RADIO
Luther Burden III Exits Early With Apparent Lower-Body Injury
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (lower body) exited Saturday's training camp practice early with an apparent lower body injury, according to Courtney R. Cronin of ESPN. Burden sustained the injury when he collided with teammate defensive back Tyrique Stevenson while Stevenson broke up a pass from quarterback Caleb Williams. According to Cronin, Burden walked gingerly toward the weight room under his own power and did not return to practice. The 22-year-old appeared to have avoided a serious injury and is considered day-to-day for now. Burden is set for an expanded role in the Bears' high-octane offense with the departure of DJ Moore. He caught 47 passes for 652 yards and two touchdowns over 15 games last season. Burden's fantasy stock is on the rise, and he was praised by the Bears' coaching staff for having an outstanding training camp this summer. The Bears will provide a further update soon, as fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation.
Source: Courtney R. Cronin of ESPN
Source: Courtney R. Cronin of ESPN
Ja'Kobi Lane Getting Massive Hype in Ravens Camp
ESPN's Jamison Hensley writes that "in 27 years of covering the Ravens, I'm not sure I've seen a rookie have a training camp quite like" wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane. The 22-year-old third-rounder from USC has had a highlight-reel catch every day this summer. Lane made an impressive one-handed catch with the starters in camp practice earlier this week and is looking like the real deal heading into his first NFL season. It's a positive development for a Ravens offense looking for someone to step up behind Zay Flowers (quadriceps) under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. If Lane continues on this trajectory, he will find himself starting in three-wide sets right away in Year 1 alongside Flowers and Rashod Bateman for a team looking to get back to the postseason under a new coaching staff. Lane never topped 800 receiving yards in his three seasons with the Trojans, but the 6-foot-4, 200-pound wideout did have 12 touchdowns in 13 games as a true sophomore at USC in 2024, and he's known for making contested catches with his plus athleticism. He could struggle for redraft fantasy value on a weekly basis, but he could be an interesting red-zone weapon for quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2026.
Source: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
Source: ESPN.com - Jamison Hensley
Jake Ferguson's Red-Zone Role Keeps Him in the TE1 Mix
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was one of Dak Prescott's favorite options near the goal line last season, and that still gives him a path to TE1 value. Ferguson caught a career-high 82 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns on 102 targets, finishing TE7 in half-PPR. He also drew 23 red-zone targets, catching 14 of them for seven scores. The problem is that Dallas has plenty of mouths to feed. CeeDee Lamb is healthy, George Pickens is coming off a huge season, and Ferguson averaged only 7.3 yards per catch in 2025. He is not the kind of tight end who can live on a handful of deep shots if the volume falls. The good news is that his job is secure, and the connection with Prescott has looked sharp again in camp. RotoBaller has Ferguson 129th overall and TE14 in its August 8 half-PPR rankings. That price reflects the risk without burying a player who just finished inside the top eight. Ferguson is better viewed as a borderline TE1 than someone fantasy managers need to chase.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ty Simpson Set for Preseason Debut
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson will play in the team's first preseason game, head coach Sean McVay told reporters Saturday. McVay said the rookie will "definitely" see action, while he has not decided whether Stetson Bennett IV will play. Simpson was the 13th overall pick in April and is competing with Bennett for the backup job behind Matthew Stafford. The Alabama product started all 15 games last season, completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Bennett received more of the second-team work early in camp, so the preseason should give Simpson a valuable chance to make up ground and show how quickly he is settling into McVay's offense. Stafford remains firmly atop the depth chart, but Simpson's first NFL game action will be worth watching for dynasty and Superflex managers.
Source: Sarah Barshop
Source: Sarah Barshop
Dalton Schultz Belongs in the TE2 Range in 2026
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz was busy last year. He saw 106 targets, caught a career-high 82 passes for 777 yards and three touchdowns, and finished as the TE11. Finding that much work again could be difficult. Nico Collins is still the top receiver, Jayden Higgins is coming off a 41-catch, 525-yard rookie season and has drawn strong reviews in camp, while Tank Dell is back on the field after missing all of 2025 with a knee injury. Houston also signed Foster Moreau and used the 59th overall pick on tight end Marlin Klein. Schultz is still the Texans' TE1, and he played more than 71% of the offensive snaps last season, so his role isn't disappearing. There are simply more options around C.J. Stroud now. RotoBaller has Schultz 177th overall and TE24. He still makes sense as a second tight end, but another TE11 finish would require much of last year's target volume to stick around.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jauan Jennings Is Worth a Late-Round Bet in Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jauan Jennings is going late enough in drafts that last year's drop in yardage shouldn't scare fantasy managers away. Jennings caught 55 passes for 643 yards in 15 games for San Francisco, but he also scored a career-high nine touchdowns while playing through a collection of injuries that included five broken ribs. That came one year after he posted 77 catches for 975 yards. Minnesota doesn't need Jennings to be its top receiver with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison around, and T.J. Hockenson gives whichever quarterback wins the job another established target. There is still room for Jennings to matter, though. He gives the Vikings a physical veteran underneath and has shown he can produce when his role expands. The unsettled competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray adds some uncertainty, but the price has already accounted for plenty of it. RotoBaller ranks Jennings 147th overall in half-PPR, while his current consensus ADP sits at 173.9. At that point in a draft, his track record is worth taking a chance on.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
CeeDee Lamb Still Worth His First-Round Price
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had a down 2025 by his standards, but there is not much of a discount attached to it. He missed three full games with a high ankle sprain and still caught 75 passes for 1,077 yards on 117 targets. The three touchdowns were a career low, which is probably the biggest reason last year felt so disappointing in fantasy. George Pickens is not going away after a 93-catch, 1,429-yard breakout, and Dallas now has two receivers capable of commanding plenty of looks from Dak Prescott. That makes another 2023-type 181-target season harder to bank on. It also does not push Lamb out of the first-round conversation. Dallas has made red-zone improvement a focus in camp, and Lamb has been working in those drills. RotoBaller ranks him ninth overall and WR5 in half-PPR, almost exactly in line with his 10.6 ADP. At that price, Lamb is neither a bargain nor a fade. He is still one of the safest bets to anchor a fantasy receiving corps.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isaac TeSlaa's Growing Role Makes Him a Dynasty Buy
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa didn't do much between the 20s as a rookie, but six touchdowns on 16 catches made it hard to ignore what his size can add to this offense. Detroit is giving him more to do now. The 24-year-old enters camp as the clear No. 3 receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and Dan Campbell said the Lions had built a lot of trust in him by the end of last season. There is some noise in the late-season numbers, though. TeSlaa caught 12 balls over the final six weeks, but that run came after Sam LaPorta went on injured reserve. LaPorta is back at full strength, and Jahmyr Gibbs will also see plenty of targets. TeSlaa may never get enough volume to become a weekly fantasy starter in this offense. Still, Detroit traded up 32 spots to take him 70th overall last year, and his 6-foot-4 frame gives him a red-zone role that doesn't require huge target volume. RotoBaller has him 189th overall in its latest dynasty rankings. That's cheap enough to buy into the Year 2 role growth without paying for a breakout that's already happened.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
T.J. Hockenson Makes Sense as a Second Tight End
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is much easier to take a chance on now that his cost has slipped into the later rounds. He caught 51 of 66 targets for 438 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games last season, finishing TE22 in PPR after a TE34 finish in 2024. That's a long way from the TE4 season he posted in 2023, but Minnesota's offense did him few favors. The Vikings cycled through 26 offensive-line combinations, and Hockenson had to spend more time helping in protection. There is still plenty working against a full rebound. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings give Minnesota a crowded group of pass catchers, while J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray are still battling for the starting job. Hockenson has at least looked lively in camp, including a 29-yard grab from McCarthy on Friday. RotoBaller has him 167th overall and TE21 in its August 8 half-PPR rankings, and his consensus ADP is 162.1. That is not a huge bargain. It is cheap enough, though, to take Hockenson as a second tight end and see if some of his old production comes back.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
De'Zhaun Stribling Returns to 11-on-11 Work
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (hamstring) returned to 11-on-11 work Saturday after dealing with hamstring tightness, according to Noah Furtado. The rookie had been unavailable for team work earlier this week, so getting back into full-speed reps is a good step after the 49ers took a cautious approach with the issue. Stribling had made a strong impression before the setback, with Brock Purdy praising his understanding of route depths, alignments, and details while calling him reliable. San Francisco selected the 6-foot-2, 207-pound receiver 33rd overall in April after he posted 55 catches for 811 yards and six touchdowns at Ole Miss last season. With Ricky Pearsall out for the year and several other receivers dealing with injuries during camp, Stribling has a real opportunity to earn early playing time if he can stay on the field.
Source: Noah Furtado
Source: Noah Furtado
Travis Etienne Jr. Remains a Strong Fourth-Round Redraft Target
New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. doesn't need a workhorse role to pay off at his current 41.9 ADP. He is coming off a strong final season in Jacksonville, rushing for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 36 catches for 292 yards and six more scores. The Saints clearly wanted him, giving the 27-year-old a four-year, $52 million deal in March, and his early camp usage has been encouraging. Etienne has seen most of the first-team work on early downs, with Alvin Kamara getting more of the passing-down reps. Kamara staying in New Orleans takes some shine off Etienne's ceiling, particularly as a receiver, but it does not mean this has to become an even backfield split. Etienne has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in three of his four NFL seasons on the field and should have plenty of opportunities to do damage again. RotoBaller has him 33rd overall, nearly nine spots ahead of his current ADP. That fourth-round price still looks pretty good.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Breece Hall Overvalued at His Current ADP?
New York Jets running back Breece Hall is being drafted around 31st overall, almost exactly where RotoBaller has him ranked, and that price looks reasonable entering 2026. Hall handled a career-high 243 carries for 1,065 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games last season, adding 36 catches for 350 yards and another score. The receiving dip is worth watching after Hall caught 76 passes for 591 yards in 2023, but the Jets gave him a three-year extension this offseason and offensive coordinator Frank Reich has openly said New York wants to emphasize the running game. Braelon Allen is the biggest threat to Hall's touchdown ceiling. The 240-pound back scored three times during red-zone work Thursday, although his reps increased with Isaiah Davis (knee) sidelined, so it is too early to call that a permanent goal-line role. Hall still enters the season atop the backfield and has the workload history to justify his third-round cost. He is not a bargain, but his current ADP does not look inflated either. Hall remains a strong RB2 target with enough rushing and receiving upside to finish as an RB1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyquan Thornton's Bigger Role May Not Fix His Volume Problem
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton is in line for more snaps in 2026, but that alone does not solve the fantasy problem. He caught only 19 of 37 targets last season, although those receptions went for 438 yards and three touchdowns. Thornton did most of that damage early, posting 13 catches for 272 yards and all three scores through Week 5. He managed just six receptions for 166 yards over his final nine appearances. The big-play ability is real. Kansas City credited him with a team-high eight catches of at least 25 yards, and Thornton is still viewed as part of the starting group in three-receiver sets. The volume remains the problem. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy sit ahead of him for targets when healthy, while Travis Kelce is still a major part of the passing game. RotoBaller ranks Thornton WR113 in its latest published PPR wide receiver rankings. That makes him a reasonable deep-league flier and a better fit for best ball, where one long touchdown can matter more. In ordinary redraft leagues, Thornton needs more targets before he becomes a player fantasy managers can trust.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Laremy Tunsil Undergoing Tests After Shoulder/Neck Injury
Washington Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil will undergo testing after leaving Saturday's practice with an apparent shoulder or neck issue, according to Mike Garafolo. Tunsil was injured during a one-on-one rep against Odafe Oweh before being evaluated in the medical tent and walking back to the team facility with trainers. Garafolo said there does not appear to be major concern at this point, though he would not be surprised if Tunsil misses some time. The five-time Pro Bowler started 14 games last season and allowed just 1.5 sacks before signing a two-year extension with Washington in March. Andrew Wylie stepped in at left tackle after Tunsil exited practice. Any extended absence would be notable for an offensive line tasked with protecting Jayden Daniels, but the results of Tunsil's testing should provide a much clearer picture.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
Kirk Cousins, Maxx Crosby Held Out After Friday Altercation
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby will both be held out of Saturday's practice after violating team rules during Friday's altercation, according to Adam Schefter. Head coach Klint Kubiak made the decision after the two got into it during team drills. Crosby made contact with Cousins on multiple plays before the veteran quarterback shoved him and grabbed his jersey, prompting teammates to step in and separate them. No punches were reported. Cousins enters the preseason as Las Vegas' starting quarterback after throwing for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions across 10 games with Atlanta last season. Kubiak has already identified Cousins as the starter, with first overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell working behind him. Saturday's absence gives both younger quarterbacks some additional reps while Cousins serves the one-practice discipline alongside Crosby.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
