Welcome back to our coverage of the latest NFL news and rumors this week! We are officially one week away from NFL Kickoff! Time to dust off the buffalo chicken dip recipes, redownload your favorite sportsbook app, and get comfy in that divited seat on your couch, because we are in for a fun season. With there being real NFL action in just seven days, there are plenty of headlines and highlights galore filling social media feeds. Lucky for you, we have you covered, breaking down everything you need to know ahead of any remaining fantasy football drafts or just to get ready for Week One. So without further ado, let’s dive in!

Latest NFL News & Rumors This Week: Kirk Cousins Named Raiders Starting QB

While this news was expected, it was officially made official; Kirk Cousins will be the Week One starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders. Klint Kubiak announced the move today, which snaps a streak of the last six quarterbacks selected number one overall in the NFL Draft starting on opening day. 

With the offensive line and weaponry around Mendoza still being a work in progress, this is a smart move by the first-year head coach Kubiak. Last season, Cousins provided the Atlanta Falcons a 5-3 record across eight starts along with 10 touchdown passes to five interceptions. With those numbers, he should help raise the floor for a Raiders team that struggled significantly at the quarterback position last year.

With this announcement, there is only one starting quarterback yet to be announced: the QB1 for the Atlanta Falcons.

New York Jets Kicking Competition

Despite being a week away from NFL kickoff, it appears that the New York Jets still do not know who their kicker will be. After training camp, it appeared that Jason Sanders had won his battle over Cade York, but things were not as stable as they appeared. After the initial roster cutdowns, the Jets claimed Blake Grupe off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts and cut Sanders in a corresponding move (later adding him to their practice squad). Even still, the competition is not over.

Today, the New York Jets hosted three kickers for workouts today: Justin Tucker, Michael Badgley, and Josh Karty. While none of the three have been signed as of the time of this article being published, the Jets are continuing to do their due diligence at the position.

 

 

 

Fantasy Football News & Rumors

George Kittle On Track for Week One Return

Today, the San Francisco 49ers are beginning the trek to Australia for their Week One matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, and while the injury news is typically not great for the 49ers, things are trending in the right direction for many of their injured players, including George Kittle.

According to reports, Kittle has strung together a couple of good practices in a row and is on track to play in Week One despite suffering an Achilles tear at the end of last season. Being drafted as the TE9, Kittle could provide serious fantasy football value.

Other positive updates include pass rusher Nick Bosa and wide receiver Mike Evans also improving from their respective injuries and planning on suiting up for game day next week.

DK Metcalf On the Rise

For the last few seasons, DK Metcalf has been a guy I have constantly faded in fantasy football drafts. Typically, that has paid off for me, but this season might be a bit different.

Aaron Rodgers has been praising DK Metcalf during NFL Training Camp this season, noting that he had one of the best camps on the team. Today, he doubled down, saying, “We gotta get the ball to DK. He’s our No. 1 for a reason.” Massive news for any DK Metcalf drafters this year, and terrible news for those who decided to draft Michael Pittman instead.

New NFL Injury Updates - Keyron Crawford Out for the Season

While news has typically been good out of Las Vegas Raiders practices, with Ashton Jeanty hopeful to play Week One and the emergence of Mike Washington, not all news is good news. Today it was announced that their rookie defensive end, Keyron Crawford, suffered an Achilles injury and is out for the season. Crawford was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft and was expected to contribute across from Maxx Crosby on the Raiders' defensive line. The Raiders will look to other pass rushers like Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce to step up and fill the void.

Other Notable Injury Updates