Moring Wood - NFL Daily Report - 8/25/26
The board in one minute
Drafts are entering the final preseason-information window. Treat Week 2 usage as a role clue—not a projection—and make injury insurance a priority. The clearest actionable themes this morning are Carolina’s backfield flip, the Raiders’ contingency value behind Ashton Jeanty, and a few inexpensive receivers who have moved into starting roles.
Morning moves
Player / Situation What changed Fantasy action
Jonathon Brooks / Chuba Hubbard — CAR Hubbard remains sidelined with a hamstring issue. Brooks played 12 of 13 snaps with Bryce Young in the latest preseason game. Move Brooks up; Hubbard is a risk-adjusted value only if the discount is large.
Ashton Jeanty / Mike Washington Jr. — LV Jeanty reportedly sustained an ankle sprain. Washington dominated backup work and is the priority contingency back. Draft Jeanty only with a clear plan to add Washington.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt — WAS Reports say his receiving role is growing; he received starter treatment and did not play in preseason Week 1. Late-round upside target; stronger in PPR if the receiving role holds.
Jordyn Tyson — NO Hamstring injury is expected to cost roughly two months, potentially putting him on IR to open the year. Avoid at current cost; upgrade Chris Olave’s early target outlook.
LeQuint Allen — JAX Soft-tissue injury was expected to keep him out through the end of camp, leaving more room for Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez. Monitor cuts/Week 3 usage; Tuten has the higher receiving upside.
Depth-chart signals
• Baltimore: Ja’Kobi Lane played all 19 snaps with the second-team offense before exiting, a strong signal that he has effectively secured a starting role.
• Denver: RJ Harvey started again, but Jonah Coleman immediately rotated in. Harvey’s receiving usage is encouraging, yet the early split is a warning against paying an RB33-style premium.
• Green Bay: With Josh Jacobs out, MarShawn Lloyd led Chris Brooks 9–5 in snaps with the starters and caught an 11-yard touchdown. Lloyd is the handcuff to prioritize.
• San Francisco: Kaelon Black played all 10 snaps with Brock Purdy; Jordan James is back at practice, but Black appears to have grabbed the RB2 edge.
• Tennessee: Tyjae Spears has out-snapped Tony Pollard in both preseason games, 24–17 overall, with a 4–1 target edge. Do not overreact, but price the committee risk into Pollard.
Draft board: targets and fades
Target Why Caution
Stefon Diggs — WAS Up 31 ranking spots to No. 105 after signing with Washington and showing camp chemistry with Jayden Daniels. Role is ascending; do not chase beyond the value pocket.
De’Zhaun Stribling — SF Continues to rise amid the 49ers receiver reshuffle and has worked with the starters. Likely an early limited-volume WR3 role.
Javonte Williams — DAL Ranking rose six spots to No. 34 as workload expectations improved. Dallas backup picture remains unsettled.
Chuba Hubbard — CAR Down 11 spots to No. 91 because of a legitimate hamstring injury. Brooks has a clearer early-season path.
Jordyn Tyson — NO Down 40 spots after the hamstring injury. Only consider in deep IR-friendly formats.
Ugly Win angle
Win your draft by buying role clarity, not preseason box scores. A backup who handles first-team passing-down snaps or rests
with starters is more useful than a player who posts a big stat line against third-string defenses. This week, prioritize secure
handcuffs (Washington, Lloyd, Black) and discount fragile incumbents rather than forcing early-round reaches.
Source notes: Yahoo Sports/Rotoworld preseason Week 2 takeaways; PFF preseason injury and veteran-status updates; FantasyPros risers & fallers, accessed Aug. 25, 2026. Player situations can change with Week 3 practices and roster cuts.
