he is consistently being taken with the first pick in 2026 fantasy football drafts. There are plenty of intriguing names near the top of the draft, including running backs Bijan Robinson and Christian McCaffrey, but managers who have the luxury of picking first are selecting Gibbs more often than not. Gibbs has been a top-10 fantasy running back in each of his three pro seasons, including RB1 and RB3 over the last two years, respectively. In fact, despite finishing as the RB3 last year, he posted the highest fantasy points total of his young career. Despite sharing touches with David Montgomery, Gibbs broke out for 1,223 rushing yards, 77 catches, 616 receiving yards, and 18 touchdowns. Assuming he stays healthy for 17 games this year, he's a pretty safe bet to finish among the top three at his position, with a very real chance at the overall RB1 title.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
J.T. Ginn May Not Pitch Again This Season
Athletics right-hander J.T. Ginn (soreness) has made minimal progress and will be evaluated by the team orthopedist on Saturday, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. There is a chance that Ginn will not pitch again this season. The A's reported that Ginn had been pushed back from his most recent scheduled appearance due to undisclosed soreness. It is unclear exactly what Ginn is dealing with, but with the A's playoff hopes already out the window, they have no incentive to rush him back to the starting rotation if he is not 100 percent healthy. He is not on the injured list, but it sounds like that could be coming if the A's shut him down for the year. The 27-year-old former second-rounder by the New York Mets in 2020 from Mississippi State University has gone 9-8 this year with a 3.71 ERA (4.38 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with a career-high 121 strikeouts and 57 walks in 138 1/3 innings and 27 appearances (24 starts) in his third year in the majors. Ginn's low 22.4% strikeout rate in his three-year career gives him limited fantasy upside, and he is rostered in only 27% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Nick Emmanwori Iffy for Week 1 After Ankle Surgery
Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) is iffy to play in the Week 1 season opener against the New England Patriots next Wednesday after having arthroscopic ankle surgery in July, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. The Seahawks took Emmanwori off the Injured List on Aug. 11, but he still might not be ready for the start of the 2026 season. The 22-year-old played a key role in Seattle's secondary in his first year in the NFL in 2025 after the Seahawks took him in the second round out of South Carolina. In 14 regular-season games (11 starts), Emmanwori produced 81 tackles (56 solo), 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, an interception, and 11 pass breakups. We should have a better idea of whether Emmanwori will be ready for the Super Bowl rematch next week, but the Seahawks will not rush him to be ready to start the season. The Seahawks will release their first official practice report of the year on Monday.
Source: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell
Source: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell
Brock Bowers Projected for a Massive Target Share
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is likely headed for an enormous target share in 2026. Injuries and subpar quarterback play limited Bowers to just 64 catches, 680 yards, and seven touchdowns last year. However, he had 112 catches on 153 targets as a rookie in 2024, and he's looking to get back to that level of volume this year. The good news is that he's fully healthy and got a quarterback upgrade this offseason, as the Raiders moved on from Geno Smith. Kirk Cousins will lead the offense for now, and we know that he's capable of elevating his tight ends to the next level. After Cousins took over the Falcons' offense last year, tight end Kyle Pitts averaged 8.0 targets, 0.6 touchdowns, and 16.3 fantasy points per game. That should be Bowers' floor, and his ceiling is significantly higher. There's a legitimate chance that Bowers will finish as the overall TE1 this year if he stays healthy for all 17 games. For now, he has an ADP of 19.8, which corresponds to the second round of fantasy drafts and makes him the first tight end off the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jordyn Tyson's Redraft Value Fading Amidst Injury Concerns
After being selected eighth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) was initially expected to play a significant role in his team's offense as a rookie. However, the 22-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during training camp that will cause him to start the year on Injured Reserve and could be serious enough to keep him out longer than the mandatory four games. Tyson's hamstring issue is made a bit more concerning by the fact that he also suffered two separate hamstring injuries that caused him to miss time during his final collegiate season at Arizona State. Even when he is eventually cleared to return, it could take Tyson a while to be fully integrated into the New Orleans offense. The young wideout remains a high-upside prospect in dynasty formats, but his redraft value is highly questionable ahead of 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Matt Brash Shut Down for the Season After Setback
According to Ryan Divish, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash (lat) will be shut down from throwing for the next eight weeks. The Mariners are doing this after a recent MRI revealed more inflammation in his lat. Brash was ramping up towards a return in late August, but unfortunately, he suffered a setback. When healthy, Brash has been a stud, but keeping him on the mound has been extremely difficult for the Mariners. He'll finish the season with a 0.54 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and a 15/6 K/BB ratio across 20 appearances. The expectation is that the 28-year-old will be ready to go for the 2027 season.
Source: Ryan Divish
Source: Ryan Divish
Colston Loveland Poised for High-End TE1 Season in Year 2
Across 16 games as a rookie in 2025, Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland recorded 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns on 82 targets. The 22-year-old got off to a bit of a slow start, failing to record more than three catches or 38 receiving yards in any of his first six games as a pro. However, Loveland finished the year on a tear. Across his final four games of the year (including the playoffs), Loveland recorded 28 catches for 378 yards and two touchdowns on 38 targets. Entering 2026, Loveland looks poised for an even larger role in Chicago's passing game following the team's offseason trade of veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Bears wideout Luther Burden III (groin) also missed significant time this summer with a groin injury, which could lead to him facing a reduced workload to begin the year. Loveland's value in drafts is soaring, but he carries high-end fantasy TE1 upside into his second NFL season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Willi Castro is Dealing with Foot Injury
Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder Willi Castro (foot) was held out of the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Castro was left out of the lineup for a third straight game on Friday due to a plantar fasciitis issue, Kevin Henry of The Denver Gazette reports. It's unclear right now if Castro will require a stint on the Injured List because of this injury. The Rockies aren't playing for anything at this point, so it wouldn't be a terrible idea for them to get a look at their younger players. Fantasy managers should have another update on Castro in the coming days.
Source: Kevin Henry
Source: Kevin Henry
