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. 11
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
Matthew Stafford (LAR) — Stafford practiced for the first time in training camp on Aug. 18. He ran 26 plays in team drills in about 1 hour of action, and HC Sean McVay said after practice they are taking it “a day at a time.” Stafford practiced in full all week long, and McVay feels good about his participation level. He was set to return to practice on Aug. 11 after throwing 68 passes before Los Angeles’ preseason opener. Still, he was seen in street clothes heading into a wellness chamber during practice before sitting out the rest of the week. 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. 22)
Jordan Love (GB) — Love underwent 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. 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. Love returned to practice on Aug. 18, which means he’ll be ready to go for the season opener against the Lions. (Added Aug. 18)
Daniel Jones (Ind) — Shane Steichen announced Jones as the team’s starting quarterback after a camp battle with Anthony Richardson during training camp. Steichen said Jones won’t have a short leash and that he would be the starter for the season. Richardson could still get a chance to play at some point if Jones and the Colts struggle, but this move indicates the franchise is starting to turn the page on the fourth overall pick from 2023. Richardson could try to force a trade after his agent told ESPN that trust is “questionable” with the front office after Jones was named the starter.
Jones lasted just 10 starts into his sixth and final season with the Giants before the team pulled the plug after a 2-8 start. He completed 216/341 passes (63.3%) for 2070 yards, 8 TDs (2.3%), and 7 INTs (2.1%). He added 67/265/2 rushing to finish as the QB26 with 14.4 FPG in 10 starts. Jones ranked 38th in YPA (6.07) and 41st in highly accurate throw rate (44.3%) among 43 QBs who attempted 150+ passes. Richardson has more fantasy juice, but he murdered Indy’s passing attack last season by ranking last in completion percentage (47.7%), CPOE (-6.1%), and off-target throw rate (26.5%). Josh Downs, Tyler Warren, and Michael Pittman received a small fantasy boost with Jones named the starter, but Jones should be considered a low-end QB2 option to open the season. (Added Aug. 19)
Joe Flacco (Cle) — Flacco went from presumed favorite to strong favorite to the Week 1 starter in the span of a few weeks in training camp. Kenny Pickett was the top competitor for the gig, but he lost significant ground due to an early hamstring injury. Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will likely see playing opportunities in the second half of the season, but they were never real threats to be the opening day starter. I’ve been hoping Flacco would win the job out of training camp to give this passing game more fantasy juice, at least to start the season before the younger quarterbacks eventually take over. He’s thrown for 250+ yards in 13-of-16 starts since 2022, which gives Jerry Jeduy, David Njoku, and Cedric Tillman a chance to be productive at depressed ADPs. (Added Aug. 18)
Running Backs
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Was) — Jordan Schultz reported that the Commanders were shopping Robinson as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Both sides decided to sit him out in the second preseason game as the Commanders searched for a trade partner, and he didn’t even report to the stadium. Robinson’s time in Washington officially came to an end on Aug. 22 when the 49ers sent a sixth-round pick to acquire Robinson from the Commanders. The drumbeat for seventh-round pick Croskey-Merritt is at a deafening pitch with the Commanders looking to create opportunities for him.
Croskey-Merritt turned heads at Commanders practices this spring, and he continued to take advantage of his opportunities in training camp. The Athletic’s Nick Jhabvala wrote that he made a name for himself with his “powerful runs, quick cuts, and vision behind the line of scrimmage.” ESPN’s Dan Graziano added to the growing chorus, noting that he’s the only RB under contract beyond 2025 for those in dynasty leagues. It should be noted that Dan Quinn indicated that Rodriquez could get goal-line and short-yardage opportunities, and Austin Ekeler should hold down the passing-game role. Croskey-Merritt is a player to keep in mind since the Commanders are trying to create a bigger role for him in potentially one of the league’s better offenses. Just be prepared to click his name much earlier than his listed ADP or site rank on your drafting platform. (Updated Aug. 22)
Wide Receivers
Emeka Egbuka and Mike Evans (TB) — The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reported that McMillan will be placed on the injured reserve for a severely sprained neck, which he suffered when he landed awkwardly in Tampa Bay’s second preseason game. Stroud wrote that McMillan could be out past Tampa Bay’s Week 9 bye, which is a major blow to a Tampa Bay WR room that could be without Chris Godwin (ankle) for the first month of the season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bucs will activate Godwin from the PUP list to ramp him up for an October debut, which would be Week 5 or later. Egbuka has been one of the fastest risers since the start of training camp, and his path to immediate fantasy production has been cleared. He’s a player to target in fantasy drafts, but be prepared to click his name a few rounds earlier than his listed ADP (101, WR46) or site rank on your drafting platform. Evans has also developed into a value at his current ADP (38, WR17) because of Tampa Bay’s WR issues. (Updated Aug. 21)
Marvin Mims, Pat Bryant, and Troy Franklin (Den) — The Saints acquired Devaughn Vele from the Broncos in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. It’s a steep price to pay for the Saints because their fourth-round pick could be in the 100-to-110 pick range if they’re as bad as their 4.5-win total indicates. The Broncos had a logjam at WR behind Courtland Sutton, but Vele’s departure frees up the likes of Mims, Bryant, and Franklin for more consistent targets, routes, and snaps. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Bryant and Franklin have played well in training camp to make Vele expendable, and Mims operated as the clear #2 WR in the preseason. In our projections, Mims bumped up from WR58 to WR50, Bryant from WR112 to WR86, and Franklin from WR123 to WR98. It’s worth drafting Mims as a WR5/6 and stashing him for at least the first couple weeks of the season just to see if Payton has bigger plans for Mims in Year 3. He could be an impactful fantasy option if he can reach even a 60% target share and a 15% target share. (Added Aug. 21)
Isaiah Bond (Cle) — The Browns handed Bond a three-year, $3 million contract, which is fully guaranteed. He went undrafted out of Texas this spring after being accused of sexual assault before the draft. Brett Whitefield described Bond as an explosive playmaking element with serious potential as a separator, who should at least slide into a gimmick-heavy role with lots of designed touches and go-ball opportunities. Bond could have a limited role during his rookie season, especially since he’s missed spring and training camp workouts, but it wouldn’t be shocking if the Browns allow him to play late in the season if they’re racing to the bottom of the NFL standings. (Added Aug. 18)
Tight Ends
None of note.
DOWNGRADES
Players I’m feeling less optimistic about based on training camp reports and injury news.
Quarterbacks
Anthony Richardson (Ind) — Shane Steichen announced Daniel Jones as the team’s starting quarterback after a camp battle with Richardson during training camp. Steichen said Jones won’t have a short leash and that he would be the starter for the season. Richardson could still get a chance to play at some point if Jones and the Colts struggle, but this move indicates the franchise is starting to turn the page on the fourth overall pick from 2023. Richardson could try to force a trade after his agent told ESPN that trust is “questionable” with the front office after Jones was named the starter. Richardson displayed cleaned-up throwing mechanics at training camp after working with the same coaches who fixed Josh Allen’s mechanics early in his career. He showed he still has a lot of work to do as the operator of the offense after he let a free rusher destroy him in the preseason opener, which resulted in a dislocated finger. Richardson has top-12 fantasy upside when he starts, but the Colts appear committed to Jones to start the season. (Updated Aug. 20)
Running Backs
Joe Mixon (Hou) — The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Alexander believes Mixon is a candidate to land on the PUP list to start the season as he continues to deal with a lingering foot/ankle issue. It’s concerning that Mixon is still having issues after sitting out spring workouts for what was deemed a minor injury at the time. Mixon has dealt with multiple ankle injuries throughout his career, including last year. He sustained an ankle injury on a hip-drop tackle early last season, and he also played through an ankle injury in the postseason. The Texans signed Nick Chubb to a one-year, $2.5 million deal on June 10 as an insurance policy for Mixon. The Texans also drafted Woody Marks in the fourth round to significantly beef up a backfield that already included Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale. Mixon is a player to avoid in fantasy drafts, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he doesn’t play this season. Alexander also believes that Chubb is the top candidate to work as the lead back, but I’m also passing on Chubb in drafts after he ranked 45th in YPC (3.27), 43rd in explosive run rate (2%), and last in YACO/ATT (1.96) among 46 RBs who logged 100+ carries last season. (Added Aug. 20)
Brian Robinson and Isaac Guerendo (SF) — Jordan Schultz reported that the Commanders were shopping Robinson as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Both sides decided to sit him out in the second preseason game as the Commanders searched for a trade partner, and he didn’t even report to the stadium. Robinson’s time in Washington officially came to an end on Aug. 22 when the 49ers sent a sixth-round pick to acquire Robinson from the Commanders. He’s the favorite to be the #2 RB behind Christian McCaffrey, but he’s lost significant fantasy juice for 2025. He fell to the RB68 in our projections around the likes of Kareem Hunt and Kyle Monangai. He’s strictly a late-round fantasy pick as a potential handcuff, and even that is flimsy considering Guerendo could factor in with him if CMC missed time.
The 49ers found themselves in desperate need of RB depth because of a cluster of injuries at the position. Guerendo suffered a shoulder injury in early August that caused him to miss two weeks of practice before returning to practice on Aug. 19. The 49ers placed Patrick Taylor on the injured reserve for a shoulder injury on the same day, and they already placed Ameer Abdullah (ribs) on injured reserve. Fifth-round pick Jordan James has been out of action after undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger, which could keep him out into the regular season. UDFA Corey Kiner had been making some noise, but suffered a high-ankle sprain, which will keep him out for multiple weeks. They signed Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Jeff Wilson to help with their depth at the position, but they ultimately went outside the organization to find help from the Commanders. Guerendo is no longer on the redraft radar after San Francisco acquired Robinson. (Updated Aug. 22)
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 declined to move forward with the case, which paved the way for Judkins to finally sign his contract and report to camp. If only it were that easy. Adam Schefter reported that Judkins and the Browns have been unable to reach a deal and may not until the end of an NFL investigation. Judkins fell behind and lost reps to Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson in the battle to be the team’s lead back, and he’s going to lose out on more reps as he squabbles with the Browns over the amount of guaranteed money in his contract. He’ll be eased back into action once he signs his contract, since he missed so much time, but his draft capital suggests he should have a sizable role once he’s caught up to speed. GM Andrew Berry used the phrase “bell cow” twice when describing Judkins during his introductory press conference. He has a path to significant touches, but his upside will be limited since he’s not likely to catch many passes or have many touchdown opportunities in Cleveland’s putrid offense. (Added Aug. 18)
MarShawn Lloyd (GB) — Lloyd simply can’t catch a break. He missed all but one game as a rookie because of injuries, and he’s already staring at missed regular-season time after suffering a hamstring injury in the second preseason game. Lloyd just returned to practice last week after suffering a groin injury early in training camp. Lloyd could have some fantasy moments later in the season, but he’s missed so much time to begin his career that it’s difficult to see the coaching staff playing him in many high-leverage situations once he returns to the lineup. (Added Aug. 18)
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. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the NFL initially proposed a 10-game ban, which received pushback from Rice’s camp. His suspension could come down at any point starting in October, and he could miss significant time based on the suspension that the NFL wants to hand down. 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 (48, WR21) into the WR4/5 territory before I’m willing to draft him. This situation is a fantasy nightmare. (Added Aug 18)
Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed (NO) — The Saints acquired Devaughn Vele from the Broncos in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. It’s a steep price to pay for the Saints because their fourth-round pick could be in the 100-to-110 pick range if they’re as bad as their 4.5-win total indicates. Vele is freed from Denver’s logjam at receiver to a relatively open WR depth chart behind Olave and Shaheed. This isn’t a major downgrade for Olave and Shaheed, but Vele will command more targets out of the slot than a severely declining Brandin Cooks would as the third receiver. We’ve slid Olave from WR41 to WR44 and Shaheed from WR48 to WR50 in our projections. We’re passing on Olave at his ADP (76, WR34) and drafting Shaheed at his cheap price (143, WR54). (Added Aug. 21)
Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan (TB) — ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bucs will activate Godwin from the PUP list to ramp him up for an October debut, which would be Week 5 or later. He underwent a “minor” surgery to “clean out” his ankle in the spring, which landed him on the PUP to open camp. The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reported that McMillan will be placed on the injured reserve for a severely sprained neck, which he suffered when he landed awkwardly in Tampa Bay’s second preseason game. Stroud wrote that McMillan could be out past Tampa Bay’s Week 9 bye, which is a major blow to a Tampa Bay WR room that could be without Godwin for at least the first month of the season. McMillan should be left for the waiver wire in redraft formats, and Godwin is too risky a pick (94 ADP, WR42) since he could get off to a slow start. (Added Aug. 21)
Quentin Johnston (LAC) — Johnston suffered a nasty head/neck injury during Los Angeles’ second preseason game. He was diagnosed with a concussion and taken to the hospital. He returned to practice just five days after his injury, which means he’ll be ready for the season opener against the Chiefs on Sept. 5 in Brazil. Johnston has had a rough month for his fantasy outlook after the Chargers signed Keenan Allen to be the #2 receiver. Johnston is competing with Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith for snaps and limited targets behind Herbert’s top two WRs. Johnston doesn’t need to be drafted in most formats. (Updated Aug. 22)
Jalen Nailor (Min) — Kevin O’Connell told the media that Nailor is week-to-week because of a hand injury. The Vikings are determining the best course of action, and O’Connell wouldn’t say if surgery is a possibility. Nailor suffered a hand injury on Aug. 14, and he’s in jeopardy of missing time early in the season. The Vikings were counting on Nailor to be the #2 WR behind Justin Jefferson, with Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games of the season. Lucky Jackson has been seeing extra run with the first-time offense with Jefferson missing most of training camp for a hamstring injury, and third-round pick Tai Felton could be pushed into a role right out of the gates if Nailor is unable to play, while Addison is out of the mix. The Vikings are concerned enough about their WR depth that they’re reportedly calling around for WR help in the trade market. (Updated Aug. 20)
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
Michael Penix (Atl) — Atlanta’s offensive tackle depth will be tested early in the season after the Falcons lost a pair of tackles to injuries this week. Starting RT Kaleb McGary will miss time early in the season for an unspecified leg injury (per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler), while swing tackle Storm Norton will miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing ankle surgery. Scott DiBenedetto ranked the Falcons as the 12th-best offensive line before Atlanta’s cluster of injuries this week. It’s a small concern for Bijan and this rushing game, and a bigger concern for Penix and the passing game since the right side of the offensive line protects his blindside. (Added Aug. 22)
Running Backs
Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet (Sea) — ESPN’s Brady Henderson wrote that all indications are that Charbonnet is going to have a significant role in Seattle’s backfield. He believes the “backfield could be more of a timeshare than a typical starter-backup arrangement” because of Walker’s lack of practice time and Charbonnet’s strong performances in August. The Seahawks have been cautious with Walker in training camp, but he practiced just four times in the first 17 days of August because of a sore foot. I’m still targeting Walker at his ADP (44, RB17) because he possesses top-5 RB potential if he can stay healthy and benefit from an improved scheme and run blocking. I also believe that Charbonnet is a strong pick later in drafts (113, RB38) if you go with a zero-RB strategy because Walker is already battling a foot issue after missing six games last season. (Added Aug. 20)
Wide Receivers
Terry McLaurin (Was) — The Commanders activated McLaurin from the PUP list on Aug. 16. He was placed on the list for an ankle injury at the start of training camp, and his activation means he can start practicing at any time. Dan Quinn said the move has nothing to do with McLaurin’s contract situation, and Adam Schefter said on ESPN that his activation from the PUP list doesn’t mean the two sides are any closer to reaching a deal. 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. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that most decision makers she talked to believe that McLaurin is unlikely to get anywhere close to $33 million AAV.
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 (43 ADP, WR18) unless he sees a significant uptick in his usage to nullify his incoming touchdown regression. (Updated Aug. 19)
San Francisco 49er Wide Receivers (SF) — San Francisco’s receiving corps is in shambles heading into the season. Kyle Shanahan told the media the rough estimate for Brandon 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. Jauan Jennings continues to sit out practices for his calf injury/new contract, and fourth-round pick Jordan 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, and Jacob Cowing aggravated a previous hamstring injury in practice this week. The 49ers addressed their WR depth issue by acquiring Skyy Moore from the Chiefs in exchange for pick swaps in the sixth and seventh rounds in 2027. Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle are the clear main targets for Brock Purdy to open the season, and we’ve identified this trio as potential league-winning players. (Added Aug. 21)
Jayden Higgins (Hou) — Higgins is in a rotation with Xavier Hutchinson for the #3 WR spot behind Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, and Jaylin Noel has received most of his snaps from the slot and is the fifth option (per DJ Bien-Aime). Hutchinson had an ugly 10% TPRR and .48 YPRR in his second season, so it shouldn’t take long for the 34th overall pick to climb the depth chart. Higgins is still an appealing rookie to stash early in the season at his ADP (119, WR49) since he’s likely to overtake Hutchinson and potentially Kirk later in the year. (Added Aug. 21)
John Metchie and Jahan Dotson (Phi) — The Eagles acquired Metchie and a sixth-round pick from the Texans in exchange for Harrison Bryant and a fifth-round pick. Metchie will be reunited with his Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith, and he’ll have the chance to work his way up Philadelphia’s WR depth chart. Dotson and Metchie are off the fantasy radar entering the season, but the #3 WR could be pushed into a bigger role at some point in the season if A.J. Brown or Smith misses time. (Added Aug. 18)
Tight Ends
None of note.
