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Rafael Devers to Have Season-Ending Core-Muscle Surgery on Tuesday
San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (core) will have season-ending surgery on Tuesday in Philadelphia to fix a left-sided core-muscle injury, according to Zach Sweet of MLB.com. The Giants said they will provide an update on his recovery timeline after the surgery. The Giants placed Devers on the 60-day injured list on Sunday, putting an end to his 2026 campaign. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger will finish his first full season in the Bay Area with a .258/.340/.525 slash line, an .865 OPS, 37 home runs, 98 RBI, and 88 runs scored in 148 games and 633 plate appearances. Devers is currently leading the league with 36 doubles after a recent offensive barrage in the second half of the season. The three-time All-Star went off in August with a .272 average (28-for-103) with eight home runs, five doubles, 18 RBI, and 22 runs scored in 28 games played. Devers got off to an icy start in 2026 by hitting .207 (25-for-121), but he turned things around quickly in May and finished with his second straight 35-plus-homer season. The Dominican first baseman has reached the 30-homer mark in four of the last six seasons with the Giants and Boston Red Sox.
Source: MLB.com - Zach Sweet
Source: MLB.com - Zach Sweet
DaSaahn Brame Likely to Fill Role Left Behind by Injured Ethan Davis
With Tennessee's top tight end Ethan Davis (knee) lost for the season with an ACL injury sustained in Week 2, DaSaahn Brame is likely to fill his spot for the Volunteers as they enter a Week 3 contest against Kennesaw State. Brame has recorded just one reception for seven yards this season, while he finished the 2025 campaign with just six receptions for 63 yards. He is as inexperienced as they come, but has a favorable matchup as he steps into a more prominent role this week. Kennesaw State allowed Georgia State quarterback Cameran Brown to throw for 253 yards a week ago and is ripe for the picking going into a daunting matchup with the Volunteers. Brame is a waiver-wire option for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jaleel Skinner a Waiver Option for Tight End-Needy Teams
It took just two receptions for tight end Jaleel Skinner to finish with 82 yards receiving and a touchdown during Louisville's 59-13 Week 2 win over Villanova. Skinner's long reception went for 69 yards and a score to help the Cardinals take down their FCS opponent in blowout fashion. Skinner has totaled five receptions for 137 yards through two games this season. While he isn't the most favorable option, falling outside of RotoBaller's top-26 rankings at the position, he is a potential waiver-wire addition for fantasy managers in need. Louisville takes on a tough No. 16 SMU defense, which limited Florida State to just 125 yards passing in Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bhayshul Tuten Looks Like Jaguars' Lead Back
After the Jacksonville Jaguars' 34-10 blowout win over the visiting Cleveland Browns on Sunday in the Week 1 season opener, John Shipley of Sports Illustrated wrote that "for now, it looks like" running back Bhayshul Tuten is the team's lead back. Tuten outsnapped Chris Rodriguez Jr. 28 (49%) to 23 (40%) and out-touched him 16 to six. However, as third-down back LeQuint Allen Jr., who had only one snap, gets healthier, the distribution of snaps could shift more. For now, Tuten's fantasy football stock is rising, especially since head coach Liam Coen has been praising him. "I think Tuten ran his tail off. He ran hard. The first run of the day, the first play of the day, I think we maybe had a chance to keep that thing inside, but there was a little color that he did see that allowed him to bounce it. I don't think he missed many reads, personally," Coen said. The 23-year-old handled 15 carries for 16 yards and caught his lone target for 22 yards. It was not a huge game by any means, but it was efficient as the lead back. Tuten is definitely the most fantasy-relevant back in Jacksonville right now, but he faces a difficult Week 2 matchup against the Denver Broncos and their stout defense.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Isiah Pacheco Could Return by Early December After Back Surgery
Updating a previous report, Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (back) underwent surgery to remove a body that was pressing on a nerve in his back, a source told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Pacheco is facing a 12-week recovery, with a chance that he is back from Injured Reserve by early December. The former Kansas City Chiefs RB was dealing with an MCL injury late in training camp before injuring his back while training. There is not much incentive for fantasy managers to hold Pacheco now in an IR spot in redraft leagues. The 27-year-old had 1,765 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 375 carries in his first two seasons with the Chiefs, adding 57 catches for 374 yards and another two TDs as a receiver. But since the start of the 2024 season, Pacheco has dealt with injuries, limiting him to 20 games in his final two years in KC. With Pacheco now out until the final month of the regular season, the Lions could look to add RB depth behind bell-cow back Jahmyr Gibbs. Sione Vaki operated as Detroit's RB2 in Sunday's Week 1 season-opening win over the New Orleans Saints in overtime, but he handled only two rushing attempts for seven yards and caught one pass for 11 yards.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
JV Gibson Has Mouth-Watering Week 3 Matchup
Coming off two straight weeks with a touchdown, Cincinnati wide receiver JV Gibson is getting ready for a mouth-watering matchup against Miami (OH). Gibson has totaled nine receptions for 133 yards receiving and a couple of scores through his first two games in 2026. He is now preparing for a RedHawks defense that allowed 646 total yards during a Week 1 loss to Pitt. In that game, Pitt wide receiver Catarus Hicks recorded five receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. Gibson is projected to score 8.4 fantasy points against Miami (OH) as RotoBaller's 77th-ranked wide receiver in Week 3.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jeremiyah Love Wasn't On Snap Count in NFL Debut on Sunday
Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said on Monday that rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) was not really on a snap count coming off an ankle injury in the team's Week 1 season-opening win on the road over the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Darren Urban of the team's official website. The usage between Love and Tyler Allgeier on Sunday in L.A. had more to do with game flow. In the 26-14 win at SoFi Stadium, Love saw 11 rushing attempts for 41 yards and the touchdown, adding two catches on four targets for just nine yards as a receiver. Allgeier had a team-high 17 carries for a team-high 61 yards, adding two catches on two targets for nine yards through the air. Allgeier saw the field more than Love, outsnapping him 59% to 43%. Eventually, Love is expected to take over Arizona's backfield, especially with Trey Benson (knee) out for the year and veteran James Conner (foot) on Injured Reserve, but in the early portion of the 2026 season, Allgeier could continue to have a larger role, limiting Love's fantasy ceiling to that of a fringe RB2/3. Love will have a difficult Week 2 matchup this Sunday at home against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks.
Source: AZCardinals.com - Darren Urban
Source: AZCardinals.com - Darren Urban
Michael Hawkins Jr. Projected to Have Big Day
After completing over 76% of his passes through the first two games of the year, West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. could have another big performance for the Mountaineers in Week 3. Hawkins Jr. is RotoBaller's QB8 entering this week's action, when he is projected to score 25.7 fantasy points. The Oklahoma transfer is not only a threat in the passing game, but also when he uses his legs, as he has totaled 199 yards rushing and three touchdowns rushing on 7.7 yards per carry this year. He has also found the end zone three times through the air and has yet to throw an interception. Last week against UT Martin, it took Hawkins Jr. just six carries and seven passing attempts to record 151 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns. Virginia has limited its opponents to just 195 yards per game this year, which is the ninth-best mark in the country, so something will have to give on Saturday night.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jeremiyah Love Finds End Zone In NFL Debut
Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) made his regular-season debut on Sunday after weeks of speculation over his availability for Week 1. Love handled 11 carries for 41 rushing yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for nine yards on four targets in the Cardinals' 26-14 win over the Chargers. A high ankle sprain suffered in a preseason game on August 13 put the rookie's Week 1 status in question, with head coach Mike LaFleur describing the situation as a game-time decision. Tyler Allgeier got the start and was the preferred back on third downs and in two-minute drills, with Love regularly rotating in on early downs. It would not be surprising to see similar usage in the coming weeks to avoid the risk of reinjury and to get Love acclimated to the pros. Love has a challenging matchup against the Seattle Seahawks waiting for him in Week 2.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Trey McBride Delivers As Cardinals' Leading Receiver
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride started 2026 on the right foot, catching nine passes for 95 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets against the Chargers on Sunday. Wide receivers Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. kept the Chargers' secondary occupied downfield, which gave McBride room to do damage underneath and in the flats. McBride's touchdown came early in the fourth quarter and made it a two-possession ballgame. It was the tight end's 17th end-zone target in the 11 games he has played since Jacoby Brissett took over as Arizona's starting quarterback, matching the 17 he had in his previous 54 games. His emergence as a regular scoring threat could take his production to new highs. In Week 2, he will face the Seahawks, who held New England's Hunter Henry to 26 yards but allowed a touchdown to backup tight end Eli Raridon in the NFL's season opener.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Rocky Beers a Top-10 Play for Week 3
Oklahoma's Rocky Beers is the ninth-ranked tight end in RotoBaller's Week 3 rankings as he and the Sooners prepare for a matchup with a stingy New Mexico defense on Saturday night. Beers has recorded eight receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown through the first two games of the year and is coming off a six-reception, 94-yard effort during a loss to Michigan. New Mexico could present a bit more of a challenge, as the Lobos have allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game in the country (83.5) entering Week 3. With that said, they have yet to defend against a tight end of Beers' caliber and could get exposed this week by an Oklahoma team that is hoping to rebound from an ugly Week 2 defeat.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isiah Pacheco to Miss "Significant Amount of Time" After Back Surgery
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that running back Isiah Pacheco (back) underwent back surgery and that he is going to be out "a significant amount of time," according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. The Lions said last week that they did not have a clear timetable for Pacheco's return after he was placed on Injured Reserve to begin the 2026 season. The 27-year-old will have to miss at least the first four games of the year, but Campbell's statement on Monday means that Pacheco will likely be out for much longer. In the Lions' 31-30 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in the Week 1 season opener, Sione Vaki served as the RB2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs and rushed only two times for seven yards, adding a catch on his only target for a gain of 11 yards. In addition to Vaki, Jacob Saylors will provide the Lions with RB depth behind Gibbs for as long Pacheco is sidelined. Pacheco's case for an IR stash is not very strong after two straight injury-plagued seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Lions in free agency back in March. He is now rostered in only 20% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: The Detroit News - Nolan Bianchi
Source: The Detroit News - Nolan Bianchi
Shohei Ohtani to Hit Off a Tee on Tuesday
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) will swing a bat and hit off a tee on Tuesday, according to David Vassegh of 570 AM LA Sports. Nagging left-knee and right-biceps injuries finally landed Ohtani on the injured list last Friday, but the fact that he is ready to resume baseball activities is a good sign that he will be able to return towards the tail end of the regular season at the end of September, barring a setback. The Dodgers will be hoping that the four-time MVP can finally put his knee and biceps injuries in the past and help the Blue get into a third straight World Series. The six-time All-Star has hit .277/.380/.522 this year with a .902 OPS, 30 home runs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in his 502 at-bats, but his offensive production had been tailing off before the Dodgers put him on the IL last week. Ohtani hit only .241 (26-for-108) with six homers, three doubles, two triples, 13 RBI, 16 runs, and four stolen bases in 27 games in August, but he had gone just 1-for-9 with three walks and six strikeouts in the first three games of September. Outfield prospect Josue De Paula was called up last week and has been seeing some at-bats at the designated hitter spot for L.A. with Ohtani out.
Source: 570 AM LA Sports - David Vassegh
Source: 570 AM LA Sports - David Vassegh
Cayden Lee Has Great Opportunity to Continue Hot Start
Wide receiver Cayden Lee is on pace to average over 100 yards receiving per game for the Missouri Tigers this season after totaling 11 receptions for 209 yards and a couple of touchdowns through the first two games of the year. Lee has established himself as one of the most productive pass catchers in the country through a couple of weeks, finishing each of his team's two matchups with at least five receptions and an average of 19 yards per reception. This week, Lee and the Tigers will face FCS opponent Troy, which has allowed 220 passing yards per game in 2026. He is WR12 in RotoBaller's Week 3 rankings and is projected to score 13.6 fantasy points against the Trojans.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaelen Culpepper Remains Out With Shoulder Injury
Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (shoulder) and corner infielder Royce Lewis (shoulder) both remain out of Monday's starting lineup against the New York Yankees due to shoulder injuries, according to MLB.com. Culpepper is missing a second straight start after being hit by a pitch on Saturday night. Lewis left the series finale on Sunday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians with soreness in his left shoulder. Ryan Kreidler is starting at the 6 and batting eighth on Monday, with Victor Caratini starting at first base and hitting seventh against Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Culpepper, the team's No. 3 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, has looked good so far in his first 30 big-league games with the Twins, slashing .283/.342/.415 with a .757 OPS, three home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one steal in 117 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should consider both players day-to-day for now and check back to see if they are available to return for Game 2 of the series against the Yankees on Tuesday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
