Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz is dealing with a biceps tendon strain near his throwing shoulder but will play through the injury Thursday against the Chicago Bears, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Wentz is reportedly sore and not 100% healthy, and there were doubts earlier in the week about his status for Week 6.The signal-caller suffered the injury in last week's loss to the Tennessee Titans. Wentz produced a solid performance against the Titans - 359 yards and two touchdowns - but threw a game-ending interception on the goal line as time expired.The Commanders sit at 1-4 in their first season with Wentz under center following an offseason trade from the Indianapolis Colts.Washington's offense will be shorthanded against the Bears, with receiver Jahan Dotson and tight end Logan Thomas sidelined due to hamstring and calf injuries, respectively.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free agent Odell Beckham Jr. expressed his dissatisfaction with his most recent contract offer from the Los Angeles Rams, but head coach Sean McVay believes the team isn't done negotiating with the star wide receiver."I love Odell," McVay told reporters Wednesday. "We have constant dialogue. He also knows that certainly I don't think that's the last (offer) that would come from us. I'm not familiar with what it is. He knows how we feel about him. We've got a little bit of time."McVay added, "But (I) love Odell. Nothing but good things coming from me."Beckham tweeted about negotiations earlier Wednesday, writing that he knew his worth and the Rams' offer "isn't reflective of that."He joined the Rams after the Cleveland Browns released him last season and had 27 receptions for 305 yards and five touchdowns in seven games. Beckham played a key role in the Rams getting to and winning the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals.However, the 29-year-old tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, and his return timeline is uncertain. The Rams and Beckham have been in contact for months. In June, the team's chief operating officer said the Rams were "optimistic" they would eventually reach an agreement, but he noted there was little urgency because of Beckham's injury.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, theScore's Jordan Schultz joins Boone to discuss the biggest questions entering Week 6:

Last season, we rocked and rolled our way to the Super Bowl with music-themed Thursday Night Football player props, joyfully celebrating the start of a new NFL week. This year, we'll use an episode from "Must See TV" cornerstone "Seinfeld" each week to remind us that betting is supposed to be fun, even when an absurd series of events leads to a losing bet."I'm an idiot. You may think you're an idiot, but with all due respect, I'm a much bigger idiot than you." - Jerry after he gets Elaine the apartment above himProcuring an inexpensive apartment for his ex-girlfriend sounded like a good idea at the time, but so did our prop bets last week. There were two fundamental issues with those plays, though.Given that our premise involved hoping for two players to score, we needed actual touchdowns in the game. The Colts and Broncos passed on that element during one of the ugliest games in recent memory. Anytime-touchdown bettors spent last Thursday feeling like George Costanza: "Don't insult me, my friend, remember who you're talking to: No one's a bigger idiot than me."The other issue was that the game went to overtime. Often the enemy of the under, the added time was the only way Matt Ryan's passing yards crawled over the total. Luckily, we can have a laugh, throw on this week's featured "Seinfeld" episode, and move on with our lives.'The Apartment'Following up Colts-Broncos is this week's Commanders-Bears matchup, which doesn't appear to be a better alternative - like Jerry when he realizes a constantly rehearsing rock band outbid Elaine for the apartment. We didn't hear a peep from last week's offenses as they faced top 10 defenses in yards per play. This Thursday is a duel of thoroughly mediocre defensive opponents.One thing the Commanders do well defensively is keeping quarterbacks in the pocket. Despite facing scramble-capable QBs Ryan Tannehill and Trevor Lawrence, along with a quality runner in Jalen Hurts, Washington has allowed just 6.4 rush yards per game to opposing quarterbacks. Justin Fields is most comparable to Hurts (nine carries for 20 yards in Week 3), but his prescribed total of 42.5 is the highest it's been all year.Fields should also be able to throw on the 26th-best pass defense in yards per pass attempt, which could also cut into his running. It might be a worse idea than a singles weekend in the Poconos, but we'll try another quarterback under.Pick: Justin Fields under 42.5 rush yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenGeorge tries wearing a wedding band to see if it will attract women, but hopefully, tricks aren't needed to get someone in the end zone this week. However, it might take a quarterback sneak - maybe after an end-zone pass interference on Washington's shaky secondary - for the Bears signal-caller to lean into the line for a score.Fields has just one touchdown this season, but he had a long one called back last week against the Vikings and was ruled short of the goal line versus the Packers on a dubious review. We normally prefer a shorter price on our tongue-in-cheek touchdown guarantee, but it's tricky to figure out the tailback usage for both sides.Pick: Justin Fields anytime touchdown (+200)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesWe'll try to be slicker than the mousse in Kramer's hair, relying on the injury report to free up a betting opportunity on a touchdown-scoring long shot.Jahan Dotson had four touchdowns in four games before missing Washington's game against the Titans, and the Commanders' wide receiver usage switches if he can't go five days later. Dyami Brown caught two long touchdown passes, but Cam Sims was on the field for almost twice as many snaps.As Jerry says, "People don't turn down money. It's what separates us from the animals." So, if we can get a receiver at 8-1 who'll be on the field in three-WR sets, we'll take the value bet. And when Carson Wentz finds Sims in the end zone, we'll exclaim, "Get out!" like Elaine does for the first of many times throughout the series.Pick: Cam Sims anytime touchdown (+800)How to bet: The first two bets should be single-unit wagers - to win a unit on minus prices and more than a unit on a plus-money bet. The last wager should be smaller, trying to win back your standard unit size.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for quarterback Cooper Rush to start Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Mike McCarthy announced Wednesday, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB.Rush started the last four games for Dallas in place of the injured Dak Prescott, posting a 4-0 record and passing for 775 yards and four touchdowns against zero interceptions.Prescott suffered a hand injury in Week 1 and was reportedly expected to miss four-to-six weeks. The 29-year-old initially said he was planning to return in Week 5 versus the Los Angeles Rams."Dak Prescott will be in the rehab group, go through QB school, and do some light throwing at the end of practice," McCarthy said Wednesday, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.Prescott threw to wide receivers at practice Wednesday for the first time since sustaining the ailment."Solid - ask the receivers," Prescott said of the training session, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.He added, "I always got some pop on my balls. I'm not going to throw if I ain't got pop on my balls."Sunday's game between the Eagles and Cowboys is one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. Philadelphia, the NFL's only undefeated team after five weeks, averages 27 points per game, ranking fifth in the league.Meanwhile, Dallas' defense - which ranks third in points allowed and second in sacks - has been crucial for the team's 4-1 start.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams was charged with misdemeanor assault for a postgame incident on Monday Night Football in Kansas City, according to court records obtained by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Adams shoved a photographer to the ground on his way to the locker room following the team's 30-29 loss to the Chiefs. He apologized for the incident afterward.

4-2-1 sounds like a good record, and we'd take that against the spread every week. We dream of a 66% rate on underdog moneylines, but that's not going to cut it with teasers.Last week, we discussed how the schedule provided so many more decent-sized favorites that can be teased down to around a pick'em. However, the Packers and Jaguars flunked those tests, blowing up teaser bets from here to London and back.Those sorts of teaser legs tend to mirror what happens in survivor contests, so if you're not willing to trust a team with your weekly pick there, you should probably avoid them in a six-point teaser that costs around -270 per leg.Some games don't have a teaser-worthy point spread. For example, the high-profile Sunday night game has the Eagles as five-point favorites at home to the Cowboys. Teasing Philadelphia would bring the spread through zero, which wastes valuable price points around the improbable chance of a tie.Teasing Dallas up to +11 would be appealing as it'd get the key numbers through a touchdown, but you're already winning on three- and four-point margins at a -110 price. Getting +6, +7, or +8 over a long sample size isn't worth the price hike.Let's use the short point spread in the Jets-Packers game as an example of the value of teasing a favorite down.ALT. SPREADODDSPackers -6-150Packers -5-175Packers -4-190Packers -3-270Packers -2-310Packers -1-320The pricing significantly jumps once you move across the key number of -3, showing the importance of capturing that number in NFL betting. But more importantly, the Packers' alternative spread (-1) is priced at -320, which is obviously a much larger price than getting them at -1 with our teaser leg at -270.To get a good deal on the Packers -1, we must pair them with another game and win both to cash the ticket. Fortunately, we can choose that other leg from our weekly "teaser basket" using what we know about key numbers.Teaser basketLet's look at the mathematically optimal plays available for Week 6:TEAMSPREADTEASER LEGBuccaneers (@ PIT)-8-2Saints (vs. CIN)+2+8Packers (vs. NYJ)-7-1Jaguars (@IND)+2.5+8.5It's not a huge list this week, which can be a good thing - it takes away the clutter of numerous sizeable favorites or short underdogs. In our weekly look at what the previous games' closing lines imply about team ratings, we discussed how the Packers should be downgraded after losing to the Giants, having entered that game with a projected rating of 65/100.Green Bay as seven-point favorites at home to the Jets (after being eight-point favorites to the Giants on a neutral) suggests the team has been downgraded. How much they've been discounted is dependent on how much of an upgrade you're giving the Jets for beating the Skylar Thompson-led Dolphins. I have a hard time getting down to Green Bay for -7, which means - despite the loss in London - there has to be tremendous value on the Packers to merely win outright.Of the other three games listed, the Buccaneers should handle the Steelers, but crazier things have happened in Pittsburgh. The Jaguars certainly seem to have owned the Colts in recent years, and asking the Indianapolis offense to score nine points - let alone win by nine points - seems like a bit much. That said, the Jaguars didn't exactly light up the scoreboard at home against the Texans last week.I don't have the Bengals favored in a road game at New Orleans, so it's worth hopping on the +2 to push the Saints up over a touchdown before they get good news on the injury front, which would cause this game line to drop toward a pick'em and evaporate a valuable teaser leg.The Seahawks - home underdogs to the Cardinals - are on the precipice of teaser eligibility. They're +3 (-120) and would be a valuable teaser leg at +2.5. Meanwhile, the Commanders are one-point 'dogs at Chicago on Thursday. Should that increase at all, they'd become teaser-eligible.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady has joined the ownership ranks of Major League Pickleball.Alongside former world No. 1 tennis player Kim Clijsters, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is part of a group that recently purchased an expansion team for the 2023 Major League Pickleball season."(They) are champions in their fields and will now be champions for Major League Pickleball," MLP Founder Steve Kuhn said in a statement. "What really shines through in working with these amazing individuals is their passion for the sport."We are thrilled to welcome them to our unrivaled roster of strategic partners, who are individually and collectively instrumental in helping us elevate professional pickleball, showcase the joy it brings to millions of people around the globe, and further our … mission to reach 40 million pickleball players by 2030."Brady is one of several athletes to invest in Major League Pickleball. Other team owners include former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and NBA stars LeBron James, Draymond Green, and Kevin Love.As part of its growth plan for 2023, Major League Pickleball will increase from 12 teams to 16, double its total number of events to six, and increase player prize money and payouts to over $2 million.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera acknowledged Tuesday that the viral comments he made about his quarterback situation were a distraction for his team.Rivera was asked Monday why the Commanders are in the NFC East's basement after five weeks, and he responded, "Quarterback."The 60-year-old coach clarified that he meant the other NFC East quarterbacks have more familiarity with their clubs than Carson Wentz, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post."I actually talked to Carson this morning. In fact, I talked to the whole team," Rivera said Tuesday. "I had a mea culpa moment. … I should know better. I created a little bit of a distraction, and that's one thing that I try not to do, and it's one thing that I'm very aware of."Again, it's one of those things that when you misstep, people can't wait to dive onto it and jump onto it and hold onto it without an opportunity to explain yourself."Wentz, who's in his first year under center in Washington, said he's on good terms with Rivera."Coach addressed it, handled it. Nothing for me that I'm overly concerned about," Wentz said, according to John Keim of ESPN. "Coach is very straightforward, up-front guy. He addressed it in a team meeting, which I thought was really cool and what he meant by all of it. I feel very confident."Wentz has passed for 1,390 yards and 10 touchdowns against six interceptions this season, including an end-zone pick in the dying seconds of Sunday's 21-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans. He's been sacked 20 times, the third-most in the NFL.The 1-4 Commanders, who've lost four straight, acquired Wentz in an offseason trade with the Indianapolis Colts.The 5-0 Philadelphia Eagles top the NFC East with a one-game lead over the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants, who've posted 4-1 records. This is just the fourth time since 2002 that any division has had three different teams with at least four wins through Week 5.Here's how Wentz's numbers stack up against the other NFC East quarterbacks so far:QBRecordPass. %YdsTDsINTSacksTD runsWentz1-462.91390106200Jalen Hurts5-067.9135942116Daniel Jones4-166.784832152Cooper Rush*4-0618394070*Rush, who's been replacing an injured Dak Prescott, didn't start Week 1 for Dallas.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you care enough about finding value in the NFL, there's an exercise you can do before, during, and even after the season. We've talked about making your own ratings for teams, but even just ranking teams from 1-32 will go a long way in sorting out your feelings about each squad. However, if you want to dig a little deeper, draw a line after the 16th-ranked team.Look at the top 16 and pick out eight teams that you think can move up in those rankings and eight to move down. Then, do the same for the bottom 16. What this does is force you to think of some of the good teams in a negative light and view bad teams in a positive one.For example, if you have the Bills at the top of the NFL, do you mark them in green with an arrow up - projecting them to be even better? Which of the teams around 10th place will move up, and which will move down? In the back half, what are the bad teams you can see moving up into mediocrity and vice-versa? Those opinions should guide the way for your betting through the near term of the season.How ratings workWe look at the betting market's assessment of each team based on the closing lines from the previous week's games, then we estimate what each club is capable of going forward. The "rating" column is an educated guess at the oddsmakers' rating to create a point spread before their most recent game. The number itself represents the percentage chance that a team beats an average opponent on a neutral field.The range column is my evaluation of each team's potential after seeing them play this past week. Obviously, clubs don't perform at the same level every week; they play within a range. It's our job as handicappers to predict how they'll perform based on things like the situation, on-field matchups, and roster/injury issues. The earlier it is in the season, the wider a team's range may be.Rating before Week 5 kickoffTEAMRATINGRANGEBills8065-85Chiefs7365-85Buccaneers6760-80Eagles6550-75Packers6555-7549ers6450-75Rams6255-75Ravens6155-70Bengals5750-70Chargers5655-75Vikings5645-70Raiders5440-60Broncos5250-75Dolphins5145-70Colts4945-65Jaguars4930-50Browns4640-65Cowboys4640-70Saints4640-60Patriots4540-60Titans4440-60Cardinals4230-60Lions4130-50Commanders4030-50Steelers3935-50Panthers3825-45Giants3725-50Seahawks3625-40Bears3530-45Jets3525-40Falcons3430-50Texans2825-40Notable Week 5 resultsWe rarely project forward in this space; that's what the rest of the week is for. But it's hard not to when we see that the two teams at the top are facing each other in a highly anticipated rematch of a playoff classic. The Chiefs' rating shouldn't move much coming off a 17-point comeback win Monday. So the question is: Should the Bills break through the artificial ceiling of 80? With an early line of Bills -3, that's certainly where oddsmakers have them.Speaking of the Chiefs, after they handed it to Tampa in Week 4, the market assigned more blame to the Bucs, dropping their rating to a point where they opened just -8 at home to the Falcons. Atlanta got knocked down due to Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Pitts being out (the line went up to -10), but their returns would bump the team back up.The Packers and Rams have stayed steady with their rating, which is why fading them has been successful the last two weeks. If the market doesn't bring them down, betting against them will generally continue to be the play. However, in the case of Los Angeles, that would mean betting on the Panthers this week, which doesn't sound very appealing.The middle area of the ratings is interesting. The Broncos, Dolphins, Colts, and Jaguars all need to be discounted for different reasons. We saw on Thursday night why Denver and Indianapolis will see their ratings drop. Miami's quarterback issues will cause the team to drop in the short term as hinted by the opening line for its game with the Vikings. Jacksonville, meanwhile, should have never been bumped up as high as they have been.You don't need to be a mentalist to predict that the Commanders, Steelers, and Panthers should be marked in red with an arrow down. The teams below them, with respectable performances and outright wins last week, should be passing them sooner rather than later.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone discusses 10 players fantasy managers should consider dropping from their rosters in favor of more high-upside stashes.

New England Patriots running back Damien Harris is expected to miss multiple games due to a hamstring injury, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Harris will get additional tests to confirm the timeline of his ailment, Pelissero adds.The 25-year-old, who's led the Patriots in rushing in each of the last two seasons, sustained the injury in Sunday's win over the Detroit Lions. Harris rushed for 257 yards (4.5 per carry) and three touchdowns through five games this season.The 2019 third-round pick set career highs with 929 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground across 15 games last year.With Harris sidelined, Rhamondre Stevenson will likely get more snaps. The second-year rusher racked up 372 yards (5.5 per carry) and one touchdown this season. He had a career-high 25 rushing attempts for 161 yards against the Lions.The Patriots' running back depth chart also features fourth-round rookie Pierre Strong.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Referee Carl Cheffers, who officiated the Kansas City Chiefs' victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, said he followed the roughing the passer rules when he penalized Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jone.Jones sacked Derek Carr from behind late in the first half, stripping the ball. The defender came down on the signal-caller while collecting the ball, but Cheffers called him for roughing the passer, wiping out the sack and fumble recovery. Las Vegas received an automatic first down and kicked a field goal four plays later to take a 20-7 lead.Cheffers defended his controversial call postgame, insisting Carr was in a passing posture and was landed on with full body weight."(Carr) gets full protection of all the aspects of what we give the quarterback in a passing posture," Cheffers said. "So, when he was tackled, my ruling was the defender landed on him with full body weight. The quarterback is protected from being tackled with full body weight. My ruling was roughing the passer for that reason."Cheffers added that Jones stripping Carr of the ball was irrelevant in this case."He still gets passing protection until he can defend himself," he said. "So, with him being in a passing posture and actually attempting to make a pass, he's going to get full protection until the time when he actually can protect himself. The fact that the ball came out and was subsequently recovered by the defense is not relevant as far as the protection the quarterback gets."

Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Darren Waller suffered a hamstring injury in Monday night's 30-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.Waller, who was on the sideline in street clothes to begin the second half, exited in the first quarter.The tight end departed without recording a reception or target.The Raiders entered the prime-time contest already without tight end Foster Moreau. The former fourth-round pick had recorded six catches for 74 yards in three games this season.Waller ranked third on the team in receptions (16) and receiving yards (175) before Monday's game.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL officially has a roughing-the-passer problem.Chris Jones made an excellent strip-sack of Derek Carr late in the second quarter of Monday night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders, even recovering the ball as he brought the quarterback down.But for the second time in as many days, much like the controversial play that helped Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers escape with a win Sunday, the key sack was overturned by a shocking call.

Tom Brady didn't have much to say about the controversial roughing the passer penalty call that gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a crucial first-down conversion in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 21-15 victory over the Atlanta Falcons."I don't throw the flags," the quarterback said postgame, according to NFL Network's Sara Walsh.The play took place at Atlanta's 47-yard line on a third-and-5 after defensive tackle Grady Jarrett recorded a sack that would've forced Tampa Bay to punt with 3:03 left in the contest. The Falcons had scored 15 unanswered fourth-quarter points.Following the play, the Bucs were able to convert another first down and run out the clock to seal the victory.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Week 6 byes

Hours after firing head coach Matt Rhule, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper explained his rationale Monday.Tepper said he had multiple reasons for making the change but ultimately felt it was the right time after the team's 37-15 home defeat by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday."There might have been a little bit of loss of intensity on the field yesterday," Tepper said. "I would say that's probably evident versus given the first four games."Rhule was dismissed following a 1-4 start and leaves with an 11-27 record over two-plus seasons with the franchise. Defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach Steve Wilks was named the interim coach.Carolina also relieved defensive coordinator Phil Snow and assistant special teams coordinator Ed Foley of their positions.Tepper said he's focused on building around Wilks and giving the team an opportunity to succeed rather than writing off the rest of the campaign."There's a lot of season left and we'll see how the season goes," he said. "Ultimately, he's in a position to be in consideration for that position. ... Obviously, if (Wilks) does an incredible job, he has to be in consideration."Tepper noted that while the organization has made some progress, it's still struggling to get over the hump. When asked what getting over the hump means to him, Tepper answered, "Winning."Identifying a franchise quarterback was a problem for Carolina during most of Rhule's tenure. The Panthers attempted to address the issue by acquiring Sam Darnold (2021) and Baker Mayfield (2022) via trades without much luck. The team even brought back Cam Newton, but he was unable to regain his former MVP form in his second stint.The owner suggested the Panthers need a culture change in order to win.Tepper said he'd also like to see a better balance between the team's general manager and head coach going forward, but he stated that it's premature to question the status of general manager Scott Fitterer. "Scott is our GM," he said.Carolina hasn't put together consecutive winning seasons since Tepper took control of the team in 2018.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday following a 1-4 start to the season.Rhule was in his third campaign in Carolina and leaves with an 11-27 record. He went 5-11 in his rookie year and 5-12 last season.Defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach Steve Wilks will take over as interim head coach.Owner David Tepper said a "loss of intensity" he noticed in Sunday's defeat by the San Francisco 49ers was one of the reasons he decided to dismiss Rhule, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Tepper added that Wilks could be considered for the full-time role depending on his performance.Carolina also fired defensive coordinator Phil Snow. Defensive assistant Al Holcomb is expected to be Snow's replacement, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.The Panthers handed Rhule a reported seven-year, $62-million deal in January 2020 to oversee a significant rebuild alongside new team owner David Tepper.But the coach couldn't replicate his program-building success with Baylor and Temple in the NFL. The 2022 campaign was seen as a make-or-break year for Rhule, who brought in quarterback Baker Mayfield to help ignite a playoff push.However, Carolina suffered a second straight double-digit loss Sunday to fall to 1-4 on the season, all but ending its hopes of a first postseason appearance under Rhule.The Panthers' offense ranks 24th in points per game and last in yards per contest. The NFC South club's defense hasn't performed much better, sitting tied for 21st in points allowed per game and 20th in yards allowed per contest.Rather than solidify the quarterback position, Mayfield has been among the worst starters in the NFL through five games.His 16.5 QBR is by far the worst in the league, while his 71.9 passer rating is the second-worst mark. He's also thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns (four) and averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt (29th).A return to the college ranks could be in the cards for Rhule.

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

Quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to miss "at least a couple of weeks" after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Carolina Panthers' 37-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Mayfield is getting further tests and additional opinions to determine his exact recovery timeline, Schefter reports.P.J. Walker is expected to start Carolina's Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.Mayfield appeared to sustain the injury late in the first half after a 49ers player landed on his leg. He limped to the locker room prior to halftime but returned to play most of the second half. Mayfield completed 20 of 36 passes for 215 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception in the game.The 27-year-old passer wore a walking boot during his postgame availability.The 2018 first overall pick is currently amid his debut campaign with the Panthers after being traded by the Cleveland Browns in July. Mayfield has struggled through five games, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions along with 962 yards while leading Carolina to a 1-4 record.Meanwhile, Carolina fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday and named Steve Wilks as the interim coach for the remainder of the season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a fractured fibula in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints, head coach Pete Carroll announced Monday, according to Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune.Penny, who also has a high ankle sprain, will undergo surgery."Really just a heartbreaking loss for him," said Carroll.The running back was carted to the locker room. He was spotted wearing a boot and using crutches after the game, according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic.Penny accumulated 54 yards on eight carries before exiting. He entered Week 5 with 292 rushing yards while averaging 6 yards per attempt.Kenneth Walker will likely receive the bulk of the workload for the rest of the campaign. The second-round rookie rushed for 88 yards Sunday, including a 69-yard touchdown.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each Monday, we'll finish off the week that was in the NFL with a look at value spots in the remaining game under one condition: you promise not to chase. Whether Sunday boosted the accounts or left little to be desired, Monday Night Football provides an opportunity to show responsibility in your betting. There will always be another wild Sunday to get lost in.The Chiefs play their second consecutive prime-time game, returning home after a comfortable win in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Raiders field goal-kicked their way to their first win of the season last week against the Broncos. This is a matchup largely dominated by the Chiefs, except for an outlier victory by the Raiders in Kansas City in 2020. Last season, despite Vegas qualifying for the playoffs, the Chiefs outscored the Raiders 89-23.Raiders @ Chiefs (-7, 51.5)This was supposed to be a new era for the Raiders, with Josh McDaniels coordinating an offense that added Davante Adams to an already solid group of weapons surrounding Derek Carr. However, Vegas is outside the top 10 in yards per play, scoring just eight touchdowns in four games.The point spread has been glued to the key number of -7 all week. Given their seemingly electric offensive performance last Sunday, it's more likely the Chiefs will take enough money to coerce sportsbooks to move the line to -7.5 since there would likely be buyback on the Raiders at that number. In fact, that's what I'd need to play a side in this game.What the contest in Tampa might have created, though, is an inauthentic assessment of where the Chiefs' offense is right now. Patrick Mahomes' spectacular play frustrated the Buccaneers and their backers, but Kansas City was gifted an ideal game script with Tampa's fumble on the opening kickoff. However, the Chiefs' season average of 6.0 yards per play is skewed by netting 7.4 YPP in Week 1 against a short-handed Cardinals defense.With just 5.53 YPP between Weeks 2-4, the Chiefs' offense would rank right in the middle of the league in that category - next to Vegas. The Raiders played in a game that scored 50-plus points in regulation for the first time last week, but their 2-for-5 red-zone efficiency was in line with their 44% rate on the season - tied with Carolina for 27th.Neither team has lived up to offensive expectations, and the market is seemingly unaware of it. We'll make a play on the under, hoping that Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo continues to one-up McDaniels, while Kansas City maintains its more average offensive output that we saw against the Chargers and Colts.Pick: Under 51.5 pointsJosh Jacobs over 18.5 receiving yardsIf you look at Jacobs' season stats, his 90 receiving yards through four games - 22.5 per contest - don't provide much of an edge on this number. However, Jacobs' targets went from one in each of the first two games to five and six in the last two, with the running back catching ten passes total.This is the most points the Raiders have been handed this season. They'd like to pound Jacobs on the ground, but McDaniels now knows they can throw him the ball should Vegas find themselves trailing as expected. With the three other tailbacks on the roster combining for just nine snaps last week, there isn't really another option.JuJu Smith-Schuster under 51.5 receiving yardsWe might be getting drawn into an uncomfortable position, but Smith-Schuster has been lined at 50.5 yards for the previous two games. It's not like this line is particularly lower than usual. However, Smith-Schuster hit the injury report with hamstring tightness on Saturday. While it seems like he'll play, there's an increased probability that he won't get his usual 70% share of the snaps, and that's not reflected in his yardage total.Isiah Pacheco anytime touchdown (+340)If you're feeling a little spicy, Pacheco is third in snaps but second in carries when it comes to Kansas City's running backs. He would get the lion's share of the carries should the Chiefs need to salt the game away late. At a big price, Pacheco might be worth a taste to score.Jakob Johnson anytime touchdown (+1500)If you want to get really spicy, Johnson has one catch on one target for one yard this season. However, the Raiders fullback's snap count rose to a season-high 35% last week. If Vegas is looking for a surprise target at the goal line, maybe there's a play-action pass to the fullback left over from the previous regime's game plans.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.Giants stun Packers DeFodi Images / DeFodi Images / GettyAre the Giants ... good?Most of us held out as long as we could, and understandably so. The hot start was a nice story, but with wins over the Titans, Panthers, and Bears, it was hardly the most inspiring 3-1 mark. A comeback victory over the Packers in London, though? Now we're talking.If you're seeking reasons to continue doubting whether this team is for real, look no further than the quality of the roster. There are still some major issues throughout: at quarterback, where Daniel Jones has yet to develop as hoped, and at receiver, where the Giants' active snap leaders are David Sills and Richie James. And yet, they keep winning.It's bewildering cases like these that remind us: as much as we may like to play pretend GM - crowning or writing off teams based on talent we see on paper - there's often so much more to the equation. For the Giants, who may be the surprise of the year, coaching appears to be making all the difference in the world.First-year head coach Brian Daboll, hired away from his coordinator post overseeing a Bills scoring machine, is getting absolutely everything he can out of his available offensive personnel. The healthy return of superstar running back Saquon Barkley helps, but Daboll's creativity has been a huge factor when it comes to moving the ball without being able to count on receivers to win one-on-one matchups. And perhaps even more importantly, his guidance seems to have had a major impact on Jones' ability to take care of the ball. After three years of giving games away with interceptions and fumbles, Jones has accounted for only three turnovers in five games under Daboll.Veteran defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, effectively made the scapegoat in Baltimore after injuries led to a rough 2021 season, is off to an equally impressive start on the other side of the ball. Despite some similar talent deficiencies, particularly at the second and third level of the defense, New York entered this week ranked ninth in scoring and 15th in yards allowed. Then came the unit's best performance yet, holding Aaron Rodgers to 222 yards and coming up with a massive red-zone stop to seal the win.Not quite having the same star talent as other playoff contenders will almost certainly keep the Giants from making a deep run into January, if they even get there. But punching this far above their weight this early in the rebuild - playing consistently clean football and thriving in the game's biggest moments - is an incredibly promising sign of what's to come under the new regime.If this is how Daboll's teams are going to play, it's only a matter of time before the Giants are back to being regular postseason participants.Rams in trouble? MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images / MediaNews Group / GettyIt might be time to start worrying about the defending Super Bowl champs.Five games into the season, the Rams sit a disappointing 2-3. It hasn't been the easiest schedule, with their three losses coming against the Bills, 49ers, and, most recently, the Cowboys, but you don't get to make excuses when you've got a ring. And the losses haven't been all that competitive:

Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater did not finish Sunday's 40-17 loss to the New York Jets after landing in concussion protocol in the first half.Bridgewater passed concussion testing but was ruled out under the updated protocols after a spotter saw the quarterback stumble, head coach Mike McDaniel said postgame, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. He was also evaluated for an elbow injury.Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson replaced the veteran. Bridgewater was starting in place of Tua Tagovailoa, who remains in concussion protocol after he was injured in last Thursday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.Thompson finished with 166 passing yards and one interception on 33 attempts.The Dolphins also lost left tackle Terron Armstead to a toe injury Sunday.Bridgewater exited after taking a big hit from Jets cornerback Ahmad Gardner. The signal-caller was called for intentional grounding, resulting in a safety for New York.The NFL and the players' association agreed Saturday to amend the concussion protocol following an investigation into the handling of Tagovailoa's injury.Days before being hurt against Cincinnati, Tagovailoa took a hit from Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano on Sept. 25. He appeared shaken and stumbled after getting back to his feet. He was controversially cleared of a head injury and returned to the game, and the team attributed his symptoms to a back injury.Although the NFL and players' association said the Dolphins followed the concussion protocol, the outcome of Tagovailoa's evaluation "was not what was intended when the protocol was drafted," a joint statement read.The league and union agreed to change the concussion protocol to include ataxia - defined as "abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination, or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue" - among the symptoms that would prevent a player from returning to a game. Ataxia replaces "gross motor instability" on the list of such symptoms.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones will miss Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions due to a high ankle sprain, the team announced.Rookie Bailey Zappe is set to get his first career start. Jones was listed as doubtful after being hurt on the final play of the Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.Veteran Brian Hoyer started last week's loss to the Green Bay Packers but suffered a concussion early in the game.Zappe, a fourth-round pick, played well after replacing Hoyer. The former Western Kentucky standout completed 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown in the 27-24 overtime defeat.Zappe and Pittsburgh Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett will be the first rookie quarterbacks to start this season. Pickett replaced Mitchell Trubisky last week and was subsequently named the permanent starter ahead of Week 5.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery that is expected to delay his return by at least a week or two, sources told Brooke Pryor and Adam Schefter of ESPN.Watt reportedly had the procedure to clean up a lingering preseason injury.The reigning Defensive Player of the Year was already sidelined by a torn pectoral muscle. He sustained that injury in Week 1 and was originally expected to miss six weeks.Pittsburgh is no longer counting on Watt to return before its Week 9 bye, according to Pryor and Schefter.Watt led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons. The 2017 first-round pick tied the single-season record with 22.5 sacks in 2021.The Steelers have posted a 0-3 record since Watt went down.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ronnie Stanley's finally back.The Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle is expected to be active for Sunday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.Stanley, a former first-team All-Pro, hasn't played since September 2021 due to an ankle injury. He underwent season-ending ankle surgeries in each of the last two seasons. The 28-year-old appeared in six games in 2020 and one contest in 2021.Stanley earned his first All-Pro nod while starting 14 games in 2019. He quickly established himself as one of the NFL's premier tackles after being drafted sixth overall in 2016. The Notre Dame product, who has yet to play a full season since entering the league, has made 63 career starts.Baltimore gave Stanley a five-year, $98-million contract extension in October 2020.Stanley's return is a big boost to the 2-2 Ravens, who are coming off a home loss to the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore's offensive line has allowed eight sacks while helping the team's running game average 5.4 yards per carry through the season's first four games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson underwent a procedure to relieve discomfort near his throwing shoulder following Denver's Thursday Night Football loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, sources told Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.The 33-year-old received a platelet-rich plasma injection Friday in Los Angeles to address a strained latissimus dorsi, Rapoport and Pelissero report.The injury is reportedly similar to the one that sidelined Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for most of training camp last year.Wilson appeared on Denver's injury report this past week. Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett said Monday that Wilson injured his shoulder in the team's Week 4 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.The nine-time Pro Bowler reportedly plans to keep playing through the ailment. The Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers for a Monday Night Football showdown in Week 6 following their 12-9 loss to Indianapolis.Wilson joined Denver this year after 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He's struggled through his first five games with the Broncos, completing just 59.4% of his passes for four touchdowns against three interceptions.Denver's offense has averaged just 16 points per game in 2022.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The irony isn't lost on me. On a week when we bet on the supposedly reliable, our card started with Alvin Kamara's surprise scratch. While that bet was voided, maybe it threw off the vibes as a rough 3-6-1 week knocked our overall record down to 20-19-1 for our ten favorite player props Sunday. The good news is you won't miss out on the run we usually go on here.Daniel Jones under 28.5 rushing yardsWe might be risking another last-minute scratch with Jones, but the Giants quarterback can't be his usual mobile self after getting banged up last week. Before Jones left the game early, the Bears seemed incapable of covering a rudimentary bootleg, allowing Jones to run in the Giants' only two touchdowns. When it comes to quarterback keepers, the Packers will be a little sharper, and Jones less willing.Mike Gesicki over 20.5 receiving yardsTeddy Bridgewater gets the start. Denver tight ends led the team in receiving yards in four of Bridgewater's 15 games played for the Broncos last season. Known for keeping underdogs competitive against better opponents, Bridgewater loves taking the safe throw. Mike Gesicki provides an ideal big target to make life easier for the Dolphins quarterback, whose team is favored this week.Drake London under 59.5 receiving yardsOn the surface, without Kyle Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson, it might feel like London should go over his totals as the leftover weapon for the Falcons. However, the Buccaneers are well aware of that and should roll coverage toward London, forcing Marcus Mariota to go elsewhere to beat them.Carson Wentz over 237.5 passing yardsLuckily for those backing Wentz to rack up yardage, he doesn't get docked for sacks or interceptions. Now that the Commanders are through the Eagles and Cowboys, they can get back to success through the air against a Titans defense. Tennessee ranks dead last in opponent passer rating and 30th in yards per pass attempt against.Equanimeous St. Brown over 22.5 receiving yardsWe're on record in saying that Justin Fields will have his best passing conditions of the season, but we won't get too carried away in betting his yardage total. Instead, we'll look to the No. 2 receiver on the Bears. St. Brown rose to a 95% snap rate last week, so he'll be available underneath deep threat Darnell Mooney at a lesser total because of the slow start to Chicago's passing game.Justin Herbert over 271.5 passing yardsHerbert's been over this total in all four games, so why is it so relatively low? We're expecting a close contest where the 2-point favorite Chargers will have to throw for all 60 minutes. The Browns' defense is also mustering the 19th-best pass defense, despite facing quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Joe Flacco, Mitch Trubisky, and Marcus Mariota. So, is it because of the conditions? A little wind shouldn't be an issue for Herbert's arm.Kenny Pickett longest pass completion under 33.5 yardsPickett wouldn't have fallen to the Steelers in the back half of the first round in April's draft if he had the same arm strength as Herbert. Windy conditions in Orchard Park might be an issue. The Steelers weren't successful throwing deep with Mitch Trubisky, and that won't change on the road against the Bills.Jared Goff under 238.5 passing yardsWe faded Goff last week. Whoops. We forgot to factor in how terrible the Seahawks' defense might be. The same issues for the Lions' offense exist this week, but now it's Bill Belichick game planning on the other side, and there's no roof overhead for Goff. The Patriots keep the ball away from Detroit and confuse the Lions' quarterback when he has it.Alvin Kamara over 26.5 receiving yardsShould we try him again? Why not! Assuming Kamara's back in the lineup, all the same components to last week's handicap apply. Andy Dalton threw it three times to Mark Ingram and once to Latavius Murray. Kamara is a more appealing target and far more likely to crack a big one than those two.Jimmy Garoppolo under 218.5 passing yardsAt 6.0 yards per pass attempt against, the Panthers' defense is pretty good at holding down the quarterbacks they've faced. Garoppolo and the 49ers' passing game are comparable to Kyler Murray, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, and Jones. San Francisco is much more likely to build a big lead via defense and the run game, so there won't be a need to put the ball in harm's way on the road.Cam Akers under 45.5 rushing yardsIf this sounds familiar, we made this play Monday night, and it cruised. It might be a little tighter this time around, given the Cowboys' run defense doesn't have the yards-per-carry numbers. But Akers isn't Leonard Fournette or Saquon Barkley. Both those tailbacks had success against Dallas this season.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After another disappointing loss in which the Denver Broncos' offense didn't live up to its billing, head coach Nathaniel Hackett plans to make changes.Hackett said Friday he'll "without a doubt" consider simplifying his offensive unit, according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports.The first-year coach added, "We want to make it so the guys are playing. The thing we say here is: 'Hear the call. Know the call. Do your job.' We want to be sure that they're doing that at a high level, and right now it's not."Denver didn't score a touchdown in Thursday's 12-9 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Broncos entered the game in the bottom five of the NFL in scoring, having averaged just 16.5 points per game through the first four weeks.The defeat dropped the Broncos to 2-3. Denver came into the season with high expectations after acquiring multiple high-profile players, including star quarterback Russell Wilson.Wilson signed a five-year, $245-million deal with Denver after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks. He struggled against the Colts, completing 53.8% of his passes for 274 yards and no touchdowns against two interceptions.The nine-time Pro Bowler has passed for 1,254 yards and four touchdowns to three interceptions this season.Hackett also wants to make things easier for Wilson."Want to take a hard look at everything that he's done successfully and make sure we're accommodating him as much as possible so that he feels comfortable," Hackett said when asked about putting the quarterback under center more often."But at the same time, we want to do things our players do."Wilson and the Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football in Week 6.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone goes over the notable injury updates heading into Week 5.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton is expected to start his second straight game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Dennis Allen announced Friday, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.Jameis Winston is doubtful for the Week 5 meeting due to back and ankle injuries. Michael Thomas will also miss Sunday with a foot injury, Allen added.In place of Winston, Dalton completed 20 of 28 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown in a 28-25 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4. The Saints were also without Thomas and star running back Alvin Kamara in the loss.Winston has thrown four touchdowns to five interceptions for a 79.5 passer rating over his three starts this season.New Orleans has lost three consecutive games since opening its year with a victory against the Atlanta Falcons.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos offensive tackle Garett Bolles is set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken leg Thursday, head coach Nathaniel Hackett confirmed Friday, according to Kyle Newman of the Denver Post.Cornerback Ronald Darby is also out for the rest of the year with a torn ACL.Bolles went down with under four minutes remaining in regulation after a Colts player appeared to roll up onto his leg. He was carted to the locker room after remaining on the field for several minutes.The former first-round pick has been one of the most durable members of the Broncos' roster, having missed just four games since 2017. The Utah product missed time last season due to an ankle issue and a positive test for COVID-19.Darby, meanwhile, left Thursday's contest prior to halftime and was ruled out for the second half. The veteran defensive back recorded 14 tackles, three passes defended, and a forced fumble in his second season with Denver.Linebacker Josey Jewell is dealing with a knee sprain and considered week-to-week after also leaving Thursday's contest, according to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post.Denver running back Javonte Williams has already been placed on season-ending injured reserve after tearing his ACL in Week 4."I can only move forward, I can only go to the drawing board and grind and try to find ways to put guys in good positions," Hackett said Friday when asked about the Broncos' mounting injuries.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is off the injury report and expected to play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.Garrett suffered shoulder and biceps injuries in a car accident on Sept. 26 and missed the Browns' Week 4 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.The two-time first-team All-Pro and a female passenger were hospitalized following the crash. Garrett was released from the hospital the next day.Garrett has three sacks and one forced fumble in three games this season.The 26-year-old will boost a pass rush that recorded only one sack last week. Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is also listed as questionable for Sunday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts won't play in Sunday's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a hamstring injury, the team announced.Pitts has been held out of practice all week due to the hamstring ailment.The former fourth overall pick has gotten off to a pedestrian start in 2022. Pitts has recorded 10 catches for 150 yards with zero touchdowns through four games. He has tallied 25 yards or less in three of the four contests.The 22-year-old earned a Pro Bowl berth during his rookie campaign last season after hauling in 68 catches for 1,026 yards.The Falcons - who began the season 0-2 - go into their Week 5 game against the Bucs on a two-game winning streak.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Denver Broncos 12-9 in overtime on Thursday Night Football, but quarterback Matt Ryan said his team can play better."Wins are what we need, you know? So from that standpoint, through five games, we're 2-2-1, and we're right in the mix. I think our best football is in front of us," Ryan said postgame."We've got to play better than we did tonight. But at the end of the day, you've got to win games, even as you're trying to find out what we can be. And I'm proud of the fact that we did that."The 37-year-old was sacked six times on Thursday, finishing with 251 passing yards and two interceptions.The Colts tied the game with eight seconds left in the fourth quarter, leading to an overtime game-winning field goal."As long as there's time on the clock, and you're within a score or two or whatever, you have a chance, and we were there the entire night," Ryan said. "Our defense played lights out, which gives you a lot of confidence as an offense knowing you just have to hang in there."Ryan has thrown 1,376 passing yards for five touchdowns and seven interceptions through five games this season.Indianapolis has a nine-day break before taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones didn't receive an injury designation Friday and is expected to start against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.The starting quarterback went down with an ankle injury last week against the Chicago Bears, forcing Tyrod Taylor into the game. Taylor sustained a concussion later on, and Jones returned to finish the contest.Jones was a limited participant in Thursday's practice before not being listed on Friday's injury report.The Giants will likely have their starter under center but will be without some key pieces when they take on the Packers in London. Kenny Golladay (knee), Wan'Dale Robinson (knee), Kadarius Toney (hamstring), Azeez Ojulari (calf), Henry Mondeaux (ankle), Cordale Flott (calf), and Taylor (concussion) have all been ruled out. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams (knee) is questionable.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Bills won't have safety Jordan Poyer or tight end Dawson Knox for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Sean McDermott announced Friday.Poyer is dealing with injured ribs, while Knox has foot and hamstring issues.Cornerback Christian Benford and receivers Jamison Crowder and Jake Kumerow will also miss the contest.Sunday's game will mark the second contest that Poyer has missed this campaign after being sidelined in Week 3 with a foot injury. Buffalo has also been without star safety Micah Hyde due to a season-ending neck injury.Poyer leads the NFL with four interceptions this season.Knox has caught 12 passes for 111 yards this year, though he has yet to record a touchdown.The 3-1 Bills will welcome a Steelers team that has lost three straight.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cardinals' kicker gets hurt, setting off a series of failed two-point conversions, and a sure-fire over 42.5 falls a half-point short in Carolina. The Raiders beat the Broncos by three field goals, and the winning margin lands on nine - a result that happens in the NFL 1.46% of the time. As a result, two half-points cause a 4.3-unit swing. Welcome to betting on the NFL.Our record-keeping also includes a pair of pushes on 3-point spreads last week, though intrepid bettors likely found at least one winner, as the Saints and Ravens could be had at +3.5 or better on Sunday. These are the perils of publishing betting plays on deadline.BET TYPELAST WEEKSEASON (units)ATS trio0-1-25-5-2 (-0.5)ML upset+1.73-1 (+4.6)Totals-1.11-3 (-2.3)Teasers-1.22-2 (-0.4)TOTAL-1.7+1.4Best bets ATSBuccaneers -9.5This line has jumped up to -9.5 and may be headed to double digits, so if you haven't grabbed the rare valuable favorite, do so ASAP. I'm on record as being confused about how subtracting Matt Ryan and adding a mobile quarterback in Marcus Mariota was the downgrade the market believed it to be in the preseason. However, the line for this matchup last year was close to two touchdowns.The Buccaneers opened -8 and have risen in part due to Cordarrelle Patterson's injury, Kyle Pitts' questionable availability, and teaser liability piling up. The Falcons' fun offense becomes a lot more pedestrian without those two threats, while the Buccaneers get some continuity for Tom Brady with a healthy wide receiver corps - many of whom were around when Brady threw nine touchdowns and just one interception against Atlanta in two matchups last year.Patriots -3 (-115)Bill Belichick was fired up against the Packers last week, potentially thriving on the challenge of slowing down Aaron Rodgers. This week, the Patriots get Jared Goff - whom Belichick neutralized in Super Bowl LIII.The Lions have pulled off quite the illusion - convincing bettors that they're to be reckoned with, but they also just lost at home to the Seahawks and sit 1-3. The Detroit defense is an abomination, and either Patriots young quarterback can maneuver through it with the aid of a good running game.Pay the extra five cents to get -3 on a New England team playing just its second home game and whose losses are to the Dolphins, Ravens, and Packers - three teams out of Detroit's league.Commanders +2.5Advanced advice would include the recommendation to wait for one possession before you bet on the Commanders since the Titans are 4/4 on their scripted first drives this season. After which, the offense dries right up.Defensively, Washington has fared well against top tailbacks so far this season. Ryan Tannehill won't be able to take advantage of Washington's weak secondary, especially without Treylon Burks.As mentioned in the round-robin underdog moneyline parlay, backing Carson Wentz is no party, but the Titans are dead last in the league in opponents' passer rating. Wentz will have the most time he's had all season to find his weapons.Moneyline upset of the weekOur defined parameter for this section is underdogs paying at least +150.Bears +300Speaking of our best underdog bets of the week, I'm not surprised the spread has lengthened in the Bears-Vikings game. That's a fair move based on market ratings this season. However, I don't trust Minnesota, and now that we're getting 3-1 on our money, it's worth a shot that the Bears' offense can do enough to counteract what their defense may give up this week.The expectation will be that Justin Fields has his best passing game of the season in rare dry conditions, and the Bears will continue to run the ball successfully against a Vikings defense that rates in the middle of the pack.Best total betDolphins-Jets under 46 (-110)The Jets are going to have a hard time protecting Zach Wilson with backup tackles against the Dolphins' defense, and Teddy Bridgewater's never been known for connecting on deep passes.Miami has gone over this total once - its track meet in Baltimore. The Jets' miracle in Cleveland didn't just give them a win, but it was their lone game to crack 46 points.The Jets' defense has been average against quarterbacks this season but better than average against the run. Since Bridgewater is the definition of the median QB, don't expect much punch from the Fins' offense, which is also how we always treat the Jets.Best 6-point teaserPackers -2 / Browns +8.5 (-120)We'll start Sunday with a morning tease of the Packers. Being still able to get Green Bay under a field goal allows the mathematically-best use of a teaser leg this week.The Bucs' line has pulled up and out of teaser range, but we have a new qualifier since our early-week teaser report: the Browns. Money has come in on Cleveland with rumors that Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney may be ready to return. Moreover, the Chargers haven't fixed their 31st-ranked run defense, which gave up a combined 222 rush yards to Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt last year.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at underappreciated fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 5 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 5 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartJoe Burrow, Bengalsvs. Ravens Ian Johnson / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesAfter two subpar outings to start the season, Burrow has righted the ship with back-to-back games of over 20 fantasy points.Next up is a test against the division rival Ravens - a defense he toyed with last season.Burrow threw for 416 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the first encounter, finishing as the QB2 overall in weekly scoring. Somehow, he managed to top those numbers with 525 yards and four touchdowns the next time they met, ending up as the QB1 overall on the week.The fact the Ravens are allowing the second-most fantasy points to the position is skewed by Tua Tagovailoa's six-touchdown game. But they did give up at least 300 yards to the first three passers they faced this year before losing a bad-weather contest to the Bills in Week 4.With the forecast looking good for Sunday night, Burrow should move the ball at will against the Ravens en route to his best game of the season.Boone's projection: 339 passing yards, 3 passing TDsOther QBs to start

The New England Patriots placed quarterback Brian Hoyer on injured reserve Thursday, the team announced.Hoyer started in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers with Mac Jones out due to an ankle ailment, but he left the game due to a concussion. The IR designation means Hoyer will miss at least 4 games.The 15-year veteran completed 5 of 6 passes for 37 yards before exiting against the Packers. Rookie Bailey Zappe took over in Hoyer's absence and is slated to be the Patriots' primary backup while Hoyer recovers. The 23-year-old will likely start Sunday's Week 5 game against the Detroit Lions if Jones can't play.Hoyer, 36, will miss games against the Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Chicago Bears, as well as the Patriots' first matchup against the division-rival New York Jets. He'll be eligible to return for New England's Week 9 contest against the Indianapolis Colts.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith is off to a hot start this season, and teammate DK Metcalf isn't surprised by his quarterback's performance."He's getting the credit he deserves," Metcalf said after Smith was named NFC offensive player of the week in Week 4 for his 320-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Detroit Lions.Metcalf added: "Last year, when Russ (Wilson) went down, he had a chance to step in, and I knew he was going to do great. From the moment he got his chance, he just needed an opportunity. Now he's just showing everybody what we already knew."Smith is fifth in QBR out of all quarterbacks and only has two interceptions through four games, which has helped the Seahawks' offense get off to a more efficient start than widely expected. They are 10th in yards per game and 11th in points."Everybody kept writing him off, and he just never had a fair shot to be who Geno Smith really is. We're all just seeing him come into his own and be a quarterback leading a franchise and an organization how he wants it to be," Metcalf said.Smith was drafted in the second round by the New York Jets in 2013 and started all 16 games in his rookie season. He was benched for Michael Vick in Week 8 the following year.The 31-year-old bounced around as a backup for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before finding a home as Wilson's backup in Seattle in 2019.Smith has 1,037 passing yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions through four games this season.The Seahawks are 2-2 and will look to get above .500 against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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

There are a variety of different ways to evaluate your handicapping, with wins and losses being further down the list than you may think - especially when it comes to betting moneyline underdogs. The biggest fear each week shouldn't be that we don't pick the right upsets but that there aren't any upsets available to pick.In Week 4, just three underdogs of bigger than a field goal won outright. We happened to find all of them while also sitting on a 17-point lead with the Ravens before they stopped scoring and lost. All told, there weren't even five underdogs to be had, and there's no guarantee that there will even be three every week. However, the second significant sign that we're finding good value is that our underdogs are now 14-5-1 against the spread.How it worksWe parlay five underdogs together - whom we bet against the spread - in 10 different three-team parlays. Using every combination of a three-team parlay is called a round robin, so we're going to use a total of 1.1 units to make 11 different bets: 10 three-team parlays and one five-team parlay, each for .1 units. You'll likely double your money if three teams pull off the upset. If four teams win, you're connecting on four separate parlays and will be very pleased with the return. If all five teams win, as they did for us in Week 1 last season, you'll be diving into a gold doubloon silo like a young Scrooge McDuck.Who to playBears +260A roll call of uncomfortable teams to back starts with the Bears. Justin Fields' lack of pass completions has gotten all the headlines, but this is setting up for the best offensive conditions he'll play in. Even though it's on the road, a game in a dome should make throwing easier than the various rain games and messy fields the Chicago offense has dealt with so far.We hoped the Vikings would have a fresh modus operandi at the start of the season, but the DNA of playing close games, no matter the opponent, seems ingrained. Of all the teams that are favored by around a touchdown, who do you trust the least to blow a 6-point teaser? Minnesota was gashed by Latavius Murray in London and now flies back across the Atlantic. The Bears have a solid run game, with Fields providing the type of mobile threat the Vikings haven't seen this season outside of Jalen Hurts.Commanders +115There's nothing more awkward than backing Carson Wentz for 60 minutes, but after facing the Eagles' and Cowboys' defenses in recent weeks, the Commanders should feel more comfortable. They tallied almost 400 yards against the Jaguars and Lions, which should be a reasonable expectation against the Titans' defense. Tennessee saved its season the last two weeks and is about to head into its bye week, so a slip-up on the road isn't out of the question against a desperate Commanders outfit.Texans +270If you don't love backing the Commanders, it's worth remembering that the Jaguars lost to Washington. They caught the Colts (missing Michael Pittman and Shaq Leonard) and the Chargers (with a mangled Justin Herbert) at the best times possible, and the market lost its mind backing Jacksonville.The Texans are definitely not as good as Jacksonville. But I'm not buying much home-field advantage for the Jaguars, and the Texans have to feel like they can get their first win of the season before their bye week against a division rival they've had success against.Cardinals +200It's hard to understand that the 5-point spread is a fair line for a game between a team that everyone loves and one that many seem to hate. But based on previous market ratings, it's a fair line. Kyler Murray's high-variance style means anything is possible offensively, and the Cardinals' defensive numbers are dragged down by getting annihilated in Week 1 when they were shorthanded against the Chiefs.If you believe in lookahead spots, the Eagles host Sunday Night Football against the Cowboys next week, which will go a long way to decide the division. A trip to the Valley of the Sun might not have their attention in the way it should.Cowboys +200The market rating on the Cowboys plummeted when Cooper Rush was forced into a starting role, but we're slowly tiptoeing Dallas back up to where it was rated in Week 1. We don't have to get all the way back to the division-favorite status that the Cowboys had with Dak Prescott healthy in order to find value on Dallas this week.There won't be any home-field advantage for the Rams with the number of fans cheering on America's Team at SoFi Stadium, and the Cowboys' defensive line and cornerbacks can give Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp trouble. If that's the case, there's nothing that says the Rams are much better than Dallas right now.Here's how the odds look this week:PARLAYODDS (Approx.)CHI+HOU+WSH+2700CHI+HOU+ARI+3700CHI+HOU+DAL+4000CHI+WSH+ARI+2100CHI+WSH+DAL+2200CHI+ARI+DAL+3100HOU+WSH+ARI+2200HOU+WSH+DAL+2300HOU+ARI+DAL+3200WSH+ARI+DAL+1800CHI+HOU+WSH+ARI+DAL+25000Who are your five underdogs for a football betting lottery ticket?Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NFL running back Le'Veon Bell is set to make his pro boxing debut against former UFC fighter Uriah Hall on Oct. 29 as part of the Showtime card headlined by Jake Paul versus Anderson Silva, Most Valuable Promotions announced Thursday.The bout will be a four-round contest set at 195 pounds.Bell made his exhibition debut in September, knocking out former NFL star Adrian Peterson in the fifth round.Hall, 38, retired from mixed martial arts in August after compiling a 17-11 record. He earned victories over Silva and Chris Weidman, among others, during his UFC tenure. His MMA career came to a close with a loss to Andre Muniz in July.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.