RADIO
Mavrik Bourque Sustains Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Nashville Predators forward Mavrik Bourque (upper body) exited early against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. He suffered an upper-body injury in the second period. Nashville also lost William Trudeau (upper body) during the game, making it a horrible injury night for the team. Bourque has started his career in Nashville with one assist in four games. He'll be expected to improve his production as the season goes on. Bourque's absence from the lineup would elevate Jack Drury's role. Nashville's next game will be on Saturday against Ottawa.
Source: Nashville Predators
Source: Nashville Predators
Patrick Surtain II Could Avoid the Injured Reserve
Denver Broncos star cornerback Patrick Surtain II (ankle) might avoid the injured reserve list after an ankle sprain in the 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Surtain suffered a non-contact ankle injury that cost him most of the second half in Week 4 and appeared likely to head to the IR, which would cost him at least four games. However, head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that he doesn't expect Surtain and wide receiver Pat Bryant to be placed on the list. The star corner has allowed 107 receiving yards on nine receptions while in coverage, well below his previous coverage stats. While he's expected to miss multiple weeks, Surtain could return before Week 9 and should be a tough test for any wide receiver moving forward.
Source: Zac Stevens - DNVR
Source: Zac Stevens - DNVR
Pat Bryant Could Avoid the Injured Reserve
Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant (ankle) may avoid the injured reserve after the ankle injury he sustained in the 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Bryant had his ankle trapped beneath him and was carted off the field, prompting reports that he would be placed on the IR. However, both Bryant and star cornerback Pat Surtain might avoid the list despite reports that they would miss the next four weeks. To start his second season, Bryant has hauled in nine of 12 targets for 133 yards and a touchdown, while adding 16 rushing yards on one carry. While he's expected to miss multiple weeks, if Bryant stays off the injured reserve, that would be good news for his fantasy outlook this season, though he should only be rostered in deeper leagues.
Source: Zac Stevens - DNVR
Source: Zac Stevens - DNVR
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Exits With Injury Thursday
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (undisclosed) was injured in the final few minutes of Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He exited the game after taking a hit from Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller didn't have an update on Ekman-Larsson after the game, leaving him questionable for Saturday's tilt against Colorado. It's been a slow start to the season for Ekman-Larsson, who is pointless after five games. If Ekman-Larsson can't play this weekend, Nick Blankenburg would get a chance to make his Maple Leafs debut.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Lamar Jackson Not Looking Great for Week 5
Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) is not looking great for the Week 5 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Jackson suffered an ankle sprain late in the first half of Week 4's win over the Tennessee Titans and couldn't return. He hasn't practiced on Wednesday or Thursday, and Rapoport says, "It's not looking great for his status for Sunday night." In four games this season, Jackson has completed 68 of 96 passes for 967 yards, with six touchdowns and one interception, and has added 144 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Friday's practice will be key to determining Jackson's status against Atlanta, but if he is unable to play in Week 5, Tyler Huntley will take over as the starter.
Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
Bo Horvat Suffers Injury Late in Thursday's Win
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is being evaluated for an upper-body injury, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports. The Islanders captain took a late hit while scoring an empty-net goal in Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar, who delivered the hit, received a match penalty for his actions. Horvat has been in prolific early-season form and scored twice in Thursday's win. He has found the back of the net in three straight games and is the fourth Islanders player in the past decade to start a season with a four-game point streak. Overall, Horvat has recorded five points (four goals, one assist) in four games. His absence would be a major blow to the Islanders, who have already started the season without Mathew Barzal (knee).
Source: Andrew Gross
Source: Andrew Gross
CeeDee Lamb Suffers Quad Bruise on Thursday Night
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (quad) suffered a quad bruise in the 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lamb was listed as questionable to return in the fourth quarter and made several attempts to reenter the game but couldn't produce late. After a hot start to his 2026 season, the star receiver caught only two of five targets for nine yards on Thursday night, marking the fourth-worst game of his NFL career. While the injury cost him playing time, it was only a bruise, not a strain, which is good news for his outlook, especially with a few extra days before they face the Green Bay Packers in Week 6. If his injury is worse than expected, George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy should see a bigger role, though it seems unlikely Lamb will miss time.
Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
Kewan Lacy Questionable for Saturday
Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy (shoulder) was listed on Thursday's injury report as questionable for Saturday's road test against Vanderbilt. It was previously reported that Lacy would be good to go, yet he remains on the report as questionable, which puts his status up in the air. If he's unable to go, the Rebels will lean on Makhi Frazier and JT Lindsey to carry the load on the ground. Lacy has not played since exiting the LSU game back on September 19.
Source: SEC Availability Report
Source: SEC Availability Report
Kyren Williams Boasting Workhorse Volume
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has separated himself from teammate Blake Corum over the past few weeks, potentially cementing his role as the team's workhorse. In the first two games, Williams and Corum split rushing attempts 23-22, while the former was the primary receiving option. Flip ahead to the previous two weeks, and Williams handily led the attack with 31 carries to 11. Additionally, the 26-year-old has handled a massive receiving workload over that span (16/137[20 targets]). While you can't expect that kind of monster line weekly, the Rams' offense has a consolidated target tree and boasts the ninth-highest throw rate (61.96%). If the receiving usage sticks, Williams could take his game to a whole new level.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
RJ Harvey Flaunting Receiving Upside
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey has been central to the offense's passing attack, leading the team with 20 receptions. The second-year pro has capitalized on quarterback Bo Nix's willingness to throw it underneath, hauling in at least four receptions in each of his appearances. Harvey has been excellent; only he and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (16) have hit double digits in catches, and he could remain frequently utilized if wideout Pat Bryant (ankle) misses Sunday's divisional matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. Some of the offensive flow may change with head coach Sean Payton slated for playcalling duties, but Harvey is trending positively despite limited production on the ground. Encouragingly, he's outpaced backfield mate J.K. Dobbins in snaps twice in three games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tucker Kraft Poised for Second-Half Surge?
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft has shown well thus far in 2026 despite working back from a significant injury. Kraft tore his right ACL during Green Bay's Week 9 loss to the Panthers in 2025, but it hasn't slowed him much. The South Dakota native has eclipsed 90% of the team's snaps twice in four appearances and drew at least six targets in all but one. It isn't all roses for Kraft, as wide receivers Matthew Golden and Christian Watson are legitimate earners in the offense. However, the 25-year-old should only get more effective as the season wanes. Kraft was a force before the knee injury derailed his 2025 campaign, and he could be rounding into form just in time for a series of softer matchups.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
DK Metcalf in Command of Steelers' WR Corps
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf is emerging as the team's undisputed WR1 in the early portion of 2026. Metcalf's first season with Pittsburgh was fine, although there was definitely meat left on the bone. Fast forward to this year, and the situation is already vastly superior. For starters, the eighth-year pro is at 33 targets through four weeks, putting him on pace for 140 over 17 games. That's nearly a 50% increase from his 99 in 2025. Furthermore, Metcalf is the clear leader in Pittsburgh's WR corps, easily outpacing the team's second-leading target-getter, Roman Wilson (24). There will always be some boom-bust in the former Ole' Miss product's game, but his role is valuable, and he's being targeted like a true alpha for the time being. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers appears to have his trust. The spike weeks will come.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Deebo Samuel Sr. Finding His Groove Back in San Fran
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. has wasted no time reacquainting himself with head coach Kyle Shanahan's system in 2026, as evidenced by strong early-season production. The 30-year-old is already up to three touchdowns in San Francisco's first four games, half of his total from a 2025 stint with the Commanders. There may be some inconsistency, since Samuel currently ranks fourth in targets and receptions behind fellow wideout Mike Evans (ribs), tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey. Still, he's involved in the rushing game and is tied with Kittle for the team lead among pass catchers with five red-zone opportunities. Samuel is slated for an imposing Seattle defense in Week 5, though he could get some extra work with Evans banged up a bit.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Ryan Flournoy Could See Fantasy Value Rise After Teammate's Injury
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy caught three of his four targets for 90 receiving yards in his team's upset loss in Week 5 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cowboys WR1 CeeDee Lamb (quad) aggravated a quad injury he was dealing with early in the week before the game, and if he's not able to return to action for Week 6, Flournoy would immediately have value as a fantasy football WR3/flex with upside. Additionally, Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson failed to haul in a deep pass late in the fourth quarter on Thursday Night Football, which resulted in a ricochet that was intercepted by a Tampa Bay defender. This gaffe led to a game-sealing first down by the Bucs. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott could become more reluctant to throw the ball Ferguson's way, and would naturally look to Flournoy to step up and absorb more targets. With two important factors pointing to a potential increase in Flournoy's involvement in the passing game, his fantasy value is on the rise ahead of a Week 6 showdown with the struggling Green Bay Packers.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Emeka Egbuka's Value Bounces Back After Productive Week 5 Outing
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka got a small boost after he rushed one time for 14 yards and a touchdown and caught six of his nine targets for 38 yards in his team's Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys. His yardage totals have been severely lacking so far this season, and he mustered just 52 yards total in the game, but his starting quarterback was out with a thumb injury. The touchdown rush accounted for over 43 percent of his fantasy production, but it's refreshing to see him getting goal-line work regardless. Tampa Bay's offense has been one of the most disappointing in the league, but Egbuka reaffirmed his WR1 status, and when QB1 Baker Mayfield (thumb) returns, they'll have a chance to turn things around. For now, the road remains rocky, as undrafted free agent QB Jalon Daniels is set to start again in Week 6. But there is a glimmer of hope that Egbuka can remain heavily targeted and start to pay off his fourth-round redraft ADP.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
