Daily Notes: Allen could miss TNF, Kamara played hurt, Higgins in protocol

8:19 AM ET

Eric MoodyESPN
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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: Keenan Allen‘s status is unclear for Week 2 game on Thursday.

What it means in fantasy: Allen was listed as a DNP on the Chargers’ practice report on Monday due to a hamstring injury. The Chargers are scheduled to play in Kansas City on Thursday night. If Allen misses Week 2, Jalen Guyton or DeAndre Carter could see increased playing time. If you are looking for a replacement on the waiver wire, you should consider Curtis Samuel or Robbie Anderson.

The news: Saints coach Dennis Allen told reporters Monday that Alvin Kamara sustained a “rib issue” against the Falcons but didn’t express concern for the veteran’s Week 2 availability.

What it means in fantasy: Kamara’s injury explains his suboptimal fantasy performance against the Falcons, as he was limited to 12 touches. The Saints host the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Going deeper: Kamara has averaged 19 touches and 21 fantasy points per game since 2018.

The news: 49ers RB Elijah Mitchell will be out two months with a sprained MCL.

What it means in fantasy: 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Monday that Mitchell will miss eight weeks but will not require surgery. The second-year back was placed on injured reserve. After Mitchell’s injury, Jeff Wilson Jr. took over as the running back on early downs. There is no doubt that he will be one of the most popular waiver-wire additions this week. Although Shanahan did mention publicly that rookie running backs Tyrion Davis-Price and Jordan Mason were “going to have to grow up fast.”

Going deeper: Mitchell averaged 18.8 touches per game in his rookie season in 2021.

The news: Bengals WR Tee Higgins suffered a concussion against the Steelers.

What it means in fantasy: Bengals coach Zac Taylor confirmed Higgins entered the league protocol on Monday. We now wait to see if Higgins can get the thumbs up this weekend against the Cowboys. Tyler Boyd, who is still available in 29% of ESPN leagues, would see more targets if Higgins is unable to play. It’s also worth considering Treylon Burks, who’s still available in 34.5% of leagues, and Jarvis Landry, who’s available in 42.3%.

Going deeper: Higgins averaged 7.8 targets and 78 receiving yards per game in 2021.

The news: Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin is expected to miss time with a hamstring injury.

What it means in fantasy: Godwin sustained the hamstring strain in Sunday night’s win against the Dallas Cowboys after spending the offseason recovering from a torn ACL. Interestingly, Godwin sustained the injury to the same right leg that required ACL surgery. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him ruled out in Week 2 against the Saints. Mike Evans would undoubtedly take over as Tom Brady‘s top receiving playmaker, while Russell Gage and Julio Jones will move up the depth chart.

Going deeper: Jones led the Buccaneers in air yards Sunday night. He caught three of five targets for 69 yards and appears to have a good rapport with Brady. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Jones reached the seventh-fastest top speed (20.62) of anyone in Week 1. If you have Godwin on your roster, you should prioritize Jones since he’s still available in 56.6% of leagues.

The news: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that all tests for Steelers RB Najee Harris‘ injured foot came back negative on Monday and he’s expected to be ready to go against the Patriots.

What it means in fantasy: I’m still concerned. Harris aggravated the Lisfranc injury he had this summer. The RB8 in our live draft trends this summer appears to be carrying more risk than fantasy managers initially thought. My recommendation would be to prioritize Jaylen Warren on waivers as a contingency plan if you have Harris on your roster.

Going deeper: Harris averaged 22.4 touches per game in 2021, which accounted for 31% of the Steelers’ touches.

The news: Seahawks WR DK Metcalf caught all seven of his targets against the Broncos.

What it means in fantasy: Metcalf led the Seahawks in targets, with a 25% share. The bad news is that he accumulated only 36 receiving yards as Geno Smith averaged 7.0 yards per pass attempt against the Broncos on Monday Night Football. It is unlikely that Metcalf will receive many vertical targets this season. Although Metcalf’s fantasy ceiling is considerably reduced, he can still be considered an upside flex option.

The news: Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy hauled in a 67-yard touchdown from Russell Wilson against the Seahawks.

What it means in fantasy: Jeudy caught four of seven targets for 102 yards. It was his third career game with 100 or more receiving yards. The touchdown reception was Jeudy’s first since Week 17 of the 2020 season. Additionally, it was Jeudy’s second longest of his career. Fantasy managers can view him as a WR2. Now you’re probably wondering about Courtland Sutton. He had seven targets. KJ Hamler was targeted only once.

The news: Broncos RB Javonte Williams finished Week 1 with 18 touches compared to Melvin Gordon’s 14.

What it means in fantasy: The total yards for Williams were 108, while Gordon’s were 72. Williams set career highs in targets (12) and receptions (11). The dynamic duo each fumbled on 1-yard rushing attempts, as the Broncos failed to score a touchdown on four trips to the red zone. Williams can be viewed as a high-end RB2 in Week 2 against the Texans while Gordon remains on the flex radar.