Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (knee) is expected to start the season on injured reserve after leaving Saturday's preseason game with a knee injury. This was to be Mingo's first full season with the Cowboys after he was acquired via mid-season trade in 2024, with Dallas sending a fourth and a seventh round pick to the Carolina Panthers. Mingo is now expected to miss the next four to six weeks, if not longer. Teams can place up to two players directly onto injured reserve when finalizing their 53-man rosters one week from Tuesday. If this is the route the team takes with Mingo, he will be eligible to return to the team as early as Week 5, though his recovery timeline would suggest it will be later. Mingo was battling Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin for the team's third wide receiver spot behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and whoever lands in that role should see spike weeks of fantasy relevance in a pass-heavy Cowboys attack.

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According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Washington Commanders Terry McLaurin may not find a team willing to give him the desired contract of $30+ million per year. Instead, Russini's sources tell her that most teams view McLaurin as a $27-$28 million player. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor McLaurin's status as he continues a "hold-in" with his team. McLaurin has been seeking a contract extension with the Commanders, but the team has been unwilling to pay him the figure he is seeking. Last season, the former Ohio State Buckeye enjoyed a career year with Jayden Daniels under center. McLaurin found the back of the end zone an impressive 13 times and tallied at least 1,000 yards for the fifth-straight campaign. With McLaurin continuing to hold out, fantasy managers should expect Deebo Samuel Sr. to continue to serve as their top pass catcher.

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) was spotted on Tuesday morning, putting in rehab work on a side field. The 28-year-old has been held out of practice for multiple weeks, but the team has maintained that he will be ready for Week 1. Seeing him run at half speed is a positive step and a reassuring image to those who have already drafted him. Brown is currently RotoBaller's WR9, and his ADP saw very little dip even as he continued to miss practice. The Eagles threw the ball on under 45% of their offensive plays last season, which is good for 32nd in the league. Even with another successful season projected, that number is bound to move closer to the norm, and Brown should be the greatest benefactor. Soft tissue injuries tend to linger, but if he can slowly ramp up over the next few weeks, he enters 2025 as a very safe WR1.

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Second-year Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith has enjoyed a healthy training camp, and his coaches have taken notice. Last season, as a fifth-round rookie, he struggled through camp with a stress fracture in his shin that would eventually land him on Injured Reserve for two months. This year, he is healthy and competing for one of the Eagles' last receiver spots on the 53-man roster. He has played in each of the team's first two preseason games, catching a touchdown in both and returning punts and kicks, as his path to the roster may run through special teams. Smith has been competing with fellow second-year wideout Johnny Wilson and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper for one of the team's final roster spots, and on Sunday, the Eagles acquired former second-round pick John Metchie III from the Houston Texans. Whoever can win the camp battle will have little relevance in managed redraft leagues, but could be worth a stash in deep dynasty formats.

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The Buffalo Bills are expected to host 26-year-old free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis this week, following the former Bill and Jaguar's visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. The most productive seasons of Davis' career came in Buffalo, where he twice topped 700 yards and never scored fewer than six touchdowns in any of his four campaigns. Coming off a down season in Jacksonville, where he recorded career lows in all major receiving categories, he is looking for a career resurgence. Whether he lands in Pittsburgh or Buffalo, neither team is currently loaded at the receiver position. He could plausibly work his way into a usable role and potential fantasy relevance, especially in best ball formats, where he has always been most valuable.

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After sitting out of his team's first preseason game, Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams led the Bears on a seven-play, 92-yard opening drive on Sunday Night that ended with a 35-yard TD pass. Over his 13 total snaps, he completed six of 10 passes for 107 yards and a 103.6 passer rating to go with his lone TD pass. According to head coach Ben Johnson, William's preseason debut came during his best stretch of training camp. "I thought really the three days of practice we had this week and this game were the most he's stacked up good days in a row right now," said Johnson. "The challenge is going to be keep pushing that direction." Williams enters year two after a disappointing rookie season with notable improvements to his pass protectors, playmakers, and playcaller. If he can continue to make strides in Johnson's fantasy-friendly system, he could be a late-round steal as RotoBaller's current QB12.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is approaching year two differently from his rookie season, and his connection with quarterback Kyler Murray continues to strengthen. Harrison entered training camp physically transformed, packing on about ten pounds of muscle, and he has worked closely with wide receivers coach Drew Terrell, adding nuance to his route running. Harrison and Murray connected several times in a recent joint practice against the Denver Broncos, showing enough for head coach Jonathan Gannon to rest his starters in the team's second preseason game. Harrison's first year in Arizona was solid, if unspectacular. However, he left many drafters feeling burnt after seeing the highest ADP ever for a rookie wideout. He is currently being drafted as the WR15, but he could easily turn in a WR1 season if he can earn the same year two trust from Murray that we saw from teammate Trey McBride in 2024.

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Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Hugh Douglas was a guest on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, and he is bullish on the 2025 Falcons offense. He boldly predicted fireworks, and he believes second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the key to unlocking fifth-year tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. Pitts exploded onto the scene with a 1,000 yard rookie campaign after being the highest drafted tight end in NFL history, but he has yet to top 55 receptions or 700 yards in any of his three seasons since, and his four touchdowns in 2024 were a career high. His raw talent and intriguing physical profile will keep him on many a draft radar, despite the scars of the past. His current Yahoo Fantasy ADP of TE17 is the lowest of his career, and if his connection with Penix can match what he had with Matt Ryan in 2021, he may finally reward drafters willing to take another shot on him.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed nine of 14 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Burrow led a nine-play, 58-yard scoring drive, where running back Chase Brown punched it in on fourth-and-goal. After going three-and-out on his second drive, Burrow drove the backups down the field for another touchdown, this time to wide receiver Charlie Jones. The Bengals advocated that the starters would see more reps in the preseason, believing that's part of the reason for the team's slow starts in the past. For the first time in his six-year career, Burrow played into the second quarter in a preseason game, playing more snaps than he did last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2024 league-leader in passing yards has now led the team to touchdowns on four of his five drives during this preseason. Burrow and the starters will have one more chance to get preseason reps next week against the Indianapolis Colts before they face the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.

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Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase hauled in one reception for 11 yards in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Chase caught a quick pass from quarterback Joe Burrow and drew a 25-yard pass-interference penalty that set up running back Chase Brown for a one-yard touchdown run. The 2024 "Triple Crown Winner" has now caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, as well as scoring a touchdown that got called back due to a holding penalty. Chase enters the 2025 season as the consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts, and if this preseason is any indication, he should be in line for another monstrous season.

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Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown carried the ball five times for 16 yards and a touchdown in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Brown was able to find the endzone on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, which is a sign that the Bengals trust him in short-yardage situations. Brown has now carried the ball 10 times for 40 yards and a touchdown, adding three receptions for 25 yards through the air in the first two preseason games. The 2023 fifth-round pick has league-winning upside as the starting running back for one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Brown's last chance to get preseason reps will be Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins was again held without a reception in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. Higgins has had only one target in the first two preseason games, while his running-mate Ja'Marr Chasehas racked up five targets in both games. Higgins is currently being drafted as the WR12 on the current RotoBaller half-PPR rankings and is the only projected WR2 on his respective team to be ranked inside the top 20 of wide receivers. Higgins' last opportunity to see the field is next week when the Bengals host the Indianapolis Colts.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley was dominant, hauling in five receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-17 win against the Washington Commanders. It was the Tinsley show against his former team, scoring touchdowns from 21 yards and 13 yards, thrown by backup quarterback Jake Browning. The third-year receiver adds some depth in the Bengals' wide receiver room behindJa'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Tinsley is fighting for a roster spot, but with performances like this, he will secure it with ease. The former undrafted free agent will have another chance to shine next Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.

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Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. rushed for 62 yards on six carries Monday night against the Bengals. Rodriguez ripped off a 40-yard run on Washington's opening drive, with the offensive line executing perfectly and him bursting through the hole. Rodriguez is a downhill runner who consistently falls forward and gains yards after contact. In a small sample of 35 carries last season, he led all running backs in success rate and ranked fifth in yards after contact per attempt. The Kentucky product profiles as an early down, hammer back that should be a good eventual replacement for Brian Robinson in Washington. He should now have a solid chance of sticking on the 53-man roster and complements Austin Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt well. Rodriguez is worth monitoring in deep leagues and as the Washington backfield gets sorted out.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane led the team in receiving with three catches for 42 yards in a 31-17 loss to the Bengals. The Virginia Tech product looked impressive as he used his speed to threaten defenders deep before settling down into space and then delivering yards after the catch. One of the highlights of the night was Lane making a difficult diving reception for a first down with a defender draped all over him. Interestingly, he has mostly been tabbed as a slot receiver, but he lined up outside on multiple plays tonight and recorded a reception. His ability to take the top off of defenses and as a vertical threat for Daniels could make Lane an important player for their offense. In addition, his ball-in-hand numbers were impressive during college and can be used in similar ways to Deebo Samuel. With the lack of depth in the Washington receiver room, Lane has the opportunity to produce, and the profile makes it an exciting swing to take near the end of fantasy drafts.

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Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 46 yards on 11 carries and added two receptions for no gain against the Bengals. Croskey-Merritt, more commonly known as "Bill", followed the hole that was beautifully created by the Washington offensive line and tight end John Bates before showing off his explosiveness in the open field to finish for a 27-yard touchdown. He was mostly stuffed on the rest of his carries as the game went on, and as Washington's reserve offensive lineman came into the game. His stock is on the rise, however, with the recent news surrounding Brian Robinson's future in Washington. The glowing reports coming out of training camp point to Croskey-Merritt having a sizable role in Washington's backfield this season. While Croskey-Merritt is the most dynamic runner on the team, veterans like Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, and possibly Jeremy McNichols are well-regarded with the coaching staff as well and will likely form a committee in the short term. Attached to Jayden Daniels and an offense that should score plenty of points, he is a great upside bet to make in your drafts.

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Dynasty | Washington running back Brian Robinson will not play in the next preseason game as the Commanders seek a trade partner. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that escalated quickly. A day after it was reported the Commanders were looking to move on from Robinson, they're essentially putting him on ice. This is a considerable development as the Commanders may be giving rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt a legitimate chance to have a meaningful role. While Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez are still in the picture, JCM should be on all rosters immediately. We've been touting him as a sleeper all Summer and it seems we were right. As for Robinson, his value is going to start tanking unless he's moved to a team as a starter.

Dynasty | The Commanders are actively exploring a trade of Brian Robinson. Dynasty Analysis: We've been touting JCM for months now and it seems the hype has been warranted. Robinson will not play in the Commanders upcoming preseason contest as they explore their options with him. While Chris Rodriguez and Austin Ekeler continue to be in the mix, JCM should be rostered in every league this point as a late round rookie pick who may just hit.

Dynasty | Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough completed 9-of-12 passes for 66 yards in New Orleans' second preseason game, Dynasty Analysis: Shough has been outplayed by Spencer Rattler, though neither has looked the part of a true NFL-caliber quarterback this preseason. It's a tough situation for the Saints, who clearly would like to see Shough rise to the top and start as a rookie. This battle looks like one that's going to go down to the wire and Shough's rookie ADP is starting to fall as he looks like a player who has been really protected in games thus far and has lacked the ability to produce explosive plays.

Dynasty | Saints receiver Mason Tipton had six catches for 100 yards in the Saints second preseason game. Dynasty Analysis: Tipton was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal offensive performance for New Orleans. He's a player who seems to shine in camp and in practices, but it's never translated to on the field success in the regular season. He remains a player to keep an eye on as the Saints are looking for players to emerge behind the likes of Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks.