The NFLPA plans to petition the NFL to release the findings of its workplace misconduct investigation into the Washington Football Team, the union announced Tuesday.Leaked emails from the investigation into the NFC East franchise revealed Jon Gruden used racist, homophobic, and sexist remarks, leading to the Las Vegas Raiders head coach resigning from his position."We have had communications with the league, and the NFLPA plans to request that the NFL release the rest of the emails," said NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith Tuesday, according Mike Jones of USA Today Sports.The emails that spanned from 2011 to 2018 also revealed that former Washington team president Bruce Allen sent Gruden pictures of undressed cheerleaders.An NFL spokesman said the league doesn't currently plan to release the emails because confidentiality is integral to the Washington probe and workplace review, according to USA Today.The league says there wasn't a written report of the findings in an attempt to ensure privacy. However, the NFL does possess 650,000 emails, according to the Wall Street Journal.Washington owner Dan Snyder initially ordered the inquiry before the league took over the investigation. The owner was given a $10-million fine, and he turned over day-to-day operations of the team to his wife, Tanya, following a 10-month long independent investigation into Snyder and the franchise's workplace culture.The case began after 40 former female employees complained of constant sexual harassment and a toxic work environment.Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, the attorneys representing the women who filed complaints, reiterated their request for the league to release its findings.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will remove former head coach Jon Gruden from its Ring of Honor in light of the recently revealed offensive emails he wrote years ago."The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have advocated for purposeful change in the areas of race relations, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion for many years," the team said in a statement. "While we acknowledge Jon Gruden's contributions on the field, his actions go against our core values as an organization. Therefore, he will no longer continue to be a member of the Buccaneers Ring of Honor."Gruden, who resigned Monday from the Las Vegas Raiders, led the Buccaneers to a championship in Super Bowl XXXVII. He coached the team from 2002-08, compiling a 57-55 record.The emails in question contain racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language. Gruden sent them while employed by ESPN as a broadcaster for Monday Night Football. The NFL uncovered the messages during its investigation into the Washington Football Team's workplace culture.The Buccaneers added Gruden to their Ring of Honor in 2017. He owns the franchise record for career wins as a head coach.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 6.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke out against Jon Gruden after the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach resigned over offensive emails from his past."We need to allow people to grow and change, but those opinions don't have a place in the game," Rodgers said Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show."Gruden stepped down after the NFL reviewed numerous emails he sent during his tenure as an ESPN broadcaster that were laced with racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language.The 58-year-old first drew scrutiny Friday following the revelation that he had used a racist trope in reference to NFL Players Association director DeMaurice Smith, who is Black.Gruden coached the Raiders on Sunday, but he resigned a little more than 24 hours later after more of his old emails came out."It was surprising to see that the thing went so quickly, but I think that was probably the best decision for all parties involved," Rodgers said. "Hopefully, we can all as a league learn and grow from this. Hopefully, it puts people on notice who have some of those same opinions. Like, 'Hey man, it's time to grow and evolve and change and connect. That shit doesn't fly.'"Rodgers also said he doesn't believe Gruden's views are prevalent throughout the NFL, saying those beliefs are "few and far between."- h/t to USA TODAYCopyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks are releasing Tre Flowers after the cornerback requested to be dropped, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The 26-year-old started 40 games for the Seahawks. Seattle selected Flowers in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.Flowers previously criticized the Seahawks’ defensive scheme following a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.The Seahawks demoted Flowers out of the starting lineup prior to Week 4.The Oklahoma State alum was playing out the final year of his rookie contract and set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.D.J. Reed, Sidney Jones, and 2021 fourth-round selection Tre Brown will likely lead the way at cornerback for Seattle.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals have placed linebacker Chandler Jones on the reserve/COVID-19 list due to a positive test, reports ESPN's Field Yates.Jones, 31, is doubtful for the Cardinals' Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. He'll come off the list after two negative tests in 24 hours because he's fully vaccinated.The star pass-rusher has nine solo tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles for the 5-0 Cardinals this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Well, that didn't go as planned. Both of last week's low totals bucked recent trends and went over, capping off an 0-3 week to bring us to 7-10 on the season. We're going back to the well with a trio of unders - albeit at higher totals - to highlight our Week 6 slate:Bengals (-3.5, 47.5) @ Lions, 1 p.m. ETIs this Bengals defense ... good? The early returns suggest it might be. Cincinnati ranks seventh in defensive DVOA and PFF grade and sits eighth in scoring defense (20 points per game) after holding the Packers to 25 points - Green Bay's second-lowest total of the season.It was the fifth time in as many games that the Bengals have held an opponent to 25 points or fewer, though the offense hasn't topped 24 points in four straight. The Lions, meanwhile, have scored 17 points or fewer in four straight games and held their last three opponents below 25 points for three consecutive unders. Expect that streak to continue Sunday.Pick: Under 47.5Vikings (-1, 46) @ Panthers, 1 p.m.I've said it countless times this year, and I'll gladly say it again: The Panthers are a cash cow for the under and should be priced as such. Carolina has gone under in four of five games this season thanks to a defense that ranks second in yards allowed per game (255.8) and third in points (17.4).There's always a chance this team's talented array of skill-position players will tank an under bet. That said, Sam Darnold's subpar performance last week against a shaky Eagles defense should quell concerns about an offensive explosion, especially if Christian McCaffrey isn't playing at full strength - assuming he plays at all.The Vikings are riding their own 3-0 under run after a slogging performance against Detroit; the defense turned in a second straight standout showing even if the offense couldn't keep up. Barring an outburst from injured running back Dalvin Cook, this one should be a snoozer.Pick: Under 46Raiders @ Broncos (-3.5, 44.5), 4:25 p.m.This game already profiled as a strong under play based on the matchup alone. Factor in the turmoil within the Raiders franchise, and this feels like a classic low-scoring affair.After a rousing start to the year, Las Vegas' offense has mustered a combined 23 points across the last two weeks in two sub-standard performances from Derek Carr. The Broncos' talented secondary and aggressive pass rush will challenge Carr and force the Raiders to keep them honest on the ground. That's problematic for an offense that ranks 29th in rushing yards per game (78.6) and 31st in yards per carry (3.2).Las Vegas is also playing its first game without former head coach Jon Gruden, who was the Raiders' offensive play-caller and had a major influence on their identity on that side of the ball. The Broncos' offense, meanwhile, has totaled just 26 points over the last two weeks. Denver will surely attack Las Vegas' shoddy run defense, which should shorten the game and keep it comfortably under.Pick: Under 44.5C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Gruden is no longer the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, which is what he deserves. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times got wind of Gruden's flair for dragging his knuckles via a series of emails, and there was no way for Gruden to squint and grin until the subject shifted back to preparing for the Denver Broncos. He can eat all the game tape he wants; he'll just have to do it on his own time.This is not a case of judging someone for some offhanded stuff he said privately a long time ago. Gruden revealed that he's a garden-variety boomer dinosaur who's comfortable expressing abusive language with his pals to virtue-signal his lack of virtue. But there was a longstanding pattern to his behavior that lasted at least until 2018, or right around the time the Raiders re-hired him. He also got caught, and he got caught because one of his pals happened to be a team executive who was dim enough to fling around all that casual racism, homophobia, and misogyny from his work account.That subtext is important, and it requires some unpacking. The Gruden emails only surfaced because they were material to the NFL's investigation into the Washington Football Team's workplace culture under team owner Dan Snyder - a culture that was especially toxic for female employees. But who else was involved? How high does it go? What else is there? The league ripped off Gruden's head and jammed it onto a pike where it belongs - but it also hopes you'll stop paying attention to wherever else this sordid story might lead. There's a reason Gruden felt so comfortable emailing that kind of idiocy to a team executive.Remember: The league hasn't provided any details from its investigation of Snyder and Washington, though it frequently shares that information when players are accused of misconduct. Snyder walked away with a $10-million fine and an agreement that his wife will run the franchise for an indeterminate stretch while he focuses on extorting local government officials into making taxpayers foot the bill for the team's next stadium project. He probably reacted to this non-punishment by using another $10 million to light a cigar.Former Washington president and general manager Bruce Allen. Michael Reaves / Getty ImagesBut one of the (many) major allegations against Washington involved creating lewd videos of team cheerleaders that were recorded without the cheerleaders' consent, reportedly at Snyder's behest. And one of the individuals who exchanged many of the relevant emails with Gruden was Bruce Allen, a former Washington general manager who later became team president before he was fired after the 2019 season. According to The New York Times' Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman, emails sent between Gruden, Allen, and others "included photos of women wearing only bikini bottoms, including one photo of two Washington team cheerleaders." So it seems that at least some of those lewd images made their way to Gruden. And Allen, the Times added, was using his work account.Why this matters: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell instructed league executives to review more than 650,000 emails, The Wall Street Journal's Andrew Beaton reported, after its investigation of the Washington franchise uncovered "the existence of emails that raised issues beyond the scope" of that probe. Goodell received a summary of that review last week, including the Gruden emails.The NFL has made a big show of its vast investigative apparatus in recent years. An inquiry spearheaded by a corporate attorney with ties to the league concluded it was "more probable than not" that Tom Brady was "generally aware" that too much air pressure had been removed from a few footballs before a playoff game the New England Patriots wound up winning by 38 points. That finding was included in an exhaustive, 243-page report that was made public - a report that formed the basis for Brady's four-game suspension. Likewise, the league released its work from other deep dives into player misconduct that ended with serious punishments.Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder. Brett Carlsen / Getty ImagesYet the league's investigation into Snyder and the Washington Football Team didn't produce any report for public consumption. In fact, the allegedly independent investigator who ran the inquiry was originally hired by Snyder after The New York Times and Washington Post published multiple stories about numerous women's miserable experiences working for the Washington Football Team. The NFL swiftly admitted that the investigator, Beth Wilkinson, never produced a written report and didn't turn over any notes she might have taken. The league's press release announcing Snyder's "punishment" made damn sure the world knew Wilkinson interviewed "more than 150 people," but she didn't provide any recordings either.The NFL's personal conduct policy applies equally to owners and players, at the commissioner's discretion. That's how it's written, at least. In this case, the subtext is the text: Jon Gruden rightfully got what's coming to him, but he's also something of a human shield. The league knows what it found when it looked into Dan Snyder. There's a reason it’s trying to keep those findings a secret. Sharing them might reveal too much about the behavior the NFL's power brokers are willing to tolerate.Dom Cosentino is a senior features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan believes quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be able to start Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 24 after the team returns from its bye."That's the plan," Shanahan said on "KNBR's Murph and Mac" show, according to David Bonilla of 49ersWebZone. "I know he's doing a lot better now than he was last week."The 29-year-old Garoppolo missed last Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals with a calf injury.Garoppolo sustained the ailment in Week 4 versus the Seattle Seahawks. Trey Lance replaced Garoppolo and made his first career start against Arizona. However, the rookie picked up a knee strain that could sideline him for one-to-two weeks."I know there was an outside chance that (Garoppolo) was going to be able to play (against the Cardinals), which makes me feel pretty good going forward about Indy," Shanahan said. "But I'm never going to set it in stone because calves are a little bit weird. ... So, I think it will be better, but let's hope for the best."The 49ers have lost three straight and, at 2-3, currently occupy last place in the NFC West standings.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs placed running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on injured reserve Tuesday.The sophomore will miss at least the next three games.Edwards-Helaire suffered an MCL sprain in the third quarter of the Chiefs' 38-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills and had to be carried off the field.The 22-year-old leads the Chiefs with 304 rushing yards. He's also caught two touchdowns and recorded 61 receiving yards this season.Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon are expected to fill in for the tailback in his absence. Williams recorded 27 yards on five carries against Buffalo.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two more seconds. It didn't even have to happen one play later. Just two more seconds.Geno Smith's interception would have been fine if Nick Scott's momentum hadn't taken him directly out of bounds. Had Scott wandered around for two seconds, the clock would have struck 2:00, and the Rams would have taken knees and secured a 6-point win, comfortably inside the SEA +8.5 teaser leg. The Bills and Ravens eventually covered their teaser legs, but our prime-time three-team tease fell by the wayside, two seconds short of victory.Each teaser leg has a price of -270 - the cost of teasing a 6-point favorite down to PK. Let's use this week's Thursday night tilt between the Buccaneers and Eagles as an example.SPREADODDSTB -7-105TB -6.5-125TB -6-138TB -5.5-150TB -5-155TB -4.5-163TB -4-175TB -3.5-180TB -3-225TB -2.5-250TB -2-270TB -1.5-275TB -1-280You're able to bring the Bucs down to -1 via a teaser, which is a bit of value on the alternative spread of -1. While that's a small advantage, it allows you to take another game and manipulate that spread in your favor.Not all teaser legs are created equal. The biggest mistake novice bettors make is teasing through zero - you're wasting valuable price points on a number the game probably won't land on. So how can we maximize the six-point move? How can we get what we're paying for at -270 per leg?Plenty of my favorite teaser options - that is, options to tease a one- or two-point underdog up over a touchdown - were available in Week 5. With so few upsets in general, we saw touchdown favorites cover their teaser legs, too. However, such choices this week seem to be few and far between.Half the games are lined between -3 and -4.5, which doesn't lend itself to profitable teasing. A few sides provide the opportunity to tease a point spread that captures the key numbers of three, six, and seven. Remember, these are not recommendations; this is more about the selection of teams you could tease from a mathematically correct standpoint in the "teaser basket."Teaser basketTEAMSPREADTEASER LEGBuccaneers-7-1Chiefs-6.5-0.5Vikings+1.5+7.5Cardinals+2.5+8.5The first two options here require an upper-echelon team to beat an NFC East team on the road. As a result, a Bucs/Chiefs tease will be incredibly popular, but we should be wary of something that seems too obvious. My favorite leg of the four is taking the Vikings up to +7.5 in Carolina, as the Panthers aren't likely to pull away from Minnesota, whereas the Browns might be set up to roll against the Cardinals.Fundamentally, take as many legs from the basket as you want that align with your handicap of the game. Which ones do you like?Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Quarterbacks Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyTua Tagovailoa, DolphinsNext UpRosteredFABat JAX15%$2It's a rough week for quarterback streamers, but fortunately we might be getting an intriguing option back from injury.Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said that he's hopeful Tagovailoa can practice this week, which would give him a shot to return to an extremely friendly matchup against the 0-5 Jaguars.Miami also has the Falcons and Texans on the schedule over the next month, so this would be the perfect time for their franchise quarterback to return and find his rhythm.Trey Lance is close to the 50% cut-off line but should be rostered in most leagues.Streaming options: Taylor Heinicke vs. KC (16% rostered), Teddy Bridgewater vs. LV (18% rostered), Carson Wentz vs. HOU (13% rostered)Risky streaming options: Geno Smith at PIT (1% rostered), Ben Roethlisberger vs. SEA (23% rostered)Dart-throw streaming options: Davis Mills at IND (1% rostered), Mac Jones vs. DAL (18% rostered), Jared Goff vs. CIN (12% rostered)Long-term stashes: Daniel Jones vs. Rams (41% rostered), Jameis Winston on bye (34% rostered), Justin Fields vs. GB (37% rostered)Running backs David Eulitt / Getty Images Sport / GettyDarrel Williams, ChiefsNext UpRosteredFABat WAS16%$24Clyde Edwards-Helaire avoided a season-ending knee injury, but is still expected to miss a few weeks with an MCL sprain.That moves Williams into the top spot on the depth chart, with Jerick McKinnon serving as a change-of-pace pass-catcher.Unlike some of the recent backup running backs thrust into starting roles, Williams doesn't project to be a workhorse. The 26-year-old has never been given more than 11 carries in a game in his NFL career, so don't overestimate his ceiling.The scoring upside of the Chiefs' offense will be his greatest fantasy attribute, especially in games where Kansas City is heavily favored - like it will be against Washington, Tennessee, and the Giants over the next three weeks.Williams will be a solid low-end RB2/high-end RB3 during CEH's absence.Devontae Booker, GiantsNext UpRosteredFABvs. LAR6%$14Just as Saquon Barkley was getting back to full power, the star runner suffered another injury that will cost him time.While Giants head coach Joe Judge failed to offer details on a specific diagnosis or recovery timeline, it's reportedly a low ankle sprain that may only keep him sidelined for a week or two, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.That wouldn't be ideal for Booker, who would be called to start versus a pair of tough defenses in the Rams (Week 6) and Panthers (Week 7).Booker did dominate snaps and touches once Barkley left (19 touches, 58 yards from scrimmage, two touchdowns), so volume will be on his side.Plan for a lot of touches, but not much efficiency during his brief stretch as the Giants' lead back. You'll likely need a touchdown for him to be anything more than an RB3/flex in those matchups.Kenneth Gainwell is close to the 50% cut-off line but should be rostered in most leagues.Flex options: Alex Collins at PIT (37% rostered), Khalil Herbert vs. GB (19% rostered), Brandon Bolden vs. DAL (9% rostered), J.D. McKissic vs. KC (45% rostered), Jerick McKinnon at WAS (1% rostered)Dart-throw flex options: Samaje Perine at DET (27% rostered), Mark Ingram at IND (31% rostered), David Johnson at IND (29% rostered), Giovani Bernard at PHI (16% rostered), Chris Evans at DET (2% rostered)Other backups to roster: Rhamondre Stevenson vs. DAL (7% rostered), Jaret Patterson vs. KC (2% rostered), Justin Jackson at BAL (3% rostered), Ty Johnson on Bye (5% rostered), Marlon Mack vs. HOU (9% rostered), Carlos Hyde vs. MIA (9% rostered), Benny Snell vs. SEA (1% rostered), Gary Brightwell vs. LAR (0% rostered), Salvon Ahmed at JAX (1% rostered), Malcolm Brown at JAX (6% rostered)Injured reserve stashes: Darrynton Evans (3% rostered), Anthony McFarland Jr. (1% rostered), Jeff Wilson Jr. (20% rostered)Wide receivers Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images Sport / GettyKadarius Toney, GiantsNext UpRosteredFABvs. LAR17%$14As injuries continue to decimate the Giants' receiving corps, Toney has seen his involvement in the offense rise dramatically.A week after posting six catches for 78 yards against the Saints, the first-rounder set new career highs with 10 receptions and 189 yards on 13 targets versus the Cowboys.The impressive Week 5 stat line came on a day when Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton were ruled out with hamstring issues, as well as Kenny Golladay and Saquon Barkley leaving mid-game due to injuries of their own.Toney also battled through an ankle sprain that the Giants are still evaluating. However, when a rookie puts up numbers the way Toney did, fantasy managers have to take notice.With so many injuries on New York's offense, including Daniel Jones in concussion protocol, there's very little certainty attached to adding Toney to your roster.He might be the best skill position player the G-Men have available this week, he might fall back to a less prominent role behind returning vets, or he might be sidelined himself if the ankle is worse than we think.Either way, he needs to be rostered in fantasy until we find out how the Giants plan to deploy him moving forward.Tim Patrick, BroncosNext UpRosteredFABvs. LV31%$9Last week, Patrick was close enough to the 50% cut off mark that we didn't need to give him his own section.Sadly, some fantasy managers took that opportunity to drop him back to the waiver wire and now we're starting the cycle all over again.We won't rehash his stats from last season, because we don't have to. Patrick has continued to produce with at least 89 yards or a touchdown in four of his five appearances in 2021. It's enough to make him the WR36 in PPR fantasy points per contest on the year.His lone down game (three catches, 39 yards) came in Week 4 when Drew Lock took over under center after Teddy Bridgewater was placed in concussion protocol.This ride won't last forever, as Jerry Jeudy will eventually return. But for now, Patrick needs to be rostered and likely deserves a spot in your lineup as well.Mecole Hardman, Darnell Mooney, Hunter Renfrow and DeVante Parker are close to the 50% cut-off line but should be rostered in most leagues.Long-term upside stashes: Rashod Bateman vs. LAC (24% rostered), Michael Gallup at NE (46% rostered), T.Y. Hilton vs. HOU (21% rostered), Josh Gordon at WAS (38% rostered)Flex options: Rondale Moore at CLE (40% rostered), Jamison Crowder on Bye (39% rostered), Marquez Callaway on Bye (30% rostered), Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. CIN (3% rostered)Risky flex options: Zach Pascal vs. HOU (15% rostered), Van Jefferson at NYG (10% rostered), Randall Cobb at CHI (16% rostered), Sammy Watkins vs. LAC (25% rostered)Dart-throw flex options: Quez Watkins vs. TB (2% rostered), Jalen Reagor vs. TB (17% rostered), Deonte Harris on Bye (10% rostered), Preston Williams at JAX (0% rostered), Tajae Sharpe on Bye (0% rostered), Tavon Austin vs. MIA (0% rostered), Jamal Agnew vs. MIA (0% rostered), Adam Humphries vs. KC (1% rostered), Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. ARI (1% rostered), Rashard Higgins vs. ARI (0% rostered), Terrace Marshall vs. MIN (10% rostered)Deep bench stashes: Dyami Brown vs. KC (1% rostered), Cedrick Wilson at NE (1% rostered), Chris Conley at IND (0% rostered), Chris Moore at IND (0% rostered), James Washington vs. SEA (0% rostered), Ray-Ray McCoud vs. SEA (0% rostered), Marcus Johnson vs. BUF (0% rostered),Tight ends Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyDavid Njoku, BrownsNext UpRosteredFABvs ARI3%$2As we've outlined in previous columns, finding a starting-worthy fantasy tight end on the waiver wire gets more challenging with every passing week.So when someone erupts for seven grabs, 149 yards, and a touchdown, you have to pounce just in case it's a sign of things to come.That's especially true with Njoku, who's a former first-round pick blessed with the athleticism and talent to be an impact player at his position. We've been waiting on a breakout that never came, but with the Browns showing a willingness to spread the ball around, it's possible Njoku could emerge.It's also possible that the front office could eventually grant his request from last year and trade him to a team that wants to feature him.Just don't spend much FAB on the revolving door of TE2s.Hunter Henry is close to the 50% cut-off line but should be rostered in most leagues.Streamer options: Zach Ertz vs. TB (37% rostered), Evan Engram vs. LAR (31% rostered)Risky streamer options: Tyler Conklin at CAR (22% rostered), Jonnu Smith vs. DAL (45% rostered), Dan Arnold vs. MIA (4% rostered), Ricky Seals-Jones vs. KC (2% rostered), Gerald Everett at PIT (36% rostered)Dart-throw streamer options: Mo Alie-Cox vs. HOU (2% rostered), Cole Kmet vs. GB (23% rostered), Anthony Firkser vs. BUF (7% rostered), Donald Parham Jr. at BAL (0% rostered), Tommy Tremble vs. MIN (1% rostered)DefensesWeek 6 streamersTeamNext UpRosteredPackersat CHI25%Coltsvs. HOU46%Chargersat BAL25%Raidersat DEN36%Bengalsat DET9%Dolphinsat JAX15%Favorable upcoming schedules: Packers DEF (25% rostered), Raiders DEF (36% rostered), Dolphins DEF (15% rostered)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. 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Game of inches. Game of kickers.Missed field goals and extra points were the feature presentation in Week 5, and goal-line fiascos in Arizona, Dallas, and Los Angeles swung a few games on the point spread.Before we get into the adjustments from this past week, here are my ratings, which include the average expectation of the quality of a team and the range it might play up or down to on any given Sunday.TEAMRATINGRANGEBuccaneers7965-85Bills7760-80Browns7455-80Ravens7355-75Rams7260-80Chiefs7165-85Chargers7150-80Cowboys6945-80Packers6555-7049ers6355-80Cardinals6350-70Vikings5645-70Saints5645-75Patriots5540-70Raiders5535-55Titans5450-75Broncos5340-65Seahawks5050-75Bengals5035-55Steelers5040-65Panthers4935-60Colts4735-60Bears4635-55Eagles4530-55Dolphins4445-70Washington4440-60Falcons3925-50Giants3930-50Lions3620-40Jaguars3430-50Jets2525-40Texans2520-40Who's the best team in the NFL?It's still the Buccaneers, who get a small bump back up to 79/100. The Dolphins receive a major downgrade, as their defense looks horrendous. If you rely on turnovers as the core component of your defense and you don't get them, you're in big trouble.The Bills submit their application for the league's best team and effectively switch places with Kansas City. The Chiefs need to fall to the level of the Ravens, Chargers, and Browns, as they've lost to the first two and weren't the better team against Cleveland.What else do we need to see from the Chargers to show us that they aren't worthy of being in this tier? Brandon Staley knows what kind of game he's in, and makes +EV decisions in the appropriate situations.Injury adjustmentsThe Seahawks suffer the worst injury loss of the week. I'm not sure how good they were going to be with Russell Wilson, and he's arguably the most valuable player to his team, so how much do we downgrade Seattle with Geno Smith? I'll start with a move from 62 down to 50, and that might not be enough.Kyle Shanahan continues to infuriate 49ers fans and backers. The Niners had 338 yards to Arizona's 304, but high-leverage plays were decided by Trey Lance throws from the pocket and a Kyle Juszczyk quarterback sneak - none of which took advantage of Lance's mobility, the sole reason to get excited about the rookie quarterback. Now Lance ends up on the already busy injury list for San Francisco, but Jimmy Garoppolo seems like he may be ready after the bye week. Perhaps controversially, I'm slightly downgrading the Cardinals off the win due to the yardage and concern about Kyler Murray's shoulder.Status quoWeek 5 was a reminder that bad teams can't get it done in two straight weeks. They're bad because they're inconsistent. Robert Saleh didn't have the Jets ready in the first half in London, while the Falcons were prepared to give that game away. Beware of getting too excited about a bad organization, especially if it's nudged out of its routine.While the Packers' game with the Bengals was wild, Green Bay's quality of play wasn't any different than usual. When a game lined at GB -3 pushes the number and it's a fair result, it's hard to want to make any changes.We tried to slip in a bet for you last week, telling you that a wager on the Texans was almost obligatory. Houston covered easily in a game that was essentially Sports Betting 101 after everything the Patriots gave the previous Sunday night. If you couldn't see that flat performance coming, then you might need to go back to NFL handicapping school. The Texans played to the top of their range while the Pats played to the low end of theirs, and that overlap produced a close game.The same goes for New Orleans and Washington. The Saints made a couple more high-leverage plays, and the 11-point margin was flattering in a tight contest.We know the Cowboys can reach a higher gear, but a tie game that Daniel Jones exited with an injury followed by a second-half blowout doesn't convince us they've found it just yet. Meanwhile, like the Seahawks and other teams that have lost their quarterback, how far do the Giants fall if Mike Glennon gets a start?The big moveThe Las Vegas Raiders are why we keep ratings and force ourselves not to overreact early. This is the group we expected to see before the season, with the same offensive and defensive capability as we've come to know in the Jon Gruden era, and that's why you've been able to fade them for three weeks in a row with relative ease. Now Gruden's out, and we can't drop the Raiders fast enough.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles placed tight end Dallas Goedert on the COVID-19 list on Tuesday.The designation puts Goedert's status in doubt for Thursday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's fully vaccinated, though, so he only needs two negative tests to play, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.Goedert didn't practice Monday and was listed as out due to an illness.The fourth-year pro has been one of quarterback Jalen Hurts' top targets this season. Goedert ranks third on the team with 216 receiving yards and is tied for first with two touchdowns. He caught two passes for 28 yards in a win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.Should Goedert be unable to play Thursday, Zach Ertz - who has 160 yards and a score this season - will likely see an increased role.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow will undergo season-ending toe surgery, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Lions placed Ragnow on injured reserve after Week 4, sidelining him for a minimum of three games. One of the NFL's top centers, Ragnow made his first Pro Bowl in 2020.Detroit has dealt with injuries along the offensive line throughout the early portion of the schedule. Left tackle Taylor Decker could return from a hand injury in Week 6, which would allow rookie Penei Sewell to swing to the right side.Before the season, Ragnow signed a four-year, $54-million extension with the Lions that runs through the 2026 season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens' streak of consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards ended at 43.Baltimore entered its Week 5 contest tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most 100-yard rushing games in a row, but the Ravens failed to set a new record after posting only 86 yards on the ground against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday.Quarterback Lamar Jackson's first NFL start kicked off the streak on Nov. 18, 2018. Jackson has helped turn Baltimore's rushing attack into a juggernaut, with the unit averaging 199.2 rushing yards per game since.The Ravens barely kept the streak alive in last week's win against the Denver Broncos. Leading 23-7 with only three seconds left in the game, Baltimore had quarterback Lamar Jackson run the ball instead of taking a knee to keep the team's 100-yard streak going.The call didn't sit well with Denver, and Broncos head coach Vic Fangio later said the Ravens' decision to chase the record in garbage time was "bullshit."Baltimore led the NFL in rushing attempts and yards on the ground in each of the last two seasons. The team entered Week 5 ranked 15th and fifth in those categories, respectively, in 2021.The Ravens overcame a 19-point third-quarter deficit Monday to force overtime and beat the Colts, with a sensational performance from Jackson leading the way to the team's fourth straight win.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageJon Gruden resigned as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, he announced in a statement."I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction," Gruden said, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone."The NFL recently began reviewing possible discipline for Gruden Friday after finding a 2011 email in which he used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association director DeMaurice Smith. The league discovered the message while going through over 650,000 emails as part of an investigation into the Washington Football Team's workplace culture.The resignation comes shortly after a report Monday from the New York Times revealed that Gruden also sent emails that included homophobic and misogynistic comments while working for ESPN as a color analyst from 2009-17.Gruden sent the emails to former Washington executive Bruce Allen and others. He used a homophobic slur about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, calling him a "clueless anti-football p----."The 58-year-old also said Goodell shouldn't have pressured former Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher to draft "q-----," referring to Michael Sam's selection in 2014. Gruden reportedly also denounced the emergence of women as referees and the league's tolerance of players protesting during the playing of the national anthem.Gruden signed a reported 10-year, $100-million deal with Las Vegas in January 2018 for his second stint with the club. The Raiders have posted a 22-31 record since then but have missed the playoffs each year.Assistant coach Rich Bisaccia will replace Gruden as the team's interim head coach. Vegas - currently on a two-game skid after starting the year 3-0 - is set to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday.Gruden owns a 117-112 record as a head coach in the NFL through stints with the Raiders (1998-2001, 2018-21) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-08), including helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl XXXVII.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance suffered a knee sprain Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and will likely miss one-to-two weeks, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner.The injury won't keep the rookie passer sidelined long term, and with the 49ers on a bye in Week 6, the timetable could make Lance questionable for the team's next game against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 24.Lance, who played the entire contest against the Cardinals, said he doesn't know when the injury occurred, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows.The third overall pick in this year's draft started his first NFL game Sunday as Jimmy Garoppolo's replacement. Garoppolo suffered a calf injury in Week 4 and wasn't able to face Arizona.Lance finished his first start with 192 passing yards and one interception on 15-of-29 passing while adding 89 yards on 16 rushing attempts.Garoppolo's injury isn't as serious as San Francisco initially thought, so he'll likely be available to return soon. The veteran signal-caller completed 66.1% of his passes for 925 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions through the first four games of the season before being sidelined.Shanahan said Sunday that Garoppolo would return to the starting role once he's healthy.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kenny Golladay has apparently avoided a serious knee injury.The New York Giants wide receiver, who left Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys prematurely due to a knee ailment, is expected to miss his team's Week 6 game against the Los Angeles Rams, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.The Giants expect Golladay to be out for only a week or two after initially fearing he suffered a major injury, adds Rapoport.The 27-year-old wideout joined New York as a free agent in the offseason and currently leads the Giants with 29 targets and 282 receiving yards this season. He's also caught 17 passes.Several of New York's offensive starters have gone down with injuries lately, including Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton - two of the team's other top receivers. Neither player suited up Sunday.Quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley also left Week 5 with injuries. Jones is currently in concussion protocol, while Barkley is reportedly considered week-to-week after suffering a low ankle sprain.The Giants' depth chart also features rookie wideout Kadarius Toney and tight end Evan Engram. Toney leads the club with 20 receptions through five games and is coming off an impressive performance versus Dallas, racking up 189 yards and 10 receptions.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We saw one of the biggest shifts in the Super Bowl market this week, as the Bills took over as the co-favorites and the Seahawks fell out of the title picture. Those weren't the only teams whose fates changed since a week ago.Here are the current Super Bowl odds at theScoreBet and three of the biggest risers and fallers after Week 5:TEAMODDSBuffalo Bills+550Tampa Bay Buccaneers+550Kansas City Chiefs+700Los Angeles Rams+850Green Bay Packers+1100Arizona Cardinals+1200Baltimore Ravens+1200Cleveland Browns+1400Dallas Cowboys+1400Los Angeles Chargers+1600Tennessee Titans+3000San Francisco 49ers+3300New Orleans Saints+3500Denver Broncos+5000Minnesota Vikings+5000New England Patriots+6000Las Vegas Raiders+7000Seattle Seahawks+7000Carolina Panthers+8000Indianapolis Colts+8000Pittsburgh Steelers+8000Cincinnati Bengals+10000Philadelphia Eagles+10000Washington Football Team+10000Chicago Bears+12500Miami Dolphins+15000Atlanta Falcons+20000New York Giants+30000Jacksonville Jaguars+150000New York Jets+150000Detroit Lions+200000Houston Texans+200000Trending upBuffalo Bills (+550)Say hello to your new Super Bowl front-runners. The Bills ripped the belt from the Chiefs after pummeling them 38-20 in prime time at Arrowhead Stadium, marking Patrick Mahomes' first home loss over his last eight starts.Through five weeks, Buffalo ranks first in scoring offense (34.4 points per game), scoring defense (12.8), and has a scoring differential (+108) nearly double that of the next-best team. The Bills also have the easiest remaining schedule of any team in the NFL, so these odds may only get shorter ahead of the postseason.Arizona Cardinals (+1200)The NFL's lone undefeated team kept rolling on Sunday - this time with its defense. The Cardinals held the 49ers scoreless in the first half of Sunday's 17-10 win but engineered a late scoring drive to stay perfect and maintain a one-game lead over the Rams in the NFC West.It was an uncharacteristic display for MVP favorite Kyler Murray, who scored just one touchdown and finished with one rushing yard. It didn't matter, and it showed just how dangerous this team can be down the stretch even when Murray isn't winning it by himself.Los Angeles Chargers (+1600)The Justin Herbert hype has reached DEFCON levels, but it's hard not to get excited with how well the Chargers quarterback is playing in just his second season. On Sunday, the former top-six pick threw for 398 yards and four touchdowns and added another score on the ground in a wild 47-42 win over the Browns.The win catapulted Los Angeles from 22-1 to 16-1, which is the clear mark of delineation in the current Super Bowl market. The Chargers' offense is legit, and the defense is better than it showed last week. Watch out for the Bolts as dark horse title contenders and potential AFC West champions, too.Trending downSan Francisco 49ers (+3300)After seeing his first bit of game action last week, rookie quarterback Trey Lance was thrown into the fire in his first career start on Sunday. It didn't exactly meet expectations, further hindering his team's already murky title prospects.The No. 3 pick threw for 192 yards and added 89 on the ground but finished with zero touchdowns in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. He also completed just 15 of his 29 attempts and airmailed an interception to safety Budda Baker, one of many errant throws through Lance's first seven quarters. If he can't clean up his game soon, it may be too late for the Niners to turn things around.Seattle Seahawks (+7000)When one of the best quarterbacks in football goes down for an extended period, it's sure to crush that team's Super Bowl outlook. That's the case for the Seahawks, who tumbled from 28-1 to 70-1 after Russell Wilson underwent surgery for a finger injury sustained in Thursday's loss.His recovery is expected to sideline him for six-to-eight weeks, though there's some optimism he could return after just four weeks. Even if he does, Seattle can't afford to fall back any further in the cutthroat NFC West after a 2-3 start, which puts this group three games back of the division lead.Las Vegas Raiders (+7000)The Raiders' stint as the AFC's lone undefeated team was short-lived, and it hasn't been pretty since. Las Vegas' offense sputtered in Sunday's 20-9 loss to the Bears, marking the second straight week this team was held to two scores or less after it averaged 30 points through its first three games.The bigger concern is with this defense, which allowed Chicago to rush for 143 yards just six days after surrendering 168 rushing yards to the Chargers. Upcoming games against the run-heavy Broncos and Eagles means things could get worse before they get better.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone discusses the latest injuries and goes over the top players available on the waiver wire.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss a few weeks after suffering an MCL sprain in Sunday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Edwards-Helaire was injured during an awkward tackle toward the start of the second half and needed assistance to walk off the field.The sophomore leads the Chiefs with 304 rushing yards but has yet to find the end zone as a runner. He has two touchdowns and 61 yards as a receiver.Darrel Williams will take over Kansas City's starting role in Edwards-Helaire's absence. He had five carries for 27 yards after stepping in on Sunday. The AFC West club also has former San Francisco 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon as depth.Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill sustained a minor knee injury against Buffalo but isn't expected to miss time, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.There were initial reports that the wideout already had the procedure, but it was later corrected. Smith-Schuster had his shoulder reduced after dislocation, at which point he was examined and the decision to undergo surgery was made, Rapoport adds.Smith-Schuster injured his shoulder in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos and appeared to be in serious pain as trainers helped him off the field.The receiver bypassed offers from other clubs this past offseason to return to the Steelers on a one-year contract. However, he hasn't been able to produce consistently in 2021.Smith-Schuster's 129 receiving yards rank fourth on the team. He failed to record a catch during the Week 5 bout against Denver and hasn't registered a 100-yard game this season.The 24-year-old has frequently been Pittsburgh's go-to target in the slot. He led the team with 97 receptions last season while also putting up 831 receiving yards. His nine receiving touchdowns were also tied for the team lead.Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson could see their targets increase with JuJu sidelined. The former leads the team with 341 receiving yards while Johnson has 305. James Washington will likely be promoted into a higher role within the offense due to Smith-Schuster's injury.Pittsburgh drafted the USC product in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He's accumulated 3,855 career receiving yards, including a personal-best 1,426-yard campaign in 2018.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David suffered a low ankle sprain in Sunday's win against the Miami Dolphins and is expected to miss Thursday's matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.David will be considered week-to-week after Week 6, added Rapoport.The 31-year-old had played every defensive snap this season before exiting against the Dolphins in the first half, racking up 34 total tackles, one sack, and two pass defenses.Kevin Minter will likely start alongside Devin White against the Eagles, with rookies K.J. Britt and Grant Stuard set for expanded roles.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is dealing with a thumb injury, though he should be good to play in Thursday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The veteran signal-caller was icing his hand during the Bucs' Week 5 win against the Miami Dolphins. He arrived at the postgame press conference with his hand wrapped up and described the ailment as a "football injury," according to Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press.The injury did not prevent Brady from picking apart the Dolphins' defense Sunday. He finished with 411 passing yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His 144.4 passer rating was also his highest of the season.

The Green Bay Packers emerged with a 25-22 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday after the two teams traded five missed field goals down the stretch of regulation and overtime.Mason Crosby kicked the game-winner from 49 yards away with 1:55 left in the extra frame. He blew two previous chances to win the contest in overtime and squandered an opportunity to put Green Bay ahead before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.Bengals kicker Evan McPherson had his issues as well. After booting game-winning field goals in two of his first four contests, McPherson missed one kick in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter and another one in overtime.Kicking rocks: Mason Crosby and Evan McPhersonKickerYardsTimeM. Crosby362:14 (4Q)E. McPherson570:26 (4Q)M. Crosby510:00 (4Q)M. Crosby408:12 (OT)E. McPherson494:19 (OT)In a scene befitting of the affair, McPherson started celebrating his overtime attempt thinking it was going to split the uprights before the ball sailed wide left.

When Charleston Hughes tried out for the Detroit Lions in 2007, he thought he was the best linebacker at rookie camp, with one exception. Hughes remembers saying as much to that exception, his locker mate Joe Lobendahn, eyes darting around the room as he surveyed the competition. He was making more plays than everyone except Lobendahn, and he understood Detroit's defense and what it demanded of him. But the Lions didn't sign him, teaching Hughes a lesson: He needed to find a team that reciprocated his self-belief.Brandon Banks' NFL stint lasted longer and excited people. In his breakout game with Washington in 2010, he gouged the Lions for a 96-yard kick-return score and 271 combined return yards, a top-20 figure in league history. During a lull at practice in 2011, he hurled back-to-back deep balls that nailed the same spot on the crossbar, convincing head coach Mike Shanahan to concoct a new play. Banks took a reverse pitch at midfield that Sunday and threw on the move to Santana Moss, burning the New England Patriots for a 49-yard touchdown as Tom Brady watched."I had the best quarterback completion rate that day," Banks recently told theScore.Brandon Banks in 2011. The Washington Post / Getty ImagesHughes and Banks took different routes to the same unexpected end point. Banks' grandfather Alvin was a hometown football legend in North Carolina. Guided by his example, Banks dunked in high school basketball at 5-foot-7, ran the 100m dash in 10.42 seconds, and leveraged his explosiveness on the gridiron to become a 1,000-yard receiver at Kansas State. Hughes, a latecomer to the sport, played his college ball at Northwood University as the only defensive starter from his Michigan high school not to be recruited to Division I.Their stories intersected in Canada, where Banks and Hughes are two of the Canadian Football League's most candid personalities and respected veterans, perpetual difference-makers who entered the 2021 season slotted first and 11th, respectively, in TSN's annual CFL player rankings. Banks, 33, was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2019. There's a chance that Hughes, 37 and the league's five-time sack leader, will hang around long enough to challenge for the record.Their teams meet Monday in the annual Canadian Thanksgiving clash. Banks is out with hurt ribs, but his Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-4) host Hughes and the Toronto Argonauts (5-3) in a battle for regional bragging rights and first place in the East Division. Both players have started the season quietly: Hughes has two sacks, and Banks hasn't scored yet. But they remain marquee names in their second football home, the professional safety net Hughes learned of as a college junior when a Northwood teammate headed north after his NFL dream faltered."I didn't even know there were teams in Canada," Hughes said.Cast off by the NFL, Hughes planned to retire if he couldn't hack it in the three-down game. But his performance at the Lions tryout gave him an edge. Impressed by his 4.5-second 40-yard dash, a Calgary Stampeders scout in attendance urged his club to sign Hughes and try him at defensive end. The CFL features fewer behemoth offensive linemen than the NFL, and Hughes' quickness at 245 pounds can be a game-changer. Twice a Grey Cup champion, he's within 25 sacks of the career record (157) that former Ticats defensive end Grover Covington established three decades ago.Charleston Hughes (39) celebrates a 2019 sack. Brent Just / Getty ImagesHughes has an eclectic biography. He was supposed to be named Charlton - as in Heston - but the hospital misspelled his mother's dictation. He used to manage a Calgary steakhouse. He's raising funds to found an Indigenous youth football team in Saskatchewan, where he played two seasons for the Roughriders before joining Toronto last offseason. Teammates have praised his thoughtfulness on the defensive line - the angles he takes, his understanding of when to deploy which moves - but Hughes said the role suits him because it allows him to play freely."At linebacker, you've got to do a lot of thinking. You've got to do a lot of adjusting. You've got to do a lot of putting people in the right places," Hughes said. At defensive end, he said, "all I've got to do is go, go, go, go, go."That ought to be Banks' motto. He and John Wall, a close childhood friend, both arrived in Washington in 2010, Wall as the NBA's No. 1 draft pick and Banks as the smallest man on an NFL roster. At 155 pounds, The Washington Post observed, Banks was literally half the size of 282 other players in the league. Over three seasons as a Washington depth receiver, Banks threw for one more touchdown than he ever caught. But he was the NFL's fourth-leading returner during that span, trailing only Leon Washington, Josh Cribbs, and Stefan Logan.Banks was inactive for his only NFL playoff game, a 2012 wild-card loss to the Seattle Seahawks. When Washington let him walk the next season, he signed with Hamilton, unlocking his best football self. In the NFL, touchbacks, fair catches, and the fourth down limit kick and punt returns. But on vast Canadian fields, Banks is too fast to be corralled. No CFL player has returned as many missed field goals (five) for touchdowns. Following a coaching change in 2017, he became the Ticats' go-to receiver. Within two years, he led the league in catches, receiving yards, and TDs.Banks (left) carries the ball in 2019. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesBanks and Hughes were teammates for a few hours in 2018 when Hamilton rerouted Hughes from Calgary to Saskatchewan in back-to-back offseason trades. But even without playing together or matching up positionally, they've seen enough over the years to marvel at each other's gifts. (This season especially: The Thanksgiving game is the third of four Argos-Ticats matchups in 2021.)"Anytime he has the ball in his hands - on any given play on the field - you've got the potential to score a touchdown," Hughes said of Banks. "When you've got a player like that, he's a threat."Banks, for his part, had hoped to see the Ticats make Hughes a permanent addition."A guy that's savvy with his talent - man, you can't ask for nothing else from a defensive end. I wish he was still on our team," he said. "But you know how the business is."In 2020, COVID-19 nixed the CFL season, and Hughes floated a cheeky hypothetical on Saskatchewan radio. If he were in the NFL, Hughes said, only Khalil Mack and Von Miller would wreak as much havoc in the pass rush. Early in his career, after that Detroit tryout, he took another crack at the league, sticking with the Philadelphia Eagles until the end of training camp in 2009. He eventually decided he was content with his path - not to mention the chance to best Covington's sack mark."I've been thinking about it the last three years," Hughes said. "That's probably one of my ending goals: to hunt this record down as much as I can."Banks, meanwhile, is in Grey Cup-or-bust mode. Hamilton has reached three CFL title games with him on the roster but lost all of them, most recently in 2019 and most painfully in 2014. Trailing Calgary 20-16 in the last minute of that year's final, Banks fielded a punt on the bounce and scampered 90 yards to the end zone. But a teammate's illegal block negated the go-ahead score."Just know: If I already won a title, I wouldn't still be playing. I'd be retired somewhere," Banks said. "I'm just so, so desperate to win a Grey Cup. If they named a price, I'd probably pay for one."Instead, he keeps going to work. Banks made headlines earlier this season for showing up at the Ticats' practice facility not knowing players had the day off. That Hughes hasn't retired yet exhibits his commitment to the grind. Only three CFLers - a punter, a long snapper, and Hamilton offensive tackle Chris Van Zeyl - are older than him. For perspective, consider that Lobendahn, Hughes' rookie locker mate with the Lions, last played nine years ago for Saskatchewan.When the CFL was dormant in 2020, a bored Hughes started a podcast with Johann Lozinski, a friend from Saskatchewan. They enlisted a range of celebrity guests - comedians, politicians, retired hockey players, Banks - to regale the audience with stories about their lives. Hughes and Lozinski named the show "Better with Age," the idea being that everything improves over time."You've got wine. You've got whiskey. You've got leather. You've got cheese," Hughes said. "And then you've got my football game. It gets better with age."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens have received trade inquiries for their running backs, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Ravens' rebuilt backfield currently consists of veteran backs Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, Le'Veon Bell, and Ty'Son Williams. The Ravens were forced to make additions after losing J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill to season-ending injuries.Williams, a second-year pro, emerged as the hot hand to begin the season, rushing for at least 65 yards in each of the first two games of the year. However, he's fallen out of favor recently. Williams received just five carries in Week 3 and was inactive for last week's game against the Denver Broncos as the Ravens chose to rely on their veteran backs instead.Murray has rushed for 151 yards across four games and earned his first start of the season against the Broncos. Meanwhile, Freeman has chipped in 41 yards on six carries.Bell made his season debut in Week 4 but only ran for 11 yards on four carries.Despite their backfield being devastated by injuries prior to the season, Baltimore is still averaging 164.5 yards on the ground per game, the fourth-highest in the NFL. Lamar Jackson has become the focal point of the attack with a team-leading 279 rushing yards.The trade deadline for the 2021 season is Nov. 2.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Mahomes knows the Kansas City Chiefs won't be able to get their season back on track unless he ends his recent turnover struggles.The star quarterback threw two interceptions, including a pick-6 early in the second half that bounced off Tyreek Hill's hands, and lost a fumble in Sunday night's 38-20 defeat to the Buffalo Bills."It starts with me," Mahomes said, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "It's something I've not usually done in my career, but I have to reevaluate where I'm at, what decisions I'm making."I've been a crazier player as far as scrambling and making throws. But in my career I've never been someone who throws a lot of interceptions. I have to look at it now, reevaluate what I'm doing, and I have to cut it out.''Although Mahomes is producing his usual MVP-like numbers - an NFL-high 16 touchdowns, a 69.2% completion percentage, and 1,490 yards - the signal-caller is on pace to throw a career-worst 20 interceptions after being picked off six times in five games.The Bills tried to frustrate Mahomes in the AFC title game rematch by limiting opportunities for the Chiefs' signature downfield plays, forcing their opponent to go on long and methodical drives to score. Buffalo's defensive game plan worked, with Mahomes producing a season-low completion percentage (61.1%) and yards per attempt (5.0).Meanwhile, Josh Allen enjoyed arguably his best game of the season. The 2020 second-team All-Pro threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score.The 2-3 Chiefs sit at the bottom of the AFC West and have lost to three of their main conference competitors in the Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, and Baltimore Ravens. Kansas City also needed to engineer a dramatic comeback to beat the Cleveland Browns 33-29 in Week 1.But after back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, Mahomes believes the Chiefs have it in them to regain their place as the AFC's favorite."We know we have what it takes to be great," Mahomes said. "It's a matter of coming together now and finding a way to do that.''Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day and examines the significance of the action moving forward.Josh Allen, Bills looking super Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Buffalo Bills went into Arrowhead Stadium and beat the Kansas City Chiefs at their own game.Josh Allen upstaged Patrick Mahomes by throwing the ball all over the field, totaling 316 passing yards and three TDs in addition to rushing for 59 yards and another score. Allen also outran a blitzing safety to pick up a first down on third-and-9, though the play was wiped out by a holding penalty. Oh, and he hurdled a defender, too.The Bills' defense, meanwhile, had another outstanding game, picking off Mahomes twice and forcing a pair of lost fumbles. Buffalo entered the game ranked first in defensive DVOA and first against the pass. It’s likely going to stay in those spots.The Bills have now won four in a row by an average score of 39-10. They also play just one team with a winning record between now and Thanksgiving. And they just served notice that they might just be the best all-round team in the AFC, if not the entire NFL.Staley keeps coaching to winJust 21 games into his career, Justin Herbert is clearly one of the NFL's most exceptional quarterbacks. Herbert brought the Los Angeles Chargers back from a two-touchdown deficit, torching a terrific Cleveland Browns defense with five touchdown drives over six second-half possessions.The Chargers won despite giving up more than 40 points and not forcing any turnovers, which hadn't happened before:

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire left Sunday's 38-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills with a knee injury in the third quarter and didn't return.Edwards-Helaire needed to be carried off the field before spending time in the medical tent then heading to the locker room. Kansas City ruled him out minutes later.

Josh Allen threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns while adding a team-high 62 yards and one score on the ground as the Buffalo Bills beat the Kansas City Chiefs 38-20 on Sunday Night Football.More to come.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is believed to have suffered a low ankle sprain in Week 5, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Barkley, who left his team's 44-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys prematurely Sunday and didn't return, is expected to be week-to-week and he's unlikely to play in Week 6, Rapoport adds.The superstar rusher turned his ankle and was carted to the locker room in the first quarter. His ankle was significantly swollen as he exited.

The Pittsburgh Steelers ruled out wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos due to a shoulder injury.Smith-Schuster appeared to be in serious pain after suffering the ailment during the second quarter of the Week 5 contest.Linebacker Devin Bush has also been ruled out for the rest of the game, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. He exited with one sack, his second of the season.Smith-Schuster carried the ball twice for six yards and didn't record a catch against the Broncos.The 24-year-old wideout's production has declined in 2021 as the Steelers have relied more heavily on Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. Smith-Schuster ranked fourth on the team with 129 receiving yards entering Sunday's game.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook won't play in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, the club announced.Cook, who's been bothered by an ankle injury he suffered in Week 2, missed practice Wednesday and Thursday before being limited Friday.The star running back missed Week 3 due to the ailment before returning last Sunday. However, he only mustered 34 rushing yards on nine carries in a loss to the Cleveland Browns.Alexander Mattison will likely get the bulk of the workload against the Lions. He rushed for 112 yards in Cook's absence during Week 3.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater cleared concussion protocol and will start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Receiver Courtland Sutton will also play despite being listed as questionable after rolling his ankle at Friday's practice.The Broncos listed the veteran signal-caller as questionable on Friday's injury report after he suffered a concussion that forced him out of last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the second half.Bridgewater has completed 72.1% of his passes this season while tossing five touchdowns against zero interceptions. The 28-year-old is also averaging 223 passing yards per game.Third-year passer Drew Lock replaced Bridgewater in Week 4, tossing 113 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception in the contest.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden admitted to chastising NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a 2011 email."I was in a bad frame of mind at the time and I called Roger Goodell a (expletive) in one of these emails, too," Gruden told ESPN's Chris Mortensen on Friday.The email was among several others the NFL provided to the Raiders. In those materials, Gruden also criticized multiple team owners during the 2011 labor negotiations that resulted in a lockout."They were keeping players and coaches from doing what they love with a lockout. There also were a lot of things being reported publicly about the safety of the sport that I love," Gruden said. "I was on a mission with high school football during that time and there were a lot of parents who were scared about letting their kids play football. It just didn't sit well with me."The emails were flagged as part of the league's offseason investigation of the Washington Football Team's workplace culture. Gruden was a broadcaster for Monday Night Football at the time and communicated with former Washington president Bruce Allen, whom he worked with on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2004 to 2008.It was also discovered Gruden used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association director DeMaurice Smith in a separate 2011 email.The comment has been condemned by Smith and the league. The NFL is considering possible discipline for Gruden.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers have placed cornerback Jaire Alexander on injured reserve, the club announced Saturday.The move means Alexander will miss at least the next three games after injuring his shoulder late in Green Bay's Week 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that surgery is not planned for the star cornerback and was hopeful Alexander would be back in a "matter of weeks."However, it's possible Alexander's injury ends his season. Doctors are expected to decide in the coming weeks whether the cornerback will miss multiple weeks or the entire year, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.Alexander, 24, is coming off his first Pro Bowl campaign after recording one interception and 13 pass defenses in 2020. He has one pick through four games this season.The Packers' secondary will rely on veteran Kevin King and first-round rookie Eric Stokes with Alexander sidelined.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 5.Half PPR

The San Francisco 49ers have placed tight end George Kittle on the injured reserve due to a calf injury, the team announced.Kittle, who was originally listed as doubtful for Sunday's contest against the Arizona Cardinals, will now miss at least the next three games.The All-Pro is expected to be ready to return for the 49ers' second matchup against the Cardinals, which comes in Week 9, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The 28-year-old has been an integral part of the 49ers' offense since becoming a fifth-round pick in 2017. He's put up 3,806 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns over 57 career games.Kittle has caught 19 passes for 227 yards and zero touchdowns in 2021. He's second on the team in receiving yards, trailing only Deebo Samuel.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance will make his first career start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals after Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out with a calf injury, the team announced Friday.Lance will be without one of his top weapons after the 49ers reportedly placed star tight end George Kittle on injured reserve Saturday due to a calf injury.The No. 3 overall pick replaced the injured Garoppolo during a Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Lance finished the game with 157 yards and two touchdowns through the air while adding 41 yards on the ground.Garoppolo, who started San Francisco's first four games, reportedly had a chance to play in Sunday's divisional matchup but didn't practice all week.The 49ers used Lance sparingly over the first three games of the season and primarily put him in red-zone packages. He threw one touchdown in his NFL debut and rushed for another in Week 3.Garoppolo has completed 61.1% of his passes for 925 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions this campaign.If Georgie Kittle doesn't play Sunday, Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner will be San Francisco's tight ends. Dwelley and Woerner have combined for one catch this season.Kittle, a two-time Pro Bowler, has 19 catches for 227 yards and zero touchdowns in 2021.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon is trending toward playing "in some capacity" against the Green Bay Packers in Week 5, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.Mixon ended the week as questionable to play after failing to practice all week due to an ankle sprain. However, he was put through a workout Saturday morning to test his injured ankle.Head coach Zac Taylor classified the running back's injury as day-to-day earlier this week. Mixon suffered the injury in Week 4, exiting the Bengals' 24-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.The 25-year-old is currently third in the NFL in rushing with 353 yards.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals are the NFL's last undefeated team. Their headline attraction thus far has been quarterback Kyler Murray, who's already being mentioned as a possible MVP candidate. But the Cardinals' defense also deserves plenty of credit and bears watching as the season progresses.Arizona has limited three of its four opponents to 20 points or less. The Tennessee Titans were one of them, despite entering the campaign with what might be the league's best all-around collection of skill players. The Los Angeles Rams were another. Their whizbang offense with Matthew Stafford now at the controls seemed unstoppable until the Cardinals shut them down last Sunday.Of course, there's a long ways to go, but there's a lot to like about Arizona's D. Heading into Week 5, the Cardinals rank sixth in defensive DVOA and third in DVOA against the pass even though they've played the league's 12th-hardest schedule of offenses. The team's nine takeaways are the third-most in the NFL, and slot cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.'s three interceptions are tied for second-most.The Cardinals began the season with a bang by sacking Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill six times and hitting him on nine occasions. Veteran edge rusher Chandler Jones accounted for five sacks and six hits in that game. Even though the unit hasn't produced another performance quite so dominant, it has cooked up consistent pressure while also getting steady coverage from a cornerback group that came into the season as a potential weak spot.Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph schemed up a fair number of blitzes as Arizona has brought more than four pass-rushers 53 times - tied for sixth-most in the league, per PFF. But last week against the Rams, the Cardinals' blitz rate was just 18.6% - far and away their lowest total of the season. It was enough, though.Arizona baited Stafford into throwing an early interception and forced a fumble to create a short field. Both turnovers led to touchdowns. The Cardinals also got a fourth-down stop that resulted in a missed field goal and stopped L.A. on downs at the 1-yard line.Like any good defense, Arizona has benefited from contributions from numerous players, as USA Today's Doug Farrar explains. The fulcrum is linebacker Isaiah Simmons, the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft. Simmons has grown into his role as a multi-dimensional player capable of spying, rushing the passer, or working in coverage. Just look at how he's being used:He's the definition of an every-down defender, a do-it-all hybrid whose play-anywhere skills are increasingly in demand in today's pass-heavy game.Simmons played a similarly versatile role last season, but he was still getting his sea legs as a rookie. A lack of offseason practices due to the pandemic hindered his development, so he played only 34% of the defense's snaps in 2020. Simmons rarely leaves the field this year, playing nearly 90% of the time. Michael Reaves / Getty ImagesThe Cardinals' pass rush has produced a pressure rate of 35.8%, which is 11th-best in the league, according to PFF. Adding veteran J.J. Watt has helped in this regard. Unlike his years with the Houston Texans, when he mostly played on the left edge, Watt has lined up all over the defensive line in Arizona. He's doing most of his work on the interior, where his five hits tie the league lead, his 12 hurries rank third, and his pass-rush productivity of 6.8% is fourth, per PFF.The success of the defense's back end has been the biggest surprise for the Cardinals. The team signed veteran Malcolm Butler in free agency to replace longtime stalwart Patrick Peterson, who left for the Minnesota Vikings. But then Butler retired for personal reasons just before the regular season was about to start. That thrust rookie fourth-round pick Marco Wilson into a starting role alongside Murphy and 32-year-old Robert Alford, who Arizona released and then re-signed during the offseason. It's all worked out.Murphy, a 2019 second-round pick who showed modest improvement after struggling mightily as a rookie, has particularly made enormous strides this season. He has those three picks, including one on a deep ball from Stafford to DeSean Jackson while playing on the outside. The other two interceptions came in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with one of those being a pick-6. The first interception over Jacksonville happened because linebacker Jordan Hicks knocked the ball from Jacob Hollister's hands. Hicks has also played nearly every snap (98%) this season. Your browser does not support the video tag. NFL Game PassMurphy had the task of primarily sticking with the Rams' ever-dangerous slot receiver Cooper Kupp, who came in with five TDs and averaged eight catches and 122 yards per game to start the campaign. Kupp produced just five catches (on 13 targets) for 64 yards against the Cardinals. When Murphy shadowed him, Kupp was targeted five times and had only two catches for 44 yards, per PFF. Though Kupp came in averaging 58.6 yards after the catch, he compiled just 17 against Arizona.The Cardinals are also getting solid play from Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson, who can be interchangeable parts as free and box safeties. But it's Thompson, in particular, who's become a chess piece for Joseph. He's played 137 snaps as a free safety, 70 in the box, 30 as a slot corner, and nine as a wide corner, per PFF. Arizona selected Thompson in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Supplemental Draft. He missed most of last season with an ankle injury.The Cardinals' D has benefited from some luck by recovering five fumbles, tied for the league-high. Stafford also misfired a handful of open throws last week, and Rams head coach Sean McVay did Arizona some favors by settling for field goals when the math suggested it might have been better to go for it. Murray and Arizona's offense capitalized by boat-racing L.A. with four touchdowns and three field goals on its first nine possessions. That's something good teams do.Arizona's defense has a bit of a bend-but-don't-break quality to it. Opposing offenses have a success rate - defined by Ben Baldwin's database as plays with a positive expected points added value - of 51.5%, which is the fourth-highest in the league. And the dropback success rate for the Cardinals' defense is 53.3%, which ranks 25th. Despite that, the defense overall has an EPA per play of minus-0.078, which is fifth-best.Things can still go sideways. The schedule will get tougher, with games against the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, and Dallas Cowboys. Arizona also still has to go through the gauntlet of five remaining matchups versus the rest of the NFC West, the NFL's best division. On Sunday, the Cardinals will take on Trey Lance in his first career start.Arizona stumbled to an 8-8 finish last year after getting off to a 6-3 start, with Kliff Kingsbury's inability to scheme around Murray's shoulder injury and the ailment itself largely to blame. Nearly a quarter of the way into 2021, the team's defense is holding up its end of the bargain.Dom Cosentino is a senior features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks are bracing to lose quarterback Russell Wilson for 4-to-8 weeks due to a ruptured tendon in the middle finger of his throwing hand, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Wilson underwent surgery Friday for the injury sustained in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced. The procedure was more complicated than expected, resulting in surgeons stabilizing the quarterback's finger with screws, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Seahawks said "it is highly anticipated" that Wilson will return this season. The club added the quarterback suffered a "comminuted fracture-dislocation" in addition to the ruptured tendon.

We had our second straight big Sunday, compiling a 7-3 record in Week 4. It's almost like getting more data to know how teams will use their assets is helpful when betting player props! For Week 5, we have to go all the way to London to start our search for value.Cordarrelle Patterson over 41.5 receiving yardsI know you're wondering where our old reliable Kyle Pitts is here. He's lined for over 50 yards for the first time this season at 60.5 because both Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage are out for the trip over the Atlantic.On the surface, backing Patterson seems square since his three touchdowns last week came on relatively few snaps. However, with those players out, you'd think Patterson's snap numbers should go up. While the touchdowns might not be there this week, his usage could rise.Derrick Henry under 107.5 rushing yardsThere's no Urban Meyer joke making it to print, so let's all just snicker to ourselves and move on. Derrick Henry's existence is a better reason for a Titans' win than anything going on with the Jaguars' head coach, especially since it's been such a grind for Jacksonville to stop the league's leading rusher.You'd expect Henry to run over the Jaguars based on their historical meetings, but more relevant for our purposes is that Jacksonville has only allowed 3.5 yards per rush this year. This may invite the Titans to throw a little more, especially if they get at least one of their star receivers back.Jameis Winston over 198.5 passing yardsOK, we've bided our time and played Winston under, but now's the time to zag. Dropping this number under 200 yards has gone too far. In a game against a very beatable secondary in Washington, any quarterback lined at this low a number should be able to crack the double-century mark.Tyler Boyd over 56.5 receiving yardsJoe Burrow should feast with Jaire Alexander out, but I'll take the guy in the slot to exploit the Packers' lack of depth in the secondary. This one should be a back-and-forth affair from a game-script standpoint. So on sheer volume, Boyd could be one of many Bengals weapons to hit their over.Dalvin Cook under 67.5 rushing yardsThe Vikings offense should have a field day through the air against the Lions, who have lost their top pass-rusher in Romeo Okwara and already have trouble hiding a bad secondary. With Cook's ankle still an issue, the second-half carries could be doled out to Alexander Mattison, saving Cook for next week's tilt in Carolina.Damien Harris over 70.5 rushing yardsHarris gets a breath of fresh air after facing the suffocating Buccaneers defense last week. The Texans give up 4.5 yards per carry, and Harris should get plenty of opportunity to salt away a lead late for the Patriots.Derek Carr under 279.5 passing yardsDerek Carr thrives on taking advantage of the blitz for shots downfield. The Bears don't blitz very often, ranking fourth last in the NFL. Carr will eventually take his chances with Henry Ruggs down the field, but he might need two of those to connect to get near 300 yards.Daniel Jones under 272.5 passing yardsI love Daniel Jones for delivering last week's outright upset win, but this number is too high. The Giants may have to throw a ton to keep up with the Cowboys' high-scoring offense, but New York could have some rare success running the ball, while its defense should force Dallas into long drives. There simply won't be an opportunity for Jones to flirt with 300 yards.Kareem Hunt over 45.5 rushing yardsBrandon Staley usually welcomes the run game from his opponent, but the Browns will be happy to oblige in this case. Nick Chubb's number is 83.5, and that's a little too healthy for me. Instead, I'll take Hunt to break a few decent runs, especially in the second half.Deebo Samuel over 3.5 rushing yardsThis one's a little cute. Trey Lance is getting the call Sunday, which means more run than pass plays for the 49ers. Those rushing plays should consist of various misdirections and include players like Samuel via end-arounds or reverses. This might come down to whether the quarterback exchange happens in the form of a tap pass forward or a lateral flip, but we'll see if Samuel can get some yards off a pitch against the Cardinals.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We hit a snag in Week 4 with an 0-3 record after, yes, another mid-game QB injury tanked our chances in one of our three bets. We'll try to right the ship with this week's slate, headlined by a pair of juicy total plays:Broncos (-1, 39.5) @ Steelers, 1 p.m. ETSince 2019, games with a total of 40 or less have gone 19-8-1 (70.4%) to the under. This one profiles as another clear under spot with two shaky offenses facing strong defenses Sunday.Start with the Broncos, who are still uncertain whether starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) will be ready this week. If he starts, he'll do so having seen limited practice reps until Friday. If he doesn't, Denver will be forced to turn to Drew Lock, whose teams have scored 20 or fewer points in six of his last eight starts.Given how poorly Ben Roethlisberger is playing in his 18th season, the Steelers will be hard-pressed to match that. The 39-year-old has the third-lowest QBR (36.6) among qualified passers, and Pittsburgh's offense has averaged the fifth-lowest points per drive (1.5) as a result.Pick: Under 39.5Patriots (-8.5, 39.5) @ Texans, 1 p.m.These low totals are so nice that we had to play them twice. How could you not, given how incompetent this Texans offense looks with Davis Mills at the helm?The rookie posted one of the worst lines you'll ever see a week ago, completing 11 of 21 passes for 87 yards, four interceptions, and a ghastly 0.8 QBR - the worst by any passer in the last three seasons. Houston scored a combined 16 points in his 10 quarters of play and likely won't do much better against a Patriots defense that stifled the Buccaneers a week ago.Mac Jones has been much better in his rookie season, but he led his team to just six touchdown drives across four weeks. New England simply doesn't have the weapons to post the gaudy scoring totals this game will need to hit the over - at least not with Mills' Texans on the other side.Pick: Under 39.5Bears @ Raiders (-5.5, 44.5), 4:05 p.m.A week ago, I swore off betting the Bears until I saw something substantial from Justin Fields in a starting role. Then he lit up the Lions' defense in his second career start before oddsmakers priced Chicago as a sizable road underdog this week and ... well, here we are.Yes, it was against a Detroit defense that has struggled mightily, but there were some real takeaways to glean from last week's win. It's no coincidence the rookie had his best game of the year in the first called by offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, who employed more six- and seven-man protections to buy Fields time to show off his arm talent downfield.The Bears also relied heavily on the run game, which is a successful formula against a Raiders defense allowing 132.3 yards per game on a whopping 4.9 yards per carry, fourth-worst in the NFL. Las Vegas' offense has talent but is saddled with the same protection issues as Chicago's but with a worse defense to support it. Don't buy into the mismatch that this line suggests.Pick: Bears +5.5C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is reviewing possible discipline for Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden after discovering a 2011 email in which he used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association director DeMaurice Smith, according to the Wall Street Journal's Andrew Beaton."Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of Michelin tires," Gruden wrote.Gruden was a broadcaster for Monday Night Football at the time and sent the message during the lockout. The league came across it while going through over 650,000 emails as part of an investigation that traces back to the Washington Football Team workplace culture probe from the summer."The email from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent, and wholly contrary to the NFL's values," the NFL said. "We condemn the statement and regret any harm that its publication may inflict on Mr. Smith or anyone else."When reached for comment, Gruden said he didn't remember the email specifically but said "I'm really sorry" for the words he evidently chose. He added that he previously used the term "rubber lips" to describe people he believed to be lying but went "too far" when discussing Smith, who is Black."I was upset," Gruden said. "I used a horrible way of explaining it. I don't think he's dumb. I don't think he's a liar. I don't have a racial bone in my body, and I've proven that for 58 years."Smith condemned the email through a statement:

The Green Bay Packers hope star cornerback Jaire Alexander can avoid surgery on his sprained shoulder."We got better clarity with that," head coach Matt LaFleur said Friday, according to Mike Spofford of Packers.com. "We're going to let it heal and see where it's at down the line before making that determination."Alexander injured his shoulder on a fourth-down stop in the second half of the Packers' win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4. The 24-year-old has only missed four games in his career and just one over the last two years."We're hopeful it'll heal the right way and he'll be back with us in a matter of weeks," LaFleur added.Alexander has three pass breakups and an interception in 2021. He enjoyed a breakout 2020 campaign, as he surrendered a mere 337 yards en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' depleted defense will receive a boost Sunday.Pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul and cornerback Jamel Dean will play versus the Miami Dolphins, head coach Bruce Arians said Friday.Both Dean and Pierre-Paul attended practice all week in a limited capacity. Arians said Dean is back up to full speed after battling a knee injury.Pierre-Paul missed the past two weeks as he battled shoulder and hand injuries. He was seen with a club on his right hand during this week's practices.Dean suffered the knee injury in Week 3 and missed the Bucs' win over the New England Patriots last Sunday. Arians said he could start versus Miami, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.Dean's absence, and an injury to fellow corner Sean Murphy-Bunting, necessitated the signing of veteran Richard Sherman prior to last week's matchup with the Patriots. Tampa Bay was down to Sherman and rotation players Ross Cockrell, Dee Delaney, and Pierre Desir at the position after Carlton Davis also suffered an ailment against New England.Three other notable Buccaneers will miss Sunday's game due to injuries. Tight end Rob Gronkowski (ribs), safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (concussion), and defensive lineman Patrick O'Connor (calf) have all been ruled out.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Friday he expects wide receiver A.J. Brown to play Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.However, Vrabel said Julio Jones will miss his second straight game.The Titans' star receivers both missed last week's contest against the New York Jets due to a hamstring injury.Jones currently leads the Titans in receiving yards with 204 after being acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in an offseason trade. Brown has struggled to replicate his teammate's production, catching just seven passes for 92 yards across three games.Without Jones, Chester Rogers is expected to help complement Brown in the Titans' passing attack. Rogers recorded 63 yards on five catches last week.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.