Our 2025 NFL Training Camp News articles are intended to be a one-stop shop for the most important news from around the NFL during training camp. I’ll post a new Market Report every week during August to help our subscribers keep the pulse of what’s happening in the fantasy marketplace. I’ll update this article daily throughout the week, so be sure to check back for the latest training camp news.
This article will primarily focus on news, beat reports, and injuries emerging from team practices. Be sure to check out Graham Barfield’s Preseason Market Report for key takeaways on player performances and playing time implications from preseason action.
CATCH UP ON PREVIOUS TRAINING CAMP MARKET REPORTS
2025 NFL Training Camp News: Week of Aug. 4
2025 NFL Training Camp News: Week of July 28
ADP in this article is based on our ADP tool’s PPR setting, which pulls from Sleeper drafts over the last 14 days.
UPGRADES
Players I’m feeling more optimistic about based on training camp reports and injury news.
Quarterbacks
Spencer Rattler (NO) — Second-round pick Tyler Shough started the summer as the favorite to be the Week 1 starter, but Rattler has passed him in training camp. Rattler started New Orleans’ preseason opener, followed by Shough, and Rattler has continued to see the most work with the starting offense leading up to the second preseason game. Rattler is the -245 favorite (71% implied odds) to be the opening day starter, and Shough has slipped to +190 (34.5%). The Saints are going to be one of the league’s worst teams, and Shough will get his opportunity to start at some point, but it’s becoming likely that Rattler gets the first crack to lead Kellen Moore’s new offense. (Added Aug. 14)
Running Backs
James Cook (Buf) — Cook elevated his contract dispute to the hold-in level after repeatedly telling the media he missed an Aug. 3 practice for “business.” He returned to practice on Aug. 12, a day before inking a four-year, $48 million contract extension, which included $30 million guaranteed. Cook cashed in after finishing as the RB11 (16.7 FPG), but he had to lower his asking price after leading a three-man committee with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. Cook is the top candidate for touchdown regression despite playing in one of the league’s best offenses, and he’s overvalued at his current ADP (35, RB14). (Updated Aug. 13)
Tony Pollard (Ten) — Tyjae Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason opener, and HC Brian Callahan said the injury will keep him out a few weeks. Spears will be in a race to be ready for the start of the season, and the injury could linger into the season. Pollard out-snapped Spears 11 to 3 with the first-team offense in the preseason opener before Spears injured his ankle playing with the backups. Pollard posted an 86.6% snap share, a 68.8% carry share, a 60.5% route share, and 15.9 FPG in the four contests Spears missed in the middle of last season. Pollard has been a strong value at his ADP (79, RB28) this summer, but his price is likely to rise into the sixth round by the end of August. (Added Aug. 11)
Quinshon Judkins (Cle) — Judkins was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in Florida in mid-July, which had his availability for the upcoming season up in the air. Prosecutors in the case have declined to move forward with the case, which paves the way for Judkins to finally sign his contract and report to camp. The NFL could still dig into the case but it’s most likely that this is the end of the matter. Judkins fell behind and lost reps to Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson in the battle to be the team’s lead back. He could be eased into action at the start of the season since he missed so much time, but his draft capital suggests he should have a sizable role right out of the gates. GM Andrew Berry used the phrase “bell cow” twice when describing Judkins during his introductory press conference. He has a path to 200+ touches, but his upside will be limited since he’s not likely to catch many passes or to have many touchdown opportunities in Cleveland’s putrid offense. (Added Aug. 15)
Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon (Mia) — Alexander Mattison was actually making some noise in Dolphins training camp, but he underwent season-ending neck surgery after picking up an injury during Miami’s first preseason game. Mattison won’t be stealing any short-yardage work and carries from Miami’s younger backs, Wright and Gordon. (Added Aug. 11)
Wide Receivers
Emeka Egbuka (TB) — Chris Godwin’s availability for Week 1 is up in the air after he underwent a “minor” surgery to “clean out” his ankle in the spring, which landed him on the PUP to open camp. GM Jason Licht said on Aug. 5 that Godwin is advancing through the protocols, but no decision has been made about whether he’ll start the season on the PUP. ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote that the Bucs aren’t counting out Godwin for the season opener, but they believe there’s a chance he could miss a couple of games at the start of the season. The PewterReport’s Scott Reynolds wrote on Aug. 13 that it would be shocking if Godwin doesn’t start the season on the PUP list.
Egbuka and second-year Jalen McMillan are receiving extra reps in training camp and potentially early in the season, which will give them chances to establish themselves next to or ahead of Godwin. Mike Evans has the best opportunity to maintain his role as the clear X receiver. At the same time, Godwin could find himself in a rotation with Egbuka and McMillan in the other two spots in 11 personnel. ESPN’s Jenna Laine called Egbuka the standout performer of camp, noting that he’s polished, strong, and has a steady demeanor as the team’s big slot receiver. Egbuka could get the chance to establish a bigger role right out of the gates, and he’s a player to target in fantasy drafts. (Added Aug. 15)
Matthew Golden (GB) — The Packers ended their 23-year drought of passing on WRs in the first round by selecting a falling Golden 23rd overall in front of the home fans. He’s been the last man standing in this Packers WR corps at times during training camp, and he’s taken advantage of his extra reps. Jayden Reed (foot) and Christian Watson (PUP, ACL) have missed extended time for injuries, while Romeo Doubs (back) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf) are dealing with minor issues. Golden has received near-universal praise for his performance in his first training camp, including from Jordan Love, who called him polished and predicted that he’ll be a stud. No Packers receiver topped Doubs’ 18.7% target share or 76.7% route share, and it’s tough to be overly optimistic if LaFleur is going to heavily rotate his receivers once again. Perhaps Golden can change that trend, especially since he’s been healthy and getting the most reps, and his ADP (98, WR44) isn’t prohibitive at all. (Added Aug. 13)
Tory Horton (Sea) — Horton, a fifth-round pick, has been turning heads in training camp and is pushing for Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the #3 WR spot behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. Horton fell in the draft because of a knee injury in his final season at Colorado State, which forced him to miss spring workouts, but he’s quickly climbing Seattle’s depth chart. ESPN’s Brady Henderson wrote that Horton is consistently making plays while MVS is off to a quiet start after making plays for Klint Kubiak in New Orleans last season. Horton has been rewarded with first-team reps, and MVS was demoted to second-team reps in an Aug. 5 practice. Horton remained ahead of MVS in practices after their first preseason game, and JSN called Horton “a baller.” Horton is off the redraft radar for now, but he’s a player to remember for later in the season off the waiver wire if he continues to earn more opportunities. (Added Aug. 11)
Tight Ends
George Kittle and Ricky Pearsall (SF) — GM John Lynch cryptically said on July 23 that Aiyuk isn’t “anywhere close to having a concrete timeline” for his recovery, which was a strong indication he could stay on the PUP list for at least the first four games of the season. Kyle Shanahan told the media the rough estimate for Aiyuk’s return is around Week 6, but he could return sooner or later. Aiyuk required two surgeries for a torn ACL and MCL, which has him in jeopardy of missing extended time to open the season. We’ve anticipated that Aiyuk would miss the first half of the season, and we’re projecting for 8.5 games played. There’s a good chance Aiyuk doesn’t take the field until November as he recovers from his knee injury. It could take a few weeks to work into a full workload, so he’s not worth an investment at his ADP (110, WR49).
San Francisco’s receiving corps is in shambles heading into the season. Jennings continues to sit out practices for his calf injury/new contract, and fourth-round pick Watkins is expected to miss about a month of action because of a high ankle injury. Demarcus Robinson is also facing a three-game suspension to open the season for a DUI charge, which leaves Pearsall and Kittle as the clear main targets for Brock Purdy to open the season. (Added Aug. 12)
Mason Taylor (NYJ) — Taylor, New York’s second-round pick, reportedly suffered a high ankle sprain early in camp, which was set to keep him out multiple weeks. It was a surprise then to see Taylor back at practice on Aug. 12 after missing just six practices. He built a lead over Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt to be the top TE, and he’ll have a chance to become the second option for Justin Fields, behind Garrett Wilson. Taylor is back to being a player to target at the end of deeper, TE-premium drafts as the 25th TE off the board (204 ADP). (Updated Aug. 7)
DOWNGRADES
Players I’m feeling less optimistic about based on training camp reports and injury news.
Quarterbacks
Caleb Williams (Chi) — The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain wrote that Williams has flashed moments of greatness in camp, but it hasn’t been consistent. He’s once again struggled with accuracy issues for the second straight camp after ranking 44th in catchable throw rate (69%) among 46 QBs who attempted 100+ passes. It was a little bit of a red flag that Ben Johnson sat Williams and most of the starters in the preseason opener, considering he’s a young QB learning a new offense, but the starter will play in the second game. Williams has been taking most reps in team drills under center during training camp. Jared Goff led the league in under-center dropbacks with 229, with Johnson calling plays last year, and 39.2% of his dropbacks came from under center. Williams finished with 88 dropbacks from under center as a rookie, which worked out to just 12.9% of his dropbacks. He’s primarily played in shotgun throughout his playing career, including at USC, and he could have growing pains settling into Johnson’s offense early in the season. (Added Aug. 13)
Tyler Shough (NO) — Second-round pick Shough started the summer as the favorite to be the Week 1 starter, but Rattler has passed him in training camp. Rattler started the preseason opener, followed by Shough, and Rattler has continued to see the most work with the starting offense leading up to the second preseason game. Rattler is the -245 favorite (71% implied odds) to be the opening day starter, and Shough has slipped to +190 (34.5%). The Saints are going to be one of the league’s worst teams, and Shough will get his opportunity to start at some point, but it’s becoming likely that Rattler gets the first crack to lead Kellen Moore’s new offense. (Added Aug. 14)
Running Backs
Tyjae Spears (Ten) — Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason opener, and HC Brian Callahan said the injury will keep him out a few weeks. Spears will be in a race to be ready for the start of the season, and the injury could linger into the season. Tony Pollard out-snapped Spears 11 to 3 with the first-team offense in the preseason opener before Spears injured his ankle playing with the backups. Pollard posted an 86.6% snap share, a 68.8% carry share, a 60.5% route share, and 15.9 FPG in the four contests Spears missed in the middle of last season. Pollard has been a strong value at his ADP (79, RB2x8) this summer, but his price is likely to rise into the sixth round by the end of August. (Added Aug. 11)
Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson (Cle) — Quinshon Judkins was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in Florida in mid-July, which had his availability for the upcoming season up in the air. Prosecutors in the case have declined to move forward with the case, which paves the way for Judkins to finally sign his contract and report to camp. The NFL could still dig into the case but it’s most likely that this is the end of the matter. Judkins fell behind and lost reps to Ford and Sampson in the battle to be the team’s lead back. He could be eased into action at the start of the season since he missed so much time, but his draft capital suggests he should have a sizable role right out of the gates. GM Andrew Berry used the phrase “bell cow” twice when describing Judkins during his introductory press conference. We’ve removed Ford and Sampson from our Mr. Relevant article since their paths to meaningful fantasy production have been crushed by Judkins return to the mix. (Added Aug. 15)
Alexander Mattison (Mia) — Mattison was actually making some noise in Dolphins training camp, but he underwent season-ending neck surgery after picking up an injury during Miami’s first preseason game. Mattison won’t be stealing any short-yardage work and carries from younger backs, Jaylen Wright and sixth-round pick Ollie Gordon. (Added Aug. 11)
Wide Receivers
Rashee Rice (KC) — ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Rice will have a disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Sept. 30, which means that he’ll likely be available to play in the first four weeks of the season before any kind of suspension would be handed down. The NFL and NFLPA could reach an agreement on a suspension before the scheduled hearing, but the two sides have yet to come to an agreement. His suspension could come down at any point starting in October, and we’re anticipating anywhere from a 2-to-8 game suspension, with 4-to-6 games the most likely outcome. I’d feel much better about drafting Rice if his suspension was going to start at the beginning of the season, when fantasy teams are closer to full strength without injuries and bye weeks setting in just yet. It would’ve also given him extra time to make sure he’s back to full health from last year’s LCL tear. Rice could be on a slight snap count to start the season, and his suspension could come down at any point after Week 4 with the chance to bleed into the fantasy playoffs. His ADP will need to fall by multiple rounds (45, WR20) into the WR4 territory before I’m willing to draft him. This situation is a fantasy nightmare. (Added Aug 14)
Chris Godwin (TB) — It’s looking more and more likely that Godwin will miss the start of the season after he underwent a “minor” surgery to “clean out” his ankle in the spring, which landed him on the PUP to open camp. GM Jason Licht said on Aug. 5 that Godwin is advancing through the protocols, but no decision has been made about whether he’ll start the season on the PUP. ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote that the Bucs aren’t counting out Godwin for the season opener, but they believe there’s a chance he could miss a couple of games at the start of the season. The PewterReport’s Scott Reynolds wrote on Aug. 13 that it would be shocking if Godwin doesn’t start the season on the PUP list.
First-round pick Emeka Egbuka and second-year Jalen McMillan are receiving extra reps in training camp and potentially early in the season, which will give them chances to establish themselves next to or ahead of Godwin. Mike Evans has the best opportunity to maintain his role as the clear X receiver. At the same time, Godwin could find himself in a rotation with Egbuka and McMillan in the other two spots in 11 personnel. ESPN’s Jenna Laine called Egbuka the standout performer of camp, noting that he’s polished, strong, and has a steady demeanor as the team’s big slot receiver. Godwin is too risky a pick (83 ADP, WR38) since he could get off to a slow start this season, which could give their younger receivers a chance to establish bigger roles. (Added Aug. 15)
Jayden Reed (GB) — Reed was spotted wearing a walking boot on his left foot for Green Bay’s preseason opener after injuring his foot earlier in the week. He started training camp on the NFI list for a toe injury, but Matt LaFleur said his most recent injury isn’t related to his toe injury. LaFleur also said they hope to have Reed back for the start of the season, but he could “potentially” miss Week 1. We initially targeted Reed to start the summer, but we’re backing off because of his foot injury. He was also having issues getting reps in two-WR sets behind first-round pick Matthew Golden and Romeo Doubs. (Added Aug. 11)
Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Jordan Watkins (SF) — GM John Lynch cryptically said on July 23 that Aiyuk isn’t “anywhere close to having a concrete timeline” for his recovery, which was a strong indication he could stay on the PUP list for at least the first four games of the season. Kyle Shanahan told the media the rough estimate for Aiyuk’s return is around Week 6, but he could return sooner or later. Aiyuk required two surgeries for a torn ACL and MCL, which has him in jeopardy of missing extended time to open the season. We anticipated that Aiyuk would miss the first half of the season, and we’re projecting for 8.5 games played. There’s a good chance Aiyuk doesn’t take the field until November as he recovers from his knee injury. It could take a few weeks to work into a full workload, so he’s not worth an investment at his ADP (110, WR49).
San Francisco’s receiving corps is in shambles heading into the season. Jennings continues to sit out practices for his calf injury/new contract, and fourth-round pick Watkins is expected to miss about a month of action because of a high ankle injury. Jennings was at least back to light running on Aug. 11. Demarcus Robinson is also facing a three-game suspension to open the season for a DUI charge, which leaves Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle as the clear main targets for Brock Purdy to open the season. (Added Aug. 12)
Josh Reynolds (NYJ) — Reynolds has firm control of the #2 WR spot behind Garrett Wilson in what is going to be one of the league’s weakest passing games. His grip on the job is even tighter after Aaron Glenn announced that Allen Lazard will miss a couple of weeks for a shoulder injury. Reynolds may have a few moments as a deep threat for Justin Fields, but he’s unlikely to be a consistent fantasy option behind Wilson. (Added Aug. 13)
Tight Ends
None of note.
WATCH LIST
Players I’m not ready to upgrade or downgrade, but whose situations demand monitoring based on training camp reports and injury news.
Quarterbacks
Matthew Stafford (LAR) — Stafford has yet to practice in training camp because of back soreness, but that was seemingly set to change this week. He was set to return to practice on Aug. 11 after throwing 68 passes before Los Angeles’ preseason opener, but he was seen in street clothes heading into a wellness chamber during practice. He once again sat out practice on Aug. 12-13, but HC Sean McVay said the plan is for Stafford to work out before their second preseason game on Aug. 16. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Stafford was dealing with an aggravated disc in his back, and he received an epidural for the discomfort of the injury. Stafford has enough time to get ready for the season opener against the Texans, but his slow recovery is a bit concerning if the 37-year-old’s back injury were to flare up during the season. (Updated Aug. 15)
Jordan Love (GB) — GM Brian Gutekunst told the media that Love is undergoing a procedure on his left thumb for a ligament injury, which is why his hand was taped at practice on Aug. 11. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein reported the surgery went “perfect” on Aug. 12. He banged his hand on a helmet against the Jets in the preseason opener, and he decided to get the issue fixed now after testing it out in practice. Love said he wanted to feel good going into the season after dealing with injuries throughout 2024. The Packers hope to have Love back at practice by next week, which means he should be ready to go for the season opener against the Lions. (Updated Aug. 14)
Running Backs
Omarion Hampton (LAC) — Najee Harris has moved from walking laps to doing drills with a football on a side field on Aug. 12, but he’s still looking like a candidate to remain on the NFI list to open the season if he plays at all this season. It’s looking more and more likely that he’ll remain on the NFI list to open the season if he plays at all this season. Greg Roman said Hampton will rotate with another back even if Harris isn’t ready to play at the start of the season, and the competition for the third-string spot is “wide open.” Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal are the top two candidates to be Najee’s replacement. The Chargers aren’t just going to hand over a bell-cow role to Hampton to start the season, but his path to heavy volume is extremely clear if Harris is out of the mix. Hampton has high-end upside if he completely takes over this backfield, which could happen earlier than expected if Harris is limited early in the season. (Added Aug. 13)
Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and Jaydon Blue (Dal) — The Athletic’s Jon Machota wrote that Williams has seen most of the reps with the starters but no one has come close to running away with the No. 1 job. He noted that Williams has been helped by injuries from Sanders (knee) and Blue (ankle) during camp. Blue was generating positive buzz at the start of training camp before his injury, which came after former Cowboys coach Glenn Smith was told by people in the building that Blue was “borderline lazy.” I prefer to take my chances on Blue (141 ADP, RB42) and Sanders (234, RB65) at their ADPs, but this competition is far from over, and this backfield could be a bit of a nightmare throughout the season. (Added Aug. 11)
Isaac Guerendo and Jordan James (SF) — Guerendo suffered a shoulder injury that will cause him to miss “a few weeks,” per Kyle Shanahan. His availability for Week 1 is up in the air with the season less than a month away. Fifth-round pick Jordan James was in line to get more reps behind Christian McCaffrey, but he’ll also miss a few weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger. The 49ers already placed Ameer Abdullah (ribs) on injured reserve, but they signed Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Jeff Wilson to help with their depth at the position. Vaughn made three appearances with the 49ers last season, and Wilson previously played four-plus seasons under Shanahan. Guerendo will most likely be ready for the season opener to be the backup, but these injuries are creating a potentially volatile depth chart behind CMC. (Added Aug. 11)
Wide Receivers
Terry McLaurin (Was) — McLaurin reported to training camp on July 26 and was placed on the PUP list for an “ankle injury”. I'll bet his injury will feel much better as soon as he gets a contract extension from the Commanders. He was subject to $50K daily fines for as long as he sat out in training camp, and he’s now holding in as he pushes for an extension. Adam Schefter believes McLaurin is looking for more money than D.K. Metcalf, who owns a $33 million AAV, and he formally requested a trade (per Jordan Schultz). A league source told ESPN’s John Keim that he could see the Commanders agreeing to a $28 million AAV. Both are dug in as the holdout enters mid-August. There’s always concern for a slow start or even worse, an injury, because of his lack of activity in training camp. McLaurin scored 13 touchdowns after failing to top 5 TDs in each of his last four seasons, and he did it on the fewest targets (117) he’s seen in that span. He’s priced near his ceiling (40 ADP, WR18) unless he sees a significant uptick in his usage to nullify his incoming touchdown regression. (Added Aug. 13)
Darnell Mooney (Chi) — Mooney suffered a shoulder injury diving for a sideline pass on July 24, and the team announced at the time that he’ll be out for several weeks. Raheem Morris gave a cryptic answer about Mooney on Aug. 12, stating that he was week-to-week but he felt good about getting him back healthy “this year.” Morris may have been flippant when he said he’ll return this year, but we still don’t have any reporting on what kind of injury Mooney suffered. Michael Penix said on Aug. 13 that Mooney should be back for the season opener, but added that he wasn’t sure. It’s unclear if Mooney’s injury is related to the shoulder injury he suffered late last season, which forced him to sit out the season finale. He attended Falcons practice on July 26 without a shoulder brace, which was a positive sign that his injury wasn’t too bad. The Falcons signed D.J. Chark the day after Mooney’s injury to improve their WR depth chart, which is down to Ray-Ray McCloud, KhaDarel Hodge, and Casey Washington behind #1 Drake London. Mooney is missing out on practice reps with Michael Penix, who is entering his first season as the full-time starter. I’m still targeting Mooney at his slipping ADP (115, WR50), and his price could get more affordable over the next few weeks. (Updated Aug. 13)
Tight Ends
None of note.
