Wyatt notes that Tate “had been quiet in recent practices, and he still doesn’t have a catch in two preseason games.” Today’s standout showing comes at the right time. The end of the preseason is fast approaching and the first-round rookie will be asked to contribute right away this season, especially with WR Wan’Dale Robinson currently undergoing evaluation for a concussion. The Titans’ offense is still a work in progress, so producing as a WR3 could be Tate’s ceiling for quite some time. Still, today’s report is nice to read.
McFadden notes that Robinson had more outside runs than any other player last season. He believes new Falcons OC Tommy Rees and new OL coach Bill Callahan are focused on diversifying the run game tactics by adding a north-south approach. He thinks Falcons running backs “should benefit from a penetrating approach oriented around getting them into second-level space quickly.” McFadden also checked in with Robinson, who said Rees is implementing new screen game concepts, derived from his time with the Browns. Last year in Cleveland, Rees’ offense racked up 413 yards via the screen game, ranking second in the NFL. Adding more ways to get Robinson the ball in space only solidifies his status as the overall RB2 in fantasy drafts this year.
Per Wilson, Gaye’s recent MRI indicates he must undergo a procedure to correct the issue and will require a long recovery time. The backup pass rusher seems unlikely to play in 2026.
Wills was reportedly escorted away by a member of the Bears’ training staff. The 27-year-old tackle’s career has been badly impacted by injuries. He was competing for the Bears’ starting left tackle job, but was working with the second-team offense while OT Braxton Jones worked exclusively with the first-stringers today.
This is unfortunate. Beck looked great before injuring his ribs in the Hall of Fame game. Per Urban, Beck has been a very limited participant in practice ever since, which is costing him valuable reps. Only starting QB Jacoby Brissett will take first-team practice reps once the regular season begins. Beck practiced the week after the injury, “struggling much of the time,” and has sat out since then. The Cardinals have an extremely difficult schedule, so a rough record could bring Beck back onto the field at some point this year. Ideally, he would have spent all of August refining his play, though. He does not need to be rostered in 12-team re-draft leagues.
Pelissero reminds us that Jacobs was “originally booked on five charges, including felony strangulation.” He now faces “reduced charges of misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property.” The NFL continues to monitor all developments in the matter, which remains under review. Jacobs could end up being suspended. His backups are RB MarShawn Lloyd, who has performed well all spring and summer, and RB Chris Brooks. Lloyd should be a priority in drafts at this time.
FOX Sports’ Ben Arthur reported earlier that Bears DB Xavier Woods “laid out Wan’Dale Robinson over the middle of the field” during today’s joint practice, which “justifiably” prompted a response from the Titans’ sideline. Titans coach Robert Saleh called the hit “cheap.” The NFL reviews practice footage when available. We’ll see if anything comes of it. Losing Robinson for Week 1 would be consequential for QB Cam Ward, and would likely shift more work toward rookie WR Carnell Tate.
Frankly, it is tough to trust this statement. The Seahawks kept things quiet almost all offseason about Horton’s season-ending shin injury. They do not have to disclose anything until Week 1 practices begin. Were he to miss time in the regular season, WR Rashid Shaheed might be able to earn an extra target or two, operating as the team’s uncontested field stretcher.
Smith reunited with Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh last year and posted 38 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Even with NFL players actively returning to college football, Jonnu was unable to find a way to follow his favorite offensive coordinator to Ohio State. All signs point to Tucker Kraft being fully recovered from his torn ACL by Week 1, but backup tight end Luke Musgrave remains sidelined with an injury of his own. Smith won’t be on the fantasy radar as long as Kraft is healthy, but he should be a solid depth option for the Packers.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported yesterday that the Bears have had trade discussions surrounding Dexter. Given the timing of this hamstring injury, we’ll assume it and the trade rumors are related. Dexter is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has been considerably productive for an interior pass-rusher. He has 11 sacks and 95 combined tackles over the past two seasons. A team that trades for him will likely extend him as well.
Campbell said the MCL injury isn’t a concern, but he still could not give reporters a definitive answer on Pacheco’s Week 1 availability. The Lions worked out Pacheco’s former teammate Kareem Hunt earlier this week. With Pacheco banged up once again, it would be surprising for the team to sign Hunt ahead of Week 1. At this point, fantasy managers can ignore Pacheco in drafts until we get a better update.
We’re sad to see the Pro Bowl go, but this move has been several years in the making. Players consistently opted out of the event, forcing the league to name underwhelming alternates. Those who did play rarely took the game seriously. The NFL switched to a flag football format four years ago. This alleviated some injury risk for players but further separated the declining event from traditional football. Now the league will simply award 88 players across offense, defense, and special teams with the Pro Bowl designation. An in-person celebration of the Pro Bowl roster will be held in February.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was first on the news, followed by contract details from Ian Rapoport. Seattle acquired Williams from the Giants during the 2023 season. In his two full seasons as a Seahawk, Williams has totaled 18 regular season sacks plus one during the team’s postseason last year. He is now one of the five highest-paid defensive tackles on an annual basis. Williams will be under contract through the 2029 season.
Philadelphia released Brandon Hayes in a corresponding move. Miami released Washington earlier this week. A 2024 seventh-round pick, Washington did not play as a rookie and appeared in six games last year. He caught three passes for 37 yards.
It’s a simple restructure, converting base salary into a signing bonus. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the move creates nearly $18 million in cap space for Pittsburgh. The transaction could be an indication that the Steelers need cap space for another move, but it’s much more likely that the team simply wants flexibility down the road. Metcalf remains signed through the 2029 season.
Pierce has been on the PUP list throughout training camp as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. Head coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week that he expects Pierce to return to practice in the coming days. While it will likely be very limited work for Pierce, that’s still a step in the right direction as he looks to get back to full strength ahead of Week 1. Coming off the PUP list means Pierce shouldn’t miss four games to start the season, but it doesn’t guarantee that he is ready for the season opener. His health will be one of the biggest storylines to monitor for the Colts’ offense over the next two weeks.
The 2023 third-round pick will be subject to waivers. If no team claims him, Tillman will be free to sign wherever he chooses. Tillman appeared to be on the precipice of a breakout in 2024, posting 330 yards over five games in the middle of the season. An injury then knocked him out for the remainder of the year, and he failed to find much of a role in 2025. Even if he clears waivers, several teams will likely be interested in taking a flyer on Tillman after 53-man rosters start to shake out.
Seattle acquired Williams from the Giants during the 2023 season. In his two full seasons as a Seahawk, Williams has totaled 18 regular season sacks plus one during the team’s postseason last year. He was the 15th-highest-paid defensive tackle before this deal. While we’re still waiting on the details, it’s safe to assume he’s moving up that leaderboard. Once the ink is dry, Williams will be under contract through the 2029 season.
The good news is that, according to Schefter, the injury isn’t considered a long-term issue. It’s still unclear if Smith will be ready for Week 1. Houston signed Smith to a two-year, $25 million deal in the offseason. He was set to compete with Trent Brown for the starting right tackle job, but this could give Brown the inside track early in the year. As long as Smith is back early in the year, Houston should have the necessary tackle depth to survive this injury.
Evans has been dealing with a myriad of injuries throughout training camp, the latest being a groin issue. The injuries have been reported as minor as the 33-year-old manages his way through practices after having missed significant time due to injuries the last couple seasons. He was already expected to miss minimal time - if any - and Fowler confirms that Evans and the 49ers are still preparing for him to play Week 1.
The gist of it is that players can return to college if they are cut, but NFL teams cannot make advance deals with the players about returning in the following season and the players also cannot sign an NFL deal within the same season. This situation came up with undrafted rookie free agent Dae’Quan Wright, who spent the offseason with the Eagles and Browns, but is looking to return to college and play for LSU. From an NFL perspective, Wright can return to college for 2026 but cannot return to the NFL until 2027, nor can an NFL team agree to an advance deal with him to sign him in 2027. It’s a sticky situation as the NCAA figures out player eligibility but the NFL has said its piece on the matter.
McCarthy has been limited in practice this week as he deals with a mild deltoid sprain in his ankle. Despite the injury, the Vikings want to maximize the 23-year-old’s preseason reps with Kyler Murray already locked in as the start. It’s also possible McCarthy competes with Carson Wentz for the No. 2 quarterback spot as both players split second-team reps earlier this week. O’Connell said the team is aiming to have McCarthy ready to start against the Broncos Friday, but also added, “if we can’t get him there, we can’t get him there.” Ultimately, the ankle injury seems minor but may prevent McCarthy from seeing valuable reps as he fights to stay as the QB2 on the Vikings depth chart.
We’re sad to see the Pro Bowl go, but this move has been several years in the making. Players consistently opted out of the event, forcing the league to name underwhelming alternates. Those who did play rarely took the game seriously. The NFL switched to a flag football format four years ago. This alleviated some injury risk for players but further separated the declining event from traditional football. Now the league will simply award 88 players across offense, defense, and special teams with the Pro Bowl designation. An in-person celebration of the Pro Bowl roster will be held in February.
Conner suffered a season-ending ankle injury early in the 2025 season. He avoided the PUP list to start training camp but has yet to participate in 11-on-11 drills. With the season nearly two weeks away, it certainly doesn’t look like Conner will be available for Week 1. Trey Benson is on injured reserve and Jeremiyah Love is on the mend with an ankle issue of his own. It’s possible Tyler Allgeier earns a three-down role to open the season, making him a priority target for ZeroRB drafters.