Saquon Barkley, Lamar Jackson and Ja'Marr Chase Exit Week 4: Who Fills In

Week 4's Sunday slate took a heavy toll on fantasy rosters. Saquon Barkley (hamstring), Lamar Jackson (ankle) and Ja'Marr Chase (concussion) all left their games early, Tee Higgins (adductor) joined Chase on the Cincinnati injury list in the final minutes, and Kansas City lost both Rashee Rice (hamstring) and Tyquan Thornton (dislocated ankle) in a 30-27 win in Las Vegas. Washington also lost Marcus Mariota to a right MCL injury in the first quarter in London.

Most of these players were scheduled for MRIs or further testing Monday, so timelines are still being set. Below is what is confirmed so far, who absorbs the work, and how fantasy managers should handle Week 5.

The Week 4 injury board

Barkley's hamstring and the Philadelphia backfield

Barkley pulled up after a 6-yard run out of bounds on his second carry and grabbed his right hamstring. He finished with two carries for 8 yards, and Philadelphia ruled him out before halftime of a 24-20 loss to the Rams that dropped the Eagles to 2-2. Nick Sirianni offered no postgame update, and Barkley was set for further testing Monday. The early signs were encouraging: NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that Barkley walked out of the stadium normally with his family, and an NFL insider characterized the injury as not appearing overly serious.

Even so, a hamstring strain for a running back with Barkley's workload rarely clears in a few days, and the Eagles have a short week of travel to London for the Jaguars. Tank Bigsby led the replacement work with 14 carries for 55 yards, and Will Shipley added six carries for 23 yards. Bigsby, though, left late in the fourth quarter with a lower-body issue of his own, reported as a possible groin injury, so his Week 5 status also needs monitoring.

Philadelphia's offense was already short-handed without DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and right tackle Lane Johnson, who was inactive for personal reasons. If Barkley sits, Bigsby is the early-down and goal-line add and Shipley is the passing-down piece.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' quarterback question

Jackson was outstanding before he got hurt, completing 15 of 20 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. He was injured on the second-to-last play of the first half when Jermaine Johnson II sacked him and appeared to twist his ankle. Tyler Huntley played the entire second half, going 8 of 9 for 63 yards and adding 16 rushing yards as Baltimore held on 24-18 despite going scoreless after halftime.

The reporting on Jackson's timeline is split. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport described him as day-to-day, while ProFootballTalk reported he is believed to be week-to-week pending the MRI. Coach Jesse Minter said the team did not yet know enough to offer a diagnosis but noted there was discussion about bringing Jackson back into the game. Baltimore plays Atlanta on Sunday Night Football in Week 5, which buys Jackson an extra few hours, but not much more.

Fantasy managers who roster Jackson should secure a Week 5 alternative now rather than wait for Sunday evening. In superflex and two-quarterback leagues, Huntley is a reasonable speculative add. Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers lose some ceiling with Huntley under center, but Huntley's quick, short throwing profile on Sunday points to steady short targets rather than a collapse.

The Bengals lose both star receivers

Chase was dragged down by his facemask by Jacksonville cornerback Jarrian Jones in the first half, took another hit on the way to the turf, and was ruled out coming out of halftime with three catches for 27 yards. Higgins then carried the offense, posting 11 catches for 157 yards, before suffering an adductor injury after a 19-yard sideline catch on the final drive of a 22-17 loss. He briefly returned for one snap and could not continue. Zac Taylor said Higgins simply wanted to help the team win.

Joe Burrow still threw for 428 yards on 39 of 54 passing. Taylor said Mitchell Tinsley and Dohnte Meyers were the last two receivers standing on the final drive. Meyers caught 7 of 9 targets for 82 yards, and Tinsley caught 3 of 7 for 49. Tight end Mike Gesicki caught a 15-yard touchdown, his third of the season. Chase must clear the five-step concussion protocol before Week 5 against Miami, and Higgins' status was described as highly questionable. Burrow stays in lineups regardless, and Meyers is the priority add if both stars miss time.

Kansas City's receiver room and Washington's quarterback carousel

Rice exited on the opening drive after catching a first-down pass in the flat. Andy Reid called it a hamstring tweak, and the Chiefs' Week 5 bye gives him two weeks to recover. Thornton was having a career game, with five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns, before he dislocated his left ankle late in the fourth quarter. The ankle was put back in place, and he is out indefinitely. Xavier Worthy drew a season-high seven targets and caught four for 70 yards, including a 41-yard catch. He is the clearest beneficiary, though the bye makes him a stash rather than a Week 5 start.

In Washington, Dan Quinn said Mariota re-injured the MCL in his right knee, the same knee that was surgically repaired in 2022. Rookie seventh-rounder Athan Kaliakmanis finished the 30-13 loss to the Colts. The better news is that Quinn said Jayden Daniels, who has been out with a dislocated elbow, expects to be a full participant in practice ahead of the Week 5 game against the Giants. If Daniels practices fully, he goes straight back into fantasy lineups.

What to do in your league

Treat Barkley as day-to-day until the Monday testing says otherwise, but add Bigsby now, because the cost is low and the upside is a lead role in London. Jackson managers need a backup plan for a Sunday night game; do not get stuck with an inactive quarterback in your lineup. In Cincinnati, prioritize Meyers over Tinsley because of his larger target share and return role, and keep Gesicki in mind as a streaming tight end if Chase and Higgins both sit.

For bettors, the Ravens-Falcons and Bengals-Dolphins markets will move as the injury news lands this week. Wait for practice reports before acting. For the model's view of every Week 5 game, readers can check the NFL predictions page once it updates.

What's next

Monday MRIs on Barkley, Jackson and Mariota, plus Higgins' evaluation, will set the Week 5 board. The first practice reports on Wednesday will be the key tell: a limited session for Barkley or Jackson would put them in play, while a missed practice would make backups Bigsby and Huntley the likely starters. Chase's path through the concussion protocol is the other big unknown before Sunday.