September 30, 2025
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy (toe) will remain sidelined during Tuesday's practice session. Purdy was a non-participant on Monday and is now in danger of missing their contest on Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams. While Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 due to this toe injury, he was able to return to action in Week 4, but is dealing with setbacks. In Week 4, Purdy went 22-for-38 with 309 passing yards and a 2:2 TD:INT during their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Purdy were to remain sidelined on Wednesday, he would likely cede starting duties on Thursday evening to
Mac Jones. Jones started in each of his two games he missed and averaged a solid 22.4 PPR points per game during this stretch. He would carry high-end QB2 value facing the Rams on Thursday night.
--Andy SmithSource: Adam Schefter
September 30, 2025
With
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) expected to miss Sunday's contests against the Houston Texans, the Ravens will likely turn to
Cooper Rush to serve as the QB1. Rush replaced Jackson during the Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend. The former Cowoby went 9-for-13 with 52 passing yards and no scores or interceptions. Last season, Rush served as the QB1 in Dallas for nearly half the season with
Dak Prescott sidelined. Through Weeks 9 through 17, Rush averaged 15.5 PPR points per game and held a solid 12:4 TD:INT. During this stretch, he averaged 1991. passing yards per game. Given his tough matchup this weekend against the Texans, who have allowed the fewest PPR points to opposing QBs, managers should only look to start Rush in deeper 14+ superflex formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Brian Wacker
September 30, 2025
According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Cleveland Browns are expected to turn to rookie
Dillon Gabriel to lead the offense in their Week 5 tilt against the Minnesota Vikings. Throughout the first four games of the season, the Browns have given QB1 duties to veteran
Joe Flacco. However, Flacco has struggled in this role, winning just one game and averaging a modest 203.8 passing yards per game. During their Week 4 loss to the Lions, Flacco threw two interceptions and totaled just 184 passing yards. Gabriel has seen limited action through the first four games, only entering in the final frames. In Week 2, Gabriel went 3-for-3 with 19 yards and a score against the Ravens, but could not complete his lone passing attempt in Week 4. The Browns selected Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Oregon. Last season, Gabriel led the Ducks to a 13-1 record and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He is worth a look in all superflex formats as a mid-end QB2 ahead of his first start.
--Andy SmithSource: Matt Zenitz
September 30, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) is likely to miss the Week 5 game on Sunday against the Houston Texans, sources tell The Baltimore Sun's Brian Wacker. Jackson tweaked his hamstring in the Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and didn't return to the game. The Ravens have yet to give a specific diagnosis on Jackson, but apparently, it's a serious enough injury to potentially keep him out for multiple weeks. It would be a big blow to the 1-3 Ravens, as their offense will have considerably less upside if backup signal-caller
Cooper Rush is forced to start. We will have a better idea of Jackson's Week 5 status when Baltimore resumes practicing on Wednesday, but as of right now, fantasy managers need to formulate a backup plan if they don't already have one. The Texans' defense/special teams would become a must-start if Rush is forced into action.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Sun - Brian Wacker
September 30, 2025
Tennessee Titans quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree said that rookie first-round QB
Cameron Ward is "growing every week," and that he's "seeing improvement," according to Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. It didn't really look like Ward took a step forward in the 26-0 shutout loss in Week 4 to the Houston Texans, a game in which the first overall pick went 10-for-26 for 108 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. The 23-year-old Miami product has looked overwhelmed so far in his first four NFL starts, completing only 51.2% of his 125 pass attempts for 614 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He's also run the ball nine times for 42 yards. Ward might be adapting to the speed of the game slowly, but right now, there have been more negatives than positives, and he's failed to find much of a connection with top wideout
Calvin Ridley.
--Keith HernandezSource: TennesseeTitans.com - Jim Wyatt
September 30, 2025
Atlanta Falcons quarterback
Michael Penix Jr. got back on track in Sunday's 34-27 win over the Commanders, completing 20 of his 26 passes for 313 yards and two scores. He did throw one interception as well and was sacked once. The former first-rounder's 90.5 QBR for the game was a solid increase from the 71.3 rating he had going into the contest, and there was a marked improvement in the second-year quarterback's average yards per pass attempt, going from 6.1 in Weeks 1-3 to 12.0 in Week 4 (the highest of any QB). While it was a great bounce-back performance after two down weeks, the 25-year-old draws Buffalo in Week 5 after the team comes out of their bye, and the Bills have limited opposing passers to 125.8 yards per game thus far, which is the fewest yards passing per game in the entire NFL, so fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere for streaming options the next time Penix takes the field.
--Jarod RuppSource: ESPN
September 30, 2025
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said that quarterback
Brock Purdy (toe) is questionable to play in the team's Week 5 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. Lynch said Purdy's status depends on whether he can "turn it around on a short week." Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 with toe and shoulder injuries, but was able to return in Week 4. In the two games he has played in 2025, Purdy has thrown for 586 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. If he is unable to play on Thursday, backup quarterback
Mac Jones (knee) would likely be his replacement. Jones is playing through a PCL sprain in his knee, but was listed as a full practice participant on Monday's injury report. In two starts this season, Jones has thrown for 563 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. He'd profile as a low-end fantasy QB2 if called into action in a tough matchup against the Rams defense.
--Will BradySource: The San Francisco Standard - David Lombardi
September 30, 2025
The Minnesota Vikings hope quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) practices "some" this week, leading into the team's Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, per a team announcement. McCarthy suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 and has missed Minnesota's last two games. Before getting hurt, McCarthy had completed 58.5% of his passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Veteran quarterback
Carson Wentz has been Minnesota's starter over the past two weeks, throwing for 523 yards, four touchdowns, and two picks. Minnesota has a bye in Week 6, so it could make sense for McCarthy to miss one more game in Week 5 and have two full weeks to heal before returning in Week 7.
--Will BradySource: Minnesota Vikings
September 30, 2025
Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud helped his team get their first win of the season in Week 4 by trouncing the hapless Titans, 26-0. It could be more than just a win, though, since it could signify a major step forward for Stroud, according to Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle. Warren points specifically to Stroud's audible and adjustment on his 24-yard touchdown strike to rookie
Jayden Higgins as a potential breakthrough moment for the young QB in the system of new offensive coordinator Nick Caley. The Texans lost three straight games by one score to the Rams, Bucs, and Jags to start the season before rolling over the Titans. With their defense playing so well, the offense only has to improve a little bit to start piling up wins. Stroud struggled in the first three games of the season but looked better against the Titans. How much of that was the opponent? We'll start to get our answer in Week 5, since Stroud and the Texans head to Baltimore for a tough road matchup on Sunday before their bye week in Week 6.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Sam Warren
September 30, 2025
Baltimore Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) left Week 4's loss to the Chiefs with an injury, and his status for this week's game against the Texans is "up in the air," according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Jackson left last week's game early, but since the game was mostly decided, it was hard to determine how much of his absence was due to the game situation. Coach John Harbaugh said there was no way Jackson could have returned regardless of the score, though, which is concerning for the mobile quarterback that needs his elusiveness to be effective. The Ravens have home games against the Texans and Rams before their Week 7 bye week, so they may opt to play it safe with Jackson and hold him out of those games. If he does miss time,
Cooper Rush completed 9-of-13 passes for 52 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions after taking over in Week 4, and he would likely get the start in Week 5 if Jackson is unable to play.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Tom Pelissero
September 30, 2025
Denver Broncos quarterback
Bo Nix threw for 326 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown as well to help the Broncos roll past the Bengals on Monday night, 28-3. Nix completed 29 of his 42 pass attempts and continued to show a strong connection with
Courtland Sutton. He could have had an even bigger night if he hadn't thrown his interception inside the Bengals' five-yard line, and the Broncos' pass catchers hurt Nix with a few costly drops as well. The 2-2 Broncos face a tough test next Sunday on the road against the Eagles, and Nix will remain a borderline QB1 with a high ceiling despite that tough matchup for as long as he keeps this offense humming. Denver has scored at least 20 points in each of their four games this season.
--Zach ThompsonSource: ESPN.com
September 30, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert struggled in the team's 21-18 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday. He completed 23 of 41 passes for 203 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, along with a 24-yard run. The offense appeared out of sync, plagued by drops and constant pressure from New York's front four, which often forced Herbert out of the pocket. Losing left tackle Joe Alt (ankle) early made things even more difficult. In Week 5, they face the Washington Commanders, a team that ranks near the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed. If the line holds up, Herbert should bounce back against a weaker secondary. He remains a top-tier QB, though fantasy managers might expect some volatility until Alt returns.
--Don FanelliSource: NFL
September 30, 2025
New York Jets quarterback
Justin Fields completed 20 of 27 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown on seven carries in Monday night's 27-21 loss to the Dolphins. He also took two sacks for a loss of 19 yards. Fields put up another strong fantasy performance primarily due to his elite rushing ability, although he was able to rack up some passing production late in the game. Star wide receiver
Garrett Wilson came down with a spectacular touchdown grab and had another touchdown called back due to a highly questionable offensive pass interference penalty. So the day could have been even bigger for Fields. He remains locked in as a solid fantasy QB1 when he is healthy.
--Kyle McCarthySource: ESPN.com
September 29, 2025
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that he expects that rookie first-round quarterback
Jaxson Dart (hamstring) will be able to practice on Wednesday, according to Patricia Traina of SI.com. Dart apparently injured his hamstring in his first career win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4 on Sunday, but he finished out the game and should be alright to make his second career start in Week 5 in a great matchup against the winless New Orleans Saints. The 22-year-old went 13-for-20 passing for 111 yards and a touchdown against L.A., rushing 10 times for 54 yards and another touchdown. Dart gave the G-Men a spark and helped them beat a strong defense, but the news of receiver
Malik Nabers' (knee) season-ending injury puts a damper on the offense moving forward. Still, Dart has the potential to be a nice QB2 streamer with upside in the Big Easy in his second NFL start, given his dual-threat abilities.
--Keith HernandezSource: SI.com - Patricia Traina
September 29, 2025
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) was not in a position to return to Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 after he tweaked his hamstring. "There was no way Lamar was going back into the game. The injury precluded it," Harbaugh said. Before Jackson left the game, he went 14-for-20 passing for 147 yards with a touchdown and an interception, adding six carries for 48 yards on the ground. Backup
Cooper Rush replaced the 28-year-old superstar, who is now in danger of missing the Week 5 contest against the Houston Texans. At the time of Jackson's injury, the Ravens were down by multiple scores, leading many to believe the Ravens simply thought it was pointless to bring him back with the game likely already lost. Jackson's status will be closely watched this week. If Rush is forced to start against a stingy Texans defense, it will be a downgrade in fantasy for all of Baltimore's other offensive weapons.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Ravens
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