Fantasy Football News | Page 61

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (knee) returned to limited participation in the team’s walkthrough.

The Eagles estimated Barkley as a non-participant on Monday, and a report later clarified that it was “general soreness” that the All-Pro was experiencing.

Barkley is expected to be fine for Thursday Night Football.

Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley confirmed they held a players-only meeting, along with A.J. Brown, on Monday, but the quarterback and running back downplayed it as “just teammates being teammates.”

“Yeah, that’s just us talking about the collective, talking about taking ownership for what we can, talking about how we move forward as a team so we can continue to find ways to win games,” Hurts said, via video from Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.

Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice reported that Hurts, Brown and Barkley met among themselves for two hours to discuss offensive frustrations after the 21-17 loss to the Broncos.

Brown has only 19 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown, and Barkley got only six carries, which he took for 30 yards, against the Broncos. Barkley has 83 carries for 267 yards and three touchdowns for the season, the story pointed out. It also added, per Kempski, the talks were "positive." The Eagles travel to the Giants on Thursday night so we may quickly know how well - or not - things actually went.

In Week 3, quarterback Joe Flacco led the Browns to an upset win over the Packers. On Sunday, Flacco could get a chance to do it again, as the quarterback of the other NFL franchise in Ohio.

Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Bengals “would like” Flacco to be ready to go for the Week 5 game at Lambeau Field.

Related players: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

It will require plenty of extra work to get Flacco up to speed, as to the terminology, plays, and concepts of the Cincinnati offense. And he has no experience with the team’s starting receivers, Chase and Higgins, the story pointed out. However, as the story also mentioned, Chase and Higgins will be the best two receivers he has had during an 18-year career with the Ravens, Broncos, Jets, Browns (twice), and Colts.

Injury sends Jaguars offensive starter TE Brenton Strange to IR.

Related players: Hunter Long, Johnny Mundt

It's a tough loss for the Jags as Strange was having a nice year up to this point. His timeline will be about a month according to reports. He was averaging just shy of five catches and six targets a game.

Petzing said that after rewatching the game, he felt like he didn’t do enough to get the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. down the stretch:

“Going back and looking at it, I think there’s maybe a couple things I could’ve done differently.”

It's almost silly to post this as news, but it's maybe - just maybe - a sign Harrison will get fed a little more heading into Week 6. There were reports in the offseason QB Kyler Murray and Harrison worked on their connection, and while things are maybe slightly better to start the 2025 season, owners of both were likely hoping for more up to this point.

Brian Daboll is optimistic RB Tyrone Tracy (shoulder) will be able to make his return Thursday night.

Related players: Cam Skattebo

Tracy returned to practice last week but was unable to go in Sunday's game against the Saints. Skattebo has led the way and will likely do so again this week even if Tracy returns on Thursday night against the Eagles. Although opposing teams have had success running the ball against the Eagles this year, Tracy owners probably want to monitor the workload he gets before inserting him back into lineups.

"Arrow pointed up" for CB Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring), OLB Alex Highsmith (ankle) and RB Jaylen Warren (knee).

Related players: Kenneth Gainwell

Warren looks like he's good to go for Week 6 and will likely still give away some touches to Gainwell, who filled in nicely two weeks ago when the team played overseas.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters on Monday that the team would evaluate its options at quarterback after Jake Browning’s struggles while filling in for the injured Joe Burrow.

According to multiple reports, the Bengals have agreed to acquire Joe Flacco from the Browns.

Related players: Brett Rypien, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

Cincinnati will receive Flacco and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick to complete the rare intra-AFC North trade. We just reported a story earlier today saying if the Bengals do make a change, it will be a QB from outside team who gets the start. Flacco should give the Bengals a steadier option at the position until Burrow is able to return in December. The story pointed out, it's unclear just how long it may take Flacco to get up to speed and if the team will push him to start this week. We'll likely learn more about that as the week goes on.

After previously being non-committal on Joe Mixon's return from injury this season, Texans general manager Nick Caserio said Tuesday his running back — while progressing — needs another month before a decision is made on his availability while on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list.

"He's making progress, so we won't put a particular timetable on it, so I think over the next few three or four weeks, we'll probably get a little more information here, kind of see how he's progressing," Caserio said. "Once we kind of get to that period, probably have a better sense of which way it's going to go for the duration of the year."

Related players: Woody Marks, Nick Chubb, Dare Ogunbowale

Sidelined throughout spring activities, training camp and the preseason, a prolonged foot injury jeopardized Mixon's return to the lineup in 2025, the story went on to say. It at least sounds like the team expects Mixon to make a return this year, but when that will be is anyone's guess at this point. As long as you have an IR spot, it's OK to keep Mixon on your roster, but even IR spots can be valuable as the season goes on. For now, Marks and Chubb look like they will carry the load in the backfield for Houston.

Through five weeks, one of the league’s most effective rookies has been Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt — who may be better known by the simple nickname, “Bill.”

A seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, Croskey-Merritt was good enough in the offseason program, training camp, and preseason that Washington felt comfortable trading Brian Robinson to the 49ers in August. But Washington has continued to see his growth and development, giving Croskey-Merritt his first start in Week 5 against the Chargers.

Croskey-Merritt made that decision pay off with 111 yards rushing on 14 carries with two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 39 yards.

Related players: Chris Rodriguez, Jeremy McNichols

Head coach Dan Quinn told reporters in his Monday press conference that the Commanders elected to lean into aspects of their scheme in which Croskey-Merritt excelled, and the young running back had a strong week of practice, the story said. The story added though he’s had limited carries in the first five weeks, Croskey-Merritt leads the league with 6.6 yards per carry. He’s tallied 283 yards rushing with four touchdowns and caught five passes for 54 yards. "Bill" is probably a familiar names to those in dynasty leagues as our friends at Dynasty League Football suggested to take him later in dynasty drafts this spring. But now he's officially a useful option in redraft leagues as well. Rodriguez had just five carries and McNichols had two touches, so his outlook going forward is strong.