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Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado served as the team's RB2 in Week 4 behind Trey Benson (knee). However, with Benson now on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury, it does not appear that Demercado is a lock to assume Arizona's RB1 role. Demercado has appeared in 31 games for the Cardinals since the start of 2023, but he has not recorded more than four carries in a game since October of his first season with the team. That could indicate that Arizona feels comfortable with Demercado as the team's passing-downs back, but that veteran back Michael Carter could assume the bulk of the early-down work. Heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Demercado profiles as a decent flex option for fantasy managers, but Carter should be the preferred play.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington could be in line to step into the team's WR2 role alongside Jaylen Waddle after Miami lost Tyreek Hill (knee) to a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Washington has been used in a gadget role so far this season, recording eight catches for 47 yards on 15 targets and eight carries for 60 yards through four games. He's a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by his 74-yard punt return touchdown in Week 2 against the New England Patriots. With Hill sidelined, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel could place an even greater emphasis on manufacturing touches for Washington. He profiles as a low-end flex option in deep leagues heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter could be in line to take over as the team's primary early-down back with running backs James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee) both currently on Injured Reserve. Carter figures to split touches in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans with Emari Demercado and possibly Bam Knight, but earlier reporting has indicated that Carter could be the team's preferred choice to assume the majority of the rush attempts. Carter has recorded 2,131 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns on 439 touches across 49 career NFL games (22 starts). He profiles as a high-end RB3/flex option in a favorable Week 5 matchup against Tennessee.

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Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (concussion) practiced in full on Thursday after being limited on Wednesday as he attempts to return from a concussion for his team's Week 5 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Fant has recorded 12 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets across three games so far in 2025. The Bengals' offense has struggled in the two full games it has played without Joe Burrow (toe), scoring a combined 13 points over the last two weeks against the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. That could limit Fant's fantasy appeal even if he is healthy enough to play in Week 5.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot) is expected to miss his team's Week 5 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks and is "in danger" of missing Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers as well, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Irving is currently battling a mid-foot sprain that is not expected to be a long-term injury, but it appears it could lead to a multi-week absence. With Irving sidelined, Buccaneers running backs Rachaad White and Sean Tucker should be expected to handle the majority of the backfield workload, with rookie Josh Williams potentially mixing in as well. White has recorded 142 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown so far this season and profiles as a low-end fantasy RB2 in Week 5. Tucker has not seen much work yet in 2025, but he's been an efficient rusher when given the opportunity in his career and could be a decent deep-league flex play while Irving is out.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown (shoulder) was listed as a limited practice participant on Thursday. Brown missed Week 4 due to the shoulder injury, but his limited status early in the week could mean he's trending towards playing in his team's Week 5 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. Brown has recorded 10 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets across three games so far this season. If he returns to the lineup in Week 5, it could mean less playing time for Jaguars wideouts Travis Hunter and Parker Washington. All three of Brown, Hunter, and Washington should be avoided by fantasy managers this week in a tough matchup against the Chiefs.

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten (shoulder) was a limited participant in practice Thursday, as he has been dealing with a shoulder injury for the last few weeks, but has suited up for each game since suffering the injury. He will have two more practice days to log full practice time to avoid missing Monday's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. At this time, Tuten is nothing more than a high-upside handcuff or bench stash, so fantasy managers are unlikely to be relying on him as a starter in their starting lineups at this time. However, the shoulder issue could explain part of the reason why we haven't seen his snap percentage increase much from Week 2. He has also seen his touches go down from 10 to seven to five in the last three weeks. Lead back Travis Etienne has been solid, but Tuten remains a top bench stash as he provides top-20 running back potential should Etienne experience any setbacks. When given the chance, Tuten is averaging 4.19 YPC on his 21 rush attempts and has contributed 40 yards through the air on three receptions to go along with two touchdowns.

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NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday Night Football that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), coming off a significant knee injury, is "still weeks away" from returning. Aiyuk was placed on the PUP list to start the season, which required him to miss at least the first four games of the year. It appears he will miss more time, with an uncertain timetable for his return. Fantasy managers who have the room to continue to hold him on their IR should, but with the number of injuries that have transpired over the last two weeks, fantasy managers who need to make room on their team for players closer to returning might want to consider that, as Aiyuk is looking like he won't return anytime in the next few weeks.

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Carolina Panthers rookie running back Trevor Etienne is seemingly set to see some additional touches in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, with Chuba Hubbard (calf) ruled out for Week 5. Etienne saw his snap percentage and workload increase in Week 4 with the Panthers getting blown out by the Patriots 42-13, but now with Hubbard out, Rico Dowdle will be the lead back, and Etienne will back him up. Etienne will likely see anywhere between five and 10 touches. On the season, he is averaging 4.63 YPC and has 37 rushing yards with one reception. He did have a fumble in Week 3 on his only touch, which happened on a kick return. In deeper leagues, he might be worth a stash in case he breaks out during his limited opportunities and starts to challenge the team a bit to give him more touchdowns down the stretch.

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Carolina Panthers running back and former Dallas Cowboy, Rico Dowdle, is set to be the lead back in the Panthers' backfield in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, with Chuba Hubbard (calf) ruled out for Week 5. Hubbard is considered week-to-week, so Dowdle isn't expected to be a hot commodity for a season-long play, but he immediately rises in the Week 5 ranks and becomes a top-25 running back against the Dolphins defense, which allows the seventh most fantasy points to the running back position. Dowdle is no slouch either; last year with the Cowboys, he accumulated 1,328 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. Rookie running back Trevor Etienne becomes the team's RB2 and should also be in line for additional carries.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has officially been ruled out for their Week 5 contest against the Cleveland Browns. McCarthy has been sidelined since suffering this high ankle sprain during their Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Carson Wentz to receive his third-straight start. Wentz threw for just 173 yards but tacked on two TD passes in his Minnesota debut in Week 3. In Week 4, he took a loss to the Steelers but enjoyed a productive fantasy day, totaling 350 yards with another two touchdown passes. Wentz carries solid QB2 value this weekend, despite facing a potent Cleveland defense. Given McCarthy's uncertain timetable, he is only worth stashing in deeper one-QB leagues while he remains sidelined. McCarthy will look to return to action in Week 7 when they host the Eagles, following their Week 6 bye.

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According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, Carolina Panthers running back Chubba Hubbard (calf) will miss Sunday's home game against the Miami Dolphins, according to a league source. The Panthers consider Hubbard to be week-to-week but do not plan to place him on injured reserve, the source said. The silver lining is that Hubbard's injury appears to be minor and not long-term, allowing fantasy managers to treat this situation as a bye week for Hubbard, as it seems possible he will return for Week 6. Rico Dowdle becomes an immediate must-add in 12-team formats and becomes a low-end RB2 in Week 5; meanwhile, Trevor Etienne will be in line for additional touches. Hubbard has been okay this season, averaging 4.09 YPC and 217 rushing yards to go along with 13 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

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According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (calf) is not expected to play on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. Rapoport noted that Hubbard has not practiced this week and is unlikely to turn the corner in time. As a result, the team's No. 2 running back Rico Dowdle is slated to serve in the lead role. Hubbard was dealing with this calf injury before last week's contest, but was unable to suit up. However, in this game, the running back was given his smallest workload of the season as he took just 10 carries for a modest 49 yards and was only targeted three times through the air. Dowdle was the lead back in Dallas last season and posted his first 1,000-yard campaign. Given his projected volume, he carries RB2 upside facing the Dolphins, who have allowed the 10th-most PPR points to opposing RBs this season.

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Los Angeles Rams WR Davante Adams had five catches (on 11 targets) for 88 yards versus the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.

Fantasy Spin: Adams carried a three-game scoring streak into Thursday night, and while that was snapped, the veteran's 88 yards marked his second-highest output since joining the Rams. While you'd like to see more consistent usage for Adams, who has less than half as many receptions as Puka Nacua, his overall production is solid, setting a 17-game pace of 1,214 yards receiving and 10 TDs. If defenses start sliding to Nacua, it could open things even more for Adams, who rates as a solid WR2 that offers WR1 upside each week.

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Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford completed 30 of 47 passes for 389 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions versus the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.

Fantasy Spin: Make it back-to-back weeks with over 350 yards and 3 TDs for Stafford, who is currently on pace for 5,110 yards and 37 TDs -- that's close to what he did during his first season in LA when he had 4,886 yards and 41 TDs. He hasn't come close to matching that in three seasons since, but adding Davante Adams to go with Puka Nacua has elevated the passing game after Cooper Kupp deteriorated physically in recent years. The ongoing issues with LA's backs and fumbling might also play to Stafford's advantage, as head coach Sean McVay could decide his best path forward is putting the ball in Stafford's hands as often as possible. It's suddenly not far fetched that Stafford, who began the year as a fringe top-20 candidate, could legitimately push into weekly QB1 territory as the season wears on. He's already a viable QB1 in plus matchups.

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San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner was credited with 12 tackles, including seven solo, in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams.

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San Francisco 49ers WR Demarcus Robinson had three receptions (on seven targets) for 39 yards versus the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne caught 10 of his 11 targets for 142 yards during Thursday's Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Rams in overtime. The 30-year-old took on a massive role with Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) sidelined, and he showed that he was up for the task as his reception total jumped from one last week to 10 this week. Meanwhile, the veteran's 24.2 fantasy points (PPR) were the most he has scored in a single game since Week 1 of the 2023 season, when he was with the New England Patriots. Some managers in deeper leagues started Bourne on Thursday, so while his big game was a surprise, it still impacted plenty of fantasy football matchups. Bourne will head back to a depth role once Jennings and Pearsall are healthy again. For now, he's not a reliable fantasy option for Week 6 against the Ravens, but his fantasy outlook will gain some more clarity when the 49ers post their injury report next Wednesday.

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San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges caught seven of his 11 targets for 41 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's win over the Los Angeles Rams. Tonges has filled in quite admirably for George Kittle (hamstring), who could return as early as next week. Through five games, the 26-year-old has 19 catches, 166 yards, and three touchdowns, ranking 10th among tight ends in fantasy points per game. The return of Kittle, whether that happens sooner or later, will push Tonges back to a depth role and keep him off the fantasy radar. At the moment, it's too early to predict whether Kittle will return and impact Tonges' fantasy outlook next week against the Ravens.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams was targeted a team-high 11 times on Thursday, ultimately catching five passes for 88 yards in his team's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He has played relatively well this season, but his productivity has been overshadowed by Puka Nacua, who currently ranks as the overall WR1 in fantasy football. An 88-yard outing is nothing to scoff at, but managers were likely hoping for Adams to add a few more catches or a touchdown. His 22 catches on 46 targets this year are not Matthew Stafford's fault, but still concerning nonetheless.Managers should look for the duo to bounce back against the Ravens next week, with Adams ranking as a mid-to-low WR2.

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