NFL PLAYER NEWS
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Rapoport: Terry McLaurin (toe) day-to-day for Washington
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is considered "more day-to-day than anything" with a toe sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
McLaurin sprained his toe in Monday night's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, but he avoided a major injury and might be available for Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. Jahan Dotson will likely fill in at practice as the No. 1 wideout while McLaurin is sidelined.
McLaurin is the WR26 in numberFire's preseason rankings and our models project him to lead Washington with 135.1 targets, 81.8 receptions, 1,077.6 yards, and 5.43 touchdowns. He is the clear top target on the team and could outperform those projections if Sam Howell (QB22) exceeds expectations.
Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba needs wrist surgery
Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is undergoing wrist surgery on Tuesday.
Smith-Njigba broke a bone in his wrist during Saturday's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the first-round pick could be ready for Week 1 versus the Los Angeles Rams if surgery goes well. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will have more targets available if Smith-Njigba misses the start of the season. Once he's healthy, Smith-Njigba has a secure role in three-wide sets for Seattle.
JSN is currently the WR39 in numberFire's preseason rankings. Our models project him for 107.6 targets, 69.7 receptions, 871.9 yards, and 5.19 touchdowns. Metcalf is the WR16 and Lockett is the WR22.
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Baker Mayfield officially named Buccaneers Week 1 starter
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is the starter for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Todd Bowles confirmed Tuesday.
Mayfield was expected to win the job for most of the preseason and that was all but confirmed when he sat out the Buccaneers' second preseason game. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick is on his fourth team in three seasons, but Mayfield has arguably the best receiving duo of his career in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He will likely be on a short leash in Tampa Bay, so if Mayfield struggles and the team has a losing record, Kyle Trask could wind up taking over.
Baker is the QB27 in numberFire's preseason rankings. Our models project him for 3,963.6 passing yards on a 62.0 completion percentage, with 24.12 touchdowns and 16.6 interceptions. We also have Mayfield forecasted for 47.6 carries, 204.1 rushing yards, and 1.81 touchdowns.
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Commanders' Terry McLaurin may have turf toe
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is believed to have suffered a toe sprain in Monday night's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
McLaurin will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the full extent of the injury, which is also known as turf toe. Rapoport said it's "not thought to be overly serious," so McLaurin might be able to recover in time for Washington's opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Jahan Dotson will likely fill in as the No. 1 wideout while McLaurin is out. Dyami Brown and Curtis Samuel could also see more action.
McLaurin is the WR26 in numberFire's preseason rankings and our models project him to lead Washington with 135.1 targets, 81.8 receptions, 1,077.6 yards, and 5.43 touchdowns. He is the clear top target on the team and could outperform those projections if Sam Howell (QB22) exceeds expectations.
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Washington's Terry McLaurin (leg) heads to locker room during second preseason game
Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin (leg) was escorted to the locker room by the team's training staff during Monday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.
McLaurin seemed to be limping after making a catch in the first half of Monday's preseason game, but was able to walk to the locker room under his own power. His night is surely over, but hopefully the stud wideout was able to avoid suffering any sort of injury that could carry over into the regular season.
McLaurin looked to already have strong chemistry with new starter Sam Howell, reeling in 3 catches for 39 yards in just under a half of action. He is numberFire's WR26 for the upcoming season and could outperform those projections if Howell exceeds expectations.
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Ravens' Zay Flowers playing with second unit in second preseason game
Baltimore Ravens rookie receiver Zay Flowers started alongside the team's second unit in the team's second preseason game Monday night.
While the Ravens opted to rest most of their presumed Week 1 starters, Flowers joined the second unit on the field to kick things off in Week 2 of the preseason. Flowers will likely be competing for opportunities behind Odell Beckham and Rashod Bateman in the upcoming season.
The exciting rookie has a crowded depth chart ahead of him, but should eventually find his way into some fantasy-relevant volume during the regular season. The team did seem to cut his evening short (likely a good sign) after his early touchdown. He is numberFire's WR47 for 2023.