Barrows’ phrasing leaves room for interpretation, but it seems as though he is suggesting Kirk could be a cut candidate. The veteran wide receiver was sidelined by a calf injury in the spring and reinjured it in the first practice of training camp. He should probably be avoided in fantasy drafts at this time.
Judkins has now missed two practices in a row. Cleveland’s Mary Kay Cabot reported Judkins’ absence yesterday, noting that Monken abruptly ended Tuesday’s practice because the defense was playing with too much physicality. Per Cabot, Judkins was “the object of much of the chippiness” that day. Monken said Judkins’ injury is unrelated, though. The second-year running back suffered a season-ending fibula fracture and ankle dislocation last year. Hopefully, Judkins’ current issue is unrelated. He could return weekly RB2 value this year, though RB Dylan Sampson could keep Judkins stuck in a run-centric role.
Williams spent Weeks 3-8 on injured reserve with a knee injury last year. He later ruptured an Achilles tendon in Week 16. He totaled three pass breakups, one interception, 37 tackles and three quarterback pressures while active.
Rapp spent the last three in Buffalo. He totaled 19 tackles and one quarterback pressure in six games last year. The Broncos correspondingly waived LB Levelle Bailey with an injury designation.
Now we know why the Commanders’ receiving back has been absent at practice recently. White reportedly tweaked a hamstring during joint practices with the Dolphins last week. He worked out prior to Friday’s preseason game, but did not play. Garafolo adds that White has “excelled” in new OC David Blough’s offense during OTAs and training camp, though starting RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt has notably been praised for his pass-catching improvements recently.
Rapoport believes Warren will resume practicing in “a week or so.” He also expects “Warren’s role to grow” in his second NFL season. That makes sense. Warren’s 106 targets trailed only WR Michael Pittman’s 110. Pittman left Indy to join the Steelers this offseason, clearing the way for Warren to be the team’s top target earner. The soft-tissue injury adds some risk to Warren’s profile, but he should still be drafted as a mid-to-high TE1.
The Saints’ backup running back statuses continue to change. Veteran No. 2 RB Alvin Kamara (knee) is expected to be sidelined for at least one month, and RB Audric Estime is now sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Miller and RB Devin Neal (hamstring) both returned this week, though. Beat reporter Jeff Nowak notes that Miller, Neal and RB Ty Chandler were all allowed to rotate in for first-team reps today, as coach Kellen Moore presumably seeks out a viable primary backup for starting RB Travis Etienne. Per Nowak, Miller “looks sharp despite the time missed.” This is worth tracking for short-term bench stash purposes.
This is terribly unfortunate. We expect him to be placed on injured reserve soon, and we do not expect him to return until 2027. The Ravens brought in Pinter and C Ethan Pocic, who is coming off a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture, to compete for the starting center role after losing C Tyler Linderbaum in free agency to the Raiders. Pocic, 31, has been a reliable NFL starter since earning a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2017. He earned a 62.3 PFF pass-blocking grade and a 63.2 PFF run-blocking grade before injuring his Achilles in Week 14 last year.
Shakir was sidelined from Tuesday’s special practice at Highmark Stadium and hasn’t suited up since. Coach Joe Brady did not divulge the nature of the injury. Like most ailments this time of year, it’s probably a minor issue where the team is opting for caution, but it’s good to “timestamp” these things, so to speak. Barely going in the WR5 range, 26-year-old Shakir could easily outproduce his ADP, though probably not to the extent he cracks the top 36.
Smith will undoubtedly only play a series or two, but it’s confirmation he’s over the “soreness” that held him out last weekend. Smith would have reportedly played through the “injury” during the regular season, so it was never believed to be serious. Any injury is worth noting for a 35-year-old player coming off a rough, rough year, but this one is in the rear-view mirror.
We try not to go daily with training camp injuries, but Nacua has now missed the Rams’ entire slate of Saints sessions. Coach Sean McVay had previously said he would return this week. That still does not suggest anything other than standard summer caution, but it’s of course worth noting. For now there is no reason to alter course when it comes to selecting Nacua in the first round of fantasy drafts.
LaPorta mysteriously missed practice on Wednesday. Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters Thursday that the 25-year-old tight end is dealing with a hip injury. They’re letting him rest. Campbell told reporters he doesn’t believe it’s a long-term injury and that LaPorta could be ready for the start of the regular season, but he isn’t sure. Already coming off a back injury that required season-ending surgery last year, LaPorta has picked up another red flag with a preseason injury.
Mauigoa left practice Thursday with members of the Giants medical staff. Leonard reports that the rookie offensive lineman is dealing with a stinger. While it doesn’t appear to be a significant injury at this time, it’s worth keeping an eye on until more information becomes available.
Lemon was back at practice for the first time in weeks. The first-round receiver missed most of minicamp and training camp up to this point with a hamstring injury. While Lemon is playing from behind, there’s plenty of time for him to work his way into the offensive game plan ahead of the Eagles’ Week 1 matchup against the Commanders.
Steichen adds that the team will be cautious with Warren’s recovery, but chose not to share details regarding the injury’s severity beyond that. If healthy, the second-year tight end is a candidate to lead the team in targets this season after racking up 106 as a rookie. The Colts’ pass-catching corps is in a tough spot, with WR Alec Pierce (ankle) still sidelined. If Warren cannot play in Week 1, WR Josh Downs would presumably handle a sizable target share, operating as the team’s clear-cut No. 1 target earner. Stay tuned.
Just a few hours ago, ESPN’s John Keim reported that Newton was visiting a specialist today. Apparently, the decision to undergo surgery was made fairly quickly. This is a tough loss for the Commanders’ defensive front. Newton ranked fourth on the team in quarterback pressures (27) and third in sacks (six) last year. Commanders edge rushers, OLB Odafe Oweh (calf) and OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (knee), are also nursing injuries at the moment.
Triplett was apparently surprised to see reporters wondering whether the Saints should bring a veteran receiver aboard. According to him, the Saints had nine legitimate wide receiver candidates to make the final roster, with rookie WRs Bryce Lance and Barion Brown leading the charge. Per Triplett, Lance “is coming on faster than anyone else,” though Brown notably surged early in camp. Lance does not play on special teams, which could make him an ideal No. 3 wide receiver. Triplett also believes the Saints should design a package of plays for the speedy Brown, who WR Chris Olave said is “basically the same player” as former Saints WR Rashid Shaheed. For deep league fantasy managers, Lance could be worth a late-round dart throw. Both players should be rostered in dynasty.
Nacua is entering the final year of his contract. Atkins writes that it is only a matter of time before “Nacua lands a monstrous extension,” but whether it comes from the Rams or another team, presumably via free agency or a trade, remains a question. Both the team and player reportedly “hope” that Nacua remains a Ram long term, and the team is “encouraged by some of the steps he’s taken this offseason.” The superstar wide receiver still has a civil suit that must be dealt with and the league has not yet clarified whether it intends to suspend him. For now, Nacua is a member of the Rams’ explosive offense and can be treated as a locked-in WR1, albeit with some suspension risk.
ESPN’s John Keim expects to hear an update on White tomorrow morning. Backup RB Jeremy McNichols is dealing with a quad injury and RB Jerome Ford (hamstring) was recently placed on injured reserve. As things currently stand, starting RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, rookie RBs Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry, and veteran RB Craig Reynolds are the four healthy players. Croskey-Merritt’s reported passing game improvements have come at the right time. Allen played well on a sizable preseason Week 1 workload. He might be in line for RB2 duties if White were to miss time.
When asked for comment, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said, “anytime you’re seeing a specialist, of course, there is reason for concern.” Both starting edge rushers, OLB Odafe Oweh (calf) and OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (knee), and backup LB Jordan Magee (shoulder) are also sidelined by recent injuries. The Commanders’ defensive front is tasked with corralling the Eagles’ rushing attack in three and a half weeks.
Vea also gets a $6 million pay bump for the 2026 NFL season. He was previously set to make $18 million this year, bringing his new salary up to $24 million. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported last week that Vea was seeking an extension, placing him in the top defensive tackle tier, which currently sits around $38 million annually. It looks like the two sides compromised to get a deal done. Vea ranked in the top three on the team in quarterback pressures (51) and sacks (four) last year.
Gonzalez’s release seemingly bodes well for K Riley Patterson. The two veteran kickers were competing to replace K Jason Sanders, who signed with the Jets this offseason.
This could mean that Sermon is expected to miss the 2026 season, but we will not know for sure until the Falcons make that designation official on cut-down day later this month.
Perry has not played on offense since his 2023 rookie season with the Saints. The Dolphins also worked out QB Kyron Drones, QB Chandler Rogers, LB Stephen Dix, LB Antonio Grier and WR Brenden Rice.
Williams missed the Lions’ last two practices with what coach Dan Campbell described as a minor shoulder injury. Today’s practice was padless. We should learn more about Williams’ status when the pads go back on. Regardless, Williams seemingly remains a safe WR2/3 candidate right now.