Christian McCaffrey Scores Touchdown In 12th Straight Game
34 mins agoSan Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey tied Jerry Rice's all-time 49ers record by scoring a touchdown for the 12th straight game in Thursday night's dominant win against the New York Giants. McCaffrey, 27, finished the night with 85 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. He also caught all five of his targets for 34 yards receiving. In a juicy matchup against a New York defense that had struggled to stop the run, McCaffrey was his usual self, combining elusiveness with power. His fantasy day was limited by head coach Kyle Shanahan keeping his promise to get other running backs involved, though his 23 touches matched last week's. He has plenty of time to rest up before an October 1 date at home against the Arizona Cardinals.Source: ESPN.COM
Devin Duvernay Gets In Full Practice On Thursday
35 mins agoBaltimore Ravens wide receiver Devin Duvernay (shoulder) was a full participant in Thursday's practice. The 26-year-old was limited on Wednesday with a shoulder problem, but this progress sets him up to be active for Week 3 versus the Indianapolis Colts. Duvernay once flashed as a fantasy pickup early last season, but the two-time Pro Bowler is characterized by his kick/punt-returning prowess. Even so, Duvernay may be forced into more three-receiver sets on Sunday with Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) looking very iffy for that one. The Colts have been torched for the third-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers so far, but fantasy managers would really be scraping at the bottom of the barrel if settling on Duvernay even as a WR5 on Sunday.Source: NFL.com
Greg Zuerlein Returns To Thursday’s Practice
43 mins agoNew York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein (groin) was a limited participant at practice on Thursday, per Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record. The 35-year-old missed Week 2 with a groin injury while Austin Seibert filled in, but Thursday's return to the field puts him on track for a possible Week 3 return against the division-foe New England Patriots. Fantasy managers will want to check back for Friday's injury report to clarify Zuerlein's status if they're looking to play him on Sunday. "Legatron" could be worthy of streaming consideration in what projects to be a closely-contested matchup against the Pats, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to kickers over the first two weeks.Source: ESPN
Brock Purdy Goes Over 300 Yards With Two Touchdowns
55 mins agoSan Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had his best fantasy day of the year in Thursday night's 30-12 victory over the New York Giants. He was 25-for-37 for 310 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. The former "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2022 draft has continued making the moniker itself irrelevant, winning his 11th consecutive game tonight. Purdy handled the absence of receiver Brandon Aiyuk without missing a beat, spreading targets all around, including getting Aiyuk substitutes Jauan Jennings and rookie Ronnie Bell involved. Early in the game, Purdy got away with a couple of risky throw decisions and while New York's defense did a commendable job bringing pressure, he consistently hung in and made tough throws. Purdy will take on the Arizona Cardinals at home in Week 4, where he'll be a worthy play in standard leagues.Source: ESPN.COM
Breece Hall Expectedly Limited On Thursday
58 mins agoNew York Jets running back Breece Hall (knee) remained a limited participant at practice on Thursday. This is nothing new for the 22-year-old off last October's ACL tear, but it remains worth mentioning until he becomes a full participant again. Hall's snap share is in line to gradually rise as the season elapses, receiving 31% in the season opener and splitting evenly with Dalvin Cook at 36% in Week 2. Fantasy managers will need to exercise patience with the explosive Hall, as the Jets are likely to lean on the running game all year with Zach Wilson in the saddle. Hall doesn't appear to be in any real danger of missing Week 3 versus the division-rival New England Patriots, but this version of him translates to a volatile RB2 choice until the opportunity grows.Source: ESPN
Broncos Defense Should Be Avoided In Week 3
1 hour agoComing into the 2023 season, the Denver Broncos defense/special teams was expected to be a top-10 unit under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. But so far through two games, they've been a pretty big disappointment. They've allowed under 100 yards rushing per game but have given up 249.5 yards per game through the air, have generated just four sacks and one takeaway through two games for a grand total of six fantasy points, which ranks them 28th in the league out of 32 teams. They could be facing the Miami Dolphins this Sunday without receiver Jaylen Waddle (concussion), but that alone shouldn't be reason to leave the Broncos D in starting fantasy lineups. Denver's defense has allowed 26 points per game so far, while Miami's offense has scored 30 points a game and leads the league with 462.5 points a game.Source: RotoBaller
DeVante Parker Logs Limited Practice On Thursday
1 hour agoNew England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker (knee) remained limited in practice Thursday, per Evan Lazar of the team's official site. The 30-year-old is likely having his reps managed after his 2023 debut was delayed until Week 2 due to a knee injury. Parker looked no worse for wear in that one, tallying six receptions on eight targets for 57 yards as an every-down player. The veteran wideout is likely to be fine for Week 3's divisional tilt against the New York Jets, and might already be pushing JuJu Smith-Schuster for quarterback Mac Jones' attention. Even assuming Parker gets the green light for Sunday, he may not be an exciting fantasy play in what could be a slow-paced defensive slog.Source: ESPN
Wil Lutz A Volatile Streaming Option At Kicker
1 hour agoDenver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz bounced back in the Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders after missing a field goal and an extra point in a one-point loss in the season opener. In the loss to Washington, Lutz made both of his field goals and all three of his extra-point tries. Through two games, he's tied for 20th among NFL kickers with 13 fantasy points. The 29-year-old benefitted by quarterback Russell Wilson turning back the clock with a 300-yard passing game and three touchdowns last week, but it remains to be seen if that was more of a fluke or a regular occurrence under new head coach Sean Payton this year. Heading on the road to Miami this Sunday to take on the Dolphins, Lutz will be in streaming consideration in deeper fantasy leagues.Source: Pro Football Reference
Josh Reynolds Still Limited On Thursday
1 hour agoDetroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds (groin) was a limited practice participant on Thursday. The 28-year-old was limited on Wednesday as well, but he appears to be on the right side of questionable for Week 3 versus the Atlanta Falcons since he did not have to exit last Sunday's game with a groin injury. Reynolds seems to have surpassed veteran Marvin Jones Jr. as the No. 2 Lions wideout with Jameson Williams suspended, hauling in nine out of 13 targets for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the early goings. Fantasy managers will want to confirm Reynolds' status on Friday's injury report before inserting him into lineups as a possible WR3 option for Sunday's battle.Source: ESPN
Adam Trautman Not A Viable Fantasy Starter
1 hour agoDenver Broncos tight end Adam Trautman had an encouraging debut for Denver in Week 1 when he caught all five of his targets for 34 yards after Greg Dulcich left with a hamstring injury. Trautman was expected to have an elevated pass-catching role as the No. 1 TE with Dulcich missing several weeks due to his injury, but he failed to catch his only target in the Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders despite playing 82% of the offensive snaps. Dulcich is now on Injured Reserve, meaning he'll miss at least three more games. Trautman will continue to serve as Denver's No. 1 tight end, but it isn't necessarily going to translate to fantasy production. After all, Trautman will be used more as a blocker than a pass-catcher.Source: Pro Football Reference
Darnell Mooney Limited Again On Thursday
2 hours agoChicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice with a knee injury. The 25-year-old also got in a limited session on Wednesday, putting him in position to play in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs if he is present in some capacity once again on Friday. The Bears will need all the ammunition they can find in order to keep pace with the Chiefs on Sunday, so they'll hope Mooney is good to go by then. The fourth-year wideout caught four of seven passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, but was held catchless before exiting Week 2 early in the second half. Mooney would be a dart-throw WR4/FLEX if he is ultimately able to play in Week 3.Source: ESPN
Marvin Mims Jr. Looking For Encore
2 hours agoNobody expected Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. to do anything in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders with Jerry Jeudy returning from a hamstring injury after the rookie had just two catches for nine yards in the season opener. But lo and behold, Mims caught both of his targets last Sunday for 113 yards and his first NFL touchdown as quarterback Russell Wilson got the deep passing game going. The 21-year-old showed off his big-play ability, but the bad news was that he was targeted only two times for the second straight week and played just 24% of the offensive snaps. Mims could connect with Wilson occasionally deep down the field this year, but as long as Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy are healthy, he's most likely to be an untrustworthy boom/bust in fantasy.Source: Pro Football Reference
Jerry Jeudy Hoping To Get More Involved Against Miami
2 hours agoDenver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy missed the season opener due to a hamstring injury. In his season debut in the Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders, he caught three of five targets for 25 yards while playing 68% of the offensive snaps, which ranked second to only Courtland Sutton. Jeudy's snap count should rise in his second game this Sunday on the road in Miami against the Dolphins. Sutton has so far been quarterback Russell Wilson's top target through two games, but Jeudy has the potential to take over that designation the rest of the year if he's able to stay healthy. The matchup in Week 3 isn't the greatest for Broncos pass-catchers, but Jeudy should still be viewed as a WR3 for fantasy managers in his second game of the year.Source: Pro Football Reference
Courtland Sutton A High-Floor WR4/Flex
2 hours agoDenver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton has had a pretty good start to the 20232 season, catching nine of his 12 targets for 98 yards and one touchdown through two games. He played a team-high 89% of the offensive snaps in the Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders, although both he and Jerry Jeudy took a back seat to rookie Marvin Mims Jr. and Brandon Johnson, who accounted for all three of quarterback Russell Wilson's touchdown passes. Sutton and Jeudy will continue to be Wilson's top aerial targets, which makes them the most trustworthy fantasy options among Denver's pass-catchers. The Miami Dolphins secondary will present some challenges for Sutton and the rest of Denver's receivers this Sunday, but so far this year, Sutton has been a high-floor WR4/flex for fantasy managers.Source: Pro Football Reference
Samaje Perine Hard To Trust In Week 3
2 hours agoDenver Broncos running back Samaje Perine played half of the offensive snaps in the Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders, but he had only four touches for seven yards to show for it. Fantasy managers envisioned Perine having a much bigger role in Denver's backfield with the team easing Javonte Williams in after his ACL and LCL tears last year. The 28-year-old isn't going to just go away, but it's fair to wonder if he's a worthwhile RB3/flex play moving forward, even in a great matchup in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins, who have been a top-five matchup for opposing RBs through two weeks. Perine should have a better game this Sunday on the road, but you also might have better upside flex options.Source: Pro Football Reference