NFL Player News

Nichols has been ruled out for Week 3. Coach Matt Nagy doesn’t believe Nichols will be placed on the injured reserve. His absence is bad news for the Bears’ defensive line depth, but the likes of Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith are plenty talented enough to keep the front seven at an elite level.

Already on the hot seat, Getsy was fired after a fiasco of a loss to the Bengals on Sunday, Getsy’s Bears track record suggested he was a poor hire all along in Vegas, though the team’s severe talent deficiencies make it unclear what he could have really done differently. He was still stuffing the stat sheet for Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. Coach Antonio Pierce undoubtedly wants a greater run-game commitment, but that is easier said than done with Alexander Mattison and Zamir White. Perhaps 40-year-old Getsy will reunite with Matt LaFleur in Green Bay. As for the Raiders, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports passing-game coordinator Scott Turner could be the next man up as play-caller.

Nailor took advantage of double coverage on Justin Jefferson to sneak into the flat in the red zone, scoring from seven yards out on a third down in the third quarter. His days of being a primary contributor to the offense are most definitely behind him as the team welcomed back tight end T.J. Hockenson, but there should be sporadic touchdowns from the veteran journeyman the rest of the way.

Hockenson played about half of the team’s offensive snaps through three quarters but gave way to Josh Oliver for most of the final frame, with the latter catching a touchdown with just over two minutes left to play. Hockenson should continue to see his snap rate increase as he works his way back into game shape following a torn ACL suffered late in 2023.

Addison’s touchdown came on a wondrous grab on an even better throw from quarterback Sam Darnold, with the second-year wide receiver securing the catch while fully stretched out after Darnold heaved a pass off his back foot in the face of pressure. Addison’s five targets tied for second on the team behind alpha receiver Justin Jefferson, something that could hold true for as long as tight end T.J. Hockenson continues to see his snaps monitored.

Jefferson also came down with an onside kick attempt to ice the game late in the fourth quarter after throwing a dime across the field to running back Aaron Jones earlier in the same frame. His 137 yards through the air handily led the team, with the only thing the alpha wide receiver failed to do being finding the end zone. Jefferson and the Vikings get a Jaguars opponent in Week 10 that serves as one of the clear pass-funnel matchups in the league.

The Vikings really struggled to move the ball throughout the first half, heading into the break with a 7-0 deficit. Jones struggled to find room as the team struggled on the scoreboard, eventually breaking through in the fourth quarter to make his fantasy day not a total loss. A 22-yard reception thrown by wide receiver Justin Jefferson helped in that endeavor, although the rest of his four catches went for negative yards. Jones and the Vikings are likely to find more room against the floundering Jaguars on the road in Week 10.

The lost fumble came in the second quarter when the Colts scooped up a strip sack and returned it for seven, which went down as the only points scored by either team in the first half. Darnold and the Vikings came out firing in the third quarter, finding the end zone on their first two possessions after the break to retake control of the game. The team added one more score with just over two minutes remaining in the game to will their way to 6-2, now just a half game back from the division-leading Lions in a tight NFC North. The Vikings hit the road in Week 10 to face the floundering Jaguars in Jacksonville.

Pittman looked labored throughout the game, with his gait appearing to be influenced by some sort of ailment while on the field. He also dislocated a finger in the fourth quarter after taking a crushing hit over the middle of the field, which trainers reset, allowing the veteran wide receiver to return to the game. Even with Joe Flacco back under center, Pittman took a significant back seat to slot man Josh Downs, with the latter the best bet to lead the team in receiving for the remainder of the season. The fifth-round pick in fantasy sure hasn’t lived up to the hype after a breakout 2023 campaign.

Pierce continued to play the majority of the offensive snaps on the perimeter for the Colts but went the way of the offense, never able to get anything going against the varied coverages of Brian Flores’ Vikings defense. Pierce’s three targets fell well short of the nine of slot receiver Josh Downs, with the latter the odds on favorite to lead the team in production through the air for the remainder of the season.

The Colts managed just 227 total yards of offense against the powerhouse defensive coordinator in Minnesota, with Brian Flores continually keeping Joe Flacco on his back foot. The inability to sustain drives kept all skill position players on the Colts from fantasy viability except for the relative floor game returned by Downs, with his six catches, nine targets, and 60 yards leading the team. Downs and the Colts get another tough test in Week 10 when they host the Bills.