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    Etienne will be ready to come off IR when eligible

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    CAR Running Back #23
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    Trevor Etienne (ankle) said he will be ready to come off injured reserve before Week 5’s game against the Eagles.

    Etienne suffered a high-ankle sprain in the final preseason game. He may return as the nominal No. 2 back behind Chuba Hubbard after Jonathon Brooks was injured in Week 2, giving him non-zero deep-league value.
Golden earns fantasy WR1 status after SNF breakout
Patrick Daugherty and Kyle Dvorchak react to Packers WR Matthew Golden’s 104-yard performance against the Cowboys and explain why his growing role in Green Bay has elevated him into the fantasy WR1 conversation.

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  • CAR Running Back #23
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    Panthers coach Dave Canales said Etienne would be activated off injured reserve for this week. Etienne practiced in full all week and, with AJ Dillon ruled out, the Panthers currently have just one healthy back on the 53-man roster. Perhaps he’ll be joined by a practice squad player as well. Either way, Etienne has no stand-alone value this week.
  • CAR Running Back #23
    The Panthers’ backup running back is on track to return this week against the Eagles, while fellow backup A.J. Dillon (ankle) may need more time off. Dillon was unable to practice at all today. Etienne can be stashed in 12-team formats, though he may only qualify as FLEX-viable if he were to get a fill-in start at some point.
  • CAR Running Back #23
    A report in September told us that Etienne would be ready to come off injured reserve ahead of Week 6’s game against the Eagles. That appears to be coming to fruition. He’ll try to cut into AJ Dillon’s reserve role.
  • CAR Running Back #23
    Etienne will be eligible to come off IR after the first four weeks of the 2026 regular season. He got some buzz during offseason workouts and training camp but has exceedingly little chance of seeing significant regular season snaps for Carolina. Etienne as a rookie in 2025 had 20 carries for 94 scoreless yards, functioning mostly as a kick returner. AJ Dillon will be the depth back behind Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks as things stand right now.
  • CAR Running Back #24
    Earlier today, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that “there will be no limitations” for Brooks (knee). First-team usage seemingly affirms that. The team hopes Brooks forms a one-two punch with RB Chuba Hubbard before taking over as the starter at some point. Backup RB Trevor Etienne “also got his fair share of reps, and he worked with the starters as well in the running back rotation.” This is somewhat surprising, and worth keeping an eye on. Regarding Brooks’ showing, Kaye says he “looked quick as he bobbed and weaved with the ball in his hands.” He notably took “a mild hit,” but “showed no signs of struggle afterward.” Brooks looks like a high-upside, risk-reward type of pick right now.
  • CAR Running Back #24
    It’s part of the reason why the Panthers are willing to let Rico Dowdle leave in free agency. With Chuba Hubbard as the main back, Brooks would likely not be a major part of the offense even if he got to camp healthy after losing most of his NFL career to date to ACL tears. Still, he’s going to be just 23 this offseason, it’s hard to completely give up hope on him. He’ll battle Trevor Etienne for the main backup role if the Panthers don’t bring in anyone else.
  • CAR Running Back #23
    His most important contribution against the Rams was letting one punt return clank off his helmet to be recovered by the Rams, then nearly losing a second one later in the exact same way. Etienne never truly entered the backfield derby in Carolina, topping out at 7/33 against the Patriots in a 42-13 drubbing where he mostly played late. The 114th overall pick in last year’s draft, Etienne could wind up as Chuba Hubbard’s No. 2 back this offseason if the Panthers don’t add anyone else to the room, but this year’s usage doesn’t exactly demonstrate a commitment from the Panthers that leads us to think they want him to be that player.
  • CAR Running Back #23
    His longest play of the day, an 11-yard run deep in the fourth quarter, came with the Cowboys figuratively begging him to score so they could get the ball back, not even attempting to tackle him. Etienne smartly slid down. He’s got no role worth speaking of at the moment and will fall even further once Chuba Hubbard is healthy again.
  • CAR Running Back #23
    Etienne was used sparingly even with Chuba Hubbard out this week. Rico Dowdle was the team’s lead back and he gave them no reason to turn to the rookie. Dowdle ran for 206 yards on 23 attempts and scored once. Half of Etienne’s carries came on the Panthers’ penultimate drive while Dowdle was dealing with cramps. Needless to say, Etienne is not on the fantasy radar heading into Week 6.
  • CAR Running Back #30
    Just hours after it was reported that Hubbard was expected to miss Week 5, the Panthers have confirmed their RB1 will miss Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. Hubbard’s injury isn’t expected to be something that sidelines him long-term, but the Panthers will give him the week off and turnover duties to Rico Dowdle and Trevor Etienne. Dowdle profiles as a solid RB2 with RB1 upside, while Etienne should be viewed as a stash until we see how he’s utilized sans Hubbard.

Rotoworld

  • GB Defensive Tackle #91
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    Packers signed DT Mazi Smith, formerly of the Dolphins.

    Smith, a former first-round pick by the Cowboys in 2023, appeared in one game for the Dolphins earlier this season and has appeared in just nine games since 2025. The 25-year-old lineman has tallied 57 tackles and two sacks in his career and wouldn’t be asked to serve as anything more than added depth for the Packers if he were elevated to the 53-man roster.
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    Rams placed DL Kobie Turner (groin) on injured reserve.

    It’s a tough injury for Turner, who is in the final year of his rookie contract and will miss at least four weeks. He’s been a mainstay of Los Angeles’ defense over his first three years with several high-hurry seasons and stellar run defense. The Rams interior defense has taken a big hit today.
  • LA Nose Tackle #97
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    Rams placed DT Poona Ford (biceps) on injured reserve.

    It will end his season. Ford has been a find for the Rams the last two years as a premium run-stuffer. This injury will test their defensive line depth. The soon-to-be 31-year-old will be a release candidate after the season with an $11.08 million cap hit of which the Rams can save $9.25 million by cutting him.
  • LA Wide Receiver #17
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    Rams coach Sean McVay said Davante Adams (hamstring) will miss 6-10 weeks with a ruptured tendon.

    Adams had a non-contact injury at the end of Week 6’s loss to the Cardinals and unfortunately is as serious as it appeared. He’ll likely be placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 7. His absence will further focus targets on Puka Nacua and likely elevate Konata Mumpfield into a bigger role. Adams had put together a 30/480/4 line in his first six games of the season. Adams will reportedly have surgery to “clean” out the tendon, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, in hopes he can return around the team’s bye week, which is scheduled for Week 11. It’s a major blow for a Rams team that is already reeling at 2-4.
  • MIN Running Back #27
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    Vikings designed Jordan Mason (thumb/IR) to return.

    His 21-day practice window will open; most of the reporting is that the Vikings expect him to play in Week 7. Assuming that’s the case, we expect to see him hit the ground running on the Wednesday practice report with at least a limited session and perhaps a full.
  • WAS Running Back #26
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    Commanders activated Jeremy McNichols (quad) off injured reserve.

    He’ll likely be Washington’s third-string back tonight, but one thing that two years and five weeks of Dan Quinn being in charge have taught us is that no one ever expects that Jeremy McNichols takeover until it’s too late. The backfield mix in Washington is weak and anyone could emerge in a post-'Bill’ world.
  • GB Running Back #8
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    Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he is undecided on whether or not Josh Jacobs will play in Week 7 against the Lions.

    LaFleur said Jacobs will log a full week of practice but also pointed out that the 28-year-old back has “missed the exposure to football” over the last several months while on the commissioner’s exempt list. Jacobs was reinstated by the league late last week and is eligible to play immediately, but whether or not he will be active next week is to be determined. We’ll see how this week unfolds, but it would be a bit surprising if Jacobs was inactive in a pivotal NFC North matcup.
  • WAS Cornerback #23
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    Commanders activated CB Trey Amos (fibula) from injured reserve.

    He’ll immediately step in as a starting corner after a long rehab from a broken fibula suffered last November. The Commanders are desperate for better outside cornerback play and will be hoping their 2025 second-rounder can provide it in a hurry.
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    Commanders placed Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) on injured reserve.

    He’ll miss at least the next four weeks. Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler figure to get the majority of the work from Weeks 6-9. The Commanders also brought Jeremy McNichols off injured reserve and signed him to the active roster.
  • NE Wide Receiver #87
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    Patriots placed Romeo Doubs (shoulder) on injured reserve.

    Doubs was ruled out in the third quarter of Week 6’s win over the Jets and will now miss at least the next four games. With the Patriots’ bye not coming until Week 11, the earliest Doubs will be able to return to the field will be in Week 12 against the Chargers. Doubs has caught 14 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns this season and has been targeted more than four times in just one game. Doubs can be dropped in leagues that don’t allow players to be stashed on IR.