RADIO
Malik Hooker Consulting With Hand Specialist After Fracturing his Forearm
Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker (forearm) fractured a bone in his forearm in the Week 1 Sunday night loss to the division-rival New York Giants and is consulting with a hand specialist on Monday to learn his recovery time, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Some breaks can mean a player is out six weeks, but the hope is that, based on the specific bone and break, Hooker can return sooner than that. Either way, Hooker is going to miss extended time for the Cowboys' secondary. The 30-year-old former first-rounder from Ohio State in 2017 also missed five games for Dallas last year due to a toe injury and finished his sixth year with the team with 52 tackles (28 solo) and one pass breakup in 12 starts. With Hooker recovering from his broken forearm for the foreseeable future, the Cowboys will ask P.J. Locke to step up at the safety spot.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Daniel Hill Hoping to Keep Trending Upward
Alabama running back Daniel Hill has delivered two good fantasy showings across two weeks and will look to keep things rolling as the competition stiffens. Across two games, Hill has rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns across 27 carries. He has four receptions for an additional 22 yards. Bama's top back should be expected to keep producing big fantasy scores, and that makes him an appealing fantasy asset. He's a waiver wire add going into Week 3, when Alabama will host Florida State. The matchups won't get any easier in SEC play later in the season, but the top back for a top-end team is a fantasy player worth rostering and utilizing, so look into adding Hill before it's too late.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Rams Have Not Decided if Aaron Donald Will Play in Week 2
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Monday that the team has not decided yet whether defensive tackle Aaron Donald will make his 2026 debut on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants in Week 2, according to Stu Jackson of the team's official website. "He's going to continue to work his process, and we'll see what that looks like," McVay said. The Rams would love to have Donald back in the fold after he unretired to rejoin the organization in 2026, but they are not going to rush him back after placing star pass-rusher Myles Garrett (knee) on Injured Reserve last Friday. The 35-year-old Donald continues to work his way back into football shape after not having played in the NFL since 2023. The 10-time Pro Bowler will be a welcome addition to the Rams' defensive line when he is ready, but that might not be until Week 3 or later. For fantasy purposes, Donald, who has 111 career sacks in his 10 seasons, will be more of a boom/bust defensive lineman because of the fact that he will be more of a rotational player in his return to the league.
Source: TheRams.com - Stu Jackson
Source: TheRams.com - Stu Jackson
J'Koby Williams Eyes Touchdown Run in Third Straight Game
Texas Tech wide receiver J'Koby Williams has started the year strong with a touchdown run in each of the first two games, and he'll look to make it three straight with a score when taking on Houston in Week 3. Along with the two touchdowns, Williams has gained 187 yards across 33 total carries; he also has 10 receptions for 73 yards. His scores came against Abilene Christian and Oregon State, and the matchups will get tougher moving forward, starting with the ranked matchup against Houston. Williams is a rising fantasy player after the first two weeks, and he's still on the rise as Week 3 games near. Fantasy owners lacking in the running back department should at least look into the possibility of adding the Red Raiders' RB.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Vernell Brown III Gaining Fantasy Value After Hot Start
Florida wide receiver Vernell Brown III is a rising fantasy player after a couple of big games to start the year. He has made nine catches so far, going for 160 yards and two scores. Brown had 117 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 before going for 43 yards and a score in Week 2. Those performances came against FAU and Campbell though, so stiffer matchups await, beginning in Week 3 against Auburn. The SEC will be a gauntlet, but with how Brown has looked early on, he's worth waiver wire adds after two games. He's worth starting in more college football fantasy leagues heading into this next game, and he'll continue to see his own and start percentages climb if he keeps delivering on the field.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Zay Flowers Looking at Missing Time?
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring) got his 2026 season off to a good start in Sunday's 41-23 Week 1 season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts, catching five of six targets for 150 yards and a touchdown. However, Flowers also suffered a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the rest of the game. A report surfaced on Sunday night that the 26-year-old is not dealing with a very serious hamstring injury, but ESPN's Adam Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday that "with a hamstring injury you miss a little bit of time." Even though it does not seem like Flowers' injury is overly serious, Schefter says that to think he will be out there in Week 2 against the Saints is "probably unrealistic." In addition to Flowers' injury, rookie receiver Ja'Kobi Lane fractured his wrist and will miss time going forward. So with Flowers questionable for Week 2 and Lane out, veteran Rashod Bateman, who had zero catches in Week 1, could become Baltimore's top wideout this weekend. Fantasy managers will want to check on Flowers' practice participation from Wednesday through Friday for a better idea of whether he can play on Sunday.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Gi'Bran Payne Looks to Record Third Straight 100-Yard Game
Coming off two consecutive 100-plus-yard performances, running back Gi'Bran Payne will look to stay hot as Cincinnati takes on Miami of Ohio at home this week. The Bearcats' running back carried the ball 14 times for 108 yards in Cincinnati's season opener against Boston College before ripping off 8.5 yards per carry on his way to a 102-yard, two-touchdown effort against Western Carolina in Week 2. Payne will now take on a Redhawks' defense that allowed Pitt to rush for 166 yards in Week 1. The Cincinnati ball carrier is ranked RB74 in RotoBaller's Week 3 rankings and is projected to score 7.7 fantasy points against Miami (OH).
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Donovan Olugbode is Well Worth the Waiver Add
Missouri wide receiver Donovan Olugbode is a college football fantasy player on the rise after the start to the season he's put together. Across two games, Olugbode has caught 13 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. He posted seven receptions in Week 1 before hauling in six in Week 2. Olugbode had over 100 yards and at least one score in each game as well. He has a good outlook against Troy in Week 3, and is worth the waiver wire add based on what we've seen from him already this year. In time, Olugbode's numbers could drop, but fantasy owners should be adding and utilizing him while he's on this hot streak.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Chris Brooks on the Waiver Radar After Week 1 Usage
Even though Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks did not stand out in the team's 39-22 Week 1 season-opening loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, he is in the waiver-wire conversation going into Week 2 based on his usage in a Packers backfield that has started the 2026 season without Josh Jacobs (personal). Brooks saw seven carries for 29 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and failed to bring in his only target through the air. However, it was notable that Kaleb Johnson did not see a single touch, while Brooks had six fewer carries than MarShawn Lloyd, who ran for only 37 yards (2.8 YPC). Perhaps most notable on the day, though, was that Brooks played 56% of the offensive snaps, with Lloyd checking in at 44%. If Brooks continues to be efficient with plenty of opportunities as he did in the season opener, he could quickly become the Packers' preferred option in the backfield until Jacobs returns from the commissioner's exempt list. The 26-year-old is widely available on the waiver wire, as he is currently rostered in only 2% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Tony Diaz Looking to Keep it Rolling vs. Northern Iowa
Iowa's leading wide receiver Tony Diaz enjoyed a second straight fruitful performance during a slim win over rival Iowa State on Saturday, topping all pass catchers with eight receptions for 95 yards. It was the second straight week in which Diaz has finished with over 80 yards receiving, as he went for 84 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions against Northern Illinois in Week 1. This week, Diaz and the Iowa offense will square off with Northern Iowa, which has allowed its opponents to average 249 yards per game through the air this season, including a five-reception, 75-yard performance from Drake wide receiver Mitchell January this past week, which also included a touchdown.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rams Don't Have a Timeline for Myles Garrett's Return
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Monday that he does not have a timeline for how many games All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett (knee) will miss after he undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. Garrett will miss at least the next four games after the Rams surprisingly placed him on Injured Reserve after last Thursday's season-opening loss to the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Australia. The earliest Garrett could rejoin the Rams' defensive line would be on Oct. 18 against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. The 30-year-old seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time first-team All-Pro missed most of training camp this summer and did not look like himself in the Week 1 opener last Thursday, failing to record a single tackle. The Rams pulled Garrett late in the blowout loss. It is not the start Garrett wanted to have in L.A. after breaking the single-season NFL sack record with 23 sacks in 2025 with the Cleveland Browns. In IDP fantasy formats, Garrett should be stashed until he is healthy enough to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
Source: ESPN.com - Sarah Barshop
Lincoln Kienholz a Rising Fantasy Asset
Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has started his season strong and continues to rise as a college football fantasy asset as a result. Across two games, Kienholz has completed 68% of his passes for 639 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. The QB has added 111 rushing yards and three touchdowns across 20 attempts, flashing dual-threat ability. A tough test against SMU in Week 3 awaits, but with how Kienholz has performed early on, he's one to trust in more fantasy leagues. If he keeps delivering big fantasy scores, expect his own and start percentages to keep going up as well. Fantasy owners lacking at quarterback could benefit from adding Kienholz before Week 3. Owners in deeper fantasy setups should seriously consider adding the Louisville quarterback.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
TreVeyon Henderson to Return to Practice on Monday
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) will return to practice on Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel told Mike Reiss of ESPN. Henderson was unable to practice all of last week before being ruled out for the Week 1 season-opening loss last Wednesday to the Seattle Seahawks. The fact that the 23-year-old will return early this week suggests that he will have a legitimate chance to make his 2026 debut in Week 2 this Sunday when the team squares off against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his absence, Rhamondre Stevenson handled 18 rushing attempts for 51 yards (2.8 yards per carry) while catching five of six targets for 44 yards through the air. Corey Kiner backed him up and had only six carries for 11 yards as the RB2. If Henderson is cleared for Week 2 later this week, he is expected to split backfield work with Stevenson, although the Pats could ease Henderson in after he missed the last few weeks of training camp with his ankle injury. At best, Henderson will be a shaky RB3/flex option for fantasy managers if he plays against Pittsburgh.
Source: ESPN Boston - Mike Reiss
Source: ESPN Boston - Mike Reiss
Ethan Davis Out for the Season
Tennessee tight end Ethan Davis is out for the season after sustaining a significant knee injury during the Volunteers' Week 2 win over Georgia Tech, per On3. Davis left the field and entered the injury tent on the Vols' sideline during the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, which ended in a 45-24 Tennessee victory. Davis was enjoying a solid start to the season, recording three receptions, two of which went for touchdowns, in his team's first two games of the year. Davis has been with Tennessee since 2023 and has recorded 39 career receptions for 433 yards and six touchdowns. With Davis out, Tennessee will likely turn to DaSaahn Brame, who has one reception for seven yards this year. Tennessee takes on Kennesaw State in Week 3.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Kyler Murray's Week 2 Status is Uncertain
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray (concussion) was knocked out of the Week 1 season-opening win over the division-rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday in the first quarter with a concussion and was eventually ruled out. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said that Murray was in good spirits after the game in the locker room, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It is good news, but we just do not know how quickly Murray will progress through the league's concussion protocol or if he will be cleared for the Week 2 game versus the division-rival Chicago Bears. It means that veteran backup Carson Wentz, who came into the game to throw three touchdowns and lead the Vikings to a win, could be the starter in Week 2 versus Chicago. It also means that former first-rounder J.J. McCarthy, who lost the starting competition this summer, could be elevated to the backup role this coming weekend. Murray was entering a potential bounce-back year in 2026 in his new home in Minnesota with better offensive weapons around him, but his Week 1 concussion does not mean that he cannot bounce back as the Vikings' starter once he is cleared from his concussion. UPDATE: O'Connell said that Murray is officially in the league's concussion protocol.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
