Fantasy Football News

Tests on Monday morning confirmed that Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) suffered a low-ankle sprain in the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, according to a source. It's relative good news for the Lions' star tight end, although it's not guaranteed that he'll be able to play in Week 4 versus the visiting Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. We'll have a better idea of LaPorta's status once the Lions resume practicing again on Thursday, but if LaPorta is up in the air to play on Monday, it will make fantasy managers' decisions much more difficult this week. After being the top fantasy TE in his rookie season in 2023, the 23-year-old has disappointed through three weeks in Year 2, catching eight of 10 targets for 94 yards and no scores. Brock Wright had four catches for 34 yards on Sunday and would have an expanded role in Week 4 against Seattle if LaPorta is limited or out.

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze had a standout performance in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts. He recorded six receptions for 112 yards and scored his first touchdown. While tight end Cole Kmet (10 catches) and receiver DJ Moore (8 catches) had more receptions, Odunze still topped the team in receiving yards. His 11 targets were more than he received in the first two games combined, highlighting his growing role in the Bears' offense. Against the Colts, Odunze demonstrated the skills that made him a top-10 draft pick, running precise routes, showcasing impressive speed, and displaying excellent ball-tracking ability. The Bears also attempted to utilize him in the rushing game against the Colts' weak defense, but his rushing attempt gained minimal yards. With Keenan Allen (heel) sidelined, it was encouraging to see Odunze step up. He will aim to build on this performance in Week 4 against a Rams team that recently allowed Jauan Jennings to look like prime Jerry Rice.

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore had a solid outing in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts. He made several impressive plays but came close to an even bigger performance. Moore finished with eight receptions for 78 yards, including a Hail Mary attempt that fell just one yard short of a touchdown. He ranked third on the team in both receiving yards and targets, trailing Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet, as Caleb Williams threw for 363 yards. The Bears also attempted to involve Moore in the rushing game against the Colts' weak defense, but his carry resulted in a loss. With Keenan Allen (heel) sidelined, seeing Moore receive more targets was encouraging. He has emerged as Williams' primary read, accumulating 28 targets over three games, and this volume could translate into increased production as the rookie quarterback settles in. Moore will look to build on this performance in Week 4 against a Rams team that recently allowed Jauan Jennings to shine.

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift had another tough outing in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts. He managed just 20 yards on 13 carries, resulting in a zero percent success rate and two receptions for 22 yards. In contrast, the Green Bay Packers dominated the Colts' defense in Week 2, effectively running the ball to support backup quarterback Malik Willis. The Bears had hoped to replicate that success on Sunday but struggled against the Colts' weak rushing defense. Their plan to rely on the run game to help quarterback Caleb Williams find his rhythm quickly fell apart due to their inability to gain ground. As a result, Williams threw a staggering 52 times during the game. It also seemed the Bears intended to give more work to Roschon Johnson, who outperformed Khalil Herbert, rushing for 30 yards on eight carries compared to Herbert's nine yards on four carries. Johnson also led all running backs with four receptions for 32 yards. With poor offensive line play and the increased usage of his backups, it's becoming increasingly difficult to justify starting Swift in fantasy lineups.

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams had his best fantasy performance of the season on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite the team's loss, the No. 1 overall pick completed 33 of 52 passes for 363 yards, along with two touchdowns and two interceptions. While his stats were impressive for fantasy leagues, Williams and the Bears' offense faced significant challenges throughout the game. They trailed 21-9 midway through the fourth quarter and only began to find some rhythm in the passing game when the Colts fell back to defend against big plays. In addition to his two interceptions, Williams was also stripped of the ball on a late sack. His first interception came on a rhythm throw that lacked timing; he attempted to hit Carter on a curl route, but cornerback Jaylon Jones intercepted it. For the second interception, Williams tried to throw to Odunze, taking advantage of a defender's turned back, but the corner deflected the pass, leading to another interception by Jones. Williams acknowledged feeling rookie Laiatu Latu closing in regarding the strip sack but wanted to make subtle movements to avoid him, anticipating Odunze would break open behind the linebackers. Unfortunately, Latu reached him faster than expected and knocked the ball loose. Williams understands the need to reduce turnovers but views the offensive output as a positive development as the Bears seek to establish their identity. It was encouraging to see him take a step forward and engage many of his playmakers. The Bears will aim to build on this momentum next week when they face a vulnerable Rams team in Chicago.

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had his least productive game of the 2024 season, being targeted just four times and catching three passes for 41 yards in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. It was a negative game script for Bowers. The wide receivers were much more involved in the passing game, likely due to the score getting out of hand quickly. The Raiders were losing 21-7 at the half, and Bowers hasn't been a serious deep threat yet. In closer games, he's likely to have games more like his Week 1 and 2 efforts, where he logged more targets, receptions, and yards. Bowers is still a must-start. He's a rare bright spot in a dismal tight end landscape and still leads the position group in receptions while being second in yards. The Raiders face the Browns, Broncos, and Steelers in their next three games, which should be closer so Bowers could quickly rebound.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison continues to lead the team's backfield in fantasy scoring, logging three carries for seven yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 33 yards in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. While the Raiders backfield is hideous for fantasy, Mattison is the clear higher-upside player, outperforming "lead" back Zamir White yet again. Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce stated before the game that White should have 20+ touches, but again, that's failed to come to fruition. White hasn't played well, and while Mattison averages a glacial 2.3 yards per carry, the receiving upside is nice for deeper PPR leagues. Mattison is worth a start in 14+ team PPR leagues with deeper rosters but is also a bust candidate any given week and is mainly touchdown-dependent flex in the Week 4 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White put up another horrendous stat line for fantasy managers, taking 10 carries for 34 yards and logging zero receptions in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. White failed to impress again and looks like a massive bust at his ADP in fantasy drafts this year. To make matters worse, fellow RB Alexander Mattison scored a touchdown on a goal-line carry, filling in a role for the Raiders that many expected White to have. The 25-year-old logged 14 snaps and was outsnapped by Mattison (28) and Ameer Abdullah (22). "Zeus" hasn't looked anything like a Greek god this season and is mired in a committee with Mattison, who seems like the clear pass-catching back anyway. White is not startable in any leagues yet. He has virtually no PPR upside and has just 3.2 yards per carry on the season with zero touchdowns. White is a borderline flex play at best against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers caught seven passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a short route, catching the pass and breaking two tackles to make it into the end zone. Meyers was targeted nine times, tying fellow Raiders WRs Tre Tucker and Davante Adams for the team lead. The former New England Patriot is shaping up to be an inconsistent option based on game script and the whims of QB Gardner Minshew II, though it's encouraging that his targets have increased every game, from three in Week 1 to five in Week 2. Meyers' touchdown was nice for fantasy managers, but it didn't come until the Raiders were down by 26 in the fourth quarter. He also caught a two-point conversion. The 27-year-old then had five targets late in the fourth from Aidan O'Connell. Meyers is a boom-or-bust WR3/FLEX option in deep leagues against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4.

Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright saw some added opportunities on Sunday after his counterpart Sam LaPorta (ankle) suffered an ankle injury. During the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, Wright saw the second-most targets with five and posted four receptions for 34 yards. LaPorta was able to return in this game but was noticeably affected by the injury. If LaPorta isn't able to fully recover by the Week 4 slate against the Seattle Seahawks, Wright would be the next in line to get starter's opportunities. He doesn't hold nearly the same potential as LaPorta but could be in line for a spot start. Despite not scoring a touchdown, Wright registered a TE12 finish in half-PPR formats before the Monday Night Football games.

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson had another bust of an effort in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Carlson was 2-for-2 on extra points but missed his only field goal attempt, hooking a 57-yard attempt wide left. While missing very long field goals isn't the worst thing a kicker can do, he is on an inconsistent offense, and given the lack of good QB and RB play in Las Vegas, that's likely to continue. The 29-year-old is still a good player in real-life football, but there are many better options for fantasy. Opportunities are the most crucial thing for kickers, and even less accurate kickers are much more fantasy-relevant if they consistently get more attempts. Carlson is not on the fantasy radar against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker logged the biggest game of his career and led the team in receiving yards. Tucker caught seven of nine targets for 96 yards and a touchdown. He was involved early, catching a deep shot from QB Gardner Minshew II for 54 yards in the first quarter. Tucker has been an intriguing deep threat and could be on the path to fantasy relevance in deeper leagues. The 23-year-old still has to compete with wide receivers Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and tight end Brock Bowers for targets, but the Raiders would be well served to get him more involved. Tucker has ridiculous speed, brings a vertical element to the offense, and flashes big-play ability in his rookie season. While Tucker isn't startable outside of deep leagues, he could be worth a bench stash and will look to build on Sunday's performance in the Week 4 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams followed up his massive game in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens with an absolute dud against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. Adams was targeted nine times by QB Gardner Minshew II but caught only four passes for 40 yards and no touchdowns. That's an excellent target volume, but Adams could put up some duds without better quarterback play. After three straight seasons of dominance, Adams could be headed for another year similar to 2023, marked equally by big games as it is by inconsistency. Minshew Mania might not be much of an upgrade over backup QB Aidan O'Connell for Adams. He's still a must-start at WR in Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns, but fantasy managers should be prepared for a roller coaster ride.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams posted his worst performance of the young season as he wasn't nearly as involved in the Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals as he was in the first two games. The former 12th-overall pick only saw three targets and one carry which turned into one reception for nine yards and a loss of seven yards on the ground. The ground game was a much bigger focus in this game as they handed the ball off 43 times compared to 23 passing attempts. Detroit was also in the lead for much of this game, so the receivers weren't getting involved as much in general. Williams will look ahead to a primetime matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II struggled to be a difference-maker for his team in Sunday's 36-22 loss to the Panthers. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 214 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Sunday's defeat. Minshew didn't throw a touchdown pass until the Raiders were down by 26 points. Though the soft Panthers defense presented an opportunity for Minshew Mania to come through again, it just wasn't his day. He was completely outplayed by opposing QB Andy Dalton. Minshew's magic seemed to run out while the Red Rifle was locked, loaded and fired everywhere in what was supposed to be an easy game against a floundering team with a lousy defense. The Raiders were embarrassed, and their signal-caller threw an interception during his comeback attempt and was eventually replaced by QB Aidan O'Connell. Minshew will remain unstartable in single quarterback leagues moving forward. While O'Connell finished the game, Minshew is expected to start in the Week 4 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff hasn't had the greatest start to the season as he continues to hover around the QB2 territory each week. He did, however, lead the Lions to their second win of the season behind 199 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 18-for-23 throwing. He also took two sacks on top of three carries for six yards. Right now, Goff has thrown one more interception than touchdowns (4-to-3), and he's averaging 241 yards per game. Detroit's offense has been split almost perfectly down the middle so far as they've had a total of 101 rushing attempts compared to 107 passing attempts. Goff saw a lot of touchdowns come from red zone targets to Sam LaPorta, but there haven't been many of those to start the year. Goff will look to post a big-time performance in a primetime game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (thumb) was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a thumb injury but was able to return later on. He underwent some X-rays after the game and they came back negative for any fractures. He finished the game with one reception for seven yards on two targets. Through three games so far, Slayton has accrued 10 targets, seven receptions, and 66 yards with one fumble. He's tied for third on the team in terms of targets with running back Devin Singletary and has significantly fewer targets than both Wan'Dale Robinson and Malik Nabers. The Giants offense is one of the harder units to trust in fantasy, outside of Nabers, even in deeper leagues.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson saw five targets and caught three passes for 21 yards in Week 3 against San Francisco. The five targets tied for a team-high in this game with Tutu Atwell. Quarterback Matthew Stafford spread the ball around in this one with Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Jordan Whittington all factoring into the game plan. With Copper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) out that is to be expected. On top of that, Kyren Williams had 24 carries and was a focal point of the offense, catching the only TD pass in the game from Stafford. All of that made it tough for Parkinson to get going in this one as he was only able to catch three short passes. Until he shows more involvement in the offense, he should be off the fantasy radar, even at the relatively shallow tight-end position.

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders received very limited work in the team's first win of the season, but he did find the end zone. The veteran back received seven carries and two targets which he turned into 17 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and 13 yards through the air. This was Sanders' second touchdown since putting on a Panthers uniform. His only score last season came in Week 3 as well. The touchdown turned a dreadful fantasy week into an okay one. Still, he's not likely to see increased opportunities especially after Chuba Hubbard turned in a big performance with 169 total yards and a touchdown of his own. Sanders isn't much more than a depth option moving forward, especially when Jonathon Brooks returns to the field.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell led all Rams' pass-catchers with 90 receiving yards on four catches in Week 3 against San Francisco. Atwell caught a 50-yard pass to help pad his stats in this one. He saw five targets which tied tight end Colby Parkinson for the team-high as the Rams came back to stun the 49ers. Atwell thrived as the slot receiver with Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) out. There is a lot of uncertainty with the Rams' receiving corps week-to-week as far as who will command the most targets between Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Jordan Whittington. Each of the foursome saw 3-plus targets in Week 3 but it was Atwell who was able to do the most damage. The unpredictability makes it tough to rely on any of the group as a fantasy option moving forward.