Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler operated mostly as the team's lead back in Week 1 against the Giants, leading the backfield with 32 snaps out of 65 plays. He only touched the ball nine times for the game, but was again efficient with 57 yards. The roles are still fairly fluid in the Washington backfield, but Week 1 could be instructive for how it might look going forward. Washington essentially gave Ekeler and Croskey-Merritt their own drives against the Giants, which is interesting. Ekeler was out-carried by Croskey-Merritt 10 to six, and the rookie could continue to earn more touches as the season goes on. Ekeler faces another stiff test against the Packers' defense that held Lions superstar running back Jahmyr Gibbs to just 50 yards on 19 touches. He should be looked at as a quality FLEX with projectable volume for Week 2.

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After impressing in his New York Jets debut last Sunday, quarterback Justin Fields appears to have a favorable matchup in Week 2. The mobile Fields will face the Buffalo Bills, who were unable to contain the Baltimore Ravens' rushing attack on Sunday. While the Bills pulled off a stunning 41-40 win, quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on six carries. He also completed 14 of 19 passes for 209 yards and two scores. To be sure, Fields isn't on the level of Jackson, a two-time MVP and a potential Hall of Famer. However, although Fields hasn't excelled as a passer in four full seasons in the NFL, he has been a major threat on the ground (5.9 yards per carry, 21 TDs on 430 attempts). He flashed his dual-threat abilities in a Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, carrying 12 times for 48 yards and a pair of TDs and completing 16 of 22 passes for 218 and another score. The Steelers have a better defense than the Bills on paper, which could bode well for Fields in Week 2. The 26-year-old is still available in 13% of Yahoo leagues and may be worth a look as a key component of a run-heavy offense.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. thrived in his first game with the team, catching seven of his 10 targets for 77 yards and also scoring a 19-yard touchdown on his only carry. With No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin missing training camp, Samuel established a great connection and trust with quarterback Jayden Daniels and was the focal point of the passing attack in the season opener. He received his usual diet of screens and underneath routes while mixing in a few deep crossers and dig routes that he excelled at in San Francisco. Samuel looks like an ideal fit in this Washington offense led by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. The yards after the catch element was lacking a bit in this offense last season, and there are few better with the ball in their hands than Samuel. He faces a Green Bay defense that ran zone coverage at the third-highest rate in the league in Week 1. That sets up favorably for Samuel, as he's performed much better against zone compared to man for his career. Samuel should be viewed as a high-end WR3 for fantasy purposes in Week 2.

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder, toe) is "a long shot" to play on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. Purdy is dealing with injuries to his toe and left (non-throwing) shoulder, which could set the stage for Mac Jones to get his first start as a member of the 49ers. Jones, a former first-round pick from Alabama, picked up 49 starts in his first four seasons while playing with the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. Aside from a promising first season, though, Jones has underwhelmed in the NFL. On paper, Jones and the 49ers will face a weak opponent in the Saints' defense, but the Niners' injury issues on offense go beyond Purdy. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) won't play, while WRs Jauan Jennings (shoulder) and Jordan Watkins (ankle) are also among the team's banged-up players. Jones clearly won't be operating with a full complement of weapons if he does start.

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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (hamstring) was limited at practice on Wednesday because of a hamstring injury. There's no indication that Cook is dealing with a serious issue, but it's something to keep an eye on leading up to Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Cook played 56.5% of offensive snaps in the Bills' Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens and accounted for 102 total yards on 18 touches. The 25-year-old rushed for just 44 yards on 13 attempts, but he found the end zone on the ground (something he did a league-high 16 times in 2024) and got involved in the passing game. Cook caught all five of his targets for 58 yards, including a 51-yarder. If he's not at 100% against the Jets, it could lead to more opportunities for backups Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. Neither Davis nor Johnson made much of an impact in the opener.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was slow out of the gate in Week 1 against the Giants, catching two of his four targets for 27 yards. A slow start to the season could have been somewhat expected for McLaurin after limited practice time amidst his contract negotiations. The talk of a slow start could have been mitigated if he and Jayden Daniels were able to connect on a deep shot where McLaurin had his man beat badly on a double move. With the new acquisition, Deebo Samuel Sr. making his team debut, play caller Kliff Kingsbury made an emphasis to get Samuel involved, and he has established a good connection with Daniels after McLaurin missed a lot of time in training camp. A positive, at least for McLaurin, is that he did not face any restrictions regarding his snap count and routes. The star receiver started slow last season as he built rapport with Daniels, and should be expected to bounce back against an exploitable Green Bay secondary. McLaurin has faced the Packers three times in his career and has put up strong numbers, catching 16 of 27 targets for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He should be viewed as a mid-range WR2 with upside in a projected high-scoring Week 2 matchup against the Packers.

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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Wednesday that running back Ty Chandler (undisclosed) will miss some time going forward with an undisclosed injury that he picked up in Monday night's win over the Chicago Bears in Week 1. It's unclear what Chandler is dealing with, but he will not be available in Week 2 for a Sunday night tilt with the Atlanta Falcons. The 27-year-old began the 2025 season as the team's No. 3 RB behind Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason, but he only appeared on special teams as a kick returner on Monday and averaged 28 yards on his three kickoff returns. Zavier Scott was inactive in Week 1 with an ankle injury, so Minnesota's RB depth could be thin behind Jones and Mason early in the year.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (back) said that he wasn't moving as well as he would have liked in the Week 1 win over his former team, the New York Jets, while dealing with "some back tightness," according to Alan Saunders of PGH Steelers Now. Rodgers also said that some of the sacks he took were a result of his back tightness. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer looked much better than most people expected in his Steelers debut against a reputable Jets defense, throwing for 244 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions on 22-for-30 passing. It doesn't necessarily mean his status is in question for Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, but we'll certainly keep a close eye on his practice status this week. Despite his four-touchdown season-opening performance, Rodgers should be treated as a low-end QB2 option in fantasy against Seattle, especially if he's already not 100 percent.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) was not seen at Wednesday's practice session, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. Head coach Mike McDaniel said he thinks he'll have a better read on Waller's status for Week 2 later in the week, but after Waller did not practice at all last week before being inactive for the Week 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, it sure doesn't look like he's trending in the right direction to make his Dolphins debut this Sunday against the division-rival New England Patriots. Fantasy managers in 12-team leagues should be leaving the 32-year-old veteran on the waiver wire for now. If Waller misses a second straight game this weekend, Julian Hill and Tanner Conner will both pick up more playing time, but they won't be recommended fantasy streamers in a Dolphins offense that was putrid in the season opener.

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The Green Bay Packers are listing All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (back) as questionable to play on Thursday Night Football in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders, according to Jason B. Hirschhorn of NFL.com. Parsons had been dealing with a back injury leading up to the first week of the regular season, but the 26-year-old managed to take the field for his Packers debut in the Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions, so we fully expect him to be active on Thursday evening. Parsons played 30 of the team's 67 defensive snaps on Sunday, was lined up all over the defensive line, and recorded his first sack in the fourth quarter. He might continue to have his snaps monitored as he manages a joint sprain, which will lower his fantasy ceiling in IDP leagues, but if Parsons is active, he should be started in fantasy lineups.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) was seen working with a trainer on a side field on Wednesday, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun. It means that Likely still isn't practicing after missing the Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. The 25-year-old didn't practice at all last week and was fully expected to miss time early in the 2025 campaign. While the Ravens expect him back sooner rather than later, fantasy managers should not expect him to be active this Sunday against the division-rival Cleveland Browns. It means that veteran Mark Andrews will have a higher ceiling once again in Week 2 as a must-start TE1, even though he only had one reception on one target for a five-yard gain in the 41-40 loss in the season opener.

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Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is quickly emerging as a trusted target in the passing game. Rostered in just 34% of leagues, the rookie turned nine Week 1 targets into seven receptions for 63 yards, moving the chains three times and even getting a designed rush for three yards. That blend of volume and versatility suggests the Browns want him involved, especially with Joe Flacco favoring quick reads over the middle. A tough road matchup with the Ravens could funnel even more short-area looks his way as Cleveland tries to keep the pass rush at bay. In PPR formats, Fannin profiles as a TE1 with streaming appeal and upward momentum. If he's on your wire, he's worth a proactive add before the role expands further.

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Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee) missed Wednesday's practice, putting his status for the Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles in doubt. Andy Reid said Royals is "doing better" and "making progress," but the fourth-round pick could miss another week while he ramps up. In his absence, expect the Chiefs to keep funneling targets to Marquise Brown, who turned a team-high 16 targets into 10 catches for 99 yards in Week 1, with Travis Kelce working the middle. Against an Eagles secondary built to limit explosives, Kansas City may lean more on the run game to stay on schedule and protect possessions.

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Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt could be in line for more touches in Week 2 against the Packers after an exciting debut. His 82 rushing yards were the most among the rookie running backs in Week 1, and he had the highest PFF rushing grade in the league. The seventh rounder was hyper-efficient on his touches, with a 50% success rate as a runner and ran for over 10 yards on a league high 30% of his touches. His role in the offense should expand a bit as the season goes along, but it will likely look pretty similar to Week 1. Austin Ekeler will continue to handle the majority of the pass-down reps, and a third back in either Jeremy McNichols or Chris Rodriguez Jr., will have complementary roles as well. Croskey-Merritt likely won't catch many passes and will need to find the end zone to have an impactful game for fantasy, putting him in FLEX territory for now.

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) is dealing with a knee sprain that could leave the Eagles without their receptions leader for Sunday's trip to Kansas City. While the injury isn't expected to sideline him long--if at all--his missed practice time is notable for a passing game that must improve after totaling just 152 yards in Week 1. If Goedert sits, Grant Calcaterra would likely see elevated snaps at tight end, and the target load would tilt further toward A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, and Saquon Barkley. Against a disciplined Chiefs defense, losing Goedert would stress Philadelphia's short and intermediate game and put added pressure on Jalen Hurts to find rhythm early.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led his team to a 21-6 win in the home opener against the Giants. It was a solid yet sloppy day overall for Daniels and the Washington offense, with plenty still to clean up. He still racked up over 300 total yards and a touchdown against a good Giants defense. Daniels' floor is incredibly high for fantasy, with Lamar Jackson as the only player with more 20-point fantasy games since the start of last season. Now they face a quick turnaround with a Thursday night matchup against the Packers at Lambeau Field. In Week 1, the Packers' defense bottled up the Lions, last season's top-ranked offense. Detroit averaged just 3.8 yards per play and made life difficult for quarterback Jared Goff. He was sacked four times and threw one interception on the way to a 27-13 loss. The Packers completely shut off the Lions' run game, holding them to 2.1 yards per rush. Washington relied heavily on the ground attack against the Giants with 220 total rushing yards and 6.9 yards per carry. It projects to be one of the best games of the week with two top contenders in the NFC, and Daniels is a locked-and-loaded top 3 fantasy QB for Week 2.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is ready for a breakout season. Austin showed instant chemistry with Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, catching 4-of-6 targets for 70 yards and a touchdown. With defenses shading coverage to DK Metcalf, Austin's speed and crisp routes give Rodgers a reliable separator who can win underneath and create explosive plays after the catch. The fit makes sense--Rodgers has long thrived with precise route-runners--and early usage suggests Austin will remain a featured option. In Week 2 against Seattle, expect the defense to focus on Metcalf in his first game versus his former team, opening space for Austin on crossers, option routes, and deep shots. He's a sneaky breakout with real big-play potential.

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter's two-way role is set to grow in Week 2 as the Jaguars prepare for the Bengals. After logging 44 of 63 offensive snaps and just six on defense in his NFL debut, the staff plans to ease him into packages on the back end while still managing his workload. Hunter already looked comfortable on offense, leading Jacksonville in targets (8) and receptions (6) for 33 yards, and his ability to threaten defenses after the catch should continue to earn designed touches. The added defensive snaps give Jacksonville a flexible chess piece for passing downs and late-game situations. With Cincinnati's defense still unproven, expect Hunter's snap share and impact to climb as the Jaguars find more ways to keep their difference-maker on the field.

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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that he's preparing for offensive tackle Austin Jackson (toe) to miss the Week 2 divisional contest on Sunday against the New England Patriots, according to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. Jackson injured his toe in the Week 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and it looks like he's going to miss at least one game. The 26-year-old is unlikely to practice this week, and his next chance to play will be in Week 3 against the division-rival Buffalo Bills. In addition to Jackson's injury, the Dolphins placed offensive lineman James Daniels (pectoral) on Injured Reserve this week. Not only did Miami's offense look disappointing again in the season opener, but they'll be missing key pieces going into Week 2. Larry Borom and Kion Smith should move into the starting lineup.

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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll told reporters on Wednesday that rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart will remain as the QB2 heading into the Week 2 divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys. "He had a good camp, he had a good preseason...we'll continue to work with him," Daboll said. Dart opened the regular season as the direct backup to Russell Wilson for the Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders, ahead of veteran Jameis Winston. The Giants even said Dart could have a role in the Week 1 game plan, although he didn't end up getting on the field. There was speculation that New York might bench Wilson after a lackluster showing in the season-opening loss. The G-Men are sticking with him for now, but if he underwhelms again against Dallas, don't be surprised if Daboll pulls the trigger and moves to Dart as early as Week 3.

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