Dominate Your League

The Carolina Panthers have officially ruled out tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle) for the Week 5 matchup on Sunday against the visiting Miami Dolphins, per The Athletic's Joe Person. Sanders will miss his second straight game after suffering the dreaded high-ankle sprain back in Week 3. High-ankle sprains can keep players out up to four to six weeks, so Sanders could end up missing a third straight contest next week against the Dallas Cowboys. Even before his injury, Sanders wasn't much of an option for fantasy managers in 12-team leagues. With Sanders sidelined in last week's loss to the New England Patriots, Tommy Tremble stepped up for five catches on eight targets for 42 yards and his first touchdown of the year. Tremble is known as more of a blocking TE, though, so expecting more relevant fantasy production might be a mistake. Still, he'll at least be in play as a TE2 streamer this weekend in a good matchup against Miami. Head coach Dave Canales said the hope is that Sanders is ready to go next week.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that tight end Noah Fant (concussion) will play in Week 5 on Sunday against the visiting Detroit Lions, according to Jay Morrison of BengalsTalk.com. Fant suffered a concussion in the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and did not get clearance to play in the Monday night loss to his former team, the Denver Broncos, in Week 4. He was able to return to practice this week, though, and he'll be available this weekend as the Bengals look to put an end to their two-game losing streak. Fant had a decent start to the year with 12 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets in his first three games, but he lacks any kind of real fantasy upside now that quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) is lost for most, if not all, of the 2025 season. Cincy should have a positive game script on Sunday versus Detroit, but Fant is a TE2 option to avoid.

From RotoBaller

Despite returning to practice this week, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (concussion) is being ruled out for Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders for the second straight week since he was unable to clear the NFL's concussion protocol, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN. Pierce was able to practice in full on Wednesday and Thursday, but he suffered a setback on Friday with his head injury, according to head coach Shane Steichen. It sounds like Pierce should have a pretty good chance to make his return for a Week 6 date with the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday, but head injuries can be tricky. Adonai Mitchell had a big opportunity to make some noise in the Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams with Pierce out, but he failed to do so and had a costly fumble just before scoring a long touchdown. He might not even be active this Sunday, which would propel Ahston Dulin into WR3 duties behind Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs.

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales has labeled running back Chuba Hubbard (calf), who was officially ruled out for Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, as "day-to-day" for next week, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Canales said the team will take a look at Hubbard again next week, as far as his availability goes for Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys. Hubbard was battling his calf injury in the Week 4 loss to the New England Patriots last Sunday, which is why he played a season-low 51 percent of the offensive snaps in that one. With Hubbard officially sidelined this weekend in a winnable matchup against the Dolphins, Rico Dowdle will be a plug-and-play RB2 for fantasy managers in need at the position. Additionally, rookie Trevor Etienne will see a role increase as the change-of-pace option behind Dowdle, although he won't be a recommended flex play.

From RotoBaller

According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys are ruling out wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle) for a second straight game in Week 5 against the New York Jets. It doesn't come as a surprise, as Lamb was expected all along to miss multiple weeks after suffering a left high-ankle sprain in Week 3. The good news is that Lamb was able to do some rehab work off to the side this week. Still, he could miss a third game in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, and his availability moving forward will depend on how soon he can return to practice with the rest of the team. With Lamb out last week, George Pickens went off for 100-plus yards and two touchdowns in the Week 4 tie with the Green Bay Packers, while Jalen Tolbert worked as the clear WR2. Tight end Jake Ferguson should remain firmly in the TE1 picture with added targets with Lamb injured. With KaVontae Turpin (foot) up in the air this weekend, Ryan Flournoy could operate as Dallas' WR3.

From RotoBaller

The Carolina Panthers have officially ruled out running back Chuba Hubbard (calf) for the Week 5 game this Sunday against the visiting Miami Dolphins, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. Hubbard was trending this way after not practicing all week, and now it's official that he won't be active. Fantasy managers can now send Hubbard to their benches for the weekend and swap him with a healthy RB. It remains to be seen if he will make enough progress to play in Week 6's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. For at least one week, Rico Dowdle will take over lead-back duties in Carolina, with rookie Trevor Etienne also seeing an expanded role as a change-of-pace back behind Dowdle. With a notable increase in volume on Sunday in a good matchup against the one-win Dolphins, Dowdle will have RB2 upside.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) has officially been ruled out for the second straight week in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Evans has not been able to practice since straining his left hamstring in Week 3, and he'll be missing his second straight game this weekend. With the future Hall of Famer out again, expect both rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin, who will be playing in his second game this year, to be peppered with targets from quarterback Baker Mayfield again. Sterling Shepard will continue to see an elevated role with Evans out, but he'll merely be a low-upside WR4/flex option in deeper fantasy leagues. The 32-year-old Evans will need to get back on the practice field at some point next week if he wants to have any chance of returning for a Week 6 tilt against the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot) has officially been ruled out for Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday due to a sprained foot, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Irving was seen with a walking boot on his right foot and using crutches after the Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and he also apparently sustained a shoulder injury. It's his foot that's a main concern, and it could keep him out in Week 6 as well. Fantasy managers need to move him to their benches for now and go with another option. With Irving out this weekend, Rachaad White will see an expanded role out of the backfield for Tampa while sharing touches with Sean Tucker in a matchup against a Seahawks defense that has been around the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to RBs through four weeks. White has a clear path to RB2 upside this week with Irving out.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) is missing his third straight practice this week on Friday, and it's looking more likely that he'll miss his first game due to injury since 2023 in the Week 5 tilt against the Houston Texans, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. In all likelihood, Jackson will officially be ruled out shortly, which means backup Cooper Rush will make his first start of the year for the struggling 1-3 Ravens. While Rush has a strong ground game to help him out and plenty of weapons in the passing game, he'll be facing a respectable Houston defense and will most likely have trouble sustaining drives. Jackson's absence will hurt all of the Ravens' offensive players' fantasy ceilings going forward. A report surfaced on Thursday night that Jackson could also miss Week 6, which means he might not return until Week 8 (the Ravens have a bye in Week 7).

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (ankle) is officially off the injury report for Sunday's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings in London, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Garrett has already dealt with hip and ankle injuries this season, the latter of which forced him to miss Wednesday's practice. Despite logging just two limited sessions thereafter, he won't carry an injury designation into a juicy matchup across the pond against a beat-up Vikings offensive line. Cleveland may wind back the veteran's snaps a bit to keep him fresh, but fantasy managers can expect him to be without limit otherwise. The Texas A&M product leads his team with four sacks and is just one shy of the league leader through four weeks.

From RotoBaller

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder) is doing "a lot better" and is in line to get in some work at Friday's practice, according to head coach Brian Daboll. It will be the first time that Tracy has practiced since dislocating his shoulder in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys. It's good news for the second-year back, but it doesn't mean that Tracy will return to action for a Week 5 game in New Orleans against the Saints on Sunday. Giants.com writer Dan Salomone says that the Giants will see about Tracy's availability this weekend. In a best-case scenario, he'll be listed as questionable going into Sunday, but if he's somehow active, he'll likely be limited and play second fiddle to rookie Cam Skattebo in the backfield. Fantasy managers shouldn't be relying on Tracy in Week 5, and there's a good chance he'll be ruled out on Friday's final injury report.

From RotoBaller

According to head coach Aaron Glenn, New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (knee) could miss 8-12 weeks with the MCL sprain he suffered in Week 4's loss to the Miami Dolphins. Reports were that Allen would miss more than the minimum number of required games, but it now appears he'll be out until at least December, with surgery still an option. In the 21-year-old's absence, teammate Isaiah Davis will take over the Jets' RB2 duties behind starter Breece Hall, and the newly-acquired Khalil Herbert will handle the RB3 role with Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) still tending to injury. Fantasy managers can safely drop Allen in all redraft formats as the likelihood of him making an impact to close out the 2025 season remains low.

From RotoBaller

The Athletic's Zach Berman reports that Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (knee) won't be available for Sunday's matchup with the visiting Denver Broncos. The former Georgia Bulldog returned to practice this week as he continues to ramp up his activity in return from a torn patellar tendon suffered in last season's wild-card round. However, Dean could only practice in a limited fashion as he's not quite yet ready for in-game action. With Philadelphia due for a quick turnaround in Week 6 -- set to take on the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football -- it's unclear if he'll be available then either. For now, rookie Jihaad Campbell will continue to play alongside Zack Baun as Philadelphia's primary linebackers. Teammate Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is the only other Eagles linebacker to record a snap (one).

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip, rest) projects to become a more prominent figure in the team's pass attack following the injury to wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee). Waller made his season debut in Week 4's win over the New York Jets, hauling in two touchdowns on 3-of-4 receiving in his first appearance since Week 18 of 2023. The veteran's volume should increase as the Fins continue ramping up his workload, but even more promising was his work in the red zone. Despite logging just 16 snaps on Monday, Waller's two targets inside the 20-yard line match him with two other players on the team behind Jaylen Waddle (five). Miami hasn't had a big, imposing target like the 33-year-old in recent history, making him an asset to monitor ahead of their outing with the hosting Carolina Panthers this weekend.

From RotoBaller

New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis is set to operate in an increased capacity moving forward due to the injury to teammate Braelon Allen (knee). Unfortunately, news surrounding Allen suggests that he'll miss more than the minimum of four games while on injured reserve. While he's out, Davis will operate as the primary handcuff to running back Breece Hall. With teammate Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) also battling injury, Davis is likely to see more volume than usual in their matchup against the Cowboys, considering Khalil Herbert only joined the team on Thursday. The 23-year-old was out there for a third of New York's snaps during their loss to the Dolphins in Week 4, and is worthy of a pickup -- at least for the Hall owner.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill had his best game of the 2025 season in Week 4, recording 117 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on eight touches. Hill has just eight carries through four games this season and should not be expected to steal much rushing work away from Ravens RB1 Derrick Henry. However, Hill has 12 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets, and appears locked in as the team's primary passing-downs back. With Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) potentially facing a multi-week absence and the team's defense struggling, Baltimore could be chasing points more frequently over its next few games than in years past. That would unquestionably be a good thing for Hill's fantasy outlook. He profiles as a low-end flex option in PPR leagues heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado served as the team's RB2 in Week 4 behind Trey Benson (knee). However, with Benson now on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury, it does not appear that Demercado is a lock to assume Arizona's RB1 role. Demercado has appeared in 31 games for the Cardinals since the start of 2023, but he has not recorded more than four carries in a game since October of his first season with the team. That could indicate that Arizona feels comfortable with Demercado as the team's passing-downs back, but that veteran back Michael Carter could assume the bulk of the early-down work. Heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Demercado profiles as a decent flex option for fantasy managers, but Carter should be the preferred play.

From RotoBaller

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington could be in line to step into the team's WR2 role alongside Jaylen Waddle after Miami lost Tyreek Hill (knee) to a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Washington has been used in a gadget role so far this season, recording eight catches for 47 yards on 15 targets and eight carries for 60 yards through four games. He's a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by his 74-yard punt return touchdown in Week 2 against the New England Patriots. With Hill sidelined, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel could place an even greater emphasis on manufacturing touches for Washington. He profiles as a low-end flex option in deep leagues heading into a Week 5 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter could be in line to take over as the team's primary early-down back with running backs James Conner (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee) both currently on Injured Reserve. Carter figures to split touches in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans with Emari Demercado and possibly Bam Knight, but earlier reporting has indicated that Carter could be the team's preferred choice to assume the majority of the rush attempts. Carter has recorded 2,131 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns on 439 touches across 49 career NFL games (22 starts). He profiles as a high-end RB3/flex option in a favorable Week 5 matchup against Tennessee.

From RotoBaller

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (concussion) practiced in full on Thursday after being limited on Wednesday as he attempts to return from a concussion for his team's Week 5 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Fant has recorded 12 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets across three games so far in 2025. The Bengals' offense has struggled in the two full games it has played without Joe Burrow (toe), scoring a combined 13 points over the last two weeks against the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. That could limit Fant's fantasy appeal even if he is healthy enough to play in Week 5.

From RotoBaller