Based on footage of pre-game warmups, Saints QB Derek Carr looked healthy ahead of Week 4. Come gametime, though, Carr looked limited by the shoulder injury that made him a game-time decision. The veteran tallied just 127 yards on 23 of 37 passing – an ugly 3.43 yards per attempt – all against a banged up Bucs defense. We’ll keep an eye on Carr’s practice participation ahead of a Week 5 date at New England.
The Cowboys racked up 38 points in Sunday's blowout win over the Patriots, but RB Tony Pollard didn't do any of it. He carried 11 times for 47 yards and caught all 3 targets for 13 more. But he watched Hunter Luepke claim the team's only rushing TD from 3 yards out midway through the fourth quarter. CeeDee Lamb caught the only other offensive TD. The defense added a pair of TD returns. There's nothing to worry about from this disappointing day if you have Pollard rostered. Just shrug it off and get ready for a tough matchup with the 49ers in Week 5. At least the doughy Chargers defense awaits the week after that.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry led the team with 4 receptions and 51 receiving yards in Sunday's beatdown at the hands of the Cowboys. He was the only New England player to catch more than two passes in the game. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster matched Henry's 5 targets for the team lead. WR DeVante Parker followed with 4. Five others tallied 3 targets apiece. New England gets another tough matchup with New Orleans in Week 5 but a friendlier spot at Vegas the following week.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud completed 16 of 30 passes for 306 yards and 2 TDs in a Week 4 win over Pittsburgh. Despite continuing to play without multiple O-linemen, Stroud delivered several dimes while going without a turnover. Two of his scores went to Nico Collins, with the other going to Dalton Schultz. Stroud has now hit 280+ yards in three straight. The rookie enters a neutral matchup at Atlanta in Week 5.
Patriots QB Bailey Zappe completed just four of nine passes for 57 yards after taking over for Mac Jones in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Cowboys. Zappe took a sack and didn't pilot any scoring drives. But he at least avoided turnovers. We're guessing New England will go back to Jones for Week 5, but we'll watch for confirmation.
The Patriots made Ian Rapoport's Sunday Ezekiel Elliott report look like a lie. The NFL Network reporter said New England planned to give Elliott "starter reps" against his old team. That amounted to 6 carries and 3 targets in the 38-3 loss. Elliott totaled just 22 yards and watched Rhamondre Stevenson beat him 16-8 in touches. We'll see what gets reported about the Patriots backfield heading into Week 5, but Elliott's 3.9 yards per touch so far this season certainly don't scream that he needs to get the ball more. Stevenson managed only 40 total yards against the Cowboys. The New England backfield gets a tough matchup with New Orleans in Week 5 before a better spot at Las Vegas in Week 6.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce gained 81 yards on 24 attempts in Week 4. Houston gained an early lead on Pittsburgh and never looked back, which helped Pierce see his biggest workload since Week 9 of 2022. He encountered bad luck when a five-yard TD was overturned by penalty, but this outing was still encouraging. Backup RB Devin Singletary mixed in for only 7 carries, while C.J. Stroud continued to impress. Pierce should remain busy for a Week 5 date at Atlanta.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles said after Sunday's game vs. the Saints that WR Mike Evans "tweaked" his hamstring and would undergo tests tomorrow. Evans had a “mild but not significant limp” leaving the stadium, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. We should learn more about the severity tomorrow.
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett is scheduled for an MRI on his left knee on Monday, according to Pro Football Talk. The team is “hopeful” he’s just dealing with a minor MCL sprain. We should get an update on Pickett's status within the next 24 hours. QB Mitchell Trubisky finished today’s game for Pittsburgh, completing 3 of 5 passes for 18 yards.
QB Mac Jones was benched in the third quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Cowboys, with the Patriots down 31-3. Jones completed 12 of 21 passes for 150 yards, 0 TDs, and two INTs, one of which went for a pick-6. Jones also lost a fumble that was returned for a Dallas TD. He's been replaced by QB Bailey Zappe. We'll see about New England's plan at QB going forward.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts racked up 319 yards and 2 TDs passing in Sunday's OT win over the Commanders. He found WR A.J. Brown for both scores, from 28 and 59 yards out. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined to draw targets on 59.5% of Hurts' pass attempts. They also accounted for 79.3% of the team's receiving yards. TE Dallas Goedert managed just 2 receptions for 25 yards among 4 targets. RB D'Andre Swift ranked third on the team with 4 receptions on 4 targets.
Even with WR A.J. Brown garnering 35% of Eagles targets in Sunday's win over the Commanders, WR DeVonta Smith still managed a solid outing. He drew 9 targets, tallied 7 receptions, and totaled 78 yards. Smith saw a target on 24.3% of QB Jalen Hurts' 37 pass attempts. He's now up to 22.3% target share through four games. That's down a bit from last year's 25.4%, though, and makes Smith more of a high-end WR3 than WR2.
Texans WR Nico Collins had his way with the Pittsburgh secondary in Week 4, tallying 7-168-2. Collins scored once at the goal line; once from deep on a play that showed his length and post-catch ability. On the day, his 30% target share easily led the team. The third-year pro now has 22 catches, 428 yards, and 3 TDs through four games. He'll be in the WR2/3 mix for Sunday's matchup at Atlanta.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert got his left hand caught in a Raider helmet after throwing an INT in the third quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Raiders. He was bleeding and taken into the medical tent. We'll update Herbert's status when we know more. At least it was Herbert's non-throwing hand.
Update: Herbert has returned with his left hand heavily taped and his middle finger in a splint.
Eagles WR A.J. Brown racked up 9 receptions, 175 yards, and 2 TDs in Sunday's OT win over the Commanders. His scores came from 28 and 59 yards out, while his 13 targets accounted for 35.1% of Jalen Hurts' total pass attempts. Through four games, Brown has drawn a target on 33.1% of Hurts' attempts. He gets a nice matchup with the Rams in Week 5, ahead of a more challenging Week 6 draw in the Jets.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins suffered a rib fracture in Sunday's loss to the Titans, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "Could keep him off the field for a bit," Rapoport added. We should get a more concrete timeline for Higgins' return on Monday. His absence will elevate Tyler Boyd to the No. 2 spot on the WR depth chart, although it's tough to get excited about him as a fantasy option with the Bengals passing game scuffling.
Steelers WR George Pickens mustered only 3 grabs for 25 yards on 7 targets. The Steelers lost Kenny Pickett (knee) to injury in the 3rd quarter, but this offense struggled to get anything going regardless of QB. Pickens went 0 for 2 on targets from backup Mitch Trubisky. Even if Pickett gets cleared for Week 5, Pickens will remain a shaky fantasy option vs. Baltimore. Note that Diontae Johnson (hamstring) will remain out.
Eagles RB D'Andre Swift carried 14 times for 56 yards and a TD in Sunday's OT win over the Commanders. The 4.0 yards per carry marked a downturn vs. Swift's previous two games. But he beat Kenneth Gainwell by 10 carries and 4-2 in targets. Swift caught all four for 23 yards. He's looking like a weekly fantasy starter until something changes.
Rams WR Puka Nacua is incredible. His 39 catches through the first four games of his NFL career are the most all-time, and the rookie closed out Week 4 with his first career TD vs. the Colts. He led the team in receiving with 9 catches on 10 targets for 163 receiving yards. TE Tyler Higbee also paid off for fantasy managers, logging 5 catches on 11 targets for 64 yards. While his final stat line was a bummer (5 catches, 24 yards), WR Tutu Atwell remained heavily involved and should be a good candidate to bounce back next week vs. the Eagles. This Rams’ passing attack is turning out to be among the best in fantasy.
Rams RB Kyren Williams continued to shoulder a hefty workload in Week 4, logging 25 carries for 103 yards with 2 TDs vs. the Colts. He also caught all 3 of his targets for 24 yards in the receiving game. It’s worth mentioning that his teammate Ronnie Rivers received 9 carries and 2 targets in the contest. His name might be worth considering as a potential add in very deep leagues should he continue to be the spell guy for Williams. Williams will look to continue his success next week vs. the Eagles.
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