LeQuint Allen Jr. Expected to Reclaim Third-Down Role 31mLink copied!

Sep 18, 2026, 11:49 AM ET

The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that the hope and belief is that Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald will make his season debut in the Week 2 Monday night tilt against the New York Giants. It is not a guarantee that Donald will be cleared to play on Monday, but all signs are pointing to the All-Pro pass-rusher making his much-anticipated return to the Rams for the team's home opener on national television. Donald did not make the trip to Australia with the Rams for the Week 1 season-opening loss to the division-rival San Francisco 49ers last Thursday, but it appears he is in better football shape a week later and is raring to go. It is great news for L.A. after they placed star pass-rusher Myles Garrett (knee) on Injured Reserve this week, but if Donald does return on Monday, fantasy managers in IDP formats should be hesitant to start him because he will most likely be on a strict snap count in his first NFL game since retiring after the 2023 season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

Sep 18, 2026, 11:45 AM ET

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (back) was out for the team stretch during Friday's walkthrough, according to Paul Dehner Jr. That's another good sign after Burrow was limited Wednesday and Thursday with back tightness. Burrow has been clear all week that he expects to play Sunday in Houston. He threw for 254 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 25-of-35 passing in the opener against Tampa Bay. Cincinnati had not posted its final Week 2 injury designations at the time of this update, so Burrow's official status is still pending. Barring a change there, he is expected to start against the Texans.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Paul Dehner Jr.

Sep 18, 2026, 11:42 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) was not seen during the stretching period of practice open to the media on Friday, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. Pittman did not practice on Thursday due to a foot injury and was limited on Wednesday. He could still return to the practice field on Friday, but as of right now, the veteran wideout is looking extremely questionable to play in the Week 2 game this Sunday against the New England Patriots. The former second-rounder in 2020 from USC by the Indianapolis Colts caught all three of his targets for 58 yards in his team debut in the Week 1 season-opening win over the Atlanta Falcons last weekend, but he might be on the cusp of missing his first game of the year in 2026. Fantasy managers should be checking back for Pittman's final status on Friday's injury report. If he does not play or is limited in any way this weekend, DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, and rookie Germie Bernard would be in line for more targets, as well as tight end Pat Freiermuth. Pittman is shaping up as a pretty risky WR4/flex play for fantasy managers this week.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Mike DeFabo

Sep 18, 2026, 11:34 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith was still on the field for almost everything in Week 1, but the fantasy return wasn't there. He caught three of six targets for 53 yards against Washington while playing 52 of 55 offensive snaps. Six targets led the team. That part is fine. The concern is how crowded things can get when Philadelphia doesn't throw much. Jalen Hurts attempted only 25 passes, and Dallas Goedert turned five targets into 77 yards and two touchdowns. Dontayvion Wicks had four targets and finished with 73 yards and a score. Smith isn't losing his job or suddenly getting squeezed off the field, so this is a mild drop rather than a major warning sign. Still, a near-every-down role only goes so far if the Eagles keep the passing volume down and Goedert and Wicks are taking meaningful chunks of it. Smith comes out of Week 1 with his usage intact, but a little less margin for error than fantasy managers hoped.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 11:14 AM ET

New York Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) will not play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, according to Zack Rosenblatt. Cooper sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday after being labeled week-to-week earlier in the week, so the rookie will miss at least one game. He made an impact before getting hurt in the opener, turning his only target into a 30-yard gain that set up New York's first touchdown. Cooper played just five offensive snaps before leaving. The MRI brought encouraging news, and the hope remains that he can return within four weeks, though there is no firm timetable yet. Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell remain atop the receiver group, while Isaiah Williams played 40 offensive snaps in Week 1 and should stay involved with Cooper unavailable.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Zack Rosenblatt

Sep 18, 2026, 10:45 AM ET

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin is quickly losing the fantasy stock that he worked hard to earn last season. Franklin finished the 2025 season as the overall WR31 in PPR leagues with over 100 targets and six touchdowns. Managers knew his fantasy-relevant role was going to be threatened in 2026 after the team traded for Jaylen Waddle, but perhaps everyone underestimated the extent to which Franklin would be taken out of the offense. He played just 33% of the snaps on Monday night, fetching one target (zero receptions). In addition to Waddle, Franklin was out-snapped and out-produced by both Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant, potentially dropping him to No. 4 on the depth chart. Between his low snap share and the crowded receiver room, Franklin is no longer worth considering for fantasy lineups, starting with Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Managers could even justify dropping him in leagues with 10 or fewer teams.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:44 AM ET

The Seahawks D/ST felt like a risky play heading into a Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots, but they ended up scoring 13 fantasy points. As such, this unit is beginning to prove that it is matchup-proof. While the Arizona Cardinals look like they should have a quality offense in 2026, fantasy managers should not shy away from the Seahawks D/ST. While Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is not one to put the ball in harm's way, the Seahawks' defensive line should have no issues taking Brissett down in the backfield. Seattle also appears to be on track to getting healthier in the secondary in Week 2. Additionally, the Seahawks project to keep Arizona's overall scoring output down. As a result, this unit has a chance to push for double-digit fantasy points once again in Week 2. RotoBaller has the Seahawks D/ST ranked at No. 4 for the week. Fire them up with confidence.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: Seattle Seahawks

Sep 18, 2026, 10:42 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard generated plenty of buzz in fantasy football leagues near the end of the summer. The rookie finished his first NFL preseason with five catches, 64 yards, and one touchdown, showing an ability to produce against professional defenses. However, he didn't have a very seamless transition to the regular season. The 22-year-old played just 4% of the snaps in Week 1 and was not targeted. He operated behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., as expected, but he also played fewer snaps than Roman Wilson. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw the ball 40 times in the Steelers' win, but if Bernard can't even get on the field, he'll have no chance to build a rapport with the veteran quarterback. He's off the radar in all redraft leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:41 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers should be in lineups in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals. Myers shrugged off his preseason accuracy issues by hitting all three of his kicks in Week 1. He scored seven fantasy points; a respectable day for a kicker. Seattle's offense should be more productive in Week 2 in an easier matchup and with a week of preparation for backup quarterback Drew Lock. As such, the team should find itself in plenty of scoring positions with opportunities for Myers to kick extra points and field goals. This was the overall K1 in 2025 on the back of incredible accuracy from distance. Until he demonstrates in the regular season that he has lost that ability, Myers should be in your lineup weekly.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:39 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner is a TE2 in Week 2 at the Arizona Cardinals. Barner was a non-factor in Week 1, earning just two targets. Seattle's offense was out of sorts with backup quarterback Drew Lock having to step in early for an injured Sam Darnold (glute). Better days should be ahead for Barner, but it is difficult to trust the third-year tight end until we know how the pass catchers will be supported by Lock over the next couple of weeks. Week 2's matchup with Arizona does not present a huge challenge for Seattle's offense, so Barner could get loose in the red zone. However, deploying him in fantasy would be a very risky move. For now, leave Barner on your bench. If he demonstrates chemistry with Lock after a week of preparation, he could be worth considering in Week 3 and beyond.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:37 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani earned a 46% snap share in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. He only carried the ball eight times for 29 yards, but his snap share should not be overlooked. While he should be nowhere near lineups in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, Holani is a wait-and-see candidate. If this type of involvement continues, and the production follows, Holani could find himself on the flex radar until Zach Charbonnet (knee) returns from injury. On the flip side, if Holani remains unproductive, fellow running back Jadarian Price could take a much higher snap share as the season wears on. For now, leave Holani on your bench or on waivers, but keep an eye on his involvement in Week 2's game plan for a team that wants to run the ball often.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:36 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed was quiet in Week 1 despite a 66% snap share. That figures to change in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals. Shaheed's involvement in the offense seemed to be increasing beyond what we saw in 2025. He earned three targets and had a play drawn up specifically for him out of the backfield that was nullified by a penalty. This team wants to get Shaheed the ball, and Week 2 should provide fantasy managers with a better indication as to whether his involvement will be fantasy-relevant. Seattle's offense as a whole was sloppy in Week 1. Quarterback Drew Lock had to step in early, and it took the team an entire half to find its legs. That should change in a much easier matchup in Week 2. If it continues to be clear that Seattle wants to feature Shaheed in this offense, he will be worth holding beyond Week 2. Leave him on your bench for one more week to see what happens.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:34 AM ET

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had a Week 1 performance that he'd like to forget. The former No. 3 overall pick completed 23 of his 33 pass attempts for 178 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 47 yards and took three sacks. The highlight of the game was Maye's ability to move around in the pocket and decide when to take off and run. However, the rest of his decision-making was iffy. In the fourth quarter, Maye stayed in the pocket and threw the ball away, taking an intentional grounding penalty. Shortly after, he rolled out of the pocket and was about to take a loss, so he should have thrown the ball away. Instead, he took the loss of yards. And then, of course, that quarter culminated in the ill-advised pass to the end zone that was picked off. If Maye had played more conservatively, the Patriots could have kicked a field goal to tie the game, at the very least. Instead, he tried to play hero ball, and it resulted in a loss for the Patriots and fewer points for Maye's fantasy managers. In his defense, Maye was facing off against a very aggressive and talented Seahawks defense. However, he'll need to show that he can handle these challenges, as his schedule doesn't get any easier. Maye will face off against T.J. Watt and the Steelers in Week 2.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:33 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba should be considered a WR1 in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals despite Drew Lock starting at quarterback for the injured Sam Darnold (glute). Smith-Njigba demonstrated that he can be quarterback-proof, with Lock supporting a massive 26.2-point outing from him in Week 1. Lock dialed in with his No. 1 wide receiver and continually fed him the rock. That figures to remain the same in Week 2. Hopefully, Seattle will be playing more in control against an inferior Arizona Cardinals opponent on Sunday. That should allow the offense to dictate more, which could create lanes in which JSN can operate. Smith-Njigba's 11 targets in Week 1 were par for the course. He should push for double-digit targets once again in a plus-matchup in Week 2. The Cardinals just allowed Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (ribs) to go wild against them in Week 1. As such, you should stay the course with JSN.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:32 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price was the clear lead running back in his Week 1 NFL debut. He led the Seahawks in carries with 10 and led Seahawks running backs in snaps. Price only played 48% of the snaps, but he was explosive, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. His snap share seems likely to increase as he continues to adjust to the NFL. Seattle is matched up with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Arizona has been generous to opposing running backs in fantasy over the past couple of seasons. Although this defense held the Los Angeles Chargers in check in Week 1, that feels like a mirage. What is more, the Seahawks will likely lean heavily on the run for the next couple of weeks with quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) sitting out. Although Drew Lock is a quality backup quarterback, it would behoove Seattle to feed Price. He should be a solid RB2 in Week 2.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:30 AM ET

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock put together a solid outing in relief of the injured Sam Darnold (glute) in Week 1. Lock was forced to play 90% of Seattle's snaps in Week 1 and went 16/22 for 187 yards and a long touchdown to wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Lock was efficient and effective in Week 1. He should carry that momentum into Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, but it seems unlikely that Lock will reach fantasy starter status this week. Arizona's defense played solid football against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, but the defense as a whole should not be scary over the course of the season. However, Seattle seems likely to lean on its running game as much as possible until Darnold is back in the lineup. Lock may very well put up respectable numbers once again, but it is unlikely to be enough to consider starting him with so many other quality options available.--Quincy Milton III - RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:29 AM ET

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jalen Nailor made his team debut in Week 1, but it resulted in just three catches for 27 yards. Considering that the Raiders paid him $35 million this past offseason, we would have expected the ex-Viking to have a bigger role with his new team. It's not like he faced much competition, either. Instead, he was losing targets to players with less experience, such as Tre Tucker and Jack Bech. It's possible that Week 1 was a fluke, especially since the Raiders naturally went run-heavy against an inferior Dolphins team. However, we'd need to see him maintain fantasy relevance before we can trust him in lineups. His next opportunity to get back on track will be Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. He should be benched in most leagues for now.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:23 AM ET

When the Los Angeles Rams signed tight end Tyler Higbee to a new contract during the offseason, it seemed like they had a plan to incorporate him heavily on offense. After all, he was slated to be a free agent and the Rams already had a very crowded tight end room featuring Colby Parkinson and Terrance Ferguson, so re-signing him indicated that he should have a significant role. However, that wasn't the case in Week 1, as he played just 20% of the offensive snaps despite tight end Davis Allen (concussion) leaving the game early. Higbee did haul in two passes in the loss, but he also lost a fumble. Between the crowded position group, his low volume, and last week's fumble, it will be difficult for Higbee to maintain a role with any sort of fantasy relevance going forward. He can be dropped to waivers in most leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 10:20 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle remains on the fantasy radar, but only as a player to stash on the bench in most leagues. His fantasy stock has fallen significantly since last season with the Panthers, when he ranked as the overall RB18 in PPR with seven touchdowns and over 1,000 rushing yards. Fast forward to Week 1 of the 2026 campaign, and Dowdle was held in check with just eight carries, 15 rushing yards, and two catches. He actually played more snaps than Jaylen Warren, but was drastically out-produced by the 27-year-old. It's too early to drop him in leagues with 10+ teams, especially since we know that he can be a fantasy RB2 if Warren were to miss time. For now, though, he should be benched in fantasy football until he proves that he can maintain any sort of standalone value.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 9:57 AM ET

Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks was hardly utilized in his team's Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, logging just two snaps on offense and failing to record a touch. A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Brooks recorded just 54 scrimmage yards on 17 touches across 16 games as a rookie. Fast forward to 2026, and Brooks remains buried on the Bengals running back depth chart behind star back Chase Brown and trusted veteran Samaje Perine. While Brooks may be a more explosive rusher than the 31-year-old Perine, Perine is widely thought of as one of the league's best pass-protectors at the running back position and also recorded three catches for 30 yards in Week 1. Barring an injury or a change of scenery, Brooks should remain off the radar of fantasy managers heading into Cincinnati's Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller