NFL Player News

Pitts was limited in practice this week following his Week 5 absence against the Bucs. In four games this season, Pitts’ route participation rate sits at a depressing 69 percent. He’s averaging just 5.5 targets per game after seeing 6.6 in 2021. Nothing suggests Pitts has elite upside in a Falcons offense predicated on the run. Head coach Arthur Smith is determined to use Pitts not as a pass catcher and centerpiece of the offense, but as a decoy and on occasional pass blocker. Pitts will be a high-end TE2 in Week 6 against a Niners defense allowing the third fewest tight end receptions this year.

He took only two sacks this week, but Stroud remained consistently under pressure when the Texans didn’t have him working with a moving pocket. A late 28-yard, second-and-19 conversion out of structure to John Metchie showed that Stroud still has it, but the ecosystem around him is in rough shape between the offensive line and a sudden rash of receiver injuries. A late Stroud pitch-turned-fumble got stuck on to his ledger for good measure, making what looked like an easy closeout for the Texans a little more stressful than it needed to be. Stroud’s likely just a high-end QB2 for fantasy purposes against the Jets on Thursday night.

Despite Tee Higgins (quad) out, Iosivas did not make an impact on the game. He was targeted three times, failing to catch any of them. Jermaine Burton had a 41-yard catch while Trenton Irwin made a four-yard catch as TE Mike Gesicki was the actual No. 2 pass-catching option without Higgins. Iosivas should remain on fantasy benches moving forward.

Johnson tackled Brock Bowers on a first-down gain but it cost Johnson a trip to the medical tent. Bowers plowed through a second would-be tackler before planting his shoulder in Johnson’s chest, as the trio fell to the turf. Johnson’s status remains to be determined.

Mostert posted an ugly stat line when measured by yards per carry, but he handled much of the dirty work for Miami, artificially dropping his efficiency. That also meant he got the team’s goal line carries, two of which he converted for touchdowns. They were his first two touchdowns of the season. Miami got Tua Tagovailoa back for this game and immediately posted their highest-scoring week of the season. The offense should contniue to put Mostert in advantageous spots going forward. Mostert will sit in the RB2 ranks for his Week 9 matchup with Buffalo.

Andrews’ 36 receiving yards were his fewest since Week 5, but he did find the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown in the third quarter and now has four touchdowns this season — trailing only Tucker Kraft and George Kittle, who has yet to play at the time this was written. Andrews still feels like a risky bet on a week-to-week basis, but his production over the last four weeks is far more better than the 65 yards he totaled in the first four weeks. He’ll be a low-end TE1 in Week 9 against the Broncos.

With Tee Higgins (quad) out, Chase was the primary target for Joe Burrow, seeing 11 targets. However, much of these targets were shallow and he averaged under five yards per target. He scored a two-yard touchdown in the first quarter and was held in check for the rest of the game. Most notably, Burrow targeted him deep in the fourth quarter, but Chase was blanketed by Isaiah Rodgers and the play led to an interception. Despite the inefficient game, fantasy mangers will be happy with the touchdown and fire Chase up as a WR1 against the Raiders for Week 9.

With Jordan Love (knee, groin) limping around before departing in the third quarter, Jacobs turned in his second 100-yard rushing effort as a Packer and doubled his season touchdown total. Today was also just the second time this season he exceeded 20 carries. The highlight was a 38-yard third quarter score where the veteran bounced outside, shed some tackles, and made a near-sideline house call. Love’s health now becomes front and center for the Packers, who have a paramount divisional contest with the Lions in Week 9 before going on bye in Week 10. Jacobs could find himself the focal point of the game plan next Sunday.

Cousins, who threw for 509 yards and five scores in Week 3 against Tampa, ripped the Bucs again in Week 8. The Falcons moved the ball up and down the field at will, as Cousins found Kyle Pitts for two lengthy touchdowns and hit Darnell Mooney for a 30-yard TD strike. Rarely pressured, Cousins picked apart the Bucs from start to finish. He’ll be an elite fantasy play next week against the highly-exploitable Dallas defense.

The ankle injury that forced Flowers to miss two practices earlier in the week was a non-issue on Sunday, as Flowers emerged to lead the Ravens in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in the back-and-forth affair. Flowers’ day could have been much bigger if it weren’t for Lamar Jackson missing him on what would have been a wide-open 31-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, but fantasy managers won’t be disappointed with this effort. Flowers has eclipsed 100-yards in three of his last five games, and will be a fantasy WR2 in next week’s game against the Broncos.