This article is part of our Training Camp Notes series.
The first full week of preseason football concluded with the Colts and Panthers on Sunday, and teams who played earlier in the week were already back at practice. Thus, news abounds. We'll check in on some stars and other high-impact players to start with.
• DeAndre Hopkins missed another practice Sunday with an unspecified injury. This is normal for him, as it seems the Cardinals are just trying to keep the 29-year-old fresh for the regular season. A.J. Green returned from an undisclosed injury, however.
• Stefon Diggs continues to miss practice due to a knee injury, but Bills coach Sean McDermott expressed confidence that it would not impact his star receiver's availability for the start of the regular season.
• Sticking with Buffalo, Zack Moss injured his hamstring Wednesday but was already back doing some side work at Sunday's practice. The Bills hope to have him in uniform for Week 2 of preseason.
• Saquon Barkley continues to do individual work and is not likely to be a part of team drills during the Giants' joint practices with the Browns. He has reportedly responded well as he works on "football movements."
• Patriots tight ends trended in opposite directions Sunday. Hunter Henry returned to practice after missing a week with a shoulder injury. Jonnu Smith suffered a low-ankle sprain Sunday, though it's not considered serious. If one or the other misses time, the other's value would likely skyrocket in fantasy leagues.
• Curtis Samuel came off the PUP list Sunday and will finally get to practice with the Football Team after suffering a groin injury in June minicamp and subsequently contracting COVID. Assuming the Ohio State product makes it through the rest of the preseason, he should be the No. 2 option in Washington's passing game behind Terry McLaurin.
• For those in the market for a Christian McCaffrey backup, Chuba Hubbard seems to be the man at the moment after rushing for 80 yards on just seven carries in Sunday's preseason game against the Colts. His main competition for the job, Reggie Bonnafon, didn't dress for an undisclosed reason.
• Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger each played a half against the Panthers on Sunday to show they deserved the Colts' starting quarterback job while Carson Wentz is on the mend. Both played reasonably well, with Ehlinger throwing the lone interception but also showing off the mobile facet of his game. Fantasy managers invested in Colts skill weapons should be able to rest easier if one of these guys can do the job competently.
• Popular breakout pick Mecole Hardman dropped his lone target in Saturday's preseason showdown with San Francisco. The news hardly inspires confidence that the third-year wideout has solved his hands problems, but he's still in a great situation as the third passing option in a Patrick Mahomes offense. There's little behind the Georgia product on the depth chart, too.
• We'll finish with one of my favorite late-round breakout candidates, Bryan Edwards. He has been making consistent plays in Raiders camp and has become a top red-zone option for Derek Carr. The third-rounder out of the 2020 draft class looked good in limited playing time last season, and at 6-foot-3, is a bit bigger than Henry Ruggs, who should start alongside him. After Darren Waller, there's not much else on the Las Vegas depth chart among pass catchers, so the No. 1 wide receiver job is up for the taking.
