Early Week 10 reaction: No Stroud, no problem for Collins; What Henderson’s big day means going forward
Don’t be surprised if … Marvin Harrison Jr. reverts to ordinary WR3/4 status in Week 10 and beyond
Injury updates: Puka Nacua, Brock Purdy, Aaron Jones Sr.
Beyond the numbers: Why now is the time to trade Dak Prescott
WR Jakobi Meyers traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Colts, Cowboys and Jets’ trades have fantasy-relevant impact on defense
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.
Key links: Fantasy depth charts | Weekly rankings Scoring leaders | Projections | Strength of schedule
Injuries and inefficiencies have created an up-and-down season for Collins. Yet, with Davis Mills starting in place of C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins put forth a productive effort. The vet led the Houston Texans’ receiving corps, converting seven of 15 looks for a 7-136-0 stat line. Collins has now registered double-digit fantasy point totals in back-to-back games. He remains a surefire start at the position at Tennessee in Week 11.
Garrett Wilson entered Sunday’s action dealing with a knee issue. The problem, obviously, persisted as the New York Jets’ WR1 left the contest early. Wilson failed to corral any of his three targets before calling it quits. The Jets’ passing game is a clear disaster. Wilson’s availability remains in peril, as the team is scheduled to travel to New England on Thursday night.
Jerry Jeudy found the end zone for the first time since Week 14 of 2024. The Alabama product was blanked in Week 8, but coming out of the Cleveland Browns’ bye, the team had plans to get the ball back in his hands. Jeudy led Cleveland’s corps, managing double-digit targets and his second double-digit fantasy point total (19.8) of the season. He figures to remain on the flex radar heading into a matchup versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams (chest): Nacua left last Sunday’s game halfway through the third quarter with what was described as a chest injury after going to the ground hard on top of the football. Although he didn’t return to the game, he remained on the sideline and appeared to be in good spirits. McVay later said Nacua “got his ribs” and said he could have potentially returned to the game but the team opted to be cautious.
Follow-up imaging confirmed the injury wasn’t serious and Nacua practiced throughout the week. He began with a limited session Wednesday but was a full participant Thursday and Friday and is off the game status injury report. No limitations for Nacua heading into Sunday’s divisional matchup against the 49ers.
As with any ligament injury, as long as it is not healed, there is potential discomfort and the sense of instability, and with the toe, it makes it virtually impossible for a quarterback to do anything. The 49ers have too much invested in Purdy to risk bringing him back too soon and suffering either further injury to the toe or another injury as a consequence of his limitations due to the toe.
Closer? Yes. Close? Nothing indicates that Purdy is on the verge of retaking the reins, especially when he has only been a limited participant in practice thus far.
Bo Nix finished with a season-low 5.8 fantasy points against the Raiders as he continues to struggle to consistently make plays downfield. Nix completed just 39.2% of his passes on throws of 10-plus yards, one of the lowest marks in the league this season. The good news is that the Broncos have one of the easiest remaining schedules for fantasy quarterbacks, and managers are counting on Nix to capitalize as we get closer to the fantasy playoffs.
J.K. Dobbins continues to lead the Broncos’ backfield in snaps played and touches. This trend continued on Thursday night against the Raiders. Dobbins just hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 5 against the Eagles. He has had at least 15 touches in four consecutive games.
Nov. 5: The Arizona Cardinals announced Wednesday that QB Kyler Murray (foot) would be placed on injured reserve, ensuring that Jacoby Brissett will start at least four more games. With Brissett set to stick around under center, how does that affect wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.? Eric Karabell has his thoughts below:
C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans (concussion): Stroud remains in the concussion protocol after suffering the injury Sunday, and he didn’t practice Wednesday. None of this comes as a surprise, as players coming off a concussion have to move through a multi-phase progression before being eligible to return to action. The progression is criterion dependent, not time dependent, but it still takes multiple days to move through the phases.
Kyler Murray, QB, Cardinals (foot): Murray being placed on IR on Wednesday was an interesting development. All indications up to Monday night were that Murray was making steady progress from the midfoot sprain he suffered in Week 5. Prior to the team’s Week 8 bye, there was a sense that Murray was headed for a potential return in Week 9. Even though he began practice sessions after the bye as a limited participant, coach Jonathan Gannon suggested to reporters that he was still in line to play.
My suggestion: Use Prescott’s bye-week time to shop him around, as it’s likely a good number of his fantasy managers selected him as their No. 2 or combo option, based upon his No. 12 ADP among quarterbacks. Given the choice, I’d rather have Baker Mayfield and Matthew Stafford for the rest of 2025.
A final, relevant benefit for Shaheed: By being traded specifically between these two teams, he escapes what would’ve been an upcoming bye to join a team that has already had its week off, meaning he could be a rare 18-game player.
The Las Vegas Raiders sent Meyers to Jacksonville for 2026 fourth- and sixth-round picks, finally granting his trade request before the deadline. A pending free agent, Meyers made it clear he wanted out, and the Jaguars were willing to take on his remaining $5.25 million salary.
In Jacksonville, Meyers will fill the slot role vacated by Travis Hunter (IR, knee) and could see steady volume while Brian Thomas Jr. deals with an ankle injury. Like in Las Vegas, he’ll still face target competition, but Trevor Lawrence and the team’s up-tempo offense could boost his consistency in fantasy leagues.
Meyers is one of just three players in the league with 30-plus receptions and zero receiving touchdowns this season, along with Kendrick Bourne and Dalton Schultz. Through seven games, he has 33 receptions for 352 yards on 49 targets. Expect a small fantasy bump in Jacksonville, while Tre Tucker (rostered in 39.7% of ESPN leagues) and Brock Bowers headline the Raiders’ receiving options moving forward.
Trade deadline moves don’t only shuffle things up at the skill positions. Swaps including significant defensive names can influence both our team D/ST, as well as future matchups, analysis.
This is no longer a slam-dunk matchup to target with opposing wide receivers, which is relevant when evaluating players like Nico Collins, Brian Thomas Jr., Rashid Shaheed and Jauan Jennings from Weeks 13-17. That said, the Colts’ D/ST is a difficult sell, being that they face the third-toughest schedule the rest of the way.
As for the Jets, who dealt Gardner and Williams, upgrade them as a matchup to exploit with your skill position players. Though the Jets are the eighth-toughest schedule adjusted wide receiver matchup for the season, despite Gardner’s so-so performance to date, it’s unlikely that the installation of either Azareye’h Thomas or Quan’tez Stiggers into their starting lineup will afford them the chance to maintain that lofty ranking.
Dart stayed hot for three quarters at Soldier Field in Week 10. The rookie signal-caller completed 19 of 29 throws for 242 passing yards. The bulk of Dart’s fantasy production, however, came via the ground, as he logged 66 rushing yards and 2 scores on 6 attempts. Dart had accumulated over 26 fantasy points (going over 19 fantasy points for his fifth consecutive effort) before leaving to be evaluated for a concussion. The New York Giants host the Green Bay Packers in Week 11. It remains to be seen if Dart will clear protocol in time for next weekend’s contest.
Despite entering the week banged up and on the heels of a dominant effort from Kyle Monangai, D’Andre Swift continued to work as the Chicago Bears’ RB1. Swift carried the ball 13 times for 80 rushing yards in blustery conditions. The vet was also active in the passing game, converting five of eight looks for 18 receiving yards. Swift ended the contest with nearly 15 fantasy points. Monangai found the end zone, but he was virtually absent as a receiver. While Swift’s stock remains intact, the Bears appear to be set on utilizing a RBBC. The Bears will travel to Minnesota’s dome environment in Week 11.
With Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) sidelined, Henderson entered the week as the New England Patriots’ hopeful RB1. While it wasn’t a perfect effort (he was stuffed at the 1-yard line three times over four attempts early in the contest), the rookie ultimately rose to the occasion, even returning to the game after shaking off a momentary leg issue. Henderson led the Patriots in RB attempts by a wide margin, carrying the ball 14 times for 147 rushing yards and 2 scores, including a 69-yard rushing touchdown that iced the a five-point victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He could flirt with RB2 fantasy numbers versus a thin Jets defense Thursday night.
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers (toe): It has now been six weeks since Purdy last saw the field (which was after missing the two games prior) and while he is listed as questionable, coach Kyle Shanahan has already named Mac Jones the starter. If Purdy is available, it would be as a backup, but even that status remains murky. If anything, this situation is proving just how problematic turf toe type injuries can be, even when nonsurgical. It is a variant of turf toe that Purdy is dealing with, in essence a ligament sprain of the big toe but not involving the exact same structure as a more classic turf toe.