San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) suffered torn wrist ligaments in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and is expected to miss a month, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Hufanga obviously has been unable to practice this week ahead of the Thursday night divisional clash against the Seattle Seahawks to kick off Week 6 action. The 24-year-old will now be a candidate to land on Injured Reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. Hufanga suffered a torn ACL in Week 11 of last year and he wasn't able to make his 2024 debut until Week 3. He also missed Week 4 due to injury and is now going to miss more time. It's a blow to what hasn't been as dominant of a 49ers defense so far this year, but they should still be considered a top-10 fantasy unit this week on the road against Seattle.

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After having surgery to fix his right LCL on Tuesday, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) is expected to be out for four months, according to multiple sources. It was a best-case scenario for Rice, who will miss the rest of the 2024 season, but the good news is he's expected to make a full recovery. In addition to his knee, Rice also had a hamstring tendon repaired on Tuesday. Barring any setbacks for the 24-year-old during his rehab, he should be ready to go for the start of the 2025 season next fall. With receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) already out for the year and running back Isiah Pacheco (leg) on Injured Reserve, the Chiefs have lost their best playmakers outside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues can obviously drop Rice at this time and look for a replacement.

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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ribs) was listed as a limited participant in practice for the second straight day this week on Tuesday. Kittle missed the Week 3 contest with a hamstring injury but returned in Week 4, only to suffer an injury to his ribs. He played through his rib injury in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals and caught a season-high eight passes (12 targets) for 64 yards and a touchdown. Kittle will most likely be removed from the final Week 6 injury report on Wednesday and be fine to play on Thursday night against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, where he'll be a must-start TE1 in fantasy. Despite missing Week 3 due to injury, Kittle has managed to find paydirt in each of the last three games that he's played in, going for 19 catches and 185 yards on 24 targets.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) is expected to miss multiple games with a left-oblique injury that he suffered in the Monday night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5, according to sources. The Saints have two games in the next nine days, so it's likely that Carr misses Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Thursday night game next week against the Denver Broncos in Week 7. Carr said he wasn't feeling good at all after Monday's game, prompting him to undergo an MRI exam on Tuesday. After a hot start the first two weeks, the 33-year-old has come back down to Earth in three straight losses and will now miss time. Jake Haener came in to replace Carr on Monday, but rookie Spencer Rattler will also be under consideration to start this Sunday against Tampa. Either way, fantasy managers will need to downgrade the rest of the Saints' offense.

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New Orleans Saints rookie fifth-round quarterback Spencer Rattler is a strong candidate to get the start in Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday with Derek Carr (oblique) injured, according to sources. Carr is expected to miss multiple games, and with the Saints having a quick turnaround in Week 7 on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos, it seems likely Carr will miss at least the next two games. The 24-year-old Rattler hasn't seen action in a regular-season NFL game yet behind Carr and Jake Haener. The South Carolina product has plenty of arm strength but will likely struggle with the speed of the game and with decision-making if he's thrown into the fire in a divisional matchup this weekend. Fantasy managers in single-QB leagues can ignore the Saints' QB situation with Carr injured. In superflex leagues, Rattler is worth a flier for those that own Carr.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will make his first career start in Week 6 at home against the Houston Texans. The Patriots had been committed to starting Jacoby Brissett. However, they decided to make a change following the team's 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins last week. Maye briefly played in Week 3 against the New York Jets, completing four of his eight pass attempts for 22 yards and two rushing attempts for 12 on one drive, totaling 2.1 fantasy points. Hopefully, the change at quarterback can jumpstart a struggling New England offense. Yet, fantasy players shouldn't have high expectations for Maye or the offense this week or anytime soon. The rookie quarterback is only worth adding in standard-size superflex leagues. Meanwhile, Rhamondre Stevenson is the only Patriot that fantasy players can start with confidence until the offense shows signs of consistent production.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) will miss the rest of the 2024 NFL season after undergoing successful surgery on Tuesday. The second-year wide receiver suffered the injury early in the Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers after taking a hit to the knee from Patrick Mahomes trying to make a tackle following an interception. While the star wide receiver will miss the rest of the season, he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of next year. Rice suffered no damage to his ACL or meniscus, which many thought could have been torn last week. The Chiefs will likely add a wide receiver before the NFL trade deadline in a few weeks. However, Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster will see more targets and fantasy value with Rice done for the year.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler is out of action this week on a bye, but after Aaron Jones (hip) suffered a hip injury in the Week 5 win over the New York Jets, Chandler could be in line to start in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions. There will be plenty of updates on Jones' status next week, but fantasy managers needing help at running back should consider stashing Chandler in case the former Green Bay Packer is sidelined for longer than expected. The team is labeling Jones as "week-to-week," so he's not a lock to return immediately. Chandler was limited to just 39 yards on 16 touches in relief of Jones on Sunday, but he would enter the game as the clear RB1 against Detroit if Jones can't go. His upside would likely be limited against a strong Detroit front, but his potential usage would put him in RB2 territory, which is valuable for fantasy managers who have D'Andre Swift or Rico Dowdle on a bye next week.

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The Houston Texans are signing tight end Teagan Quitoriano to the active roster from the Chicago Bears practice squad, according to Texans reporter Aaron Wilson. The 24-year-old was a fifth-round pick by the Texans in 2022 out of Oregon State and caught nine passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns in 16 career games with the organization. Quitoriano was waived by Houston on September 4 with an injury settlement, but after Brevin Jordan (knee) suffered a torn ACL, the position group lacked depth. Quitoriano is not on the fantasy football radar in Houston's crowded skill position group. Even if was elevated to the TE1 role in a potential Dalton Schultz absence, he'd likely have little upside and virtually no fantasy floor.

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Free-agent wide receiver Denzel Mims is working out for the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, according to team reporter Todd Archer. The team is lacking wideout depth after Brandin Cooks (knee) landed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury, so the former second-round pick is aiming to join the roster or practice squad. Mims was selected by the New York Jets in 2020 and has spent time with four NFL organizations. He has totaled 42 receptions on 92 targets for 676 yards and no touchdowns in 30 career games (all with the Jets). He did not play in a game last season. Even if Mims signs with Dallas, it would be surprising if he earns a meaningful enough role to be anywhere near the fantasy football radar. For now, expect CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, and Jalen Tolbert to operate as Dak Prescott's No. 1, 2, and 3 options in the passing attack.

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The Cleveland Browns released tight end Blake Whiteheart on Tuesday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Whiteheart went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2023 and spent time with the Arizona Cardinals last season before signing with Cleveland's practice squad this summer. He has been active recently in the absence of David Njoku and caught three of his four targets for 13 yards and a touchdown in four games this season. Njoku suffered a knee injury in his return to action in Week 5, so Whiteheart's release could be an indication that his injury is not considered serious. Whiteheart was not on the fantasy football radar before his release and, it would be surprising if he enters it any time soon.

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The Seattle Seahawks are expected to place edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) on Injured Reserve with a thigh injury that he suffered in the Week 5 loss to the New York Giants, according to a source. It's a tough blow for the Seahawks defense after Nwosu missed the first four games of the season with a knee injury he suffered in the preseason. Going on IR will cost him at least another four games, and he won't be eligible to return until Week 11 against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers after the club's Week 10 bye. The former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018 out of USC had three tackles (two solo) in his 2024 debut on Sunday but is now set to miss more time. With Nwosu out again for the foreseeable future, the Seahawks will be asking more of Trevis Gipson as an outside edge rusher.

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The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran kicker Matthew Wright on Tuesday to replace the injured Jake Moody (ankle), who is expected to miss multiple weeks after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals, according to a source. Wright will make his debut with the 49ers this Thursday night against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Before signing him, the 49ers also worked out kickers Randy Bullock, Riley Patterson, Anders Carlson and Matt Coghlin. For now, fantasy managers that were riding Moody will have to go in another direction. The 28-year-old Wright is unlikely to be as reliable as Moody, but he could at least be a viable streaming option in this strong Niners offense. Wright has a career 85.1% success rate on his 47 field-goal attempts in his four seasons in the NFL with the Steelers, Jaguars, Chiefs and Panthers.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that linebackers Alex Highsmith (groin) and Nick Herbig (hamstring) will miss the Week 6 contest this Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Highsmith will be missing his third straight game due to a groin injury, but he deserves to be stashed in IDP fantasy formats for the time being. Herbig was also injured in the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night and won't be available this week, putting more on the shoulders of All-Pro pass-rusher T.J. Watt. With both Highsmith and Herbig sidelined, Jeremiah Moon will have an opportunity for more playing time in Vegas. Even though the Steelers will be without both Highsmith and Herbig, the Steelers defense/special teams until will be a must-start against a Raiders team that is trying to trade receiver Davante Adams while also in the midst of a QB controversy.

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Minnesota Viking running back Aaron Jones (hip) appears to have avoided a long-term injury after being hurt in the Week 5 win over the New York Jets in London on Sunday, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. When asked about Jones, O'Connell said he "continues to be evaluated, but all the early information we've got so far, it looks like we've avoided a long-term injury. I'd classify him as week-to-week at this point." It's good timing for Jones, as the Vikings are on bye in Week 6. However, Jones won't be a lock to return coming out of the bye in a Week 7 divisional contest against the Detroit Lions, so we'll keep a close eye on his status during practice that week. If Jones is forced to miss any time coming out of the bye, Ty Chandler would be forced into lead-back duties for the undefeated Vikings.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said "load management" was the reason why wide receiver George Pickens was in on just 57 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, which was down nearly 30 percent from the previous week. For comparison, Mark Kaboly cites that top wideouts Mike Evans (87%), Garrett Wilson (96%), Justin Jefferson (95%) and Brandon Aiyuk (92%) were all much more involved for their respective teams. The 23-year-old Pickens had only three catches on seven targets for 26 yards. Pickens has yet to score a touchdown through five weeks of the NFL season and is falling to WR3/flex status on a weekly basis in this Steelers offense. He currently ranks as the WR38 in half-PPR scoring with 23 receptions for 310 yards in five contests. The good news is he has a good bounce-back opportunity in Week 6 against the Raiders.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that running back Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) is out for Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders, while running back Jaylen Warren (knee) is considered doubtful. Both Patterson and Warren missed the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, and it looks like they'll both miss a second straight game this week. Lead back Najee Harris disappointed with 14 carries for 42 yards while catching both of his targets for 35 yards on Sunday night with both Patterson and Warren out. He needs to be in all starting fantasy lineups in Week 6, though, in a smash spot in Vegas with the backfield pretty much all to himself yet again. Warren was a solid weekly flex option in fantasy in 2023, but he hasn't been healthy early on this year and has just 14 carries for 54 yards and five catches for 28 yards in his three games played.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) will go for an MRI exam on Tuesday after being forced to leave the Monday night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs will just more than six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Carr answered "not good" when asked how he was feeling after the game. He was deemed questionable to return to the game but never came back while backup Jake Haener closed it out. Before leaving, Carr went 18-for-28 for 165 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He was sacked once but was hit eight times and pressured on over half of his dropbacks. It doesn't sound good for the 33-year-old's chances of playing in Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but we'll know more after we get his MRI results. A move from Carr to Haener would mean that fantasy managers would need to downgrade all of New Orleans' offensive weapons for as long as he's out.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is set to be a full participant at practice this week, which means "a door is ajar" for him to be active in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. It's good news for Wilson, but there are lots of variables still to be determined during practice this week. Wilson will work with the second-team offense this week "as to not disrupt Justin Fields' preparation," Tomlin said. "He's at the point of health now that he can work without restriction on Wednesday," Tomlin said. Fields is fully expected to make a sixth straight start in Vegas this Sunday, but the 35-year-old Wilson could be his direct backup instead of being inactive as the emergency third QB on game day. Wilson is improving, but a lot still needs to happen for the Steelers to change course and bench Fields as their starter under center.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) is expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Rapoport noted that Rice will need his LCL repaired, not his ACL. This is a positive sign for his outlook, as he will not need a significant operation on his ACL, which would have kept him sidelined for a longer period of time. Rice continued his breakout rookie campaign through the first three weeks of this season, averaging eight receptions with 96 yards in each game with two total scores. As a result, the Chiefs will need to find a replacement option for their top wideout. On Monday evening, veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster saw eight targets and was able to catch seven of them for 130 yards. Tight end Travis Kelce saw a team-high ten targets. Fantasy managers should consider adding Smith-Schuster this week as he could be deployed in Rice's role for the remainder of the season. Kelce should be viewed as a high-end TE1 simply off the volume he should see going forward.

From RotoBaller