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.

From RotoBaller

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.

From RotoBaller

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.

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The New York Jets have fired head coach Robert Saleh, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. This move comes after the Jets have lost two consecutive games and sit with a 2-3 record and in second place in the AFC East. Throughout his time as the Jets head coach, Saleh has held an underwhelming 20-36 record and has never surpassed seven wins in a single season. While Saleh has always led a strong New York defense, he has struggled on the offensive side of the ball. This season, the Jets have averaged 286 yards of total offense per game, which is the sixth-lowest mark in the sport. In addition, the Jets have averaged 18.6 total points per game, the ninth-lowest in football. Defensive coordinator Jell Ulbrich will replace Saleh. From a fantasy standpoint, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will likely continue to manage the offensive play calling, but a new voice as head coach could provide a much-needed spark for a struggling offense.

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New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr (oblique) will have an MRI on his oblique Tuesday, Oct. 8. When asked how he felt after the Monday Night Football game, he replied: 'Not good.'

Fantasy Spin: Carr is the QB17 and a matchup play at this point. Jake Haener is the backup in NOLA and doesn't present much fantasy allure.

From TheHuddle

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caught nine passes for 70 yards in the 26-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Kelce led the team in targets and receptions for the second week following the loss of wide receiver Rashee Rice. Despite being a focal point of the Chiefs offense, Kelce has yet to score a touchdown this season. The Chiefs tight end should continue to be peppered with targets, as he will likely be the preferred pass catcher moving forward. Kelce and the Chiefs will enter their bye week with an undefeated record, so fantasy managers must make plans for their tight end position in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 130 yards in the 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Smith-Schuster led all Chiefs pass catchers in receiving yardage in the victory. The Chiefs wide receiver was behind only Travis Kelce in targets and receptions, demonstrating Mahomes' trust in him. The Chiefs are undefeated heading into their Week 6 bye week. Despite not having a game this week, Smith-Schuster is worth a speculative add, given his substantial utilization in this week's win. Although Smith-Schuster performed well, it is not a given that he will keep this level of opportunity moving forward. Reports have stated that Kansas City is entertaining the possibility of trading for a wide receiver ahead of the deadline. It is also possible that Mahomes spreads the ball more evenly as Mecole Hardman returns from injury and Xavier Worthy establishes himself as an NFL receiver. That said, Smith-Schuster is the most experienced receiver playing with Mahomes, so he could remain a preferred target.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy caught three passes for 25 yards in the 26-13 win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Worthy also had one carry for three yards and a touchdown in this contest. The rookie receiver had six targets in this week's win, the most of his career so far. Worthy could not turn in a big game through the air despite his increased involvement in the Kansas City passing attack. Worthy salvaged his night from a fantasy perspective with a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown to pad the Chiefs lead. Worthy proceeded to give the ball to his mother after scoring. Worthy, and the Chiefs will head into their Week 6 bye undefeated. The rookie receiver should still be considered a low-end weekly flex option because Kansas City continues manufacturing his touches.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 27 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in the 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Hunt also brought in one catch for 15 yards in the contest. Hunt dominated the touches out of the backfield, as no other running back had more than five carries. While his 3.8 yards per carry were not overly impressive, Hunt surpassed 100 rushing yards in his second game with the team. Hunt's utilization in the Chiefs offense bodes well for his fantasy value moving forward. The Chiefs will have their bye week in Week 6, but Hunt should be a start-worthy running back for the foreseeable future.

From RotoBaller

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 28 of 39 pass attempts (72%) for 331 yards in their 26-13 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. Despite reaching 300 passing yards for the first time this season, Mahomes did not have a single passing touchdown in this contest. The Chiefs quarterback also threw an interception for the fifth straight game, bringing his season total to six. Kansas City is one of only two teams to remain undefeated through five weeks, but Mahomes is not a QB1 based on his performances. The Chiefs will head into their bye week on a high note, but fantasy managers may need to consider starting a quarterback for the foreseeable future. Mahomes and the Chiefs are winning games with a style of play that is not conducive to fantasy success.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed led the team with 86 receiving yards in their 26-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. He caught four balls on his team-high nine targets. The highlight of Shaheed's night was a 43-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, his third trip to the end zone so far this year. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) seemed to have it in mind to use his deep threat to his fullest potential as Shaheed had six targets of 20 or more yards and three of his catches went for at least 15 yards. Shaheed now leads New Orleans with 338 receiving yards on the season though that's not to say he has supplanted Chris Olave as the primary receiving option. Shaheed gets a great matchup in Week 6 against a Buccaneers defense that gave up 12 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown to Darnell Mooney. His success will rest on Carr's availability, who left Monday's game in the fourth quarter with an injury.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau was targeted twice in Monday's 26-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He came away with two catches for 13 yards and a touchdown in the end. The score came early in the fourth quarter after he sold a block, disengaged, and then easily slipped past linebacker Leo Chenal. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) found Moreau and floated a seven-yard pass to the tight end as he crossed the goal line. Moreau leads the Saints' tight end room in snap share but is most frequently used as a blocker, with most of the team's targets to his position going to Juwan Johnson. Moreau's production on Monday gives him a line of 7-58-2 through five weeks. Given his role on the team he is too unreliable to be of any use in fantasy and can be left on the wire when New Orleans faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara managed just 26 yards on 11 carries in Monday night's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He also had 40 receiving yards on his team-leading six receptions. It was an abysmal result for Kamara, who had three top-five finishes through the first four weeks of the season. The Chiefs seemed to sniff out every run play called by the Saints in the game and completely overpowered their offensive line all night, allowing Kamara to gain more than four yards on just one of his attempts. Kamara's production was also hampered by the fact that New Orleans controlled the ball for only 20 minutes of game time and ran a season-low 51 offensive plays. He will be back on the RB1 radar in Week 6 when the Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave had two catches on four targets for 10 yards in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night to close out Week 5. The game marked a new low for Olave, who had 11 yards on two catches back in Week 1. All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie covered Olave on roughly half of his routes, but the lack of production may have been by design. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) rarely looked to his primary receiver in Week 5, opting instead for several deep shots to Rashid Shaheed and peppering Alvin Kamara and tight end Juwan Johnson with targets in short yardage attempts. Olave has a good matchup for a rebound in Week 6 when the Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though expectations will have to be held in check pending the status of Carr, who left the game in the fourth quarter due to an injury.

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Houston Texans SS Jimmie Ward (groin) aggravated his groin injury in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, and there is concern he might miss at least a week, if not longer, a source said Monday, Oct. 7. If Ward is forced out of the line, S Calen Bullock would likely start in his absence.

From TheHuddle

Houston Texans RB Joe Mixon (ankle) remained sidelined in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, and head coach DeMeco Ryans isn't sure if the veteran will be back in Week 6. 'For Joe and his injury, we will still evaluate that week to week,' Ryans said Monday, Oct. 7. 'We don't know, as of right now, I can't give you that answer, but we will see how Joe improves over the week.'

Fantasy Spin: With Mixon sidelined, Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale have been seeing the touches out of the backfield trying to hold down the fort. Mixon was originally injured on an illegal hip drop tackle in the Chicago game.

From TheHuddle

Kansas City Chiefs RB Samaje Perine did not have a rushing attempt in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, but he had a 24-yard reception on his only touch with two targets.

From TheHuddle

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimation. The star defender has been dealing with a lingering ankle issue over the last couple of weeks. While it hasn't caused him to miss a game yet, it has kept him on the injury report and impacted his practice participation. Fortunately, the fact that he's listed as limited with three days until Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks is a good sign. Warner is trending in the right direction and should be able to suit up in Week 6, barring a setback. He'll look to build on an impressive campaign that has included 39 tackles, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, one touchdown, and one sack.

From RotoBaller