Washington faces a high-stakes week as two of its top three receivers sit out practice with roster cut-downs looming and the opener a little more than two weeks away. Terry McLaurin is on a hold-in, nursing an ankle while chasing a new contract, and Noah Brown has missed most of the preseason with a lower-leg issue. With both question marks lingering, the Commanders are rotating reserves like Chris Moore, Ja'Corey Brooks, and Jacoby Jones into first-team reps, and their offensive line has been shuffled by injuries. The offense has been pieced together by Kliff Kingsbury, who’s trying to gel his unit with Jayden Daniels at the helm, but the lack of practice time shows. Washington will practice again before a Saturday finale with the Ravens and must trim to 53 by Tuesday. The fantasy implications are clear: McLaurin and Brown’s statuses are the two biggest x-factors for Week 1, and the ripple effects could push targets toward the remaining pass-catchers and waiting backs in the short term.

Meanwhile, Brian Robinson Jr. is sidelined as trade chatter swirls, adding another layer of uncertainty to a backfield that’s already navigating offense-line contingency. If McLaurin and Brown don’t return promptly, reserve receivers will have to step up, and the Commanders’ signal-caller needs consistency from Daniels and the surrounding cast to keep the interior timing intact. For fantasy managers, this is a week to monitor practice reports closely, lean toward depth-chart bets at pass-catching positions, and stage potential Week 1 pivots early in the week as rosters finalize.

Cordell Volson needs shoulder surgery that could sideline him for the 2025 season, a major blow to Cincinnati's interior. He started 15 games last year and 48 across three seasons, but his future with the Bengals now hinges on rehab and the club’s evaluation of options. The Bengals have Dylan Fairchild in a heated battle for left guard and now appear to lean toward Fairchild as the starter to begin 2025. Cincinnati even hosted Dalton Risner for a visit, signaling they’re exploring upgrade options to bolster depth along the line as Volson’s status looms large over Burrow’s protection and the run game. The situation casts a shadow over the Bengals’ offensive line and could reshape how fantasy managers view Cincinnati’s pass protection and overall attack this coming season.

Volson’s injury creates an immediate opening, with Fairchild likely stepping in if he’s healthy enough to begin the year. Risner’s visit adds a potential veteran floor if Cincinnati signs him, offering immediate stability and versatility across interior spots. With Volson entering the final year of his deal, the Bengals may be forced to plan beyond 2025, weighing whether Fairchild can grow into a long-term starter and how Risner’s addition would influence line calls, shotgun snaps, and Burrow’s pocket time in the early part of training camp.

Tampa Bay’s offense thrived last season, ranking among the league’s best even as it pivoted to a third offensive coordinator in three years. With Baker Mayfield at the controls and Mike Evans as a dynamic target, fantasy managers will eye 2025 builds that pair Mayfield-Evans for upside, but realignment and coaching turbulence add risk. The Buccaneers also reportedly added Emeka Egbuka as a potential breakout option, though his NFL presence remains uncertain. SportsLine’s model has become a trusted compass, projecting sleepers, breakouts and busts and fueling 2025 cheat sheets after a 10,000-run simulation of the season. The model already flagged Jameson Williams as a bust for 2025, citing a drop in target volume and the loss of Ben Johnson’s play-calling, while also predicting Jake Ferguson could underwhelm amid competition and health concerns. The piece also spots a running-back early in ADP who could disappoint and notes a tight end tier that’s not as favorable as first-round prices suggest. The 2025 ADP through CBS is led by Ja’Marr Chase, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, De’Von Achane and Ashton Jeanty, framing the top of the board for fantasy rosters.

Tyson Bagent’s two-year, $10 million extension with the Bears locks in another layer of quarterback depth behind Justin Fields, a development that quietly reshapes late-season fantasy rosters in Chicago. While the immediate impact on fantasy schedules is modest, the move signals organizational faith in Bagent’s trajectory and potential in an emergency scenario. Across the league, Daniel Jones being named the Colts starter with Anthony Richardson as backup provides a fresh dynamic to monitor in dynasty and keeper formats. In the backfield, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs sit atop the 2025 fantasy RB pecking order, with Ja’Marr Chase leading wide receivers in the same cycle.

On the diamond, Cody Bellinger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. highlighted a nine-homer barrage by the Yankees, while Guerrero Jr. tweaked a hamstring—an MLB thread that fantasy managers will watch closely for lineup shifts and DL timelines. In the NBA, Indiana’s Rick Carlisle secured a multiyear Pacers extension, a reminder that real-world stability often underpins fantasy ecosystem signals a year ahead. Notre Dame’s red-hot quarterback chatter and Ohio State’s QB decisions also peppered the week, but the most consequential threads for fantasy remain the quarterback pivots, backfield ceilings, and the health clocks that shift rostering decisions over the next stretch run.