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Despite contract impasse, Ja'Marr Chase active for Bengals

Sun Sep 8 12:07pm ET
Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, locked in a protracted contract dispute with the team, will play in Sunday's opener against the visiting New England Patriots.

He had been listed on the team's injury report as questionable due to illness.

Chase had said he would be the one to decide whether he would suit up against the Patriots, and he decided to, even though ESPN reported Sunday morning that the Bengals and Chase were unable to come to a contract agreement before game day.

The contract stalemate kept Chase on the sidelines for training camp and the preseason, and he just returned to practice on Wednesday. His usage against the Patriots likely will be low and limited to key plays, such as third down or in the red zone, since he did not have the opportunity to work himself into top game shape.

Chase is seeking a contract extension along the lines of his former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings. Jefferson reset the market with a four-year, $140 million contract ($35 million per season) that eclipsed the $32 million per year Philadelphia Eagles wideout A.J. Brown receives.

Amon-Ra St. Brown signed a four-year deal worth $30.002 million per year with the Detroit Lions, and the Dallas Cowboys finally paid CeeDee Lamb's asking price -- four years, $136 million with $100 million guaranteed -- last month to bring his offseason holdout to a close.

Chase caught 100 passes for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He's scheduled to play on the final year of his four-year rookie contract -- at a base salary of $1.055 million -- and has a fifth-year team option worth $21.8 million for 2025.

The No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft, Chase has 268 catches for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns in 45 games with Cincinnati.

While Chase is available to play, the Bengals listed the following players as inactive: wide receivers Tee Higgins and Kendric Pryor, defensive end Cedric Johnson, offensive tackle Amarius Mims, tight end Tanner McLachlan and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr.

As for the Patriots, they listed wide receiver Javon Baker, quarterback Joe Milton III, linebacker Curtis Jacobs, guard Sidy Sow, defensive tackle Eric Johnson and tackles Zachary Thomas and Demontrey Jacobs as inactive.

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Starts/Sits: Week 1

Player Notes
Russell Wilson Sep 8 11:20am CT
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is officially inactive for Week 1 on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. There were conflicting reports throughout the week on whether Wilson would make his Steelers debut this weekend after he was given a questionable tag on Friday's final injury report. Head coach Mike Tomlin seemed to think Wilson was fine earlier in the week, but team trainers have taken a more cautious approach to the veteran signal-caller after he dealt with an injury to the same calf during training camp. It's unclear if Wilson will start in Week 2 on the road against his former team, the Denver Broncos in Week 2, but the Steelers could have some QB controversy on their hands early on if Justin Fields performs well in the Week 1 opener against Atlanta. Kyle Allen will serve as Fields' backup on Sunday with Wilson out.

From RotoBaller

John Metchie III Sep 8 11:20am CT
John Metchie III

Houston Texans running back Cam Akers and wide receiver John Metchie III are healthy scratches for Week 1 of the regular season against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The Texans are rolling with starter Joe Mixon and backups Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale as their three RBs to open the year against the Colts. The 25-year-old Akers saw plenty of action in the preseason, but for now he'll just be RB depth in Houston and remains well off the fantasy radar. Metchie has plenty of talent but has been hurt by injuries so far in his NFL career, and the Texans now have a crowded receiver room that features Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Robert Woods and others. The 24-year-old is also battling for a position with Xavier Hutchinson and Steven Sims. Obviously, Akers and Metchie both belong on the waiver wire in your league.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Love Sep 8 11:13am CT
Jordan Love

Dynasty | Packers quarterback Jordan Love is likely going to miss just 3-6 weeks after experiencing a mild MCL sprain in the season opener. Dynasty Analysis: The news gets even better as Ian Rapaport is reporting the Packers believe he's going to return in the low-end of that scale and only miss around three weeks. This is major good news for Love (and his dynasty managers) as it looked like he could have suffered a season-ending injury in week one. Dynasty managers will need to turn to their QB2 in the short-term but we should see Love again shortly. He retains all the momentum he had gained this off-season in terms of his dynasty value, despite missing some time.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Tyreek Hill Sep 8 11:13am CT
Tyreek Hill

Dynasty | Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was detained outside Miami's stadium prior to the start of their opening day game. Dynasty Analysis: Hill was stopped for what is being called a minor traffic violation but video shows him on the ground in handcuffs. This is a story that's not going to go away any time soon as details are a little sketchy at the moment. What we do know is Hill was released and will play. This looks like an ugly situation that may have been totally avoided but we won't rush to judgment. Regardless, Hill is locked into lineups this morning.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Russell Wilson Sep 8 11:13am CT
Russell Wilson

Dynasty | The Steelers are starting Justin Fields in their season opening game against Atlanta. Dynasty Analysis: Russell Wilson has been unable to shake the calf injury that has plagued him all off-season and Fields is going to get a golden opportunity to take the job and run with it, perhaps literally. This is a situation to monitor closely today as Fields' performance will shape the future of the Steelers franchise in the short-term. He remains a solid buy low but that window may have just closed.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dak Prescott Sep 8 11:13am CT
Dak Prescott

Dynasty | The Cowboys have signed quarterback Dak Prescott to a four-year contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: The extension keeps Prescott in Dallas for the long haul and pays him $240 million, making him the highest paid player in NFL history. While Prescott hasn't been able to get Dallas to the promised land, he's certainly solved what was a revolving door at the position for years after Troy Aikman retired. Prescott will remain a solid lower-end QB1 in dynasty leagues for what looks like years to come.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

DeAndre Hopkins Sep 8 11:13am CT
DeAndre Hopkins

Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins (knee) is active for Week 1's game against the Chicago Bears.

Fantasy Spin: Hopkins had been listed as questionable on the injury report after being a limited practice participant throughout the week. He makes a risky WR3 or flex option this afternoon because he may not see his normal workload since he is attempting to play through an MCL tear.

From TheHuddle

Ja'Marr Chase Sep 8 11:10am CT
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (illness) is officially active in Week 1 of the regular season on Sunday against the New England Patriots. Chase's availability for the season opener had been in question all week, mainly because he hadn't resolved a contract dispute with the team. Then Chase came down with an illness late in the week. Even though the two sides haven't worked out a long-term contract extension, Chase will suit up to begin the regular season, which is good news for the Bengals, who will be without receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring). Although Chase is expected to be on somewhat of a pitch count after not practicing much at all during training camp, fantasy managers that took him in the first round of drafts need to keep him in their starting lineups

From RotoBaller

Tip Reiman Sep 8 11:10am CT
Tip Reiman

Arizona Cardinals tight end Tip Reiman (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills. He had been listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday, but in the end, he's suiting up for his NFL debut. The rookie third-round pick remains behind Trey McBride on the depth chart, which means he can be avoided in most fantasy football leagues this week.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Sep 8 11:10am CT
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) is officially inactive for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday versus the New England Patriots. Higgins injured his hamstring in practice on Thursday and was listed as doubtful on Friday's final Week 1 injury report, so fantasy managers should have already moved him to their benches for the week. The good news for Cincy is that WR1 Ja'Marr Chase is active on Sunday after holding in for all of training camp and the preseason. Chase is expected to be on a pitch count, meaning receivers Andrei Iosivas and Trenton Irwin and tight end Mike Gesicki could be more involved than usual in the season opener with Higgins also out. Higgins, who was a big fantasy disappointment last year, is not off to a good start in 2024, and it remains to be seen if he'll be available for a Week 2 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Jake Haener Sep 8 11:00am CT
Jake Haener

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener will open the season as Derek Carr's backup. He's officially active for Week 1 while rookie Spencer Rattler is a healthy scratch. The Saints' depth chart generated some buzz at the quarterback position, where Haener and Rattler were listed as co-backups, but it appears we now have a firm answer, at least for the start of the year. Haener was a fourth-round pick in 2023 and spent all of last season developing in the Saints' roster, but he has yet to appear in a game. Rattler was the team's fifth-round pick this year after he put together a couple of solid seasons at the University of South Carolina. Both players remain off the redraft radar as long as Carr is healthy.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Wright Sep 8 11:00am CT
Jaylen Wright

Miami Dolphins rookie fourth-round running back Jaylen Wright is a healthy scratch for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. To kick off the year, the Dolphins will roll with Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and Jeff Wilson Jr. as their three RBs. The Dolphins coaching staff really likes Wright and want to get him work in 2024, but that might be hard to do as long as the three mean ahead of him on the RB depth chart stay healthy. The biggest factor to the 21-year-old Wright not being active right off the bat is probably the fact that he hasn't contributed on special teams. Wright will become very attractive on the waiver wire in fantasy leagues if one of Mostert or Achane get hurt, but for right now, he's mostly a bench stash in dynasty/keeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

A.T. Perry Sep 8 11:00am CT
A.T. Perry

New Orleans Saints wide receiver A.T. Perry (hand) is officially inactive for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. He had been listed as questionable but had an unfavorable outlook after missing practice on Friday. Indeed, he'll spend the season opener in street clothes, leaving Cedrick Wilson Jr. in line for the No. 3 role. Chris Olave remains the only must-start receiver in the Saints' offense, but deep threat Rashid Shaheed deserves some WR3/FLEX consideration with a decent matchup on tap.

From RotoBaller

Trevor Lawrence Sep 8 11:00am CT
Trevor Lawrence

Despite a questionable tag, Miami Dolphins All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) is active in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium. Ramsey's presence in Miami's secondary will make life more difficult for Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The 29-year-old Ramsey signed a new three-year contract extension on Friday to make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. Because he had been held out of practices since the middle of August, don't be surprised if the Dolphins keep Ramsey's reps limited in the first game of the 2024 regular season. Ramsey isn't much of an IDP fantasy option, but he's one of the league's best shutdown corners when he's healthy.

From RotoBaller

Keenan Allen Sep 8 11:00am CT
Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) is officially active for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after logging a full practice on Friday. The veteran wideout will make his Bears debut as the team's No. 2 receiver behind DJ Moore. Allen is coming off a terrific season in which he caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. Even as he operates behind Moore, Allen should be viewed as a high-end WR3/FLEX play in most fantasy football formats.

From RotoBaller

Montez Sweat Sep 8 11:00am CT
Montez Sweat

Chicago Bears pass rushers Montez Sweat (toe), Darrell Taylor (foot), and DeMarcus Walker (groin) are active for Sunday's season opener against the Tennessee Titans. All three players had been listed as questionable heading into this week's contest. In the end, they'll all suit up, giving Chicago a major boost on defense as they look to slow down Will Levis and the Titans.

From RotoBaller

Fabian Moreau Sep 8 10:53am CT
Fabian Moreau

The Minnesota Vikings have declared DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, CB Dwight McGlothern, DB Fabian Moreau, WR Trishton Jackson, QB Brett Rypien, OT Walter Rouse and DL Jalen Redmond inactive for Week 1.

From TheHuddle

Russell Wilson Sep 8 10:53am CT
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson (calf) has been declared inactive for Week 1 but will be the emergency No. 3 quarterback if needed.

Fantasy Spin: The Steelers are taking things slow with Wilson, so he will miss at least one game because of the injury. Fantasy players can monitor the situation to see if Wilson or Justin Fields will be the starter moving forward, but neither is more than a No. 2 fantasy quarterback.

From TheHuddle

Keenan Allen Sep 8 10:53am CT
Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears WR Keenan Allen (heel) is active for Week 1's game against the Tennessee Titans.

Fantasy Spin: Allen had been listed as questionable on the injury report after logging two limited practice sessions and one full session during the week. He should receive his normal workload this afternoon and can be deployed as a WR3 or flex option in fantasy lineups.

From TheHuddle

DeAndre Hopkins Sep 8 10:50am CT
DeAndre Hopkins

As expected, Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) is officially active for the Week 1 contest on Sunday in Chicago at Soldier Field against the Bears. Hopkins suffered what he described as an MCL tear in his knee in the preseason and missed some time in training camp as a result, but he had enough time to heal up before the regular-season opener and is expected to have a big role against what was a stingy Bears defense last year. The 32-year-old Hopkins is likely to see plenty of All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson and will also have more target competition in 2024 from Calvin Ridley. It may be harder for Nuk to post his eighth career 1,000-yard season this year, but he still has weekly fantasy appeal as a WR4/flex play.

From RotoBaller