RADIO
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Signing with Chargers
According to Jeremy Fowler, the Los Angeles Chargers are signing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their practice squad on Tuesday. The veteran wideout was with the Dallas Cowboys during training camp, but he didn't make the final roster. He has bounced around the league in the past few seasons, but he could still provide depth to this roster. The Chargers could need another wideout with Ladd McConkey (rib) considered day-to-day right now. If he misses Week 2, Valdes-Scantling could be elevated to the active roster, but it's unlikely he'd do much during his first week with the organization. Fantasy managers can ignore MVS for the moment.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Pete Fairbanks Lands on Injured List Again With Nerve Irritation
The Miami Marlins announced on Tuesday that they placed right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks (hand) back on the 15-day injured list with right median nerve irritation in his right hand and recalled right-hander Bradley Blalock from Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. Fairbanks was called on to close things out against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night, but he was quickly pulled after losing sensation in his hand after just returning from the IL over the weekend. Right-hander Jack Ralston was given a chance to pick up his first career save, but he instead allowed a walk-off, game-winning home run to D-backs outfielder Corbin Carroll. With Fairbanks now lost for the remainder of the 2026 campaign, right-hander Calvin Faucher will likely go back to being the favorite for saves in the ninth inning for manager Clayton McCullough. This will be Fairbanks' third time going on the IL for the same injury, which is concerning as he heads into next season. He will finish the 2026 campaign with 19 saves, an ugly 6.31 ERA, and a 1.35 WHIP in only 41 1/3 innings pitched in his first year in South Beach.
Source: Miami Marlins
Source: Miami Marlins
Jonah Coleman Still Worth Rostering as RB Depth in Deep Leagues
There was a lot of offseason buzz around Denver Broncos rookie fourth-round running back Jonah Coleman, despite the fact that the team also has J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey primed for big roles in their backfield in 2026. The 23-year-old from the University of Washington got off to a slow start in his regular-season debut on Monday night in the 31-10 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, playing just three snaps on offense and not seeing a single touch out of the backfield. He did return one kickoff for 27 yards on special teams. Coleman came in projected as Denver's RB3, but he was a distant third behind Dobbins and Harvey, with the Broncos abandoning their running game early on in KC. Denver has a lot of room for improvement on offense after an ugly showing out of the gate, and perhaps that means more involvement for Coleman alongside Dobbins and Harvey. The 5-foot-8, 220-pounder does not have any current standalone fantasy appeal heading into a Week 2 tilt at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he remains an intriguing deep-league stash for RB depth because of his power as a runner between the tackles. Coleman is rostered in 33% of Yahoo leagues right now.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Daniel Jones Merely a Superflex Stash Option at QB Going into Week 2
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones had a lackluster 2026 season opener in Sunday's Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, going 19-for-31 passing for 166 yards for one touchdown and one interception. The 29-year-old had one carry for a gain of four yards. Most of the production on offense came from star running back Jonathan Taylor, as Jones had a measly 5.4 yards per pass attempt. We will give the former first-rounder from Duke a pass, though, in his first game back from an Achilles tendon tear late last season while going up against a formidable defense in Baltimore. Jones was on pace for a 4,000-yard passing season in 2025 in his first season in Indy before his season-ending injury, so fantasy managers should not be so quick to completely write him off in 2026 as he continues to put his Achilles tear further in the rearview mirror. Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road on Sunday Night Football probably is not the place to trust him in two-QB superflex leagues, but Jones is still a solid QB depth stash in those formats. He is currently rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Trey Yesavage Struggles in Rehab Outing on Tuesday
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) threw 34 pitches and was unable to get out of the first inning in his minor-league rehab outing at Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Yesavage sat at 93.3 mph with his fastball and topped out at 94.4 mph while giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk. The Blue Jays' plan is to have Yesavage return from the 15-day injured list to make his next start next Monday in Baltimore against the division-rival Orioles, but it remains to be seen if that will still be the plan after his short outing on the farm on Tuesday. If Yesavage does return to the big-league rotation to begin next week, he will be an extremely risky fantasy baseball streamer in his return for the Jays. Going into MLB action on Tuesday, the Blue Jays are just one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild-card spot in the American League. Getting Yesavage back would be huge for the Jays in the final week of the regular season. The former first-rounder has gone 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 91:46 K:BB in 93 2/3 innings across 18 starts in 2026 in his first full year in the majors.
Source: Sportsnet - Shi Davidi
Source: Sportsnet - Shi Davidi
Gio Lopez Probable for Friday Night
Wake Forest quarterback Gio Lopez is listed as probable on the injury report ahead of Friday's ACC opener against Miami. It is unclear what Lopez's injury is, but Miami head coach Mario Cristobal stated "People who are saying he was banged up, he's not" on Monday in a press conference, regarding Lopez's status. Despite the opposing coach dismissing his status, Lopez is on the report, albeit listed as probable. The junior quarterback is coming off of a physical game against Purdue in which he carried the ball 13 times for 59 yards and two scores in a double-overtime victory. Wake Forest will look to upset Miami at home on Friday night, entering the game as 20.5-point underdogs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Aaron Donald Could Make his 2026 Debut on Monday Night
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that there is "a very realistic chance" that All-Pro interior pass-rusher Aaron Donald will make his return for the Rams in Week 2 at home against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Rapoport reports that, based on people he has spoken to, Donald is targeting Monday night for his return for the first time since 2023 after hanging up his cleats. Head coach Sean McVay was a little more non-committal on Donald potentially returning in Week 2, saying, "We haven't decided that yet." The former 13th overall pick by the Rams in 2014 from Pittsburgh was a Pro Bowler in all 10 of his previous seasons, which included eight first-team All-Pro selections, but he is 35 now and coming off a long layoff without football. It will still be a shot in the arm for a Rams defense that was spanked by the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 in Australia, especially after they placed star edge rusher Myles Garrett (knee) on Injured Reserve. Fantasy managers in IDP formats should keep expectations tempered for Donald, who is expected to return to more of a rotational pass-rushing role at defensive tackle, especially during his debut.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Chargers Place Keandre Lambert-Smith on Injured Reserve
The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Tuesday that they placed wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) on Injured Reserve and signed receiver Gary Jennings in a corresponding move. Lambert-Smith injured his hamstring in the Week 1 season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and will now be forced to miss at least the next four games. The earliest he will be eligible to return to the Chargers' active 53-man roster will be for the Week 6 divisional clash against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 18. With top wideout Ladd McConkey (rib) also banged up coming out of the season opener, the Bolts could be down to Quentin Johnston and Tre' Smith as their top receivers this weekend for a Week 2 tilt against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Lambert-Smith did not play a single snap on offense on Sunday before getting injured.
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
Source: Los Angeles Chargers
Luke Reynolds Entering Must-Start Territory
Virginia Tech junior tight end Luke Reynolds has emerged as Ethan Grunkemeyer's top target, as he caught eight passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns in last week's win over Old Dominion. The Penn State transfer trails just Jelani Thurman and Trey'Dez Green in the FBS in terms of tight end receiving yards, and has entered must-start territory as one of few reliable options at such a thin position. The Hokies have their toughest test of the season this Saturday night as they travel to Maryland but nonetheless, Reynolds should be in starting lineups.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
John Mateer Can Be Started Against New Mexico
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer struggled mightily in the 17-10 loss to Michigan. Mateer completed 17-of-33 passes for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while rushing 13 times for 45 yards. The senior is in a "great head space" after the showing according to head coach Brent Venables, and has a great opportunity to bounce back against New Mexico this week. The Lobos have only surrendered 14 points on the year, but have also only played Central Michigan and Mercyhurst. Mateer's rushing ability gives him a safe floor in this game, but the Sooners do have tough matchups against Georgia and Texas looming.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
David Njoku Deserves Waiver Consideration After Five-Catch Week 1
Los Angeles Chargers tight end David Njoku came to the Chargers in the offseason to little fanfare and was considered the TE3 going into the Bolts' Week 1 season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Njoku surprisingly led the Chargers' tight ends in the 26-14 loss by catching all five of his targets for 58 yards in his first game with the team. His 58 receiving yards were second on the team, behind only receiver Ladd McConkey's (rib) 82 yards. The 30-year-old played the same number of offensive snaps (30) as Charlie Kolar, who was talked up all summer during training camp as a potential TE sleeper in his first season in L.A. Njoku fell out of favor with the Cleveland Browns last year due to the immediate emergence of rookie Harold Fannin Jr., catching 33 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns. The former Pro Bowler will have competition for targets all year from Kolar and Oronde Gadsden, but Njoku has by far the most pass-catching experience in his 10-year NFL career, racking up over 4,000 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns. With McConkey up in the air to play in Week 2 versus the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, Njoku should definitely be on the waiver-wire radar for fantasy managers in need of depth at the TE position.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Jeremiah Smith Remains a No-Brainer Start
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has continued his dominance through the first two games of the season. Despite Ohio State's offense going cold in the second half against Texas, Smith still mustered up eight catches for 164 yards and a score. The junior receiver is the Buckeyes' entire offense and despite an easy matchup with Kent State this week, they won't stray away from their star receiver. Smith has a very high ceiling against a Golden Flashes team that surrendered 57 points to South Carolina in Week 1.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Faizon Brandon Has Upside in Weak Matchup
Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon has played well so far through the first two starts of his career. He was nearly perfect in Week 1 against Furman, but only completed 10-of-21 pass attempts in Week 2 against Georgia Tech. With Tennessee set to face Kennesaw State in Week 3, the competition becomes softer again and Brandon should have an easier time throwing the ball around. He also was much more productive on the ground against Furman, rushing 10 times for 68 yards and two scores. Given how Josh Heupel historically loves to run the score up on lesser opponents, Brandon is a great start this week in fantasy.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Bryce Underwood Set to Make Impact on the Ground?
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was a big part of the upset win over Oklahoma last weekend. He only completed 9-of-17 passes for 111 yards, but he also scrambled 18 times for 87 yards and a score. Head coach Kyle Whittingham stated that he wishes he'd run Underwood earlier, indicating that the sophomore quarterback may be due for a consistent dosage of running. The Wolverines play their final non-conference game against UTEP this week, and it should be a good opportunity for Whittingham to test out some more ground-and-pound football with his athletic quarterback. Underwood can be started in fantasy this week due to the soft matchup and high upside he possesses on the ground.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Drew Mestemaker Set for Another Big Game
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker had an incredible bounce-back in the shocking 39-31 upset win over Oregon after falling flat on his face in Week 1 against Tulsa. Mestemaker finished the game 26-for-43 for 317 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also ran for 109 yards and a touchdown. This week, the sophomore draws a 1-2 Murray State team. While he may be pulled by halftime if all goes according to plan, he should have an opportunity to put up some monster numbers. Mestemaker can be trusted in fantasy lineups once again.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
