September 9, 2026
Mooney Starts Opposite Nabers + Mayfield's $165M Bucs Extension
🔥 TRENDING TOPICS
49ers DT Collins tore his patellar tendon in Australia and will miss the entire season.
Baker Mayfield agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Buccaneers worth $165M, preventing him from becoming a free agent.
Aaron Donald will not play in the Rams' season opener against the 49ers in Australia and will not travel with the team.
📰 TOP STORIES
After releasing Darius Slayton, the Giants officially listed Darnell Mooney as their WR2 opposite Malik Nabers on the depth chart — a huge target-share signal heading into Week 1.
PFF data spanning the entire grading era reveals Tom Brady owns the top QB grade in Week 1 games (92.8), while T.J. Watt leads all defenders at 93.7 — and Watt enters Sunday one sack shy of the PFF-era record.
PFF's Nic Bodiford highlights 23 last-minute waiver wire adds, spotlighting Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd as a potential Week 1 RB1 and Browns WR KC Concepcion as a possible target-share leader.
Browns CB Denzel Ward, fresh off a two-year extension this offseason, has purchased a minority ownership stake in the Cleveland Guardians MLB franchise.
SportsLine's simulation of the full 2026 NFL season projects a Ravens-Rams Super Bowl LXI matchup as the most likely championship outcome.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn acknowledged the kicker position remains unsettled heading into Sunday's season opener against the Titans, pledging to make 'the right decision when it needs to be done.'
Pete Prisco's Week 1 picks include the Seahawks dominating the Patriots, the Bills ending their skid against the Texans, and Patrick Mahomes leading Kansas City past the Broncos.
CBS Sports ranks all 32 starting QBs for Week 1, with the usual elite names at the top but in a slightly reshuffled order heading into the 2026 season opener.
49ers DE Nick Bosa, returning from a torn ACL suffered last season, says he hopes to play with 'no reservations' against the Rams and has already been confirmed active for the game.
ESPN's Week 1 matchup rankings identify Baker Mayfield and Hampton among the QBs and skill players set up for the most favorable fantasy scoring environments.
▶️ YOUTUBE BREAKDOWN
Ranked by reader engagement
📱 REDDIT PULSE
Ranked by reader engagement
🎙️ WHAT THE PODCASTS ARE SAYING
Ranked by reader engagement
🔍 DEEP DIVE
The biggest fantasy news of the morning centers on the New York Giants, who officially listed Darnell Mooney as their starting WR2 alongside Malik Nabers on Tuesday's depth chart. The move comes directly off the back of the Giants releasing longtime starter Darius Slayton this week — a clean, decisive roster move that hands Mooney immediate upside in what is now a two-receiver look at the top of the depth chart. If you roster Mooney or have him available on the wire, his path to meaningful targets in this offense just got significantly clearer heading into Week 1.
Elsewhere, Baker Mayfield is staying in Tampa Bay for the long haul. The Buccaneers and Mayfield agreed to a three-year extension worth $165 million — the largest contract in franchise history — ending what the source material describes as previous disputes between Mayfield and Buccaneers management. For fantasy managers, this is a stability signal: Mayfield is locked in as Tampa Bay's unquestioned franchise QB, and ESPN's Week 1 matchup rankings already flag him as one of the QBs set up for fantasy success in the season opener. Meanwhile, the 49ers are navigating real injury concerns around their Australia opener against the Rams: DT Collins has torn his patellar tendon and will miss the entire season, while Aaron Donald will not travel to Australia and will be inactive, with the Rams opting to give him more time to ramp up after two seasons of retirement. Nick Bosa, however, has been confirmed active and says he hopes to play with "no reservations."
The through-line across these stories is roster volatility in the days just before kickoff — depth charts are still shifting, extensions are reshaping team dynamics, and injury decisions are being made in real time. The Giants' Mooney elevation, Bosa's return, and Donald's absence all landed within the last 24 hours and carry direct fantasy lineup implications.
Tomorrow, watch for any kicker resolution in New York, where Aaron Glenn admitted the Jets' position remains unsettled ahead of Sunday's game against the Titans. Also monitor further injury updates out of the 49ers-Rams Australia opener, which kicks off the 2026 NFL season and could produce early waiver wire clarity — particularly for the skill positions around Donald's absence on the Rams' defense.