Sep 15, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) runs back a kick against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Maye Makes his Patriots' Debut
It got ugly for the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football as they looked a lot more like most thought they would than the previous two weeks. Jacoby Brissett was horrendous and eventually got the hook from first-year coach Jerod Mayo.
We now officially have a quarterback controversy on our hands in New England. First-round pick Drake Maye finished the game and people are already wondering who will be starting in Week 4. Maye didn't do much of note, but that doesn't really matter when the offense is as anemic as their passing attack has been both this week and this season. There is a good chance that we all just watched a new era begin on Thursday night.
If Maye does move into the starting role, it doesn't mean all of the pass-catching weapons are going to flourish in New England. However, it does give them a fighting chance to have some sort of upside. Maye should be viewed as little more than a potential stash in Superflex leagues. Until they fix their offensive line issues, a quarterback change can only take them so far.
Miami Moves Forward Without Tua
With an upcoming bye week in Week 6 and positive reports, it looked like there was some hope that Tua Tagovailoa could avoid landing on the injured reserve after suffering another concussion. Unfortunately, that is not the case and the Dolphins will have to move forward without their starting quarterback until at least Week 8. Skylar Thompson will get the first shot at the starting gig.
This is a tough blow to the team and all of their fantasy options. De'Von Achane shouldn't be impacted too much based on the way he's used. The dump-offs should continue to come his way even if there are fewer touchdown opportunities. Tyreek Hill is still Tyreek Hill and is a must start, nevertheless, his value still takes a hit and he may not be that high-end WR1 on a consistent basis that we expect him to be.
The biggest blow will be landed on Jaylen Waddle. He goes from an elite WR2 with massive upside to a questionable flex option. If all goes well, Tua will recover and be back out there by mid-season. Hopefully, the Dolphins and fantasy managers can survive without him.
The Hits Keep Coming for Niners
Last week we talked about Christian McCaffrey being placed on injured reserve and potentially missing well beyond the four-week minimum. The news continues to pile up on the San Francisco 49ers and none of it is good.
Early this week we learned that Deebo Samuel Sr. is now dealing with a calf issue of his own that is likely to hold him out for multiple weeks. Then late in the week, we got word that George Kittle was being held out of practice with a hamstring injury and is now in danger of missing Week 3.
This is terrible news for any fantasy manager who isn't heavily invested in Jauan Jennings which is pretty much all of them. Brandon Aiyuk could get a bump as well. However, this is a disaster for anyone who owns CMC, Samuel, Kittle, or Brock Purdy. For two years people have been asking what would Purdy look like if he wasn't surrounded by all those weapons. We may be about to find out.
Kupp Avoids Injured Reserve for Now
Cooper Kupp went down in Week 2 with what has now been diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain. The good news is that he has not been placed on injured reserve and the team has come out and stated that there are no current plans to place him on IR. With that said, we have also heard reports that he will be in a cast for a week or two and we all know how bad high-ankle sprains can be.
The then reigning fantasy WR1 overall Michael Thomas went down with a high-ankle sprain at a significantly younger age and still has never bounced back. That's not a common case, but it is common for a player to suffer this injury, rush back, and look like a shell of themselves for the remainder of the season.
Hopefully, Kupp fully recovers and is back as soon as possible for a Los Angeles Rams team that is already missing 2023 breakout rookie wide receiver Puka Nacu for about half the season. Demarcus Robinson is the only proven asset left in their WR corps and is expected to serve as the WR1 until further notice. Other potential fantasy options are Tyler Johnson, Tutu Atwell and rookie Jordan Whittington. We'd prioritize them in that order.
Dalton Takes Over in Carolina
The Bryce Young era may already have come to a screeching halt for the Carolina Panthers. The 2023 first-overall pick in the NFL draft has officially been benched after a disastrous start to the season. The team has decided to go with veteran journeyman Andy Dalton. If he never starts another game in Carolina or never improves, Young will go down as one of the biggest busts in NFL history.
Whether you blame the player or the team, the consensus amongst fantasy owners is that Dalton is a massive upgrade for the weapons on the Panthers. That should tell you all that you need to know about how that situation has been going.
We wouldn't rush to start any of their pass-catchers, but we would monitor Diontae Johnson and any other wideouts on the team for that matter. There is a good chance Dalton can help him return to fantasy relevance in PPR leagues at the very least.
