NFL Player News

Johnson was quarterback Andy Dalton’s preferred target all afternoon, making good on Canales’ preseason promise that the offense would primarily run through the veteran wide receiver. He saw an even larger piece of the pie in the second half after Adam Thielen departed with a hamstring injury. Considering Thielen’s age and the nature of the injury, expect Johnson to see a robust workload once more when the Panthers host the Bengals in Week 4.

Wilson led the team in receptions and finished second to Marvin Harrison Jr. in targets. Kyler Murray used Wilson as a check-down option late in the progression and as a big-play threat in this game. He found Wilson for a 28-yard gain late in the fourth quarter and hit him for 30 yards in the second, though the latter was called back by an offensive penalty. Wilson saw four total targets in the first two games, so fantasy managers will want to exercise caution when evaluating the second-year wideout for his Week 4 matchup with the Commanders. He enters the week as a high-risk WR5.

With Raheem Mostert (chest) out, Wright had two attempts to De’Von Achane’s 11 and Jeff Wilson’s three rushes. Wright did not see a target against Seattle. He’s a non-factor unless Achane joins Mostert on the sideline.

Benson amassed 11 carries in garbage time last week. With the Cardinals meandering to a seven-point loss this time around, that game script never materialized. Benson is a low-volume backup without standalone value. He is not on the fantasy radar for the Cardinals’ Week 4 matchup with Washington.

Conner reeled in his only target for eight yards. The Lions got out to an early lead versus Arizona and never gave it up, pitting Conner against the game script. Without much of a role as a pass-catcher, Game script typically wins that battle. A third of Conners’ attempts came on Arizona’s first drive of the game and he would go on to see just three carries in the second half. The Cardinals will be favored over the Commanders in Week 4, putting Conner in a good spot to rebound as a volume-based RB2.

Boyle entered the game when Skylar Thompson exited in the third quarter with a chest injury. Boyle was far more successful than Thompson in moving the ball and connecting with Miami pass catchers. Boyle in 2023 was able to feed Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall as the Jets’ starter, and could do the same for Tyreek Hill, De’Vone Achane, and the rest of the Dolphins’ pass catchers if he gets the Week 4 start against Tennessee.

Murray found first-round rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on two long touchdowns in Week 2 and went right back to the well this week. The results weren’t nearly as pretty with the Lions devoting plenty of resources to slowing Harrison’s pace. Murray hit MHJ for a 10-yard score early and connected with the rookie for a few other big gains, but he also relied on Harrison Jr. making contested catches or beating double-teams far too often. He only completed 5-of-11 attempts when throwing to MHJ and one of his misses was an interception in the end zone. Murray will need to be less predictable in his Week 4 matchup with the Commanders. Despite the quiet Week 3, Murray will remain inside the top 10 fantasy quarterback versus Washington.

Carr’s reign as the most efficient passer in the league couldn’t last forever and the house of cards came tumbling down versus Philly. Carr had a few near-misses on deep throws to Rashid Shaheed that cost him big gains and potential touchdowns. He had connected with Shaheed for touchdowns from 70 and 59 yards out in his previous two games. Despite playing three quarters of underwhelming football, the Saints got the ball back with a three-point deficit and a minute on the clock at the end of the game. On his second throw of the drive, Carr was pressured by the Philly pass-rush and threw a duck off his backfoot that was easily intercepted by Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. It was a fitting end to a disappointing game from Carr and company. He will look to get things back on track as a high-end QB2 versus the Falcons next week.

Guerendo’s 10 offensive snaps and five rushing attempts both mark career-highs for the fourth-round rookie. While he hardly shined on the opportunities, he made no glaring mistakes and should see a slight uptick in touches next week. He is a worthwhile bench stash.

Mason largely maintained control of the 49ers’ backfield, though his 84.1 percent offensive snap share among 49ers RBs is his first sub-95.0 percent showing thus far. Mason did see a slight increase in passing game usage though, matching his Weeks 1-2 two-target total this week. He remains a locked-in RB1 against the Patriots in Week 4.

Wright is primarily a blocker but could be in line for a larger role next week. Sam LaPorta suffered a sprained ankle late in the first half versus Arizona. He labored through the injury during the second half and his status for Week 4 is now up in the air. Wright would enter the TE2 mix if LaPorta is ruled out, but we aren’t likely to get concrete information on his status until later in the week. Fantasy managers should not be spending much FAAB or burning their waiver priority to acquire Wright.