Russell Wilson A Low-End QB1 In Week 18 Versus The Bengals 645dLink copied!

Oct 11, 2026, 9:13 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley is expected to earn the start on Sunday, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The third-year back will occupy an expanded role with Saquon Barkley (hamstring) and Tank Bigsby (core) both sidelined for Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Not only is Shipley earning the start, but he is also in line to handle the bulk of the workload, leaving fewer opportunities for players like Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele. While fantasy managers remain disappointed that Barkley and Bigsby are unavailable, Shipley should still emerge as a high-end RB3 or low-end RB2. After all, he looked solid in the aftermath of injuries to Barkley and Bigsby last Sunday, rushing for 23 yards on six carries while handling a 48% snap share. The game script for Sunday against Jacksonville isn't great, but we still expect Shipley to carve out a sizable role.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Dave Zangaro

Oct 11, 2026, 9:08 AM ET

Rival executives have wondered if the Philadelphia Eagles might trade away running back Saquon Barkley before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Eagles are off to a disappointing start with injuries on both sides of the ball, but it's also worth noting that overcoming a 2-2 start is definitely possible, so we'd be surprised to see the Eagles wave the white flag already. With that being said, their offensive line took a major hit earlier this month as the team traded Cam Jurgens to Baltimore and watched Lane Johnson retire out of the blue. Barkley (hamstring) is certainly an appealing trade target for most contending teams, but his injury, his recent track record, and the Eagles' No. 2 spot in the standings are three factors that could make a trade less likely.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Ian Rapoport

Oct 11, 2026, 9:03 AM ET

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (hamstring) will work out prior to Sunday's Week 5 contest against the New Orleans Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Addison is listed as questionable, and the workout will determine whether he's able to suit up on Sunday against the Saints. The 24-year-old has taken on a larger role lately with Justin Jefferson (ankle) sidelined, catching nine passes for 142 yards and one touchdown across two games. Jefferson is also questionable and will undergo pregame testing, but he has previously said that he'll do whatever he can to play in Louisiana, where he went to college. It's worth noting that if Jefferson plays, Addison's fantasy value would drop to the fringe low-end WR3 range for Week 5.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Ian Rapoport

Oct 11, 2026, 8:59 AM ET

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) will work out ahead of Sunday's Week 5 contest against the New Orleans Saints to determine whether he's able to play, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The 27-year-old receiver is listed as questionable, and he previously said that he'll do whatever he can to play in Louisiana, where he played college football. Jefferson had 92 yards and two touchdowns back in Week 1, but he followed that up with a modest 8.5-point showing in PPR leagues. Then, he exited early in Week 3 and was inactive for Week 4. If Jefferson does play on Sunday, it'll be his first full game with quarterback Kyler Murray. The jury is still out on whether Murray can support consistent WR1 production from Jefferson in fantasy football.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Ian Rapoport

Oct 11, 2026, 8:55 AM ET

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (back) is expected to play in Sunday's Week 5 contest against the Minnesota Vikings, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The veteran ball-carrier is listed as questionable but continues to trend in the wrong direction ahead of Sunday's game. Kamara has played fewer than 40% of the snaps in each of his last three games, but he has been able to maintain his fantasy relevance with 11 catches over these contests. Kamara's fantasy value in Week 5 will likely continue to be driven by how well he performs when Tyler Shough throws him the football. As it stands, the Vikings have allowed the eighth-fewest rushing yards and seventh-fewest receiving yards to running backs in 2026, leaving Kamara in the high-end RB3 tier for Sunday's game.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Ian Rapoport

Oct 11, 2026, 8:33 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle (toe) is not expected to play in Sunday's Week 5 contest against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. He is officially listed as questionable, and the team will confirm his status during pregame warmups. Dowdle is trying to work his way back from a toe injury that has sidelined him since the start of Week 3. The 28-year-old hadn't been overly productive prior to his injury, and fantasy managers should be concerned that he has only lost ground to Jaylen Warren over the past couple of weeks. Warren remains a mid-to-high RB2 with Dowdle sidelined. If Dowdle does end up returning next week, he'll likely rank as a low-end RB3/flex in leagues with 12+ teams.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Adam Schefter

Oct 11, 2026, 8:28 AM ET

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (knee) is expected to be active for Sunday's Week 5 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Stevenson practiced in a limited capacity all week long, and he was officially listed as questionable entering this weekend. The 28-year-old has been significantly more productive than fellow running back TreVeyon Henderson so far, but he runs into a tougher matchup in the form of the Raiders, who have allowed the fifth-fewest receptions to running backs in 2026. If Stevenson gets bottled up in the receiving game, he may have trouble posting decent efficiency numbers on the ground. As a result, he's a bit of a riskier high-end RB3/flex play this week.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Ian Rapoport

Oct 11, 2026, 8:24 AM ET

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (foot) is not expected to play in Sunday's Week 5 contest against the Denver Broncos, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. McConkey did not practice this past week, and he is officially listed as questionable. Injuries have limited the 24-year-old to fewer than 50% of the offensive snaps in three of his four games so far this season, resulting in a modest 12 catches for 183 yards and one touchdown. With both McConkey and Quentin Johnston (chest) sidelined, quarterback Justin Herbert is limited in terms of with whom he can throw the football. Presumably, Tre' Harris will serve as his top target against Denver on Sunday.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Adam Schefter

Oct 11, 2026, 8:17 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (foot) is expected to be active for Sunday's Week 5 contest against the Atlanta Falcons, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Flowers had been listed as questionable, but he's trending toward suiting up for Sunday Night Football. With that being said, his fantasy stock is still expected to decline as he will be catching passes from backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. Flowers remains in must-start territory for fantasy purposes, but his floor with Huntley is significantly lower than his floor with Lamar Jackson (ankle). Fortunately for Flowers' fantasy managers, the Falcons have surrendered the fifth-fewest yards and the eighth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers so far in 2026.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Adam Schefter

Oct 11, 2026, 8:13 AM ET

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (foot, ankle) hopes to play in Sunday's Week 5 contest against the New England Patriots, but he will work out pregame to confirm his availability, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Jeanty is reportedly dealing with a flare-up of plantar fasciitis, along with a separate ankle injury. Rapoport reported that the probability of Jeanty suiting up is "not definite," so fantasy managers should at least explore making alternate plans in case he's ruled out 90 minutes before kickoff. In that scenario, Mike Washington Jr. would take over the lead-back role against a strong Patriots defensive front. Alternatively, if Jeanty plays, he would rank as a mid-to-low RB1 in fantasy football despite the specific matchup.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Ian Rapoport

Oct 11, 2026, 3:46 AM ET

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee should continue to be viewed as a TE1 in fantasy football ahead of Monday's Week 5 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Higbee has been highly productive ever since Terrance Ferguson (ankle) went down in Week 3, and he'll remain in the starting tight end role until Ferguson returns from injured reserve later this season. In two games as the primary tight end, Higbee has an impressive 17 targets, 13 catches, 129 yards, and one touchdown. This isn't the most appealing matchup ever, as Buffalo has surrendered a modest 20 catches, 190 yards, and one touchdown to tight ends in 2026. With that being said, this is still the same Bills defense that let Hunter Henry finally break out with a season-high five catches for 62 yards. Therefore, we're optimistic that Higbee can be a top-12 scoring tight end in fantasy football this year.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 11, 2026, 3:41 AM ET

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams cooled off (by his standards) last week, but he could have a fantastic opportunity to bounce back as a productive pass-catcher and a fantasy WR2 during Monday's Week 5 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Adams has fetched at least nine targets in each of his last three games, and he went for over 135 yards in each of the two games that teammate Puka Nacua missed. Nacua is back now, but we don't think he's the direct reason for Adams ' quieter performance last week. Either way, he'll get a great opportunity to bounce back against the Bills, who have allowed the seventh-most receptions, fifth-most yards, second-most touchdowns, and fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2026. Adams remains firmly entrenched as a WR2 in fantasy lineups, with the potential for WR1 upside.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 11, 2026, 3:38 AM ET

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua returned to action following a two-week absence last Sunday, and he wasted no time returning to his elite form. After catching nine passes for 125 yards last week, Nacua returns to action this week with another favorable matchup and a projected high-volume role against the Buffalo Bills. We could be in for a shootout between Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford, which would bode well for both teams' fantasy contributors, including Nacua. He's the easy favorite to lead the Rams in receptions and yardage. Speaking of those two stats, the Bills have allowed the seventh-most receptions, fifth-most yards, second-most touchdowns, and fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2026. There's a real path to top-tier production from Nacua this week. Not only is he a must-start WR1, but he's a solid bet to finish as the top-scoring wide receiver in fantasy football this week.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 11, 2026, 3:32 AM ET

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum looked great throughout the first two weeks of the season. Not only was he running the ball with great efficiency, but he was also handling nearly as much volume as Kyren Williams. However, the entire backfield shifted starting in Week 3, and Corum has logged just 11 carries for 2.6 yards per carry in two games since then. To make matters worse, his snap share dropped to a staggeringly low mark of 15% last week. It appears the coaching staff has gone back to feeding Williams a ton of snaps and touches, stripping Corum of his RB3/flex appeal on a weekly basis. He's still one of the top handcuffs in fantasy football, but he lacks the standalone value that we saw from him in Weeks 1 and 2. As a result, Corum can be benched in most fantasy leagues for Week 5.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 11, 2026, 3:30 AM ET

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has been fantastic this season, posting at least 15 fantasy points (PPR) per game and ranking as the overall RB6 so far. He has been particularly dominant in the passing game, where he has a whopping 20 targets and 16 catches over his last two games alone. That should set him up incredibly well for Monday's Week 5 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, who have been exposed by running backs this year. In particular, the Bills defense has allowed the sixth-most catches, the sixth-most receiving yards, and the second-most receiving touchdowns to running backs this year. Given how well Williams has performed as a receiver (and, of course, as a runner), he's a must-start RB1 for this week's game against the Bills. In fact, we would not be surprised if this highly favorable matchup results in him finishing among the top three highest-scoring running backs this week.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 10, 2026, 11:16 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard could be headed for an increased role after the team placed Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) on injured reserve Saturday. Bernard is now third on the depth chart after Pittman's injury, putting him behind DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson in the pecking order. However, he could still get onto the fantasy radar as a WR3/flex in deeper leagues. After all, in the one previous game that Pittman missed last year, Bernard broke out for eight targets, four catches, and 35 yards on a 79% snap share. Those are pretty impressive numbers for a rookie, and we could see similar results if the Steelers choose to deploy him in Pittman's spot going forward. The rookie out of Alabama hasn't done much outside of that one game, but the Pittman injury figures to boost his stock and production significantly.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 10, 2026, 10:54 PM ET

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton was held without a target during his first game of the season in Week 2, but he has posted at least 7.6 fantasy points (PPR) in each of his two games since then. He caught three passes in Week 3, and last Sunday, he hauled in his first touchdown reception of the season. Horton is still fourth on the depth chart, but his youth and upside make him an intriguing stash in dynasty fantasy football leagues. We know the Colorado State product is capable of contributing consistently, as he scored four touchdowns in eight games last year. With that being said, it's hard to envision Horton having any weekly fantasy appeal as long as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, and Rashid Shaheed are healthy.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 10, 2026, 10:35 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (foot) remains on injured reserve, and although he is making progress in his recovery from last year's foot injury, there is no timetable for his return to action. Conner has now been sidelined for more than a full year after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 3 of the 2025 campaign. In the time since he picked up the injury, the Cardinals have completely revamped their backfield by drafting Jeremiyah Love and signing Tyler Allgeier. Love has clearly been the more productive of the two backs, but both have played well enough to stay in their respective roles, and Allgeier even has some matchup-dependent RB3/flex appeal. As a result, if Conner is activated at any point this season, it's hard to envision him any higher than third on the depth chart. As long as Love and Allgeier are healthy, Conner is an unappealing option in both redraft and dynasty formats.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 10, 2026, 10:21 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas could take on a larger role starting in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Patriots placed wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) on injured reserve Sunday, and they will also be without A.J. Brown (ankle) for at least one more week. As a result, New England is carrying just four wide receivers into Sunday's home game, with Douglas the presumptive No. 2 receiver behind Romeo Doubs. He and Hollins are different styles of receivers; the former offers a short-to-medium yardage outlet, while the latter makes physical catches downfield. However, it's still reasonable to expect that plenty of Hollins' vacated targets could go to Douglas, especially since the Patriots already have Doubs, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III to handle those aforementioned big plays downfield. The expanded role will vault Douglas into the WR3/flex conversation in deeper leagues, although the duration of his fantasy relevance will depend on how much more time Brown misses.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 10, 2026, 10:14 PM ET

Multiple NFL executives tapped into the trade market expect Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to be traded to the Houston Texans, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. A player source in the Cardinals organization also told Fowler that he expects the Texans to acquire Harrison. On Saturday morning, it was reported that the Cardinals were finalizing a trade with an undisclosed team for the former No. 3 overall pick, but the team's identity would not be revealed until after the trade became official. As the trade talks continue, Harrison will be inactive for Arizona's Week 5 contest against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. After two-plus years with the Cardinals, it looks like Harrison will get a much-needed fresh start elsewhere. The 24-year-old caught just 41 passes last season, and he has only five catches through four games to open the 2026 campaign. If the landing spot is indeed Houston, Harrison will get a quarterback upgrade in the form of C.J. Stroud. He could also find himself playing against a slightly easier group of cornerbacks, since most defenses will focus their efforts on covering Nico Collins. For the Texans, this move represents an urgency to get back in the win column and stay competitive in the AFC South. At 0-4, trading for Harrison allows Houston to reverse its woes this season, while also keeping him under team control through 2028 to stay competitive long-term. A trade to the Texans would presumably land Harrison in the WR3 range for fantasy football.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Jeremy Fowler