September 16, 2025
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver
Kyle Williams has yet to carve out a meaningful role in the offense. Through the first two games of the season, the 2025 third-round pick has been on the field for just 13% of the team's snaps and has only one target to show for it. Williams has been buried on the depth chart behind veterans
Stefon Diggs,
Mack Hollins, and younger receivers
Kayshon Boutte and
DeMario Douglas, all of whom have earned more consistent playing time. Until his role grows, Williams holds little fantasy appeal and is droppable in most formats.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
September 16, 2025
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jordan Addison will return from suspension in Week 4 when the team faces the Pittsburgh Steelers in London. Addison is serving the final game of his three-game suspension for offseason DUI charges. As a key piece of the Vikings' offense, Addison has posted 133 receptions for 1,786 yards and 19 touchdowns through his first 32 NFL games. However, his fantasy outlook has dipped with rookie quarterback
J.J. McCarthy battling inconsistency and a high-ankle sprain early in the season. Addison should be reinserted into lineups as a low-end FLEX option upon his return, with room for upside if McCarthy improves from under center.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
September 16, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver
Rashee Rice is expected to return to a full workload in Week 7 after serving his six-game suspension for reckless driving charges stemming from the 2024 offseason. In his three full games last year, Rice was highly efficient, catching 24 of 29 targets for 288 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs' passing attack has struggled in his absence, with
Patrick Mahomes currently sitting outside the top 15 in passing yards through two weeks. Rice's return should immediately boost the offense, making him a high-end WR2 in fantasy and providing Mahomes with a much-needed reliable weapon. His presence will likely cut into the target shares of
Travis Kelce and
Marquise Brown, though both will remain heavily involved.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
September 16, 2025
San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice urged fans to temper expectations for wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee) earlier this offseason, noting, "It's going to take some time for him. I'd rely on those other guys to do most of the work and blend (Aiyuk) back in." Aiyuk is still recovering from the torn ACL and MCL he suffered in Week 7 of last season and has yet to resume practicing. In his absence, the 49ers have started 2-0 with steady contributions from
Jauan Jennings and rookie
Ricky Pearsall. With no firm return timeline, Aiyuk remains an uncertain fantasy asset and should not be counted on for meaningful production in 2025.
--Nathan HarveySource: Cam Inman
September 16, 2025
Miami Dolphins quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa bounced back statistically in Week 2, completing 26 of 32 passes for 315 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the loss to the New England Patriots. While he topped 300 passing yards, he was sacked five times and sealed the defeat with a late fourth-quarter interception. Tagovailoa now faces the Buffalo Bills on a short week, a matchup that has consistently given him trouble. He has lost five straight starts against Buffalo, posting seven touchdowns and five interceptions during that span. With Miami's offensive line struggling to protect him, Tagovailoa is best left on fantasy benches in Week 3.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
September 16, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (ankle) has been ruled out for Week 3 against the New England Patriots. Highsmith suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 loss to Seattle, and there was initial concern he might land on injured reserve. With the Steelers in London in Week 4 and a bye the following week, Highsmith will likely return in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. Highsmith has been a key piece of Pittsburgh's pass rush opposite T.J. Watt, and his absence leaves a significant void. Third-year linebacker Nick Herbig is expected to step into a starting role, with rookie Jack Sawyer also likely to see increased snaps in the rotation. For fantasy and matchup purposes, this is a slight boost for Patriots quarterback
Drake Maye, who won't have to deal with the Steelers' full-strength edge duo on Thursday night.
--Nathan HarveySource: Gerry Dulac
September 16, 2025
Cleveland Browns rookie running back
Dylan Sampson was listed as the No. 2 back on the Week 3 depth chart, slotting in ahead of veteran
Jerome Ford but behind second-round pick
Quinshon Judkins. However, the usage tells a different story. In last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Ford played 49% of the snaps compared to just 24% for Sampson, suggesting the coaching staff still trusts the veteran on passing downs. It's unclear whether the updated depth chart reflects a genuine shift or is more of a formality, but for fantasy purposes, Sampson managers should be cautious. With the Browns set to face the red-hot Green Bay Packers defense in Week 3, Sampson is highly unlikely to make a fantasy impact and is best left on benches in all formats.
--Nathan HarveySource: Cleveland Browns
September 16, 2025
Cleveland Browns running back
Quinshon Judkins has been listed as the team's starting back on this week's depth chart. The rookie played just 26% of the snaps in Week 2 but was effective with his touches, rushing 10 times for 66 yards in his NFL debut. Judkins signed his rookie deal shortly before Week 1 and eased into action against the Baltimore Ravens, but being elevated to the top of the depth chart is an encouraging sign for his role going forward. That said, Week 3 sets up as a tough spot. The Browns face the Green Bay Packers, who have been one of the league's stingiest defenses to start the season. With a negative game script possible, Judkins should be viewed as a low-end FLEX option in deeper leagues this week, though his long-term outlook is trending up.
--Nathan HarveySource: Cleveland Browns
September 16, 2025
Miami Dolphins wide receiver
Jaylen Waddle (shoulder) was limited in Tuesday's practice ahead of Thursday night's divisional matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Waddle wasn't listed on Monday's injury report, but his appearance Tuesday raises some concern given the short week. The former 1,000-yard receiver briefly exited Week 1 with a shoulder issue before returning, and while he found the end zone in Week 2 against New England, he finished third on the team in targets behind
Tyreek Hill and De'Von Achane. Waddle has also historically struggled against Buffalo's defense, putting up under 50 yards in their last three contests. With Miami's offense searching for rhythm and Waddle not at full strength, he profiles as more of a low-end FLEX option in Week 3.
--Nathan HarveySource: Marcel Louis-Jacques - ESPN
September 16, 2025
Houston Texans wide receiver
Braxton Berrios (hamstring) is expected to return in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars after missing the first two games of the season. Head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed optimism about his availability for the divisional matchup. The veteran slot receiver and return specialist, who previously spent time with the Jets and Dolphins, faces an uphill battle for snaps. With
Christian Kirk also on track to return and rookie
Jaylin Noel making noise in the return game, Berrios is buried on the depth chart. He should remain well off the fantasy radar in all formats.
--Nathan HarveySource: Aaron Wilson - KPRC2
September 16, 2025
Through two weeks of the 2025 campaign, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end
Jonnu Smith has caught nine passes for 42 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. While the production hasn't popped for fantasy yet, Smith's usage in his first year as a Steeler is encouraging. In addition to besting teammate
Pat Freiermuth in snaps and routes run, Smith is averaging three designed opportunities per game, the most of any tight end in the NFL. Pittsburgh's offense still needs to find its rhythm before Smith can be trusted every week, but he's firmly on the streaming radar. The ninth-year pro carries some PPR upside in Week 3 against the New England Patriots.
--Jorden HillSource: ESPN
September 16, 2025
Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (knee) speculates he could return before Thanksgiving. Overshown tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL in Week 14 of the 2024 season, a devastating injury that has kept him sidelined since. While the 2024 third-round pick has not yet resumed practicing, he's expressed optimism about his recovery and believes he'll be back on the field by late November. Overshown was one of the few bright spots on a struggling Cowboys defense last year, posting 90 tackles, five sacks, and two forced turnovers as a rookie. In his absence, veteran Kenneth Murray has been filling the void. Until a firmer return timeline is established, fantasy managers in IDP formats should treat Overshown as a stash with uncertain availability for the 2025 season.
--Nathan HarveySource: Joseph Hoyt - Dallas News
September 16, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders running back
Dylan Laube could be in line for a slight uptick in playing time this week against the Washington Commanders. Laube logged just 18% of the offensive snaps in the Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers but managed to catch two passes for 17 yards, flashing the receiving skills that made him a standout in college. Head coach Pete Carroll suggested the team may work him in more on offense after limiting him almost exclusively to special teams in Week 1. For now, Laube remains buried on the depth chart behind
Ashton Jeanty and
Zamir White, leaving him without any immediate fantasy value. Still, the fact that the Raiders are looking to carve out a role for him in the passing game is a positive sign for his long-term outlook.
--Nathan HarveySource: Anthony Galaviz - The Fresno Bee
September 16, 2025
Green Bay Packers wide receiver
Jayden Reed (foot, shoulder) announced on social media on Tuesday that he had successful surgeries on his clavicle and foot. Reed had been dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot since late in training camp, but he played in the first two weeks of the season before fracturing his collarbone early in last Thursday night's win over the Washington Commanders. The 25-year-old has since been placed on Injured Reserve and was given an estimated timetable for a return of six to eight weeks. By the time Reed returns, there's a chance fellow wideout
Christian Watson (knee) will be back after he tore his ACL in Week 18 of last year. Reed is a stash candidate in pretty much all fantasy leagues, but Green Bay's receiving corps will be even more crowded when he makes his way back. In the meantime,
Romeo Doubs,
Dontayvion Wicks, and rookie first-rounder
Matthew Golden will operate in three-wide sets, while tight end
Tucker Kraft may continue to be quarterback
Jordan Love's top target.
--Keith HernandezSource: Jayden Reed on X
September 16, 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back
Kaleb Johnson "probably" will lose kickoff-return duties in Week 3 against the New England Patriots after a crucial special-teams gaffe in the Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Johnson allowed a kickoff to bounce over his head and into the end zone on Sunday in the fourth quarter because he thought the play would be called dead. But with the NFL's new kickoff rules, it was a live ball, which the Seahawks recovered for a game-changing touchdown. The Steelers will give Johnson a chance to work his way back into the special teams role, but in the short term, he'll be benched. Fantasy managers had high hopes for the 22-year-old during draft season, but
Jaylen Warren's demise has been premature, and
Kenneth Gainwell has operated as the No. 2. Johnson only played two snaps on offense in Week 2 and has just two carries for a loss of one yard in his first two NFL games. His special-teams gaffe on Sunday certainly didn't help his cause for a bigger role on offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
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