RADIO
Carson Wentz Tosses Three Touchdowns In Relief
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz performed admirably in relief on Sunday, throwing three touchdown passes as the Vikings scored 29 straight points to rally past Green Bay, 39-22. The journeyman played most of the game after the Packers knocked out starter Kyler Murray (head) with an illegal hit in the first quarter. Despite some early misfires, Wentz finished 12-for-19 for 133 yards without a turnover. Even better for fantasy managers, Wentz got the ball to superstar receiver Justin Jefferson. The pair connected six times for 81 yards and two scores, including a game-clinching touchdown deep in the fourth quarter. It remains to be seen if Murray will have a chance to play Week 2, so Wentz could be a priority waiver addition in deeper leagues as the Vikings prepare to play Chicago.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jordan Mason Scores As Minnesota Surges Past Green Bay
Running back Jordan Mason played a key role in the Minnesota Vikings' emphatic comeback on Sunday, rushing 15 times for 59 yards and a tide-turning touchdown. The second-year Viking scored from four yards away in the fourth quarter to put Minnesota ahead by 10, part of a run of 29 straight points that secured a 39-22 victory. Mason continued to work in conjunction with running back Aaron Jones Sr., who rushed 12 times and also scored once. Both Mason and Jones were effective, suggesting Minnesota may split carries close to 50-50 in future weeks, which can be tricky from a fantasy perspective. With the status of quarterback Kyler Murray (head) unknown, however, the Vikings could be facing the prospect of leaning on the running game if backup Carson Wentz plays next week at Chicago.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
T.J. Hockenson Finds End Zone In Vikings Win
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson posted a solid day in his team's 39-22 victory against Green Bay by catching four of his five targets for 36 yards and a touchdown. Despite losing quarterback Kyler Murray (head) on a penalized hit, the Vikings still rallied for 29 unanswered points to wrestle away control of the game, with Hockenson's 16-yard touchdown catch from backup Carson Wentz starting the surge. Hockenson's five targets ranked second on the team behind nine for wide receiver Justin Jefferson, an encouraging start to the year despite another quarterback injury. The veteran tight end was a top-five fantasy player before a knee injury late in 2023, so he could be an intriguing buy-low candidate early this year. Minnesota will stay in the NFC North by visiting Chicago next week.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jonathon Brooks Plays Second Fiddle for Panthers in Week 1
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks played a clear backup role behind Chuba Hubbard in a 59-37 Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears. Brooks did have a highlight play on a 48-yard reception from quarterback Bryce Young, but he carried the ball just four times for 14 yards. Meanwhile, Hubbard recorded 10 carries for 49 yards and a rushing touchdown, in addition to three receptions for 38 yards and a receiving touchdown. According to Pro Football Focus, Brooks played just 13 offensive snaps compared to Hubbard's 48, which is a telling sign of the pecking order in Carolina's backfield. With that in mind, it was a high-scoring game that called for a lot of passing plays, and the Panthers had to play catch-up often. Brooks will have a Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, but as of right now, he shouldn't be viewed as more than a desperate flex option.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Justin Jefferson Goes Off In Vikings' Comeback Against Packers
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson helped lead the charge in Minnesota's second-half barrage of Green Bay, logging eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a game-clinching leap to the pylon for a score in the fourth quarter. The superstar receiver performed well despite yet another quarterback change -- Kyler Murray (head) played fewer than 10 minutes before an illegal hit knocked him out of the game -- connecting with backup Carson Wentz for both scores and a two-point conversion as the Vikings rallied for 29 unanswered points to win 39-22. Fantasy managers who drafted Jefferson had to be encouraged to see the receiver look like himself again, drawing nine targets and not missing a beat when Wentz came into the game. The Vikings' unending quarterback drama is worth monitoring, but Jefferson should have a favorable matchup against Chicago in Week 2 no matter who's throwing the ball.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Quentin Johnston Does Little in Loss
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston was an interesting start candidate given his plus matchup in Week 1. With Keenan Allen no longer in the mix, Johnston was expected to step into a larger role in the offense. Sadly for fantasy managers, Johnston wasn't able to live up to the hype on Sunday. The 25-year-old hauled in two of his six targets for 17 yards in the loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The good news is that Johnston was tied for second on the team with his six targets. The bad news is, he did basically nothing with it. Fellow wideout Ladd McConkey (chest) exited early during Sunday's loss. Johnston could be asked to take on a larger role in the passing game if McConkey isn't ready to go for Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
D'Andre Swift Posts Massive Three-Touchdown Game
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift could not have started the season any better. The 27-year-old is earning every bit of that new extension by the looks of his performance during Sunday's season opener versus the Carolina Panthers. Swift carried the ball 18 times for 124 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also hauled in his lone target for 10 yards in the blowout road victory. Swift averaged nearly 7 yards per carry during Sunday's game. Somebody changed the settings to easy mode in Madden before kickoff, as Swift had absolutely no problems running through the Panthers defense. He'll look to continue his success against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect another three-touchdown game, but anyone who puts Swift on the bench after that game looks as bad as the Panthers defense.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Marvin Harrison Jr. Barely Touches the Ball in Win
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. did not give fantasy managers much to cheer about during Sunday's season opener versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Harrison made a nice 33-yard catch, and that was the only thing he did during the entire game. Fantasy managers were hopeful that things would turn around for Harrison in 2026. It's not starting great as he finished fifth on the team in targets with three during Sunday's victory. Somehow, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love finished with more targets than Harrison, who is a former fourth overall draft pick. Fantasy managers shouldn't give up after one game, but Harrison is probably safer used as a flex option until he proves that he can make more than one catch per game.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Terry McLaurin Posts Dud in Season Opener
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was barely a factor during Sunday's season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Scary Terry was not scary at all to the Eagles' defense in this one. The 31-year-old hauled in two of his four targets for 14 yards in the two-point loss. McLaurin was projected to be a WR2 coming into this game, and he barely got involved. It took a while for the Commanders' offense to get going in this one. McLaurin finishing fourth on the team in receiving yards is not acceptable to fantasy managers. McLaurin has the talent and is expected to bounce back in a favorable matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
MarShawn Lloyd Leads Green Bay Running Back Room
Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd got the chance to be the lead back during Sunday's season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Lloyd was trusted with carrying the load in the backfield on Sunday. He rushed 13 times for 37 yards in what ended up being a loss for the Packers. It wasn't an overall successful day for Lloyd, who only averaged 2.8 yards per carry. However, he saw the most carries out of everyone in the Packers' backfield. Chris Brooks rushed the ball seven times for 29 yards, so we'll see if he gets a bigger role next week. The Packers are going to be without Josh Jacobs for the foreseeable future, so fantasy managers should continue to believe in Lloyd. We'll see if he produces better results against the New York Jets in Week 2.
Source: espn.com
Source: espn.com
Ashton Jeanty Leads Raiders to Week 1 Win vs. Dolphins
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty had 23 carries for 102 rushing yards and added six receptions for 45 yards and two receiving touchdowns in Sunday's 27-13 win against the visiting Miami Dolphins. The second-year back from Boise State was quarterback Kirk Cousins' preferred target in Week 1, and he hauled in all six of his targets in the home-opening victory. Jeanty was a workhorse in 2025, logging 266 carries for 975 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie campaign, and he is expected to keep shouldering a heavy workload early in the 2026 season. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak will likely lean on Jeanty again in Week 2 against the host Los Angeles Chargers, who ranked fifth in the league against the pass last season but were inconsistent against the run. Jeanty remains a high-end RB2 for fantasy managers as the Raiders hit the road to face the Bolts.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Rico Dowdle Delivers Poor Output Despite Sizable Role
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle rushed for just 15 yards on eight carries during Sunday's Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He also caught two of his five targets for an additional six receiving yards. Between carries and targets, Dowdle had 13 opportunities, which is still a somewhat reasonable result. The biggest issue was that he was wildly inefficient on the ground and through the air, averaging 1.9 yards per carry and 3.0 yards per catch. Entering the season, it seemed like Dowdle was going to split the volume from this backfield with Jaylen Warren, but the latter ended up leading the way on Sunday. For now, we're inclined to believe we'll see similar backfield dynamics next week and beyond. Warren has earned the right to touch the ball 15+ times per game as a top-25 fantasy running back, while Dowdle is still in more of the low-end RB3/flex tier for now.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Alec Pierce Undergoes X-Rays on Left Hand and Wrist
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (hand, wrist) underwent X-rays on his left hand and wrist early during Sunday's Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens, according to Nathan Brown of IndyStar. Pierce was taken to the locker room mid-game for evaluation, but those tests came back negative, confirming that he avoided a fracture after hitting his hand on the helmet of a Ravens defender. Still, Pierce was seen wearing a soft brace after the game, and he'll presumably undergo additional evaluation to determine the severity of his injury and next steps in the recovery process. Pierce finished the season opener with six targets, four catches, and 61 yards. As of now, it's too early to tell whether Pierce might play in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs. If he does, he'd rank as a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 with substantial volume.
Source: Nathan Brown
Source: Nathan Brown
Kirk Cousins Throws Three TDs, Two Picks in Raiders Debut
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 21 of 30 passes for 160 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first start for the team, which ended in a 27-13 victory against the visiting Miami Dolphins. The 38-year-old signal-caller got the Silver and Black off to a 7-0 lead on a short pass to Jack Bech with 1:44 left in the first quarter, and the Raiders remained ahead on the scoreboard for the duration of the game. Cousins was missing top target Brock Bowers (knee) on Sunday and didn't have much success connecting with Las Vegas' receiving corps outside of Bech, opting to connect with running back Ashton Jeanty for two short passes for touchdowns. The four-time Pro Bowl selection showed he has value in deep fantasy leagues, but he doesn't produce enough to be an effective starter in shallow redraft formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Omar Cooper Jr. Diagnosed with an Ankle Sprain in NFL Debut
New York Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) has been diagnosed with an ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Cooper's X-rays came back negative, which means he avoided a fracture. However, he will still need to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of his injury and recovery steps. A first-round pick out of Indiana, Cooper caught one pass for 30 yards on the opening drive before departing the game. Prior to injuring his ankle, the 22-year-old was in line to operate as the Jets' No. 2 or No. 3 receiver behind Garrett Wilson and alongside Adonai Mitchell. Now, he'll presumably miss at least a little time, setting up Mitchell to start alongside Wilson in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
