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Week 4 Overview
Dalvin Cook (hamstring) is questionable for Thursday night
It's one of those "questionable" tags that really seems to match his name. Adam Schefter reported early Thursday morning that the team is "optimistic" Cook will play, but it seems to be a real decision of playing time. Cook is the type of player that I can not imagine sitting Cook when he is active, but it's a particularly difficult place for players Fantasy. The Rams have not been particularly tough against the race that started in 2017, and the Vikings surely need him after their defeat in the absence of the Bills in the third week.
However, hamstring injuries are notoriously difficult and Cook would risk a reduced role or even a recurrence of injury on Thursday even if he plays. It's a tough spot, but if it's active, I plan to start Cook as a top 20 for week 4. At the very least, make sure you do not start it like Flex Thursday because this would limit your flexibility for any other potential injury heading towards Sunday. If Cook does not play, Latavius Murray becomes a viable number 2 or 3.
Rex Burkhead has been placed on IR
Burkhead's season was devastated from the start, when he had a knee injury in the pre-season, but the latter is putting his season at risk. He suffered the injury in week 3 against the Lions, and it is unclear if he has a chance to come back from the IR at any given time.
The fallout from this injury is obvious, because the already crowded Pats battlefield has just been resolved. James White remains stuck in a passing game, although the absence of Burkhead can help, while Burkhead had 36 targets in 10 games last season. However, rookie Sony Michel, Georgia's first-round pick, is the obvious beneficiary. Michel has suffered from his own knee injury in the pre-season, but has accumulated 24 races in the last two games and seems to have already established himself as the running favorite. He continues to hit the rust with an average of 3.5 yards per run, but he's going to have a long leash ahead. For those of you who have hidden Michel, he looks like the back of the Patriots, a very lucrative role in the past. Expect to rely heavily on him at least as an RB2 moving forward.
Alshon Jeffery was allowed to get in touch
The champions are starting to regain their strength. Carson Wentz is back in the third week and it looks like his best WR will follow shortly. It has not been confirmed that Jeffery will be on the field for Week 4 against the Titans, but that was his last medical hurdle. Jeffery practiced fully for the first time on Wednesday and seems to be a good bet to play. I will not launch it right away, but Jeffery's well-being is high enough that you can count on him soon enough.
Doug Baldwin could play in week 4
Baldwin seems to be further than Jeffery, but the fact that he was able to train on a limited basis Wednesday is a big improvement. Baldwin has missed just two games because of his sprained second-year MCL and, as Dr. Brandon Bowers points out at SportsLine, this places him on the shortest of the usual schedule for this kind of injury. Baldwin returns to the field Sunday. However, the team does not rule out a return against the Cardinals, and if not this week, a return to Week 5 could be in the cards. The Seahawks could surely use their number one receiver, and Baldwin could end up with a very valuable reserve if he feels healthy.
Sean McCoy is waiting to play in Week 4
McCoy was still limited in practice on Wednesday, but he gave journalists a more optimistic tone, telling them "I'm playing". There is not much room for ambiguity in this statement, so it seems that you should expect to see McCoy Sunday against the Packers. I can not say that it would be an unavoidable option – his performance in the first few games speaks for himself in this regard – but you will probably want to have McCoy on your team, given his expected workload.
Matt Breida was limited to practice
At first, it seemed that Breida was not practicing at all, which is good news. He was able to play hyperextension of the knee during the third week, but coach Kyle Shanahan doubted it for Week 4 against the Chargers on Monday. We'll be watching this situation throughout the week, but if Breida continues to progress and play Sunday, you'll have a hard time finding a rationale for being the NFL's top running back, even though the 49ers are going to play the season without a quarter. -back Jimmy Garoppolo. Breida's abilities in the passing game should be well matched against C.J. Beathard, who has relied heavily on Carlos Hyde in the passing game in 2017.
Other league notes:
- Chris Carson (hip) was limited to practice … At this point, this does not seem to be a reason to alarm, but Carson's performance needs to be monitored. It would be a shame if an injury slowed him down when the Seahawks decided to play with him in the racing game, so we'll see if Carson can improve as the week progresses.
- Rishard Matthews reportedly asked for his release … Matthews was not at the Titans' installation Wednesday, and coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that it was "personal reasons". It seems like it's more "for personal reasons," as Matthews told Z Sports Nashville. He asks for his release, citing the lack of playing time since his pre-season. Matthews has only three receptions for 11 yards in three games.
- Keenan Allen (knee) did not practice … It's not clear when Allen suffered the injury on Sunday, but he was held back Wednesday because of that. I hope it was only a day off for the veterans, but we will have to keep an eye on the progress of the week.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster (abdomen) did not practice … That's another case where it's not clear when the injury occurred, but it's obviously something to watch for throughout the week. The hope is that it's only a precaution, given that Smith-Schuster dominated the season.
- Jay Ajayi (back) did not practice … Doug Pederson told reporters on Monday that he expects Ajayi to train this week, but it will have to come Thursday or Friday if that's the case. At this point, I can not expect that I can count on Ajayi during week 4 against the Titans.
- Evan Engram (knee) will miss 2-4 weeks … This is not a huge surprise after Engram was diagnosed with a sprained MCL, and it seems almost certain that he will not play in the fourth week. A return to Week 5 against the Panthers is possible so it would not be a surprise if we do not see Engram before week 7.
- Leonard Fournette (hamstring) remains limited … Fournette stays in a holding circuit. At that time last week, it seemed like he was progressing towards a comeback, but he was ruled out for week 3 on Sunday. We may not have clarity on this one until Friday.
- Marcus Mariota will start week 4 … This is good news because Mariota is not Blaine Gabbert. But it seems that he is struggling with the nerve problem at the elbow that struck him at the beginning of the season, and he may not have regained all the strength of his arm. At this point, Mariota is untouchable in Fantasy until it turns out to be healthy and effective.
- Hayden Hurst (foot) returned to practice … Keep an eye on this one. Hurst was a favorite sleeper around these parts before his injury and he practiced for the first time since he was operated on Wednesday. It seems like a long shot for Week 4 against the Steelers, but it could be a big part of this game every time it's healthy – the tight ends have 28 targets for the Ravens this season.
So who should you sit down and start? And what shocking QB could you win in Week 4? Visit SportsLine now to get the Fantasy football standings for each position, and see what shocking QB finishes in the top 12 this week, all from the model that outperformed last season's experts.
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