Indianapolis Colts All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard has entered the concussion protocol, according to ESPN's Mike Wells.Leonard, who didn't exhibit any concussion symptoms on Sunday against the Titans, has been productive to start the 2019 campaign. The South Carolina State product recorded 10 tackles and a sack during a Week 2 win, bringing his tackle total this season to 18, which ranks 11th in the league.The second-year man led the NFL in tackles last year with 163, which helped land him several honors, including Defensive Rookie of the Year and being named a First-Team All-Pro. Leonard also recorded seven sacks, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and two picks as a rookie.The Colts will be hoping the leader of their budding defense is healthy when the Atlanta Falcons swoop into town in Week 3.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is expected to undergo thumb surgery and will likely miss about six weeks of action, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The ailment is a torn ligament in Brees' throwing thumb, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The 40-year-old suffered the injury in the first half of the Saints' 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 when his hand smacked against defensive tackle Aaron Donald while following through on a throw."He's had one opinion; he's getting a second opinion," Saints head coach Sean Payton said Monday afternoon.Teddy Bridgewater completed 17 of 30 passes for 165 yards after coming in for Brees against the Rams. He'll now get a chance to prove his worth to the Saints, who are paying him $7.25 million this year, more than any other backup signal-caller in football.Bridgewater was a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 and made the Pro Bowl in 2015 after throwing 14 touchdowns with an 88.7 passer rating. However, he suffered a serious knee injury in August 2016 and has made just one start since that time.The Saints will play three of their next five games against 2018 playoff teams, so Bridgewater will be put to the test right away. The 26-year-old will have big shoes to fill, as Brees was the runner-up in the NFL MVP race last season and fell just short of leading New Orleans to the Super Bowl following a blown pass interference call against the Rams.Brees, who was drafted in 2001, has missed just one previous game due to injury since high school, according to Schefter. The quarterback was ruled out of a 2015 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said Monday that Ryan Fitzpatrick will remain the team's starting quarterback for its Week 3 tilt with the Dallas Cowboys.The vote of confidence comes a day after reports suggested the Dolphins were considering a switch to second-year pivot Josh Rosen.However, Flores indicated that while Fitzpatrick will start against the Cowboys, nothing beyond that is set in stone."After a couple of weeks like that, we're evaluating all positions," said Flores. "We haven't made any final decisions yet."Fitzpatrick, who set multiple NFL records in Week 2 by throwing both a touchdown and an interception for his eighth different team, was signed by the Dolphins this offseason on a two-year deal. Rosen was acquired from the Arizona Cardinals for a second-round pick in April.Flores offered some insight into how Rosen can help his own cause as he works to capture the starting role."Do a good job in meetings, walk-throughs, and practice," Flores said.The Dolphins are sporting a ludicrous minus-92 point differential through two weeks. For his part, Fitzpatrick has thrown for 274 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions while completing 50% of his passes with a 39.9 passer rating. Rosen hasn't fared much better in limited playing time, going 8-for-21 for 102 yards and a pair of picks.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup will reportedly undergo arthroscopic knee surgery to trim his meniscus, sidelining him for two-to-four weeks, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Gallup was off to a hot start in his sophomore campaign, posting 13 receptions for 226 yards in two Cowboys victories. He had a career-high 158 receiving yards Sunday against the New York Giants.He totaled 33 catches for 507 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie last season.The 2-0 Cowboys will host the winless Miami Dolphins in Week 3.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines the significance of those events moving forward.What regression?Regression is inevitable, they said. After taking the NFL by storm as a first-year starter, throwing 50 touchdown passes while leading the league's most explosive offense, it was only fair to assume Patrick Mahomes' sky-high stock was due to decline. Passing league or not, surely throwing 50-plus touchdown passes in a season couldn't become the norm, right?Early signs appear to suggest we're all looking for ways to deny the greatness in front of us. Mahomes is just ... different.Sunday's performance didn't come against the best opponent, as nobody will mistake the Raiders' defense for an even remotely stout unit against the pass. But Mahomes still reminded us of his rare talent.Playing without Tyreek Hill, his No. 1 big-play target, the pivot didn't miss a beat while racking up 443 passing yards. His four touchdowns, all of which were thrown in the second quarter, came from 44, 42, 27, and 39 yards out.The Texas Tech product, deemed a project by many ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft, is proving to be the perfect modern quarterback. His video-game brand of football - fearlessly attacking downfield and regularly completing passes other marquee talents wouldn't even dream of attempting - makes him the NFL's most exciting player.The regression isn't coming. Mahomes is just getting started and, evidently, there's nothing the rest of the league can do about it.Patriots are borderline unfairAre you sick of everyone talking about how the 2007 Patriots adding Raiders cast-off Randy Moss at a minimal cost is just like the 2019 Patriots adding Raiders cast-off Antonio Brown at a minimal cost?Then get ready to be really sick of everyone talking about how the 2007 Patriots went 16-0 with Moss, and now the 2019 Patriots (already 2-0 with a 73 point differential) are destined to go undefeated with Brown, too.There's no Eli Manning to rain on the parade this time. Well ... he's still around, somehow, but it's safe to say there will be no Giants-Patriots rematch.All-Pro tanking in MiamiMark Brown / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's easy to understand why fans supporting even the worst teams are still clinging to preseason optimism. Two weeks is a relatively small sample size, after all, and there's still plenty of time to rebound from rough starts.That's not the case with the Dolphins, as their season was over before it began.Mere hours after an embarrassing opener against Baltimore, when Miami took a 59-10 beating on its home field, reports surfaced indicating that multiple players were seeking trades, citing a belief the coaching staff isn't serious about competing. A 43-0 loss at home to the Patriots on Sunday followed that debacle. The two-game minus-92 point differential to open a season is the NFL's worst since 1973.Miami is orchestrating the most obvious tank job the league has seen in quite some time, and perhaps ever. It won't be surprising if these efforts result in NFL rules preventing teams from going to such lengths in the future.But at this point, the Dolphins should go all-in. Trade the players who want out and embrace the nightmare season. Miami can only hope the stench of a team that's not trying to win doesn't linger in the years ahead.Tunsil not enough for TexansKnowing that a leaky offensive line could very well be what keeps an incredible group of playmakers from pushing their team into Super Bowl contention, the Texans went for it with a preseason trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil.In some ways, they had the right idea. Unfortunately, the trade was awful.Tunsil is a top player at a core position, and Kenny Stills will be a valuable addition to an already talented receiver group. But giving up two first-round picks and a second-rounder to acquire them invites jokes about getting fleeced while not employing a general manager.Making matters worse, adding Tunsil didn't fix the Texans' offensive line issues, as the first two games this season confirmed.Had he been the missing piece that could address an area of need, the price tag could maybe be justified. But even with a Pro Bowl talent manning the left tackle spot, major O-line problems remain. The Texans still can't give their star quarterback a clean pocket, and it's tough to see them going far in January as a result.Vinatieri's swan song?Brett Carlsen / Getty Images Sport / GettyTwenty-four years in the league, 355 games, 583 field goals made, 854 extra points. And after all that, we might have seen the last of Adam Vinatieri.The 46-year-old legend missed two extra-point attempts during the Colts’ win Sunday, and he's now missed five kicks this season. After Sunday’s contest, Vinatieri said he plans to address the media Monday. The implication is obvious: This is the end.Many will scoff and say he stuck around too long. But instead, marvel at a man who played the game longer than almost anyone while milking every bit of glory possible out of his leg. And now, he'll (presumably) leave on his own terms.Pass-interference review issuesWhen the NFL implemented a new rule making pass interference reviewable following the infamous no-call in the Saints-Rams NFC title game, the goal was to prevent missed calls on crucial contested catches from deciding games.Through two weeks, the reviews aren't working as intended.The bar for "clear and obvious visual evidence" is too high, and officials aren't overturning no-calls when interference is clearly evident.The rule has also resulted in a slew of reviews involving offensive pass interference - specifically downfield blocking away from the catch point. Plays like this:

Two weeks into the NFL season, the injury bug has officially struck the quarterback position.A week after Jaguars QB Nick Foles went down with a collarbone injury that's likely to keep him out 10 weeks, both the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees left Sunday's losses with serious injuries that lengthened their teams' respective Super Bowl odds.Roethlisberger is reportedly done for the year after an MRI on his right elbow necessitated surgery. The Steelers' odds were at 30-1 at theScore Bet in New Jersey and will likely move to 50-1 once more information is released about the team's plans, says Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader.The movement has been more drastic at some shops in Las Vegas, with at least one book placing Pittsburgh's odds at 80-1.Brees' diagnosis was less dire, as he'll reportedly miss six weeks following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. Rood told theScore that the Saints would remain at 12-1 at least this week, while some other books moved New Orleans to 20-1 as of Monday.Neither team fared well last week under new starting QBs. Mason Rudolph surrendered a halftime lead in Pittsburgh's 28-26 home defeat against the Seattle Seahawks, while Teddy Bridgewater couldn't muster anything offensively in New Orleans' 27-9 road loss to the Los Angeles Rams.Ed Salmons, vice president of risk management and oddsmaking for the Westgate LV Superbook, told theScore that Brees is worth four points to the spread, though he expects it to be less once the Saints incorporate Taysom Hill more at quarterback. Roethlisberger is worth 6.5 or seven points, he said.Brees has only missed three games since signing with New Orleans in 2006, with the Saints finishing 1-2 against the spread in his absence. The Steelers, meanwhile, are 12-10-2 ATS in games without Roethlisberger since drafting him in 2004.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will undergo season-ending surgery on his right elbow, the team announced Monday.Roethlisberger exited Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks before halftime and then underwent an MRI that confirmed the need for surgery. The Steelers did not disclose details of the injury.Roethlisberger's 5,129 passing yards led the NFL last season, which marked the second time he accomplished that feat in his career. The 37-year-old threw for 351 yards with no touchdowns and one interception this year.Former third-round draft pick Mason Rudolph will become the starting QB for the Steelers. He went 12 of 19 for 112 yards to go along with two touchdowns and one pick in his NFL debut against Seattle.Rudolph said Monday afternoon that he learned Roethlisberger was dealing with elbow pain after the season opener, according to The Athletic's Ed Bouchette.Though Roethlisberger has dealt with numerous injuries during his career, he's never played in fewer than 12 games in a single season.At 0-2, the Steelers are off to their worst start since 2013.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur indicated Monday that it's possible rookie Daniel Jones is the team's starting quarterback in Week 3, according to the New York Daily News' Pat Leonard.Shurmur seemed staunch in his support for veteran Eli Manning after the Giants lost 28-14 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. He said that talk of possibly inserting Jones into the starting role "wasn't a conversation for right now."The second-year head coach had a change of heart during Monday's press conference."We're gonna talk about everything moving forward," Shurmur said. "I think that's fair at this point. To this point what we've done hasn't been good enough."Shurmur remained vague while discussing the topic, simply calling Manning "our starter so far," according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.For his part, Manning appears unfazed by the chatter."We're 0-2 and looking for answers, I get it," Manning told reporters on Monday. "When you draft a guy early and you're not winning games, these (questions) were going to come up."Manning has thrown for 556 yards to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions during the Giants' 0-2 start.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another week brings another collection of gut-wrenching bad beats for football bettors.There's a reason we wait until Monday to release these. Hopefully, if you were on the wrong end of one or more of these outcomes, you've had enough time to hit the reset button.As always, if you bet on any of these, our sincerest condolences.Florida 29, Kentucky 21Bad beat: Under 47.5Trailing 22-21 in the waning minutes of the fourth, upset-minded Kentucky drove deep into Florida territory. Under bettors were rooting for a missed field goal or turnover to give Florida the ball back; they even would have settled for a successful field goal to keep the combined score at 46, putting the pressure on the Gators and their backup quarterback to drive into field-goal range in a limited amount of time.But when Kentucky placekicker Chance Poore missed his attempt, it was time to burn the clock.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone recaps all the injuries from Sunday and takes an early look at Week 3 waiver wire adds.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan will miss four-to-six weeks with a broken foot suffered in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, a source told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.The injury does not require surgery, Florio reports.He was set to inherit a greater role following the foot injury to Malik Jackson that could sideline the free-agent acquisition for the remainder of the season.Jernigan recorded a sack in the season opener but was kept off the stat sheet before his injury in Week 2. He played an integral role in the Eagles' championship team in 2017.The sixth-year veteran missed all but three games last season due to a back injury.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees fears the hand injury that forced him out of Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams could be significant, he told ESPN's Josina Anderson.Brees made plans to see a hand specialist in L.A. The issue is believed to involve a ligament in his throwing thumb, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Saints initially labeled Brees questionable to return following a first-quarter exit, but he spent the rest of the game watching from the sidelines with a wrap over his right wrist and thumb. Teddy Bridgewater took over for the 40-year-old, completing 17 of 30 passes for 165 yards in the 27-9 defeat.Brees suffered the injury hitting his hand against Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald while following through on a throw.He was the MVP runner-up a year ago, posting a career-high passer rating of 115.7 and leading New Orleans to the top seed in the NFC playoffs. He engineered a last-minute drive to set up a game-winning field goal against the Houston Texans in the 2019 season opener.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The injury bug hit the Philadelphia Eagles hard during their Sunday Night Football matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.Wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson suffered calf and groin injuries, respectively, early in the game. Neither was able to return.Second-string tight end Dallas Goedert was also forced out with a calf injury and did not re-enter the game.Finally, quarterback Carson Wentz appeared to suffer an injury early in the first quarter when Falcons linebacker Deion Jones hit him hard. Following another hit late in the half, Wentz entered the NFL's concussion protocol and Josh McCown briefly replaced him.Center Jason Kelce and receiver Nelson Agholor were both evaluated for head injuries, but they quickly cleared the concussion protocol.Things didn't get easier for Philadelphia in the second half. The team announced that defensive tackle Tim Jernigan is being evaluated for a foot injury, and running back Corey Clement was sidelined after hurting his shoulder.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri is leaning toward retirement after his kicking woes continued into Week 2, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports.However, the Colts are reportedly attempting to convince the future Hall of Famer to keep playing. A final decision is expected by Monday afternoon, Florio adds.The 46-year-old missed two extra-point attempts during Sunday's win over the Tennessee Titans, bringing his total missed kicks this season to five. He also made a mess of two field-goal tries and an extra-point attempt in Week 1."Yeah, it's a concern," Colts owner Jim Irsay told Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan postgame while indicating Vinatieri's job could be on shaky ground. "We'll talk and try to take emotion out of big decisions."Vinatieri has missed four PATs and two chip-shot field goals over his last three games dating back to the end of the 2018 season.Vinatieri's last 3 gamesGameFGsPATsAFC Divisional (2018)0-11-2Week 1 (2019)1-31-2Week 2 (2019)0-01-3The 24-year veteran is the oldest player in the league. He put off retirement in January for a one-year contract to stay with the Colts.A four-time Super Bowl champion, Vinatieri joined Indianapolis in 2006 following a 10-year stint with the New England Patriots.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished their Week 2 loss without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back James Conner, with both players exiting prematurely due to injuries.Roethlisberger hurt his throwing elbow and didn't take a snap in the second half, while Conner suffered from a knee issue. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had no update on either player postgame, saying only that both were being evaluated.The veteran quarterback will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the damage to his elbow, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.With the team's offensive stars out of commission, Pittsburgh dropped its home opener 28-26 to the Seattle Seahawks, falling to 0-2 for the first time since 2013."We lost a number of guys in this game, but that wasn't the reason we didn't win this game," Tomlin said. "We were fully capable with the guys that were on the field. We didn't make enough plays, to be honest with you."Roethlisberger went 8-of-15 passing for 75 yards before leaving on Sunday, while Conner rushed for 33 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries.Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph threw two touchdown passes and went 12-of-19 passing for 112 yards, though he also tossed an interception. He filled in for the NFL leader in passing yards from a season ago.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After being outscored 102-10 in a pair of losses to open the season, the Miami Dolphins might be making a change under center.The Dolphins will consider benching Ryan Fitzpatrick in favor of Josh Rosen for next week's game against the Dallas Cowboys, sources told Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.Miami was shut out Sunday in a 43-0 loss to the New England Patriots. Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns over the span of five second-half plays.After the game, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said Fitzpatrick remains the top quarterback but left open the door for a change."We'll evaluate things over the course of the week," Flores said, according to NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman. "As of right now, Ryan is still the starter."Fitzpatrick, 36, had 89 yards on 21 attempts before being replaced by Rosen, who threw for 97 yards and a pick on 18 attempts. The Dolphins trailed by 23 points heading into the fourth quarter when the 22-year-old entered the game.Miami acquired Rosen from the Arizona Cardinals this offseason in exchange for a second-round pick. The Dolphins need to see what they have in the former first-rounder before next year's draft, during which they're widely expected to target a top quarterback.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said that inserting rookie Daniel Jones as the team's starting quarterback isn't a "conversation for right now," according to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper.Shurmur's comments come after the Giants lost 28-14 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, dropping to 0-2 to start the campaign.The Giants selected Jones with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, seemingly with a plan to make him their franchise quarterback once the club moves on from Eli Manning.However, the G-Men aren't ready to sit the two-time Super Bowl MVP who has recorded 556 passing yards, two picks, and two touchdowns through two games. Manning is also completing 60.3% of his pass attempts with an 84.1 passer rating.The Giants head to Tampa Bay in Week 3, presumably with Manning still under center.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A premature whistle cost the New Orleans Saints a defensive touchdown in Sunday's rematch of the infamous 2019 NFC Championship Game that drew scrutiny because of an officiating error.Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan recovered a fumble by Rams quarterback Jared Goff near New Orleans' 11-yard line in the second quarter and took it the distance for a score, but referees blew the play dead after ruling the fumble an incomplete pass.

San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley suffered a broken fibula during the team's 41-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Eric Branch.49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said postgame Staley should miss about two months of action but is not expected to go on short-term injured reserve after being carted off the field, reports Branch.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger headed to the locker room late in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a right elbow injury and is questionable to return.Roethlisberger was seen shaking his right arm multiple times during the first half and was replaced by Mason Rudolph.Roethlisberger hasn't missed a game due to injury since 2016 but he has an extensive injury history, having played all 16 games in a season just four times during his 15-year career.Rudolph had a shaky start to his NFL debut, throwing a pick on his second-career throw.Roethlisberger led the NFL with 5,129 passing yards last season but had a rough outing against the New England Patriots to start the 2019 campaign. The veteran went 8 of 15 for 75 yards in the first half.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson moved into fifth on the NFL's all-time rushing touchdowns list Sunday with the 107th of his career, eclipsing Hall of Famer Jim Brown.

A fire roared on the sidelines ahead of kickoff at the Tennessee Titans-Indianapolis Colts game at Nissan Stadium.A pyrotechnic device malfunctioned and caught fire. A stadium employee had to use a fire extinguisher to calm the flames.

The New Orleans Saints and head coach Sean Payton agreed to a new five-year contract extension, Jay Glazer of FOXSports reports.Payton was previously contracted through the 2020 season. His last deal was apparently worth $9 million per year, putting him among the top five highest-paid coaches in the league.The 55-year-old led the Saints to back-to-back NFC South division titles over the past two years. Last year, the Saints had their third 13-3 season under Payton and made the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams in controversial fashion.Amid three straight 7-9 seasons from 2014-16, there was widespread speculation that Payton could leave New Orleans to take the Dallas Cowboys' head coaching job.Payton was once an assistant in Dallas and owns a home in the city. With Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett in the midst of a contract year this season, rumors surfaced Payton could again be pursued by the NFC East team.Payton led the Saints to their only Super Bowl win in franchise history in 2009 and owns a career record of 119-74.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins have spoken to several teams about a trade involving running back Kenyan Drake, according to Fox's Jay Glazer.The news comes after a report the Dolphins had several players ask for trades after the brutal 59-10 loss the team suffered against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.Glazer did not mention which teams have been in talks for the running back, and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported the claims of a Drake trade are false, per a club source. Salguero also said Drake has not requested a trade at this time.Drake has been a steady presence in the Dolphins' backfield for the last few years, gaining national fame in 2018 after beating the New England Patriots on the wild hook-and-lateral play that came to be known as the "Miami Miracle."Drake is with the Dolphins for their matchup with the Patriots in South Florida on Sunday and put up 12 yards on the ground during the team's season-opening loss last week.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As expected, Antonio Brown is active and will make his New England Patriots debut Sunday versus the Miami Dolphins.The wide receiver traveled with the team to Miami after the NFL decided not to place him on the commissioner's exempt list ahead of Week 2.Brown is being sued by his former trainer for sexual assault. His accuser is expected to meet with the league Monday.The 31-year-old wideout signed a one-year contract worth up to $15 million with the Patriots one day before the lawsuit was filed. He landed with New England following his release from the Oakland Raiders.Brown, a seven-time Pro Bowler, led the NFL in touchdown receptions last season with 15 and added 1,297 yards while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sam Darnold's absence could be longer than expected.The New York Jets quarterback was first reported to be out for multiple weeks as he battles mononucleosis. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Darnold could miss anywhere from three-to-seven weeks with the illness."I know some people have talked about him potentially returning on Week 5 after the bye, based on the people I've spoken with, that is overly optimistic," Rapoport said. "The estimate I was given was three-to-seven weeks for Sam Darnold. He's quarantined. He's away from his team."Rapoport adds the ailment may have affected Darnold in Week 1, as he went 28 of 41 for one touchdown in a 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills.However, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports Darnold is "already feeling better" and a Week 5 or Week 6 return has not been ruled out.The 0-1 Jets will turn to Trevor Siemian at quarterback for their Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns on Monday night.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins are asking teams for a first-round pick plus "something else" in trade talks involving Minkah Fitzpatrick, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.The second-year defensive back reportedly received permission from the Dolphins to seek a trade after growing disgruntled over his new role in Miami.Fitzpatrick was drafted 11th overall last year and quickly emerged as one of the top slot cornerbacks in the league. The former Alabama safety has been moved to more of a box role under rookie head coach Brian Flores.At least five teams have reportedly expressed interest in Fitzpatrick, but Miami's high asking price could prevent a deal from coming to fruition.Fitzpatrick is under contract through the 2021 season, and could also be retained for 2022 via the fifth-year option that comes with rookie contracts for first-round picks.Fitzpatrick broke up nine passes and notched a pair of interceptions last year.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antonio Brown began settlement discussions with a woman accusing him of sexual assault as far back as April, reports ESPN's Jeff Darlington.Discussions between the two sides have included two mediations, Darlington reports, and Brown declined to sign a $2-million agreement to settle with his former trainer Britney Taylor.The decision not to settle came around the same time Brown signed with the New England Patriots, Darlington adds.Taylor filed a lawsuit Tuesday, alleging Brown sexually assaulted her on three separate occasions.Taylor is expected to meet with the NFL on Monday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Taylor is cooperating with the league's investigators and has already provided information in advance of the meeting, reports ESPN's Josina Anderson.Brown is on track to make both his season and Patriots debut on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys have discussed trading 2017 first-round pick Taco Charlton, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.The pass-rusher's name came up in trade talks ahead of roster cut-down day at the end of preseason, adds NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Charlton suffered a sprained ankle during the preseason and was inactive for the team's season opener, though he was not listed on the Week 1 injury report. The 24-year-old will be a healthy scratch again for Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins, according to Rapoport.Charlton has started just seven games since being selected 28th overall in the 2017 draft. He has 46 tackles and four sacks in 27 games played.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his sixth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his updated rankings for Week 2.Half PPR

New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams won't be available for Monday Night Football because of injuries, the team announced.Mosley will be sidelined with a groin injury, while Williams won't play versus the Cleveland Browns due to an ankle issue. The two will join quarterback Sam Darnold, who's suffering from mononucleosis, on the shelf.The 27-year-old Mosley enjoyed a stellar Jets debut in Week 1, returning an interception for a touchdown and recovering a fumble against the Buffalo Bills. He inked a five-year, $85-million contract with New York in free agency after spending five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.Williams, the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, left his first game after hurting his ankle and didn't record any stats.The injury-riddled Jets listed running back Le'Veon Bell as questionable. Bell underwent an MRI on his shoulder after the season opener.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL and NFLPA are reportedly reviewing concussion protocols after New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard played with a head injury in the first week of the season, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Despite struggling to get up from a collision with a Dallas Cowboys defender, Shepard finished the game without missing a play. He waved off the Giants' medical staff following the knockdown, while NFL concussion spotters - located on both sidelines and in the press box - did not force him to exit for evaluation.This will be the fourth protocol review since 2017, following plays involving Russell Wilson, Tom Savage, and Cam Newton.Shepard has already been ruled out for Week 2 because of the injury.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown is reportedly making the trip to face the Miami Dolphins and is expected to play in Sunday's game, according to Ian Rapoport and Michael Giardi of NFL Network.Brown is reportedly eligible to suit up for his Patriots debut after the NFL decided it won't, at this time, place him on the commissioner's exempt list after he was accused of rape in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.The Patriots officially signed Brown the day before the lawsuit was filed.Brown's former trainer says that he sexually assaulted her on three separate occasions over 2017 and 2018. Brown denies the allegations.The All-Pro wideout is coming off a 1,297-yard, 15-touchdown season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was traded to Oakland in March and subsequently signed a three-year deal with the Raiders, but was released last week without ever playing a game for the team.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The player prop market is a hot one for bettors. While standard spread and total bets account for an entire game, individual props focus on specific matchups. With a full slate of games Sunday, here are five bets to consider for Week 2.Mark Andrews over 51.5 receiving yardsQuarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' offense are getting tons of love in Week 2. It's tough not to when you hang 59 points on the road to open the season. While 50-plus probably isn't in the cards again for Week 2 against Arizona, it is another favorable matchup. Here, we're targeting Andrews, who faces a poor Arizona secondary that just gave up 131 yards on six catches to Lions rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson in Week 1. Andrews has developed a solid rapport with Jackson since the quarterback earned the job midway through the 2018 season and should be a go-to target again on Sunday.Ryan Switzer over 3.5 receptionsSwitzer's claim to fame out of North Carolina was his kick returning abilities, but he's now found an everyday role as a receiver in the Steelers' system. With Antonio Brown's absence in the receiving corps, it appears Switzer will benefit if Week 1 was any indication. He caught all six of the balls thrown his way against the Patriots and recorded 29 yards in the process. A shoddy Seahawks secondary that just allowed more than 400 yards to Andy Dalton is also dealing with some injuries. Expect Ben Roethlisberger to be throwing plenty, and for there to be enough on Switzer's plate to get this one home.Ben Roethlisberger over 289.5 passing yardsBetween Switzer's individual prop and a play on the over in our best bets column, it makes all the sense in the world to buy some Roethlisberger stock this weekend. If the Seahawks can't stop the Bengals at home after months of preparation, I find it hard to believe they'll be able to contain a pass-happy offense in what'll be an early start for a West Coast team. Roethlisberger is prone to lighting it up at home and he should be a huge bounce-back candidate this week.Dede Westbrook over 4.5 receptionsJacksonville rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew fared well in relief of an injured Nick Foles last Sunday, completing 22 of 25 attempts for 275 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his debut. It's a small sample size, but Minshew loved throwing in the direction of Westbrook, who hauled in five passes for 30 yards on six targets. Overall, the Oklahoma product accounted for roughly one-quarter of the target share when Minshew was under center. I'm still not sold on the Texans' secondary, making Westbrook a play for Week 2.Mitchell Trubisky under 230.5 passing yardsTrubisky was horrible at home in the opener and there's nothing that would sway me to buy him in Week 2. The third-year quarterback's road splits last year were alarming, as he averaged just 208.5 yards per game. Now he matches up against Broncos head coach and former Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who should be able to exploit his weaknesses, and a defense that should put forth a better effort after failing to record a sack against the Raiders. The oddsmakers think this will be a slog - the total is 40.5 - and it doesn't look to be a favorable matchup for Trubisky.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every Friday during the NFL season, theScore's sports-betting writers will release their best bets for the week. Each writer has been given an imaginary $1,000 bankroll to manage throughout the campaign. If you decide to follow any of the picks, please gamble responsibly.Odds courtesy of theScoreBet.Thomas Casale ($1,100)Season Record: 2-0, +$100Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh SteelersLine: Steelers -3.5The Patriots blasted the Steelers in Week 1, but everything points to Pittsburgh rebounding on Sunday.Some head coaches excel at getting their team ready following a loss, and Mike Tomlin is near the top of that list. Tomlin's team is especially dangerous when returning home after a poor defensive performance. Under Tomlin, the Steelers are 19-3 straight up and 14-6-2 against the spread at home after allowing more than 30 points the previous week.Bettors tend to overreact to Week 1 and, let's be honest, the Steelers' offense didn't look good at all. However, New England's defense will embarrass a lot of teams this year, so treat that game as a mulligan for Ben Roethlisberger and Co. Expect Big Ben and Pittsburgh's offense to get rolling at home versus a Seahawks defense that allowed 418 yards to Andy Dalton in Seattle's opener.The clincher here is that the Seahawks have been terrible during road openers, going 2-12 SU and 1-12-1 ATS in that spot over the last 14 years. The Steelers should bounce back at home this week.Pick: Steelers -3.5 ($70)Alex Moretto ($996)Season Record: 1-1, -$4Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh SteelersLine: Steelers -3.5Pittsburgh is much better than what the Steelers showed in Week 1. Come January, we'll look back on that 33-3 loss to New England as an anomaly.Coming back home, I fully expect a spirited response from the Steelers, or there will be hell to pay for Tomlin. Over the last five seasons, Roethlisberger has thrown 94 touchdown passes and 31 interceptions at Heinz Field, compared to 50 TDs and 37 INTs on the road.This weekend, Big Ben can feast on a brutal Seahawks secondary, and that unit wasn't even Seattle's biggest issue in Week 1. The team's offensive line allowed four sacks against a Cincinnati front that ranked bottom five in sacks last season. Don't let the 21-20 score fool you, as the Bengals outgained the Seahawks 429-230. On talent alone, this might be Pete Carroll's worst roster during his time in Seattle.Pittsburgh has won, and covered, each of its last eight games under Tomlin as a home favorite when coming off a double-digit loss dating back to 2008. Meanwhile, Seattle is 0-6-3 ATS (0-9 SU) in daytime kickoffs under Carroll as a road underdog in non-conference games.Pick: Steelers -3.5 ($80)Alex Kolodziej ($905)Season Record: 0-3, -$95Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh SteelersTotal: 46.5“Bet in the NFL market,” they said. “It’s super fun.”Ah yes, whenever you can go 0-3 on totals and lose two by a combined four points, you have to go back to the well, right? Sure.Here’s another total I like for Sunday. I’m not convinced the Steelers' offense is suddenly lost. There are conspiracy theorists who claim Pittsburgh didn’t want to show anything in Week 1 because the Steelers might meet New England down the road.Let’s not mince words: The Steelers stunk on Sunday night. But Bill Belichick had also been preparing for months. Now, Pittsburgh welcomes a Seahawks defense that gave up plenty of chunk plays to a Bengals offense sans A.J. Green.I’m not worried about Seattle’s offense with Russell Wilson leading the show, but I’d certainly appreciate that unit actually trying in the first half this week. Tomlin's team has gone over the total in each of its last five games against NFC opponents, and I don’t envision much defense in this one.Pick: Over 46.5 ($20)Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay PackersTotal: 45The Packers' identity always confuses me. I often think they’re good, but does the market feel similar? Then I flip and think Green Bay could still be a paper tiger with Aaron Rodgers masking the roster’s flaws. Again, I wonder if I’m being too cute, or if that’s a realistic notion.Either way, I’m back to thinking the Packers' offense isn't actually good after watching its performance against Chicago. Head coach Matt LaFleur was lucky to earn a win with his offense scoring 10 points. While I don’t think Green Bay's offense will be that bad all season, the market is overvaluing this team.As for Minnesota, the offseason talk focussed on how the Vikings' offense will be more run-oriented. So far, so good, as it looks like we’re going to get less Kirk Cousins (10 passing attempts in Week 1) and more Dalvin Cook (21 rushing attempts) this season.Keep the clock moving, please. I have a family (me) to feed this weekend.Pick: Under 45 ($20)Chicago Bears at Denver BroncosTotal: 40.5This is such a square pick, and I imagine this game will be 45-45 heading into overtime. But I don’t understand how the total is set at 40.5 after what both these offenses did in Week 1.Mitchell Trubisky looked horrendous (Bears fan here: Did you know Chicago traded up to pick him over Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes?). Last season, he benefitted from the Bears' defense creating turnovers to support him. But if you don't know it yet, you’ll realize soon that Trubisky just isn’t cut out to win games alone.Now the Bears face an even worse matchup than Week 1, as they're playing in altitude against a head coach who was Chicago's defensive coordinator last season (Vic Fangio). I expect there will be pressure on Trubisky after the Broncos gave Derek Carr a vacation in the backfield on Monday night.On the other side of the field, Denver’s offense offers little upside after it struggled against a below-average Raiders defense. The line got bullied, Joe Flacco was as conservative as ever, and the wide receivers looked out of sync.It’ll be tough for both of these offenses to move the ball yet again.Pick: Under 40.5 ($20)C Jackson Cowart ($903)Season Record:1-2, -$93Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay PackersLine: Packers -2.5This line suggests oddsmakers value the Vikings a half-point more on a neutral field. It should be more than that after Week 1 when Minnesota dominated Atlanta on both sides of the ball, and Green Bay survived largely due to the Bears' atrocious offensive showing.The Packers' offense sputtered during LaFleur's long-awaited debut, and it'll face a stiff test against a stout Vikings defense that bottled up Matt Ryan and Co. in Week 1. Green Bay's defense was impressive a week ago, too, though Trubisky played horribly while committing a litany of unforced errors under the lights.Since 2017, road underdogs getting fewer than three points are 33-20-3 ATS (62.3%) and 31-25 SU. An outright record above .500 gives the underdog strong value, and I'm siding with oddsmakers here after they pegged Minnesota as the better team in a key divisional spot.Pick: Vikings ML ($40 to win $52)Dallas Cowboys at Washington RedskinsLine: Cowboys -5This line opened at Cowboys -4.5 and has reached -5.5 at some shops. I'd play it up to -6 or -7 given how strong Dallas' offense looked in Week 1 under new coordinator Kellen Moore. Even with Ezekiel Elliott easing into the offense, the Cowboys hung an easy 35 points on the Giants behind a stellar performance from MVP candidate Dak Prescott (405 yards, four TDs).Now Prescott and Elliott can feast on a Redskins defense that allowed 302 yards and 25 points in the second half alone vs. Philly in Week 1, including two long bombs to a rejuvenated DeSean Jackson. Do you see visions of Amari Cooper running roughshod through the 'Skins secondary, too?Dallas entered the year touting its defense as a strength, and that's still true after Week 1. If the Cowboys' offense comes close to repeating its opening-week performance, Sunday could get ugly for Washington.Pick: Cowboys -5 ($30)Arizona Cardinals at Baltimore RavensLine: Ravens -13.5A quick glance at the box score from Baltimore's Week 1 dismantling of Miami likely says all you need to know about this Ravens offense. But watch a few plays, and you'll realize just how dangerous the unit can be with Lamar Jackson throwing darts 40 yards downfield.Arizona's secondary is still missing starters Patrick Peterson (suspension) and Robert Alford (injury), so the Ravens' offense could produce fireworks again on Sunday. The Cardinals will be hard-pressed to return fire during a shootout while faced with Baltimore's top-ranked defense and elite secondary.Home favorites coming off a 45-point win are 6-1 ATS over the past three decades, covering by an average of 17.4 points in those six ATS wins. Baltimore should build off its Week 1 momentum, and the Cardinals could suffer after their disappointing opener. In the last 12 games when a road team is coming off a tie, that club is 1-11 ATS.Pick: Ravens -13.5 ($30)Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Football equipment manufacturer Xenith has announced that it's severing ties with New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter."We look forward to seeing the Xenith Shadow worn by football athletes at all levels of play this fall," the company said, according to Schefter.Brown was accused of raping his former trainer in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.The 31-year-old receiver signed an endorsement deal with Xenith - which supplies helmets for Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb and Buffalo Bills journeyman Frank Gore - last week.Brown filed two separate grievances against the NFL while a member of the Oakland Raiders after the league banned his preferred Schutt AiR Advantage lid. He then sought to partner with a helmet manufacturer that would create a custom model for him after losing the second grievance.However, Brown hasn't worn the custom model Xenith created for him since joining the Patriots.Brown's status for New England's Week 2 matchup with the Miami Dolphins is still uncertain.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Redskins placed running back Derrius Guice on injured reserve after he underwent surgery on his meniscus Thursday, the team announced Friday.The Redskins plan to bring Guice back after eight weeks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The recovery timeline was initially pegged at four-to-six weeks.The meniscus issue is in Guice's right knee, so it's unrelated to the ACL tear suffered in his left knee last year, which required several procedures due to infections and kept the LSU product out of his whole rookie campaign.Redskins head coach Jay Gruden announced earlier this week that he would be going with the team's 2018 Offensive Player of the Year, Adrian Peterson, as the starting running back going forward.Washington also placed tackle Caleb Brantley on IR and signed free-agent cornerback Aaron Colvin in a corresponding move.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Whether or not the Miami Dolphins honor his request, Minkah Fitzpatrick is focused on his Week 2 opponent and refused to address reports he was granted permission to seek a trade."I'm not talking about none of that right now," Fitzpatrick told reporters Friday, including WPLG's Clay Ferraro. "(I'm) focusing on the New England Patriots, it'll be a great game, (they're) a great team this Sunday."I'm not talking about future, I'm not talking about past. I'm talking about right now, which is the New England Patriots."The second-year defensive back voiced his displeasure over his new role under first-year head coach Brian Flores. A team official said he isn't actively being shopped but has been allowed to look for a new home."I don't think it's unusual," Flores said, per ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "Minkah is a good player. We've talked about his role all week. He's going to be a part of the game plan. I think he's going to go out there and play well, to be honest with you."I don't think anything is broken," he continued. "I've had this kind of similar situation and others in the past, so I think we'll be able to move past it and move through it. I think as an organization, we'll be fine."Miami selected Fitzpatrick 11th overall in the 2018 draft. The team could have a difficult time finding a trade partner for the versatile defender, as the asking price on him is reportedly too high.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams addressed the media on Friday and answered questions regarding Odell Beckham Jr.'s accusations.Williams responded to the first Beckham-oriented question by joking, "Odell who?"Williams denied OBJ's remarks and chided the media for giving the All-Pro wideout attention."We don't do that, never done it anywhere I've been," Williams said of supposedly coaching cheap shots. "And you guys are cooperating, giving him attention. Just don't give him attention."On Thursday during his own media session, Beckham accused Williams of coaching dirty plays, implying it was the coach who was behind the 2017 ankle injury he suffered in a preseason game that cost the wideout nearly all of that campaign."It changed my life forever," Beckham said of the hit that kick-started his ankle woes.When a reporter teed up a question alluding to Beckham's talent, Williams cut him off.

The Cincinnati Bengals have listed lead back Joe Mixon as questionable for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.The third-year pro injured his ankle in the Bengals' Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, though an MRI came back clean.Mixon took just six carries in the season opener, recording 10 rushing yards and adding two catches for seven yards. If he can't suit up in Week 2, veteran Giovani Bernard is the next man up.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players you should consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 2 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 2 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartJosh Allen, QB, Billsat GiantsTom Szczerbowski / Getty Images Sport / GettyAllen's turnover-prone first half in Week 1 was salvaged by his rushing production, which gives him a high fantasy floor and a week-winning fantasy ceiling. Next, he'll face a Giants defense that's susceptible to dual-threat quarterbacks because of the amount of man coverage they use, which leads to big gains as secondary defenders turn their backs to the line of scrimmage. The G-Men also allowed 405 passing yards and four touchdowns to Dak Prescott last Sunday, so Allen should be able to do some damage with his arm. He's a low-end QB1 and someone worth grabbing if he's still on your waiver wire.Boone's projection: 227 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 68 rushing yards, 1 rushing TDOther QBs to start

As of now, the NFL will not place New England Patriots receiver Antonio Brown on the commissioner's exempt list, leaving the wideout eligible to play in Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.Schefter added that Brown isn't being placed on the list because there is no criminal investigation underway into the federal rape lawsuit filed against him by a former trainer.Meanwhile, the Patriots are preparing to play their latest addition in Week 2, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday morning on "Good Morning Football.""At this point, there's been nothing from the NFL to step in and say Antonio Brown is not allowed to play," Rapoport said.Rapoport added that the Patriots could always hold the four-time All-Pro out if he hasn't gotten up to speed with the offense, but that it wouldn't be related to the rape lawsuit."Nothing has stepped in and stopped Antonio Brown from being eligible to play," Rapoport said. "It certainly seems like that is the direction that things are going to go in New England."Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wasn't willing to share whether he's leaning toward playing Brown or not."I'm not going to hand out a copy of the game plan here," Belichick said Friday morning, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. "We'll do what's best for the team."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints fans won't forget the non-call in the 2018 NFC Championship game, and neither will the team."Still haven't, never will," quarterback Drew Brees said to Katherine Terrell of The Athletic.All of those memories will come rushing back as the Saints prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 of the 2019 season."When you say forget about, you have to find a way to compartmentalize it to where you can move on in a positive way, so I found a way to do that," Brees said of the play in last year's title game that should've resulted in a pass-interference call against the Rams.Moving forward, the quarterback said he's ready to look at this week's game through a different lens."We can put together all the storylines we want. Bottom line is, they're a really, really good football team," he said. "They have the same goals and aspirations as we do. We just happened to be the two teams last year that were kind of at the top and had a chance to play in that NFC championship game and go to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that didn't go our way. They had a phenomenal season. They've got great players and coaches just like we do."Sunday's contest comes with much less on the line than their previous matchup but Brees knows the outcome could go a long way in determining how the season plays out."It's a very important game because it's the next game," he said. "it's a very important game because it's against an opponent that we know has a great chance of being there at the end just like we hope to be, so there's implications that go with that."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his sixth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his updated rankings for Week 2.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

The Miami Dolphins have granted second-year defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick permission to seek a trade, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.However, Miami could have a tough time finding a trade partner, as its asking price on the former Alabama star is reportedly too high.A Dolphins official said the team isn't actively shopping Fitzpatrick but didn't deny that he's been allowed to look for a new home.Fitzpatrick, the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft, enjoyed a fine rookie year but has voiced displeasure over his new role under first-year head coach Brian Flores.Last season, Fitzpatrick played 40 percent of his snaps as the slot cornerback, yielding a passer rating against of 49.7, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. In Week 1 of the 2019 campaign, Fitzpatrick spent most of his afternoon against the Baltimore Ravens playing near the tackle box."I'm not 215 pounds, 220 pounds," Fitzpatrick said in the preseason. "So playing in the box isn't best suited for me, but that's what coach is asking me to do."The Dolphins have reportedly received trade requests from multiple veteran players since losing 59-10 to the Ravens. Miami gutted its roster before the season, sending established players such as T.J. McDonald, Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, and Kiko Alonso packing while bracing for a full-scale rebuild.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White, the fifth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, suffered a knee injury in Thursday's contest versus the Carolina Panthers and won't return, the team announced.White went down early in the first quarter and left the field under his own power. The 21-year-old collected two tackles before exiting.Hailed as a do-it-all linebacker coming out of college, the LSU product notched six tackles in his NFL debut against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ahead of the Cleveland Browns' Monday Night Football matchup with the New York Jets, Browns wideout Odell Beckham called out Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for allegedly coaching "cheap shots and dirty plays," according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.Beckham said those plays include a hit he took from former Browns defender Briean Boddy-Calhoun during the 2017 preseason, when Williams was Cleveland's defensive coordinator. The All-Pro wideout suffered a high ankle sprain on the hit and later broke the same ankle during the regular season."It’s like a known rule, in preseason nobody in the NFL is really out to do stuff like that," Beckham said of Boddy-Calhoun's hit. "I had players on this team (who played for Williams) telling me that that's what he was telling them to do, take me out of the game, and it’s preseason. So you just know who he is."Boddy-Calhoun's (20) hit on OBJ caused the wideout to miss three quarters of the 2017 campaign. Diamond Images / Diamond Images / Getty"It changed my life forever," Beckham added of the hit, citing other injuries he's suffered as a result of compensating for his ankle issues.Williams was previously suspended by the NFL for the entire 2012 season as a result of his central role in the "Bountygate" scandal while defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. He was found to have paid defenders in return for injuring members of opposing teams, including then-40-year-old Brett Favre during the 2009 NFC Championship game.Williams was reinstated by the league ahead of the 2013 campaign and joined the Jets this past offseason.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.