Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (calf) said he's optimistic about his calf injury after Sunday was the best he's felt this year after a game. Health-wise he was feeling good, but Burrow couldn't have felt good about his performance in the Week 4 loss to the Tennessee Titans. In the loss, Burrow went 20-for-30 for just 165 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the third time in four games he didn't have a touchdown pass and the second time he was held under 200 yards passing. The 26-year-old's calf issue has severely limited his mobility, but the good news is he continues to feel better. Fantasy managers will continue to wait for the good Burrow to show up. We wouldn't blame you for benching him until that happens in single-QB fantasy leagues.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin had a strong outing in Week 4, and he could have another in Week 5. Washington is facing the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football, a team that ranks bottom-five against the pass. While he's been splitting more targets with his teammates than what was expected, McLaurin is still the target and reception leader in this offense. If quarterback Sam Howell can keep targeting the veteran receiver at a decent clip, he should be a solid contributor for fantasy rosters. He's a high-end WR2 during this advantageous matchup.

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Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet will look to build off a breakout Week 4 performance Thursday night against the Commanders. Kmet caught seven passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears heart-breaking loss. But the talented tight end flashed what inspired the Bears front office to give him an extension before the season began. He will face a Commanders defense that currently is allowing the fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends. They have not allowed a single tight end to post more than 25 yards against them. This could be a matter of sample size but fantasy managers should proceed with caution before blindly inserting Kmet into fantasy starting lineups in Week 5.

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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) participated in a walkthrough at practice Wednesday after the team opened the 21-day window for him to return from the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) List. However, head coach Shane Steichen is not saying whether the 2021 rushing champion will play in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. He wants to see Taylor in a full practice before making any decisions but said he is up to speed on the Colts' offense. Fantasy managers will need to monitor updates on Taylor for the remainder of the week.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert should continue to lead Chicago's backfield in carries Thursday night against the Commanders. Herbert was fantastic in Week 14, racking up 103 rushing yards on the ground and chipping in 19 yards from the air with a receiving touchdown. He showed off his speed, elusiveness and ran tough between the tackles. He will go up against a Commanders defense that has allowed three rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs through four games. Washington's defensive front is loaded with talent and could make for a tough night for Herbert coming up. The Bears lead running back will carry RB3/4 value into Week 5.

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Houston Texans offensive tackle Tytus Howard (hand) suffered a broken hand this offseason, resulting in him missing the team's first four games while on Injured Reserve. The Texans designated him to return from IR on Wednesday, and he returned to the practice field. The 27-year-old signed a three-year, $56 million contract extension this offseason and should provide additional pass protection for rookie C.J. Stroud, who has gotten out to a hot start. Houston's offensive line has battled injuries this season, so getting Howard and Leremy Tunsil (knee) back would be huge for its offense.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields will kick off Week 5 Thursday in Washington against the Commanders. Fields is coming off his best game of the season and easily his best passing game as a pro. The third-year quarterback totaled 335 passing yards and four touchdowns against the Broncos last week but two critical turnovers doomed Chicago late. He will now face a Commanders defensive line that ranks among the best in the NFL. Washington's defense, as a whole, has surrendered 20-plus fantasy points to each of the last three quarterbacks they have faced. Fields carries boom-or-bust potential Thursday night.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Curtis Samuel (quad) has seen some unexpected usage to start the season. After being an afterthought throughout the offseason, the veteran receiver is currently second on the team in receptions through four weeks. Now, Samuel has the advantage of taking on a bottom-five pass defense in the NFL, the Chicago Bears. With the strong matchup and Samuel reportedly being cleared to play despite being limited during the short week, he could continue his run of successful outings. Consider him a flex option in Week 5.

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Baltimore Ravens rookie running back Keaton Mitchell (shoulder) began the 2023 season on Injured Reserve. On Wednesday, he returned to practice as the team activated his 21-day window to be activated from IR. The undrafted rookie rushed for 2,584 yards and 23 touchdowns and caught 49 passes for 505 yards and two touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons at East Carolina. Although he has no guaranteed path to playing time, there's a chance he could carve out a role in a running back room consisting of Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Melvin Gordon III. He's not worth picking up in fantasy football yet, but he is worth monitoring moving forward.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (knee) suffered a bone bruise to his knee in the Week 4 loss to the Houston Texans. His status is up in the air against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5, but the second-year signal-caller said, "I'll be ready to go by Sunday." For now, there's good reason to be optimistic about his availability for the AFC North contest, but it's too early in the week to take his word for it. Even if Pickett does play, he should remain on the bench in fantasy football. The Ravens have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterback this season, and the Steelers' offense is one of the worst units in the NFL. If Pickett's mobility is limited by his injury, this game has the chance to get ugly quickly. Mitch Trubisky will draw the start if Pickett is ruled out.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson (ankle) could be an intriguing option in Week 5. Dotson was limited throughout the short week, but has reportedly been cleared and will be active for Thursday Night Football. After saving his day with a last-second touchdown in Week 4, the former first-rounder has the privilege of taking on a bottom-five pass defense in the Chicago Bears. He's been a disappointing fantasy option to start the season, but if there were any game for him to get back on track, it would be this one. Consider him a WR3 or flex option against Chicago.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receivers Rashod Bateman (hamstring) and Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) returned to practice on Wednesday after missing the Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns. It's unclear to what extent they participated in practice until the official Wednesday injury report comes out later today, but it's a good sign for their return. That said, neither are safe fantasy options until proven otherwise. Beckham has totaled just 66 yards in two games, and Bateman has posted 59 yards in three games. Against an overmatched Pittsburgh Steelers team in Week 5, Baltimore will likely have its way in this matchup and fail to pass with enough volume to support Beckham or Bateman in fantasy football. Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers seem to be ahead of both receivers in the target pecking order.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders wide receivers Jahan Dotson (ankle) and Curtis Samuel (quad) will be active against the Chicago Bears in the Week 5 Thursday Night Football contest against the Chicago Bears. Both players either missed practice or were limited this week, but they are good to go. The Bears have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to wideouts this season and are without safety Eddie Jackson (foot) and cornerback Jaylon Johnson (hamstring), so Dotson and Samuel are intriguing DFS options or low-end PPR league flex considerations. However, neither has a safe floor based on what we've seen thus far this season.

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Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (foot) has not appeared in a game this season after undergoing foot surgery in August. The 27-year-old took the practice field for the first time since his operation on Wednesday so he could make his season debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. The three-time Pro Bowler could provide a nice boost to the Baltimore defense that has been decimated by injuries so far this season. However, there's a chance it could take him a few weeks to get back to game action and 100% ready for contact.

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After seeing a tough matchup in Week 4, Brian Robinson Jr. could have a big bounce-back performance in Week 5. The Commanders are taking on the Chicago Bears in a matchup where they're currently six-point favorites and expected to be playing in a positive game script. Not only that, but when Washington has led this season, they've heavily favored a game plan where Robinson sees plenty of work on the ground. With those factors in mind, it wouldn't be surprising to see the second-year back put up RB1-like numbers against Chicago. Consider him a locked-in starter this week.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool (healthy scratch) has officially been ruled out of the Thursday Night Football contest against the Washington Commanders. The 25-year-old was traded to Chicago for an early second-round pick in the middle of the 2022 season and has caught just 17 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown in 10 games. Head coach Matt Eberflus said Claypool was asked to stay away from the team, so it looks like his time as a Bear is coming to a close. Claypool was critical of his usage when speaking to the media last week and is now a healthy inactive for the second straight game.

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New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) is expected to be limited in Wednesday's practice. Robinson tore his ACL last year and didn't make his debut until Week 3 this year. The Giants played on Monday night, so perhaps they are just giving the 22-year-old second-year pass-catcher some additional rest heading into a short week against the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. He has nine receptions on 11 targets for 61 yards in his two games in a Giants offense that has looked terrible to this point. Robinson should continue to have a prominent role in a crowded Giants receiver room moving forward, but as long as New York's offensive woes continue, Robinson will be more of a low-ceiling, low-floor fantasy flex.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders wide receivers Jahan Dotson (ankle) and Curtis Samuel (quadriceps) were taken off the final Week 5 injury report on Wednesday and will play on Thursday night against the Chicago Bears. Dotson and Samuel both scored their first touchdowns of the year in the Week 4 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and have an excellent matchup on hand to kick off Week 5 at home in D.C. The 23-year-old Dotson has had a pretty slow start to the year aside from his touchdown last week, but he could put up his best performance of the season on Thursday against a Bears team that is allowing 30.2 half-PPR points per game, the 11th most in the league through four weeks. Samuel will continue to operate as the No. 3 wideout behind Terry McLaurin and Dotson.

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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that wide receiver Tee Higgins (ribs) will not practice on Wednesday. He's being listed as day-to-day. Higgins suffered a fractured rib in the Week 4 loss to the Tennessee Titans, but he's not yet being ruled out for the Week 5 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. However, Higgins is going to need to get on the field at some point by the end of the week to have a shot at suiting up on Sunday. It's been a tough start for the 24-year-old and the entire Bengals offense through the first four weeks. The injury on top of it makes Higgins a buy-low candidate in fantasy leagues. If he's out or limited in Week 5, Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd should see more targets, with Trenton Irwin and Andrei Iosivas battling for the No. 3 role.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks (knee) will not take part in the team's practice on Wednesday. It's a bad start to the week for Burks, who was inactive for the team's Week 4 win over the Cincinnati Bengals due to a knee injury. Burks still has two more days to return to practice, but right now, he's looking very questionable to play this Sunday against the Colts in Indianapolis. The 23-year-old has caught just six passes for 99 yards in his first three games of the year. With an injury to boot, he's not a must-hold in shallow fantasy leagues with DeAndre Hopkins being the only realistic starting lineup option in fantasy among Tennessee's pass-catchers. If Burks misses another game, Chris Moore and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine will continue to start in three-receiver sets next to Hopkins.

From RotoBaller