New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has ruled out cornerback Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Additionally, left tackle Will Campbell (ankle) is questionable. Gonzalez was not able to practice at all this week and could also be in danger of missing the Week 2 tilt on the road against the division-rival Miami Dolphins unless he can get back on the practice field next week. As a leader of the secondary in New England, not having the 23-year-old former first-rounder will definitely be a downgrade for the Pats defense this weekend as they look to slow down Raiders quarterback Geno Smith and their new-look offense. One of Alex Austin, Marcus Jones or DJ James will step in to start for Gonzalez across from Carlton Davis.

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Wide receiver Curtis Samuel was a top-50 fantasy WR from 2022-23 with the Washington Commanders, but he fell off a cliff in his first year with the Buffalo Bills last season. After dealing with a nagging toe injury and managing just 31 catches, 253 receiving yards, and one touchdown in 14 games, Samuel will open 2025 against a high-end Baltimore Ravens defense on Sunday. Samuel is worth avoiding this week, especially after a hamstring issue shelved him for most of the summer. The 29-year-old is not on the injury report heading into Week 1, and considering his respectable track record, Samuel could get back on the fantasy radar if he starts this season looking more like he did in Washington. He came around a bit at the end of last season with two TD grabs in three playoff games, including a 55-yarder in a wild-card round win over the Denver Broncos.

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The Buffalo Bills reunited with veteran wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) earlier this week, but he'll open the season on the practice squad injured list. Davis is still on the mend from a torn left meniscus he suffered last season as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now 26 years old, Davis spent 2020-23 with the Bills, averaging approximately 41 catches, 683 yards, and seven touchdowns per season during that run. He parlayed his Buffalo production into a three-year, $39 million deal with the Jaguars in free agency, but they released him after he fell flat in 2024. Davis caught just 20 of 42 targets for 239 yards and two scores in 10 games with the Jags before the meniscus injury ended his season in mid-November. The Bills are starting this season with Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Tyrell Shavers as their receivers. It's conceivable that Davis could replace someone from the back end of that group once he recovers.

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Cleveland Browns All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett (hip) returned to practice on Friday and was removed from the final Week 1 injury report, meaning he'll play on Sunday against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, barring a setback, according to Mark Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Garrett did not practice on Thursday due to his hip injury, but it was likely more of a rest day for the veteran pass-rusher. The Browns are going to have a tough time slowing down quarterback Joe Burrow and one of the best offenses in the league this weekend, but having Garrett active certainly helps. The 29-year-old six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro has 102.5 sacks in his eight years in the league and should be locked into all starting IDP lineups this weekend.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (groin) enters his second NFL season as a breakout candidate. The 2024 second-round pick only caught 29 of 57 targets in 13 games last season, but he averaged 19.2 yards per grab and found the end zone four times. Coleman's stock appeared to be on the rise before he suffered a wrist injury in Week 9. He sat out for over a month as a result, and he was a non-factor upon his return. Despite ending 2024 on a sour note, Coleman has drawn rave reviews this summer for his performance in practice. It's anyone's guess if that will translate in the regular season, which begins Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder has been limited in practice with a groin injury, but it shouldn't prevent him from playing. While Coleman may still carry too much risk for fantasy managers to trust this week, it'll be a positive sign if he's productive against an imposing Baltimore secondary.

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Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid endured a sophomore slump last season. After amassing 73 catches for 673 yards and two touchdowns over 16 games as a rookie, the former first-rounder posted 44-448-two in 13 contests in 2024. A knee injury hampered Kincaid, who is healthy heading into the new season and will face off against a talent-rich Baltimore Ravens defense in the opener this Sunday. Kincaid took on the Ravens twice a year ago and produced mixed results. He caught five of seven targets for 47 yards in a Week 4 loss and secured one of two targets for 11 yards in a divisional-round victory. While Kincaid is a risky choice for Sunday, the 25-year-old has more upside than he offered last season. There is potential for Kincaid to become a reliable TE1 for fantasy managers in 2025.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer will make his debut with the team this Sunday after spending the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. It won't be an easy Week 1 matchup for Palmer, who will face a sturdy Baltimore Ravens secondary. Although the 25-year-old is coming off his second straight season with fewer than 40 catches, the Bills brought him in to serve as one of their top three WRs alongside Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Considering Palmer didn't exceed 72 catches, 769 yards, or four touchdowns in any season with Justin Herbert as his quarterback, he isn't garnering much hype going into 2025. Palmer's probably not on most fantasy managers' radars for a meeting with the Ravens, but it's worth monitoring how often Josh Allen targets him in their first game together this week.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is a one-man wrecking crew, but he'll face a stiff test in Sunday's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. While the reigning MVP tormented his share of opponents in 2024, he didn't post gaudy numbers In two meetings with the Ravens - a Week 4 loss and a divisional-round win. Allen combined to go a modest 32-for-51 (63%) for 307 yards and no touchdown passes or interceptions in those contests. With 41 yards on 15 carries, the dual-threat superstar averaged under 3.0 YPC, though he did find the end zone twice in the Bills' postseason triumph. Baltimore allowed the second-most passing yards in the league last season, but its defense improved dramatically when All-Pro Kyle Hamilton shifted to a deep safety role in Week 11. The Ravens have since remade their secondary with the additions of first-round safety Malaki Starks, who will start alongside Hamilton, as well as cornerbacks Jaire Alexander (knee) and Chidobe Awuzie in free agency. With corners Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins returning, the Ravens' defensive backfield is stacked on paper. That's not ideal for Allen, yet he has made plenty of talented defenses look bad in the past. Fantasy managers will have to hope he does it again in Week 1.

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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he unexpectedly tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns after tallying just two in the previous season. He also surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground for the second year in a row, but fantasy managers may have to temper expectations in Week 1. Cook is set to battle the Baltimore Ravens, who boasted the league's top-ranked run defense last season, when the teams kick off Sunday. The Ravens held opposing rushers to a paltry 3.6 yards per carry - a far cry from Cook's 4.9 YPC. Cook faced the Ravens twice in 2024 and combined for 106 yards on 26 carries, four catches for another 24 yards, and zero scores. The explosive 25-year-old enters 2025 as a high-end RB2 in fantasy, but with the Ravens standing in his way, Cook may not storm out of the gates in the opener.

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After the departure of Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir took over as the Buffalo Bills' No. 1 wide receiver in 2024. The slot standout led the team in catches (76), targets (100), and yards (821) while finishing with four touchdowns over 15 games last year. Shakir is the favorite to serve as quarterback Josh Allen's top target again this season, which begins Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. The 6-foot, 190-pounder took on Baltimore twice last year and combined for 10 grabs on 13 targets, 129 yards, and no TDs, though an ankle injury cut his first meeting with the Ravens short. More recently, Shakir dealt with a high-ankle sprain throughout August, but he has been a full go in practice since Wednesday and should play a prominent role on Sunday. Baltimore has a strong secondary on paper, and both a lack of TDs (seven in three years) and a lack of usage in two-WR sets could continue to limit Shakir's upside. Nevertheless, Shakir is a sure-handed pass catcher who totaled six-plus receptions 10 times last season (including all three playoff games), and Allen figures to look in his direction often on Sunday.

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Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that running back Tyler Goodson (elbow) is questionable for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, according to Mike Chappell of FOX 59. Goodson was able to put in limited practices this week, so he has a pretty good shot of suiting up this weekend for the season opener. However, even if he's deemed healthy enough to play, the 24-year-old might be the RB3 for Indy behind starter Jonathan Taylor and rookie DJ Giddens. Goodson can likely be ignored in most fantasy leagues unless Taylor misses time with an injury in 2025. The Iowa alum had 32 carries in his second NFL season in 2024 and ran for 153 yards and one touchdown in 16 games (no starts), adding 11 catches for 61 yards and one touchdown through the air.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he expects wide receiver Jayden Reed (foot) to practice again on Friday, although he could be limited for the second straight day, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. Reed is battling through a Jones fracture and did not take part in the first practice of the week, but he was upgraded to limited on Thursday, giving him a shot to play in Week 1 against the division-rival Detroit Lions. It sounds as though Jones might not be able to be a full-go on Friday, though, suggesting he could draw a questionable tag for the regular-season opener this Sunday. Still, the 25-year-old has a shot to be active this weekend. If Reed does suit up, his reps could be limited, making him an even bigger boom/bust risk as a WR4/flex in fantasy lineups. If he's out, Romeo Doubs would become a more attractive flex.

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Per the team, Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass (hip, groin) will not practice on Friday. Bass will miss his second consecutive practice after logging a limited session to start the week. The 28-year-old has been dealing with a lingering hip injury this offseason that he has been unable to shake. While Bass hasn't been ruled out for Sunday's meeting with the Baltimore Ravens, it'd undoubtedly be a surprise to see him suit up at this point -- particularly with Buffalo's signing of veteran kicker Matt Prater to the practice squad on Thursday. Fantasy managers can't yet rule him out, but with a Sunday night kickoff on tap, a contingency plan at the position is a sound strategy. Bass is ranked as a top ten option at his position per RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has officially ruled out wide receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) for Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday versus the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. The Bucs also ruled out offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee). Both Godwin and Wirfs are expected to miss at least the first couple of weeks of the season, with Godwin potentially not making it back until Week 5 or later after suffering a gruesome dislocated ankle in Week 7 of last year. The 29-year-old should be stashed in most fantasy leagues, but it's going to be some time until we see him make his 2025 debut since he has not practiced at all since having surgery on his ankle. In the meantime, rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka figures to see a steady stream of targets behind Mike Evans with Jalen McMillan (neck) on Injured Reserve.

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New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said he expects cornerback Sauce Gardner (leg) to suit up for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Gardner was limited in the team's first official practice of the year on Wednesday before upgrading to a full practice session on Thursday. It's possible that the Jets ease the 25-year-old defensive back into his starting role to kick off the season this weekend, but he should be out there. It's good news for a Jets defense/special teams unit that should be considered a top-10 fantasy play in Week 1 against aging quarterback Aaron Rodgers. When fully healthy, Gardner is considered one of the best lockdown cornerbacks in the NFL.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique) is "absolutely" on track to play in the Week 1 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, per head coach Mike McDaniel. It's what fantasy managers want to hear after drafting the Cheetah at a discounted price after a disappointing 2024 campaign (by his standards). The 31-year-old speedster missed a good chunk of training camp while working through an oblique injury, but he was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and could be cleared entirely from the Week 1 injury report on Friday if he's able to upgrade to a full practice session. The Dolphins should also have running back De'Von Achane (calf) available as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the rest of the offense look to bounce back. Treat Hill as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy lineups in Week 1.

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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that tight end Darren Waller (hip) suffered a setback before Thursday's practice and is now doubtful to play in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, according to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. The Dolphins have been easing Waller in all training camp after he came out of retirement to join the team in the offseason. The 32-year-old was working on his conditioning during camp, but now he's dealing with a hip injury and isn't expected to play in the season opener. Fantasy managers that took a flier on Waller late in drafts in deeper leagues are going to need to be patient if they are going to hang onto him, but it's starting to look like it might be a while before he contributes in the passing game. Julian Hill and Tanner Conner are next up at the position, but fantasy managers should look elsewhere.

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Despite not picking up any playing time during the preseason, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is all geared up for the team's Week 1 meeting with the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "I know when game day comes up, the whole game plan will be in. I'll be ready," said Penix Jr. The University of Washington alum will head into his first season as the team's starter, but will do so having only worked with the first-team offense in practice situations thus far. It's fair to expect that there may be some ramp-up time as the offense attempts to find its groove, but the team is all-in on the second-year signal-caller as their leader. Penix Jr. doesn't hold much value in single-QB leagues for now, but he's an intriguing QB2 option in superflex formats and a hold in dynasty leagues. He's RotoBaller's QB19 in the Week 1 rankings.

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Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (calf) is "absolutely" on track to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday versus the Indianapolis Colts, according to head coach Mike McDaniel. Achane was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and previously said he feels 100 percent going into the first game of the year. There was speculation around the time he suffered his calf injury at the end of training camp that it might keep him out for multiple weeks to begin the regular season, but Achane has since returned to practice and put those concerns to bed. Fantasy managers would love for him to be cleared entirely on Friday's final injury report going into Sunday's tilt. But the bottom line is that if the 23-year-old speedster is active on Sunday, he should be a must-start in all fantasy lineups as Miami's clear RB1.

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According to New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, wide receiver Malik Nabers (back) will have his reps limited at Friday's practice. Daboll notes that the 22-year-old's back is a "little tight," but he'll be good to go for Sunday's road meeting with the Washington Commanders. Nabers was able to steer clear of the team's Week 1 injury report, but he isn't entirely over the back issue that's bothered him for a bit. Daboll's sentiment regarding his star wide receiver is encouraging, but with their season opener so close, fantasy managers must closely monitor the situation. As of now, the LSU product is on track to play, although it's unclear if New York will put a cap on his snaps for the first game of the campaign. If they do, teammate Jalin Hyatt would benefit the most in terms of playing time, picking up more snaps alongside Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton.

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