Team news: New England Patriots | Page 2

The Dolphins have signed TE Greg Dulcich to the active roster off the practice squad and placed TE Darren Waller on the injured reserve list with a pec strain.

Related Players: Julian Hill, Tanner Conner

This is not likely a spot where we should be targeting the TE room. Hill and Conner combined for five targets and 29 yards last week.

Tests showed that Dolphins TE Darren Waller has a strained pectoral that is not expected to require surgery, per source. He will be considered “week to week at this point.”

Related players: Julian Hill, Tanner Conner

The week to week tag suggests Waller is at least in doubt for Week 8, and possibly longer. Owners will want to have another plan in place at that position and the likes of Hill and Conner probably can't be trusted in typical fantasy leagues.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Christian Watson “looks great” in practice and said “we’ll see” if he’s activated for Sunday’s game.

“Just trying to build up to where we feel comfortable and he does.”

Related Players: Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks

Even if Watson does suit up, we should expect the usual heavy rotation of Green Bay receivers. When he is fully healthy, he'll find a boom-bust role that will be difficult to depend on in fantasy.

Patriots running back Antonio Gibson will not be able to return this season.

According to multiple reports, tests have confirmed that Gibson suffered a torn ACL during Sunday night’s victory over the Bills.

Related players: Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson

Gibson saw limited work but was considered a solid pass protector, which gave him more snaps in those situations. He was also a kick returner and that's where he suffered his injury. Stevenson had another fumble in the win over the Bills but still led the team in carries with seven carries. Gibson and Henderson each had six carries so Gibson's work will at least need to be split up.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson had two of those fumbles, including one at the Steelers’ goal-line, and he has now coughed the ball up nine times since the start of the 2024 season. Head coach Mike Vrabel said that the Patriots need Stevenson to clean up that aspect of his game.

Related players: TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson

The story went on to say Stevenson’s goal-line fumble in the third quarter was the last time he touched the ball on Sunday and next Sunday’s backfield workload will be telling about how the Patriots plan to handle things for the rest of the year. Henderson led the team in carries with 11, but produced only 28 yards. Henderson's struggles in pass protection can be seen all over social media, which has led to Gibson being move involved. Gibson had seven carries. Both Stevenson and Henderson each caught three passes.

Austin Jackson, Benito Jones and Darren Waller are all OUT for the Dolphins this week vs New England

Related Players: Julian Hill, Tanner Conner

It was always a pretty wild move to trade for a retired tight end who had been dealing with a litany of injuries, but here we are. Conner was more involved than Julian Hill in the offense in Week 1, turning four targets into 20 yards, but he's not worth a look in fantasy until we see more out of him. Waller can be dropped in all but the deepest TE Premium leagues amid rumors that he might be shut down.

Packers WR Jayden Reed will miss 6-8 weeks with a broken collarbone.

Related Players: Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams

This would presumably tighten the WR rotation a little bit, but as we saw on TNF, it would take a lot of consolidation to be able to trust any of the Packers receivers to garner a large workload. Continue to hold Golden, and potentially also Doubs in deeper leagues, but TE Tucker Kraft is the easiest click of this group, even after Reed's injury.

Mike McDaniel on TE Darren Waller's availability for Week 2:

"I expect to not know what to expect until later on this week ... We may get to a point where we realize the risk is too great for the rest of the season and we'll have to do what's best for the team."

Related Players: Julian Hill, Tanner Conner

It was always a pretty wild move to trade for a retired tight end who had been dealing with a litany of injuries, but here we are. Conner was more involved than Julian Hill in the offense in Week 1, turning four targets into 20 yards, but he's not worth a look in fantasy until we see more out of him. Waller can be dropped in all but the deepest TE Premium leagues.

Even in the midst of rehab for his torn ACL, the Packers are rewarding WR Christian Watson with a one-year, $13.25 million contract extension, per his agent Adisa Bakari.

Related players: Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks

Schefter went on to say the extension ties Watson to Green Bay through the 2026 season, allows him to focus on getting healthy and not having to play this season for a new deal. Watson remains on PUP, and is expected back later this season. Even when Watson comes back, it's tough to predict what kind of fantasy value he will have with a crowded WR room.

Mike McDaniel said Dolphins TE Darren Waller had a setback before Thursday's practice and is doubtful to play Sunday vs the Colts

Related Players: Julian Hill, Tanner Conner

The recently un-retired Waller hasn't seen much of the football field this summer, which makes him a complete stay-away until we get some good news on that end. If he doesn't suit up, receiving work would presumably fall to Julian Hill, though he's earned only 26 targets through his first two years in the league, so this situation is best to avoid for now.