Fantasy Football News | Page 27

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce will miss several weeks due to aggravating a heel injury that he had surgically repaired, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday evening.

Pierce, injured in Sunday night’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, is likely to be headed to injured reserve, Rapoport reported, as Pierce intends to rehab and forgo surgery.

Surgery is still a possibility for Pierce, but if all goes well with recovery, he should return midseason.

Related players: Darius Slayton, Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, Tyler Warren, Laquon Treadwell

It was announced Tuesday the team signed Slayton to add some depth to the WR room. Downs and Warren will likely turn into the team's main targets with Pierce out, but between Allen and Slayton one of the two will need to emerge, and that means fantasy value. Downs finished Week 2 with a 7-72-0 line but Allen had just one catch for five yards on five targets. Allen is 34 but is coming off an OK Week 1 where he caught six balls for 32 yards. Slayton is 29 and averaged just over two catches a game last season with the Giants before getting cut. Slayton is worth a gamble if you have the roster room, but it may take him some time to get up to speed. Treadwell did catch three balls for 61 yards, but that's his best stat line since 2021. Between 2022-25, he had just seven catches for 58 yards.

Malik Nabers is headed for an MRI and Brian Burns is headed for a waiting game.

Nabers popped his own dislocated shoulder back into the socket in the first quarter, and Brian Burns suffered a low-ankle sprain in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, bookending the Giants’ nightmare 28-6 loss to the Rams on Monday that included the loss of quarterback Jaxson Dart to a likely sprained MCL.

“I pulled it back in and started feeling a little bit of strength back,” Nabers said. “We were without Jaxson, and I didn’t want to give the team another loss, so I went back in.”

Nabers was injured when he crashed to the ground after an incompletion. In his second game back from a 2025 season-ending torn ACL, he finished with one catch for 1 yard and is “knocking dust off to see what he can do with this new knee,” the story went on to say. It obviously wasn't what fantasy owners were hoping for with Nabers in their lineup. It's at least good news Nabers was able to come back in the game, but he wasn't really a factor. Now the hope is there is no more damage to his shoulder as he tries to work his way back from the knee injury as well. It will be hard to sit Nabers if he's ready to go the next three weeks as the schedule gives the Giants the Titans, Cardinals and the Commanders. Winston struggled coming in on MNF, but we also know he's not afraid to sling it, so there is still some fantasy potential for Nabers if he can get back on the field.

The Giants have gotten some good news, for now, regarding quarterback Jaxson Dart’s knee injury.

Via NFL Network, it’s believed that Dart suffered a sprained MCL.

The assessment is based on a preliminary exam. X-rays were negative, and an MRI will be conducted on Tuesday.

Related players: Jameis Winston

As the story points out, the MCL can heal with rest and rehab, unless the tendon is completely torn, so it's overall good news for the Giants and for Dart fantasy owners. SNY is posting on X the Giants are prepared for a timeline of 2-3, 2-4 weeks for Dart to return. Winston is the team's QB2 and should take over as the starter. Although he didn't look comfortable at times on MNF against the Rams, a full week or practice could cure that. The Giants also have the schedule working in their favor. They host the Titans on Sunday, with the Cardinals next and a visit to the Commanders after that. Winston certainly could have some fantasy QB value going forward.

The Giants officially ruled out Jaxson Dart for the second half, but ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge delivered a positive update from General Manager Joe Schoen.

The Giants are still evaluating the injury, with Dart getting an X-ray at SoFi Stadium, but Schoen told Rutledge that Dart is “going to be OK.”

Related players: Jameis Winston

It's a tough blow for the Giants who turned things over to Winston, and he has not looked comfortable at all in the first half. As for Dart, the story pointed out Schoen's comments could mean Dart did not, presumably, tear a ligament in his left knee, and will return this season. If you've been on social media looking for any kind of Dart news, there are comments about it being a 4-6 weeks injury from those who can read lips from a conversation between HC John Harbaugh and a member of the training staff that was caught on camera. While it may be a stretch to believe, that would also kind of fall in line with Schoen's comments. Hopefully we'll know more after the game or by Tuesday morning. It's also possible we have to wait until the Giants get back to New York. For now, it looks like Dart owners are going to need another option at their fantasy QB position, at least for the short term.

David Njoku (fibula) and Charlie Kolar (forearm) are going on injured reserve, per Jim Harbaugh

The Chargers have one tight end on its active roster.

Related players: Oronde Gadsden

Gadsden's up and down career continues. A highly-valued rookie last year, Gadsden had a nice campaign in 2025 before the team signed Kolar and Njoku this offseason, pushing him down the depth chart. Gadsden scored a touchdown in Week 2 and now looks to be the TE1 - at least for the next four weeks. He'll likely be targeted a lot this week on the wire.

Veteran tight end Zach Ertz is heading back to Philadelphia.

Ertz is signing with the Eagles’ practice squad, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Ertz will presumably spend a short time on the practice squad getting up to speed and then be added to the active roster.

Related players: Dallas Goedert, Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt, E.J. Jenkins

The return of Ertz comes a day after Eagles tight end Goedert suffered an MCL sprain that will cause him to miss a few weeks. An Ertz reunion has been rumored for weeks, especially because Stowers has mostly been a disappointment through the offseason and camp. The team's other options are Mundt and Jenkins, so the Ertz signing makes a lot of sense. When we last saw Ertz, he was averaging over 10 yards a catch for the Commanders last year before his injury, so there could be some fantasy value there for those in need of TE help. It's possible Ertz is able to jump into some action for Week 3.

The Falcons’ quarterback carousel has finally landed on their first-round draft pick from 2024.

The team has announced that Michael Penix Jr. will start in Thursday night’s game against the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Related players: Cooper Rush, Jack Strand, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts

As the story points out, one has to wonder why Penix couldn't have played in Week 2. But instead, the team went with Cooper Rush and the result was a thrashing by the Panthers. It remains to be seen if Penix is fully ready to go coming back from his ACL injury, or if this is more of a desperation move. Penix should provide a fantasy upgrade for the Falcon skill players, perhaps especially London who was visibly upset on the sidelines. Penix, himself, is probably a risky start outside of being a second QB or in deeper superflex leagues.

McCarthy says he's unsure if Michael Pittman (foot) will be able to suit up against the Bengals.

Related players: DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard

McCarthy added, according to the post, that Pittman Jr.'s foot injury is not the injury he suffered during training camp. The coach added Pittman has taken some positive steps forward. Hopefully we'll know more with injury reports this week, but it doesn't sound too optimistic that Pittman will be ready to go. Metcalf, Wilson and Bernard could run as the team's top-three WRs.

Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed remains in New Jersey after being taken to a hospital following an injury in Sunday’s overtime win over the Jets.

Related players: Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Skyy Moore

Reed was placed on a backboard and carted off the field on the second play of the game after catching a four-yard pass from Jordan Love and taking a big hit from Jets linebacker Demario Davis. Reed was ruled out with what the team called a neck injury and head coach Matt LaFleur said after the game that Reed had movement in all of his extremities, the story went on to say. The story added that Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that doctors determined Reed suffered a back injury and he is expected to return to Green Bay soon. The wideout and medical personnel are still evaluating the best course of treatment moving forward.

Mike Macdonald says on his day-after coach's radio show on Seattle Sports Sam Darnold has a chance to practice this week, I'm hearing he's on track to practice Wednesday.

A return to practice that early in the week gives Darnold a shot at playing in Week 3. We'll likely have to wait until Wednesday and the rest of the week to see how much Darnold is doing to have a better idea of his status for Week 3. The Seahawks are at the Commanders in the early slate of games.