In his projected depth chart, Barrows lists Stribling as both the starting slot receiver and the No. 2 X-receiver. He does not place Stribling on the Z-receiver depth chart, which could mean the rookie wide receiver has not yet earned a role in two-wide receiver sets. Veteran WR Deebo Samuel is the starting Z-receiver, though Barrows already reported that Samuel will take only “a portion” of the overall Z-receiver snaps. It would be surprising to see Nos. 2-3 Z-receivers, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing, play ahead of Stribling when Samuel needs a breather, but the season is long and Stribling can always change Barrows’ mind. Early in the year, Stribling is likely best treated as a WR4/FLEX candidate. Were Evans to miss time, Stribling would seemingly slide into a full-time starting role.
While Barrows’ statement is agreeable, it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The 32-year-old tight end is returning from an Achilles tendon rupture and was a close call to even make the trip to Australia, so a snap count of sorts makes sense. For fantasy managers who can afford to take a wait-and-see approach, it might be worthwhile. He has reportedly had a great recovery and his resumé is as good as it gets at the tight end position. He will likely be ranked as a low-end TE1 by default in Week 1 against the Rams.
Reiss also notes that the Patriots have three pre-Week 1 practices remaining, and Henderson has not practiced since August 24th, when he sustained the injury. One week ago, a Boston Globe report indicated Henderson should be “good to go” for Week 1 against the Seahawks. He still has time to get right, but veteran RB Rhamondre Stevenson can be treated as the team’s clear-cut lead back for the time being.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal includes $47 million in guarantees, with a max value of $78 million. Wilson was set to enter a contract season in a week. Instead, he’ll be under contract with Arizona through the 2029 season. He broke out in the second half of the 2025 season and finished the year with his first 1,000-yard campaign. He compiled 775 of those yards in the final eight games of the year. Even if he can’t replicate those numbers over 17 weeks, Wilson took a massive step forward, and receivers aren’t cheap on the open market. It makes sense for Arizona to lock him up long-term instead of letting him test the waters of free agency next offseason.
Vrabel’s comments concisely sum things up. Gonzalez, 24, is eligible for a contract extension but remains under contract through 2027 via his fifth-year option. The Patriots’ head coach notes that Gonzalez continues to grow as a player and remains competitive in practice.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter labeled Madubuike as “day-to-day” heading into Week 1. This does not necessarily mean Madubuike will take the field against the Colts next week, but it is a step in the right direction. Madubuike racked up 10 quarterback pressures, two sacks and three tackles in just two games played last year. Getting him back, even in a limited capacity, is a big deal.
Speaking on Up and Adams, Skattebo said he told himself in college that he would retire if he suffered a major injury. It’s a surprising comment on its face, but football fans shouldn’t be shocked that a young player questioned his choice of profession after suffering a gruesome ankle injury in his first season. Skattebo ultimately attacked rehab and returned faster than most people expected. He was a full-go early in the offseason and is now ready for Week 1.
Flowers suffered a quad bruise early in training camp but eventually returned to practice. He has been out of practice more recently with an undisclosed lower-body issue. His injuries have seemed relatively minor, and an appearance at practice today all but confirms that. Barring a setback, Flowers should be good to go as a high-end WR2 for Baltimore’s Week 1 opener versus the Colts.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the details are still being ironed out and the deal is expected to be finalized later today. Wilson was set to enter a contract season in a week. Instead, he’ll be under contract with Arizona through the 2029 season. He broke out in the second half of the 2025 season and finished the year with his first 1,000-yard campaign. He compiled 775 of those yards in the final eight games of the year. Even if he can’t replicate those numbers over 17 weeks, Wilson took a massive step forward, and receivers aren’t cheap on the open market. It makes sense for Arizona to lock him up long-term instead of letting him test the waters of free agency next offseason.
Richardson spent training camp and the preseason battling it out with Riley Leonard for the backup gig. Given the arc of Richardson’s career, earning the backup gig is undoubtedly a win for the young passer. Richardson isn’t on the redraft fantasy radar, but dynasty managers can leave the light on for him.
Per Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald, the move clears up $12.5 million in cap space. It also makes the Chiefs camp compliant ahead of the regular season, with some room to spare. Smith remains under contract through the 2028 season.
Rapoport reiterated the point, adding that Washington will be a weapon for the Raiders. The rookie running back was electric in the preseason, running for 168 yards on 23 attempts. Ashton Jeanty is expected to be ready for Week 1, but the team could use Washington to ease his workload early in the year. Washington may only be a FLEX play as long as Jeanty is healthy, but that’s still worth a flyer in fantasy drafts.
Weinfuss adds that “something could come down in the next day or so.” Wilson has been in line for an extension this offseason and despite an effort, the Cardinals have yet to reach an agreement. It seems the sides are at least making progress, with Weinfuss hearing about “movement” in negotiations. Wilson was the team’s No. 1 wide receiver and downfield target for Jacoby Brissett after Kyler Murray went to the bench last season. An extension for the 26-year-old may be coming prior to Week 1.
Wolfe added that head coach Kevin Stefanski does not want “an imaginary timeline” for Penix (knee) returning; the Falcons want to see him practice more and avoid rushing him back. The next week of practices will show if he is ready or if Tua Tagovailoa will be the “placeholder” for Week 1. Tagovailoa’s struggles seem to have made it a foregone conclusion that Penix will start when ready this season as the Falcons evaluate whether or not they will need to draft a quarterback in 2027.
DeCosta added, “I’m probably more bullish on that right now than I even have been.” Madubuike’s 2025 season was cut short due to a neck injury and the 28-year-old has been working his way back since. He has been participating in individual drills but was not seen participating in team drills by the media in training camp. The Ravens chose to keep Madubuike off injured reserve, indicating they expect him to return less than four games into the regular season. The former third-round pick is a two-time Pro-Bowler and a key piece of the Ravens’ defensive line when healthy.
Milton initially made the 53-man roster but was let go after the initial wave of waiver claims. He went unclaimed when waivers ran Tuesday and now returns to the Cowboys on the practice squad. With Sam Howell winning the QB2 job, Milton will be QB3 heading into the season.
DeCosta also said he wants to get a deal done as soon as possible. Jackson currently has two seasons left on his five-year, $260 million contract. His cap hit for the 2026 season is a comfortable $34.4 million. That number balloons to $84.3 million next year. A new deal would help the Ravens spread Jackson’s cap hit over multiple seasons. Jackson is no longer one of the 10 highest-paid quarterbacks by average annual value, so he should also want to get a new deal on the books. It makes sense for both sides to come to an agreement sooner rather than later, ideally before the start of the season.
Edoga appeared in 14 games for the Jags last year and made two starts. He has 25 career starts across both tackle spots and left guard. Edoga will be a versatile depth option for the Ravens.
Bosa suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 last year and is still working his way back. He was back on the practice field today and is on track to play in Australia versus the Rams next week. Bosa got off to a hot start last year, logging a sack in each of his first two games before exiting Week 3 a few snaps in. If he can return to form quickly, the 49ers defense should take a step forward this year.
It was a bit of a compliment sandwich, with Rodgers opening his comments by mentioning a route Wilson screwed up early in camp and again today. Rodgers did, however, say Wilson will have to play a big role for the team and that he has the utmost confidence in him. Rodgers is infamously punitive to his younger players, and the Steelers have second-round rookie Germie Bernard behind Wilson on the depth chart. Wilson is firmly ahead of Bernard for now, but one mistake during the regular season could flip the WR3 role in an instant.
The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero notes that the Jets hosted a group workout and are exploring all options at kicker. They already claimed Blake Grupe and re-signed Jason Sanders to their practice squad this week. Tucker worked out for multiple teams last year after serving a 10-game suspension for violating the team’s personal conduct policy. He was never signed and hasn’t kicked in a game since the 2024 season, which was the worst of his career by far. Tucker made just 73.3 percent of his field goal tries.
Shakir has been held out of practice for multiple weeks with an undisclosed injury. He has gotten some work off to the side, though it’s becoming more concerning with each day he fails to work in with the team. According to Zenitz, the team is simply being cautious with Shakir. We’ll learn more about his ailment when the first official injury report comes out next week. Like the Bills, fantasy managers should take a cautious approach with Shakir in the final week of drafts.
Browns head coach Todd Monken told reporters earlier in the week that Bond had cleared the league’s concussion protocol. It’s possible additional symptoms cropped up after he was cleared. With his return to play not going as expected, Bond could miss Cleveland’s opener versus the Jags. Fantasy managers can safely assume Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion, and Denzel Boston will be the team’s starting receiver trio in Week 1.
Evans missed the bulk of training camp with quad, groin, and abductor injuries. The team took a cautious approach to his practice regimen during the offseason, and it seems to have paid off with him back on the field today. Evans’ status on the 49ers’ practice report next week will be one of the bigger storylines for the 49ers, but all signs point to him being healthy for Week 1. Fantasy managers can keep drafting him as a low-end WR2 for the final week of the summer.
Teasley did not say whether McCarthy will be the backup or third-string quarterback. McCarthy is practicing in full after missing time with an ankle injury late in camp. His spotty play during training camp and the preseason, plus the missed time due to injury, all but guarantee Carson Wentz will be the team’s backup to open the year. As the QB3, McCarthy will likely be a healthy scratch, only able to enter the game if both quarterbacks ahead of him go down with injuries. The fact that he is expected to be on the Week 1 roster only means Teasley was unable to find someone willing to trade even a late-round pick for McCarthy.