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Sam Leavitt Has QB2 Appeal Against Mississippi State
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns on 25-of-34 passing at Kentucky, adding 39 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 35-34 overtime loss. The production was useful, although his eight interceptions through six games are difficult to overlook. Mississippi State visits Baton Rouge on Saturday having surrendered 1,300 passing yards and nine touchdowns in five contests. That is a friendlier matchup than several Leavitt has encountered, and his rushing involvement can make up for some mistakes through the air. There is still a difference between a favorable opponent and a dependable weekly QB1. RotoBaller has Leavitt 139th overall in its October 14 Week 7 rankings, well behind the top fantasy quarterbacks. He is a viable QB2 and a borderline QB1 for managers dealing with bye weeks, rather than an automatic start.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Aaron Flowers Out for Foreseeable Future
Oregon safety Aaron Flowers (undisclosed) is out for the foreseeable future after needing surgery, according to head coach Dan Lanning. Across four games this season, Flowers had 17 combined tackles and a pass defensed. Last season with the Ducks, the safety had 70 combined tackles, an interception, two forced fumbles and three passes defensed. Him missing additional games is a blow to the Ducks' defense, which has allowed 344.4 yards and 22 points per game to this point of the season. Defensive back Koi Perich leads the team with 34 combined tackles through five games, and he and others will need to pick up the slack while Flowers misses more game action.
Source: Rob Moseley - GoDucks
Source: Rob Moseley - GoDucks
Eagles Open the Practice Window for Eli Stowers
The Philadelphia Eagles have opened the 21-day practice window for rookie tight end Eli Stowers (quadriceps, hamstring) on Wednesday, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Stowers has been banged up with a hamstring injury since late in training camp in late August, and he added a quad injury before the Eagles placed him on Injured Reserve before the start of the 2026 regular season. The 23-year-old second-rounder from Vanderbilt will now start mixing back into practice as he looks to make his NFL debut. Stowers is not guaranteed to return in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers at home, and when he does return, he will merely be a backup to starter Dallas Goedert, limiting his fantasy appeal in the short term. The 6-foot-4, 239-pounder is extremely athletic with plenty of long-term potential, but right now, he is primarily just a stash candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues as he works to become an option in Philly's passing attack.
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer - Jeff McLane
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer - Jeff McLane
Tony Pollard Not Present for Wednesday's Practice
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (foot) is not present at the team's practice on Wednesday, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN. Pollard also missed practice last Wednesday before eventually returning to practice later in the week and playing in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Houston Texans. The 29-year-old had 14 carries in that game for 52 yards and did not catch his only target in the passing game. Barring a setback with his foot/ankle injury, Pollard should suit up this weekend and continue to share the backfield with Tyjae Spears, who had a notable nine receptions in the loss to Houston. With Spears handling key passing-game work and with Pollard leading a rushing attack that is averaging only 82.6 yards per game on the ground, Pollard will continue to have minimal fantasy upside as a low-end RB2. He has yet to have a 100-yard game on the ground while averaging 4.0 yards per carry on 68 rushing attempts for 273 yards and one touchdown. Pollard has added eight catches for only 24 yards through five games.
Source: ESPN.com - Turron Davenport
Source: ESPN.com - Turron Davenport
Rashee Rice Not Practicing on Wednesday
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that wide receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring) is the lone player who will not practice on Wednesday as the team comes out of their bye week, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. Rice suffered what was believed to be a minor hamstring injury in the Week 4 win over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, but a DNP in the first practice of this week puts him up in the air to return this Sunday at home against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers. The 26-year-old still has two more days to return to the practice field, and fantasy managers should be following his status closely through the end of the week. If Rice does not get the green light to face the Chargers on Sunday, receivers Xavier Worthy, Cyrus Allen, and Jalen Royals would be in starting three-wide sets, with veteran tight end Travis Kelce also being more involved in the passing game against the winless Bolts. Through four games this year, Rice has caught 13 of his 17 targets for 190 yards and one touchdown for the undefeated Chiefs.
Source: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
Source: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
Cameron Dickey Out Multiple Weeks with Injury
Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey (ankle) will miss the next two games, but could return by the end of this month still. Dickey suffered a high ankle sprain this past Saturday against Colorado, and now it will cost him some games. The Red Raiders don't play this week, so that took away a possible third missed game. Dickey had 242 rushing yards and four touchdowns over 57 attempts in his first five games of the season. He has caught five passes for an additional 42 yards so far. With Dickey out, the Red Raiders could lean more on J'Koby Williams, who leads the team with 63 rushing attempts. Quinten Joyner could also get some more work.
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Lamar Jackson Not Seen at Wednesday's Practice
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) was not seen at practice on Friday, according to Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan. Jackson injured his left ankle in the Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans and did not play in Sunday night's overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The 29-year-old has been improving and has a realistic chance to return to the starting role this weekend against the division-rival Cleveland Browns, but a missed practice on Wednesday would not be a great start. Still, head coach Jesse Minter said last week that Jackson could miss the entire week of practice and still suit up. The Ravens will surely play it safe with their star QB, so fantasy managers should not be surprised if Jackson is ultimately held out for a second straight week. We should have a clearer picture of the former MVP's Week 6 status later in the week. If Jackson continues to improve this week and returns on Sunday to face Cleveland, he will be a must-start in starting fantasy lineups. Through four games in 2026, Jackson is averaging 20.8 fantasy points per game, which puts him as the QB9.
Source: 105.7 The Fan - Cordell Woodland
Source: 105.7 The Fan - Cordell Woodland
Ashton Jeanty Will Play in Week 6
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak was asked about internal discussions of resting running back Ashton Jeanty in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills, but he ultimately said that Jeanty will play, according to Levi Edwards of the team's official website. Jeanty was banged up last week and was listed as questionable going into the Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots, but he played and had a season-low 10 carries for only 27 yards while catching three of six targets for 50 yards in the 45-17 blowout loss. The former first-rounder is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry on 88 rushing attempts for 291 yards on the ground in his first five games in 2026, but he has made up for it with 22 receptions for 215 yards and two touchdowns as a pass-catcher. The 22-year-old Jeanty could give way to more of rookie Mike Washington Jr. again this weekend against Buffalo, but as long as he is active, he should be locked into most starting fantasy football lineups.
Source: Raiders.com - Levi Edwards
Source: Raiders.com - Levi Edwards
Jake Ferguson Losing Targets to His Upcoming Teammate
After opening the year with three touchdowns in his first two games, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has been kept out of the end zone in each of his last two outings, making his lack of involvement all the more pronounced. Ferguson has caught more than three passes only once in 2026, and blossoming wideout Ryan Flournoy appears to have overtaken him as the team's tertiary receiving option. The fifth-year tight end's value is still buoyed by what he can offer fantasy managers if either George Pickens or CeeDee Lamb misses time, particularly of note as the latter is dealing with a quad injury that limited him late in the team's Week 5 loss to the Buccaneers. That said, in most redraft formats, Ferguson should be viewed as little more than a streaming candidate, and he is RotoBaller's TE19 ahead of a Week 6 matchup with the Packers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jadarian Price Becoming More Difficult to Hold
Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price (chest) is slated to miss at least two more games after being placed on injured reserve with a chest injury, but the running back room he returns to could look very different from the one he led at the start of the season. Zach Charbonnet (knee) had his 21-day practice window opened on October 1 and is reportedly eyeing a Week 7 season debut. Meanwhile, in Price's absence, Emanuel Wilson has averaged 96 total yards over the past two games and scored three touchdowns. In leagues without an IR spot, Price has become a difficult hold and should be viewed as an outright drop candidate for managers in need of immediate wins. The story might be different if Price had dominated early, but he was the RB50 through his first three starts, and he could face an even more pronounced backfield split upon his return.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Courtland Sutton's Struggles Continue Despite the Change of Play-Caller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton caught his first touchdown of the year in a Week 5 win over the Chargers, but with only 18 yards on two receptions, he couldn't crack the top 30 at the position. Sutton's early-season struggles at least came with the caveat of encouraging usage, but he saw a season-low three targets in Sean Payton's first game back as play caller. He has now topped 25 receiving yards only once, and with quarterback Bo Nix struggling mightily to begin his third season, Sutton is no longer a player who needs to be rostered in most redraft formats. The Broncos face the Seahawks Thursday night, and with Seattle representing the third-most difficult fantasy matchup for wide receivers, Sutton is RotoBaller's WR44.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Patriots Opening Practice Window on A.J. Brown
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) is being designated to return from injured reserve, according to head coach Mike Vrabel. Brown suffered a high-ankle sprain in the season-opening loss to the Seahawks, and after missing the last four games, he will have his 21-day practice window opened ahead of a divisional matchup with the Jets. With a depleted wide receiver corps, quarterback Drake Maye has returned to MVP-caliber form over the past two weeks, and Brown's return could help form one of the league's highest-ceiling fantasy stacks. Brown has reportedly been pushing to practice this week, but his status will need to be tracked through the team's injury reports, and he becomes a must-start as soon as he is activated.
Source: Mike Reiss
Source: Mike Reiss
Michael Penix Jr. Expected to Start Sunday
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (ribs) is expected to start Sunday's Week 6 matchup with the Bears, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski and NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Stefanski added that Penix will need to get through the week without any setbacks from the rib injury he sustained Sunday night, but he is trending toward his fourth consecutive start. Penix led the team to victories in each of his first two starts after missing two weeks with the knee injury that ended his 2025 season, but he was watching from the sideline when backup Tua Tagovailoa threw a game-sealing interception in the Week 5 overtime loss to the Ravens. The Falcons face the Bears in Week 6, and if Penix is able to play without limitation, fantasy managers can start both Bijan Robinson and Drake London with the utmost confidence.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Katin Houser Out 4-6 Weeks with Injury
Illinois quarterback Katin Houser (hand) underwent a procedure and will miss the next 4-6 weeks, according to head coach Brett Bielema. In his first six games, Houser completed 66.3% of his passes for 1,440 yards and 12 touchdowns, while being picked off four times. He also rushed for 120 yards across 30 attempts. Houser was replaced by Michael Clayton II in the team's overtime win over Michigan State, and should be next in line to start. Clayton has played in two games this year, completing 6-of-8 passes for 88 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions - he's added nothing on the ground so far. The QB change is a downgrade for the Illinois offensive playmakers, so keep that in mind for the rest of the season. The Fighting Illini next play in Week 8 against Oregon.
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Adonai Mitchell Still Week-to-Week After Having Hand Procedure
New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (hand) had a small procedure on his hand, but he is moving his fingers around well, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Per head coach Aaron Glenn, Mitchell is still week-to-week. Mitchell could be in line to miss a fourth straight game this weekend when the Jets take on the division-rival New England Patriots in Week 6. The 24-year-old had a clear path to WR2 duties behind Garrett Wilson after rookie first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) was placed on Injured Reserve after the Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans, but his hand injury has gotten in the way. Cooper is returning to practice this week, so by the time Mitchell recovers from his hand injury, the first-round rookie could be back from his stint on IR, which would lower Mitchell's fantasy ceiling for the rest of the season. In two games so far this year before injuring his hand, Mitchell caught nine of 15 targets for 123 yards and no touchdowns. Check back on Mitchell's practice status this week, but it looks like he will not be ready to play this weekend.
Source: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
Source: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
