The Pittsburgh Steelers shuffled the roster, waiving tackle Gareth Warren with an injury designation to make room for outside linebacker Kenny Willekes, signed earlier. Warren exited Week 2 of the preseason with a concussion evaluation after the loss to Tampa Bay. Warren went undrafted in 2024 out of Lindenwood and signed with the Steelers after rookie minicamp. The club then prepared for a preseason finale against Carolina.

Meanwhile, the Steelers got healthier in key spots: Alex Highsmith returned to practice after a groin issue, Cam Heyward came back to practice after a hold, and Jalen Ramsey was set to make his Steelers debut against the Panthers. The looming matchup with Carolina framed a busy week of evaluation and depth-building for Pittsburgh under coach Mike Tomlin.

Nic Scourton’s rookie season hit a setback as he suffered a collapsed lung after a joint practice with Houston. Taken to Memorial Hermann in Houston, the Texas A&M edge rusher is listed week-to-week as Panthers staff weigh next steps. The club stressed the situation is fluid and they’ll prioritize safety before any return to practice. The episode comes on the heels of Scourton’s strong camp showing, including a sack against Shedeur Sanders in a prior preseason game, underscoring the potential Carolina hoped to deploy from the edge.

The Panthers’ coaching staff remains cautious, emphasizing smart, not rushed, decisions as they monitor Scourton’s progress and timeline. This development adds a layer of uncertainty to Carolina’s pass-rush depth ahead of the regular season, and fantasy managers should stay tuned for updates on the timeline and lineup implications as the Panthers adjust their rotation in the meantime. It also serves as a reminder of camp heat risk and the importance of prudent medical evaluation in NFL practice sessions.

Will Howard's hand injury has the Pittsburgh Steelers navigating a critical QB for Week 1 and beyond. A fracture to a small bone in his right hand, suffered August 5, has him practicing with a brace and catching passes only with his left, casting doubt on his availability for Carolina’s game and the season opener. Initial timelines pegged at a minimum of three weeks, but exact clearance remains uncertain as Pittsburgh balances roster decisions.

With Howard sidelined, Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson have ramped up reps. Rudolph could see a third preseason start vs. the Panthers, while Thompson showed flashes across exhibitions. The team even floated IR consideration if Howard isn’t ready by September 7. Howard’s Buckeye season highlighted elite accuracy and TDs, so fantasy managers will track practice velocity and grip recovery for any late-season upside.

As Pittsburgh weighs its Week 1 plan, the fantasy lens will focus on who seizes control of the backup role and how the QB rotation affects pass targets and rushing opportunities. The Panthers matchup adds urgency, and the team’s long-term health calculus will influence whether Howard returns in time for opening night or slides into IR, altering the depth chart for fantasy rosters and streamer decisions.

Howard’s Ohio State marks—high completion percentage and TDs—underline upside if he returns in peak form. The storyline centers on practice tempo, grip strength, and how Pittsburgh balances development with immediate needs as the season approaches.

Tampa Bay is rooted as the season’s big story in Connor Orr’s projection, pegged for a memorable 12-5 run that lands the Buccaneers as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The forecast emphasizes a sneaky-deep roster capable of pulling off marquee wins against legit contenders—Philadelphia, Detroit, and Buffalo—while noting a late-season stretch against weaker opponents that could fuel consistency down the stretch. The NFC South looks thin beyond TB, with Atlanta at 9-9 and Carolina at 6-11, sealing a divisional playoff drought for the other teams. For fantasy managers, Tampa Bay’s position hints at a stable, high-floor offense with potential playoff-growth momentum, even as intra-division dynamics tilt expectations elsewhere. The broader takeaway: TB’s path to fantasy relevance is tied to depth across the lineup and timely performances against strong foes, rather than relying on a single star-making run.

The piece also sketches a ripple effect across the conference: Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Detroit are highlighted as standout programs TB can’t simply run through, making Week-to-week scouting and matchup play crucial as the season unfolds. With the rest of the NFC South underwhelming by Orr’s lens, the Bucs’ path to the postseason is framed as a win-now, balance-of-roster affair, rather than a pure miracle month. Fantasy implications center on identifying value across TB’s backfield and receiving corps as the offense spreads opportunities, while monitoring late-season opponents who could shape the playoff push.

The narrative style remains grounded in roster depth, schedule shape, and a belief in Tampa Bay’s ability to win big games away from the expected, rather than relying on a single superstar to carry the load. For fantasy players, this means potential late-season leverage from TB’s depth pieces and a cautious eye on enemies TB might exploit in pivotal divisional showdowns. The result is a cautiously optimistic blueprint for a season-long run with meaningful fantasy upside and strategic rostering decisions that hinge on timing and opponent fit.