Henderson was ruled out with an ankle injury after not practicing all week. Rhamondre Stevenson will be the workhorse running back for New England, propelling him into the fantasy RB2 conversation. Also inactive for the Patriots are CB Karon Prunty, LB Erick Hunter, OT Walter Rouse, C Ben Brown, WR Efton Chism, and QB Behren Morton.
The Buccaneers had Egbuka take almost a month off to let the toe heal, which turned out to be a great call. The Buccaneers’ No. 1 wide receiver is good to go for Week 1. Nagging injuries slowed Egbuka’s rookie season. Entering 2026 in good health sets the stage for a bounce-back campaign. He is a WR2 with WR1 upside.
The Buccaneers listed McMillan as a starter on the official depth chart yesterday, which is seemingly a vote of confidence regarding his availability this week. McMillan is on track to play, but will likely be limited to FLEX status in fantasy, playing behind WR Emeka Egbuka and WR Chris Godwin.
LaFleur left the door open for Love to be listed as limited on the injury report, but it sounds like that would be nothing more than a formality. He wouldn’t comit to Love playing in Week 1 just yet, but it sounds like things are headed in that direction. Love will likely split work with Tyler Allgeier to start the year, though he remains a far better bet in all fantasy formats.
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski has already said Penix will be inactive this week, so this does not alter Penix’s game status. That said, it is still good to see him practicing fully. The Falcons are rolling with QB Tua Tagovailoa to begin the year, but his starting stint may not last long.
Getting in a limited session to begin the week puts Croskey-Merritt on track to start in Week 1 against the Eagles. The second-year running back has reportedly improved his passing game chops, but RB Rachaad White will likely be the team’s primary receiving back to begin the year. If Croskey-Merritt can siphon away receiving snaps, it will make him less reliant on positive game scripts. For now, if active, he is a borderline RB2/3.
White’s hamstring strain is officially behind him. The veteran running back is expected to assume passing down duties with his new team, though starting RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) has reportedly been improving his receiving skills this summer. If Croskey-Merritt can play this weekend, White will only be a mild FLEX play in PPR formats.
Raiders No. 2 TE Michael Mayer should be added wherever available. On the plus side, this does not appear to be a long-term absence, but missing Bowers for a couple of games is obviously concerning. According to Schefter, Bowers “got banged up ‘a little in camp’ and the injury was diagnosed last week.” With any luck, fantasy managers can expect to get their TE1 back for the Raiders’ Week 3 game against the Saints. Mayer is a TE1 in the meantime.
Bears coach Ben Johnson called Odunze “day to day” earlier this week. He went down with the calf injury in practice late last week. The initial reports were all positive, but it’s not a guarantee that Odunze will be ready for Week 1. A full practice over the next two days would be a good sign, though not necessary for Odunze to play. Assuming he does suit up, Odunze will be a high-riskF FLEX play.
This news was expected, but it is great to see, regardless. Hall is set to handle a sizable, RB1-worthy workload this season, having been paid accordingly by the Jets’ front office back in May. The Titans field an unimposing defense. A ceiling outcome is in play for the veteran running back.
Porter Jr. missed all of training camp with the back issue, though it’s widely believed that he was simply holding in while negotiating for a new contract. The team is likely working him up to full speed with today’s limited session. He should be good to go by Sunday for Pittsburgh’s date with the Falcons.
Sadiq is not yet ready for fantasy football TE1 duties, but he appears to have recovered from the setback he suffered in his rehab related to a hernia back in August. The Jets published their Week 1 depth chart earlier today with Sadiq listed as the backup behind TE Mason Taylor.
Pierce is recovering from offseason surgery that caused him to miss the entirety of training camp and the preseason. The lack of reps could leave him a little rusty heading into Week 1, but the good news is that a limited practice today means he should be active versus the Ravens. Pierce will be a high-risk WR4 for the first slate of the season. Josh Downs and Tyler Warren were not on the injury report.
Mayer, 25, immediately vaults into the TE1 tier, especially with a matchup against the Dolphins’ defense upcoming in Week 1. Mayer banked two top-five finishes last season, notably catching 9-of-10 targets for 89 yards in Week 17 with Bowers on injured reserve.
For the record, Flowers told reporters that he is feeling “great” earlier today, but opted not to disclose his injury details. Now we know he is dealing with a soft tissue issue. Flowers is on track to play, but as is always the case with hamstrings, his practice participation is worth tracking. Ideally, he is practicing fully by Friday and can be treated as a WR2 on game day.
Delp has been out for multiple weeks with the hamstring issue. A DNP to open the season likely puts him on the wrong side of questionable. His absence will lock in Juwan Johnson as an every-down player, though that was barely a question even before this injury.
Madubuike joined team drills last week, and is technically on track to play in Week 1 against the Colts. If active, the stud defensive tackle will likely be on a snap count, though the team could opt for a conservative approach and hold him out for this week.
Jordan has been dealing with a hamstring issue for nearly a month. The fact that Kellen Moore was able to rule him out so early in the week suggests this issue could linger for much longer than just Sunday’s game. Jordan signed a one-year deal with stay in New Orleans for a 16th season in June. He totaled 10.5 sacks in 2025.
Johnson was seen practicing in a non-contact jersey last week, so today’s full session is positive. Unfortunately, Johnson’s path to fantasy football TE1 status is likely blocked by TE Isaiah Likely, so Johnson is not on the radar for most leagues.
Branch ran behind Olamide Zaccheaus for most of training camp. A light workload in practice heading into Week 1 all but guarantees he won’t threaten the veteran receiver for a starting role to open the year. Branch isn’t on the fantasy radar for his NFL debut versus the Steelers.
Chase’s participation actually exceeds expectations. Beginning the week with a limited session would have been unsurprising. The Bengals’ star wide receiver hyperextended his knee on August 25th, but he is now good to go. Treat Chase as an elite WR1, per usual.
The Bengals will have their top two wide receivers on the field for what should be a high-scoring game against the Buccaneers. Higgins is a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside, playing alongside WR1 Ja’Marr Chase this weekend.
Kamara suffered an MCL injury during a scrimmage three weeks ago. The issue was initially expected to sideline him for at least a month, but it looks like he has a shot at significantly beating that timeline. Even if he doesn’t play this week, there’s a good chance Kamara is back by Week 2 or 3. He will be a low-end FLEX play in PPR leagues once he is healthy.
Flowers was asked how he was feeling today while meeting with the press, with a beat reporter specifically asking Flowers about his quad. Flowers suffered a quad bruise early in training camp and missed time last week with an undisclosed injury. Now feeling “better than ever,” Flowers is seemingly on track to play in Week 1 against the Colts without issue.
Reporters first asked whether Young had received an offer from the team. Tepper passed on answering. A reporter then asked what would prompt the team to offer Young an extension. Tepper initially declined to answer once again, before adding, “but look, success is success. And you know it when you see it.” Anything is possible, but given those remarks, it seems plausible that no offer was made. The Panthers picked up Young’s fifth-year team option in April, keeping the 25-year-old quarterback under contract through 2027. This could be a make-or-break year for him as the starter, though.