Fantasy Football News | Page 37

Josh Jacobs pleads no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property.

Related Players: MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Kaleb Johnson, Pierre Strong Jr.

The plea resolves an important portion of Jacobs’ legal case but provides no immediate clarity about NFL discipline. Jacobs remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt List and cannot practice or play until the league changes his status.

The NFL may now be in a better position to determine a suspension, but its timing and length remain unknown. Lloyd remains Green Bay’s leading fantasy option for Sunday against Minnesota, with Brooks and Johnson providing deeper backfield depth.

Sam Darnold is expected to miss next week's game, but he should be back sooner, rather than later, sources say. Could be just a few weeks.

With 17 days from Wed. until their Week 3 game against the Commanders, Darnold gets a schedule break, as well.

Related Players: Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, Cooper Kupp, AJ Barner, Jadarian Price

Lock is positioned to start Week 2 and becomes relevant in two-quarterback and superflex formats. Darnold’s apparent avoidance of a major injury reduces the likelihood that Lock develops into a long-term waiver option.

Smith-Njigba remains a strong weekly start after Lock successfully funneled the passing game through him Wednesday night. The quarterback change creates more concern for Seattle’s secondary pass-catchers and could allow opponents to devote additional attention to the running game.

Patriots WR A.J. Brown, who left last night’s opener because of an injury, is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, per me and @MikeGarafolo.

X-Rays were negative for a fracture. Brown has an MRI today to determine how much time he’ll miss.

Related Players: Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Demario Douglas, Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon

High-ankle sprains frequently produce multi-game absences, although Brown’s precise timetable remains unconfirmed. New England has a helpful 10-day break before hosting Pittsburgh on Sept. 20.

Doubs should presumably receive the cleanest target increase despite his shaky Week 1, while Hollins and Williams are the most direct candidates to replace Brown’s perimeter snaps. Henry could also benefit from additional intermediate targets.

Jadarian Price received a clear majority of Seattle’s early-down snaps Wednesday night, confirming his place in the Kenneth Walker role. George Holani handled every third-down and two-minute snap.

Price was also removed near the goal line, where Emanuel Wilson entered once Seattle reached the five-yard line. A delay-of-game penalty prevented that possession from providing a clearer indication of Wilson’s scoring-area role.

Related Players: Zach Charbonnet

The opener confirmed Price as Seattle’s primary early-down runner but also exposed a potentially damaging lack of passing-down and goal-line opportunities. He remains a viable RB3 while Charbonnet is sidelined, although negative game scripts could leave him with a pretty miserable floor.

Neither tight end George Kittle nor defensive end Nick Bosa received injury designations on the team’s final injury report ahead of their game against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Kittle is returning from a torn Achilles, while Bosa has been working his way back from a torn ACL.

Related Players: Jake Tonges, Mike Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, Deebo Samuel

Kittle is expected to play, but the possibility of a reduced workload threatens his customary TE1 valuation. Managers with comparable alternatives can reasonably wait a week, while Jake Tonges loses nearly all standalone appeal with Kittle active.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt was limited by a groin injury during Washington’s first official practice of Week 1. The Commanders have not provided further information concerning the injury’s severity.

Related Players: Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen

A Wednesday limitation alone does not place Croskey-Merritt’s availability in serious doubt, but the groin designation introduces uncertainty into an already close backfield projection. White would be positioned for considerably more work if Croskey-Merritt is limited or unavailable. Fantasy managers considering Croskey-Merritt as a flex should monitor Thursday closely.

The Bears did not practice on Wednesday, so player participation listed on the injury report is an estimation. Just one player was listed as DNP (did not practice): QB Tyson Bagent (back).

Listed as limited were WR Rome Odunze (calf) and OL Ozzy Trapilo (knee).

Related Players: Luther Burden, Kalif Raymond, Zavion Thomas, Colston Loveland

The limited estimate and positive trajectory keep Odunze on track for Sunday, but this is a new soft-tissue injury rather than maintenance related to his foot. An actual limited or full practice Thursday would be reassuring, while a DNP would elevate the concern. Burden and Loveland would be the primary target beneficiaries if Odunze cannot play.

Raiders All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim Tuesday in Dallas with Dr. Daniel Cooper and now is expected to miss “a game or two”, league sources told @rapsheet and me. Bowers got banged up “a little in camp” and the injury was diagnosed last week and surgery scheduled.

Related Players: Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas, Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech

Bowers must be removed from Week 1 lineups but remains an obvious hold, with the initial timetable pointing toward a relatively short absence. Mayer becomes an immediate waiver addition and viable Week 1 streamer against Miami, with enough projected route and target volume to enter the TE1/2 fringe conversation. Tucker should also absorb additional targets, while Nailor and Bech receive smaller boosts. Bowers’ Week 2 availability appears doubtful, with Week 3 representing a reasonable but not guaranteed return target.

Bills WR Khalil Shakir is on the practice field Wednesday.

Related Players: D.J. Moore, Joshua Palmer, Keon Coleman, Skyler Bell

Shakir is moving toward playing, but several weeks of missed practice make him difficult to trust immediately, almost impossible as any sort of ceiling play. He remains a bench or deeper FLEX option until Buffalo provides more clarity about his practice participation and expected snap count.

Ravens WR Zay Flowers on how he’s feeling: “I feel great. I feel better than ever.”

Flowers missed some practice time recently due to an undisclosed injury but he has practiced the past two days.

Related Players: Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, Ja'Kobi Lane, Devontez Walker, Elijah Sarratt

This largely clears the lingering concern surrounding Flowers’ Week 1 availability. He can remain ranked as a low-end WR1 and started normally barring a late setback. Bateman, Lane, and Baltimore’s fringe receivers no longer warrant speculative boosts based on Flowers’ health.