Saturday News Drop

Fantasy’s biggest stories of the week … in two minutes or less.

Jayden Reed Set for Surgery

Jayden Reed is set to have surgery on his broken collarbone early next week and will miss about 6-8 weeks while rehabbing. It’s a tough blow for Packers fans and fantasy managers hoping for early-season slot production. This basically means Reed is a stash-only option until November, and even then, he may come back to a crowded rotation with Christian Watson likely healthy.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt to Lead Backfield

Bill Croskey-Merritt is expected to take over as the Commanders’ starting running back after Austin Ekeler’s Achilles injury. Croskey-Merritt should handle most of the early-down work, but Jeremy McNichols is likely to see passing-down snaps. For fantasy, this makes Croskey-Merritt a volume-based RB2 or flex, especially in neutral or positive game scripts.

TE Warren to Be Focal Point of Colts’ Attack

The Colts could make rookie tight end Tyler Warren the focal point of the passing game this week against Denver. With Michael Pittman likely locked up by Patrick Surtain II, Warren could be peppered with targets and has legit breakout potential. If you need tight end help, he’s a very sneaky play for Week 2.

Goedert Misses Practice

Dallas Goedert missed Friday’s practice and is likely out for Week 2 against the Chiefs. Grant Calcaterra will step in, but the real takeaway is more work for A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both should bounce back after quiet Week 1 outings.

Grant Delpit Puts Up Bulletin Board Material

Speaking of the Browns, their safety Grant Delpit said it’s “not hard” to tackle Derrick Henry, which is not a statement many living men would dare to make. Henry has already responded with a “we’ll see on Sunday,” setting up a physical matchup between Cleveland and Baltimore. This is exactly the type of game script that could fuel a monster Henry performance… fantasy managers might see him run angrier than usual.

Brock Purdy Will Miss Time

The hits keep coming in San Francisco… Ian Rapoport says Brock Purdy probably will be out 2-5 weeks with a shoulder injury as well as turf toe. That leaves Mac Jones in line to start against New Orleans, and for the next month or so. Purdy managers in 1QB leagues can move on, but in Superflex, Jones is worth a speculative add.

Miami Trying to Right the Ship

The Dolphins held a players-only meeting after their 33-8 loss to the Colts. Tua Tagovailoa said he was happy to see the offense show up to watch film and reset for Week 2. That’s the kind of bounce-back spot fantasy managers love. Expect sharper execution and a potential rebound game for Miami’s playmakers.

Justin Fields showing out in New York

The Jets may have lost in Week 1, but they’re still pumped after Fields’ debut where he ran for two touchdowns, threw for another, and completed 16 of 22 passes. Garrett Wilson says “we’re not done yet,” hinting at more fireworks to come. If you drafted Fields, this is exactly what you wanted to see. And the Jets’ weapons look ready to make noise in fantasy.

Tyreek Hill Under Review

More unfortunate off-the-field news. The NFL is investigating new domestic violence allegations against Tyreek Hill. Any suspension would completely shake up the top of the WR board, so this one matters. Hill wasn’t a first-round fantasy pick this season, but he was still going in the early rounds, so any suspension would hurt his owners, at least in the short-term.

So keep your eye on the news as we head into the weekend… as promised, in 2 minutes or less.

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See you tomorrow,

-Joe