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OFallon Elk's Est. 2008
FFL: Week 1 | NFL: Week 1

Former Browns QB Johnny Manziel unloads on team: 'I’m rooting for 0-16'

Tue Sep 2 5:36pm ET
Field Level Media

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel says he still holds a grudge against the franchise nearly a decade after his failed NFL career.

Speaking on the "Nightcap" podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner said his experience with the Browns left him permanently embittered.

"I think I'm going to be pissed at them and hate them forever," said Manziel, 32. "It is what it is, man. No love for the Browns, I'm rooting for 0-16 seasons every season."

Drafted 22nd overall in 2014 out of Texas A&M, Manziel played in 14 games over two seasons with Cleveland before being released in 2016 amid off-field troubles. He went 2-6 as a starter and in total was 147-of-258 passing (57 percent) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. Teams now play 17-game seasons.

He later had brief stops in the Canadian Football League, the Alliance of American Football and Fan Controlled Football before leaving the sport.

Manziel acknowledged personal responsibility, saying he "let an amazing opportunity slip," but he faulted Cleveland for failing to put him in the right situation to develop as a quarterback.

The Browns, who have started 40 quarterbacks since 1999, went 3-14 last season and are expected to begin 2025 with veteran Joe Flacco under center and 2025 draft picks Dillon Gabriel (third round) and Shedeur Sanders (fifth) as reserves.

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Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 1

Player Notes
Tre Harris Sep 2 5:40pm CT
Tre Harris

Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Quentin Johnston (head) and Tre' Harris (undisclosed) are not listed on the team's Week 1 injury report and were full participants in Tuesday's practice. Johnston suffered a scary concussion in the team's second preseason game in the middle of August against the Los Angeles Rams, but he has since been cleared from the concussion protocol and is on track to play in Friday's season opener in Brazil against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. The 23-year-old former first-rounder has struggled with drops early in his career and now must battle for playing time with Harris, putting him off the fantasy radar in 12-team fantasy leagues, especially after Keenan Allen rejoined the team. Harris, a second-rounder in April, will play on Friday, but he figures to struggle for volume early on and should be on the bench in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Najee Harris Sep 2 5:30pm CT
Najee Harris

Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris (eye) is listed as a full participant on the team's first official injury report of the year on Tuesday in advance of their Week 1 regular-season opener on Friday in Brazil against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. Harris missed most of training camp and all of the preseason after injuring his eye on the Fourth of July in a fireworks accident, but he has since been fully cleared and is on track to suit up this Friday for his team debut. The 27-year-old said his vision is fine after the injury. It's good news for fantasy managers that took a chance on Harris late in their drafts, but he's still likely to play second fiddle to rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton on Friday. We'd recommend benching Harris in the season opener, but his presence in the backfield is a slight hit to Hampton's fantasy appeal in his NFL debut.

From RotoBaller

Austin Ekeler Sep 2 5:20pm CT
Austin Ekeler

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler is listed as the team's lead back on their first unofficial depth chart for the 2025 regular season. Jeremy McNichols is listed as the No. 2, with Chris Rodriguez Jr. as the third RB and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the RB4. This one is hard to pinpoint entering the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. Despite being third and fourth on the depth chart, both Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt are expected to have big roles in this backfield. However, things are shaping up for a committee approach early on for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, with Ekeler expected to handle the third-down role. Rodriguez and JCM could split the early downs, with Rodriguez also potentially having the leg up in short-yardage/goal-line situations. It's not an ideal situation for fantasy managers going into Week 1, with none of the RBs being any better than shaky RB3/flex plays.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Sep 2 5:10pm CT
Tank Bigsby

On the Jacksonville Jaguars' first unofficial depth chart of the regular season, they have listed running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby as co-starters, according to Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union. Rookie Bhayshul Tuten is the RB3, and LeQuint Allen Jr. comes in at RB4 heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Jaguars are keeping it close to the vest how their RB usage will shake out between Etienne and Bigsby on Sunday against a Panthers defense that was the worst unit against the run in all of football. Both Etienne and Bigsby could both see decent workloads in the season opener against a defense that was downright awful in 2024, putting them both in the RB3/flex conversation for fantasy. Meanwhile, Tuten should open the year in a change-of-pace role for Jacksonville.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Sep 2 4:10pm CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) was not listed on the team's injury report on Tuesday and appears to be good to go for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. Brown is looking to impress once again in 2025 after eclipsing 1,000 yards and scoring seven touchdowns in just 13 games last season. Against the division-rival Cowboys, he put up 109 yards on five catches in a Week 10 matchup last year, then had 36 yards and a touchdown with three receptions in Week 17. Dallas doesn't present themselves as a particularly favorable or daunting opponent for Brown, giving up the 17th-most yards per game through the air last season. Having led the Eagles in receiving yards in each of the three seasons that he's been on the team, Brown continues to be a lock for fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Sep 2 4:10pm CT
DeVonta Smith

Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (groin) was not listed on Philadelphia's Tuesday injury report and will likely be set to play Week 1. Smith is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he accumulated 68 catches for 833 yards and eight touchdowns in just 13 games, once again cementing himself as one of the top number-two receivers in the league. Philly opens the season against the Cowboys, a familiar matchup for Smith as he enters his fifth season in the NFC East. He was boom-or-bust against Dallas last year, tallying just 14 yards in his first face-off then following that up with 120 yards and two touchdowns in their second meeting. With an offense as explosive as Philly's, Smith is always in the running for a good amount of looks going his way. He's a high-end WR2 going into Thursday.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Sep 2 4:10pm CT
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert enters the 2025 season after a bumpy road last year. Goedert got just nine full games under his belt while dealing with injuries, racking up 496 yards and two touchdowns on 42 catches. His highlight performance was a 10-catch game for 170 yards in Week 3, but unfortunately for fantasy managers, he didn't see real consistency until the playoffs came around. Goedert's opponent on Thursday is the Dallas Cowboys, a team that held him to just 25 yards and two catches in the one meeting they had in 2024. Goedert still has fantasy value; he had the third-highest target percentage inside the 10-yard line for the Eagles last season (behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith) and tied for second-highest inside the 20. Given his looks in the red zone and his strong stretch towards the end of their Super Bowl run, Goedert lands as a high-end TE2 going into the season opener.

From RotoBaller

Jacory Croskey-Merritt Sep 2 3:40pm CT
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is listed as the team's RB4 on their official depth chart. Veteran Austin Ekeler occupies the top spot while Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. slot in as the No. 2 and No. 3. The seventh-round rookie out of Arizona was very impressive during the preseason and made a strong case to open the season in a starting role. However, it appears Croskey-Merritt will have to earn a role during the regular season. Earlier in August, the Commanders opted to trade their presumed starter, Brian Robinson Jr., to the San Francisco 49ers. Robinson took the bulk of the carries last season. Fantasy managers should expect the majority of carries to go to Ekeler and most of the passing work. Rodriguez and McNichols should mix in the short-yadage situations. As a result, Croskey-Merritt will be tough to trust in Week 1 when they face their divisional rival, the New York Giants. However, the Arizona product remains a top high-upside stash as he could earn the starting job later in the campaign.

From RotoBaller

Will Shipley Sep 2 3:40pm CT
Will Shipley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley comes into his second NFL season serving as backup to star RB Saquon Barkley. Shipley started the Eagles' first preseason game, finished as the leading rusher after just one quarter of play, then didn't see the field again for the next two weeks. All evidence points to him being the clear number two option out of the Philly backfield. While Shipley may not be the flashiest fantasy option, he could present himself as a valuable bench asset for managers, especially given Barkley's somewhat worrying injury history. He's rostered in just 18% of Sleeper leagues and sits behind one of football's best offensive lines. Shipley isn't ready for fantasy lineups in Week 1 against the Cowboys, but managers should keep an eye on him as a strong handcuff that could win them at least a matchup or two if Barkley goes down.

From RotoBaller

Matthew Golden Sep 2 3:40pm CT
Matthew Golden

Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden is listed as a starter on the team's depth chart, according to Zach Jacobson of 247 Sports. Golden was selected in the opening round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Texas. Throughout camp, Golden has received positive buzz and has already begun to establish a strong connection with quarterback Jordan Love. In addition, wide receivers Jayden Reed (foot) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf) have been dealing with lingering injuries, which have provided Golden ample opportunities with the starting lineup. Golden appears to have impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a spot with the first team. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Reed's and Wicks's status leading up to Week 1. If either wideout is unable to play, Golden could be in store for a massive target share in their season opener against the Detroit Lions.

From RotoBaller

Tyrod Taylor Sep 2 3:00pm CT
Tyrod Taylor

New York Jets backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor (knee) was seen taking part in the early portion of Tuesday's practice, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Taylor will probably be a limited participant in practice, but the big takeaway is that he was back on the field, suggesting that he should be available to back up Justin Fields in the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets won't release their first injury report of the year until Wednesday, so we'll have a better idea then on the 36-year-old veteran's status going into the weekend. But unless Fields misses time with an injury of his own in 2025, Taylor will be miles from the fantasy radar. In his first year with Gang Green last season, Taylor appeared in only two games behind Aaron Rodgers and went 17-for-22 passing for 119 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

From RotoBaller

Marquise Brown Sep 2 2:40pm CT
Marquise Brown

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that wide receiver Marquise Brown (ankle) has been a full participant in practice this week and has "looked good out there," according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star. Rashee Rice is serving a suspension to start the season, and rookie Jalen Royals (knee) is not expected to play in the season opener this Friday in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers, so Hollywood should be KC's WR2 to open the year next to second-year pass-catcher Xavier Worthy. Brown injured his right ankle early in training camp and was held out of the entire preseason, but he's been practicing for a couple weeks now and should be ready to go in Week 1. The 28-year-old played in only two games in 2024 due to a shoulder injury that required surgery and didn't look great upon his return. At best, consider him a WR4/flex option in Week 1 with Rice suspended.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Sep 2 2:40pm CT
DeVonta Smith

The Athletic's Zach Berman says to "look for an uptick in production" from Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith in 2025 after he had 95 catches for 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns back in 2022. On another team, Smith would be a no-doubt No. 1 receiver, but in Philly, he's merely the third offensive weapon behind running back Saquon Barkley and fellow wideout A.J. Brown. He finished with a career-low 833 receiving yards in 2024 while playing in only 13 games due to injuries. Although fantasy managers are likely down on him going into this year after a disappointing performance in 2024, Berman thinks that he's primed for another big showing. Philly leaned heavily on Barkley and the ground game a year ago on their way to the franchise's second Super Bowl championship, but if they go to the air more often to give Barkley a break, Smith could be the prime beneficiary.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Royals Sep 2 2:30pm CT
Jalen Royals

Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee) was the only Chiefs player not to practice on Tuesday, according to head coach Andy Reid. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, as Reid said just last week that Royals wasn't expected to be available to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener in Brazil on Friday against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers as he continues to work his way through knee tendinitis. The 22-year-old is a worthy dynasty/keeper league stash in KC's offense, but fantasy managers in most single-year formats can leave Royals to the waiver wire to open the year. It remains to be seen if he'll be ready to make his NFL debut in Week 2 in a rematch of the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles. With Rashee Rice opening the year serving a suspension, Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster should be the team's top three wideouts.

From RotoBaller

Elic Ayomanor Sep 2 2:20pm CT
Elic Ayomanor

Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com writes that rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor is listed alongside Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett as a starter on the team's unofficial depth chart entering the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the hosting Denver Broncos. Ayomanor flashed in training camp and the preseason for Tennessee and displayed some strong chemistry with fellow rookie quarterback Cameron Ward. While the 22-year-old will probably go undrafted in all 12-team fantasy leagues, he's at least a young receiver to put on your watch list going into the 2025 campaign. Ayomanor played ahead of fellow rookie Chimere Dike in the preseason and has a leg up on the WR3 role already. Ridley is going to be the overwhelming favorite for the majority of targets, but don't rule out Ayomanor passing Lockett on the depth chart sooner than later.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Kincaid Sep 2 1:20pm CT
Dalton Kincaid

According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid is not expected to see his role grow during the 2025 season. Buscaglia noted that, given Dawson Knox's presence on the team, Kincaid will likely not take a large share of opportunities. Last season, Kincaid logged around 66% of the team snaps, and Buscaglia believes that is what the expectation should be for the upcoming season as well. In his sophomore season, the 25-year-old took a bit of a step back as he tallied just 448 yards on 44 receptions. He scored just two touchdowns. As a rookie, Kincaid brought in 73 receptions for 673 yards. Given his limited ceiling, fantasy managers should continue to view Kincaid as a low-end fringe TE1 in all formats. However, if Knox were to miss time, Kincaid could enter must-start conversations.

From RotoBaller

Saquon Barkley Sep 2 1:00pm CT
Saquon Barkley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley looks to begin yet another dominant fantasy campaign as he matches up against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. Barkley is a consensus first-round fantasy pick for managers this season-and for good reason. He's a workhorse in a powerhouse offense, leading the NFL in rushing attempts and yards in 2024 and being the only player to surpass 2,000 yards from scrimmage. The Cowboys also just traded away Micah Parsons, who led the team in tackles for loss last year, freeing up some space for Barkley who averaged 5.8 yards per carry. While Dallas allowed the sixth-fewest yards per game on the ground last season, Barkley put up 233 on them between their two matchups, and it's not the same defense as before. He's one of the most valuable players in fantasy and should be in every lineup in Week 1.

From RotoBaller

Gabriel Davis Sep 2 12:40pm CT
Gabriel Davis

Free-agent wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) is signing an undisclosed deal with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN. Davis will initially report to the team's practice squad as he continues to recover from a torn meniscus in his knee last year. The 26-year-old did not gel well with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year and caught just 20 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games before needing season-ending surgery on his knee. He will return to Buffalo, where he played four seasons before joining the Jags in 2024. Davis' best season came with the Bills in 2022, when he had a 48-836-7 line, and he has found the end zone at least six times in all but last year. Davis could eventually emerge as a key downfield threat for the Bills in 2025, but after the offseason addition of Joshua Palmer, his chances of being useful in fantasy could be more of a long shot.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Sep 2 12:40pm CT
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts enters the 2025 season as a top fantasy option at his position, throwing for 2,903 yards and 18 touchdowns last year with just five interceptions, along with 630 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. In Week 1, Hurts will get the NFL season underway in a Thursday night matchup against a Dallas Cowboys team who just lost their sack leader and defensive anchor in Micah Parsons. Hurts faced Dallas just once last season, when he threw for 202 yards, ran for 56 more, and accounted for four total touchdowns. Philly looks to defend their Super Bowl title in this upcoming campaign, and Hurts has all of his major weapons back surrounding him. It's a no-brainer to start this high-end QB1 as fantasy football kicks off.

From RotoBaller

Calvin Austin III Sep 2 12:20pm CT
Calvin Austin III

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said he expects wide receiver Calvin Austin III (abdomen) to play in Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday against the New York Jets, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Austin has been battling an abdominal injury for most of training camp that kept him sidelined for the entire preseason, but he's made solid progress in recent weeks and is expected to be active this weekend. The 26-year-old could be limited early on in practices this week, but as long as he's practing in full by Friday, he should be without an injury designation heading into Sunday's tilt. As far as fantasy value heading into Week 1, Austin will certainly have a bigger role in the passing attack with George Pickens out of town. However, given Austin's injury this summer and Pittsburgh's expected run-first offense, he's not being drafted in most 12-team fantasy formats.

From RotoBaller