Nfl Training Camp News Roundup: Headlines Impacting Fantasy Football As We Approach Week 1

Happy Draft Weekend! If you're drafting your fantasy football team over the course of the next handful of days, good luck to you. Hopefully you've been sticking around for all of Yahoo's content throughout training camp and preseason. You can find it all here in our free Draft Kit. Also be sure to bookmark the Yahoo NFL team's live blog with all the latest news from around the league leading up to Week 1.

Let's get into it, the final installment of the training camp news roundup.

Raiders starting QB job goes to … surprise, surprise — Kirk Cousins

This move from Klint Kubiak wasn't all that surprising; we knew the Raiders would ease No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza into NFL duties. So Cousins will start Week 1 versus the Dolphins after a decent camp/preseason. The installation of Kubiak as HC, Cousins as the starter and an improved offensive line should bring optimism to Las Vegas, particularly for fantasy football managers targeting Raiders.

Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty are trendy early-round selections but after that, the next earliest selection is backup RB Mike Washington Jr. down at 135th overall on Yahoo. While the targets and touches should be concentrated to Bowers and Jeanty, Washington has value given what we know about Kubiak's RB usage. Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor are first in line for targets at WR. Michael Mayer has also been talked up during camp. Some of the depth on Las Vegas is worth a dart throw late in your draft.

If you're wondering when Mendoza may get into games, the NFL team has you covered with a great breakdown from Eric Edholm.

Notable injuries heading into Week 1

It may be a crowded injury report for Week 1 with plenty of players carrying designations. You can find a more detailed look of the injury picture here. We'll give you some cliff notes below.

-George Kittle is traveling with the 49ers to Australia for their Week 1 game versus the Rams on Thursday night. Less than a week out, Kittle still has to put in the practice time to be active. But his recovery from an Achilles tear is pretty remarkable given the timeline. Kittle presents value given his TE9 ADP if he can start the season healthy.

-Ja'Marr Chase is day-to-day as he nurses a hyperextended knee. Tee Higgins also has a heel issue. We don't know much about this situation and it's impact on Week 1, so keep an eye out for early practice reports next week for updates on Chase and Higgins. For now, continue to draft them as you would.

-Klint Kubiak is optimistic Jeanty will be ready for Week 1. This is great news for managers who were writing off the season after Jeanty initially suffered the ankle sprain. As mentioned above, Kubiak could ease Jeanty back and mix in Washington. It could be a slow start to the season, though the matchup versus the Dolphins should be fruitful.

-We still have no clue who will start for the Falcons. Michael Penix Jr. isn't 100% ready coming off a torn ACL, so there's chance Kevin Stefanski goes with Tua Tagovailoa (which he doesn't want to do). So we're in a waiting pattern for the starter. Penix gives the rest of the passing game more upside. Tagovailoa could struggle to get the ball downfield.

Packers’ RB situation

This is why news is so important. Going into your draft, here's the latest on Green Bay's backfield. Josh Jacobs is on the Commissioner's Exempt List and could be handed a suspension. The rough estimate is six games, but we don't know for sure. What we do know is MarShawn Lloyd should be the lead back Week 1 versus the Vikings. Kaleb Johnson was brought in via trade from the Steelers to be third string behind Chris Brooks. The Packers have said they expect Jacobs to return once he's off the list or done with his suspension. There's also a video that could surface and change everything.

It may be best to avoid Jacobs entirely in your draft, though if he falls, you could stash him on your bench until he returns. Lloyd is up to 96th in ADP on Yahoo and has a path to RB1 value early in the season. Keep an eye out for the latest updates on this story.

Quick Hitters

-Anthony Richardson Sr. will back up Daniel Jones as the QB2 for the Colts. Jones is coming off a major injury, so it's not crazy to think we see Richardson at some point this season. For now, there's no indication Jones won't be ready for Week 1.

-Michael Wilson inked a new three-year, $75 million deal with the Cardinals on Thursday, per reports. Arizona paying Wilson indicates he's going to be a big part of the offense's future. Wilson's ADP the past seven days is around 98th on Yahoo.

-Titans head coach Robert Saleh came to the defense of his QB Cam Ward after a shaky training camp and preseason.

-Giants RB Cam Skattebo contemplated retiring after his 2025 injury.