The Pittsburgh Steelers have turned to rookie running back Kaleb Johnson as the primary change-of-pace option behind Jaylen Warren. With the ground game sputtering this preseason, Johnson has an opportunity to carve out a bigger role if he continues to showcase his strengths. At 6'0" with an athletic frame, Johnson brings patience, vision, and balance to his runs, piling up explosive carries by trusting his blocks and shedding tacklers. To become a true every-down back, however, Johnson must improve his pass protection.

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The New England Patriots released veteran safety Jabrill Peppers on Friday in a surprising roster move. Peppers had been projected to start alongside Jaylinn Hawkins, but the decision signals a shift toward youth in the secondary. Fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson is expected to step into the starting strong safety role, though his inexperience could lead to early growing pains for the defense. Peppers, meanwhile, remains a productive veteran and a respected leader who should draw interest from safety-needy teams. For New England, this marks a changing of the guard as they lean on younger talent to anchor the back end.

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Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee) is unlikely to suit up for Week 1 as he works his way back from injury. The fourth-round pick from Utah State entered camp competing with Marquise Brown and others for a role in one of the league's deepest receiver groups. Royals' strengths lie in his route savvy, body control, and ability to fight through contact, making him a tough cover when healthy. While his short-term redraft outlook is limited, he remains an intriguing dynasty stash given Kansas City's long-term need for young playmakers to emerge around Patrick Mahomes.

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Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop has a tall task of replacing seven-time Pro Bowler Justin Tucker, but NFL.com's Bucky Brooks writes that Loop "appears to be well on his way to becoming a household name as a long-distance scorer with unlimited range." Loop made 81.8 percent of his field-goal attempts during the regular season and also made a 61-yarder. He made all eight of his extra-point attempts and heads into his first NFL as a "model of consistency," which is what head coach John Harbaugh expects at the position. The 24-year-old sixth-rounder definitely has the leg to succeed at this level, and in one of the best offenses in the league, he could be on the fantasy radar in 12-team leagues before long, too. Right now, though, RotoBaller has Loop ranked as the No. 19 fantasy kicker with Week 1 just a week away.

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NFL.com's Bucky Brooks writes that New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson is "as explosive as advertised with the ball in his hands." The Ohio State product took a kickoff return 100 yards for a touchdown in his preseason debut and also scored in the second preseason contest on an eight-yard run. He has showcased his explosive speed, quickness and burst on the edges this summer. Henderson ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and "is poised to play a major role as a multi-dimensional playmaker slotted in as the RB behind Ramondre Stevenson." Frankly, Henderson is already much more attractive than Stevenson from a fantasy perspective and is ranked at RotoBaller as the RB15 going into his rookie season. Stevenson may be the "starter" in Week 1, but that will quickly change if he continues to have ball-security issues.

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NFL.com's Bucky Brooks believes that Cleveland Browns rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders could make an impact in his first year in the league. Sanders had a poor showing in the team's preseason finale, but he also showed flashes that suggest he "has the talent and potential to develop into an effective NFL quarterback in a traditional pro-style system." Brooks adds that Sanders showed "impressive touch, timing and accuracy when playing with the No. 1 unit in the preseason opener." The fact that the Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Raiders shows that the Browns saw enough out of Sanders and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel to make them the direct backup plans if veteran Joe Flacco doesn't work out as the starter. Cleveland's season would have to go south quickly for Sanders to see extensive playing time, but it wouldn't be the first time that has happened to a Browns team.

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Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley says he's mentally stronger heading into his second year with the team after injuries and a mental-health journey, which included a gambling suspension. Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season while with the Atlanta Falcons after violating the league's gambling policy, and he also played through a broken foot in 2020. Since sitting out the entire 2022 campaign, Ridley has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Titans. Is it possible for Ridley to post a third straight 1,000-yard season in 2025. Well, the good news is that there still isn't much depth behind the 30-year-old in Tennessee's receiving corps, so volume is going to be a plus once again for those that draft him in fantasy. However, efficiency could once again be a problem while working with a rookie QB, making him a low-end WR2/high-end WR3.

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Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White (leg) suffered a lower-leg injury in last Thursday's training camp practice and has yet to return to the practice field, but general manager Brandon Beane said they are not ruling White out for Week 1 of the regular season in a showdown against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 7. "We're rehabbing him as much as we can," Beane said. "Tre's got a great attitude, he's attacking it. Really other than that, we're just going to take it day by day...Wednesday, I think, is the first day an injury report will be due, so we'll see what it is, whether he can practice any or not." The 30-year-old veteran defensive back was not projected to be a starter in Buffalo's secondary in his return to the team, but his injury takes on added importance with rookie first-rounder Maxwell Hairston (knee) set to miss the first four weeks of the season.

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New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Trevor Penning (toe) is out of a walking boot for the first time since being sidelined by turf toe on August 10, according to Matthew Paras of nola.com. Saints head coach Kellen Moore said that Penning is progressing well on his rehab, but would not commit either way on his status for Week 1. A former first-round pick back in 2022, Penning was moved from right tackle to left guard heading into training camp. Dillon Radunz has been filling Penning's spot at guard in his absence. Radunz was graded as the 112th-best run-blocking guard (out of 136 qualified players) by Pro Football Focus for his work in 2024, so Saints running back Alvin Kamara may be the most heavily impacted fantasy-relevant player if Penning misses regular-season games.

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Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes that the Minnesota Vikings' offense "has been scaled down with quarterback J.J. McCarthy taking over." Howe also notes that there's "measured optimism" in league circles around McCarthy's future, but that a "seamless transition" should not be expected. The 22-year-old is taking over for the departed Sam Darnold under center in Minnesota after Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record in 2024. McCarthy has drawn favorable reviews for his play in training camp and the preseason, but there's always a level of unknown for a player who has not seen the field in an actual NFL game. McCarthy profiles as a high-end QB2 in redraft fantasy leagues.

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Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden had a "tremendous camp," according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Additionally, Howe writes that it "might not be all that shocking if (Golden) quickly becomes quarterback Jordan Love's go-to wide receiver." Golden may see even more opportunities early in 2025 with fellow Packers wideouts Christian Watson (knee) starting the year on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list and Jayden Reed (foot) battling a Jones fracture in his left foot. Golden is the first wide receiver the Packers have selected in the first round since 2002, so the organization clearly believes in his talent. The 22-year-old profiles as a high-upside WR3/4 in redraft fantasy leagues.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller said he has "to knock some rust off" after the team's practice on Wednesday, per Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. Waller did not practice during training camp, as the team has said they want to take things slow with his return from retirement. The soon-to-be 33-year-old last played in 2023 for the New York Giants, catching 52 passes for 552 yards and one touchdown across 12 games. Even before his one-year hiatus, Waller had a tough time avoiding injuries. He's played in more than 12 games just twice in his eight-year NFL career. Waller has some upside from a fantasy perspective, but he should be off the radar of fantasy managers until he proves he can stay on the field and his role in Miami's offense becomes clearer.

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Former New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker is signing a practice squad deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. A fourth-round pick of New England's in 2024, Baker was released by the Patriots on Wednesday. The 23-year-old appeared in 11 games for New England as a rookie but recorded just one catch. In Philadelphia, he will be a depth piece behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, and John Metchie III. Baker should remain off the radar of fantasy managers in 2025.

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The San Francisco 49ers have signed quarterback Adrian Marintez to their practice squad on Thursday. Martinez was cut by the New York Jets earlier in the week. They decided to only carry two quarterbacks with Justin Field and Tyrod Taylor. Martinez was decent in the preseason, completing 30-of-51 passing attempts for 352 passing yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. The 25-year-old will serve as depth behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. There is no reason to stash Martinez at the moment.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan has been signed from the practice squad to the active roster on Thursday. Tonyan was cut by the team on Tuesday, but joined the practice squad a day later. Now, the 31-year-old makes the 53-man roster heading into Week 1. He'll serve as depth behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray to start the season. Tonyan hasn't been fantasy relevant in a few seasons, but did haul in 53 receptions in 2022. He also produced an 11-touchdown season during his time with the Green Bay Packers. Tonyan has shown he's capable of making big plays in the NFL. However, Tonyan won't have fantasy value to begin the season as the projected third string.

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The San Francisco 49ers have signed running back Sincere McCormick to their practice squad on Thursday. McCormick quickly finds a new team after being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in the week. The 24-year-old figures to serve as depth behind Christian McCaffrey, Brian Robinson Jr., and Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) in the backfield. Last season, McCormick rushed 39 times for 183 yards in five games (two starts) with the Raiders. There isn't going to be fantasy value here unless the 49ers suffer a few injuries in the backfield.

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The Carolina Panthers have signed running back DeeJay Dallas to their practice squad on Thursday. He quickly finds a new home after being released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier in the week. Dallas played in all 17 games with the Cardinals last season, but only rushed nine times for 49 yards while hauling in three receptions for 11 yards and one touchdown. The 26-year-old hasn't seen much of the field as a running back lately with only 19 carries over the last two seasons. He figures to mostly be used on special teams and serve as depth behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Payne Durham could potentially see a larger role in the offense to begin the regular season. The Bucs are uncertain if starting tight end Cade Otton (leg) is going to be ready to play during the season opener. The team will likely wait and see how Otton progresses throughout next week before making a final decision. If he misses time, Payne Durham and Devin Culp figure to split up time as the starting tight end. Durham didn't see a ton of action last season, but played well when Otton missed time late in the season. When Otton was out, Durham hauled in nine receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns as the starter. There's not a lot of value here, but maybe Durham is a dart throw if Otton is unable to go in Week 1.

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Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cameron Ward has quickly established himself as a leader both on and off the field. From the moment he entered the locker room, Ward carried himself with the poise and professionalism of a veteran, which earned him near-unanimous selection as a team captain. The Titans are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2024 campaign in which their offense ranked just 26th in the league. Ward's leadership, paired with playmakers like Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley, will be crucial as the Titans aim to reignite their offensive attack and set a new tone heading into the 2025 season.

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The Carolina Panthers are wasting no time elevating rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan, especially after trading veteran Adam Thielen back to Minnesota. McMillan, the No. 8 overall pick, offers size, athleticism, and big-play ability, and his role as Bryce Young's top target appears to be taking shape quickly. Young showed steady growth and confidence in the second half of 2024, and Carolina is betting that pairing him with a youthful duo of McMillan and Xavier Legette will accelerate the offense's development. With Thielen gone, McMillan is primed to shine as a focal point in 2025 and could be a breakout candidate in fantasy.

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