Thu Nov 7 8:55am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
We had a few more key players go down last week. The injuries have been pretty relentless this year, feeling like a big-time player or two goes down every week. That is the nature of the league, though, so it shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Let’s just hope it eases up a little going forward. We are at least getting a few top players back this week and a few others are very close. Maybe things are evening out a little.
Here is the latest. . . . .
Amari Cooper, WR, Bills. Cooper missed the game last week because of a wrist injury. He was a game-time decision but held out. He is practicing on a limited basis this week, which is a decent sign. He could make his return this week if things keep progressing for him.
Drake London, WR, Falcons. London had to leave the game early last week because of a hip pointer. He is being called day-to-day and has not been ruled out for this week. London seems to have avoided something too serious. We think he has a pretty good chance to play. It will be a pain tolerance issue for London.
Keon Coleman, WR, Bills. Coleman hurt his wrist last week and is out of practice to start the week. He is not being ruled out but his start to the week is not encouraging. We would get other options ready.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Chiefs. Smith-Schuster has been out since Week 5. He still is not practicing, so it is not looking good for him to return from his hamstring injury this week. We aren’t sure when he will return.
Nico Collins, WR, Texans. Collins is eligible to come off Injured Reserve this week. He has been out since Week 5 because of a hamstring injury. It is not certain if he will be able to play this week, though. His status remains up in the care. We should know more later in the week.
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys. Lamb was forced from the game last week because of a shoulder injury. It looked very serious at the time, but things look much better now. He is already practicing on a limited basis this week, so he has a shot to play Week 10. As long as he is active, Lamb is a must start for fantasy teams - even with a backup quarterback throwing him passes.
A.J. Brown, WR, Eagles. Brown had to leave the Week 9 game early because of a knee injury. He is practicing on a limited basis this week, though. Brown seems to have a pretty good chance to play, barring some late-week setback. His knee injury seems pretty minor.
Dallas Goedert, TE, Eagles. Goedert is finally back practicing this week on his hamstring injury. He has missed the last three games because of the injury. He seems to be trending towards a return in Week 10.
Jonathon Brooks, RB, Panthers. Brooks has been practicing the last few weeks but held out of games as he looks to return from his torn ACL. There is some hope he plays this week. We aren’t sure his role in the game or how much he plays, but Brooks could be a big factor in this offense once he is up to speed. He is the future at the position for the Panthers.
Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals. Higgins is expected to miss another week of action because of his quad injury. He is doubtful for the Week 10 game. Playing on Thursday night is not helping Higgins’ case to play this week.
Chris Olave, WR, Saints. Olave is dealing with another concussion. He is not expected to play this week and might not return for a while because of this latest concussion. We would plan on other options for some time if you are an Olave owner.
Brian Robinson, RB, Commanders. Robinson was a game-time decision last week but unable to play because of his hamstring injury. He is practicing on a limited basis to start the week and the Commanders are hoping to have him back for this week. We think the chances of him playing are pretty solid. The week off should have done his injury some good.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles. Smith is dealing with a new injury, missing practice to begin the week because of a hamstring injury. This is a concern because he didn’t show any signs of injury during the Week 9 game. We aren’t sure the severity just yet, but might get a better idea before the week is out. Hopefully, the Eagles were just playing it cautious with their star receiver.
Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys. Prescott suffered a major hamstring injury last week. He has already been placed on Injured Reserve and could be out several weeks of action. Cooper Rush is likely to get the starts while Prescott is out of the lineup.
Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers. Samuel continues to deal with a rib/oblique injury and has been limited in practice this week. He should be fine to play this week, though. Having the bye last week was a positive for him. He should be ready to go Week 10.
Jauan Jennings, WR, 49ers. Jennings has been sidelined the past two games because of a hip injury. He has been limited to start the week in practice. Jennings is doing much better than recent weeks and seems to have a good shot to return to the lineup this week. And he should be a starter now that Brandon Aiyuk is done for the season.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers. The expectation is that McCaffrey finally returns from his Achilles’ injury this week. He has been practicing on a limited basis but coming out of the practice fine, which is the key. He might have a limited workload in the game but will be tough for fantasy owners to sit as long as he is active.
Will Levis, QB, Titans. Levis continues to deal with a sore shoulder. He has been limited in practice the last several weeks, including this week. It isn’t certain if he will be able to play Week 10. Consider him up in the air right now. Mason Rudolph would start for the Titans if Levis has to sit once again.
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.
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 14
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie running back Bucky Irving (back, hip) is officially listed as questionable for the Week 14 contest this Sunday against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. Irving missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday but returned to a limited session on Friday, giving him a chance to play this weekend. Fantasy managers will want to check back on the impressive 22-year-old's status on Sunday morning. If he's active, Irving needs to be in all starting fantasy lineups in a plus matchup against the two-win Raiders as Tampa's most explosive and productive back in 2024. If Irving is held out, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker would split the backfield work on Sunday, with White having clear RB2 upside for fantasy managers. Irving has found the end zone six times on the ground in his first 12 NFL games and is averaging a strong 5.5 yards per carry on 133 rushing attempts in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba looks like he may be the Seahawks' best fantasy option at wide receiver once again in Week 14. Smith-Njigba has been on a tear lately that has him sitting at WR9 on the season. He has not recorded less than 69 receiving yards since Week 7, and he has already matched his rookie season touchdown total of four. If Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith could increase his touchdown output, Smith-Njigba would be unstoppable in fantasy. The Seahawks will travel to Arizona to play the Cardinals in Week 14. The Cardinals are No. 17 against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. While they are not a pushover defense, they should not scare anyone. The last time these teams met, Seattle only scored 16 points. However, Smith-Njigba caught six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. He should be able to match that output in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers has been volatile all season. However, he is a possible fantasy play with six teams on bye in Week 14. Myers' issue this season is that he has not kicked a lot of field goals. He has hit 85% of his attempts but he only has 20 attempts on the season. The Cardinals and Seahawks were locked in a defensive slugfest the last time they met in Week 12. That could bode well for Myers if Seattle's drives stall in the red zone. Myers had a solid outing in Week 13 against the New York Jets in the swirling winds of MetLife Stadium. He will likely welcome the climate-controlled environment in Arizona's stadium. If you need a kicker to start this week, then Myers has a decent floor.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said that tight end Tyler Higbee (knee) will not be activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list in order to make his 2024 debut in Week 14 against the visiting Buffalo Bills this Sunday. Higbee tore his ACL and MCL in a playoff game in January and hasn't been able to play at all yet this year, however, he has been practicing in full since last Friday and could be a candidate to make his season debut for a huge divisional clash against the San Francisco 49ers next Thursday night. However, even if the 31-year-old veteran makes his return next week against San Fran, we'd expect the Rams to play it safe and limit his reps alongside TEs Davis Allen and Colby Parkinson. Allen and Parkins have pretty much formed a TE committee in LA this year with Higbee out, making them impossible to trust in standard-sized fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
The Buffalo Bills have listed tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) as questionable to suit up this Sunday on the road against the Rams in Los Angeles. Kincaid suffered a knee injury in the Week 10 win over the Indianapolis Colts and hasn't played since. The 25-year-old second-year player hadn't practiced until this week, though, signaling that he has a much better shot to suit up this weekend. Kincaid was officially limited in all three practices this week. The Bills don't kick off against the Rams until the late-afternoon window on Sunday, making Kincaid a more difficult call for starting fantasy lineups in Week 14. Although he's been a disappointment in his sophomore season in 2024, Kincaid should at least be on the map as a low-end TE1 in fantasy if he's active against the Rams. If he misses a third straight game, Dawson Knox will once again have TE1 upside.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) suffered a new injury in practice this week and was listed as limited on Friday. As a result, the Steelers designated him as questionable to play in a divisional battle this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14. This one came out of nowhere, so fantasy managers may have to adjust last minute with the 23-year-old wideout, who has become much more interesting in fantasy since quarterback Russell Wilson took over the offense from Justin Fields. Since Week 10, Pickens has caught 20 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns on 32 targets, but fantasy managers may be forced to move him to their bench this weekend. If Pickens doesn't get cleared to play on Sunday, Calvin Austin III would likely operate as Pittsburgh's WR1, with Van Jefferson and tight end Pat Freiermuth also seeing increased roles in the passing game.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (quadriceps) has been ruled questionable to play this weekend against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Week 14. After missing the first two practices of the week, Swift practiced in limited fashion on Friday, at least giving himself a chance to play this weekend. The Bears' backfield could be dangerously thin on Sunday if Swift is out or limited, as Roschon Johnson (concussion) has already been ruled out. If Swift cannot get cleared by Sunday afternoon, Travis Homer would be in line to lead Chicago's backfield in touches, with Darrynton Evans likely being brought up from the practice squad to serve in a backup role. If Swift is cleared to suit up against the Niners, fantasy managers will want him in their lineups as an RB2. In 12 games for the Bears in 2024, Swift is averaging 12.4 half-PPR points, making him the RB23 with five total touchdowns scored.
From RotoBaller
The Buffalo Bills have listed rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman (wrist) as questionable to make his return in Week 14 versus the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Coleman was limited in all three practices this week for the second week in a row, but the Bills are still uncertain if they want to throw the rookie back out there. Making things more difficult for fantasy managers considering starting the 21 year-old is the fact that the Bills don't play on Sunday until the late-afternoon window on the west coast in LA. Coleman has been a big part of Buffalo's passing attack in his first NFL season when healthy, but he hasn't played since Week 9 and could see limited snaps if he does return, making him an even more risky WR4/flex play this weekend. If Coleman misses yet another game, veteran Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins will continue to battle for bigger roles behind Amari Cooper and Khalil Shakir.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (knee) suffered an injury on Friday which puts him in danger of missing Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Hardman reportedly had his knee lock up on him before Friday's practice. The 26-year-old now appears to be questionable ahead of this weekend's contest. His absence doesn't mean too much for this offense considering Hardman hasn't recorded a reception since Week 11. Although, Hardman is an excellent member on special teams, so his absence would certainly hurt there.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson (concussion) missed practice all week and has been ruled out for Week 14 on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. In addition to Johnson, lead running back D'Andre Swift (quadriceps) is questionable to play this weekend, meaning third-string back Travis Homer could be forced into lead-back duties at Levis Stadium on Sunday if Swift is also unable to go. Even if Swift is active on Sunday, expect the Bears to bring Darrynton Evans up from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster to give the team more depth at the position with Johnson still concussed. Johnson suffered a concussion in the Thanksgiving Day loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions last Thursday and will now try to clear the league's concussion protocol in time for another divisional clash in Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (quadriceps) is officially listed as questionable for the Week 14 game this Sunday on the road in San Francisco against the 49ers. The good news is that Moore was able to get back on the practice field on a limited basis on Friday after not practicing on Wednesday or Thursday, but his availability for this weekend remains up in the air. Meanwhile, fellow wideout Keenan Allen (ankle) practiced in full on Friday and was removed from the final Week 14 injury report after missing Wednesday's practice. Making things more difficult for fantasy managers that have Moore rostered is the fact that Chicago's game comes in the late-afternoon window this Sunday. If Moore doesn't get the green light to suit up against San Fran, both Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, in addition to tight end Cole Kmet would have higher fantasy ceilings.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 14 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tillman suffered a concussion in Week 12 and it appears that he's still dealing with the symptoms. As a result, Tillman will miss his second straight game, but will hopefully be back in the mix next week. Both Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore will see increased fantasy value with Tillman out for at least one more game. Moore saw 14 targets last week as he hauled in eight of them for 111 yards in the loss to the Denver Broncos. Jeudy went for over 230 yards during that game, so both players should be fine options for Week 14.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (hip) is currently considered questionable ahead of the Week 14 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Nabers was limited in practice on Thursday after suffering a hip flexor injury. As a result, Nabers sat out of Friday's practice session. It sounds like the team is taking it day-by-day, so fantasy managers might have to wait until closer on Sunday for more information on his status. The absence of Nabers would make Darius Slayton a much more appealing streaming option. Both Wan'Dale Robinson and Slayton would have flex appeal if Nabers is forced to sit out.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals second-year wide receiver Michael Wilson should be viewed as a risky streaming option in Week 14 in the Cardinals' home matchup versus the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson has quietly become a rosterable player in fantasy football, but he is still lacking some consistency. Wilson is solidified as the Cardinals' second wide receiver but falls behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride in the target hierarchy. Wilson made a couple of big plays in the Cardinals' last matchup against the Seahawks and has been thriving off a lack of attention from opposing defenses. Until Wilson establishes better consistency, he remains a streaming flex option and should be viewed as a risky choice in Week 14.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard (chest) has been activated off the injured reserve on Friday. Lazard has been sidelined since suffering a chest injury ahead of Week 8. Before that, Lazard had 30 receptions for 412 yards and five touchdowns in seven games. The expectation is that Lazard will see a dip in production now with Davante Adams fully in the mix. Lazard will now slide in as the third option behind Adams and Garrett Wilson in this offense. The 28-year-old should be considered a low-end flex option for the Week 14 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride should be viewed as a high-end TE1 in Week 14 when the Cardinals host the Seattle Seahawks. McBride is on a hot streak right now, posting back-to-back weeks with 12 receptions. He is the focal point of the Cardinals' passing game and has produced regardless of matchup. The only downside to McBride's season has been a lack of touchdown production. However, his target share and usage are high enough to still make him a top-three tight end in fantasy. McBride is a no-doubt starting tight end in fantasy and should be viewed that way for the rest of the season.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) says that he will suit up for Sunday's Week 14 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Smith hasn't suited up since Week 11 due to a lingering hamstring issue. However, Smith has been able to practice in full all week, so it sounds like he's ready to play again. This would be a good matchup for Smith to return against a shaky Panthers secondary. Smith should be considered a solid WR2, assuming he doesn't suffer any setbacks.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. should get WR2 consideration in Week 14 when the Cardinals host the Seattle Seahawks. Harrison Jr. had a solid game last week, scoring the Cardinals' lone touchdown. He also saw his largest target share of the season, receiving 12 targets. With the Cardinals in pursuit of winning the NFC West division, it is expected that they will empty the playbook and come out swinging in this matchup. Taking more shots down the field has been something the Cardinals have needed to incorporate into this offense, and Harrison Jr. is the best option to receive those downfield shots. With Harrison Jr.'s usage increasing, managers should feel much more comfortable with him in the lineup.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson should not be considered for starting lineups in fantasy in Week 14. The Cardinals will have a home divisional matchup with the Seattle Seahawks in what will be a pivotal game for the NFC West. Benson saw an uptick in usage before the Week 11 bye, but post-bye week, that trend has not continued. Benson has had just seven total carries over the last two weeks. With Benson's usage not at a reliable level, he remains a handcuff for James Conner but is not a fantasy starter.
From RotoBaller
According to Andy Vasquez of NJ Advance Media, New York Jets running back Breece Hall (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's divisional tilt against the Miami Dolphins. The star running back was dealing with this knee injury before last weekend's game but was able to suit up. This week, Hall was unable to participate in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and was also not seen during Friday's session. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status over the weekend but should look to find an alternative option as the Iowa State product is facing an uphill battle to play. If Hall cannot play, rookie Braelon Allen would be viewed as a must-start option in all formats, as he will likely take on a hefty workload. Throughout his rookie campaign, Allen has posted a modest 3.6 yards per carry with three scores while operating as the No.2 option. However, he has a favorable matchup against Miami, which has allowed the 13th-most PPR points to opposing RBs this season.
From RotoBaller