Hogan Named Starter

Players to Watch

Zach Ertz • TE • Philadelphia Eagles • Fifth season • @ZErtz_86

Ertz's career season continues as he leads NFL tight ends in targets (48), receptions (32) and receiving yards (387). He ranks seventh among all players in yards, while only All-Pro receivers Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins have more receptions. Ertz and the Eagles face a Carolina team on Thursday night that ranks fifth in the league in pass defense (194.2 yards per game) – the former Stanford tight end will likely see plenty of All-Pro signal caller Luke Keuchly in coverage.

Austin Hooper • TE • Atlanta Falcons • Second season • @AustinHooper18

Hooper has cooled off since his offensive outburst in Week 1, but has contributed to Atlanta's 3-1 record in more ways than catching the ball. Appearing on 75 percent of offensive snaps (up from 47 percent in 2016), Hooper has helped Atlanta rush for 125.8 yards per game, which ranks eighth in the league. According to Pro Football Focus, Atlanta's run blocking rating (+33.8) tops the league, while Hooper's 80.6 run blocking grade ranks sixth among tight ends. This week, Hooper and the Falcons will be tested against Miami's run defense, which ranks second in the league with 302 rushing yards allowed.

Blake Martinez • ILB • Green Bay Packers • Second season • @Big__Blake50

The second-year linebacker continues to impress in 2017 after a promising rookie season. This week, teammates and coaches praised Martinez, who leads Green Bay in tackles and is Pro Football Focus' highest graded linebacker against the run (92.2) through five games. Martinez leads NFL linebackers in run stops (20) and made a career-high 12 tackles in last week's win at Dallas – this week he faces a Minnesota team that ranks 24th in run blocking, per PFF.

Matchup to Watch

Browns at Texans
Head coach Hue Jackson named Hogan the starter on Wednesday, handing Stanford's all-time winningest quarterback his first career starting nod in the NFL. Hogan has looked good in three appearances off the bench, completing 26 of 38 passes for 377 yards with three touchdowns and a 104.8 passer rating.

On the other side of the ball, Hogan's Stanford teammate Brennan Scarlett will play heavy snaps following season-ending injuries to J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus in Week 5. Scarlett registered three run stops and four pressures in relief on Sunday, and will likely be an important piece of Houston's defense moving forward.

Injury Report

• Ty Montgomery practiced in a full capacity this week after missing Week 5 with a back injury. He is probable to appear in the Packers' trip to Minnesota.
• Josh Mauro was limited in practice this week with a calf injury.
• Andrew Luck was ruled out of this week's trip to Tennessee but could return in Week 7 to face Jacksonville.

Transactions

• New England signed third-year safety Alex Carter on Monday after the player worked out at the team facilities. Carter appeared in one game for Detroit over two seasons, and recently converted from cornerback to safety during 2017 training camp.
• New Orleans signed Shayne Skov to its practice squad this week. Skov, who has mostly been a special teamer in the NFL, spent the past two seasons with San Francisco.

Week 6 Schedule