Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was seen working as the No. 2 running back during team drills on Wednesday, according to JP Finaly of NBC. This is an excellent sign for the seventh-round rookie as he was listed fourth on the team's depth chart earlier in the week. During these QB/RB drills, Croskey-Merritt was deployed behind the presumed starter, Austin Ekeler, while Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. were deployed as the No. 3 and No. 4 options. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on this backfield throughout the early part of the season. Earlier in August, the Commanders opted to trade their top running back from last season, Brian Robinson Jr., to the San Francisco 49ers. In the preseason, Croskey-Merritt has looked very impressive and continues to make a case to open the season in the starting role. For now, the Arizona product figures to be a risky RB3 in Week 1 as his role has yet to be defined.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that the team is being very intentional with tight end Darren Waller's practice workload, and he will not be out at practice with the rest of the team on Wednesday by design, according to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. The Dolphins continue to ramp up Waller's workload heading into this Sunday's regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts after the 32-year-old veteran was out of football all of last year. Waller came out of retirement to play for the Dolphins after they traded Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. While Waller is expected to be active against the Colts in Week 1, he's unlikely to be on the field all that much, which means fantasy managers should be avoiding him in their starting lineups out of the gates. It's hard to project Waller's production this year, but at best, he's a TE2 stash for now.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel addressed how rookie running back Ollie Gordon II will be used as a rookie on Wednesday. "I know he'll have zero plays, or all the plays. Zero yards or all the yards, or somewhere in between," McDaniel said. We're not really sure exactly what that means, but Gordon certainly has the potential to make noise in fantasy in his first year in the NFL, mainly because of his speed. Jaylen Wright (leg) is going to miss the first couple weeks of the season, too, which means Gordon will open Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts as the direct change-of-pace option behind De'Von Achane, who missed practice in the final few weeks of training camp due to a calf injury. The Dolphins could take it easy on Achane and give Gordon plenty of run early on, making him a worthile bench stash, even in 12-team fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen shed some light on running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s usage going into the regular season on Wednesday. "We've got to use him as a guy that can help make plays... turn those 10 play drives into four play drives," Coen said. Etienne and Bigsby were listed as co-starters on the team's unofficial Week 1 depth chart, and they both figure to split the workload to open the 2025 campaign under Coen. Most fantasy managers were down on the 26-year-old after he was a major bust last year. However, unless he's traded, which is unlikely now, Etienne is going to have a role in Jacksonville's backfield. Bigsby has the power between the tackles, but Etienne's speed sets him apart, and he could still operate as a useful RB2/3 option for fantasy managers in PPR formats on a weekly basis.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) will be limited in Wednesday's practice, according to The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia. Shakir took part in practice for the first time last week after being sidelined for almost a month with a high-ankle sprain. The 25-year-old should be able to suit up for the Week 1 matchup on Sunday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills, and he'll have two more days to get in a full practice. As of right now, Shakir is on track to play, but an official questionable tag on Friday's final injury report will surely give fantasy managers pause in their sit-start decisions right out of the gates. If Shakir ends up being limited at all on Sunday or out altogether, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer and tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox could all benefit. Check back the next two days for updates on Shakir.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was "mostly impressive because of his discipline" as a passer in training camp, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. Per Dugar, Darnold ranked second in the NFL in offensive plays of at least 20 yards (62) while playing for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. However, Dugar writes, "that's not the Darnold we saw in training camp." It appears the Seahawks may be placing more of an emphasis on ball control and safe completions in the short and intermediate areas of the field in Darnold's first season with the team. The 28-year-old is reliant on big yardage and touchdown totals to score fantasy points. Darnold profiles as a fantasy QB3 who may not factor at all in 2025.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford is listed as the starting running back on the team's depth chart heading into Cleveland's Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson is listed as the RB2 and will reportedly work as a change-of-pace back behind Ford early in the season. Second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins should factor into the backfield mix in Cleveland at some point this season, but remains unsigned for the time being after a domestic violence incident in July. Ford has a chance to outperform his draft-day cost until Judkins is signed and fully integrated into the offense. The 25-year-old Ford profiles as an RB3/flex option in Week 1.

From RotoBaller

Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows of The Athletic write that "it sure seemed like the hype and jump to No. 1 receiver status was premature" for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. With 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings (calf) returning to practice on Monday, Tafur and Barrows write that "Jennings' return allows the 49ers to not put too much on Pearsall's plate after all." A first-round pick in 2024, Pearsall's rookie season was delayed by a gunshot wound he suffered in the offseason. He returned in Week 7 and recorded 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. Pearsall has been one of the big risers in fantasy drafts in recent weeks and could be a value as a WR3/flex, but it appears at least two of the team's beat writers feel expectations for the 24-year-old need to be reined in.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) missed most of training camp and the preseason after suffering a high ankle sprain on August 1. However, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic writes that it would "not at all be a surprise if (Shakir) were to step back into his immediate full role of getting 70-plus percent of offensive snaps" in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. The 25-year-old averaged 6.7 targets per game in 2024 and finished the year with 76 catches for 821 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games. If he is indeed without limitation in Week 1, Shakir and second-year wideout Keon Coleman are likely to be the top targets for Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Shakir profiles as a high-floor WR4 in fantasy who lacks explosive upside but should see steady volume working out of the slot in Buffalo.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has been "energized" by playing in a different offensive scheme this year, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Additionally, Machota writes that the 24-year-old is "being showcased in different routes and concepts" than he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Pickens spent the first three seasons of his career. Pickens is known as a ball-winning outside receiver, and he led the NFL in yards per reception (18.1) back in 2023. However, it sounds as though Dallas could be looking to vary Pickens' route tree in 2025, which could help him see more target volume (career 6.1 targets per game). He enters the year as the clear number two option in the Cowboys' passing game behind star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Pickens profiles as a low-end WR2/high-end WR3 in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue makes his NFL debut on Thursday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2025 fifth-round pick suffered a low-ankle sprain in the preseason finale against Atlanta, but practiced in full this week and is off the injury report. Blue opens the year as the RB3 in Dallas, sitting behind Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders on the depth chart. That leaves him without a clear fantasy role heading into Week 1. Even if the Cowboys mix him in for a handful of touches, the matchup is as bad as it gets. Philadelphia allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs in 2024. For now, Blue is more of a deep stash in dynasty and very deep leagues, while redraft managers should keep him on their bench until his workload becomes more defined.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams makes his Cowboys debut in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but fantasy managers should temper expectations. Williams signed a one-year deal with Dallas and is listed atop the depth chart ahead of Miles Sanders and rookie Jaydon Blue. While the role is encouraging, the matchup is not. Philadelphia allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs last year and projects to force the Cowboys into a pass-heavy game script. Williams profiles as an RB4 this week, better suited for benches than starting lineups outside of deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys running back Miles Sanders is set to make his debut in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. After a disappointing 2024 campaign in Carolina, where he lost the starting job to Chuba Hubbard, Sanders is looking for a fresh start in Dallas. In Cowboys camp, Sanders has been splitting first-team reps with Javonte Williams, though Williams is expected to open the season as the starter. With Sanders expected to be the team's RB2, it makes it very difficult to trust starting him in fantasy lineups this week. Sanders also faces the league's toughest defense vs running backs in 2024, making his path to fantasy production nearly impossible in Week 1.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut has been listed as the team's RB2 to start the season. With Tyjae Spears opening the year on injured reserve, the fourth-year back holds the backup role ahead of 2025 sixth-round pick Kalel Mullings. Through his first three seasons, Chestnut has appeared in 26 games, recording just 31 carries for 114 yards, but now steps into an expanded opportunity. Chestnut will serve as the primary backup behind veteran Tony Pollard until Spears returns. While he remains a non-factor for fantasy purposes, especially in a tough Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos' defense, this promotion reflects Chestnut's growth within the organization and solidifies his place on the Titans' depth chart.

From RotoBaller

The Dallas Cowboys and fullback Hunter Luepke have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth up to $7.5 million, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo. The deal makes Luepke the second-highest paid fullback in the NFL, joining San Francisco's Kyle Juszczyk, behind Miami Dolphins' Alec Ingold. The third-year pro out of North Dakota State is coming off the best season of his career in 2024, when he tallied 149 yards and a touchdown on 24 touches. Beyond his production, Luepke proved his value as a versatile contributor, excelling as a runner, receiver, and blocker in the Cowboys' offense. With the extension secured, Luepke is expected to remain Dallas's starting fullback as the team prepares for a critical Week 1 divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) is expected to suit up Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowler is coming off a season-ending knee injury in 2024 that required a chondral tissue graft procedure. While Diggs and the team expressed uncertainty about his Week 1 availability during training camp, his return for the season opener is a positive sign. Diggs is likely to see plenty of star wide receiver A.J. Brown, who PFF graded as the NFL's top wide receiver against man coverage in 2024. Brown's physicality and route-running will test Diggs immediately, making this one of the marquee matchups of Week 1 as the Cowboys look to slow down the defending champions.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee) has been ruled out for Friday's season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. The fourth-round pick has been sidelined for multiple weeks with knee tendinitis and did not travel with the team to Brazil on Wednesday. Royals was expected to provide depth behind third-year starter Rashee Rice, who is suspended for the first six games. With both Royals and Rice unavailable, veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster is positioned to take on a larger role. Smith-Schuster, who rejoined the Chiefs in 2024 after Rice suffered a season-ending LCL injury, has an opportunity to stabilize the passing game early in the year. Royals' next opportunity to make his NFL debut is against the Philadelphia Eagles. - Nathan Harvey

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) is not expected to suit up for Sunday night's matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Likely suffered a broken bone in his foot during a non-contact drill in late July and underwent surgery shortly after. The initial timeline projected a six-week recovery. Baltimore elected not to place Likely on the PUP list or injured reserve, signaling optimism that he will return early in the season. With Likely sidelined, Mark Andrews should see an uptick in opportunities. In the lone game Likely missed last season, Andrews produced six receptions on seven targets for 68 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens will hope to have Likely back as soon as Week 2, when they host the Cleveland Browns.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. was released from the active roster on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. However, the team plans to sign him to their practice squad, and they will elevate him to the active roster if he's still available on gameday. The 29-year-old is best known for the first few years of his career with the Falcons, but he also scored five touchdowns in 2022 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gage actually hasn't been targeted since the 2022 season, but San Francisco clearly likes what it sees from the former sixth-round pick. If he does suit up for Sunday's game, he'd be off the fantasy radar.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie two-way star Travis Hunter is listed as a starting wide receiver and backup cornerback on the team's initial depth chart. Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. are listed in the first-team offense, along with Dyami Brown. The Colorado product exploded for 96 catches, 1,258 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns last year, cementing his status as a top prospect. He was ultimately drafted second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who traded up to select him. He was just as dominant on the defensive side of the ball at school, totaling 36 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 passes defended during his final collegiate season. He won the Heisman Trophy and was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. There is still some uncertainty about whether Hunter can stay healthy for a full season while playing on both sides of the ball, but if he can, the sky is the limit. He's a solid low-end WR3 option heading into the 2025 fantasy season.

From RotoBaller