Carolina Panthers Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Broncos LB Josey Jewell (calf) is inactive for today's game against the Texans. LB Alex Singleton served as Denver's every-down LB in Jewell's absence last Monday night. We'll see whether that continues or if LB Jonas Griffith gains playing time in Week 2. Neither makes for an exciting IDP option this week. EDGE Randy Gregory (shoulder, knee) is active. He arrived questionable but played through such a tag in Week 1.

Eagles RB Miles Sanders clearly led the ground work among Philly RBs in Sunday's win over the Lions, carrying 13 times vs. 5 for Kenneth Gainwell and 4 for Boston Scott. Sanders ran most efficiently as well, tallying 96 yards at 7.4 per rush. (Gainwell averaged 4.0; Scott 2.5.) Each guy claimed a rushing TD, as did QB Jalen Hurts, who ran 17 times for 90 yards. The QB's carries were a mix of designed run plays and scrambles. Sanders added 2 catches for 9 yards on 2 targets. Gainwell beat him with 4 targets (2-12 receiving) but ran 5 fewer pass routes than Sanders. It was an encouraging opener for Sanders drafters, and the Philly running game on whole.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson led the team with 12 targets in the opener, claiming 31.6% of Pittsburgh's total pass attempts. Johnson caught 7 for 55 yards. WR Chase Claypool drew 6 looks, catching 4 for a mere 18 yards. Rookie George Pickens followed with 3, catching 1 but drawing defensive PI to negate a 4th target. That trio operated as the team's clear top 3 WRs. We'll see whether the QB play can improve to enhance the output going forward. Claypool added 6 rushing attempts for a team-high 36 yards, with a (supposedly minor) ankle injury limiting RB Najee Harris' playing time.

Eagles RB Miles Sanders (hamstring) put in a full week of practice and isn’t listed on the final Week 1 injury report. He’s ready to roll as Philly’s lead ball carrier for Sunday’s opener vs. the Lions.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (shoulder) is not listed on the final Week 1 injury report. After limited workouts on Wednesday and Thursday, Johnson was a full go on Friday and said his shoulder is just a pain tolerance issue. He carries a bit more risk than usual in fantasy lineups but still sits inside our top 30 WRs for Week 1.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (shoulder) told reporters that he was a full participant in Friday's practice and will play against the Bengals this weekend. He called the shoulder a pain-tolerance issue. Johnson carries a bit more risk than usual this week but is still fine to get in fantasy lineups.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (shoulder) put in his 2nd straight limited practice on Thursday. We're tentatively expecting him to play vs. the Bengals this weekend, but check back tomorrow for another update on his status.

Eagles RB Miles Sanders (hamstring) put in a full practice on Wednesday. It's confirmation that he's on track for this weekend's opener vs. the Lions. Sanders should be Philly's lead ball carrier but could lose goal-line and pass-catching work. Consider him a RB3 out of the gate.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (shoulder) was officially limited in Wednesday's practice. He was non-committal on his availability for this weekend's opener vs. the Bengals when asked earlier in the day, but the fact that he was able to do something this early in the week is an encouraging sign. Check back tomorrow for another update.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (shoulder) was non-committal on his availability for this weekend's opener vs. the Bengals when asked on Wednesday. "I'm doing everything I can and get back to the guys one day at a time," he said. Johnson banged up his shoulder in the preseason finale and said he could not have returned to that game even if it had been the regular season. We'll track his practice participation over the next few days. Johnson's absence would obviously be a big boost to the target projections on George Pickens, Chase Claypool and Pat Freiermuth.

The Giants have surprisingly released veteran LB Blake Martinez. According to ESPN's Jordan Ranaan, the "decision was mutual." We'd bet on Martinez landing elsewhere, and we'll see exactly what the replacement plan is with the Giants. But this is a big move for the top of the current LB rankings.

The Falcons on Thursday placed LB Deion Jones on IR. It's a surprising move, given that Jones had recently come off the PUP and played in the team's preseason finale. Jones had shoulder surgery early in the offseason. We'll see whether the team reveals how long it expects him to be out. Jones' deactivation leaves Rahsaan Evans and Mykal Walker looking like the best bets for playing time among Falcons LBs.

Eagles RB Miles Sanders (hamstring) returned to practice on Thursday. He'd been sidelined the past 2-and-a-half weeks. But, barring a setback, he should be ready for next weekend's season opener vs. the Lions.

Eagles RB Miles Sanders remains out of practice with a hamstring injury. He hasn’t practiced since August 14, per reporter Zach Berman. We still expect Sanders to be active for Week 1, but we’ll learn more when Philly’s injury report comes out next week.

The Vikings are waiving WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the wake of trading for Jalen Reagor. Smith-Marsette garnered just 6 targets as a 5th-round rookie last year, though this spring brought some mild buzz that he might push for a larger role. If Minnesota is looking to put him on the practice squad, the 23-year-old will first need to pass through waivers unclaimed.

The Panthers signed K Eddy Pineiro. He'll replace K Zane Gonzalez, who landed on IR with his groin injury. You should be able to do better than Pineiro for your fantasy squad.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin told CBS' Evan Washburn at halftime of Sunday's preseason finale that WR Diontae Johnson's shoulder injury is "minor." Tomlin added that Johnson might have been able to return if it was a regular-season game and that there's "no long term concern." Johnson carries a tad more risk until we get an official diagnosis on the shoulder injury, but it sure sounds like he avoided anything significant.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury. He landed on his shoulder after making a downfield catch in the 1st quarter. In 2 weeks, Pittsburgh kicks off the regular season at Cincinnati.

Panthers WR Terrace Marshall returned for Friday night's preseason finale after missing the first 2 contests with a hamstring injury. He played 43 snaps but finished catch-less on 1 target. Marshall is off the redraft radar at this point.

Falcons LB Deion Jones returned to the practice field this week for the 1st time following offseason shoulder surgery. He worked with 3rd- and 4th-stringers, though, according to the team website. The highly paid also saw time on the punt team. "I'll give Deion credit, because he's going to come out here and he's going to compete," HC Arthur Smith said afterward. "He's going to work his way back in. It's going to be hard to get on the field in that room. And that's what you want with that competition. Rashaan [Evans] and Mykal Walker are doing a great job. We gotta see what Troy [Andersen] can do. [Nathan] Landman, Dorian [Etheridge]? They've had good preseasons. It's going to play itself out." Jones was the subject of trade/cut rumors before the shoulder surgery sidelined him. Atlanta would probably love to trade him for pretty much anything, which would offer salary-cap relief. Cutting Jones, on the other hand, would cost nearly $25 million in dead cap. The final year on his contract (2023) has much more cuttable terms. All of that is complicated by Jones coming off -- by far -- the poorest-graded season of his career. It seems likely that Rahsaan Evans and Mykal Walker start ahead of him, at least to open the season. Don't be afraid to just avoid the whole Falcons LB situation in your IDP drafts.