CINCINNATI BENGALS
9/18/2026

LOOKING BACK
In the season opener, the Bengals held off the Buccaneers 33-27.
And it was without doubt because of the defense. The offense had an okay game but nothing spectacular. QB Joe Burrow was 25-35 for 254 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an inexcusable pick-six. Sadly he was the second leading rusher for the Bengals with 20 yards.
Speaking of the ground game, RB Chase Brown went 16-56-1 but just looked slow. Maybe It was the Tampa defense but he didn’t seem to have any zip. None of the other runners have zip either. RB Samaje Perine went 5-20-0. WR Dohnte Meyers carried one time for 10 yards and definitely showed some juice.
WR Ja’Marr Chase had statistically one of the worst games of his Cincinnati career with a 2-12-0 line on 4 targets. WR Tee Higgins went 3-59-0 and the aforementioned WR Dohnte Meyers had one catch for 18 yards. WR Andrei Iosivas had a 2-12-0 line. RB Samaje Perine had a 3-30-0 receiving line and RB Chase Brown wen 5-22-0. Lot of dump offs. TE Mike Gesicki was the pass catching star with a 5-78-1 line and seemed to be open all the time. Still TE Drew Sample had a 3-19-0 line and TE Tanner Hudson caught his one pass for four yards. PK Evan McPherson was a stud with 4 field goals and 3 extra points. His long was 58 yards. He benefited from a good but not great offensive day.
On defense, DB Dax Hill had 7 tackles, LB Barrett Carter had 8 and LB Demetrius Knight Jr. had 7 and a fumble return for touchdown.
The defense recovered 4 Tampa fumbles and sacked QB Baker Mayfield 4 times.
My take on this one, this defense can be legit but I am not quite ready to anoint them near the top of the NFL. Tampa Bay is a good offense and will score plenty of points this season.
I was troubled by the 23-28 completion rate in the pass game and the 4.5 yards per carry in the run game.
The Bengals were opportunistic and if that keeps up this will be a team to be reckoned with. That is hard to do however so I like to see those stingy defense that give little ground as being more sustainable.
Time will tell, but this was a good start for sure.
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LOOKING FORWARD
QUARTERBACK QB Joe Burrow had some general soreness during the week which sparked major anxiousness by Bengals fans world wide. Such is the life of an NFL quarterback.
Burrow says he is fine. HC Zac Taylor says Burrow will play against Houston Sunday so all is good.
Coming into the season, this was a game that was going to be a big test for the Bengals offense against a Texans defense supposed to be at the top of the league. Well, that defense was shredded last week by the Buffalo Bills. Now, the Bills are a great offense to be sure so they can do that to any time.
Can the Bengals do it? Yes. Could they be shut down? Yes.
But whatever you think, Burrow is in your lineup.
RUNNING BACK RB Chase Brown was not great last week but he had the volume you expect and decent numbers. Tampa is not a bad defense so do not overreact. Put Brown in your lineup every week. RB Samaje Perine is the main backup and will get a handful of touches and maybe even a score here and there but is not worth your lineup. Even if Brown went down I would not feel good about starting Perine. RB Tahj Brooks was nothing and should be dealt with accordingly as the season goes on.
WIDE RECEIVERS
WR Ja’Marr Chase and WR Tee Higgins are starters for your team every week. No matter what happened last week to Chase, he should start this week. Higgins was good but not great, but he plays as well. WR Dohnte Meyers is the juice this offense lacks. Do I believe he should get 10 touches a game? No but his role will grow each week. WR Andrei Iosivas is a decent NFL player but nothing on your fantasy team. Meyers could be a nice flex at some point. WR Colbie Young, the top rookie receiver drafted by the Bengals, is not there yet. Maybe not until next season but he is a talented and will flash.
TIGHT END TE Mike Gesicki appears to be healthy and have the role as the top receiving target among a group of woeful fantasy tight ends. Gesicki is the clear third option in the pass game. And there will be times he is the top option, like last week. Start him but know you will get a few duds.
None of the other tight ends are fantasy worthy. They are roster cloggers. TE Erick All Jr. and TE Jack Endries are long-term plays but not likely to score for your team.
KICKER PK Evan McPherson is a good kicker. He had a great rookie season but then fell off a bit. Still he is a good kicker on one of the best offenses in the NFL and is a must-start every week if your league uses kickers. He is a specially good at long distance kicks so extra points for 50-plus yard field goals makes McPherson a must-have.
IDP
After a multi-turnover, multi-sack game, this can be a fantasy relevant defense. Do I expect 4 fumbles and 4 sacks every week? No but not being a horrible defense can make this team great.
There are several players who are IDP worthy it would seem.
If you are in a league that uses defensive tackles, DL Dexter Lawrence is an obvious play. DE Myles Murphy and DE Boye Mafe are veterans who can post solid numbers. DE Shemar Stewart is expected back this week as well. DE Cashius Howell, the first draft pick this year for the Bengals, looks like the real deal. A great long-term play.
At linebacker, LB Barrett Carter and LB Demetrius Knight Jr are now second year players who are expected to lead the way and both were solid in the opener. Knight had a touchdown. You could do worse given the volume these two will see this season.
In the secondary, DB Dax Hill, DB Bryan Cook, DB Jordan Battle are the top plays along with DB Jalen Davis.
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TRANSACTIONS
SEPTEMBER
12-Elevated LB Joe Giles-Harris and TE Tanner Hudson from practice squad to the active roster.
1-Signed CB Trikweze Bridges, OT Blake Freeland, TE Tanner Hudson, QB Josh Johnson, DE Garmon Randolph to practice squad
AUGUST
31-Acquired OT Myles Hinton on waivers from Philadelphia. Terminated the contract of TE Tanner Hudson. Signed HB Kentrel Bullock, QB Sean Clifford, DT Howard Cross III, DE Isaiah Foskey, LB Joe Giles-Harris, LB Shaka Heyward, CB Bralyn Lux, HB Kendall Milton, WR Jordan Moore, WR Noah Thomas, DB Russ Yeast to practice squad. Placed OL Brian Parker II and CB Ja’Sir Taylor on Reserve/Injured List and designated for return. Terminated contracts of vested veterans RB Gary Brightwell, LB Joe Giles-Harris, QB Josh Johnson, DB Russ Yeast. Waived LB Liam Anderson, DBB Daijahn Anthony, OL Liam Brown, HB Kentrel Bullock, QB Sean Clifford, OL Andrew Coker, DT Howard Cross III, LB Jack Dingle, DE Isaiah Foskey, LB Eric Gentry, TE Cam Grandy, RB Jamal Haynes, LB Shaka Heyward, DT McKinnley Jackson, DT Jordan Jefferson, WR Xavier Johnson, WR Charlie Jones, OT Christian Jones, TE Josh Kattus, CB Jalen Kimber, CB Bralyn Lux, CB Matthew McDoom, HB Kendall Milton, WR Jordan Moore, DE Antwaun Powell-Rylan, WR Kendric Pryor, OT Corey Robinson, WR Noah Thomas, WR Mitch Tinsley, CB Ceyair Wright (Exempt/Left Squad list)
15-Signed CB Matthew McDoom (free agent); placed CB Ceyair Wright on Exempt/Left Squad list.

Good luck this week!

End.

Mark Huber

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
9/18/2026

Hey there Colts’ fans! Here are my thoughts as the 0-1 Colts play their first road game of the 2026 season as they travel to Kansas City to face the always-stacked Chiefs on Sunday night.

LAST WEEK: Ugly. As predicted. Just look away. King Henry mauled them, Zay Flowers ran all over them, Lamar Jackson toyed with them. They had no answers despite being at home to a far superior roster. The game was 41-23, but it really was never that close, nor did it ever feel like the Colts were competitive. The passing game was sluggish at best, and the run game was predictable as heck. The defense was even worse than I had suspected, as guys who had great camps (I am talking about you, slot CB Justin Walley….) were atrocious on the field. They had no chance last Sunday, and this looks like a long season with a tough schedule.

INJURIES: The Colts have already ruled out special teams ace and backup WR Ashton Dulin (ankle) for this week. He has not practiced all week, and this is not a surprise. While Dulin is not a fantasy factor in any way, his loss will be felt on both the coverage and return units. Backup RB DJ Giddens (knee) is also iffy, but he is not ever going to be a fantasy factor. On the plus side, all the guys that hobbled a bit into the season opener came out of the game none the worse for wear, and should be just fine for this Sunday. WR Alec Pierce was on a snap count as expected, but he has practiced in full all week and is not expected to have any limitations on Sunday. Warren and all the defensive guys also mostly played a full complement of snaps.

QUARTERBACK: QB Daniel Jones did nothing special last week, even with a positive game script and a potential for major garbage time stats. This week should look no different, and the Chiefs pass rush should be better than was the Ravens last week (between the talent and the venue). In a 12-team league with a 2-quarterback scoring system, I still would not start Daniel Jones this week. He was the #28 fantasy quarterback last week, and that was only because Stafford and Nix had freakishly low openers (which won’t happen again). He is also probably unrosterable right now (and his ADP indicates he likely is anyway)

RUNNING BACK: Just like last week, the Colts will try to utilize a heavy dose of RB Jonathan Taylor to protect their hemorrhagic defense, but also in general to keep Patrick Moahomes and company on the sideline.He should have prime volume, even when (not if….when) the game script tilts in favor of the passing game. The Chiefs only gave up 15 touches to running backs last week in total, and under 10 standard fantasy points to the position. Playing with a lead minimizes their need to worry about a rushing attack, and this week should be no different. They are solid anyway, giving up a lower-end amount of volume in both the run and pass game to the position over the last few years, and a league-low 11 rushes last week. Play him, he will be fine for your team, but he surely won’t have a huge game unless he happens to break a long one (which he almost always does at home and not on the road or on natural grass.

WIDE RECEIVER: WR Alec Pierce should have the governor removed and be full tilt this week. The question is….will it make a difference? In only 28 snaps last week, he was tied for the team lead in targets and led the team in receiving yards anyway (it was only 61 yards, but still…). He is still the best bet to play in standard leagues, while WR Keenan Allen is the better bet in PPR leagues. Neither is much more than a #3 guy though, and maybe a #4 in leagues of 12 teams or more. I don’t think Dulin’s absence will afford any more opportunities this week for WR Josh Downs since Allen will still be manning the slot a fair amount; Downs is not rosterable right now.

TIGHT END: TE Tyler Warren had some decent looks but not a lot of seam opportunities last week as he was nursing a bit of a nagging injury. He should be stronger this week, but I am not sure that he will see a lot of chances. Yes, he scored last week, but he did so late in garbage time, which is not something one can rely upon except for a quarterback who will stay in the game more often. You are probably playing him if you drafted him, but I would temper expectations this week.

KICKER: PK Spencer Shrader most weeks will be a viable fantasy kicker….but this is not one of those weeks. The Chiefs don’t give up a ton of FGAs (especially at home), and the Colts do not generate a lot of offensive chances on the road. Better look elsewhere this week.

DEFENSE: They switched the “green dot” responsibility after one week from veteran S Cam Bynum to LB Akeem Davis-Gaither. Bynum is a natural leader, but he simply is too far from the line of scrimmage to make communication effective, and that showed a lot against Baltimore. Davis-Gaither (who led the team in tackles on Sunday) has played over 70 games in a Lou Anarumo defense and is closer to the line of scrimmage, so he was the obvious choice. In any case, I am still very concerned about this defense’s ability to make big plays (or to be playing with a lead) in ways that will translate to fantasy value. I do not even see any decent IDP players out there, although rookie LB Bryce Boettcher was one off the team lead in tackles and vastly outplayed and outsnapped top pick LB CJ Allen. Unless you have a lot of space on an IDP dynasty roster, I would target Boettcher instead of Allen who apparently has looked lost at practice also.

OVERALL: The Chiefs are always tough at home and in nationally televised games, and frankly they are simply a ton more talented than are the Colts. With the Chiefs’ strengths also lining up pretty well with the weaknesses the Colts showed last week, this one could be even more of a laugher than the Ravens game last week. I think the Chiefs may have a better pass rush than the Ravens and their offense is just as potent, and their lead back is just as dominant as was Henry. I suspect that the Colts offense might not be as effective in the very loud confines of a SNF Kansas City also. It will be a good night to go to bed early, since this game will be over long before halftime. Chiefs in a rout, 37-16.

That is all for week 2 from the Crossroads of America. Good luck in your fantasy game this week!

End.

Chris Rito

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DENVER BRONCOS
9/15/2026

The Denver Broncos opened their 2026 NFL regular season on Monday Night Football with a dominant 31-10 loss to the KC Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The win snapped a three-game losing streak against their divisional rival and gave Kansas City early momentum in the AFC West. The star of the night in his Chiefs debut, Kenneth Walker rushed for 173 yards on 23 carries, highlighted by a explosive 60-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-1 in the third quarter. He added a second touchdown late in the game on a shovel pass from Patrick Mahomes. Making his return nine months after suffering a torn ACL, Patrick Mahomes showed mobility early by scrambling for a 15-yard touchdown on KC's opening drive. He threw for 184 yards, 2 passing TDs, and 1 INT, while also adding a rushing TD. Travis Kelce hauled in a 59-yard catch that moved him past Jason Witten into 2nd place on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list for tight ends. QB Bo Nix struggled against the Chiefs' defense, throwing for 131 yards with one touchdown pass to Evan Engram, while turning the ball over twice (one interception, one lost fumble). Kenneth Walker III took immense pressure off Mahomes in his first game back. The Chiefs dominated early down situations, allowing them to dictate tempo and break big plays Kansas City's defense set the tone early with a first-quarter interception by rookie Mansoor Delane and later recovered a Bo Nix fumble stripped by Felix Anudike-Uzomah, directly converting those extra possessions into points. Andy Reid dialed up effective situational plays—including a goal-line look featuring Justin Fields alongside Mahomes that ended in a shovel-pass TD to Walker—keeping Denver's defense off balance all night.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) head to Mile High to face the Denver Broncos (0-1) in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. Jacksonville enters momentum-rich following a dominant 34-10 win over Cleveland, while Denver looks to bounce back at home after dropping their opener to Kansas City. Trevor Lawrence came out hot in Week 1, throwing 4 touchdown passes with zero interceptions. Keeping his rhythm in Denver's high altitude will be vital for Jacksonville's offensive tempo. Bo Nix will be looking to rebound after a tough opening game marked by two turnovers. Limiting mistakes and taking advantage of his quick-release passing attack will be key to moving the chains. Patrick Surtain II. The elite lockdown corner will likely be tasked with shadowing Jacksonville's top targets (Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers) to force Lawrence into tough reads. Josh Hines-Allen & Travon Walker, Jacksonville's pass-rushing duo, must generate edge pressure to collapse the pocket and prevent Denver from settling into a balanced rhythm. Bo Nix needs clean pockets and error-free execution. If Jacksonville forces early turnover opportunities, the Mile High crowd could get quiet fast. Jacksonville's offense was dynamic in Week 1. Denver's defense, led by Zach Allen and Surtain II, must get off the field on 3rd-and-medium to avoid getting worn out by altitude and long drives. Both teams need a ground game to set up play-action. Denver is favored by 2.5. Jacksonville 21 Denver 24

Orangeman’s Take
OC Davis Webb, was taken to school by Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo. The Broncos' plan for getting Jalen Waddle involved was either really bad, or the Chiefs were ready for it. The Broncos' defense simply refused to wrap up on tackles and it was a problem throughout the game! The Broncos looked flat, poorly coached, and just in way over their heads. Payton-coached teams just start out slow for some reason. The Broncos have a lot to clean up, but it will get better.

Fantasy:

Player PPR points
Quarterback
Bo Nix 15-18

Running Back
JK Dobbins 8-11
RJ Harvey 9-11
Jonah Coleman 1-5

Wide Receiver
Courtland Sutton 11-16
Jaylen Waddle 12-17
Pat Bryant 6-9
Troy Franklin 2-6
Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Marvin Mims, Jr 3-4

Tight Ends
Evan Engram 5-9
Adam Trautman 2-3

Kicker
Wil Lutz 6-8

DST
Broncos D’ST 6-13

Good luck this week!

End.

Charles Rives

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LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
9/15/2026

Surprisingly, the L.A. Chargers, 9.5-point favorites over the Arizona Cardinals, were absolutely owned by the Cardinals by the score of 26-14. So, what went wrong? Are the Cardinals better than we thought? Maybe the Chargers are worse than expectations? Or did the Bolts take the game lightly and arrive unprepared? One thing is for certain, after this week’s upcoming Raiders at Chargers game, the schedule gets brutally tough, with games against the Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans and Ravens. Unless they right the ship fast, this could be a disaster of a season for L.A. This report will be a review of the loss to Arizona, and a preview of the upcoming Raiders at L.A. game.

QB: It was a rough week for QB Justin Herbert, who was sacked 3 times, gave up 1 INT, and was 17-27 for 209 passing yards and a TD& 5 carries for 29 yards. While it is only 1 game, I don’t think we should ignore what just happened. Against the Raiders, consider Herbert a lower-end QB1 or strong QB2. I’ll upgrade him if the performance improves.

RB: No Chargers RB excelled, although RB Omarion Hampton carried 12 times for 43 yards with a TD (3.58 YPC average) and did not catch a pass. Like Herbert, Hampton is a weak RB1 or better RB2. I wouldn’t own any other Chargers running backs right now.

WR: Fortunately, WR Ladd McConkey did perform to expectations and is clearly Herbert’s preferred target. He caught 5 for 82 yards and a TD. This week, he’s a strong WR2. WR Tre’ Harris caught 3 for 20 yards and no TDs, and boom/bust WR Quentin Johnston was a bust with 2 catches for 17 yards and no TDs. This week, Johnston maintains his boom/bust status as a WR3. I wouldn’t start any other Chargers receivers at this time, although there are several capable of a positive surprise.

TE: The good news is that the Chargers have 2 tight ends who I’d consider relevant from a fantasy perspective. The bad news is that neither one is the clear leader, so a bit of a two-headed tight end monster. TE David Njoku caught 5 for 58 yards and looked good. TE Oronde Gadsden caught 2 for 32 yards. Because the looks are likely to be split between Gadsden and Njoku, I wouldn’t start either one of them, even though they’re both solid.

PK: Lack of opportunities hurt PK Cameron Dicker, who made 2 extra points and that’s it. I think it’s fine to start him against the Raiders, as he’s excellent. Of course, he needs for the Chargers to put him in a position to score, which they didn’t do against Arizona.

DEF: Just wow, 1 sack, no INT, no forced fumbles and 26 points allowed against the Cardinals? Maybe they’re missing departed DC Jesse Minter more than we thought. Yeah, it’s 1 game, but I can’t recommend this defense until they perform.

Good luck this week!

End.

Brad Willis

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DALLAS COWBOYS
9/18/2026

Cowboy nation remains in mourning after a horrific performance last Sunday night against the Giants. The offense played in an acceptable fashion although not spectacularly as they were supposed to. The main problem was the terrible performance on defense. They were unable to stop the Giants and looked confused and unprepared all night. They will look to right the ship Sunday against the Commanders.

QB Dak Prescott should be started as a QB1, despite his pedestrian performance last week. I would expect 2-3 scores. RB Javonte Williamsshould still be started as a low end RB1. He will likely get more work this week if the defense can stay off the field.

WR Ceedee Lamb and WR George Pickens should both be started this week, Lamb as a WR1 and Pickens as a WR2. Hopefully Pickens will not drop the ball like he did last week. I would not consider any other receivers.

TE Jake Ferguson should be left on the bench this week after not really showing up last Sunday. I would wait until he has a good game before considering starting him.

PK Brandon Aubrey should still be safe start although given the state of the team, he may not be a top 5 kicker now. Under no circumstances should you start the Cowboy defense unless you want to lose on purpose or if your scoring system gives extra points for showing creative ways to play lousy. They are a pathetic bunch and could not stop a high school team.

Prediction: Commanders 34 – Cowboys 27, with the final Cowboy touchdown occurring in garbage time. I do not expect this to be a competitive game.

Good luck this week!

End.

Dr. Gil Brovar

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NEW YORK GIANTS
9/18/2026

Giants QB Jaxson Dart is a borderline QB1 for fantasy against a solid, but possibly faltering Rams secondary.

RB Cam Skattebo scored last week, and is a solid RB2 for fantasy against the Rams. RB Tyrone Tracy and RB Devin Singletary will rotate in, but are risky options with Skattebo healthy due to limited touches.

WR Malik Nabers (knee) was solid in his return from a serious knee injury, so you start him this week as a solid WR2 with lower-end WR1 upside. When fully healthy, he is likely to be a solid WR1 every week. Rookie WR Malachi Fields and WR Darnell Mooney are not seeing the volume needed for real fantasy value, but I still like the future of Fields this season. Forget the other WRs this week.

TE Isaiah Likely scored twice in his Giants debut last week. He is getting the volume needed to be a solid TE1 every week he plays! That mean if you own him, you start him! Backup TE Theo Johnson has a low floor and little upside for fantasy due to lack of target share, so you bench him.

Good luck this week!

End.

Michael Nazarek

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WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
9/19/2026

The Washington Commanders enter Week 2 at 0–1 after a narrow 24–22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener. They will travel to face the Dallas Cowboys, who also opened the season 0–1. Washington's Week 2 matchup is an early NFC East test with important divisional and tiebreaking implications.

Washington showed encouraging offensive potential against Philadelphia, particularly through quarterback Jayden Daniels' mobility and playmaking ability. However, the Commanders struggled to contain explosive plays, including a 43-yard touchdown by Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert and a 31-yard reception by DeVonta Smith. Philadelphia ultimately held on for the two-point victory.

Must play
QB Jayden Daniels
WR Terry McLauren

The loss suggested that Washington can compete with strong NFC opponents, but the team must improve in three areas:

Preventing explosive passes after the catch
Creating more consistent pressure on opposingquarterbacks
Finishing drives with touchdowns rather than settling for limited scoring opportunities
Washington will be without TE Chig Okonkwo and LB Frankie Luvu, both ruled out.

The Commanders' biggest advantage is the athleticism of Jayden Daniels. His ability to extend plays, escape pressure and create yards as a runner can challenge Dallas' defensive structure. Washington should use designed quarterback runs, read-option concepts and quick throws to reduce the Cowboys' ability to generate pressure.

Defensively, the Commanders need to avoid giving up the kind of chunk plays that hurt them in Week The Cowboys' offense will test Washington's secondary vertically, making communication and disciplined safety play especially important. With Luvu unavailable, Washington may also need increased contributions from its young linebackers and rotational defenders. Washington has enough offensive firepower to stay competitive, but the defensive absences and road environment make this a difficult matchup. The Commanders' best path is to control possession, use Daniels' mobility and force Dallas into long, methodical drives.

Projected result: Dallas Cowboys 27, Washington Commanders 23

Go Commanders!

End.

David Vohs

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CHICAGO BEARS
9/17/2026

Week 1: Are You Not Entertained? Bears 59, Panthers 37
The last time the Bears scored this many points, I wasn’t born yet. What a time to be alive! I guess this just goes to show that when you put the right head coach and the right quarterback together, anything is possible. The Bears will be nothing if not entertaining this season. Now, as amazing as this win was, there were some negatives. The defense looked worse than expected, and we’ll get further into that later. HC Ben Johnson’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-one from the Bears’ 21 in the second quarter was a poor one and reckless to say the least.

After stopping the Bears, the Panthers were able to quickly use the short field to tie the game with a TD. Some in the media have downplayed Johnson’s decision, and yes, 59 points will cover up a lot of issues. Johnson probably thought, “Eh, it’s just the Panthers, it won’t matter in the end.” But against better teams, a decision like this can cost you the game. That’s the main thing that concerns me about Johnson; he can be stubborn to a fault. His short-yardage calls can lack creativity as well. But enough nitpicking, on to the recap:

Quarterback QB Caleb Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two TDs and ran ten times for 65 yards and two more scores. His increased command of the offense was easy to see, and he definitely looked faster on his TD runs thanks to the few pounds he lost in the offseason. Caleb will have tougher defensive tests, but wow, he already looks like a potential fantasy league winner for those lucky enough to draft him.

Running back
The Bears’ dynamic duo of RB D’Andre Swift and RB Kyle Monangai ran roughshod over the Panthers. Swift had 18 carries for 124 yards and three TDs and caught his only target for ten yards. Monangai had ten carries for 100 yards and a 61-yard score and caught both of his targets for 24 yards. He showed no ill effects from his preseason knee injury. As for who got goal line carries, it was Swift who had two one-yard scores.

When Swift signed a three-year, $33.75 million extension last weekend, I admittedly had mixed feelings. Is he a Bijan, a Saquon, or a CMC? No. But he runs hard, he’s got very good speed, he catches the ball very well, and he’ll throw his whole body into pass protection, as we saw at times on Sunday. Yes, the Bears could’ve let Swift play out the final year of his contract and selected a tailback high in next year’s draft. But realistically, they’ll probably need that draft capital for the defense. We saw what Swift could do with a great O-line in front of him in Philadelphia, and now he’s doing it with a great O-line here in Chicago. D’Andre has done everything asked of him since coming here, so it was nice to see him get rewarded for it.

Wide receiver WR Rome Odunze caught two of his three targets for 52 yards. He played only 48% of the snaps, likely due to the calf injury that had him listed as questionable on the injury report. One of his catches was a 47-yard “You Got Mossed” special where he jumped over his defender and caught the ball in front of his helmet. That is the type of contested catch I’ve been wanting to see from him since he was drafted two years ago.
WR Luther Burden III caught all five of his targets for 63 yards and lost a fumble. WR Kalif Raymond caught eight of his nine targets for 84 yards. I mentioned before the season that he was likely to have a bigger role in the offense than Olamide Zaccheaus did last year, and that certainly was the case in this one, though this obviously won’t happen every week. As we saw at times last season, the Bears have so many offensive weapons that it could be difficult to predict who will excel each week. WR Jahdae Walker caught his lone target for a one-yard TD and did a great job of run blocking and throwing his body around on special teams.

Tight end TE Colston Loveland had a measly two targets and wound up with a goose egg. If you had told me before the game that the Bears would score 59 points and Loveland would have zero stats, I’d have said you belong in the looney bin. I do believe that this was an aberration, so don’t panic and trade him or anything like that. TE Cole Kmet hauled in two of his three targets for 35 yards and a 22-yard TD on a great throw by Williams.

Defense/Special teams
There wasn’t much defending going on in this one. CB Jaylon Johnson and CB Tyrique Stevenson were torched repeatedly, which was surprising. On the bright side, rookie S Dillon Thieneman had a solid NFL debut, and the defense did come up with a couple of sacks, a fumble recovery, and an INT of Bryce Young by rookie CB Malik Muhammad. Special teams also recovered a muffed punt.

Kicker PK Cairo Santos hit his lone field goal attempt and all eight of his extra points.

Week 2: Vikings at Bears
The Bears will host the Vikings on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. There is rain expected at times during the game. The Vikes are coming off a stunning comeback win over the Cheeseheads led by backup quarterback Carson Wentz.

Quarterback
We all know that Vikings DC Brian Flores loves to blitz, and he turned the blitz meter up to 11 last Sunday, blitzing the Packers about 78% of the time. There’s no guarantee that he’ll do the same to the Bears this Sunday, as he oddly didn’t blitz much in the first Bears-Vikes matchup last season. But I’d say it’s pretty likely that he’ll bring the heat early and often. In two matchups against Minnesota last season, Caleb completed 55% of his passes and threw for one score and ran for one. Given what he did last Sunday, I still have Williams as an above-average play this weekend, but I think it’s safe to say that the Bears aren’t going to score 59 points again against Flores.

Running back
Swift (ankle/knee) and Monangai (hamstring) have both been limited in practice this week. RT Darnell Wright (knee) didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited today. The Vikes held Marshawn Lloyd to 37 yards rushing last Sunday. If one back is active and the other isn’t, that back is a strong play as he should get most of the touches. If both are active, Swift is a strong play, with Monangai a decent flex. If both are inactive, start RB Roschon Johnson.

Wide receiver
The fact that Odunze isn’t on this week’s injury report should be a good sign for him. Even with the Vikings blitzing nonstop, Christian Watson (6-147-2) and Matthew Golden (6-95) both went off against them last weekend. I have Odunze and Burden as strong plays this weekend, with Raymond an average play.

Tight end
Tucker Kraft had 3-65 against Minnesota last Sunday. I think the Bears will make a concerted effort to go to Loveland early this Sunday, and I expect him to have a solid game, making him a strong play. Kmet is an average play.

Defense/Special teams
Will this defense see Kyler Murray or Wentz? Either way, I have this unit as an average play this weekend.

Kicker
I have Santos as an above-average play, as the Bears may get into scoring range a decent amount, but Viking blitzes may end those drives before the end zone. Santos hit four field goals in the win at Minnesota last season.

Good luck this week!

End.

Richard Fung

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DETROIT LIONS
9/15/2026

Lions at Bills

QB: Week 1 usually answers some questions for the fantasy community, but with Detroit things played out as expected for the most part. QB Jared Goff looked OK, throwing for 206 yards with 2 TDs and no turnovers. There was a fumble that was overturned to an incomplete pass in a somewhat controversial ruling. But for the most part it was a typical game manager type of game from Goff – nothing flashy and nothing bad. With a new offensive coordinator there is always some concern but things looked smooth even if the play calling itself was a little vanilla and lacking creativity. This week it’s a challenge to go on the road on a short week after playing an overtime game. Oh and it’s against a strong Bills team opening their new stadium. Goff will continue to be a middle of the pack fantasy option. I’d keep an eye on the weather as there is a chance of rain in the forecast so as the game time gets closer that could be a factor with Goff sometimes struggling in adverse weather. Also watch some injury situations on the offensive line.

RB: Well we were expecting RB Jahmyr Gibbs to become a workhorse this year and if week 1 is any indication he could exceed expectations. He had a whopping 29 carries for 156 yards and 2 TDs, plus 5 catches for 30 yards. They can’t possibly expect him to make it through the season getting 34 touches every week, but they are clearly going to ride him. Plus we have news today that RB Isiah Pacheco who is on IR had back surgery and will be out indefinitely. In redraft leagues he can be dropped. I think the Lions need to take a serious look at finding a bruising back that can take some of the workload. Gibbs played 57 snaps, with RB Sione Vaki playing 22 snaps. Vaki only had three touches though as his main role seemed to be to come in for pass protection, with the coaches likely favoring him in that role over RB Jacob Saylors, who only played special teams and got no snaps on offense. For this week Gibbs is elite of course. Can Gibbs match what his former backfield mate David Montgomery did to the Bills defense with 3 TDs? Maybe not but Gibbs is going to get the goal line carries which is another factor keeping his value sky high. I’m not sure if I would bother rostering either Vaki or Saylors even as a handcuff. If something happens to Gibbs it would be a committee.

WR/TE: Again, we felt good about knowing what the target share would look like. With week 1 in the books, you are happy if you drafted WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. He had a whopping 14 targets, catching 10 for 67 yards and 2 TDs. The yardage is a little low, but that’s PPR gold, and scoring twice is even better, although I could point out overtime was necessary for the 2nd one. WR Jameson Williams had four catches for 45 yards but reverted to some bad habits of the past with a drop on a nicely thrown deep ball, and he also dropped the football on an end around which he fell on for a loss of yardage. He almost scored the 1st TD of the game but was tackled just short which was a little frustrating for anyone like me who had placed a bet on him to score the 1st TD. TE Sam LaPorta contributed 5 catches for 48 yards. That’s basically it. The only other skill players to get significant snaps were second TE Brock Wright who had 1 catch, and third WR Isaac TeSlaa who had no catches and I don’t remember him even being targeted although the box score says one, and this was on 52 snaps. That is not an encouraging performance for someone who showed flashes last year but doesn’t seem to be taking a step forward. For this week, St. Brown is elite, and I would hope Williams could bounce back and maybe connect on a big play. LaPorta is a solid option at tight end, and maybe TeSlaa gets a little more involved instead of being a ghost out there.

K/DST: A pretty uneventful day for PK Jake Bates with 7 points. No long field goal attempts in this one. The Lions defense dominated for the first two and a half quarters. You wouldn’t know it by looking at the box score because Tyler Shough ended up with an astonishing 410 yards and 3 TDs. But trust me, Shough looked terrible and the Lions defense even generated three turnovers on their way to building a 21-0 lead. Then the Saints scored on every possession after that to tie the game at 24, and even had a chance at the end of regulation with a 62 yard field goal. It took a stop on a two point conversion to clinch the game. Maybe fatigue was a factor but I don’t know. The pass rush was pretty good with 5 sacks but the secondary, which we knew could be the weak link, remains a concern. This is a brutal matchup at Buffalo and Josh Allen this week so I would avoid this Lions defense.

I will be back next week with the latest on what the fantasy world needs to know about the Lions.

End.

James Hintz

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ARIZONA CARDINALS
9/19/2026

The Arizona Cardinals enter Week 2 with momentum after a shocking 26–14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The win was especially significant because it marked head coach Mike LaFleur's first game and immediately gave the Cardinals credibility.
QB Jacoby Brissett completied 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. His best connection was with tight end Trey McBride, who caught nine passes for 95 yards and a score. Kendrick Bourne also with eight receptions for 75 yards, giving Arizona a reliable underneath option.

The backfield featured a productive split between veteran Tyler Allgeier and rookie Jeremiyah Love. Love finished with 13 touches and scored his first NFL touchdown on a five-yard run, while Allgeier handled 19 touches and remained the trusted option in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals forced a fumble and an interception, stopped Los Angeles on three fourth downs, blocked a punt and recorded three sacks. Safety Andrew Wingard was central to the effort, creating both of Arizona's takeaways.Â

Seattle arrives after a narrow 13–10 win over New England, but the Seahawks lost quarterback Sam Darnold on the opening drive. Drew Lock is expected to start in his place, creating a different challenge for Arizona's defense. Rather than preparing for Darnold's structure and mobility, the Cardinals will likely focus on disrupting Lock's rhythm and forcing Seattle into long-yardage situations.

Arizona's secondary also faces a favorable opportunity. Seattle's offense may be more conservative with Lock under center, allowing the Cardinals to bring pressure and challenge the Seahawks' receivers on third down. The defense's ability to replicate its second-half discipline from Week 1 will be tested.

The Cardinals should be favored to win if they protect Brissett, continue using their running-back rotation effectively and prevent Seattle from controlling the game on the ground. The Seahawks' quarterback change gives Arizona's defense an advantage, but Seattle's pass rush could make this a much tougher matchup than Week 1.

Prediction: Cardinals 24, Seahawks 17

A victory would move Arizona to 2–0 and transform the team's Week 1 upset from an encouraging opening result into a more shocking result.

Go Cardinals!

End.

David Vohs

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SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
9/17/2026

1. Week 1 Recap: The Defensive Masterclass
It wasn't always pretty, but that 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots was the definition of a "gritty" win. This is exactly what the Mike Macdonald era looks like—tough, disciplined football that finds a way to win even when the script flips. The biggest story of the day was QB Sam Darnold’s early exit due to a glute/hip injury. While that could have sent some teams into a tailspin, QB Drew Lock stepped into the huddle and stabilized the ship. Lock was incredibly efficient, completing 16 of 19 passes (an 84.2% clip!) for 187 yards and a touchdown. But, let's talk about the elephant in the room: 0% Red Zone Efficiency (0-2). That’s the real reason the score was so tight despite JSN’s heroics. We moved the ball, but couldn't punch it in.
Week 1 Stat Leaders WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 8 receptions, 122 yards, 1 TD (The undisputed alpha).
The Dark Side Defense: 3 interceptions (Pritchett, Love, and Jobe). RB Jadarian Price: 10 carries, 52 yards (5.2 YPC) in his regular-season debut.
2. The QB Room: It’s Drew Lock’s Time in Glendale
The word from the VMAC is official: Darnold is OUT for Week 2. That means the keys to the offense belong to Drew Lock this week in Glendale, with QB Jalen Milroe elevated to the QB2 spot. While the rookie Milroe has the physical tools, his rough start to minicamp—where he struggled with the speed of the game and tossed multiple interceptions—explains why Macdonald is leaning on the veteran Lock to keep things stable. Lock fits OC Brian Fleury’s offensive scheme like a glove. Fleury prioritizes efficiency and the zone-run game, and Lock’s 113.3 passer rating in relief duty proves he can act as the "point guard" this system requires. He needs to continue to avoid unnecessary risks, which is exactly what we need in a divisional road game. Fantasy Advice: Lock is a START in 2-QB or Superflex leagues. He showed immediate chemistry with his primary weapons and has the veteran poise to navigate the Cardinals' secondary.
3. Backfield Blueprint: Decoding the Three-Headed Monster
With RB Zach Charbonnet still in the midst of his ACL recovery, the Seahawks have fully embraced a committee approach. This rotation keeps legs fresh but admittedly limits the individual ceilings for fantasy managers.
Jadarian Price, Early-down rusher, 10 carries, 52 yards (5.2 YPC) RB George Holani, 3rd down / 2-minute specialist, 9 carries, 3.6 Avg RB Emanuel Wilson, Short-yardage / Goal-line "hammer" , 3 carries, 1.5 Avg
Analysis: Price is the clear "buy" for his explosive upside (21.2% explosive run rate from his college tape is no joke). However, don't be surprised if Wilson continues to vulture those high-value touches near the goal line until the committee consolidates.
4. WR/TE Outlook: JSN's World and a Sleeper Alert
The JSN era isn't just coming; it's already here. After seeing a massive 11 targets in Week 1, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a locked-in Elite WR1. Behind him, WR Cooper Kupp and WR Rashid Shaheed are the secondary options. The Arroyo Breakout Keep your eyes on TE Elijah Arroyo . He is a legitimate "Sleeper of the Week." Fleury is known for creating mismatches by having tight ends run wide-receiver routes, and Arroyo’s athleticism is a nightmare for linebackers. However, there is a twist: with FB Robbie Ouzts out for the season (neck injury), Fleury can no longer mask his "heavy" 12 and 13 personnel packages as easily. Expect the Seahawks to shift toward more 11 personnel (3 WR sets), which might actually give Arroyo more space to operate as a hybrid mismatch weapon.
5. Defensive Matchup: "The Dark Side" vs. QB Jacoby Brissett
Macdonald's Dark Side is already haunting QBs, but the secondary is facing a bit of a "Safety Shuffle." SS Nick Emmanwori, who we saw return from the PUP list in August, was inactive in Week 1, suggesting a conditioning setback. With Ty Okada (hamstring) also uncertain, keep an eye on who plays alongside FS Julian Love. They need someone from the practice squad to step up and keep Jacoby Brissett from finding rhythm.
The Cardinals present a fascinating "Strength vs. Strength" challenge. While Seattle's defense is hunting for turnovers, the Arizona offense currently have not given the ball away once.
Bottom Line
Arizona is playing disciplined football, but Drew Lock’s stability combined with JSN’s alpha targets should be enough to overcome the Red Zone woes from last week. The Dark Side's pass rush is deeper this year with DE Dante Fowler Jr. and a surging DE Derick Hall, and I expect them to break the Cardinals' turnover-free streak in the fourth quarter.

Prediction: Seattle 23, Arizona 17
Go 'Hawks!

End.

Rick Watts

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LOS ANGELES RAMS
9/16/2026

Blunder down under! The Rams take a long flight to Australia but leave their A-game back in Los Angeles as they get blown out by the Niners 27-10. Besides losing the opener, the Rams lose their big off-season acquisition DE Myles Garrett for the foreseeable future as his pre-season knee injury was worse than reported. Garrett had “minor” surgery and was placed on Injured Reserve with return designation, which means he will miss at least the next four games. The Rams return home and will host the New York Giants on Monday night. The Giants beat the Cowboys 28-20 in their season opener. Let’s take a look at how the Rams performed against the Niners and their potential for week two.

QUARTERBACK: QB Matthew Stafford (15-25 for 155 with 1 interception) was a shell of his MVP self and just could not find the rhythm needed to succeed. QB Stetson Bennett (2-3 for 13) got his first regular season action in mop up duty. Rookie QB Ty Simpson was inactive. It was only one game and many will use jet lag as the reason for the poor performance. All that matters is that Stafford bounces back against a Giant defense that held Dak Prescott to 175 passing yard, although Dak did throw two touchdowns. My week 2 game prediction is 250 yards and 2 passing touchdowns.

RUNNING BACK: RB Kyren Williams (11-41 rushing with 1 touchdown and 3-24 receiving) scored the only Ram touchdown, but split carries with RB Blake Corum (10-54 rushing). It was a disappointing day all around and the even share of caries is a little concerning for Williams owners. The Giants limited the Cowboys to 69 rushing yards but since Dallas was trailing most of the game, they only rushed the ball 18 times. Even in their blowout loss, the Rams rushed it 29 times against San Fran. Week 2 predictions: Kyren - 110 scrimmage yards and 1 rushing touchdown, Blake – 65 scrimmage yards.

WIDE RECEIVER: WR Puka Nacua (5-74) started slowly but finished with decent numbers but WR Davante Adams (3-26) had a disappointing game. Both stars fell way short of expectations. WR Jordan Whittington (1-8) was the only other receiver with a reception. I think Puka and Davante bounce back at home. Week 2 predictions: Puka – 110 yards and 1 touchdown, Davante – 55 yards and 1 touchdown. .

TIGHT END: TE Tyler Higbee (2-12 with a fumble), TE Davis Allen (1-13), and TE Colby Parkinson (1-6) all had minimal production while second year TE Terrence Ferguson was shut-out. Higbee’s fumble sealed the defeat while Ferguson’s goose egg was most disappointing (and surprising). Similar to last year, no Ram tight end is worth having on your Fantasy team. Week 2 prediction: 40 combined receiving yards for all of the tight ends.

KICKER: PK Harrision Mevis (1-1 extra point) was doomed by the poor offensive performance. Like most kickers, Harrison relies on the offense for scoring opportunities. I predict this past game to be the lowest points the Rams score all season so I am not worried about Mevis for the long term. Week 2 prediction: Mevis 2-2 field goals and 3-3 extra points.

DEFENSE: As disappointing as the Offensive was, the Defense was just as bad, failing to make stops and allowing the Niners to have a 99-yard touchdown drive. DL Aaron Donald stayed in Los Angeles and yet he matched DE Myles Garrett tackle total, which was zero. As noted previously, Garrett aggravated his injured knee and had a procedure done to correct it. The hope is Myles will be back in 4-6 weeks and Donald will be at peak performance at that time. DB Quentin Lake (7 solos, 3 assists, and 1 interception) was the most productive defensive player followed by LB Nate Landman (5 solos and 3 assists). Our new tandem corners did not improve this unit as Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes, while our so called vaunted front seven collected zero sacks! My bold prediction of five sacks was way off. Giant quarterback Jaxon Dart threw for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns, while the Giants rushed for an impressive 165 yards on 37 carries and 1 touchdown. The Rams better play much better on Monday night if they want to stop the Giants. Dart was sacked twice so hopefully the Rams can get to him multiple times. With Garrett out, there is no clear IDP leader but Landman should continue to rack up tackles and Young is the top pass rusher. My week 2 prediction: Landman collects double-digit tackles and Young gets at least one sack.

It was one of the most disappointing starts to a season but if Los Angeles beats the Giants in week two, the opening game loss won’t be as bitter. I think the team is angry and McVay has them prepared and the Rams come away with a 27-17 victory. I hope all of you enjoyed week 1 in the NFL. I got smoked in my Keeper League and was on my way to victory in my Dynasty League until Kenneth Walker went wild on Monday Night so I am 0-1 in those two leagues. Love and blessings to my family. Miss you Pops and Scratch! God Bless!

Layton Pang

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