While the NFL season has been entertaining, the same cannot be said about everyone’s fantasy football experience. Some teams are coasting to a playoff berth. Other teams are already in desperation mode due to injuries. Their eyes will be glued to the fantasy football injury reports in order to find a potential plug-and-play option. As a result, let’s recap the Fantasy Football Injury Report Week 4 to look for key losses and players with added value this week.
We’ll list the injuries and insights game by game. Will update as the week goes along.
Fantasy Football Injury Report Week 4
Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas Cowboys (1:00 P.M. EST)
Running back Kareem Hunt did not practice on Wednesday due to a groin injury. Hunt has looked extremely sharp in 2020 but he has still taken a bit of a backseat to starting running back Nick Chubb. If Hunt is unable to play on Sunday, Chubb will be a top-five running back option in DFS.
Starting left tackle Tyron Smith did limited work on Wednesday which is a good sign considering the fact that he has not played in each of the last two games with a neck injury. His return would definitely provide a boost to all offensive players in fantasy football since Dallas’ offensive line has looked a bit underwhelming in his absence.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans (1:00 P.M. EST)
In addition to all injuries, fantasy owners of players from both teams might have some serious problems this week as the game has been postponed. The Titans had a bit of a coronavirus issue and the game will most likely be moved to either Monday or Tuesday. However, there is always the chance that the NFL delays the game even longer as a precautionary measure which means that those players might have an unexpected bye week. Keep an eye on any updates regarding the status of this game but you should probably look elsewhere on your respective rosters just in case.
New Orleans Saints vs. Detroit Lions (1:00 P.M. EST)
Wide receiver Michael Thomas practiced on Wednesday after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. Thomas is regarded as one of the best wide receivers in the league and he would provide a huge boost to this offense if he is able to play. If he returns, wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Tre’Quan Smith would take a hit and quarterback Drew Brees would receive a bit of a boost.
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was limited in Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. Although he will most likely play, you have to wonder just how healthy he is which is concerning since he has a matchup with star receiver Kenny Golladay in this game. As a result, Golladay should receive a bit of a boost for Sunday’s game since Lattimore will most likely not be at full health.
Tight end Jared Cook did not practice on Wednesday due to a groin injury. Although he is currently being listed as questionable, it is not a good sign for his ability to potentially play in this game. If Cook is out, rookie Adam Trautman would most likely become the new starting tight end which would make him a solid plug-and-play option at the tight end position.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Houston Texans (1:00 P.M. EST)
Running back Duke Johnson was limited in Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury after missing the last two games. Although he is a backup running, his return would result in less snaps for starting running back David Johnson. In a game that should feature a lot of points, David Johnson should still be used since he will receive the bulk of the workload but he might see less touches if Houston is forced to throw the ball due to a poor game script.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears (1:00 P.M. EST)
Rookie wide receiver Michael Pittman underwent calf surgery and he will be out for the next couple of weeks. Joining him is wide receiver Parris Campbell who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. With both injuries, expect Zach Pascal to get a massive boost in terms of both snaps and targets as he should be a sneaky waiver wire pickup.
Tight end Jimmy Graham did not practice on Wednesday but it was not due to injury. It was simply a rest day so he will be able to suit up for Sunday which is important since he looked pretty sharp after quarterback Nick Foles took over the starting job in the middle of last week’s game. With Foles behind center, Graham is a cheap option for DFS lineups who possesses a lot of touchdown upside.
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:00 P.M. EST)
Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. will be out for this game with a foot injury which is extremely concerning since he is the number one cornerback on the depth chart. His absence provides a big boost to wide receiver Mike Evans who will get a much easier matchup.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor did not practice on Wednesday as he is still dealing with a rib injury. Taylor will most likely be unable to recover in time for Sunday’s game which means that rookie quarterback Justin Herbert should be getting the nod once again after a lackluster performance in last week’s game.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin did not practice due to a hamstring injury and he is doubtful for this game. According to initial reports, it appears that it would take a miracle for him to actually suit up so wide receivers Mike Evans and Scotty Miller would receiver a fantasy football boost.
Running back Leonard Fournette missed practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury. He is currently being listed as questionable so his status is still up in the air. Although he is a backup running back right now, Tampa Bay is still using a running back by committee which means that Ronald Jones II and LeSean McCoy would receive a few more snaps and touches if Fournette is unable to play.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Washington Football Team (1:00 P.M. EST)
Defensive lineman Chase Young has been ruled out for Sunday’s game with a groin injury which is a serious problem for Washington’s pass rush since he is leading the roster in sacks. With him out of the lineup, Baltimore should be able to generate more time in the pocket for quarterback Lamar Jackson while also opening up more running lanes for running backs Mark Ingram Jr., JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards.
Wide receiver Dontrelle Inman did not practice on Wednesday due to a wrist injury. Although he is barely owned in fantasy leagues, he still managed to record two touchdowns last week so he was carving a role for himself in this offense. If he is unable to play, wide receivers Antonio Gandy-Golden and Isaiah Wright should receive a small boost in snaps but neither player is worth adding to your fantasy team anytime soon.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers (1:00 P.M. EST)
Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins did not practice on Wednesday as he is dealing with an ankle injury. He is currently being listed as questionable for this game. However, there is not much concern from the coaching staff. It is safe to assume that he is simply getting some extra rest during the week and won’t be on the final Fantasy Football Injury Report Week 4.
Running back Christian McCaffrey is still on injured reserve so he will be unable to play this season. Mike Davis looked extremely sharp last week in his first start of the season and he should be getting virtually all of the touches out of the backfield once again in this game which should makes him a sneaky DFS play due to the sheer volume.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1:00 P.M. EST)
Wide receiver D.J. Chark was a limited participate in Wednesday’s practice with a chest injury. Chark missed last week’s game and Jacksonville’s passing attack looked lost without him on Thursday night so his return to the lineup would provide a massive boost to quarterback Gardner Minshew while also taking away value from wide receivers Keelan Cole and Chris Conley.
Kicker Stephen Hauschka missed practice on Wednesday with a knee injury which is concerning since Jacksonville signed him a few days ago to take over the kicking duties. If he is unable to play, Aldrick Rosas would most likely get the start after being signed to the practice squad earlier this week.
Defensive linemen Mike Daniels did not practice on Wednesday but that was not due to injury so he should be able to play in this game. Joining him is defensive tackle Geno Atkins who is expected to play after missing the first three games of the season. With both of them back in the lineup, Cincinnati’s putrid rush defense should suddenly look a lot better which should negatively impact running back James Robinson.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins (1:00 P.M. EST)
Safety Jamal Adams and cornerback Quinton Dunbar both did not practice on Wednesday and they are questionable for this contest. Seattle already has one of the worst pass defenses in the entire league and it will somehow get worse if either of these players are unable to suit up for Sunday’s projected shootout. Expect quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick along with wide receiver DeVante Parker to get huge boosts in DFS as Miami should be able to move the ball through the air with ease.
Running back Chris Carson was limited in practice on Wednesday after suffering a knee injury last Sunday. At first glance, it seemed like Carson would be out for several weeks but he has been progressing well so there is a chance that he will be able to suit up for this game. If he is out, running back Carlos Hyde would most likely receive the majority of snaps out of the backfield.
Cornerback Byron Jones did not practice on Wednesday due to a knee injury and an Achilles injury. Jones was unable to play in last week’s game against the Jaguars on Thursday night so it is pretty concerning that he was unable to practice with the extra three days off. Miami’s secondary desperately needs him for this game as Seattle’s passing attack has looked unstoppable. If he is on the final Fantasy Football Injury Report Week 4, wide receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will be top-five fantasy options.
New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams (4:05 P.M. EST)
With running back Saquon Barkley out for the rest of the season, the Giants only gave ten carries to running backs last week due to a terrible game script. Receiving the most carries was Devonta Freeman who should be the starting running back for this game while Dion Lewis will be the third-down back.
Safety Jabrill Peppers did not practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury and he is questionable for this game. New York’s secondary has already been underwhelming this season and it will look significantly worse if he is unable to play. As a result, quarterback Jared Goff and wide receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp should have very solid performances in this game.
Running back Cam Akers did not practice on Wednesday as he is still dealing with the same rib injury that kept him out of last week’s game. If he is unable to go again, expect Darrell Henderson Jr. to handle the majority of the work once again on Sunday.
Buffalo Bills vs. Las Vegas Raiders (4:25 P.M. EST)
Wide receiver John Brown did not practice on Wednesday due to a calf injury that caused him to leave last week’s game early. Brown is currently being listed as questionable but his status should be determined on Sunday. If he is unable to go, then rookie Gabriel Davis would receive a boost in snaps.
Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III did not practice on Wednesday as he is currently dealing with a knee injury and a hamstring injury. Joining him is Bryan Edwards who is also doubtful for this game with an ankle injury. If both of them are unable to play on Sunday, Hunter Renfrow, Nelson Agholor and Zay Jones should receive more snaps and targets.
New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs (4:25 P.M. EST)
Running back Sony Michel was limited in practice on Wednesday with a quad injury after having over 100 rushing yards last Sunday. While he should be able to play in this game, James White also returned to practice so the snap breakdown will definitely be something to monitor moving forward.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman was limited in practice on Wednesday with a knee injury. There is no need to be alarmed as Edelman should be able to play in this game as his limited workload during the week is just to keep him fresh for Sunday. He should still be a solid fantasy play with a weak Kansas City defense up next.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers (8:20 P.M. EST)
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson did not practice on Wednesday as he is currently dealing with a hamstring injury. The injury does not appear to be too serious but his status is worth monitoring until right before the opening kickoff. If he is unable to play, expect Greg Ward to get a boost in targets as he led the roster in receiving yards last week.
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was limited in practice as he is still recovering from offseason foot surgery. He is currently being listed as questionable but one cannot be sure if he will be able to suit up on Sunday. Even if he is able to play, he should see some pretty serious snap limitations as he will need to get back into true football shape.
Tight end George Kittle was a full participant in practice on Wednesday which is a great sign considering the fact that he missed each of the last two games. With all of the injuries to San Francisco’s receiving corps, Kittle should receive a ton of targets as he is an easy top-three fantasy tight end option this week.
Running backs Raheem Mostert did not practice on Wednesday which should come to the surprise of nobody. Mostert should be out for at least another week which means that Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr. should continue receiving a ton of touches which is encouraging since both of them scored touchdowns last week.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Green Bay Packers (8:20 P.M. EST)
Wide receiver Julio Jones is being listed as questionable for this game as he is dealing with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss last week’s game. His status will be a necessity to track over the course of the week as it will become clearer closer to kickoff. Joining him is wide receiver Russell Gage who is currently dealing with a concussion. If both of them are unable to go, expect Calvin Ridley and Olamide Zaccheaus to get most of the targets.
Kicker Younghoe Koo will be missing several weeks with a groin injury. However, the Falcons have no other kicker on the active roster so it is expected that they will sign somebody during the week who will take over the kicking duties for Monday’s game. Koo was a top-ten fantasy football kicker so Atlanta has done a very good job at getting into field goal range offensively so the replacement kicker could be a solid option off the waiver wire.
Wide receiver Davante Adams is being listed as questionable for this game after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injury. One can expect Adams to barely practice during this upcoming week as Green Bay will be looking to keep its star receiver healthy enough to play on Monday. If he is unable to play, expect Allen Lazard to be the main threat in the passing games after recording 146 receiving yards and one touchdown last week.
