Sep 18, 2026, 2:17 AM ET

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 26 of his 38 pass attempts for 327 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Thursday's Week 2 loss against the Buffalo Bills. He also rushed for seven yards and took four sacks in the contest. Goff and the Lions had a quieter start to the game, going scoreless in the first quarter and getting just one touchdown and one field goal before the end of the first half. However, Detroit managed to stay in the game throughout most of regulation, largely thanks to an elite rapport between Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown. We have now seen Goff go for two-plus touchdowns and zero turnovers in back-to-back games to start the season, solidifying himself as a low-end QB1 despite his lack of rushing upside. We would continue to start him in most leagues ahead of Week 3 against the Jets.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 12:54 AM ET

Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich consistently saw the field in Week 1, but his lack of volume in this run-heavy offense will severely limit his floor and upside in fantasy football. Dulcich played 77% of snaps in Week 1 but caught just two passes for 18 yards. As a result of his reduced volume as a receiver, we saw Dulcich step up with a much bigger role in the blocking game. He finished the first week of the regular season with a 55.2 run-blocking grade and 72.5 pass-blocking grade. The pass-blocking mark is very intriguing, but we'd still be somewhat concerned about his lower run-blocking grade within a Miami offense that is designed to run the ball nearly every play. Either way, he can be avoided in fantasy football.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 12:47 AM ET

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has plenty of talent, but his exact volume could fluctuate from week to week due to the crowded state of the offense. Although the Bears dropped 59 points last week, Odunze and tight end Colston Loveland combined for two catches. Between Luther Burden III, Odunze, Kalif Raymond, and Cole Kmet, there are a lot of reliable targets for Caleb Williams in Chicago. They all have relatively high ceilings, but we also wouldn't be surprised to see them naturally alternate which players have big games or quiet games. For that reason, there's a decent chance that Odunze is a top-18 fantasy receiver going forward, but there's also a chance that he's a low-end RB3/flex or worse. The 24-year-old belongs on the bench in most leagues for now, especially as he recovers from a calf injury. He should be active this week, but Burden is currently the only must-start fantasy receiver in Chicago.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 12:40 AM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard has a relatively bleak fantasy outlook. Although he is the clear No. 1 running back in Tennessee, he has a low floor due to the state of the offense. In fantasy football, it's often preached that managers should draft workhorse running backs in talented offenses. That's not the case with Pollard; he projects to play roughly half of the snaps in an offense that might not be able to support a fantasy-relevant running back every week. A prime example of this was Week 1, when Pollard rushed for just 35 yards on seven carries against the Jets. Pollard led the team in rushing attempts, played 52% of the snaps, and averaged 5.0 yards per carry, but his low volume made him a massive disappointment in fantasy football. Managers should expect similar results in Week 2, as the Titans take on the Eagles. There probably won't be a ton of rushing opportunities for Pollard in this one, assuming the Titans fall into an early deficit. Pollard continues to rank as a low-end RB3/flex.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 18, 2026, 12:36 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar handled a respectable 55% snap share in the season-opening loss last Sunday, but he remains off the fantasy radar after finishing that game without a target. Kolar was used primarily as a blocker, sharing the bulk of his snaps with David Njoku. Oronde Gadsden II was a distant third in terms of tight end snaps on the team. So far, it doesn't look like any of the Chargers' tight ends are going to be top-tier fantasy options, but Njoku presumably has the highest floor of the group after finishing Week 1 with five catches for 58 yards. Meanwhile, Kolar will continue to occupy a blocking role. That's similar to what we saw from him in Baltimore. Over four years with the Ravens, he caught just 30 passes for 409 yards and four touchdowns. We don't see a clear path to fantasy relevance for Kolar. He can be avoided in all leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 17, 2026, 11:44 PM ET

Boston Red Sox left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) was unavailable to pitch in Thursday night's game in Texas against the Rangers due to a lat issue, interim manager Chad Tracy told The Boston Globe's Tim Healey. Chapman had been dealing with it for a couple of days, and the Red Sox will be "conservative" with it, according to Tracy. With Chapman unavailable on Thursday night, right-hander Garrett Whitlock came in to pick up the save, throwing a clean inning with one walk to lower his season ERA to 1.78. The Red Sox will need Chapman down the stretch as they hunt for a playoff spot in the American League, but it sounds like the veteran closer might not be available going into Friday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. The nine-time All-Star and two-time closer of the year has been excellent for the BoSox as their primary closer in 2026, posting a 1.95 ERA (2.60 FIP), a 1.14 WHIP, 34 saves, 68 strikeouts, and 23 walks in his 50 2/3 innings pitched in his 17th year in the big leagues. Fantasy managers desperate for some saves at this juncture should look to pick up Whitlock off the waiver wire.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey

Sep 17, 2026, 11:35 PM ET

Updating a previous report, Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) was diagnosed with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning in Thursday night's comeback win over the Texas Rangers, interim manager Chad Tracy told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Contreras is considered day-to-day after X-rays on his hand came back negative, so there could be a chance that he will be available for the start of a new series on Friday against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. If the four-time All-Star does miss any time this weekend, expect Nick Sogard to take over at first base for Boston. Contreras came into Thursday's game with a strong .275/.386/.519 slash line on the year with a .906 OPS, a career-high 27 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 128 games across 529 plate appearances. Fantasy managers are hoping that he can finish strong after slumping to a .217 average (18-for-83) in 23 games in August. The 34-year-old veteran has been a must-start in all traditional fantasy leagues in 2026 in his first year with the BoSox.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey

Sep 17, 2026, 11:22 PM ET

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) was removed from Thursday's game early against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning after he was hit on the hand by a pitch, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Before leaving, Contreras went 1-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout in the eventual 4-3 win at Globe Life Field. Fantasy managers will want to be on the lookout for Contreras' X-ray results, which will determine how much time he might have to miss. Hopefully, X-rays come back negative, and he will be able to return to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Tampa against the division-rival Rays. The 34-year-old Venezuelan and four-time All-Star has had an excellent first year in Boston in 2026, going into Thursday's game with a .275/.386/.519 slash line with a .906 OPS, a career-high 27 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 128 games and 529 plate appearances. Nick Sogard slid over to first base from second base on Thursday after Contreras left, and he could be the favorite for playing time at first if Contreras misses any time late in the season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo

Sep 17, 2026, 11:00 PM ET

Across 487 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics second baseman/outfielder Jeff McNeil is hitting .268/.315/.371 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 49 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The 34-year-old does not profile as a power source, as he's logged a tiny 1.8% barrel rate this year. However, McNeil has struck out in just 11.3% of his plate appearances. The veteran lefty has been a high-end source of batting average in the second half of the season, hitting .333 across 190 plate appearances since the All-Star break. He's also moved into a prominent spot in the banged-up A's lineup, batting second in each of his last 11 games played. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, McNeil profiles as an under-the-radar source of batting average and run production for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 17, 2026, 10:57 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson remains off the fantasy radar despite a trade late in the preseason. Johnson was on the roster bubble with the Steelers, who ultimately dealt him to the Packers after Josh Jacobs was placed on the commissioner's exempt list. There was some speculation that the former third-round pick could lead the way in Green Bay's backfield. In reality, he operated as the No. 3 running back in Week 1 due to his lack of familiarity with the Packers' system and his underwhelming track record in the NFL. MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks were extremely disappointing in the season opener, while Johnson didn't log a single offensive snap. We don't expect to see a major depth chart shakeup this week, which means that Johnson will remain buried in the third-string role with minimal volume headed his way. He can be dropped in most fantasy leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 17, 2026, 10:52 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams had a very underwhelming performance in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. The veteran pass-catcher hauled in three of six targets for 26 yards while playing a modest 54% snap share. Under normal circumstances, this would be cause for alarm, but we're not ready to hit the panic button yet. Most of the Rams' offensive playmakers struggled in Week 1, perhaps due to Los Angeles' unique travel plans for the game in Australia. Those plans can be deemed a total failure, which cost the Rams in Week 1 but could spark optimism that the team will be able to get back on track stateside in Week 2. Adams' modest production could potentially be attributed to the Rams' travel debacle, and his low target share was likely a product of the Rams falling behind early and reducing the workload for some of their key players. Although we're optimistic that he can bounce back as a WR2 over the rest of the season, managers should still temper their expectations. Travel may have played a role in the Week 1 loss, but it's equally possible that the Australia game can't be blamed for the Rams' or Adams' struggles, which would spark serious concern for fantasy managers going forward. For Week 2, he fits best as a high-end WR3/flex in fantasy leagues with 12 or fewer teams while we wait to decide whether he's going to trend up or down rest-of-season.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 17, 2026, 10:50 PM ET

Across 492 plate appearances in 2026, Seattle Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone is hitting .257/.327/.481 with 22 home runs, 69 RBI, 55 runs scored, and two stolen bases. The lefty slugger opened the year as a big-side platoon bat, but he's held his own against left-handed pitching this season with an .833 OPS. As a result, Canzone has worked his way into everyday playing time in the heart of the Mariners lineup. The 29-year-old's underlying contact metrics support his production, as he's posted a 12.1% barrel rate and a 44.8% hard-hit rate. He's also limited his swing-and-miss, logging a manageable 21.5% strikeout rate. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Canzone profiles as a steady source of power and run production for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 17, 2026, 10:45 PM ET

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed occupied an underwhelming role during Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, which will drastically reduce his fantasy floor and ceiling going forward. Reed ceded key volume to Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, who both took an important step toward enjoying potential breakout campaigns in 2026. While Watson and Golden strengthen their rapport with Jordan Love, Reed has become the odd man out. He caught three passes for just 20 yards in the season opener, and he'll have a tough time making up that lost ground as long as Watson and Golden are healthy. To his credit, Reed did command seven targets in the Week 1 loss, but he still had a very modest 57% snap share with just five points in PPR leagues. He has fallen to WR37 in RotoBaller's Week 2 fantasy football rankings and can be benched in most leagues with 14 or fewer teams. The Packers face the New York Jets on Sunday.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 17, 2026, 10:41 PM ET

Across 448 plate appearances in 2026, San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge hit .269/.364/.461 with 17 home runs, 57 RBI, 50 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 21-year-old owns an elevated 26.6% strikeout rate. However, he's also posted a solid 11.5% barrel rate and an excellent 52.2% hard-hit rate. Across 170 plate appearances since the start of August, Eldridge is hitting .301. Playing his home games in San Francisco's pitcher-friendly Oracle Park is not the best fit for the lefty-swinging Eldridge's power upside, but the young slugger may have enough talent to overcome the imperfect situation. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, Eldridge profiles as a must-roster first baseman who should provide power and run production for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller