Quarterback Sam Howell is likely to serve as the Philadelphia Eagles' QB2 behind Jalen Hurts in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Eagles acquired Howell from the Minnesota Vikings in late August after projected backup quarterback Tanner McKee (thumb) went down with a fractured thumb. McKee is not expected to be ready for Week 1, but he is expected to re-take Philadelphia's QB2 role when fully healthy. If pressed into action, Howell has 18 games of starting experience in the NFL. He led the NFL in pass attempts (612) and interceptions (21) in 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2023.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is expecting defensive lineman Cameron Heyward to play in Week 1 against the New York Jets, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. Heyward was a limited participant in training camp as he seeks to re-negotiate his current contract. The 36-year-old collected eight sacks and 35 solo tackles in 17 games last season and was named a first-team All-Pro. Heyward is a huge part of the Steelers' defense, particularly against the run. With Heyward on the field, it could be a tough day for Jets quarterback Justin Fields, as well as running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, in the season opener.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have released veteran wide receiver Robert Woods from their practice squad, per an announcement from the team. Woods played in 15 games for the Houston Texans in 2024, recording 20 catches for 203 yards. The 33-year-old has been a steadily productive NFL receiver for over a decade, but he could be nearing the end of the road. Pittsburgh does not have much proven wide receiver depth behind top wideout DK Metcalf, so giving up on Woods could be telling of just how little juice the veteran has left in the tank. Even if Woods signs elsewhere, he should remain off the fantasy radar in 2025.

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The Houston Texans have signed quarterback Davis Mills to a one-year, $7 million extension, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Mills is now under contract with the team through the 2026 season. Houston drafted Mills in the third round of the 2021 draft, and he started 26 games for the team over his first two NFL seasons. He has not started a game since, serving as the team's third-string quarterback in 2023 behind C.J. Stroud and Case Keenum and the backup in 2024 behind Stroud, a role he is now likely to hold for 2025 and 2026. In 38 career games played, Mills has completed 62.6% of his passes and thrown 35 touchdowns. If Stroud were to get injured, Mills would profile as a fantasy QB3.

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The Seattle Seahawks have released rookie running back Damien Martinez from their practice squad, per John Boyle of Seahawks.com. Seattle selected Martinez in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, but he failed to make the team's 53-man roster and has now been bumped off the practice squad as well. Martinez averaged over six yards per carry in each of his three college seasons, so his track record of production could lead to him landing another practice squad deal with a different team. However, Martinez is highly unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025 and does not hold much dynasty value at this point either.

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The Houston Texans restructured tight end Dalton Schultz's $36 million contract for salary cap purposes on Tuesday, a league source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Schultz will make the same $11.508 million this year through a simple conversion of his $11 million base salary into a signing bonus that lowers his salary cap figure. He will be due $11 million in 2026 under the three-year extension he signed in 2024. The 29-year-old had 53 catches on 85 targets for 532 yards and only two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (13 starts) in 2024 in his second year with the team. It was a disappointing showing for fantasy managers, especially when considering the injuries to Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. His numbers last year were his fewest since his second year in the league in 2019 with Dallas. Schultz enters Week 1 against the Rams as a low-end TE2 in fantasy.

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The Denver Broncos' unofficial depth chart for Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans has running back J.K. Dobbins listed as the starting RB ahead of rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR. Tyler Badie is the RB3, and Jaleel McLaughlin is the RB4. Dobbins was brought in as a free agent this offseason to help make up for the departure of Javonte Williams, and he's fully expected to play a big role in Denver's backfield in 2025. However, the Broncos drafted Harvey in the second round in April for a reason, and although he's starting as the RB2, fantasy managers are fully expecting Harvey to lead this backfield when all is said and done in 2025. Not only does Dobbins not have the home run ability that Harvy has, but he has a history of pretty serious leg injuries. At best, he should be considered an RB3/flex play in fantasy in Week 1 against the Titans.

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. is listed as a starter on the team's unofficial depth chart heading into a Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots this Sunday. Meanwhile, Amari Cooper is listed on the second string after signing with the team late in training camp. Cooper could eventually become a bigger part of Vegas' offense, but going into the season opener, Thornton figures to have a big role in the passing attack. He should start in three-wide sets alongside Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. The 22-year-old fourth-rounder has emerged ahead of fellow rookie Jack Bech after a strong training camp and preseason, but it remains to be seen exactly how much he'll be targeted by quarterback Geno Smith out of the gates. But Thornton's output alone this summer makes him deserving of a roster spot for receiver depth in deeper fantasy formats.

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On the Carolina Panthers' first unofficial depth chart of the regular season, they have listed wide receiver Hunter Renfrow as a starter alongside rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan. Renfrow initially did not make the 53-man roster out of training camp and was released, but that was before Carolina traded Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings and placed Jalen Coker (quadriceps) on Injured Reserve. Now that the 29-year-old is back in Carolina, he could start in three-wide sets next to McMillan and Xavier Legette, but that may not equal enough targets to make him fantasy relevant in starting lineups. Renfrow will play in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but we wouldn't recommend starting him in fantasy lineups, even in deeper leagues. He will primarily be competing for playing time with David Moore.

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The Denver Broncos released their first unofficial depth chart of the regular season on Tuesday, and rookie second-round running back RJ Harvey is listed as the RB2 behind J.K. Dobbins. Harvey was listed all the way at the bottom of the RB depth chart to kick off the preseason -- head coach Sean Payton's initial depth charts usually are always tough on rookies -- but he's now the RB2 heading into Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. While Dobbins is going to be a key piece of the Broncos' backfield in 2025, all expectations are that Harvey will lead the team in rushing attempts and yards when all is said and done. The 24-year-old out of Central Florida saw plenty of work with the first-team offense in training camp and the preseason and has more overall upside than the oft-injured Dobbins. Harvey is an RB3/flex with upside heading into his NFL debut against the Titans.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Quentin Johnston (head) and Tre' Harris (undisclosed) are not listed on the team's Week 1 injury report and were full participants in Tuesday's practice. Johnston suffered a scary concussion in the team's second preseason game in the middle of August against the Los Angeles Rams, but he has since been cleared from the concussion protocol and is on track to play in Friday's season opener in Brazil against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. The 23-year-old former first-rounder has struggled with drops early in his career and now must battle for playing time with Harris, putting him off the fantasy radar in 12-team fantasy leagues, especially after Keenan Allen rejoined the team. Harris, a second-rounder in April, will play on Friday, but he figures to struggle for volume early on and should be on the bench in deeper leagues.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris (eye) is listed as a full participant on the team's first official injury report of the year on Tuesday in advance of their Week 1 regular-season opener on Friday in Brazil against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Harris missed most of training camp and all of the preseason after injuring his eye on the Fourth of July in a fireworks accident, but he has since been fully cleared and is on track to suit up this Friday for his team debut. The 27-year-old said his vision is fine after the injury. It's good news for fantasy managers that took a chance on Harris late in their drafts, but he's still likely to play second fiddle to rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton on Friday. We'd recommend benching Harris in the season opener, but his presence in the backfield is a slight hit to Hampton's fantasy appeal in his NFL debut.

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Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler is listed as the team's lead back on their first unofficial depth chart for the 2025 regular season. Jeremy McNichols is listed as the No. 2, with Chris Rodriguez Jr. as the third RB and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the RB4. This one is hard to pinpoint entering the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. Despite being third and fourth on the depth chart, both Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt are expected to have big roles in this backfield. However, things are shaping up for a committee approach early on for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, with Ekeler expected to handle the third-down role. Rodriguez and JCM could split the early downs, with Rodriguez also potentially having the leg up in short-yardage/goal-line situations. It's not an ideal situation for fantasy managers going into Week 1, with none of the RBs being any better than shaky RB3/flex plays.

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On the Jacksonville Jaguars' first unofficial depth chart of the regular season, they have listed running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby as co-starters, according to Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union. Rookie Bhayshul Tuten is the RB3, and LeQuint Allen Jr. comes in at RB4 heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Jaguars are keeping it close to the vest how their RB usage will shake out between Etienne and Bigsby on Sunday against a Panthers defense that was the worst unit against the run in all of football. Both Etienne and Bigsby could both see decent workloads in the season opener against a defense that was downright awful in 2024, putting them both in the RB3/flex conversation for fantasy. Meanwhile, Tuten should open the year in a change-of-pace role for Jacksonville.

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) was not listed on the team's injury report on Tuesday and appears to be good to go for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. Brown is looking to impress once again in 2025 after eclipsing 1,000 yards and scoring seven touchdowns in just 13 games last season. Against the division-rival Cowboys, he put up 109 yards on five catches in a Week 10 matchup last year, then had 36 yards and a touchdown with three receptions in Week 17. Dallas doesn't present themselves as a particularly favorable or daunting opponent for Brown, giving up the 17th-most yards per game through the air last season. Having led the Eagles in receiving yards in each of the three seasons that he's been on the team, Brown continues to be a lock for fantasy lineups.

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Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (groin) was not listed on Philadelphia's Tuesday injury report and will likely be set to play Week 1. Smith is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he accumulated 68 catches for 833 yards and eight touchdowns in just 13 games, once again cementing himself as one of the top number-two receivers in the league. Philly opens the season against the Cowboys, a familiar matchup for Smith as he enters his fifth season in the NFC East. He was boom-or-bust against Dallas last year, tallying just 14 yards in his first face-off then following that up with 120 yards and two touchdowns in their second meeting. With an offense as explosive as Philly's, Smith is always in the running for a good amount of looks going his way. He's a high-end WR2 going into Thursday.

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert enters the 2025 season after a bumpy road last year. Goedert got just nine full games under his belt while dealing with injuries, racking up 496 yards and two touchdowns on 42 catches. His highlight performance was a 10-catch game for 170 yards in Week 3, but unfortunately for fantasy managers, he didn't see real consistency until the playoffs came around. Goedert's opponent on Thursday is the Dallas Cowboys, a team that held him to just 25 yards and two catches in the one meeting they had in 2024. Goedert still has fantasy value; he had the third-highest target percentage inside the 10-yard line for the Eagles last season (behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith) and tied for second-highest inside the 20. Given his looks in the red zone and his strong stretch towards the end of their Super Bowl run, Goedert lands as a high-end TE2 going into the season opener.

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Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is listed as the team's RB4 on their official depth chart. Veteran Austin Ekeler occupies the top spot while Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. slot in as the No. 2 and No. 3. The seventh-round rookie out of Arizona was very impressive during the preseason and made a strong case to open the season in a starting role. However, it appears Croskey-Merritt will have to earn a role during the regular season. Earlier in August, the Commanders opted to trade their presumed starter, Brian Robinson Jr., to the San Francisco 49ers. Robinson took the bulk of the carries last season. Fantasy managers should expect the majority of carries to go to Ekeler and most of the passing work. Rodriguez and McNichols should mix in the short-yadage situations. As a result, Croskey-Merritt will be tough to trust in Week 1 when they face their divisional rival, the New York Giants. However, the Arizona product remains a top high-upside stash as he could earn the starting job later in the campaign.

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley comes into his second NFL season serving as backup to star RB Saquon Barkley. Shipley started the Eagles' first preseason game, finished as the leading rusher after just one quarter of play, then didn't see the field again for the next two weeks. All evidence points to him being the clear number two option out of the Philly backfield. While Shipley may not be the flashiest fantasy option, he could present himself as a valuable bench asset for managers, especially given Barkley's somewhat worrying injury history. He's rostered in just 18% of Sleeper leagues and sits behind one of football's best offensive lines. Shipley isn't ready for fantasy lineups in Week 1 against the Cowboys, but managers should keep an eye on him as a strong handcuff that could win them at least a matchup or two if Barkley goes down.

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Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden is listed as a starter on the team's depth chart, according to Zach Jacobson of 247 Sports. Golden was selected in the opening round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Texas. Throughout camp, Golden has received positive buzz and has already begun to establish a strong connection with quarterback Jordan Love. In addition, wide receivers Jayden Reed (foot) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf) have been dealing with lingering injuries, which have provided Golden ample opportunities with the starting lineup. Golden appears to have impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a spot with the first team. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Reed's and Wicks's status leading up to Week 1. If either wideout is unable to play, Golden could be in store for a massive target share in their season opener against the Detroit Lions.

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