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    Christian Kirk (calf) starts the season on IR

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    SF Wide Receiver #3
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    49ers placed Christian Kirk (calf) on injured reserve.

    San Francisco also placed offensive lineman Austen Pleasants on injured reserve. Both players will miss at least four games to start the year. Kirk missed most of training camp with the calf issue. Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, and Deebo Samuel will start for the team in three-receiver sets. Even when Kirk comes back, he’s likely stuck as the WR4 on the depth chart.
Maye is costing Patriots 'opportunities to win'
Devin McCourty, Jason Garrett and Jac Collinsworth break down the Patriots' struggles to start and season and evaluate Drake Maye's poor performance through three games in 2026.

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  • SF Wide Receiver #3
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    Barrows’ phrasing leaves room for interpretation, but it seems as though he is suggesting Kirk could be a cut candidate. The veteran wide receiver was sidelined by a calf injury in the spring and reinjured it in the first practice of training camp. He should probably be avoided in fantasy drafts at this time.
  • SF Wide Receiver #3
    Kirk was seen leaving Sunday’s practice with trainers and was later diagnosed with a calf strain that will sideline him for the foreseeable future. The veteran receiver signed a one-year deal with the 49ers this offseason, is expected to compete for playing time with Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, and Jordan Watkins. Kirk caught 28 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown in 13 games with the Texans last season
  • SF Wide Receiver #3
    Kirk, 29, is entering his ninth NFL season. As is often the case with NFL veterans, Kirk has picked up his fair share of injuries over the years, including two hamstring strains last season. Fortunately, we are a long way from Week 1. There is no cause for concern at this time. 49ers acting head coach Chris Foerster will address the media shortly, so we could have clarity as to what the issue is soon.
  • SF Wide Receiver #13
    Kirk spent last season in a backup role with the Texans, finishing the year with 28 receptions for 239 yards and one touchdown on 52 targets. The veteran receiver has seen 99 targets in 21 games over the last two seasons while playing over 75 percent of his snaps from the slot. In 2025, current free agent Jauan Jennings led the 49ers with 142 slot snaps, but he’s unlikely to return to the team. Depending on how the rest of the offseason goes, Kirk could earn a decent role in San Francisco, but it’s hard to imagine him having too much fantasy viability outside of deep leagues.
  • HOU Wide Receiver #13
    One of Kirk’s missed connections was a hellacious first quarter drop. A Wild Card hero, Kirk was one of many Divisional Round goats despite his 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Mostly a 4-6 target player out of the slot this season, Kirk was able to hold off third-round rookie Jaylin Noel, but only just. Now heading into his age-30 campaign as he prepares for free agency, Kirk could be a victim of the Texans’ receiver youth movement. Wherever he plays in 2026, the best he could hope for in fantasy is low-ceiling WR4 status.
  • HOU Wide Receiver #12
    Collins was unable to practice throughout the week. Texans slot WR Christian Kirk operated as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver last week, and is likely the best bet to do so again against the Patriots. It is an unfortunate development for Collins, who also missed his team’s Week 8 game against the 49ers due to concussion. Texans rookie WRs, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, have a chance to rise to the occasion.
  • HOU Wide Receiver #12
    The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander believes Collins is “a long shot” to play on Sunday against the Patriots, given “the steps he must clear.” Unfortunately, he might be right. Collins still has time to advance through the NFL’s five-phase concussion protocol, but another absence at tomorrow’s practice would be discouraging. Veteran slot WR Christian Kirk stepped up last week, catching 8-of-9 targets for 144 yards and one touchdown in the Texans’ Wild Card win over the Steelers. We expect him to operate as the team’s top target earner if Collins cannot play.
  • HOU Wide Receiver #13
    Kirk served as quarterback C.J. Stroud’s primary option throughout as alpha wide receiver Nico Collins drew lockdown shadow coverage from standout corner Joey Porter Jr. That role only grew in the fourth quarter following Collins’ departure due to a concussion, an ailment that has a good chance of keeping him sidelined through the team’s Divisional Round matchup against the Patriots next weekend. Jayden Higgins will likely step into the primary perimeter role in the absence of Collins after catching 3-of-4 targets for 39 yards against the Steelers, while Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel split WR3 duties.
  • HOU Wide Receiver
    Noel managed just 11 offensive snaps, but still outgained Christian Kirk (39 snaps, minus-3 yards on two targets) in the box score. We don’t get it, and we haven’t all season. The Texans look happy with him as a kick returner but Noel has made no real in-roads to a starting job in the 2025 season.
  • HOU Wide Receiver #13
    Kirk, questionable with an illness on Friday, not only played, but had his highest snap count (39) since Week 9 and highest target count since Week 12. Did the listing remind the Texans that he was on the roster? We don’t get it — and while he had one nice slant over the middle here, there was nothing that otherwise said Kirk needed to be a featured target. They don’t let us control target counts though, as much as we ask. Kirk will be a weak WR5 play against the Chargers in Week 17.

Rotoworld

  • DEN Wide Receiver #17
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    Jaylen Waddle caught 2-of-7 targets for 10 yards in the Broncos’ Week 3 win over the Rams, adding 14 yards on one carry.

    Waddle would also add a successful two-point reception in the third quarter to give him a slight boost in counting stats, although the 6.4-point effort left fantasy managers in desperate need of better production from their fourth-round selection in fantasy drafts. Waddle has now sandwiched poor fantasy outings with one usable game through three weeks. Fantasy managers are likely left to ride out the struggles of the Denver offense in hopes of greener pastures, which could come in a Week 4 showdown with the 49ers. Treat Waddle as an upside WR3, at present.
  • DEN Wide Receiver #13
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    Pat Bryant caught both targets for 44 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ Week 3 win over the Rams.

    Bryant also added a successful two-point reception in the third quarter to give him a usable fantasy week for the first time in 2026. He continues to play well behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle in an offense that has yet to find its footing with a new offensive play caller. He’ll be a difficult start in Week 4 against the 49ers.
  • DEN Wide Receiver #14
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    Courtland Sutton caught 3-of-7 targets for 46 yards in the Broncos’ Week 3 win over the Rams.

    Sutton tied for the team lead in targets while pacing the offense in yards, which highlights the struggles that persist in Davis Webb’s offense through three games. He will be off the FLEX radar ahead of a Week 4 showdown against the 49ers.
  • DEN Running Back #27
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    J.K. Dobbins rushed 17 times for 49 yards in the Broncos’ Week 3 win over the Rams, adding four yards on one reception.

    Dobbins and the rest of the Denver offense have been subject to poor situational tendencies from first-time play caller Davis Webb’s offense through three weeks. Dobbins is the player arguably hit the hardest with poor play sequencing as the bulk of his work comes on early downs. Even so, Dobbins now has a higher share of the backfield opportunities following the placement of Jonah Coleman on IR Saturday. Dobbins is a shaky RB3 ahead of a Week 4 showdown with the 49ers.
  • DEN Quarterback #10
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    Bo Nix completed 17-of-34 passes for 186 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the Broncos’ 30-26, Week 3 win over the Rams, adding seven yards and a touchdown on four carries.

    The Broncos were shut out in the first half amidst consistent struggles from Nix, who, for his part, turned in solid production in a third quarter that saw the Broncos knot the game at 16 through two touchdowns and successful two-point conversions. Nix and the Broncos would struggle to move the football again in the fourth quarter but a pick-six from safety Talanoa Hufanga gave them the lead with under five minutes to play. Stafford returned blows to send the Rams to a three-point lead before Nix’s game-winning score from one yard out. That final drive was aided by three key penalties to go against the Rams, the final of which was questionable, to put it kindly. Josh Wallace appeared to intercept Nix for the second time in the fourth quarter but a defensive pass interference penalty was called, giving the Broncos renewed life. Hufanga would intercept Stafford for a second time in the fourth quarter, this time in the end zone, to seal the victory for the Broncos as time expired. Nix and offensive coordinator Davis Webb have not looked good through three games despite the team’s 2-1 record, and will need to clean things up ahead of another NFC West showdown against the 49ers in Week 4. Nix is currently nothing more than a middling QB2.
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    Tyler Higbee caught 8-of-11 targets for 62 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 3 loss to the Broncos.

    Higbee’s first quarter touchdown got the scoring started for the Rams, but it wasn’t until Terrance Ferguson departed with an ankle injury that his volume truly took off. From that point forward, Higbee was one of the primary options through the air, finishing two targets behind Davante Adams for the team lead. Fantasy managers will want to monitor Ferguson’s status closely in the coming week as Higbee could become a legitimate waiver target should Ferguson miss time.
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    Konata Mumpfield caught 4-of-8 targets for 93 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ Week 3 loss to the Broncos.

    Mumpfield managed just one grab before erupting for 78 yards and a touchdown on a single drive in the fourth quarter with the Rams trailing for the first time in the game. His touchdown came on a double move against Riley Moss down the sideline for a walk-in score from 48 yards out. Mumpfield stepped into a growing role the previous two weeks in the absence of Puka Nacua and could remain a starter at wide receiver should Nacua miss additional time.
  • LA Wide Receiver #17
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    Davante Adams caught 7-of-13 targets for 137 yards in the Rams’ Week 3 loss to the Broncos.

    Adams’ 137 yards combine with the 195 yards he erupted for in Week 2 to set a new high in receiving yards in consecutive games during his remarkable career. Even more stunning was the fact that he did so against one of the top corners in the league in Pat Surtain, who shadowed Adams for all but a handful of his routes, proving his ability to get open against top competition even in the later stages of his career. Puka Nacua missed both Week 2 and Week 3 but the details of, and timeline to return from, his injury remain convoluted, at best. Adams will remains a top-tier WR1 should Nacua miss more time, and would be solid WR2 should Nacua return for a Week 4 meeting with the Eagles.
  • LA Running Back #23
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    Kyren Williams rushed 15 times for 88 yards in the Rams’ Week 3 loss to the Broncos, adding 70 yards on six receptions.

    Williams’ 70 yards through the air were a career-high mark in receiving for a single game, returning yet another RB1 fantasy performance despite sharing backfield work with Blake Corum. Corum managed only 15 yards on six carries and caught two passes for zero additional yards. Furthermore, Corum has still not seen a carry inside the red zone through three games of the 2026 season. Williams remains a surefire RB1 ahead of a difficult matchup against the Eagles in Week 4.
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    Matthew Stafford completed 30-of-55 passes for 390 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the Rams’ 30-26, Week 3 loss to the Broncos, adding 13 yards on two carries.

    The Rams stormed out to a 16-0 lead they would take into the break but two unanswered scores and two-point conversions from the Broncos saw the game knotted at 16 heading into the fourth quarter, which is where the scoring really took off. Stafford and the Rams appeared to be in control of the game until a Talanoa Hufanga pick-six off Stafford, making 33 career pick-sixes thrown to give him a record he would otherwise not like to have on his ledger. Stafford answered on the following possession on a 48-yard strike to Konata Mumpfield, only for the Broncos to answer back with a Bo Nix rushing score with 47 seconds left to play. Stafford worked more magic to get the team into the red zone, marching the field with only one timeout with a chance to win on the final play of the game. Hufanga ultimately won the play with his second interception off Stafford, sending the Rams to a 1-2 record. Stafford also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 20,000 yards for two different franchises in the loss. Stafford remains a locked-in QB1 in fantasy circles ahead of a Week 4 showdown with the Eagles on the road.