With all due respect to Daniel Jones, Javonte Williams, Deebo Samuel and everyone else enjoying renaissance seasons, DK Metcalf might be the veteran who’s reinvented himself in the most unforeseen way.
Metcalf’s surface stats don’t look too different from what you might have expected entering the season. He’s averaging 65.3 receiving yards per game, which is almost precisely in line with his career rate (65.2).
It’s not the raw box-score numbers that have been so surprising, however, but the manner in which Metcalf has produced them. Over his first six NFL seasons, he had an average depth of target of 12.7 yards — essentially what you’d expect from a prototypical X receiver. Metcalf was a go-route and contested-catch specialist throughout the Seattle years, and understandably so. He’s 6-foot-4 and gifted with blistering speed. He is basically lab-built to win deep downfield.
And that is exactly how he is not being used in Pittsburgh, yet he’s thriving. It’s absurd.
To date, Metcalf’s ADOT is just 6.4 yards, by far the lowest of his career. It was 13.1 last season. This year, he’s running a bunch of slants and crossers — and he’s cooking. Despite the modest ADOT, Metcalf is averaging a career-high 17.4 yards per reception. He’s already gained 189 yards after the catch, which is only 74 fewer than he produced last season.
It helps, of course, that he picked up roughly a third of those yards on this touchdown in the Dublin game:
DK Metcalf covered 103.29 yards of total distance on this 80-yard TD hitting a max speed of 21.17 MPH, per @NextGenStats 🫢
(powered by @awscloud) pic.twitter.com/K1yBcTKeyH
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 28, 2025
In August, it was clear that Metcalf would pair well with late-career Aaron Rodgers, but these two have been sensational. DK’s passer rating when targeted is an outrageous 147.9.
An argument can thus be made that the best play in football this season has been a pass attempt to Metcalf. It would be nice if he could see more than five or six targets per game, but it seems we can’t have everything all at once.
Jaxson Dart shines, Cam Skattebo rampages on TNF
Dart met the moment on Thursday night, passing for 195 yards and one touchdown on 25 attempts while rushing for 58 and another score. He was turnover-free and consistently on-target; even his incompletions were quality throws. Dart has now rushed for over 50 yards in each of his first three NFL starts, which puts him in ridiculously impressive company. Philadelphia’s defense seemed dazed and ill-prepared for Dart’s precision, composure and dual-threat ability. Honestly, it’s wild how good he looked while throwing primarily to Wan’Dale Robinson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
Meanwhile, Skattebo ran like he always does, with violent intent and vengeance in his heart. He punched in three goal-line TDs while rushing for 98 yards. Every handoff to Skattebo is like firing up a particle accelerator, smashing this little blue thing into those little green things, hoping to glimpse the fundamental building blocks of the universe. How can you not enjoy him?
Look at this maniac veering into a defender unnecessarily while he scores this touchdown:
Skattebo answers for the Giants!
PHIvsNYG on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/yuVQXAvrPB
— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2025
Every other running back in the history of the position simply runs to daylight, but not this guy. Skattebo seeks conflict and collision. He is unlike other backs. It’s not clear that his style is sustainable over the long term, but he’s among the most watchable players in the game right now.
On a night when Tyrone Tracy returned to action for the Giants, Skattebo dominated the snaps (71%) and touches (21). He’s the unchallenged lead back.
Back-to-back DNPs for Kyler Murray
Honestly, it’s tough to blame any member of the Cardinals for taking a few days off after the team lost a game that seemed mathematically unlosable. Murray has not yet practiced this week, sidelined by a foot issue that caused him to briefly exit Sunday’s matchup with Tennessee. If Murray can’t go in Week 6 against Indy, Jacoby Brissett will again enter the Superflex discussion. His presence might trigger a modest rankings downgrade for Marvin Harrison and Trey McBride, but nothing significant. In fantasy terms, the real difference between Murray and Brissett is the former’s 30-plus rushing yards per week.
Alvin Kamara has an unserious ankle injury
Kamara, one of the most obvious trade candidates in the league, is dealing with a slight ankle tweak, apparently suffered in the win over the Giants:
Kamara’s injury happened in the first half of the game, per source. Felt a little sore today in practice and backed off of it. https://t.co/Zvu0LOFB7h
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) October 8, 2025
It doesn’t sound too dire — certainly not an injury that would scare off potential trade partners.
Kendre Miller is the clear understudy in New Orleans and the player who would see the biggest boost in value if Kamara is dealt. Miller is playing the best ball of his career this season, and he’s handled 31 touches over the past three weeks. He should be stashed in any competitive fantasy league, yet he’s still only 24% rostered at ESPN and 37% at Sleeper. I would encourage you to check the wire for Miller, just in case.
Greg Roman offers no clarity on Chargers’ backfield plans
From the moment Omarion Hampton hit the injured reserve list, we knew Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal would split the rushing duties for the Chargers. The great unknown, of course, is the nature of the split. On Thursday, the team’s offensive coordinator told us … well, certainly nothing useful.
#Chargers OC Greg Roman on if there will be a lead back between Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal: “I don’t think so. I don’t look at it like that. I look at it as all hands on deck. …Those guys have got to be ready to spell each other at any point in time. Just work together.”
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) October 9, 2025
It’s basically pairs figure skating, neither more important than the other. One leaping, the other catching, Hozier playing in the background. An emotional journey. Not a dry eye in the arena.
Without additional insight into the planned workload distribution, we can’t consider either Haskins or Vidal as anything more than a high-variance flex option. This week’s matchup with Miami is stellar, so it’s still permissible to chase ceiling outcomes with these guys, as needed.
Terry McLaurin vibes are still not great
McLaurin did not officially participate in practice to open the week. He did, however, dress in workout attire while participating in the sort of light exercising we used to do at the beginning of PE class. It’s better than nothing. He’s not expected to return for the Monday night matchup with Chicago’s vulnerable defense, which is truly unfortunate. But at least he’s making progress.
Prepare to fire up Rico Dowdle again this week
Chuba Hubbard’s calf injury has prevented him from practicing this week (and last), so we appear headed for another game featuring Full Workload Rico. This week, it’s a revenge spot for Dowdle against his former employer. He took full advantage of a premium matchup against Miami last Sunday, gaining 234 scrimmage yards on 26 touches, and the setup is equally appealing against Dallas. Over the past two weeks, Breece Hall and Josh Jacobs have each topped 150 total yards against the Cowboys. Another mega-week for Rico is incoming.