Week 2 MNF pivots on inactives as Houston and Tampa Bay shuffle roles for Monday night. Dameon Pierce is a healthy scratch for Houston, with British Brooks stepping in as the primary back as Jake Andrews sits with an ankle injury and Jarrett Patterson takes over at center. Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios are sidelined again, thinning Houston’s WR corps. Graham Mertz remains the Texans’ third QB while Tommy Togiai is inactive. Tampa Bay rests Chris Godwin and Tristan Wirfs; Luke Goedeke will start, with Devin Culp, Tez Johnson, Josh Williams and Rashad Wisdom out.

Inactives force a reshaped game plan on both sides. For fantasy managers, Pierce’s absence tightens Houston’s backfield usage around Brooks, while the Texans lean on Patterson’s center duties and the wider depth chart. For Tampa Bay, the conqueror of the line remains unsettled until Goedeke clears, pressuring the Buccaneers’ pass and run schemes without their top weapons.

Christian Kirk will miss a second straight Texans game with a hamstring, leaving Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Justin Watson to pace Monday night’s attack against Tampa Bay. Braxton Berrios is out too, and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel could see extra targets as Tank Dell’s 2025 absence looms large.

Weeks 3 vs Jacksonville could finally bring Kirk back, a reunion with his former team that would reshape Houston’s target share and lift the value of the top three receivers and the rookies stepping in now.