October 27, 2025
The Arizona Cardinals released veteran running back
Michael Carter on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. It comes as a surprise with the Cardinals coming off their Week 8 bye.
James Conner (foot) is already out for the year, and
Trey Benson (knee) isn't eligible to come off Injured Reserve until Week 10.
Bam Knight became the team's RB1 several weeks before the Cardinals went on bye, but
Emari Demercado (ankle) was unable to play in Week 7, so Arizona's RB depth was already a bit thin. With Carter now on the street,
D'Ernest Johnson and
Jermar Jefferson would be the next men up behind Knight in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys if Demercado misses another game. In his four games with the Cardinals, Carter averaged just 2.8 yards per carry for 97 rushing yards and a touchdown on 35 carries.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
October 27, 2025
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said on Monday that quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be day-to-day this week, according to Terrin Waack of AtlantaFalcons.com. Penix suffered a bone bruise in his knee late in the Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and did not play in Sunday's upset loss to the visiting Miami Dolphins. Atlanta's offense didn't have any juice with both Penix and top receiver
Drake London (hip) both inactive. Backup QB
Kirk Cousins fell flat in his first start of 2025, throwing for only 173 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions against a soft Dolphins defense. It's unclear if Penix will be able to return to action in Week 9 against the New England Patriots, and it will depend on how much he's able to do at practice this week. If Penix makes progress and returns on Sunday against the Pats, he'll be back in play as a midrange QB2 in fantasy football lineups.
--Keith HernandezSource: AtlantaFalcons.com - Terrin Waack
October 27, 2025
Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said on Monday that wide receiver
Drake London (hip) will be day-to-day this week, according to Terrin Waack of AtlantaFalcons.com. London was a late addition to last week's injury report with a hip injury and ended up being inactive for the team's upset loss to the visiting Miami Dolphins on Sunday in Week 8.
Darnell Mooney was a bust as Atlanta's WR1 with London out, as he caught just one pass on the day. Tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. was the primary beneficiary in the passing game for a Falcons offense that couldn't get anything going with backup quarterback
Kirk Cousins running the show, with
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) also out. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on London's practice statuses this week, but if he's able to play in Week 9 against the New England Patriots, he should be considered a must-start in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: AtlantaFalcons.com - Terrin Waack
October 27, 2025
The Washington Commanders announced on Monday that kicker
Matt Gay (back) has been downgraded to out for the Week 8 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. In a corresponding move, the team signed
Matthew Wright to the active 53-man roster from the practice squad, and he will serve as their placekicker in Kansas City. The team also released wide receiver
Robbie Chosen from the practice squad. It's unclear if Gay's back injury is serious enough to keep him out for another game in Week 9 when the team squares off against the Seattle Seahawks. Wright, who is in his sixth season in the NFL, played in one game for the Tennessee Titans this year, making his only field-goal attempt and his only extra-point try. He is a career 87.5% field-goal kicker in his 30 NFL games with six different teams. Wright should be avoided in DFS lineups in a tough road matchup with starting quarterback
Jayden Daniels (hamstring) sidelined.
--Keith HernandezSource: Washington Commanders
October 27, 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback
Carson Wentz (shoulder) will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder and will be placed on Injured Reserve, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. To fill Wentz's spot on the active 53-man roster, the Vikings claimed tight end
Ben Sims on waivers from the division-rival Green Bay Packers. The 32-year-old Wentz started the team's last five games with
J.J. McCarthy working his way back from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Wentz was in undeniable pain every time he was hit last Thursday night's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and now he won't play again this year. There were questions as to whether McCarthy would be ready to play in Week 9 against the division-rival Detroit Lions, but now that Wentz is out, the Vikes will be left with
Max Brosmer if McCarthy isn't cleared to start this Sunday. Wentz finishes his 10th year in the NFL with 1,216 passing yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions in his five starts.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
October 27, 2025
The Los Angeles Rams placed wide receiver
Tutu Atwell (hamstring) on Injured Reserve on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Now that he's on IR, Atwell will be forced to miss at least four games and won't be eligible to return until Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 30. The 26-year-old has been a depth option for the Rams' WR corps this year, but he did have a two-week streak with three catches, 160 yards and a touchdown as a deep threat for quarterback
Matthew Stafford. He was unable to capitalize on
Puka Nacua's (ankle) absence in Week 6 in London in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in which he played just 10 offensive snaps due to his hamstring injury. While Atwell is on the shelf, look for Jordan Whitting to play a bigger role as a complementary piece behind Nacua and
Davante Adams, who have been target hogs in the Rams' passing attack.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
October 27, 2025
The New Orleans Saints have not made a decision yet on who they will start at quarterback between
Spencer Rattler and rookie
Tyler Shough in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. "We just got done closing the book on this Tampa Bay game. We'll now start beginning soon our plan for the Rams," head coach Kellen Moore said. The head coach said the move to bench Rattler for Shough in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was just about "trying to create a spark in that specific game." Rattler went 15-for-21 passing for 136 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception on Sunday, and he now has four picks in the last two weeks after throwing one interception in the first six weeks. Shough wasn't much better against Tampa, going 17-for-30 for 128 yards, no TDs, and one pick. Whoever starts in Week 9 should be avoided for fantasy purposes against the Rams.
--Keith HernandezSource: NewOrleans.Football - Mike Triplett
October 27, 2025
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that "all went well" with rookie running back
Cam Skattebo's ankle surgery on Monday, according to Dan Salomone of Giants.com. "He's recovering. Obviously, he'll be missed. On the road to recovery," Daboll said. Skattebo suffered a gruesome-looking dislocated right ankle in Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and had to be carted off the field. While there is no official timetable for the 23-year-old Arizona State product's return, he will miss the rest of his rookie season. It's a very disappointing end to 2025 for the fourth-round pick, who ran for 410 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries while adding 24 catches for 207 yards and two more scores in his first eight games in the NFL. With Skattebo done for the rest of the year,
Tyrone Tracy Jr. will be New York's lead back, with
Devin Singletary elevating into RB2 duties.
--Keith HernandezSource: Giants.com - Dan Salomone
October 27, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
Joe Flacco (shoulder) is being considered day-to-day with a shoulder injury after the team's Week 8 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, according to head coach Zac Taylor. Flacco is sore the day after the team's one-point loss. In the 39-38 loss, the 40-year-old signal-caller went 21-for-34 passing for 233 yards and two touchdowns while adding 14 rushing yards and a third touchdown. The Bengals gave the Jets their first win of the year, but Flacco was once again very adequate for fantasy managers who had him in their starting lineups. He has thrown for over 200 yards in each of his three starts with the Bengals, and he has made receiver
Ja'Marr Chase elite again. While it sounds like Flacco's injury isn't a serious one, fantasy managers will want to monitor his status ahead of the Week 9 game versus the Chicago Bears.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Ben Baby
October 27, 2025
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Monday that "we'll see how he progresses this week" when asked about wide receiver
Nico Collins' (head) status in the league's concussion protocol. Collins is "doing well and trending toward a return" for a Week 9 contest against the Denver Broncos at this point, a source told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The 26-year-old was unable to practice last week and didn't play in Sunday's win over the visiting San Francisco 49ers, but if he can get back on the field this week, he's trending toward playing this Sunday in a tough matchup against Denver. With fellow wideout
Christian Kirk (hamstring) missing a second straight game over the weekend,
Xavier Hutchinson led the team in receiving yards, with rookies
Jaylin Noel and
Jayden Higgins also seeing expanded workloads. Collins will be a must-start in Week 9 if he's cleared from the concussion protocol.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
October 27, 2025
Multiple NFL teams have "shown interest" in trading for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver
Jakobi Meyers, who is in the final year of his contract and has publicly said he still wants to be traded, sources tell Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. However, teams have "had a hard time getting a clear read on whether Las Vegas is truly willing to move him." The belief is that it would take at least "a Day 2 pick" for the Raiders to even consider moving him. The 28-year-old missed the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs due to knee and toe injuries, but he's expected to be ready to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9 after a bye in Week 8. A change of scenery might be what Meyers needs to get going, as he has a 29-329-0 line through six games in 2025 while working with quarterback
Geno Smith. If Meyers is traded,
Tre Tucker and rookies
Dont'e Thornton Jr. and
Jack Bech would start in three-wide sets for the Raiders.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
October 27, 2025
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Puka Nacua (ankle) is expected to practice on Wednesday and play in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, according to head coach Sean McVay. Nacua injured his left ankle in the Week 6 win over the Baltimore Ravens and was held out for the team's Week 7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. The Rams were on their bye in Week 8, and it sounds like Nacua has made enough progress to be able to return this weekend against the Saints. If he is active, fantasy managers need to get the second-year wideout back into all starting lineups. Even with one fewer game played than many of the other receivers in the league, Nacua ranks as the WR5 in half-PPR scoring with 54 receptions on 65 targets for 616 yards and two touchdowns through six games played in 2025. Even with
Davante Adams in town, quarterback
Matthew Stafford looks Nacua's way more often than not when he drops back to pass.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Daily News - Adam Grosbard
October 27, 2025
When asked about the team's running back situation involving both
Rico Dowdle and
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said, "Chuba Hubbard has meant a lot to this team. We wanted to give him an opportunity following his calf injury. But we can't ignore the fact that Rico [Dowdle] has been exceptional." Canales' tone "suggests Dowdle will get a heavier workload," according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. In the team's Week 8 loss to the Buffalo Bills with a negative game script, Dowdle had eight carries for 54 yards and wasn't targeted in the passing game on just 36% of the offensive snaps. Meanwhile, Hubbard had a team-high 12 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown and didn't catch his only target on 57% of the snaps. Dowdle was more efficient on the ground on Sunday and has 123 yards on 25 carries in the two games since Hubbard returned from injury. Even if Dowdle sees a bit more work going forward, this backfield split is going to cap his fantasy value every week.
--Keith HernandezSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
October 27, 2025
Carolina Panthers quarterback
Bryce Young (ankle) had a good running session on Monday, according to his head coach, Dave Canales. While he is still considered day-to-day, there is a chance he returns this week after missing one game with an ankle injury. With
Andy Dalton running the show in a Week 8 loss to the Bills, the Panthers' offense struggled mightily, failing to gain 250 total yards and turning the ball over three times. While Dalton completed only 16 passes on the day, seven of those went to
Tetairoa McMillan for 99 yards, signaling that the rookie receiver should be able to produce a safe fantasy floor on volume alone, regardless of who is under center when the Panthers face the Packers in Week 9.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
October 27, 2025
In what is becoming part of his weekly routine, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters on Monday that he has no update on the injury status of Pro Bowl running back
Joe Mixon (foot). Mixon has been on the team's NFI list since the beginning of training camp after injuring his ankle/foot during a spring workout. More than halfway through the fantasy football regular season, managers who have kept him stashed on IR are potentially weighing their options as injuries continue to mount around the league. With the emergence of rookie
Woody Marks and the loudening rumors that Mixon could miss the entirety of the season, he should no longer be viewed as a must-hold. At the same time, managers with the luxury of an open IR spot should monitor their own league's waivers, as he's dropped in more leagues each week.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Aaron Wilson
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