Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins had an underwhelming debut for his new team in Week 1. He has an equally tough, if not more challenging, matchup this Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. It's not necessarily due to the Eagles' defense, who allowed 280 yards passing to Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers the week prior, but because of the high expectations and the pressure to perform to a much higher standard than his Week 1 showing. The Falcons could be down early and often, providing value for fantasy managers this week. Still, it is not wise to start Kirk Cousins in any lineups in any 10 or 12-team leagues until we see the camaraderie and potential this team could truly have. Cousins is mainly an option in superflex or 2QB leagues, ranking 21st among all quarterbacks in the latest RotoBaller Week 2 rankings.

The Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) said all offseason and throughout training camp that he didn't have any restrictions coming off an Achilles tear last year. But after Cousins and the Falcons' offense struggled in the Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was hard to tell if Cousins was 100%. Based on conversations, Cousins' leg feels good and doesn't have lingering issues from his surgery. However, there appears to be a rust factor while working with first-time play-caller Zac Robinson. "Just as we afford rookie QBs some leeway, let's extend the same understanding to first-time play callers," a source said. Cousins didn't play in any preseason games and was facing a swarming Steelers defense in Week 1. Fantasy managers that have Cousins rostered as their No. 2 signal-caller will be hoping he can knock off the rust for a Monday night showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) provided an update on his health following his Week 1 return during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show on Wednesday morning. Cousins expressed satisfaction with his ankle and Achilles, saying, "I felt good honestly. I was really pleased with how my ankle felt, not just the Achilles, but my ankle felt really good." Despite this positive report, Cousins' performance was underwhelming after his return from an Achilles tear. His play was marred by questionable interceptions, including one thrown into double coverage. Additionally, Cousins played mainly from the pistol formation and only went under center twice, limiting his opportunities for play-action, which he typically relies on for success. With the Philadelphia Eagles coming up on Monday night, Cousins remains a risky fantasy option until he demonstrates full recovery and improved performance.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook caught one touchdown and ran for two more in the team's dominant victory over Miami on Thursday Night Football. He totaled 95 yards and is now an early favorite to be the RB1 in Week 2. Cook started the scoring with a 17-yard reception on fourth down on the Bills' first drive. A few drives later, Cook punched it in from the one-yard line, a rare site in his young career. Finally, he sprinted away from defenders on a 49-yard touchdown run up the middle. Cook has now matched his rushing touchdown total from last season. His night could have been bigger but the Bills remained up three touchdowns throughout the entire fourth quarter and let rookie Ray Davis burn the clock. Cook will be in the RB1 range when the Bills take the field against Jacksonville a week from Monday.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook may not get the red zone opportunities that fantasy managers love, but he'll get plenty of touches elsewhere on the field. Although on the field for just over 60% of Buffalo's snaps in Week 1, James Cook dominated backfield touches. He carried the ball 19 times and caught three passes. Rookie Ray Davis got four touches while veteran Ty Johnson received two. With offensive coordinator Joe Brady's reliance on the running game since he took the helm, Cook is in line for another 15-20 touch game. Consider Cook a low-end RB1 against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed for 71 yards on 19 attempts while adding 32 yards on three catches in the team's Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Cook dominated the running back touches (22), compared to four for rookie Ray Davis and two for Ty Johnson. Unfortunately, as was the story often in 2023, Josh Allen accounted for the team's two rushing touchdowns from within the 10-yard line. That left Cook with good yardage but no scores. Expect another game of 15-20 touches when the Bills take on the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. A lack of goal-line opportunities will continue to cap his upside.

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders was the leading rusher for this offense during the Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Being the leading rusher sounds nice, but Sanders only finished with 22 yards on five carries. He served as the second string back to Chuba Hubbard, but neither back got anything going last week. To be fair, it was a blowout and the Panthers needed to abandon the passing game in the second half of the contest. Regardless, neither player has a good outlook heading into the Week 2 matchup against the Las Vegas Chargers. It looks like both backs are going to split the workload, which is bad news for values as a whole. Sanders could be a deep or dynasty stash, but he isn't worth rostering in most fantasy formats.

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (finger) is not carrying an injury designation into the team's divisional matchup against the New Orleans Saints. While limited in practice earlier in the week, Sanders practiced in full on Thursday and Friday. Although rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) is on the PUP list and will miss four games, there still isn't a fantasy-worthy role for Sanders on the Panthers. He'll be the direct backup to Chuba Hubbard on a low-powered offense. The former Eagle averaged a career-low 3.3 yards per carry in his first season in Carolina in 2023.

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (finger) was a full-go in practice on Thursday after he was limited on Wednesday. After being limited in the first official practice of the regular season, Sanders now looks ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. Even with rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) missing the first four games of the season while on the Physically Unable to Perform list, Sanders belongs on benches to open the year as the clear backup behind starter Chuba Hubbard in Carolina's backfield. The 27-year-old didn't have much of a chance in the Panthers' atrocious offense in 2023 and averaged a career-low 3.3 yards per carry. He is, at best, an early-season handcuff for Hubbard in deeper fantasy leagues.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf) suffered a calf strain in the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and will be forced to miss a couple of weeks. It comes as a surprise after Samuel had eight catches (10 targets) for 110 receiving yards while also carrying the ball twice for 10 yards. With both Samuel and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles, calf) out for the foreseeable future, San Fran's offense could struggle to put up points heading into a Week 3 divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Jauan Jennings should step into the WR2 role behind Brandon Aiyuk, who has been slow out of the gates after a lengthy contract hold-in, while tight end George Kittle's fantasy ceiling and floor will now be raised. Samuel's injury makes running back Jordan Mason even more of a lock as a must-start in fantasy lineups going forward.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. was impressive in a 23-17 loss to the Vikings in Minneapolis on Sunday. He caught eight of 10 targets for 110 yards receiving -- all team-high figures. Samuel Sr.'s hands were particularly sticky in this one, with multiple difficult receptions coming on contested passes. In a bit of a departure from his usual style, relatively few of his yards came after the catch. Although it didn't matter in the end, Samuel Sr. made a great hustle play in the 49ers' final possession near the goal line when linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel jumped a backward wide receiver screen pass intended for Samuel Sr., who got back to secure the ball when Van Ginkel bobbled it. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, it counted as a carry for a loss of nine yards. He would finish with two carries for minus-10 yards. Samuel Sr. will look to keep it going in a road tilt against the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. is in Minnesota as the team prepares for a Week 2 matchup versus the Vikings. The former South Carolina Gamecock fulfilled expectations and then some in Week 1 against the New York Jets. He finished the game with five receptions on nine targets for 54 yards through the air to go with eight carries for 23 yards and a touchdown on the ground. It's reasonable to expect similar usage in the running game, given running back Christian McCaffrey's continued absence and San Francisco's success with their approach last week. The similarities may stop with the passing game though, as 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk was playing in his first game action after sitting out the preseason, so the window for Samuel Sr. to take target advantage of Aiyuk's lack of football readiness may be closing. Minnesota's pass defense tamped down the fantasy performances of all New York Giants involved last week, but it's also possible New York's offense is just inept against everybody. Last year's Vikings defense was sixth-worst in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers in half-PPR. Samuel Sr. is a locked-and-loaded WR1 in Week 2.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks couldn't get into much of a rhythm on Sunday, just like the rest of the offense in a disappointing 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Cooks caught both of his targets for 19 yards with his longest reception clocking in at 11 yards. Outside of CeeDee Lamb with his touchdown, the next best receiver in this contest was Jalen Tolbert who received nine targets and turned it into six receptions for 82 yards. For Cooks and all of the receivers behind Lamb, their fantasy value is going to be game script-dependent. The veteran wideout projects to be more of a boom-or-bust flex option as the season rolls on. Cooks and company will take on a Baltimore Ravens team looking for their first win in Week 3.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks put together a solid Week 1, finishing in the top 24 receivers in the WR2 range. His touchdown was a big part of that finish, but he also saw a good bit of volume against what was expected to be a solid defensive unit in the Cleveland Browns. Now the Cowboys get a home game against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints posted a big performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, and their secondary isn't one to scoff at. Cooks should still receive close to the same target share (21.8%), but going up against Tyrann Mathieu, Paulson Adebo, and Marshon Lattimore is going to prove to be more difficult. Currently, Cooks sits in the mid-flex area since CeeDee Lamb will be the one to deal with Lattimore the most.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks scored a touchdown in a Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. Cooks was targeted seven times, making four catches for 40 yards. His touchdown came in the first quarter on a 21-yard pass from quarterback Dak Prescott. Cooks mostly played a support role in the passing game last season, but he did occasionally play a larger role like he did in this one. He's a tough fantasy asset to roster because of his up-and-down performances, but he could certainly develop into an asset behind alpha WR1 CeeDee Lamb.

When asked about wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle), Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he's "hopeful" about his progress this week regarding his return to practice. Addison picked up an ankle injury in the team's 28-6 Week 1 victory over the New York Giants. Still, he hadn't made enough progress throughout the week to appear at practice in even a limited fashion. Giants linebacker Darius Muasau took down the second-year wideout with a "hip-drop" tackle -- one that has recently been deemed illegal -- and was fittingly fined for the unnecessary roughness. Expect an update on the 22-year-old over the coming days when the Vikings release their first official injury report of the week. If he cannot play, wide receiver Jordan Nailor will continue to fill in for Addison when the team takes on the Houston Texans at home in Week 3. Nailor has caught a touchdown in back-to-back weeks and hauled in 3-of-4 targets in Week 2 for 54 yards. He would be a low-end WR3/FLEX play.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) has been officially ruled out ahead of the Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Addison hasn't been able to practice all week as he continues to deal with soreness in his right ankle. He was able to play through the issue in Week 1, but the team wants to take the safe approach now. His absence means that Jalen Nailor will move into the No. 2 role behind Justin Jefferson. Nailor hasn't done enough to prove himself as a viable option, so he shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a low-end deep league option for Week 2.

Minneapolis Star Tribune's Ben Goessling writes that it appears that Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) will not play in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers. Addison isn't practicing for the third straight day on Friday, which typically means a player will not play that weekend. The Vikings haven't officially ruled the 22-year-old second-year wideout out, but it's likely coming. Fantasy managers that have him in their starting lineups need to make the change now. After an impressive rookie campaign, Addison's 2024 season is off to a bad start after he caught just three passes for 35 yards in the Week 1 win over the New York Giants while spraining his right ankle. With Addison looking unlikely to play this weekend, wideouts Jalen Nailor and Brandon Powell will fight for targets behind Justin Jefferson. Nailor is the better sleeper target for DFS lineups, albeit against a tough defense.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson made the most of his three targets in Week 1, as he landed in the end zone in the blowout victory. Johnson split snaps and targets with Foster Moreau (concussion), who appears to be healthy going into Week 2 after suffering a concussion last week. Neither is a trustworthy fantasy play as long as both tight ends are available. Keep Johnson on the bench in a tough matchup against a stout Dallas defense.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson scored a touchdown in Sunday's 47-10 win over Carolina. Johnson was targeted three times, securing two receptions for 26 yards and a score. He split time at tight end with Foster Moreau (concussion), who also caught a touchdown on a 16% target share. If Moreau misses Week 2, Johnson has much more intrigue than he would if Moreau were to play. Derek Carr showed in the win that he will not hesitate to spread the ball around this year, making most New Orleans pass-catchers inconsistent options at best. Johnson and the Saints will take on Dallas in Week 2.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson opened camp up on the PUP list, but is now fully recovered from his June foot surgery. Johnson had a down season a year ago, finishing as the TE26 overall. The veteran is available in many leagues, but could emerge as a consistent target earner behind Chris Olave. He grades as a low-end TE2 for Week 1, making him a very deep option, but the matchup with Carolina is not a great one for tight ends. Leave Johnson on the waiver wire for now, but monitor his Week 1 target share.