Joe Burrow starred in a record-setting year on paper, throwing for 4,918 yards with 43 TDs and 9 INTs, posting a career-best 74.7 QBR as Cincinnati went 9-8 and missed the playoffs. Yet the betting market is bullish on an MVP rebound, with Burrow tied for the third-best odds at +600 behind Jackson and a growing crowd of public bets. The big-money action isn’t just on Burrow; Lamar Jackson has become the consensus MVP favorite based on liability and popularity, with ESPN Bet and Westgate seeing two $50,000 bets on him. All this creates a quarterback-dominated MVP narrative that matters for fantasy managers tracking pass-heavy lines and schedule-adjusted projections.

Beyond Burrow, the market shows Jackson surging due to public sentiment, Josh Allen remaining a threat, and Patrick Mahomes snagging attention as a perennial contender. A rookie-tinged storyline sits with Jayden Daniels (+750) from the Commanders, a club still navigating a McLaurin contract situation, while Mahomes remains a stable anchor at +700. The column notes the historical trend of MVPs among QBs since 2012 and the way heavy public bets shape the odds, offering a fantasy bettor a lens on which players carry downside risk versus ceiling upside.

Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson escaped a minor scare at practice when his foot was stepped on, but the team says he’s fine. He exited a bit early after flexing his right wrist and still managed to throw a few passes, with no reported missed time. Baltimore continues to shield Jackson from preseason exposure, and the season opener at Buffalo looms in 18 days. If Jackson is limited or rests, the Ravens’ offense could lean more on the run game and pass-ciking checks, elevating the value of a few frontline receivers while keeping fantasy managers wary of volume shifts early in the year.

Ravens wideout Tylan Wallace weighed in on the situation, expressing optimism about Jackson’s return and hinting at the team’s resilience. The Bills’ looming matchup adds a layer of fantasy intrigue: one of the league’s most dynamic players could open the season with a cautious workload, which would compress upside but still offer a path to points for Ravens stacks if Jackson is ready to go.

The Chicago Bears locked Tyson Bagent in as Caleb Williams’ top backup on a two-year, $10 million pact that can escalate to $16 million via incentives, a signal the team expects a long-season grind with solid quarterback depth through 2027. The move keeps a familiar face in the building and preserves Williams’ growth arc behind a trusted pro who has already spent two seasons in Chicago.

Bagent’s path reads like a football fairy tale: Shepherd product, Division II star, undrafted in 2023, yet he has carved a role with nine NFL games and a four-start stint. This summer, he stole the show in a 38-0 win over the Bills, tossing for 196 yards and a TD on 13-of-22, plus a nine-yard run. Earlier, he piled up 103 preseason yards in the opener with Miami. His candid remarks about banking reps and staying ready underscore the practicality of Chicago’s plan: Williams anchors, Bagent provides depth and possibility if Williams slips.

The larger backdrop centers on Williams’ upward trajectory in year two under new coordinator Ben Johnson, with the organization hoping for a leap that could minimize Bagent’s chances for meaningful action. The contract’s structure implies discipline and readiness rather than an explicit backup ceiling. For fantasy managers, the dynamic matters: Bagent is a valuable insurance policy whose upside hinges on Williams’ development and health as Chicago negotiates a demanding schedule with a burgeoning offense.

Tyson Bagent signed a two-year Bears extension worth roughly $10 million with incentives that can push the deal to $16 million. The 25-year-old undrafted Shepherd product has backed up Chicago since 2023 and impressed again in a recent Bills preseason win, going 13-for-22 for 196 yards and a TD. The Bears added Case Keenum for veteran depth, while coachs and execs praised Bagent’s preparation and progression through Chicago’s new offense. He’ll again serve as Caleb Williams’ backup, giving the QB room a steady, high-workload understudy behind Fields and Keenum.

The move tightens Chicago’s quarterback stability and signals a longer-term plan behind the Williams-era projection. For fantasy managers, the value hinges on Williams’ college-to-NFL trajectory and Fields’ health, but Bagent’s developmental trajectory and job security create a speculative upside in deeper leagues and late-season DFS if his reps rise late in the year.

The Bills’ Hard Knocks arc this week centers on James Cook’s four-year, $48 million extension, a move that cements him as a cornerstone in Buffalo’s offense alongside Josh Allen. The episode also spotlights Jimmy Ciarlo’s immediate impact on special teams after signing days earlier, delivering a playoff-caliber hit that drew praise from Sean McDermott. A pizza-party camaraderie theme emerges as Connor McGovern shares how a pandemic-era pizza party helped spark a late-season surge, a culture the team has leaned into as it rebuilt its depth and leadership. The Bills’ quiet formula for success—cohesive locker room energy, strong core players, and creative coaching moves—gets a deeper look as Buffalo balances competition and continuity into preseason and the path to the regular season.