Fantasy Football News

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was previously listed on the Week 1 injury report with a knee injury, but he has since been removed from the report and is ready to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Despite losing his superstar quarterback, Joe Burrow, for nine games, Chase still managed to finish the season as the WR4 in PPR formats. Chase's ability to perform at a high level despite playing with backup quarterbacks for the majority of the season is just a testament to his immense talent and reliability. Now with his quarterback fully healthy, the runway should be clear for Chase to have another historic season. The 26-year-old completed the receiving triple crown in 2024 and now has his eyes set on the touchdown record. Chase said he wants to score 23 touchdowns this season, and he certainly has the opportunity to do it. Chase could get his scoring started this Sunday against the Buccaneers, in a game with a 50.5-point total. The Buccaneers defense gave up over 24 points per game in 2025 while the Bengals defense gave up nearly 29 points per game. If the Bengals find themselves chasing points, Chase could be in for a very hefty workload. Chase is ranked as the overall WR1 in our RotoBaller Week 1 PPR rankings, making him a smash play this Sunday. Fantasy managers should be prepared to see a massive fantasy output from Chase every week.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is poised to begin his MVP campaign against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in Week 1. The Bengals superstar had an injury-plagued 2025 season, missing nine games with a severe turf toe injury. Burrow was productive upon his return, scoring 19+ fantasy points in five of the final six games of the season. Now Burrow enters the 2026 season fully healthy and armed with a trio of elite offensive weapons in Ja'Marr Chase, Chase Brown, and Tee Higgins. The 29-year-old will get an opportunity to run up the score against the Buccaneers in a game with the highest game total of the week set at 50.5 points. Both the Bengals and Buccaneers had down years by their standards in 2025, but both teams were top-six in scoring in 2024. With Burrow fully healthy and opposing quarterback Baker Mayfield fresh off signing his new contract extension, both teams should be ready for a high-scoring affair. Burrow is currently ranked as the overall QB1 in our RotoBaller Week 1 rankings, so fantasy managers should be very excited about starting him this week.

Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis (undisclosed) was carted off the practice field on Friday due to an injury, a source told Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS. The Cowboys are looking into the severity of Davis' injury, but it does not look good for him playing on Sunday night in the Week 1 season opener against the division-rival New York Giants at the moment. The Cowboys surprisingly cut both Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah at the end of training camp, giving Davis a clear path to full-time RB2 duties in Dallas in 2026 behind starter Javonte Williams. The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent from Florida did not play at all in 2024 but returned to carry the ball 52 times in 2025 for 250 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games played, adding two receptions for 16 yards. If Davis' injury requires a lengthy absence, Emari Demercado would become the next man up for the Cowboys behind Williams and a priority handcuff pickup off the waiver wire. Stay tuned for an update on Davis' injury on Friday or Saturday.

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that wide receiver Rome Odunze (calf) will practice on Friday, according to Sean Hammond of The Chicago Tribune. The Bears' coaching staff will assess where Odunze is after practice and make a decision on his Week 1 status against the Carolina Panthers from there. Johnson noted that "there's a long season ahead." The 24-year-old was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but it does not sound like Odunze is a slam dunk to be active this weekend in the season opener against Carolina. It makes Odunze a risky WR3/flex option in all fantasy formats since he could be on a strict snap count on Sunday if he is cleared to suit up. The former ninth overall pick from Washington in 2024 had six touchdowns but disappointed with only 44 receptions and 661 receiving yards in 12 starts in 2025 while dealing with a foot injury in the second half of the season. Odunze's foot injury is apparently a thing of the past, but a new calf injury has now put his Week 1 status in doubt. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Odunze's status on Sunday morning.

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken said on Friday that rookie first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion will get all the work as the team's punt returner in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the hosting Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Scott Petrak of The Chronicle Telegram. Monken added that the Browns will play their best players "in every scenario." Cleveland's QB picture is not ideal for a rookie wideout coming into the league, but the 21-year-old Concepcion received plenty of training camp buzz this summer and could be the Browns' leading wideout when all is said and done in 2026. The 24th overall pick in April out of Texas A&M had 25 total touchdowns in his three collegiate seasons (first two years at North Carolina State) and added 919 receiving yards on 61 receptions in 13 games with the Aggies in 2025. He is locked into a top-three role heading into Week 1 alongside fellow rookie Denzel Boston and Jerry Jeudy, and fantasy managers should consider him an upside WR4/flex option in his NFL debut this weekend.

New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore said that veteran running back Alvin Kamara (knee) is questionable to play in Week 1 on Sunday versus the Detroit Lions on the road, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Kamara missed most of training camp this summer due to a sprained MCL in his knee, and he also missed the end of the 2025 season with a knee injury. The 31-year-old veteran saw his fantasy football value plummet this offseason after the Saints brought in Travis Etienne Jr. to be their RB1. Kamara briefly considered retirement, but he chose to return for a 10th NFL season in the Big Easy, where he figures to primarily operate on passing downs in Moore's offense when he is active. The five-time Pro Bowler will merely be a shaky RB3/flex option for fantasy managers if he gets the green light to suit up in the season opener in Motown. If Kamara is held out against Detroit, Kendre Miller is the most likely option to serve in a change-of-pace role behind Etienne, with Audric Estime also banged up.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that tight end Darren Waller is ready to go, but he stopped short of saying whether he will be active on Sunday for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Waller is not on the injury report in Week 1, but the 33-year-old continues to ramp up his conditioning after joining the Panthers in the middle of training camp. He said earlier this week that he was preparing to play this Sunday against the Bears, but even if he is active, Waller will be a tough sell for starting fantasy lineups in single-TE leagues. After retiring in 2024, the former sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015 from Georgia Tech made a return last year to play for the Miami Dolphins, where he played in only nine games and caught 24 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns. Waller is still an intriguing red-zone tight end because of his size when he's active, but with a likely short leash if he plays this weekend, we would caution against throwing Waller out there right away if he plays against Chicago.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur expects rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) to be a game-time decision this Sunday for the Week 1 season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. ESPN's Josh Weinfuss reported earlier on Friday that Love is expected to play, but the Cardinals are going to play a little gamesmanship and pretend that he might not be available. The 21-year-old Notre Dame product was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday after he suffered an ankle injury in the first week of the preseason and was then held out for the rest of the summer. The Cardinals have already lost Trey Benson (knee) for the season, and James Conner (foot) is starting on Injured Reserve, but Love might still be the RB2 in Arizona out of the gate if he is active on Sunday. Veteran Tyler Allgeier is expected to see the majority of backfield work against the Bolts, even if Love plays, which will make Love a volatile low-end RB2 choice for fantasy managers in Week 1. Making things more difficult this weekend is that Love and the Cardinals do not play until the late window on Sunday.

When asked if there was any chance that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) could start on Sunday in the Week 1 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said, "No." Stefanski said that Penix will be ready when he is ready. It remains to be seen if Penix will be ready for the team's Week 2 contest next Sunday, Sept. 20, versus the division-rival Carolina Panthers, as the Falcons are now in a bit of a bind at the QB position following Tua Tagovailoa's oblique injury in practice on Thursday that will sideline him this weekend. With Penix already ruled out, the Falcons are forced to turn to veteran backup Cooper Rush in the season opener against Pittsburgh, with undrafted rookie Jack Strand backing him up. It might be just one week of Rush, though, since Penix has been listed as a full participant in practices this week. With Tagovailoa now potentially being cut after another injury, Penix's path to a full-time starting role has cleared up, making him much more attractive for the 2026 season in two-QB superflex leagues after he partially tore his ACL last year.

After fully participating in Friday's practice, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) has been cleared for Sunday's season opener against the Bears, and head coach Dave Canales says he will face "no limitations" in terms of rep count. Brooks missed the entirety of the 2025 season after tearing his ACL for the second time in December of 2024, but it was a groin issue that limited him to begin the week. With both injuries seemingly behind him, he will suit up for his first regular-season game in over 21 months, and he projects to split time with veteran Chuba Hubbard. The first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, Brooks has carried the ball only nine times in his professional career, but with neither he nor Hubbard carrying an injury designation into Sunday, Canales told reporters, "This is a tandem we've been thinking about for a very long time, and I'm excited to see those guys get out there and help our team." Still facing a difficult-to-predict Week 1 workload, Brooks is RotoBaller's RB32 for the week.

After returning to practice as a limited participant on Thursday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Friday that running back Sean Tucker (hamstring) will be listed as doubtful for Sunday's season opener against the Bengals. Tucker recently agreed to a reworked deal to stick with the Buccaneers for his fourth season, but a hamstring injury that occurred late in training camp now threatens his Week 1 availability. After leading the team with seven rushing touchdowns in 2025, Tucker was in play for a goal-line role despite a return to health from Bucky Irving and the free-agent acquisition of veteran Kenny Gainwell. With Tucker unlikely to suit up on Sunday, Irving should see a usage bump and now ranks as RotoBaller's RB20 for Week 1.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) has been ruled out for Sunday's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers after popping up on Thursday's injury report with an oblique injury, as reported by NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Tagovailoa signed a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Falcons after being released by the Dolphins. Following a rocky training camp and preseason that began with back spasms, he was recently named the Week 1 starter, as 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. (knee) continues to work his way back from the ACL tear that ended his 2025 season. Penix, who is still listed as the fourth quarterback on the team's unofficial depth chart, has been a full practice participant to begin the week, so there is a chance he could now step into the Week 1 starting role. If not, the Falcons will begin the year with either Cooper Rush or undrafted rookie Jack Strand under center. A report from The Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad (citing Pro Football Talk) suggests that there is a "strong possibility" that Tagovailoa is released if/when he is replaced as the starting QB. Now that more injury issues have popped up for the former first-rounder, he might not even end up taking a single snap in a regular-season game for Atlanta.

Miami Dolphins rookie wide receiver Chris Bell fell to the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft and missed most of his first training camp while rehabbing from the ACL tear that ended his collegiate career, but since his return, he has made headlines with his instant acclimation to the Dolphins offense. Bell has already been named a starter for Miami's season-opening matchup with the Raiders, and on Friday, beat reporter Joe Schad shared that he stood out during the media accessible portion of practice, catching passes in the end zone from quarterback Malik Willis. Bell saw action in only one preseason game, but he was targeted five times in roughly 10 minutes of game action, as the team wasted no time getting him up to speed. As RotoBaller's WR74 for Week 1, he's a difficult play given the unknowns and the low expectations surrounding Miami's offense. Still, for fantasy managers already coming into Sunday as heavy underdogs, he represents a big swing who could be featured heavily in his first career game against a less-than-formidable opponent.

After dealing with a groin injury that limited him in both Wednesday and Thursday's practices, Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) has been cleared to play in Sunday's season-opener against the Eagles, according to head coach Dan Quinn. As a seventh-round rookie in 2025, Croskey-Merritt ran for 805 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking as one of the league's most efficient backs on plays run from under center. With new offensive coordinator David Blough expected to call more such plays, and the second-year runner entering the year with a clean bill of health, Croskey-Merritt has Week 1 flex appeal despite a tough opening matchup. While free-agent acquisition Rachaad White is expected to see much of the Commanders' passing-down work, Croskey-Merritt still profiles as the team's early-down back and should stay involved as long as the game remains close, making him RotoBaller's RB35 for Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) is listed as doubtful for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. In addition to McMillan, third-string running back Sean Tucker (hamstring) is doubtful to play. The 24-year-old McMillan had been a limited practice participant this week, but the Bucs apparently did not see enough progress to clear him for the regular-season opener this weekend. He missed extensive time in training camp and all of the preseason, potentially opening the door for impressive rookie wideout Ted Hurst III to take over the WR3 role from McMillan early on this year. With McMillan unlikely to play against Cincy, Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. will have higher fantasy ceilings, and Hurst will get his chance to make his mark early. McMillan, a third-rounder in 2024, found the end zone eight times as a rookie, but he played in only four games a year ago due to a serious neck injury he suffered in the preseason. Staying healthy has been an issue. He is rostered in only 14% of Yahoo leagues.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) does not have an injury designation on Friday and will play in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Things were trending this way with Brooks practicing all week, but now it is official. The 23-year-old former second-round pick in 2024 from Texas will be playing in just his fourth NFL game after tearing his ACL twice since entering the NFL. Carolina's backfield hierarchy is a bit unclear going into the season opener, but both Brooks and Chuba Hubbard should have sizeable roles in 2026. The Panthers talked Brooks up during training camp and the preseason, causing him to rise on fantasy draft boards, and as long as he stays healthy, he should be a weekly RB3/flex option with upside if he can finally stay healthy in the NFL. Both Brooks and Hubbard should be viewed as RB3/flexes for a difficult Week 1 matchup against the Bears' defense.

The New England Patriots are placing wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) on Injured Reserve on Friday due to the high-ankle sprain that he suffered in Wednesday's season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, which will sideline him for a minimum of four games, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday that Brown is expected to miss at least four weeks because of his ankle injury, so it makes sense that the Pats would put him on IR to open up a roster spot while he recovers. It is an ominous sign for the start of the 29-year-old's tenure in New England after the Pats sent a first-rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles for him in the offseason. The former second-rounder caught three of his four targets for 26 yards on Wednesday in Seattle before spraining his ankle. Fantasy managers must stash Brown in an IR spot for now and hope that he can hit the ground running and renew his connection with quarterback Drake Maye when he returns. In the meantime, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, and Kyle Williams will all be asked to step up in the passing game, as well as tight ends Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (toe) is a full-go for Sunday's Week 1 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Egbuka was considered up in the air for the season opener after spraining his toe in training camp in August, but he has been practicing in full with the team all week and is ready to go. It is worth noting that Jalen McMillan (knee) is considered doubtful, which should open up more targets for Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., and rookie Ted Hurst III. Egbuka had been trending down in fantasy with Week 1 approaching because of his toe injury, but now that he is fully cleared and McMillan is expected to sit out, he is trending back up as a strong WR2 in a game that is expected to feature plenty of points. Make sure that Egbuka is in your starting lineup for Week 1 this weekend against Cincy.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that wide receiver Tee Higgins (heel) is good to go for Sunday's Week 1 season opener versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN's Ben Baby. The Bengals announced last week that Higgins was dealing with a minor heel injury that was never expected to put him in danger of missing the start of the 2026 season. Fantasy managers need to have the 27-year-old locked into their starting lineups for this weekend's matchup against the Bucs. Higgins was a first-time Pro Bowler for the Bengals last season, catching 59 of his 98 targets for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns in 15 games played. He has not had a 1,000-yard season since 2022, but Higgins has remained productive when he has been on the field, and he has scored 21 touchdowns combined in the last two seasons in Cincy. Higgins has had issues staying on the field for a full season, but when he is out there, he has a strong floor as a high-end WR2 for fantasy managers, even in the shadow of star wideout Ja'Marr Chase.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (knee) is good to go for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Chase suffered a hyperextended knee during the late stages of training camp and was limited from practice work until practicing in full on Wednesday, which signaled that the 26-year-old was looking good to play this weekend. That is now confirmed, so fantasy managers need to have Chase locked into all starting lineups to kick off the regular season on Sunday. The five-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro has hit the 1,000-yard mark in all five of his NFL seasons with the Bengals and is poised for a sixth this year if he stays healthy. Chase led the league in 2024 with 1,708 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns, and he has scored an incredible 54 times in 78 games so far in his NFL career. If quarterback Joe Burrow stays healthy for another full season, Chase is the odds-on favorite to finish as the overall WR1 in fantasy football.