- Montee Ball, laid low by appendicitis earlier in camp, will make his preseason debut tonight against the Texans. His snaps will certainly be limited, but owners who have invested a high pick in Ball (or are planning to do so) can now exhale, as all signs currently point to him being ready for Week 1.
- more good news for Broncos fans: Von Miller will also play Saturday, seeing his first game action since tearing his ACL last season in Week 15. Between Miller's return and the offseason addition of DeMarcus Ware, the Denver defense could be a sneaky fantasy play in formats that reward big sack totals.
- Cam Newton owners got a scare Friday when he got a cleat in the back on a scramble, but x-rays came back negative and it looks like he'll see some game action in the Panthers' next preseason matchup on Thursday. He should be fine for Week 1.
- Santonio Holmes caught one of his two targets for seven yards during Friday's preseason game. Josh Morgan (three catches on five targets for 48 yards) currently still holds the Bears' third WR spot effectively by default, but the ex-Jet and ex-Steeler might just have enough time to catch Morgan for the job if Holmes can close out the preseason with a flourish. Neither one has much fantasy upside for Week 1, but they will be names to keep in mind should something happen to Brandon Marshall or Alshon Jeffery.
- James Starks is the name behind Eddie Lacy's on the Packers' backfield depth chart, and deservedly so given his performance last season, but DuJuan Harris is at least trying to push his way into the conversation, gaining 56 yards on 12 carries Friday and adding two catches for 42 yards. Harris has the speed and shiftiness to be a dangerous third-down back, so in deep PPR leagues where you need some late-round RB darts he could be worth a look, as a Lacy injury would likely turn into a Starks/Harris timeshare.
- sticking with the Pack, their defense took a big hit when BJ Raji was officially confirmed to have a torn bicep and will miss the entire season. Sometimes when a team's defense loses an important player it's actually good fantasy news for their offense, since they'll need to crank things up to try and keep pace with the additional points the defense will surrender. This is not one of those times. Last year Green Bay's run defense was among the worst in the league, giving up 125 yards a game and 4.6 yards a carry. Without Raji taking up space in the middle of their 3-4 defense, they'll likely have even more trouble slowing down the opposition's ground game, which means longer drives - and a little less time, and fewer plays, in which Aaron Rodgers and company can do their thing.
- Chris Polk returned to practice Saturday from his hamstring injury. During his absence the Eagles went out and added Kenjon Barner to their backfield, but if Polk can stay on the field and get back up to speed quickly he still looks like the best bet to step in for LeSean McCoy should McCoy (who's currently dealing with minor nicks to his toe and thumb) miss any game action.