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    Etienne questionable after full week of practice

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    CAR Running Back #23
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    Trevor Etienne (ankle) is questionable for Carolina’s Week 6 game against the Eagles.

    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.
Florio: Aikman-ESPN contract situation heats up
Mike Florio previews a potential game of 'broadcaster roulette' in the NFL, with rumors of Troy Aikman potentially leaving Monday Night Football before the end of the season.

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  • CAR Running Back #23
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    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 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.
  • 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

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    Azeez Al-Shaair left Houston’s Week 6 game against the Jaguars to be evaluated for a concussion.

    The Jaguars have been able to impose their will on the Texans in the run game in the first half, and this won’t help matters. Al-Shaair left after Jacksonville scored their first touchdown in the second quarter and was spotted walking to the locker room.
  • NE Wide Receiver #1
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    NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports A.J. Brown (ankle) is expected to play “a good amount” in Week 6 against the Jets.

    Brown was activated from injured reserve this week and will suit up versus the Jets. It was reasonable to expect some sort of snap count in his first game back, but it sounds like Brown will be a full-go after looking great in practice this week. In desperate need of a true WR1 to step up, the Pats should pepper Brown with targets this week. He is back in the fantasy WR2 ranks after the lengthy absence.
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    NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports Commanders owner Josh Harris “would love” for Dan Quinn to remain the team’s head coach.

    Garafolo says this as if Harris is simply a bystander watching Quinn bumble his way through another season. Garafolo did add that “anything is on the table” if the Commanders get blown out by the 49ers on national television on Monday. They are currently 7.5-point underdogs on most sportsbooks. With a bye week on deck after San Francisco, the Commanders could see Week 7 as the best time to pull the plug on Quinn.
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    NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that “no change is imminent” at head coach for the Saints.

    Saints owner Gayle Benson said earlier this week that the team’s 1-4 record is “not acceptable.” Rapoport noted that she came to practice in a “show of support” for Moore and company, though it felt equally like a show of force from the outside. Rapsheet also stressed several times that the team needs to start winning games. While a change at head coach might not happen next week, it does sound like Moore won’t survive the season if things don’t turn around soon.
  • NYG Running Back #23
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    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Najee Harris is “set to start” for the Giants in Week 6 against the Saints.

    Fowler was adding to a report from Jordan Raanan, who said Harris is “likely to have a larger role with Cam Skattebo downgraded but still part of the mix after the fumbles.” Skattebo has indeed struggled with fumbles, putting the ball on the ground four times this year. No running back has more fumbles, and Skattebo’s most recent blunder cost the Giants a shot at an overtime win versus the Commanders last week. They instead settled for a tie. Even if Skattebo winds up leading the team in carries this week, he was only valuable for fantasy managers because of his high-volume role. With that out the window, Skattebo is buried in the RB3 ranks for Week 6.
  • PIT Running Back #13
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    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Rico Dowdle (toe) is expected to play in Week 6 against the Bucs.

    Dowdle has been out since Week 2 because of the toe issue. In the meantime, Jaylen Warren has looked like one of the league’s most dynamic backs on the ground and through the air. While his gargantuan workload will return to normal with Dowdle back, Warren should still operate as the team’s unquestioned RB1. Dowdle is just a mid-range FLEX play for his first game back.
  • DAL Cornerback #25
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    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler Jr. (ankle) is expected to play in Week 6 against the Packers.

    JPJ was downgraded to a limited participant in Friday before being hit with the questionable tag, causing some concern about his Week 6 availability. It looks like the light practice session may have been a precaution. The newly-minted Cowboys should be good to go versus Green Bay.
  • IND Tight End #84
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    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Tyler Warren (groin) is a game-time decisions for Week 6 against the Titans.

    Warren suffered the groin injury during Friday’s practice. He was added to the injury report and listed as questionable for Week 6. Of note, Warren also dealt with a groin injury late in training camp, though he was ready to go for Week 1 and had not appeared on the injury report again until this week. Even if he does suit up, Warren will be at far less than 100 percent. Expect Josh Downs and Keenan Allen to take on more work whether or not Warren is active.
  • NO Quarterback #6
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    ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Tyler Shough has two broken bones in his non-throwing hand.

    Both Shough and Kellen Moore have given non-answers when asked about the quarterback’s left hand. Per Schefter, the injury could take a couple of months to heal, but it will not cost him any playing time. Shough injured his hand versus the Falcons in Week 4 and wore a protective glove in Week 5. He is coming off his two worst games of the year, though we don’t suspect the hand is to blame. Things get much easier this week with the Giants on tap. Shough will get another shot at a QB1 finish in Week 6.
  • LAC Tackle #76
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    NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Joe Alt (neck) is expected to “ramp up” this week.

    Pre Rapoport, Alt received good news after seeing a specialist for his neck injury earlier this week. Alt missed last week’s game with the issue and has already been ruled out for Week 6, but this is still a positive turn of events, all things considered. With a Week 7 bye on deck, Alt could be back as soon as the following week when the Bolts take on the Rams.