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Steelers QB Russell Wilson (calf) closer to returning to action

Thu Oct 10 9:44pm ET
Field Level Media

Following his first two full practices since early September, the Pittsburgh Steelers' Russell Wilson is closer to making his season debut as a backup rather than the emergency quarterback.

Justin Fields, who became the starter when Wilson strained his calf in a Sept. 5 practice, remains QB1 for the Steelers (3-2) going into their Sunday road game against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-3).

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, pledges to be ready whenever the time comes to see his first regular-season action since signing with the Steelers as a free agent in March. He practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday, but his status for Sunday had not been determined.

"I've played a lot of football games, have been in a lot of moments," Wilson, 35, said on Thursday. "I don't fear them. Getting ready to go and rock and roll.

"I feel confident that I'll be ready to play ... and play at a high level. I think we're being really smart, too, and trying to understand exactly how I feel."

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said earlier this week that Wilson is healthy enough to practice without restrictions. How well the veteran QB practices and his ability to protect himself will determine what the Steelers do from here. Wilson was inactive for the first five games.

Wilson was named the starter following the final preseason game in August but was limited in practice before the Week 1 opener at Atlanta. His status did not change from there, with Fields leading the Steelers to three wins to open the season before the team dropped its past two games.

Fields, 25, has completed a career-high 67.6 percent of his passes for 961 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in five starts. He also has rushed for 172 yards and three scores.

Wilson last started a game on Christmas Eve before the Denver Broncos benched him for the final two 2023 regular-season games in a contract dispute that led to the former Super Bowl winner being released.

"For me, I'm preparing my mind to get ready to go," Wilson said. "That's my mentality and help us win, whatever that is. I'm just getting prepared for Friday.

"It's not like I haven't been out there. I've gotten a lot of reps over this time. I have a lot of confidence with our guys and who we are."

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Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 6

Player Notes
George Kittle Oct 11 4:30am CT
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle amplified his dominance at the fantasy tight end position during a 36-24 Thursday night victory in Seattle. The two-time First-team All-Pro caught five of six targets for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Kittle now has five touchdowns in his last four games and is averaging 14.5 points per game in Yahoo default scoring, while second place is held by Dallas Goedert and Brock Bowers at 10.5. That's the widest margin between two consecutively ranked players in the entire tight-end landscape. Kittle has had similar stretches during his career and he's always been streaky, so fantasy managers who have been propelled by Kittle to early winning records may consider selling high to win-desperate teams. Kittle and the Niners will face the Kansas City Chiefs at home in a Week 7 Super Bowl LVIII rematch.

From RotoBaller

Jauan Jennings Oct 11 3:50am CT
Jauan Jennings

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings contributed modestly to a 36-24 victory over the Seahawks in Seattle on Thursday night. The former seventh-rounder caught three of five targets for 27 yards. While conventional wisdom held that Jennings would fade into the background after his monster performance in Week 3 upon the return of George Kittle and Deebo Samuel Sr. from injury, he has maintained more relevance in San Francisco's offense than expected. For example, Jennings has out-targeted Brandon Aiyuk in three of the past four weeks and has only one fewer reception than Deebo Samuel Sr. in the past three weeks. Still, Jennings will be a touchdown-dependent low-floor FLEX when the 49ers have their main pass-catchers healthy, including in a Week 7 rematch of Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs at home.

From RotoBaller

Deebo Samuel Oct 11 3:10am CT
Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. popped off in a 36-24 victory over the Seahawks in Seattle on Thursday night. The former South Carolina Gamecock caught three of five targets for a team-high 103 yards and a touchdown. He also took four carries for 15 yards rushing. The first touchdown of Week 7 came on a 76-yard catch-and-run when a Seattle defensive back misread the trajectory of the ball, leaving Samuel Sr. to easily outrun a linebacker to the end zone. Samuel Sr. has now exceeded projections in three of five games in 2024. He'll have some extra time to enjoy the win before a Week 7 marquee matchup at home versus the Kansas City Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aiyuk Oct 11 2:50am CT
Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk fell back into his early-season fantasy slump during a 36-24 victory over the Seahawks in Seattle. He finished with two catches on four targets for 37 yards, and one other reception -- for a good chunk of yardage -- called back on a holding penalty. He is still searching for his first touchdown of 2024. Coming into the game as a consensus WR1, Aiyuk has now come in under projections in five of six contests. Quarterback Brock Purdy spread the ball around in this one, as Deebo Samuel Sr., George Kittle, and Jauan Jennings had six, five, and five targets respectively. With Aiyuk's underperformance stretching into October, Jennings' out-targeting of Aiyuk in the past three of four weeks should be acknowledged -- still, sell-low at your own risk. Aiyuk is fully capable of burning impatient fantasy players. San Francisco will need Aiyuk in a Week 7 Super Bowl LVIII rematch at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Isaac Guerendo Oct 11 1:30am CT
Isaac Guerendo

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo filled in nicely for starter Jordan Mason in a Week 6 36-24 victory versus the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mason left the game with an apparent shoulder injury in the second quarter and came back in for one carry just after the half, never to return. Guerendo did most of the replacement work, finishing with 10 carries for 99 yards. He was not targeted in the passing game. Though Guerendo looked competent overall, it's worth noting that the bulk of his yardage came on a fourth-quarter 76-yard run that salted the game away for San Francisco. He may have scored on the play but appeared to pull up at the last second to allow the 49ers to work more clock. Guerendo will be a top waiver target heading into Week 7 against Kansas City if Mason is sidelined, but it's worth noting that fourth-year back Patrick Taylor Jr. was involved as well, with five carries and a target of his own in Mason's absence.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Oct 11 1:10am CT
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy led the team to a 36-24 victory on Thursday night in Seattle. The 24-year-old completed 18 of 28 attempts for 255 yards, three touchdowns, and no turnovers. He added four rushing attempts for 19 yards. Purdy looked much better this week on the road than he did at home against Arizona in Week 5, especially in avoiding the pass rush. He was not sacked, avoiding the batted balls and mid-throw arm obstructions that have caused some of his recent turnovers. Purdy is now 4-0 against the Seahawks in his career, including playoffs. He'll have plenty of time to rest up before a Week 7 marquee matchup at home against the Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Haason Reddick Oct 10 10:30pm CT
Haason Reddick

CAA has parted ways with New York Jets pass-rusher Haason Reddick as he continues his season-long contract holdout, according to sources. After the Jets acquired Reddick from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, he has not shown up to the team's facilities at all during training camp or through the first five weeks of the regular season as he seeks a new long-term contract. He continues to collect millions of dollars in fines with no end in sight for his holdout. At this point, the best-case scenario for the Jets and the 30-year-old All-Pro defensive end would be a trade before the deadline in early November. Obviously, Reddick isn't an option at all in IDP fantasy formats, but that could change if he's traded at some point. Despite Reddick's lengthy holdout, the Jets' defensive unit remains a strong fantasy option. They currently rank as the No. 11 fantasy defense in overall points.

From RotoBaller

Robert Woods Oct 10 10:20pm CT
Robert Woods

Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods (foot) missed practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Unless Woods is able to return to practice on Friday, he'll likely be ruled out for the Week 6 tilt against the New England Patriots. The 32-year-old veteran was also questionable last week with his foot injury but he ended up suiting up in the Week 5 win over the Buffalo Bills. However, he was not targeted at all in the 23-20 victory and played just 24 percent of the offensive snaps. Woods actually has more of a shot to make noise on offense with Nico Collins (hamstring) set to miss at least the next four games while on Injured Reserve, but it won't help if he's unable to play this weekend. If Woods ends up being inactive on Sunday, Xavier Hutchinson figures to serve as the WR3 for the Texans behind Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. Avoid Woods even if he's active.

From RotoBaller

Nick Chubb Oct 10 10:10pm CT
Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) was listed as limited for the second straight day this week on Thursday. D'Onta Foreman (ankle) was also limited after picking up a DNP on Wednesday, giving him a shot to play in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Backs Nyheim Hines (knee) and Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring) were also limited for a second straight day. Chubb returned to practice for the first time last week after suffering a gruesome knee injury in Week 2 of 2023. He was also limited all of last week but didn't make his 2024 debut in the Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders. The 28-year-old could come off the Physically Unable to Perform list and be active this Sunday, but fantasy managers would be foolish to throw him into their starting lineups right away. Whenever Chubb is activated, the Browns are expected to mix him in slowly alongside Jerome Ford and Foreman.

From RotoBaller

Dameon Pierce Oct 10 10:10pm CT
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) was upgraded to full practice participation on Thursday after being limited to start the week on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Joe Mixon (ankle) was limited after missing Wednesday's session. It appears that Houston could be getting both Pierce and Mixon back in Week 6 against the New England Patriots. Pierce hasn't played since the season-opening win over the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, but his fantasy outlook this weekend will all depend on whether Mixon returns as well as the lead back. The 24-year-old will only be worth a look as an RB3/flex option against the Patriots if he's active and Mixon is not. With both Pierce and Mixon out since Week 2, Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale have been splitting backfield work the last three weeks.

From RotoBaller

David Njoku Oct 10 10:00pm CT
David Njoku

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle, knee) returned to practice on Thursday and was limited after sitting out of Wednesday's session. Njoku returned from an ankle sprain in the Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders for the first time since the season opener and caught just one of his three targets for a 14-yard gain. The 28-year-old picked up a knee injury in his return to action, but his return to practice on Thursday suggests he'll have a shot to play in a second straight game in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, a banged-up Njoku potentially playing limited snaps in what has been an ugly Browns offense shouldn't really excite fantasy managers all that much. In the Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys before Njoku injured his ankle, he caught four of his five targets for 44 yards and no touchdowns. At best, Njoku will be a low-end TE1 in fantasy if he's active this Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 10 9:50pm CT
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) suffered a left-shoulder injury in the first half of the Thursday night contest against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks and was deemed questionable to return. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Mason was good to go coming out of the half, and Mason got the first touch of the third quarter before going into the blue medical tent and being sidelined again. He was seen on the sidelines with helmet on but hasn't gone back into the contest. If Mason doesn't return to the game, he will finish his night with nine carries for 73 yards (8.1 yards per carry) while catching one of two targets for a nine-yard pickup. Rookie Isaac Guerendo has picked up most of the slack in the backfield with Mason out, with receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and Patrick Taylor Jr. also pitching in. With Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) still on Injured Reserve, Guerendo would become a priority pickup in fantasy next week if Mason's injury causes him to miss time.

From RotoBaller

Tommy Tremble Oct 10 9:10pm CT
Tommy Tremble

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (concussion) did not suit up for Thursday's practice session. Tremble has missed both practices this week after suffering a concussion during last week's loss to the Chicago Bears. Rookie tight end J'Tavion Sanders took over after Tremble's exit and hauled in three passes. Sanders could be asked to start this weekend if Tremble isn't cleared to play. He won't be a reliable streaming option though considering Tremble was barely targeted when healthy.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 10 9:00pm CT
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) has returned to action for Thursday's Week 6 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Mason was forced to exit during the first half after suffering a shoulder injury on a carry during the second quarter. He left the game with trainers and was held out for the rest of the half. Luckily, Mason is back now as he received the first carry of the second half. Fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief as it appears Mason only suffered a minor shoulder injury.

From RotoBaller

Trey Palmer Oct 10 8:50pm CT
Trey Palmer

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer (concussion) missed his second straight day of practice on Thursday. Palmer sat out of last week's game as well due to a concussion. It appears the young wideout is still in concussion protocol ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. It's worth noting that fellow wideouts Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Kameron Johnson (ankle) are also on the injury report. That being said, Sterling Shepard could be looking at a bigger role on Sunday. He hauled in three receptions for 51 yards during the Week 3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

From RotoBaller

Diontae Johnson Oct 10 8:50pm CT
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice session. This is now back-to-back practice sessions that Johnson has been limited due to a lingering ankle issue. It's worth noting that Johnson played through the ankle injury last week. He finished with three receptions for 23 yards, which was his worst performance since Week 2. It seems likely that Johnson can play through the issue, but his fantasy value could take a hit until he's back to full health. He should be on the WR3 radar for this Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, assuming he's still banged up. If he sits, Jonathan Mingo and Xavier Leggette figure to have bigger roles in the passing game.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 10 8:30pm CT
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) is considered questionable to return during Thursday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Mason appears to have suffered a shoulder injury during the second quarter of this Week 6 contest. He headed to the locker room with the trainers, so Mason is currently uncertain to return. He had eight carries for 65 yards before exiting the game. It wouldn't be shocking to see the 49ers hold him out until at least after halftime. That being said, Isaac Guerendo is the next man up and figures to see a majority of the snaps in the backfield.

From RotoBaller

Rachaad White Oct 10 8:20pm CT
Rachaad White

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (foot) was absent during Thursday's practice session. This is a downgrade for White who was limited to open the week. This is obviously not a good sign heading into Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. However, Friday's practice will go a long way to deciding whether or not White will play this weekend. If he sits, Bucky Irving will be asked to carry the workload in the backfield. He'd move into RB2 territory if White is unable to play this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Travis Etienne Oct 10 7:40pm CT
Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (shoulder) continues to work his way through a shoulder injury and was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Etienne was also limited in all three practices last week before suiting up in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, but he played a season-low 38% of the offensive snaps and saw backfield mate Tank Bigsby once again outproduce him after aggravating his shoulder and missing some time. Head coach Doug Pederson said Etienne is still the team's featured back, but given his injury and Bigsby's performances in recent weeks, it seems likely that Etienne will continue to lose valuable touches to Bigsby moving forward. He should be active this Sunday in London against a tough Chicago Bears defense, where he should be considered a low-end RB2 with limited upside.

From RotoBaller

Gabriel Davis Oct 10 7:40pm CT
Gabriel Davis

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Davis should be just fine to play this Sunday in Week 6 in London against the Chicago Bears, but he won't be recommended in starting fantasy lineups, especially if tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) returns for the first time since Week 1. He played the most snaps among the team's wideouts in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Indianapolis Colts, but it led to only three receptions (four targets) for 38 yards. The former Buffalo Bills wideout has yet to find the end zone in his first year in Jacksonville in 2024 and is outside the top 50 at the position in total fantasy points through the first five weeks. The Bears defense has also allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts this year. Davis belong on benches or the waiver wire in Week 6.

From RotoBaller