Ragland inactive for opener

Chiefs LB Reggie Ragland is a surprise inactive against the Jaguars in Week 1. He had been working with the starters in the preseason, though coming off the field for sub packages. You can drop Ragland in any IDP league at this point. LB Damien Wilson, meanwhile, is a potential deep sleeper.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Bills LB Reggie Ragland will miss the entire season with the partial ACL tear he suffered last week. That will leave Buffalo without its top 2 draft picks until at least October, with DE Shaq Lawson recovering from shoulder surgery. Zach Brown is expected to start in place of Ragland at ILB, next to Preston Brown. His speed has always added fantasy intrigue even while Zach Brown failed to hold down a starting gig in Tennessee. Preston Brown gains tackle upside for your IDP league with Ragland out. Losing Ragland doesn't significantly alter the fantasy outlook for the Buffalo team D.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the initial MRI showed a partial ACL tear for Bills LB Reggie Ragland. That's good news after the team feared worse. Ragland will reportedly get a 2nd opinion Monday, which will also determine how long he'll be out. Assuming they confirm a partial tear, we should see Ragland on the field this season. The injury still makes him not worth selecting in most 2016 redraft IDP leagues, however. Preston Brown's tackle upside will grow while Ragland's out. The Bills added veterans Brandon Spikes and David Hawthorne on Sunday to fortify the position. Former Titan Zach Brown sits behind Brown and Ragland on the depth chart.

Bills rookie LB Reggie Ragland left Friday's practice after suffering a non-contact knee injury. We have yet to see specifics on the injury, but WKBW's Joe Buscaglia reports that HC Rex Ryan was "very concerned." A serious injury would leave Buffalo heading into the regular season without either of its 1st 2 picks from 2016. DE Shaq Lawson already had shoulder surgery that could cost him more than half the season.

The Bills spent the 41st pick of the NFL Draft on ILB Reggie Ragland. He should start right away in a defense that let Nigel Bradham walk in free agency this offseason. Ragland looks like a better player than incumbent Preston Brown, but he's questionable in coverage. If Ragland isn't a 3-down player, that would obviously hinder his IDP upside. He'll be a solid middle-round target in dynasty rookie drafts but shouldn't go too early because of the coverage question. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Ragland was diagnosed with an enlarged aorta in the draft lead-up which took him off some teams' boards while others aren't worried. He'll reportedly need annual EKGs to keep tabs on the issue, but we wouldn't alter fantasy strategy because of it.