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NFL roundup: Tyson Bagent plays hero as Bears top Chiefs

Sat Aug 23 12:24am ET
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Two days after signing a two-year, $10 million extension, Chicago quarterback Tyson Bagent capped a monster night by throwing the game-winning touchdown pass with three seconds left as the visiting Bears beat the Kansas City Chiefs 29-27 on Friday night.

Bagent, whom the Bears signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, spent his first year in the league backing up Justin Fields and then sat behind 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams last season.

After Williams opened the Friday game with his own strong performance (11-for-15, 113 yards and one touchdown), Bagent went on a tear after entering the game midway through the third quarter and the Bears (2-0-1) trailing 27-10.

Bagent went 20 of 28 for 212 yards overall and three TDs, all in the fourth quarter. The final touchdown capped a 10-play, 87-yard drive and ended when Bagent found undrafted free agent rookie Jahdae Walker in the end zone from 6 yards out for the winner.

Bagent opened the Bears' onslaught with a 2-yard scoring pass to Royce Freeman two minutes into the fourth to make it 27-16 (the extra-point attempt was blocked), then made it 27-22 with a 3-yard strike to tight end Joel Wilson. A failed two-point conversion attempt left the Bears needing the touchdown at the end to win it.

Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes saw action in the final week of the preseason and looked ready for the regular season. He led Kansas City to 17 points in his three drives, connecting with Rashee Rice on a 4-yard scoring strike on the first play of the second quarter to make it 17-0. That ended the night for Mahomes, who was 8 of 13 for 143 yards and the one score and gained 18 yards on his lone carry.

Tight end Travis Kelce caught two passes for 32 yards for the Chiefs, while Isiah Pacheco ran for 21 yards on three carries and opened the scoring with a 2-yard run on the game's first drive.

Titans 23, Vikings 13

No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward got the start in his final preseason game and led Tennessee to a touchdown on his second and final drive of the game as the Titans beat Minnesota in Nashville.

Ward finished 3-for-4 with 36 yards passing. After both teams exchanged punts to start the game, the Vikings (1-2) got on the board with a 42-yard Will Reichard field goal. But the Titans (2-1) answered with a 13-play, 90-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard scoring run by Julius Chestnut with 12:15 left in the first half.

With Will Levis out for the season due to a shoulder injury, expectations are that Ward, who finished fourth in the Heisman voting in his lone season at Miami in 2024, will start Week 1 at Denver on Sept. 7.

Minnesota's Week 1 starter behind center, J.J. McCarthy, did not play in the game. A rookie in 2024, McCarthy missed all of last season after sustaining a knee injury in the preseason. Max Brosmer, who is a rookie this season, continued his strong preseason with 161 yards and a touchdown pass for the Vikings.

Eagles 19, Jets 17

Montrell Johnson Jr. ran for 57 yards and Philadelphia's lone touchdown as the Eagles ended the preseason with a victory over New York in East Rutherford, N.J.

An undrafted free agent rookie out of Florida, Johnson scored from 15 yards out with 8:04 left in the third quarter to make it 13-3 after the teams combined for three field goals in the first half.

Fellow rookie Kyle McCord, taken in the sixth round out of Syracuse, played the entire game for the Eagles (2-1). He went 15-for-35 for 136 yards and an interception.

Brady Cook got the start behind center for the Jets (1-2). The rookie quarterback out of Missouri threw for 99 yards and an interception while Adrian Martinez, who spent last season on the New York practice squad, threw 86 yards and an interception in relief.

Cowboys 31, Falcons 13

In his last chance to state his case for being Dallas' backup quarterback, Joe Milton III accounted for 165 yards and two touchdowns and led the Cowboys to 14 points in their first two drives as they easily defeated Atlanta in Arlington, Texas.

Milton, who has flashed one of the strongest arms in the league in the preseason, opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run after the Falcons missed a field-goal attempt in the game's opening drive. Rookie fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue made it 14-0 on the next drive with a 1-yard scoring run.

Milton then opened the third quarter with 29-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Brooks. Milton, whom the Cowboys (1-2) acquired from the New England Patriots in April, completed 10 of 18 passes for 132 yards and added 33 yards on four carries.

Veteran quarterback Easton Stick led the Falcons (0-3) with 198 yards passing, one touchdown and one interception. Running back Elijah Dotson had a game-high 74 rushing yards on 12 carries.

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Player Notes
Kareem Hunt Aug 23 3:40am CT
Kareem Hunt

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had three carries for 15 yards in the 27-29 loss to the Chicago Bears. Hunt tied with Isiah Pacheco for the most running back carries with the starting offense, but the latter finished with more yards and a touchdown. Hunt is in line to be the RB2 for Kansas City, but the extent of his role is still undetermined. Pacheco took the field with the starters first, but Hunt had a goal-line carry on the first drive. Hunt also received one target compared to none for Pacheco. If Hunt is the passing downs back with goal line opportunities, he could end up being the best fantasy option out of the backfield. This is all just speculation based on preseason usage, but it is an important situation to track once the regular season begins.

From RotoBaller

Rashee Rice Aug 23 3:40am CT
Rashee Rice

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown in the 27-29 loss to the Chicago Bears. Rice was not highly targeted in this contest, but that's not surprising since the starters only played the first three drives of the game. That said, Rice was the Chiefs pass catcher to find the endzone against the Bears. What was not in the box score is the fact that Rice was also targeted on a deep pass that led to defensive pass interference and flipped the field position. Rice is a difficult player to project given his eventual suspension, but he will be a key part of the offense when he is available. The 25-year-old was targeted by Patrick Mahomes on a four-yard out route, and the duo displayed their chemistry because the play was timed up perfectly. With the aging Travis Kelce on the decline, Rice's ability as a possession receiver should keep him heavily involved in the offense. Rice should be considered a high-end starter at the wide receiver position for every game he is eligible to play in.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Worthy Aug 23 3:40am CT
Xavier Worthy

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy caught one pass for nine yards in the 27-29 loss to the Chicago Bears. Worthy was targeted once on the third drive of the game, the last drive that the starters played. Worthy is coming off a strong finish to his rookie season and should be considered a key piece of the offense. The 22-year-old has blazing speed and a full year of experience under his belt to build upon. His stock is also set to rise with the eventual suspension of Rashee Rice, likely coming in the middle of the season. Worthy and Patrick Mahomes developed some chemistry down the stretch last season, and it will be interesting to see how that carries over. The young speedster proved he can be a big play threat or a chain-mover depending on what the team needs from him, and he should have a strong role this season.

From RotoBaller

Travis Kelce Aug 23 3:40am CT
Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caught two passes for 32 yards in the 27-29 preseason loss to the Chicago Bears. Kelce only played the first three drives of the game with the starters, but finished with the second-most targets among Chiefs pass catchers. The 35-year-old caught both of his passes from Patrick Mahomes on that third drive, and his longest catch went for 20 yards to begin that possession. The Chiefs offense as a whole took a step back last season, with a clear shortage of explosive plays from Kelce in the passing game. The veteran tight end is now another year older, but he should still be heavily utilized in this Mahomes-led offense. The Kansas City offense was rolling with the starters playing, and this season is an opportunity for the team to bounce back from their down year. If the Chiefs increase their scoring output this year, Kelce could end up being a steal at his current ADP.

From RotoBaller

Patrick Mahomes Aug 23 3:30am CT
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed eight of his 13 pass attempts (62%) for 143 yards and a touchdown in the 27-29 loss to the Chicago Bears. Mahomes and the starters played the first three drives of this contest and came away with points each time. On their first drive of the game, the Chiefs flipped field position on a defensive pass interference call and ended the drive with an Isiah Pacheco rushing touchdown. On his second drive, Mahomes connected with Tyquan Thornton for a 58-yard pass and ended the drive with a field goal. The Chiefs ended their third drive with a passing touchdown from Mahomes to Rashee Rice. The Chiefs quarterback found Rice on a four-yard out route in the endzone that was timed up perfectly. The Chiefs offense appeared in sync in this contest, and Mahomes looked poised for a bounce-back season.

From RotoBaller

Isiah Pacheco Aug 23 3:30am CT
Isiah Pacheco

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco found the endzone in the 27-29 loss to the Chicago Bears. Pacheco handled three carries for 21 yards and a touchdown in the game. The hard-nosed runner found paydirt on the Chiefs first drive of the game, punching it in from two yards out. Two of Pacheco's three carries came on the first drive, but his longest run came on the team's third drive. The 26-year-old does appear to be operating as the team's lead back, but the extent of his workload remains to be seen. Kareem Hunt also handled three carries in this game, including a goal-line opportunity on the first drive. Pacheco appears to be the most valuable Kansas City running back on the roster, but his upside will be capped if Hunt continues to play a sizeable role.

From RotoBaller

Keilan Robinson Aug 22 11:40pm CT
Keilan Robinson

Philadelphia Eagles running back Keilan Robinson ran for 23 yards on nine carries in a 19-17 win over the Jets in the third and final week of the preseason. The Philly run game wasn't as slow as last week against the Browns, but it was a low bar to clear for Robinson after a nine-yard performance. The second-year RB has been in a battle for a roster spot throughout this preseason, and after a couple of underwhelming outings, it's hard to see him making the cut with at least four other backs ahead of him on the depth chart. Robinson had no carries last year for the Jaguars and was used only on kick returns. It seems that he will get little to no attention in backfields in 2025, and he is not worth a fantasy draft pick.

From RotoBaller

Terrace Marshall Jr. Aug 22 11:30pm CT
Terrace Marshall Jr.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. caught five passes for 51 yards in a 19-17 win over the New York Jets. Marshall led the team in receptions and yards through the air, as well as targets with seven. He also tied for the most targets last week for the Eagles. In Philly's final preseason game Friday, Marshall was the only player with more than 20 receiving yards. The fifth-year wideout is looking for a bounceback season in 2025, after mustering just 41 yards in seven games played last year with the Raiders. It'll be tough for Marshall to get consistent production on a stacked Philadelphia offense, and he isn't worth drafting just yet in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Kyle McCord Aug 22 10:20pm CT
Kyle McCord

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kyle McCord completed 15-of-35 pass attempts for 136 yards and an interception, and ran for three yards on three attempts in Friday's 19-17 victory over the Jets. McCord was the sole QB on the team to get playing time in the final game of the preseason after trading snaps with Dorian Thompson-Robinson last week. This marks the second week in a row that the fourth-string failed to complete more than 50% of his passes. While Philly managed five scoring drives with McCord under center, this was in large part due to having favorable field position throughout the game. Four of these drives, all of which resulted in field goals, went no more than 26 yards. It seems as though the rookie will struggle to make the final 53-man roster before the regular season begins.

From RotoBaller

Montrell Johnson Jr. Aug 22 10:20pm CT
Montrell Johnson Jr.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Montrell Johnson Jr. carried the ball 15 times for 57 yards and a touchdown in a 19-17 win over the New York Jets on Friday. Johnson got more than double his touches from last week against Cleveland and was far more productive in an overall stronger outing for the Philly offense. His highlight came in a 15-yard rush up the middle for his team's only time finding the end zone all night. The undrafted rookie couldn't manage to get very involved in the passing game, having no receptions on two targets. While Johnson has gotten the most work in the Eagles backfield over the last two games, it still seems unlikely that he'll get many looks during the 2025 season.

From RotoBaller

Zach Pascal Aug 22 9:30pm CT
Zach Pascal

The New York Giants released wide receiver Zach Pascal on Friday. The 30-year-old had the best stretch of his career with the Colts, where he caught 15 touchdowns in 64 regular-season contests. However, he wasn't nearly as impactful from a statistical standpoint in stints with the Eagles and Cardinals. Pascal signed with the Giants in March, but now he's back on the market and looking for work. There's a chance he'll sign with another team at some point moving ahead. Still, Pascal is a long way away from being a relevant fantasy option in any format.

From RotoBaller

Joe Flacco Aug 22 9:10pm CT
Joe Flacco

Albert Breer of SI believes Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco will remain the starting signal-caller as long as the team remains competitive. The Browns could theoretically keep four quarterbacks on the roster, with Kenny Pickett (hamstring), Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders behind Flacco. There's still a chance Pickett could be traded away. However, with Sanders and Gabriel both still a work in progress, Flacco might stay atop the depth chart as long as the Browns remain in the playoff conversation. The 40-year-old has thrown for 45,697 yards, 257 touchdowns, and 162 interceptions in 196 regular-season contests throughout his career. While that's a lot of mileage, Breer noted that Flacco still has "juice in his arm." Granted, that won't make him a practical option in single quarterback fantasy setups, although he is worth rostering in deep Superflex formats as long as he remains under center.

From RotoBaller

Adam Thielen Aug 22 6:10pm CT
Adam Thielen

Josina Anderson reports that a trade between the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings involving veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen is "not likely, at this point," according to a league source. Thielen is in the last year of a three-year, $25 million contract and wouldn't command top-tier money, but the Panthers apparently want to keep the 11-year veteran around for receiver depth. The 35-year-old spent the first nine years of his NFL career with the Vikings and is a Minnesota native. The Vikings are in th market for a veteran pass-catcher with Jordan Addison set to be suspended for the first three games of the 2025 season, while they are also dealing with injuries to Jalen Nailor and Rondale Moore (out for the year). A move to Minneota would probably be much better for Thielen's fantasy value this year, as he'll likely be the WR3 in Carolina behind rookie Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette.

From RotoBaller

Derrick Harmon Aug 22 4:30pm CT
Derrick Harmon

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie first-round defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), who injured his knee in the preseason finale on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers, was diagnosed with an MCL sprain, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Harmon is expected to miss around a month, which makes him a candidate to open the regular season on Injured Reserve. He would miss at least the first four games of his rookie season. It's a tough start to the 22-year-old's NFL career, but at least it's not a season-ending injury. The Steelers hope that Harmon will eventually bolster their pass rush this year when he's healthy and add depth behind veteran pass-rushers Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt. Harmon was the 21st overall pick in April's draft after recording 45 tackles (27 solo), five sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 2024 at Oregon.

From RotoBaller

Micah Parsons Aug 22 4:20pm CT
Micah Parsons

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports the Dallas Cowboys have received multiple trade inquiries on disgruntled pass-rusher Micah Parsons, but the Cowboys are not entertaining those trade inquiries right now and don't plan to trade him. Fowler goes on to say that it would take "some sort of Herculean-sized offer" for Dallas to even seriously consider trading him. The Cowboys and Parsons have the next 10 to 12 days before the start of the regular season to try and hash out a contract extension, and people in the organization that Fowler has spoken to remain optimistic that something can get done. If Dallas changes their tune on a potential trade, teams like the Packers, Cardinals, and Ravens could get involved. Parsons has 52.5 sacks in his four years in the NFL and has been aPro Bowler each season, but his IDP fantasy value is a bit unsettled with a potential holdout seeping into the start of the regular season.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Aug 22 4:10pm CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) looked "pretty good" while catching passes from quarterback Jalen Hurts during a pre-game workout on Friday before the team's preseason finale at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The Eagles are being cautious with some of their players to make sure they are ready to start practicing this coming week as they begin preparations for the Week 1 season opener on Sept. 4 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. While Brown has not practiced with the team since suffering a hamstring injury early in August, the team has been optimistic all along that he'll be ready for the start of the regular season, and Clark's report on Friday backs that up. Brown is one of those veterans that will miss plenty of practice time but still play on Sundays. He remains a top-10 fantasy receiver.

From RotoBaller

Austin Ekeler Aug 22 3:13pm CT
Austin Ekeler

Dynasty | Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt moves up the depth chart with the trade of Brian Robinson to the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: It's now officially "Bill" season. Still, expectations should be tempered. Yes, Croskey-Merritt has torn up camp by all accounts and clearly should be on rosters everywhere. However, Chris Rodriguez may have already been tabbed as the goal-line and short-yardage back for the team and Austin Ekeler is still a great pass-catcher and option for a lead back. Croskey-Merritt has the looks of a late round rookie gem this year and that's exciting but his ADP could also skyrocket a little prematurely as people go overboard.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Chris Rodriguez Jr. Aug 22 3:13pm CT
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Dynasty | Chris Rodriguez has moved up the depth chart following the trade of Brian Robinson to the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: While a lot of attention is being placed on Jacory Croskey-Merritt (and rightfully so), Rodriguez is going to have a role for the Commanders this season and his availability on waivers is likely a lot better. Coach Dan Quinn said just yesterday he's likely going to be the short yardage back and that's significant. Rodriguez has been effective in stretches and his ADP is undoubtedly going to start rising.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Austin Ekeler Aug 22 3:13pm CT
Austin Ekeler

Dynasty | Commanders running back Austin Ekeler could see an increase in touches following the trade of Brian Robinson. Dynasty Analysis: An elite-level pass catcher and touchdown producer during his time with the Chargers, Ekeler has been relegated to being more of a role player during his time in Washington. However, this trade opens up a lot of room for the backfield and the Commanders are likely going to give him more than the 112 touches he had last season. Again, a lot of attention is being placed on Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but this could help Ekeler as well. He remains a solid hold in dynasty leagues as a player who could have one last burst of real value.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Christian McCaffrey Aug 22 3:13pm CT
Christian McCaffrey

Dynasty | The trade of Brian Robinson to the 49ers creates an uncertain backfield in San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: If there's a loser in the Robinson deal, it's probably Guerendo. He would likely split time with Robinson should Christian McCaffrey be injured but this deal makes it abundantly clear San Francisco is concerned about his injury history and not willing to leave themselves vulnerable should CMC go down. Guerendo has been a solid handcuff to own over the past two seasons but even if he was to remain the RB2, it's hard to see a situation where Robinson doesn't still split time with him. His dynasty ADP is going to slip over the next month.

From Dynasty League Fantasy