September 8, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that the team planned to give running back
Najee Harris 12 to 15 plays in the Week 1 season opener last Friday in Brazil against the Kansas City Chiefs and capped him at 12. However, Harbaugh said Harris' workload could change in a Week 2 divisional clash on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. Harris was only on the field for 12 plays last Friday in the 27-21 win but managed just one carry for five yards while catching his only target for another five-yard pickup. Meanwhile, first-round rookie
Omarion Hampton led the Bolts' backfield with 15 carries for 48 yards (3.2 yards per tote) while adding two catches for 13 yards. Harris missed almost all of training camp and the entire preseason with an eye injury, which is why L.A. eased him in. While he could see the field more in Week 2, he still won't be much more than a shaky RB3/flex in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
September 8, 2025
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on WEEI on Monday that rookie running back
TreVeyon Henderson will remain a "big part of what we do" moving forward. While
Rhamondre Stevenson got the start in the Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and led the team with seven rushing attempts, he was only able to muster 15 yards on the ground while catching two of three targets for 12 yards. Meanwhile, Henderson was much more efficient on five carries, rushing for 27 yards (5.4 yards per carry), and he also caught all six of his targets for 24 yards through the air. On special teams, the 22-year-old back from Ohio State returnedtwo kickoffs for 43 yards. Henderson's fantasy managers have to be pleased with his involvement in the season opener, and he should have more upside in Week 2 against a Dolphins D that gave up 33 points to the Colts.
--Keith HernandezSource: WEEI
September 8, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders tight end
Brock Bowers (knee) is considered day-to-day on Monday after he left the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday and did not return, according to head coach Pete Carroll. Bowers also downplayed his knee injury and said there are no concerns, suggesting that he should be just fine to play in a Week 2 divisional tilt next Monday night versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The 22-year-old second year tight end could be rested once the Raiders open their practice week on Thursday, but all signs are pointing to him being available as a must-start TE this coming week. Bowers was lobbying to return to Sunday's game against the Pats, but the Raiders didn't want to take any chances with a player who has quickly become one of the best TEs in the NFL. Despite leaving early, Bowers still managed five catches on eight targets for 103 yards.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL.com
September 8, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Jonnu Smith was a mixed bag in his debut with the team in the wild 34-32 win over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Smith led the team with five receptions on six targets and found the end zone for the first time in 2025, but he accounted for only 15 receiving yards and averaged a paltry three yards per reception. The 30-year-old played in 66 percent of the offensive snaps compared to 50% for fellow TE
Pat Freiermuth, who caught all three of his targets for 28 yards. It's good news that quarterback
Aaron Rodgers looked Smith's way six times (tied for second on the team), but he's certainly not going to be anywhere close to his 88-884-8 line in a breakout season with Miami last year. As long as Freiermuth stays healthy, fantasy managers should consider Smith a touchdown-dependent TE2.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
September 8, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie second-round running back
Quinshon Judkins will join the rest of the team for practice this week after finally signing his rookie deal on Sept. 6, but head coach Kevin Stefanski was non-committal on whether Judkins will be active in the Week 2 contest this Sunday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. The Browns have been optimistic that the 21-year-old will be ready to go in Week 2, but a report also surfaced over the weekend that suggested he could be facing a multi-week suspension from the NFL despite not being formally charged in a domestic-violence case. Judkins is expected to eventually take over lead-back duties in Cleveland in 2025, but he missed all of training camp and the preseason. Even if Judkins is available this weekend against Baltimore, he will probably be eased into the offense and would be an extremely risky RB in fantasy lineups.
--Keith HernandezSource: Akron Beacon Journal - Chris Easterling
September 8, 2025
The Indianapolis Colts announced on Monday that they signed free-agent running back
Ameer Abdullah to their practice squad and released running back
Khalil Herbert from the practice squad in a corresponding move. Abdullah joined the San Francisco 49ers as RB depth in training camp but was eventually cut from Injured Reserve due to a rib injury. The 32-year-old veteran will now head to the AFC South division, where he'll serve as depth behind starter
Jonathan Taylor, rookie
DJ Giddens,
Tyler Goodson (elbow) and Ulysses Bentley. Abdullah will give the Colts 10 years of NFL experience, although it's unlikely that he'll work his way into a fantasy relevant role without multiple Indy backs in front of him going down with injury. In 16 games (three starts) in Vegas in 2024, Abdullah had 311 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 66 carries.
--Keith HernandezSource: Indianapolis Colts
September 8, 2025
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that running back
Jonathan Taylor (neck) is "good" after he took an awkward hit to his neck area in Sunday's Week 1 blowout win over the Miami Dolphins, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. Steichen added that Taylor could have gone back into the game, but with the Colts up big in the second half, it wasn't worth it. The Colts also took the opportunity to get an extended look at rookie
DJ Giddens with
Tyler Goodson (elbow) inactive. Taylor had 18 carries for 71 yards and caught all three of his targets for 27 yards in the 33-8 win before departing and not returning. It was a bummer to see quarterback
Daniel Jones fall into the end zone at the goal line instead of Taylor, but all in all, it was a plus for JT's fantasy managers to see Indy's offense humming in Week 1. Taylor should be able to play in Week 2, albeit against a much stouter Denver Broncos defense.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
September 8, 2025
Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver
Elic Ayomanor saw seven targets come his way on Sunday, trailing only first-round picks
Travis Hunter and
Tetairoa McMillan amongst rookies at the position in Week 1. Unfortunately, he was only able to convert those looks into two receptions for 13 yards against a stout Denver defense. Ayomanor's heavy workload was likely the result of top option
Calvin Ridley being shadowed by All-Pro corner Patrick Surtain II. Still, the thought has been that one of the Titans' rookie receivers would have a chance to emerge on a relatively weak depth chart. After one week, it appears that Ayomanor will have a substantial role. While the Titans' passing game was completely ineffective on Sunday, brighter days should be ahead with quarterback
Cam Ward under center, and Ayomanor is worth a stash in deep leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Scott Barrett
September 8, 2025
Houston Texans second-year tight end
Cade Stover (foot) broke his foot in Sunday's game against the Rams and will be out indefinitely. On a day where the Texans' passing attack found limited success, Stover led the team with four catches, which he turned into 22 yards. After a quiet rookie season, it's unlikely Stover was rostered in many leagues, and that will unfortunately remain the case after one of the best games of his young career. With
Christian Kirk (hamstring) still sidelined, the Texans are in desperate need of secondary options in the passing game to take some of the defensive attention away from
Nico Collins. The best bet will be second-round rookie receiver
Jayden Higgins, who will look to top his two-catch debut; however, behind a struggling offensive line, the Texans' offense as a whole could continue to look sluggish, making Collins the only reliable weekly starter.
--Patrick McGrathSource: https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1965112303143321754
September 8, 2025
In speaking with reporters on Monday, New England Patriots wide receiver
Kayshon Boutte sent a reminder that at one point in his college career, he was considered a first-round talent. Following two surgeries to repair a broken ankle and a disappointing final season at LSU, he was drafted by the Patriots in the 6th round of the 2023 Draft. Boutte believes that the first-round pedigree is still there after pacing all New England pass catchers on Sunday with eight targets, six receptions, and 103 yards. Boutte's place on the depth chart was cloudy heading into his third straight year with a new coaching regime, but he was one of the bright spots of New England's training camp, and he looks to have cemented a role in what could be an upstart passing game. Boutte should be a priority waiver add wherever he remains unrostered.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Doug Kyed
September 8, 2025
Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver
Isaac TeSlaa was on the field for only three snaps on Sunday, but he was able to convert his lone target into an acrobatic 13-yard touchdown grab. According to head coach Dan Campbell, the team would like to use him more going forward. TeSlaa was limited in practice throughout the week due to illness, which capped his role in the game plan. However, he is now healthy and should see an expanded role. TeSlaa was one of the stars of the preseason after the Lions spent a third-round pick on him, and he's an obvious matchup problem with his unique combination of size and speed. He should be considered a waiver-wire target for any fantasy managers looking for an upside wideout as a bench stash.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Detroit Lions
September 8, 2025
Russell Wilson will get the start at quarterback for the New York Giants when they face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. Head coach Brian Daboll revealed on Monday that no change is imminent at the position, following a Week 1 performance that saw Wilson complete fewer than 50% of his passes at a paltry 4.5 yards per attempt. For the third season in a row, the Giants failed to score a touchdown in their season opener. New York traded up in the first round of the draft to select Ole Miss gunslinger
Jaxson Dart, who will inevitably take over at some point this season. While Wilson went largely undrafted in most fantasy formats, drafters who spent an early pick on
Malik Nabers will have to wait at least one more week for a change. Nabers is still an every-week start on volume alone, but the Giants' offense as a whole will need to see an increase in efficiency to return his heavy draft cost.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ryan Dunleavy
September 8, 2025
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Xavier Worthy (shoulder) is viewed as week-to-week. Schefter noted on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday afternoon that the injury does not appear to be overly serious, but he is expected to miss some time. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but should not plan on him suiting up in Week 2. Worthy suffered an injury on the team's opening drive during their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday evening. Once he left the contest,
Marquise Brown and
JuJu Smith-Schuster emerged as the team's top wide receivers. With Rahsee Rice away on a suspension, fantasy managers should expect Brown and Smith-Schuster to continue to operate as the team's primary pass catchers for the foreseeable future.
--Andy SmithSource: Adam Schefter
September 8, 2025
According to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune, there could be more opportunities for both running backs,
Kenneth Walker III and
Zach Charbonnet. Head coach Mike Macdonald noted that "both played well" and "protected our quarterback." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor their usage as they split work in their season opener on Sunday afternoon. Walker carried the ball 10 times while Charbonnet took 12 carries. Charbonnet was slightly more efficient, posting a 3.9 YPC while Walker held an average of 2.0 YPC. Charbonnet also found the back of the end zone. However, Walker got the better end of the receiving game as he caught all three of his targets, while Charbonnet was not targeted once. Since both appear to be in a timeshare, they will continue to limit each other's ceiling and will carry touchdown-dependent flex appeal heading into Week 2.
--Andy SmithSource: Greg Bell
September 8, 2025
Houston Texans running back
Dameon Pierce totaled five yards on his three carries in Sunday's 14-9 road loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He failed to bring in his lone target. Veteran
Nick Chubb was the only Houston rusher to see more than three carries (13), and Pierce technically saw the second-most of his fellow RBs. However, rookie
Woody Marks also saw three attempts, and
Dare Ogunbowale handled two of his own. It was a rough day for Houston's offense overall, as they were blanked in the second half by a hungry Rams' defense. Still, Chubb was the clear-cut Texans RB1 in this outing, and Pierce's current touch load wouldn't be enough to sustain fantasy value. Houston will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as part of a Monday Night Football doubleheader in Week 2. We'll see if Pierce can carve out a larger role then.
--Alex CiullaSource: ESPN
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