Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) was officially cleared to play on Sunday, according to JP Finlay of 1067 The Fan. Ekeler logged a full practice on Thursday and will now return to game action this weekend. The former Charger suffered a concussion in Week 3 and was unable to suit up last weekend. Through his first three games as a Commander, Ekeler has taken the backseat to Brian Robinson Jr. as he has typically been deployed in passing situations. The 29-year-old has tallied at least 22 receiving yards in every game, with a high of 52 in Week 1. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to Brian Robinson Jr.'s status heading into the weekend, as he has been dealing with a knee injury throughout the week. If Robinson were to miss Sunday's game, Ekeler should see an uptick in work and be viewed as a solid RB2 with upside.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) was seen at Friday's practice, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Standig noted that the portion of practice that was open to the media was very brief and did not provide much clarity on his status heading into Sunday. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the injury report later on Friday afternoon as the Alabama product will likely carry a designation into the weekend as he did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. The 25-year-old has enjoyed an excellent start to the season as he has found the end zone in all but one game and eclipsed 100 yards in two of them. If Robinson suits up, he should be viewed as a high-end RB2. If he is unable to play, fantasy managers should lock Austin Ekeler into their lineup, as he should be expected to see a significant uptick in opportunities.UPDATE: Robinson is likely to be a game-time decision on Sunday.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (groin) was unable to practice on Thursday, which was a downgrade after he was limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Mid-week downgrades are never usually a good thing, so Brown's status for the Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns this Sunday is now up in the air. The 28-year-old will likely need to get back on the practice field on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. Brown didn't make his Washington debut until Week 2 and has contributed nine receptions on 10 targets for 111 yards and no touchdowns in three games to this point in 2024. He's been competing for targets behind WR1 Terry McLaurin with rookie Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus. Washington's offense is on the rise under impressive rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but for now, Brown is mainly just a stash candidate in deeper fantasy leagues, especially with him banged up this week.

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) was upgraded to a full practice on Thursday after he was limited to begin the week on Wednesday. Ekeler suffered a concussion in a Monday night win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 and then was not cleared to play in the Week 4 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The expectation earlier this week was that Ekeler would return for Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns, and that has been supported by the fact that he has been upgraded to a full practice participant with another practice looming on Friday. Barring a setback, the 29-year-old pass-catching specialist should be cleared by an independent neurologist and play this Sunday. Fellow backfield mate Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) has yet to practice this week, so if he ends up being out, Ekeler would be a must-start in fantasy, and not just in PPR leagues.

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) is practicing on Thursday after logging a limited practice session on Wednesday. The former Chargers' star missed the Week 4 game against the Arizona Cardinals due to a concussion, but he appears to be on track to play against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Meanwhile, Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) missed practice on Wednesday and was not seen on the field to begin Thursday's practice as he deals with a knee injury, so Ekeler could be in line to carry a meaningful workload in Week 5. Backup running back Jeremy McNichols could also be utilized as a low-end flex option if Robinson misses this week. McNichols rushed eight times for 68 yards and two touchdowns in his first game as the team's RB2 last week.