Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the New York Giants. It's no surprise that Washington is only carrying three active running backs on Sunday, but it's a bit stunning to see that Rodriguez is the odd man out. He drew praise from the coaching staff for his ability to step into a larger role this offseason, and he showed bursts of upside last year, such as Week 13, when he rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown. Austin Ekeler should lead the Washington backfield on Sunday while Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols also carve out significant roles.

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Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson (elbow) is officially inactive for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday versus the Miami Dolphin. Goodson was limited all week during practices with his elbow injury and was listed as questionable on the final injury report on Friday. It doesn't appear to be a serious ailment for Goodson, but the Colts will keep him out for the first game of the season. His next chance to make his 2025 debut will be in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos next Sunday. With Goodson sitting in Week 1, it will give rookie DJ Giddens the opportunity to serve as the direct backup to starter Jonathan Taylor. Ulysses Bentley will be the RB3. The 24-year-old Goodson is off the fantasy radar for now and won't be worth a look on the waiver wire unless Taylor misses time with an injury this year.

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The Las Vegas Raiders have declared OT Charles Grant, DT JJ Pegues, RB Raheem Mostert, DE Brennan Jackson, DT Leki Fotu, DB Tristin McCollum and OT Caleb Rogers inactive for Week 1.

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The Miami Dolphins have declared TE Darren Waller, OL Kendall Lamm, WR Tahj Washington, RB Jaylen Wright, DB Ethan Bonner, DT Zeek Biggers and QB Quinn Ewers inactive for Week 1.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton is a healthy scratch for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the division-rival Cleveland Browns. Burton came down with a knee injury in the preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts two weeks ago, but he had since returned to full practice and was removed from the final Week 1 injury report heading into the weekend. The 24-year-old still has potential, but he's buried on the current receiver depth chart behind Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas right now. The former third-rounder (80th overall) last year showed maturity issues in his rookie season and caught only four of his 14 targets for 107 yards in 14 games (one start). The Bengals are still holding out hope he can contribute in the long term, but for now, Burton is off the fantasy radar outside of dynasty/keeper leagues as a bench stash.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. He had been listed as questionable after being a limited participant in three consecutive practices. The 27-year-old is looking to build on an impressive 2024 campaign in which he caught 64 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns, and he likely would have eclipsed 1,000 yards last season if not for missing the season finale due to injury. His quest to top last season's statistics will have to wait at least one week, as Mooney isn't quite healthy enough to play in the 2025 season opener. Drake London and Kyle Pitts project as Michael Penix Jr.'s top options in the passing attack, while Ray-Ray McCloud III should step up into the No. 2 wide receiver role with Mooney sidelined.

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Dynasty | The Browns have signed rookie running back Quinshon Judkins and he could debut in week two. Dynasty Analysis: This has been a drawn-out ordeal but Judkins got a fully guaranteed deal from Cleveland (they certainly hope this one goes a little better than Deshaun Watson's) and could be ready to play as soon as next week. The NFL is scheduled to interview him this week and a suspension is also a possibility, so anyone with Judkins on their roster simply needs to have a backup plan moving forward until everything is settled. He remains a high-risk rookie with a high ceiling.

Dynasty | The Lions have signed wide receiver Jameson Williams to an extension. Dynasty Analysis: Williams gets a three-year, $83 million deal with $67 million guaranteed. This ends any drama that was building around a potential exit from Motor City at the end of they year. The Lions are now fully committed to a core of players that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and Williams. Set to make a big leap this season, the buying window on Williams may be closing.

San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (calf) will play in Week 1's game versus the Seattle Seahawks, according to a source.

Fantasy Spin: McCaffrey was added to the injury report with a questionable designation due to a calf issue Thursday, Sept. 4, and performed well during the walkthrough Saturday, Sept. 6, after missing practice altogether Friday, Sept. 5. While it remains unknown if he will receive his regular workload, he should be considered a must-start option in all fantasy leagues.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) will play in Sunday's season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. McCaffrey had been listed as questionable, and there was genuine concern about his availability after he missed practice on Friday. However, in the end, it appears the star running back will suit up. Fantasy managers should expect him to receive a normal workload, which means he could earn around 20 touches. He remains a very strong mid-range RB1 option thanks to his talent, productivity, and role in an effective Niners offense.

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Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins, who finally signed his rookie contract on Saturday, is likely to make his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. While Judkins' progression through the normal offseason routine was drastically delayed due to his unsigned contract and an off-the-field legal matter, the former was resolved this weekend and the latter could be put to rest within the upcoming week. As a result, Judkins is on track to play next Sunday against the Ravens. With that said, his exact role is still uncertain. He was away from the team during training camp, so it could take him some time to get up to NFL game speed. In the meantime, returning starter Jerome Ford and rookie Dylan Sampson should both carve out significant roles in the Cleveland backfield. Judkins likely won't be startable in fantasy football for at least a few weeks.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) did not practice on Friday, but he was a "big participant in the walkthrough on Saturday," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. As a result, the star running back is trending toward playing. Fantasy managers are holding their breath and hoping that McCaffrey avoids a repeat of the 2024 season when he was expected to be healthy for Week 1 but then ultimately missed the first nine games. We'll get confirmation on his status around 2:35 p.m. ET when the 49ers post their list of inactive players. If McCaffrey does suit up against the Seahawks, he'll rank as a mid-range RB1 in fantasy football.

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Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been gaining traction throughout training camp and the preseason. The trade of Brian Robinson Jr. has given Croskey-Merritt a clear path to playing time in Washington. The Commanders have stated that Croskey-Merritt will be involved during the season opener. However, it's unclear how much he'll actually play in this game. The Commanders have four backs that they'll probably mix in at some point. Croskey-Merritt is a great stash, but his Week 1 outlook is hard to predict. He's probably best served on the fantasy benches until he has a proven role in the offense.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (shoulder) has suffered a dislocated shoulder from Friday's game in Brazil. Worthy exited in the first quarter of Friday's contest after colliding with teammate Travis Kelce. He underwent additional testing which has now revealed a fairly significant injury. Worthy will still have more testing done, but is hopeful he can return with a brace. It seems tough to imagine Worthy being able to suit up for the Week 2 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Worthy misses time, Marquise Brown figures to gain the most value. Brown hauled in 10 of 16 targets for 99 yards in the Week 1 loss. Also, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and Travis Kelce should see increased roles. Brown needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats given Worthy is likely to miss time or be limited.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (illness) has been added to the injury report ahead of Sunday's Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. At first glance this is concerning, but Murray is still slated to start this game. Possibly, Murray does lose some fantasy value because he'll probably be playing at less than 100 percent. If he misses any snaps, Jacoby Brissett is the primary backup. Despite the illness, Murray should remain in the QB1 discussion with a plus-matchup against the Saints defense.

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Washington Commanders kicker Matt Gay (illness) was recently cleared to suit up for Sunday's Week 1 matchup against the New York Giants. Gay was brought in during the offseason on a one-year, $4.25 million deal. He has bounced around in the league, but had pretty decent success in 2024. Gay knocked down 31-of-37 field goal attempts while hitting 33-of-33 extra point attempts during the 2024 campaign with the Indianapolis Colts. He's not an elite fantasy option, but should get plenty of chances in Washington. Gay is a viable streaming option against the shaky Giants defense in Week 1.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Hunter Renfrow has an opportunity to be a factor in Week 1, but many uncertainties surrounding his situation makes him difficult to start right away against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 29-year-old missed all of 2024 with ulcerative colitis and was initially waived by Carolina, who signed him to the active roster only after dealing Adam Thielen to Minnesota and placing Jalen Coker (quadriceps) on IR. That places Renfrow as Carolina's projected top option in the slot, where he did most of his damage during his stint with the then-Oakland Raiders. The veteran has a 103-catch season to his name, but that was four years ago at this point. For now, Renfrow is mostly a DFS home-run swing or a stash in deeper dynasty formats.

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According to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants could use rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart as early as Week 1. Rapoport reported that the Giants have a package of plays ready to go for the rookie from Ole Miss, which they are ready to deploy as soon as their season-opening game Sunday against Washington. The Giants signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to be their immediate starter, but the drumbeat is already going for Dart, who impressed during the preseason. The Giants traded back into the first round to select the rookie early this year, and the dynamic will be worth watching this season in Superflex and dynasty formats, especially.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott (ankle) has officially been ruled out for his team's road tilt with the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. The former undrafted free agent picked up an ankle injury in the Vikes' preseason finale and did not log even a limited practice session ahead of their regular season opener. It's unfortunate timing for Scott, who flashed as a pass-catcher this summer and might have challenged to be Minnesota's third option out of the backfield. Teammates Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason figure to handle the bulk of the running back opportunities on Monday night, with Ty Chandler potentially rotating in for a few touches behind them.

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The Detroit Lions and wide receiver Jameson Williams have agreed to terms on a three-year, $83 million extension, according to multiple sources. NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported the news. Per Schultz, the deal includes $67 million in guaranteed money. It's an excellent move by Detroit, who picked up the wideout's fifth-year option back in April. The deal will tie the University of Alabama product to the organization through 2029. Williams is fresh off his best professional season, and the team has indicated he'll be more involved during the 2025 campaign. There was no doubt heading into this year that he'd operate as Detroit's clear-cut No. 2 option, though the extension should quell any lingering fears surrounding him in dynasty.

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