San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black got the start in the 49ers' preseason finale on Thursday night. The rookie out of Indiana had San Francisco's first three series to himself before ceding the backfield to Jordan James. Black finished the game with four carries for 28 rushing yards. Black's only target missed him by a wide margin when he turned in the opposite direction of the pass from Mac Jones. Any fantasy value Black might have would come from being Christian McCaffrey's (undisclosed) handcuff. That would be a valuable role given McCaffrey's injury history, but the depth chart past him is not yet defined. Black would have to beat out not only James but also Isaac Guerendo (pectoral), Khalil Herbert, and Sincere McCormick. Fantasy managers should keep an eye out for developments ahead of the 49ers' season opener on September 10.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jordan Watkins saw a team-high eight targets in Thursday's 18-12 win over the Raiders. Watkins had four receptions for 64 receiving yards, gained 27 rushing yards on three carries, and handled two kickoffs and two punts for a total of 62 return yards in the preseason finale. A fourth-round selection in the 2025 draft, Watkins appeared in just four games last season but saw a healthy amount of work in this year's preseason, racking up 13 receptions for 164 yards on 22 targets. Despite the long look, he is unlikely to have an impact in fantasy with Mike Evans (groin), Deebo Samuel Sr., and De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) at the top of the depth chart, and Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson, and Jacob Cowing also jockeying for playing time. Watkins can safely be ignored in fantasy drafts.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James followed Kaelon Black in the 49ers' 18-12 win in the last game of the preseason, but saw twice as many carries as the rookie. James finished with eight rush attempts (tying Khalil Herbert for the team lead) for 35 yards and caught one of his two targets for 20 receiving yards. It was the first appearance of the preseason for James, who missed the 49ers' previous two games while on the mend from a rib fracture suffered on the second day of training camp. The second year back out of Oregon is now in the mix, along with Black, Herbert, and Isaac Guerendo (pectoral) to back up Christian McCaffrey (undisclosed). With San Francisco's depth chart up in the air, fantasy managers should be on the lookout for announcements. Whoever wins out as the 49ers' RB2 will be one of the more valuable handcuffs in fantasy football.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) may be third on the depth chart, but between his age and track record, he's someone worth stashing on the bench in dynasty fantasy football leagues. Allen saw limited involvement as a rookie last year, totaling 94 rushing yards and 54 receiving yards. He faces a complicated path to meaningful playing time again in 2026, but the good news is that Travis Etienne Jr. departed in free agency, making it somewhat easier for Allen to make a positive impression. Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. project as the Jags' top two backs, but neither player has a super strong track record in Jacksonville, so we could see the team look to get Allen more involved if either (or both) of those top two ball-carriers struggle. Allen represents the youth of this backfield, and although he's the RB91 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings, he has higher upside in dynasty formats.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver CJ Daniels caught five of his six targets for 42 yards during Thursday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Rams' receiver room is a fluid situation right now, mostly because Puka Nacua could be facing a suspension soon. To prepare for his potential discipline, the Rams traded for Tutu Atwell on Thursday. Daniels will still make the 53-man roster, but the addition of Atwell adds more competition for him in the middle tier of the depth chart. He's now fifth or sixth in the receiving pecking order, whereas he had been making a case for the No. 4 role before the trade. Nevertheless, Daniels is much more of a long-term option for the Rams than Atwell, so dynasty managers shouldn't be too worried. The Miami product finished his first NFL preseason with an encouraging 15 catches and 128 yards, both of which led the Rams.

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson completed 18 of his 23 pass attempts for 119 yards, one touchdown, zero turnovers, and zero sacks during Thursday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. While the first-round rookie didn't have extremely staggering passing numbers, it's still quite encouraging that he posted a 78.3% completion rate and didn't have any turnovers or sacks. Simpson played a role in all three preseason games for the Rams, finishing the preseason with 382 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and zero sacks. For now, he'll ride the bench behind reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, but he offers spectacular insurance in case Stafford gets hurt or for when he eventually chooses to retire. He ranks as the QB26 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears could be headed for more of the same in 2026. He remains the No. 2 option on the depth chart behind Tony Pollard, putting him in line to handle receiving work without a very sizable role on early downs. Across 13 games last year, Spears logged a career-low 283 rushing yards, but he did catch 45 passes for 264 receiving yards. Tennessee's offense may look a little different with Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll coaching the team and Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate added to the offense, but from a backfield perspective, not much has changed. We expect to see Tony Pollard go for another 1,000+ rushing yards and 6-8 touchdowns, leaving Spears to catch passes. The big concern is that Spears will be tough to trust week over week. Sure, he'll have some big games -- especially in PPR -- but his inconsistency will make it tough to know which weeks he's worth starting. As a result, he has a modest ranking as the RB44 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings. At that spot, he's not quite a weekly RB3/flex, but he could certainly jump into that tier if he's playing a weaker defense or has been getting more involved in recent weeks.

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Los AngelesRams running back Dean Connors rushed for 69 yards on 18 carries during Thursday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. He also caught all three of his targets for 24 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Connors is an undrafted free agent who impressed collegiately at Rice and Houston. He entered the preseason facing an uphill battle to make the team, and while his outlook is still unclear, one obstacle disappeared on Thursday as the Rams traded running back Jarquez Hunter to the Dolphins. There's now a clear roster spot open behind running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, and there's a nonzero chance it goes to Connors, who had 96 rushing yards, 53 receiving yards, and three touchdowns this preseason. With that being said, even if he does make the 53-man roster, it's hard to imagine him achieving any sort of fantasy relevance as long as both Williams and Corum are healthy.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is looking to bounce back following a frustrating TE16 finish in PPR leagues last season. TE16 is nothing to scoff at, but Andrews' fantasy managers would have liked him to contribute a little more, especially after he was the TE6 in 2024. This year, he'll have a chance to return to his TE6 form. Not only is he healthy, but so is quarterback Lamar Jackson, and the duo will be under the guidance of new head coach Jesse Minter, as well as new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Although Doyle spent last year as the Bears' OC, he was previously the Broncos' tight ends coach, so perhaps he'll be the key to getting Andrews back on track. The new coaching staff should benefit the Ravens' offense this year, which is one of the reasons why Andrews has jumped back to TE13 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.

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New York Jets running back Braelon Allen was a low-end handcuff in years past, but he appears to have developed into a legitimate fantasy option with potential standalone value in deeper leagues this season. Allen ran with the first-team offense when Breece Hall (groin) was sidelined, and while we do expect to see Hall back for Week 1, Allen could continue to play a role on offense. He's a versatile running back who contributes as a receiver and ball-carrier, and at 22 years old, he injects some youth into the offense while offering Hall a breather from time to time. Allen has jumped to RB64 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026. If this offense starts to show any signs of life this year, we'd be intrigued by the possibility of both Hall and Allen carving out fantasy value.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson is projected to be released within the upcoming weeks, according to a 53-man roster prediction from Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. "Moving on from a third-round pick just one year after he was drafted would be a tough look for the Steelers," DeFabo wrote. "However, that possibility is looking increasingly likely." Johnson was essentially nonexistent on offense as a rookie last year, and he struggled this preseason to the tune of 57 rushing yards on 17 carries (3.1 YPC). Those are subpar numbers, especially for a once-highly-touted running back going up against reserve defenders. DeFabo notes that in addition to the offensive shortcomings, Johnson is replaceable on special teams. He projected that Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle will handle almost all of the offensive snaps, while Travis Homer makes the team as the No. 3 running back with plenty of experience and talent on special teams. If that is the case, Johnson will be the odd man out just one year after being a Day 3 pick. He's tough to trust in dynasty leagues, and he should be avoided in all redraft formats.

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New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry "will be important" within the team's offense this season, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. "It's hard to overestimate the importance of Hunter Henry here," Daniels wrote. "He's by far the team's best tight end and once again will be a security blanket for Maye. Henry had a good summer and should be applauded for his longevity." Even at age 31 and facing new competition for targets from AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs, Henry appears on track to occupy a large role once again in 2026. He was the TE9 in PPR leagues last year, tying the best fantasy finish of his career. Along the way, he caught 60 passes for 768 yards and seven touchdowns. While there are some receivers who will push for more targets, Henry essentially has the tight end room all to himself, and he faces minimal competition there. It's not crazy to project that Henry's 2026 stats will look similar to 2025, which would make him a top-12 fantasy tight end once again.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Skyler Bell made his preseason debut on Thursday, catching seven of his 10 targets for 49 receiving yards. He also had a 28-yard rushing touchdown. In total, the UConn product tallied eight touches, 77 scrimmage yards, and one trip to the end zone. As a fourth-round pick, Bell never really faced much concern about his ability to make the roster. Still, it was encouraging to see him contribute, especially after he missed the first two weeks of the preseason due to a lower-body injury. In addition to putting impressive numbers on the stat sheet, Bell showed that he's healthy enough to play in Week 1 of the regular season, barring a setback. He projects as the No. 5 receiver on Buffalo's depth chart, and he's currently off the redraft radar as the WR119 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings.

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Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is trending toward being available for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. He noted that Love needs to keep progressing, but things are looking positive. Fantasy managers should be cautiously optimistic that this year's No. 3 pick might play in the season opener on Sept. 13. He still has two weeks to recover and get back into game shape ahead of making his NFL debut. If he does suit up, he might be on a snap count, especially since the Cardinals have a deep backfield that also features Tyler Allgeier and James Conner (foot). With that being said, even if Love isn't quite at 100%, he could have fantasy relevance because of his skill set. During his final two seasons at Notre Dame, he amassed 2,497 rushing yards, 617 receiving yards, and a whopping 40 touchdowns. He ranks as the overall RB19 in RotoBaller's latest 2026 redraft rankings.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (head) was being evaluated for a potential head injury on Thursday night in the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills, according to Alan Saunders of PGH Steelers Now. Howard played the entire first half against Buffalo before being pulled due to injury after going 9-for-15 for 69 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He was sacked three times for a loss of 22 yards. Rookie Drew Allar, who is competing for the QB3 job with Howard behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph, went 9-for-18 in the contest for 88 yards passing, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. Howard, 24, was a sixth-round pick by Pittsburgh last year from Ohio State, but he didn't see any action in the regular season and could be headed to the Steelers' practice squad or to another team if he loses the QB3 battle to Allar following training camp and the preseason. He led the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2024, and new head coach Mike McCarthy has had positive things to say, but Howard has zero redraft appeal and very little stash upside in dynasty/keeper leagues.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 12 of 15 pass attempts for 186 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Thursday's preseason win over the New England Patriots. He also rushed for three yards and didn't take a sack. It's worth noting that Gabriel was playing against a bunch of defensive reserves, but it was still a very encouraging showing nonetheless. This performance comes on the heels of the Browns naming Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel never had a legitimate chance to earn the starting job, but today's game essentially confirms that he's locked into the No. 3 quarterback role and won't lose his roster spot to Taylen Green, a sixth-round pick out of Alabama. Gabriel's path to playing time in Cleveland faces plenty of obstacles, but the Browns should feel confident in his ability to step into the offense at any time if needed. He's off the fantasy radar entirely, though.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Luke Floriea caught three of his five targets for 29 yards and two touchdowns during Thursday's preseason finale against the New England Patriots. Floriea has been very impressive lately, catching three touchdown passes over the last two games. The 24-year-old is a former undrafted free agent from Kent State who spent most of 2025 on the practice squad. Often, players who get a ton of reps in Week 3 of the preseason are projected cuts, but Floriea's recent streak of success might just be enough to get him a roster spot, especially after more targets opened up following the release of Cedric Tillman. If he does make the 53-man roster, though, he'll be buried on the depth chart and can be avoided in all fantasy football leagues.

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New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith will not play in Friday night's preseason finale against the New York Giants, a source told Brian Costello of the New York Post. Most of the Jets starters who have played in the preseason are expected to sit out on Friday. The 35-year-old veteran only played in the preseason game on Aug. 21 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and went 7-for-7 passing for 65 yards and a touchdown. The two-time Pro Bowler and former second-rounder by the Jets in 2013 from West Virginia is hoping to bounce back in 2026 in his return to New York after throwing a league-high 17 interceptions and getting benched late last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith has looked good in training camp this summer while running offensive coordinator Frank Reich's scheme, and he will have more talent to work with through the air in 2026 than he did in his lone season in Sin City. Still, fantasy managers in single-QB leagues should be ignoring Smith, and he will merely be a low-end QB2 for those in two-QB superflex formats.

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Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that quarterback Jalen Milroe will play a full game in the team's preseason finale on Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Corbin K. Smith of Emerald Spectrum. The Seahawks will get a good look at the second-year signal-caller to close out preseason action after the 23-year-old former third-rounder from Alabama has gone 11-for-19 for 88 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions in the first two preseason contests. In his first NFL campaign last year, Milroe only appeared in three games and did not attempt a pass, carrying the ball three times for four yards with a lost fumble. He is firmly entrenched as Seattle's QB3 to begin the 2026 season behind Sam Darnold and Drew Lock, so Milroe has zero redraft fantasy appeal. Milroe does not lack athleticism, but he must develop as a passer if he is to become anything more than a backup in the NFL long term.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams was involved in another explosive play on Thursday as he caught a 45-yard touchdown pass in Week 3 of the preseason against the Cleveland Browns. Williams finished the game with two catches, 55 yards, and one touchdown. This marks the end of a fantastic preseason for the former Washington State receiver. He found the end zone in each of the Patriots' three games, and he finishes the preseason with a total of six catches, 166 yards, and three touchdowns. There was never a doubt that Williams was going to make the 53-man roster, but this impressive stretch of games could help him carve out an even larger role. He already started climbing up the depth chart this week after the team traded away Kayshon Boutte to Houston. Fantasy managers should look to stash Williams in all dynasty leagues, and there's even some low-end appeal in deeper redraft formats. He's the WR121 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings for 2026.

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According to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard, San Francisco 49ers rookie second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (shoulder) won't be playing in Thursday night's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders in the final preseason game for the 49ers before they open up their season at MCG Stadium in East Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, September 10th, against the Los Angeles Rams. Stribling is projected to be the No. 3 receiver in this 49ers passing attack after Ricky Pearsall (knee) has been ruled out for the season. Additionally, he made his presence felt in training camp and backed it up in his first two preseason games, hauling in 11 of his 13 targets for 109 yards. It appears the team will rest him along with a majority of their key starters, and fantasy managers targeting a wide receiver late in drafts should be looking Stribling's way.

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Tennessee Titans second-year receiver out of Florida, Chimere Dike, is looking to build off a rookie campaign that saw him get 74 targets, 48 receptions, 423 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Dike finished the season as the WR50, and while he has great speed (4.34 40-yard time), the Titans drafted rookie Carnell Tate in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, have Calvin Ridley, and signed Wan'Dale Robinson from the New York Giants. Target competition for Dike will be an uphill battle this season, as even without Tate and Robinson in the picture, he only saw a 14 percent target share. Robinson is known as a target hog, as he's seen 280 targets over the past two seasons, and Tate profiles as a legitimate future WR1. The one silver lining for Dike is he was ninth in the NFL in red zone target share last season, but with the increased target competition, Dike is going undrafted in most formats. RotoBaller ranks Dike as the WR96 and 249th player off the board. Fantasy Managers should look elsewhere in redraft formats.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has put together two top-20 finishes at the wide receiver position over the past two seasons and three of the last four. Last season, Higgins finished as the WR15, hauling in 98 of his 59 receptions for 846 yards (14.3 YPR) and 11 touchdowns. He was 13th in the NFL with 14.1 fantasy points per game and played in 15 games. In 2024, he finished as the WR5 in fantasy points per game with 18.5 and played in 12 games. The key for Higgins is health, as he has played only one full 17-game season and has had multiple seasons with only 12 games played. In 2025, Higgins finished 3rd in the NFL in deep targets, second in total TDs, and is a high-upside player being drafted in the late third round. On a points-per-game basis, Higgins is one of the top receivers in the game. RotoBaller ranks Higgins as the WR16, so fantasy managers looking to capitalize on a high-upside player at the receiver position should look in Higgins' direction.

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Dallas Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb is looking to bounce back in 2026 after a down season in 2025 that was plagued by an ankle injury and saw him finish as the WR22 for the season. In 14 games played, he finished the season with 75 catches on 117 targets, 1,077 yards, and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns were a career low for him, and with George Pickens joining this wide receiver room in 2025, it was clear that it gave quarterback Dak Prescott another reliable target in the passing game. Over the previous three seasons, Lamb finished as a top-10 WR and is looking to regain his WR1 status. Most draft boards have Lamb going in the first round, ahead of Pickens, who finished as the WR5 last season, showing the market is expecting a bounceback season for Lamb. RotoBaller ranks Lamb as the WR5 and 10th player overall. Fantasy managers looking to draft a motivated 27-year-old receiver primed to regain his WR1 status in a high-powered offense should look Lamb's way.

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According to Evan Lazar, senior reporter for the Patriots, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will not be playing Thursday night in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Brown is one of 37 Patriots not in uniform tonight, which indicates the team will be resting a majority of its key starters. Brown did not record any preseason stats in any of the three Patriots preseason games, but reports from camp have suggested good chemistry with third-year quarterback Drake Maye. Brown enters his eighth NFL season at 29 years old and his first season with the Patriots, where he should be the clear alpha in the wide receiver room. Brown has recorded north of 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons and has scored seven-plus touchdowns in seven of his eight seasons. He projects to be a WR1 for fantasy managers and is one of the trendiest names in fantasy football entering the 2026 season.

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