Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Monday, Sept. 14:
After an ugly opener, the Houston Texans may have a quarterback controversy on their hands, but fans may prefer to look forward to the potential return of Arian Foster. As ESPN's Tania Ganguli noted Sunday, head coach Bill O'Brien was quick to throw cold water on the possibility of Foster being back in Week 2, but the Pro Bowl running back's recovery from groin surgery is clearly ahead of schedule. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported Sunday that Foster has been telling those around him that a Week 2 return "is quite possible." Even if O'Brien has ruled that out, La Canfora added that Foster being ready for Week 3 would be a "worst case scenario, barring any unforeseen setback." With instability at quarterback, Houston needs to lean on its ground game, which averaged a solid 4.7 yards per carry against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Foster showed the ability to be productive following injury in 2014, when he finished as the fifth-best fantasy running back despite missing three games, so his return would certainly be a welcome sight to Texans fans and fantasy owners alike. Pay close attention to his progress this week. It would be extremely surprising if Foster plays in Week 2, but participating in practice would be a promising sign for Week 3 and beyond.
If there was any bright spot for the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, it was seeing new linebacker Aldon Smith play 29 snaps (43 percent), picking up two tackles and one QB hit in his first game in silver and black. Unfortunately, Oakland could be without Smith sooner than later. According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL is reviewing Smith's August arrest -- in which he was charged with hit and run, driving under the influence and vandalism -- under the substance-abuse policy, which Smith has violated before. If the linebacker has violated his treatment plan within the program, he could face a year-long suspension, depending on what stage of the program he is in (the NFL keeps this information confidential). If and when a suspension is handed down, Smith can appeal to a neutral arbitrator and continue to play while doing so, but it would be very surprising if he didn't miss time at some point.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post passed along two important injury notes: Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas will have an X-ray on his hand after hurting it Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, while C.J. Anderson suffered a sprained toe. Neither player missed serious time, but neither was that effective either, which wasn't uncommon on a day where the Broncos' offense left plenty to be desired. UPDATE: Head coach Gary Kubiak said both players are "fine." Even so, minor maladies have a tendency to linger. Keep an eye on both of these injuries to see if they limit either player's effectiveness moving forward.
San Diego Chargers right guard D.J. Fluker left Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions on a cart, but his ankle injury doesn't appear to be season-ending. NFL media's Ian Rapoport reports Fluker should be out 4-6 weeks with a high-ankle sprain, pending an MRI. Johnnie Troutman, who normally plays right guard, is likely out until Week 3 with a broken arm, leaving San Diego without a reliable option for at least one game. The Chargers' running game struggled Sunday, which led to more work for Danny Woodhead rather than rookie Melvin Gordon.
The New Orleans Saints' decision to sign safety Kenny Phillips on Monday makes sense after Rafael Bush left Sunday's game against the Cardinals with a chest injury. According to Rapoport, Bush tore his pectoral muscle, likely putting him out for the season. Phillips will provide depth, but the Saints' secondary is in tatters. Keenan Lewis is out for at least a few more weeks and Jairus Byrd still isn't fully back from last season's torn meniscus. Making matters worse, 2014 second-rounder Stanley Jean-Baptiste didn't show enough to even make the team, while 2015 third-rounder P.J. Williams is on injured reserve (torn hamstring). If Byrd and Lewis can return within a few weeks and play to their previous heights (a big if), perhaps Rob Ryan's defense can put something together. But until then, New Orleans' defense could be a friendly one for opposing offenses, especially through the air.