RADIO
Tank Bigsby Still an Elite Handcuff After Quiet Opener
Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby barely touched the ball in Sunday's 24-22 win over Washington, carrying once for three yards on six offensive snaps. Will Shipley actually saw more work, logging 10 snaps and two carries, but Philadelphia's current depth chart still lists Bigsby directly behind Saquon Barkley. That is where the fantasy case starts. Bigsby showed last season that he can produce when the workload expands, rushing for 104 yards on nine carries against the Giants before finishing the year with 75 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in Week 18. He added a 31-yard catch in that finale. None of that gives him standalone value while Barkley is healthy, and Week 1 made that clear. Bigsby is still the back positioned to benefit most if Philadelphia suddenly needs someone else to handle meaningful carries. He belongs on benches in deeper leagues and remains one of the stronger pure handcuffs available, but managers in ordinary 10- and 12-team formats do not need to treat him as a priority waiver claim.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jahdae Walker Not Yet Roster-Worthy
Chicago Bears wide receiver Jahdae Walker made the most of his lone target, hauling in a one-yard touchdown pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. But Walker did not show the involvement in the Bears' offense that warrants a waiver wire addition in most standard leagues. Chicago has plenty of targets at wide receiver in Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Kalif Raymond along with tight end Colston Loveland. So Walker is pretty much an afterthought in the offense despite catching a TD in Week 1's route of the Carolina Panthers. Walker made his target count but moving forward it is hard to predict any kind of role in the Bears offense for Walker when he is at best the fourth-string wide receiver and behind Loveland on the usage tree. The touchdown was nice but doesn't predict future involvement.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Omar Cooper Jr. Week-to-Week With Ankle Sprain
New York Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) is considered week-to-week after getting some encouraging news from his MRI, according to Ian Rapoport. Cooper left Sunday's win over Tennessee in the first quarter after making his first NFL catch, a 30-yard gain, and did not return. X-rays were negative after the game, and Rapoport said the hope is that the rookie can return within the next four weeks. That still puts his Week 2 availability against Green Bay very much in doubt. New York traded back into the first round to take Cooper 30th overall in April, and he opened the season behind Garrett Wilson on the depth chart. The positive MRI news helps, but fantasy managers may still be without him for multiple games. Cooper remains worth holding in dynasty formats, while redraft managers without an IR spot may have a tougher decision if the absence stretches into October.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Pat Bryant Shows Potential Upside in Week 1 Loss
Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant led the team in targets against the Chiefs and finished with four catches for 42 yards during Monday Night Football of Week 1. Bryant played 59% of snaps, serving as the team's third receiver behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. His six targets were the most on the team, though, which indicates he could be ready to deliver on all the preseason hype he got as a fantasy sleeper. The Broncos' passing game looked out of sorts in their road loss on Monday, with Bo Nix only managing 131 passing yards. If Nix and the rest of Denver's offense get back on track next week at home against the Jaguars, Bryant could quickly become a wide receiver with enough upside to be a good fantasy addition. He is a good stash for deep leagues at this point, and someone to definitely keep an eye on in all formats as the Broncos find their rhythm.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samaje Perine Is a Must-Stash Option
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had a strong Week 1 against the Buccaneers, serving as the top backup behind Chase Brown. Perine had five carries for 20 rushing yards and three catches for 30 receiving yards. His eight touches come on just 18 plays (28%), but he clearly would be the next running back to step in if Brown deals with any kind of injury, which would make Perine a must-start in all formats. Even with Brown healthy, Perine gets enough work as a change-of-pace option to be worth considering in a FLEX spot in an emergency situation, a favorable matchup, or a bye-week roster squeeze. Without many depth options at running back emerging in Week 1, Perine is a key stash option from the waiver wire and should be on a roster in almost all leagues due to his potential upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Worthy Should be Rostered in More Leagues
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy was the Chiefs' second receiver in their season-opening victory over the Broncos. He tied for the team lead with six targets and finished second among Chiefs' receivers, playing 77% of snaps. Worthy finished with only three catches for 18 yards, but he has the potential to be even more involved when the Chiefs go to more pass-heavy game scripts. Kansas City played from ahead on Monday night, and they leaned heavily on the ground game as a result. Worthy brings big-play potential in a solid offense and can be a nice addition from the waiver wire in 12-team leagues, based on his Week 1 role and his upside in more favorable matchups.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Sam Darnold Expected to Return to Play In the Near Future
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) is dealing with a unique soft-tissue injury, and the Seahawks expect him back in a few weeks. According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, the injury has a four-week timeline for his return to play, but there is still a possibility that he can get back a little sooner and miss only a couple of games. Drew Lock will start in Darnold's place in Week 2 against the Cardinals after leading Seattle to a 13-10 victory over the Patriots following Darnold's early departure. Darnold's hip joint checked out OK earlier this week, though, so it seems he avoided major injury. Since it is an unusual injury, the timeline is a little unclear, but the Seahawks have not placed him on IR, which indicates they think there is a chance he'll be able to return within four games.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
Devin Singletary Emerges as a Deep-League Option
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary took over as the primary backup behind Cam Skattebo after Tyrone Tracy Jr. lost a fumble on one of his two carries. Singletary got 16 rushing yards on six carries and found the end zone while catching all four of his targets for 22 receiving yards. Singletary played 36% of the team's snaps, while Tracy played just two snaps, and Najee Harris was a healthy scratch. While Harris could get some short-yardage work as the season goes on, Singletary has value as the team's primary receiving option out of the backfield and the backup behind Skattebo. If you need RB help in a deep league, especially in PPR formats, Singletary has enough upside to be an option to consider from the waiver wire before Week 2.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carson Wentz a Priority Waiver Target if Named Week 2 Starter
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz was dominant in relief of quarterback Kyler Murray (concussion) on Sunday, and he could remain a high-end QB2 if he gets the nod to start in Week 2. Wentz took over for Murray in the middle of the first quarter, and despite a modest 12-for-19 passing line with just 133 passing yards, he still managed to throw for three touchdowns. He also played turnover-free football, showing flashes of the Wentz we saw during the peak of his career in Philadelphia. On the one hand, Wentz's floor may be a little lower going forward now that defenses are preparing for him instead of Murray. On the other hand, in Week 2 he draws a matchup against the Bears, who just played to a massive 59-37 shootout against the Panthers. There's the potential for a lot of points to be scored this Sunday, and so we're keeping Wentz in the mid-to-high QB2 tier. He's absolutely a solid quarterback streamer, assuming Murray remains in concussion protocol for at least one more week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Braelon Allen on Track for Standalone Value in Jets Offense
The New York Jets offense had a solid showing in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, and running back Braelon Allen showed that he can be one of the players who carve out standalone value in fantasy football. Despite operating behind Breece Hall, Allen put together an impressive box score on Sunday, rushing for 40 yards on 10 carries with a 40% snap share. The Jets placed a heavy emphasis on running the ball, and Allen benefitted as a result. He came close to scoring a touchdown, which would have made him a top-36 fantasy running back for Week 1. The Jets' schedule gets tougher going forward, so we can't guarantee they'll run the ball quite as much as they did against the Lions. Still, this rushing attack finally looks potent, and Allen can have low-end RB3/flex appeal with just a little more goal-line work or receiving work. He should be a waiver wire target for all managers in 12+ team leagues, and he's particularly a priority addition for managers who already have Hall on their roster.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eli Raridon an Impact Player Around the Goal Line?
New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon converted his lone target into a two-yard touchdown reception during his NFL debut in Week 1. The 22-year-old's low target total and 54% snap share indicate that he's not ready to pass Hunter Henry on the depth chart any time soon, but we have to wonder if he's still going to be a consistent threat to produce around the goal line. He was on the receiving end of the Patriots' only touchdown in the season opener, getting wide open as the defense paid attention to other offensive players. Managers should continue to monitor Raridon's usage and impact around the goal line, but in the meantime, he's not a bad player to speculatively add in deeper fantasy football leagues. He'll look to replicate his goal-line success while increasing his target share in Week 2 against Pittsburgh.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Baker Mayfield Still a High-Upside Target Despite Week 1 Dip
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield had four turnovers in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, leading to an apparent decline in his fantasy stock. However, fantasy managers shouldn't overreact to one bad week, especially when Mayfield has had games like this before. The 31-year-old plays with a level of recklessness, and although it led to three fumbles on Sunday, he's just as capable of harnessing that playing style and dropping three or four touchdowns. He's a high-ceiling, low-floor fantasy quarterback, and he's worth rostering in most leagues simply due to his talent, track record, and strong supporting cast. Dropping a dud game against a subpar Bengals defense is far from ideal, but he should bounce back against an even worse Browns squad in Week 2. He continues to rank as a mid-range QB2 with QB1 upside depending on the matchup. There's rest-of-season appeal here, but he's also a very intriguing short-term streamer.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elijah Sarratt Ready to Contribute for Ravens
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Elijah Sarratt was a healthy scratch in Week 1, but the rookie could quickly get onto the fantasy radar for Week 2 and beyond. The Ravens' receiver corps was dealt a couple of major injuries on Sunday, headlined by rookie Ja'Kobi Lane suffering a wrist fracture. Star receiver Zay Flowers also picked up a hamstring injury, but he's day-to-day. Regardless of whether Flowers plays in Week 2, Sarratt should be active with Lane sidelined. The Indiana product has an opportunity to produce right away, as Rashod Bateman, LaJohntay Wester, and Devontez Walker leave a lot to be desired in the passing game. Sarratt could easily out-produce any or all of them with just one good game, and he'd quickly find himself second in the wide receiver pecking order behind Flowers. Simply based on upside and potential opportunity alone, Sarratt is an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire in 14+ team leagues, especially for managers who drafted one of Flowers or Lane.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Demarcus Robinson Set to Take Over as No. 3 Receiver
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Demarcus Robinson will jump to No. 3 on the depth chart after teammate De'Zhaun Stribling suffered an ankle sprain. Robinson didn't initially have any fantasy relevance to start the season, but he's suddenly on the fantasy radar after catching two passes for 50 yards and a touchdown when Stribling exited last Thursday. The veteran pass-catcher has never been worth drafting in fantasy leagues, but he has consistently carved out small stints of fantasy relevance because of his reliability as a depth option in the passing game. Being third on the depth chart might not translate to consistent fantasy dominance, but this offense can definitely support him as a low-end WR3/flex on a weekly basis in deeper leagues. Managers in 14+ team leagues should look to add Robinson off waivers, and he even has some appeal in 12+ team formats, especially for managers who drafted Stribling.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bo Nix Looks Lost in Week 1 Blowout Loss to Chiefs
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix did not look good at all in his first regular-season action since fracturing his ankle in the team's overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round back in January. In the Broncos' 31-10 loss in Kansas City to the division-rival Chiefs in Week 1 on Monday night, Nix struggled to get anything going on offense, going 17-for-28 passing for 131 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was sacked four times for a loss of 16 yards and ran the ball three times for only two yards gained. This definitely was not how the 26-year-old wanted to get his third year in the NFL started, and it will not get any easier the next two weeks against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3. As long as Nix is healthy, though, he will surely bounce back in an offense surrounded by weapons on the ground and through the air. But after his poor Week 1 performance against the Chiefs, fantasy managers will not be in a hurry to use him as a starter in single-QB leagues in Week 2 against the Jags.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
