NFL Player News

With Dalvin Cook waived, fifth-round rookie Abanikanda was the No. 2 back behind Breece Hall. Not targeted in the passing game, Abanikanda got out-touched ... 39-3. So it was good news, bad news for a rookie who hung around the roster all year and commanded 29 total touches. Hall is presumably locked into mega-touch bell-cow duties heading into 2024, but 21-year-old Abanikanda will certainly be in the mix for No. 2 status. He is worth keeping around in Dynasty leagues to see what shakes out.

Brooks was activated from the reserve/NFI list this week and practiced in full during all three sessions. Still, head coach Dave Canales was non-committal on his status for Week 10. The good news is that fantasy managers will get to see Carolina’s inactives before every game other than Thursday’s kicks off. The bad news is that’s because the Panthers take on the Giants in Germany for a game kicking off bright and early stateside. Playing in his first game in nearly a year, Brooks will be eased back into the lineup this week if he plays at all. Fantasy managers wanting to get their full eight hours of sleep should just keep Brooks on the bench.

Sanders was back in action on Friday, practicing in full with the rest of his Panthers’ teammates. The enticing rookie tight end is averaging 2.43 yards per route run over the last three weeks and the Giants’ tight end-coverage unit is among the league’s worst. He is firmly on the streaming TE1 radar.

Hunt’s inclusion on the injury report is seemingly a formality at this point. He regularly takes it easy during the practice week before suiting up come game day. This is just the Chiefs smartly managing the 29-year-old’s repetitions. He is an RB2.

Hardman got banged up in Week 9 but returned to catch three passes for 17 yards. The gadget receiver will continue seeing a handful of schemed touches a week but is not on the fantasy radar heading into Week 10.

The Ravens released Ngakoue yesterday, prompting the 2-7 Patriots to unexpectedly bolster their thinned-out pass rush. Ngakoue can hardly be projected for a robust snap count but he should chip in from time to time. His signing does not move the needle on the Patriots’ D/ST unit for fantasy purposes. The team released LB Raekwon McMillan in a corresponding move.

Williams joined the Lions as a UDFA this year and cracked the team’s 53-man roster at the end of camp. He did not play until Week 8 when he caught two passes for six yards. Williams was cut after Week 9. He gives the Bengals an extra depth option with Tee Higgins banged up and Jermaine Burton’s rookie season spiraling.

McMillan only got in one limited practice this week and missed Week 9’s game with the hamstring injury. Tamp Bay gets their bye in Week 11 meaning McMillan would get a lengthy recovery time if he is held out for one more game. We suspect that is the route the Bucs will ultimately take. Sterling Shepard will operate as the Bucs’ top receiver if McMillan is out.

Mack did not practice at all this week but he is the type of established veteran who can be trusted to execute his assignments on game day without practicing. Mack is the Chargers’ most productive pass rusher this year. They may opt to preserve his health by shutting him down this week.

The Bucs played on Monday, giving them a short turnaround to Week 10. Shepard got the first two practices of the week off but returned for a limited session on Friday. The fact that they removed him from the report entirely suggests his light workload was something akin to maintenance. Shepard finished second on the team in catches (four) and yards (48) in Week 9, trailing only Cade Otton. The veteran wideout is on the FLEX radar as a WR5 versus San Francisco.

Edwards practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday before being upgraded to a full participant on Friday. He should be good to go this week, though the Chargers could always play things conservatively and wait for him to be fully available for multiple practices. He cannot be started against the Titans.