Fantasy Football News

Houston Texans running back J.J. Taylor has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is noteworthy because it probably means lead back Joe Mixon (ankle) is probably trending in the wrong direction ahead of Sunday's game. Taylor was elevated last week as well with Mixon on the sideline. He rushed the ball once for three yards on hauled in both his targets for two yards through the air. He should serve as the emergency back behind Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale, assuming Mixon is out. Fantasy managers who have Mixon rostered should go ahead and prepare a backup plan for Week 4.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. The veteran wideout is back on the active roster for the second straight week. Shepard only played four snaps during last week's loss to the Denver Broncos. Possibly, Shepard sees more involvement this week with Jalen McMillan (hamstring) listed as doubtful for Sunday's game. However, fellow wideout Trey Palmer should all be in the mix for snaps as the third wideout, assuming McMillan sits. Shepard is looking more like a depth option than anything else, so he can be avoided in fantasy leagues.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (foot) won't carry an injury designation into Monday's game against the Detroit Lions. Brown has been limited in practice all week due to a foot injury that cost him the first two games of the season. Brown figures to serve as the primary backup tight end to Noah Fant. He finished with one reception on two targets for nine yards during his season debut in Week 3. The Seahawks have a handful of viable options on offense, so Brown falls pretty far down on the pecking order. The 30-year-old can be avoided for fantasy purposes right now.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (toe) doesn't carry an injury designation into Monday's Week 4 contest against the Detroit Lions. Fant appears to be good to go after being limited in practice all week due to a toe injury. Possibly, the Seahawks were just being cautious, but regardless Fant looks fine now. Fant has hauled in nine of his 13 targets for 85 yards and zero touchdowns through the first three weeks of the season. He hauled in all six of his targets for 60 yards last week, so it looks like Fant is trending in the right direction. Fantasy managers who lack a reliable option at tight end should consider Fant as a possible streaming choice.

San Francisco 49ers defensive linemen Javon Hargrave (triceps) has been placed on the injured reserve on Saturday. The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a partially torn triceps during last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. There is a good chance that Hargrave misses the rest of the 2024 season with him expected to undergo surgery. He recorded seven tackles and one sack over three games with the 49ers this season. Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott figure to start at the tackle spots with Hargrave sidelined.

Detroit Lions starting center Frank Ragnow (pectoral) will officially miss Week 4's contest with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. The talented center was officially ruled out on the final injury report of the week for the team. Ragnow is a Pro-Bowl caliber center so his absence will be a big deal for the Lions' offense. The Lions do boast a deep and talented offensive line, however, so they could still be able to work through his injury. Ragnow was likely to miss this game all week, so the Lions have had a bunch of practice time to game plan without him in the mix.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) is officially off of the Week 4 injury report and is set to suit up against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. LaPorta was battling an ankle injury that caused him to leave the team's win over Arizona early last week. The Iowa product has not been as heavily involved this year as he was last year but this is a good sign that he will be back for this game. So far, he has eight catches for 94 yards in three games. Fantasy managers will want to be patient with the talented former second-round pick as one good game could spark his resurgence. LaPorta should be locked and loaded in lineups as a starting tight end this week now that he has shaken off the injury.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (ribs) is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. Thompson got a limited practice in on Saturday to make it three straight limited sessions on the practice field. The team has already named Tyler Huntley as the starting quarterback for Week 4 against Tennessee on Monday night. But Thompson has a shot to get back as the backup QB in this game after suffering a rib injury last week. Thompson has struggled since taking over for Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) and the team will look to Huntley for a spark. Thompson could be available and ready to go off the bench if needed.

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (chest) is listed as questionable in the final injury report of the week for the team. The Dolphins play on Monday night against the Titans and Mostert has a chance to return after missing the last two games with a chest injury. Even if he does return, the veteran running back would be operating behind De'Von Achane on the depth chart and thus would have limited upside. He was listed as a limited participant on Saturday, making it three straight limited practice sessions. Mostert has the big-play ability to break long runs and do damage on limited carries but if he does return it might be wise to wait and see what his role is upon getting back on the field. A healthy Achane has dominated opportunities in the Dolphins' backfield and the offense in general hasn't been very explosive this season even when Tua Tagovailoa was healthy.

Barring a pregame setback, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) is expected to start Sunday's game against the Chiefs according to NFL Network. Herbert is dealing with a high-ankle sprain but is expected to fight through it to play in Week 4. Rashawn Slater (pectoral) has been ruled out and Joe Alt (knee) is doubtful, so the Chargers' offense will not be operating at full-go against the talented Chiefs' defense potentially without two tackles. A slightly hobbled Herbert with a make-shift offensive line is not a good recipe for fantasy success, so managers with other options might want to look elsewhere at the quarterback position.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (illness) was added to the injury report as questionable, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. White is in danger of missing Week 4's game against the Eagles on Sunday after a late injury designation. He will likely be a game-time call and should he miss Week 4, Bucky Irving (hamstring) would be in line for a bigger role and would be a must-start fantasy RB. But Irving himself is questionable with a hamstring injury. The Buccaneers running back situation should be monitored closely before Sunday's game against Philadelphia. White has been ceding some work in the backfield to Irving in the past weeks anyway, so this is a very fluid situation.

The Philadelphia Eagles have elevated wide receivers Parris Campbell and John Ross from the practice squad prior to Sunday's Week 4 game against Tampa Bay. With A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) ruled out, the Eagles' are looking for depth at the position. Campbell had some promising stints with the Colts and is a former second-round draft pick. Ross has seen time with the Giants and Chiefs since he was drafted by the Bengals as the No. 9 overall pick of the 2017 draft. The duo will join Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson as the main healthy receivers for the Eagles.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) is officially out for the team's Week 4 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. This will be the third straight game that Brown misses with his hamstring injury after going for five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against Green Bay. With DeVonta Smith (concussion) also out, the Eagles wide receiver corps is depleted. Parris Campbell and John Ross have been elevated from the practice squad to add more receiver depth.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (knee) is expected to play in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Love has missed the past two weeks after suffering an MCL sprain against the Eagles late in their opening game. It was initially feared to be a longer absence for the starting Green Bay signal caller. Love returns to the field in what will be a tough matchup against the surprising Vikings defense but he should elevate the entire Packers' offense in his return. He was 17-of-34 with 260 yards passing and two touchdowns with one interception in the Week 1 loss to the Eagles. With plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal, the Utah State product should immediately be a starting fantasy quarterback despite a challenging matchup.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (oblique) has been removed from this week's injury report and is set to play on Monday night against the Detroit Lions. This will mark his return after missing the last two games due to an oblique injury he sustained late in his 103-yard rushing performance in Seattle's season opener against Denver on Sept. 8. Walker practiced on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday, indicating he was on track to return. With his comeback, Zach Charbonnet is expected to take on the backup running back role. Walker faces a formidable Lions defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards this season. Nevertheless, he remains a must-start option, even after his injury and in a challenging matchup.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker and will face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Butker nailed all three field goal attempts and split his two extra-point attempts in last week's win against the Atlanta Falcons. Butker scored 10 points for Kansas City in Week 3, his highest scoring output this season. Butker has consistently contributed this season, scoring at least eight points in each contest. Butker will look to continue his production on the road in Los Angeles. The Chiefs are considered heavy favorites in this contest, which could make for an uncompetitive second half of play. If the Chiefs run out to an early lead, the Kansas City offense could be less inclined to extend drives and take the points. Butker could match or exceed his scoring output from last week in this contest. Butker is a starting-caliber kicker every week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially ruled safety Darnell Savage (quadriceps) out for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. Head coach Doug Pederson had indicated earlier this week that Savage would be back on the field after missing the last two contests due to a quadriceps injury. However, it appears he hasn't fully recovered, resulting in his third consecutive game on the sidelines. Savage made an impact in his only game of the season against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, playing 49 defensive snaps and recording two passes defensed, including a crucial stop on a fourth-down conversion attempt. In Savage's absence, Antonio Johnson is expected to see increased playing time in Jacksonville's first-team secondary. The Jaguars' defense is already thin, with Foyesade Oluokun also placed on IR, which could boost the Texans' offense this week.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Carson Steele will take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Steele had 17 carries for 72 yards in last week's win against the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie running back also had one reception for two yards in his first career start. Steele was the unquestioned lead back for the Chiefs, as Samaje Perine only had six carries in the contest. The Chiefs rookie may have more competition for touches this week since Kansas City signed Kareem Hunt to their active roster before their trip to Los Angeles. Hunt figures to be involved on the ground and in the passing game for the Chiefs. Steele should still see the majority of touches out of the backfield, but the split remains to be seen. Steele should be productive with his opportunities since the Chargers are dealing with several significant injuries. The loss of Joey Bosa and Derwin James should downgrade the Chargers unit significantly and open up more opportunities for Steele to succeed. The Chiefs should win this game by a large margin, and Steele should be the primary back draining the clock to end the game. The Chiefs rookie running back should be viewed as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 in this week's contest.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Worthy had two catches for 17 yards and three carries for 13 yards in last week's win against the Atlanta Falcons. Worthy has had two catches in the team's first three games. The rookie wide receiver has also been involved in the run game every game this season, which bodes well for him since the team is manufacturing touches for him. Worthy has been unable to do much with those touches since his strong Week 1 performance. As the season goes on, the hope is that Worthy will become a more significant part of the offense, but we have not seen a dramatic jump in usage yet. This week's matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers should be a good opportunity for Worthy to capitalize on his touches. The Chargers offense and defense have been decimated with injuries, and this week's matchup should be a non-competitive contest. The Chiefs should be able to have their way on offense, and Worthy could benefit from that. Worthy remains a low-end, high-upside flex option in the Chiefs passing attack.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Rice caught 12 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown in last week's win against the Atlanta Falcons. Rice has far and away been the top target in the Kansas City passing attack, catching more passes in Week 3 than Travis Kelce has caught all season. That trend should continue this week against the Chargers, who are missing several key pieces on offense and defense. The Chargers will show up to play, but it likely won't be a competitive contest. That said, Rice is averaging eight receptions and 96 receiving yards a game through three games, so he is an obvious must-start candidate. The Chargers defense has allowed the 10th-fewest passing yards this season, but they will likely see diminished success while missing some star players. Rice is an easy WR1 regardless of matchup until proven otherwise.