The Arizona Cardinals face a short week with a thinned offense. Zay Jones is in concussion protocol and unlikely to play against Seattle, leaving Arizona to lean on Greg Dortch as the top option behind the top two receivers. James Conner’s season-ending injury tightens the backfield vacuum, while Paris Johnson’s knee issue could cloud pass protection on a quick turnaround. With Jones out, Simi Fehoko or Xavier Weaver could see increased snaps, making Thursday’s game a dart-throw for fantasy depth players.

Seattle visits in a Thursday night matchup that amplifies the risk for Cardinals pass-catchers but also creates speculative value for the team’s depth options. Fantasy managers should monitor injury reports closely, lean on early-week projections, and consider Dortch as a potential flex play if Jones remains sidelined, while Fehoko/Weaver offer upside in deeper formats depending on practice news.

Jimmy Horn Jr. survived Carolina’s pink-slip cut day, a milestone in a winding Florida-to-NFL path that included USF and Colorado before landing with the Panthers. Xavier Weaver followed suit with a roster spot in Arizona, signaling the Seminole-to-Pro pipeline remains active. Gabe Davis, a veteran who spent early seasons with the Bills and jaguars the prior year, is also in the mix after the 53-man decisions. Across the league, veterans like Hendrickson, Milano, Joseph, Carter and Watt are back in prominent roles, while notable cuts spotlight the ongoing churn and potential fantasy sleepers stepping into clearer opportunities.

For fantasy managers, the day emphasizes how late moves, depth additions and positional battles shape Week 1 value. Sleeper flashes from Horn Jr., Weaver and others can translate into surprise upticks in target share or return chances, while established veterans’ roles may offer safer depth. The net effect: the 53-man rosters set the stage for immediate depth-chart reshuffles and the subtle shifts that drive late-season fantasy upside.

Three Buffs surfaced on NFL 53-man rosters: Shedeur Sanders cracked the Browns’ QB room, while Travis Hunter joined the Jaguars, and Xavier Weaver earned a spot with the Cardinals. Buffaloes connected to Carolina (Jimmy Horn Jr.), Baltimore (LaJohntay Wester), and Seattle (Brady Russell) also showed up around rosters, with others like BJ Green II making Jacksonville’s 53 as an undrafted rookie. Several Buffs, including Shilo Sanders, faced tough cuts, while a few stayed hopeful for practice squads.

Transfers and UDFA stories continued to map Colorado’s latest alumni across the league. Von Miller energy, Deion-era swagger, and a trail of long-shot signings underlined a curious cross-section: rookies earning roster spots, veterans clinging to practice-squad chances, and a few ready to turn preseason buzz into week-to-week fantasy value.

Arizona's 53-man projection centers Murray as the clear starter with Brissett backing him, and Tune likely landing on the practice squad. The backfield sticks Conner with Benson, Demercado and DeeJay Dallas in reserve roles, while a five- or six-man receiver corps features Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson and Xavier Weaver anchoring the group. The tight end group is McBride with Reiman, Higgins and Vokolek in the mix. Up front, Johnson Jr. and Froholdt anchor the line with notable IR/PUP designations at guard and tackle. On defense, Campbell and Tomlinson hold the middle, with Jones dealing with knee uncertainty and PUP players in flux. Special teams stabilize behind Ryland, Gillikin and Brewer.