The unfortunate reality of the return of the NFL is that when players are allowed to go full speed, injuries are bound to happen. Week 4 of the NFL season was no exception. As fantasy football managers set their lineups with hours to kickoff, several players find themselves on the injury report, leaving their status for Week 5 in the air.
Fantasy Football Injury Report: QB update
Here is where we currently stand in terms of the fantasy football QB options dealing with injuries.
Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos
Update: Teddy Bridgewater is active for the Broncos Week 5 game.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports Bridgewater cleared concussion protocol and will start Sunday against the Steelers.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN, the 49ers ruled Garoppolo (calf) out for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals. As a result, rookie QB Trey Lance will make his first career start in Week 5 and should be viewed as a high-end QB2 with top-10 upside.
Fantasy Football Injury Report: RB update
How is the injury bug affecting RB committees heading into Week 5?
Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals
Per Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ official site, Edmonds (shoulder) practiced in a limited fashion Friday. Additionally, Arizona listed him as questionable for Sunday’s game against the 49ers. This designation is not a surprise as head coach Kliff Kingsbury declared Edmonds would be a game-time decision. With kickoff at 4:25 PM ET, fantasy managers are in a problematic spot unless we get news earlier in the day. Should he miss, James Conner would be a solid RB2 option.
Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
Update: Christian McCaffrey is inactive for the Panthers Week 5 game.
Carolina listed McCaffrey (hamstring) as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Eagles, according to David Newton of ESPN. The Panthers do not expect McCaffrey to play as they want to exercise caution with their best player. Thus, Chuba Hubbard gets another start in rotation with Royce Freeman and Rodney Smith.
David Montgomery, Chicago Bears
ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that Montgomery has a knee sprain and is expected to be out four to five weeks. The Bears subsequently placed Montgomery on the IR.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
Update: Joe Mixon is active for the Bengals Week 5 game.
According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, Mixon (ankle) went through a workout Saturday morning and is trending towards playing Sunday against the Packers in some capacity. However, the latter part of that is the critical point to note. Although Mixon is active, the likelihood of him receiving his normal workload does not seem high, increasing the risk of starting him in fantasy.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports that Elliott (knee) is considered questionable for Sunday’s game against the Giants. Nevertheless, he is expected to play after he closed out the week with back-to-back limited practices.
Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos
Update: Melvin Gordon is active for the Broncos Week 5 game.
George Stoia III of The Denver Gazette reports that Broncos head coach Vic Fangio is confident Gordon (lower leg) will play Sunday against the Steelers after recording limited practices on Thursday and Friday.
D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions
Update: D’Andre Swift is active for the Lions Week 5 game.
Per Tim Twentyman of the Lions’ official site, the Lions expect Swift (groin) to play in Week 5 and have listed him as questionable. Swift has been listed as questionable on the injury report with a groin injury all season, so this seems to be par for the course.
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions
Update: Jamaal Williams is active for the Lions Week 5 game.
Williams (hip) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Minnesota as well, per Twentyman. He was able to practice this week but in a limited fashion, however.
Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts
Wilkins (illness) won’t play Monday night against the Ravens, Stephen Holder of The Athletic reports.
Peyton Barber, Las Vegas Raiders
After returning to practice Friday, Barber (toe) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bears. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Barber was dealing with a mild case of turf toe that could sideline him for a few weeks, but his return to practice may suggest otherwise.
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
Update: Dalvin Cook is inactive for the Vikings Week 5 game.
Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Cook did “some work” at Friday’s practice, following DNPs on Wednesday and Thursday. He is listed as questionable for Week 5. Odds are Cook will split reps with Alexander Mattison as he did last week playing on 51% of the offensive snaps.
Antonio Gibson, Washington Football Team
Update: Antonio Gibson is active for the Washington Football Team’s Week 5 game.
Sam Fortier of The Washington Post reports Gibson revealed Friday that he’s been playing through a stress fracture in his shin after initially being diagnosed with a bruised shin in Week 4. Gibson stated it doesn’t hurt badly, but needless to say, this is extremely concerning. Gibson is questionable but is expected to play Sunday against the Saints in Week 5.
WR Injury Update
News for pass catchers is essential in PPR leagues — let’s break down the WR fallout.
Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons
Both Ridley (personal reasons) and Gage (ankle) did not make the trip to London and are out for Week 5 against the New York Jets.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Jamison Hensley of ESPN reports Bateman (groin) may make his NFL debut on Monday against the Colts. Bateman has been on the IR and was designated to return, which started a 21-day window to activate him to the 53-man roster.
Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys
Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports Cooper (hamstring/rib) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Giants. Still, Dallas expects him to suit up against the Giants.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Update: Courtland Sutton is active for the Broncos Week 5 game.
Sutton suffered a sprained ankle during Friday’s practice [October 8] that Mike Klis of 9News Denver describes as “not serious in nature.” Nevertheless, Schefter reports Sutton will be a game-time decision.
Will Fuller V, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins placed Fuller (finger) on injured reserve Wednesday.
DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
Update 10/10/2021: DeVante Parker has officially been ruled out for their game against the Buccaneers.
Parker (shoulder/hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers, Hal Habib of The Palm Beach Post reports. Parker was a limited participant in practice from Wednesday through Friday, first due to a shoulder injury before a sore hamstring popped up later in the week.
Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard, New York Giants
Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports both Slayton and Shepard have been ruled out with hamstring injuries.
James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers
Washington (groin) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee ruled Jones (hamstring) out of Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, the return of A.J. Brown does help to offset the absence of Jones for a second straight week.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Football Team
Update: Curtis Samuel is active for the Washington Football Team’s Week 5 game.
John Keim of ESPN reports Samuel (groin) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against New Orleans. Additionally, head coach Ron Rivera said Friday that the wideout is trending in the right direction. It appears Samuel suffered a re-aggravation after returning from the IR due to the same groin injury that cost him the majority of the offseason and the team’s first three games.
TE Injury Update for Week 5
Which tight end injuries should we be mindful of when setting our fantasy lineups?
Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team
On Wednesday [October 6], Washington placed Thomas on IR due to a hamstring injury. He’s ineligible for the next three games, with Week 8 at Denver being his earliest possible date for a return.
Albert Okwuegbunam, Denver Broncos
The Broncos placed Okwuegbunam (hamstring) on IR.
T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Update: T.J. Hockenson is active for the Lions Week 5 game.
Hockenson (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Minnesota, according to the team’s final injury report. He is believed to have picked up the injury last week but appears in no danger of missing Week 5.
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers officially placed Kittle (calf) on IR. As a result, he will miss the team’s next three games. However, due to San Francisco’s upcoming schedule, Kittle will miss at least four weeks due to their bye week falling during this timeframe. Under the NFL’s bylaws, it is three games, not three weeks, a player must miss after being placed on the short-term IR. Kittle will be eligible to return in Week 9 against Arizona at the earliest.