New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker was targeted seven times during Sunday's preseason finale against the Washington Commanders, but he finished the game with just two catches for 33 yards through the air. The fourth-round pick will make the initial 53-man roster, but his exact slot on the depth chart isn't yet confirmed. He's unlikely to crack the starting lineup and therefore can be avoided in most redraft leagues. Managers could justify selecting him in deeper dynasty leagues, though.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III completed just five of his 17 pass attempts for 78 yards through the air during Sunday's preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. He finished the game with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. Although Milton's stats were far from promising, he should still hold on to the third-string quarterback role given that his main competition, Bailey Zappe, didn't enter until the final drive Sunday. As long as Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) and Drake Maye are active on gameday, Milton will ride the bench as the emergency third-string quarterback during his rookie campaign.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders quarterback Jeff Driskel got the starting nod in Sunday's preseason finale as the Commanders opted to rest starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and backup Marcus Mariota. Driskel tallied 73 passing yards while going 12-for-18 with an interception and no scores. His longest pass of the evening was for 12 yards to wideout Mitchell Tinsley. While his performance was quite underwhelming, he faced many New England starters. Over the previous two preseason games, the 31-year-old totaled 169 passing yards with 68 rushing yards. Driskel is currently listed as the number three option on the depth chart, and seeing him get the starting nod in this game solidifies his position on the depth chart. Driskel has a tough path to being fantasy-relevant in 2024 and will only get an opportunity in the regular season due to injuries to the other two passers on the roster.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders rookie running back Michael Wiley tallied 26 yards on the ground with a rushing score on Sunday evening. This was his second rushing score of the preseason, and he ran for 67 yards over the past three weeks. Wiley joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent this offseason and could have earned a spot on the final roster, given his strong performance on Sunday. The Arizona product may eventually slot in as the No. 3 or 4 option on the depth chart as Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. have fallen short of expectations this preseason. Wiley remains a name to watch in deeper leagues but will likely not be fantasy-relevant during his rookie campaign.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Sunday's preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. He also had a deep touchdown pass that was nullified due to an offensive line penalty. Furthermore, Maye rushed three times for 17 yards in the contest. The No. 3 overall pick has progressively improved throughout his three preseason games, and when Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) exited Sunday's game early, Maye took full advantage of the extra reps. The Patriots' 2024 outlook is bleak, but it seems like the team may have a solid quarterback prospect in Maye. Now, all eyes will be on head coach Jerod Mayo as he names a starting quarterback, presumably within the next week. Brissett had been the early favorite to start Week 1, but Maye has made quite the push for that job lately. As soon as Maye is named the starter, he'll become a high-end QB3 for redraft purposes.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots running back JaMycal Hasty rushed four times for 21 yards during Sunday's preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. He also caught all three of his targets for an additional 24 yards through the air. Hasty is expected to make the Patriots' roster and could carve out a receiving role alongside fellow pass-catching back Antonio Gibson. This backfield still belongs to Rhamondre Stevenson, but Hasty and Gibson will earn some opportunities, especially after the latest chatter that New England wants to get its running backs heavily involved on screen plays. With that said, Hasty is a depth option within a weak offense. He can be avoided in most fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos rookie fourth-round wide receiver Troy Franklin caught his only target for a 21-yard gain and carried the ball one time for nine yards in the team's 38-12 win over the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field in the preseason finale on Sunday. ESPN's Jeff Legwold wrote earlier this week that Franklin has been slow to adjust to the physicality of NFL defensive backs, but considering the Broncos traded to up select him in the fourth round, he's still on track to make the final 53-man roster. It could come at the expense of third-year wideout Brandon Johnson, who had a team-high 83 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Franklin has experience playing with rookie quarterback Bo Nix from their college days at Oregon, but as things stand now, he's most likely going to enter the regular season as the WR5 behind Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Tim Patrick and Marvin Mims Jr.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Johnson had a nice day at the office in the team's 38-12 blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field in Sunday's preseason finale. Johnson caught both of his targets in the contest for a team-high 83 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a 46-yard bomb from quarterback Zach Wilson in the fourth quarter. The 26-year-old third-year pass-catcher also hauled in a 37-yard pass from Wilson a quarter earlier. Even with Johnson's big game to close out the preseason, he isn't guaranteed a spot on the final 53-man roster heading into the regular season. He's been competing with rookies Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele for the No. 5 role this summer after catching 19 of his 30 targets for 284 yards and four touchdowns for the Broncos in 13 games (two starts) in 2023.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance completed 33-of-49 passes for 323 yards with one touchdown, adding 90 rushing yards and another score in the Cowboys preseason finale. Dynasty Analysis: He also threw five interceptions. Yep. FIVE. This was as mixed a bag as you can find with a quarterback line and it matches his performance. Lance made great plays in both the run and pass game but a lot of it was wasted by mistakes. It's clear he has immense talent and also evident he's still reckless at times. Dallas has a decision to make but at this point it seems his roster spot is safe. It's hard to make a case for Lance on a dynasty roster if he gets beat out by Cooper Rush.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Josh Johnson finished off the preseason on Saturday with a seemingly tight grip on the backup role to Lamar Jackson. The veteran ended their blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers with 71 yards and a touchdown while throwing five completions out of seven attempts. Despite playing just the first three possessions, Johnson led the QBs in efficiency, yards, and rating, and was the only one to lead the team to a score. Throughout the preseason he totalled 253 yards and two touchdowns while throwing 20-for-30. Any of the quarterbacks that took the field for the Ravens this preseason aren't likely to see the field unless something happens to Lamar Jackson, but for fantasy managers relying on Jackson, it's nice to have a backup plan.

Las Vegas Raides quarterback Nathan Peterman completed 12-of-19 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, showcasing his poise and experience in Friday's 24-24 tie to the San Francisco 49ers. Despite this, his path to fantasy relevance remains obstructed by Aidan O'Connell, who seems to have the inside track for the backup quarterback position behind Gardner Minshew II. Peterman's familiarity with the Raiders could aid his case for a roster spot, but from a fantasy perspective, this performance doesn't elevate him beyond a deep-league watchlist candidate. Even if secured, his role projects to be behind O'Connell, rendering Peterman largely irrelevant for fantasy rosters unless significant changes or injuries alter the depth chart. Fantasy managers should monitor the situation, but Peterman's fantasy impact looks minimal for the upcoming season.

The Chicago Bears have acquired Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, releasing defensive end Khalid Kareem to make room for him. Taylor, a second-round pick in 2020, missed his rookie season due to a leg fracture but has since made an impact as an edge rusher. Over the past three seasons, he has recorded 21.5 sacks in 49 games, with 13 starts. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Taylor is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024 season. Last year, he played all 17 games with five starts, totaling 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hits while participating in 44 percent of the defensive snaps. The Bears, who struggled with pass rushing last seasonfinishing with the lowest sack percentage (4.64%) and the second-fewest sacks (30)are looking to boost their ability to pressure quarterbacks. Taylor and Montez Sweat are expected to play a significant role in addressing this need.

Denver Broncos rookie fifth-round running back Audric Estime only handled five carries in the team's preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Empower Field and gained 18 yards (3.6 yards per rush), but he found the end zone for one of two Denver rushing scores in the 38-12 victory. Estime also caught his only target for a 14-yard pickup. Blake Watson led the backfield with 11 carries for 38 yards while also catching his only target for eight yards. The 20-year-old Estime got the start in this one and only played on one drive. If Samaje Perine makes Denver's final 53-man roster, Estime will likely begin his first season in the NFL as Denver's RB4 behind Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Perine. Estime is a physical, between-the-tackles runner and could be utilized in specific short-yardage and goal-line situations, but he can likely be left alone in 12-team fantasy leagues for now.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills linebacker Deion Jones was released on Sunday, according to a post from broadcaster Chris Brown on X. Jones' release isn't necessarily surprising, but it's still noteworthy given his veteran status and previous success in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 and has tallied 731 tackles, 13 interceptions, 12 sacks, and five forced fumbles through 109 career games. In 13 games with the Carolina Panthers last year, Jones registered 35 tackles, one sack, and one interception. His experience as a key defender in the NFL should be enough to generate some buzz around his name on the open market. However, he may wait to sign a new deal until the dust settles after rosters trim down on Tuesday.

From RotoBaller

Denver Broncos third-string quarterback Zach Wilson got pretty much all the run in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field on Sunday with rookie first-round starter Bo Nix taking a seat. In the 38-13 beatdown of Arizona, Wilson went 16-for-25 passing for 251 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while also carrying the ball two times for 22 yards and a rushing TD. Jarrett Stidham started the game and went 2-for-4 for 28 yards on just one possession. Wilson's best play of the day was a 46-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Johnson in the fourth quarter. The 25-year-old QB also fumbled, but it was recovered by Denver. It was nice to see Wilson get some positive momentum heading into the regular season, but the former first-rounder is still expected to be Denver's QB3 behind Nix and Stidham when Week 1 arrives in two weeks.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Chiefs tight ends Noah Gray and Jared Wiley "can be interchangeable within the offense as the second tight end in some formations," according to Nate Taylor of The Athletic. Gray had an impressive campaign in 2023, and although Wiley hasn't necessarily stood out in his first training camp, it sounds like the coaching staff trusts him enough to get on the field over Gray at times. Of course, the exact depth chart doesn't matter much for fantasy football purposes since Travis Kelce is the clear-cut alpha tight end and remains the only Chiefs tight end worth rostering in redraft leagues. Even if Kelce misses time in 2024, the fact that Gray and Wiley are interchangeable would make it difficult to trust either in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Nate Taylor of The Athletic projects that Kansas City Chiefs rookie Carson Steele will make the initial 53-man roster as a depth running back or primary fullback. The Chiefs seem to have hit the jackpot with Steele, an undrafted free agent whose physicality is nearly unparalleled at the running back position. Kansas City still lists him as a fullback, but he never played there at UCLA. Furthermore, Taylor projects the Chiefs to release all running backs not named Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, meaning Steele would function as the de facto RB3 in Kansas City. Regardless of the exact depth chart dynamic, Chiefs fans and fantasy football managers alike have to be very excited about what they've seen from Steele this preseason. He's an intriguing speculative addition in dynasty formats.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) exited Sunday's preseason finale after taking a sack. He finished his day having completed two of four passes for 19 yards through the air. Drake Maye replaced Brissett and played the remainder of the first half. The Patriots are one of the few NFL teams still holding a competition for their starting quarterback job, and it remains to be seen whether Brissett's injury and Maye's extra reps Sunday could swing the pendulum in the rookie's favor. Regardless of who wins the job coming out of training camp, neither quarterback will have much appeal in redraft fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

The Denver Broncos are expected to carry backup quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham on their initial 53-man roster, according to comments from head coach Sean Payton following Sunday's preseason finale. In discussing the quarterback room of Wilson, Stidham, and rookie Bo Nix, Payton said, "I see the three of them making it." Nix has already been declared the Broncos' starter, and it sounds like both Wilson and Stidham will keep their jobs, too. It's unclear which signal-caller will be given the backup designation and which quarterback will serve as the emergency third-stringer on gameday, though it's worth noting that Stidham appeared to have the edge on Wilson prior to Sunday's preseason contest. Regardless of the exact depth chart, Nix is the only Broncos quarterback worth considering for a roster spot in fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) suffered a right shoulder injury during the preseason game against the Washington Commanders Sunday, Aug. 25.

Fantasy Spin: Brissett was able to finish the drive but didn't return for the following series. If the injury causes him to miss time, Drake Maye could be thrust into starting duty in Week 1.

From TheHuddle