Jake Ferguson's Fantasy Value Continues Slide After Low Production 22mLink copied!

Oct 9, 2026, 12:01 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving channeled his inner rookie season in his team's stunning Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. The third-year pro rushed 21 times for 165 yards and one touchdown and caught two of three targets for 10 yards and another score. He gashed the hapless Cowboys defense multiple times, including on a special rush in which he juked multiple defenders to break through the defensive line and ran down the sideline for a huge explosive play. Irving dominated backfield touches for his team, with no other Bucs RB handling more than five carries, which is excellent news for his fantasy value moving forward. He appears to have put any injury concerns behind him and slammed the door shut on any ideas of a committee backfield moving forward. Dallas' defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and that certainly contributed to Irving's big night, but he made a strong case to be a workhorse RB1 moving forward. A Week 6 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers looms -- they have a middling run defense, which should allow Irving to have another solid outing. He's pushed back into low-end RB1 territory for now.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:44 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was poised to heavily exploit the porous secondary of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 5 contest on Thursday Night Football. Instead, he threw two interceptions and managed just one passing touchdown, though his 316 passing yards were adequate. One of the picks wasn't his fault, though -- it was tight end Jake Ferguson who failed to corral a pass that hit him in the hands, and the ricochet flew high in the air and landed in the hands of a Bucs defender. Prescott's fantasy value is likely to take a hit due to the injury to his elite WR1, CeeDee Lamb (quad), but Prescott still scored over 14.6 PPR fantasy points in the loss. It was his lowest output all season. Even if Lamb misses Week 6, though, the duo of WRs George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy are more than acceptable to keep him out of single-digit scoring territory. Prescott can be treated as a QB2 for his Week 6 game against the Green Bay Packers, as it seems Lamb may need time to recover to avoid another re-aggravation of his quad injury.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:41 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal saw five carries for 25 yards and caught two of his three targets for 11 yards and his first touchdown of the 2026 season in the Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The 25-year-old played 25 offensive snaps, which matched Omarion Hampton, while Keaton Mitchell handled 26 snaps. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said that the Chargers have not lost faith in Hampton, a former first-rounder who is the RB1 on the team's RB depth chart. L.A. is trying anything they can to try to pick up their first win of the season, and Vidal, Hampton, and Mitchell will all continue to be involved in some capacity as long as they are all healthy. Going into Week 4, Vidal had just one rushing attempt for six yards and one reception for a 14-yard gain in the first three games of the season. Vidal's fantasy arrow is pointing slightly up after his involvement last week, but he still is not close to having standalone value going into a Week 5 tilt against the division-rival Denver Broncos.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

Oct 8, 2026, 11:37 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens finally had a monster game in his team's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football in Week 5. The second-year Cowboy caught nine of his 13 targets for 130 yards and a touchdown in an upset loss to the 0-4 Bucs. It was apparent from early in the game that Cowboys WR1 CeeDee Lamb (quad) was playing injured, and he was eventually pulled from the game due to the injury. He was cleared from the team's injury report with the same issue before the game, so it looks like he aggravated a pre-existing issue. While Pickens' night was fantastic for his fantasy managers, it appears that he doesn't have anywhere near the upside he had last season when Lamb is actually healthy. But it's possible No. 88 could miss time, in which case Pickens immediately becomes a WR1 with top-5 fantasy scoring potential every week. The Cowboys will face the Green Bay Packers next, who are another team struggling on defense this year. Pickens has easy week-winning upside if Lamb can't play or is still hampered by his quad injury next week, so Dallas' injury reports next week should be followed closely.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:34 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has served in a workhorse role for the Steelers in the last two weeks with backfield mate Rico Dowdle (toe) out injured. Warren has yet to find the end zone for Pittsburgh in 2026 through four games, but he has 34 rushing attempts for 220 yards (6.5 yards per attempt) and six catches for 82 yards through the air in the last two games. In the first two weeks with Dowdle involved, Warren handled 21 rushing attempts for 89 yards (4.2 yards per carry) while catching seven passes for 61 yards. The 27-year-old has been the Steelers' clear lead back of late, but head coach Mike McCarthy plans to go back to a committee approach with Warren and Dowdle when Dowdle is cleared to return, possibly as soon as this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts. Still, even upon Dowdle's return, Warren will have RB2 upside for his strong start to the 2026 campaign with Dowdle injured.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

Oct 8, 2026, 11:02 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (quadriceps) is questionable to return to the Thursday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth quarter due to a quadriceps injury, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Lamb exploded for 17 catches on 21 targets for 189 yards and his fourth touchdown of the year in the Week 4 win over the Houston Texans, but he had only two receptions on five targets for nine yards on Thursday night before leaving with his quad injury. If Lamb misses the rest of the game or more time after this week with his quad injury, both George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy would have higher target shares in Dallas' pass-happy offense. Flournoy would become a very popular waiver-wire target next week if Lamb does not end up returning against Tampa. Lamb, a five-time Pro Bowler, came into Week 5 action leading the NFL in catches (37), receiving yards (498), and yards per game (124.5). Losing Lamb for any amount of time would be a big downgrade for quarterback Dak Prescott.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota

Oct 8, 2026, 10:27 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. said that he has not been paying attention to trade rumors that have been swirling around him, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss and Stephen Holder. The speculation that Harrison could be moved by the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline has been fueled by Harrison hiring Todd France and Tory Dandy as his agents on Sept. 23. The former fourth overall pick in 2024 did not have an agent before that. "Truthfully, I pay it no mind," Harrison said of the speculation. "I'm only focused on Detroit, helping the Cardinals win football games at the moment. So whatever rumors you're talking about, I don't pay it no mind." Other teams are doing their due diligence on the struggling wideout, but sources say that the Cardinals are not actively shopping Harrison. The Indianapolis Colts are a team considering trading for Harrison, the son of Marvin Harrison Sr., the Hall of Famer who has multiple Colts receiving records. Indy has struggled to produce explosive plays on offense since putting receiver Alec Pierce (heel) on Injured Reserve. Harrison has reached a low point early in his third NFL season and has only five receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown through four games. A change of scenery might be exactly what the young wideout needs to turn things around.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss and Stephen Holder

Oct 8, 2026, 10:18 PM ET

Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) took the stand in his assault and battery civil trial on Thursday and denied allegations that he ever physically abused his estranged wife while also saying he was "deeply ashamed" for having threatened his wife's safety by saying he was "able to get people to hurt her," according to ESPN's Xuan Thai. The NFL is reviewing Hill's personal conduct, and his agent said that Hill could be close to negotiating a new NFL contract after recovering from knee surgery that ended his final season with the Miami Dolphins early in 2025. Reports have suggested that Hill is most likely to rejoin the Kansas City Chiefs, who are on bye in Week 5, after they drafted him in the fifth round in 2016 out of West Alabama. Hill repeatedly denied abusive behavior and claimed most of their disagreements surrounded financial concerns he had with respect to a post-nuptial agreement that he claims she would not sign. It remains to be seen if Hill will face any discipline from the league if he signs with a new team, but for now, with his return to the NFL potentially coming soon, the Cheetah is worth stashing, especially if he rejoins the Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid. The 32-year-old eight-time Pro Bowler has six 1,000-yard seasons, including a league-high 1,799 receiving yards in 2023 with Miami.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Xuan Thai

Oct 8, 2026, 9:58 PM ET

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London got off to a rough start to the 2026 season, recording just six catches for 80 yards on 10 targets across his first two games. However, London has been a completely different player since the Falcons got starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. back from injury in Week 3. Over the past two weeks, London has hauled in 14 catches for 300 yards on 16 targets. Even with the slow start and his lack of touchdown luck so far, London ranks as the WR14 in PPR scoring. The 25-year-old has been targeted on 35.6% of Penix Jr.'s pass attempts, so his production could reach an even higher level if Atlanta is forced into some more pass-heavy game scripts in the weeks to come. As long as he stays healthy, London carries top-12 wide receiver upside for fantasy managers going forward.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:45 PM ET

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has largely underperformed preseason expectations so far in 2026, recording 14 catches for 233 yards on 20 targets across four games. However, the 24-year-old is coming off his best game of the season in Week 4, hauling in six receptions for 94 yards on seven targets against the New York Jets. Week 4 was Chicago's first game with backup quarterback Tyson Bagent under center. Bagent is set to make another start in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, which could be a good thing for Odunze's production. Bears QB1 Caleb Williams (hamstring) should also be back from his hamstring injury within the next few weeks, which obviously raises the ceiling of Odunze and the rest of the Bears' pass-catchers. As the Bears offense gets healthier, Odunze could re-establish himself as a top-24 wide receiver for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:30 PM ET

Four games into his 2026 campaign, Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has recorded 17 catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns on 23 targets. Heading into Week 5, Fannin Jr. currently ranks as the TE7 in overall PPR fantasy scoring and the TE8 on a per-game basis. The 22-year-old has recorded back-to-back games with a touchdown catch and has seen at least five targets in three consecutive contests. Cleveland has gotten solid production from rookie wide receivers KC Concepcion Jr. and Denzel Boston, which could threaten to take some work off Fannin Jr.'s plate. Still, the Browns offense has been surprisingly competent overall this season, and Fannin Jr. appears to be emerging as a preferred red zone option for Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson. As long as he stays healthy, Fannin Jr. profiles as a solid top-12 tight end option for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:22 PM ET

A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II has spent most of his career to this point in a reserve role. However, with star Dolphins back De'Von Achane (knee) out for the remainder of 2026 after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, Gordon II could be in position to take over the RB1 role in Miami. Gordon II had a big day in Miami's first full game without Achane in Week 4, recording nine carries for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. While the Dolphins also gave backfield work to Jaylen Wright (foot) in Week 4, Gordon II was clearly the more productive of the two backs. Heading into Week 5, Wright is battling a foot injury and may not even be active for the Dolphins' upcoming matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. If Gordon II plays well for a second straight week against the Bengals, he could cement himself as the clear lead back for the Dolphins.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:12 PM ET

Across four games so far in 2026, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten has recorded 60 carries for 277 yards and two touchdowns. Tuten has split rushing work to some degree with fellow Jaguars back Chris Rodriguez Jr., who has tallied 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season. However, Tuten has emerged as the clear lead back in Jacksonville in recent weeks, recording back-to-back games with at least 17 touches and 90 yards from scrimmage in Weeks 3 and 4. The 23-year-old currently ranks as the RB15 in half-PPR scoring and could only be on his way up as the season progresses. As long as Jacksonville's key offensive pieces around him stay healthy, Tuten profiles as a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside for fantasy managers going forward.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 8:59 PM ET

Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (foot) was added to the Week 5 injury report with a foot injury on Thursday and was listed as a limited participant in practice, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. It remains to be seen if Wright had a setback with a foot injury that caused him to miss the Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but we should have a better idea of his status for this weekend's contest at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins are already without starter De'Von Achane (knee) for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, so if Wright cannot play this weekend, Ollie Gordon II should handle a hefty backfield role as the Dolphins look for their first win of the season. Although the 23-year-old Wright only has eight carries for 17 yards and no receptions through three games, he is a worthwhile fantasy handcuff who could eventually have a bigger role alongside Gordon if he can stay healthy. Wright is currently rostered in just under 20% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones

Oct 8, 2026, 8:38 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) was limited in Thursday's practice for the second straight day this week. Goedert sprained the MCL in his right knee in the Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans and has missed the last two games, but he is tracking towards a potential return this weekend when the team travels to London to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The timing of Goedert's return could not be better, with both receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring) both questionable to play this weekend due to hamstring injuries. If Goedert is not cleared to return this weekend, veteran Zach Ertz will certainly be in play as a streamer in two-TE fantasy leagues. Goedert had four catches on five targets for 77 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 1 win over the division-rival Washington Commanders and would immediately be back in the TE1 conversation in fantasy if he plays in London on Sunday. Check back on Friday to see if Goedert can sidestep a designation heading into the weekend.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Philadelphia Eagles

Oct 8, 2026, 8:25 PM ET

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (foot) was a full participant in practice on Thursday after he was held out of practice on Wednesday, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Pollard has been battling through a minor foot injury in recent weeks, but he has not missed any games and should be good to go for Sunday's divisional tilt against the winless Houston Texans. The 29-year-old has a lower ceiling because of Tennessee's weak offense and the presence of pass-catching back Tyjae Spears. However, fantasy managers cannot really complain that Pollard has seen at least 14 rushing attempts in each of the last three games after carrying the ball just seven times for 35 yards in the Week 1 loss to the New York Jets. Pollard had 16 attempts for 48 yards and his first touchdown of 2026 in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, adding two catches for two yards as a receiver. He should be viewed as more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex as the Titans look for their first win of the season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: TennesseeTitans.com - Jim Wyatt

Oct 8, 2026, 8:19 PM ET

Tennessee Titans rookie first-round wide receiver Carnell Tate (back) was added to the Week 5 injury report on Thursday and was listed as limited in practice due to a back injury. Midweek injuries are always worth watching closely going into the weekend. The 21-year-old was a full participant on Wednesday, so he could have been injured on Thursday. The fourth overall pick in April from Ohio State got off to a rather slow start in his first year in the NFL with second-year quarterback Cam Ward still learning, but he busted out with a nine-catch, 145-yard performance in the Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. It would be a bad time for Tate to have to miss some time going into this weekend's game against the division-rival Houston Texans, who are also looking for their first win of the season. If Tate's back injury keeps him from playing on Sunday, Wan'Dale Robinson will become a strong flex play in PPR formats, while Elic Ayomanor and Calvin Ridley should also be on the field more. Check back on Friday to find Tate's official designation going into the weekend.--Keith Hernandez
Source: TennesseeTitans.com - Jim Wyatt

Oct 8, 2026, 7:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (foot) was listed as a non-participant in Thursday's practice for the second straight day this week. McConkey played through a foot injury in last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but he aggravated it and was pulled in the third quarter, to give fantasy managers a donut on the day. The 24-year-old has been described as both week-to-week and day-to-day, but with two DNPs under his belt so far this week, he is looking more doubtful than probable as the Bolts look for their first win of the season this Sunday at home against the division-rival Denver Broncos. Even if McConkey returns to practice on Friday, he could be a game-time decision for Sunday's game at SoFi Stadium. Quentin Johnston (chest) has been limited in practice this week as well, so Tre' Harris could have a big workload this weekend against Denver if McConkey is inactive. McConkey had five catches for 82 yards and a score in the season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but he has caught only seven passes for 101 yards and no touchdowns over the last three games. Fantasy managers should prepare for McConkey to potentially miss the Week 5 contest.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Los Angeles Chargers

Oct 8, 2026, 7:24 PM ET

San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Mike Evans (ribs) did not practice on Thursday and only ran on a side field, but he was upbeat at his locker when talking to reporters, and the Bay Area Sports Group's Cam Inman expects Evans to play on Sunday in Seattle against the division-rival Seahawks. Evans suffered a painful rib injury in the Week 3 win over the division-rival Arizona Cardinals last week, but he managed to play in Sunday's 24-14 win over the Denver Broncos and caught five of a season-high eight targets for a season-high 76 yards. The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer was downgraded this week after being limited in practice on Wednesday, but the former first-rounder appears to be on the right side of questionable for Week 5. The six-time Pro Bowler may not be 100% healthy all year, but he is one of the tougher receivers in the game and will continue to be quarterback Brock Purdy's top option in the passing game if he is active. The risk of an in-game setback on Sunday is real for Evans, but if he is active this weekend, he should be a low-end WR2 for fantasy football lineups.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Bay Area News Group - Cam Inman

Oct 8, 2026, 6:32 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) was injured in the Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday and is now not expected to play in Week 5 in London this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Barkley's hamstring is not considered a major injury, but he is considered week-to-week and has missed the first two practices of the week. Backup Tank Bigsby (abdomen) had core-muscle surgery and was placed on Injured Reserve, so it is suddenly looking like Will Shipley will be the Eagles' primary option out of the backfield this weekend against the Jags. The Eagles added Dameon Pierce to their active roster this week amidst the injuries at the position, but he will likely take a back seat to Shipley this weekend if, in fact, Barkley is eventually ruled out. Although it is not official yet, fantasy managers should move Barkley to their bench this week. The three-time Pro Bowler has yet to find the end zone through four games in 2026, but he is averaging 5.1 yards per carry on his 36 rushing attempts in his third year in Philly.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport