As the NFL rolls into week 5 with a blistering shootout between the Falcons and Buccaneers on Thursday Night football, many will be checking their phones obsessively to make sure their fantasy teams have the best possible lineups. This year, starting rosters look a little different than in years past, with many established players underperforming and others playing the best football of their careers seemingly out of nowhere. And, as always, the injuries have begun to stack up. 

To start with the obvious: the consensus number one pick in fantasy drafts this year, Christian McCaffery, is currently on IR after being listed as questionable in week one due to an unspecified calf injury. The true cause? Achilles tendonitis in both legs. McCaffery will be out until week 10 and possibly longer, and there are questions surrounding McCaffery’s viability if/ when he is able to return. Tough break for fantasy managers that might not be able to play their #1 pick.  

Other notable running backs on the injury report are Alvin Kamara, Joe Mixon, and Kenneth Walker, who are all listed as “questionable” heading into week 5. Most of them will be expected to play, but their being questionable this early into the season is something to keep an eye on. As for top running backs this season, it’s a mix of familiar faces and new ones: Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Alvin Kamara find themselves in the top 5 running backs in PPR leagues, and are joined by the Rams’s Kyren Williams and San Francisco’s Jordan Mason (who stepped in for the injured McCaffery) 

So far this season, the vast majority of top-end Wide Recievers have stayed healthy, besides a slight scare to Justin Jefferson a few weeks back (he left the game in week 2 with a thigh bruise, but played in week 3 and 4). Currently, only 4 wide recievers in the top-40 of PPR rankings have questionable designations for week 5: DK Metcalf, Diontae Johnson, Khalil Shakir, and Wan’Dale Robinson. All should be ready to go for week 5 and going forward, barring unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately for Rams fans, star recievers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua remain out.  

Quarterback has been a tough position to judge this year, with passing numbers being the lowest they have been in over a decade. Perennial top-end QB’s like Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow have been struggling to produce (both in fantasy and real-life production), but most QB’s are staying healthy so far. The big injury story of this position is Tua Tagovailoa, who is currently on IR after receiving the third concussion of his career. During a week 2 matchup with Buffalo, Tua collided with Bills DB Damar Hamlin and slumped to the ground, a scary sight for players and fans. Tua will be out for at least 4 weeks, but many question whether he should return this season- or at all.  

However, three quarterbacks have taken the league by storm this season: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Jayden Daniels. Mayfield has been playing excellent football as of late, guiding the Buccaneers to a 3-2 start (including a 3 TD performance in a losing effort against the Falcons). With Tampa Bay’s tendency to favor the pass game, his fantasy value has skyrocketed this season amid the struggles of many QB’s. Darnold, once written off as a draft bust, has revitalized his career with the Vikings, leading them to a 4-0 start while playing some very efficient and smart football. Going into week 5, Darnold could be a viable option for fantasy managers with a struggling quarterback. Lastly, Jaden Daniels has been a rookie sensation, starting the regular season with a 107.4 passer rating and rushing the ball effectively. The Commanders have seemingly found their franchise guy at QB, and Daniels is widely regarded as a top-10 fantasy quarterback.  

This NFL season has been anything but normal through 4 and a half weeks: Baker Mayfield has more TD’s than Patrick Mahomes, the Bengals have the same record as the Patriots, and the Vikings are starting Sam Darnold- who has yet to lose this season. However, one thing remains true: the injury bug can hit anyone, even the league’s brightest stars, and fantasy managers will need to keep a keen eye on the injury report if they want to stay afloat.