Fri Sep 26 8:05pm ET
Field Level Media
Quarterback Brock Purdy will return to the starting lineup Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers visit the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Purdy was a full practice participant on Friday after his injured toe improved dramatically throughout the week. He missed the previous two games due to the ailment.
"He looked good," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters while confirming Purdy would start. "He got to do a lot more than last week and each day he got a lot better."
Purdy was upbeat about his chances on Thursday when he met with the media.
"I really like where I'm at with the progress with it healing up and feeling better and dropping back, throwing," Purdy said then. "It's no secret like it's been two-and-a-half weeks or so. And just overall, my toe is healed up. It's gotten better."
Purdy was injured during the season-opening 17-13 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks. He passed for 277 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Purdy also is listed as having a left shoulder injury but that ailment didn't come into play regarding his availability.
Purdy returns at a time in which Mac Jones is bothered by a left knee injury. He started the past two games and passed for 563 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Jones is listed as questionable against the Jaguars and said he is able to play.
"I feel good," Jones said. "Just like any other week, you're going through the week, getting ready for the game plans as a backup or a starter. So, I feel comfortable doing both. I'll be ready to play."
Defensive lineman CJ West (thumb) and wideout Jordan Watkins (calf) were the only two San Francisco players ruled out of the contest.
Receivers Jauan Jennings (ankle/shoulder) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) are questionable, as are guard Connor Colby (groin) and cornerback Renardo Green (neck).
Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 4
Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will start again in place of Jayden Daniels in Week 4 against the Falcons after making his first start of the season last week against the Raiders. Mariota led his team to a 41-24 win against one of his former teams and now will look to do the same on the road against another one of his former teams. He was super crisp in his first action since Week 18 of last season, completing 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown while running for 40 yards on six carries. It will be a tougher challenge this time as he will be missing star wide receiver Terry McLaurin (quad) and faces an Atlanta defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season at 12.3. Washington will likely follow a similar game plan to last week against Las Vegas, where they went very run-heavy, especially with multiple receivers out. He's not a recommended start in matchups this week.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is off to a promising start this season but faces an uphill battle against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4. The Vikings have been the toughest matchup for opposing wideouts through three games, surrendering just 25 receptions and one touchdown to the position. Austin has only eight catches this year, but he's made the most of them with 126 yards and two scores. His early chemistry with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been encouraging, yet he is still far from a reliable fantasy starter. With a low projected point total, Sunday's contest in Ireland isn't the ideal spot to roll the dice on high-upside, low-floor players. Austin remains a worthwhile stash in all leagues but should only be considered as a flex option in the deepest of redraft formats.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn hasn't been part of the problem in his team's 0-3 start, and he remains a solid starting kicker play in Week 4 in a favorable matchup against the Titans. Fairbairn has made six of his seven field goal attempts and both of his extra point attempts this season. He has three field goals from 50+ yards, but his offense hasn't given him opportunities to score many points. A struggling offense sometimes can help a kicker since they stall out and create more field goal attempts. The Titans have been a top-10 matchup for kickers this season, and kicking at home in Houston should set up well for Fairbairn in Week 4. He is the K7 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings, and he is a solid starter in most formats in this favorable spot.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (back) has practiced in full on Thursday and Friday this week, putting him on track to return in Week 4 on Monday Night Football versus the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, according to Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com. Engram didn't practice at all last week due to a back injury and was inactive in the Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, he's made notable progress this week and should be officially cleared to play on Monday night when Denver releases their final Week 4 injury report on Saturday. The 31-year-old was expected to be a big part of the Broncos' passing attack this year, but he had just four catches on six targets for 33 yards and no scores in the first two weeks. Engram has not played more than 43% of the offensive snaps in either of his games, despite Denver's coaching staff promising big things from him in 2025. He could become more involved eventually, but despite a strong Week 4 matchup, Engram is a dicey TE2 in fantasy coming off his back injury.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson is still getting plenty of playing time, but his team's offensive struggles have kept him from emerging as a viable deep sleeper. In his third year from Iowa State, he is playing more snaps than fellow former Cyclones Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, but he hasn't made much of an impact. He played 62% of snaps in Week 3 against the Jaguars and had three catches on three targets for 16 yards. He has multiple catches in each game this season, but he has only a total of seven catches for 75 yards on the year. Hutchinson has the potential to be a deep-league bye-week filler if he stays so involved and the Texans' passing game can get going. So far, they've struggled under C.J. Stroud and offensive coordinator Nick Caley, but they're in a good bounce-back spot this week against the Titans. Even in that favorable matchup, though, Hutchinson is only the WR92 in RotoBaller's rankings.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) was unable to practice all week and was officially ruled out on Friday for the Week 4 game against the New England Patriots on Sunday. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone after Sanders suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons. In fact, it's possible that the 22-year-old will miss up to four to six weeks with this injury. With Sanders out, all of Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and James Mitchell could have bigger roles for Carolina in the coming week, starting this Sunday versus the Patriots. Tremble will be the TE1, but he's more of a blocking tight end and should not be trusted in fantasy lineups. Fantasy managers should avoid Carolina's TE situation. Through three weeks in his second NFL season before his injury, Sanders caught 11 of 14 targets for 92 yards and no touchdowns.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has been getting more work the last few weeks, and he is a fringe top-20 option this week. He and the Texans are looking for their first win of the year as they host the also winless Tennessee Titans. After his backup Cade Stover's injury in Week 1, Schultz played 59% of snaps in Week 2 and 79% of snaps in Week 3. He set season highs in targets (6), catches (5), and receiving yards (39) in that contest, and he does have some PPR usage if you're desperate for production from the position. Schultz is the TE21 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings, meaning there are much stronger options to consider. If you are looking ahead for a bye-week fill-in or need an emergency starter, though, Schultz does have the potential to be a decent option against the Titans, who have allowed tight ends to total 13 catches for 115 yards in their three games this season.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins was the No. 34 pick in the NFL Draft, but he hasn't been able to carve out a large enough role in his team's struggling offense to be a fantasy factor. Higgins has only four catches on five targets for 65 yards through his first three games with the Texans. With Nico Collins (knee) off the injury report and Christian Kirk also back after missing two games, the Texans' rookie doesn't have any clear path to playing time. Last week against the Jaguars, he played 44% of snaps, only the fourth-highest mark among receivers. He only drew one target in all those snaps, though, coming down with a 28-yard catch. He does have potential and big-play ability, and he could develop down the road, but this week he dropped all the way down to RotoBaller's WR77, making him an afterthought at this point in standard redraft leagues.
From RotoBaller
When asked about Jacksonville Jaguars rookie two-way star Travis Hunter's usage on both sides of the ball moving forward, head coach Liam Coen said, "As we continue to go, his usage will continue to go." Take that for what you will as the Jags head into a Week 4 matchup against the 3-0 San Francisco 49ers. For fantasy purposes, Hunter's usage has gone in the wrong direction on offense over the first three games of his career. The Heisman Trophy winner played 64% of the offensive snaps in Week 1, followed by 59% in Week 2, and 53% in Week 3. Unsurprisingly, his best game was in the season opener when he caught six of his eight targets for 33 yards. The 22-year-old has been quiet overall with 10 grabs on 16 targets for 76 yards and no touchdowns in three games. Hunter was heavily involved on defense last week, and although that probably won't be the norm each week, it makes him more of a boom/bust WR4/flex heading into Week 4.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury but was able to make his return in Week 3 against the Jaguars. He'll look to build on that game with a better Week 4 against the Titans and help his new team to its first win of the season. In his Texans' debut, he only had 25 receiving yards on three catches, but he was the primary slot receiver and logged 67% of snaps, which was second to Nico Collins among wide receivers. He had eight targets, which was also second on the team behind only Collins, and he nearly hauled in a game-tying touchdown on the Texans' final drive. He and C.J. Stroud will continue to work on their chemistry, and the Texans' offense still has a long way to go before it's reliable for fantasy. Kirk is only the WR55 this week in RotoBaller's rankings, so he isn't worth starting in most formats, although he is a name to watch if he stays in such a critical role for his new team and the offense finds a rhythm.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb is set to make another start for the Texans in a favorable spot against the Titans this Sunday afternoon in Houston. Chubb has been the team's primary running back for the first three games of the season, and he should remain in a very involved role with Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) still without a clear timeframe for a return. Chubb had totaled 34 carries for 141 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and one touchdown and added five catches for 31 more yards. Chubb has played just over 50% of the team's snaps in each week, but his carries and rushing yards have trended down each week. He'll look to flip that script in this week's matchup against the Titans, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to running backs in the NFL this season. Chubb is still just the RB26 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings, so he's not a starter in standard-sized leagues unless he's your best play at a flex spot. He will be a touchdown-dependent option as he tries to help the Texans' offense get rolling after their 0-3 start.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks had his most involved game in the NFL last week against the Jaguars, and he could be in for a breakout game in a favorable matchup against the Titans, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to running backs this season. The fourth-round pick from USC is a proven producer as a receiver out of the backfield and took over more responsibility from Dare Ogunbowale in Week 3, serving as the clear second option in the backfield behind Nick Chubb. Marks played 11% of snaps in Week 1, 27% in Week 2, and then his playing time jumped to 48% in Week 3. Marks had six carries for 27 yards and one catch for nine more yards, but he has flashed a higher upside than those totals indicate. He could pass Chubb for playing time sometime this season, and even if it's an even split this week, he has enough upside to potentially have a breakout performance. He's only the RB31 in RotoBaller's rankings this week, so he still is high-risk as a flex play, but he's definitely one of the top rookies to watch this weekend if you're expecting one to break through with a big game.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will look to get the offense in gear in a favorable matchup in Week 4 against the Titans. Stroud and the Texans have slipped to 0-3 coming into Sunday's matchup with the 0-3 Titans. The offense has seemed stuck in neutral under new offensive coordinator Nick Caley, ranking 29th in the NFL in yards per game at 267.3. and 25th in the league with 172.3 passing yards per game. Stroud has thrown for right around 200 yards in each game with a total of two touchdowns and three interceptions. The offensive line is definitely part of the problem, but Stroud has also struggled. Facing the Titans could be a nice "get right" spot for Stroud. The Titans rank 25th in the league in DVOA against the pass and have allowed 31.3 points per game, the third-highest mark in the league. Stroud is the QB17 in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings, making him a strong QB2 play in the matchup, even though he's still not a good option at all for single-quarterback leagues.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (rest) did not practice on Thursday but carries no injury designation and will suit up in Week 4. He is staring down a challenge against the Minnesota Vikings after posting modest numbers through his first three games with the Steelers. The Vikings have given up the fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season, holding stars like Ja'Marr Chase and Drake London to 50 yards or fewer. While Metcalf and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have shown chemistry in the red zone, Minnesota has allowed just one touchdown to a receiver, and none since Week 1. The seventh-year pro remains the clear top target in Pittsburgh and has the explosiveness to break open for a big play, but expectations should be tempered. Metcalf profiles as a low-end WR2 or flex option for this international showdown in Dublin, Ireland.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said that the team would like to get running backs J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey 20 carries per game if that were realistic because the team "likes each of them that much." The Broncos have had nothing but good things to say about Harvey, whom they drafted in the second round for a reason this year. However, despite the Broncos continuing to say they want a bigger role for Harvey, he's been stuck behind the veteran Dobbins in the RB pecking order through three weeks. The rookie's snap share has not gone over 33%, either, with Dobbins seeing a season-high 67% of the offensive snaps in the Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Harvey was an afterthought last week, carrying the ball twice for two yards, although he did catch a season-high three passes for 14 yards. Until further notice, the 24-year-old can't be considered anything more than a low-volume, low-upside RB3/flex in deeper fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (hip) is currently listed as questionable ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Higbee popped up on the injury report on Thursday due to a hip issue. Despite that, head coach Sean McVay doesn't believe the hip injury is a concern. McVay said that he expects Higbee to suit up for this weekend's contest. The 32-year-old hasn't done much on the field this season. He has four receptions for 37 yards through the first three games. It's probably best if Higbee is on the fantasy bench even if he's active for Week 4.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell scored his first touchdown of the season last week and will look to build on that momentum against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4. Minnesota has been strong against the run, allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points and just one total touchdown to opposing backs this year. While the matchup doesn't set up favorably for Gainwell, Jaylen Warren (knee) is questionable, which could open the door for additional opportunities. Warren is expected to suit up in Ireland, but it's unclear if he will receive a full workload. Although Gainwell logged his lowest snap share of the season in Week 3, he could return to the 40-50% range he held over the first two weeks if Warren is limited. If Warren is surprisingly ruled out, Gainwell would rise to back-end RB2 territory, but for now, he's best viewed as a desperation flex play.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams WR Davante Adams (hamstring) was limited during practice Friday, Sept. 26, and is listed as questionable for Week 4.
Fantasy Spin: Adams did not practice much this week, so he could be a game-time decision in Week 4. He has played well during the early part of the season and will be a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver in fantasy leagues if he is active for the game.
From TheHuddle
Los Angeles Rams TE Tyler Higbee (hip) did not participate in practice Friday, Sept. 26, and is listed as questionable for Week 4.
Fantasy Spin: Higbee will probably be a game-time decision for Week 4, so fantasy players can check the inactive list for his status. He is averaging only two targets per game during the early part of the season and can be avoided in most leagues even if he is active for the game.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (knee) is tagged as questionable for the upcoming Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones has been limited in practice all week due to a sprained PCL in his left knee that he suffered during last week's contest. The 27-year-old has made back-to-back starts for the 49ers, but can now resume his role as the backup. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has confirmed that Brock Purdy is active for Sunday's contest. That means, Jones would serve as the backup if he's healthy enough to play. Regardless, Jones is safe to drop with Purdy being a full-go for this weekend. Jones did a solid job as he threw for 563 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in his two starts.
From RotoBaller