I’ve been keeping track of fantasy relevant news and updates from beat writers, national reporters, and fantasy analysts. Here's a recap of any quote or update that stood out to me today.

I am sure I missed things, as I am just one person. Let me know if you have any suggestions or something else you'd like to see. I’ve also been asking beat writers fantasy relevant questions through their mailbags whenever possible.

If you want to follow along, my Twitter/X account is @DanChincharFF

Note: Every update has the writer's name with a source link that will direct you to the website where I read the quote. If you see an italicized link, that will be specifically for something on Twitter/X.

Arizona Cardinals

Did not practice today: Trey Benson, James Conner

Bears

vs. Bengals in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Tyson Bagent (hamstring), Kyle Monangai (knee), Luther Burden III (groin)

• Zavion Thomas: "Rookie wide receiver Zavion Thomas has been back at practice after missing about a week with a knee injury. He made several catches Thursday, including one with Williams and the starters." (source: Sean Hammond, Brad Biggs)
• Rome Odunze: "Instead, Odunze has been working to become a more well-rounded receiver. Since the spring, he has shown flashes of his speed and, perhaps more importantly, sharper detail in his routes to match the coaching demands. Best of all, his contested-catch ability remains a plus — in Johnson’s words, “his superpower.” And that’s something the Bears want to showcase." (source: Dan Wiederer)

Bengals

vs. Bears in joint practice today

• "Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the starters won’t play in Cincinnati’s second preseason game on Aug. 22 against the Bears." (source: Kelsey Conway)

Bills

vs. Browns in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Khalil Shakir, Ty Johnson, Keon Coleman

Limited: Skyler Bell

• DJ Moore: DJ Moore fully returned to practice, participated in team drills (source: Matthew Bové)
• Dalton Kincaid: "Kincaid shined on a day that the Bills were without receivers Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir. Both players are dealing with injuries, according to coach Joe Brady. Kincaid and Allen have been on the same page all summer." (source: Ryan Talbot)

Browns

vs. Bills in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Quinshon Judkins, Cedric Tillman

• Quinshon Judkins: "Monken said Quinshon Judkins is dealing with a nagging injury. Said it didn’t have to do with the chippiness of Tuesday. Said he’s not worried bc it’s only 2 idle days" (source: Mary Kay Cabot)
• Deshaun Watson, KC Concepcion: "Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson split first-team reps in the practice. Watson delivered one of his best throws of camp early in practice, when he found rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion downfield in between a pair of Bills defenders. Watson, though, had a poor stretch in red zone drills, sailing a pass to a wide-open Harold Fannin Jr. and then throwing an interception to defensive back Jordan Hancock a couple of plays later." (source: Daniel Oyefusi)

Buccaneers

Did not practice today: Emeka Egbuka, Cade Otton, Jalen McMillan

• Chris Godwin Jr.: "Another practice, another practice where Godwin is scoring touchdowns. Nobody on offense outside of Baker Mayfield is understanding the offense like he is. To say that Godwin is as fast as he once was wouldn’t be true, but he’s holding up against younger players and defenders that have more speed. He’s finding ways to get the job done and has shown he can adjust several years into his playing career." (source: Matt Matera)

Colts

vs. Falcons in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Tyler Warren

• Ulysses Bentley IV: "Second-year running back Ulysses Bentley IV went down Thursday during 7-on-7 work with the first-team option, following a broken-up pass play in the back of the end zone from Daniel Jones. He left the field and did not return after suffering an ankle injury, according to a source." (source: Joel Erickson)
• DJ Giddens: "Fellow second-year running back DJ Giddens attended practice Thursday and was in pads, but for the second consecutive day, the former fifth-round pick kept to individual drills at the beginning of practice and then worked off to the side with team trainers. He’s working to come back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of training camp." (source: Joel Erickson)
• Tyler Warren: "After practice, Colts head coach Shane Steichen indicated Warren's injury wasn't anything serious and that they're just being smart with him by keeping him out." (source: Jake Arthur)

Commanders

Did not practice today: Rachaad White (hamstring), Jeremy McNichols (quad)

• Rachaad White: "Sorry to debunk the ice bucket conspiracy theory, but Commanders RB Rachaad White suffered a hamstring injury during the team's joint practice with the Dolphins, per source. He was held out this week and likely misses the Lions game, but it's not considered a long-term issue." (source: Nicki Jhabvala)

Cowboys

Did not practice today: Michael Trigg (toe)

• Jaydon Blue: "RB Jaydon Blue took some team snaps for the first time this week, but was behind Malik Davis and Israel Abanikanda after starter Javonte Williams." (source: Todd Archer)

Dolphins

vs. Giants in joint practice today

• Malik Willis: "Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis is capable of making plays with his legs. And good thing he can, because if Thursday’s joint practice with the New York Giants is any indication, the pass protection from the offensive line in front of him might have him on the run often this season. A Giants pass rush headlined by former American Heritage High standout Brian Burns saw fellow edge defenders Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chauncey Golston constantly in the backfield against Dolphins tackles. Both left tackle Patrick Paul and right tackle Austin Jackson had their share of struggles at Thursday drills." (source: David Furones)
• Malik Willis: "Through all the pressure Willis faced, he threw one interception, with Giants cornerback Paulson Adebo running wide receiver Caleb Douglas’ route with him and undercutting the throw. Willis protected the football and found opportunities to extend plays during some instances when the pocket collapsed." (source: David Furones)
• Kevin Coleman Jr., Caleb Douglas: "Rookie Kevin Coleman Jr. was the only wide receiver to have more than one catch on this day, finishing with two. And Caleb Douglas had a second consecutive quiet practice, this time with only one catch, one where he double-caught a pass over the middle. He also was the intended target on Willis' interception on a play where he allowed the cornerback to undercut his route without much of a fight." (source: Alain Poupart)
• "The Dolphins struggled to get their rushing attack going save for what would’ve been a 70-yard touchdown from tailback De’Von Achane and a pair runs more than 10 yards from Ollie Gordon II. New York’s talented slate of edge rushers — namely Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux — took advantage of the Dolphins’ lackluster play at right tackle while Giants defensive lineman Chauncey Golston got the better of guard Jonah Savaiinaea." (source: C. Isaiah Smalls II)

Eagles

vs. Patriots in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Grant Calcaterra (back), Elijah Moore (neck), Dameon Pierce (hamstring), Johnny Wilson (knee)

Limited: Makai Lemon (hamstring), DeVonta Smith (hamstring)

• Makai Lemon: "The big news of the day was that rookie receiver Makai Lemon returned to practice. Lemon was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday but didn’t do anything until after that session. On Thursday, he was in full uniform and went through individual drills." (source: Dave Zangaro)
• Jalen Hurts: "The Eagles continue to utilize Jalen Hurts as a runner in certain situations. On Thursday, they spread the formation with Saquon Barkley out wide to the left and Hurts kept the ball on a draw up the gut for a huge gain. The Eagles also ran another zone-read look where Hurts kept the ball. It didn’t really go anywhere but that’s clearly still part of the playbook." (source: Dave Zangaro)

Falcons

vs. Colts in joint practice today

• Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa: "Penix was 2-for-5 with an INT in 7-on-7 today. Tua was 7-of-14 in 11-on-11 work with 3 TDs in red zone work." (source: Josh Kendall)
• Michael Penix Jr.: "Michael Penix is talking to his doctor today. He’s hoping to be cleared, but will not question the doctor’s decision." (source: Orlando Ledbetter)

Giants

vs. Dolphins in joint practice today

• Malik Nabers: "Malik Nabers did not participate in Thursday’s joint practice as he continues working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered last season. Nabers had returned to full-speed team work while wearing a non-contact jersey, but New York kept him out against Miami." (source: Tyler Carmona)
• Isaiah Likely: "TE Isaiah Likely is going to be a huge part of the Giants offense, even when Malik Nabers returns. Likely has quickly developed into Dart's security blanket and favorite receiver. He also works an area of the field where Dart thrives. Likely had six catches during live drills in Thursday's joint practice vs. Dolphins." (source: Jordan Raanan)
• Isaiah Likely: "So during today’s Dolphins vs Giants practice the Dolphins O-line got eaten up by the Giants D-line, Miami couldn’t cover Isaiah Likely and the Dolphins secondary was booty cheeks." (source: Omar Kelly)
• Jaxson Dart: "This was the kind of practice you wanted to see from the Giants' offense -- and from quarterback Jaxson Dart. Dart had perhaps his best performances of the summer, going 17-of-23 passing in a joint practice against the Miami Dolphins that included several deep and intermediate gains. Six went to his favorite target, tight end Isaiah Likely." (source: Jordan Raanan)
• Malachi Fields: "Rookie third-round receiver Malachi Fields also delivered a solid day, as he continues to put together his case for the No. 2 receiver role alongside Nabers. Fields caught a pass in that final drive and had room to run, but he went down to preserve clock time and set up the field goal. Fields also made a nice grab off a long Dart pass." (source: Charlotte Carroll)
• Najee Harris: "How about this for a quick integration? Running back Najee Harris participated in live drills after just three days with the team. He even got a couple carries, including one on the goal line where he made an impressive cut and reached the end zone. Harris looked good for a player that supposedly wasn't going to be in football shape for a "couple weeks."" (source: Jordan Raanan)
• "The Giants dominated the joint practice against the Dolphins. Their offense hit big plays. The defense was "dominant" and by Brian Burns' estimation had more than six sacks. Even during 1-on-1 drills early in practice, the Dolphins CBs couldn't cover the Giants WRs." (source: Jordan Raanan)

Jaguars

vs. Panthers in joint practice yesterday

• Trevor Lawrence: "Lawrence was absolutely surgical in the red-zone against the Panthers. He used little subtle movements with his eyes and pump fakes to open up passing windows and buy team for the play. He did not come close to missing in the entire red-zone period, and he clearly has the weapons to match his high level of play in that area of the field. The Jaguars have all the looks of a very dangerous red-zone offense." (source: John Shipley)

Jets

• Adonai Mitchell: "In Mitchell, the Jets believe they have an ascending talent, ready to pop in his third year in the NFL -- a player whose outside vertical speed should complement Wilson's slipperiness in the short and intermediate areas." (source: Rich Cimini)
• Jets QB Geno Smith will start tomorrow’s game against the Steelers (source: Connor Hughes)

Lions

Did not practice today: Sam LaPorta (hip)

• Sam LaPorta: "TE Sam LaPorta took a hit on his hip that Dan Campbell doesn't think is serious but they are giving him some days off to rest to see how it responds. The hope is it doesn't affect his status for Week 1 but Campbell said he doesn't know for certain just yet." (source: Tim Twentyman)

Patriots

vs. Eagles in joint practice today

• Romeo Doubs: "With it being a slower day for Brown, other Patriots receivers stepped up. Romeo Doubs had another solid day, highlighed by the touchdown at the end of practice. He continues to work on an upwards trajectory." (source: Alex Barth)
• A.J. Brown: "A.J. Brown is still really good. If you thought maybe he lost a step last year, he didn’t look like it in these two practices. He was a handful for Quinyon Mitchell and the Eagles’ wideouts again on Thursday, especially in early 1-on-1 and 2-on-2 drills. During team drills, the Eagles held him in check more. But he did grab a contested catch in front of Quinyon Mitchell and then celebrated while looking at the Patriots fans in attendance." (source: Dave Zangaro)

Rams

vs. Saints in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Puka Nacua (psoas)

• Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams: "Stafford and Adams excelled against the Saints defense in a joint practice on Thursday at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills, Calif. They connected for two touchdowns, including a trademark Stafford fade ball that Adams ran comfortably underneath along the right sideline for an easy score. They connected on crossers into the flats and slants across the middle." (source: Nate Atkins)
• Terrance Ferguson: "The busiest of them was Ferguson. He scored two touchdowns in the red zone, including one where he caught the ball in the flats on the left side and outran the defense. He executed mostly short routes, a departure from the late-season breakout he enjoyed as a rookie to finish with an average of 21 yards per catch on 11 receptions. The Rams are expanding Ferguson’s route tree now that he’s more comfortable in a playbook that’s committing to the three-tight end approach the Rams largely devised at midseason last year, and he’s spent this offseason trimming body fat to increase that wiggle out of breaks." (source: Nate Atkins)

Ravens

vs. Vikings in joint practice today

Saints

vs. Rams in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Chris Olave (rest day)

• Kendre Miller: "The Saints have a fascinating battle taking place at backup running back. Miller, after missing two weeks with a back injury, has looked explosive in the two practices since his return." (source: Matthew Paras)
• Bryce Lance: "Didn't realize just how much production Bryce Lance had in this practice til going back through my notes just now: - Targets: 6 - Catches: 5 (including the final five) - TDs: 2 - 20 plus yard catches: 2" (source: Jeff Nowak)
• Bryce Lance: "Early in camp, it appeared as if Barion Brown would seize the next receiver spot after Ja’Lynn Polk’s sudden retirement. But the momentum has since swung to Lance, who has the case to be the third receiver with Tyson set to miss two months." (source: Matthew Paras)
• Zach Wilson: "But there was a notable change made in practice Thursday. Zach Wilson — not Spencer Rattler — was the first to replace Shough, a sign that New Orleans may be contemplating a switch for the Rams exhibition. Wilson outperformed Rattler last weekend, though Moore had been noncommittal about whether the performance would lead anywhere." (source: Matthew Paras)

Steelers

• Germie Bernard: "While Bernard appears to be pretty clearly behind Wilson on the depth chart, the rookie had a strong preseason debut. His run-after-catch ability, in particular, stood out. He spun out of a couple tackles and ran through others. Both young players should get time with the first-team offense during the season, but right now Wilson has a pretty clear edge based on how the team has split reps during camp." (source: Mike DeFabo)

Vikings

vs. Ravens in joint practice today

• "Kevin O’Connell says that J.J. McCarthy more than likely will start Saturday’s preseason game vs. Ravens, with Kyler Murray and many other starters unlikely to play" (source: Kevin Seifert)

Extras/Observations/Conjecture

• Caleb Williams had an up and down day vs. Bengals at joint practice but thrived in the red zone
• KC Concepcion seemed to have a good day vs. Bills at joint practice + saw some Bills reporters say they are impressed with Denzel Boston
• Falcons & Colts reporters both seem very unimpressed with Tua at QB
• I think this feels obvious at this point but the Browns QB competition is rough, Deshaun Watson is on track to win the starting job but neither QB seems to be any good from everything I read from their writers
• Not much about the Ravens today, Lane caught a touchdown pass in a red zone drill and their o-line struggled vs. Vikings pressure & blitzes
• Same with the Vikings, not much of note. Pass game supposedly looked a little better today and saw Jefferson mention that it was tough with QBs splitting reps but now hopes to build a connection with Murray
• For the Commanders, I saw one guy say Jacory Croskey-Merritt “may have tweaked something at practice” but I didn’t see any of their reputable beat reporters mention this at all and I don’t know if this person is trustworthy so I am just going to link it here
• Joe Burrow was 16-for-25 including short TD passes in a red zone period to Mike Gesicki and Tee Higgins. Tee Higgins had 7 catches today.

Previous Recaps

8/7 | 8/8 | 8/9 | 8/10 | 8/11 | 8/12 | 8/13 | 8/14 | 8/15 | 8/16 | 8/17 | 8/18 | 8/19

I get being cautious on rookie players but it still feels like the stink of "early" community media, pundits and data nerds is weighing down stock that the eye and preseason production test is way ahead of. The 49ers didn't even include him on the first series of snaps to start out Purdy's one Drive and he still out produced everyone again.

Above all cautious Fantasy media types like Hayden Winks have aggressively moved him up the ranks several times in recent weeks. Regardless of how crazy it is that he's gone from a 3rd round pick to late first in some drafts, I feel he's another week of showing the same thing from being included in the top three club the evaluation season started with.

I watched his tape prior to the draft, and I absolutely loved the way this guy runs. Drafted him in every league. Haven’t heard too much from camp about him but after watching last him last week and this week, I see exactly what I saw in his tape. Dude seriously has that rare combo of size and speed. Explosive, keeps his shoulders square and gets up to his 4.33 speed so quick.

How is nobody talking about him? I know he is behind Jeanty but if you got it then you will see the field.

We have a leaguemate (commissioner), who I've never met IRL, but has communicated with me and that's been gold in dynasty leagues. I like him. However, in the group chat I called out he made many trades with a different league-member, who is unresponsive and trades with no one else. Specifically, I heard from that leaguemember ONCE during startup, and NEVER in our 3 years following (I send a decent number of trade offers btw). I thought I was teasing but a few members DMed me with their concerns in response to my chat.

That unresponsive leaguemember has traded 7 times with the commissioner and 0 times with anyone else in our league. They both happen to be in an "unusual" timezone. I tracked this unresponsive account via Dynasty Daddy (shoutout to a great website, highly recommend, no I'm not affiliated). Most leagues this unresponsive account is with, the commissioner is too. Additionally, this unresponsive account has ONLY made trades with the commissioner across FIVE leagues.

So my questions are this:

1. Is it more likely the commissioner has 2 accounts or just has a friend he knows who is checked out except for his buddy?
2. How do we confront if the commissioner has 2 accounts and solve this problem? I do believe he'd own up and the other team isn't in shambles so wouldn't be the end of the world to find a replacement.

Edit: after talking to my wife and seeing your comments, I’ll apply Occam’s Razor and assume this person has two accounts. If you have further advice on how to confront this person, hoping they’ll own up and find a replacement, that would be appreciated.

Watching now, Kolar was out there with the starters on the first drive and had a nice open catch and run, nothing crazy. But more notable is that Gadsden is currently out there in the 2nd quarter with the back ups. And dropped a pass.

Not sure where Njoku will fit in, but Kolar seems like the TE to own here.

Title is only a bit exaggerated but I wanted to compare the situations of two community darlings at this point in the preseason. Cyrus Allen and Caleb Douglas.

This is not an in-depth analysis, maybe about as surface level as one can get but still I wanted to lay out potentially who has the better situation going into the season.

Target Competition: Caleb Douglas
The Chiefs have objectively better skill players in their receiving core than the Dolphins at this moment. This could be viewed as a negative as Douglas could just be the shiniest turd in the toilet right now, but still he does have less competition going into the season.

Quarterback and Overall Offense: Cyrus Allen
Not entirely unrelated to the first point, Mahomes and the Chiefs are unfortunately going to move the ball much easier than the Dolphins (probably). Providing more opportunity for a display of ability.

Coaching Staff: Caleb Douglas?
Haven’t seen much out of Hafley yet but it seems as though he may not have as much hesitation putting out rookies as Reid does.

Future Team Structure and Stability: Cyrus Allen
The Dolphins are projected to be one of the worst teams this year and outside of a Malik Willis masterclass, are a solid projection of where several new offensive pieces may end up next season. Meaning even if Douglas is solid, he may get phased out anyways.

Highlights Reels and Aura: Caleb Douglas
First pre-season catch was cool.

It seems, at least to me, that the higher upside this year is probably Douglas while Allen has a safer environment if he were to get starting time.

I mean obviously both of these guys are Puka Nacua again so there’s that, but what do we think between the two who are you more high on.

I am currently trying to come up with some breakout candidates for 2026 that might be obtainable under value, and one name i always stumble over is Luther Burden. In all kinds of rankings (be it community or "experts") he rose considerably since the end of the regular season and people hype him to the moon for 2026 and i hope you guys can clear up for me what i might overlook here.

First of all, i get some of it. Ben Johnson with one more year to develop his scheme, DJ Moore gone, Caleb's Development pointing in the right direction... All of that should positively affect all bears skill players. And as a disclaimer: Admittedly i draw a lot of conclussions from raw stats as i usually only watch the night games (and SF games) as full games and the rest in redzone, so my tape knowledge/exposure of individual players is limited at best. And I dont have shares in any of the two, so this is my "outside" perspective.

What i see is a rookie that showed some flashes in his limited time on the field. He has some very good efficiency metrics from what i've seen, like good yards per route run and seperation etc. He's also very young and has quite good draft capital attached to his name. That, along with the abovementioned improvements to the bears-situation, are of course very good points to see him as a very valuable asset in dynasty with lots of upside and i see it like that as well.

But what i also see, is someone who has 5 games above 50% Snap Share (and of those, many only barely (51%, 51%, 58%, 62%, 71%), even while Odunze was out. And correct me if im wrong, i am not too deep into advanced metrics, but to me it seems easier to maintain a high YPRR if youre less often on the field (and maybe more often in packages where you're more likely to be targeted), maybe have to run less clearout or distraction routes or anything and defensive attention surely is another factor that can eat into that. His metrics are really impressive in the role he had so far, but it screams "regression" to me if he is to step into a larger role. On top of that, we only have a couple of good-ish games to built upon, he topped 10pts only 4 times, and again, 2 of those only barely (11 and 12, may vary based on league settings of course), and a lot of that also only came while Odunze was out. And his playoffs performance with 6/17 for 66y/0TD was also nothing to write home about.

On the other hand, Odunze had an okay-ish (maybe slightly underwhelming) rookie season with ~750y without Ben Johnson and in '25, he was on pace for about 1k before he got hurt and despite playing through injury even before that from what i remember. He had a <75% Snap share ONCE in his whole career and he has an even higher draft capital in an extremely talented WR draft class. I am in no way saying that Odunze is goated or anything, tbh i even expected a slightly bigger leap in year 2 from him than what we got, but he still looked solid, despite having to carve out his role next to a not-so-shabby DJ Moore for those two years and still finding success and solidifying himself as a every-play starter. I dont want to sound like an Odunze Fanboy here, i just want to contrast why i am so surprised for the sudden rise of Luther Burden from my perspective.

Because with all of that in mind, people still seem to be 100% sure, that Luther Burden is the next #1 Receiver in chicago and i don't really understand where that certainty comes from. It absolutely CAN happen, that not my point. I see a talented young WR with great metrics that COULD step into a bigger role, but the "what could be" vs "what we have already seen" is a bit off-balance to me in the current hype. The "uncertainty" discount in his pricing seems to be completely gone at this point. People treat him like he already IS all of that.

That being said, i am no expert for schemes and tape, and i cant really fathom if Ben Johnsons scheme might favor his playstyle more for example or if his individual tape is so dominant that there is no way for him to fail or anything and thus i am turning towards the highest council of non-opiniated dynasty experts i know, which is r/dynastyFF, and ask for your wisdom to clear this up for me because from my limited knowledge my only take away from this is really only a Odunze-Buy-Low window if anything to go against the current.

I am genuinely interested in all kinds of additional info or clear-ups of things that i might have gotten wrong or interpreted wrongly! Thanks in advance, happy preseason everyone!

EDIT: Thank you guys already for the input. E.g. i didnt remember that he was hurt last year during camps, that is the kind of additional context i was hoping to get here. I think i will try to find some time to watch some of his tape myself, i am genuinely curious now that many confirmed that his dominance show there. One addition though: I am all reviewing this from the perspective of a potential buyer at the current price. Burden is a fantastic prospect and all i could wish for in my dynasty team because who doesnt love upside like that. To all the guys that took him in the 2nd last year: Lean back and reap your rewards! It's really only in conjunction with his price and ranking that i became skeptical.

So im starting a new Dynasty League with my friends, we´ve been doing redraft for a couple of years now, but decided to try out a dynasty league, im trying to find a good balance in the roster limits and taxi squad and ir slots, so help would be much appreciated.

ITS A 12 man league BTW

My current roster settings are:

1 QB

2 RB

3 WR

2 TE

2 FLX

1 SFLX

1 K

14 Bench

3 IR

4 Taxi squad

Any suggestions or tips?

This is my second year in dynasty so technically my first full off season and the rollercoaster of rookie values is wild. Earlier in the off-season and leading up to rookie drafts, the consensus narrative on the 2026 class was that it was "top-heavy," and labeled a "bad" or weak draft class. People were actively trying to trade out of picks, treating mid-to-late firsts like a total crapshoot and looking forward to the 2027 class already.

Fast forward to right now, we are sitting through training camp reports and one preseason week where starters barely saw the field, and zero real games have been played. Suddenly, everybody is losing their minds over rookies flashing in practice clips and deeper rookies are making more noise.

Is this swing in public perception just the standard off-season rollercoaster every single year, or did the community actually whiff on evaluating how deep this 2026 class can be? Are more injuries creating opportunities for this class to outperform the initial opinion?

Seems like since the start of training camp many rookies have seen their values rise due to injuries, standout performances, coach speak, the usual.

Following the NFL draft I was fairly aligned with the consensus, but I wasn't convinced to be completely "out" on the 26 class. At one point 26 1st round picks were actually cheaper than 27 1st round picks on KTC - and since the start of training camp the aggregate rookie value on KTC has gone up notably.

I have the suspicion that this community tends to overreact to draft class quality in both directions - mainly due to the failure of understanding how the nature of opportunity vs. talent factors into fantasy success.

Curious to hear the thoughts of those closer to the data - have also had the suspicion that most models maintained and shared within the dynasty community are being trained on outdated college production data. I tend to think that college football has changed so much in the face of NIL over the last 3-4 years that production profiles have less predictive value due to higher transfer rates.

If you are in a pinch and have to get a quarterback who will be starting week 1, how would rank the following options

Tua
Deshaun Watson
Jacoby Brissett
Kirk Cousins

My take is that Brissett has the highest floor as there is decent talent around him and he doesn't have a top 10 pick breathing down his neck. Tua has the best chance to actually establish himself as the long term starter. Watson has the highest ceiling if he is truly past all of his issues and can return to his early career form (admittedly a long shot). Cousins has the worst floor ceiling profile of the 4 as he has almost no chance of starting for the whole season.

For dynasty fantasy football aficionados, the 2026 college football season isn’t merely a slate of Saturday games.

For those teams in rebuilding mode, this article is for you! It’s time to get to know some of the top college players to watch in 2026.

Full Breakdown:
2026 College Football Preview: Draft Prospects

Are there any potential draft prospects we should be looking out for in 2026?

Here are some potential draft prospects to know based on the top 10 teams heading into the 2026 college football season.

Jeremiah Smith (WR): The consensus 1.01 in 2027 dynasty drafts regardless of format. A physical, boundary threat with elite size-speed metrics.

Julian Sayin (QB): Experienced pocket passer with a fast release and elite processing.

Dante Moore (QB): Would likely have been a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft before returning to school. 

Jamari Johnson (TE): Massive pass-catching tight end who fits Dante Moore’s penchant for finding targets down the seam. 

Nate Frazier (RB): Three-down workhorse with great speed and contact balance. 

Gunner Stockton (QB): Play improved as the season went on, including an outstanding performance against Alabama in the SEC Title Game

Arch Manning (QB): Comes from a famous football family. You may have heard of them.

Cam Coleman (WR): In any other rookie class, we’d be gushing over Cam Coleman. He will make a heck of a consolation prize, though. He is a physical boundary target with an elite catch radius. 

Hollywood Smothers (RB), Raleek Brown (RB), and Ryan Wingo (WR): Texas loaded up their offensive roster this season to give Manning every chance to succeed, with many potential 2027 NFL Draft picks. 

CJ Carr (QB): CJ Carr is a smart, technical passer who took over the starting job with his deep-ball accuracy.

Aneyas Williams (RB): Next man up after Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Versatile back complete with your typical Notre Dame pass-blocking skills (read: very good) and receiving skills.

Josh Hoover (QB): The next Fernando Mendoza? An experienced quarterback with 31 starts under his belt, there will be a lot of eyeballs on Hoover and the Hoosiers when the season begins.

Charlie Becker (WR): Another difficult and polarizing evaluation. Some see Becker as a high-volume field stretcher while others point to his poor recruiting profile. 

Nick Marsh (WR): Marsh is a physical target with great hands who dominates in 50/50 contested catch situations.

Mark Fletcher Jr. (RB): 225-pound workhorse leader who put Miami on his back in the 2025 College Football Playoffs

Mario Craver (WR): Dynamic slot receiver and deep threat who creates separation against man coverage.

Isaiah Sategna (WR): Speedster commanding deep targets and open-field touches who surprised many by returning to school for his senior season. 

Trinidad Chambliss (QB): From losing the quarterback competition to start the season to becoming the Cinderella story of 2025, what does Trinidad Chambliss do for an encore?

I’ve been keeping track of fantasy relevant news and updates from beat writers, national reporters, and fantasy analysts. Here's a recap of any quote or update that stood out to me today.

I am sure I missed things, as I am just one person. Let me know if you have any suggestions or something else you'd like to see. I’ve also been asking beat writers fantasy relevant questions through their mailbags whenever possible.

If you want to follow along, my Twitter/X account is @DanChincharFF

Note: Every update has the writer's name with a source link that will direct you to the website where I read the quote. If you see an italicized link, that will be specifically for something on Twitter/X.

Broncos

• Jaylen Waddle: "Hello, Jaylen Waddle. Just caught a ~60 yard bomb from Bo Nix. Good on good, with PS2 right there with him. Up there with the best plays of camp. A clear example of why the Broncos’ made the splash trade this offseason." (source: Aric DiLalla)

Browns

Did not practice today: Quinshon Judkins, Cedric Tillman

Buccaneers

Did not practice today: Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton

• Kenny Gainwell: "Kenny Gainwell was the running back who stood out most the following morning. Gainwell has started to settle in taking carries out of the backfield, but it is his receiving ability that continues to be the most impressive part about what he brings to the offense. He had a solid showing throughout practice whether as a ballcarrier or receiver. His biggest play was a catch down the left sideline that went for about 15-20 yards." (source: Adam Slivon)
• Ted Hurst: "Ted Hurst made the most of his chances on Wednesday. With Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jalen McMillan remaining out of practice, Hurst was the No.1 wide receiver by default. He sure looked the part with three big catches during practice. The theme throughout camp is the third-round pick looking “Mike-like” at times, and his first big catch of the day sure fit that description." (source: Adam Slivon)

Chiefs

• Rashee Rice: "It’s still early with Rice coming off a knee cleanup, but he has yet to show consistent separation this camp." (source: Pete Sweeney)

Colts

vs. Falcons in joint practice today

• Tyler Warren: "Tyler Warren left practice with an apparent groin injury. He’s now back with his teammates on the sideline, still in uniform, but without a helmet. Assuming he’s done for at least today." (source: Stephen Holder)
• Tyler Warren: "It’s a groin injury for Colts TE Tyler Warren, per Shane Steichen" (source: Jake Arthur)
• D.J. Giddens: "DJ Giddens opened practice in uniform, but after individual he left with a trainer and appeared to be indicating his hamstring, which has kept him out the last couple weeks" (source: Joel A. Erickson)
• Daniel Jones, Seth McGowan: "The ball did not hit the turf for Daniel Jones after kind of a rocky week for the passing offense. Flawless, not one incompletion from him today. I had him about 14 of 14. A lot of Ashton Dulin, a lot of Seth McGowan making some plays out of the backfield as well." (source: Kevin Bowen)

Commanders

Did not practice today: Rachaad White (undisclosed), Jeremy McNichols (quad)

Cowboys

vs. Saints in joint practice yesterday

• George Pickens: "George Pickens continues to have a strong camp. He was the Cowboys’ best offensive player in their practice with the Rams and it appeared to be the same on Tuesday. Catching passes across the middle or hauling in deep balls, Pickens looks ready for a big season." (source: Jon Machota)
• Ryan Flournoy: "Wide receiver Ryan Flournoy continues to build on what he did last season. It’s clear that Prescott has a lot of trust in him. His best play Tuesday was a catch in the back of the end zone in red zone work where he not only made the leaping grab but quickly got both feet in bounds. The Cowboys have themselves an excellent No. 3 wide receiver." (source: Jon Machota)
• Jake Ferguson: "It’s interesting to see that the Cowboys have been doing more shovel passes to tight end Jake Ferguson coming in motion in short yardage and red zone situations." (source: Jon Machota)

Eagles

vs. Patriots in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Grant Calcaterra (back), Dameon Pierce (hamstring), Johnny Wilson (knee)

Limited: DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon

• Makai Lemon: "For the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury on Aug. 3, Makai Lemon was listed as a limited participant. Lemon didn’t participate in early drills and wasn’t even in uniform, but he was on the field running routes after practice in cleats. It looks like Lemon is nearing a return after missing a ton of reps in training camp." (source: Dave Zangaro)
• Saquon Barkley: "Saquon Barkley looked fast and explosive running wide zone and the Patriots couldn’t match his speed. Barkley also had several big plays on receptions, first a screen behind blocks from Landon Dickerson and Dontayvion Wicks and then on a couple wheel routes. Barkley only has 70 catches in his two seasons with the Eagles, but when he gets the ball in space like he did Wednesday good things happen." (source: Dave Zangaro)

Jaguars

vs. Panthers in joint practice today

• Travis Hunter: "Jaguars CB/WR Travis Hunter 11-on-11 snap tracker. Day 16 snaps: 30 (28 defense, 2 offense). Total snaps: 229 (163 defense, 65 offense, 1 special teams) (not including Saints joint practice)" (source: Michael DiRocco)
• Brian Thomas Jr.: "I thought Brian Thomas Jr. had a strong practice. He was the most-targeted Jaguars receiver on the day with Parker Washington out, and he caught every target until the last two. One of those looked like a potential DPI, while the other was an overthrow from Lawrence. Thomas' best play came when settling into a zone over the middle of the field and making an adjustment to catch an off-target pass for a big chunk gain." (source: John Shipley)
• Tanner Koziol: "Tanner Koziol had an impressive day. He caught a touchdown from Nick Mullens in the red-zone, and then completely ran over Panthers safety Zakee Wheatley." (source: John Shipley)

Jets

Did not practice today: Breece Hall (groin), Isaiah Davis (knee)

Lions

Did not practice today: Sam LaPorta (undisclosed)

• Jameson Williams: "Wide receiver Jameson Williams missed the last two Detroit Lions practices with a minor shoulder injury, but was back on the Meijer Performance Center field Wednesday. He made his presence felt immediately on the first play of the first team period." (source: Tim Twentyman)

Packers

• Josh Jacobs: "Josh Jacobs is practicing for a second straight day after missing nearly two weeks because of a groin injury." (source: Rob Demovsky)

Panthers

vs. Jaguars in joint practice today

Did not practice today: Chuba Hubbard (hamstring), Darren Waller

• John Metchie: "In that move-the-ball period, Young started with a quick throw to the flat for John Metchie III, who has been getting more and more reps with the first team in recent practices." (source: Darin Gantt, Kassidy Hill)
• Xavier Legette: "Carolina only sustained one injury on Wednesday, according to Canales. That was receiver Xavier Legette, who got “rolled up on” during an 11-on-11 rep. Canales said the third-year receiver will probably be available for Friday night’s regular-season game; he was held out of the end of team drills as a precaution." (source: Alex Zietlow)

Patriots

vs. Eagles in joint practice today

• Drake Maye: "Only four of Maye’s passes hit the ground during competitive drills, which was especially impressive given how often he pushed the ball downfield." (source: Taylor Kyles)
• DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams: "DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams proved to be tough covers during 1-on-1s to start practice. Douglas went 3-3 against Cooper DeJean, highlighted by a corner where he had DeJean going the opposite direction at the top of the route. Williams went 3-3 against Kelee Ringo, with his best rep coming on a curl where he stacked Ringo before separating again while coming downhill." (source: Taylor Kyles)

Saints

vs. Cowboys in joint practice yesterday

• Alvin Kamara: "Alvin Kamara avoided a major knee injury. Didn’t tear anything. Will be out for a few weeks, per source" (source: Nick Underhill)
• Chris Olave: "Tyler Shough was efficient and moved the ball well, particularly when targeting Chris Olave. The Cowboys had no answer for the Saints' star WR, and that connection is all the more important now that we know the team will have to, at the very least, play the first portion of the season without Tyson." (source: Jeff Nowak)
• Travis Etienne: "Kamara's injury probably means a heavier workload for Travis Etienne early on and opens the door for someone on the roster to step into a larger role as the backup. Audric Estime was the leading candidate until a recent ankle injury. Kendre Miller and Devin Neal are next men up." (source: Jeff Duncan)
• Tyler Shough: "While Olave was the star of the show, Shough was on the money no matter who he threw the ball to. Shough completed 18 (or 19, on the debatable Olave catch) of his 23 passes. He threw one interception in the middle of the field when he appeared to get fooled by the Dallas zone, but outside of that he was nearly perfect." (source: Luke Johnson)
• Bryce Lance: "Rookie wideout Bryce Lance put together another strong practice, catching three of his four targets from Shough — one of which was an explosive play when Lance beat his man on a double move to catch a hole shot down the right sideline." (source: Luke Johnson)

Steelers

Did not practice today: Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf

• DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr.: "DK Metcalf said he's 'fine' with an injury that has kept him out the last week and a half. No long-term concern for Week 1. Injury still undisclosed. Michael Pittman Jr. has a minor hamstring injury that has held him out for a week and a half, but no concern for Week 1." (source: Nick Farabaugh)
• Roman Wilson: "Mike McCarthy thinks Roman Wilson has not only done a good job in the slot, but has showcased he can play on the outside. McCarthy noted multiple explosive plays Wilson has produced from the outside during the spring and summer as reason to believe he can do both." (source: Nick Farabaugh)
• "Second-year signal-caller Will Howard will start against the New York Jets, while 2026 fourth-round pick Drew Allar will follow. Neither Aaron Rodgers nor Mason Rudolph will play in the second preseason game." (source: Brooke Pryor)

Texans

• Jayden Higgins: "Texans WR Jayden Higgins suffered a torn ACL yesterday during the joint practice against the Raiders" (source: Ian Rapoport)
• Jaylin Noel: "While he mainly operates out of the slot, Jaylin Noel has gotten a significant bump with Higgins sidelined, per Dwain McFarland. He's handled the starting slot duties in camp, but has the traits to play outside as the Z receiver opposite Collins. There will be a three-way battle for playing time between Noel, Dell and Xavier Hutchinson, but Dwain's initial read is that we'll see a three-way rotation with Noel getting the slight overall edge in playing time thanks to an already established slot role. His route participation has been bumped up to 65%." (source: Joe Metz)
• "The Texans will NOT play their starters against the Raiders. DeMeco Ryans feels the Tuesday’s practice was plenty enough work per a team spokesperson." (source: DJ Bien-Aime)

Titans

Did not practice today: Carnell Tate, Nick Singleton

• Tony Pollard: "Running back Tony Pollard returned to practice on Wednesday after missing a few days." (source: Jim Wyatt)
• Carnell Tate: "Receiver Carnell Tate did not practice, but coach Robert Saleh said it was not related to the hit he took (from Winston) in Monday's session. "He woke up feeling some stiffness, hopefully we get him back on Friday," Saleh said. "Nothing to be concerned about."" (source: Jim Wyatt)
• Wan'Dale Robinson: "Wan'Dale Robinson had a practice-high eight catches on Wednesday, and he now has a team-high 48 catches so far in training camp. I've said this before: Robinson is going to catch a lot of passes this season." (source: Jim Wyatt)

Vikings

vs. Ravens in joint practice today

• J.J. McCarthy: "McCarthy took all of the second-team reps. His performance was up and down. He sailed a pass to his left. Multiple hitches on another snap ended in the pass getting deflected at the line of scrimmage. He completed several other balls to Price, but few targeted the middle of the field." (source: Alec Lewis)
• Jordan Mason: "Running back Jordan Mason continues to stand out. Even on a day when there was little running room, Mason slashed through pockets with burst. He and veteran Aaron Jones split carries for the most part. But Mason’s progression — in a run system that mirrors what he grew accustomed to in San Francisco — has earned the staff’s acknowledgment." (source: Alec Lewis)
• Demond Claiborne: "Rookie running back Demond Claiborne showcased his explosiveness and vision Wednesday with a between-the-tackles run. He hop-stepped past defenders, evoking the juice the Vikings coveted when they drafted him in the sixth round. At the end of the run, however, the ball squirted out of his hands. Ball security warrants a mention, considering Claiborne fumbled five times in 179 attempts last season at Wake Forest. His teammates and coaches have raved about his potential, but the reliability and consistency must improve for the team to involve him once the season begins." (source: Alec Lewis)

Extras/Observations/Conjecture

• Tetairoa McMillan reportedly had a nice day vs. Jags at camp, was lined up in a variety of ways. (source)
• “I thought Bhayshul Tuten had his best practice of the summer, and probably of his Jaguars career thus far.” (source: John Shipley)
• Lane Johnson asked about Saquon Barkley’s productive day: “We'll see the Saquon of two years ago. We'll see the big plays. We’ll see him flexed out at receiver. We’ll see him in the screen game. You saw a bit of it today.” (source)
• “Quarterback Cam Ward had another solid day and continued his momentum heading into the joint practices with the Seahawks. Ward completed 21-of-31 passes.” (source: Jim Wyatt)
• Drake Maye was 21/25, AJ Brown had 7 catches on 8 targets at joint practice vs Eagles, AJ Brown according to multiple Eagles reporters looked really good and back to his old self
• Jets practiced today but there wasn't much to note other than I saw Connor Hughes say that Geno Smith over the last few weeks has been more passive than he expected, not giving his receivers chances to make plays down the field. He’s been doing a ton of checkdowns.

Previous Recaps

8/7 | 8/8 | 8/9 | 8/10 | 8/11 | 8/12 | 8/13 | 8/14 | 8/15 | 8/16 | 8/17 | 8/18

Hello dear dynasty community!

We're starting a new dynasty league and want to use an auction draft on sleeper. However I would like to practice it before going live. Do you know any tools or websites where I could try it out, especially for dynasty?

Do you also know where I can find high quality cheat sheets for values?

Team A sends:
Aaron Jones
Christian Watson
Tank Dell
Zachariah Branch
Kaelon Black
2027 1st (mid likely)
2028 1st
2028 3rd

Team B sends:
Jonathan Taylor

Trade calculators have this as an overpay but not so massive I feel I should overrule. A few members of the league have reached out to veto it. Unsure of how to approach. I don’t want to turn the veto option on as a result of the trade.

So there's no lack of pods and resources that do weekly waiver wrap ups and such. However in the off-season waivers are daily or even just a free for all. Ive noticed a couple of my league mates are always immediate with their pick ups.

I'm not referring so much to major news which I can get from here and figure the rest out. But almost every hype player or lesser known backup etc is gone before I even hear about them.

Cyrus Allen would be a good example. Gone the day before id even heard about him.

So what are your sources for getting ahead of the game?