Bills LB Terrel Bernard managed to clear the concussion protocol and is active for tonight's game against the Broncos. It's a surprisingly quick turnaround after Bernard suffered his injury in last Sunday night's loss at Cincinnati. But that should keep him as Buffalo's lead LB for the game and render Tyrel Dodson a part-timer.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell wouldn't say Monday whether WR Justin Jefferson (hamstring) will be back for Sunday night's game vs. the Broncos. Jefferson will continue to "ramp up" in practice, O'Connell said, after being limited last week. “Nobody wants to be out there more than Justin, maybe with the exception of me wanting him out there," O'Connell said. "But we’ll continue to be smart with Justin and know that when we do get him back, it’ll be a major boost." We'll keep you updated on Jefferson's status throughout the week.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins (hamstring) is "unlikely" to play vs. the Ravens on Thursday night, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. HC Zac Taylor didn't rule Higgins out at his Monday press conference but admitted that it'd be "tough" for him to be ready on the short week. Higgins owners should plan to be without him again in Week 11. His absence will keep WR Tyler Boyd in play as a fantasy starter after his big 8-117-0 line in yesterday's loss to the Texans.
Rams HC Sean McVay said Monday that the team is expecting QB Matt Stafford (thumb) to start this weekend's game vs. the Seahawks. Stafford was able to grip and throw the football in Monday's post-bye-week practice. We'll keep an eye on his progress throughout the week. Stafford would be a shaky QB1 play in Week 11 fantasy lineups, but his return is great news for the Rams' skill-position players.
Saints HC Dennis Allen called WR Michael Thomas' knee injury "fairly significant." He added that the injury isn't believed to be season-ending but that Thomas is getting a second opinion. The Saints have a Week 11 bye, but it sounds like we should expect Thomas to miss multiple games beyond that. He's droppable in most redraft fantasy leagues. Rookie WR A.T. Perry replaced Thomas in the Week 11 loss to the Vikings, catching two of four targets for 38 yards and a score. He's worth a look on the waiver wire in deep leagues. WRs Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed should also pick up more work with Thomas out.
Saints HC Dennis Allen said Monday that QB Derek Carr's shoulder "checked out fine." He's in the concussion protocol, but it sounds like he'll be available coming off the Week 11 bye. Allen also said that he's not currently considering a move to QB Jameis Winston. We'll see if that changes during a week of film watching. But, for now, we should assume that it'll be Carr under center vs. the Falcons in Week 12.
The Bucs found "no issues" with the right thumb QB Baker Mayfield banged on a helmet in Sunday's win over the Titans, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "He will not miss any practice time, and he is set to be ready for Sunday’s game vs. the 49ers," Schefter adds. We'll keep an eye on Mayfield throughout the week, but it doesn't sound like the thumb will be a problem going forward.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith said Monday that he'll wait until after the Week 11 bye to name a starting QB going forward. QB Taylor Heinicke struggled in the loss to the Cardinals before exiting early in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. QB Desmond Ridder went four of six for 39 yards and scored a nine-yard rushing TD over the final 14 minutes. Smith praised Ridder's play in his Monday press conference, so our guess is that he'll be back under center come Week 12. But we'll let you know what Smith makes an announcement next week.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Saints QB Derek Carr sprained the AC joint in his throwing shoulder in Sunday's loss to the Vikings. He calls it a similar injury to Carr's previous shoulder issue and "might actually be" and aggravation of that previous injury. It's still not expected to be serious. And the Week 11 bye seems likely to put Carr on track to miss no further time. Frankly, we can't help but wonder if it would help WR Chris Olave's fantasy outlook if Carr did miss some time. We'll check back in on the New Orleans QB situation after the bye.
The Dolphins are opening the 21-day practice window for rookie RB De'Von Achane to return from IR. Achane missed the past four games with a knee sprain, but Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald says it "sounds like there's an excellent chance" the rookie plays this week. HC Mike McDaniel reportedly even indicated that Achane could have played through the issue with a brace on the affected knee. But the team decided that didn't fit the player's long-term interests. Achane, of course, has scored fantasy points at a ridiculous rate when on the field so far this year, leading all RBs in PPR points per game on just 11.75 touches per contest. He's likely bound for some regression on that, but should also remain a weekly fantasy starter. His combo of game-breaking speed and an offense designed to exploit that skill makes Achane a high-upside play across matchups. His return challenges RB Raheem Mostert's role a bit but hasn't altered Mostert's touch count to date. Mostert has averaged 13.4 touches across five full games without Achane; 14.0 per game in the three contests in which Achane played a significant role. (The rookie touched the ball only twice in his first game.) RBs Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed, on the other hand, can be dropped in most redraft formats.
Bengals Edge Trey Hendrickson left Sunday's loss to the Texans with a left knee injury after Houston WR Noah Brown fell into it following the game's final offensive play. HC Zac Taylor had no update on Hendrickson's status after the game, so we'll watch for specifics today. But a short turnaround to Thursday night's clash with Baltimore will challenge Hendrickson's chances of playing in Week 11.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield injured his right thumb when he banged it against a helmet in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Titans. Mayfield didn't miss any snaps, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport calls the injury "worth monitoring." Mayfield is scheduled for testing on the thumb on Monday. We'll update his status when we know more.
Commanders WR Jahan Dotson was held off the stat sheet in Week 10. Sam Howell attempted 44 passes and threw for 312 yards, but Dotson garnered only 2 targets. He led the WR corps in snaps (58) and routes run (44). Sunday also marked the return of Curtis Samuel, who saw 6 targets coming off a toe injury. A tough rest-of-season schedule – plus a Week 14 bye – makes Dotson more of a deep league spot starter going forward.
Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks exploded in Week 10, hauling in 9 of 10 targets for 173 receiving yards and a TD vs. the Giants. Sunday saw several Cowboys pass-catchers post great numbers, including WR CeeDee Lamb (11-151-1) and TE Jake Ferguson (4-26-1), but Cooks is the one that fantasy managers should be wary of chasing in the future. The 10 targets he saw on Sunday were his highest by far this season and mark only the second time in 2023 that Cooks has seen more than 4 in a single game. He and teammate Michael Gallup have essentially taken turns as the Cowboys' WR2 in terms of snap rate and route participation this year. It’s best to avoid chasing this performance if you’re looking for help on the waiver wire this week.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott completed 26 of 35 passes for 404 yards with 4 TDs and 1 INT in Week 10 vs. the Giants. He also added 17 rushing yards and a TD on the ground in the contest. This man has been on an absolute tear of late. Over his past four games, Prescott is now averaging 338.5 passing yards and 3 TDs per game. Sunday’s performance is also notable as it marks the first time that the veteran signal-caller has thrown for over 400 yards in a game since 2021 Week 6. There’s good reason for fantasy managers to expect continued success from him moving forward as the Cowboys’ remaining schedule ranks fourth-easiest for QBs per our adjusted fantasy points allowed.
Colts Edge Kwity Paye left Sunday's win over the Patriots with a hamstring injury. He's fortunate to get a Week 11 bye. We'll see about his status heading into Week 12.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley recorded 13 carries for 66 rushing yards with 1 catch for -5 yards in Week 10 vs. the Cowboys. Fantasy managers expected tough sledding against a fierce Cowboys defense, and there’s no sugarcoating a 7.1 PPR point performance. The moribund offense will hurt Barkley the rest of the way, and the Giants’ remaining schedule ranks as the toughest for RBs per our adjusted fantasy points allowed. You might get flex-level value from Barkley on volume, but keep your expectations low.
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) told NBC's Melissa Stark that his goal is to be back by mid-December. "I know it sounds insane, but if you do a good surgery, have a good patient, it makes this possible," Rodgers said. The Jets play the Texans on December 10 and the Dolphins on December 17. A goal, of course, doesn't necessarily mean that Rodgers will definitely be back this season. Whether the Jets are still alive for a playoff spot will also likely impact whether he returns. Rodgers couldn't be trusted as more than a QB2 that late in the season if he does make it back, so he's only worth stashing in 2-QB and superflex leagues.
Vikings RB Ty Chandler logged 15 carries for 45 rushing yards and a TD in Week 10 vs. the Saints. It was reasonable to assume the second-year back would elevate into some sort of committee role with fellow RB Cam Akers out for the rest of 2023 with a torn Achilles. But with lead runner Alexander Mattison leaving in the third quarter of the contest with a concussion, it’s possible that fantasy managers could be looking at an incredible waiver wire target in Chandler. He played well on Sunday, is currently the healthiest RB in Minnesota, and the Vikings are set to take on a Broncos defense in Week 11 that ranks 31st in run defense DVOA this season. Be sure to look for his name when making claims in the coming days.
Vikings QB Joshua Dobbs completed 23 of 34 attempts for 268 yards with 1 TD in Week 10 vs. the Saints. The journeyman also added 44 rushing yards and a ground score on Sunday, marking the sixth time in 2023 that Dobbs has rushed for 40+ yards in a game. Also notable is the fact that Dobbs has now scored a rushing TD in four consecutive games dating back to his time as the Cardinals’ starter. With a pair of upcoming games against poor defenses (Broncos, Bears) that rank within the top seven easiest QB matchups per our adjusted fantasy points allowed, season-long managers looking for a streaming option ought to consider looking in Dobbs’ direction.
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