Rams WR Cooper Kupp (ankle) is not listed on the final Week 8 injury report. He'll play vs. the Vikings on Thursday night for the first time since Week 2. Kupp carries elevated risk coming off a significant ankle injury, but he also has WR1-level fantasy upside. He went for a 14-110-1 line on 21 targets in his only full game of the season. Minnesota ranks 29th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs.
Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson (knee) is listed as questionable for Thursday night's game vs. the Rams. He was limited in practice all week. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer suggested this past Sunday morning that Hockenson was tracking toward returning for this one, but his status remains uncertain for now. Even if Hockenson does play, we'd expect him to be on some type of snap count in his first action since last December's multi-ligament knee injury. The matchup is good, though, against the Rams' 23rd-ranked TE defense. So desperate fantasy owners could certainly do worse than giving Hockenson a shot if he plays.
Panthers QB Bryce Young will start this weekend's game vs. the Broncos, HC Dave Canales announced on Wednesday. QB Andy Dalton sprained a thumb in a car accident earlier this week. He'll be evaluated "day to day," Canales said, and might be available as Young's backup on Sunday.
The Seahawks are sending LB Jerome Baker and a fourth-round pick to the Titans for LB Ernest Jones, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Panthers WR Adam Thielen (hamstring) has been designated to return from IR and will practice on Wednesday. He's been out since injuring his hamstring at the end of the first half of Week 3. Thielen was a full-time player before going down but totaled just 12 targets across his 2.5 games. We'll see how Carolina divvies up playing time between Thielen and rookie WR Xavier Legette behind lead WR Diontae Johnson, but Thielen won't be much of a fantasy option in this struggling passing game.
Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell will be activated from the PUP list and return to practice this week, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec. Mitchell has been working back from last December's multi-ligament knee injury. He's still likely at least a couple of weeks away from game action. Mitchell was a big-play machine last year, averaging 8.4 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per catch. But he'll be returning to a backfield that has both Derrick Henry and Justice Hill playing very well. Mitchell would need an injury to at least one of those guys to have a shot at fantasy relevance. He can be left on your waiver wire for now.
Patriots WR Ja'Lynn Polk is in concussion protocol, HC Jerod Mayo said Wednesday. That makes the rookie iffy for this weekend's game vs. the Jets. Polk, of course, is well off the redraft radar right now. He's caught just 10 of 26 targets for 78 yards through seven games.
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers will be limited in Wednesday's practice with a hamstring issue, interim HC Jeff Ulbrich said. Ulbrich said Rodgers' hamstring "flared up" in the loss to the Steelers. “I don’t anticipate this affecting him," Ulbrich added. It sounds like Rodgers will be available for Sunday's game vs. the Patriots, but we'll keep an eye on him leading up to that one.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf (knee) is "hopeful" to play vs. the Bills this weekend. "The feeling is the injury won't result in an extended absence for Metcalf," Fowler adds. It sounds like Metcalf should at least be back by Week 9, although it's still worth noting that Seattle has a Week 10 bye. We'll track Metcalf's status throughout the rest of this week.
Bucs WR Mike Evans is expected to miss the next three games with his hamstring injury, HC Todd Bowles said. Tampa Bay gets the Falcons, Chiefs, and 49ers the next three weeks before a Week 11 bye. It sounds like Evans has a good chance to be back for Week 12.
Titans QB Will Levis (shoulder) is a "long shot" to play vs. the Lions on Sunday, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "Week 9 return more likely," Fowler adds. QB Mason Rudolph will make his second straight start this weekend -- this time without WR DeAndre Hopkins. Rudolph sits dead last in our Week 8 QB Rankings.
The Titans are finalizing a deal to trade WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Tennessee will get a fifth-round pick that could become a fourth-rounder.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel was released from the hospital on Tuesday, according to insider Matt Maiocco. Samuel was admitted on Sunday night with fluid in his lungs (aka pneumonia). HC Kyle Shanahan was unsure when asked Monday whether Samuel will be available for Sunday night's game vs. the Cowboys. We'll keep you updated on his status leading up to that one.
Cardinals Edge Dennis Gardeck will miss the rest of the season after tearing his right ACL in Monday night's win over the Chargers. Gardeck suffered the injury while playing on the punt-return team. He previously tore the same ACL at the end of the 2020 season.
The Browns plan to start QB Jameis Winston in Sunday's game against the Ravens, according to insider Jordan Schultz. "My understanding is Dorian Thompson-Robinson was [Deshaun] Watson’s backup on Sunday strictly from a gameplan standpoint," Schultz adds. That suggests that Cleveland is opting to go with Winston over Thompson-Robinson regardless of Thompson-Robinson's finger injury. That'd be good news for Cleveland's pass catchers going forward.
The Saints and RB Alvin Kamara agreed on a two-year, $24.5 million extension, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Kamara was likely to hit free agency this offseason but is now signed with New Orleans through the 2026 campaign. There had been some talk of a Kamara trade recently, but this new deal puts that to bed.
Rams WR Puka Nacua (knee) has been designated to return from IR. He'll get back on the practice field on Tuesday but is very unlikely to play vs. the Vikings on Thursday night. Barring a setback, though, Nacua should have a chance to make it back for Week 9's meeting with the Seahawks. With WR Cooper Kupp (ankle) set to return on Thursday, QB Matt Stafford is getting close to having his full arsenal back. He could be a fantasy factor even in 1-QB leagues over the second half of the season.
Rams WR Cooper Kupp is being shopped by the team. The Rams have apparently contacted several teams and are asking for a 2nd round pick. The team is willing to take on some of his salary in 2024 to get this return. As the Rams continue losing, they may view their window having closed to contend for a championship.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin will have an MRI on his ankle to determine the full extent of his injury before having surgery later this week, NFL Network reports. The expectation is that his season is over. Godwin can be dropped during waiver runs this week.
The Jaguars have opened the 21-day practice window for LB Foye Oluokun, who missed the past four games with plantar fasciitis. That allows Oluokun to return to practice this week while giving the Jags three weeks to decide whether to fully activate him.
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