In speaking with reporters on Friday, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was effusive in his praise of second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze. Johnson was quick to point out Odunze's contributions in the run game and his ability to separate, along with his athleticism and catch radius, labeling the ninth pick of the 2024 draft a "complete receiver". After a relatively quiet rookie season, Odunze has looked every bit the part of an alpha-receiver through the first two games of 2025, coming off the best game of his career, in which he caught seven of ten targets for 128 yards and two scores. The Bears face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3 in a game with one of the highest projected point totals of the week. Given the commendation heaped upon him by his coach, expect Odunze to see continued involvement in the passing game, making him a must-start.

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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) had successful surgery on his toe on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Burrow had surgery for Grade 3 turf toe that he suffered in the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he will be facing a three-month recovery. Joe Cool will basically miss most, if not all, of Cincy's season, which is obviously a major blow for the Bengals and anyone who spent an early-round pick on Burrow in fantasy drafts. Depending on how his recovery goes, he could make a return in mid-to-late December. But by that time, fantasy teams could be well out of contention for a trophy at the end of the year. We should have a better idea of Burrow's timeline for a potential return once he actually starts the rehab process. Jake Browning will now take over Cincy's offense and will be in play as a decent QB2 streamer in the right matchups.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) has officially been ruled out for the Week 3 game on Sunday against the New York Jets, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Godwin is not ready to make his 2025 debut after suffering an ugly dislocated ankle in Week 7 of 2024, but he returned to practice for the first time last week and made more progress this week, suggesting that he could return in a Week 4 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 29-year-old will probably have to upgrade to a full practice at some point next week for that to happen, though, and for fantasy purposes, he'll be extremely risky whenever he makes his debut, especially when considering how good rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka has been so far. Fantasy managers stashing Godwin are going to need to stay patient, and his overall ceiling and floor figures to be impacted by the presence of Egbuka all year.

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said that wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (wrist) had a better week "in terms of the way we were trying to connect" and is excited for Thomas' opportunity against the division-rival Houston Texans on Sunday, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN. Thomas said, "I'm good." There was some question about his Week 3 status when he went from a full practice on Wednesday to limited on Thursday, but apparently, the 22-year-old second-year pass-catcher is ready to rock this weekend against Houston. Thomas has been a disappointment through two games in 2025 after going for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie campaign, and the Jags have spread the ball around so far. He does have 19 targets through two weeks, but the efficiency has not been there, with only five grabs for 60 yards. Fantasy managers are hoping this will be the week Thomas breaks out.

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Miami Dolphins rookie running back Ollie Gordon II's success puts "competitive pressure" on Jaylen Wright, who was active for the first time in 2025 in Thursday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. The head coach said he still believes in Wright and plans on incorporating him in the offense, but with Gordon, "they can punch and hit the opponent." Wright missed the first two weeks of the year with a knee injury, which didn't help his cause. The 22-year-old was active on Thursday night against Buffalo, but he didn't handle any snaps on offense or special teams. Meanwhile, Gordon had nine carries (three fewer than De'Von Achane) for 38 yards and a touchdown. Wright should be more involved now that he's healthy, but Gordon gives Miami a dynamic they haven't had at the position in years, which doesn't bode well for Wright.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (hamstring) has been labeled as questionable to play in a Week 3 divisional tilt against the visiting Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, according to David Newton of ESPN. Legette came down with some hamstring soreness in Wednesday's practice and was shut down. The 24-year-old was limited on both Wednesday and Thursday. Even if he's cleared to play this weekend, fantasy managers should not be compelled to use him in their starting lineups after catching only four of his 15 targets for eight yards in the first two games of the season. Legette is going to continue to be involved in Carolina's passing attack, but he could quickly become the WR3 in a suspect offense after Hunter Renfrow found the end zone twice in last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. or David Moore will see more snaps as the WR3 on Sunday if Legette is ruled out.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (hamstring) is "on track to return" in a Week 3 divisional matchup on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. The Texans said earlier this week that they expected both Kirk and Braxton Berrios (hamstring) to play for the first time this season. It's unclear right now if they'll both be removed from the final injury report or if they'll head into Sunday with a questionable designation, but either way, they should be on the field against Jacksonville. Kirk is the one that fantasy managers need to keep an eye on. While he's not start-worthy in his debut with Houston this weekend, he will give their struggling offense a boost and is expected to see most of the snaps out of the slot when he's up to speed. Kirk's impending return is definitely bad news for rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) has officially been ruled out for Week 3 on Sunday against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, according to The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov. Things were trending this way since earlier in the week when head coach Dan Quinn said that Daniels wouldn't practice until at least Friday. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday and wasn't seen on the field on Friday, either, so veteran Marcus Mariota will officially make his first start of the year against his old team. The Commanders are erring on the side of caution with their second-year signal-caller, but Daniels could also be in danger of missing the Week 4 game against the Atlanta Falcons due to a knee sprain that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Mariota, who will be making his first start since 2022, will be a low-end QB2 option for those desperate in superflex leagues.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (groin, hip) will be questionable for Week 3 against the visiting New York Jets on Sunday, according to Brianna Dix of Buccaneers.com. The good news is that Egbuka returned to practice on Friday after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday. With Chris Godwin (ankle) officially ruled out again, veteran Sterling Shepard would be worth a look as a flex streamer this weekend as the team's WR2 if Egbuka is inactive. If he's cleared to play on Sunday, Egbuka should remain in all starting fantasy lineups after going for eight catches on 13 targets for 96 yards and three touchdowns in the first two games of his NFL career. Egbuka has been great as the WR2 behind Mike Evans so far, but this could be the last week that he's the clear No. 2 option if Godwin returns in Week 4.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (groin, hip) was back on the practice field on Friday after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. It's good news for the Bucs, but Egbuka isn't exactly in the clear to play in Week 4 against the New York Jets. There's a good chance the 22-year-old will be listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. The Bucs play in the early window on Sunday, though, so fantasy managers will know early whether Egbuka will be active against the Jets. The Ohio State product will be a must-start this weekend if he's active, as he's caught eight passes for 96 yards and three touchdowns on 13 targets in his first two NFL games. If Egbuka doesn't get cleared to play this weekend, Sterling Shepard would be the WR2 across from Mike Evans, with Chris Godwin (ankle) not expected back until at least Week 4.

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Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald stated in a recent interview that the plan is for running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet to operate in a true 1A/1B backfield committee. "You need multiple really good backs," said Macdonald. "I feel like in recent history, it's hard for it to be one bell cow all the time... We're fortunate to have the guys we have." It might not be the news fantasy managers were hoping for, but it's the correct move for the team, particularly with two talented options. According to the head coach, the plan is for both backs to have "ample opportunity" each week to impact the game on the ground. Seattle is currently a top ten team in terms of rush percentage, and if that trend is sustained, both backs will have valuable outings. However, they'll also cannibalize each other's fantasy ceilings. Both have solid standalone value at present.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he doesn't think tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) will practice on Friday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. The Packers are non-committal on Kraft's status for Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday after he tweaked his knee in practice on Thursday. The good news is that Kraft avoided a long-term injury, and LaFleur doesn't think he'll go on Injured Reserve, which would knock him out for at least four games. If Kraft doesn't practice on Friday, he probably won't be active this Sunday, so fantasy managers need to make backup plans now if he's your only tight end on roster. Backup Luke Musgrave will be on the streaming radar if Kraft doesn't play, especially with receivers Jayden Reed (collarbone, foot) and Christian Watson (knee) out. Check back later to see if Kraft is officially ruled out for Week 3.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) was "super close" to playing in Thursday night's divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. With that said, McDaniel expects Waller to make his debut with the team in another divisional tilt in Week 4 against the New York Jets on Monday, Sept. 29, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Waller might have been able to play had the Dolphins faced Buffalo on Sunday this week instead of Thursday. The 33-year-old veteran had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019 and 2020 before injuries set in. Waller retired after one year with the New York Giants in 2023. He spent all of training camp trying to get his conditioning up to speed before a hip injury caused him to miss the first three games. Expect Miami to ease Waller in if he's active in Week 4. At best, he's a TE2 stash right now in deeper fantasy formats.

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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that "all signs" point to Washington Commanders veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota getting the start for Week 3's meeting with the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. There was some hope that star QB Jayden Daniels (knee) would be healthy enough to suit up on Sunday, but the Commanders will exhibit a bit of caution with their young signal-caller, and rightfully so. It's been nearly three seasons since the 31-year-old drew a start, and the Commanders' offense takes a step or two back with him at the helm. Las Vegas' defense has been stellar against opposing rushing attacks thus far, yielding the fourth-fewest yards per game on the ground (70.5), so the veteran may be forced to air it out in his return.

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According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn declined to respond when asked if a player could lose his job while injured, regarding quarterback Justin Fields (concussion). Yikes. The Ohio State alum's performance in Week 2 was nothing short of dreadful -- a surprising outcome after their execution in Week 1. It's unlikely that Fields would outright lose his job, particularly after one down game and an injury that shouldn't keep him out for an extended duration. Still, it's a comment worth noting, and a situation that requires monitoring. Glenn is a hard-nosed coach, but losing faith in his starting quarterback after one week of play doesn't align with his character. We'll know more following this weekend.

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New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hamstring) is officially ruled out for Sunday's road meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to the New York Post's Brian Costello. It's unfortunate news for New York, as the 30-year-old will miss his second consecutive contest after picking up a hamstring injury leading up to Week 2. In that game, fellow wideout Tyler Johnson garnered one more snap (45) than Garrett Wilson, with Arian Smith and Allen Lazard participating on 22 apiece. A similar distribution of playing time is expected for their meeting with Tampa Bay. However, Smith may continue to see an uptick in workload as he better adjusts to the professional level. For now, Wilson is the only asset worth starting from this bunch.

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The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala predicts that Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. should get an opportunity to impact the field when his team lines up with the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Rodriguez Jr. was a healthy scratch for the team's first two contests, but Jhabvala credits that more to game-day roster construction than an indication of talent. While an accurate touch share can't be predicted, the 25-year-old figures to work in tandem with both rookie rusher Jacory Croskey-Merritt and veteran Jeremy McNichols. As of now, Croskey-Merritt should be favored for early-down work, with McNichols handling most of the passing situations and Rodriguez Jr. mixing in for both.

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Washington Commanders beat writer Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic predicts a 40-45% chance that Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) suits up for Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniels suffered a knee sprain during the team's Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. It's worth noting that Jhabvala also writes that he "doesn't have a good sense" of Daniels' status for Week 3. Still, Daniels has not practiced yet this week heading into Friday, and it could make sense for the team to be cautious with their young superstar this early in the season. If Daniels cannot play, veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota would take over under center for Washington. Even if Daniels does suit up, he may not be able to do much damage with his legs, which could limit his effectiveness against Las Vegas. Daniels would remain a must-start fantasy quarterback if he's active, but fantasy managers should be preparing for him to miss Week 3.

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Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft's (knee) status for Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns is "at least somewhat clouded," according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Kraft suffered a knee injury during practice on Thursday. However, Pelissero confirms initial reporting from the team that the knee injury is not expected to result in a long-term absence. Kraft is coming off a breakout Week 2 performance against the Washington Commanders, where he recorded six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. If he is unable to play in Week 3, Packers tight end Luke Musgrave would be in line for an increase in snaps. The outlook for Packers wide receivers Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Matthew Golden could improve as well, as all would likely be in line for an increase in targets.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco called rookie running back Quinshon Judkins "explosive," and Browns coaches are ramping Judkins up to take on a heavier workload, per Scott Petrak of BrownsZone. Judkins made his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, recording 10 carries for 61 yards and three catches for 10 yards. The 21-year-old is likely to still split touches with fellow Browns backs Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford in the short term, but Judkins could take hold of a clear RB1 workload sooner rather than later. Judkins faces a tough matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He profiles as a low-end RB3/flex option in Week 3, but his season-long upside is significantly higher.

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