The Cincinnati Bengals are acquiring veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. In exchange for Flacco, the Bengals will send a fifth-round pick to Cleveland and will also receive a sixth-rounder. Flacco was benched for rookie QB Dillon Gabriel in Week 5, but now he'll have another shot to start in 2025 as a replacement for the struggling Jake Browning, who has thrown six touchdowns and eight interceptions in four games (three starts) with Joe Burrow (toe) on Injured Reserve. Flacco, 40, is no stranger to turnovers himself, though, and he wasn't exactly looking great in four starts for the Browns before being benched. Flacco had gone 93-for-160 for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six picks. He'll bring a more veteran presence that will look to feed receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins down the field, but it's not much of an upgrade over Browning, if at all.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that cornerback Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) will be limited in practice at the start of the week on Wednesday, but he could do more later in the week, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. Tomlin also said that Ramsey has been aggressive in his recovery during the Week 5 bye, and he's encouraged by his status leading into the Week 6 game this Sunday versus the division-rival Cleveland Browns. The 30-year-old veteran defensive back was apparently injured in the Week 4 win in Ireland over the Minnesota Vikings. The team's bye came at a good time, though, and it sounds as though Ramsey has a good chance of playing this Sunday against Cleveland. Through four games so far in 2025, Ramsey has 14 tackles (eight solo), an interception, and four pass breakups.

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A second opinion on Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold's shoulder on Tuesday showed that the injury is not as bad as initially feared, and he is now expected to return this year, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. A source described it as "sooner than expected" for Arnold's return, and he could make it back in October. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on Tuesday morning that it was looking likely that the 22-year-old cornerback would miss the rest of the year. However, now it looks like he could avoid season-ending shoulder surgery, which is great news for Detroit's secondary. The Lions are also currently without D.J. Reed (hamstring) and Khalil Dorsey (concussion) in their secondary, leaving them thin on the back end heading into their Week 6 showdown on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 1053 The Fan that the team has its "fingers crossed" that wide receiver KaVontae Turpin (foot) can return in Week 6 on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers on the road, according to Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. Turpin didn't play in the Week 5 win over the New York Jets due to a foot sprain that kept him out of practice all last week. The 29-year-old has mostly been a big asset on special teams as a kick returner for Dallas, but he's also beginning to take on a bigger role on offense as a pass-catcher. If Turpin can return this weekend, he'll have a bigger opportunity in the passing game with CeeDee Lamb (ankle) expected to miss another game. However, Turpin would be competing with Ryan Flournoy, who had a big game on Sunday, and Jalen Tolbert for WR2 duties behind George Pickens, making him more of a WR5 in fantasy.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that wide receiver Calvin Austin III (shoulder) will be limited at practice to start the week on Wednesday, but he could do more later in the week, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Austin has been aggressive in his recovery during the team's Week 5 bye, and he's encouraged by his status heading into a Week 6 date against the division-rival Cleveland Browns. The 26-year-old pass-catcher injured his shoulder late in the Week 4 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland, but he has a chance to play this weekend with the bye coming at the right time for him. Austin has been Pittsburgh's clear No. 2 WR behind DK Metcalf this year, catching 10 of his 17 targets for 139 yards and two touchdowns in four games. If he's active in Week 6, Austin will be a risky WR4/flex coming off injury against a strong Browns defense.

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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (hamstring) is eligible to come off Injured Reserve and play in Week 6, but he's considered a "long shot" to return this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Kittle is more likely to return in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons than this week versus Tampa Bay. The 31-year-old veteran injured his hamstring in the season opener and was placed on IR, but he's missed the required four games and can now return whenever the team deems him healthy. Once the Niners designate him to return to practice, they'll have a 21-day window to officially activate him. In the meantime, Jake Tonges, who scored his third TD in Week 5, should be in play as a TE streamer in fantasy, especially if receivers Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) and/or Ricky Pearsall (knee) miss more time.

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Houston Texans RB Joe Mixon (ankle) could provide clarity on his status in the next month, according to general manager Nick Caserio. Caserio was non-committal on if Mixon will play this year.

Fantasy Spin: Several league sources doubt Mixon will play this year, and another source said the team isn't planning on him contributing at all this year. He should remain stashed on IR if possible, but it seems like Nick Chubb has some runway. He's the RB28 in non-PPR formats and will continue to be a flex candidate.

From TheHuddle

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Brashard Smith recorded just one carry for four yards in his team's 31-28 Week 5 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, Smith recorded three catches for 32 yards on three targets, his second straight game with at least three receptions. It's a baby step in the right direction for Smith. He's still behind veterans Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt on the running back depth chart in Kansas City, but the Chiefs may slowly be prioritizing ways to get the ball in Smith's hands. He now has 87 yards from scrimmage on 14 total touches this season, 11 of which have come over the last two weeks. Smith should not be expected to provide immediate fantasy production. Still, he should be stashed in all fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Detroit Lions.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges came up big in Week 5, tying Kendrick Bourne for a team-high 11 targets and securing seven receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. The score was his third trip to the end zone since taking over for George Kittle (hamstring) as the team's primary receiving tight end. Kittle was seen running on a side field during Monday's practice, but is still on injured reserve. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Kittle playing in Week 6 is a "long shot" and the likelier return date will be Week 7. If Kittle continues to miss time, and pending the status of wide receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs), Tonges could be in store for another productive week. In Week 6, the 49ers face the Buccaneers, who have given up two touchdowns to tight ends in each of their last two games.

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Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said the team will have clarity on running back Joe Mixon's (foot/ankle) health status for the "duration of the year" at some point "over the next few weeks." Mixon has not played yet in 2025, and the team has provided little to no information about a possible return timeline. It seems possible, if not likely, that the 29-year-old will miss the entirety of the season. If that's the case, Houston will likely continue splitting backfield work between veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks. Chubb has recorded 58 carries for 249 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Marks has logged 233 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 42 total touches, and could eventually work his way into the lead role over the course of the season.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne saw his utilization surge in the absence of Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) during Week 5. Bourne was tied with tight end Jake Tonges for 11 targets and led the team with 10 receptions and 142 receiving yards. On Monday, Pearsall was not seen at the team's first practice of the week. Jennings was reportedly suited up and carrying his helmet. Their availability for the 49ers' Week 6 matchup against the Buccaneers will become clearer after the team's first official practice and injury report on Wednesday. Following his explosive performance last Thursday and with his teammates' status murky, Bourne will likely be a popular waiver wire add going into Week 6.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter dominated backfield touches in Week 5, the team's first full game without running backs James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee). Carter recorded 73 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 23 total touches in Week 5, while fellow Arizona backs Emari Demercado and Bam Knight combined for just eight total touches. With Conner out for the season and Benson currently on Injured Reserve, Carter could have an extended window as the Cardinals' clear RB1. Carter is a priority waiver-wire addition in any league where he's not already rostered. He profiles as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex option in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts.

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New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard (personal) did not travel with the team to London for their Week 6 matchup against the Denver Broncos due to personal reasons. The team announcement states that Lazard's game status is not affected, but it's unclear at this point whether he will be available on Sunday. The 29-year-old has recorded four catches for 24 yards and a touchdown on six targets so far this season. If he is unable to play, it could mean more playing time for Jets wideouts Arian Smith, Josh Reynolds, and Tyler Johnson. Either way, Lazard should remain off the radar of fantasy managers in Week 6 against Denver.

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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder) is getting a second opinion but may be forced to miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Arnold has struggled this season, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the 132nd-best cornerback out of 169 qualified players at the position. Still, his loss will impact the Lions, who have already placed top cornerback D.J. Reed (hamstring) on Injured Reserve and lost cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (shoulder) to a season-ending shoulder injury over the summer. Without Arnold and Reed, the Lions will likely rely on Amik Robertson, Avonte Maddox, and Rock Ya-Sin to handle cornerback duties. Detroit will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6, so it could be a favorable matchup for Chiefs wideouts Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown, and Tyquan Thornton.

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According to Cincinnati Bengals beat writer Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, the team's internal options at quarterback are "not in consideration" to replace current starter Jake Browning in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers. As such, any potential replacement would have to come from outside the building. In three starts since replacing Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) under center, Browning has thrown for 516 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions while leading the team to an 0-3 record. However, it does not appear Cincinnati has confidence in current backup QB Brett Rypien or practice squad QB options Mike White and Sean Clifford. Most likely, Browning will be the signal-caller in a difficult Week 6 matchup against the Packers.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell "looked like a lead back" in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings and "has earned more time," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. With Steelers RB1 Jaylen Warren (knee) missing the team's final game before their bye week, Gainwell logged 134 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 25 total touches. Per Fowler, the Steelers are "hoping there are plenty of carries for both" running backs going forward. When Warren is healthy, Gainwell's role will likely be somewhat limited. Still, Gainwell should be a priority waiver wire addition heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

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Cincinnati Bengals QB Mike White was released from the practice squad Tuesday, Oct. 7.

From TheHuddle

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has gotten off to an outstanding start to the season despite missing most of training camp with a back issue. He leads the NFL with 1,503 passing yards on the year and is second with 11 passing touchdowns. He has thrown multiple touchdowns in each of his last four games after lighting up the San Francisco 49ers for 389 yards and three touchdowns last Thursday. Stafford only has two interceptions on the year as well, and he has led the Rams to a 3-2 record with close losses to the Niners and Eagles. This week, he'll visit the Ravens, whose defense has been shreddable this season, by just about every position, but especially opposing quarterbacks. Stafford has been thriving with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams each playing at a high level, and he'll look to bounce back from last week's tough loss with a big game in Baltimore on Sunday.

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Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle had one of the best fantasy performances by any player this season in Week 5, racking up 206 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against the Dolphins while also catching three passes for 28 yards. Dowdle stepped up with Chuba Hubbard (calf) out, and Hubbard starts Week 6 "day-to-day" heading into Carolina's matchup against the Cowboys in Week 6. Coach Dave Canales said that the team having "two good backs" is "a good problem," but it's hard to know exactly what the timeshare will look like when Hubbard is ready to return. At least in the short term, Dowdle should get more work and could keep the lion's share of the work more long-term if he remains so effective, or if Hubbard needs more time to get back to full speed. It's definitely a situation to monitor moving forward, and Dowdle should be owned in all formats after his career day.

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New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor has quickly become a main part of the team's passing game, and the rookie tight end is worth a look in almost all fantasy formats due to the volume he has been getting. The second-round pick out of LSU has been the team's top pass-catching tight end all season, but he had just two catches on three targets in his first two games. Since then, though, he has 18 catches on 25 targets over three weeks for a total of 150 yards. Taylor set career-highs with nine catches on 12 targets for 67 yards against the Cowboys in Week 5, pacing the team in catches and targets as the team tried to scramble back against Dallas. The 0-5 Jets have had to play from behind a lot this year, and they'll take on the Broncos in the morning game from London in Week 6. Taylor can definitely be a strong TE1 option for as long as he keeps getting so much volume.

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