NFL Player News

Sampson had one carry for minus-4 yards and caught one of two targets for six yards in Sunday's 21-17 loss to Minnesota in Week 5.

Not much changed for Sampson with the switch from quarterback Joe Flacco to Dillon Gabriel. Sampson's seven snaps Sunday was the third consecutive game with fewer than 10 for the rookie, whose role has diminished since Quinshon Judkins entered the picture Week 2.

Ford had five carries for 18 yards and caught both of his targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 21-17 loss to the Vikings. He also returned three kickoffs for 78 yards.

Ford's seven touches on offense, 38 yards from scrimmage and 116 combined yards were his most since Week 2, when he was still a factor before Quinshon Judkins became the lead running back. Cleveland's switch to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was the reason for Ford's increased touches. To make life easier on Gabriel, the Browns deployed a run-heavy offense and had a 50/50 split between rushes and pass attempts. They also got right tackle Jack Conklin (elbow) back, which helped Cleveland amass a season-high 140 yards on the ground. Barring a Judkins injury, Ford's days as the lead back are over, but Sunday's game plan showed how the Browns offense can be competitive.

Iosivas recorded five receptions on seven targets for 82 yards in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Lions.

Jake Browning took to the air 40 times as Cincinnati tried to fight back from a multi-score deficit for nearly the entire game, though Iosivas didn't wait until garbage time to produce. He drew a target on the team's first offensive possession and had three catches for 37 yards by halftime. He then went on to record a 30-yard reception -- the Bengals' second-longest play from scrimmage -- in the fourth quarter to cap his day. This was one of Iosivas' biggest roles in a meaningful game during his career, particularly with both Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase healthy, though it's difficult to trust that continuing heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Packers.

Spears rushed the ball four times for 14 yards in Sunday's 22-21 win over the Cardinals.

Spears was activated from injured reserve and able to suit up for the first time in 2025 after recovering from an ankle injury. He unsurprisingly worked as the clear backup to Tony Pollard, managing a pair of five-yard gains on his four carries. Spears could see his role expand as the season progresses.

Demercado rushed the ball three times for 81 yards in Sunday's 22-21 loss to the Titans.

Demercado was expected to see an expanded role in the absence of Trey Benson (knee), but Michael Carter dominated opportunities out of the backfield. Demercado's lack of involvement as a pass catcher was particularly surprising, as he was not targeted. He looked to have made the case for a more expanded role with a long 72-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, but he fumbled on a premature celebration before crossing the goal line for a touchback. The Cardinals still gave him one additional touch before the end of the game, but the key error isn't likely to help his role heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Colts.

Williams recorded one reception on one target for nine yards in Sunday's 37-24 win over the Bengals. He added one rush for one yard.

Williams was coming off an eight-target performance in Week 4, but he had very limited involvement in Sunday's blowout victory. Both of his touches came on Detroit's first two drives of the game. While Jared Goff only took to the air 23 times to limit opportunities across the board, Williams has five or fewer targets in all but one game so far this season.

Higgins recorded three receptions on seven targets for 22 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Lions.

Higgins was unable to record a catch on his first three targets and had only seven yards for the first 55 minutes of game time. He saved his day with a 13-yard catch followed by a two-yard touchdown grab late in the fourth quarter, but it was another disastrous day for the Bengals' offense led by Jake Browning. Despite his undeniable talent, Higgins is a risky fantasy start every week, but particularly heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Packers.

Brown rushed the ball eight times for 27 yards in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Lions. He added seven receptions on eight targets for 21 yards.

The Bengals were scripted out of the run game early on, as they were down by multiple scores for three quarters of the game. Brown had another uninspiring game as a rusher as a result, though he did earn his most involvement as a pass catcher this season. The end result won't provide any reassurance for fantasy managers moving forward, but Brown did deliver a serviceable performance in PPR formats.

Browning completed 26 of 40 passes for 251 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Lions. He added four rushes for 31 yards.

Browning's final line looks relatively positive, but he threw three interceptions by early in the third quarter that led directly to 14 points for the Lions. He salvaged his performance late in the contest with the help of heroics from Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, connecting with the duo for scores of 15, 64 and two yards. To add a final insult to the day, Browning was sacked for a safety to conclude the Bengals' final possession. While he looked to be one of the better backups in the league for the final seven games of 2023, Browning has six touchdowns as compared to eight interceptions while averaging only 6.1 yards per attempt in four games this season.

Ward completed 21 of 39 passes for 265 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 22-21 win over the Cardinals. He also had five rushes for minus-six yards.

Ward had an abysmal performance for nearly the entire game, as he went only 5-for-16 for 58 yards through two quarters. He also threw an interception late in the fourth quarter that seemingly put an end to any comeback attempt for the Titans, only to have Dadrion Taylor-Demerson fumble the ball into the end zone for a touchdown for Tennessee. It wasn't all bad news for Ward, as he connected on deep passes of 47 and 38 yards with Calvin Ridley as key parts of the Titans' rally -- his longest completions as a pro. While it's positive that Ward was able to earn his first win in the NFL, his performance still left plenty to be desired, and he has at least one turnover in all five of his career starts.