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Desmond Ridder QB | GB
Vikings' Desmond Ridder: Joining Minnesota
Ridder agreed to a contract with the Vikings on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will avoid a stint on injured reserve, but since he's considered week-to-week and is likely to miss multiple games, the Vikings will bring Ridder aboard to bolster their depth under center. Carson Wentz looks on track to replace McCarthy as the Vikings' starter beginning with Sunday's game against the Bengals, but Ridder could displace undrafted rookie Max Brosmer for the top backup job. A 2022 third-round pick, Ridder has made 25 appearances (18 starts) through his first three NFL seasons between stops with the Falcons and Raiders, completing 63.6 percent of his passes for 6.8 yards per attempt and a 16:14 TD:INT while adding 293 yards and five scores on the ground.
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Christian Kirk WR | SF
Texans' Christian Kirk: Expected back for Week 3
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Tuesday that he anticipates Kirk (hamstring) making his team debut Sunday in Jacksonville, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com reports.
Acquired from the Jaguars in March, Kirk missed the Texans' first two games of the season while he recovered from a hamstring injury, which has kept him from practicing since the end of the preseason. The veteran wideout's condition appears to have improved during his time off, but Kirk will still likely need to upgrade to full participation in practice by Friday in order to receive clearance to play against one of his former teams. The potential return of Kirk to the lineup Sunday could help bolster a Texans passing attack that ranks 28th in the NFL with an average of 166.5 yards per game through the first two weeks.
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Will Dissly TE | LAC
Chargers' Will Dissly: Secures lone target in win
Dissly caught his only target for seven yards in the 20-9 win over the Raiders on Monday.
For a second consecutive week, Dissly played fewer snaps (23) than Tyler Conklin (29), but neither tight end was asked to do much more than block with the game relatively in hand throughout. So long as the wideout trio of Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen remain healthy, the Chargers' other pass-catchers won't see much target volume.
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Tyler Conklin TE | DET
Chargers' Tyler Conklin: Shut out in win
Conklin did not record a target in the 20-9 win over the Raiders on Monday.
Conklin once again played more than Will Dissly (29 snaps compared to 23), but neither tight end was featured much in the passing game. So long as Justin Herbert stay healthy, the Chargers will likely feature their top trio of wide receivers -- Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston -- whenever possible, leaving little volume for other targets.
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Tre Harris WR | LAC
Chargers' Tre' Harris: Bigger role in Week 2
Harris caught two of his three targets for 34 yards in the 20-9 win over the Raiders on Monday.
He played just 18 offensive snaps, lagging behind Quentin Johnston (44), Ladd McConkey (43) and Keenan Allen (32), but Harris out-snapped fellow rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith (six snaps), a reversal from Week 1. The Chargers don't pass enough to sustain four different fantasy-relevant wide receivers, but Harris could still develop into a crucial offensive piece as the season progresses.
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Joe Burrow QB | CIN
Bengals' Joe Burrow: Officially moved to IR
The Bengals placed Burrow (toe) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Burrow's move to IR was fully expected after Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed Monday that the quarterback would require surgery to address a turf toe injury, per Ben Baby of ESPN.com. The Bengals have yet to settle on a date for Burrow's surgery, but once the procedure is performed, the 28-year-old is expected to face a recovery timeline of a minimum of three months. With Burrow out until around at least mid-December, the Bengals will turn the offense over to backup Jake Browning, beginning with Sunday's game in Minnesota. The Bengals signed Brett Rypien off their practice squad Tuesday to step in as Browning's understudy.
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Pat Bryant WR | DEN
Broncos' Pat Bryant: Two grabs against Indianapolis
Bryant caught two of three targets for 18 yards in Sunday's 29-28 loss to the Colts.
Bryant played 14 of the Broncos' 58 offensive snaps Sunday, the fewest of any Broncos wide receiver in the contest. It appears the Broncos coaching staff is committed to easing the rookie wideout into the team's offensive plans, especially with teammate Troy Franklin taking a step forward in his second year. Franklin led them team in targets (nine) against the Colts and has assumed the No. 2 receiver role behind Courtland Sutton. Barring injuries, the 22-year-old Bryant should not be trusted for fantasy purposes for the foreseeable future. The Illinois product will have his next opportunity to push for more playing time when the Broncos visit the Chargers in Week 3.
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Calijah Kancey DT | TB
Buccaneers' Calijah Kancey: Set to miss rest of season
Kancey will undergo season-ending surgery Friday after an MRI confirmed that he sustained a torn pectoral muscle in Monday's 20-19 win over the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Kancey was forced out during the first half of Monday's game, and follow-up imaging Tuesday confirmed the Buccaneers' worst fears. The loss of the 24-year-old for the remainder of the season represents a major hit to the Tampa Bay pass rush, after Kancey accrued 11.5 sacks in 28 games through his first two-plus seasons since entering the league as a first-round selection in 2023. Elijah Roberts and Greg Gaines could both see expanded roles on the defensive line alongside starters Vita Vea and Logan Hall for the duration of the season.
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Marvin Mims WR | DEN
Broncos' Marvin Mims: Finds end zone in loss
Mims reeled in both of his targets for 24 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 29-28 loss to the Colts.
Mims scored his first touchdown on the season despite seeing a significant dip in his playing time in Week 2. After playing 51 percent of the Broncos' offensive snaps in Week 1, the 23-year-old was on the field for just 36 percent of snaps against the Colts. Meanwhile, teammate Troy Franklin saw an uptick in playing time and led all Denver pass catchers with nine targets. If this type of usage continues, Mims will be difficult to trust for fantasy purposes as the third option among wide receivers behind both Franklin and Courtland Sutton. Nonetheless, the third-year wideout will look to build off this performance in Week 3 when the Broncos visit the Chargers.
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J.J. McCarthy QB | NYG
Vikings' J.J. McCarthy: Likely out at least two weeks
McCarthy (ankle) is expected to miss 2-to-4 weeks after sustaining a right high-ankle sprain in Sunday's 22-6 loss to the Falcons, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The Vikings haven't provided an official timeline for McCarthy's return from the injury, but Carson Wentz will be in line to start at quarterback for at least this Sunday's game against the Bengals. Schefter notes that because the Vikings are playing overseas Weeks 4 (Sept. 28 versus the Steelers in Dublin) and 5 (Oct. 5 versus the Browns in London) before heading into a bye Week 6, the team could be inclined to err on the side of caution and hold McCarthy out for the next three games to give him sufficient time to heal up from the ankle injury.