Player News
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Reggie Virgil ARI WR
Cardinals' Reggie Virgil: Team-high catch total in defeat
7h agoVirgil secured five of six targets for 66 yards in the Cardinals' 33-30 preseason loss to the Panthers on Thursday.
The rookie fifth-round pick led the Cardinals in receptions and targets while finishing second in receiving yards on the night to Jalen Brooks. Virgil is battling Brooks and veterans such as Devin Duvernay and Simi Fehoko for a spot on the latter portion of the wide-receiver depth chart, and Virgil got his quest off to an excellent start Thursday. Given the promise he showed, Virgil should continue seeing plenty of snaps in the Cardinals' preseason game on the road against the Raiders next Thursday.
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AJ Dillon CAR RB
Panthers' AJ Dillon: Impresses in HOF Game
7h agoDillon rushed three times for 18 yards and a touchdown and secured his only target for 18 yards in the Panthers' 33-30 preseason win over the Cardinals on Thursday.
Dillon's first three touches came in consecutive fashion early in the second quarter, as he rattled off his 18-yard reception and then gained four yards on his first run of the night. The veteran back followed it up with a one-yard touchdown run on the next play, and his final rush attempt of the night resulted in a game-long 13-yard run to start the following possession. Dillon was the second back in the game behind Trevor Etienne, and the former will look to continue making a strong impression in the Panthers' second preseason game on the road against the Bills on Saturday, Aug. 15.
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Zonovan Knight ARI RB
Cardinals' Bam Knight: Impressive to open preseason
7h agoKnight rushed 12 times for 60 yards in the Cardinals' 33-30 preseason loss to the Panthers on Thursday. He also fumbled once but recovered.
The journeyman back is looking to run it back with the Cardinals after making a positive impression during an injury-riddled 2025 for the Arizona backfield. Knight started Thursday's game and saw action into the first drive of the second half, fumbling at the end of his longest run of the night -- 15 yards -- late in the second quarter but falling back on the ball. Knight finished as the team leader in rushing yards, but he figures to have an uphill battle to stick on the final roster in a very crowded running back room headlined by rookie first-round pick Jeremiyah Love along with Tyler Allgeier, James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson.
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Ja'Tavion Sanders CAR TE
Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Three catches in preseason opener
8h agoSanders (ankle) brought in all three targets for 13 yards in the Panthers' 33-30 preseason win over the Cardinals on Thursday.
Sanders started the game and recorded his first two receptions on the Panthers' first pair of plays from scrimmage. The 2024 fourth-round pick has been solid in a rotational role over his first two seasons, posting a combined 62-532-2 line on 77 targets over 29 regular-season games. Looking ahead to the 2026 season, Sanders has a chance to overtake Tommy Tremble for the No. 1 tight-end role, although it's possible head coach Dave Canales opts to continue utilizing both players in a 1A-1B type of arrangement again.
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Trevor Etienne CAR RB
Panthers' Trevor Etienne: Draws start in preseason opener
8h agoEtienne started the Panthers' 33-30 preseason win over the Cardinals on Thursday, rushing four times for 12 yards and bringing in his only target for minus-1 yard.
With Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks both getting the night off, Etienne was the first back on the field for the Panthers and logged touches on each of the first three drives. He netted 12 yards via back-to-back runs on Carolina's third possession, but he was ultimately outperformed by both Miles Davis and veteran AJ Dillon after exiting the game. Etienne appeared in all 17 regular-season games as a rookie in 2025 and contributed 107 scrimmage yards, but he also added value on special teams with 733 kickoff-return yards and 163 yards on punt returns. Etienne will continue attempting to make a case for a roster spot in Carolina's second preseason game, which unfolds Saturday, Aug. 15 on the road against the Bills.
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Jalen Brooks ARI WR
Cardinals' Jalen Brooks: Makes impact downfield in loss
8h agoBrooks secured three of four targets for 99 yards in the Cardinals' 33-30 preseason loss to the Panthers on Thursday.
Brooks led the Cardinals in receiving yards on the night, getting a major boost from two long catches in the first half. Brooks first recorded a 35-yard grab from Carson Beck on the Cardinals' second possession, and he subsequently set Arizona up at the Panthers' 17-yard line with a 49-yard reception down the left side of the field early in the second quarter. The stellar showing was critical for Brooks, who's looking to stick as a reserve option in a fairly crowded Cardinals receiver room. The 2023 seventh-round pick of the Cowboys will look to carry over the momentum into Arizona's second preseason game next Thursday night in Las Vegas.
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Ranger Suarez BOS SP
Red Sox's Ranger Suarez: Another brief outing
8m agoSuarez didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the White Sox, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks across three innings. He struck out three.
After blanking Chicago for two innings, Suarez ran into trouble in the third, where he gave up a two-run homer to Chase Meidroth before Colson Montgomery tacked on two more runs with a two-out hit. Suarez, who threw 70 pitches Thursday, hasn't made it through five innings in any of his three starts since returning from the IL. Overall, he sports a 3.32 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP and 108:30 K:BB through 20 starts (103 innings) with Boston this season.
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Chase Meidroth CHW 2B
White Sox's Chase Meidroth: Homers twice in extra-innings loss
13m agoMeidroth went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four total RBI in Thursday's 12-11 extra-innings loss to the Red Sox.
Meidroth opened the scoring in the third inning with a two-run shot off Ranger Suarez before putting Chicago ahead 9-7 in the 10th inning with another two-run blast, this time off Aroldis Chapman. Meidroth had gone seven games without a home prior to Thursday, going just 4-for-21 (.190) in that span. Overall, the second baseman is slashing .275/.352/.405 this season with 11 homers, 67 runs scored, 44 RBI and two steals across 465 plate appearances.
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Kohl Drake ARI SP
Diamondbacks' Kohl Drake: Tagged for first MLB loss
5h agoDrake (0-1) took the loss against San Diego on Thursday, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out one batter over 3.2 innings.
Though he walked only one batter, Drake threw just 46 of 82 pitches for strikes. Three of the six hits the rookie southpaw allowed were doubles, and he didn't miss many bats, recording only three whiffs and one strikeout. Drake logged five innings in his first MLB start July 21 against the A's, but since then each of his three outings has lasted four frames or less. Michael Soroka (glute) recently kicked off a rehab assignment, and Drake is currently the most likely Arizona hurler to be the odd man out of the rotation when Soroka is ready to return.
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Walker Buehler SD SP
Padres' Walker Buehler: Logs another short start
5h agoBuehler allowed one run on six hits and one walk while striking out three batters over four innings in a no-decision against Arizona on Thursday.
Buehler put two runners on base in the first inning but escaped without giving up any runs. He dodged trouble again in the third, when he allowed four straight hits but surrendered only one run. All of that traffic resulted in Buehler needing 76 pitches to get through four frames, and he didn't come back out for the fifth inning. It was the second straight outing during which Buehler has completed less than four frames, though he's yielded a tolerable four runs across 8.1 innings during that span. He's managed to hang onto a rotation spot despite a 5.07 ERA through 23 starts on the season, but the looming returns of Nick Pivetta (forearm) and Joe Musgrove (elbow) -- each of whom recently began a minor-league rehab stint -- could spell the end of Buehler's time as a starter.
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Michael Wacha KC SP
Royals' Michael Wacha: Just misses quality start
5h agoWacha tossed 5.2 innings in a no-decision against Minnesota on Thursday, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out one batter.
Wacha pitched well, giving up just one run on a Royce Lewis homer. The veteran hurler looked like he was on his way to a fourth straight quality start, but manager Matt Quatraro elected to pull him with two outs in the sixth inning (at 94 pitches) with Lewis coming up for another turn at the plate. Wacha did make it four straight outings with two or fewer earned runs, and he's lowered his season ERA to 3.44 with the effective stretch. He lines up for a tough next start in what's projected to be a road matchup versus the Dodgers.
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Yoendrys Gomez MIN RP
Twins' Yoendrys Gomez: Secures save Thursday
5h agoGomez picked up a save against the Royals on Thursday, issuing one walk and striking out two batters over one scoreless inning.
Gomez was summoned in the ninth inning with Minnesota clinging to a one-run lead. He walked the first batter he faced but then picked off pinch runner Tyler Tolbert at first base. With less pressure on him, Gomez then struck out Michael Massey and Isaac Collins to improve to 15-for-15 on save chances this season. Fantasy managers who roster Gomez are likely ecstatic about Gomez beyond deployed for the save opportunity, as Minnesota's trade-deadline acquisition of Jeff Hoffman cast some doubt about whether Gomez would remain in the closer role. Hoffman hade his first appearance for the Twins on Wednesday, working a perfect eighth inning in a 2-1 loss, and he could still be a threat to Gomez's stranglehold on the ninth-inning job.
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AJ Dybantsa WAS SF
Wizards' AJ Dybantsa: All set for rookie season
17h agoDybantsa (rest) will be competing for a starting role during training camp this fall.
After Dybantsa went first overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, there's a good chance the Wizards will want to showcase him in the first unit immediately. That said, Bilal Coulibaly was a full-time starter a year ago, and Washington also has incumbent veteran Khris Middleton on the roster. Regardless, Dybantsa finds himself in a rather favorable situation playing alongside veteran stars Trae Young (quad) and Anthony Davis (finger).
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Will Riley WAS SF
Wizards' Will Riley: Lined up for bench role
17h agoRiley has more competition for playing time with the Wizards in 2026-27.
Riley will suit up for a new-look Washington squad this year, one that doesn't closely resemble the 2025-26 late-season bunch nearly at all. All of Trae Young (quad), Anthony Davis (finger), AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr (foot) weren't part of the team's lineup to close last season but are set to make up the starting five for 2026-27, likely leaving Riley to contend with Khris Middleton and Bilal Coulibaly for minutes in the second unit.
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Tre Johnson WAS SG
Wizards' Tre Johnson: Role change likely for 2026-27
17h agoJohnson (rest) is likely to revert to a bench role to open 2026-27 after finishing last season as a starter.
The Wizards are set to send out a new starting lineup this year, now headlined by veteran stars Trae Young (quad) and Anthony Davis (finger) as well as rookie No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, and they're also set to get Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr (foot) back in the fold. Washington does have a rather thin backcourt behind Young and George, however, so both Johnson and Bub Carrington should remain involved to a significant extent off the bench in 2026-27.
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Tristan Vukcevic WAS PF
Wizards' Tristan Vukcevic: Becomes buried on depth chart
17h agoVukcevic (knee) is unlikely to have a significant role to begin the 2026-27 season.
The Wizards didn't have Anthony Davis (finger) or Alex Sarr (foot) available late last year, allowing Vukcevic to make a career-high 12 starts. This time around, however, Washington boasts a revamped frontcourt that is not only set to feature Davis and Sarr, but it also includes Deandre Ayton as a new face down low. As a result, Vukcevic is likely to be hard-pressed to squeeze into the Opening Night rotation.
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Darryn Peterson UTA PG
Jazz's Darryn Peterson: Gearing up for rookie campaign
17h agoPeterson (rest) is set to compete for a starting role during training camp in the fall.
The rookie No. 2 overall pick has Ace Bailey to overcome for the top spot at shooting guard with the Jazz. Whether he starts or comes off the bench right off the bat, Peterson is certainly primed for a significant role for Utah in 2026-27. Over five Summer League appearances, the 19-year-old stood out with averages of 23.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.
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Ace Bailey UTA SG
Jazz's Ace Bailey: Could be looking at new role
18h agoBailey's (back) role is undetermined heading into the 2026-27 campaign.
The addition of No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson may leave Bailey without a spot in Utah's starting lineup to begin the new year. The Jazz are also getting Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen back in the lineup after the two stars sat out the final stretch of a losing season in 2025-26. Bailey began to blossom late last year, averaging 18.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in 23 regular-season appearances (all starts) after the All-Star break, so he should have a chance to battle with Peterson for an Opening Night starting position.
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Nikita Grebenkin PHI RW
Flyers' Nikita Grebenkin: Signs two-year deal
13h agoGrebenkin signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the Flyers on Thursday.
Grebenkin recovered from an upper-body injury over the summer, which had kept him out for 23 games (regular season and playoffs) to end 2025-26. He established himself as a regular when healthy, earning 14 points with 32 shots on net, 46 PIM and 86 hits over 55 regular-season outings last year. Grebenkin will be in the mix for bottom-six minutes again in 2026-27.
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Hudson Fasching CLB RW
Hudson Fasching: Signs with Swedish club
18h agoFasching signed a one-year contract with SHL Skelleftea on Thursday.
Fasching recorded seven goals and 18 points in 65 regular-season outings with AHL Cleveland in 2025-26. The 31-year-old has accumulated 17 goals and 40 points across 175 career regular-season NHL appearances, but his shift to Europe might be a sign that he's played in his final NHL game.
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Ville Koivunen PIT RW
Penguins' Ville Koivunen: Signs eight-year deal
21h agoKoivunen agreed to terms on an eight-year, $32 million contract with Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Considering Koivunen has logged just 47 career games in the NHL, the term on his new deal is somewhat surprising. The 23-year-old winger should be in the mix for an Opening Night roster spot heading into the 2026-27 campaign, but he could still end up in the minors at some point, making him a somewhat risky fantasy option.
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Amir Miftakhov CAR G
Amir Miftakhov: Heading to KHL
2d agoMiftakhov signed a two-year contract with the KHL's Shanghai Dragons on Wednesday.
Miftakhov had a 3.25 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 28 regular-season outings with AHL Chicago in 2025-26. Although the 26-year-old hasn't played for Shanghai before, he has spent parts of five seasons in the KHL. Most recently, he posted a 2.18 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 30 regular-season appearances with KHL Kazan.
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Brad Hunt COL D
Brad Hunt: Officially retires
3d agoHunt will hang up his skates and call it a career; he announced Tuesday.
Hunt spent last season with Sport Vaasa overseas, logging 25 points in 53 games for the Swedish club. Over his career, the 37-year-old forward saw action in 288 regular-season games for the Wild, Oilers, Golden Knights, Canucks, Avalanche, Blues and Predators. In those outings, Hunt racked up 26 goals and 60 assists.
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Maksymilian Szuber MON D
Canadiens' Maksymilian Szuber: Inks one-year contract
4d agoSzuber signed a one-year, two-way contract with Montreal on Monday.
Szuber produced 11 goals, 27 points and 67 PIM across 65 regular-season appearances for AHL Tucson in 2025-26. The 23-year-old Szuber will probably begin the 2026-27 campaign with AHL Laval after the Canadiens acquired him from Utah on June 29 in exchange for Joshua Roy.


