Pro Bowl safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix believes he'll be playing elsewhere in 2019 following the expiration of his contract with the Green Bay Packers."Right now, I'm playing each and every game like it's my last. I don't think I'm going to be here next year," Clinton-Dix told the Wisconsin State Journal's Jason Wilde on Monday while reflecting on Green Bay's up-and-down season thus far."That's how I look at it. I just (have to) be honest with myself. You've got to play it game-by-game. Whether we're losing by 60 points, you've got to go out there and perform. This is my biggest interview of my career. So I’ve got to perform, regardless of what the record says."While the Packers' offense has consistently delivered 20-something points each week, the defense has been inconsistent. The unit blanked the Buffalo Bills two weeks ago, but has given up 31 points twice and 29 points another time.Clinton-Dix, a Pro Bowler in 2016, has 20 tackles, three interceptions, and a sack through five contests, though he's also had his share of blunders. The 25-year-old was a first-round draft pick of the Packers in 2014.Green Bay is 2-2-1 heading into Week 6, where they'll host the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is fully embracing the TB12 Method.Gronkowski adopted Brady's notoriously strict diet and workout regimen after he started training with the quarterback's body coach and business partner, Alex Guerrero, at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center in May 2017. Brady eats a primarily plant-based diet but avoids nightshades such as tomatoes and peppers, and doesn't consume caffeine."I'm not super, super crazy, but I'm pretty crazy about (his diet)," Gronkowski said in an interview with Business Insider's Scott Davis. "I like to go with mostly plant-based diet. I'd say about 75 percent and then the other 25 percent, just keeping it clean but eating whatever. Always making sure I get my fruits and veggies in every day."Gronkowski told Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald last summer that he hadn't reached Brady's "level" of loving avocado ice cream. That's no longer the case."I've definitely taken advantage of those opportunities and had plenty of crazy meals I never thought I'd have, never thought I would enjoy," he said. "For example, his avocado ice cream. It's delicious."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Let's start with the stat to end all stats: 1,859-1,860-111.That's the against the spread record of all NFL favorites over the last 15 NFL regular seasons, as mentioned by David Payne Purdum of ESPN. Be more spot-on, you can't. And for good measure, 1,890 games have gone over the total, 1,886 have gone under, and 64 landed on the number.No, Vegas doesn't know - but the oddsmakers do, and it's a testament to how difficult it is to find an edge when capping NFL games. There's a reason we constantly model, crunch numbers, weigh the market, and dig for any advantage we can to net wins.This season, there's one edge in particular that's been profitable, and it's one that squares and sharps alike have noticed: Home underdogs have been on a fantastic run to start 2018, going 16-6 (72.7 percent) against the spread through the first five weeks of the season. The trend started gaining traction in Week 5 when all four home 'dogs covered while three won straight up.I know what you're thinking. But please, pump the brakes. For a couple of reasons, it's far from ideal to start blindly submitting tickets on home teams catching points.For starters, this is a painfully small sample size. We've gone in depth on trends and how they take out the predictive aspect, telling us what has happened rather than what will and completely ignoring both the present numbers and the market.Given how much steam the trend has picked up, bettors are bound to react, or even overreact. There was a good point brought up in gambling circles last week that the market was already showing signs of overreacting this season, in that more common, square bettors are shifting to becoming more contrarian bettors - fading the public - without any real reason to do so. Betting on the home underdog just to bet on them might actually start opening up edges on the road team when all the value has been wrung dry on the home side heading forward.Given the balance of the league, most road favorites will likely toe the line of key numbers in the 3-4 range, where the smallest of line movement can swing the value of a play. We've witnessed how the market has shaped numbers and how it's affected getting the best number, with a couple of different scenarios already this season.For example, on Monday Night Football in Week 4, the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs opened up as four-point road favorites over the Denver Broncos. The line bumped all the way up to -5 before money came in on Denver, pushing the closing number down to -3.5. If you didn't think to get even a half-point wasn't crucial in the NFL, ask those who took the Broncos at 3.5 as Kansas City went on to win by four.Case in point: Don't be surprised to see home underdogs become a trendy pick, prompting drastic line movement and adding value to the road team.Lastly, take another look at the stat at the top. You can bet that favorites - or underdogs - have gone on some crazy streaks in the past over similar, smaller sample sizes. The oddsmakers are so precise that the 16-6 clip is likely to revert back to the mean sooner than later.And if you have any doubts, here's some food for thought: According to TeamRankings.com, home underdogs went 47-47-4 last season, 211-211-12 the last five, and 413-434-25 the last 25.Again, absolutely dead on.Edges in this market don't last long. And if you're looking to hop on the home 'dog bandwagon, you had better jump right back off.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady has seen it all in his 18 seasons in the NFL, including the recent shift in the style of play."I think now, in some ways, pro football is more glorified college football," Brady said Monday on WEEI radio. "Maybe the transition is a more similar game than what it used to be when I first started."The New England Patriots are preparing to take on the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, a team led by head coach Andy Reid, who's known for featuring college concepts in his playcalling."I think football now, removing some of the physical elements of the game, it's more of a space game, you see a lot of college plays more in the pro game now than what I remember when I started," Brady said. "That's kind of how things have went over the last bunch of years."The league has seen a surge in offensive production this season. Through Week 5, there have been 272 scoring strikes in 77 games, 25 more than any season since the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002. The figure is up by 39 over last season, according to ESPN.The betting total for Sunday night's game is 59.5, the highest total of the season.- With h/t to Yahoo! SportsCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As much as the Philadelphia Eagles continue to hail their in-house options at running back since losing Jay Ajayi to a season-ending injury, trade rumors keep swirling.Josh Reed of WIVB reported on Tuesday that the Eagles have reached out to the Buffalo Bills about a possible reunion with LeSean McCoy. Shady spent the first six years of his career in Philly before being shipped to Buffalo in 2015.The report has yet to be confirmed by either team, but it hasn't been denied by any party either."I'm not getting into that," Bills head coach Sean McDermott's said, according to WKBW's Joe Buscaglia.Eagles head coach Doug Pederson didn't rule out a deal, either."I'm sure that is a possibility," he said, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "(Vice president of football operations Howie Roseman) is going to continue to look and see what's out there, see what's available and see if there is somebody we need to bring in."However, Pederson maintained that the club is confident in the abilities of current Eagles rushers Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, and Darren Sproles.McCoy brushed off the trade rumors when he was asked about them on Wednesday.

The Indianapolis Colts placed offensive lineman Matt Slauson on injured reserve Monday after he reportedly broke two vertebrae in his spine, according to Zak Keefer of the Indy Star. Slauson sustained the injury in the third quarter of the Colts Week 5 matchup with the New England Patriots.It wasn't until after the game that Slauson found out he could have been paralyzed with one more hit, Keefer added."I had no idea how close I was to changing my family's life," Slauson said.The 32-year-old is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season after signing a one-year, $2.5-million contract last offseason. The Colts have asked him to stay around the team and attend practices for the rest of the season."I can't imagine playing anywhere else," Slauson said, according to KeeferCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner has earned the support of his quarterback during his time filling in for Le'Veon Bell to open the season."I think James has done some amazing things and deserves to be on the field," Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. "We also know what Le'Veon is and what he brings to the table. I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when it happens."Conner, a sophomore, has rushed for 342 yards and five touchdowns on 84 carries over five games. He's added 239 yards as a receiver while catching 22 of 28 targets.Meanwhile, Bell remains away from the team as he refuses to sign a franchise tag initially valued at more than $14.5 million. Bell has been fined for every game he's missed as a result of not signing the tag, bringing the current value down to $10.3 million for the remainder of the 2018 season. The two-time All-Pro reportedly plans to return to the Steelers during their Week 7 bye.Roethlisberger was sure not to take anything away from what Bell's potential return would mean for a Steelers team with Super Bowl aspirations, but he believes Conner has done enough to retain some work in the Steelers' offense."If you look at the overall picture of what we've asked him to do every week, I think it's been going up every week," Roethlisberger said. "I think that's what gets lost in what a running back (does) and what he's been doing - pass blocking, picking up the blitz, catching out of the backfield. I don't want to jinx anything, but he's catching almost everything I'm throwing to him, and he's in the right spot all the time quickly."Conner had a season-high 75 receiving yards against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5, hauling in all four of Roethlisberger's intended passes. His 21 carries were his most since the Week 1 tie against the Cleveland Browns.Roethlisberger ranks second on the team with 12 carries this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some Dallas Cowboys fans would like to see the team to bring back a familiar face after falling to 2-3 on the season.A petition created Monday on Change.org calls on Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, head coach Jason Garrett, and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to bring Tony Romo out of retirement. It has received more than 600 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon."The problem that I am looking to solve is the Dallas offense. Let's get Tony Romo back on the Cowboys roster so that we can open up the playbook again," the petition reads.Romo, now an analyst for CBS, was asked about a hypothetical return to the NFL during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan's "Ben & Skin" show last month, and said he's healthy enough to play today.

Drew Brees bouncing back and helping the New Orleans Saints cover with ease? Check.The Denver Broncos struggling with an early kickoff on the East Coast? Check check.Those were just a couple angles we dug into last weekend. In fact, tailing all four angles in last week's cheat sheet would have resulted in wins. It won't be like that every week in a market that's tough to find an edge in, but use as many tools as you can to cap games in the NFL.Here are some angles and factors to keep an eye on for Week 6:Watch the weatherHave you ever bet an over on a total so generously low that you were genuinely curious if you just fleeced the oddsmakers, only to turn on the game and see puddles of rain? Wind, cold temperatures, and even snow will start coming into play as the season rolls on. Week 6 features a handful of matchups to monitor.Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns (+1); O/U 44.5The forecast is projecting winds between 12-15 mph in Cleveland around the time the ball's kicked off the tee. Betting the under in games with more than 10 mph of wind has been slightly profitable in the past and it makes sense given the increased difficulty of completing passes downfield and kicking field goals. The edge here would likely lean to the home team in Cleveland, which ranks No. 2 in the NFL with 144.6 rushing yards per game this season. The total opened up at 46 and dropped to 44.5 in most shops.Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5); O/U 53Staying in Ohio, there isn't expected to be much wind in Cincinnati, though rain could throw a wrench in the plans of the Steelers-Bengals matchup on Sunday. Cincy is projected to see a 40 percent chance of showers in the morning, then another 40 percent chance right around the time of kickoff.Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (+3); O/U 43.5It might be sopping wet conditions in East Rutherford when the Eagles meet the Giants for a Thursday Night Football contest. Weather reports are calling for steady thunderstorms throughout the day and a 40 percent chance of showers by game time.Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos (+7); O/U 52.5A snow game in early October? It could happen. There's a 50 percent chance precipitation will move through Denver in the hours leading up to kickoff. It's just a matter of whether the temperature gets below 32 degrees Fahrenheit to turn rain into snow.Compare current lines with Vegas' preseason lookahead linesHere are some of the biggest discrepancies between the 2018 lookahead lines made over the summer and the current odds for Week 6:Atlanta Falcons (vs. Tampa Bay)Lookahead line: Atlanta -7Current line: Atlanta -3.5__________Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Pittsburgh)Lookahead line: Cincinnati +4Current line: Cincinnati -2.5__________Oakland Raiders (vs. Seattle)Lookahead line: Oakland -1.5Current line: Oakland +3__________Miami Dolphins (vs. Chicago)Lookahead line: Miami -1.5Current line: Miami +3__________Los Angeles Rams (at Denver)Lookahead line: Los Angeles -2.5Current line: Los Angeles -7Fade the Giants in the first halfStreeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport / GettyMaybe not all the time, but Thursday against the Eagles does call for a profitable angle to fade the G-Men. Over the last two seasons, New York is 0-8 against the first-half spread when the Giants range from three-point favorites to three-point 'dogs. New York, for whatever reason, has been woeful offensively in this spot, too, averaging fewer than six points in the first half over the recent, small sample. Toss in some wet conditions and it might be an ugly game for the Giants, who are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 5.Play on Andrew Luck/Colts as a road underdogThe Colts with Andrew Luck under center are 9-3 against the spread as a road underdog over the last 12 games and are currently on a 6-1 run, which was snapped last Thursday against the New England Patriots. Indianapolis is also covering the spread more than 66 percent of the time after a straight-up loss over its last 50-plus games. The Colts get some extra rest before they travel to take on the New York Jets, who are coming off a rout of the Broncos but have yet to string together back-to-back consistent performances this season under quarterback Sam Darnold.Is it the perfect time to buy low on the Patriots?It feels like an annual occurrence: The Patriots lose a game or two early in the season, only to click it into high gear through the rest of the schedule. Now's about the time when head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady turn it up. Over the past three seasons from Weeks 5-9, the Patriots are 8-1 against the spread and 17-6 against the spread at home.New England dropped consecutive games before steamrolling both the Miami Dolphins and Colts, outscoring those two 76-24 and covering the two games with relative ease. Monday will set up a revenge game for the Patriots, who were embarrassed at home by the Chiefs in last year's opener, 42-27.Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Inked Flash, Colin Kaepernick's company, filed a trademark last Friday for a black-and-white image of the free-agent quarterback's face and hair, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.The intent of the filing is to use the likeness on a variety of products ranging from shampoo to jewelry.The image could also be used in association with "providing classes, workshops, seminars, and camps in the field of self-empowerment and awareness to properly interact with law enforcement" and with "production of television shows and films," Rovell adds.Kaepernick recently partnered with Nike as the face of the 30th anniversary of the company's "Just Do It" ad campaign. Nike CEO Mark Parker said the campaign led to "record engagement."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson deemed running back Corey Clement 100 percent and good to go for Thursday night's game against the New York Giants, according to Mike Kaye of NJ.com.Clement missed the Eagles' Week 4 game against the Tennessee Titans due to a quadriceps injury. He was listed as active against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, but didn't play a single snap.The Eagles signed Clement as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He rushed for 321 yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries as a rookie, adding 10 receptions for 123 yards in the regular season. He soared to fame by catching four of five targets for 100 yards and a touchdown against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.He has 112 rushing yards and a touchdown on 27 carries over three games this season while catching eight of 10 targets for 74 yards.He and Wendell Smallwood are expected to form a committee to replace veteran starter Jay Ajayi, who was placed on injured reserve this week due to a knee injury.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fifth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his early rankings for Week 6.Updated rankings (including PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.You can also find out who the top pickups are in our Week 6 Waiver Wire column.Standard Rankings

Heading into Week 5 of the NFL season, we questioned whether the Eagles' secondary could deal with the Vikings' shifty receiving corps, if the Jaguars could contain the NFL's newest quarterback sensation, and how Alvin Kamara would fare in space against the Redskins' stout defense. So, with another weekend behind us, let's review the tape and pick our winners:Vikings' double-moves vs. Eagles' secondaryWinner: VikingsIn our Week 5 preview, we examined the matchup between the Vikings’ receivers and the Eagles’ secondary.And we saw our first example of a key Vikings double-move late in the first half. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty on Michael Bennett, the visitors faced a second-and-2 deep in Eagles' territory. Quarterback Kirk Cousins (No. 8) promptly found Adam Thielen (No. 19) on a well-executed play, as the receiver ran a type of route we predicted the Vikings could hit on:Here, Thielen starts inside on a slant route before breaking back to the corner of the end zone. Cornerback Ronald Darby (No. 21) bites down on the slant, and Cousins drops in a perfect throw that Thielen pulls in - despite Darby being flagged for defensive holding - giving Minnesota a 14-point lead at the break.This was not the only time Thielen got the better of a Vikings defensive back. In the preview piece, we specifically pointed out that cornerback Jalen Mills could be susceptible to double-moves. Well …Here, Thielen uses a quick stutter-and-go move against Mills (No. 31) that beats him deep. The 68-yard gain flips field position and sets up a field goal.Patrick Mahomes vs. Jaguars' defenseWinner: MahomesSunday’s clash between the Chiefs and the visiting Jaguars was billed as a heavyweight contest between the league’s top scoring offense and the league’s best defense. And despite wet, soggy conditions, emerging superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs got the better of the Jags in a 30-14 win.It wasn't Mahomes' best performance, mind you, as he threw his first two interceptions of the season and failed to complete a touchdown pass for the first time all season. But he still racked up 313 passing yards, while both he and Kareem Hunt scored a rushing touchdown as the running game thrived.As for the marquee matchup between Jaguars defensive back Jalen Ramsey and Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, it lived up to expectations. Hill was limited to just four catches for 61 yards, but he got the better of Ramsey on this vertical route:It's also worth noting that Kansas City's defense stepped up in a big way after struggling over the first four weeks. The unit intercepted Blake Bortles four times and didn't give up a touchdown until the second half.The Chiefs’ defense even got on the scoreboard with one of the interceptions, as defensive end Chris Jones (No. 95) alertly stepped in front of a Bortles screen-pass attempt and returned it for a TD:Jones, who usually aligns on the edge, slides inside to a defensive tackle alignment for this play. As Bortles (No. 5) drops to throw, Jones does a fantastic job of reading his eyes and mirroring the running back's path.That impressive defensive performance helped Kansas City remain unbeaten despite Mahomes not being at his very best.Redskins' defense vs. Alvin Kamara in spaceWinner: No ContestDespite Kamara’s hot start to the season, many wondered how the New Orleans Saints’ offense would look with fellow running back Mark Ingram returning from suspension on Monday night. And on an evening that focused on Ingram’s return and quarterback Drew Brees' pursuit of the NFL’s all-time passing yardage mark, Kamara was largely an afterthought.Ingram returned to the lineup and carried the ball 16 times for 53 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Kamara was limited to six carries for 24 yards and just three receptions for 15 yards. Taysom Hill, New Orleans’ third-string quarterback whom Sean Payton uses in a number of roles, saw five carries for 23 yards and a touchdown.On the play when Brees set the all-time passing yards record - a 62-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith (No. 10) - Kamara (No. 41) was used more as a decoy:Here, Kamara runs a swing route to the right, which holds cornerback Josh Norman (No. 24) down near the line of scrimmage. That gives Smith space to get open on his vertical route, and Brees puts the throw on him. The ensuing catch and run established the record for Brees and extended the Saints' lead.We'll call this one a no-contest.Mark Schofield writes NFL feature content for theScore. After nearly a decade of practicing law in the Washington, D.C., area Mark changed careers and started writing about football. Drawing upon more than a decade of playing quarterback, including at the collegiate level, Mark focuses his work on quarterback evaluation and offensive scheme analysis. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children. Find him on Twitter @MarkSchofield.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson suffered a strained shoulder in Monday night's game against the New Orleans Saints, but he's expected to play through the injury, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The veteran will get a second opinion on the injury, Pelissero adds.Peterson said after the loss that he dislocated his shoulder, but he "just popped it back in and braced it up at halftime," according to Matthew Paras of The Washington Times.The 33-year-old finished the game with just four carries for six yards, adding two receptions for an additional 36 yards.The lackluster outing brought his season totals to 242 rushing yards, 136 receiving yards, and three touchdowns through four games.Running backs Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine could take on expanded roles if Peterson were to miss any time.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars bolstered their backfield by signing veteran running back Jamaal Charles.Charles signed a one-year deal Tuesday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Charles ranks 56th on the NFL's all-time rushing yards list. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro spent the 2017 season with the Denver Broncos.Now 31 years old, Charles rushed for 296 yards and one touchdown on 69 carries over 14 games last season. He added 23 receptions for 129 yards.The Jaguars ruled out sophomore running back Leonard Fournette for their Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys due to a hamstring injury. They also placed rusher Corey Grant on injured reserve with a foot injury.Running back Brandon Wilds was released in a move corresponding with Charles' signing, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, making Charles the lone complement to T.J. Yeldon for the time being.Yeldon leads the Jaguars with 258 rushing yards on 59 carries but has just one touchdown. They rank 15th in rushing yards per game this season, after leading the league in 2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dez Bryant and Jerry Jones agree on one thing: the Dallas Cowboys do not operate with a traditional No. 1 receiver.Following the Cowboys' overtime loss to the Texans on Sunday, Jones marveled at the game-changing talents of Houston's DeAndre Hopkins."A true No. 1 (receiver), you saw one the other night. You see (Falcons') Julio Jones, you see players like that. In my mind, every team doesn't have a true No. 1 receiver," the Cowboys owner said Monday, according to Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News."When you put it in that class, those guys that just absolutely change the ball game with where they are. And that hasn't been our case for several years here that we've had a true No. 1, not a true No. 1."Bryant featured for the Cowboys for the past seven years and became the franchise leader in receiving touchdowns. He appeared to initially take umbrage with Jones' comment.

Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone will run down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. FAAB bids are set off a $100 budget. Only players owned in less than 60 percent of leagues are considered.Fantasy Podcast: Week 5 takeaways, early look at waiver wireQuarterbackKim Klement / USA TODAY Sports / ReutersJameis Winston, BuccaneersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat ATL19%$5Winston led this section last week, but it seems many fantasy owners were reluctant to stash him through his bye. That should change heading into Week 6, as Winston will start against a banged-up Falcons defense that can't stop anyone. Atlanta's allowed three touchdowns passes in four straight games and that trend should continue against Tampa Bay. Remember that Winston led all quarterbacks in fantasy points over the final five games of last season.Baker Mayfield, BrownsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. LAC37%$1Mayfield hasn't had a blowup fantasy performance yet, but he improved in his second start, surviving a tough battle with the Ravens' defense en route to a high-end QB2 finish. His opponent will be less menacing in Week 6 when Cleveland heads home to take on the Chargers. Fantasy owners looking for a bye-week replacement should consider Mayfield.Other options: Alex Smith vs. CAR (56 percent owned), Eli Manning vs. PHI (22 percent owned), Joe Flacco at TEN (30 percent owned), Sam Darnold vs. IND (7 percent owned)*Andy Dalton is owned in 66 percent of leagues, but he has the best upcoming schedule of any quarterback with matchups against the Steelers, Chiefs, and Buccaneers over the next three games.Running BackJake Roth / USA TODAY SportsWendell Smallwood/Corey Clement, EaglesNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat NYG7%/24%$39/$39Jay Ajayi was placed on injured reserve Monday, opening up the lead back job in one of the league's best offenses. Clement and Darren Sproles have missed the last couple of games with injuries, which puts Smallwood in the best position to capitalize in a Thursday night matchup with the Giants. Clement should be back from his quad injury soon, but I expect a near even split with Smallwood the rest of the way. Smallwood has excelled on limited touches, especially as a receiver, making him the priority add, if I had to pick between the two.Bottom line, both are capable of seizing the volume advantage in this backfield depending on their performance moving forward, making them worthy of significant bids. The Eagles also become a possible trade destination for Le'Veon Bell, but until we hear credible reports linking the two teams, we can't let that factor into our waiver wire decision making this week.Nyheim Hines, ColtsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat NYJ59%$24Hines barely makes the 60 percent cutoff for this column, but if he's still out there you need to grab him. Overall, the Colts' backfield has been a disappointment in 2018, but Hines has been the team's most effective back and is beginning to emerge as a potential fantasy starter. He's topped 70 yards from scrimmage in each of his last two outings and has at least five receptions in four of five games. Even when Marlon Mack (22 percent owned) returns from his hamstring injury, Hines is the best bet for production.Bilal Powell, JetsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. IND56%$19Powell has out-touched teammate Isaiah Crowell 69-63 this season, but he hasn't produced the big plays or the touchdowns that have powered the latter to a couple monster fantasy days. Still, Powell will remain a big part of this offense moving forward and is a solid flex option.Alfred Morris, 49ersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat GB42%$12With Matt Breida suffering an ankle sprain in Week 5, Morris returns to the fantasy radar as a potential short-term starter. At this point in his career, Morris' best fantasy attribute is volume, which he proved in Week 5 with 91 yards from scrimmage on 21 touches. Kyle Juszczyk (0 percent owned) is also an intriguing PPR play after posting six catches for 75 yards on Sunday along with a 12-yard carry. Both players need to be rostered until we know Breida's recovery timeline.D'Onta Foreman, TexansNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidWeek 720%$8As Lamar Miller dealt with a chest injury in Week 5, Alfred Blue (14 percent owned) stepped up with 20 carries for 46 yards and eight catches for 73 yards - more combined yardage than Miller's amassed in any game this season. Head coach Bill O'Brien said he expects Miller to play in Week 6, but it's fair to question whether this will be more of an even split against the Bills. That's why I'd pass on Blue and look ahead to the return of Foreman, who's eligible to come off the PUP list in Week 7. At this point, he's the only one with a chance to take over this backfield and become a trustworthy fantasy asset.Nick Chubb, BrownsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. LAC42%$8After turning three carries into 105 yards in Week 4, Chubb managed just 2 yards on his three carries on Sunday against Baltimore. That's to be expected though, since he's playing limited snaps behind Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. Chubb remains one of the most enticing stashes in fantasy, with league-winning potential if Hyde misses time.Ronald Jones III, BuccaneersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat ATL26%$6The Buccaneers' rushing attack was awful in the first month, averaging just 69.5 yards per game, third worst in the league. Prior to their bye, it was Jones, not Peyton Barber, who led the team in carries during his first game action. Hopefully, the team used its week off to work on improving the ground game and to find ways for the second-round pick to contribute. It's worth stashing Jones until we find out.Mike Davis, SeahawksNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat OAK19%$5Even with Chris Carson back as the clear starter, Davis saw 14 touches against the Rams, turning them into 75 yards and a score. Rookie Rashaad Penny was an afterthought in the Seahawks' backfield, meaning Davis should operate as the No. 2 rusher moving forward. He'd be a strong handcuff if Carson goes down again, but also carries some weekly potential as a flex option.Other options: Chris Ivory at HOU (12 percent owned), Kapri Bibbs/Samaje Perine vs. CAR (0 percent/1 percent owned), Frank Gore vs. CHI (10 percent owned), C.J. Anderson at WAS (24 percent owned), Jalen Richard vs. SEA (5 percent owned), Wayne Gallman vs. PHI (1 percent owned)Wide ReceiversAl Bello / Getty Images Sport / GettyRobby Anderson, JetsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. IND35%$27Welcome back to relevance! After finishing 2017 as a top-20 fantasy receiver, Anderson had a quiet start to this season, failing to crack 30 receiving yards for three straight games. That changed in Week 5 with 123 yards on three grabs, including a pair of touchdowns. While Anderson's usage wasn't much different, this was hopefully a sign that he's getting on the same page with rookie quarterback Sam Darnold. We know Anderson offers WR2 upside in fantasy, and he has the best chance of any receiver on this week's waiver wire list to become a rest-of-season difference-maker.Chris Godwin, BuccaneersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat ATL38%$22Consider this your weekly reminder that Godwin should be owned in all leagues. Before a letdown in Week 4, he posted stat lines of 3-41-1, 4-56-1, and 5-74-1 through the first three games. His emergence late last season was also a big reason why Winston dominated down the stretch, and the duo will be reunited in a likely shootout with the Falcons on Sunday. Please don't make me put his name in this column next week.Keke Coutee, TexansNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. BUF34%$19Coutee has played 94 percent of Houston's offensive snaps over the last two weeks, and followed up his 11-catch, 109-yard debut with six receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown in Week 5. With Deshaun Watson throwing for more than 300 yards in four consecutive contests, and with Houston's tight ends providing minimal production, it's possible this team can support three quality fantasy receivers.Christian Kirk, CardinalsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat MIN9%$14Unlike Coutee, Kirk still isn't seeing a heavy number of snaps, but he is beginning to deliver. Over the last three weeks, Kirk has topped 85 yards twice, including a 75-yard touchdown on Sunday. The rookie has chemistry with Josh Rosen and if Larry Fitzgerald continues his pattern of fading as the season moves along, Kirk could be a big fantasy factor in the second half.Taylor Gabriel, BearsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat MIA18%$14Gabriel is another player coming off a bye, so you may forget that he had a career-high 104 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Week 4. You can't count on that type of outings every week, but Mitch Trubisky is growing more comfortable in this Bears offense, which will raise the ceiling for all the offensive weapons. Gabriel can be started as a flex in Week 6.Marquez Valdes-Scantling, PackersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. SF9%$7Valdes-Scantling started across from Davante Adams in Week 5, posting 68 yards and a score. He nearly found the end zone a second time, but it was overturned because his arm was down at the 1-yard line. If we knew for certain that Randall Cobb or Geronimo Allison would remain out for Week 6, MVS would vault up this list. But as it stands, there's a good chance one or both receivers will be back in the lineup for a mouthwatering matchup with the 49ers. So keep an eye on the news around Cobb and Allison to judge how much you should bid on the rookie.D.J. Moore, PanthersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat WAS19%$5Moore had four catches for 49 yards and one rush for 18 yards in the Panthers' first game after their bye. It's a great sign after the coaching staff had expressed a desire to get the first-round pick more involved. Stash him away for the time being and wait for a possible second-half breakout.Josh Reynolds, RamsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat NE4%$5Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp are dealing with concussions, so Reynolds will be a hot name on the waiver wire. The second-year wideout has shown a nose for the end zone at every level. He had 12-plus TDs in two of his three seasons at Texas A&M, and he scored once as a rookie with the Rams despite catching just 11 passes on very limited snaps. Reynolds had two receptions for 39 yards and added a rush for 10 yards after coming in as a replacement on Sunday. It's impossible to predict if Cooks or Kupp will be available for Week 6, but until we find out, Reynolds needs to be owned.Other options: Tre'Quan Smith/Cameron Meredith on bye (2 percent/11 percent owned), Courtland Sutton vs. LAR (6 percent owned), Mohamed Sanu vs. TB (32 percent owned), Antonio Callaway vs. LAC (27 percent owned), Martavis Bryant vs. SEA (4 percent owned)Tight EndsKim Klement / USA TODAY SportsCameron Brate, BuccaneersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat ATL30%$4O.J. Howard will remain sidelined for another week or two, which will allow Brate to step back into the starting role. Brate was a favorite target of Winston's last season, especially around the goal line. In a year when tight end is as thin as ever, Brate's touchdown upside makes him a low-end TE1 in fantasy for as long as Howard's out.Austin Hooper, FalconsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. TB57%$3Despite playing in one of the league's best offenses, Hooper was struggling to establish himself as a consistent fantasy threat over the first month. That changed in Week 5 when took on a Steelers defense that was allowing the second-most fantasy points to tight ends. Hooper saw a whopping 12 targets, catching nine of them for 77 yards. He'll get another great matchup on Sunday against the Buccaneers, who are giving up the most points to the position this season. That makes Hooper an excellent streamer once again.Hayden Hurst, RavensNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat TEN8%$2Hurst got the start in Week 5, but was limited in his first action since his preseason foot injury. He caught one of two targets, though you can expect those numbers to increase significantly as he gets back to full health. The time to grab Hurst is now, before the Ravens begin deploying the first-round pick as a full-time weapon.Other options: Jack Doyle at NYJ (33 percent owned), C.J. Uzomah vs. PIT (26 percent owned), Nick Vannett at OAK (3 percent owned), Geoff Swaim vs. JAX (9 percent owned), Niles Paul at DAL (0 percent owned)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was another fruitful week filled with sacks, stuffs, quarterback hits, and reverse pancakes for those of us addicted to defensive-line play.There were a ton of impressive performances to choose from, but a few stood out from the crowd. Here's a look at the standout defensive linemen from Week 5 in the NFL.Defensive Lineman of the Week: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh SteelersWhile this distinction would have gone to Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins or Arizona Cardinals defensive end Chandler Jones almost any other week, it was impossible to not give Steelers OLB Watt the honor.Finishing with three sacks, five tackles, and seven stops, per Pro Football Focus, Watt was an absolute terror against the Atlanta Falcons. The second-year pro generated a ton of pressure while providing great run defense as well.Whether it was against the run or pass, the Falcons had no answer for Watt's speed off the edge, as the former first-round pick used his upfield burst and impressive flexibility to routinely win off the edge. This play is a great illustration of Watt using his speed against the run:Here, Watt is lined up on the outside edge of Falcons right tackle Ryan Schraeder. Once the ball is snapped, Watt explodes upfield out of stance, forcing Schraeder to adjust his block on the zone concept. The adjustment didn't matter, as Watt executed a perfectly-timed dip to reduce his blockable surface area and avoid Schraeder's block. This allows Watt to get into the backfield and make the tackle for loss before the play really gets started.When Watt was forced to rush the passer, the Falcons still had issues with his speed off the edge:On this play, Watt is once again aligned on Schraeder's outside edge. Even though Watt false steps out of his stance, he is able to stress Schraeder's set by attacking from a wide angle, which forces the tackle to turn his shoulder perpendicular to the line of scrimmage prematurely.From there, Watt uses a crafty head fake to give himself the necessary space to utilize his dip-and-rip move. Because of the timing of the move, Schraeder is unable to latch onto Watt's pads and prevent him from flattening to the quarterback for the sack. This results in a sack and forced fumble, and L.J. Fort recovers the loose ball in the end zone.For the Steelers' defense to be effective, it needs to be able to generate pressure on opposing passers. The team lacks the talent and scheme to hold up in coverage without an effective pass rush up front. It's not a coincidence that Pittsburgh held one of the most potent offenses in football to just 17 points in a game during which the pass rush finally held up its end of the bargain.If Watt can continue to play at this kind of level, the Steelers' defense will look a whole lot better moving forward.Pass Rush of the Week: Geno Atkins, Cincinnati BengalsTo anyone who has been paying attention, Atkins has been one of the best defenders in football through five weeks. He has routinely battered and bludgeoned opposing offensive lines with his well-placed and timed hands, raw strength, and underrated footwork.His fourth-quarter sack against the Miami Dolphins was a great example of how he's been so effective and productive this season:Here, Atkins is aligned on the outside edge of Dolphins left guard Ted Larsen. After the ball is snapped, Atkins feints an outside rush with his feet while looking to latch with his hands. But after his second step, he starts to cross Larsen's face while latching onto his inside shoulder with his left hand.Atkins uses a perfectly-executed arm-over move to beat Larsen inside and does an excellent job maintaining his balance and getting his hips turned toward the quarterback, which allows him to pursue and sack Ryan Tannehill.Atkins has been dominant thus far this season, and there may not be an offensive lineman in the NFL who can stop him consistently.Run Defender of the Week: Jurrell Casey, Tennessee TitansThis might as well be renamed the "Jurrell Casey Award," as the Titans defender was once again a monster against the run this week, finishing with six total tackles and five stops, per Pro Football Focus.The Titans lost to the lowly Buffalo Bills thanks to a poor outing from the offense, but Casey played one of his best games in recent memory. While his strength and ability to eat double teams is usually what allows him to be effective, his quickness put him in position to make a few plays against Buffalo. Here's an example:On this play, Casey is aligned to the left guard's outside shade. After the ball is snapped, Casey reads his "pressure key" and quickly identifies the combination block between the left tackle and left guard coming his way.After stepping down as if he is going to engage the double team, Casey quickly expands to the outside while employing a violent club-rip technique - tossing the tackle to the ground - to take advantage of his opponent's momentum moving inside. This frees Casey to pursue and tackle the running back behind the line of scrimmage.A man that size isn't supposed to be able to react and move that quickly, yet Casey makes it look easy here. When you combine his surprising athleticism with his inhuman strength, you get one of the best run defenders in football.In the Spotlight: Brandon Graham, Philadelphia EaglesDespite finishing near the top in total pressures throughout the last handful of seasons, Eagles defensive end Graham is still somehow mostly underrated.This week, Graham put together a memorable performance in a losing effort against the Minnesota Vikings, finishing with seven total pressures, two quarterback hits, two tackles, and a sack, per Pro Football Focus.Playing alongside perhaps the best defensive line in football, Graham is the most talented and effective of the bunch outside of Fletcher Cox, who is a top-three interior defensive lineman in the NFL. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 252 lbs, Graham isn't the biggest edge defender, but he uses his natural leverage advantage to be effective against the run while his blazing speed does the trick against the pass.Graham's sack was a great example of his speed and violent hands when rushing the passer:Here, Graham is aligned with an outside shade over the tight end. Once the ball is snapped, he attacks vertically while getting his hips slightly turned toward the quarterback. This exposes his chest to Minnesota right tackle Rashod Hill - but it's a trap!Once the right tackle looks to make contact, Graham employs a quick and effective two-hand swipe to defeat Hill's hands and shorten the edge. From there, Graham's hip, knee, and ankle flexibility allow him to wrap around the corner with minimal steps and flatten to the quarterback for the sack.He's yet to have a double-digit sack season in his career, but Graham is truly one of the best edge defenders in the NFL, as he routinely generates pressure on the quarterback while providing solid run defense.It's time for the 30-year-old to get the recognition he truly deserves.John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants waived tackle Ereck Flowers on Tuesday, the team announced.New York had been pursuing a trade of its 2015 first-round draft pick, but it appears none were available.The offensive tackle's struggles have been hard to ignore, as he's accounted for 28 penalties and 18 sacks allowed in his three-plus seasons.Flowers was benched after another poor performance in Week 2 and was reduced to blocking only on field goals and extra points the last three games.The Giants selected Flowers ninth overall in 2015, one pick before the Los Angeles Rams drafted running back Todd Gurley.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for a double dose of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in prime time.The NFL is moving the Chiefs-Cincinnati Bengals contest from the 1 p.m. ET time slot in Week 7 to the Sunday Night Football spotlight, the Bengals announced.As a result, Kansas City will play in the Sunday nightcap for two consecutive weeks, beginning in Week 6 with a road game against the New England Patriots.The Chiefs and Bengals currently own the two best records in the AFC. Kansas City is one of two remaining undefeated teams in the league and Cincinnati is 4-1 on the strength of the second-highest scoring offense in the conference.The matchup will replace the NFC West battle between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, which has lost some luster with the season-ending injury to Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. That game will move to 4:25 p.m. ET.The Bengals will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

George Taliaferro, the first African-American player to be drafted into the NFL in 1949, died Monday night at age 91, according to the George Taliaferro Sport Association.Taliaferro was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the 13th round of the 1949 draft after being a three-time All-American at Indiana, but he never played for the Bears. He instead played the 1949 season with the Los Angeles Dons of the All-American Football Conference.He debuted in the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC folded. He played six seasons with the New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles, and was named to the Pro Bowl for three consecutive seasons from 1951-1953.Born Jan. 8, 1927 in Gates, Tenn., Taliaferro played quarterback, running back, wide receiver, punter, kick returner, punt returner, and defensive back in the NFL - an achievement he was quite proud of."I'm the one person in the history of the NFL to play seven positions," Taliaferro told The Undefeated last year. "When I went on the field, the game was over when I came off."Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay shared his condolences Tuesday, calling Taliaferro "a trailblazer."

It seems New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas and Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman each had a little fire left to burn following the Saints' 43-19 win Monday night.Norman had a forgettable game on the defensive side of the ball. He shared the blame for Drew Brees' record-breaking 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Tre'Quan Smith, and he didn't play 100 percent of the defensive snaps for the first time all season after being temporarily benched to start the second half.Thomas took to Twitter after the game to take credit for Gruden's decision.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors, including Mike Alessandrini, Jack Browne, Michael McClymont, and Arun Srinivasan.1. Los Angeles Rams (5-0)Previous Rank: 1The NFC West race is already over and the high-flying Rams can start thinking about securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. - Browne2. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)Previous Rank: 2Kansas City's previously lifeless defense finally sprung into action in Week 5, showing that the Chiefs may be more than just a dominant pass attack. - Browne3. New Orleans Saints (4-1)Previous Rank: 3Drew Brees was the star of the show Monday night, breaking the all-time passing record. He's not slowing down anytime soon, to the horror of defensive coordinators everywhere. - Srinivasan4. New England Patriots (3-2)Previous Rank: 6Tom Brady. Patrick Mahomes. Sunday night. Buckle up. - Alessandrini5. Carolina Panthers (3-1)Previous Rank: 5Graham Gano's 63-yard game-winning field goal deservedly gets all the attention, but the Panthers appeared to be in control the entire game. This team is legitimately dangerous. - Srinivasan6. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)Previous Rank: 4Blake Bortles threw an absurd 61 times on a rare off day from the defense. The impact of Leonard Fournette's absence cannot be overstated. - Srinivasan7. Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)Previous Rank: 9This is the Cincinnati offense most envisioned would actually take shape last season. The Bengals are alone atop the AFC North. - McClymont8. Chicago Bears (3-1)Previous Rank: 10Are the 3-1 Bears for real? We'll get the answer soon as Chicago exits the bye week looking at dates with Miami and New England. - McClymont9. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)Previous Rank: 14As has been the case for his entire career, Philip Rivers is playing amazing football but few seem to be noticing. Only Mahomes has more touchdown passes, and only Jared Goff's passer rating is higher. - Browne10. Minnesota Vikings (2-2-1)Previous Rank: 13The record may not be what they expected, but the Vikings had perhaps the toughest schedule to this point in the season. And Kirk Cousins has been everything they could have hoped for. - McClymont11. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1)Previous Rank: 17WiFi Lit. The connection between Big Ben and Antonio Brown was at full strength on Sunday. There's still plenty of time for the Steelers to make up for the early-season stumbles. - McClymont12. Green Bay Packers (2-2-1)Previous Rank: 7A hobbled Aaron Rodgers received little help on Sunday. It's concerning how long the Packers have gone without surrounding their franchise talent with an appropriate supporting cast. - McClymont13. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)Previous Rank: 8Just when we were beginning to have faith in the Joe Flacco-led Ravens, they produce a stinker against the Browns. - McClymont14. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)Previous Rank: 11The Super Bowl hangover is real. The defense has taken the blame in recent weeks, but Doug Pederson's offense has taken a giant step back from its incredible 2017. - Alessandrini15. Miami Dolphins (3-2)Previous Rank: 16Their 3-0 record is a thing of the past, as the Dolphins are reverting back to preseason expectations. The offensive line is a major issue. - Alessandrini16. Tennessee Titans (3-2)Previous Rank: 12Record be damned, if Marcus Mariota can barely complete 50 percent of his passes against the Bills, the Titans' ambitions to win the division are seemingly doomed. - Srinivasan17. Washington Redskins (2-2)Previous Rank: 15With all three of their division rivals losing Sunday, the Redskins had a chance to assert their dominance over the NFC East on Monday night. Washington proved it's not ready to take that step. - Alessandrini18. Cleveland Browns (2-2-1)Previous Rank: 25It's officially time to give the Browns the respect they deserve. There's an argument to be made they should be 5-0. Teams are now dreading the fact they have them on their schedule. - McClymont19. Detroit Lions (2-3)Previous Rank: 23Wins against the Patriots and Packers, losses to the Jets and Cowboys. Don't look at us, we can't figure this team out either! - McClymont20. Seattle Seahawks (2-3)Previous Rank: 21Seattle gets credit for staying with the Rams, a feat few teams will be able to boast by the season's end. - Browne21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)Previous Rank: 20A reeling Falcons team provides an ideal opportunity for the Buccaneers to find their way again coming out of the bye week. - Srinivasan22. Houston Texans (2-3)Previous Rank: 24Don't look now, but J.J. Watt is firmly back in the mix to win a record fourth Defensive Player of the Year Award, with six sacks and four forced fumbles anchoring an otherwise inconsistent Texans side. - Srinivasan23. Denver Broncos (2-3)Previous Rank: 19The 2018 season is starting to feel a lot like the forgettable 2017 campaign in Denver. Vance Joseph's seat is getting hotter by the week. - Browne24. Atlanta Falcons (1-4)Previous Rank: 18A trendy Super Bowl pick, this simply isn't the same team without Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, and Ricardo Allen. It's getting ugly in Atlanta. - Srinivasan25. New York Jets (2-3)Previous Rank: 30Isaiah Crowell and the Jets tore Denver's run defense to shreds, but rookie Sam Darnold's play still left something to be desired. His accuracy should improve as the season continues. - Alessandrini26. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)Previous Rank: 22Dak Prescott is beginning to finding his rhythm, but he has absolutely no help outside of Ezekiel Elliott. It's too bad, as the Cowboys field a strong defensive unit. - Alessandrini27. Buffalo Bills (2-3)Previous Rank: 31The Bills' bizarre season continues. A dominant defensive effort fueled a win over Tennessee, but the offense remains the worst in the NFL, averaging a measly 12.6 points per game - Alessandrini28. New York Giants (1-4)Previous Rank: 27Landon Collins can blame the refs all he wants, but the Giants haven't gotten efficient outings from both sides of the ball in well over a year. - Alessandrini29. Indianapolis Colts (1-4)Previous Rank: 26Andrew Luck is seemingly back to normal but it's sub-optimal to see him throw nearly 60 passes to a wide receiver corps that remains mostly anonymous to even the most die-hard Colts fans. - Srinivasan30. Oakland Raiders (1-4)Previous Rank: 28Did Jon Gruden not see the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl?! Give. It. To. Marshawn. - Browne31. Arizona Cardinals (1-4)Previous Rank: 32Budda Baker won't get national attention playing for the lowly Cardinals, but the second-year safety is quickly becoming one of the league's most well-rounded playmakers. - Browne32. San Francisco 49ers (1-4)Previous Rank: 29No Jimmy G is obviously a nightmare for the 49ers, but a league-worst three forced turnovers prove San Francisco has more than just issues under center. - BrowneCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Brees is the NFL's new record holder for the most career passing yards.The New Orleans Saints' star quarterback needed just 201 passing yards Monday night against the Washington Redskins to surpass Peyton Manning's all-time record of 71,940, set in 2015.Brees broke the record on a 62-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith in the second quarter.The one-time Super Bowl champion added the record to his long list of achievements, including the most completions and 300-yard games.Brees had 12,238 passing yards as a member of the then-San Diego Chargers from 2001-05, but his assault on the NFL record books truly began when he joined the Saints as a free agent in 2006.Paired with an offensive mastermind in head coach Sean Payton, Brees produced an NFL-record five 5,000-yard passing seasons. No other quarterback has more than one such campaign.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Brees broke the NFL's all-time passing yards record on Monday night and players, teammates, and fans across the league were quick to celebrate the New Orleans Saints quarterback.Brees garnered plenty of support from legends of the past.

The Philadelphia Eagles restructured defensive tackle Fletcher Cox's contract on Friday, creating $6.5 million in cap space for the 2018 season, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter.Philadelphia will reportedly also save $11.7 million in cap space for the 2019 season.Cox is an integral part of the Eagles' defense and has been named to three consecutive Pro Bowls. He was a key contributor to the team's first Super Bowl victory last year.The 27-year-old has recorded 15 tackles and three sacks through five games in 2018.It's been speculated that the Eagles could pursue holdout Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell after Jay Ajayi was placed on injured reserve Monday, but sources told Schefter the defending champions aren't interested in a trade.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles placed running back Jay Ajayi on injured reserve on Monday.Although the Eagles didn't specify the injury, Ajayi tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The 25-year-old will undergo surgery on Thursday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Ajayi was leading the Eagles with 184 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries, making his injury a crushing blow to the defending champions' offense.Wendell Smallwood, Corey Clement, and Josh Adams will compete for increased carries in Ajayi's absence. Darren Sproles could also be a factor when he returns from injury.Ajayi told reporters on Monday that he wished the Eagles rushed the ball more during Sunday's 23-21 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.Philadelphia acquired Ajayi in October 2017 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. He was an immediate contributor and helped the Eagles capture their first Super Bowl in franchise history.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has taken the NFL by storm just five games into his first full campaign as a starter. He's even impressed one of the league's least vocal coaches.New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gushed over the Chiefs' signal-caller on Monday, saying "pretty much everything" stood out after watching his game tape, via ESPN's Mike Reiss."He's got a great arm, a fabulous arm, can throw the ball out of the stadium," Belichick said."He gets the ball to all of his receivers quick, quick release, sees things quickly, can extend plays... makes good decisions, accurate, gets the ball out on time."In one of the 2018 season's most anticipated matchups, the Patriots (3-2) will host Kansas City (5-0) on Sunday Night Football in Week 6.Mahomes is an early-season MVP candidate after accumulating 1,513 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions for the undefeated Chiefs.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants will release offensive tackle Ereck Flowers if they're unable to trade him before Tuesday's transactions deadline, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Any team that trades for the 24-year-old will inherit his guaranteed $2.39 million 2018 base salary, Schefter added.New York benched the former first-round pick prior to Week 3. He struggled mightily during the first two games of the season and was replaced by Chad Wheeler.One of the biggest draft busts in recent memory, the towering lineman has been a disappointment since the Giants drafted him with the No. 9 pick in 2015.Flowers started all but two games at left tackle between 2015 and 2017 before being moved to right tackle this summer.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is standing by his kicker one day after Mason Crosby nearly set an unenviable milestone by missing five kicks against the Detroit Lions."He's a proven, highly successful kicker. I still believe in him," McCarthy said Monday, according to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Post-Gazette.Crosby missed field-goal attempts of 38, 41, 42, and 56 yards, and an extra point in Green Bay's 31-23 loss to their NFC North rivals. He finished on a high note, at least, making a 41-yard attempt with two seconds left on the clock.McCarthy is confident the 12-year veteran will be able to get back on track."He had a tremendous training camp. He was striking the ball as well as I can recall," he said.Following the poor Week 5 performance, Crosby has made 79.8 percent of 361 field-goal attempts with just 11 missed extra points in his career.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars apparently won't be getting help from Leonard Fournette in Week 6 as they attempt to rejuvenate their offense, as sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the star running back will remain sidelined by a hamstring injury against the Dallas Cowboys.The sophomore has been limited to just two games this season and aggravated the injury after starting against the New York Jets in Week 4. He's rushed for just 71 yards and no touchdowns on 20 carries, adding four receptions for 19 yards.Jacksonville fell to 3-2 with a 30-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. The team ranks 15th in rushing yards per game this season after leading the league in Fournette's rookie season.T.J. Yeldon's taken on lead rushing duties when Fournette's been out of the lineup. He leads the Jaguars with a modest 258 yards on 59 carries, along with a single touchdown.Meanwhile, running back Corey Grant's season reportedly came to an end Sunday, as he's set to undergo foot surgery and will be placed on injured reserve.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins have grown frustrated with wide receiver DeVante Parker and are speaking to several teams about trade possibilities, according to Michael Lombardi of The Athletic.However, a league source told Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald that the Dolphins aren't trying to move Parker.The 14th overall pick of the 2015 draft, Parker has been limited to just one game this season due to finger and quadriceps injuries. He caught two of three targets for 40 yards against the Oakland Raiders in Week 3.The 25-year-old has played in 44 career NFL games, totaling 141 receptions for 1,948 yards and eight touchdowns.Parker carries a cap hit of nearly $3.5 million this season. The Dolphins picked up the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in April, which carries a salary cap number of roughly $9.4 million for the 2019 campaign.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's a look at the well-designed plays and schemes that made our list from Week 5:Passing Design of the Week: Stafford-Golladay TD connectionThe Detroit Lions improved to 2-3 on the year with a 31-23 victory over the Green Bay Packers, and the biggest story was receiver Kenny Golladay, who continued his emergence as a true threat in the passing game with four catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Golladay's performance featured a highlight-reel catch and run with a stiff arm for good measure, but his touchdown reception below was a bit of design perfection.Early in the fourth quarter, the Lions have a 10-point lead and face a second-and-goal on the Packers' 5-yard line. They line up with quarterback Matthew Stafford (No. 9) in the shotgun and use a three-receiver bunch to the right:NFL/FOXThe Lions are using a trail (or follow) concept. All three receivers from the bunch work inside, but at different depths and with different timing:NFL/FOXGolladay (No. 19) is at the line of scrimmage, and runs the deeper slant route. Behind him, Golden Tate (No. 15) is the inside receiver and runs the under route - first breaking outside and then trailing Golladay. In this case, the first route usually clears out space for the trailing receiver, but instead, Golladay simply beats his man and Stafford hits him in stride:Thanks to great design and a precision strike from Stafford, the Lions extend their lead.Rushing Design of the Week: Crowell's other long gainThe New York Jets' 34-16 win over Denver came largely on the shoulders - and legs - of running back Isaiah Crowell. He tallied 219 yards on just 15 carries, including a 77-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to put the Jets on the board. But here we'll highlight a 54-yard gain that came on the first offensive play of the third quarter. It was well-designed and well-executed, and gives us a chance to talk about "Duo."Duo (or "doubles") is a running design that combines elements of power and zone-blocking schemes. It incorporates a pair of double-team blocks, working from the nose tackle toward the weak-side linebacker on the second level. Some call this "power without a puller" thanks to the pair of double-team blocks. But the zone element comes into play with the running back, as he must read the blocking up front, much like a zone play.In this instance, facing a first-and-10 in their own territory, the Jets line up with quarterback Sam Darnold (No. 14) under center and Crowell (No. 20) as the lone back. Here's the Duo design:NFL/CBSAs you can see, the pair of double-team blocks work from the nose guard to the weak-side linebacker. That means left tackle Kelvin Beachum (No. 68) and left guard James Carpenter (No. 77) first block the defensive tackle aligned between them, before Carpenter quickly moves up to the linebacker. Center Spencer Long (No. 61) and right guard Brian Winters (No. 67) take on the nose guard before Winters flows to the weak-side linebacker.After the snap, Crowell takes the handoff and reads how the blocks set up. He cuts left behind Beachum and after making the box safety miss, he races upfield for a 54-yard gain:This view from the end-zone camera shows how the blocks are perfectly timed and executed:Thanks in large part to their strong running game, the Jets were able to pull out the win. Duo was a big part of that.Pressure Design of the Week: Bengals turn heat into TDsMidway through the third quarter of their game against the Miami Dolphins, the Cincinnati Bengals trailed 17-0 and couldn't get anything going on offense. But thanks to two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati came all the way back to pull out the 27-17 victory.Both touchdowns were due to defensive pressure from the guys up front. On the first, quarterback Ryan Tannehill was pressured and his pass attempt deflected into the hands of Michael Johnson, who returned it for a 22-yard touchdown. After a Dolphins punt, the Bengals added a field goal to give themselves their first lead of the game at 20-17 ... and then their defense put the game away:On this play, two elements combine that lead to the pressure and the defensive score. The first is the pre-play look from defensive end Carlos Dunlap (No. 96), who uses a "wide-9 alignment," putting himself well outside the right offensive tackle:NFL/CBSThe second is the linebacker blitz, which aims to the inside of the right tackle:NFL/CBSThose two factors put the right tackle on an island alone with Dunlap without any help from the running back, who's forced to pick up the blitzing linebacker. That allows Dunlap to work one-on-one, and he eventually gets around the end to Tannehill (No. 17), knocking the ball from his hands and into the waiting arms of rookie defender Sam Hubbard (No. 94), who returns the football for the score:The win (coupled with the Baltimore Ravens' loss to the Cleveland Browns) kept the Bengals atop the AFC North for at least one more week, and now with sole possession. They can thank this well-designed play and Dunlap's execution for icing the victory.Coverage Design of the Week: Adams confounds ManningThe Carolina Panthers pulled out a thrilling win over the New York Giants, as Graham Gano's 63-yard field goal in the closing seconds clinched a 33-31 victory. But it was safety Mike Adams' incredible performance earlier in the game that put the Panthers in position to prevail.Adams notched the first of his two interceptions, which we'll review below, by fooling Giants quarterback Eli Manning and getting himself into the passing lane on a quick throw. Late in the third quarter, the Giants face a first-and-10 on the Panthers' 25-yard line. Manning (No. 10) aligns in the shotgun with Saquon Barkley (No. 26) standing to his left. Adams (No. 29) drops down to the line of scrimmage, appearing to show blitz:NFL/FOXThe Giants are in a run-pass option (RPO) look. Manning and Barkley will meet at the mesh point in the backfield, while the offensive line and tight end will block to the right for a potential run. But in this case, Manning wants to throw a slant route to Odell Beckham (No. 13), who's coming from the right:NFL/FOXAs more teams use plays like this, defenses have to adjust. One way is by making the decision for the quarterback, and then taking away the play with a design element. Here, with the box crowded (including Adams down near the line of scrimmage), Manning thinks he has the easy throw to Beckham underneath. But that’s what the Panthers want him to think, and they instead drop Adams right in front of the route:Adams added a second interception later in the game, but the first was a great example of a defense successfully keeping pace with an offensive design that's gaining popularity.Game Ball: Isaiah Crowell/Jets' offensive lineIt's hard to ignore the type of performance that Crowell submitted on Sunday. His 15-carry, 219-yard day kept the Broncos' defense on its heels all afternoon, and kept the pressure off New York's rookie quarterback. But when a running back averages over 14 yards a carry, it's also a testament to the guys up front. The Jets' offensive line opened up some big holes for their RB while keeping Darnold mostly clean in the pocket, allowing just one sack. Given all of that, we can hand out a shared game ball for Week 5.Mark Schofield writes NFL feature content for theScore. After nearly a decade of practicing law in the Washington, D.C., area Mark changed careers and started writing about football. Drawing upon more than a decade of playing quarterback, including at the collegiate level, Mark focuses his work on quarterback evaluation and offensive scheme analysis. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children. Find him on Twitter @MarkSchofield.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett defended his decision to punt on fourth-and-1 from the Houston Texans' 42-yard line in overtime, following his team's 19-16 loss on Sunday night."Yeah, it was a long one (yard)," Garrett told reporters, according to Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com. "You know, we had a third-and-2 and we didn't make much on it and we just felt like at that point in the game, the way our defense was playing, the idea was to pin them down there."Chris (Jones) did a great job with the punt. They got the ball on the 10-yard line and hopefully you make a stop and you win the game coming back the other way with a game-winning field goal."Instead, the Texans ran an eight-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with Ka'imi Fairbairn's game-winning 36-yard field goal.Owner/general manager Jerry Jones thought it was the right time for the Cowboys to take a chance."We were being outplayed. It's time for risks at that particular time," Jones said, according to ESPN. He added that he wasn't "second-guessing" his head coach.The loss dropped the Cowboys to 2-3 on the season and 0-3 on the road.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants aren't happy with NFL officials following a 33-31 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday."We need better refs," both safety Landon Collins and cornerback Janoris Jenkins told reporters in separate interviews, according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News.The root of the frustration was an unnecessary roughness penalty against Collins early in the fourth quarter that gave the Panthers a fresh set of downs on third-and-13.Collins dove to break up a pass thrown by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, but collided with wide receiver Devin Funchess in the process. Carolina went on to score a touchdown on the drive, building an 11-point lead.The two-time Pro Bowler wasn't pleased when a reporter suggested it was a helmet-to-helmet hit."It wasn’t helmet to helmet. Please don’t say helmet to helmet," said Collins. "I did not touch his helmet. His helmet touched my back. I hit the ball first … (It was) the momentum changer, changed the whole influence of the game, gave them a first down, put them in field goal range and within range to be able to score (a touchdown). It’s just not right."Collins' displeasure was echoed by his teammates Sunday and has been shared by defenders around the league this season."We’re fighting and trying to figure out how to play football. It’s not football anymore," Collins said.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone and David P. Woods.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.Boone and Woods recap all the action from Sunday and take an early look at Week 6 waiver wire adds.Topics for this episode include:

Odell Beckham Jr. made headlines for his critical comments about the New York Giants' fledgling offense prior to Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers, but the star wideout said he has "no regrets" about speaking out after the 33-31 loss.Beckham expressed his frustration with New York's "safe" offense, his connection with Eli Manning, and his lack of chances to make downfield plays in an interview with ESPN's Josina Anderson."I don't regret anything," Beckham said, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "I don't regret anything that I said. If it took that for us to come together as a team like we did (Sunday), I can take that every single time."Beckham met individually with Manning and head coach Pat Shurmur to address his concerns, and later spoke to the entire team."It was very receptive," he said of the team meeting. "I'm happy I did because there was a part of me that was a little reluctant or didn't want to because it was a tough position. It was a hard thing to do. It was part of the growth process I'm going through. And if I could do it all again I would do the same thing."The pass-catcher did his part Sunday, catching eight passes for 131 yards and one touchdown. He also tossed a score to Saquon Barkley to help kick-start New York's offense.With Beckham's issues seemingly resolved, Shurmur wants the team to move forward."Alright, listen, I'm going to answer all the drama questions right now and I'm going to go back to what I said. I addressed it with Odell. I addressed it with our team," Shurmur said in an animated tone, according to Raanan."I publicly declared that I didn't agree with his comments and I asked anybody that was interested if they wanted clarification (to) go to Odell because he's a big man. Now, I'm not going to give the public a pound of flesh on this, alright. That would make me small not strong."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings survived a late comeback bid from the Philadelphia Eagles to earn a 23-21 victory in the NFC Championship game rematch.Kirk Cousins threw for 301 yards and one touchdown in the win, delivering a number of incredible passes under pressure.With the Eagles trailing 20-6 early in the fourth quarter, Carson Wentz hit running back Wendell Smallwood for a 12-yard touchdown. Head coach Doug Pederson surprisingly went for two, and converted, cutting the lead to six.Minnesota kicked a field goal with just 2:51 remaining, extending the lead to nine. Philadelphia scored a touchdown on its next drive, making the game 23-21, but could not convert the onside kick attempt.Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen combined for 17 catches, 207 receiving yards, and one touchdown against a leaky Eagles secondary. Thielen became the first player since the 1970 merger to start a season with at least 100 receiving yards through five games.Wentz threw for 311 yards and two scores, though his offensive line and running game were ineffective in the loss. Tight end Zach Ertz led the team with 10 receptions, 110 yards, and a touchdown.The Eagles drop to 2-3 and will battle the New York Giants on the road Thursday. The 2-2-1 Vikings host the Arizona Cardinals next week.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp left the team's Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks after suffering concussions.Cooks took a big hit from safety Tedric Thompson in the second quarter and did not return from the locker room. Kupp left the game in the third quarter.The duo make up two of the top three receiving threats for the Rams. Kupp caught six passes for 90 yards and a touchdown against Seattle. Cooks was held without a catch.Robert Woods and Josh Reynolds operated as Los Angeles' top wideouts after their departure.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CLEVELAND (AP) Rookie Greg Joseph's 37-yard field goal - a knuckleball that barely cleared the crossbar - with two seconds left in overtime gave the Cleveland Browns a 12-9 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.After rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield drove the Browns (2-2-1) into position, Joseph, who was signed after Week 2 following Zane Gonzalez's release, lined his kick through the uprights to give Cleveland its first AFC North win in 19 tries.As Browns fans celebrated just the team's second win in two seasons, Joseph was mobbed by his teammates following Cleveland's third OT game in five weeks.The Ravens (3-2) had plenty of chances, but Joe Flacco threw a costly interception in the first half and the Browns blocked one of Justin Tucker's field goal tries.Mayfield passed for 342 yards and threw a 19-yard TD pass in his first start at home. He completed a key third-down pass for 39 yards to Derrick Willies on Cleveland's winning drive.---More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mason Crosby missed five kicks against the Detroit Lions in the Green Bay Packers' 31-23 defeat to their division rival.Crosby missed a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter to begin his rough afternoon. He then missed two field goals in the second quarter - from 42 yards and 38 yards.The veteran later missed an extra point in the fourth quarter and a 56-yard field goal with just over two minutes remaining.No kicker in NFL history has finished 0-for-4 on field goals and 0-for-1 on extra points in a single game; Crosby avoided the unenviable distinction after making a field goal from 41 yards with two seconds remaining in the game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Week 5 of the NFL season rolls along on Sunday with four games in the late-afternoon window and another to cap off the night. Will Bernanke, the lead analyst at CG Technology in Las Vegas, provided insight on how bettors are approaching the games.Oakland at Los AngelesOpen: LA -6.5 / 52.5Current: LA -5.5 / 52The Oakland Raiders earned their first win of the season, and first under head coach Jon Gruden, last week in an overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders carry a 3-1 record against the spread into Los Angeles to face the Chargers, who barely survived against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4 as 10-point favorites, winning 29-27."57 percent of all dollars as of now are on Oakland," Bernanke told theScore on Sunday morning. "Bettors are slightly on the Raiders, but nothing too big here."Arizona at San Francisco Open: SF -4.5 / 41Current: SF -3 / 40The Arizona Cardinals are the only winless team in the NFL, though they appear to be making positive strides. After being outscored 58-6 in their first two games, the Cardinals have lost their last two by a combined five points.If there was ever a time to get win No. 1, it's against the San Francisco 49ers and their offense that's now moving forward with backup quarterback C.J. Beathard under center."As the line move (San Francisco -4.5 to -3) might represent, the public's on the underdog here," Bernanke said. "They might not be buying the Niners without (Jimmy) Garoppolo."Los Angeles at SeattleOpen: LA -7 / 49.5Current: LA -7.5 / 50.5The Los Angeles Rams are winning, and they're doing it with ease. The defending NFC West champs have scored 33-plus points in four straight games, and they're one of two remaining undefeated clubs.Looking to hand the Rams their first loss are the Seattle Seahawks, who clawed back to .500 last week with a win over Arizona after starting the year 0-2.With how hot the Rams have been to start the year, the ticket count should come as no surprise."74 percent of the dollars are on the Rams and this could be one of our biggest decisions of the day," Bernanke said.Minnesota at PhiladelphiaOpen: PHI -3 (-110) / 44.5Current: PHI -3 (-130) / 47.5The Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles meet for the second time in eight months in a rematch of the 2018 NFC Championship Game. Minnesota is seeking revenge while coming off a loss to the Rams when the Vikings pushed as a seven-point 'dog in a 38-31 defeat.The Eagles are also coming off a loss after falling to the Tennessee Titans in overtime on the road."It’s pretty lopsided – 74 percent of all dollars are on Philly," Bernanke said. "We might need the Vikings come kickoff."Dallas at HoustonOpen: HOU - 3 (-125) / 45Current: HOU -3 (-120) / 45The Dallas Cowboys won their second game of the season on Sunday to even their record at 2-2, though they failed to cover as 3.5-point favorites, narrowly beating the Detroit Lions 26-24.Houston finally grabbed its first victory of 2018 in Week 4, getting a game-winning field goal in overtime against the Indianapolis Colts as a pick 'em.'"67 percent of all dollars are on Houston, so I guess bettors might expect that Houston might be back," Bernanke said. "Bettors love Houston; they’ve been on the Texans all year. It’s been like that the last five weeks."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's no question the New York Giants' offensive struggles are getting frustrating for Odell Beckham Jr.The 1-3 Giants rank 29th in points per game entering Week 5. ESPN's Josina Anderson asked Beckham if the problem lies with veteran quarterback Eli Manning."I don't know," he said. "Like I said, I feel like he's not going to get out the pocket. He's not - we know Eli's not running it. But is it a matter of time issue? Can he still throw it, yeah, but it's been pretty safe and it's been, you know ... cool catching shallow (passes) and trying to take it to the house. But I'm, you know, I want to go over the top of somebody."Through four games, Beckham has been held to 331 receiving yards and no touchdowns. That's a far cry from his first three seasons in the league when he finished with 1,300-plus yards and 10 touchdowns each year.Manning is just 3-of-12 on pass attempts traveling 20-plus yards this season. Beckham has established himself as a downfield threat, yet his longest reception of the year has gone for 30 yards. He's been targeted just twice on deep balls since Week 1, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan."I feel like I'm being out-schemed, and then I also don't have a chance to, like, do something where I've got to take a slant and go 60," Beckham said. "And not to say that's not fun, but it's like I want some easy touchdowns too."I watch everybody across the league. All the top receivers get the ball the way that they, you know, should. And if they don't, they say something about it."The Giants hired offensive-minded Pat Shurmur as their new head coach this offseason, and they added Mike Shula as offensive coordinator.Beckham signed a five-year, $95-million extension with the Giants prior to the regular season, but he's still uncertain about his future in New York."It's a tough question. Obviously, I love seeing the sunshine all the time. I love, you know, I love being in L.A. I just like that atmosphere, but this is where I'm at."Shurmur was reportedly "absolutely livid" about Beckham's statements in the interview, according to FOX Sports' Jay Glazer, via ProFootballTalk. The receiver apologized to the team on Saturday night for sending the "wrong message."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Suspended Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks is fighting his indefinite ban from the league, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.In September, Kendricks pleaded guilty to insider trading, and he'll be sentenced in January. He was allowed to play in three games with the Seahawks, and then the 28-year-old was handed an indefinite suspension earlier this week. Kendricks, along with his lawyers and the NFLPA, argue the league has no right to suspend him for an indefinite period.Kendricks wants a specific number of games assigned to the suspension in order to make a return before his January sentencing.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears as though Earl Thomas may have played his final game with the Seattle Seahawks last week, as the team isn't expected to use the franchise tag on the star safety this offseason, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The tag for safeties is expected to be valued around $11.85 million for the 2019 campaign, Schefter adds. The Seahawks won't need to make the decision until after the 2018 season.Thomas was in the final year of his contract with the Seahawks, carrying a cap hit of $10.4 million. The three-time All-Pro suffered a broken leg against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4 and was placed on injured reserve earlier this week.The 29-year-old recorded three interceptions in as many games top open the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fifth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his updated rankings for Week 5.You can also listen to the Week 5 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.Standard

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is expected to sit out Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles due to a hamstring injury, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Cook has battled an ailing hamstring for weeks, but suited up last Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams.The second-year tailback has 98 yards on 36 carries across three contests this year. He rushed for 354 yards with two touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry as a rookie before tearing his ACL.The Vikings own a 1-2-1 record heading into Philadelphia, where they'll square off against the Eagles in a rematch of last year's NFC championship game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks star safety Earl Thomas has been fined $13,369 by the NFL for giving the middle finger to his team's sideline while he was being carted off the field, according to The Seattle Times' Bob Condotta.Thomas - who's been in a contract dispute with the Seahawks since the start of the offseason - suffered a season-ending lower leg fracture against the Arizona Cardinals and seemingly expressed his frustrations with the obscene gesture.It's the second time the 29-year-old has heard from the league office in the last two weeks. He was also fined $10,026 for bowing to the Dallas Cowboys' sideline following a fourth-quarter interception.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate was driving to the team facility on Tuesday morning when he witnessed a two-vehicle accident involving a woman and her young daughter.After realizing no one else was stopping to help, Tate pulled over and picked up the three-year-old girl, who was sitting in the back seat."I didn't even ask. I just picked her up," Tate told Nate Atkins of MLive.com. "I probably should have asked. I guess I did what I would have done if (my daughter) London was in that situation."Tate said the girl was upset, but didn't appear to be in much physical pain.DetroitLions.com writer Tim Twentyman witnessed the kind act.