NFL Player News

Ferguson isn't suited up for Saturday's preseason contest against the Seahawks, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Coach Brian Schottenheimer said in early August that the Cowboys' starters won't play during the preseason, so Ferguson's absence from the opener Saturday isn't a concern. The veteran pass catcher is slated to resume his role as Dallas' top tight end in 2026 after notching a career-high 82 receptions (on 102 targets) for 600 yards and a career-best eight touchdowns over 17 regular-season games last year. Dallas' tight-end corps will be rounded out by Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker, among others.

Brooks carried the ball three times for five yards and caught his only target for nine yards in Saturday's 29-14 preseason loss to the Bills.

After sitting out Carolina's preseason opener last week in the Hall of Fame Game, Brooks got the start Saturday while Chuba Hubbard deals with a hamstring issue. Brooks didn't make much of an impact while playing the first three possessions, but the entire first-team offense struggled to move the ball. The first running back off the board in the 2024 draft has appeared in only three NFL games so far as injuries have ruined the start of his career, but the Panthers are confident he can still contribute. Rico Dowdle averaged 16.2 touches a game last season as Hubbard's main backfield partner, but that might be a lofty goal for Brooks' volume, assuming he's able to stay on the field in 2026.

Simpson completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns and turned his lone carry into minus-1 yard during the Rams' 20-12 preseason win over the Chiefs.

Stetson Bennett was named the Rams' starter for Saturday's exhibition contest, leading the team's first two offensive drives before Simpson took over under center. Simpson led a seven-play drive in the second quarter that led to a field goal and demonstrated his potential in the fourth quarter, when he tossed two touchdown passes to Dean Connors from two and nine yards. Bennett is listed as the Rams' backup QB behind Matthew Stafford on the Rams' unofficial depth chart, but Simpson's play Saturday indicates that the competition for the QB2 job is far from over. The Rams will head back to Los Angeles to host the Saints on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Prescott isn't slated to play in Saturday's preseason matchup versus Seattle, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

This doesn't come as a surprise, as coach Brian Schottenheimer said in early August that the team's starters won't play during the preseason. Of course, Prescott has ample NFL experience and probably doesn't need preseason games to get in tune. He'll have plenty of opportunities to shake off any offseason rust and build chemistry with his pass catchers during training-camp practices.

Bennett completed four of six pass attempts for 38 yards during the Rams' 20-12 win over the Chiefs in Saturday's preseason game.

With Matthew Stafford sidelined, Bennett was named the starter for the Rams' preseason opener. He led a 13-play, 73-yard drive on the Rams' second offensive possession that ended with a 25-yard field goal from Harrison Mavis. Ty Simpson took over under center the rest of the way and put together a strong stat line, completing 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two scores. Bennett is listed as the Rams' QB2 on the team's unofficial depth chart, but that could change if he's outplayed by Simpson over the last two preseason games. The Rams' next exhibition contest takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, against the Saints.

Hyppolite is dealing with a shoulder injury that he suffered in Saturday's preseason win against the Browns, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Hyppolite led Chicago with seven tackles (four solo) in the victory and added a defensed pass, but he injured his shoulder in the second half and was unable to return. It's not clear at this point how serious the injury is, but it takes on some added significance since Hyppolite missed two games late last season due to a shoulder issue. The Maryland product is slated to serve as a rotational outside linebacker for the Bears if healthy this year.

Young completed three of five passes for 18 yards in Saturday's 29-14 preseason loss to the Bills.

The fourth-year QB got the start and played into the second quarter after sitting out the Panthers' preseason opener last week in the Hall of Fame Game, but the offense couldn't get much going as all three of Young's possessions ended in punts. The 2023 first overall pick has yet to prove he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL, or even a reliable fantasy option, but Young did take a small step forward in 2025 by setting career highs in completion rate (63.6 percent), passing yards (3,011) and passing TDs (23) over 16 regular-season games.

Sewell was concussed during Saturday's preseason win against Cleveland, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Sewell was hurt during a kickoff and spent a few minutes on the ground before exiting under his own power. He finished the game with three tackles (one solo). Sewell will need to clear the league's concussion protocol before returning to full-contact practice or playing in a game. He's trying to earn a role with Chicago as a depth linebacker and special-teamer.

McCaffrey (undisclosed) remained sidelined during practice Saturday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

The 49ers haven't yet offered much detail on McCaffrey's status aside from saying that he's dealing with "tightness." The star running back didn't play in the team's preseason opener versus Tennessee on Thursday, though San Francisco held out its other key starters as well. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said early in the week that the team is "just managing" McCaffrey through some soreness, and at this point there's no indication that he's at risk of not being ready for Week 1 of the regular season. Still, fantasy managers -- especially those who have upcoming drafts -- may be wise to keep an eye on the situation to monitor when McCaffrey is ready to return to the practice field.

Bears coach Ben Johnson said Saturday that Gordon's timeline to return to practice from his calf injury is "unknown," Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Gordon is still dealing with the calf issue that he suffered in May. The 26-year-old was placed on the active/PUP list July 25 and hasn't been able to practice. Gordon will be a key part of the Bears secondary if healthy this season, but the ongoing injury issues are concerning after he played in only three regular-season contests last year due to soft-tissue injuries (though he did return for Chicago's two playoff games). Should Gordon not be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, Josh Blackwell could be asked to step into a starting role.