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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner had a career day on Sunday, and he continues to step up as a meaningful part of Sam Darnold's offense. The second-year tight end from Michigan hauled in a career-high seven catches for 53 yards and found the end zone twice in his team's narrow loss to the Bucs. Barner has caught 14 of the 16 targets sent his way this season and scored four touchdowns in the last four weeks. Darnold has made tight ends fantasy-relevant in his previous NFL stops, and Barner looks to be the latest beneficiary of his attention. The Seahawks are headed to Jacksonville to face the Jags on Sunday, after Jacksonville got a big win on Monday. Barner could be an emergency TE1 option if bye weeks have you in trouble this week, or he could be a solid depth add for later in the season.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller missed the first three games of the season with a hip injury, but he has made a huge impact in the last two weeks. He had two touchdowns against the Jets in his first game after returning following a year in retirement, and he found the end zone again in Week 5 against the Panthers. His snap count jumped from 16 (28%) in his debut to 32 (58%) in his second game back, and he should continue to get as much run as he can handle. Last year, Jonnu Smith was a productive tight end with Tua Tagovailoa, and Waller looks like he can be as he ramps up this season. Waller will help carry the load for Miami with Tyreek Hill (knee) out for the season, as Jaylen Waddle takes over the top receiver role. He's a fringe TE1 at this point, but if he stays healthy, it looks like he'll be able to be a solid standard-league starter in favorable matchups.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt stepped up in Week 5 against the Chargers, taking 14 carries for 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The other running backs were less involved, with Chris Rodriguez Jr. only getting five carries for seven yards and Jeremy McNichols only one carry for six yards. Croskey-Merritt played a season-high 47% of snaps, while McNichols and Rodriguez only played 25% each. The seventh-round pick from Arizona seemed to gel well with returning QB Jayden Daniels and helped the team secure a big road win over the Chargers. This week, Croskey-Merritt and the Commanders are home against the Bears on Monday Night Football, which should be a good matchup for the rookie to continue to assert himself as the leader of the backfield going forward. He's definitely the most dynamic option of the group with the highest fantasy upside.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy had the best game of his career on Sunday against New York, and he could stay involved in his team's high-volume passing attack in the coming weeks. CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and KaVontae Turpin (ankle) were out in Week 5, and if they miss week as well, Flournoy could be busy once again as the Cowboys visit the Panthers in Week 6. In his career day against the Jets, the 25-year-old caught six of his nine targets for 114 yards and took two carries for 10 yards. He tied for the team lead in targets with Jake Ferguson and posted more receiving yards than any other player on the roster. Flournoy had just four catches this season prior to Sunday and only 10 catches for all of last year. The second-year receiver from Southeast Missouri State will be a deep-league option to keep an eye on, though, since the Cowboys have been throwing the ball so often this season.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun was credited with 14 tackles -- seven solo -- versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.

From TheHuddle

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce had a game-high seven receptions, 61 yards, and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5. He was targeted eight times.

Fantasy Spin: It was Kelce's best game of the season, setting a personal best in receptions while matching his season high in receiving yards and scoring for the first time since Week 1. The veteran isn't the player he once was, but he still does enough to be a weekly starter at a tight end position with some key injuries to its top performers.

From TheHuddle

Kansas City Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster had two receptions (on three targets) for 17 yards in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From TheHuddle