Given that players like Adonai Mitchell and Omar Cooper Jr. are injured, having Patrick back is a very good boost for the Jets, who need a bounceback performance against the Browns in Week 5. After all, the Jets just had 32 offensive plays last week vs. Chicago.

Of course, Patrick won’t be the WR1 for the game, as the Jets have a certified star in Garrett Wilson. He will command the majority of the targets, but Patrick is a solid option for the second progression.

Jets WR depth chart vs Browns in Week 5

Most of the top-tier wideouts are banged up and unavailable for this game. Still, the Jets will try to halt the Browns momentum. Cleveland is coming to this game with a three-game winning streak. The Jets are yet to win since Week 1. This is their WR depth chart vs Browns:

• Garrett Wilson
• Tim Patrick
• Isaiah Williams
• Malik McClain

The Jets offense has to get into rhythm

When the script works, the Jets are able to move the chains and create some chaos. However, they must be able to get into rhythm for that to happen. The Jets have Geno Smith as quarterback, who is capable of playing at a decent-to-high level.

However, the run game must help him establish the play-action, and that is something that offensive coordinator Frank Reich must try to achieve from early in the game. If not, this turns into a monotonic offense.

Key takeaways

• Tim Patrick will make his season debut for the Jets against the Cleveland Browns.
• The Jets offense managed just 32 plays last week against the Chicago Bears.
• Garrett Wilson remains the primary WR1 for Geno Smith in the Jets’ passing game

The decision comes just days after Case Keenum delivered one of the best performances of his recent NFL career. Keenum started Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles and helped Chicago secure a convincing 27-7 victory, throwing for 247 yards and accounting for three touchdowns.

Keenum got the opportunity because Bagent was still working his way back from concussion protocol. Now that Bagent is fully available and has taken the majority of first-team repetitions during the week, the Bears appear ready to restore him to the starting role despite Keenum’s impressive performance.

Who will be starting QB for Bears vs Jets?

Ian Rapoport reported that Tyson Bagent is expected to start against the Jets after receiving most of Chicago’s first-team reps during practice. The Bears had not publicly announced the decision, but all indications pointed toward the former undrafted quarterback returning to the lineup.

The move is surprising because Keenum gave the Bears exactly what they needed against Philadelphia. He completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two passing touchdowns while adding a rushing score, leading Chicago to a dominant win in prime time. However, the Bears’ original depth-chart hierarchy appears to remain intact.

Bagent was Chicago’s No. 2 quarterback behind Williams entering the season, and Ben Johnson has continued to show confidence in him. His concussion opened the door for Keenum against the Eagles, but Bagent’s return to full availability has now allowed the Bears to go back to their original plan.

The timing is particularly important because Williams remains sidelined. The Bears officially ruled out their starting quarterback for a second consecutive game as he continues recovering from the hamstring injury that forced him out against the Minnesota Vikings. That leaves Bagent with an opportunity to build on his previous experience as an NFL starter.

Keenum will now move back into the backup role despite his performance against Philadelphia. For Chicago, the decision reflects the coaching staff’s continued belief in Bagent and gives the 26-year-old another chance to prove he can keep the offense moving while Williams works his way back.

Key takeaways

• Tyson Bagent will start at quarterback against the New York Jets in Week 4.
• Case Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards against the Eagles, but won’t start vs Jets.
• Caleb Williams was ruled out for a second straight game with a hamstring injury.

Mitchell is out due to a hand injury that limited him in practice. The Jets are taking the precautionary measures to make sure that Mitchell recovers properly. Hence, the Lions won’t have to deal with him.

It is very likely that the wide receiver comes back for Week 4. The Lions are relieved as their secondary has been scorched during the early portions of the 2026 NFL season. Still, they have to deal with Garrett Wilson.

Adonai Mitchell has been stellar

The Jets will certainly miss AD Mitchell. Throughout the first two weeks of the season, Mitchell has 15 targets (1st on the Jets), nine catches (2nd), and 123 yards (2nd) so far. His numbers go alongside Wilson’s.

Mitchell, however, is also a guy who runs deeper yards than Wilson. Hence, his 13.7 yards per reception is the best in the team for players with more than two targets so far. He hasn’t scored yet, which makes his outlook even greater with potential to grow.

Mitchell being out is a blow for NFL Fantasy managers

Mitchell was arguably one of the strongest waiver wire pickups this week due to his great performances. Many managers rushed to pick him up and had him as a WR2-Flex option. Now, they are forced to call an audible on their lineups.

Still, given that the injury doesn’t seem to be long-term, managers should keep Mitchell to see if the volume continues in the next few weeks. After all, he seems to be a good Flex option por the rest of the season.

Key takeaways

• Receiver Adonai Mitchell will miss the Week 3 game against the Detroit Lions with a hand injury.
• Through two weeks, Mitchell accumulated 15 targets and 123 yards for the Jets.
• Mitchell was considered a strong waiver wire pickup for fantasy football managers.

“Doing much better, appreciate all the prayers and support,” Jayden Reed wrote on his X account, @JaydenReed5. Reed’s statement came on the heels of the Packers’ encouraging update on the wide receiver’s health after the 20-17 win over the Jets.

“Packers say WR Jayden Reed ‘has feeling and movement in all extremities. He will stay overnight for further testing and observation’,” as reported by NFL insider Adam Schefter.

What happened to Reed?

Reed was hit by Jets linebacker Demario Davis, who made direct contact with his helmet. Immediately, Reed collapsed to the ground, losing mobility and consciousness by the time he fell to the turf.

As reported by Jordan Schultz, Reed required a spine board, which was immediately taken as a scary sign of a potential serious spine or neck injury, given where he was hit and everything that followed.

Fortunately, though, it seems the worst is over, and Reed is making progress. For the time being, however, football is the least of Green Bay’s worries, and all the team cares about is having Reed pass his medical evaluations at the hospital, where he will remain for more tests and under the surveillance of health professionals.

Another bad injury for Packers

In the cruelest form of insult to injury, the next play after Reed left the game, offensive lineman Zach Bako-Bewele had to be carted off the field with a knee injury. Speaking after the game, head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t sugarcoat his true thoughts on the right tackle’s health and how it looks in the 2026 NFL season.

“That doesn’t look good, either. I think [Zach Bako-Bewele] could be out for a long time,” LaFleur admitted postgame, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

Needless to say, it was a less-than-ideal rainy afternoon in the Big Apple for the Packers. Their record will say they are back at .500, but this victory sure doesn’t taste so good.

Jacobs was placed on the exempt list on August 30 after being charged with misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. He is not allowed to practice or play while he remains on the list, although he continues to receive his salary during this period.

The legal side of Jacobs’ situation has since been resolved after he pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charges, but that did not immediately change his status with the NFL. The league has said its review under the personal conduct policy remains ongoing, leaving the Packers without one of their most important offensive players.

How long is Josh Jacobs suspension?

There is still no official suspension length for Josh Jacobs. The NFL has not announced how many games he will be suspended, and Jacobs remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt List while the league determines its next step.

However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that a four-to-six-game suspension could be the range being discussed based on conversations with people around the league. That is only a projection at this point, not a final decision from the NFL.

There is an important factor that could shorten the number of additional games Jacobs has to miss once the suspension is announced. Time spent on the Commissioner’s Exempt List counts toward a subsequent suspension, meaning the games Jacobs has already missed could be credited as time served.

For example, if Jacobs ultimately receives a six-game suspension and spends three games on the exempt list before the NFL announces it, those three games could count toward the six-game penalty. In that scenario, he would only have three additional games to serve before becoming eligible to return.

That makes a return later in the season possible even if the NFL ultimately gives Jacobs a multi-game suspension. For now, though, there is no official timetable, and the Packers must continue preparing without him while the league completes its review.

Parsons began the season on the reserve/PUP list after undergoing surgery on his knee following the injury he suffered last season. His placement on the list means he cannot return during the opening portion of the season, keeping him out of Sunday’s matchup with the Jets.

His absence is another significant challenge for a Packers defense that is trying to bounce back after allowing 39 points in its season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Parsons was brought to Green Bay to provide an elite presence on the defensive front, but the Packers will have to wait longer before seeing him in action.

When will Micah Parsons return for Packers?

Micah Parsons is expected to miss at least the first four games of the 2026 season because of his placement on the reserve/PUP list. That means he cannot play against the Jets in Week 2 and will also miss Green Bay’s upcoming games before becoming eligible to return.

The earliest possible return would come after Week 4, with the Packers potentially able to activate Parsons for Week 5. However, his actual return will depend on his recovery from the knee injury and whether Green Bay believes he is ready to resume playing.

The Packers have another important absence to manage at the same time, with Josh Jacobs remaining on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. That leaves Green Bay without two of its biggest offseason additions against the Jets, making Parsons’ eventual return even more important for a defense that is still adjusting.

For now, Packers fans will have to wait. Parsons remains sidelined with his knee injury and is not eligible to play in Week 2, leaving Green Bay without its star pass rusher as the team looks to get back on track against New York.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Cooper suffered an ankle sprain and will be on injured reserve. He’ll be sidelined for at least four games with a designation to return.

The high ankle sprain will sideline Cooper for a month, leaving the wide receiver corp without a first-round talent who has championship pedigree after what he accomplished with Indiana.

Why is a high ankle sprain so bad?

A high ankle sprain is a severe injury because it damages the syndesmotic ligaments that hold your lower leg bones (the tibia and fibula) together above the ankle joint, destabilizing your entire lower leg rather than just the joint itself.

A high ankle sprain is easy to re-injure because the damaged ligaments are under constant mechanical stress with every step the person takes. Hence, when a wideout, for instance, runs routes and makes high-impact steps or intense changes of direction, the ligaments are compromised.

Jets WR depth chart without Omar Cooper Jr.

The Jets will have to deal with not having Cooper on the field for the upcoming four games, so Geno Smith is down a weapon. Until then, these are the wide receivers that offensive coordinator and playcaller Frank Reich will have at his disposal:

• Garrett Wilson
• Adonai Mitchell
• Isaiah Williams
• Arian Smith

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, a 17-year drought has ended. “This is the first time the Giants and Jets both opened 1-0 since 2009, when their head coaches were Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan.” Finally the NFL Week 1 brings happiness to the Big Apple teams.

Also, both teams were underdogs coming into their matchups. The Jets were 2-point underdogs away against the Titans. Meanwhile, the Giants were 3-point home underdogs to the Cowboys. In other news for the city, the Yankees received a good World Series omen thanks to Giants and Jets.

How did the NY Giants win?

The Giants had the biggest test of both New York teams. They had a divisional, Sunday Night Football showdown against the Dallas Cowboys. Not only did the team look physical and strong thanks to John Harbaugh, but the Giants looked great in many areas of the game.

The Giants put a total of 394 yards on offense, controlled the time of possession, were clinical in third downs, and looked ready. The only asterisk would be the penalties, as they had 10 flags that cost them 114 yards.

How did the NY Jets win?

As for the Jets, it wasn’t a nationally televised game, it was a very low-profile game but they faced former head coach Robert Saleh, and a plethora of former players on the Titans defense.

Still, the Jets had a very good opening drive, used their best weapons accurately and their defense held up. Hence, good things came for the Jets. However, it remains to be seen if they can keep it up week in and week out.

With the MLB postseason approaching and the World Series looming on the horizon, watching the G-Men and Gang Green win their season debuts may have been all Yankees fans could have asked for. The Giants and Jets snapped a 17-year hex with their Week 1 victories in 2026, and the Yankees’ World Series drought could enjoy the same fate because of it.

“The last time the Giants and Jets both won season openers… The New York Yankees won the World Series less than two months later,” The Yankee Report stated on X.

Boasting a Cy Young Award favorite in Cam Schlittler, having Aaron Judge back from the IL, and sitting at 86-63 on the 2026 MLB season, it may not have been encouraging enough. But watching the Jets and Giants win in Week 1 may have been the final confirmation that this year might be special in the Bronx. Never has a Week 1 victory meant so much in New York.

Throwback to 2009 in New York

Back in 2009, the Giants and Jets started their NFL seasons on a Sunday, Sept. 13, too. The G-Men played a divisional opponent, the Washington Commanders, at home, while the Jets played on the road against a Southern AFC opponent, the Houston Texans.

The Giants defeated the Commanders in a one-possession game, 23-17, just like they did against the Dallas Cowboys 17 years later. The Jets won by a larger margin on the road against the Texans, just like they did against the Tennessee Titans in 2026. The signs are there for the taking, at least for those not too blind to see them or too desperate to search for them.

As for the Yankees, they were doing a bit better on Sept. 13, 2009, than they are on that exact date in 2026. The Bronx Bombers were 92-52 by then, well en route to a statement-sending 103-59 record to end the season. Still, the best was yet to come.

NY Yankees’ last World Series

The New York Yankees went 11-4 in the 2009 MLB postseason, en route to their 27th World Series championship—their fifth since the Commissioner’s Trophy was introduced in 1985. They swept the Minnesota Twins in three games in the ALDS, eliminated the Los Angeles Angels in six games in the ALCS, and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series with a 4-2 series win.

NY Yankees’ rooting guide for Week 2 of the NFL

Going into the NFL’s Week 2, the Yankees will have to root for both New York-based clubs. In fact, if they want to keep the good omens coming, they need the Jets and Giants to start the season 3-0, just like it happened 17 years ago.

It will be much easier said than done, especially considering the Jets will face the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions next, while the Giants will take on the Los Angeles Rams next Monday night.

Perhaps the Yankees will be better off focusing on themselves. Week 1’s omen was enough fuel for the superstitious, and it may be best not to get greedy.

Reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, Will Levis practiced with the Jets and given the reports that Jake Browning was seen as a potential fit to the Jets roster, it now seems like Levis might be ahead on the race.

Aaron Glenn recently confirmed rookie Cade Klubnik’s role behind the Jets. However, Levis to the Jets could make some sense. The team will likely hold a starting quarterback competition next season, this time possibly featuring a high first-round draft pick. For a player looking to revive his career, this opportunity to compete is too good to pass up.

The Jets haven’t made a decision yet

While he worked out, Levis hasn’t signed anything yet. The Jets could perfectly work out other quarterbacks like Milton, or flat out not sign him at all. Levis was just let go by the Titans while he was still in his rookie contract.

Levis has a 5-16 record as a starter. He has completed 61% of his passes for 3,899 yards for 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. While those aren’t elite numbers, this is the backup QB market.

Geno Smith is still the undoubted QB1

Unless something happens, Geno Smith will surely play the whole season with the Jets as the starting quarterback. However, one thing is playing this season, and another entirely is to play and earn a new contract.

Smith will play under a one-year, $19.5 million deal. This means next year he will be a free agent unless he convinces the Jets to give him a new contract. However, for that to happen, Smith must bounce back heavily from a down year in Las Vegas last season.

Joe Milton is a huge physical talent and teams like the New York Jets, who have been in the backup QB market, could see him as a high upside backup. Also, teams like the Miami Dolphins could see Milton as a project worth developing.

As for Dallas, Dak Prescott is still the QB1, clearly. The backup is now Sam Howell. The Cowboys, however, have only two quarterbacks on the depth chart. Hence, they should be eyeing someone else.

Joe Milton’s profile is very tempting

As stated, Milton has a very strong arm. However, that’s not the only thing that makes him and enticing project. Milton is also huge, strong, and has elite speed at 6’5″. Basically, he is a quarterback with a linebacker frame. The New York Jets are looking at Jake Browning, but could get swayed by Milton.

Hence, he fits into the Anthony Richardson, Cam Newton mold of physically imposing athletes with huge arms. However, consistency is key, and that’s what Milton hasn’t been able to maintain.

Updated Cowboys QB depth chart

As stated, this is a very thin QB room now. It is likely that the Cowboys go for another quarterback. However, it’ll be one that adapts better to the scheme they practice under head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

• Dak Prescott
• Sam Howell