September 16, 2025
With their worst fears confirmed, the Cincinnati Bengals have officially placed quarterback
Joe Burrow (toe) on IR and signed
Brett Rypien to the active roster. Burrow exited Sunday's game after suffering a Grade 3 turf toe injury while taking a second-quarter sack. Burrow has elected to undergo surgery and is expected to miss at least three months. Rypien will serve as a backup to quarterback
Jake Browning, who was able to step in on Sunday and lead the Bengals to a hard-fought 31-27 victory over the Jaguars. Browning was 4-3 in his seven starts in 2023, the last time he filled in for an injured Burrow, and can be viewed as a desperation play by fantasy managers in 2QB/SF leagues.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
September 16, 2025
In speaking to reporters on Monday, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo touched upon the lack of designed runs by quarterback
Jalen Hurts through two weeks. A staple of the Eagles' offense over the past few seasons, Patullo pointed to the way teams have defended them as a primary reason Hurts has yet to be unleashed, but was quick to point out that designed quarterback runs and zone read keeps would be coming. Through two games, 74 of Hurts' 77 yards on the ground have come on scrambles, with the tush push accounting for the remainder. For context, nearly 300 of his 630 rushing yards last season came on designed runs. With the Eagles' defense dominating through two weeks, the fear is that Philadelphia will continue to grind out wins by doing only what's needed offensively, but Patullo's assurance that there is another gear still to be reached should comfort fantasy managers waiting for the week-winning performances they're used to from Hurts and the rest of the Eagles' offense.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Jeff McLane
September 16, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Keenan Allen once again made an impact in Monday night's 20-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, catching five of seven targets for 61 yards and a touchdown. He remains reliable and continues to earn quarterback
Justin Herbert's trust in key moments. His 33% red-zone target share through two games shows he's a primary option near the goal line. The Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos will be challenging, as their secondary is among the best in the league. However, Allen's ability to get separation on short routes and move the chains should keep him heavily involved. If the veteran stays healthy, he looks to be a strong WR2/3 with touchdown upside going forward.
--Don FanelliSource: NFL
September 16, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey caught all five of his targets for 48 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in the team's 20-9 win on Monday night. He has been reliable through two weeks but hasn't received a single red-zone target. That limits his touchdown potential and raises some concerns for fantasy managers. In Week 3, McConkey might face Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, though it's unlikely he'll shadow him given Los Angeles' other weapons. McConkey's role stays consistent as a short-to-intermediate option. He's a safe floor play in PPR formats, but managers should temper their scoring expectations at this point in the season.
--Don FanelliSource: NFL
September 16, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Omarion Hampton struggled in Monday's 20-9 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. The rookie finished with eight carries for 24 yards and one catch for one yard. He ran hard, but the Raiders bottled up the run all night.
Najee Harris began to see more snaps when the Chargers were trying to ice the game, especially after a botched handoff between Hampton and quarterback
Justin Herbert. Week 3 brings a Denver Broncos defense that's stingy in coverage but vulnerable up front. They allowed 165 rushing yards to
Jonathan Taylor last week. The Chargers could lean on the run, giving Hampton another chance. But if he doesn't step up, Harris may eat into his workload moving forward.
--Don FanelliSource: NFL
September 16, 2025
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Drake London caught three of his four targets in Sunday's 22-6 win over the Vikings, totaling 49 yards receiving in the contest. With only four targets, it would seem he was not heavily involved, but no other pass catcher was targeted more than five times in a game where the team relied heavily on the run. While London's position as the No. 1 option in the passing attack is not in question, his average depth of target thus far in 2025 is something to keep an eye on. The former first-round draft pick held a 10.8 aDOT (average depth of target) in 2024 and an even higher 12.67 aDOT in the final three games where
Michael Penix Jr. was under center. However, through two games in 2025, he owns just a 6.94 aDOT and 9.5 yards per reception. If that trend holds, it could be a challenge for the 24-year-old to get back to the 1000-yards receiving threshold this year. With a matchup against Carolina in Week 3, the Falcons may lean on the ground game again, which would again limit the upside of the receiving corps and, if shorter targets persist, put London further behind the eight ball.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
September 16, 2025
Chicago Bears quarterback
Caleb Williams went 19-for-30 passing for 207 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 52-21 blowout loss in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Williams added five carries for 27 yards and was also sacked four times for a loss of 29 yards. The 23-year-old former first overall pick wasn't terrible in this one, but the Bears' defense really gave them no chance. Both of Williams' touchdown passes went to second-year wideout
Rome Odunze, who is quickly becoming his favorite target early in 2025. Williams hasn't done anything yet to turn the heads of fantasy managers, but he should remain a decent QB2 with upside in head coach Ben Johnson's system. He'll have a prime opportunity for a QB1 performance in Week 3 versus a Dallas Cowboys defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position through two weeks.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
September 16, 2025
Atlanta Falcons running back
Bijan Robinson is the clear star of Atlanta's backfield, but
Tyler Allgeier is also a big part of the team's ground game, as evidenced in the 22-6 Week 2 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. Robinson went off for 22 carries and 143 rushing yards while also catching three passes for 25 yards, but Allgeier wasn't far behind with 16 rushing attempts for 76 yards and a touchdown. He also caught his only target for a four-yard pickup through the air. Allgeier won't always be this heavily involved, but the Falcons leaned on their ground attack in a game that they never trailed. Twelve of Allgeier's 17 carries came in the second half, and his touchdown plunge sealed the game in the fourth quarter. The 25-year-old will be in play as a flex in Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers and deserves to be rostered in more than 30% of Yahoo leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
September 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (pectoral) will miss the rest of the season after suffering a pectoral injury in Monday night's one-point win over the Houston Texans, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Losing the former first-rounder will be a big blow to a stingy Bucs run defense the rest of the way in 2025. The 24-year-old is most likely dealing with a torn pec muscle that will require surgery. Tampa's interior defensive line is still formidable with Vita Vea filling up gaps, but Kancey's loss cannot be overstated. With Kancey out the rest of the way, both Elijah Roberts and Greg Gaines will be asked to do more next to Vea and Logan Hall. Since entering the league in 2023, Kancey has 11.5 sacks and 55 tackles (42 solo) for the Bucs in 28 starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
September 16, 2025
Dallas Cowboys tight end
Jake Ferguson had a big performance on Sunday in the team's thrilling back-and-forth overtime win over the New York Giants in Week 2. Ferguson ended up leading the team with 12 targets on the day and tied for the team lead in receptions with nine, while racking up 78 receiving yards. The 26-year-old finished second in yards, behind only top wideout
CeeDee Lamb. It was a nice Week 2 performance after he had a modest day in the Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, when he went for five catches on six targets for 23 yards. Despite not scoring a touchdown through two weeks, Ferguson ranks as the TE10 in half-PPR scoring with 14 catches on 18 targets for 101 yards. He's unlikely to be available in your league, as he's currently rostered in 82% of Yahoo leagues. Ferguson will have a good shot at scoring his first 2025 TD in Week 3 against a Bears defense that just gave up over 50 points in Week 2 to Detroit.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
September 16, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders tight end
Michael Mayer was a savvy waiver-wire pickup heading into Week 2 because star tight end
Brock Bowers was questionable to play on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers due to a knee injury he picked up in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. However, Bowers was inactive in Monday's 20-9 loss and caught five of his eight targets for 38 yards. Meanwhile, Mayer once again took a back seat to Bowers in a Raiders offense that failed to find the end zone all night. The 24-year-old hauled in both of his targets for just nine yards against a stingy and stick Chargers D. The Raiders will continue to use Mayer alongside Bowers, but he's a distant No. 2 in Chip Kelly's offense and should only be rostered in TE-premium leagues. Mayer will not be a realistic fantasy starter going into Week 3 against the Washington Commanders.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
September 16, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (knee), defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring) are "improving," but head coach Mike Tomlin said they are "questionable, at best" for Week 3 against the New England Patriots. All three defensive players were ruled out for the Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and could be in danger of missing more time. Porter injured his hamstring in the Week 1 win over the New York Jets. If the 25-year-old is out again, Brandin Echols will be elevated once again as depth behind Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey. Harmon is recovering from an MCL sprain that he suffered at the end of training camp and has yet to play in 2025. Elliott suffered an MCL sprain in his left knee in Week 1, so he's most likely looking at a multi-week absence. Pittsburgh's defense is banged up and hasn't played at a high level through two weeks.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
September 16, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Dontayvion Wicks took a backseat to fellow wide receivers
Romeo Doubs and rookie
Matthew Golden in the wide receiver pecking order for the Packers in Week 1, but with the injury to
Jayden Reed (clavicle), Wicks could get a lot more opportunity to be the top target-earner in Green Bay in the future. People forget that Wicks led the Packers in targets (76) last season, and with Reed out for several weeks, Wicks will be the primary slot receiver and may still rotate in on the outside for Green Bay. Ending Week 2 with almost 60 percent of his snaps in the slot and tying with tight end
Tucker Kraft for most targets (six), Wicks has some fantasy value once again entering Week 3 as long as his slot utilization holds. The Packers' offense has been wildly efficient through two games, even if the target volume hasn't quite been there. However, if you need a flex play off the waiver wire this week when the Packers head to Cleveland to play the Browns, you can do much worse than Wicks.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
September 16, 2025
Green Bay Packers running back
Josh Jacobs has been a beacon of consistency for the Packers, as he's been a touchdown-scoring machine since Week 10 of last season. Jacobs is currently on a 10-game streak in which he has scored a rushing touchdown in the regular season. Jacobs' efficiency has waned a little bit this season, as he's averaged just 3.6 yards per carry, but he has had at least 20 opportunities in both games, so we can hardly argue with the volume Jacobs is getting in the first two games of 2025. The Browns have been very stout against opposing rushers this season, holding
Chase Brown to 2.0 YPC in Week 1 and holding
Derrick Henry to just 23 yards on 11 carries in Week 2. Still, Jacobs is a locked-in RB1 for fantasy managers against Cleveland in Week 3.
--Kevin TompkinsSource: RotoBaller
September 16, 2025
The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that "there is still no guarantee" that elite left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) will return to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 this Sunday. If Darrisaw is inactive, the Vikings will start either Justin Skule or third-string left tackle Walter Rouse against Bengals star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson. It would not set up well for backup quarterback
Carson Wentz in his Vikings debut with
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) out two to four weeks with a high-ankle sprain. Skule has the worst pass-rush efficiency among tackles through two weeks, according to Pro Football Focus. Rookie left guard Donovan Jackson and right guard Will Fries have also struggled. It's a big part of the reason why McCarthy has looked pretty bad in seven of eight quarters in his first two NFL games. Wentz might not have much of a chance, either, if the O-line continues to struggle.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
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