Bills LB Terrel Bernard (pec) is active for today's game against the Texans. He has been out since Week 2 but should be ready to return to the starting lineup. Slot CB Taron Johnson (forearm) also returned to practice this week and entered Sunday questionable but is inactive vs. Houston. That helps the matchup for Texans WR Stefon Diggs.
Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd (knee), S Darnell Savage (quad), and Edge Josh Hines-Allen (concussion) are officially active for today's game against the Colts. Hines-Allen arrives as easiy the top IDP prospect among them. Lloyd figures to be usable as well, especially with lead LB Foye Oluokun on short-term IR.
Patriots S Kyle Dugger (ankle) is inactive for today's game against the Dolphins. That leaves the New England defense without both starting safeties, as Jabrill Peppers had already been ruled out. Jaylinn Hawkins should start in one spot. We'll see exactly how playing time sorts at the other. The Patriots will, at least, have CB Jonathan Jones, CB Marcus Jones, and Edge Anfernee Jennings. All entered the day questionable. None is likely to be a big IDP factor.
Bengals CB Mike Hilton (knee) is inactive for today's game against the Ravens. Facing a Cincinnati defense without its lead slot corner can only help TEs Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, but we'll see if they get the targets.
Dolphins WR Odell Beckham (knee) is active for today’s game vs. the Patriots. We’ll see how big a role he plays in his 2024 debut, but Beckham should be nowhere near Week 5 fantasy lineups.
Commanders RB Brian Robinson (knee) is active for today’s game vs. the Browns. He only got in a limited practice on Friday, so it’s safe to assume he won’t be at 100% today. Still, Robinson lands in RB2 territory in the Week 5 Rankings.
Jaguars TE Evan Engram (hamstring) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Colts. He got in three limited practices this week, so he should be back for Week 6. TE Brenton Strange gets another start today but would be a desperation fantasy play. He's averaged 4.7 targets, 2.7 catches, and 32 yards over the past three games.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson (oblique) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Jaguars. QB Joe Flacco starts in his place. The 39-year-old threw for 168 yards with two TDs and 0 INTs in relief of Richardson last week. And he averaged 323 yards and 2.6 TDs per game across five starts for the Browns last year. Flacco sits well into QB2 range in the Week 5 Rankings, but he’s a significant upgrade for Colts pass catchers.
Browns TE David Njoku (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Commanders. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this morning that Njoku could be “a bit” limited in his first game back, which is often the case for guys returning from high-ankle sprains. But Njoku still sits safely inside TE1 territory in the Week 5 Rankings.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring) is inactive for today's game vs. the Bills. That again leaves the backfield to Cam Akers, Dare Ogunbowale, and J.J. Taylor. Akers figures to lead in touches but ceded carries to Taylor and passing-down snaps to Ogunbowale last week.
Vikings RB Aaron Jones is questionable to return to Sunday's game vs. the Jets with a hip injury. Jones has been trying to loosen up on the sidelines but hasn't looked good enough to re-enter. Ty Chandler is now operating as Minnesota's lead back.
Update: Jones was ruled out at halftime.
Jaguars Edge Josh Hines-Allen has cleared the concussion protocol and will play today against the Colts. Use him as you normally would in IDP lineups.
Niners LB Fred Warner is expected to play through his ankle sprain today against the Cardinals, according to multiple reports. There might still be some risk of limited playing time, but this early report indicates that he's better than a game-time decision. He appeared to be moving well in his Friday return to practice. I moved Warner back up the Week 5 LB rankings on this morning's news. He'll obviously carry some re-injury risk -- but also plenty of fantasy upside. Weigh both vs. your other IDP lineup options.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Raiders Edge Maxx Crosby is expected to play today against the Broncos. He's officially questionable after managing just one limited practice this week on a high ankle sprain. Crosby played through the issue two weeks ago before missing Week 4. HC Antonio Pierce said this week that they have to protect Crosby from himself with these injury decisions at times. Early word that he'll return makes this seem like a better than game-time-decision situation. I bumped Crosby back up the Week 5 DL rankings some, though he remains short of his usual position. There's risk both to playing him and sitting him in IDP lineups this week.
Packers TE Luke Musgrave will test out his injured ankle in pregame warmups before determining whether he'll play vs. the Rams today, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. "But even if he can make it back, he will be limited at best," Schefter adds. The news just keeps getting better for TE Luke Musgrave, who has already been playing well ahead of Musgrave and should also find additional target opportunity today with WRs Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs out.
ESPN's Adam Schefter confirms that Browns TE David Njoku (ankle) is expected to play vs. the Commanders today. "But might be a bit more limited in his first game back since suffering a high ankle sprain," Schefter adds. We often see players limited for a week or two after returning from a high-ankle, so this isn't a major surprise. It obviously dings Njoku's Week 5 fantasy outlook, although he'll still make sense as a starter for plenty of fantasy teams. See where Njoku sits in the Week 5 TE Rankings.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring) is not expected to play vs. the Bills today, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Pierce just returned to a limited practice on Friday after missing the last three games, so it's no surprise that he's not ready yet. With RB Joe Mixon (ankle) also out, Houston will again roll with RBs Cam Akers, Dare Ogunbowale, and J.J. Taylor.
Cardinals TE Trey McBride (ribs) is expected to play vs. the 49ers today, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. McBride cleared concussion protocol by Friday but was added to the injury report on Saturday as questionable. We still don't have any details on the rib injury. But, barring any further reports of a limited snap count today, he should stay in fantasy lineups.
49ers TE George Kittle (ribs) is expected to play vs. the Cardinals today, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Kittle is listed as questionable after getting in just a limited practice on Friday. But he was able to play through this injury in the second half of last week’s game and will be out there again today. There's some risk of re-injury here if Kittle takes a big hit, but he belongs in basically all fantasy lineups.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey did not experience any setbacks with his Achilles tendonitis after returning to on-field work this week, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Although he was dealing with tendonitis in both Achilles at one point, it's only one that's giving him trouble right now, per Schefter. McCaffrey finally seems to be trending in the right direction. Schefter adds that McCaffrey could return as early as Week 7 or be held out through San Francisco's Week 9 bye, depending on how he responds to increased work in practice.
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