Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence (shoulder) and CB Chidobe Awuzie (ankle) are active for today's game against the Jaguars. They're OK to use as planned in IDP lineups.
Redskins WRs Paul Richardson (shoulder, knee), Jamison Crowder (ankle) and Josh Doctson (heel) are all listed as questionable for this weekend's game against the Panthers. We'll see who's able to give it a go around noon ET on Sunday, but none of these guys are reliable fantasy options. TE Jordan Reed could be busy this weekend.
Rams WR Brandin Cooks sustained a concussion on a big hit near the end of the 1st half of Sunday's game against the Seahawks. It's the 3rd documented concussion of his career. We'll track Cooks' progress through the protocol. WR Josh Reynolds has stepped into Cooks' role in the offense.
The forecast for today's Jaguars-Chiefs game calls for periods of heavy rain. The good news is that winds are expected to be only 6-7 mph. They aren't ideal conditions, but it's not enough for us to adjust our projections for these passing games. You might use the weather as a tiebreaker if deciding between 2 similarly ranked players, though.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport hears that Titans QB Marcus Mariota (elbow) is not expected to play against the Jaguars today. He "has not experienced enough improvement" in that throwing elbow, according to Rapoport. So QB Blaine Gabbert gets another start in a brutal matchup. Your best bet is to avoid Tennessee's passing game today.
Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring) is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game against the Patriots. He didn’t practice all week but did resume running on Thursday. HC Doug Marrone seemed “optimistic” about Fournette’s status on Friday, according to insider Hays Carlyon. We’ll look for updates on Fournette on Sunday morning. Jaguars-Patriots doesn’t kick off until 4:25 pm ET, so owners hoping to use him need to have a late-game insurance plan rostered. T.J. Yeldon will serve as Jacksonville's lead back if Fournette sits out.
Titans HC Mike Vrabel said Wednesday that QB Marcus Mariota is "feeling good" and is "good to go" for this weekend's game against the Texans. Mariota was spotted throwing in the portion of practice open to the media. He said afterward that his elbow is feeling ok but that there's "still a little tingle," per insider Terry McCormick. We'll be on the lookout for more updates on Mariota's status over the next few days. For now, he looks like a risky Week 2 fantasy play.
Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder) will participate in individual drills on Wednesday, HC Doug Pederson said. Jeffery will still be held out of full-team work and is a long shot to play against the Bucs this weekend. But he's at least making tangible progress. A Week 3 return seems possible.
Lions RB Ameer Abullah is inactive for tonight's opener against the Jets. After a preseason that found him in the 1st-team mix, this indicates that Abdullah's depth-chart standing has not improved despite a new coaching staff. With no special-teams role, we're left wondering why Detroit bothers keeping the now-veteran back on the 53-man roster. His deactivation can only help rookie Kerryon Johnson's touch count.
Bills RB LeSean McCoy is not expected to be charged for the allegations made against him in July, "barring an unforeseen discovery," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Rapoport adds that McCoy is also "unlikely" to be suspended by the NFL. So it looks like he'll be eligible for all 16 games. We have concerns about how much is left in McCoy's tank and his supporting cast in Buffalo. But he should be at least a volume-fueled RB2 this year.
Packers RB Aaron Jones has been suspended 2 games for violating the league's substance abuse policy. This is the result of his arrest last October for marijuana possession. Jones will be allowed to participate in training camp and the preseason but will miss Green Bay's first 2 games against the Bears and Vikings. The suspension gives RB Jamaal Williams a shot to grab the lead role and run with it. RB Ty Montgomery should also see significant action those first 2 games. Depending on how those 2 fare, Jones might struggle to get much playing time when he's reinstated for Week 3. We'll see what happens to his ADP, which is currently sitting in the 8th round, but he now looks like just a later-round flier.
The NFL officially announced Bucs QB Jameis Winston's 3-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy. Winston issued a statement and made no mention of appealing the ruling. "I now look forward to putting this behind me and I will continue to work hard every day to be a positive influence in my community and be the best person, teammate and leader I can be," Winston wrote. So he'll miss the first 3 games of the season against the Saints, Eagles and Steelers. He'll return for Week 4 before going on a Week 5 bye. It makes Winston undraftable in standard-sized, lineup-setting leagues -- but he still makes sense as a late-round QB2 or QB3 in best ball. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is the favorite to start those first 3 weeks but will likely only be an option in 2-QB leagues. Fitzpatrick should at least be able to keep the Bucs offense on track. Tampa averaged 24.5 points in the 4 games Fitzpatrick saw extensive action in last year.
The Bengals selected Florida State WR Auden Tate with the 4th-to-last pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Tate bombed his Combine workout, plodding to a 4.68-second 40 time and finishing with a 3rd percentile SPARQ score. He’ll struggle to create separation as a pro but does have some intriguing contested-catch ability. Tate goes 6’5, 228 pounds with 92nd percentile arm length, strong hands and nice body control. Per Pro Football Focus, he hauled in 66.7% of his contested targets last year — 6th best in the country. But Tate’s bottom-barrel measurables — plus the fact that he’s a 7th-rounder — make him a long shot for fantasy value.
The Cardinals selected Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk with the 47th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Kirk’s most impressive college season came back in 2015. As an 18-year-old true freshman, he led the Aggies with 80 catches, 1,009 receiving yards and 7 TDs. His yardage totals tailed off over the past 2 years, but he still totaled 149 catches and 19 scores. Kirk was also a special-teams dynamo, scoring 1 kick-return and 6 punt-return TDs. A 5’10, 201-pounder who ran the majority of his routes at A&M from the slot, Kirk has shades of Golden Tate in his game. He averaged 6.8 yards after the catch during his college career, according to Pro Football Focus. Arizona is a strange short-term fit with slot maven Larry Fitzgerald still around. We’ll see how Kirk fits in this season. Long term, he should be the Fitz replacement.
The Buccaneers on Thursday traded a 3rd-round pick -- plus a swap of late-rounders -- to the Giants for DE Jason Pierre-Paul. The 29-year-old carries a large contract and didn't fit as well in the Giants' new 3-4 base defense. JPP remained a productive pass-rusher last year, though Pro Football Focus graded him lower than former Bucs DE Robert Ayers both overall and in the pass rush. Tampa, of course, recently released Ayers. Pierre-Paul will likely start opposite Vinny Curry, with DE William Gholston still in the mix. The Bucs defense certainly looks more intriguing now, while JPP remains a top-12 D-lineman for IDP drafting.
Patriots RBs Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee are inactive for tonight's game against the Titans with their knee injuries. RB James White (ankle) is active and figures to play in passing situations behind Dion Lewis.
Bucs WR DeSean Jackson (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Saints. He was limited in practice all week but appears on track to play. WR Chris Godwin (ankle) is also listed as questionable but only got in a limited practice on Friday. He’s off the fantasy radar if Jackson plays this week.
Titans RB DeMarco Murray (knee) is out for Sunday's game against the Jaguars. There was early-week talk that Murray could play through his torn MCL, but that always seemed unlikely. He's certainly not a lock to be ready for the Wild Card Round -- if Tennessee gets there. RB Derrick Henry will operate as the feature back vs. a Jacksonville defense that's allowed a mediocre 4.3 yards per carry over the past 5 weeks. He's a solid RB2 with RB1 upside.
Raiders HC Jack Del Rio said Wednesday that WR Michael Crabtree injured his hamstring in Monday night's loss to the Eagles. He posted a goose egg in that one and played just 45% of the offensive snaps. We'll keep an eye on Crabtree over the next few days, but he'll be a shaky fantasy option if he plays against the Chargers' tough secondary this weekend.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid announced Wednesday that QB Patrick Mahomes will start this weekend's finale against the Broncos. Kansas City is locked into the AFC's #4 seed and has nothing to gain on Sunday. We doubt that RB Kareem Hunt, WR Tyreek Hill or TE Travis Kelce play much, if at all. That makes Mahomes tougher to like -- especially in a tough spot in Denver.
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