Between Hard Knocks and an exciting start to the season, NFL fans have been high on Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift. Alas, both of those players have been ruled out for the Lions in their Week 4 meeting with the Seahawks. The Bears have also ruled out Davis Montgomery, so fantasy managers who grabbed Detroit’s Jamaal Williams and Chicago’s Khalil Herbert have something to look forward to this weekend.
Those aren’t the only significant injury situations in Week 4. Several big names – including Christian McCaffrey, Marquise Brown and Hunter Renfrow have popped up on the injury report. Dalvin Cook, battling a shoulder injury, will play for the Vikings in London, while Jets QB Zach Wilson makes his first start of the season.
Here’s a closer look at who’s in and who’s out for Week 4.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
The Cardinals have six players listed as questionable, including top receivers Marquise Brown (foot) and Rondale Moore (hamstring). Moore has practiced all week and looks to be good to go, and while Brown’s late-week injury may be a bit concerning, I expect him to be available barring any setbacks. Moore’s entrance into the offense may signify the end of Greg Dortch’s run in fantasy, although with A.J. Green (knee) ruled out that may be extended another week. Andy Isabella took plenty of snaps last week after Green went down, so it’s anybody’s guess as to Arizona’s plan at WR. It’s a toss-up this week for fantasy production, although Brown should again be the primary target against a middle of the road Carolina pass defense. — Donnie Druin
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BALTIMORE RAVENS
Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley did not practice Friday and was listed as questionable for the Week 4 game against the Buffalo Bills. Stanley did manage to practice in the previous days and was optimistic he could play Sunday. “This could very possibly be the week,” he said Thursday. “I’m very close, and I’ll talk it over with the rest of the staff and coaches. We’re going to make the best decision that’s best for the team.” The Ravens are desperately thin at left tackle after losing Ja’Wuan James to a season-ending Achilles injury and Pat Mekari to a sprained ankle.
The Ravens were forced to play rookie Daniel Faalele in the Week 3 game against New England even though he had only played on the right side in college at Minnesota. Fantasy: Lamar Jackson leads the league in fantasy points and accounts for 80% of the Ravens offense. — Todd Karpovich
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CAROLINA PANTHERS
Running back Christian McCaffrey (thigh) was spotted back at practice on Friday in limited fashion after not participating the previous two days. He is deemed questionable for Sunday’s game against Arizona but the sense is that he will be able to suit up barring any setbacks. Wide receiver Laviska Shenault (hamstring) is also questionable and will be a game-time decision. — Schuyler Callihan
CHICAGO BEARS
Running back David Montgomery and cornerback Jaylon Johnson will miss Sunday’s game after being ruled out, Montgomery with an ankle injury suffered against Houston and Johnson with a quad injury that kept him out of last week’s win. Khalil Herbert, who gained 157 yards in Montgomery’s place last week, will get the start at running back while undrafted rookie Jaylon Jones replaces Johnson in the nickel defense and Kyler Gordon replaces him in the base defense. It’s expected wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. will make his NFL debut in this game after being out since Week 2 of preseason with a hamstring injury. Jones’ help is needed on offense due to the calf injury suffered by receiver Byron Pringle. It’s also possible Jones could return some kicks or punts if the Bears deem him healthy enough. — Gene Chamberlain
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CLEVELAND BROWNS
Defensive tackle Taven Bryan has been ruled out against the Falcons with a hamstring injury, but both defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney are questionable. Garrett did not practice this week after his car wreck. Normally, that would immediately rule him out but he is pushing to play. It’ll be up to the medical staff. The Browns could be down three starters in all just on the defensive line. — Pete Smith
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DETROIT LIONS
The Lions ruled out five players for this Sunday against the Seahawks, including Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift. If you can pull off a fantasy football trade for Jamaal Williams, he might be worth rostering later in the season, as Swift has struggled to remain healthy in his career. — John Maakaron
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DENVER BRONCOS
The Broncos could potentially be without three O-line starters. RT Billy Turner and RG Quinn Meinerz have been ruled out, while LG Dalton Risner is questionable for Sunday’s action in Las Vegas. Graham Glasgow will start at RG with Cam Fleming once again taking RT. Defensively, NT D.J. Jones cleared concussion protocol and is listed as questionable for Week 4. — Chad Jensen
GREEN BAY PACKERS
The Packers are practically the picture of health. Only one starter is on the final injury report, though that’s a big one with 2020 All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander questionable with a groin injury. That might be a big deal under normal circumstances but the Patriots won’t have quarterback Mac Jones, so presumably Green Bay’s defense will be just fine against Brian Hoyer. That left tackle David Bakhtiari isn’t on the injury report at all is a huge step in his long and winding comeback. — Bill Huber
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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Sunday might be our first opportunity in 2022 to see Colts All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard (back), who is listed as questionable for the first time this season after missing the first three games. The Colts are lacking in takeaways after forcing just two on defense so far and could really use their ball-hawking defender. Otherwise, Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (elbow) is questionable, and starting free safety Julian Blackmon (ankle) is out. Rookie seventh-round pick Rodney Thomas II could get his first-career start in Blackmon’s absence. Offensively, rookie offensive lineman Bernhard Raimann is the only player on the final injury report. He’s been cycling in at left tackle through the first two weeks before missing last week’s matchup. – Jake Arthur
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jaguars have mostly been able to avoid injury issues this year, but wide receiver Zay Jones popped up on the injury report with an ankle injury on Thursday. Jones has been a big part of the offense, leading it in receptions while being second in targets, yards and touchdown catches. Doug Pederson said Friday they would have a better idea closer to game time if Jones can’t play, but if he is out, they will turn to second-year backup receiver Tim Jones. Expect Christian Kirk and Marvin Jones to be even more prominent in fantasy this week in the event Zay Jones misses Sunday’s game vs. the Eagles. — John Shipley
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KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Once again, the Chiefs will play without three impact defenders as LB Willie Gay Jr., CB Trent McDuffie and DE Mike Danna will all miss Sunday night’s game. Kicker Harrison Butker is officially questionable, which is good news for his progress but still too soon to reasonably see him return to a fantasy lineup. The biggest concerns are at wide receiver, where Mecole Hardman (heel) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (abdomen) were both limited during this week of practice, with Hardman listed as a DNP on Wednesday and Valdes-Scantling missing practice on Thursday. Hardman has no injury designation against the Buccaneers, but Valdes-Scantling is questionable. Hardman appeared to be impacted by his heel issue last week as well, so regardless of designation, the Chiefs’ pass-catchers are clearly banged-up headed into Week 4. — Joshua Brisco
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LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
The Raiders may be 0-3, but they get some encouraging news for this weekend. Multiple starters return, and they only lose the services of TE Foster Moreau, and WR Hunter Renfrow. The loss of Renfrow is mitigated by the rise of WR Mack Hollins who had a terrific game last week when elevated to Renfrow’s role. On the fantasy front, I anticipate from being in the locker room this week that Derek Carr is going to have a monster day on Sunday, play him if you have him. — Hondo S. Carpenter, Sr.
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MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Dalvin Cook is off the injury report and will play through the shoulder injury he suffered last week. It’s possible he won’t be at 100%, but if you have him in fantasy, you’re starting him. As a running back, it’s easier to play through a shoulder injury than a lower-body injury. Za’Darius Smith, the Vikings’ top pass rusher, will be a game-time decision with a knee injury. It would be a big loss for Minnesota’s defense if he can’t play, but they should still have the pieces to play well against Andy Dalton and company. — Will Ragatz
NEW YORK GIANTS
The New York Giants receivers unit, once thought to be a strength of the team, has certainly fallen down the charts rapidly. After losing Sterling Shepard, their most reliable receiver, to a season-ending torn ACL, the Giants will again be without Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) and Kadarius Toney (hamstring). From a fantasy perspective, that’s not good news for quarterback Daniel Jones and the passing game, which in three games this season has yet to top 200 yards passing. The Giants are expected to bring up a receiver from their practice squad–6-foot-1, 207-pound Marcus Johnson is the likely candidate–as either a full promotion or as a one-week standard elevation, to help supplement the depth chart that has Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, Richie James and David Sills V as its only healthy receivers. — Patricia Traina
NEW YORK JETS
Zach Wilson’s sophomore season will officially begin this week against the Steelers. There’s a chance New York’s offense can explode with Wilson back under center, but keep in mind that the Jets are managing some significant issues on their offensive line. Starting left tackle George Fant landed on injured reserve this week, joining Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton. If Wilson can avoid some pressure, look for the second-year quarterback to utilize the weapons around him, like Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore and Tyler Conklin, against a team that’s allowed 252 passing yards per game this season. — Max Goodman
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
After not having a single player with an injury designation in the first three weeks, the Eagles have two banged up players who were ruled out for Sunday’s game vs. the Jaguars – RB Boston Scott (rib) and CB Avonte Maddox (ankle). With Scott out, RB Trey Sermon will likely see his first action with the Eagles after the 49ers gave up on their third-round pick after only one year. UDFA safety Reed Blankenship could also be active for the first time this year because it’s likely that Chauncey Gardner-Johnson will move into Maddox’s slot position. Safety K’Von Wallace, a former teammate and friend of Jags QB Trevor Lawrence, could have an increased role as well. — Ed Kracz
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SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
The 49ers’ final game status report won’t come out until Saturday because they play Monday night, but as of now it appears guard Daniel Brunskill will play in his first game of the season – he was a limited practice participant on Thursday and Friday. Brunskill injured his hamstring in the first preseason game, and probably won’t be in tip-top game shape if he plays on Monday. But he has performed extremely well in the past against Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Without Brunskill, the 49ers’ starting guards are Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford, neither of whom have faced Donald, so Brunskill’s presence will give the 49ers a legitimate chance to run the ball well, which they didn’t do last week. This is a good opportunity to play Jeff Wilson Jr., Deebo Samuel and even Jordan Mason in fantasy football, because all should get carries. — Grant Cohn
TENNESSEE TITANS
The defense won’t have safety Amani Hooker (concussion) and inside linebacker Zach Cunningham (elbow) Sunday at Indianapolis. Both are among the Titans’ leading tacklers through three games. Hooker, who got a three-year, $30 million extension at the end of training camp, is the only Tennessee player with at least one interception and one forced fumble through the first three weeks. Cunningham led the NFL in tackles in 2020, and his spot might be filled by Joe Schobert, who was signed to the practice squad at the start of the week. Schobert was the league’s leading tackler in 2017. — David Boclair
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