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RJ Harvey RB | DEN
Broncos' RJ Harvey: Prepping for passing game role
Harvey is expected to handle a key role in the Denver passing game in 2026, Jon Heath of USA Today reports. "That's where you felt the initial impact," Broncos coach Sean Payton said last week, in reference to Harvey's receiving ability. "And you saw marks of that in college and you also saw him as a runner. He's having a good camp in both areas [rushing and receiving], but [receiving] is certainly a strength of his."
Along with veteran J.K. Dobbins and rookie fourth-round pick Jonah Coleman, Harvey was rested in the Broncos' 34-6 win over the Vikings in the preseason finale Friday, which seemingly indicates that Payton intends for all three players to have roles in the game plan Week 1 against the Chiefs. After managing a soft-tissue issue in training camp, Dobbins is back to full health and is slated to begin the season as the Broncos' starter and lead runner, while the 5-foot-8, 220-pound Coleman is also likely to get some work on early downs. That leaves Harvey in line to serve as more of a change-of-pace option, which could make it difficult for him to build on the seven rushing scores he delivered as a rookie last season. Harvey averaged an unremarkable 3.7 yards per carry but proved to be an adept receiver right away, turning in a 47-356-5 line on 58 targets. He'll maintain more appeal in fantasy leagues with PPR scoring, though Harvey could emerge as a more trustworthy option in non-PPR formats if he earned more carries in the event Dobbins and/or Coleman miss time at any point.
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Michael Wilson WR | ARI
Cardinals' Michael Wilson: Lands three-year extension
The Cardinals signed Wilson to a three-year, $75 million contract extension Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The sides squeezed this deal in before the start of the regular season, as Wilson had been set to enter the final year of his rookie deal. Selected in the third round of the 2023 Draft, Wilson had a true breakout season in 2025, as he operated as the Cardinals' WR1 most weeks while Marvin Harrison battled injuries throughout the campaign. Wilson responded with three 100-yard receiving games over the final eight weeks of the season and finished the year with 78 catches for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. Six of his seven scores came in the final five contests. Harrison is back healthy this season, but Wilson figures to remain a prominent piece of a passing offense that also includes All-Pro tight end Trey McBride.
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Woody Marks RB | HOU
Texans' Woody Marks: Expected to split backfield work
Marks is expected to split backfield work pretty evenly with David Montgomery this season, Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.
"The distribution ... might not be 50-50, but it will be close," Alexander wrote Aug. 23. "The Texans have utilized both nearly evenly throughout camp." Alexander expects a sort-of hot-hand approach out of the Houston backfield on a weekly basis. Marks played 10 snaps in the Texans' second preseason game and rushed four times for 37 yards and one touchdown. He also added a catch for six yards, working exclusively with the first-team offense while Montgomery was rested for that exhibition. Marks is being drafted nearly five rounds after Montgomery in fantasy.
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Jayden Reed WR | GB
Packers' Jayden Reed: Competing with Golden for WR2 spot
Reed is one of six wide receivers on the Packers' initial 53-man roster, Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official site reports.
Reed is joined by Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Bo Melton, Skyy Moore and J. Michael Sturdivant in Green Bay's wide receiver room, while Savion Williams (ankle) is on IR with a designation to return, meaning the 2025 third-round pick will miss at least four weeks before possibly factoring into the equation as well. Reed has historically been productive when healthy despite frequently coming off the field in two-wide sets, with his 63.2 percent snap share during the 2024 regular season representing his single-season career high. Watson is locked in as a starter, but Reed could earn a larger share of playing time if he holds off the 2025 first-round pick Golden.
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Trevor Lawrence QB | JAC
Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence: Will be backed up by Ewers
Lawrence will have a new backup in 2026, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the Jaguars traded for Quinn Ewers from the Dolphins on Saturday.
Ewers was retained on the 53-man roster after final cuts, while Nick Mullens was released during cut-down day, though Mullens subsequently signed with the practice squad. Lawrence remains locked in as the team's starting QB on the heels of a 2025 regular season in which he threw for 4,007 yards and a career-high 29 passing touchdowns. The first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has exceeded 4,000 passing yards in three of his first five NFL seasons.
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Nico Collins WR | HOU
Texans' Nico Collins: Depth chart uncertain behind him
Collins is the clear No. 1 wide receiver for the Texans heading into the regular season, but the pecking order at the position behind him is uncertain, as Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel (hamstring), Kayshon Boutte and Jared Wayne are vying for roles, while Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports that Tank Dell (knee) will begin the season on IR with a designation to return.
Jayden Higgins had been set to start opposite Collins, but Higgins suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice, prompting the Texans to trade for Boutte from the Patriots. Dell has had the most success out of the options behind Collins, but the 2023 third-round pick hasn't suited up since the 2024 season and will miss at least the first four games of 2026. Collins has exceeded 1,000 regular-season receiving yards while scoring at least seven total touchdowns in each of the past three campaigns.
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Zay Flowers WR | BAL
Ravens' Zay Flowers: Returns to practice Thursday
Flowers (lower body) is practicing Thursday, Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan Baltimore reports.
Flowers has been in and out of practice seemingly all summer, but he's always been eyeing Week 1 as his target date to be 100 percent, and his return to practice this week puts him on track for the opener in 10 days. The wide receiver inked a big extension with Baltimore during the offseason and is returning as Lamar Jackson's undisputed No. 1 pass-catching option.
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David Montgomery RB | HOU
Texans' David Montgomery: Tops RB depth chart over Marks and Brooks
Montgomery is one of three running backs on Houston's 53-man roster, along with Woody Marks and British Brooks, Jared Koch of SI.com reports.
Montgomery is ticketed for a prominent role after coming over from Detroit in an offseason trade, but it remains to be seen just how much Marks cuts into Montgomery's usage. The 230-pound Montgomery is much better suited for running inside and short-yardage work than the 208-pound Marks, but Montgomery recorded only 76 receptions across the past three regular seasons in Detroit, so the shifty Marks could siphon away opportunities in passing situations.
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C.J. Stroud QB | HOU
Texans' C.J. Stroud: Injuries and trade reshape WR room
Stroud heads into the regular season with Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel (hamstring) and Kayshon Boutte as his top wide receivers, while Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports that Tank Dell (knee) will begin the season on IR with a designation to return.
The Texans traded for Boutte from New England after Jayden Higgins tore his ACL, knocking the 2025 second-round pick out for the season. Boutte's 551 receiving yards for the Patriots in the 2025 regular season would have ranked second among Houston's wideouts behind Collins. Hutchinson had a career-high 428 receiving yards during the 2025 regular season, Noel has some intriguing upside as a 2025 third-round pick, and Houston is hoping to get Dell back eventually from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. Stroud is looking to bounce back after a 2025 campaign in which he threw for career lows in both passing yards (3,041) and touchdown passes (19) during the regular season before coughing up seven turnovers in two playoff games.
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Kyler Murray QB | MIN
Vikings' Kyler Murray: Plays six preseason snaps
Murray played six snaps during Minnesota's three-game preseason slate.
After completing two of his three pass attempts for 10 yards against the Giants in the preseason opener, Murray took a seat and parked it for the remainder of the exhibition season. Coach Kevin O'Connell settled on Murray as the Vikings' starter before training camp, and he's expected to have a long leash under center this season after J.J. McCarthy continued to look overmatched throughout the 2025 campaign. Murray has big upside in this quarterback-friendly scheme and has arguably the best supporting cast of his career. He's an ideal late-round fantasy target at quarterback.