The Friday injury update is as crucial as it gets for fantasy football managers as they look to see which WRs will be questionable or ruled out heading into the weekend. With limited updates between now and Sunday morning, let’s look at the latest on the fantasy WR injury report.
Make sure to check out our most up-to-date Week 5 NFL Injury Report to see who will be playing and who is out this week.
Fantasy Football WR Injury Report Update
Let’s take a look at some of the key WR injuries heading into Week 5 following the most recent updates on Friday.
Atlanta Falcons WRs on the Week 5 injury report
As they head to London for Week 5, what is the latest injury report update for the Falcons WRs?
Calvin Ridley (non-injury related)
While Calvin Ridley is not technically injured, he will miss the Week 5 Falcons vs. Jets game in London. On Thursday, October 7, the Falcons announced that Ridley would miss the game due to a “personal matter.”
That leaves a murky situation over the Long-term. Personal matters have an unknown timetable, and this could be something that stretches into multiple weeks. It could also be something that Ridley was simply unable to be away from home for a significant length of time. If that’s the case, he could be available next week.
Through four weeks, Ridley has led the team in targets with 42 (10.5 per game). That is a significant 26.8% of the team’s targets that have gone his way. With Ridley absent, those targets will now have to go elsewhere in Week 5.
Russell Gage (ankle)
Unfortunately, Russell Gage will not be receiving any of those targets, as he also did not travel with the team to London. Gage will now miss his third straight week after not practicing in Week 5 with an ankle injury.
The absence of both Ridley and Gage could open up more opportunities for the likes of Kyle Pitts, Cordarrelle Patterson, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Tajae Sharpe.
New York Giants WR injury report
With injury issues aplenty this season, what do we know about the Giants WRs heading into Week 5?
Darius Slayton (hamstring)
For the second straight week, Darius Slayton was absent from practice due to a hamstring injury. Slayton left during Week 3 and will once again be out for Week 5. In his absence last week, Kadarius Toney received a season-high 9 targets.
Kenny Golladay (groin)
After being limited on Wednesday with a groin injury, Kenny Golladay was a full participant on Thursday and Friday. Last week, with Slayton and Shepard missing, Golladay had his best performance of the year with 6 receptions for 116 yards.
However, it was as much a case of Golladay making the most of his targets as receiving more looks. Over the first three weeks, Golladay saw an average of 6.33 targets per game. Therefore, the absence of the other two weapons did not actually boost Golladay’s opportunities.
Sterling Shepard (hamstring)
Having seen 19 targets through the first two weeks, Sterling Shepard left the Giants’ Week 3 game against the Falcons with a hamstring injury. He has since missed two weeks of practice and is out for New York’s Week 5 game against the Cowboys.
Over the past two weeks, TE Evan Engram has seen 12 targets. His role in the receiving game should increase with Shepard out. Therefore, he could be set for another strong week in terms of targets in Week 5.
Pittsburgh Steelers WRs on the Week 5 injury report
What is the latest update regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers WRs after their Week 5 injury report was released Friday?
Chase Claypool (hamstring)
Having missed Week 4 with a hamstring injury, Chase Claypool’s status for Week 5 appeared to be in the balance when he was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. However, after being a full participant Friday, he will carry no designation into the weekend.
In his last outing in Week 3, Claypool was targeted 15 times, pulling in 9 catches for 96 yards. On the season, he has 15 receptions (29 targets) for 211 yards and no touchdowns. He currently sits as the WR56 for fantasy managers entering Week 5.
James Washington (ribs)
Things got slowly worse for James Washington this week. After being a full participant on Wednesday, he was then limited with a groin injury Thursday. After not participating Friday, Washington was officially ruled out of the Steelers’ Week 5 game.
Washington was coming off his best performance of the season in Week 4. He turned 5 targets into 4 receptions and 69 yards. However, with Claypool set to return in Week 5, Washington could have found his role limited.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (Ribs)
Despite appearing as a limited participant on Wednesday, JuJu Smith-Schuster was a full participant and carries no injury designation into the weekend. Smith-Schuster has so far had a tough season, pulling in 15 of 27 targets for 129 yards and 0 touchdowns. He currently ranks as the WR71 in fantasy through four weeks.
Tennessee Titans WR injury report
What is the latest news regarding the Titans WRs in Week 5?
A.J. Brown (hamstring)
Following his absence in Week 4, A.J. Brown frightened fantasy managers with his absence from practice to begin Week 5. However, Brown was a full participant in practice on both Thursday and Friday. He will carry no injury designation into the weekend and should be a full go on Sunday.
Julio Jones (hamstring)
For the second straight week, Julio Jones will be absent when the Titans take to the field. Through the first three weeks, Jones was receiving 17.8% of the Titans targets. Those are now up for grabs once again in Week 5.
In the absence of both Brown and Jones in Week 4, Josh Reynolds had 9 targets. With Jones remaining on the sideline, Reynolds could still see around 5 targets this week.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (Hamstring)
After being targeted a career-high 8 times in Week 4, Westbrook-Ikhine spent time nursing a hamstring injury. He is officially questionable heading into Week 5.
However, the belief is that Westbrook-Ikhine is more of a direct backup to Brown than he is to Jones. Therefore, the return of Brown to the lineup could mean Westbrook-Ikhine’s playing time is set to be limited in Week 5.
Other fantasy football-relevant players on the Week 5 injury report update
Which other fantasy-relevant WRs have appeared on the Week 5 injury report?
Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans
When Cooks’ name appeared on the Texans’ injury report, fantasy managers took a deep breath. However, the absence was fortunately not injury-related, and Cooks was able to return to practice Thursday and Friday.
Cooks carries no injury designation into the weekend but does face a potentially tough matchup with Patriots’ CB J.C. Jackson, who has yet to allow a touchdown when targeted and has held opposing WRs to just 58 yards per game. Jackson is also a noted interception specialist, which may cause Davis Mills to hesitate to throw at him in Week 5.
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
The news regarding Sutton’s appearance on the injury report is concerning for the fantasy managers of the Broncos WR. Sutton rolled an ankle during practice, leading to him being limited in practice. He is officially questionable for the Broncos’ Week 5 matchup with the Steelers.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Football Team
If you drafted Samuel in your fantasy drafts, you’ve had a frustrating few weeks. After landing on the injury report in training camp, the breakout fantasy WR from 2020 started the season on injured reserve. He returned in Week 4 with an underwhelming 4 receptions for 19 yards.
Now, he appears on the injury report in Week 5, having missed practice with a groin injury on Wednesday and Thursday before logging limited participation on Friday. Samuel is officially questionable — if he is active, he could be used sparingly this week.
Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
Another player who saw an update in their availability for practice Friday was Mooney. Having been limited with a groin injury the first two days, Mooney was a full participant on Friday. After logging his first full practice since Week 2, Mooney carries no injury designation into a game for the first time this season.
DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
With Will Fuller on IR, the Dolphins could be without two of their top three WRs in Week 5. After being limited all week with a shoulder injury, head coach Brian Flores said that DeVante Parker could be a game-time decision in Week 5.
With potentially Fuller and Parker absent, there should be increased opportunity for both Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki. In Week 4, Parker led the team with 9 targets, while Gesicki and Waddle saw 6 and 4, respectively. Both could see a significant bump in Week 5 in a game where the Dolphins may need to throw a lot to keep up with the Buccaneers.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
After missing Weeks 3 and 4 with a shoulder injury, Higgins is set to return for the Bengals in Week 5. Higgins managed a full participation Friday after being limited the two previous days. He carries no injury designation into this weekend, which will be music to the ears of his fantasy managers.
Higgins had seen 15 targets through the first two weeks, posting 10 receptions for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. This week is an intriguing matchup for the Bengals WRs against the Packers, with Jaire Alexander — one of the top CBs in the NFL — ruled out for the game.