San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (quadriceps) is not in uniform for the team's preseason opener on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Evans returned to practice earlier this week, but it's no surprise that he's not playing in the preseason opener after recently missing time due to a minor quad strain that he suffered early in training camp. In addition to Evans, receivers Christian Kirk and Demarcus Robinson aren't in uniform, and star running back Christian McCaffrey is out as well. It's unclear if the veteran Evans will play in any preseason games as he heads into his first year in the Bay Area with the Niners. The 32-year-old future Hall of Famer broke his string of 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons in 2025 in his final year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a broken collarbone that limited him to eight starts. A bounce-back should be coming in 2026 if he stays healthy, but that's a big question mark for an aging receiver who is closer to the end of his career than the beginning of it. For fantasy purposes, Evans should be considered a low-end WR2/high-end WR3 who will be a go-to target for QB Brock Purdy in the red zone.

Former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold plans to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Arnold has also visited with the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, and New York Giants. The NFL must next decide whether to put Arnold on the commissioner's exempt list after he was arrested on felony charges in connection with a robbery and kidnapping in February, which is why the Lions released him earlier this year. The 23-year-old was originally taken with the 24th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft from the University of Alabama, and he recorded 91 tackles (70 solo), an interception, 18 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 24 games (22 starts) in his first two years in the league with the Lions. Arnold only played in eight games for Detroit last season. If he's allowed to play in 2026, Arnold will give the defending Super Bowl-champion Seahawks more depth in their defensive backfield.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (leg) is in street clothes and will not play in Thursday night's preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, according to Brian Batko of Steelers.com. Pittman has missed some practice time this week in training camp with what appears to be a minor leg injury. Both he and DK Metcalf (undisclosed) are being held out of the first preseason game, although they could be back for next week's preseason tilt against the New York Jets on Friday, Aug. 21. The 28-year-old former second-rounder by the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 from USC had only 784 receiving yards on 80 receptions in 2025, but he did manage to find the end zone a career-high seven times in 17 games played in his final year in Indy. Although Pittman has a limited fantasy ceiling, he could rebound with his move to Pittsburgh if he's peppered with short targets from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Target him as a WR4/flex at a value in PPR fantasy drafts.

The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee) is targeting Week 6 against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, for his 2026 debut after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus last December. The Packers have a very strict nine-month rule for players returning from ACL injuries, and it's not realistic for Parsons to return until around Week 5 or 6, especially since he's also recovering from a torn meniscus in his knee. The 27-year-old five-time Pro Bowler will open the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which will require him to miss at least the first four games of the year. When healthy, Parsons is a game-wrecker against opposing offenses. After Green Bay acquired him from the Cowboys before the start of the 2025 season, he went on to record 41 tackles (19 solo), 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 14 games before his season-ending knee injury. Even with the possibility of missing the first five games in 2026, Parsons will have plenty of stash appeal in IDP fantasy leagues.