With input from Tom Brady, head coach Klint Kubiak will put the 38-year-old Cousins under center for the season opener against the Dolphins. Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will serve as Cousins’ backup. How long this arrangement will last is anyone’s guess. A good start to the regular season could delay Mendoza’s first NFL start for a couple months but he’s almost certain to take over as the Vegas starter at some point in 2026. Mendoza should be stashed in most superflex formats and Cousins profiles as a decent QB2 in such formats for Week 1.
Coen talked up Ameer Abdullah as a potential replacement for Allen’s duties in pass protection. He also singled out Chris Rodriguez’s abilities in pass pro. Pass protection duties aren’t a direct source of fantasy value, but it usually means that player will be on the field for the two-minute drill, which can generate plenty of receptions for running backs. Bhayshul Tuten not getting those reps would be a notable ding to his fantasy outlook. Allen himself isn’t on the fantasy radar, healthy or not.
It appears to be careful language in describing how the team is approaching its iffy QB situation ahead of the season opener against the Steelers. Rookie QB Jack Strand, who played well in his preseason appearances, had taken some first-team reps over the past month with Michael Penix (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa struggling with injuries and plagued by poor play. It’s unclear whether Penix will be 100 percent ready for the season opener, while Tagovailoa has been shockingly bad in training camp and during the preseason. Strand is a decent bench stash in deeper superflex formats for now.
Egbuka has been held out with a lingering toe issue ahead of Week 1. That he’s working to the side today is probably a positive development for the second-year wideout, though we would like to see him practice in full by the end of this week or the start of next week. After a hot start to the 2025 season, Egbuka was almost unusable for fantasy purposes over the season’s final couple months. He’ll look to bounce back in 2026 with a disgruntled Baker Mayfield at full health.
Houston GM Nick Caserio recently said the team would not negotiate a new deal with Stroud once the regular season begins, putting a hard and fast deadline on Stroud’s ability to secure a longer-term contract with the team that drafted him. His immense and nationally-televised struggles down the stretch last season — including his playoff meltdown against the Patriots — could factor into the team’s decision to go all in on him as a long-term franchise quarterback. Fowler said Stroud “can let an exploding quarterback market do the work for him if he waits an additional six to eight months” and explore free agency in 2027. Stroud over the past three seasons ranks 22nd out of 40 qualifying QBs in adjusted EPA per drop back, alongside Bo Nix and Trevor Lawrence. He ranks 24th in drop back success rate, just behind Mac Jones.
Jeanty’s status for Week 1 against the Dolphins remains very much in the air more than a week after he sustained a possible high ankle sprain in practice. If he’s still not practicing by the end of the week, he might be on the wrong side of questionable for the season opener. Mike Washington, who has drawn rave reviews from Raiders coaches, would be in line for a starter’s workload if Jeanty is sidelined.
BTJ suffered a shoulder injury late in camp and has dealt with shoulder issues in the past, so this latest scare was a definite concern for fantasy managers and Jags fans alike. The good news is that he’s practicing in full over a week before the first game of the season. After a summer of hype for Parker Washington, Thomas Jr. is likely second in the pecking order for targets. Barring a setback with the shoulder injury, he should project for WR3 numbers in Jacksonville’s opener versus the Browns.
Meyers missed some time late in training camp with a thumb issue that forced him to wear a brace on his right hand. Coen specifically said that Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) was practicing in full and didn’t say the same of Meyers. It’s possible the team is working Meyers in more slowly as the season approaches. Still, even a limited practice more than a week ahead of Week 1 should put Meyers in line to play. Meyers will be in a supporting role behind Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr . this year. He will be a low-end FLEX play for the Jags’ opener versus Cleveland.
Holmes didn’t offer a timetable for Pacheco’s return. The former Chief injured his knee early in camp and then suffered a back injury, which ultimately landed him on injured reserve. He will miss at least the first four games of the season while on IR, though it sounds like a Week 5 return isn’t in the cards. For now, Jacob Saylors will serve as Jahmyr Gibbs’ backup. He shouldn’t see much work as long as Gibbs is healthy, but dynasty managers may want to give him a look on the waiver wire.
Graziano affirmed what every fantasy manager believes: Likely will probably be the team’s WR2 behind Malik Nabers this season. New York coaches, according to Graziano, “love the way he has embraced and evolved his relationship with Jaxson Dart since he has been in New York. Likely is a regular visitor to the quarterback room, and the connection he has formed with Dart on and off the field could pay major dividends.” Graziano said Likely could be Dart’s top option if Nabers needs time to get back to full speed as he recovers from his 2025 ACL injury. Likely profiles as an easy click for fantasy drafters who forgo the game’s elite tight ends.
Graziano said the “Lions offense is going to hum this season, and Williams is the player poised to take the biggest leap.” That leap, he said, could come as Detroit coaches push Jamo “to expand his route repertoire and contribute as more than just a deep threat.” That in turn could create more short-area and intermediate opportunities and make Williams something more than a boom-bust WR3 play. Williams’ splits with and without Sam LaPorta are concerning, but he should be a high-upside swing in fantasy drafts, especially for those who fade receivers in the first couple rounds.
The team’s plan, per Graziano, is for Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks to split carries this season. That comes as little surprise. “If Hubbard stays healthy, he’s the one in whom they’ve built up more trust, so I’d expect him to be the one the Panthers lean on to try to grind out games when they have the lead,” Graziano said. “The split should be pretty close, but it would not be a surprise at all to get to the end of the season and see that Hubbard got the majority of the work.” Brooks on Tuesday practiced to the side while Hubbard (hamstring) practiced in full. It’s a concerning situation for those who have gone in on Brooks as Carolina’s lead back.
This, according to Rapoport, comes after “two positive days” of practice for the veteran tight end, coming off a late-season Achilles injury. Kittle is “trending in the right direction” to play against the Rams in the first game of the NFL season, and the first-ever game in Australia. It’s possible the 49ers will have a pitch count for Kittle coming into the season. If he suits up against the Rams, Kittle will be a risky low-end TE1 option in 12-team leagues. He had nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown in his only game against LA in 2025.
Van Noy spent time with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in both Miami and New England, making this a reunion for the two. The 35-year-old linebacker spent the past three seasons with the Ravens, tallying 12.5 sacks during a 2024 Pro Bowl campaign. The Vikings will start Van Noy out on the practice squad, but fans shouldn’t be surprised to see him in the middle of the Minnesota defense later this season.
Miller left practice early under his own power Tuesday, an all-too-familiar picture for the oft-injured back coming off an ACL tear from last October. However, Underhill reports it is a minor issue for the 24-year-old. With Alvin Kamara (knee) missing time, Miller has seen a lot of preseason work. Miller, when healthy, can be the Saints’ RB2 and primary handcuff to Travis Etienne.
Vannett, 33, is a journeyman veteran tight end best known for his blocking skills. Starting his career with the Seahawks, he has jumped around the league with the Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, Chargers, Titans, Vikings, and Rams. He signed with the Seahawks in the offseason but was let go in final cuts. The Ravens add Vannett as blocking tight end depth on the practice squad.
Hunter was notably acquired for Tutu Atwell in the preseason but was released during final cuts. The Dolphins now bring him back as depth in the running back room. Also notably on the practice squad is former first-round defensive lineman Mazi Smith. The Dolphins rounded out the practice squad with RB Carlos Washington, WR Jalen Reagor, WR Will Sheppard, CB Ethan Bonner, DE Max Llewellyn, TE Tre Watson, OT Gottlieb Ayedze, DL Jordan Miller, EDGE Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Amari Gainer, EDGE Rodney McGraw, LB Liam Anderson, CB Jaylin Simpson, and S Major Burns.
Morris started several games for the Chiefs at left tackle over the past three seasons before the Falcons acquired him in the offseason. Atlanta chose to part ways and now the Cowboys add Morris as tackle depth heading into the season. Also signed to the Cowboys’ initial practice squad are RB Israel Abanikanda, WR Jordan Hudson, WR Anthony Smith, TE Michael Trigg, TE Mitchell Van Vooren, OT Marcellus Johnson, OL Nick Leverett, DT Tommy Dunn, DT Elijah Garcia, DT Adedayo Odeleye, LB Justin Barron, LB Isaiah Land, LB Curtis Robinson, CB Derion Kendrick, and CB Reddy Steward.
Braswell is a former 2024 second-round pick that could not get it going with the Bucs. He now joins a formidable defense on the Texans’ practice squad. Houston also adds WR Mitchell Tinsley; he is a former Bengals preseason standout who has a path to contributing for the Texans’ injured wide receiver group. Also signed to the Texans’ practice squad are RB Jawhar Jordan, RB Noah Whittington, WR Lewis Bond, WR Josh Kelly, WR Daniel Sobkowicz, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, OT James Neal III, C Ka’ena Decambra, DT Dominic Bailey, LB Jamal Hill, CB Bryce Hall, CB Alijah Huzzie, and S George Odum.
Licht said Hurst was initially slated for a learning role behind the deep Buccaneers wide receiver corps. However, he added that the rookie 22-year-old has “proven to us throughout camp, even OTAs, practice every day that he’s been very, very steady...it’s kind of evolved into okay, we can use him this year and he’s going to play a role.” Hurst has received generally positive reports out of training camp. With Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan continuing to deal with injuries throughout preseason, Hurst has gotten more opportunities and proven to the front office he can be used as a rookie. When Egbuka, McMillan, and Chris Godwin are all healthy, Hurst will have a tough time putting up fantasy-relevant production. However, given various active injuries and the injury history of the Bucs’ wide receiver room, he is certainly worth a late-round pick for fantasy purposes.
John Harbaugh has said that Johnson “will be fine,” but we’re going to cover our bases on this one with the Giants keeping five tight ends. Johnson has a week and change to get healthy for Sunday Night Football in Week 1.
Richardson, a 2024 fourth-round pick, started seven games in 2024 and has been a big part of Raiders special teams. He’ll try to hang on to a roster spot with the Saints.
He’ll likely catch on with a practice squad in the next day or two, perhaps with the Cowboys again. Milton had initially made the 53-man roster in Dallas but lost his spot when they claimed Emari Demercado off waivers. The 26-year-old has an arm that was made to play quarterback and a decision-making process that was made to play quarterback in 1975.
Van Noy played with Flores in Miami and New England, and the Vikings could use some more depth at edge rusher. It would be an unsurprising reunion.
Thanks, we hate it. [Brian] Robinson has “shown a physical style in practice that cements his role as the new Tyler Allgeier” per Kendall. We don’t think one isolated report should dissuade anyone from picking Bijan Robinson 1.1 in drafts, but it has the potential to be a headache if it comes to pass. It must be said that only the Falcons could create a scenario where a Robinson scores and nobody knows whether to be upset or happy until we get a clarification on which one.