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Khalil Dinkins: Placed on NFI list
Saturday, July 18, 2026 4:55 PM
The 49ers placed Dinkins (undisclosed) on the active/non-football injury list Saturday.
It's unclear what ailment Dinkins is working through, but since he was placed on the active NFI list, he is eligible to practice and play in preseason games once fully healthy. He signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in late April following a four-year collegiate career at Penn State.
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Tahj Brooks: Competing for RB2 role
Friday, July 17, 2026 9:25 PM
Brooks will compete against Samaje Perine in training camp for the No. 2 running back role behind Chase Brown, Michael Hull of the Bengals' official site reports.
Brooks was a sixth-round selection of the Bengals in the 2025 NFL Draft and spent most of his rookie campaign as a contributor on special teams while operating behind both Brown and Perine in the backfield. Brooks figures to see continued work on special teams in 2026, but he'll have the opportunity to push Perine out for the RB2 role in training camp and the preseason. Brooks turned 16 carries into 45 yards and added a nine-yard catch across 16 regular-season games in 2025 while also gaining 258 yards on 10 kickoff returns.
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Davis Mills: Set for QB2 duties again
Friday, July 17, 2026 9:20 PM
Mills is expected to reprise his role as the Texans' backup quarterback behind C.J. Stroud and ahead of Graham Mertz for the 2026 season, Jared Koch of SI.com reports.
Mills has served as the Texans' QB2 for each of the past two seasons, but he started in three games during the 2025 season while Stroud was sidelined due to a concussion. Mills led the Texans to wins in all three of his starts, completing 59.5 percent of his passes for 719 yards, five touchdowns and one interception while turning seven carries into 38 yards and a score in that span. Stroud hasn't had the same kind of production over the past two years as he did in his rookie campaign in 2023, and he committed seven turnovers across Houston's two playoff games. If Stroud has a slow start to the 2026 season, then that could be enough for head coach DeMeco Ryans to turn the keys to the offense over to Mills.
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Calvin Austin: Jostling for opportunities at WR
Friday, July 17, 2026 4:06 PM
Austin is competing for playing time in a Giants wide-receiver room that also includes Malik Nabers (knee), Darius Slayton (abdomen), Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham, Alex Smith of SNY.tv reports.
Austin appears to be running ahead of at least Smith-Schuster and Beckham, both of whom were brought in to bolster the team's wide-receiver depth in camp while Nabers and Slayton are sidelined. Mooney is expected to play primarily in the slot and Fields is a rookie third-round pick, so Austin has a clear path to playing time early in the season if Nabers takes time to ramp up in his recovery from a torn ACL that was surgically repaired Oct. 28.
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Darnell Mooney: Favorite for slot duties
Friday, July 17, 2026 4:02 PM
Mooney is expected to work as the Giants' primary option in the slot, Alex Smith of SNY.tv reports.
Mooney was limited to 443 receiving yards with the Falcons in 2025, but he has recorded at least 992 receiving yards in two of his six NFL regular seasons. Slot receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, who signed with the Titans in free agency, led the Giants with 1,014 receiving yards in 2025. Mooney seems to have a defined role lined up while Darius Slayton (abdomen), Calvin Austin, Malachi Fields, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham compete for reps on the outside opposite Malik Nabers (knee), who is expected to reclaim a starting role once healthy.
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Kyle Williams: In mix for snaps behind top WR duo
Friday, July 17, 2026 3:31 PM
Once training camp commences, Williams is slated to compete for snaps behind A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs in three-receiver sets, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.
While it's clear that Brown and Doubs are atop the Patriots' WR depth chart, Kayshon Boutte also figures to see his share of work provided he remains with the team, with Williams, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas also in the mix for complementary work in a crowded positional group. For now, Williams -- who caught 10 of 21 targets for 209 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season contests in 2025 -- doesn't have a clear path to volume in New England's offense, but the 2025 third-rounder, who's been working to improve his playing strength this offseason, does have the speed to help out as a downfield threat in 2026 when snaps are available.
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Lan Larison: Vying for RB3 spot in New England
Friday, July 17, 2026 3:29 PM
Larison and Terrell Jennings are set to battle for the third spot on the Patriots' running back depth chart in training camp, Christopher Price of the Boston Globe reports.
Larison signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of UC Davis prior to the 2025 season but injured his foot during the preseason and spent the entire campaign on IR. Now that he's healthy, Larison will try to earn a roster spot in a depth role behind TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery are also vying for roles in New England's running back room.
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Makai Lemon: Ready for training camp
Friday, July 17, 2026 1:06 PM
Lemon (hamstring) noted Friday that he's "feeling great" and is "100 percent" ready to go for training camp, Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The 2026 first-rounder dealt with a hamstring injury during the Eagles' offseason program, but based on his comments Friday, Lemon should be able to work without restrictions once training camp commences. In the wake of the team's trade of A.J. Brown to the Patriots this offseason, Lemon has a chance to operate as the Eagles' WR2 alongside DeVonta Smith this season, a scenario that gives the USC product a path to a degree of fantasy utility as a rookie. Also in the mix for WR targets behind Smith are Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore.
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Phil Mafah: Battling for backup role in Big D
Friday, July 17, 2026 1:04 PM
Mafah is in contention to land a depth role in Dallas' backfield behind Javonte Williams, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Mafah, Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue will battle for the top backup spot throughout training camp. The Cowboys drafted Mafah in the seventh round in 2025, two rounds after selecting Blue. Mafah made his NFL debut in Week 18 of the 2025 campaign against the Giants and scored a touchdown on one of his five carries.
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Javonte Williams: Tight grip on RB1 role in Dallas
Friday, July 17, 2026 1:02 PM
Williams remains the Cowboys' lead back entering the 2026 season, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Williams is set to lead a backfield that also includes Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Israel Abanikanda and Dominic Richardson heading into training camp. Blue, a 2025 fifth-round pick, could be ready for a larger role in his second season, especially in passing situations, but Williams remains the clear No. 1 option for the Cowboys at running back after rushing for a career-high 1,201 yards across 16 games in 2025, Williams' age-25 campaign.
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