Steelers' Quiet Deadline Boosts Germie Bernard's Fantasy Outlook 0mLink copied!

Nov 11, 2026, 3:24 PM ET

Nov 11, 2026, 3:15 PM ET

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) practiced in full Wednesday after the team opened his return window from injured reserve. He has missed six games since aggravating the injury late in the Week 2 win at Atlanta and remains on injured reserve as Carolina prepares to visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Brooks went from 19% of the offensive snaps in the opener against Chicago to 30% against Atlanta, where he ran five times for 16 yards and caught a pass. Chuba Hubbard played 65% of the snaps in that game and has played at least 89% in three of Carolina's last four games. Keep Brooks on the bench in Week 10 even if Carolina activates him. Trevor Etienne has played 12 offensive snaps and carried three times for eight yards over the past two games. Carolina also lists him as its lead punt returner for Week 10. Brooks handled the backup work when Etienne was on injured reserve, and the two have yet to dress for the same game this season.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Joe Person

Nov 11, 2026, 3:12 PM ET

Wide receiver Josh Downs took part in his first practice as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, according to Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com. The Chiefs sent fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2027 to the Colts in exchange for Downs and a seventh-rounder on Tuesday. The 25-year-old will immediately give the Chiefs' passing game a boost alongside Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy (hamstring), and tight end Travis Kelce. The move to a much more dynamic offense under head coach Andy Reid should be a massive boost for Downs' fantasy football value after he failed to break out in an elevated role in the first nine weeks of 2026 with the Colts. Even with Alec Pierce (heel) out for most of the year, Downs caught 33 passes for 354 yards (10.7 yards per reception) and only one touchdown in nine games before the trade to KC. He will receive a big quarterback upgrade from Daniel Jones to Patrick Mahomes, and he will look to get off to a great start in his debut with the Chiefs this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Downs should be scooped up off the waiver wire in any league where he was dropped. RotoBaller has Downs ranked as the No. 41 WR for this week's game against the Falcons on the road.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ChiefsDigest.com - Matt Derrick

Nov 11, 2026, 2:42 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) was seen going through individual drills during Wednesday's practice, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Pickens might be listed as limited on Wednesday's injury report, but it is a good sign after he was inactive for Sunday's Week 9 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The 25-year-old might need to upgrade to a full practice this week to avoid another questionable tag going into the weekend, but he appears to be in better shape this week than he was last week as he tries to return for Sunday's Week 10 showdown at home against the San Francisco 49ers. After last year's breakout in his first year in Dallas, Pickens has been productive but not quite as good, catching 39 passes for 533 yards (13.7 yards per reception) and two touchdowns in eight games played. Teammate CeeDee Lamb has once again taken over as the Cowboys' WR1 through nine weeks. It does not mean that Pickens cannot improve in the second half, though, after the Cowboys hung on to the former second-rounder at Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. If Pickens returns this weekend, he will be back on the WR2 radar, while Ryan Flournoy will have a lowered ceiling and floor as Dallas' WR3.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota

Nov 11, 2026, 2:35 PM ET

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on Wednesday that wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee, ankle) is traveling with the team to Germany for their Week 10 showdown against the Detroit Lions, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. After already spending time on Injured Reserve in his first year with the Pats due to a high-ankle sprain suffered in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the 29-year-old Pro Bowler has missed the last two games due to an ongoing knee issue. The fact that he is making the trip to Munich, though, gives fantasy managers hope that he will return in a great matchup against the Lions' defense. DeMario Douglas has become the team's most trustworthy wideout for fantasy purposes in Brown's absence this year, but he will see his target volume drop once Brown returns. We will keep a close eye on Brown's practice status this week to give us a better idea of how good a chance he has to play overseas. The former second-rounder in 2019 by the Tennessee Titans has been a massive fantasy bust so far in 2026, but if he can put his knee injury in the rearview mirror for the second half, he could turn things around as quarterback Drake Maye's top downfield target. Brown has only nine catches in three games this year for 101 yards (11.2 yards per reception) and zero touchdowns.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar

Nov 11, 2026, 2:21 PM ET

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that the plan is for All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (knee, illness) to do team drills in practice this week, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the team's official website. However, Parsons is not at practice on Wednesday due to an illness. Parsons, who is on the Physically Unable to Perform list and has yet to play in 2026 after tearing his ACL in December of last year, had his 21-day practice window opened last week. If the 27-year-old can return to practice later this week, he will have a shot at being officially activated from IR to play this Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Despite not playing in the first nine weeks of the 2026 season, Parsons should be rostered in all IDP fantasy football leagues as a game-changing defensive line asset when he is healthy. The five-time Pro Bowler has 65 sacks in his five NFL seasons, and he was on pace for a new career high in that category last year in his first season with Green Bay before he injured his knee. Parsons had 12.5 sacks, 41 tackles (19 solo), 12 tackles for loss, 27 QB hits, and two forced fumbles in 14 games in his first year with Green Bay. His return will make the Packers' pass rush much more dynamic.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Packers.com - Weston Hodkiewicz

Nov 11, 2026, 2:13 PM ET

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (elbow) said he was relieved by the MRI results on his right elbow after he took a hard hit in Sunday's Week 9 win over the New York Jets, according to Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. "I feel like I'm in a great spot. Now, it's just about pain and pain management. I'll do my best to be in the best position possible," Mahomes said. The two-time MVP signal-caller suffered a sprained/strained right elbow against the Jets, but he was able to practice in full on Wednesday and should be fine to play in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons after he returned to Sunday's 35-12 win over the Jets. Mahomes went 23-for-31 in the contest for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 563 passing yards and five touchdowns without an interception in the team's last two games against the Jets and Denver Broncos, and he was given a new weapon at Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, when the Chiefs acquired receiver Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts. Against a Falcons defense that was just picked apart by Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, Mahomes will be in QB1 territory in fantasy football despite injuring his right elbow last Sunday.--Keith Hernandez
Source: A to Z Sports - Charles Goldman

Nov 11, 2026, 2:05 PM ET

Houston Texans running back David Montgomery (groin) remains sidelined at Wednesday's practice, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that he is hopeful that Montgomery would return to practice either this week or next week. The 29-year-old is not back on the field to begin this week, so he could miss yet another game this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Monty has been sidelined since Week 5 due to a groin injury, which has allowed Woody Marks to take over the backfield as the team's primary RB1. He got his Texans tenure off to a good start in the Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, carrying the ball 20 times for 60 yards and two rushing touchdowns, but he did very little in the next four contests before injuring his groin in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Tennessee Titans. Montgomery will have a role in Houston's backfield in a timeshare alongside Marks when he returns, but he averaged only 2.7 yards per carry for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries in his first five games. At best, Monty will be a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex for fantasy managers when he is fully recovered from his groin injury.--Keith Hernandez
Source: KRPC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson

Nov 11, 2026, 2:00 PM ET

Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan was arrested Wednesday in Nashville after an incident last week in which he allegedly ran over the feet of two pedestrians while driving his vehicle. According to police and NFL reporter Ari Meirov, Ryan continued driving before the pedestrians caught up to him at a red light, where he allegedly exited his pickup truck and argued with them before driving away without exchanging information. A Super Bowl-winning defensive line coach with the Baltimore Ravens, Ryan has 12 years of experience as an NFL coordinator or head coach, and he now faces six misdemeanor charges, including leaving the scene of an accident.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Ari Meirov

Nov 11, 2026, 1:55 PM ET

It sounds like Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks (foot) is trending towards playing on Thursday night in Week 10 against the division-rival New York Giants, according to Zach Selby of the team's official website. Burks was not on the field during the open portion of practice on Wednesday, but head coach Dan Quinn said that was part of the preparation process for game day. After missing the Week 9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday due to a foot injury, the 26-year-old former first-rounder did not participate in practice on Monday, but he returned to a limited showing on Tuesday, putting him on track to have a chance to return this week. He could draw a questionable tag on Wednesday's final injury report for Week 10, but Burks appears to be on the right side of questionable right now. His return would be bad news for rookie Antonio Williams as he tries to earn more playing time in the wake of Terry McLaurin's season-ending knee injury. Burks has drawn at least five targets in each of his last three games and caught three of five targets for a season-high 81 yards in the Week 8 win over the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles with McLaurin sidelined. Because of McLaurin's injury, Burks deserves a deep-league roster spot and will be battling Williams for the WR2 role for the rest of the year behind veteran Stefon Diggs.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Commanders.com - Zach Selby

Nov 11, 2026, 1:49 PM ET

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis (groin) was recently placed on injured reserve due to a lingering groin injury, but according to beat reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, he has hopes of returning by the end of the season. Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million deal this offseason, and in his first stint as a full-time starter, he had completed 58.2% of his passes through nine weeks, throwing six touchdowns to six interceptions, while adding 226 yards and three more scores on the ground. In his absence, the Dolphins will turn to second-year quarterback Kyle McCord, a sixth-round pick of the Eagles in 2025 who spent his rookie season on Philadelphia's practice squad before signing a reserves/futures contract with the Packers and ultimately landing in Miami via a preseason trade.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Marcel Louis-Jacques

Nov 11, 2026, 1:48 PM ET

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (hamstring) will practice for the Chiefs on Wednesday, and head coach Andy Reid said he is "actually feeling pretty good," according to Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star. Worthy was deemed day-to-day after leaving Sunday's Week 9 win over the New York Jets, and it looks like the 23-year-old should be fine to play this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10. The problem for Worthy is that his already shaky fantasy football value will be negatively affected by Tuesday's acquisition of receiver Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts. The former first-rounder has had at least six targets in each of the last five games, but he has not gone over 50 receiving yards in the last three games and has only scored once in 2026, back in the Week 2 win over the Colts. The addition of Downs will likely cause Worthy's target volume to shrink, making him an even more unreliable low-upside WR4/flex for fantasy managers going forward. In his third year in the NFL, Worthy has 33 receptions on 47 targets for 278 yards and one touchdown, after he scored just once in 14 games as a sophomore in 2025. RotoBaller has Worthy ranked as the WR58 for the upcoming Week 10 matchup against Atlanta.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Kansas City Star - Pete Sweeney

Nov 11, 2026, 1:38 PM ET

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed that running back De'Von Achane (knee) underwent knee surgery, and his recovery is progressing well, according to Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated. Achane tore the ACL in his left knee in the Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve. It was a tough break for a Dolphins offense light on experienced and explosive weapons for new quarterback Malik Willis (groin), who is now on IR himself. Because the 25-year-old Achane's knee injury came early in the year, barring a setback in his lengthy and grueling rehab, he should have a chance to be ready to go for the start of the 2027 regular season next fall. With Achane out for the year in 2026, Ollie Gordon II has taken over as Miami's clear lead back, and the 22-year-old has been a nice waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers, carrying the ball 107 times for 463 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and four rushing touchdowns in eight games played. He has added seven receptions on 10 targets for 23 yards through the air in his second season in the NFL. However, with Willis now out for at least four games, Gordon is expected to see more stacked boxes with Kyle McCord taking over for the Dolphins under center. The good news is Gordon should still be on the RB1/2 borderline for a strong Week 10 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Sports Illustrated - Alain Poupart

Nov 11, 2026, 1:38 PM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (knee) will not practice Wednesday, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport. Spears has not played since the team's Week 6 win over the Colts, missing two games with a knee injury before Tennessee's Week 9 bye. While he has totaled only 141 yards on his 35 opportunities in 2026, the fourth-year back became a popular stash with teammate Tony Pollard's name surfacing ahead of the NFL's annual trade deadline. With the deadline now come and gone and Pollard still rostered by the Titans, Spears can be comfortably dropped in any league without an IR spot.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Turron Davenport

Nov 11, 2026, 1:26 PM ET

Nov 11, 2026, 1:26 PM ET

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate (shoulder) will not practice Wednesday, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport. The first-round rookie missed the team's Week 8 loss to the Bengals with a shoulder injury before Tennessee went on bye in Week 9. Prior to the injury, Tate had reached 69 receiving yards in three of his last four contests, scoring once and playing as the fantasy WR21 over that stretch. While a missed practice coming out of the bye is never an encouraging sign, Tate will have two more opportunities to rejoin his teammates on the practice field ahead of a divisional matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. With Jacksonville using the trade deadline to improve upon what has already been one of the league's best defenses and Tate facing a potential pitch count upon his return, fantasy managers should be looking for other options even if the rookie is able to suit up on Sunday.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Turron Davenport

Nov 11, 2026, 1:21 PM ET

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (finger), who will have surgery later this week on his broken ring finger, could return as quickly as two to three weeks, sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The Packers will decide on Saturday if placing Jacobs on Injured Reserve is necessary, but it is not guaranteed. He will miss the Week 10 divisional showdown at home against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday before the team's Week 11 bye. After that, Jacobs will have a shot to return in Week 12 on Wednesday, Nov. 25, on the road against the Los Angeles Rams. If the Packers find out after Jacobs' surgery that he needs to go on IR, the star RB would miss at least four games and would not be eligible to return until Dec. 20 at home against the Miami Dolphins. The Packers' bye comes at a good time with respect to Jacobs, who fractured his finger on a stiff-arm in Sunday's Week 9 win over the New England Patriots. With MarShawn Lloyd sitting out last weekend with a knee injury, Kaleb Johnson served as the team's lead back following Jacobs' injury and saw 14 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown. If Lloyd misses Sunday's game against Minnesota, Johnson will be in play as an RB3/flex option for fantasy managers against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Jacobs needs to be stashed in all leagues while he recovers.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

Nov 11, 2026, 1:14 PM ET

The Carolina Panthers have opened the 21-day practice window for running back Jonathon Brooks (abdomen). The former second-round pick has not played since aggravating an existing groin strain in the team's Week 2 win over the Falcons, leading to core muscle surgery and his current stint on Injured Reserve. Brooks began the year in a change-of-pace role behind veteran Chuba Hubbard, who has since played as the fantasy RB10 in his six games as the Panthers' bell cow. Although he is now on track to return for the fantasy playoffs, Brooks should be viewed as little more than a stashable backup, unlikely to see enough standalone work to warrant a start, but he would see his value rise in the event of an injury ahead of him.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Mike Kaye

Nov 11, 2026, 12:56 PM ET

Updating a previous report, Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken expects rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston (toe) to return to the practice field on Thursday, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. Boston is not expected to practice on Wednesday in the team's first session of the week, but the 22-year-old's toe injury does not appear to be serious enough to sideline him this weekend against the Houston Texans. The second-rounder out of the University of Washington caught six of his seven targets for a season-high 98 yards in Sunday's overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints in second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders' first start of the season in place of Deshaun Watson (concussion). Boston has had a strong showing so far in his first nine NFL games, catching 32 of his 61 targets for 507 yards and three touchdowns, but he has not found the end zone since the Oct. 11 loss to the New York Jets, and his fantasy value could take a hit in Week 10 against the Texans with Watson returning to the starting role for the Browns. As long as Boston is active this weekend, he should be on the WR2/3 borderline in fantasy.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi

Nov 11, 2026, 12:46 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen did not have a positive update on wide receiver Alec Pierce (heel) on Wednesday when he was asked about his chance to return in 2026, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. "We'll see. Like I said last week, he's still in that rehab process, and I'm not going to put a timetable on return," Steichen said. Pierce has been sidelined since Sept. 26 after aggravating his surgically repaired heel, and fantasy managers who have been stashing him in an Injured Reserve spot are beginning to wonder if he will be able to return this year. At 2-7 through the first nine weeks of the season, the Colts have no reason to rush Pierce back, even after trading both Keenan Allen and Josh Downs at Tuesday's deadline. With Pierce still on IR and Allen and Downs out of town, the Colts will go into their Week 10 game against the Miami Dolphins with Laquon Treadwell, Ashton Dulin, and Anthony Gould as their presumed top three receivers. Pierce had his first 1,000-yard season in 2025 in his fourth year in the NFL, and he led the league in yards per reception in each of the last two years, but the 2026 campaign is shaping up to be a lost one for the big-play wideout.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - James Boyd