New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (shoulder) was on the outside looking in of beat reporter Chad Graff of The Athletic's latest 53-man roster projection. Graff notes that the shoulder injury Polk suffered in the team's first preseason game on Friday "further hurts his chances at making the team." Polk had a horrible rookie season in 2024, recording 12 catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games (seven starts). Even still, it would be a rapid fall from grace to see him get cut before his second season, given that he was the 37th overall pick of the 2024 draft. Graff has 2024 fourth-rounder Javon Baker making the team as the WR6 ahead of Polk.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jacob Cowing (hamstring) is expected to return to practice on Tuesday, according to David Lombardi of the SF Standard. Cowing has been nursing a hamstring injury that he suffered a few weeks ago, but he looks set to return to the practice field before the second preseason game. The 49ers receiver room has been dealing with multiple injuries, including Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, and most recently, rookie Jordan Watkins. Cowing had an uneventful rookie season but had gaudy production during college and has an opportunity to emerge. He won't be on many fantasy radars in drafts, but he could be a name to keep in mind as the season gets closer.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai is emerging as the workhorse that the Bears envisioned when they selected him in the seventh round of this year's draft. He had a strong debut in Sunday's preseason game against the Dolphins, rushing for 30 yards on six carries while working mostly in the first half. The Rutgers product showcased his tough, downhill running style, potentially mirroring the roles David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams filled as the hammer back in Ben Johnson's Lions offenses. Monangai logged 669 carries without a fumble at Rutgers, accumulating 3,221 rushing yards over four seasons, the second most in school history. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the coaching staff have consistently praised the rookie, and he is expected to be in the mix for touches alongside D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson in the Bears' backfield. He is a solid, cheap bet to make at the end of drafts in an ambiguous backfield.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | Texans tight end Brevin Jordan was injured at practice Monday. Dynasty Analysis: No word yet on the severity of the injury but the word "inconsolable" was used and Jordan was apparently in tears. This has the looks of an obvious season-ending injury and an unfortunate one after he missed all but two games last season. Jordan has talent but another lost year would unfortunately wipe away his dynasty value.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Jordan Watkins is out for around four weeks with a high ankle sprain. Dynasty Analysis: This is a big-time buzzkill since he started the preseason strong and had a clear path to early playing time considering the current state of the injury-riddled depth chart in San Francisco. This should have no bearing on his dynasty value but his short-term appeal is going to take a hit since these injuries have a tendency to linger.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

The Tennessee Titans have signed free-agent quarterback Trevor Siemian and waived fellow signal-caller Tim Boyle. Siemian spent time with the Titans in 2020 and 2024, but he has never appeared in a regular-season game with the team. The 33-year-old debuted with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and has since played in 40 games (33 starts), completed 58.5% of passes, and thrown 44 touchdowns against 32 interceptions. Siemian will now replace Boyle as the Titans' third quarterback behind rookie starter Cam Ward and veteran backup Brandon Allen. Boyle completed just 4-of-13 passes for 24 yards and two interceptions in the Titans' 29-7 preseason-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. Allen didn't shine either, going 6-for-12 for 62 yards and a pick. He'll have an opportunity to improve when the Titans face the Atlanta Falcons in their second preseason game on Friday. It's unclear if Siemian will see any action.

From RotoBaller

The San Francisco 49ers have placed running back Ameer Abdullah (ribs) on season-ending Injured Reserve, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Abdullah, who just joined the 49ers as a free agent on July 31, suffered a rib injury in a preseason-opening 30-9 loss to the Denver Broncos this past Saturday. While the 32-year-old was unlikely to make much of an impact this season (if any), it's another hit to San Francisco's depth in the backfield. The team is already set to go multiple weeks without injured Christian McCaffrey backups Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) and Jordan James (finger). The 49ers brought back Jeff Wilson Jr. in free agency on Sunday in the wake of Abdullah's injury to provide some much-needed healthy depth behind McCaffrey.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. (undisclosed) returned to practice as a limited participant on Monday. Strong had been down with an undisclosed injury. After appearing in 14 games and rushing for 108 yards on 26 carries last year, Strong is competing for a backup role this summer. He's currently third on the Browns' unofficial depth chart behind Jerome Ford and rookie fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson. The team also has rookie second-rounder Quinshon Judkins, who remains without a contract as he deals with an ongoing misdemeanor battery/domestic violence case. The longer Judkins is away, the more opportunities Strong should receive. Strong didn't play in the Browns' 30-10 preseason-opening win in Carolina last week, and it's unclear if he'll suit up against the Philadelphia Eagles this Saturday.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) once again did not practice on Monday, according to Brian Wacker of the Baltimore Sun. Mitchell, who's dealing with an undisclosed injury, hasn't practiced since an impressive preseason-opening performance against the Indianapolis Colts last Thursday. The 23-year-old carried the ball nine times for a team-high 68 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' 24-16 win. Mitchell missed all but five games last season while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in 2023, his rookie campaign. If he's healthy this year, Mitchell will vie for touches behind superstar workhorse Derrick Henry. The Ravens are set to play their next preseason game on Saturday in Dallas, but it's unclear if Mitchell will be available to follow up on his productive showing from last week.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins (ankle) suffered a high-ankle sprain and will miss a month, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. Watkins was injured in Saturday's 30-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in the preseason opener. Before getting hurt, he caught three of his six targets for 56 yards. The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick back in April but might not be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season in early September. Watkins wasn't going to be a starter on offense in his rookie season, but there is certainly opportunity in a banged-up Niners receivers room with Brandon Aiyuk (knee) potentially not making his season debut until Week 6. With Jauan Jennings and Jacob Cowing also dealing with injuries in training camp, Demarcus Robinson has a big opportunity to impress the coaching staff.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders is listed as the QB4 on the team's second unofficial depth chart of the preseason, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Veteran Joe Flacco is listed as the starter, with Kenny Pickett (hamstring) behind him and rookie Dillon Gabriel as the QB3. While Sanders was not perfect by any means in the preseason opener last Friday night against the Carolina Panthers, he did well for himself by going 14-for-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns while adding 19 rushing yards on four carries. The 23-year-old has gotten more opportunities in training camp with both Pickett and Gabriel missing time with hamstring injuries, but his strong performance over the weekend hasn't really moved the needle in terms of Sanders moving up the QB depth chart in Cleveland. He's going to need to show more.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans tight end Brevin Jordan (knee) had to be carted off the field at training camp practice on Monday with a knee injury, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Jordan was in an extreme amount of pain and had the rest of the team huddled around him. The 25-year-old came back from a torn ACL last year that limited him to just two games, so this would be a brutal blow for him if he suffered another serious knee injury just before the start of the 2025 campaign. There should be an update provided on Jordan either late on Monday or Tuesday morning. If he's out for an extended period of time, Cade Stover and Irv Smith Jr. will have a better chance of earning backup duties for the Texans this year behind starter Dalton Schultz.

From RotoBaller

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa "has been turning heads in camp and is working his way into a role within the offense," according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. The Lions love "his all-out effort every snap, his strong hands/ability at the catch point, and the way his blocking in the run game stands out," which is important for head coach Dan Campbell. Schultz thinks TeSlaa is a player to watch this year, especially after the Lions made a bold move to trade up to grab him in the third round in this year's NFL draft. The 6-foot-4, 214-pounder has 57 receiving yards and a touchdown in two preseason games working with backup quarterback Kyle Allen, and if he continues to produce, he could factor into the WR3 role alongside Tim Patrick this year. TeSlaa's college production didn't stand out, but he has the size and athleticism to make some noise.

From RotoBaller

Matt Barrows of The Athletic said that he watched San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (calf) do a "very light workout on a side field" on Monday, doing high knees, jogging and ladder drills. After that, Jennings went back inside the weight room. Jennings hasn't practiced with the rest of the team since the first week of training camp, when he aggravated a calf injury that also bothered him during spring workouts. The 28-year-old is also in the midst of negotiations with the team on a contract extension, so it's not as if Jennings is in a rush to get back on the field. He's probably not going to play in the team's second preseason game this weekend, but there's no current reason to believe he's in danger of missing Week 1 of the regular season. With Deebo Samuel Sr. gone and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) possibly out until Week 6, Jennings is a popular breakout candidate in 2025 if he's healthy.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't thought about it much, but said that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) might return in Week 6. General manager John Lynch already said that he didn't think Aiyuk would be ready for Week 1 of the regular season in early September, but now it looks like the 27-year-old pass-catcher will be out much longer after tearing both his MCL and ACL in his right knee last October. Aiyuk is expected to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which will require him to miss at least the first four games. He has not practiced with the team at all this year. Obviously, this is a big hit to Aiyuk's 2025 fantasy value. Aiyuk is stash-worthy in fantasy leagues that have designated Injured Reserve spots. In Aiyuk's absence, both Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall stand to benefit as key members of the passing attack.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Callahan said that running backs Jaydon Blue (heel) and Miles Sanders (knee) should see some "significant progress" this week and could play in the team's second preseason game this Saturday versus the Baltimore Ravens. Neither Blue nor Sanders played in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams. Blue suffered a bone bruise in his heel in practice last Thursday, while Sanders has been battling a knee injury. Javonte Williams remains the favorite to be the lead back for Dallas early in the 2025 season, but both Sanders and Blue should be involved to an extent as well. Blue, a fifth-rounder in April, has been the most explosive and impressive during training camp, but the 21-year-old will most likely enter the regular season as the team's RB3. Blue is worth an RB4/flex flier late in PPR drafts.

From RotoBaller

Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (head) is back at Monday's training camp practice in a red non-contact jersey, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Chubb went through the league's concussion protocol after taking a hard hit in practice last Tuesday, but he's apparently cleared the protocols and is back on the field this week. It's possible that the 29-year-old will be active for the team's second preseason game this Saturday against the Carolina Panthers, although the Texans could exercise caution when considering their backfield is already beat up. Starter Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list and could be in danger of missing Week 1. Chubb did not look like a four-time Pro Bowler in his final season with the Browns following a devastating 2023 knee injury. At best, he's a WR4/5 flier for those that roster Mixon.

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters on Monday that wide receiver Jalen Coker has been "one of the more reliable" targets for quarterback Bryce Young thus far. Specifically, Canales was asked if the second-year wideout is on the roster bubble, to which he replied, "We're gonna play the best guys." Canales added that "if he keeps showing up the way he has, he's going to be on the field playing." The 23-year-old isn't slotted in with the starting group of wide receivers on Carolina's unofficial depth chart, although it's possible that changes. Despite Coker's standing on paper, teammate Adam Thielen is nearing the end of his career, and Xavier Legette still has to show improvement. It isn't unreasonable to think Coker will have an expanded role in 2025, especially after flashing last season. Still, he'll have to leapfrog one of his aforementioned teammates in the hierarchy.

From RotoBaller

Andy Herman of 105.7 The Fan, Milwaukee, notes that Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden made a few highlight receptions in Monday's practice, catching difficult passes "with ease." The former Texas Longhorn has garnered a good amount of praise during the lead-up to the regular season, and the news of fellow wideout Jayden Reed's (foot) injury makes this wide receiver room that much more up for grabs. The rookie offers Green Bay an explosive, field-flipping element they've desired for some time now. If he can seize his opportunity early on, Golden should be in store for a useful fantasy season. He's going just inside the top 100 currently in drafts, slotted directly in front of Reed at No. 98 in overall ADP. That disparity will grow if the latter's ailment lingers.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten got "a lot of run" with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the first-string offense during Monday's practice, according to ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien. O'Brien also reports that head coach Liam Coen was "very complimentary" of the 23-year-old's running in their preseason loss to the Steelers. Tuten was the third (and final) Jaguars running back to receive a touch in that one, but tied backfield mate Tank Bigsby for the team lead in carries (six), yards (24), and scored their lone rushing touchdown. By the looks of it, Travis Etienne Jr. is still the top dog here, with Tuten and Bigsby vying for touches behind him. However, Bigsby outproduced Etienne Jr. in 2024, and this room feels more open for the taking than initially anticipated. Jacksonville's final two preseason games should shed some more light on how this backfield will operate come the regular season.

From RotoBaller