Tue Oct 6 11:19pm ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Warren is playing at high level
It is amazing how quickly things can change in fantasy land. Things are going your way. You are off to a 2-0 start. Those players you were targeting got off to fast starts. All is well. Then injuries happen and players have some dud games, causing you to lose your next two games (I might be speaking from experience). Just remember: things can change in a hurry. Don’t get too high or too low, especially early in the season. Trends are just starting to form. We are getting a better idea of what the current trends should be going forward. This should give you a better idea of just how good or bad your team might be.
Now for my random thoughts for the week. . . .
I did not see this type of ascent coming from Bryce Young this year. He is proving me wrong. He has been so good. Young is third overall in fantasy quarterback scoring. He looks like a different quarterback out there. Young does such a good job of getting the ball out on time and in rhythm. He anticipates so well. Plus, he can improvise with the best of them when things don’t go on schedule in the pocket. He has really taken his game to a new level, and I don’t think it is a fluke. He took steps forward last year and continues to get better every week. Enjoy the ride. It has been special to watch.
You can’t ignore the huge game from Brian Robinson last week, scoring three times, but I still think he is a risky play for fantasy teams. This isn’t really a timeshare, and Bijan Robinson continues to get many of the goal-line chances. Plus, Robinson just doesn’t catch the ball. It is great to see him get double-digit carries three straight games, but his three total catches on the season make him a touchdown-dependent fantasy player. He’ll be a boom-or-bust play on a weekly basis.
I don’t know what is going on with Jeremiyah Love, but it is worrisome. You don’t like to hear his comments after the game, saying the coaching staff should keep him out late because he isn’t quite as explosive right now. You don’t know if he is just saying this to keep his coaches happy, but it seems strange. All I know is you would want your third overall pick in the draft out on the field with the game on the line late. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case last week. Hopefully, Love gets going sooner rather than later, but I’m not encouraged with what I’m seeing and hearing. Not good.
If I have any Colts that aren’t Jonathan Taylor, I would be worried, mainly because Daniel Jones is not playing very well. He isn’t playing near the level of last year. You have to wonder if returning from his major injury has impacted him. Jones is just 30th overall in fantasy quarterback scoring. He is making poor decisions with the ball and turning it over way too much. This does not bode well for Josh Downs or Tyler Warren. Until Jones gets it going again, I would temper my expectations for those pass catchers.
I’m not convinced Kyle Monangai is suddenly the lead back for the Bears after his huge 30-carry performance last week. He looked phenomenal in that game, and D’Andre Swift lost another fumble. But even with that said, it would not surprise me if Swift leads the Bears in carries once again this week. This remains more of a timeshare, and I don’t see either back emerging to start getting most of the work. This hurts the fantasy value of both players, but they still have plenty of value in this offense. Just don’t overvalue Monangai off one week.
The Lions are a defense to target on a weekly basis. This defense is a train wreck. They allow 31.8 points per game. The secondary continues to have all sorts of injury issues, and the team seems to be involved in shootouts on a weekly basis. So if you are looking for any streamers to grab with the upcoming bye weeks, look at the team the Lions are playing that week. It could pay off big.
I think this season is showing why you don’t want to use an earlier-round pick on a kicker. Many fantasy teams took Brandon Aubrey in the 10th or 11th round of drafts. After four games, Aubrey is seventh overall in fantasy kicker scoring. Meanwhile, Spencer Shrader, who didn’t even go drafted in many formats, is first overall in scoring. Matt Gay and Ryan Fitzgerald are also ahead of Aubrey right now. It is a long season, but these guys weren’t even drafted in many of my leagues. Kicker tends to fluctuate from season to season, and even some sure things don’t always pan out. It is a reason I have no shares of Aubrey on any of my fantasy teams.
News and Notes
Seahawks: It looked like the Seahawks were going to sign veteran running back Joe Mixon early in the week, but decided against it after apparently seeing something in his physical they did not like. Mixon did not play at all last year because of a mysterious foot injury.
HOT PLAYS
Jared Goff, QB, Lions
Goff continues to post some of the most consistent numbers in fantasy football. He is sixth overall in fantasy quarterback scoring and has at least 22 fantasy points in three straight games. The Lions defense is a mess, so the offense is being called on to post big weekly numbers if they hope to win games. Look for Goff to continue to post big numbers, especially this week against the Cardinals. Arizona allows the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and has allowed at least 31 points three straight games. Goff is a smash play in Week 5.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Steelers
Warren has started to excel as the lead back for the Steelers with Rico Dowdle sidelined. Warren has 120-plus total yards in two straight games. He has topped 15 fantasy points in each of those games. He is getting plenty of work as a runner and receiver, giving him a great floor. Look for more of the same success from Warren this week against a bad Colts defense. Indy allows the 10th-most fantasy points to running backs and is 26th overall against the run.
Aaron Jones, RB, Vikings
Jones has been a bright spot in a bad Vikings offense this year. He has seized most of the work with Jordan Mason sidelined. Jones topped 120 total yards last week and has 14-plus fantasy points in two straight games. He is getting more looks in the passing game, having nine receptions over those last two games. This has really improved his fantasy numbers. He should be set up for another good game this week against the Saints. New Orleans was torched on the ground by the Falcons last week and gives up the most fantasy points to running backs.
Michael Wilson, WR, Cardinals
Wilson is clearly the top target for the Cardinals at receiver. He has 30 targets over his last two games, catching 18 of those passes. He has 16-plus fantasy points in each of those last two games and double-digit fantasy points in three of four games. Wilson is racking up the looks and posting great fantasy numbers in the process. He should have a big game this week against the Lions. Detroit allows the second-most fantasy points to receivers and is dead last against the pass, allowing 304 passing yards per game.
Carnell Tate, WR, Titans
There aren’t many bright spots for the Titans right now, but Tate is one of them. He is emerging as the clear go-to target for Cam Ward. He is getting peppered with targets lately, having 21 over his last two games. He has 11-plus fantasy points in each of those games and is coming off his first 100-yard game of his career. You might think a matchup this week against Houston is a bad one for Tate, but the Texans are really struggling to stop the pass this year. Houston allows the most fantasy points to receivers and is just 28th overall against the pass, allowing 260 passing yards per game. Keep Tate in your lineup for Week 5.
COLD PLAYS
Sam Darnold, QB, Seahawks
Darnold played fine in victory last week against the Chargers but wasn’t much help to his fantasy owners. He had just 16 fantasy points. He isn’t exactly a sure thing for fantasy owners, posting some up-and-down numbers. It could be a down game for him this week. Darnold has a huge division matchup against the 49ers. San Francisco has turned the corner defensively this year and allows the seventh-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. The 49ers have allowed fewer than 15 points in three of four games. Darnold might be best left on fantasy benches.
Cam Skattebo, RB, Giants
Skattebo isn’t having quite the fantasy season most hoped for at this point of the year. He has yet to top 15 fantasy points in a game. He has fewer than double-digit fantasy points in two of three games. He has yet to have a 100-yard game and has 60 or fewer rushing yards in three straight games. Skattebo is not providing much help to fantasy teams right now. Look for another poor showing for Skattebo in Week 5. He gets the Commanders, a team that allows the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. Washington allows the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game (93.5).
Keon Coleman, WR, Bills
Coleman is coming off a huge game, his best of the season. He hit the 100-yard mark, catching six passes for 116 yards. He has 12-plus fantasy points in two of three games. The problem is Coleman continues to be inconsistent. He has fewer than five fantasy points in two of four games. He continues to be up and down. Look for a down game this week against a good Rams secondary. The Rams are second overall against the pass, allowing 145.5 passing yards per game. Don’t get sucked into playing Coleman after his big game last week. He is no sure thing.
Tucker Kraft, TE, Packers
Kraft reached double-digit fantasy points last week for the first time all season. He finally broke out of his slump and was a help to fantasy teams. But don’t forget he still has more than 50 yards in just one of four games. He has been pretty ho-hum with the Packers receivers stepping up this year and making more plays. Look for Kraft to come back down to earth this week against a Bears secondary that is starting to play much, much better. Plus, Chicago has been great against the tight end, allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. The Bears have allowed fewer than double-digit fantasy points to tight ends in three of four games.
Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints
Kamara was back to his old self last week, getting a chance to start once again. He found the end zone twice and scored 22.8 fantasy points. He also had five receptions in the game. Unfortunately, he ran for just 23 yards and his receiving yards were low (35). Kamara would not have been a help to fantasy teams if not for finding the end zone twice. We aren’t sure he scores this week against the Vikings, so he could be a risky play. Minnesota is seventh overall against the run and allows the fewest fantasy points to running backs.
SLEEPERS
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Cardinals
Brissett failed to reach 20 fantasy points last week and has reached that total just once in four games. His numbers have been down a little compared to last year. The positive is he has topped 275 passing yards in two of four games. He still has plenty of weapons to work with in the passing game and is capable of the big game any given week, especially this week against Detroit. The Lions defense is a mess. Detroit allows over 30 points per game and the most fantasy points to quarterbacks for the season.
Malachi Fields, WR, Giants
Fields scored his first NFL touchdown last week. He had career-best numbers, catching two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown on three targets. He has multiple receptions in every game this season. His numbers haven’t been impressive, but he seems to be getting better each week. Fields might be able to build on last week, playing the Commanders in Week 5. Washington allows the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers and ranks 25th overall against the pass. Fields could be worth a look for fantasy teams this week.
Keaton Mitchell, RB, Chargers
The Chargers backfield situation is a confusing one. It sure seems new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has a thing for Mitchell, though. Mitchell played the most of any Chargers back last week and has played at least 37 percent of the snaps in two straight games. His usage is increasing, so fantasy owners should try to take advantage. Mitchell has 11-plus fantasy points in two straight games and seems likely to hit that mark again this week against the Broncos. Denver has struggled against the run this year, allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Bengals
Gesicki has been a lot more consistent this year, having double-digit fantasy points in three of four games. He has gotten his weekly work and is producing. Plus, he has been a top target in the red zone for the Bengals. Gesicki could be set up for a few more targets this week with the Bengals banged up at receiver. Plus, Gesicki gets a Dolphins team that allows the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends. Miami has allowed 20-plus fantasy points to tight ends in two of four games. Consider Gesicki a TE1 for Week 5.
Darius Cooper, WR, Eagles
Cooper played the most snaps of his season last week, being on the field 90 percent of the time. He had not played more than 50 percent of the snaps in a game all season before last week. And he took advantage of his chances, catching three passes for 33 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets. Injuries have opened the door for Cooper to play more, and that could be the case for him again this week. Cooper could be worth a look for fantasy teams in Week 5. The Jaguars allow the ninth-most fantasy points to receivers and rank just 31st overall against the pass, allowing 280.3 passing yards per game.
High/Low Scoring Games
Each week, we'll take a look at some of the high- and low-scoring games for the coming week. In high-scoring affairs, get your marginal players from those teams in your lineup to take advantage of the possible points barrage. In the low-scoring games, keep those marginal players on the bench and make sure to have your defenses involved in those contests.
High-Scoring Games
Bucs/Cowboys, Raiders/Patriots, Lions/Cardinals, 49ers/Seahawks, Bills/Rams.
Low-Scoring Games
Browns/Jets, Texans/Titans, Broncos/Chargers.
Bye Weeks
Chiefs, Panthers.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has been relatively underwhelming so far this season, ranking as the QB27 in fantasy scoring with just four touchdowns and seven interceptions. The last two games have been particularly rough, featuring two total touchdowns and five interceptions from the former first-round pick. While the box scores have been pretty ugly, we can point to wide receiver injuries as a glaring reason why Jones has underperformed. Alec Pierce (heel) was less than 100% for the first two weeks, and he has missed the Colts' last two games entirely after being placed on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Keenan Allen (groin) missed Week 4 after being ruled out before kickoff. Allen could return this week and Pierce will be eligible to play in Week 7, which means that Jones will be getting some of his top weapons back within the next few weeks. Jones can combine his rushing upside and solidified receiver room to re-assert himself as a viable QB2 in fantasy football. After all, we saw his true potential last year, when he ranked as the QB7 in fantasy scoring before tearing his Achilles. Managers will have to be a little patient as Jones waits to get his top targets back, but he's a solid bench stash in deeper leagues, especially on quarterback-needy rosters.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby (core) has officially been placed on injured reserve. This move was widely expected, according to a report from NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, but the Eagles made it official on Tuesday. Bigsby picked up a core muscle injury during the final minutes of Sunday's Week 4 loss against the Los Angeles Rams. He suffered the injury while handling a larger workload (48% snap share, 14 carries, and 55 rushing yards) in the aftermath of an injury to teammate Saquon Barkley (hamstring). Landing on IR will require Bigsby to miss a minimum of four games, but Rapoport reported that the 24-year-old will undergo surgery and has a timeline closer to six weeks. With Bigsby and Barkley both sidelined, the injury-plagued Eagles will now turn to Will Shipley to lead their backfield against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Josh Cameron continues to see his role grow early in his rookie season. After catching two touchdowns through his first three games, Cameron hit another milestone in Week 4 with a career-high 42 receiving yards. He has now played at least 33% of the offensive snaps in three of his four games so far. That's not a very large snap share by any means, but it's still a solid mark for a rookie, and it indicates that he'd be the next man up to handle a much larger role if any of Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, or Brian Thomas Jr. were to miss time. He's particularly appealing ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, as Thomas' name continues to come up as a trade candidate. If the Jaguars do move on from Thomas, it would be a clear sign that they believe Cameron is capable of handling increased responsibilities on offense. We've already seen him strengthen his rapport with Trevor Lawrence, and he's an intriguing option on the waiver wire, especially given the positive state of Jacksonville's offense.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks has scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, putting him on the fantasy radar in leagues with 12+ teams. Burks saw a season-high 59% snap share in Week 4, and his bigger role was a direct result of Terry McLaurin (hamstring) being inactive. The 26-year-old was targeted three times, and although he only caught one pass, it went for a 47-yard touchdown reception. He has now scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, totaling 21.0 fantasy points in PPR leagues during that two-week span. The reception volume has been quite low, but we like his chances of having more catchable balls thrown his way with Jayden Daniels (elbow) trending toward playing in Week 5 against the New York Giants. The biggest factor for Burks' outlook is the status of McLaurin, who remains up in the air for this week. It'll be a little while before we get more clarity on McLaurin's status. In the meantime, managers in 12+ team leagues should consider adding Burks as a high-ceiling fantasy receiver.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Isaiah Williams has played at least 82% of the offensive snaps in each of his last three games, including a 94% snap share during Sunday's Week 4 loss against the Chicago Bears. Williams has taken on a large role as the Jets' No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson with Adonai Mitchell (finger) sidelined. Williams caught six passes back in Week 2 and found the end zone this past Sunday, giving him double-digit fantasy points in two of his last three games. His productivity has been a direct result of his larger role, so he should be viewed as a solid WR3/flex option this week if Mitchell doesn't suit up. We'll know more about Mitchell's status near the end of the week, but in the meantime, Williams should be a priority waiver wire target in 12+ team leagues because of his immediate streaming appeal.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III has defied the odds, going from a 2025 undrafted free agent to a meaningful fantasy football contributor this season. Chism has taken on a larger role over the last few weeks with AJ Brown (ankle) on injured reserve. There isn't a clear pecking order in New England, but the 24-year-old finished fourth on the team in targets (4) and receiving yards (42) against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. He also made a spectacular touchdown catch that led to an embarrassing postgame viral moment for Bills cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson. While fantasy leagues don't reward extra points for one-handed catches, the play itself was an encouraging sign that Chism is capable of making plays on trickier targets. In other words, he can catch passes on plays where some other receivers might not be able. His big-play and touchdown upside gives him waiver wire appeal in leagues with 12+ teams heading into Week 5, especially with Brown still on IR and Mack Hollins (calf) at risk of missing time. If Hollins can't play this week, Chism could be the Patriots' No. 2 wide receiver behind Romeo Doubs.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer caught eight passes for 82 yards on 10 targets in a close Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. That's more involvement than we've ever seen the third-year tight end have in a game where he shared the field with TE Brock Bowers. The concussion injury to Raiders WR Jalen Nailor (head) likely played a part in this, but Mayer's performance was impressive nonetheless. Las Vegas' head coach, Klint Kubiak, indicated that he'd like to get both his tight ends involved in the passing game. Mayer has excellent value for a tight end that's just seven percent rostered in Yahoo leagues, as he caught three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown last week. We could be in the midst of his breakout, in which case it would be exceedingly difficult to pick him up in a few weeks. Finding weekly productive players at the TE position is rare, especially when they were largely undrafted in fantasy leagues, so Mayer should be added in all leagues with 12 or more teams ahead of Week 5.
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington found the end zone for the first time this season during last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns. Washington hauled in three of his five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in the defeat. The big tight end drew an impactful penalty to set up his team to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. Not everything Washington does shows up on the box score, but he's beginning to post decent numbers now. He finished with a season-high 67 receiving yards in Week 3. He draws a juicy matchup against the Indianapolis Colts defense in Week 5. A defensive unit that has given up over 200 receiving yards to tight ends this season. Fantasy managers should consider picking up Washington in deep leagues ahead of this matchup.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jalen Royals hasn't seen much action early in the season, but is expected to see an expanded role going forward. Fellow wideout Tyquan Thornton (ankle) is looking at a 3-4 month absence after suffering an injury during Sunday's win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The expectation is that Royals will move into the third spot on the depth chart following the Week 5 bye. So far this season, Royals has recorded three receptions for 17 yards and one touchdown in four games. He could be someone worth stashing in deep leagues or dynasty formats with Thornton out for the foreseeable future.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has surprisingly been reliable through the first four games of the season. Heading into Week 5, Watson has thrown for 855 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 127 yards on 31 rushing attempts this season. Watson carries a 69.6 percent completion rate into this Week 5 matchup against the New York Jets. A defensive unit that has struggled to contain quarterbacks this season. Watson is currently the QB12 heading into this big road matchup against the Jets. Given that some teams are on bye, Watson is looking like a priority streaming appeal for this weekend while he enjoys a career resurgence.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has yet to eclipse 20 fantasy points in a game this season. But he's elevated the Falcons offense to new heights, and at least enabled the run game to thrive in his presence. He's a huge upgrade from QB Cooper Rush, who started the season while Penix recovered from a torn ACL last season. Penix has only thrown two touchdowns, and most of Atlanta's scores have come on the ground since he's returned to play, but he could be in line for some positive touchdown regression. The team has two big-bodied red zone threats in wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. London has been targeted by Penix at a high rate while Pitts has been mostly quiet this season, but the veteran TE got more involved in Week 4, with 47 receiving yards. If Penix is able to get the ball to both effectively, we could see his touchdown numbers improve, in which case he could become an every-week starter in deep 2QB leagues. That's where you should target him as a waiver pickup, where talent is hard to come by after drafts gobble up most of the productive talent.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson Jr. rushed 14 times for 62 yards and three touchdowns and caught one pass for five yards in his team's blowout win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. It was surprising to see Robinson have so much standalone value when backing up elite starting RB Bijan Robinson, who's one of the best RBs in the league. Robinson (Bijan) only had two touchdowns. But the Falcons offense is rolling, and they did a good job slowing down New Orleans' offense. Atlanta built such a lead so quickly that they didn't have to keep their starting RB on the field as much as possible, which allowed Robinson (Brian) to have a big game. It's likely that in closer games, Robinson (Bijan) will still handle the majority of the touches while Robinson (Brian) only handles a handful of touches. But with how well Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is playing, more blowout wins could be in the future, and the potential for Robinson (Brian) to have league-winning upside is huge if Robinson (Bijan) gets hurt. So the former Washington Commander should be added in all leagues, at least as a handcuff, ahead of Week 5.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers turned in his second performance in a row of over 23 fantasy points in a Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Rodgers, despite his age, is still a productive passer, and has a trio of competent wideouts to throw the ball to as well as an offensive-minded head coach that has a history of aiding productive passing games. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has put together a good offensive scheme so far this season, and as a result, Rodgers has racked up nearly 600 passing yards across his last two games. On film, Rodgers is still able to get zip on the ball and find his targets downfield. Week 5 and Week 6 feature the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as opponents for Rodgers and co., and those two squads have among the NFL's worse pass defenses. Rodgers is hardly rostered, but is a legitimate waiver target even in 1QB leagues, and should be 100 percent rostered in 2QB leagues. He's a startable QB1 for the next two weeks as well.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel is coming off his best performance of the season in Week 4. Noel hauled in all three of his targets for 85 yards in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Noel was barely seen during the two games that fellow wideout Nico Collins missed, but he made a splash during Collins' return this past weekend. The 24-year-old appears to be building chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud. The two of them connected on a big 52-yard play this past Sunday. Noel has a chance to carve out a role as the No. 2 wideout in Houston. He's a decent dynasty stash and a possible deep league flex option for the Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Cody White could see more opportunities in the passing game after Raiders WR2 Jalen Nailor (head) left his team's Week 4 contest with a concussion. Players with that injury typically miss at least one game while in the league's concussion protocol -- his absence would move White up to the second receiver spot, behind WR1 Tre Tucker. There isn't a lot of talent separating any of Vegas' pass-catchers this season, and White scored two touchdown in Week 2 and one in Week 3, so he could produce well when given more targets. He hasn't been very involved in the offense so far, as tight end Brock Bowers is the clear No. 1 pass-catcher and White was relatively unknown before this season started. A higher target share could see him become a starter in deep leagues. Outside of those deep leagues, he's probably not worth rostering, but in dynasty leagues and redraft leagues with 14 or more teams, any player with a reasonable chance at being productive should be rostered.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson posted a season-high in yardage during Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Johnson carried the ball eight times for 42 yards in their three-point victory. He also fumbled the ball in an important part of the game, so we'll see if that impacts his playing time going forward. The Packers don't have a legitimate lead back right now, so Johnson should remain in the picture. It's tough to know exactly what he's going to offer weekly in this three-back committee. The 23-year-old is worth holding in deep league and dynasty formats ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III had just to catches on three targets for 25 yards in his team's fourth loss in a row to start the 2026 season. The whole Bucs offense has been miserably unproductive, though -- WR1 Emeka Egbuka had only two catches for 13 yards last week, and the team's leading wide receiver, Chris Godwin Jr., managed only 31 yards on six receptions. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) was struggling earlier in the season before he picked up a thumb injury. He'll miss two more weeks. Undrafted free agent backup Jalon Daniels started in Week 4 and managed just 148 passing yards while distributing the ball around, which didn't leave much room for the receivers to produce. Hurst may see struggles in his next two games, but Mayfield's return should be a positive for his value. Hurst has been the starting X receiver for the team this year, though his snap share significantly declined in Week 5. Stashing him in deep leagues and waiting to see what happens when Mayfield returns isn't a bad idea. He looked to be on the verge of a breakout after Week 3, when he caught a 40-yard touchdown. Patience should be exercised here, but picking up Hurst could pay off.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley saw his first regular season action in Week 4 due to WR Ja'Marr Chase (head) suffering a concussion and being forced to exit the contest. Tinsley caught three of his seven targets for 49 yards in a game that also saw Bengals WR2 Tee Higgins (adductor) get hurt. Tinsley could be the WR2 for the Bengals in Week 5 and see plenty of volume in a high-powered passing offense. It's unclear if Chase or Higgins will miss Week 5, but we won't know their status until much closer to the game. In deeper leagues, a chance to get a team's WR2 off waivers, even if they're not considered very talented, is one that shouldn't be passed up on. Cincinnati's quarterback, Joe Burrow, is capable of feeding a high volume of accurate targets to whoever he throws to. A matchup with the struggling Miami Dolphins next week could present the perfect opportunity for Tinsley to have a career game, especially if Higgins plays at less than 100 percent due to his injury. In leagues with 14 or more teams, he should be a priority pickup as a spot starter, even if it's only for one week. Cincinnati's second leading receiver last game was WR Dohnte Myers, who was targeted nine times. Both are good players to add off waivers, as Burrow is more than capable of fueling huge games for multiple of his pass-catchers.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had his best game of the season in Week 4, scoring over 23 fantasy points by throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Since Week 1 he's played mistake-free football, as he hasn't turned the ball over a single time since Week 1. The return of wide receiver Nico Collins adds a lot to Stroud's upside, as he caught two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys. Collins is one of the NFL's best receivers, and the offense is completely different when he's on the field. Stroud averages nearly 20 fantasy points per game in games Collins starts and finishes, and if he were to keep that same pace for the rest of the season, he would be one of the clear best QBs in fantasy football. He's still on waivers in a large portion of 1QB leagues, but just a few more games will Collins will likely make his rostership rise and make it much more difficult to pick him up. You may even be able to use your waiver claims on more highly-coveted players and wait for free agency to start to pick up the Texans starting quarterback. He's likely undervalued currently, and is one of the better QB pickups on waivers right now, despite the Texans being 0-4 and his poor fantasy performance last season.
From RotoBaller
Reports circulated on Monday that the Seattle Seahawks were on the verge of signing veteran free-agent running back Joe Mixon (foot) to their roster in the wake of placing rookie first-round RB Jadarian Price (chest) on Injured Reserve over the weekend. However, the Seahawks elected not to sign Mixon to their practice squad in the end thanks to a troublesome foot issue that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season while with the Houston Texans, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Mixon is specifically dealing with a degenerative foot issue that could wind up putting a premature end to his NFL career. There are other RB-needy teams around the NFL, specifically the Philadelphia Eagles, but it is "up for debate" whether Mixon will actually sign with another team or play another down in an NFL game. Until Zach Charbonnet (knee) can make his 2026 season debut, the Seahawks will move forward with Emanuel Wilson and George Holani sharing touches in the backfield. Mixon, a former second-rounder by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017, is a two-time Pro Bowler and reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark in five of his eight NFL seasons.
From RotoBaller