Arroyo played three drives this evening, scoring from 36 yards out on the first one. Arroyo lined up in line on the left side, ran a route up the seam, shaking a safety along the way and easily hauled in the uncontested pass from tonight’s starting QB Drew Lock. Scoring against the Titans’ first-string defense is a plus, but playing while the rest of the Seahawks starters sat was not a great sign. Arroyo seems to be firmly behind TE AJ Barner on the depth chart right now.
Ward would have cleared 100 yards in the box score had TE Gunnar Helm not stepped out of bounds while hauling in a downfield pass during a scramble drill. Ward’s ability to make wild throws off-script remains a plus and a minus. Playing within structure will be key to his development, and potentially his connection with rookie WR Carnell Tate. The duo went 0-of-2 out of five total pass attempts from Ward on the first drive this evening against Seattle.
According to Alexander, the Texans have utilized both running backs nearly evenly throughout camp. Texans OC Nick Caley “doesn’t typically go away from what’s working,” which could result in a hot-hand approach on game day. For now, Montgomery should be treated as the starter, but Marks looked good in last week’s preseason game and should be stashed on benches in 12-team leagues at the very least.
Alexander also lists Klein behind TE1 Dalton Schultz and apparent TE2 Foster Moreau, so this isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. Klein has efficiently caught 4-of-5 targets for 62 yards thus far in the preseason, and OC Nick Caley unpromptedly complimented Klein’s run blocking. The latter aspect is likely Klein’s ticket to game-day snaps this season. Schultz is a trusted veteran. Klein will likely be a non-factor in fantasy this year, but perhaps he can gain some ground in-season and force the Texans to get him involved late in the year.
Clark got rolled up on after jumping over the pile after a play. He immediately went down and called for trainers, who applied an air cast to his lower leg after tending to his ankle. Losing the second-round rookie could be consequential. The Seahawks frequently put three safeties on the field, which put Clark in position to potentially start while S Nick Emmanwori works his way back from offseason ankle surgery. Clark now appears to be headed toward an extended absence. Fortunately, Emmanwori resumed doing individual work with trainers off to the side during practice this weekend.
Thompson took first- and second-team reps in last Thursday’s preseason game against the 49ers. Chargers Nos. 2 and 2 WRs Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris were held out with what are believed to be minor injuries. Thompson eventually checked out of the game and entered the blue medical tent before being taken back to the locker room. He sported a yellow jersey today, which ESPN’s Kris Rhim dubbed the “working through something” jersey. He was likely a limited participant today. Thompson could be anything from a mid-to-late-season FLEX option to a part-time player stuck in a fantasy-unfriendly role. Keep an eye on his development and recovery.
The team labeled Stribling as “day-to-day” yesterday. His limited return is a good sign for his Week 1 availability. Hopefully, the 49ers’ impressive rookie is back in pads before long. He can still be drafted as a FLEX starter with WR3 upside at this time.
It would be really nice to see Evans consistently practice in full at this point, but both Inman and ESPN’s Nick Wagoner appear mostly unconcerned by today’s development. Per Wagoner, Evans stopped practicing after running a deep route on Sunday. Evans “seemed to be moving fine” after exiting. Wagoner adds that it is “clear he and the Niners want to be cautious to get him to the regular season ready to go.” Evans’ soft tissue concerns remain present, but as long as he takes the field on game day, he is a WR2 with WR1 upside.
The Jets also brought aboard EDGE Anthony Dunn and S Tanner Wall. The Jets correspondingly waived WR Caullin Lacy, RB Sam Scott and EDGE Nate Voorhis with injury designations. It is possible the team will re-sign all three to injured reserve.
According to the California Post’s Vincent Bonsignore, the Raiders “gathered as a team to acknowledge the injury” after Jeanty was helped off the field. ESPN’s Ryan McFadden believes it is a right knee injury. This sounds bad. We will provide an update as soon as possible. Raiders rookie RB Mike Washington is his direct backup and would likely operate as the team’s starter if Jeanty misses time.
Odum, 32, was a standout special teams player for much of his career, earning first-team All-Pro (2020) and second-team All-Pro (2022) with the Colts and 49ers. He sandwiched three seasons in San Francisco between two stints in Indianapolis. If he makes the team, he is unlikely to play on defense.
Second-year Browns QB Shedeur Sanders outplayed veteran QB Deshaun Watson on Saturday. Watson then followed up his poor performance with an ill-advised press conference, in which he briefly touched on the fan base’s “disrespectful” reaction to his 2024 Achilles tendon rupture, among other things. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier today that the team must decide whether Watson is “in a good enough space to be the leader for this team,” adding that Sanders’ “presence” and “aura” have helped him curry favor with people in the Browns’ organization. At the end of the day, Sanders is likely the better bet to provide the requisite passing game stability for a couple of Browns’ pass catchers to maintain weekly starting consideration in fantasy, though Sanders himself is unlikely to be anything more than a QB2 in superflex leagues.
The most important takeaway is that McCaffrey has resumed practicing. Whether the planned aspect is true or not is secondary. That said, one wonders why the team chose to say their star running back was sidelined by “tightness,” rather than simply telling reporters he was taking veteran rest days, which is quite common for a 30-year-old player. McCaffrey said the team wanted him to “ramp up pretty big” early on, before taking time off, and later initiating another ramp-up period, “so we’re fresh for the duration.” McCaffrey says he feels “fresh” after taking nearly two weeks off. We would hope so. He’s a locked-in RB1 at this time.
Harris missed a few practices last week with an undisclosed injury, and the team kept him inactive for Thursday’s preseason game against the 49ers. Reports on the matter have been sparse, but it appears as though Saturday’s limited session was his first action since the week prior. According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, Harris snagged “a bunch of catches” before exiting team drills and spent “most of the day” working off to the side with Chargers trainers. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper has viewed Chargers WR Quentin Johnston as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver. Johnston dealt with a minor ankle injury last week, but Rhim says Johnston looks “healthy” after observing him come down with “a leaping touchdown grab during a red zone period.” Harris is attempting to unseat him, yet would still warrant a late-round fantasy draft pick even if he begins the season in his current No. 3 role.
Things are still up in the air on this one. Harbaugh said it’s “a possibility” that Nabers ditches the red non-contact jersey, but added that he doesn’t think it’s “a necessity” to do so this week. The season opener is exactly three weeks away, so delaying the decision by a week might be fine. Nabers is seemingly on track to face the Cowboys in Week 1.
Second-year Browns QB Shedeur Sanders outplayed veteran QB Deshaun Watson on Saturday. Watson then followed up his poor performance with an ill-advised press conference, in which he briefly touched on the fan base’s “disrespectful” reaction to his 2024 Achilles tendon rupture, among other things. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier today that the team must decide whether Watson is “in a good enough space to be the leader for this team,” adding that Sanders’ “presence” and “aura” have helped him curry favor with people in the Browns’ organization. At the end of the day, Sanders is likely the better bet to provide the requisite passing game stability for a couple of Browns’ pass catchers to maintain weekly starting consideration in fantasy, though Sanders himself is unlikely to be anything more than a QB2 in superflex leagues.
Davis got the start in Saturday’s preseason game against the Cardinals, rushing five times for 29 yards while adding one catch for eight yards and a touchdown. The 27-year-old back has gained steam in recent weeks as the favorite to win the Cowboys’ RB2 job out of camp, but Machota also said he believes “Jaydon Blue takes (the RB2 job) during the season.” Blue rushed 15 times for a team-high 75 yards in Saturday’s win over the Cardinals, ripping off multiple chunk gains on the day. While we still have one preseason game left to go, it sounds like fantasy managers looking for the handcuff to Javonte Williams should target Davis in the late/final rounds of drafts at this point.
This is worth keeping an eye on. Mitchell’s preseason usage indicates he is the Chargers’ clear-cut No. 2 running back, operating in what could be a FLEX-viable role. Mitchell played on 10-of-10 possible snaps across the Chargers’ second and third drives in last week’s preseason game before taking a trip to the blue medical tent. He avoided a trip to the locker room and was allowed to return to the sidelines thereafter. Although the latter aspect is encouraging, today’s absence suggests he is at least a minor injury. The coaching staff is not required to divulge injury information until Week 1 practices begin. Hopefully, someone digs up something useful on this, though. For now, keep drafting him as planned, but be on the lookout for updates.
Slater resumed practicing in a limited capacity yesterday after taking two weeks off due to a “little flare-up” in his surgically repaired knee. Slater, 27, suffered a season-ending patellar tendon rupture in August last year. A few weeks ago, the Chargers’ left tackle was reportedly working toward taking three reps in a row while improving his conditioning. It is unclear what type of progress, if any, he was able to make during his two-week absence, but we should find out soon enough. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he hopes to play his starters through two full drives in Thursday’s preseason game against the Rams. Hopefully, Slater accomplishes that feat without issue. Stay tuned.
Biadasz sustained “damage to his ACL” during a joint practice with the 49ers last week and is now out for the season after seeking out multiple opinions on the injury. The veteran center signed a three-year deal with the Chargers earlier this offseason after being a surprise release by the Commanders and was expected to solidify the interior of an offensive line that dealt with multiple injuries last season.
It has been reported multiple times this offseason that Kittle could have a chance to be ready in time for the 49ers’ Week 1 game against the Rams in Australia. The decision to activate him from the PUP list on Sunday is the most encouraging sign we have seen to date that a Week 1 return is possible, as the team will now prepare to ramp him up in the coming weeks to see how his surgically repaired Achilles holds up. Kittle underwent surgery to repair his Achilles in mid-January, so he’s just over seven months removed from a surgery that typically sidelines players for 9-12 months. The 32-year-old tight end would be a welcome addition to a receiving corps that’s been decimated by injuries in camp, so his progress will be one to monitor in the weeks ahead.
Price was dealing with some “upper-leg soreness” a few weeks ago, but returned to last week’s joint practice with the Titans in a limited capacity. The rookie first-rounder, however, won’t be on the field when the Seahawks face the Titans on Sunday night, and he’ll also forego the team’s final preseason game against the Chiefs before suiting up for Week 1 when the Seahawks play host to the Patriots. Price has taken first-team reps with the Seahawks in camp and has been working on his pass-catching abilities. While we don’t quite know what to expect for his role early in the season, we would expect him to fall somewhere in the RB2 conversation for fantasy purposes this season.
On the same day the Niners saw George Kittle return from his Achilles injury, the team also got back McCaffrey, who had been sidelined since August 10th due to his “tightness.” Assuming he doesn’t miss any more time and we don’t hear anything else about this injury or a new one, McCaffrey appears to be in good shape to be ready in time for the Niners’ Week 1 opener when they take on the Rams in Australia 18 days from now.
Wright was carted from last Thursday’s practice and has been diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles. The fifth-year DE has been a key player on the Browns’ defensive line since being drafted 78th overall in 2022. Over the last three seasons, Wright has totaled 11.5 sacks in 34 games, along with 19 TFLs, while also forcing three fumbles. Wright signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension last November and is under contract through 2028. Assuming his rehab goes well in the coming months, he should be back in time for the start of training camp next season.
This move comes after the Browns lost DE Alex Wright for the season to a torn Achilles. Barnett, who has spent the last three seasons with the Texans, has totaled five sacks in each of the last two years and earned a PFF pass rush grade of 69.7 last season. While the addition of Barnett does soften the blow that the loss of Wright brings to the defense, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Browns continued to look for additional help on defense before the start of the season. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Barnett can earn up to $5.5 million on his deal with the Browns.