NFL

It’s a bit surprising with the 49ers operating as massive home favorites against perhaps the worst team in the league, but they are understandably leaving nothing to chance after last week’s Rams debacle. We still wouldn’t count our chickens until Deebo successfully completes his pre-game warmup. Even then, he could end up more of a snap-counted decoy. We’ll consider Samuel a risk/reward WR2 if he indeed manages to go. Unfortunately for fantasy managers hoping to have final word in the morning, the game has a 4:05 PM ET kickoff.

Fowler claims “there is some optimism, but the team needs to monitor leading up to kickoff.” We suppose we’ll consider Olave genuinely questionable, but he’s gone from a top-12 option to a question mark on the WR2/3 borderline. His absence would maybe create a few more conventional looks for big-play specialist Rashid Shaheed, but the Saints have one of the league’s thinnest receiver corps. The Falcons and Saints thankfully kick off at 1PM ET, so we’ll have something resembling clarity before lineups lock.

This was the expected outcome after it was revealed the veteran defensive tackle suffered a partially torn triceps in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Rams. Hargrave is expected to undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

White was added to the team’s injury report on Saturday and is now listed as questionable with an illness. We’re entering the time of the year where illnesses begin to pop up around the league, but White’s status for Week 4 currently does not appear to be in any real danger.

The downgrade comes less than 15 minutes after reports surfaced that the veteran wide receiver traveled with the team to Tampa ahead of their Week 4. Expect both Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert to be busy against the Buccaneers.

Herbert continues to play through significant injuries after doing so for much of his career. The ankle issues resurfaced in Week 3 after a hit that aggravated the high ankle sprain suffered a week prior, but the franchise quarterback will gut it out again as the Chargers host the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. There is definite risk of further aggravation during the game, but Herbert will try to make it through unscathed considering the opponent.

Love’s two-week absence appears set to come to a conclusion as the Packers host the division-rival Vikings in Week 4 due to a sprained MCL injury that initially looked much more severe. The Packers lost a close one to the Eagles in Week 1 before rattling off consecutive victories with Malik Willis under center, largely due to elite offensive game plans from head coach Matt LaFleur and a defense forcing the most turnovers per game. Jayden Reed, in particular, gets a significant bump with Love back in the starting lineup against one of the top defenses in the league through three weeks.

While that doesn’t necessarily mean both will play against the Buccaneers, it at least keeps the door open. That’s particularly comforting knowing the team will be without wide receiver DeVonta Smith due to a brutal concussion suffered in Week 3. Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert could still be busy as the remaining primary skill position players even if Brown returns considering the team heads to their bye week following their Week 4 game.

Walker shed the questionable tag on Saturday as he is now set for a return from two missed games due to an oblique injury. Zach Charbonnet has been used as a true workhorse in Walker’s absence, likely forcing more of a split in usage than what we saw in Week 1 when Walker saw a 66% snap rate and 23 running back opportunities against the Broncos.

Pierce is a big reason the Ravens have allowed the fewest rush yards per game this season (50.0), slightly boosting the individual matchup for Bills running back James Cook for Sunday Night Football. The Ravens don’t currently have a depth option on the roster behind Pierce at nose tackle, making the team’s transactions on Saturday a situation to monitor ahead of Week 4.