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The 2026 NFL season is officially rolling. As we head into Week 2, insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been making calls to sources around the league for the latest news and notable buzz.
Week 1 saw the Seahawks, Vikings and Falcons all forced to turn to backup quarterbacks -- and in Atlanta's case, it was a third-stringer. Where do those franchises sit at QB entering Week 2? Jeremy and Dan also asked around about a tough opening week for the two Los Angeles teams. Is there concern yet for the Rams and Chargers? Plus, they debated debuts for coaches and rookies then offered up their best fantasy tips based on what they're hearing.
It's all here, as Jeremy and Dan answer big questions and empty their reporting notebooks heading into Week 2.
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QB situations | Rams, Chargers concerns
Coaching debuts | Rookie debuts
Fantasy football takes�| Notes and more buzz
Graziano: Things seem straightforward for Minnesota. Based on what I've been able to gather, my sense is that Kyler Murray will start if he clears concussion protocol in time, and Carson Wentz is likely to start if Murray isn't clear in time. That sounds like a negative toward J.J. McCarthy, since it was him and not Wentz who competed with Murray for the starting job in camp. But this is more about the Vikings believing Wentz's veteran experience puts them in better position with limited preparation time when a QB gets hurt in-game (as happened Sunday) and/or there's uncertainty about who's going to start throughout the week.
McCarthy was the emergency third QB on Sunday, so the team knew there was a chance they might have to play him. I could see a scenario in which Wentz starts this week with McCarthy as the backup, assuming Murray can't go.
Fowler: That's certainly plausible. Murray took a nasty hit, and teams tend to be overly cautious when a player has assumed the fencing position, for good reason. But how players work through the five stages of the protocol often varies, so it's tough to know Murray's timeline at this point. Wentz is set up for success in Week 2. He got hot last week�versus Green Bay, and Chicago just allowed 361 passing yards to Bryce Young.
In Seattle, it's clear Sam Darnold will miss this week and possibly Week 3. But the Seahawks have refrained from putting him on short-term injured reserve, which is a good sign. The team seems confident that�Drew Lock is plug and play until Darnold returns.
Graziano: Yeah, Seattle believes Lock can handle it, so he's the guy there for the foreseeable future. I'm personally interested to see whether they put in anything specific for Jalen Milroe in terms of plays or packages that take advantage of his running ability and maybe give their offense a little bit extra juice. Why not, if Milroe is going to be active anyway as the second quarterback?
What about Atlanta? Kevin Stefanski probably thought he left the QB mess behind in Cleveland, but he has a situation on his hands, no?
Fowler: Stefanski has seen it all at quarterback, but at least his signal-callers in Cleveland mostly stayed out of the training room. Tua Tagovailoa's body seems to be betraying him at an inopportune time. The Falcons' best option remains third-year man Michael Penix Jr., but he's not yet ready for live game action. Penix wants to be fully confident before stepping onto the field following left ACL surgery in November. And my understanding is the Falcons are leaving the comfort level part of his recovery up to him.
Tagovailoa's injury, an oblique strain, can linger, which puts his Week 2 status up in the air. So,�Cooper Rush starting another week wouldn't be shocking. What helps Tagovailoa's case is his accuracy, which Stefanski highly values. If Tagovailoa's body doesn't totally break down in the short term and he can return before Penix is ready, perhaps Tagovailoa can provide a spark.
Graziano: Penix is coming off his third ACL reconstruction, which is a lot of ACL reconstructions. I believe it takes a lot of mental work to convince yourself it's OK to go back out there and play. If Penix needs more time, I'm sure the Falcons will give it to him, though I believe we will see him on the field at some point this season. The Falcons are going to want to know whether he is a real long-term option moving forward.
My sense is Tagovailoa was the favorite to start at the beginning of camp even when Penix was healthy but that Tagovailoa didn't perform the way the team had hoped he would. That has turned things into a confusing mess.
Fowler: That two-week stretch, from the second preseason game rolling into the joint practice with the Colts, was rough for Tagovailoa. The schedule provides another wrinkle. Atlanta will play on Thursday night in Week 3, so even if Penix is close, that might not be the best week to reacclimate him.
Fowler: Well, the Rams' top-ranked offense scored seven points, and the league's best pass rusher is out at least a month.�But other than that, everything's fine! I don't, however, sense heavy panic from the Rams, who seemed to approach the Australia trip with the excitement of a teenager asked to take out the trash. 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris knows the Rams' offense well, so San Francisco's ability to stymie Matthew Stafford shouldn't be a total shock.
The Myles Garrett situation is more alarming. The Rams thought they could manage his knee injury with rest all camp and preseason, and it got exposed in Week 1. It leaves some uneasiness that they perhaps should have had this injury surgically repaired a tad sooner. But the Rams have plenty of defensive talent to offset the Garrett loss.
Graziano: Garrett missed basically an entire month's worth of training camp with the knee problem, so those of us on the outside should have considered that a possible warning sign, at the very least. Aaron Donald being able to play Monday night would help, but the issues that came up in Australia went beyond Garrett's health. The Rams' expensive new cornerback tandem looked miscast in the defensive game plan, and they couldn't get the passing game clicking.
The Rams are certainly not going to panic because of one game, even if it was an embarrassing loss to a division rival. But they are (and should be) taking the problems that were on display against the 49ers seriously. The operation needs to be sharper on both sides of the ball. One possible benefit of the Rams' controversial Australian travel plan is that they likely didn't need to get reacclimated upon their return home, since their body clocks theoretically never reset in the first place. We'll see if they come out looking sharper in Week 2 against the Giants.
Fowler: The Chargers' panic meter will rise if they lose to the Raiders this week. Arizona was deemed terrible in the preseason, but the Cardinals are more respectable than that, particularly on offense. So, the Chargers' defense gets a mulligan after seeing the Cards in the opener. It's a veteran group that should improve.
The bigger concern is how the Bolts' offense looked after wide receiver Ladd McConkey left the game with a rib injury. McConkey and Justin Herbert showed easy chemistry in that first half. They need McConkey, who is listed as day-to-day, to work his way back or concerns about the offensive attack will mushroom. I'm expecting a better running game from Los Angeles in Week 2 as it tries to find some continuity with the offensive line.
Graziano: McConkey is a great player, but the game plan falling apart completely once he exited makes it seem as if it was flimsy to begin with. Where are the smart, creative run plays Mike McDaniel was calling last season in Miami? Wasn't running back Omarion Hampton supposed to explode in this scheme? Wasn't the wide receiver group supposed to be deep with talent? Were the Chargers gaslighting us all summer? This was so far off our expectations for the Herbert-McDaniel pairing that you have to wonder whether L.A. took the Cardinals seriously enough.
But you're absolutely right, Jeremy. The Chargers need to beat the Raiders this week and look good doing it or we're going to wonder if it was all hype. Being 0-2 and looking up at the 2-0 Raiders in the AFC West standings would not feel good for a team that had the preseason hopes the Chargers held. But Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby isn't going to make life any easier on that offensive line, which struggled with protection in the first game.
Graziano: The Cardinals' Mike LaFleur. I figured they'd have a representative offense, because I believe LaFleur is a talented offensive mind who knows how to call a game and put his players in the best position to take advantage of their strengths. But Arizona was good all over the field and dictated the action for much of Sunday's game. That says a lot about what LaFleur has been able to establish in terms of confidence and buy-in in a short period of time. Very impressive.
Fowler: It's early, but LaFleur seems to have a good sense of what it takes to be successful, with a blend of hard-nosed coaching and relatability that comes out in his news conferences and on the sidelines. I'd caution that Arizona started 2-0 last season before cratering, but its operation looks improved overall.
I was surprised Cleveland didn't play better under Todd Monken. Maybe I shouldn't have been since the offense is so young (six first- or second-year starters). But the 60-year-old Monken has waited decades for this opportunity, and his entire team was flat in Jacksonville. The outcry from fans will only intensify if quarterback Deshaun Watson plays poorly again.
Graziano: It's hard for me to be surprised when someone who insists on starting Watson at quarterback in 2026 doesn't have success. There are some things to like about Cleveland's roster, and I believe Monken knows how to coach, but the Browns aren't going anywhere with Watson. Until they admit that and make a change, I don't see how things can improve. Just horrendous vibes all the way around.
I have to say that Buffalo's Joe Brady probably had the best Week 1 win of the new coaches, prevailing on the road against Houston. Having spent a little time around the Bills before and after Sunday's game, it feels as if Brady is connecting with that group on a level that goes beyond his abilities as an offensive playcaller.
Fowler: Also, Jesse Minter winning his first game as the Ravens' coach wasn't a surprise, but the fashion in which his squad bounced Indianapolis was. Baltimore's offense was in complete control, and the defense forced two turnovers. Minter is known as a teacher/tactician, and the Ravens embodied that approach with minimal mistakes in Week 1.
Fowler: The first-year edge rushers flashed. David Bailey came out hot for the Jets, which was no surprise in league circles. "He was the most polished pass rusher [in the draft], so he had the best chances to contribute early among the top rushers," an NFL personnel director said. And it was quite the contribution, as Bailey registered four tackles, six quarterback pressures and one sack in 34 defensive snaps against Tennessee. Speaking of rookie rushers, the Chiefs' R Mason Thomas recorded his first sack on a spin move Monday night versus Denver. Thomas' buzz in Kansas City is growing due to his high motor and pass-rush arsenal.
Graziano: Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter was tough to miss in his debut, with a sack and an interception return for a touchdown. Tampa Bay's second-round pick outshined Bucs first-rounder Rueben Bain Jr., who had a tough time against massive Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims. I've also heard positive reviews on the debut of Giants guard Francis Mauigoa, who was part of a bruising rushing attack against the Cowboys on Sunday night.
Fowler: Good call on Trotter. On the offensive side of the ball, Seahawks first-round running back Jadarian Price drew attention by the way he runs, not necessarily his modest Week 1 output (10 rushes, 52 yards). "He's a load," an AFC scout said. "I expect his profile to grow." Seattle has been very pleased with Price's acumen and has no problem getting him involved, though it is dedicated to a multiple-back approach. Ravens first-round guard Olaivavega Ioane looked imposing in Indianapolis. And third-round Dolphins wide�receiver�Caleb Douglas' five-catch, 94-yard debut confirmed what I was hearing: that Douglas had impressed everyone in Miami's building.
Graziano: For sure on Douglas! Love it when camp buzz comes to life in Week 1. Commanders' third-round wideout�Antonio Williams was less buzzy, but it seems as if he has a real role as a slot receiver, and he caught a touchdown pass in his debut. I foresee Williams' role growing in that offense as the season goes along.
Graziano: I'd be trying to trade Houston running back David Montgomery. Yes, he had three touchdowns in his Texans debut. If you really believe he will score three touchdowns every week, you should not trade him for anything. I personally do not think he's going to do that.
I'm looking at Montgomery's 3.0 yards per carry against a Bills defense that was miserable against the run last season and the fact that Woody Marks was on the field for 40 snaps as compared with Montgomery's 39. The Texans were very impressed with the way Marks performed during the offseason, and they plan a significant role for the ball carrier in the offense. Montgomery got the Week 1 glory, but this might be a chance to sell high and claim a Week 1 underperformer who has a chance to pop in the coming weeks.
Fowler: Stick with Carolina wide receiver Jalen Coker (though maybe not this week). It would be silly to expect Coker to regularly break off 33-plus points like he did in Week 1, but he's clearly part of the Panthers' offensive fabric alongside wideout�Tetairoa McMillan. Coker is a primary deep threat, and quarterback Bryce Young trusts him. Coker was a good value play before the Week 1 breakout. He is�nursing an ankle sprain, which is something to consider for Week 2, but the Panthers' offense appears set for a jump, and Coker will be part of that. Carolina's coaches are very high on him.
Fowler: Here in Buffalo, where I'm prepping for the Thursday night game against Detroit, the synergy between Josh Allen and new coach Joe Brady is hard to miss. Brady has played a big hand in streamlining things for Allen, who has reduced turnovers and -- based on Sunday's win over Houston -- looks like he knows exactly where he wants to go with the ball at all times. Brady said Allen wants to be challenged -- and coached. When I asked Allen about that, he said the two have set goals for this season (which Allen won't be sharing). It's early, but the signs are that Allen is only getting better, and Brady said the two can experiment, succeed and fail together play-to-play.
Allen is so locked in that he didn't bite when asked about the excitement around officially opening the $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium in earnest Thursday night. His message was clear: We have a job to do, and that's win, knowing the path to winning can change from week to week. This week, it could lead to a recharged running game.�James Cook III�is coming off a modest 13-carry, 57-yard performance. Brady says he has no reservations feeding him. "He's one of the best backs in football," Brady said.
A few other Buffalo notes:�Dalton Kincaid is high on Detroit's scouting report after his 130-yard performance. He's looking more slippery now that he's healthy. ...�Greg Rousseau might prove to be the defensive closer Buffalo needs. He's in Year 6 and only 26 years old, so he's still coming into his own. Rousseau told me Jim Leonhard's defense provides extra one-on-one opportunities for him, on which he plans to capitalize (and did with two sacks in Week 1). ... The Bills practiced on newly laid Highmark Stadium sod Tuesday. The players were happier with the results compared to the preseason.
Graziano: DJ Moore's�Bills debut was exciting, but Kincaid had more receiving yards (130 to 100) and could be the real key to elevating Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense this season. I was at the Bills' game in Houston, and multiple people with the team told me Kincaid is healthier than he was this time last year and is on no snap restrictions.
The Bills want to be able to put multiple tight ends on the field at the same time, and the trio of Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes could be a formidable one. They're happy with the improvements Kincaid has shown as a blocker, but he's going to make his biggest contributions as a receiver and should have a greater impact when they have multiple tight ends in the formation. The Bills also believe their passing game can show even more than it did Sunday once pass-catching running back Ty Johnson is back healthy. Johnson was able to practice late last week and early this week, and he should be back soon.
The Bills' defense under Leonhard remains a bit of a work-in-progress entering the season, but you saw how disruptive�Rousseau and Deone Walker were able to be up front, especially in the later stages of the game in Houston, and you can start to see which players are likely to thrive in the new system. Landon Jackson�(2025 third-round pick) and Javon Solomon�(2024 fifth-round pick) are two others to watch, as I'm told the system fits them well. And of course Ed Oliver remains their most important player up front and has taken to it as well.
GM Brandon Beane said Leonard "is not one of those guys who's going to go square peg, round hole. He's all about 'give me good football players, we'll get them in the right spot.'" Much of this season on defense will be about the Bills seeing who develops and thrives in Leonard's system and figuring out what kinds of tweaks need to be made before next season. In the meantime, though, they believe they have the pieces to make it work in Year 1.
Graziano: As for Houston, the Texans want to keep running the ball a bit on offense. (Hence why I think Montgomery and Marks are both worth having in fantasy, as mentioned above.) First-round rookie Keylan Rutledge has brought old-school toughness to the guard position, and tight end Dalton Schultz told me the offense's "mindset" is different this season. The unit has been able to dictate some of the action against the defense in practice -- "just growing into that confidence that comes from going against one of the best defenses in the league every day, taking on that challenge and showing improvement consistently."
Schultz and other Texans told me they've noticed a sharper "edge" to quarterback C.J. Stroud this season, too. The way Sunday's game ended on a sack-fumble was unfortunate for Stroud, but his performance prior to that reflected some of what the Texans think they can be on offense. Watch for a larger role for newly acquired wide receiver Kayshon Boutte in the coming weeks.
Graziano: Boutte's old team, the Patriots, might be regretting trading him away in the wake of the A.J. Brown injury. Brown is out at least four weeks, and the Patriots don't really have a one-for-one replacement on their roster. Second-year speedster Kyle Williams is likely to see more playing time, and Mack Hollins can do some of the stuff Brown can do as a physical, contested-catch guy down the field. But if the Patriots were satisfied with those players, they wouldn't have gone out and acquired Brown and Romeo Doubs in the offseason.
The player they might be counting on that they didn't have last week is second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson, who can help in the passing game with his explosiveness out of the backfield. It's unclear at this time whether Henderson can make it back from his ankle injury in time for Sunday's game against the Steelers.
Fowler:�A new development in the Josh Jacobs criminal case emerged Tuesday, with the attorneys of his ex-girlfriend motioning for evidence in the criminal case to be permanently sealed. Attorneys Ramses Jalalpour and Amir Tahmassebi said in a statement, obtained by ESPN, that the motion is "consistent with our client's desire to protect her privacy, particularly in light of Mr. Jacobs taking responsibility for his actions in the criminal proceeding." The eight-page motion also states that the disclosure of evidence "would threaten ANM's (the woman) privacy, dignity, security and emotional well-being."
A key issue here is the videotape of the incident with the ex-girlfriend -- and whether the NFL can get ahold of it. This motion makes it increasingly harder for the league to do so. My understanding is that, barring a formal appeal from one of the legal parties involved, that tape should remain tucked away. Last week, the court ordered Jacobs to pay restitution to the victim as part of his no contest plea�for misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property. It's quite possible, if not likely, that has already happened. He was also ordered to attend counseling and avoid contacting the victim.
So, the NFL's investigation is ongoing, but there could be a suspension sooner rather than later. Jacobs remains on the commissioner exempt list. A four-to-six-game suspension could be the range based on a few people I've talked to in the league, but that's obviously fluid and based on the league's findings.
Fowler: Jaguars receiver Parker Washington going for 83 yards and a touchdown Sunday was noteworthy since the player and team failed to reach a contract extension before Week 1. Washington can follow the Alec Pierce plan to free agency: ball out in Year 4 and push well past $25 million per year on a new deal. Pierce got four years, $114 million from Indy after recording his first 1,000-yard season.
Fowler:�Chiefs coach Andy Reid trusted undrafted Kahlil Benson at left tackle on Monday night against Denver and it paid off. Benson allowed one pressure in 32 pass-blocking snaps in the win. The Chiefs were evaluating Benson as a guard with tackle flexibility. But in the third preseason week, with Josh Simmons out, they slid Benson to left tackle for extended reps. He has acquitted himself well.
The Simmons injury remains a mystery. In late August, he underwent tests on his back. Part of the testing was to see whether a disc issue had flared up. Information has been scarce since then. The Chiefs have treated this as if he's week-to-week. Meanwhile, they continue to rely on young players at several positions. Benson is the latest to shine.
Also on the Chiefs front, free agent receiver�Tyreek Hill remains fond of the Chiefs, and a potential in-season signing would make a lot of sense. He should be closer to playing around October.
Graziano: Raiders tight end Brock Bowers' knee injury is not overly serious, from what I am told. The team felt he could have played last week if necessary, and it's possible he returns this week. But the organization is determined to be careful with this very important player and not play him until they're 100% certain he's not being affected by the knee. I believe the latest you'll see Bowers is Week 4 against the Chiefs, but again, it could be sooner than that.
Fowler: The Ravens must adjust offensively due to receiver injuries. Rookie Ja'Kobi Lane is out for a while, and Zay Flowers reaggravated his hamstring issue, though that one is not considered serious. Expect�Devontez Walker�--�who was out last week -- to be up this week.
