Studs and Duds: Week 5

Mon Oct 6 10:36am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Dowdle runs wild in Week 5


Well, that was certainly an interesting week of football. There weren’t a ton of big fantasy scores but certainly some intriguing outcomes. This was a week of upsets with the Broncos and Patriots pulling off two of the biggest. You just never know what you are going to see from week to week, which is what makes this game so great to watch.   

49ers 26, Rams 23

Fantasy Stud: Matthew Stafford. Stafford had a huge game against a 49ers secondary that had played well this year. He was 30-of-47 for 389 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Stafford scored 30.45 fantasy points, giving him two straight games with 30-plus points. His back injury was a concern to start the year but hasn’t seemed to bother him at all. He is having another big season

Fantasy Dud: Demarcus Robinson. Robinson got some starts with the 49ers all banged up at receiver, but he was not a help to any fantasy teams that used him. He had three receptions for 39 yards. Robinson got some looks but showed he is going to be a risk to use for fantasy teams - even in an expanded role.

Game Notes: Kendrick Bourne had 10 receptions for 142 yards. He had a huge game, serving as the top target in the 49ers passing game.

Puka Nacua finished with 10 receptions for 85 yards. Nacua has double-digit receptions three straight and four of five games.

Vikings 21, Browns 17

Fantasy Stud: David Njoku. Njoku led the way in the passing game for the Browns. He had six receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown. These were his best numbers of the season across the board, finishing with 18.7 fantasy points. He was targeted a season-best nine times, giving him at least five targets four of five games. Njoku remains a big part of this passing game, even with the emergence of rookie tight end Harold Fannin

Fantasy Dud: Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy continues to do very little, catching just two passes for 15 yards. You hoped things might have changed for him with a new starting quarterback this week, but that wasn’t the case. Jeudy has not had double-digit fantasy points since Week 1 of the season. He has less than 50 yards three straight games.

Game Notes: Quinshon Judkins had his first 100-yard game as a pro. He ran 23 times for 110 yards. Judkins has double-digit fantasy points all four games he has played.

Dillon Gabriel played alright in his first NFL start. He was 19-of-33 for 190 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover.

Texans 44, Ravens 10

Fantasy Stud: C.J. Stroud. Stroud had another big game, going 23-of-27 for 244 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran once for 30 yards. Stroud scored a season-best 31.2 fantasy points. He has 20-plus fantasy points two straight games

Fantasy Dud: Derrick Henry. Henry scored a touchdown but still managed to finish with fewer than 10 fantasy points. He ran 15 times for just 33 yards and a score. He has fewer than double-digit fantasy points two straight and three of four games. He has 50 or fewer rushing yards four straight games. Henry is not having near the season fantasy owners hoped.

Game Notes: Cooper Rush had a rough first start with the Ravens. He was 14-of-20 for 179 yards with three interceptions. He failed to score a touchdown.

Xavier Hutchinson had three receptions for 18 yards and two touchdowns. He scored his first touchdown in the NFL.

Colts 40, Raiders 6

Fantasy Stud: Jonathan Taylor. Taylor continued his huge season, rushing 17 times for 66 yards and three touchdowns. He had three receptions for 20 yards. Taylor has three touchdowns in two of his last three games. He has seven total scores for the season. Taylor has 12-plus fantasy points every game

Fantasy Dud: Jakobi Meyers. You thought Meyers might have a big game with a lot of injuries at tight end for the Raiders. But that wasn’t the case, catching four passes for 32 yards. Meyers has three straight games with fewer than double-digit fantasy points. He just hasn’t gotten on the same page with his new quarterback, Geno Smith, this season.

Game Notes: Daniel Jones was 20-of-29 for 212 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. Jones has touchdowns every game this season, totaling nine total touchdowns.

Ashton Jeanty topped 100 total yards. He ran 14 times for 67 yards and caught five passes for 42 yards. He had 109 total yards in the game.

Saints 26, Giants 14

Fantasy Stud: Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed had four receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100-yard game of the season. Shaheed has at least four receptions every game this season. He has two games with 15-plus fantasy points

Fantasy Dud: Darius Slayton. There was hope Slayton might produce big in an expanded role but he had a rough game, catching three passes for 31 yards. He also lost a fumble. He scored just 5.1 fantasy points, his lowest total since Week 1. Slayton showed he is a tough fantasy player to trust.

Game Notes: Taysom Hill made his season debut for the Saints. He ran six times for a negative yard. He didn’t catch a pass but was 1-of-1 throwing the ball for 19 yards.

Kendre Miller led the Saints in rushing. He had 10 carries for 41 yards while Alvin Kamara ran eight times for just 27 yards.

Panthers 27, Dolphins 24

Fantasy Stud: Rico Dowdle. Dowdle got the start because of injury and responded with the best game of his career. He ran 23 times for 206 yards and a touchdown. Dowdle had three receptions for 28 yards, giving him 234 total yards. Dowdle proved that as long as Chuba Hubbard is sidelined, he might be a must-start for fantasy teams. This was quite the performance

Fantasy Dud: Tommy Tremble. Tremble looked great last week in a starting role, so he got some play this week. Unfortunately, that did not turn out well for fantasy owners. He caught just a pass for seven yards. It was a disappointing showing in what might be his last chance to start this season with Ja’Tavion Sanders back soon.

Game Notes: Darren Waller had five receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown. Waller has touchdowns each of his first two games this season.

Jaylen hit the 100-yard mark for the first time this year. He had six receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Cowboys 37, Jets 22

Fantasy Stud: Javonte Williams. Williams continued his great play. He rushed 16 times for 132 yards and a touchdown. William also caught a pass for a four-yard touchdown. Williams scored a season-high 26.6 fantasy points. He has three games with 20-plus fantasy points

Fantasy Dud: Jalen Tolbert. Tolbert was targeted just once and didn’t catch a pass. It was a really disappointing showing after getting 10.1 fantasy points the previous game. He had multiple receptions three straight games before this down showing. You just aren’t sure what Tolbert will do at this point.

Game Notes: Mason Taylor had nine receptions for 67 yards. Both totals were career highs. Taylor has at least four receptions three straight games.

Ryan Flournoy emerged as the top target next to George Pickens in the Cowboys passing game. He had six receptions for 114 yards, leading the Cowboys in both categories.

Broncos 21, Eagles 17

Fantasy Stud: DeVonta Smith. Smith had eight receptions for 114 yards. It was his first 100-yard game of the season. He did not have more than 60 yards in a game before this big performance. He has 19-plus fantasy points two of his last three games, starting to produce better for his fantasy owners

Fantasy Dud: A.J. Brown. Brown had another poor game, catching five passes for 43 yards. He failed to hit double-digit fantasy points for the fourth time in five games. The only positive was he was targeted nine times, giving him at least eight targets four straight games. 

Game Notes: JK Dobbins scored a touchdown for the fourth time in five games. He ran 20 times for 79 yards and a touchdown.

Dallas Goedert found the end zone once again, giving him touchdowns three straight games. He had three catches for 19 yards and a score on nine targets.

Bucs 38, Seahawks 35

Fantasy Stud: Emeka Egbuka. There were a lot of big performances in this one, but Egbuka gets the honor. He had another one of his huge games, catching seven passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. He scored 31.3 fantasy points in the game. Egbuka has three games this season with 20-plus fantasy points. He has touchdowns four of five games

Fantasy Dud: Chris Godwin. Godwin still hasn’t gotten into the flow of things just yet since returning from his ankle injury. He had three receptions for 26 yards in an offense that threw for nearly 400 yards. Godwin has six receptions for 52 yards on 14 targets in two games.

Game Notes: Sam Darnold had an unfortunate interception late in the game when his pass hit off a helmet but was fantastic besides that play. Darnold was 28-of-34 for 341 yards and four touchdowns with an interception.

Rachaad White handled most of the load at running back for the Bucs with Bucky Irving out. He ran 14 times for 41 and two touchdowns. White also had four receptions for 30 yards.

Titans 22, Cardinals 21

Fantasy Stud: Calvin Ridley. Ridley finally showed some signs of life, catching five passes for 131 yards. He did not have more than 60 yards in a game all season before this big game. His previous season high for fantasy points was 8.7. Ridley scored 18.1 fantasy points, showing you his potential if things start to click between him and rookie quarterback Cam Ward

Fantasy Dud: Trey McBride. McBride had a rare ho-hum performance. He caught five passes for 41 yards, finishing with fewer than double-digit fantasy points. This was his first game all season failing to hit double-digit points. He had at least 12 fantasy points before this one.

Game Notes: Tyjae Spears made his season debut and ran four times for 14 yards. He didn’t play a whole lot, watching Tony Pollard run 14 times for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Emari Demercado made a crucial mistake, letting go of the ball as he was about to cross the goal line. This pretty much cost the Cardinals the game. He ran three times for 81 yards.

Commanders 27, Chargers 10

Fantasy Stud: Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Croskey-Merritt finally got much of the run at running back and had a big game. He ran 14 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 39 yards, giving him 150 total yards. Hopefully, this is the game that gets him more consistent work in the Commanders offense

Fantasy Dud: Justin Herbert. Herbert was held in check, going 22-of-29 for 166 yards and a touchdown. The only positive was he led his team in rushing, running four times for 60 yards. But even with that said, Herbert scored just 17.3 fantasy points. He has fewer than 20 fantasy points three straight games.

Game Notes: Jayden Daniels returned from his injury and looked good, finishing 15-of-26 for 231 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. He also ran eight times for 39 yards.

Ladd McConkey found the end zone for the first time this season. He had five receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown on seven targets.

Omarion Hampton went to the locker room with an ankle injury and didn’t return. He ran 12 times for 44 yards and caught six passes for 26 yards.

Lions 37, Bengals 24

Fantasy Stud: David Montgomery. Montgomery did a little bit of everything. He led the team in rushing, running 18 times for 64 yards and a touchdown. He also threw a three-yard touchdown pass. Montgomery scored 18.15 fantasy points after having just 1.2 his previous game. It was a nice rebound performance from Montgomery

Fantasy Dud: Jameson Williams. Williams had just a catch for nine yards in a game the Lions threw for nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns. It was another disappointing game from the talented receiver. Williams had just one good fantasy showing all season. He has fewer than seven fantasy points four of five games.

Game Notes: Jared Goff was 19-of-23 for 258 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Goff has multiple touchdown passes three of four games.

Ja’Marr Chase had six receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He has 100-yard games two of four.

Patriots 23, Bills 20

Fantasy Stud: Stefon Diggs. Diggs has quickly become the go-to target for Drake Maye. He had 10 receptions for 146 yards. Diggs has two straight 100-yard games. He looks healthy and is making big play after big play for Maye. He is going to be a big-time fantasy receiver the rest of the way

Fantasy Dud: James Cook. Cook came back down to earth, rushing 15 times for just 49 yards. He didn’t catch a pass in the game. It was his first game all season without 20-plus fantasy points. Cook also failed to score a touchdown for the first time. He’ll be fine going forward, but this performance likely hurt a lot of his fantasy owners.

Game Notes: Rhamondre Stevenson lost yet another fumble but rebounded to find the end zone twice. He ran seven times for 14 yards and two touchdowns.

Dalton Kincaid hit the 100-yard mark. He had six receptions for 108 yards. Kincaid has 14-plus fantasy points three of five games.

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.

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Five Fantasy Takeaways: Week 5

Player Notes
Tyquan Thornton Oct 7 12:00am CT
Tyquan Thornton

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton caught three of five targets for 90 yards in Monday night's 31-28 loss at Jacksonville. Thornton has continued to carve out a role for the Chiefs as a big playmaker and led the team in receiving yards for the second game this season. The explosive plays have been lacking in Kansas City's offense over the past few seasons, but Thornton has provided at least one in almost every game so far. For the season, he's caught 13 of 25 targets for 272 yards and three touchdowns. His three touchdowns are the most of any player on the team. Thornton should continue to play a regular role until Rashee Rice returns from his suspension in Week 7.

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Brian Thomas Jr. Oct 6 11:50pm CT
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught four of six targets for 80 yards in Monday night's 31-28 win over the Chiefs. Thomas led the team in targets, catches, and receiving yards. He hauled in a beautiful deep ball from Trevor Lawrence for a 33-yard gain that set up the game-winning touchdown. That is a great sign to see moving forward and hopefully signals that their chemistry and connection are heading in the right direction. It's been a frustrating start for the second-year star, catching just 16 of 38 targets for 244 yards and one rushing touchdown on the season. He'll look to get on track at home next week against the Seahawks.

From RotoBaller

Travis Kelce Oct 6 11:40pm CT
Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caught seven of eight targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's loss to the Jaguars. Kelce caught his first touchdown since Week 1, leading the team in receptions and tying his season high in receiving yards. The return of second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy has greatly benefited the Kansas City offense, scoring at least 28 points in both of the games with him in the lineup. His speed opens up a lot of opportunities for other players and especially for passes underneath for Kelce. However, with Rashee Rice set to be back from suspension in Week 7, many of those passes will likely be redirected to Rice, who is much more dynamic after the catch than Kelce at this stage of his career.

From RotoBaller

Kareem Hunt Oct 6 11:20pm CT
Kareem Hunt

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had seven carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns while catching his only target for eight yards on Monday night's loss to the Jaguars. Hunt plunged his way to a 5-yard and 2-yard touchdown with both coming in the fourth quarter. Hunt played 33% of the snaps compared to backfield mate Isiah Pacheco at 62%, but both ended with seven carries. Pacheco ran the most routes of any Kansas City running back, while Hunt seems to have the goal-line role locked down. That puts Hunt as the guy to have if fantasy managers had to pick a Chiefs running back, but it will more often than not be a tough one to hammer down.

From RotoBaller

Patrick Mahomes Oct 6 11:10pm CT
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 29 of 41 passes for 318 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 60 yards and a touchdown on six carries in Monday night's 31-28 loss in Jacksonville. Mahomes threw the most times of any game this season and eclipsed 300 yards passing for the first time since Christmas Day last year against the Steelers. In addition, Mahomes has been running more often and more effectively this season, leading the Chiefs in rushing tonight. He's topped 57 rushing yards in three of five games this season after reaching that mark just four times in his career before this year. Mahome and the Chiefs fell to 2-3, but there are at least some encouraging signs with the offense, and star receiver Rashee Rice will be back from his suspension soon.

From RotoBaller

Trevor Lawrence Oct 6 11:00pm CT
Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 18 of 25 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown and two turnovers while rushing 10 times for 54 yards and two scores in Monday night's 31-28 win over Kansas City. It wasn't all pretty for Lawrence as he threw a pick, lost a fumble, and took three sacks, but he was active with his legs all night and ultimately led his team on a game-winning drive. He connected with star receiver Brian Thomas Jr. on a beautiful deep ball for a 33-yard gain on the final drive. The 10 rushes tied Lawrence's career high, and Monday night marked the fourth game of his career with two rushing touchdowns. Lawrence has been a bit up and down this season, but should continue to get more comfortable in Liam Coen's offense as the season goes along.

From RotoBaller

Matt Milano Oct 6 10:50pm CT
Matt Milano

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) is week-to-week after aggravating his pectoral injury in the Sunday night loss to the New England Patriots in Week 5, according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. It's the same injury that kept the 31-year-old veteran from playing in Weeks 3 and 4, so it seems likely that he will not be able to suit up in Week 6 on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons. Milano made an immediate impact in his return against the Pats, recording six tackles (three solo) on 32 defensive snaps before getting injured in the first half. Fantasy managers in IDP formats need to take notice. If Milano misses more time, which seems likely, expect to see Shaq Thompson in a bigger role for Buffalo in the middle of their defense.

From RotoBaller

Terrion Arnold Oct 6 10:40pm CT
Terrion Arnold

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder) is going to be out "for a long time," according to Ben Raven of MLive. Arnold might not miss the rest of the season, but it sounds like he probably won't be back until the second half. The 22-year-old defensive back initially injured his shoulder in the Week 4 win over the Browns before aggravating the injury in Sunday's Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Suddenly, Detroit's secondary is looking pretty thin with D.J. Reed (hamstring) on Injured Reserve and Khalil Dorsey (concussion) expected to miss multiple weeks. With all the injuries, Rock Ya-Sin and Tre Flowers will be asked to step up in the secondary. With Detroit's high-octane offense and now with a thin secondary, Detroit's defense could be a nice matchup for opposing passing attacks, granted they can slow down star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

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Spencer Shrader Oct 6 10:30pm CT
Spencer Shrader

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that kicker Spencer Shrader (knee) tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee in the Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and will miss the rest of the season, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. Shrader was injured when a defender crashed into his knee following a kick on Sunday. It's a tough break for the 26-year-old and the 4-1 Colts, as Shrader had missed just one of his 14 field-goal tries while making all 14 of his extra-point attempts in five games before his season-ending injury. With no current kicker other than Shrader on the active roster or practice squad, the Colts will be working out free-agent kickers this week as they head into a Week 6 meeting with the visiting Arizona Cardinals. Fantasy managers who had been using Shrader at the position will have to hit the waiver wire for a replacement.

From RotoBaller

J.J. McCarthy Oct 6 10:30pm CT
J.J. McCarthy

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Monday that quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is expected to resume practicing next week as they head into a Week 7 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Emily Leiker of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. McCarthy suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has not played since. The 22-year-old will have an extra week to recover, though, with the Vikings on bye in Week 6 following two straight weeks of international games in Ireland and England. The Vikings still believe in McCarthy as their QB of the future, but McCarthy has been non-committal on whether McCarthy will jump right back in as the starter when he's past his ankle injury after struggling in his first two NFL regular-season games. Veteran Carson Wentz could be in line for a fourth straight start in Week 7 against his former team, the Eagles.

From RotoBaller

Kyler Murray Oct 6 10:10pm CT
Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) will be monitored this week after briefly leaving the Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday to have his foot evaluated in the locker room, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. The fact that Murray returned and finished out Sunday's game should give fantasy managers hope that he'll be able to play in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts. However, Gannon is leaving things up in the air early in the week, so we'll have to pay close attention to the 28-year-old signal-caller's practice status later in the week. Murray had another middling fantasy outing against the Titans, throwing for 220 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. He added a rushing touchdown but also lost a fumble. If Murray is unable to play in Week 6, veteran Jacoby Brissett would make the start against the one-loss Colts.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Oct 6 10:10pm CT
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (knee) was back in individual drills during Monday's practice after he missed the Week 4 win in Dublin, Ireland, over the Minnesota Vikings, according to Brian Batko. Warren was a surprise inactive in Week 4, leading the way for backup Kenneth Gainwell to be featured heavily in Pittsburgh's offense as both a rusher and receiver. The Steelers had a well-timed bye in Week 5, giving the 26-year-old Warren a good chance to make it back in Week 6 against the division-rival Cleveland Browns after missing only one game. We'll have a better idea of Warren's Week 6 status once the Steelers start officially practicing on Wednesday. Warren has been a must-start in fantasy through three games, rushing for 132 yards on 43 carries while also catching 11 passes for 142 yards and a score. However, Warren will be a fade candidate in DFS against a tough Browns defense this weekend if he returns.

From RotoBaller

Antonio Gibson Oct 6 10:00pm CT
Antonio Gibson

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson (knee), who was quickly ruled out in the Sunday night win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport after Gibson had an MRI exam on Monday. It's a hit to New England's backfield the rest of the way. The 27-year-old will finish the 2025 campaign with 25 rushing attempts for 106 yards and one touchdown. He added two catches for six yards on three targets through the air. Gibson wasn't really a roster candidate in 12-team fantasy leagues, but he can now safely be dropped in deeper single-year formats. Terrell Jennings will likely be elevated from the practice squad to serve as the RB3 behind Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson. Gibson's injury gives Henderson a clearer path to an elevated backfield workload.

From RotoBaller

Kimani Vidal Oct 6 9:50pm CT
Kimani Vidal

Los Angeles Chargers running backs Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins are now in line for the bulk of the backfield load with rookie Omarion Hampton (ankle) going on Injured Reserve on Monday, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. Najee Harris (Achilles) is also out for the season. Vidal had 18 rushing yards on four carries in the Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders, with Haskins carrying the ball five times for 13 yards. The Chargers will most likely call up Amar Johnson to serve as the RB3 for at least the next four games with Hampton sidelined. Both Vidal and Haskins played 14 offensive snaps on Sunday versus Washington, but it's unclear exactly how the workload will be divvied up between Vidal and Haskins moving forward. Still, both RBs are worth attention on the waiver wire this week, with an increase in volume coming for the next four games.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Oct 6 9:50pm CT
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) wasn't spotted at Monday's practice, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Although the 49ers didn't hold an official practice on Monday, it's not a great sign that Pearsall isn't on the field after he was inactive for last Thursday night's win over the Los Angeles Rams due to a minor PCL injury that he suffered in Week 4. Both Pearsall and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) did not play last Thursday, allowing Kendrick Bourne to go off for 10 catches and over 100 yards. Jennings was on the field on Monday, though, signaling that Jennings might be closer than Pearsall in terms of being available in Week 6 to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If the 25-year-old Pearsall doesn't return to the team's first practice on Wednesday, he'll be on track to miss a second straight game.

From RotoBaller

Hassan Haskins Oct 6 9:40pm CT
Hassan Haskins

The bulk of the Los Angeles Chargers' backfield will now likely fall to running backs Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal, writes Eric Smith of Chargers.com. The Chargers placed rookie RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) on Injured Reserve on Monday after they already lost veteran Najee Harris (Achilles) for the season. Haskins had five carries for 13 yards in the Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, while Vidal had 18 rushing yards on four rushing attempts. Haskins and Vidal logged 14 offensive snaps apiece on Sunday, but it's unclear exactly how the division of labor will be distributed between the two over the next four games with Hampton out. It could be a split down the middle of backfield touches, but either way, both Haskins and Vidal will be prime waiver-wire targets for fantasy managers who need help at the position. Amar Johnson should be brought up from the practice squad to serve as the RB3.

From RotoBaller

Omarion Hampton Oct 6 9:30pm CT
Omarion Hampton

Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) was placed on Injured Reserve on Monday after suffering an ankle injury in the Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Hampton has a "good chance" to miss the minimum of four games. If Hampton only needs four games to rest up, he could return on Nov. 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10. Najee Harris (Achilles) is already out for the entire season after tearing his Achilles, so now the Chargers are down to Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal in the backfield as they head into a Week 6 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on the road this Sunday. It's a tough break for the Chargers and for Hampton's fantasy managers, but he needs to remain stashed and should return to his RB1 role when he's activated from IR. In the meantime, Haskins and Vidal are likely to form a timeshare, with the Bolts also probably relying on quarterback Justin Herbert's arm and legs more.

From RotoBaller

Carson Wentz Oct 6 9:10pm CT
Carson Wentz

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said quarterback Carson Wentz (shoulder) is undergoing further evaluation on the shoulder injury he suffered during the team's Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns. Wentz was able to finish the game, but it sounds like he "came in pretty sore," per Alec Lewis of The Athletic. The Vikings have a bye in Week 6, so Wentz will have some time to heal before the team's next game. Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) could also be back from the ankle injury that has sidelined him for the last three games by that time as well. It's not clear who the Vikings will turn to under center if both quarterbacks are available. If neither Wentz nor McCarthy is healthy in Week 7, rookie quarterback Max Brosmer could be the next man up in Minnesota.

From RotoBaller

Isaac TeSlaa Oct 6 9:10pm CT
Isaac TeSlaa

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had one target in Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he made it count by turning it into a 12-yard touchdown reception. TeSlaa has made the most of his low-usage role so far this season, as he has three catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns on five targets through the first five games of his career. Perhaps most importantly for his fantasy outlook, Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (neck) left early in Week 5 with a neck injury and did not return. TeSlaa has been firmly behind Raymond in snap share so far this season, so an injury to Raymond could open the door for TeSlaa to take over as Detroit's WR3 alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. It's too soon to count on TeSlaa for fantasy production, even if Raymond does miss time. Still, TeSlaa is a player to monitor in deep leagues, as he's flashed upside and could now be in line for an increased role.

From RotoBaller

Brenton Strange Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Brenton Strange

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (hip) is questionable to return to his team's Week 5 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a hip injury. Strange recorded one catch for 22 yards on one target before getting injured. If he is unable to return, Jaguars tight ends Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long would likely handle the majority of the snaps the rest of the way in Week 5.

From RotoBaller