NFL Player News

Hardin was on the ground for several minutes before being attended to by the Bears’ medical staff. The severity of the injury isn’t yet known, but this has the potential to impact his status for the regular season.

Even though Schefter was the first to report that Bowers was expected to miss a game or two, he’s seemingly walking that back now. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, he went on to say that a player dealing with this type of injury is always going to downplay the severity. Schefter also noted that even if Bowers is back in two weeks, it’s not realistic to expect him at full strength in two weeks. Long story short, Schefter is casting a lot of doubt on both the timeline for Bowers to return and his ability to produce when he comes back. Bowers has been dealing with knee issues since the start of the 2025 season, and this unexpected setback could not have come at a worse time. Michael Mayer will start until he is healthy. Mayer begins the year as a mid-range TE2 versus Miami.

Underhill did note that Kamara needs to make it to Sunday without any setbacks. He was limited in practice on Wednesday after suffering an MCL injury during a training camp scrimmage. The initial timeline for his return would have seen him miss multiple weeks of the regular season, but Kamara is well ahead of schedule in his recovery. He will likely serve as a passing-downs specialist with Travis Etienne handling the bulk of the carries.

Darnold underwent tests last night that ruled out a hip fracture. He went in for an MRI this morning, and the team’s medical staff is still trying to determine how much time he will miss. Still, the outcome is overall positive given that a season-ending injury looks unlikely at this point. Ian Rapoport later added that Darnold will miss Week 2 but could only miss a few weeks. Drew Lock will start for Seattle until Darnold is healthy. Lock threw for 187 yards and a score in relief of Darnold last night. He was only sacked once and did not turn the ball over. As long as he keeps that up, the Seahawks will be able to stay afloat on the back of their elite defense.

Jacobs’ trial was initially slated to take place on November 17th. That date was recently moved up to today, signaling that Jacobs wanted to wrap up his legal proceedings quickly. He has been on the Commissioner’s Exempt List since the end of training camp. Roger Goodell could have kept him on the list indefinitely, especially with the trial previously scheduled multiple months into the season. With the legal matter now settled, Jacobs will likely serve a minor suspension as a result of the charges. MarShawn Lloyd is expected to handle the bulk of the carries until he returns.

Graziano mentioned Bryant’s strong offseason as a reason to believe he could see more work in his second season. Bryant appeared to be gaining traction late in his rookie campaign before injuries brought his season to an underwhelming end. He finished the year with 31 grabs for 378 yards and one score. Bryant will top out as the Broncos’ No. 3 receiver to start the year, but he could push Courtland Sutton for targets and routes as the season progresses. His usage in Week 1 will be an important storyline for fantasy managers to monitor.

Fowler notes that the Cardinals likely want to see what they have in Carson Beck before the season ends. Of course, if the Cardinals are winning games, they will stick with what is working. Brissett put up strong counting stats last year, throwing for 281 yards per game across his 12 starts. That, however, did not result in any success for the Cardinals, who went 1-11 with Brissett under center. A similar season would make the veteran a viable backup or injury fill-in at that trade deadline.

Garafolo added, “MRI today after X-rays were negative.” That’s a good sign, but there is currently no timeline for Brown’s return. It will ultimately be a multi-week injury that could linger well into the season. Demario Douglas led the Pats with seven targets last night, though his looks are generally low-value check-downs. Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs will serve as the team’s primary outside receivers until Brown is healthy. Hollins led the Pats in receiving yards at a modest 51. Hollins is worth adding in deeper leagues, but it’s hard to imagine him putting up anything more than WR4 numbers while Brown is sidelined. Doubs should improve in Week 2 after failing to catch any of his three targets versus the Seahawks. He will get another shot at WR3 numbers against Pittsburgh next week.

Romeo Doubs said to reporters after the game that Brown told teammates, “Everything was going to be alright.” He added that Brown was doing really well. Brown had his ankle rolled on while going to the ground in the third quarter of last night’s game. He immediately grabbed his ankle in pain and eventually limped off the field. New England ruled him out after a trip to the locker room. It sounds like a high-ankle sprain, which would sideline Brown for at least a few weeks. Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs will both play more in his absence. Demario Douglas, who led the team with seven targets in Week 1, will also see more work.

Kittle has made a remarkably quick recovery from the Achilles tear he suffered in the Wild Card Round. He is good to go just eight months later, and all reports out of training camp said he still looks as explosive as ever. We will need to see what he looks like in live action to confirm that, but it’s an impressive recovery nonetheless. Kittle could be on a snap count this week as the 49ers ramp him up to full speed, dropping him lower in the fantasy rankings than normal. He is a low-end TE1 for the 49ers’ Australia showdown with the Rams.