3 days agoBuffalo Bills wide receiver
Khalil Shakir has emerged as the team's best player at the position — "and it hasn't been close," according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Amidst speculation that
Keon Coleman or
Curtis Samuel would climb to the top of the depth chart, it's actually Shakir who has made the best impression so far. He has become
Josh Allen's go-to receiver, catching all 14 of his targets for 168 yards and two touchdowns through three weeks. He's already the overall WR17 in PPR leagues, cementing himself as a strong weekly option for fantasy managers. He should continue to be trusted heading into Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Joe Buscaglia
3 days agoNew Orleans Saints tight end
Taysom Hill (chest) was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, according to John Hendrix of Sports Illustrated. Hill appears to be making significant progress after missing Week 3 due to injury. The veteran playmaker's full participation in practice suggests that he's on track to play against the Atlanta Falcons without any limitations this coming Sunday, barring a setback. Hill didn't deliver enough production to make him a top fantasy option through the first two weeks of the season, but his role as the Saints' Swiss army knife still gives him some fantasy appeal going forward. He should be treated as a mid-range TE2 this week.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: John Hendrix
3 days agoPittsburgh Steelers running back
Jaylen Warren (knee) was a non-participant in the team's first practice of the week. It's not exactly a surprise after head coach Mike Tomlin reported Tuesday that he's "unsure" whether Warren would suit up for their Week 4 matchup. The news comes after the 25-year-old was scheduled for an MRI on his ailing knee on Monday. Presumably, he picked up the injury during Pittsburgh's 20-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. However, exactly when it occurred is unknown. Tomlin is the one who pulled the former undrafted free agent from the contest and remarked on him during his post-game presser, stating, "It didn't look like he was running smoothly." The Oklahoma State product has been vastly out-touched by his counterpart
Najee Harris thus far, and the latter should expect an increased workload this Sunday when the team heads to Indianapolis with
Cordarrelle Patterson to mix in as the primary change-of-pace back.
--Alex CiullaSource: Teresa Varley
3 days agoCarolina Panthers quarterback
Andy Dalton (ankle) appeared on the team's injury report Wednesday but was a full participant in practice. It's unclear when the 36-year-old sustained the injury, but Panthers fans can breathe a sigh of relief as it does not appear to be serious. The long-time Bengal lit it up in his first regular-season action since Week 3 of 2023, becoming the first signal-caller this season to rack up 300 yards (319) and toss three touchdowns in a single outing. It was a vintage performance from the Red Rifle, leading Carolina to its first victory of 2024 and first win since Week 15 of last season. The Panthers will host the 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, and Dalton has worked his way into streaming consideration ahead of this matchup after his dominant performance. The "revenge game" narrative only makes this contest more exciting. He'll be a QB2 with upside.
--Alex CiullaSource: Joe Person
3 days agoDespite missing his fifth-straight practice, Houston Texans running back
Dameon Pierce (hamstring) is expected to return to action in Week 4. It's excellent news for the team as first-string back
Joe Mixon (ankle) is still considered week-to-week after missing Houston's Week 3 matchup -- a 34-7 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings. In that contest, running back
Cam Akers led the team with a paltry 21 yards on nine carries. With the Texans mincing words, fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on the 24-year-old's status heading into Houston's home matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Pierce can play, he'll be in store for a sizable workload against a Jaguars squad that just got torched by the Buffalo Bills, allowing 47 points on Monday Night Football.
--Alex CiullaSource: Aaron Wilson
3
days
agoHouston
Texans
wide
receiver
Tank
Dell
(ribs,
hand,
wrist)
is
not
expected
to
be
available
for
the
team's
Week
4
matchup
against
the
Jacksonville
Jaguars.
The
second-year
wideout
suffered
two
injuries
late
in
Houston's
34-7
loss
to
the
Minnesota
Vikings
and
did
not
return
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3 days agoWhen asked about the status of wide receiver
Adam Thielen (hamstring), Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales stated he would not need surgery. It's good news for the veteran wideout, who was placed on the team's injured reserve Tuesday due to a hamstring injury he picked up in Carolina's first win of the season. Before his exit in the second quarter, Thielen had modest production, reeling in 3-of-5 targets for 40 yards and a score. The touchdown -- a 31-yard reception -- is the play in which he injured himself. He'll now miss at least the team's next four matchups. Soft-tissue issues -- particularly hamstrings -- can linger, so it's best to exhibit caution when slotting him back into your lineup upon his return. In his stead, wide receivers
Xavier Legette and
Jonathan Mingo project to pick up some extra work. Carolina will look to get in the win column again when they host the visiting Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4.
--Alex CiullaSource: Joe Person
3 days agoMinnesota Vikings quarterback
Sam Darnold (knee) participated fully in Wednesday's team practice. Darnold sustained a minor knee injury and missed just one play in the team's convincing 34-7 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. Concerns arose when it was reported he was scheduled for an MRI on his injured knee, but imaging came back clean, and he'll be a full-go for the team's Week 4 road tilt against the Green Bay Packers. The 27-year-old currently garners the thirteenth-most passing yards in the NFL, though he leads the league in touchdown passes -- tossing eight through the team's first three contests. It's been an excellent start to the season for the former third-overall pick. He and the Vikings have been one of the more pleasant surprises thus far in 2024, and he has quickly thrust himself into weekly lineup consideration.
--Alex CiullaSource: Minnesota Vikings
3 days agoJacksonville Jaguars running back
Tank Bigsby (shoulder) was limited in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. Bigsby was also dealing with a shoulder injury last week but managed to suit up in Monday night's blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills. In that contest, the 23-year-old really didn't have much of a shot to contribute with the Jaguars forced to quickly abandon the running game. He finished with only two carries for nine yards and has 14 rushing attempts for 82 yards (5.9 yards per carry) in three games so far in 2024. Bigsby has not been targeted at all in the passing game. Bigsby should be fine to play in Week 4 against the division-rival Houston Texans as the Jags go for their first win of the year. Jacksonville wants to get Bigsby more work alongside
Travis Etienne Jr., but so far their offense just hasn't cooperated.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Jacksonville Jaguars
3 days agoJacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Gabe Davis (shoulder) was listed as a limited participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Davis is dealing with what seems to be a minor shoulder injury after he played 76% of the offensive snaps in the team's Week 3 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Unless he has a setback with his shoulder in practice later this week, he should be active for the Week 4 tilt against the division-rival Houston Texans. The 25-year-old former fourth-round pick by the Bills in 2020 out of Central Florida has been inefficient so far through three games in his first year in Jacksonville. Davis has caught just half of his 16 targets for 123 yards and currently carries a career-low 15.4 yards per catch in what has been a Jaguars offense that just hasn't figure it out yet. He caught two of six targets for a season-low 18 yards on Monday night.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Jacksonville Jaguars
3 days agoJacksonville Jaguars tight end
Evan Engram (hamstring) missed the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Engram injured his hamstring during pre-game warmups in the Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns and also missed the Monday night beatdown at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. He is going to need to get back on the practice field in some fashion over the next couple of days to at least give himself a chance to suit up this Sunday versus the division-rival Houston Texans as the Jags seek their first win of the season. With Engram out the last two games,
Brenton Strange has caught five of his 11 targets for 77 yards and one touchdown, putting him on the map as a TE2 streamer for fantasy managers if Engram misses a third straight game in Week 4. Engram caught just one pass for five yards in Week 1, so he's been a disappointment so far in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Jacksonville Jaguars
3 days agoWhen asked if Cleveland Browns running back
Nick Chubb (knee) will be designated to return to practice from Injured Reserve next week, head coach Kevin Stefanski said, "We'll see when we get to next week. He's doing well." Chubb opened the year on IR after needing two surgeries to fix a torn ACL and MCL in his knee after a gruesome injury early in 2023. It's anyone's guess as to when the 28-year-old will be able to return this year. It would be nice to see Chubb back at practice next week, but it wouldn't guarantee his return in Week 5 versus the Washington Commanders. When Chubb is finally ready to make his 2024 debut, it's likely that the Browns will ease him in alongside
Jerome Ford and
D'Onta Foreman. Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler heading into last year, has a career 5.3 yard-per-carry average and deserves to be stashed in all fantasy leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
3 days agoCleveland Browns wide receiver
Amari Cooper wasn't included on the team's first injury report of the week after practicing in full on Wednesday. Cooper appeared to injure his hip on the final play of the Week 3 loss to the New York Giants but appears fine heading into a Week 4 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. The 30-year-old veteran needs to be locked into all starting fantasy lineups this week against a Raiders defense that was just picked apart by Carolina Panthers veteran quarterback
Andy Dalton. Cooper had only five catches for 27 yards in the first two weeks of 2024 before breaking out for seven receptions (12 targets) for 86 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the G-Men. Despite the Browns offense looking lackluster so far, there's no question that Cooper remains quarterback
Deshaun Watson's top target.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
3 days agoTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receivers
Mike Evans (knee) and
Chris Godwin (neck) are both on the Week 4 injury report after being limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Although it's a good sign that both players actually practiced, this is a situation to watch in Tampa with both of their top receivers on the injury report heading into a Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. In what could be a high-scoring contest on Sunday in Tampa, both Evans and Godwin should be in starting fantasy lineups as long as they're active. But if one or both of Evans and Godwin are out or limited on Sunday, it will raise the ceiling for rookie pass-catcher
Jalen McMillan and tight end
Cade Otton. Fantasy managers should check back the next two days to see if Evans and Godwin can get back to a full practice to get cleared for Week 4.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Buccaneers.com - Brianna Dix
3 days agoGreen Bay Packers tight ends
Tucker Kraft (shoulder) and
Luke Musgrave (quadriceps) were both limited on Wednesday for the first practice of the week. Kraft played through a shoulder injury in the Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans and saw 67% of the offensive snaps on his way to two catches for 24 yards. The 23-year-old has been the team's primary TE so far through three weeks, but it's amounted to just six receptions on eight targets for 77 scoreless yards. Musgrave played a season-high 56% of the offensive snaps in Week 3 but caught his only target for a three-yard gain. Through the first three weeks, he has only two catches for nine yards to put himself well off the fantasy radar. All of Green Bay's offensive weapons become more interesting if quarterback
Jordan Love (knee) can return in Week 4, although Kraft and Musgrave still won't be realistic starting options at their position.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SI.com - Bill Huber
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