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Cole Kmet is Earning Deep-League Value
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet didn't have a major role in the offense, but he was able to have success during the season opener. Kmet caught two of his three targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Carolina Panthers. Despite being behind Colston Loveland on the depth chart, Kmet made more of an impact than him on Sunday. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect that to happen weekly, but it's nice to see that Kmet is still getting involved in the offense. The Bears have two viable tight ends, so expect them to use them to their advantage. Kmet could be worth adding in deep leagues after a decent showing in the season opener.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
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Jacoby Brissett is Gaining Traction After Strong Start
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett helped lead his team to an impressive win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. Brissett completed 27-of-37 passing attempts for 277 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed the ball six times for 14 yards during the upset victory. It looks like Brissett is picking up right where he left off last season. The 33-year-old has excellent chemistry with tight end Trey McBride, and it showed again on Sunday. The Cardinals will head into a tough matchup against the Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 2. Brissett could be a matchup-based streaming option, but he won't be an ideal choice for Week 2.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jack Bech has Stash Value After Scoring in Season Opener
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech made the most of his opportunities during the Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. He only played 27 of the 68 offensive snaps, but he made the most of his time on the field. Bech hauled in three of his four targets for 23 yards and a touchdown in the win. There is no clear No. 1 wideout in Las Vegas right now, so Bech has room to grow into the top option in Las Vegas. The 23-year-old probably won't be a viable starting option in 12-team leagues, but he's someone worth stashing in deep leagues and dynasty formats while he develops.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Mack Hollins Likely to See Expanded Role
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins stepped up in a big way during the season opener. Hollins was not expected to be a significant part of the offense, but he ended up being one of the lone bright spots. The 33-year-old hauled in four of his five targets for 51 yards in the loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He saw an expanded role in the offense once top wideout A.J. Brown (ankle) exited the contest. It sounds like Brown is going to miss over a month of action, which could lead to a bigger role for Hollins in this offense. Hollins will probably move into a starting role for the Week 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He could be worth stashing in deep leagues while Brown is out.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Signing with Chargers
According to Jeremy Fowler, the Los Angeles Chargers are signing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their practice squad on Tuesday. The veteran wideout was with the Dallas Cowboys during training camp, but he didn't make the final roster. He has bounced around the league in the past few seasons, but he could still provide depth to this roster. The Chargers could need another wideout with Ladd McConkey (rib) considered day-to-day right now. If he misses Week 2, Valdes-Scantling could be elevated to the active roster, but it's unlikely he'd do much during his first week with the organization. Fantasy managers can ignore MVS for the moment.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Jonah Coleman Still Worth Rostering as RB Depth in Deep Leagues
There was a lot of offseason buzz around Denver Broncos rookie fourth-round running back Jonah Coleman, despite the fact that the team also has J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey primed for big roles in their backfield in 2026. The 23-year-old from the University of Washington got off to a slow start in his regular-season debut on Monday night in the 31-10 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, playing just three snaps on offense and not seeing a single touch out of the backfield. He did return one kickoff for 27 yards on special teams. Coleman came in projected as Denver's RB3, but he was a distant third behind Dobbins and Harvey, with the Broncos abandoning their running game early on in KC. Denver has a lot of room for improvement on offense after an ugly showing out of the gate, and perhaps that means more involvement for Coleman alongside Dobbins and Harvey. The 5-foot-8, 220-pounder does not have any current standalone fantasy appeal heading into a Week 2 tilt at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he remains an intriguing deep-league stash for RB depth because of his power as a runner between the tackles. Coleman is rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Daniel Jones Merely a Superflex Stash Option at QB Going into Week 2
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones had a lackluster 2026 season opener in Sunday's Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, going 19-for-31 passing for 166 yards for one touchdown and one interception. The 29-year-old had one carry for a gain of four yards. Most of the production on offense came from star running back Jonathan Taylor, as Jones had a measly 5.4 yards per pass attempt. We will give the former first-rounder from Duke a pass, though, in his first game back from an Achilles tendon tear late last season while going up against a formidable defense in Baltimore. Jones was on pace for a 4,000-yard passing season in 2025 in his first season in Indy before his season-ending injury, so fantasy managers should not be so quick to completely write him off in 2026 as he continues to put his Achilles tear further in the rearview mirror. Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road on Sunday Night Football probably is not the place to trust him in two-QB superflex leagues, but Jones is still a solid QB depth stash in those formats. He is currently rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Aaron Donald Could Make his 2026 Debut on Monday Night
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that there is "a very realistic chance" that All-Pro interior pass-rusher Aaron Donald will make his return for the Rams in Week 2 at home against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Rapoport reports that, based on people he has spoken to, Donald is targeting Monday night for his return for the first time since 2023 after hanging up his cleats. Head coach Sean McVay was a little more non-committal on Donald potentially returning in Week 2, saying, "We haven't decided that yet." The former 13th overall pick by the Rams in 2014 from Pittsburgh was a Pro Bowler in all 10 of his previous seasons, which included eight first-team All-Pro selections, but he is 35 now and coming off a long layoff without football. It will still be a shot in the arm for a Rams defense that was spanked by the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 in Australia, especially after they placed star edge rusher Myles Garrett (knee) on Injured Reserve. Fantasy managers in IDP formats should keep expectations tempered for Donald, who is expected to return to more of a rotational pass-rushing role at defensive tackle, especially during his debut.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Chargers Place Keandre Lambert-Smith on Injured Reserve
The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Tuesday that they placed wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) on Injured Reserve and signed receiver Gary Jennings in a corresponding move. Lambert-Smith injured his hamstring in the Week 1 season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and will now be forced to miss at least the next four games. The earliest he will be eligible to return to the Chargers' active 53-man roster will be for the Week 6 divisional clash against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 18. With top wideout Ladd McConkey (rib) also banged up coming out of the season opener, the Bolts could be down to Quentin Johnston and Tre' Smith as their top receivers this weekend for a Week 2 tilt against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Lambert-Smith did not play a single snap on offense on Sunday before getting injured.
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
David Njoku Deserves Waiver Consideration After Five-Catch Week 1
Los Angeles Chargers tight end David Njoku came to the Chargers in the offseason to little fanfare and was considered the TE3 going into the Bolts' Week 1 season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Njoku surprisingly led the Chargers' tight ends in the 26-14 loss by catching all five of his targets for 58 yards in his first game with the team. His 58 receiving yards were second on the team, behind only receiver Ladd McConkey's (rib) 82 yards. The 30-year-old played the same number of offensive snaps (30) as Charlie Kolar, who was talked up all summer during training camp as a potential TE sleeper in his first season in L.A. Njoku fell out of favor with the Cleveland Browns last year due to the immediate emergence of rookie Harold Fannin Jr., catching 33 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns. The former Pro Bowler will have competition for targets all year from Kolar and Oronde Gadsden, but Njoku has by far the most pass-catching experience in his 10-year NFL career, racking up over 4,000 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns. With McConkey up in the air to play in Week 2 versus the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, Njoku should definitely be on the waiver-wire radar for fantasy managers in need of depth at the TE position.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
John Bates on TE Streaming Radar Due to Teammate's Injury
Washington Commanders tight end John Bates only caught two of his three targets for 13 yards in the Week 1 season-opening loss to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday while playing just under half of the offensive snaps. The 28-year-old is not currently rostered in any Yahoo leagues, but the former fourth-rounder from Boise State could find himself on the streaming radar in two-TE leagues going into a Week 1 matchup on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, who allowed two touchdowns to Giants TE Isaiah Likely in Week 1, if fellow TE Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) cannot play after suffering a hamstring injury in the season opener. Bates has never had more than 249 receiving yards or one touchdown in any of his previous five seasons with the Commanders, so he is merely a speculative deep-league pickup in two-TE leagues in case Okonkwo's injury is serious enough to keep him from suiting up this weekend in Dallas. For what it is worth, Bates had more than two targets in Week 1 for the first time since Week 9 of last year, although that likely had something to do with Okonkwo getting hurt.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Kyle Williams has Opportunity for Bigger Role Going Forward
New England Patriots second-year wide receiver Kyle Williams only caught 10 passes after being taken in the third round last year out of Washington State, but he did average 20.9 yards per catch and found the end zone three times in 17 regular-season games. Williams had a forgettable 2026 season debut in the Week 1 season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks last Wednesday, playing only 17% of the offensive snaps while not being targeted at all by quarterback Drake Maye. The 23-year-old is currently not rostered in any Yahoo leagues, but that could change quickly after Week 2 against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers with top pass-catcher A.J. Brown (ankle) potentially out for up to six weeks due to a high-ankle sprain that he suffered last Wednesday night. Romeo Doubs and DeMario Douglas should see more targets from Maye going forward, but Williams will also have a bigger role as a field-stretcher, giving him some deep-league waiver-wire value going into the second game of the season as a boom/bust depth option at WR.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Chargers Working Out Marquez Valdes-Scantling Amid WR Injuries
The Los Angeles Chargers are working out free-agent veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Tuesday, sources told Jordan Schultz. The two-time Super Bowl champion was with the Dallas Cowboys during training camp this summer before being released, and he has 219 catches, 3,686 receiving yards, and 21 touchdowns in his eight-year NFL career. He played in 10 games (one start) last year with the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers and caught 14 of his 29 targets for only 120 yards and one touchdown. The Chargers are seeking a little more WR depth going into their Week 2 divisional tilt against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday after top wideout Ladd McConkey (rib) suffered a rib injury that has him listed as day-to-day this week. Additionally, Keandre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) is expected to miss some time after getting hurt in the Week 1 season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Chargers' top wideouts this Sunday will likely be Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris if McConkey is not cleared to suit up.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Ja'Kobi Lane Expected to Have Wrist Surgery
Baltimore Ravens promising rookie wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) is currently expected to undergo surgery on his fractured wrist in the coming days, potentially as soon as Wednesday, sources told Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. The current hope is that Lane will be able to return in around a month. The 22-year-old third-rounder from USC caught one of his three targets for 11 yards in the Week 1 season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts before fracturing his wrist, but his fantasy stock had been on the rise going into the season opener as Baltimore's No. 2 wideout behind Zay Flowers (hamstring). With Flowers also injured in Week 1, the Ravens could be looking at a top-three pass-catcher group of veteran Rashod Bateman, rookie Elijah Sarratt, and Devontez Walker (groin) for their Week 2 matchup this Sunday at home against the New Orleans Saints. Lane is a viable receiver to stash in deeper fantasy leagues while his fractured wrist heals. He is currently rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: CBS Sports - Matt Zenitz
Source: CBS Sports - Matt Zenitz
Pat Freiermuth Back on Fantasy Radars After Encouraging Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth got his 2026 season started on the right foot, recording five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown on five targets in his team's Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Freiermuth had the least productive season of his career on a per-game basis in 2025, hauling in 42 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns on 54 targets across 17 games (eight starts). However, the team enters 2026 with a new play-caller in head coach Mike McCarthy and parted ways with tight ends Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward over the offseason. While Steelers tight end Darnell Washington remains a part of the team's offense, Freiermuth was on the field for 73% of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps in Week 1. If Freiermuth's usage ticks back up this season, he could re-emerge as a solid tight end streamer for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jimmy Horn Jr. Waived by Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have waived wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., per ESPN's Adam Schefter. A sixth-round pick out of Colorado in the 2025 NFL Draft, Horn Jr. recorded just 11 catches for 108 yards on 15 targets across 13 games as a rookie. His sophomore campaign got off to a rough start in Week 1, as he muffed a punt in Carolina's blowout loss to the Chicago Bears. Whether or not the special teams mistake is the direct reason for Horn Jr. losing his spot on the Panthers' roster, the 24-year-old will now be looking for his next NFL opportunity. Depending on where Horn Jr. ends up, he could still carry some deep-league dynasty intrigue. For now, he remains firmly off the radar of redraft managers.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Dalton Schultz a Priority Tight End Streamer
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz was a featured piece in his team's passing game in Week 1, recording four catches for 35 yards on eight targets in Houston's 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills. While Schultz's lack of downfield ability limits his fantasy upside, he averaged over six targets per game in 2025 and scored double-digit PPR points in eight out of 12 contests after Houston's Week 6 bye. With Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in training camp, Schultz could end up being the number two option in the Houston passing game behind star wideout Nico Collins. The veteran Schultz also has a favorable matchup on paper in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, who were one of the worst defenses against tight ends last season. In leagues where he's available on the waiver wire, Schultz profiles as a priority tight end streamer.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Browns Add Running Back Jaleel McLaughlin to Active Roster
The Cleveland Browns signed running back Jaleel McLaughlin to the active 53-man roster from the practice squad on Tuesday, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. McLaughlin will take the place of running back Dylan Sampson (knee), who was placed on the Injured Reserve with a significant knee injury. With Sampson out for the foreseeable future, Raheim Sanders will now be the RB2 in Cleveland behind starter Quinshon Judkins, with McLaughlin settling in as the RB3 for the Browns as they head into a Week 2 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 26-year-old McLaughlin should remain firmly on the waiver wire in most single-year fantasy football leagues, but he could become intriguing for RB depth in point-per-reception formats if he works his way into a decent chance-of-pace role behind Judkins. The former undrafted free agent from Youngstown State has 226 career carries for 1,093 yards and three touchdowns while adding 59 receptions for 263 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver in his three NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos.
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Source: The Athletic - Zac Jackson
Raheim Sanders Emerging as a Handcuff Option Amid Backfield Injury
Cleveland Browns running back Raheim Sanders began the 2026 season as his team's RB3 behind Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson (knee). However, Sampson suffered a knee injury in the first quarter of Cleveland's Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and is now set to miss at least four games after being placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday. As a result, Sanders now looks to be the Browns' primary backup running back. If Judkins were to also go down with an injury, Sanders would immediately become fantasy relevant. The 24-year-old may have some deep-league standalone appeal even if Judkins stays healthy, as he recorded three catches for 25 yards on three targets after replacing Sampson against Jacksonville. As a handcuff running back option with some pass-catching upside, Sanders could be a worthy waiver wire target for fantasy managers in deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Seth McGowan Remains a Worthy Deep-League Handcuff Running Back
A seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts running back Seth McGowan has begun his first NFL season in a reserve role behind superstar Colts back Jonathan Taylor. As long as Taylor remains healthy, McGowan is highly unlikely to see a fantasy-relevant workload. In the Colts' 41-23 Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the 23-year-old recorded zero carries and one catch for zero yards on one target. Still, McGowan cemented his status as the Colts' RB2, as he was the only back besides Taylor to see the field against Baltimore. Taylor has recorded over 700 touches since the start of the 2024 season, and he appears to be on his way to another massive workload in 2026. If he were to go down with an injury at any point, McGowan could immediately vault into fantasy relevance. In deeper leagues, McGowan could be worth targeting on the waiver wire for his handcuff appeal.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Malik Washington a Deep-League Waiver-Wire Option
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington was heavily involved in his team's passing game in Week 1, recording three catches for 53 yards on a team-high eight targets in Miami's loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Washington emerged as the Dolphins' primary slot receiver in 2025, hauling in 46 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns on 65 targets across 17 games. While Miami has a pair of exiting rookie wideouts in Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell in 2026, both young pass-catchers profile more as outside receivers. Washington could end up playing a high-volume role as a short-area safety blanket for new Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis. After averaging just 4.9 yards per target in 2025, Washington may not offer high-end production upside for fantasy managers. Still, he could be worth targeting on the waiver wire in deeper leagues for his stable PPR floor.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
More News About Cole Kmet
