RADIO
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Still Belongs Near the Top of Draft Boards
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already expensive in redraft, but his summer has done nothing to knock him off the top tier. He led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards last season, catching a franchise-record 119 passes with 10 touchdowns on 163 targets. Seattle did change offensive coordinators, though Brian Fleury has kept plenty of carryover from Klint Kubiak's system, and Smith-Njigba has continued making plays with Sam Darnold. He beat Devon Witherspoon for a long touchdown in camp earlier this month and remains the clear centerpiece of the receiver room. The volume could come down some. Rashid Shaheed is expected to have a bigger offensive role after a full offseason in Seattle, while Cooper Kupp is still involved. Smith-Njigba was doing all of that damage last year in an offense that attempted the fourth-fewest passes in the league, though, so he does not need another 163 targets to stay elite. RotoBaller moved him from WR4 in its July PPR rankings to WR3 in the latest update. At this point, he still belongs near the top of fantasy draft boards.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mack Hollins Faces a Steeper Climb for Targets
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins still has a role, but it is getting harder to see enough targets for him to matter in redraft. Hollins caught 46 passes for 550 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games last season, then New England added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to an already crowded room. Through the first 10 practices of camp, Brown, Doubs and DeMario Douglas were typically the three receivers around Drake Maye, with Hollins and Kayshon Boutte getting regular work with the second team. Hollins has still made plays. The Patriots have used his size and blocking in heavier personnel, and he has caught multiple camp touchdowns on delayed releases and boot concepts. That makes him useful to the offense without guaranteeing much fantasy volume. There are simply more receivers fighting for Maye's attention now than there were a year ago. RotoBaller ranks Hollins WR86 and 233rd overall in PPR. He can have a role on Sundays and still be difficult to trust in fantasy lineups.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Cole Kmet Is Getting Harder to Draft
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet is getting harder to make a redraft case for. He caught 30 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns last season, and his offensive snap share fell from 88% in 2024 to 70%. Colston Loveland was the bigger problem. The 2025 first-rounder led Chicago with 58 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, and nothing this summer suggests the passing-game pecking order is changing. Loveland caught another red-zone touchdown from Caleb Williams during Thursday's joint practice with Cincinnati, then had a 10-yard reception on the starters' only drive Saturday night. Chicago also used the 69th overall pick on Sam Roush, giving an offense that already leans heavily on two- and three-tight-end sets another option. Kmet can still play plenty because of his blocking, but that does not guarantee enough targets for fantasy. RotoBaller has him at TE40 and 285th overall in PPR. Unless Loveland misses time, Kmet looks more like depth than a tight end fantasy managers need to draft.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Matthew Golden Has a Much Better Setup in Year 2
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden didn't have much to show for his rookie year until the very end. He caught 29 passes for 361 yards during the regular season, then went for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown against Chicago in the playoffs. Green Bay has cleared out some of the traffic since then. Romeo Doubs left in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks was traded, leaving Golden in the top three with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. The summer has helped his case, too. Golden caught a 57-yard touchdown from Jordan Love on Family Night, missed a couple of practices with a toe issue, then came right back without much trouble. On Friday against Denver, he was out there with the starters and caught a 19-yard pass from Love on fourth-and-inches during the opening touchdown drive. There are still plenty of mouths to feed once Tucker Kraft is included, so Golden isn't guaranteed a huge target jump. The opportunity is a lot cleaner than it was last year, though. RotoBaller has him 113th overall in PPR, and he's looking more interesting as a bench receiver with upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Lamar Jackson Has His Rushing Upside Back in Play
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson spent most of last season fighting through something. A hamstring injury cost him three games, then knee, ankle and toe issues followed before a back contusion knocked him out again late in the year. The rushing numbers took the biggest hit. Jackson finished with only 349 yards and two touchdowns on 67 carries after running for 915 yards the year before. This summer has looked a lot different. Baltimore's own camp coverage has described Jackson as fully healthy and moving extremely well, while Kyle Hamilton even said it looked like he had gotten faster. The passing work has been sharp at times, too. Jackson started an August 13 practice 11-for-12 and hit Rashod Bateman for 40 yards down the sideline. He's also adjusting quickly to more snaps from under center in Declan Doyle's new offense. RotoBaller still has Jackson at QB2, so nobody is getting a discount here. What has changed is the confidence in his legs. If Jackson gets anywhere close to his normal rushing workload again, the overall QB1 ceiling is very much back in play.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
De'Zhaun Stribling Remains Out With Shoulder Injury
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling missed practice again Sunday because of a shoulder injury, according to Matt Barrows. That's two straight practices on the sideline for the rookie, who was listed as day-to-day Saturday. The timing isn't ideal after Stribling spent most of August forcing his way into San Francisco's plans at receiver. He caught seven passes for 63 yards against Tennessee in his preseason debut, then added four catches for 46 yards against the Chargers on Thursday. The 33rd overall pick has 11 receptions for 109 yards through two preseason games and has made a strong case for playing time right away. There isn't anything here yet that suggests his Week 1 availability is in serious doubt. Still, Stribling losing consecutive practices is worth tracking after all the momentum he built during camp.
Source: Matt Barrows
Source: Matt Barrows
Christian McCaffrey Back on Practice Field
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was back in uniform and on the practice field Sunday, according to Nick Wagoner. McCaffrey had not practiced since Aug. 8 while the 49ers managed what the team called tightness. Kyle Shanahan said earlier this week that the absence was health-related and that McCaffrey probably would have practiced if San Francisco were preparing for a regular-season game. That made the extended layoff sound precautionary, and Sunday's return fits that read. McCaffrey handled a massive workload last season, finishing with 311 carries for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 102 catches for 924 yards and seven more scores. His 413 touches led the NFL. Wagoner noted that McCaffrey's level of participation Sunday was not immediately clear, so this is not the same as saying he's back to a full workload. Still, getting him onto the field again is an encouraging step with Week 1 approaching.
Source: Nick Wagoner
Source: Nick Wagoner
Daniel Jones Gives QB2 Drafters More to Like
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has done a lot this summer to quiet the concern around last December's torn Achilles. He was fully cleared for the first day of training camp and has looked like himself moving around, with Colts.com noting his mobility was almost entirely unaffected by the injury by the end of camp. That's a big deal for a quarterback who added 164 rushing yards and five scores in 13 games last season. Jones was also good through the air, completing 68% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions while averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game before he went down. Indianapolis hasn't needed to see him in preseason games. Shane Steichen has already made it clear Jones is the QB1, and the Colts added Keenan Allen this week to a group that includes Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren. The Achilles still makes his rushing ceiling harder to project, but the recovery has gone about as well as fantasy managers could have hoped. RotoBaller has Jones at QB24, leaving some room for profit in two-quarterback and Superflex formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Joshua Dobbs Scores Rushing Touchdown, Coughs Up Two Turnovers
Detroit Lions quarterback Joshua Dobbs had an up-and-down showing in his team's 17-13 preseason win over the Washington Commanders on Saturday. The 31-year-old completed seven of 12 pass attempts for 74 yards and an interception, rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown, and lost a fumble. Dobbs has only been with the Lions since August 9, as his signing was precipitated by the surprise retirement of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. While the Lions have a clear QB1 in Jared Goff, the team's backup job is currently up for grabs between Dobbs and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer. Based on NFL experience, Dobbs would appear to have the edge. The veteran has appeared in 27 games (15 starts) across six pro seasons. Dobbs' last run of extended action came in 2023, when he threw for 2,424 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions across 13 games (12 starts) split between the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Chargers Place Center Tyler Biadasz on Season-Ending Injured Reserve
The Los Angeles Chargers officially placed center Tyler Biadasz (knee) on season-ending Injured Reserve on Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It is a massive loss for the Chargers' offense before the 2026 season even gets underway. The Bolts signed the 28-year-old to a three-year, $30 million deal in free agency, but he will not play at all in L.A. this year after tearing his ACL, in addition to other damage, in training camp practice on Tuesday. With Biadasz now out, the Chargers will look for Jake Slaughter to step in as their starting center. Biadasz, who was originally a fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2020 NFL draft from Wisconsin, was a Pro Bowler in Dallas in 2022 and spent his first four years with the Cowboys before spending his last two seasons playing for the Washington Commanders. Of his 92 games played in the NFL in the last six years, he has started 84 of them.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Darius Cooper Making a Late Push for Redraft Relevance
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper keeps stacking good days in a receiver room where there isn't much room to spare. Cooper caught three passes for 44 yards in Saturday's 24-21 loss to New England, with gains of 25 and 13 yards from Andy Dalton. The 25-yarder came on a crossing route where he broke contact, while the 13-yard grab moved the chains on fourth down. He also led Philadelphia with two catches for 21 yards in the preseason opener. Camp has looked similar. Cooper made multiple contested catches from Jalen Hurts on August 7, then beat Kobee Minor on a go route during the August 19 joint practice with New England. The current depth chart still lists him behind Dontayvion Wicks, and that's the problem for redraft. Cooper caught only nine passes for 92 yards as a rookie, while Philadelphia has plenty of other options at receiver. Still, five catches for 65 yards through two preseason games and a good camp are enough to move his stock up. He's a deeper-league name for now, with standard-league relevance dependent on climbing the depth chart.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
George Kittle Activated From PUP List
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) took another important step toward a possible Week 1 return on Sunday. The 49ers activated Kittle from the active/PUP list, according to Adam Schefter, clearing him to practice as he continues working back from the torn right Achilles he suffered in January. Kittle underwent surgery three days after the injury and has spent training camp doing rehab work on the side. His activation also means he will not be moved to reserve/PUP, which would have required him to miss at least the first four games. Kittle caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games last season, so his return would immediately matter for fantasy managers. He has been ahead of schedule in his rehab and still has a legitimate chance to play against the Rams in Australia. That isn't guaranteed yet, but getting back onto the practice field puts him much closer.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Jackson Meeks Leads Lions in Receiving Yards on Saturday
Detroit Lions tight end Jackson Meeks led his team in receiving yards in preseason action on Saturday, recording four catches for 33 yards on six targets. Meeks spent most of his rookie season in 2025 on the Lions' practice squad, appearing in two games but failing to record a single target. A college wide receiver, Meeks has made the transition to tight end ahead of his second NFL campaign. With star Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (hip) battling a hip injury that could cause him to miss regular-season time, Meeks could have a chance to step into a more prominent role. Detroit has a pair of proven veteran tight ends in Brock Wright and Tyler Conklin, so Meeks may still be a long shot to make the team's 53-man roster coming out of the preseason. Still, the young tight end convert could be a name to watch in deeper leagues.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Efton Chism III Building Deep-League Redraft Appeal
New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III keeps making the most of a crowded situation. Chism caught all four of his targets for 45 yards in Saturday's 24-21 preseason win over Philadelphia, moving the chains on a 24-yard catch on third down and again after an eight-yard grab. This wasn't a one-night flash, either. Chism has been working as the backup slot receiver with Tommy DeVito and the second-team offense, and Mike Vrabel praised his blocking, competitiveness and ability to show up when needed earlier this month. He made the roster as an undrafted rookie last year, though the regular-season opportunities were scarce. Chism caught three passes for 75 yards and a touchdown in eight games. The path is still ugly for redraft purposes with A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams all in the room. Chism isn't suddenly a standard-league target because of four preseason catches. He is making it harder for New England to ignore him, though, and Saturday gave deeper-league managers another reason to keep his name tucked away.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Trayveon Williams Leads Lions Backfield in Preseason Action on Saturday
Detroit Lions running back Trayveon Williams saw heavy usage in his team's second preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Saturday, recording 10 carries for 36 yards and a touchdown. The 28-year-old also logged a 24-yard reception on his only target out of the backfield. Across seven games split between the Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns in 2025, Williams recorded 91 scrimmage yards on 18 touches. The veteran back has played seven NFL seasons but has done most of his work on special teams, failing to reach 100 yards from scrimmage in all but one campaign. Still, Williams may have a chance to make the Lions' roster out of training camp. Detroit has superstar back Jahmyr Gibbs atop its running back depth chart, but reserve backs Isiah Pacheco (knee) and Sione Vaki (back) are both currently dealing with injuries. It's too early for fantasy managers to add Williams yet, but he could end up being a name to monitor as a handcuff option for Gibbs.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
