The 49ers announced running back Christian McCaffrey had a thigh injury during Sunday’s loss to the Falcons, but the diagnosis of his injury was different on Monday. Fortunately for the 49ers, the outlook was similar to the one McCaffrey shared after the game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday that McCaffrey has a mild hamstring strain while confirming McCaffrey’s belief that it won’t be an issue when the team returns from their bye in Week 9. “Yeah, we think so, with it just being that ,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “I mean, you never know for sure, but we’re pretty optimistic about it. So is he.” McCaffrey ran seven times for 39 yards and a touchdown while also catching six passes for 61 yards on Sunday. Mike Evans, Nick Bosa, and Deebo Samuel are among the other players the 49ers also hope to have available after the bye, but it will be a while before there are firmer updates on their chances of playing
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan wouldn’t go into specifics about Mike Evans’ rib injury. Shanahan was asked specifically whether Evans has a fractured rib. He said, “That’s about as much as I know. Just rib,” and a report called Evans’ injury a rib “strain.” 49ers tight end George Kittle appeared to confirm that Evans does in fact have a fractured rib or ribs. “ Fractured ribs suck ,” Kittle said during an appearance on KNBR, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “Hey, Mike’s a stud. He’ll do what’s best for him and what’s best for the team. We’re not worried about it.” Shanahan said Monday that he doesn’t expect Evans’ injury to be long-term, and the Pro Bowler is considered day-to-day. In three games this season, Evans has 12 receptions for 137 receiving yards and two touchdowns
Week 2 of the NFL is here, and it's full of intriguing storylines. Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will try their luck against DeMeco Ryans ' Houston Texans defense. Ben Johnson will try to score 60 points against the rival Minnesota Vikings . Bo Nix and Trevor Lawrence face off in Denver. Baker Mayfield has a revenge game scheduled against the Cleveland Browns . Let's talk about some anytime touchdown bets. These have become popular wagers among football fans because of their long odds. Even when it comes to an expected TD scorer, they make for a fun parlay leg. Last week, we hit on Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson finding the end zone at +250! Let's see what we have cooking this week. Below, we will break down five anytime TD bets to consider for Week 2. These will not be predictable choices like a Bijan Robinson or Derrick Henry score that offer zero value, but they won't be wild long-shots such as a team defense. Let's begin with a sleeper out in San Fran. Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. If you think the San Francisco 49ers will blow out the Miami Dolphins as I do, then Kaelon Black at +215 makes some sense. The rookie out of Indiana rushed 14 times for 65 yards and caught one pass for five yards in the season opener, and it looks like he's going to have a legitimate role in this offense as Christian McCaffrey's running mate. Kyle Shanahan will probably want to take the load off of some veterans such as McCaffrey, George Kittle and Mike Evans in the second half. That means more touches for Black, who I predict finds the end zone on Sunday. Saquon Barkley was a miss last week, but let's try again. The Philadelphia Eagles are taking on the lowly Tennessee Titans -- who allowed two rushing touchdowns in their dreadful Week 1 loss to the New York Jets , along with 142 combined rushing yards between Breece Hall and Braelon Allen . The Jets' offensive line dominated the Titans all game, and while the Eagles are without Landon Dickerson , I think this rushing attack will still find success. Eagles fans have already taken over downtown Nashville, and it feels like this is going to be a "home" game for Philly. Saquon finds the end zone. The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers face off in Foxborough for the second straight season. Last year's game was not very entertaining, as the Steelers won, 21-14, despite putting up just 203 yards of total offense. The star for the Patriots was tight end Hunter Henry , who caught eight passes for 90 yards and scored both of New England's touchdowns. Henry caught three passes for 26 yards in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks , but New England's lone touchdown did end up in the hands of a tight end in rookie Eli Raridon . The Patriots have to beat the Steelers to avoid a complete meltdown in New England, and I'm expecting another low-scoring affair where Drake Maye relies on his tight ends -- especially with A.J. Brown sidelined by a high ankle sprain. If David Blough is a smart offensive coordinator, then he will get rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams on the field more this week. The rookie out of Clemson caught all four of his targets for 64 yards and one touchdown in his NFL debut, while playing just 26 offensive snaps (37.1%). That performance earned him "Pepsi Rookie of the Week." Now, his Washington Commanders travel to Dallas to take on a Cowboys defense that disappointed in Week 1 -- especially in the secondary. . @a_williams2022 is the first @pepsi Rookie of the Week of the season! pic.twitter.com/bl9is6LAfk This is a revenge game for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is hosting his former team, the Browns. Mayfield actually started against the Browns once during his brief stint with the Carolina Panthers , but lost that game by two points. How hungry do you think he is to register that first victory against the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall, and then ditched him for Deshaun Watson ? I'm a li
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Darren Waller, the Carolina Panthers' tight end, had a limited role in Week 1, catching two passes for 28 yards and a disallowed touchdown. The veteran TE shared snaps with Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans, logging only 24 snaps. Waller is considered a touchdown-dependent, boom-or-bust option, ranked TE32 by RotoBaller for Week 2
The latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS gives new users $150 in bonus bets if their first bet win s or up to $1,500 in bonus bets if their qualifying wager loses. The offer depends on location. Sunday features plenty of teams with Super Bowl aspirations, such as the Lions, Bills, Cowboys and Eagles. The SportsLine Projection Model and SportsLine team of experts have found picks they love from today's NFL Week 1 slate for their NFL best bets. Claim the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS and bet on today's top games : The SportsLine Projection Model is backing Over 48.5 total points in Cowboys vs. Giants on Sunday Night Football as part of Sunday NFL best bets at BetMGM Sportsbook. SportsLine expert R.J. White is backing the Eagles to cover as 4.5-point favorites against the Commanders, and Brad Thomas has locked in a pick on Buccaneers vs. Bengals as part of Sunday's NFL best bets at BetMGM. Claim the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS and bet on today's top games : The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on betting sites on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters the 2026 NFL season on a 53-37 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its picks at NFL betting sites could have seen strong returns. Combining the three picks into a Sunday parlay betting wager at BetMGM Sportsbook, one of our best sports betting apps , would result in a payout of +629 (risk $100 to profit $629, odds subject to change). Click here to take advantage of the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS: "I'm OK with being wrong here, but this feels like a brutal personnel spot for Tampa Bay," SportsLine expert Brad Thomas said. "Mike Evans is gone, Emeka Egbuka is dealing with turf toe and Jalen McMillan probably won't play. It gets worse when you look at the matchup. Baker Mayfield posted a -20.1% DVOA against man coverage last season, while Egbuka earned just a 57.7 PFF grade against man. Cincinnati played man at the 11th-highest rate in the NFL. The Bengals' offense also finished 13th in DVOA last season, while Tampa Bay's defense ranked 18th. With Tampa Bay banged up and breaking in another new offensive coordinator, I'm backing Cincinnati to make a statement in Week 1." Back the Bengals by claiming the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here : "It seems the Washington offense is going to struggle this season based on practice reports, and this is a terrible matchup to be in questionable form," SportsLine expert R.J. White said. "The Eagles have questions around their offense with A.J. Brown's departure, but they ran for 207 yards in their meaningful game against Washington last year. I honestly think we'll look back on this line and wonder why it wasn't north of a touchdown." Back the Eagles by claiming the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here : The John Harbaugh era begins on Sunday Night Football with Giants vs. Cowboys, and he goes from an athletic quarterback in Lamar Jackson to another one in Jaxson Dart. Harbaugh and his staff should be able to develop a strong offensive game plan for the mobile Dart, and the rookie showed promise last year, especially late. Dart led the Giants to 34-point performances in each of their final two games, including one against the Cowboys, and now, he'll have Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers as options. Meanwhile, scoring hasn't been the issue for Dallas over the years. Defense has. This has resulted in the Over going 12-4-1 last year and with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens both back for Dak Prescott, the model projects points with the Over hitting in 62% of simulations. Back the Over by claiming the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here : You've seen some of the model's and SportsLine team of experts' Sunday best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for all games, including the NFL, MLB, college football, UFC, and more , all from the SportsLine Projection Model, which has simulated every game 1
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Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller is officially active for his debut with the Panthers in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, according to Darin Gantt of the team's official website. With Waller active, Ja'Tavion Sanders is the odd man out as a healthy inactive to begin the 2026 season. Waller said earlier this week that he was practicing as if he was going to play against the Bears, and that turns out to be the case. However, the 34-year-old veteran will most likely be on a snap count as the Panthers continue to ease him into their offense after signing him in training camp. The Panthers also have Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and Feleipe Franks active to help carry the workload at tight end on Sunday against Chicago. Waller certainly has the most fantasy football appeal of any tight end on Carolina's roster for his red-zone prowess, but durability is a major concern, and he should be left out of starting lineups in Week 1, even in two-TE leagues
Former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller and the Carolina Panthers reached an agreement on Wednesday on an undisclosed one-year deal, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Waller, 33, will join a TE room in Carolina that already includes Ja'Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, and Mitchell Evans. The former sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech came out of retirement (after not playing in 2024) to play in nine games last year with the Miami Dolphins, catching 24 of 34 targets for 283 yards and six touchdowns. At 6-foot-6 and 238 pounds, Waller has always been a problem for defenses in the red zone, and he has 26 total touchdown catches in his nine years in the NFL. However, injuries were an issue for most of his career, and he missed time in 2025 with hip, groin, and pectoral issues. It's unclear right now how much of a role Waller will have with the Panthers, but his addition cannot be good news for Sanders' fantasy value. At best, Waller will be a touchdown-dependent, TE2 option in two-TE leagues in 2026 if he can actually stay on the field
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that the starters, including quarterback Bryce Young, will play in the team's preseason game this week against the Buffalo Bills, according to Panthers reporter Kassidy Hill. Young and the starters should get around 10 to 20 plays, depending on how the drives develop. The 25-year-old Young didn't take part in the team's Hall of Fame game last Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, so he'll see his first preseason action this week. The former first overall pick in 2023 from the University of Alabama had the best year of his career in his third season in 2025, completing 63.6% of his pass attempts for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts while leading the team to the NFC South title. However, it's debatable as to how much higher a ceiling Young has, especially since he doesn't have a big arm or very exciting targets outside of receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Young appears to be trending towards being a solid NFL starting QB, but for fantasy purposes, he's more of a low-end QB2 target with a low ceiling
Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III, who is with his fourth different NFL team in 2026 in a little more than 11 months, had a 19-yard rush and a 36-yard kick return in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. With rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II (knee) already ruled out for the 2026 season, The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye suggests that Metchie has a real shot to compete for the WR3 role this year in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The 26-year-old's primary competition will be Xavier Legette, a former first-rounder who has disappointed in his first two years in the NFL. If Metchie makes more noise in training camp and the preseason, he could have a role in the slot with the Panthers, although it wouldn't generate enough volume for the former second-rounder from Alabama to be much more than a bench stash in deeper redraft formats. In 16 games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans in 2025, Metchie had career highs with 33 catches, 274 yards, and two touchdowns on 48 targets
Evans (ankle) participated in the Panthers' training camp activities Monday, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer reports. Evans suffered a low-ankle sprain last Tuesday and was carted off the practice field. The tight end missed a few days of practice but appears to be back in uniform and pads. Evans will continue to compete with Ja'Tavion Sanders for the No. 2 tight end role behind Tommy Tremble
Evans has been diagnosed with a low ankle sprain and is considered day-to-day, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports. The Panthers got another injury scare when Evans had to be carted off the field Tuesday, but Evans avoided a serious injury. The 23-year-old was a fifth-round pick last year and secured 19 of 25 targets for 171 yards and two touchdowns across 17 regular-season games as a rookie
by Ari Koslow | Panthers Correspondent | Tue, Jul 28th 10:57am EDT Panthers TE Mitchell Evans has been carted off the field at practice on Tuesday. ( Alex Zietlow on Twitter ) Fantasy Impact: This is brutal news. There will be an update provided when available on Evans, who has been hopeful to take a step forward this season. #Panthers tight end Mitchell Evans being carted off the field after going down in an 11-on-11 rep. Category: Injury Updates | More Mitchell Evans : News , Rankings , Projections , Stats
Evans (undisclosed) was carted off the field during Tuesday's practice, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer reports. Evans was carted off the field after suffering an apparent injury during 11-on-11 team drills at Tuesday's training camp practice. Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports that trainers are attending to Evans' lower body. The 2025 fifth-rounder suited up for all 17 regular-season games last year, handling a depth role in Carolina's tight end corps
Carolina Panthers tight end Mitchell Evans (leg) injured his left leg in 11-on-11 team drills in training camp practice on Tuesday and was carted off the field, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The specific nature of Evans' injury is unclear, but it doesn't look good. The 23-year-old was taken in the fifth round in last year's NFL draft out of Notre Dame, and he caught 19 of his 25 targets for just 171 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (10 starts) in his first year in the NFL with Carolina. Evans was expected to once again take on a rotational role at tight end with the Panthers in his second year in the league behind top pass-catching TE option Ja'Tavion Sanders, which makes Evans avoidable in pretty much all fantasy leagues. Hopefully, Evans avoids a potentially season-ending leg injury
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
