Dominate Your League

With the news that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot) is battling a foot sprain, fellow Bucs back Sean Tucker could be in line for a significant workload increase. Tucker has just one carry so far in 2025, but he was extremely efficient when given the opportunity in 2024, rushing for 308 yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries for Tampa Bay. Veteran running back Rachaad White would likely be given the first opportunity in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks if Irving misses time. Still, White has proven to be a more efficient receiving back than an early-down rusher over the course of his career. In fantasy leagues where both White and Tucker are available, White should be the waiver-wire priority. However, in deeper leagues where White is already rostered, Tucker should be added in case Irving misses time and Tucker works his way into the early-down role.

From RotoBaller

ESPN's Dan Graziano reports that the Washington Commanders are "very happy at the moment using a committee" in the backfield, but they "view (rookie running back) Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the most capable one of the three to emerge as an all-around threat." Since veteran running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) suffered an Achilles tear in Week 2, the Commanders have split backfield playing time fairly evenly between Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Jeremy McNichols. Overall, through his first four NFL games, Croskey-Merritt has recorded 172 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries to go along with three catches for 15 yards on five targets. As long as all three Washington backs are sharing snaps, none profile as fantasy starters. However, it sounds as though Croskey-Merritt is the most likely Commanders running back to eventually seize a true lead role.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) is considered "week-to-week" due to the hamstring injury he suffered during his team's Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport notes that Jackson is "going to try to play" in Week 5 against the Houston Texans, but that his status is "in doubt." If Jackson is unable to play in Week 5, veteran signal-caller Cooper Rush would be in line to make the start for Baltimore against Houston. Rush completed nine of his 13 pass attempts for 52 yards after replacing Jackson in Week 4. The 31-year-old played in 12 games (eight starts) for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, completing 60.7% of his pass attempts for 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Looking forward, Baltimore will play the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6 before hitting their bye week in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) "banged his knee" during the team's Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and Benson's status for Week 5 is "now in question," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Benson recorded 54 yards from scrimmage on 13 total touches in Week 4, which was the team's first full game since veteran running back James Conner (ankle) was lost for the season with an ankle injury. Third-year back Emari Demercado was Arizona's RB2 in Week 4, recording 21 yards from scrimmage and a receiving touchdown on four total touches. If Benson misses the Cardinals' Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, backfield touches would likely be split between Demercado and running back Michael Carter. Carter has just one carry so far in 2025, but he rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries across three games (one start) with Arizona in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (ankle) is expected to miss the team's Wednesday practice due to an ankle injury, per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. Garrett is one of the NFL's best defensive players and has recorded four sacks and eight QB hits through his first four games of the season. The Browns will face off against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. If Garrett is unable to play, the matchup would be significantly easier for Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz, running back Jordan Mason, and the rest of the Minnesota offense.

From RotoBaller

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot) is dealing with a foot sprain and was spotted at practice on Wednesday "on crutches and in a walking boot," per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The team has not provided a formal timeline for Irving, but it certainly appears he will be sidelined for the team's Week 5 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. If Irving indeed misses time, Buccaneers running backs Rachaad White and Sean Tucker should both see an uptick in touches and playing time. White has recorded 142 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 31 total touches so far in 2025. Tucker has just one carry this season, but he rushed for 308 yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries across 17 games in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The Browns will start Dillon Gabriel this week against Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: Joe Flacco was likely to never actually finish the year under center but his awful first month opened the door sooner than expected. Gabriel will take over with Flacco moving to the QB2 and Shedeur Sanders reportedly still being a distant third in the pecking order. Gabriel showed some juice in the preseason but that's going to mean little. His performance will be critical for the Browns future as they'll need to either commit to him, see what Sanders can do or be forced to look at the NFL Draft once again as they attempt to rise above the putrid Deshaun Watson era.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | The Browns have benched veteran Joe Flacco in favor of Dillon Gabriel. Dynasty Analysis: The 40-year old veteran only completed 58.2% of his passes the first four weeks for 815 yards with just two touchdowns and six interceptions. The Browns are 1-3 and yet again looking like one of the NFL's worst teams, despite having a solid defensive unit. Dillon Gabriel is taking over and Cleveland simply needs to see if he can give them a spark and save their season before it gets out of hand. Flacco will serve as the QB2 moving forward but he's going to hit a lot of waiver wires this week as his minimal dynasty value is now cooked.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | The Browns will start rookie Dillon Gabriel against the Vikings this week and keep Shedeur Sanders as their QB3. Dynasty Analysis: Joe Flacco was ineffective the first month of the season but Cleveland has been steadfast in saying it was Gabriel, not Sanders, who would get a shot first should Flacco falter. That indeed becomes the case as Sanders will reportedly stay as the QB3. It's still quite possible he makes starts this year but we've really seen nothing to indicate his draft day fall wasn't completely justified. Sanders is worth a roster spot in deep leagues but continues to be overvalued in most.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

ESPN Rams reporter Sarah Barshop reports that Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (hip) was listed as a DNPs for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, making his status for Thursday's game against the Arizona Cardinals uncertain. If Higbee can't go on Thursday, rookie Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson will be in line to get more opportunities in the passing game. However, with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams earning most of Matthew Stafford's targets, Rams' tight ends should not be started or even rostered in most league formats at this time. Higbee is leading the tight end room in receptions, yards, and targets, and through four games, he has six catches for 62 yards and no touchdowns on 11 targets.

From RotoBaller

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs is being used "all over the field," according to the offensive coordinator for the Colts, Jim Bob Cooter. Downs has been able to "line up on the outside as well as the slot," showcasing his versatility on the field and being an option for quarterback Daniel Jones in the passing game. So far through the four weeks of the season, Downs has yet to have a breakout game, topping 50 receiving yards only once, and has yet to find the endzone. However, hearing Cooter speak about Downs, the Colts may be looking to get Downs more involved in the passing game down the stretch. With bye weeks coming up and injuries being inevitable, Downs could be a nice bench stash for the time being in deeper leagues, especially if he continues to lineup all over the field and we see his targets increase per game. However, at this time, we have not seen it happen on the field, so until then, Downs should remain out of starting lineups in most standard formats. The Colts play the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6, so look for Downs to be more involved than he has been against a poor Raiders defense that has allowed the third-most points to the wide receiver position.

From RotoBaller

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reports that Shedeur Sanders will remain as the team's QB3, even in light of the Dillon Gabriel news reported by Adam Schefter on Wednesday that Gabriel will start on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Sanders will have to continue to wait his turn to get an opportunity to prove what he can do at the NFL level. Veteran Joe Flacco will serve as the backup quarterback in Week 5, leaving Sanders as third on the depth chart. Sanders, at this time, continues to be a dynasty stash at best. Still, his path to getting an opportunity may have just gotten closer, as it appears the Browns might be moving on from the Joe Flacco experience for the long term with the switch to Gabriel in Week 5. However, at this time, he will remain third on the quarterback depth chart.

From RotoBaller

According to Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel is getting the start on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in London. Joe Flacco will remain the backup while Shedeur Sanders will remain the QB3. Flacco has struggled mightily this year, throwing only two touchdowns to six interceptions through four games with two fumbles lost. With the Browns sitting at a 1-3 record, they appear ready to start seeing what they have in third-round rookie Gabriel. In Gabriel's final season at Oregon, he threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns, adding seven rushing touchdowns in 14 starts and leading the Ducks to a Big Ten Championship. He also had a career-high completion percentage of 72.9 percent. The rookie played well in the preseason and was 3-for-4 for 19 yards and a touchdown in limited regular-season action. Currently, Gabriel is a bench stash in leagues that start two quarterbacks or a superflex league. The Vikings' defense on Sunday will be a good test for Gabriel to see what he's got.

From RotoBaller

Michael David Smith of NBC Sports reports that Travis Hunter is struggling to make an impact on either side of the ball. Hunter is mainly playing on offense, being on the field for 59 percent of the Jaguars' offensive snaps. But he has just 13 catches for 118 yards with no touchdowns and only three first downs through four games. On defense, Hunter is doing even less, playing just 39 percent of snaps with no interceptions or other powerful impact plays. Ultimately, this is leading to him not making a substantial impact on either side of the ball, limiting his overall upside. It's still early in the season, so we will see how the Jaguars plan to use him moving forward, but at the time being, Hunter's value has never been lower, and fantasy managers have started dropping him in 12-team leagues. At best, he is a bench stash based on name and upside alone. Currently, he should not be considered for starting lineups in any league format.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson continued to play a significant role on offense in Week 4 despite speculation about a potential reduced workload after he fumbled twice in the previous game. Stevenson's usage didn't falter one bit as he played 57 percent of the snaps and carried the ball nine times, which led the team and was his second-highest mark of the season. He is far from an every-down back, and we should continue to see TreVeyon Henderson get more and more involved every week. However, as it stands, Stevenson remains the favorite to handle north of 50 percent of the running back snaps in any given contest. He is still a viable fantasy option on the waiver wire or off the bench.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson remains the future of the team's backfield, but his ascension to the No. 1 role is taking a little longer than expected. The Ohio State product played a season-low 31 percent of the snaps this past Sunday, which was a significant reduction from his 46 percent snap share just a week earlier. Furthermore, he caught two passes along the way, which was also a season- and career-low. All in all, the Patriots continue to use Rhamondre Stevenson more than Henderson, and they've also mixed in some rushing attempts for Drake Maye and Antonio Gibson. Until he's the clear-cut No. 1 running back on a weekly basis, Henderson deserves to be benched in fantasy football. From a waiver wire perspective, though, he's an interesting candidate to be added in leagues with at least 12 teams, especially since he could blossom into New England's lead back by midseason. He's a top waiver wire target for Week 5.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum continues to carve out an increased role within the backfield, making him a player to monitor or even pursue in fantasy football leagues. The 24-year-old played 29 percent of the offensive snaps on Sunday, which was his second-highest mark of the season. He also posted season highs in rushing attempts (nine), targets (four), and catches (two), albeit while posting poor efficiency on the ground and negative yardage through the air. Kyren Williams remains the undisputed No. 1 running back in Los Angeles, but Corum is certainly eating into his workload and making a push for expanded touches week after week. Last Sunday was the first time Corum had double-digit touches in a single game, and if this continues, he could have some standalone value as an RB3/flex in deeper fantasy leagues. He's a worthwhile waiver wire target in leagues with at least 12 teams, especially as bye weeks and injuries plague the position. However, he might be tougher to trust this week in particular as he faces the San Francisco 49ers, who have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to running backs in 2025.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry is off to a fantastic start this season, catching 15 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns while ranking as the overall TE3 in fantasy football. He has double-digit fantasy points in three of four games and has found the end zone two weeks in a row. While critics were harsh on Henry during the offseason for sharing a role with Austin Hooper in an uninspiring offense, those opinions have been silenced by the veteran's phenomenal start. Not only is he playing and producing far more than Hooper, but he has also been one of Drake Maye's absolute favorite targets in the passing game. We mustn't forget that New England targeted its tight ends 31.9 percent of the time in 2024 (fourth-most in the NFL), and they continue to throw to the position at a 26.7 percent clip this year (seventh-most). He should be added off waiver wires in all leagues, as he's a worthwhile starter in most formats.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten has been efficient on his touches throughout the first four weeks of his career. He has 21 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown while securing three of four targets for 40 yards and another touchdown. The speedster has been among the best in the league at avoiding negative runs, but the explosive runs have not been there yet. He's served as the No. 2 back mostly to Travis Etienne Jr., while rookie LeQuint Allen has also mixed in here and there. Head coach Liam Coen has used him in creative ways in the red zone and also gave him a goal-line carry for a touchdown in Week 3. The workload and snap share haven't increased significantly yet, but they will likely grow as the season progresses. With his big-play ability, he could be a league-winner down the stretch.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III has had limited opportunity so far through four games, but has made the most of them. He's caught seven of eight targets for 99 yards and a touchdown on the year, with most of that coming in Week 3 against Dallas when he caught all three targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. He strangely has negative receiving yardage in two of the other three games, but has looked explosive in his time on the field. His snap share hasn't risen to a very interesting level quite yet, sitting at 25.2% for the season. His snap share unfortunately didn't tick up in Week 4 after his breakout Week 3 game, but patience is to be encouraged with Burden. There are still plenty of mouths to feed in Chicago, but Burden is talented enough to emerge as a factor in Ben Johnson's offense. He's a great stash candidate until things change.

From RotoBaller