Pierce, who’s been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in the spring following the signing of his contract extension with the Colts, will practice this week barring any setbacks, Steichen said. It’s good news for Pierce’s Week 1 availability after the team’s de facto WR1 missed training camp while recovering from the ankle issue. Pierce is expected to see more intermediate targets this season after operating strictly as a field stretcher over the past few seasons. Piece in 2025 led the league in air yards per game; his 44 percent air yards share ranked fourth among receivers. Pierce profiles as a somewhat sneaky fantasy selection after his ADP has steadily sunk over the past month.

Three weeks ahead of the opening of the regular season, Stefanski seems no closer to naming a starting QB than he was at the start of training camp. Michael Penix, recovering from a 2025 ACL injury, made his return to 11-on-11 practice Monday while Tua Tagovailoa continued to struggled. “I can’t speculate on those types of things,” Stefanski said. “I want to really stay in today with Mike and see how he does in practice. I really have to stay in the moment with this one. Let’s see how he feels after today.” Penix on Monday completed four of his eight pass attempts in 11-on-11 drills while facing “simulated pressure.” Two of his passes came up “noticeably short,” per The Athletic’s Josh Kendall.

Cam Ward’s preseason has been as bad or even worse than his rookie campaign. Ward in last week’s preseason game against Seattle completed eight of his 12 attempts for 69 yards. His average depth of target on completed passes this preseason sits at a meager 1.2. Carnell Tate, meanwhile, has been targeted five times on his 23 preseason routes and does not have a reception to show for it. Daboll has been somewhat defensive this month when asked about Ward’s immense struggles after working on basic fundamentals with the second-year QB in the offseason. Ward, one of the most inaccurate passers in recent NFL history, is unlikely to support more than one fantasy-viable pass catcher in 2026.

“If there was concern over whether Adams still had it as a perimeter wide receiver at age 33, this camp has put a lot of those questions to rest,” Atkins said, adding Adams had retained his otherworldly connection with Matthew Stafford. “Adams looks fresh and explosive, and he was virtually uncoverable in the joint practices against the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints.” Atkins conceded that the Rams “might have to get creative again with load management at times” to ensure Adams can get through a whole season without injuries. A whole training camp with Stafford — something he didn’t have in 2025 — could make Adams one of the sneakier wideout selections outside the first couple rounds of fantasy drafts.

We’re not sure if that’s an official medical diagnosis but it’s good news that the Raiders are not saying the second-year back sustained a real-deal high ankle injury, the kind of injury that often leads to an extended absence and significant rehab time. Rapoport said the Raiders are hopeful Jeanty can suit up for Week 1 against the Dolphins, though the team is far from certain Jeanty will be ready to go after suffering the ankle injury during Sunday’s practice. He added Jeanty’s injury is not of the season-threatening variety. If Jeanty is sidelined for Week 1, Mike Washington, Jr. would likely take over as the team’s lead back and would be locked in as a starter in 12-team fantasy leagues.

Lane, selected with the 80th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has wowed coaches and beat writers throughout training camp with highlight contested catches while earning the trust of Lamar Jackson and first-year OC Declan Doyle. Lane, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, has “made a highlight-reel catch, several with one hand, on almost a per-practice basis over the past month.” In a preseason tilt against the Eagles, Lane caught all three of his targets for 38 yards and a touchdown. “This guy is different,” Jackson told reporters afterward. It would be surprising if Lane did not start the regular season as an every-down wideout in the Baltimore offense. His connection with Jackson should instantly make him the team’s No. 2 wideout behind Zay Flowers.

This comes a few hours after it was reported that Hall was “moving well” while participating in agility drills on the sideline. Hall suffered a groin injury last week and is expected to miss two or three weeks, but a return in time for Week 1 was always in the cards. Hall is one of several players Glenn is hoping to have back in time for Week 1. He also said he expects TE Kenyon Sadiq (hernia) and CB D’Angelo Ponds (calf) to be ready for Week 1. Hall is in the mix as a fringe RB1/RB2 this season and is expected to handle another heavy workload in his fifth season.

It has, by all accounts, been an encouraging training camp for Mahomes, who has been present for every practice and has yet to miss a rep. While all signs seem to point to Mahomes being ready to go for Week 1 against the Broncos, Reid said the team is continuing to take it “day by day” with the star quarterback. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that Mahomes was on track to return, and most indicators seem to support that. Until the team gives us reason to believe Mahomes won’t be ready to face the Broncos, we will cautiously assume he’ll be good to go in a few weeks.

The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report the transaction. Boutte now gets a fresh start in Houston after being phased out of the Patriots’ offense following the additions of Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown this offseason. The 24-year-old receiver is in the final year of his rookie contract and has a chance to step into an immediate role for the Texans after they lost Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL last week. Boutte totaled 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season and has averaged 15.0 YPR in his last two seasons. He’s been used primarily as a field stretcher by the Patriots and will likely see a similar role in Houston, which could make meaningful fantasy production hard to come by.

This is coming from multiple reports, per Schultz. We’ll eventually get word from head coach Todd Monken on the decision, but it sounds like Watson, who was the favorite to win the battle entering training camp, will get the first crack at the starting job. Watson completed 16-of-27 passes for no touchdowns and one interception in his two preseason appearances, and struggled in last week’s outing against the Bills while playing with backups. Despite being booed off the field after a disappointing performance in front of a home crowd, the 30-year-old vet, who is in the final year of a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract, will get the chance to show he can lead the Browns in 2026. Watson shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than a low-end QB2 for fantasy purposes, but he has some exciting offensive weapons to throw to in Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Harold Fannin.