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FFL: Week 4 | NFL: Week 4

49ers say WR Brandon Aiyuk (knee) 'not close' to return

Thu Sep 25 1:14pm ET
Field Level Media

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is "not close" to returning from the physically unable to perform list, general manager John Lynch said Thursday.

The club originally had targeted a Week 6 return for the 27-year-old veteran, who still is rehabbing a torn right ACL sustained last October.

Lynch said there have been no setbacks, explaining it is taking longer than expected because his tear wasn't "clean" and there was other damage in the knee.

Aiyuk posted 25 receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns over seven games last season after developing into a star over the previous two campaigns.

He caught a career-high 78 passes for 1,015 yards and a career-best eight TDs in 2022, and hauled in 75 catches for a career-high 1,342 yards in 2023.

Drafted in the first round (25th overall) in 2020, Aiyuk has recorded 294 receptions for 4,305 yards and 25 TDs in 69 games (67 starts) with the 49ers.

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 4

Player Notes
Terry McLaurin Sep 25 12:40pm CT
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) was not spotted at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. Noah Brown (groin, knee), who did not play in the Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, was also not present. McLaurin has been getting multiple medical opinions on a quad injury he suffered in Week 3, and even spent time with a core-muscle specialist. If the 30-year-old misses a second straight practice, he'll be on the wrong side of questionable for this weekend's contest against the Atlanta Falcons. Washington could be without both McLaurin and Brown, which means that Luke McCaffrey and rookie Jaylin Lane would start in three-wide sets next to Deebo Samuel Sr. Tight end Zach Ertz will be a must-start if McLaurin sits.

From RotoBaller

Joe Mixon Sep 25 12:30pm CT
Joe Mixon

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) "doesn't seem like he'll be back from injury anytime soon," according to Billy Heyen of The Sporting Tribune. With Mixon still on the Non-Football Injury list, veteran Nick Chubb took over Houston's backfield early on. However, rookie Woody Marks played a season-high 48% of the offensive snaps in the Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars after playing just 11% of the snaps in Week 1. He had six carries for 27 yards and caught one pass for a nine-yard gain. With the Texans' struggling offense apparently going away from Dameon Pierce -- he was a healthy scratch in Week 3 -- it could signal a rise for Marks, who may be best utilized as a pass-catcher in his rookie season. Mixon should remain stashed in all fantasy leagues, but it's looking increasingly likely that he could miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season.

From RotoBaller

Josh Reynolds Sep 25 12:20pm CT
Josh Reynolds

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hamstring) will return to practice on Thursday ahead of the team's Week 4 game on Monday night against the division-rival Miami Dolphins, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. Reynolds missed the last two games with a hamstring injury but appears to be on track to return in Week 4. The 30-year-old veteran was on the field for 97 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it amounted to only two catches on three targets for 18 yards. Reynolds is expected to be the Jets' No. 2 behind Garrett Wilson when he's healthy, but fantasy managers can't realistically rely on weekly production from anyone in New York outside of Wilson. Reynolds' return would be bad news for Allen Lazard, who scored in the Week 3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Sep 25 12:10pm CT
Malik Nabers

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (back) will return to practice on Thursday, according to head coach Brian Daboll. Nabers did not practice on Wednesday with a recurring back injury that he could have to manage all season. It's something to keep an eye on, but Nabers should be available for a Week 4 matchup this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers as long as he doesn't suffer a setback in the coming days. Despite catching only two of seven targets for 13 yards in the Sunday night loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3, the 22-year-old former first-round pick is tied for third in the league with 32 targets through the first three weeks in 2025. The G-Men are moving from quarterback Russell Wilson to rookie first-rounder Jaxson Dart in Week 4, which could give Nabers an even higher fantasy ceiling.

From RotoBaller

Ashton Jeanty Sep 25 12:00pm CT
Ashton Jeanty

Las Vegas Raiders rookie first-round running back Ashton Jeanty said he wants to "set the tone" for the running game and wants the Raiders to be a "physical football team," according to Hondo Henderson of SI.com. "I feel like it starts with me in the running game," Jeanty added. The 21-year-old was a tackle-breaking machine in college at Boise State, but so far through three games in the NFL, he's underwhelmed for fantasy managers who took him early in drafts as their RB1. He has 47 carries for 144 yards (3.1 yards per carry) and one touchdown, adding five catches on six targets for an additional three yards. Jeanty had a season-high 63 rushing yards in the Week 3 loss to the Washington Commanders, but he wasn't targeted at all, and his lack of involvement in the passing game has to be a concern. He'll have a prime opportunity for a breakout game in Week 4 against a banged-up and suspect Chicago Bears defense.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aiyuk Sep 25 11:50am CT
Brandon Aiyuk

The Athletic's David Lombardi reports that it doesn't look like Week 6 is a realistic date to expect wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) to return from the Physically Unable to Perform list based on general manager John Lynch's recent comments. Aiyuk did not suffer a "clean" ACL tear -- he also had damage to his MCL -- in Week 7 of last year, hence a longer recovery. However, Lombardi added that Aiyuk hasn't had any setbacks during his recovery, and he's been seen sprinting at practices. Lynch said that the 27-year-old wideout is "not close" to coming off the PUP list in 2025. Fantasy managers who are stashing the former first-rounder are going to need to stay patient. In the meantime, receivers Jauan Jennings (ankle) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) will remain the top pass-catchers for the banged-up Niners with tight end George Kittle (hamstring) out.

From RotoBaller

Dyami Brown Sep 25 11:50am CT
Dyami Brown

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown (shoulder) was present at the portion of practice on Thursday that was open to the media, according to Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union. It's unclear if Brown will be limited or a full-go, but it's a good sign for his Week 4 availability against the San Francisco 49ers after he missed the first practice of the week on Wednesday. With wideouts Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie Travis Hunter off to a slow start through the first three weeks, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has gotten both Brown and Parker Washington involved in the passing attack. The 25-year-old Brown has surprisingly caught 10 of 14 targets for 116 yards and one touchdown in the early going, although it will be tough for fantasy managers to trust him as anything more than a weekly WR4/flex in deeper leagues as long as Thomas, Hunter, and Washington are all healthy.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Sep 25 11:40am CT
Justin Fields

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that if quarterback Justin Fields (concussion) is cleared from the league's concussion protocol, he will start against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4 on Monday night over veteran Tyrod Taylor, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Fields' head slammed to the turf in the Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills and suffered a concussion, which kept him out of the Week 3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Taylor nearly led New York to a comeback win in that one, but the Jets are making it clear that Fields is their starter when healthy. Fields is returning to practice on Thursday, but he remains in the concussion protocol, putting his status for the Week 4 Monday night game up in the air. If Fields plays, he'll have a great shot at a bounce-back game with QB1 upside against the winless Dolphins and their suspect defense.

From RotoBaller

Mason Taylor Sep 25 11:40am CT
Mason Taylor

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that the team wants "to do everything we can to get Mason Taylor more involved." "He's a dynamic player for us. He's a guy that we all recognize needs to get the ball more," Glenn added. The 21-year-old second-rounder out of LSU has only six catches on nine targets for 43 yards and no touchdowns in his first three NFL games, but he did have a season-high four receptions on six targets in the Week 3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor running the offense. It could be a sign of things to come as the Jets look to get Taylor more involved, but for now, fantasy managers should consider him a TE2 bench stash. Taylor and the Jets offense have a good upcoming matchup in Week 4 against the 0-3 Miami Dolphins, so it will be interesting to see if he can build on his Week 3 performance.

From RotoBaller

Baker Mayfield Sep 25 11:30am CT
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (biceps) practiced again on Thursday with a sleeve on his arm, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Mayfield seems to be throwing fine and should be good to go for the Week 4 game on Sunday against the 3-0 Philadelphia Eagles. Mayfield was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice and could have the same designation on Thursday, but he's expected to play this weekend as the Bucs look to go 4-0. The 30-year-old will not have top wideout Mike Evans (hamstring) available for at least a couple of weeks, but he could be getting receiver Chris Godwin (ankle) back for the first time this year. Mayfield has yet to go over 233 passing yards through three weeks in 2025, but he does have six touchdowns and no interceptions. He'll be on the QB1/2 borderline against Philly in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Sep 25 11:20am CT
Justin Fields

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said that quarterback Justin Fields (concussion) will practice on Thursday, but he's still in the league's concussion protocol, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Fields will be listed as limited on the first Week 4 injury report with the Jets facing off against the division-rival Miami Dolphins on Monday night. The 26-year-old slammed his head to the turf in the Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills and was forced to sit out of the Week 3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's making progress, but he must clear concussion protocol and be cleared in order to return on Monday night in a good matchup against the winless Dolphins. Glenn has made it clear that Fields will be the starter over veteran Tyrod Taylor once he's past his concussion. If Fields plays, he'll be a high-end QB2 with his dual-threat abilities versus Miami.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Sep 25 11:20am CT
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch noted on Thursday that quarterback Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) looked "really good" at Wednesday's practice. "We'll see how he responds today," Lynch said. "His progression has been really a good one." The Iowa State product was able to log another limited session on Wednesday, but has yet to practice fully since picking up toe and shoulder injuries in Week 1. As of now, it's unclear if the plan is for Purdy to suit up in Week 4 for the team's matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he can't, it will again be former New England Patriots signal-caller, Mac Jones, manning the helm against the visiting Jags. Either way, it appears the 25-year-old isn't far from a return to in-game action

From RotoBaller

Derrick Henry Sep 25 10:50am CT
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry noted on Wednesday via the team's official site that he's focused on improving his ball security after a string of recent fumbles. "I don't try to harp on it too much," said the 31-year-old. "At the same time, it's a problem that's got to be fixed. I'm working on it as hard as I can to get this issue resolved." Through nine seasons, Henry had only ever fumbled more than three times twice, matching the number of times he's lost more than two of them. While it's undoubtedly concerning, fantasy managers do not need to worry about this issue in the long term, as the former second-round pick is working to rectify it. Despite two down weeks, he's firmly on the RB1 radar ahead of his matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Josh Palmer Sep 25 10:30am CT
Josh Palmer

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer did not make an impact in Week 3's 31-21 win over the visiting Miami Dolphins, catching his lone target for a gain of five yards. The former Los Angeles Charger saw nine targets in Week 1, but has had minimal output since then, accounting for just three receptions over the prior two weeks. Furthermore, his snap share has diminished in each game, hitting a low in their matchup with the Dolphins (43%). For now, it appears Buffalo prefers fellow wideouts Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir in two-wide sets. Additionally, tight end Dalton Kincaid will siphon away his fair share of looks, making Palmer more of a low-floor WR5 option with modest upside in shootouts.

From RotoBaller

Anthony Richardson Sep 25 10:20am CT
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. closed out Week 3's 41-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans, but did not factor into the game's outcome. The former Florida Gator took the field for the Colts' final drive, participating on his first seven plays of the season. He'd finish the contest with negative-one rushing yards on four carries, and nary a single pass attempt, as he was only utilized to hand the ball off, handle a rush, and kneel thrice to run the clock out. The 23-year-old could be a gold mine for fantasy, but he hasn't yet improved enough to be an efficient NFL passer. With teammate Daniel Jones balling out as Indy's starter, Richardson Sr. garners little fantasy appeal outside of a stash in superflex dynasty formats.

From RotoBaller

Terrance Ferguson Sep 25 10:10am CT
Terrance Ferguson

Los Angeles Rams rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson was a healthy scratch in Week 3. On his radio show, head coach Sean McVay said, "I think we've got tremendous depth at the tight end position." With veterans Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, and Colby Parkinson all active, Ferguson has been completely phased out of the rotation. McVay did note that his confidence in the rookie has grown, but that hasn't translated into snaps. Unless the Rams trade a tight end at the deadline, Ferguson has no fantasy relevance and can be dropped in all redraft formats.

From RotoBaller

Ray Davis Sep 25 10:00am CT
Ray Davis

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis has opened the season as the team's RB3. Through three games, he has logged just 10 carries for 26 yards, with most of that work coming in the Bills' blowout win over the New York Jets when the backups entered late. James Cook has been outstanding as the lead back, but the bigger issue for Davis is that veteran Ty Johnson has seized the RB2 role. Johnson has played 28% of the team's snaps compared to Davis's 15%, leaving the rookie buried on the depth chart. At this point, Davis's only path to fantasy relevance would be an injury to Cook, and even then, it's unclear if he would handle the majority of touches. He's safe to drop in most fantasy formats.

From RotoBaller

Jalen McMillan Sep 25 9:50am CT
Jalen McMillan

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan (neck) remains on the same recovery timeline. Head coach Todd Bowles said, "Timetable has not changed. We see him every day. He's doing fine, but we're just walking in the hallway." McMillan suffered a scary neck sprain in the preseason when a high pass from Teddy Bridgewater forced him to land awkwardly on his head. While there's still a chance he returns later in the year, his fantasy outlook for 2025 remains limited. With Chris Godwin healthy, rookie Emeka Egbuka emerging, and Mike Evans continuing his push to extend his 1,000-yard streak, McMillan projects as more of a WR4/role player when he's back on the field.

From RotoBaller

Keon Coleman Sep 25 9:40am CT
Keon Coleman

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman has been quiet over the past two weeks. After an explosive Week 1 performance with eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown, the second-year wideout has managed just three receptions for fewer than 25 yards in each of his last two outings. Part of the issue is Buffalo's offensive approach. The Bills currently lead the NFL in rushing yards per game (163), and their run-heavy game plan has minimized Coleman's fantasy impact. His snap share of 72% is close compared to rookie season, and the recent dip in production the past two weeks has hurt his value. Coleman draws the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, a defense that has allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. An efficient bounce-back is possible, but given his recent trend, Coleman is best left on fantasy benches this week.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Sep 25 9:30am CT
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) isn't concerned about his availability for Week 4. Pearsall sat out Wednesday's practice with a knee issue, but the move appears precautionary, and he's expected to suit up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The second-year receiver has been a breakout so far in 2025, posting 16 catches for 281 yards through three games. With quarterback Brock Purdy nearing a return (possibly this week), Pearsall could have his starting quarterback for just the second time this season. The Jaguars' defense has surrendered the sixth-most PPR fantasy points to wide receivers, with both Ja'Marr Chase and Nico Collins recording big outings against their secondary. Assuming he's ready to play, Pearsall should be considered a mid-range WR2 with upside, especially if Purdy is active.

From RotoBaller