New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder) doesn't look particularly close to returning to action in Week 5 on the road against the New Orleans Saints after he missed a second straight practice this week on Thursday, according to Evan Barnes of Newsday Sports. Tracy dislocated his right shoulder in the Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and has yet to practice or play since. Barring a quick recovery in the next couple of days, it's looking like the second-year back will miss a second straight game this weekend. Rookie Cam Skattebo is lined up for clear RB1 workhorse duties for the second straight contest in a plus matchup against the Saints, making him a high-end RB2 play in fantasy, at worst. Tracy began his second year in the NFL as New York's lead back, but even before his shoulder injury in Week 3, he was quickly losing his grasp as the lead back. When Tracy returns from his shoulder injury, he very well could be the change-of-pace option behind Skattebo for the rest of the season.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) has returned to the practice field on Thursday, according to The Athletic's Tashan Reed. It's unclear if Samuel was able to practice in full, but regardless, it puts him on track to play in Week 5 on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers after he sat out of practice on Wednesday. Still, Samuel's status going into the weekend is worth monitoring, especially since it's looking like Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) will miss a second straight game. If Samuel can play against the Bolts, he should once again be in line for WR1 duties and will have an even higher fantasy ceiling with quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) set to return after a two-game absence due to a knee sprain. The veteran pass-catcher has been solid for fantasy managers through four weeks and had 81 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 29-year-old has caught 22 of his 27 targets so far for 204 yards and two touchdowns in his first year in D.C.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) was spotted on Thursday on the field stretching with his teammates, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. It's a good sign that McLaurin is on the practice field in the portion open to the media, but it doesn't mean he'll officially return to practice with the team after being listed as a DNP on Wednesday. The 30-year-old appears to be progressing from a quadriceps injury he sustained in Week 3, but it's looking more likely that he's going to be unavailable for the second straight game in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road. Fantasy managers should keep McLaurin on their benches until further notice and check back on Friday for his official Week 5 status. If he's ruled out again this weekend, Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel), Luke McCaffrey, and Jaylin Lane should start in three-wide sets again for Washington with quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) making his return.

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Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said that coaches felt it was the "right time" to make the switch at quarterback from veteran Joe Flacco to rookie Dillon Gabriel after the Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions, according to Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. Rees also said that the team is trying to "spark the offense" with the QB shakeup as they head into a Week 5 international matchup in London against the Minnesota Vikings. For now, Flacco will hold the clipboard on the sideline as the QB2, with rookie fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders sticking as the QB3. Gabriel undoubtedly will give the Browns more mobility at the position going forward, but with injuries on Cleveland's offensive line, it's not going to be easy, especially in his starting debut this Sunday across the pond against a very capable Vikings D. At best, Gabriel is a low-end QB2 streaming option in superflex fantasy leagues in Week 5.

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Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said that veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is going to remain as the team's No. 2 QB for now, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "Just feel like Joe's gonna stay the No. 2 right now and has done a lot to prepare and be ready to go in a pinch," Rees said. Flacco was benched in favor of rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel after four weeks of rough play for the Browns. He will remain ahead of rookie fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders on the QB depth chart for now as Gabriel's backup, but as things progress this season, Sanders could leapfrog him if the coaching staff continues to like what they see from Sanders' development. In his four starts, Flacco threw for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. He has no business being rostered in fantasy leagues outside of two-QB superflex formats as bench depth.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot) is back on the practice field on Thursday after he was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Shepard's status is worth watching going into Sunday's Week 5 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, but the fact that he's back on the field on Thursday is a good sign. Mike Evans (hamstring) is likely to miss a second straight game this weekend, but the 32-year-old Shepard is still going to be a hard sell as a flex play in fantasy now that Chris Godwin is back. With Godwin back in the Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Shepard played 62% of the offensive snaps and caught just two passes for 14 yards on four targets, while Godwin was targeted a team-high-tying 10 times. Godwin and rookie Emeka Egbuka will be Tampa's top two wideouts until Evans is able to return.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield (knee, biceps) returned to practice Thursday, Oct. 2.

Fantasy Spin: Shakey Bakey will be an upper-middle QB1 against the Seattle Seahawks last season. He could be down Mike Evans and Bucky Irving, though, so last week's 289 yards may not be in the cards.

From TheHuddle

Dynasty | The Jets have placed running back Braelon Allen on injured reserve. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that escalated quickly. The Jets haven't disclosed the exact nature of Allen's knee injury but it's clearly more than just a bruise. While it doesn't sound like he's going to miss the rest of the season, it's also unclear if he's going to be back after the required four weeks. Breece Hall is going to get all he can handle moving forward and Isaiah Davis has quickly become relevant.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was out there practicing with the team on Thursday, according to FOX Sports' Greg Auman. The former Cleveland Brown was limited all last week with a biceps injury, but his ailing knee held him out of Wednesday's session. It's excellent news that he's back out there the next day, hinting that it may have been more of a day of rest for the veteran. His participation in Friday's session will be telling of his status for Sunday's outing with the hosting Seattle Seahawks, though, as of now, it appears that Mayfield is on track to suit up. Seattle has been one of the better teams against the rush thus far, so the Bucs could be forced to air it out a bit more in Week 5, particularly with running back Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) trending in the wrong direction.

From RotoBaller

FOX Sports' Greg Auman reports that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder) was tagged with a DNP for Thursday's team practice. Irving was spotted in a walking boot and crutches on Wednesday, so seeing him sit again the following day wasn't all that surprising. He's considered day-to-day, and head coach Todd Bowles noted that the Oregon product could still suit up for Week 5's road contest with the Seattle Seahawks. However, he'll need to shed his boot before that comes to fruition. Fantasy managers will want to monitor the 23-year-old's status as the weekend approaches, as he's on the wrong side of questionable with just one practice day remaining. Backfield mate Rachaad White would handle primary RB duties in his absence, with Sean Tucker mixing in as the second option.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) was not spotted at Thursday's team practice, according to FOX Sports' Greg Auman. The 32-year-old missed his fifth consecutive practice while working back from a hamstring injury, an issue he's all too familiar with at this point in his career. Tampa Bay was fortunate to have teammate Chris Godwin's return coincide with Evans' absence, as it seems the latter is still at least another week away from potentially returning to his team. With Evans expected to miss Week 5, Sterling Shepard and Tez Johnson will again operate behind Godwin at rookie Emeka Egbuka when Tampa Bay takes on the hosting Seattle Seahawks.

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Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) was throwing off to the side during warm-ups, but was unable to practice on Thursday. Minnesota will take on the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, and all signs are pointing to the 22-year-old missing his third consecutive contest. It's good news that McCarthy seems to be progressing, but he isn't quite ready to retake the practice field. Minnesota is likely just being cautious with its franchise QB, but he'll need to log at least a limited session before he's considered for their next outing. Veteran teammate Carson Wentz will again operate the offense in the second-year pro's stead.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill has made a significant impact in the Ravens' offense through four weeks. Hill is coming off a career-best performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, racking up 117 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on just eight touches. He's also out-snapped Derrick Henry in back-to-back weeks, largely due to Baltimore leaning on a pass-heavy approach against the Lions and the Chiefs. The Ravens face the Texans in Week 5, and if Houston's offense can take advantage of Baltimore's banged-up defense, Hill could once again see elevated usage. For now, he looks like a sneaky flex option with upside in PPR formats.

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Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Travon Walker (wrist) underwent surgery but is considered day-to-day, per head coach Liam Coen. Walker sustained the injury early in Week 4's 26-21 win over the San Francisco 49ers. While it was initially deemed week-to-week, the former first-overall pick opted for surgery and could still suit up in Week 5's primetime matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Walker notched sacks in back-to-back games before the injury and has been a key piece of Jacksonville's underrated defense. If active, he and Josh Hines-Allen will be critical in generating pressure on Patrick Mahomes to keep the Chiefs' offense in check.

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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said this week that his team must cut down on penalties to help backup quarterback Carson Wentz and the offense stay in favorable down-and-distance situations against the Cleveland Browns in London. Wentz threw for 350 yards last week against Pittsburgh, but in part because Minnesota committed several costly offensive penalties, fell behind in the game, and attempted 46 passes. The Vikings will be without starting left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist), starting center Ryan Kelly (concussion), and starting right tackle Brian O'Neill (knee), and are likely to feature another game plan that includes more quick, high-percentage throws to stay away from the Cleveland pass rush. It's not an ideal situation for Wentz, though he still carries some Superflex value as long as starter J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is out.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (hamstring) is trending toward a Week 6 return from injured reserve. Kittle strained his hamstring in Week 1 after posting four catches for 28 yards and a touchdown, all in the first quarter. His return will be a major boost for San Francisco's offense, both as a pass catcher and as a blocker. Once active, Kittle should immediately reclaim his role as a high-end TE1, though fantasy managers should be more concerned about his health risks and the 49ers' crowded target distribution.

From RotoBaller

With the Minnesota Vikings once again facing major issues on the offensive line in Week 5, the team is likely to craft a game plan similar to last week, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. From a fantasy perspective, that would be a good thing for wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who drew a season-best 11 targets, 10 catches, and 126 receiving yards in the Vikings' loss against Pittsburgh. Minnesota will have to find a way to neutralize the Cleveland Browns' excellent defensive line without starting left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist), starting center Ryan Kelly (concussion), and starting right tackle Brian O'Neill (knee), and scripted targets to their best player would seem to be on menu once again.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams is still waiting for his breakout opportunity. Through four weeks, Williams has seen just two targets while playing only 16% of the team's snaps, slotting in as the fifth receiver in the rotation. The rookie has remained patient, saying, "I feel like I can do everything. At this point, it's just waiting for my turn." Encouragingly, Williams logged a season-high 31% snap share in Week 4, which suggests he may have leapfrogged DeMario Douglas, who regressed from 37% in Week 3 to 16% in Week 4. Williams will look to carve out a larger role in Week 5's primetime matchup against the undefeated Buffalo Bills.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is eligible to return in Week 7 after serving a six-game suspension stemming from hit-and-run charges before the 2024 season. Rice has already rejoined the team for meetings, although he cannot practice until he's reinstated by the NFL. The Chiefs leaned on Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown, Tyquan Thornton, and JuJu Smith-Schuster during his absence, but Rice should immediately slide back into his role as Patrick Mahomes' top target once active. The third-year wideout profiles as the WR1 in Kansas City's offense and is a strong buy-low candidate ahead of his return in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Jimmy Horn is drawing praise from the coaching staff despite being a healthy scratch through the first four weeks. Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik highlighted Horn's "work ethic and explosiveness," noting that the rookie has impressed behind the scenes. However, Horn's path to playing time remains crowded with multiple receivers nearing a return. Jalen Coker (quad) is eligible to return in Week 5, and Xavier Legette has resumed practicing. For now, Horn is not on the fantasy radar, but his name is worth keeping in mind as a potential late-season stash if opportunities open up.

From RotoBaller