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    Burden (groin) to miss a month, hopeful for Week 1

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    CHI Wide Receiver #10
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    CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports Bears WR Luther Burden (groin) is “expected to miss about a month,” and the hope is he plays in Week 1 against the Panthers.

    It’s not the worst-case scenario, but fantasy managers were likely hoping for a better recovery timeline. The talented second-year player has consistently drawn rave reviews since spring practices. Bears coach Ben Johnson recently compared Burden’s dogged mindset to players he previously coached, including Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and former Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry, noting Burden wants to be “the most conditioned player on the team, and one of the strongest receivers on the team.” Burden will undoubtedly do everything he can to be ready for Week 1, but treating him as questionable to play in the season opener is the prudent move for now. He remains a high-upside pick for 2026, albeit with more built-in risk. Keep it locked to Rotoworld for more updates on Burden’s status in the coming week.
    Player profiles, cheat sheets, expert rankings and more from Rotoworld to get you ready for the 2026 fantasy football season. Get your FREE download!
Who on PIT benefits if Pittman Jr. is sidelined?
Denny Carter and Kyle Dvorchak discuss who on the Pittsburgh Steelers can benefit from Michael Pittman Jr. potentially missing time after he left a recent practice with a leg injury.

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  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
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    Hopefully, we’ll get a clearer recovery timeline for Burden in the coming days, but it doesn’t sound like things were as bad as people initially feared after he was seen limping off the practice field on Saturday morning. The second-year receiver is expected to see a nice uptick in usage this season after having another year to work with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, and has an easier path to targets with DJ Moore now in Buffalo. We will be sure to check back in with any updates on his injury.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden got tangled with a defender and fell awkwardly during a one-on-one red zone drill at practice on Saturday. The 22-year-old wide receiver limped to the locker room slowly with a trainer. It’s unclear if Burden is dealing with a significant injury. We’ll continue to monitor the situation until more information is known.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Johnson’s endorsement is going to push Burden’s ADP up, and it’s not necessarily unreasonable to chase it. In early April, Johnson said he needs to get the ball in Burden’s hands “as often as we possibly can.” Continued praise from the head coach is always a good thing. Hopes are high for the second-year receiver, who posted an 8/138/1 receiving line in Week 17 fantasy championships. Burden is set to compete with TE Colston Loveland and WR Rome Odunze for targets, though, and it is unclear exactly where Burden sits in the target pecking order right now. Johnson adds that Burden has had an “electric” offseason, is consistently finishing his practice reps and has “been extremely coachable,” while refining his speed cuts, sharp breaks and releases. Hopefully, the positive reports continue to roll in for the talented, young playmaker.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden should be a big beneficiary of the DJ Moore trade. It’s hard to imagine that between his on-field metrics and the target vacuum that he won’t take a major step forward in 2026. The only question is how big that step can be with Colston Loveland and Rome Odunze also seemingly set for major target roles. Burden has a case to go in the top 75 picks and has the upside to crush that ADP.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden’s season got off to a slow start, but in his final four regular-season games, the rookie second-rounder went for 21-324-1 on 26 targets. Burden managed just 66 scoreless yards on six receptions this postseason, but was still targeted 14 times in those two games. Burden showed enough flashes to warrant a larger role next season. How the Bears work him into that role will be determined in the offseason. His late-season emergence makes Burden an early breakout candidate for the 2026 season as does his 0.258 targets per route run over this final four regular season games and two postseason games.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden erupted a week ago for an 8-138-1 line in a game also played without Rome Odunze, so this result was a bit of a disappointment. Either way, Burden’s rookie regular season comes to an end with top-five per-target efficiency as the team prepares to host the Packers in the Wild Card round as the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden’s injury caused a scare last week, but the exciting rookie missed only half a practice on Wednesday. He practiced full on Thursday and Friday and should be ready to roll against the Lions. The Bears (11-5) currently hold the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed. They can secure their position with a win. Should they lose, and the Eagles (11-5) beat the Commanders (4-12), the Bears would slip to the No. 3 seed. Burden is a top-25 wide receiver for Week 18.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden should be in the top 25 in the wideout rankings this week as the Bears try to lock up the No. 2 seed against the Lions. The rookie wideout is on track to be removed from the injury report on Friday. He’s coming off a breakout 8/138/1 game against the 49ers in Week 17.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden’s official participation level is just an estimation, but this is a good start to the week for him. The explosive rookie seemingly collided with a 49ers defender on the final play of the game last week, injuring his quad. It is possible that this is just a contusion, rather than a strain. Either way, Burden’s early-week participation is a great sign. He is on track to play in Week 18 against the Lions.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #10
    Burden was carted off the field after injuring his quad on the last play of the Bears’ Week 17 loss to the 49ers. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier this week that the injury isn’t thought to be serious. Johnson’s comments Wednesday seem to confirm that report. With the Bears hopeful Burden can play against the Lions this week, he’ll likely be available for the playoffs even if he’s ultimately held out this week.

Rotoworld

  • ARI Wide Receiver #14
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    Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said the team wants Michael Wilson “here for a long time.”

    The good news for Wilson is that it sounds like the Cardinals are hoping to sign him to an extension. The bad news is that when asked if he expects an extension to get done, Ossenfort responded, “Expect? That’s a tough word.” Wilson broke out for 78 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns last season with the Cardinals, with much of his production coming after Jacoby Brissett took over. The fourth-year receiver has received glowing reports throughout camp and could emerge as the team’s WR1 this season. It seems unlikely the Cardinals will extend Wilson as he enters the fourth and final year of his rookie deal.
  • DAL Defensive Tackle #92
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    Cowboys signed DT Quinnen Williams to a three-year, $105.9 million contract extension.

    Did you really think the Cowboys wouldn’t sign a star defensive player to a contract extension? Williams appeared in 15 games last season, including seven for the Cowboys after the team acquired him last November. In his limited action with the Cowboys, Williams totaled 21 tackles, three TFLs and 1.5 sacks, and earned his fourth-straight trip to the Pro Bowl. He’s one of the league’s premier run-stoppers and is now under contract through the 2030 season. Williams’ deal is the third-largest for a defensive lineman in NFL history and includes $101 million in total guaranteed money.
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    Dolphins acquired OT Caedan Wallace from the in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick.

    This move comes just hours after it was announced that the Patriots would be waiving the 2024 third-rounder. Now, Wallace will get a chance to restart his career with the Dolphins after a disappointing two-year stint in New England, where he appeared in just 10 games. In addition to Wallace, the Dolphins also received a 2029 seventh-round pick in the swap.
  • LAC Running Back #8
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    Chargers OC Mike McDaniel said he could use all three RBs in a game and that usage may depend on who has the “hot hand.”

    It’s the kind of thing fantasy managers hate to hear. When speaking about his running backs on Monday, McDaniel said, “I see all three producing at a very high level,” while saying the workload for each back could depend on the opponent and who has the “hot hand.” While it’s certainly concerning on the surface, we feel pretty confident in Omarion Hampton having the safest role as far as fantasy is concerned, while Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal could prove a bit more volatile. Their volatility has been baked into their ADP all offseason, as Mitchell is often going in the 12th or 13th round of drafts while Vidal often goes undrafted. It may take some time to get a good sense of McDaniel’s plans for the backfield, but we would expect a clear-cut RB1 and RB2 to emerge this season.
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    The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala says Jayden Daniels has looked “very comfortable” taking snaps under center in camp.

    One of the bigger storylines out of Commanders camp this offseason has been the switch to a scheme that is expected to put Daniels under center far more often than he did in his first two seasons with Kliff Kingsbury. Daniels has played 94 percent of his snaps from shotgun since 2024, per TruMedia, which is similar to how he also played in college. According to Jhabvala, Daniels has adjusted well to playing more from under center, saying, “the footwork that so often seems to trip up young quarterbacks doesn’t seem to be an issue at all for (Daniels),” while adding that his timing with his pass-catchers has been “really sharp.” Daniels struggled in his second season as a pro. While a multitude of injuries certainly played a role, he struggled at times with his accuracy last season and was more prone to take off and run than he was as a rookie. With several new additions on offense, Daniels could be in line for a big fantasy season and profiles as a high-end QB1.
  • DEN Running Back #27
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    Broncos HC Sean Payton said J.K. Dobbins exited Monday’s practice with a soft-tissue injury.

    We’re still looking for more clarity here, but Payton did say after practice that he thinks Dobbins is “gonna be fine” and that the team is “trying to be smart with it.” Given Dobbins’ injury history, it makes sense for the team to want to approach any minor issues with caution as they look to get through training camp and into Week 1. Dobbins rushed for 153-772-4 in 10 games with the Broncos last season and signed a two-year, $20 million contract this offseason. He’s expected to serve as their primary lead back, while RJ Harvey will continue to see a role in the passing game. If Dobbins were to miss time, rookie Jonah Coleman could be tasked with stepping in to fill his role.
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  • GB Defensive End #1
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    Packers EDGE Micah Parsons said Week 6 is his “most optimistic” return date as of right now.

    Interestingly, Week 6 is when the Packers play host to the Cowboys, Parsons’ former team. The star pass-rusher did note that he could also return later and that there is always the possibility of setbacks, but it sounds like the earliest we should expect to see him is Week 6. Parsons opened camp on the PUP list, which didn’t come as a surprise given the timing of his injury last season. It’s been widely believed that Parsons would miss the first few games of the season. If he were to open the year on the PUP list, he would be forced to sit out at least the first four games of the year.
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    49er RB Christian McCaffrey will not practice on Monday due to “tightness.”

    We’ll assume the vague categorization means there’s not much to worry about. It was reported in May that the 49ers wanted to be “cautious” with McCaffrey’s summer workload as he ramps up for the season, so it’s possible there’s a little bit of load management going on here while McCaffrey works through this “tightness.” The 49ers have seen several notable players go down due to injuries early in camp. Hopefully this is a non-issue for CMC, and we see him back on the practice field soon.
  • DEN Running Back #27
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    J.K. Dobbins was seen heading to the locker room with trainers during Monday’s practice.

    We don’t have any details on this yet, but any time Dobbins is seen leaving with trainers, there’s cause for concern. The 27-year-old back has battled back from multiple injuries during his seven-year career and was on his way to the best season of his career in 2025 before a foot injury sidelined him after Week 10. We will check back in when we learn more, but if Dobbins were to miss any time, rookie Jonah Coleman’s fantasy stock would see an immediate boost.
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    Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski said the team does not have a timetable to name its starting QB.

    After missing the early part of training camp, Tua Tagovailoa has been back practicing with the team and reportedly turned in a solid session on Sunday, which was cut short by lightning. Michael Penix, who is still waiting to be fully cleared to return from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 campaign. The third-year signal-caller has been practicing in a limited capacity and said in late July that it might be “another four weeks” before he moves on to the next stage in his recovery. Regardless of what Stefanski says about naming his Week 1 QB, until Penix is officially cleared for full football activities, Tagovailoa feels like a safe bet to open the year as the starter.