September 15, 2025
Updating a previous report, Minnesota Vikings quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is expected to miss two to four weeks with a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in Sunday night's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Not only has McCarthy looked pretty bad in seven of the eight quarters he's played in the first two games of his NFL career, but now he's dealing with a multi-week injury. The good news is that when he's ready to return, he'll have receiver
Jordan Addison back from suspension. Still, those expecting the 22-year-old former first-rounder to come in right away and play like
Sam Darnold in head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense have had a rude awakening. McCarthy deserves to be stashed in superflex and dynasty/keeper leagues, but in the meantime, veteran
Carson Wentz could be a sneaky QB2 in two-QB leagues, beginning in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
September 15, 2025
Seattle Seahawks running back
Zach Charbonnet dominated the Seahawks' running back snaps once again against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, but he was wildly inefficient on the ground. Charbonnet carried the ball 15 times for just 10 yards. He also failed to earn a target for the second straight week. Meanwhile, Charbonnet's running mate,
Kenneth Walker III, turned 13 carries into 108 yards and a touchdown. Walker only played 35% of the snaps, but he collected just one fewer opportunity than Charbonnet. Charbonnet has now turned in two inefficient performances after an offseason of serious hype. He was bailed out by a touchdown in Week 1, but Walker notched the score in Week 2. Charbonnet's outlook moving forward is cloudy. He still played 55% of the snaps on Sunday, but the Seahawks cannot ignore how healthy and effective Walker looked this weekend. This split feels like it will inch towards 50/50 in an effort to keep Walker healthy. However, Charbonnet needs to improve his production to avoid risking a dip even lower than that.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Cooper Kupp caught seven of nine targets for 90 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. After a quiet Week 1, Kupp looked like the player we know and love, and quarterback
Sam Darnold repeatedly looked his way on third down. This feels like a performance that we can get used to as fantasy managers. Kupp did not display significant signs of slowing down in 2024. There is no reason to believe that he is completely toast as a player. As the Seahawks become more comfortable with their new offense, the wealth should spread to each of the team's top two wide receivers. Kupp and
Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Kupp is firmly on the flex radar moving forward. He could creep even higher as the offense continues to improve.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Sam Darnold looks like a potential streamer candidate moving forward. Darnold endured a tough first half in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he rallied to throw for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Darnold finished the week with 17.8 fantasy points, which is enough to hold down the quarterback spot on your roster for a week. Most importantly, Darnold looked comfortable in his new offense. He was spreading the wealth around as well. Five Seahawks earned multiple targets in this game. Darnold's chemistry with wide receivers
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and
Cooper Kupp was also apparent. He was efficient throwing to both players, and they combined for 193 receiving yards. If Darnold keeps up this level of play and cuts down on the interceptions, he is going to be a player worth rostering in fantasy. Darnold will face New Orleans, Arizona, and Tampa Bay over the next three weeks. He should be on the streaming radar in each of those games.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba looks like a bona fide stud. In Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith-Njigba hauled in eight of 10 targets for 103 yards. JSN is slicing through defenses. His early chemistry with quarterback
Sam Darnold is magical. What is more, the presence of fellow wide receiver
Cooper Kupp is not detracting from Smith-Njigba's dominance. Kupp himself feasted on Sunday as well. Once Smith-Njigba starts scoring touchdowns, he could feasibly find himself among the top five fantasy wide receivers in the league. His heavy target volume is not going to go away any time soon. He also looks like a different player this year. He looks strong, fast, and savvy. All three of those traits give him a chance to be truly dominant. Smith-Njigba is a true set-and-forget player this season. Plug him into your lineup and reap the benefits.
--Quincy Milton III - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Carolina Panthers tight end
Ja'Tavion Sanders tied for second on the team with a career-high six catches on nine targets in Week 2. Thanks to trailing by as many as 24 points in the third quarter,
Bryce Young was forced to throw the ball 55 times. Sanders made the most of his opportunities, catching six passes for 54 yards in the contest. The involvement in the passing game is an encouraging sign, but we'll have to pump the brakes until the Panthers show they can consistently get Sanders involved in the passing game in a closer contest. In Week 1, Sanders saw just three targets. The Panthers will host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, who are coming off a stellar defensive performance on Sunday night when they held the Minnesota Vikings to just 120 passing yards. Sanders should be kept on the waiver wire, but it would be a good idea to continue to monitor his stat line moving forward.
--Jp SticcoSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
With Minnesota Vikings quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) looking unlikely to play in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in Sunday night's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, veteran signal-caller
Carson Wentz is now in line to start this Sunday. Wentz, a former first-rounder by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, hasn't been a full-time starter since 2021 with the Indianapolis Colts. Since then, he's appeared in only 13 games, making nine starts for the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs. The 32-year-old has gone 201-for-319 for 2,036 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in that span. McCarthy could easily miss multiple weeks, making Wentz a candidate for a waiver-wire pickup in superflex leagues. With All-Pro wideout
Justin Jefferson as his WR1 and with
Jordan Addison being available as soon as Week 4, Wentz could have a decent run for fantasy managers as a short-term fill-in at the QB position.
--Keith HernandezSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
September 15, 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is dealing with an ankle injury and is likely to miss the Week 3 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. If McCarthy doesn't get cleared for Sunday, it would be veteran
Carson Wentz making his Vikings debut. Officially, McCarthy is considered week-to-week with a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in Sunday night's 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. If it's indeed a high-ankle sprain, it wouldn't be a surprise if the 22-year-old former first-rounder missed multiple games. McCarthy looked bad for three quarters in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears before leading a fourth-quarter comeback, but it was all ugly on Sunday night against Atlanta, as he went 11-for-21 for 158 yards, no touchdowns, and two picks. He also fumbled three times, losing one. It's a reminder of McCarthy's steep learning curve after he missed all of his rookie season with a torn meniscus in his knee.
--Keith HernandezSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
September 15, 2025
Buffalo Bills kicker
Matt Prater had his second straight perfect game in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. Prater hit all three of his field goals, including a 52-yarder, and went 3-for-3 on extra points. Filling in for the injured
Tyler Bass (groin), the 41-year-old Prater has opened the season 6-for-6 on field goals and five out of five on PATs. Despite that, the two-time Pro Bowler remains available in 88% of Yahoo leagues in advance of a Thursday matchup with the winless Miami Dolphins. They've already allowed 66 points in two games, and the Bills have scored 71, meaning Prater should be in line for another productive game in Week 3. He looks like an enticing option for fantasy managers who need a kicker.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Buffalo Bills wide receiver
Khalil Shakir was a fantasy non-factor in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, hauling in one of two targets for 12 yards. It was the first time that Shakir received fewer than six targets since Week 5 of last season, ending a 14-game streak (including playoffs). It should be noted that the Bills leaned more on their rushing attack than the pass in an easy victory, so nobody other than running back
James Cook put up gaudy numbers. Shakir seldom posts huge production anyway, though he is consistently solid and should see an uptick in targets on Thursday against the Miami Dolphins. Shakir combined for 11 catches on 12 targets last season in two meetings with the Dolphins, whose pass defense has been woeful during an 0-2 start this year.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Keon Coleman was the Buffalo Bills' leading receiver in Week 1, securing eight catches on 11 targets for 112 yards and a touchdown in a 41-40 defeat of the Baltimore Ravens. Coleman's numbers nosedived in Week 2, though, as the team took a run-first approach in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets. The second-year man only picked up three targets, catching each of them for a total of 26 yards. He had another reception that was called back on an offensive pass interference penalty. It wasn't the performance fantasy managers wanted, but it wasn't all that surprising with shutdown cornerback Sauce Gardner leading the Jets' secondary. On paper, Coleman looks as if he'll have an easier time Thursday against the Miami Dolphins, who have allowed the league's worst completion percentage (78.8) in the early going. Coleman accounted for just one reception (three targets) for 21 yards in two games against the Dolphins as a rookie in 2024, but he's clearly a bigger part of the Bills' offense this season.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Minnesota Vikings running back
Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) is unlikely to play in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. Jones injured his hamstring in Sunday night's 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the second half and never returned to the game. Before the injury, the 30-year-old veteran didn't look very good, going for only 23 rushing yards on his five carries. He also didn't catch a single pass while playing only 20 offensive snaps. Jones was a consistent performer for fantasy managers in 2024 in his first year in Minnesota, but so far in 2025, he has been outshone by
Jordan Mason, who will be a must-start in fantasy going forward if Jones misses any games. In addition to Mason having an elevated role,
Zavier Scott would be bumped up to RB2 duties and could be worth a look off the waiver wire in deeper formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
September 15, 2025
Buffalo Bills quarterback
Josh Allen was a fantasy superstar in Week 1, but the reigning MVP fell short of expectations despite a 30-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. Allen wasn't especially sharp through the air, as he completed 14-of-25 passes for 148 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions, though he did contribute 59 rushing yards on six attempts. To the chagrin of fantasy managers, Allen didn't play the whole game. He missed two first-half snaps with a bloody nose, and with a blowout victory locked up in the fourth quarter, the Bills pulled Allen and let backup
Mitchell Trubisky take over for the final eight minutes and change. After a letdown in Week 2, Allen could return to form on Thursday against the Miami Dolphins. The 29-year-old has feasted on the Dolphins throughout his career, having totaled 42 touchdowns (37 passing, five rushing) against eight interceptions in 14 games. Plus, so far this season, the Dolphins have allowed a league-worst 78.8 completion percentage and a lofty 126.1 passer rating in matchups against
Daniel Jones and
Drake Maye. The fact that those two lesser QBs carved up Miami bodes well for an Allen rebound in Week 3
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 15, 2025
Late in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Rams, Tennessee Titans quarterback
Cam Ward connected with receiver
Elic Ayomanor for what would be the first touchdown of each of their careers. The pass came on a brilliant scrambling play by Ward that saw him throw the ball nearly 50 yards across the field as Ayomanor broke open in the endzone. On a day when Ward threw for less than 150 yards, his developing chemistry with Ayomanor was apparent, as his fellow rookie tied for the team lead in targets and receptions, and had only one fewer yard than
Calvin Ridley. The Titans have opened the year against two of the stingier defenses in the league in the Broncos and Rams. Still, their offense has shown glimpses, and with the WR2 role seemingly locked up, Ayomanor is a priority add in all league formats.
--Patrick McGrathSource: NFL
September 15, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels (knee) underwent an MRI following Thursday's loss to the Green Bay Packers and has been diagnosed with a sprained knee. While the injury isn't believed to be long-term, Daniels' status for Week 3 against the Raiders is now in doubt. After turning in arguably the most successful season ever seen by a rookie quarterback, Daniels and the Commanders' offense have yet to hit their stride in 2025, scoring only 39 total points through their 1-1 start. Should Daniels miss Sunday's game, backup
Marcus Mariota would be in line to face one of his former teams. One of the better backups in the league, Mariota saw extended time in two games last season and was able to keep Kliff Kingsbury's offense on track. While any missed time by Daniels isn't necessarily a death knell for Commander's pass catchers
Terry McLaurin,
Deebo Samuel Sr., and
Zach Ertz, it's far from ideal for a unit already struck hard by injury this early into the season.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
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