NFL Player News

Ferguson missed the Wild Card win over the Panthers with a hamstring injury, but head coach Sean McVay was optimistic the rookie would play this week. Though Wednesday’s practice report is an estimate, it is good news that Ferguson is listed as a full participant. The Rams are trending to get their full tight end room back for the Sunday Divisional matchup against the Bears.

Evans missed the bulk of training camp with quad, groin, and abductor injuries. The team took a cautious approach to his practice regimen during the offseason, and it seems to have paid off with him back on the field today. Evans’ status on the 49ers’ practice report next week will be one of the bigger storylines for the 49ers, but all signs point to him being healthy for Week 1. Fantasy managers can keep drafting him as a low-end WR2 for the final week of the summer.

Browns head coach Todd Monken told reporters earlier in the week that Bond had cleared the league’s concussion protocol. It’s possible additional symptoms cropped up after he was cleared. With his return to play not going as expected, Bond could miss Cleveland’s opener versus the Jags. Fantasy managers can safely assume Jerry Jeudy, KC Concepcion, and Denzel Boston will be the team’s starting receiver trio in Week 1.

Brooks is dealing with some soreness that the team hasn’t elaborated on any further. It’s likely maintenance for a player who has barely played any football over the past two seasons, but this is still a situation for fantasy managers to monitor. With Chuba Hubbard back at practice after missing time with a hamstring issue, we’re likely looking at a backfield by committee in Week 1. Both backs will be stuck in the RB3 ranks versus Chicago.

Teasley did not say whether McCarthy will be the backup or third-string quarterback. McCarthy is practicing in full after missing time with an ankle injury late in camp. His spotty play during training camp and the preseason, plus the missed time due to injury, all but guarantee Carson Wentz will be the team’s backup to open the year. As the QB3, McCarthy will likely be a healthy scratch, only able to enter the game if both quarterbacks ahead of him go down with injuries. The fact that he is expected to be on the Week 1 roster only means Teasley was unable to find someone willing to trade even a late-round pick for McCarthy.

With input from Tom Brady, head coach Klint Kubiak will put the 38-year-old Cousins under center for the season opener against the Dolphins. Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will serve as Cousins’ backup. How long this arrangement will last is anyone’s guess. A good start to the regular season could delay Mendoza’s first NFL start for a couple months but he’s almost certain to take over as the Vegas starter at some point in 2026. Mendoza should be stashed in most superflex formats and Cousins profiles as a decent QB2 in such formats for Week 1.

Kubiak smiled and said “yes” when asked if he thinks Jeanty will suit up for the season opener against Miami. Jeanty has been absent from practice since suffering an ankle sprain a week and a half ago, and the Raiders have danced around offering firm updates about Jeanty’s progress. If Jeanty doesn’t practice in full by next week he should be considered a real game-time call for Kubiak and the Raiders. Mike Washington, meanwhile, should be stashed in all fantasy leagues in case Jeanty is sidelined for a game or two.

An NFL head coach consulting with an NFL announcer on who his team should start under center is a brave new world for the league. It looks like the Raiders are set on Kirk Cousins to start Week 1 against the Dolphins after Fernando Mendoza’s spotty preseason play and struggles in training camp. Look for Cousins to target his short-area pass catchers relentlessly, like he did last year in Atlanta. It won’t be long before Mendoza gets a shot at starting duties. He should be rostered in most superflex leagues.

Brooks has now worked to the side in two straight practices and Panthers coaches are being cagy about his ailment. It’s not a great develop less than two weeks ahead of Carolina’s season opener. Chub Hubbard, meanwhile, is back at practice after being sidelined with a hamstring injury for a couple weeks. Brooks’ practice status will be very much worth monitoring in the coming days. He appears to be nothing more than a touchdown-dependent flex for right now.

Wilson emerged as the team’s clear No. 1 receiver in 2025 once Kyler Murray was benched in favor of Jacoby Brissett, who has the arm strength to get the ball downfield to Wilson. Wilson was 18th among all wideouts in receiving yards and tenth in air yards last year. Fowler said “the likeliest path for Wilson is to enter Week 1 on the final year of his rookie deal. Perhaps the team finds a way to get a deal done, but sources indicate he’s likely to be a key free agent.” Wilson, 26, could make Alec Pierce money in 2027 if the Cardinals don’t re-sign him in the coming months.

Jeanty’s status for Week 1 against the Dolphins remains very much in the air more than a week after he sustained a possible high ankle sprain in practice. If he’s still not practicing by the end of the week, he might be on the wrong side of questionable for the season opener. Mike Washington, who has drawn rave reviews from Raiders coaches, would be in line for a starter’s workload if Jeanty is sidelined.