Team news: New England Patriots | Page 8

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson participated in today’s walk through, despite his quad injury. It looks as if he is on track to play Sunday vs. the Texans.

Related Players: Jalen Nailor, Trent Sherfield, Brandon Powell, Trishton Jackson

You love to see it. Fire JJ up everywhere.

Patriots RB Antonio Gibson (hip) is questionable for Sunday's game vs. Cincinnati, while TE Hunter Henry has been removed from the report and is good to go.

Related Players: Austin Hooper, Jaheim Bell

Outside of two rookies (Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker), New England doesn't have much firepower, which could equate to Henry leading the team in targets in a handful of weeks. In what may have been a high-scoring affair, the Bengals might be missing both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, which dampens most Patriots options.

Consider Henry a deep target in 2TE leagues.

RB Antonio Gibson relays that his hip responded well in Friday’s practice, and he is optimistic he’ll be ready to go for Sunday’s opening game barring an unexpected turn.

Related Players: Rhamondre Stevenson, JaMycal Hasty

Gibson doesn't have a ton of standalone value in an offense we're not excited about, but if he were to miss, it would boost Stevenson's usage, particularly in the receiving game.

Consider Stevenson an RB3 as he heads into Cincinnati.

Bills WR Curtis Samuel (turf toe) and backup QB Mitch Trubisky (knee) are off the injury report and good to go for Sunday vs. Arizona.

Related Players: Mack Hollins, Keon Coleman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Huge news for Samuel, who could be used in a variety of ways as the offense looks to replace both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. OC Joe Brady was recently quoted as saying, "There's a reason I wanted to bring him here, because I know how smart he is."

He makes for an interesting Flex option against the Cardinals.

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo just informed his team that Jacoby Brissett will be New England’s Week 1 starting quarterback vs. the Bengals.

The favorite to start in the battle with rookie QB Drake Maye now gets the Week 1 nod. But Maye’s time is coming.

Maye's mobility should help alleviate some of the pressure this below-average line will create, but we'll have to wait to see it. Brissett should be kept on waiver wires during his starting stint.

Running back Elijah Mitchell went on season-ending injured reserve.

Related players: Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo, Matt Breida

Mitchell can only play this season if the 49ers reach an injury settlement with him and waive him from injured reserve, the story said. Mitchell has struggled to stay on the field but when he has played he's certainly impressed. Mason has had a good camp, according to reports and the team has praised his running style so he'll backup CMC. The team traded up to draft Guerendo, so there's a good chance he has a role this season as well.

The Chiefs are cutting Deneric Prince, per a league source.

Related players: Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Carson Steele

The Chiefs will ride with Pacheco, CEH and Steele as their top-three RBs heading into the season. Steele's play was impressive enough that the team was able to cut Prince as a result.

On a day of players getting cut, here’s a fun story of one guy who made it: RB/FB Carson Steele is on the Chiefs’ initial 53-man roster.

Related players: Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Deneric Prince, Keaontay Ingram

Steele is certainly a name to watch. Pacheco seems like the only safe bet on the roster at RB at this point. Despite the team's use of CEH in the past, someone like Steele could continue the climb up the depth chart and be fantasy relevant. We put him as the team's RB3 at this point. As part of cuts today, the team did let go of Prince.

Patriots quarterback, and presumptive Week 1 starter, Jacoby Brissett suffered a shoulder injury during his lone drive of Sunday night’s preseason finale, at Washington. Coach Jerod Mayo sounded mostly positive after the game, but there was a potential caveat in Mayo’s comments.

“He would’ve been able to continue,” Mayo said, initially.

Related players: Drake Maye

Mayo did add that the team would have to see how Brissett is feeling Monday and that often times a player will be more sore the next day vs. in the moment. While Maye was seemingly making a move late in camp with his play, most around the team feel Brissett will be the Week 1 starter.

Bills HC Sean McDermott said there is optimism both WR Curtis Samuel and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling could get back for Week 1, but he did not want to commit all the way to it because all injury situations are still "murky" at the moment.

Related Players: Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins, KJ Hamler

This WR room doesn't need any more setbacks, so let's hope that they're both ready to go for Week 1 as a rotational piece (Valdes-Scantling) and a do-it-all option (Samuel). In a fully healthy season, there would be a good chance that Samuel could lead the position group in targets.