Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle) did not take part in practice on Thursday, but it was part of a planned day off. Njoku suffered an ankle injury in the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and hasn't played since, but he was limited in Wednesday's session and figures to return to the practice field on Friday. The 28-year-old will likely be questionable on the final injury report on Friday, but Njoku is trending in the right direction and seems to be on the right side of questionable. If he is able to get the green light to play this weekend, he'll at least be in play as a low-end TE1 for fantasy managers. Before getting hurt in the season opener, Njoku caught four of his five targets for 44 yards. In the three games that Njoku has missed, Jordan Akins and Blake Whiteheart have been splitting TE duties in Cleveland, with Akins catching six of his 10 targets for 49 yards and no touchdowns. If Njoku misses another game, fantasy managers should be avoiding both Akins and Whiteheart.

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Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) was upgraded to a full practice on Thursday after he was limited to begin the week on Wednesday. Ekeler suffered a concussion in a Monday night win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 and then was not cleared to play in the Week 4 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The expectation earlier this week was that Ekeler would return for Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns, and that has been supported by the fact that he has been upgraded to a full practice participant with another practice looming on Friday. Barring a setback, the 29-year-old pass-catching specialist should be cleared by an independent neurologist and play this Sunday. Fellow backfield mate Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) has yet to practice this week, so if he ends up being out, Ekeler would be a must-start in fantasy, and not just in PPR leagues.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (groin) was unable to practice on Thursday, which was a downgrade after he was limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Mid-week downgrades are never usually a good thing, so Brown's status for the Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns this Sunday is now up in the air. The 28-year-old will likely need to get back on the practice field on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. Brown didn't make his Washington debut until Week 2 and has contributed nine receptions on 10 targets for 111 yards and no touchdowns in three games to this point in 2024. He's been competing for targets behind WR1 Terry McLaurin with rookie Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus. Washington's offense is on the rise under impressive rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but for now, Brown is mainly just a stash candidate in deeper fantasy leagues, especially with him banged up this week.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receivers DK Metcalf (hand) and Tyler Lockett (thigh) were both limited in Thursday's practice. Metcalf was a full-go on Wednesday, so he was downgraded a day later. Lockett has been limited in both practices this week. The Seahawks were likely just giving Metcalf a little extra rest on Thursday. Neither he nor Lockett are in any danger of missing the Week 5 matchup against the visiting New York Giants. Metcalf had just three catches for 29 yards in the season opener but is now on a three-game run of going over 100 yards receiving while also scoring twice. He is a must-start against the Giants in fantasy this weekend. Lockett has been dealing with a thigh injury since training camp but hasn't missed any time. He has a lower floor and ceiling in fantasy as a WR4/flex with Jaxon Smith-Njigba eating into his targets. Lockett has 18 receptions (26 targets) for 199 yards and no touchdowns through four games.

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Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (toe) and Pharaoh Brown (foot, knee) were both limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Fant has been listed on the injury report all year with his toe injury but he hasn't missed a single contest through four week. He's been a TE2 in fantasy so far, checking in as the TE22 in half-PPR scoring with 11 receptions on 15 targets for 111 yards and no touchdowns. The 26-year-old should be fine to suit up for the Week 5 game at home on Sunday against the New York Giants, where he'll continue to be a touchdown-dependent, low-end TE2 for fantasy managers as long as all three receivers DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett remain healthy. Quarterback Geno Smith has been slinging the ball around and currently leads the NFL with 1,182 passing yards, but most of his targets are going towards his receivers in 2024.

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Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (oblique) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice but was downgraded to limited on Thursday. Walker suffered an oblique injury in the season opener and then did not play in Weeks 2 and 3 before returning for the Monday night matchup against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. The 23-year-old returned with a bang in the loss on Monday, touching the ball 16 times for 116 scrimmage yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Seahawks are likely just giving Walker a little extra rest on Thursday, but we'll have a better idea about his status on Friday. As long as Walker is active on Sunday, he should be considered a must-start in fantasy lineups. Through only two games played so far in 2024, Walker has averaged a career-best 5.7 yards per carry and has scored four times on the ground for Seattle.

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New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee) was listed as a full practice participant on Thursday after he was limited on Wednesday. Rodgers admitted earlier this week that he was a bit banged up and dealt with some swelling in his knee following the Week 4 upset loss to the Denver Broncos, but his participation at practice this week shows that he should be just fine to play in Week 5 on the road against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. The Jets are not concerned with his status. Rumors have been floating this week that Raider receiver Davante Adams is angling to be traded to the Jets to reunite with Rodgers. That would certainly be a boost for the 40-year-old's fantasy value the rest of the season if that comes to pass. Rodgers isn't going to have Adams this week against an aggressive Vikings defense in a hostile environment. He will remain a low-upside QB2 in Week 5.

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Going into their Thursday night divisional clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night to kick off Week 5, the Atlanta Falcons offense and quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn't been as explosive as they'd hoped. Cousins is still making a key impact and the Falcons players think a breakout is coming soon. One player they want to get more involved, starting on Thursday night, is tight end Kyle Pitts. The 23-year-old has just eight catches for 105 yards and one touchdown on 15 targets in four games, which includes a zero-catch game (three targets) in last week's win over the division-rival New Orleans Saints. Expect Pitts to get the squeaky-wheel treatment on Thursday night, especially in the red zone and on third downs, where this offense has struggled. Fantasy managers may be upset with Pitts after his donut last week, but he should still be considered a low-end TE1 going into this tilt against Tampa.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (concussion) was able to log a full practice session on Thursday after he was limited to begin the week on Wednesday. McBride suffered a concussion in the Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions and was held out for the Week 4 loss to the Washington Commanders. With a full practice under his belt this week, it looks as though McBride is well on his way to clearing the league's concussion protocol in time to play this Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. In his first three games of the season in his third year in the NFL, McBride has been a big part of the team's passing attack, catching 14 of 21 targets for 122 yards, although he has yet to find the end zone. This weekend will be a difficult matchup on the road against a stout Niners defense, but McBride should be considered a top-five fantasy tight end if he gets the green light to suit up.

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Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (knee) is dealing with a left-knee injury that kept him out of his second straight practice this week on Thursday. Prater is now firmly in danger of missing the Week 5 divisional tilt on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals signed Chad Ryland to their practice squad on Wednesday, further signaling that they are worried about Prater's ability to kick this weekend. Prater is the No. 19 fantasy kicker through the first four weeks of the 2024 NFL campaign, so it's not like he was coming into this week really on the fantasy radar of managers in standard 12-team leagues. The 40-year-old has made all six of his field-goal attempts and all 10 of his extra-point tries, but the Cardinals offense so far has been too inconsistent to make Prater a viable fantasy kicking option on a weekly basis.

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Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) was limited in the team's practice for the second day in a row this week on Thursday. Engram suffered a hamstring injury during pre-game warmups before the team's Week 2 loss to the Cleveland Browns and hasn't played since. However, with two limited practices under his belt this week, he's at least given himself a chance to return in Week 5 against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Friday for his official status, but there's a good chance the 30-year-old will be considered questionable going into Sunday's game. He'll be on the TE1/2 borderline if he returns to the field this weekend after catching just one pass for five yards in Week 1. Brenton Strange has been a serviceable TE2 the last three weeks with Engram out, catching eight of 14 targets for 96 yards and one touchdown.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (shoulder) was listed as a limited practice participant yet again on Thursday. Davis has yet to practice in full this week, but nothing is pointing to him being in danger of missing the Week 5 divisional contest against the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in all four of the team's games in his first year with Jacksonville and has underwhelmed, catching just nine of his 21 targets for 121 yards and no touchdowns. Davis' worst performance came in last week's loss to the division-rival Houston Texans, when he caught one of five targets for a loss of two yards. He's been disappointing, to say the least, especially with tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) missing the last three games. As the No. 3 wideout behind Christian Kirk and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. in a struggling offense, it's hard to recommend Davis as anything more than a boom/bust, WR5/flex.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (shoulder) remained limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Fellow RB Tank Bigsby (shoulder) was also limited for a second straight day. Etienne injured his shoulder in the Week 4 loss to the division-rival Houston Texans but later returned to the game, although he ceded seven carries to Bigsby, who picked up a season-high 90 yards. The 25-year-old Etienne's status doesn't appear to be in question for another divisional matchup in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts, but his fantasy value could be in trouble if the Jags decide to start getting Bigsby more involved in the backfield. Bigsby has averaged an impressive 8.2 yards per carry through four games. As of now, fantasy managers should plan to start Etienne as an RB2 as the Jags look for their first victory of 2024.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (forearm) was listed as limited in the team's first practice of the week on Thursday. Johnson's status carries a little more importance this week with tight end Taysom Hill (rib) dealing with rib fractures. Hill did not practice on Thursday and appears to be questionable to suit up on Monday night for a showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. Johnson could pick up an injury designation himself going into Monday's game, but he also has two more days to put in a full session, which could get him cleared. The 28-year-old would surely have more opportunities to catch passes from quarterback Derek Carr if Hill is ruled out this week, but he'd still be nothing more than a TE2 sleeper for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. Johnson has caught only four passes on six targets for 39 yards and one touchdown through the season's first four games.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (hamstring) was listed on the first injury report of Week 5 but he was able to put in a full practice and should be just fine to play on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. In addition to Olave, receivers A.T. Perry (hamstring) was limited, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (ankle) practiced in full. It's worth noting for Olave, but his hamstring shouldn't limit him at all for a showdown with the defending Super Bowl champions. The 24-year-old got off to a slow start in Week 1 but has now gone over 80 receiving yards in each of the last three games. He had eight catches on 10 targets for 87 yards in the Week 4 loss to the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. New Orleans figures to have to throw the ball plenty against KC on the road on Monday night, making Olave a good bet for solid production for his fantasy managers again. He's a solid WR2 in Week 5.

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New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe (hip) is dealing with a right-hip injury and was unable to take part in the first practice of the week on Thursday. Grupe's status for the Week 5 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night is now in question, but he still has two more days to get back onto the practice field. If Grupe cannot get back on the practice field in the next two days, the Saints could call up Charlie Smyth from the practice squad to serve as their kicker on Monday night. Through four weeks in 2024, Grupe checks in as the No. 5 fantasy kicker, having made all eight of his field-goal attempts and 13 of his 14 extra-point tries in a much-improved Saints offense. Fantasy managers might need to pivot at the kicking position in Week 5 if Grupe is out or listed as questionable for Monday's contest.

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For the second straight day this week, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ribs) was not participating in practice on Thursday. Kittle was seen in full gear on a side field. Kittle missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury but returned in the Week 4 win over the New England Patriots and caught a touchdown pass, but two DNPs to begin the week put him back up in the air to suit up for a Week 5 tilt against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. The 30-year-old is probably going to need to put in some work at practice on Friday to have a shot at playing this weekend. It's a bit surprising that he has missed two practices after head coach Kyle Shanahan called him day-to-day earlier in the week. If Kittle is active, he's a must-start TE1 in fantasy. If he's limited or out, tight end Eric Saubert would have a bigger role again, although that led to just two catches for 41 yards in Week 3 when Kittle was sidelined. Check back on Friday for Kittle's designation for Week 5.

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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (hip, ribs) remains on the injury report for Week 5 and put in a limited practice on Thursday. Kamara was also limited before the Week 4 contest against the Atlanta Falcons but ended up playing and saw 26 touches for 119 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown. Unless he's downgraded at practice in the next few days, Kamara should be just fine to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football to close out Week 5 action. The 29-year-old has exceeded expectations through the first four weeks in the Saints' new offense and has been the RB1 in half-PPR scoring with 80 carries for 362 yards and five touchdowns, adding 17 receptions for 174 yards and another score. As long as he doesn't have a setback with his injuries later this week, Kamara should remain locked into lineups as a must-start.

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Dynasty | The Chiefs have placed wide receiver Rashee Rice on injured reserve. Dynasty Analysis: Rice will miss at least the next four weeks with a knee injury and the Chiefs are still waiting for the swelling to subside to see if he'll be out for the year. Chances are Rice has torn his ACL, but that hasn't been confirmed as of yet. Regardless, dynasty managers need to make alternate plans as Rice isn't going to be anywhere near fantasy lineups for a while, as expected.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (shoulder) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Hunt's status before their game on Monday evening against the New Orleans Saints, but seeing him on the practice field this early in the week suggests the injury is not serious. The 29-year-old logged a team-high 14 carries in his season debut last weekend. No. 2 running back Samaje Perine logged only five carries, which implies that Hunt should be viewed as the lead runner for the time being. With Isiah Pacheco (leg) on Injured Reserve, Hunt could become a solid flex play going forward if he continues to have a prominent role in the Kansas City offense.

From RotoBaller