Read ESPN's fantasy football daily notes every weekday to stay caught up on the news you need to know and get a head start on the fantasy football content coming today and tomorrow to ESPN.com and the ESPN Fantasy App.
The news: Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reported that the Buccaneers signed WR Cole Beasley to their practice squad.
What it means in fantasy: It is expected that Beasley will join the Buccaneers' active roster very soon in order to help replenish the team's wide receiver depth. Tom Brady has apparently been monitoring him for a while, and recently he's been adamant about bringing a veteran receiver to the Buccaneers. After seven years with the Cowboys, Beasley spent the next three seasons with the Bills. Over the past two seasons, he has racked up 80 or more receptions and has been an effective slot receiver with a catch rate of 71%. Russell Gage may be negatively affected by Beasley's arrival, but Beasley himself is not a must-add in 12-team leagues or shallower.
The news: Todd Archer of ESPN reported that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said TE Dalton Schultz may only miss one week with his PCL sprain to his right knee.
What it means in fantasy: Schultz appears to have bypassed a serious knee injury. In the absence of Michael Gallup and James Washington, the Cowboys' offense is struggling to find viable receiving options. Gallup could return against the Giants in Week 3, but he will play a limited role. Meanwhile, Noah Brown is thriving with Cooper Rush under center. This duo signed onto the Cowboys roster back in 2017. Brown caught all five of his targets for 91 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals on Sunday. Fantasy managers eagerly anticipating Schultz's return should stream the position. Evan Engram, Irv Smith Jr. and Hayden Hurst are all solid options.
The news: Brady Henderson of ESPN reported that Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll wants QB Geno Smith and his pass catchers to have more of a role in the offense.
What it means in fantasy: Carroll mentioned this on his weekly KIRO-AM radio show. Fantasy managers would jump for joy if this happened. The Seahawks average 5.3 air yards per attempt per game, near the bottom of the league. Seattle also ranks 31st in total yards (234.5) and 29th in points per game (12.0). DK Metcalf's fantasy outlook would be brightened by this offensive philosophy change. He has averaged 6.5 targets and 35.5 receiving yards in the two games so far.
The news: Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported that the Giants will not be playing WR Kenny Golladay simply because he has a massive contract.
What it means in fantasy: The Giants' new coaching regime has no ties to Golladay. The outsized contract doesn't match his performance on the field. One player who appears to be taking advantage of the void of a true No. 1 receiver in New York is Sterling Shepard. He led the Giants with 10 targets against the Panthers on Sunday. New York hosts the Cowboys in Week 3.
Fantasy reads
The read: NFL Nation reporter Ben Baby wrote about how the new-look Cincinnati Bengals offensive line is still developing chemistry.
What it means in fantasy: The fantasy outlooks for Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Joe Mixon will improve. The Bengals offensive line has four new starters and are still getting used to each other. Burrow has been sacked 13 times to start the season, tied for the most over that stretch in the past 20 years. The Cowboys' defensive front provided a lot of stunts and twists in Week 2 that led to a second pass-rusher getting a sack or pressure. Proper communication among the offensive line should prevent this from happening in the future. It's also a reminder for fantasy managers of how crucial offensive line play is to NFL offenses.
The read: NFL Nation reporter Brooke Pryor wrote about how Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin would like to open up the passing game.
What it means in fantasy: Quarterback Mitch Trubisky is averaging a dismal 5.1 yards per attempt this season. Tomlin mentioned that the quarterback and the playcalls could be more aggressive. Trubisky mentioned George Pickens' involvement. The rookie wide receiver has only six targets through two games. Fantasy managers should stash Pickens ahead of the Steelers' Thursday night game against the Browns. He could play a more prominent role in Pittsburgh's passing game.
The read: NFL Nation reporter Michael DiRocco wrote about how Jaguars WR Christian Kirk is earning his offseason contract so far.
What it means in fantasy: Kirk's averaged nine targets and 21.7 fantasy points per game through two games. He was the WR31 in our live draft trends this summer and has exceeded the expectations of fantasy managers so far. Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor are putting Kirk in situations to succeed. While he mostly lines up in the slot, Pederson moves him around in his offense, even placing him in the backfield. Kirk is firmly on the WR2 radar.
The read: NFL Nation reporter Courtney Cronin wrote about how Bears QB Justin Fields and his top playmakers have yet to click.
What it means in fantasy: Many fantasy managers are frustrated with Bears' players such as Fields, Darnell Mooney, and Cole Kmet. Cronin made some great points in her column. The Bears are running a new offensive scheme under Luke Getsy, with a new offensive line and some pass-catchers trying to get on the same page as Fields. Things can only go up from here for Chicago's offense. The Bears receivers are getting open. According to Next Gen Stats, the average separation on Fields' targets is 3.93 yards, fourth-best in the NFL. His off-target percentage is just under 30%, which is the second highest in the NFL. Fields also has the highest pressure percentage in the league at 56%. Fantasy managers may be tempted to drop Mooney or Kmet, but be patient in deeper leagues. If this offense wants to change direction, this duo cannot be an afterthought. Kmet and Mooney have combined for only seven targets.
The read: NFL Nation reporter Michael Rothstein wrote that Falcons TE Kyle Pitts is not frustrated by his lack of production in the offense.
What it means in fantasy: Fantasy managers are frustrated for Pitts, who has only 10 targets and 7.8 fantasy points through two games. He was the TE3 in our live draft trends this summer. There are some great points Rothstein brought up that fantasy managers should consider. A source told ESPN that the Falcons had Pitts as the primary target on 13 of their passing plays Sunday against the Rams, but the production has not yet arrived. He could also do a better job winning his individual matchups. Based on Next Gen Stats, Pitts ranks 27th among qualifying tight ends with an average separation of 2.11 yards when the football arrives. It was a slow start last season for Pitts, but fantasy managers remember how it turned out. Patience is key.
• It's not too late! Sign up for a team or start a new league today and start play fresh for Week 3.
Today on ESPN
Mike Clay's Shadow Report: wide receiver vs defensive back matchups analysis
Eric Karabell's Flex and Superflex rankings for Week 3
Seth Walder's Next Gen Stats Advantage: Mismatches to exploit
DFS Cheat sheets for DraftKings and FanDuel
• Week 3 IDP rankings for Individual Defensive Player leagues
• Fantasy Focus Podcast: Field Yates, Stephania Bell and Daniel Dopp play 'Start, Bench, Cut' with the biggest names for Week 3, including how you should manage stars like Derrick Henry and Tom Brady. Plus, Liz Loza joins to give us what QB's need to be in your lineup. Listen | Watch
Coming Thursday:
Field Yates' Fantasy Field Pass for Week 3
Mike Clay's TNF Playbook: Browns vs. Steelers
Tristan H. Cockcroft's positional Matchup Map
Matt Bowen's fantasy film room
Al Zeidenfeld's DFS Best Buys for Week 3
• Fantasy Focus podcast now at 10 a.m. ET
In case you missed it:
• Week 3 fantasy football rankings at every position (PPR and NPRR)
• NFL Nation's Fantasy Fallout: Beat reporters answer our most pressing fantasy questions
• Eric Karabell's trade index and rest-of-season rankings for Week 3 and beyond
Matt Bowen's streaming pickups: Deeper picks for deeper leagues and emergency needs
• Fantasy Focus podcast: Field Yates, Stephania Bell and Daniel Dopp recap a pair of Monday Night Football games, give key injuries to watch for Week 3 and talk about who is outperforming their draft position. Plus, Eric Moody joins to tell us who to target on the waiver wire. Listen | Watch