NFL Player News

With Calvin Johnson a nonfactor for the Lions, Matthew Stafford struggled to move the ball through the air in Week 5.

Stafford finished Sunday's game against the Bills with just 12 Fantasy points, the second time in four games he has fallen below 15 Fantasy points. And, though it might be easy to chalk it up to Stafford not having Johnson to throw to, Stafford looked perfectly fine last week, when he racked up 23 Fantasy points while Johnson was used as a decoy.

Stafford's value is not tied entirely to Johnson's availability -- he's still capable of being plenty productive without him. However, Johnson's limitations or potential absence certainly makes Stafford a higher-variance player, which makes him harder to rely on every week.

Keep an eye on Johnson's status, for Week 6, but tentatively pencil him into your starting lineup against a Vikings defense that has surrendered 71 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks over the last three games. 

Jets receiver Geno Smith was benched after an awful first half Week 5 against the Chargers.

Smith completed just 4 of 12 passes for 27 yards. He threw one interception during the contest. Smith lasted just one half, as Michael Vick came out to start the third quarter. Despite being benched, Smith was already named the starter Week 6 against the Broncos. 

It's hard to remember because it lasted all of two games, but for the period Brian Hoyer started for the Browns last year before tearing his ACL, he was a relevant contributor in Fantasy, throwing five touchdown passes to three interceptions and averaging 295.0 yards per game.

So his performance Week 5 at Tennessee in which he threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns (with one interception) isn't one you should immediately dismiss.

No, he doesn't have the help of Josh Gordon now like he did then, but he seems to have a competent running game with Ben Tate healthy and doesn't mind spreading the ball around, working Taylor Gabriel and Travis Benjamin into a mix that already included Andrew Hawkins and Miles Austin.

Obviously, Hoyer won't be throwing for three touchdowns every week, but he threw for one score and more than 200 yards in each of his first three games. If that's the floor for him (with Week 5 being the ceiling), then he's not too far behind Alex Smith in Fantasy, making him a serviceable, if low-end, bye-week replacement at quarterback.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 18 of his 31 passes for 221 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his team's 17-14 loss to the Bills in Week 5.

Stafford found himself under constant pressure despite enjoying a lead for most of the game, as the Bills managed six sacks against the Detroit signal caller. He also rushed for eight yards on three carries. Stafford's touchdown came in the first quarter as Golden Tate boxed out his receiver in the end zone for a leaping grap. It was the lowest passing output of the season for Stafford, who has racked up 1,397 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions in five games. The Lions face the Vikings in Minnesota in Week 6.

Titans backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst exploded early upon his forced entry into the game Sunday against Cleveland before showing why he is a backup quarterback.

Whitehurst hit Kendall Wright on an 11-yard scoring strike with his second pass, then tossed a perfect 75-yard heave to a wide-open to Justin Hunter on the next possession for another touchdown. He finished the first half 2 of 3 for 86 yards.

After intermission, however, Whitehurst and the Titans were blanked. He completed 11 of 18 for 108 yards in the second half.

Whitehurst will likely start next Sunday against Jacksonville if starter Jake Locker remains sidelined.

Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer continued to entrench himself as the starter Sunday by guiding a stirring comeback victory in Carolina.

Hoyer tossed two touchdown passes to fleet wideout Travis Benjamin in the final 6:49 to complete the job. He escaped pressure and scrambled left to find Benjamin from 17 yards out in the middle of the end zone to cut the deficit to 28-22, then hit Benjamin in the back of the end zone with 1:09 remaining to give his team the lead. That score was set up by a 23-yard thread-the-needle pass over the middle to Miles Austin.

Despite tossing his first interception of the season on a bomb that pretty much served as a punt, Hoyer enjoyed his best game of the season. He completed 21 of 37 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, including a 1-yard dink to tight end Jim Dray that made it 28-10 with 12 seconds left in the half.

Hoyer, who exploded for 194 yards in the second half, will seek to give the Browns a winning record when they host Pittsburgh next Sunday.

The 49ers declared tight end Vernon Davis (ankle), right tackle Anthony Davis (knee, ankle), cornerback Tramaine Brock (toe), center Marcus Martin (knee), wideout Quinton Patton, quarterback Josh Johnson and defensive end Cornellius Carradine inactive for the game against the Chiefs.

The Eaglies have listed the following players as inactive for Sunday's Week 5 matchup with the Rams: center Jason Kelce (groin), linebacker Mychal Kendricks (calf), quarterback Matt Barkley, defensive back Jaylen Watkins, offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, wide receiver Jeff Maehl and defensive end Taylor Hart.

Cornerback Brandon Boykin (hamstring) is active after being listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. The Eagles listed seven players as probable and all are active, including wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (hamstring).

The Rams have listed the following players as inactive for Sunday's Week 5 matchup with the Eagles: center Barrett Jones (back), cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson (knee) and Brandon McGee (foot), quarterback Case Keenum, running back Tre Mason, wide receiver Chris Givens and safety Maurice Alexander.

Jones, Johnson and McGee had been previously listed as out for Sunday's game. Wide receiver Tavon Austin, who was listed as questionable, is active. Givens was active for each of the team's first three games but played less than a quarter of the team's offensive snaps.

The following players have been ruled inactive for the Texans Week 5 at Dallas: QB Tom Savage, WR DeVier Posey, CB Darryl Morris, CB A.J. Bouye, S Eddie Pleasant, T Jeff Adams and LB Jadeveon Clowney.