The San Francisco 49ers have signed quarterback Adrian Marintez to their practice squad on Thursday. Martinez was cut by the New York Jets earlier in the week. They decided to only carry two quarterbacks with Justin Field and Tyrod Taylor. Martinez was decent in the preseason, completing 30-of-51 passing attempts for 352 passing yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. The 25-year-old will serve as depth behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. There is no reason to stash Martinez at the moment.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan has been signed from the practice squad to the active roster on Thursday. Tonyan was cut by the team on Tuesday, but joined the practice squad a day later. Now, the 31-year-old makes the 53-man roster heading into Week 1. He'll serve as depth behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray to start the season. Tonyan hasn't been fantasy relevant in a few seasons, but did haul in 53 receptions in 2022. He also produced an 11-touchdown season during his time with the Green Bay Packers. Tonyan has shown he's capable of making big plays in the NFL. However, Tonyan won't have fantasy value to begin the season as the projected third string.

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The San Francisco 49ers have signed running back Sincere McCormick to their practice squad on Thursday. McCormick quickly finds a new team after being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in the week. The 24-year-old figures to serve as depth behind Christian McCaffrey, Brian Robinson Jr., and Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) in the backfield. Last season, McCormick rushed 39 times for 183 yards in five games (two starts) with the Raiders. There isn't going to be fantasy value here unless the 49ers suffer a few injuries in the backfield.

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The Carolina Panthers have signed running back DeeJay Dallas to their practice squad on Thursday. He quickly finds a new home after being released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier in the week. Dallas played in all 17 games with the Cardinals last season, but only rushed nine times for 49 yards while hauling in three receptions for 11 yards and one touchdown. The 26-year-old hasn't seen much of the field as a running back lately with only 19 carries over the last two seasons. He figures to mostly be used on special teams and serve as depth behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Payne Durham could potentially see a larger role in the offense to begin the regular season. The Bucs are uncertain if starting tight end Cade Otton (leg) is going to be ready to play during the season opener. The team will likely wait and see how Otton progresses throughout next week before making a final decision. If he misses time, Payne Durham and Devin Culp figure to split up time as the starting tight end. Durham didn't see a ton of action last season, but played well when Otton missed time late in the season. When Otton was out, Durham hauled in nine receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns as the starter. There's not a lot of value here, but maybe Durham is a dart throw if Otton is unable to go in Week 1.

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Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cameron Ward has quickly established himself as a leader both on and off the field. From the moment he entered the locker room, Ward carried himself with the poise and professionalism of a veteran, which earned him near-unanimous selection as a team captain. The Titans are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2024 campaign in which their offense ranked just 26th in the league. Ward's leadership, paired with playmakers like Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley, will be crucial as the Titans aim to reignite their offensive attack and set a new tone heading into the 2025 season.

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The Carolina Panthers are wasting no time elevating rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan, especially after trading veteran Adam Thielen back to Minnesota. McMillan, the No. 8 overall pick, offers size, athleticism, and big-play ability, and his role as Bryce Young's top target appears to be taking shape quickly. Young showed steady growth and confidence in the second half of 2024, and Carolina is betting that pairing him with a youthful duo of McMillan and Xavier Legette will accelerate the offense's development. With Thielen gone, McMillan is primed to shine as a focal point in 2025 and could be a breakout candidate in fantasy.

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Cleveland Browns rookie Dylan Sampson has emerged as the clear No. 2 back behind Jerome Ford with Quinshon Judkins still unsigned. Sampson has shown burst and reliability in camp, locking down the change-of-pace role. Ford, meanwhile, has never logged more than 250 touches in a season, leaving the door open for Sampson to carve out meaningful snaps or even push for a bigger role if Ford falters. His skill set makes him a versatile complement in Cleveland's backfield. Fantasy managers should view Sampson as a valuable late-round flier with legitimate upside if the backfield shifts in his favor.

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The New England Patriots may have struck gold with rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson. The former Ohio State star has flashed explosiveness throughout camp, drawing comparisons to the excitement Curtis Martin generated as a rookie. Henderson's versatility should earn him touches early, with opportunities in both the return game and as a change-of-pace option behind Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson remains the lead back, but ball security issues could open the door for Henderson to carve out a larger share of the workload. With his burst, vision, and playmaking ability, Henderson is positioned to be one of New England's most dynamic weapons.

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Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III is making an early mark with his run blocking. The former Missouri standout has shown a knack for driving defenders into the second level and clearing lanes for the ground game. While Burden still has work to do as a route runner and must sharpen his concentration in contested situations, his physicality and willingness to block stand out. Chicago coaches value receivers who contribute beyond catching passes, and Burden's effort could earn him more opportunities. With his athletic upside, the rookie has the tools to eventually become a reliable playmaker.

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Las Vegas Raiders running back coach Deland McCullough said that the team "want(s) to have other guys who can come in and spell" rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic. In addition to Jeanty, the Raiders have running backs Zamir White, Raheem Mostert, and Dylan Laube on their 53-man roster. Reed writes that White is a power back who can "specialize in short-yardage situations," while Mostert is "the third-down back who can serve as a reliable pass blocker." To be clear, Reed still refers to Jeanty as the "every-down bellcow back." The 21-year-old should be expected to see a significant workload as a rookie, but the team is mindful of Jeanty's season-long effectiveness and long-term career outlook.

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter will play both ways in 2025, but the team is unwilling to tip its hand on how often he'll line up on either side of the ball. Speaking with the media on Wednesday, first-year general manager James Gladstone said: "There's a competitive advantage to not knowing what side of the ball he's going to be deployed on fully. If that's half, if that's a mixture ... all those sorts of things can vary from one week to the next." That could be a bit frustrating for fantasy managers, who are holding out hope that Hunter will play a significant role on offense and produce big numbers as the team's WR2 opposite Brian Thomas Jr. Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner and second overall pick, dealt with an upper-body injury earlier this month and only played in one preseason game. He returned to practice on Wednesday and is "rolling full speed" heading into the Jags' regular-season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 7, according to Gladstone.

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New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams (head/undisclosed) was "sidelined by injury just as it seemed he was grasping the offense," according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Williams was forced out of New England's second preseason game after getting hit in the head, and missed the team's third preseason game as a result. However, he returned to the practice field on Sunday and appears to be tracking towards being ready for Week 1. Williams is likely to open the season behind veteran Mack Hollins in the battle for the Patriots' WR3 role alongside Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas. The 22-year-old is a dynamic deep-ball threat with obvious upside, but he reportedly struggled with inconsistency throughout training camp. If Graff's feeling that Williams was starting to catch on before getting injured is correct, the rookie could be ready to make an impact sooner rather than later.

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Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic writes that it's "still too early to know" how much playing time Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt will receive early in the season. Croskey-Merritt was one of the breakout stars of training camp, and the Commanders seemingly cleared a spot for him by trading away incumbent back Brian Robinson Jr. However, Washington still has an established veteran in Austin Ekeler to play passing downs, and third-year back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is expected to earn touches as well. There's a pathway for Croskey-Merritt to seize the lead role in Washington at some point this season, but the Commanders may open the season with more of a committee approach. Croskey-Merritt has fantasy RB2 upside. Still, managers should draft the 24-year-old expecting RB3/flex production.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Tre' Harris (undisclosed) was "working off to the side" during the team's practice on Wednesday, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. Harris missed the team's preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers with an undisclosed injury, and his status for Week 1 is not yet clear. With Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen locked in as the Chargers' top two wide receivers, Harris is seemingly battling Quentin Johnston for the team's WR3 role. A second-round pick out of Ole Miss, Harris was having a solid preseason before getting injured. He may struggle to make a fantasy impact in 2025 unless there's an injury to either McConkey or Allen, but Harris has significant upside as a dynasty prospect.

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Minnesota Vikings S Harrison Smith (undisclosed) has been sidelined for most of the month of August with a personal health issue, according to multiple sources. Smith will be evaluated on a weekly basis but is expected to make a full recovery.

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New England Patriots WR Mack Hollins is the 'best option' to start as the outside receiver across from WR Stefon Diggs in the season opener, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic.

Fantasy Spin: Even if Hollins does see a majority of the snaps in the early weeks, he will have to hold off Kayshon Boutte and rookie Kyle Williams moving forward. Hollins is worth keeping an eye on in case he thrives in the role, but Williams is the best stash candidate among the group.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson has looked like the team's No. 3 in camp behind Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle observes. Alexander pegs rookie second-round pick Jayden Higgins at No. 4 and rookie third-rounder Jaylin Noel fifth in the pecking order. Hutchinson - who, like Higgins and Noel, went to Iowa State - was a sixth-round selection in 2023. The 25-year-old caught just 20 passes for 207 yards and no touchdowns over 32 games in his first two seasons. Despite that, Alexander reports that Hutchinson worked hard in the offseason to get better and has "quickly become one of C.J. Stroud's go-to targets and looks much improved from a season ago." That doesn't mean it'll translate during the regular season, but for now, it seems possible that Higgins and Noel could take a backseat to Hutchinson to begin the campaign.

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New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) missed practice on Thursday, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Globe reports. Gonzalez hasn't practiced since he injured his left hamstring on July 28, nor did he play in any of the team's three preseason games. It's unclear if he'll be ready to return when the Patriots get back on the field on Monday to prepare for their Week 1 showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7. Since going 17th overall in the 2023 draft, the former Oregon Duck has emerged as an important cog in the Patriots' defense. He appeared in 16 games last year and totaled 59 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and a pair of interceptions. If Gonzalez is unable to suit up on Sept. 7, it would bode well for the Raiders' Geno Smith-led passing attack.

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The Chicago Bears announced that they have re-signed wide receiver Devin Duvernay to their active roster one day after releasing him. A third-round pick in 2020, Duvernay spent the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. The 27-year-old hasn't posed much of an offensive threat, having totaled 105 receptions, 977 yards, and five touchdowns in 72 games. Duvernay has stood out on special teams, on the other hand, with a pair of Pro Bowl nods as a return man. He'll mainly serve as a return specialist for the Bears while providing depth in a WR corps led by DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Luther Burden III.

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