RADIO
Alec Pierce Set to Play in Week 1
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (heel) will play Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, according to Stephen Holder. The question now is how much Indianapolis wants to put on his plate right away. Pierce spent all of training camp on the PUP list after undergoing ankle surgery in March and only returned to practice on Aug. 27. He was limited Wednesday and Thursday this week, and Holder noted that a snap count is still possible. Pierce is coming off his first 1,000-yard season after catching 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games. His 21.3 yards per catch led the NFL for the second straight year. Indianapolis also lists him as a starting receiver alongside Josh Downs and Keenan Allen, so the role is still there once he is fully ramped up. For Week 1, though, the possible snap restriction keeps Pierce in the boom-or-bust WR4/flex range rather than making him an automatic start.
Source: Stephen Holder
Source: Stephen Holder
Lamar Jackson to Show Off New Look in Week 1
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson heads to Indianapolis to take on the Colts Sunday afternoon and will debut a revamped Ravens' offense. According to Baltimore Ravens staff writer Clifton Brown, offense coordinator Declan Doyle and the Ravens' coaching staff have changed how Jackson will operate from the pocket, and Jackson will take more snaps under center to use play-action elements. This is a marked departure from Jackson's over 80% drop-back pass rate from pistol or shotgun formations last season, and Jackson will also be taking snaps from a new center, Jovaughn Gwyn, making his first NFL start. Sunday will also be the first time that fantasy managers will see Jackson play for a head coach not named John Harbaugh since the veteran quarterback sat out each of the three preseason games led by new head coach Jesse Minter. Each of these factors adds uncertainty about how Lamar and the broader offense will operate; however, players, coaches, and fans alike remain optimistic the changes will lead to a more dynamic and efficient offense. Despite disappointing fantasy managers last year, Jackson managed to generate +50 rushing yards over expectation (RYOE) across 67 total carries in 2025, including +20 RYOE gained across a career-low 24 designed runs. Last season, the Colts defense faced a season-low three designed QB runs and never faced more than one designed QB run in any game, which should give Lamar managers more confidence in trusting the multiple-time NFL MVP this Sunday to earn points with his legs. Fantasy managers almost certainly invested high draft capital in Lamar, and he is a must-start QB1 option in every fantasy football format in Week 1.
Source: Baltimore Ravens - Clifton Brown
Source: Baltimore Ravens - Clifton Brown
Raiders Won't Commit to Brock Bowers' Return Timeline
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) still does not have a return date from the team after undergoing a meniscus trim Tuesday. Head coach Klint Kubiak told Ryan McFadden that the situation developed quickly and said the Raiders "got it cleaned up," but he declined to say whether Bowers is expected to miss one or two games. That is worth noting after outside reports suggested he could be sidelined for the first two weeks. Bowers is already out for Sunday's opener against Miami, and Las Vegas visits the Chargers in Week 2. He caught 64 passes for 680 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games last season, so there is no replacing his role outright. Michael Mayer should get the first crack at more work after posting 35 catches for 328 yards and one score in 2025, with Ian Thomas also available. Fantasy managers should continue to plan without Bowers for Week 1 and treat Week 2 as uncertain until the Raiders give a clearer indication of his progress.
Source: Ryan McFadden
Source: Ryan McFadden
Mike Matthews Holds Upside in Week 2
Tennessee junior wide receiver Mike Matthews led the team in receiving last week against Furman, catching four passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns. He appears to have slotted into the Chris Brazzell II role fairly easily, which is generally a high-ceiling position in Josh Heupel's offense. Matthews and the Volunteers travel to Georgia Tech this week and will face much stiffer competition. Given that this will be Faizon Brandon's first away game of his career, Matthews admittedly does not have a safe floor this week. However, his upside remains juicy given that he looks like an explosive playmaker and the top receiver in Tennessee's offense.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Derrick Henry Primed to Reprise Bellcow Role in Week 1
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is the NFL's active leader in rushing yards (13,018), and he looks to expand his lead in the Ravens' season opener against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday afternoon. Interestingly, the Week 1 matchup featuring Henry (1,595 rushing yards in 2025) and Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (1,585) marks just the fourth game in NFL history to open the season with opposing rushers who each surpassed 1,500 yards the prior season, according to Next Gen stats. Admittedly, Henry does not see much action in the receiving game, tallying just 15 receptions for 150 yards last year. However, the veteran running back averaged over 20 rushing attempts per game with a 5.2 yards-per-carry average in 2025. Last season, Henry had eight games with over 100 yards, scored a touchdown in nine games, and reached the end zone multiple times in four games while enjoying ample goal-line and red-zone opportunities throughout the season. Even with the Ravens' offense going through significant off-season changes, Henry remains integral, and his running game is key to unlocking a new play-action style from quarterback Lamar Jackson. Derrick Henry is the unquestioned bell cow for the Ravens and is a locked-in RB1 starter for fantasy managers in every format this weekend.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Koby Howard Has Limitless Ceiling in Week 2
Penn State sophomore wide receiver Koby Howard exploded in his season debut last weekend, catching six passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. Howard looked the part and was quarterback Rocco Becht's favorite target on the day. After a quiet freshman season, it appears that Howard is due for a breakout. He and the Nittany Lions will travel to Temple this week, where he should remain the top target for Becht. The Owls only let up 14 points a week ago, but were playing against Rhode Island. Matt Campbell's team should be set for another explosive offensive day, and Howard should benefit once again.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Rome Odunze Questionable for Week 1
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) is officially questionable for Sunday's season opener against the Carolina Panthers, according to Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune. Odunze was listed as limited Wednesday and Thursday after spending Monday and Tuesday rehabbing the injury, so this looks like one fantasy managers will have to carry into the weekend. The good news is that Chicago has been optimistic. Head coach Ben Johnson called Odunze day-to-day earlier this week and said the calf issue is not related to the foot injury that bothered him last season. Odunze still managed 44 catches for 661 yards and a career-high six touchdowns in 12 regular-season games in 2025. If he suits up, the calf adds some risk to what already looked like more of a WR3/flex spot for Week 1. If he cannot go, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland would be the biggest names to watch for extra targets, while Kalif Raymond could pick up more work on the outside.
Source: Sean Hammond
Source: Sean Hammond
Bengals Defense With A Tough Matchup In Week 1
The Cincinnati Bengals defense has a tough matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. The Bengals defense was among the worst defenses in the NFL in 2025, allowing the third-most points just behind the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. While the Jets and Cowboys defensive units are expected to be much improved this season, the same optimism is not surrounding the Cincinnati unit. The Bengals defense is also facing injuries with Shemar Stewart listed as doubtful for Sunday's contest. Even if this defensive unit were at full strength, they would still have a hard time slowing down the Buccaneers offense. The Bengals defense is ranked 29th in our RotoBaller Week 1 rankings, making them a unit to avoid this week and probably most weeks moving forward.
Source: Cincinnati Bengals - Twitter
Source: Cincinnati Bengals - Twitter
Anthony Colandrea Gearing Up for Big Week 2
Nebraska senior quarterback Anthony Colandrea had a great debut in last week's win over Ohio, completing 56% of his passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns. The veteran also ran for 23 yards and another score on the ground, leading the Cornhuskers to a 49-point outing. This week, Colandrea faces a similar task as Bowling Green comes to town. The Falcons' defense should not offer much of a challenge for the Cornhuskers' offense, and the points should be flowing. He should be started in most formats this week.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Evan McPherson Could Be Kicking Often In Week 1
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. McPherson knocked through a career-high 89.3% of his field goal attempts in 2025 and made 41 of his 44 PATs. The Bengals kicker was perfect through the preseason, nailing all of his kicks, and should be locked in for a heavy workload. McPherson should be among the league leaders in PATs considering that Cincinnati is projected to be a top-tier scoring offense again this season. McPherson should be in line for a lot of attempts against the Buccaneers in a game with the highest over/under of the week. McPherson is ranked K7 in our RotoBaller Week 1 rankings, making him a strong option to start at kicker this week. Fantasy managers should be interested in McPherson's prospects this season as he should be relied on often in a high-scoring offense.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Makhi Frazier Sees Opportunity in Week 2
Ole Miss running back Makhi Frazier should have an expanded opportunity to get some action in Week 2 as the Rebels host Charlotte. Star running back Kewan Lacy is expected to dress, but will be limited with focus on Week 3's game against LSU. His limited workload opens the door for the Michigan State transfer to earn a large workload. Frazier ran the ball seven times for 27 yards in last week's win over Louisville, teaming with JT Lindsey to fill the void left by Lacy after his departure. Both Frazier and Lindsey should see more work this week against a weak Charlotte defense, making both young running backs viable fantasy options.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Samaje Perine Opens Season As Bengals RB2 Against Tampa Bay
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine will operate as the team's RB2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. Chase Brown is the clear RB1 of the team, but that does not mean that he will take all of the opportunities out of the backfield. Perine will get the opportunity to mix in, especially on passing downs. Over the past five years, Perine has been one of the most efficient running backs on a per-target basis so it stands to reason that Cincinnati will want to get him involved in the passing game. There could be a lot of passing involved in the game against the Buccaneers this Sunday. With a 50.5-point over/under, Vegas is projecting a lot of scoring to take place in Cincinnati this weekend. Perine is ranked RB52 in our RotoBaller Week 1 PPR rankings, so he would have to be a desperation flex option for deep leagues only but his contingent upside is among the highest of all RB2s. If Brown goes down with an injury, Perine will step into one of the most valuable roles in the NFL. For now, Perine is likely best served warming the bench for fantasy managers.
Source: Fantasy Points Data - Twitter
Source: Fantasy Points Data - Twitter
Mike Gesicki Atop TE Pecking Order In Week 1
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in Week 1. Gesicki has established himself as the top receiving option among Bengals tight ends and the role could potentially be valuable if he is able to produce with the opportunities granted to him. The Bengals have rarely relied on one tight end to produce and instead opted to rotate the position. Gesicki is the main receiving option, but Drew Sample is a much better blocker so he takes Gesicki off the field. Gesicki also has competition with Erick All Jr for reps at tight end. That said, Gesicki could find some fantasy points on Sunday in a game with the highest over/under of the week against the Buccaneers. If this week's contest turns into an offensive affair, fantasy points could be flowing in this game. Gesicki is ranked TE25 in our RotoBaller Week 1 PPR rankings, making him a difficult TE2 option to trust this week. If you're truly desperate at the TE position, he could be a worthy dart throw.
Source: Mike Petraglia - Twitter
Source: Mike Petraglia - Twitter
Emari Demercado Moves Onto the Waiver Radar
Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado is basically unrostered on Yahoo, but that could change after Malik Davis was injured during Friday's practice. Davis had clearly won the No. 2 job behind Javonte Williams, with Demercado sitting directly behind him after Dallas claimed the veteran off waivers at the end of August. If Davis is forced to miss time, Demercado suddenly has a much cleaner path to backup work. He has been efficient when called on, averaging 6.5 yards per carry on 126 career attempts. Last season with Arizona, Demercado ran 44 times for 312 yards and caught 13 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter against the Giants. Williams is still the lead back here. But with Demercado at 0% rostered on Yahoo, deeper-league managers now have a reason to take a shot before there is more clarity on Davis. If Davis misses time, Demercado's handcuff value rises quickly.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Parker to Miss Second Straight Game
Ohio State wide receiver Kyle Parker is expected to remain sidelined for Saturday's game against Texas. Parker did not play last week against Ball State, and has not practiced for a while with an undisclosed injury. The senior receiver caught 31 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns at LSU last season. Jeremiah Smith, Devin McCuin, and Brandon Inniss are expected to start at receiver for the Buckeyes.
Source: On3
Source: On3
