Training Camp Updates, News and Notes: Ashton Jeanty Recovering, Jonah Coleman Earning Work and More

We’re getting dangerously close to the start of the 2026 NFL season. The final week of preseason football is already taking place, and we’re less than two weeks from the first regular season contest.

That said, the news is still flying, along with the fantasy football implications. We have a couple of injuries to keep an eye on before the start of the year, while other players continue to stand out. Let’s dive into some of Friday’s biggest developments from throughout the NFL.

Ashton Jeanty “Still On the Mend”

Ashton Jeanty is one of the biggest headaches in fantasy at the moment. Head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters on Friday that Jeanty is “on the mend," which is basically the same answer he gave reporters on Tuesday. It seems like we’re not going to have a more concrete status for Jeanty until the team is forced to release its initial injury report before Week 1.

That creates an awful situation for fantasy players. If Jeanty were fully healthy, he would be in the conversation for the first round. But he’s not healthy, and we’re not 100% just how injured he actually is. The most recent report from Ian Rapoport is that Jeanty’s ankle sprain is more “low than high,” and that the team is “optimistic” he’ll be in the lineup for Week 1 vs. the Dolphins.

Still, it’s impossible to select Jeanty with any level of confidence. He was already someone that I felt was overvalued in drafts, and now there’s even less reason to pay a premium for him. He’s down to RB11 in our consensus fantasy football rankings.

Conversely, Mike Washington has become an increasingly popular sleeper. The rookie absolutely carved up the preseason, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt on 23 carries, and he could have a role with the Raiders to start the year. At a minimum, he’s put himself in the “priority handcuff” tier of players.

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Jonah Coleman Squarely in the Mix in Denver

The Jonah Coleman drumbeat has been steady throughout training camp, and it’s not slowing down. ESPN’s Jeff Legwold reports that Coleman is going to “get plenty of work” this season, which is not the best development for fantasy purposes. J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey still profile as the team’s top two running backs, but this looks like it has the potential to be a three-man committee.

Coleman is the cheapest of the Broncos’ RBs in drafts, coming off the board as RB47 compared to RB32 for Harvey and RB34 for Dobbins. That makes him arguably the best value of the bunch. He has a three-down skill set, so he has the potential to step in for Dobbins or Harvey should either player suffer an injury this season. 

Alec Pierce Targeting Week 1

Alec Pierce secured the bag this offseason, but he has missed most of training camp while recovering from offseason surgery. The good news is that Pierce has officially been removed from the PUP list, and he told reporters that “Week 1 is the goal” in terms of getting back on the field.

That makes him an interesting mid-round target in fantasy drafts. Despite being one of the highest-paid receivers in football, Pierce has gotten almost no love in fantasy circles. He’s being drafted as WR38 across the industry. Pierce has averaged an elite 11.9 yards per target in back-to-back seasons, and with Michael Pittman now in Pittsburgh, Pierce has the potential to set a new career high in targets.

Malachi Fields to Start at WR2?

Malachi Fields was far from a guaranteed starter as a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports that Fields “will likely start” opposite Malik Nabers in Week 1. Raanan previously reported that Fields had the inside track on the job, so it appears as though he’s done enough to hold off guys like Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham, and Darius Slayton.

That said, whether or not that role offers enough upside for fantasy purposes remains to be seen. As long as Nabers is healthy, he figures to be option A, B, and C for the Giants’ passing attack. Fields will also have to compete with Isaiah Likely as well as the rest of the team’s veteran pass-catchers, so he’s still not a particularly appealing sleeper. His best chance for viability would be another injury to Nabers.

Antonio Williams “Will Play Early” For Commanders

Antonio Williams is another rookie receiver who has reportedly done enough to get on the field in Week 1. ESPN’s John Keim believes he “will play early” for the Commanders.

Unfortunately, Williams’ path to targets is arguably even more daunting than Fields’. He’ll have to contend with Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs at receiver, and both should be well ahead of him in the pecking order. Chig Okonkwo has also drawn some praise at tight end, so he’s another mouth to feed. Williams’ price tag has steadily dropped all preseason, and this recent development doesn’t do much to give his stock any helium.