🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

Strong rookie QB debuts

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Wolf Sports
August 12, 2025

In this week’s newsletter: Rookie QBs impress during preseason action, a highly impactful season-ending injury, and the best pick in 2025 fantasy drafts. First, Lions S Morice Norris is back with the team and says he’s good after a scary moment where he was carted off against the Falcons. 🙏

🏈 Preseason Week 1

The first full week of the 2025 NFL preseason was headlined by rookie QBs all faring well in their first professional game action.

Patriots rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson took a kick back 100 yards for a touchdown on his first touch.

Colts QB Anthony Richardson left the preseason game against the Ravens with a dislocated pinky, but is now fine.

Another big highlight was Jaguars K Cam Little connecting on a 70-yard field goal—which, of course, would’ve been an NFL record (currently 66 yards) during the season.

And the Patriots unveiled their 12-foot bronze statue of legendary QB Tom Brady.

🩼 Rashawn Slater done for 2025

Chargers OT Rashawn Slater is out for the year due to a knee injury suffered in practice.

  • It was a torn patellar tendon for Slater, which is one of the most impactful injuries for an athlete.

  • Joe Alt, the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will move from right tackle to left tackle this season—with Trey Pipkins now starting on the right side.

  • Slater was placed on Injured Reserve and faces a lengthy rehab process.

At least Slater recently signed an enormous contract extension for security, but his loss is a huge one for a Chargers squad with very high hopes this season.

Eagles G Landon Dickerson escaped a long-term injury, as his meniscus injury from Sunday’s practice needs a “minor” procedure that could even have him back for Week 1.

Texans S C.J. Gardner-Johnson avoided a season-ending knee injury and HC DeMeco Ryans says he’ll be back this season.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford (back) was supposed to practice yesterday but remains out in a frustrating situation for the veteran.

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan roughly projects WR Brandon Aiyuk to be back around Week 6.

More injuries: Titans RB Tyjae Spears (high-ankle sprain, out a few weeks), Packers S Xavier McKinney (calf, should be back Week 1), Packers CB Nate Hobbs (knee, should be back Week 1) 49ers WR Jordan Watkins (high-ankle sprain), Jets TE Mason Taylor (high-ankle sprain), Steelers QB Will Howard (shoulder)

⬇️ Additional player news

LB Anthony Barr announced his retirement from the NFL with a nice Instagram post. The former No. 9 overall pick of the Vikings in the 2014 NFL Draft ends his career as a four-time Pro Bowler with 554 tackles, 18.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and five interceptions.

He’s back: After one year with Chicago, Chargers WR Keenan Allen returned to the franchise he played 11 seasons with. Allen is 26 receptions away from 1,000 for his career.

The Rams extended star RB Kyren Williams on a three-year, $33 million deal as a continued engine in Sean McVay’s offense.

Report: Steelers DT Cameron Heyward has quietly not participated fully for the Steelers this summer as he seeks a new contract.

Suspensions: The NFL suspended Vikings WR Jordan Addison three games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and free agent S Tracy Walker has been suspended 12 games.

More veteran moves: Titans re-sign S Quandre Diggs, Texans sign S Jalen Mills, Raiders sign S Terrell Edmunds, Cardinals re-sign G Will Hernandez, Steelers sign G Andrus Peat, and 49ers release CB Eli Apple.

📰 More NFL news and notes

Jon Gruden beat the NFL in the Nevada Supreme Court, and his lawsuit against the league and Commissioner Goodell will be litigated in court instead of with NFL arbitration—pending a potential appeal to the Supreme Court.

NFL teams will no longer supply smelling salts to players—citing safety concerns. The news was first revealed by 49ers TE George Kittle, but it turns out that players can still use them—but they must bring their own supply.

“We got Bible study… and y’all’s faith is going to determine me hitting this.” Giants QB Jameis Winston nailed the crossbar to get his team out of an additional walkthrough practice.

Patriots HC Mike Vrabel came away with a bloody cheek after jumping into a training camp fight during joint practices with the Commanders.

This week’s Consigliere Corner picks one of the best selections in 2025 fantasy football drafts: Lions WR Jameson Williams. You can check out the full article here, but below is a glimpse at why he’s such a great value:

Jamo can do plenty of damage with the ball in his hands, get open against one-on-one coverage on all three levels, and showed tremendous catch focus and ability to make plays in traffic in Year 3. In Year 4, there’s room for statistical growth for someone who had just 91 targets in 2024.

Last season, Williams finished as the WR19. But now I’m seeing his average draft position (ADP) is near 80 on ESPN, and I saw before the Hall of Fame Game some rankings with Jamo as the WR31. And now suddenly I’m seeing jokes on X about Jamo being a reliable fantasy factor. He just was last season!

What’s not to love about Jameson Williams as a pick in around the seventh round of 2025 fantasy football drafts? He’s talented. He plays on an elite team in an offense that’s determined and might put up crooked numbers even with Ben Johnson now in Chicago. And he’s already produced as a fantasy asset.

Other Sports Updates

🏈 The preseason AP college football poll has Texas at No. 1.

📺 TV and rights news from the past week:

😂 Super Bowl winning HC Jon Gruden says he’d “die” to coach in the SEC, saying that he’d love it.

⛳️ Justin Rose won the FedEx St. Jude Championship at 45 years old.

⚾️ Jean Pawol became the first female umpire in MLB history.

🐺 Found on wolfsports.com