Will Saquon Barkley be a top-10 fantasy RB this season? (1:16)Eric Karabell breaks down Saquon Barkley’s big fantasy game vs. the Giants. (1:16)
Giants lose Skattebo, backup QBs stumble for Falcons, Panthers
Injury updates: McLaurin ready to roll, Watson on the verge of return
Everything that happens in the NFL has some additional context when viewed from a fantasy football perspective. From position battles to injuries and so much more, the news cycle will constantly affect player values in fantasy football.
Our Fantasy Football Buzz file, with contributions from our ESPN fantasy writers and our NFL Nation reporters, aims to provide fantasy managers with the intel they need as news breaks around the league.
On Sunday of Week 4, star wide receiver Malik Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee, an injury that required season-ending reconstructive surgery. This Sunday, the Giants lost rookie running back Cam Skattebo, the No. 5 running back in fantasy points from Weeks 3 to 7 (100.9), to what might be a season-ending ankle injury. Skattebo was injured when his ankle was caught under a defender in the second quarter, and he was carted off the field in an air cast.
Skattebo was quickly ruled out and diagnosed with a dislocated ankle, and it seems likely that his season is done. The Giants managed only 13 points and 149 total yards across six offensive drives after the running back’s departure; surrendered three touchdowns to the rival Philadelphia Eagles on their five offensive drives during that same time span; and will be in much tougher circumstances going forward should Skattebo’s season indeed be done.
The injuries are a real shame for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who now loses two of his best playmakers in the passing game. Dart’s mobility should still keep him in the superflex/2QB radar, or make him a matchups play in standard formats, but he’s less likely to accomplish much as a passer going forward.
Oronde Gadsden II caught all five of his targets for 77 yards and a touchdown while playing 76% of the offensive snaps and leading the Chargers in routes run. He’s now posted three straight games with 11+ fantasy points, including two with 18 or more. Gadsden remains firmly on the TE1 radar in Week 9 against a Titans defense that has allowed the ninth-most total yards per game.
Kimani Vidal operated as the Chargers’ lead back with Hassan Haskins ruled out (hamstring) and Omarion Hampton on injured reserve. He dominated the backfield in snaps, routes run and touches (24), finishing with 19.7 fantasy points. The second-year running back next faces a Titans defense that’s allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs.
Johnston was on the field for nearly as many snaps as McConkey and Tre’ Harris and ran the third-most routes for the Chargers, yet Johnston finished with zero targets. His quiet outing may have been due to a lingering hamstring issue and Los Angeles’ run-heavy approach against Minnesota. Still, his total lack of involvement is concerning, making him a risky flex option next week.
Prior to the Baltimore Ravens’ Week 7 bye, there were hints that Jackson — who injured his right hamstring in Week 4 — would be returning the following week. Well, he did return somewhat … to practice on a limited basis. While it was encouraging for Jackson to be back at practice, without seemingly much progress on the field since then, it could be a little longer for his return to full game action.
For a player like Jackson who expects to run — even sprint — throughout the course of a game, returning off a hamstring strain with a second game looming on just three days rest is a high-volume demand. With official player game status designations yet to emerge for Sunday, it appears at least uncertain whether Jackson will play this week or take a few additional days.
Friday, 8 p.m. addendum: Jackson’s status remains uncertain on Friday evening with his questionable designation but there is a bit more information. He upgraded to a full practice session Friday leaving teammates like backup quarterback Tyler Huntley saying, “He’s getting back into the swing of things and he looks good.”
Still, the team needs to see how he responds to the uptick in work Friday and, if positive, hope things remain that way on Sunday morning before declaring him the starter. As of now, the path is clear for Jackson to take the field Sunday if there are no setbacks in the interim and he feels like he can go for four quarters. If Jackson is unable to play, Huntley will get the start.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., dropped in nearly 29% of ESPN leagues over the past four weeks, stepped in as the Giants’ three-down back following Skattebo’s injury and will occupy that role ahead of Devin Singletary moving forward. Tracy is a top Week 9 pickup in all formats, though he doesn’t bring as much of a dynamic skill set to the table as Skattebo. Tracy did, however, manage five games of 15-plus fantasy points in his final 12 contests in 2024, and he’ll see enough volume to be a matchups-oriented RB2/flex.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders (quad): This finally looks to be the week that McLaurin returns from the quad injury that has sidelined him since Week 4. There was some early optimism last week that he might be active in Week 7 after returning to practice Wednesday, however a post-practice workout didn’t yield the desired results and McLaurin was held out of competition another week. He addressed the rationale when speaking with reporters Friday. “I’m an explosive athlete, so a lot of things that are part of my game, I need to feel that are at 100 percent before I can put myself out there because I’m not only hurting the team, but I’m hurting myself,” McLaurin said.
Christian Watson, WR, Packers (ACL): Somewhat quietly, Watson may be approaching his season debut on Sunday. It was earlier this year when he tore his ACL (January 5, 2025), during Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season. The Packers’ decision to open Watson’s practice window on Oct. 6 hinted at him being close to returning, but his increase in football activity has been gradual. He is now approaching the end of his 21-day practice window and must either be added to the 53-man roster or be placed on injured reserve. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday that “ultimately that’s going to be a medical decision.”
The biggest injury risk for players like Watson coming off an ACL reconstruction is a secondary compensatory injury, most often a lower extremity strain on the same leg (i.e., hamstring, calf, quad), although opposite leg strains are known to happen as well. Given Watson’s extensive history of hamstring strains, he presents a greater risk. Watson had sought expert advice related to hamstring injury prevention in the offseason prior to the 2024 season and had shown improvement on that front. Still, coming off an ACL surgery, the hamstrings are often the most challenging muscle group to restore to pre-injury function, especially when it comes to acceleration. There will be a lot to watch when Watson returns, and the best indicator of his return to health will be how he fares after four quarters of football.
Ladd McConkey led all Chargers wideouts in routes run, targets (10) and fantasy points (20.8). He’s now recorded nine or more targets and at least 15 fantasy points in three straight games. Keenan Allen played fewer than 50% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps for the first time this season as Los Angeles leaned more on one- and two-receiver sets. He’s primarily used in three-receiver sets with McConkey and Quentin Johnston, a role that naturally shrinks when the Chargers are ahead. Although his snap count dipped, Allen still saw solid target volume when on the field, and his usage should continue to vary based on game script.
Aaron Jones Sr. returned from a four-game absence due to a hamstring injury and led the Vikings backfield in snaps, routes run and touches (7), while Jordan Mason had just five touches. However, this data should be taken with a grain of salt, as game script severely limited Minnesota’s ability to run a balanced offense. The fantasy value of Jones and Mason, as well as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, depends heavily on quarterback play and the health of the offensive line. The Vikings’ 164 total yards marked their lowest offensive output under Kevin O’Connell.
Will Saquon Barkley be a top-10 fantasy RB this season? (1:16)Eric Karabell breaks down Saquon Barkley’s big fantasy game vs. the Giants. (1:16)
The Packers could activate him pregame and have him available but opt not to utilize him until the following week, barring an injury situation to other starters.
Second, my Consistency Ratings catalog which players have been the most consistently reliable fantasy performers week over week. These calculate the rate at which players earned your “start” for the week by ranking among a standard ESPN league’s total available lineup spots at the position, as well as offer insight as to which players score closest to their weekly averages.
Fantasy managers seeking to trade for a wide receiver should take a closer look at Carolina Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan, whose 25% target share ranks 15th and whose eight red zone targets are tied for 11th in the league. McMillan’s average weekly finish at his position ranks 32nd, but he would’ve been expected to score 1.1 more touchdowns and 11 fantasy points than he has thus far.
Key links: Fantasy depth charts | Weekly rankings Scoring leaders | Projections | The Playbook
Over a 31-day span, the New York Giants have been struck with disaster.
A pair of offenses ran by fill-in quarterbacks delivered miserable performances, as the Kirk Cousins-led Atlanta Falcons lost 34-10 to a bad Miami Dolphins team, while Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers were hammered 40-9 by the Buffalo Bills. Cousins was stepping in for the injured Michael Penix Jr. (knee), and while it’s fair to point out that he was also missing top wide receiver Drake London (hip), he couldn’t find chemistry with almost anyone but tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., whom he targeted almost entirely near or behind the line of scrimmage. The Falcons’ struggles led to an especially poor fantasy output from Bijan Robinson, despite the running back facing one of his softest matchups, and fantasy managers can only hope that Penix is ready to return in time for Week 9. Dalton, meanwhile, started in place of Bryce Young (ankle) and targeted Tetairoa McMillan 10 times for 16.9 fantasy points for the rookie receiver but otherwise couldn’t get much of anything done through the air. Similarly to Penix, fantasy managers can only hope Young is healthy for Week 9.