NFL Player News

The son of former seven-year Carolina Panthers NT Kris Jenkins (6’3/299) boasts NFL pedigree, though he doesn’t carry quite the same massive 360-pound girth of his titanic old man. After spending two years filling out and getting acclimated to the college game, Jenkins was called upon to fill a starting role on the vaunted Michigan defensive line. He would go on to lead all Power Five defensive linemen with 36 stops in 2022, coming of age with an 81st percentile PFF overall grade for a Michigan team that reached the CFP Playoff. A stout run defender who plays with raw strength that outpaces his frame, Jenkins recorded 83rd percentile run grades in each of his last two seasons. Despite his ability to stack and shed versus the run, the two-time All-Big Ten DL only produced 40 pressures in two seasons with a team-low 2% pressure rate in third-down passing situations. Jenkins is a little undersized at 6’026 (56th%) and 299 pounds (54th%), but he ran extremely well posting times of 1.7s in the 10-yard split (92nd%) and 4.91s in the 40-yard dash. He also backed up the play strength displayed on tape by pushing out 29 bench reps, which tied for the second-most of the DL group, and finishing with a 9 relative athletic score. Jenkins will join a Bengals defensive line graded by PFF as last year’s 15th best pass rush and tenth worst run stopping unit.

The Rams’ offensive line is quietly trending toward a midseason turnaround after operating as one of the league’s worst units early on. Hopefully, Jackson can stack another full practice on Saturday and suit up for the first time since Week 2. Fellow OL Steve Avila (knee) likewise practiced in full on Thursday.

Whittington is trending toward a Week 10 return from his multi-week shoulder injury. Demarcus Robinson’s hot streak likely relegates the promising rookie to that of a bench stash though.

Robinson has scored five touchdowns over his last four games, somewhat inflating his fantasy-scoring potential; he is averaging just 1.23 yards per route run during that span, which more accurately reflects his expected weekly productivity. That said, a capable player in a high-end passing offense remains WR3/4-viable, particularly with four teams on bye.

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.