RADIO
Parker Washington Could Have Big Week 1 Vs. Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington looks to build off his excellent finish to last season and continue with a solid Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. Washington makes for a solid start against Cleveland and is expected to finish as a WR2 or better in the opening week of the season. Washington will be comfortable catching passes from Trevor Lawrence and lining up alongside fellow receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers. Washington could see some time lining up in the slot and could be a big mismatch against the Browns defense. Last season, Washington caught 58 passes on 95 targets for 847 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. The Jaguars offense should have a big day against Cleveland, and Washington figures to be a big part of that.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
A.J. Brown Has High-Ankle Sprain, To Miss Six Weeks
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) has been placed on Injured Reserve and will miss six weeks with a high-ankle sprain, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The big off-season signing for the Patriots will miss the high end of the four- to six-week timeline normally associated with a high ankle sprain. It's a big injury for New England to deal with early on in the season. Brown had 78 catches on 121 targets last season with the Eagles for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. He was looking for a breakout year with New England, but it will have to get started a little bit later than anticipated. Fantasy managers will want to hold on to Brown as he sits out his six games. He could still have a big year for the Patriots but will have to recover from the high ankle sprain before he gets underway.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Sam Darnold Has a Glute Injury and Could Miss A Few Games
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a glute injury in the Week 1 victory over the Patriots and could miss several games. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports that the news was better than anticipated for the Seahawks and a couple of games might be better than expected. Darnold had a great season in 2025 with 4,048 passing yards and 25 touchdowns against 14 interceptions leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl win. He hardly had a chance to make any plays in the opener before he suffered the injury early in the game. Darnold limped off after just two passes in the opening game. But it looks like Darnold avoided serious injury and Seattle will play with Drew Lock at quarterback for a few games before welcoming their Super Bowl winning quarterback back to the team.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
De'Zhaun Stribling to Miss at Least One Month with Ankle Sprain
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) has been diagnosed with a deltoid sprain in his ankle and will miss at least one month, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. There are currently no plans for him to undergo surgery, but the team is reportedly exploring all options. The Ole Miss product made his NFL debut on Thursday night, but the outing was cut short due to two trips to the sideline for an ankle issue. After he exited the second time, he did not return, finishing the game with zero targets on offense. This is crushing news for the rookie and his fantasy managers, especially after there was plenty of speculation that Stribling could be a steady WR3/flex option in his role alongside Mike Evans. Instead, he'll be sidelined through mid-October at the earliest, making him a candidate for injured reserve. With Christian Kirk (calf) already on IR, Deebo Samuel Sr. is solidified as the 49ers' No. 2 receiver while Demarcus Robinson will be elevated to the No. 3 spot.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Marvin Mims Jr. Buried Too Deep to Have a Role on Offense
Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. is buried on the depth chart, keeping him off the fantasy football radar in most leagues ahead of Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos traded for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle over the offseason, leaving Mims behind Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, and Troy Franklin. In addition to those receivers, Mims is also behind tight end Evan Engram in the pecking order, although those two players occupy very different roles. Mims, 24, is a speed threat who has sporadically hauled in big touchdown catches throughout his career when he takes off from his defender. Even if he has a few deep-play touchdowns this season, they're so unpredictable that he's impossible to start. We expect him to spend a lot of his time on special teams, serving as the Broncos' primary kick and punt returner. He has fallen to WR114 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, making him droppable in all leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Evan Engram Too Risky for Week 1 Against Chiefs
Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram is a riskier play for Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. After two seasons outside the top 28 fantasy tight ends, Engram remains a strong candidate to be benched in deeper redraft leagues. Alternatively, he can be left on the waiver wire in shallower leagues. Last year, during his first campaign in Denver, Engram caught 50 passes for 461 yards, but he scored just one touchdown. An increase in touchdowns would prop up his 2026 fantasy projections by a decent amount, but we're still not sold on him as a fantasy starter. His target share is only expected to decline after the Broncos' trade for Jaylen Waddle, putting him somewhere between third and fifth in the pecking order. He's certainly behind Waddle and Courtland Sutton, but he could lose key volume to wide receivers Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin. It also doesn't help that Engram is going up against the Chiefs, who allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025. As it stands, Engram ranks as the TE24 in RotoBaller's latest Week 1 fantasy football rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Pat Freiermuth on the Fringe of Fantasy Radar for Week 1
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is a fringe top-24 option in fantasy football ahead of Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. Freiermuth is coming off a modest 2025 campaign in which he ranked as the TE25 with 41 catches, 486 yards, and four touchdowns. Last year, he faced plenty of competition for targets from Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington. This year, Smith is gone, but Washington remains in the position group, and the Steelers are also expected to divert more targets to new wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Additionally, the Steelers' matchup against the Falcons isn't incredibly advantageous for fantasy football. The Steelers are 6.5-point favorites and could go up early against the Falcons, who are starting third-string quarterback Cooper Rush. In such a lopsided matchup, we could see the Steelers adopt a run-heavy approach early in the game to keep the clock moving. Therefore, there may be fewer targets to go around for Freiermuth, who ranks third (at best) in the Steelers' passing game pecking order behind Pittman and DK Metcalf.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Steelers D/ST a Must-Start in Week 1 Against Third-String Quarterback
The Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST already finds itself in must-start territory most weeks, but the importance of getting them into lineups has heightened ahead of Week 1. Their opponent, the Atlanta Falcons, recently ruled out Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa (oblique), leaving third-string quarterback Cooper Rush (back spasms) in line to start on Sunday afternoon. Rush has been dealing with back spasms, but he reportedly feels well enough to play in the season opener. As the Falcons continued to deal with bad quarterback news recently, the Steelers' fantasy ranking skyrocketed. Fueled by star pass rusher T.J. Watt, this unit now ranks as the #2 D/ST in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Michael Penix Jr. Expected to Return in Next Two Weeks?
The Atlanta Falcons have been targeting Week 2 or Week 3 for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) to return, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Penix won't be ready in time for Sunday's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the door remains open for him to play within the next two weeks. He's working his way back from an ACL tear that ended his 2025 season in Week 11. Through nine games last year, he racked up 1,982 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also showed off his mobility with 70 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Normally, Penix's absence would lead to a start for Tua Tagovailoa (oblique), but he has also been ruled out. As a result, the Falcons will start veteran third-string quarterback Cooper Rush (back spasms) against the Steelers and star pass rusher T.J. Watt.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Cooper Rush Remains on Track to Start Against Steelers
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush (back) is still expected to be active for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Rush had been dealing with back spasms, but he reportedly "is feeling better" and will be able to play in the season opener. It's a rare positive headline about a Falcons quarterback, as Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) were both ruled out ahead of time. Rush is technically the Falcons' third-string quarterback, but he'll now be tasked with staying upright and leading the offensive charge against the Steelers and star pass rusher T.J. Watt. For what it's worth, Rush ranks as a clear QB3 in fantasy football this week.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Maxx Crosby Wanted to Stay with Raiders After Failed Ravens Trade
Las Vegas Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby was nearly traded to the Baltimore Ravens this past offseason, but the deal fell through due to medical concerns with Crosby's knee. After that deal fell apart, Crosby "let it be known to anyone interested that he did not want to be traded," according to Ian Rapoport of ESPN.com. "Specifically, the 29-year-old's request to stay in Vegas shut down trade talks that had been heating up with the Los Angeles Rams. If he had been open to a trade, the Rams were pushing very heavily to get a deal finalized, which would have presumably taken them out of the sweepstakes for Myles Garrett. Instead, they missed out on Crosby and swung a deal to get Garrett from the Cleveland Browns for defensive end Jared Verse and multiple picks. As a result, Crosby stays in Vegas, where he'll be tasked with containing Miami Dolphins mobile quarterback Malik Willis on Sunday.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Joey Porter Jr. Unlikely to Play in Sunday's Season Opener
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (back) is expected to be inactive for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Porter had been listed as questionable, but his status appears to be trending in the wrong direction with kickoff just four hours away. Beyond the injury, there's also a potential trade factor to consider here. Porter previously requested a trade due to unresolved extension negotiations, and given that the Steelers don't sign extensions in-season, Porter could be dealt within the next few weeks. In fact, Rapoport and Schefter report an "early-season trade is very possible," while noting that the Steelers have yet to receive a trade offer they feel comfortable accepting. In the short-term, his absence should lead to a bigger defensive role for veterans Jamel Dean, Jalen Ramsey, and Asante Samuel Jr. They'll be going up against a Falcons offense led by third-string quarterback Cooper Rush.
Source: Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter
Source: Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter
Za'Darius Smith Expected to Play in Week 1 Against the Steelers
Atlanta Falcons pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith (shoulder) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had been listed as questionable, but it sounds like he should be able to suit up, barring a setback. Smith appeared in five games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, amassing 10 tackles, three quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks. He missed a portion of 2026 training camp due to a personal situation, but he's now ready to get back on the field and make his presence felt. This week, he'll be tasked with creating chaos in the offensive backfield for Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That could be easier said than done, especially if the Falcons' defense can't stay off the field with the team entering as a 6.5-point underdog.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Alvin Kamara Not Expected to Play in Week 1
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee) is expected to be inactive for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Detroit Lions, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Kamara suffered an MCL sprain four weeks ago, and it sounds like he wasn't quite able to fully recover in time for today's season opener. His absence leaves Travis Etienne Jr. in the starter's role with perhaps a slightly larger workload than initially anticipated. Meanwhile, Kendre Miller will step up as the team's backup running back behind Etienne. Kamara, of course, should be benched in all fantasy leagues. His next chance to play will come next Sunday, when the Saints travel to take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Jeremiyah Love Expected to Suit Up for NFL Debut on Sunday
Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is expected to be active for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Love had been listed as questionable, but there was a growing sense in recent days that he would be able to play. The No. 3 pick will be making his NFL debut, so between his lingering injury and his lack of NFL experience, we wouldn't be surprised to see him operate as the No. 2 running back behind Tyler Allgeier. Once he shows that he's healthy and can handle a starter's workload, then he'll climb to the top spot on the depth chart. For Week 1, he ranks as RotoBaller's RB26 in PPR leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
