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Danny Boily looks at fantasy football landmines, busts, and avoids for Week 9 of 2025. Given these fantasy situations, consider benching these players.
The NFL trade deadline is upon us, which means the fantasy football landscape is in a state of beautiful, terrifying flux. We've emerged from a heavy Week 8 bye week, but now we must navigate the choppy waters of trades, injuries, and—most importantly—brutal matchups.
This article is your essential guide to navigating the weekly rankings. Every week, there are players ranked as typical starters (RB1s, WR2s, etc.) who are set up to underperform catastrophically. These are your "landmines," the guys you might normally lock in but who, due to overwhelming defensive matchups or a sudden shift in their role, are more likely to sink your week than save it.
If you have a comparable option on your bench—a player with a safer floor or a better expected game script—don't hesitate to deploy them over the players we’re about to discuss. We’re chasing production, not reputation. Let's dig into the data and see who you should be benching in Week 9 to ensure your path to the playoffs remains intact.
Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.
Bo Nix, QB, vs. Houston Texans
Bo Nix has been a surprisingly effective, if not spectacular, fantasy asset this season, clocking in as the QB6 overall with a solid 22.41 fantasy points per game. He’s been a great game manager for the 6-2 Broncos, buoyed by a respectable 15 passing touchdowns and an unexpectedly low three rushing scores. His 6.3 yards per attempt and 62.8% completion rate scream "efficiency," not "explosion."
The problem in Week 9 is the defense: the Houston Texans. This unit has not only been elite but historically stingy. They lead the entire NFL in points allowed per game (14.7) and total touchdowns allowed (a minuscule 13).
The advanced metrics for quarterbacks are simply terrifying. Houston is yielding a league-best and truly shocking 10.51 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs, a chasm between them and the next-best defense. They’ve allowed only six passing touchdowns all season. Nix relies on volume and opportunistic rushing, but the Texans' defense crushes opposing offenses before they even reach the red zone. This matchup transforms a reliable QB1/QB2 into a dicey streaming option at best.
Rico Dowdle, RB, vs. Green Bay Packers
Rico Dowdle’s recent run has been a fantasy revelation. Since taking over the backfield in Week 5 due to Chuba Hubbard’s injury, Dowdle has amassed 522 yards and been the fifth-best fantasy RB over that span, averaging 12.14 points and vaulting him to the RB14 overall on the year. He boasts an impressive 5.2 yards per carry, signaling elite efficiency.
However, the wheels are falling off the carriage with Hubbard’s return. Dowdle's workload plummeted in Week 8, managing only eight carries for 54 yards. Crucially, the backfield is now a committee, and head coach Dave Canales’s comments about Dowdle's "exceptional" play haven't yet translated into a secure lead role.
This week’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers is an absolute gauntlet, transforming the backfield uncertainty into a full-blown benching mandate. The Packers have surrendered only three rushing touchdowns all year and are allowing a mere 78.9 rushing yards per game (third in the NFL). Given the looming timeshare and Green Bay’s top-tier run defense, Dowdle’s path to the end zone and high yardage is blocked. Expect his production to be far below his RB14 ranking.
Romeo Doubs, WR, vs. Carolina Panthers
Romeo Doubs is the epitome of a trusted target, with a team-leading 42 targets and a solid 18.8% target share from Jordan Love. He's been the most consistent Green Bay receiver, evidenced by his 27 receptions, 350 yards, and four touchdowns, which have secured his spot as the WR29 overall. Doubs is the trusted end zone threat, with six targets near the goal line this season.
Unfortunately, this week brings a matchup against a Carolina Panthers defense that has seen a massive, almost unbelievable, year-over-year improvement. This isn't the sieve of 2024; the Panthers have recorded a shutout this season and are now a genuinely strong defensive unit.
Carolina ranks third in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers (26.06 FPPG) and is allowing just 198.4 passing yards per game (11th). Their improved secondary is backed up by a 13th-ranked Red Zone defense, limiting opponent scoring. Given that Love already spreads the ball around (with TE Tucker Kraft often a primary focus), Doubs’s floor is significantly lowered. The Panthers are geared up to neutralize the primary receiving option, making Doubs a risky WR3 play.
Dalton Kincaid, TE, vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Dalton Kincaid entered 2025 with high expectations, and despite missing games with an oblique injury, he sits as the TE15 overall, showing flashes of his potential. His Week 5 explosion (six catches, 108 yards) was a reminder of his high ceiling, especially with an MVP QB like Josh Allen. However, he returned in Week 8 with a discouraging one catch for 23 yards.
Now, he faces his toughest test of the season: the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs' defense is an absolute desert for opposing tight ends, allowing an average of only 8.30 fantasy points per game to the position (fourth in the NFL). They've shut down opposing passing attacks across the board, ranking third in the NFL in passing yards allowed (177.8 YPG) and tied for third in passing touchdowns allowed (eight).
Kincaid's low volume, averaging just 4.5 targets per game and a mere 12.4% target share, means his fantasy success is heavily dependent on efficiency and splash plays. Against a Chiefs defense that restricts both passing lanes and red zone scoring (57.9% Defense Red Zone TD Rate), counting on Kincaid to bounce back from Week 8 with a big performance is betting against the metrics. He’s ranked as a starter but has a basement-level floor in this matchup.
Aaron Jones Sr., FLEX, vs. Detroit Lions
The return of Aaron Jones Sr. from Injured Reserve in Week 8 was met with quiet anticipation, yet his initial production was muted: just 15 rushing and 15 receiving yards against the Chargers. His fantasy value is rooted in the expectation that his workload will ramp up and that he will reclaim his role as the Vikings' key receiving back. His 5.8 targets per game before the injury hint at a high ceiling in PPR formats.
Unfortunately, Week 9 is simply not the week for that ramp-up. He faces the Detroit Lions, an absolute juggernaut against the run this season. Detroit ranks fourth in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to running backs (16.76 FPPG) and fourth in rushing yards allowed per game (87.7 YPG).
Compounding the problem is Jordan Mason, who remains heavily involved, creating a frustrating 1A/1B backfield that caps the ceiling for both players. Jones is a superior receiving threat, but the Lions' secondary is formidable enough to make check-downs a struggle. Against a defense that has allowed only five rushing touchdowns all year, banking on a "get-right" game for a newly returned, timeshare-bound Jones is a high-risk gamble you should avoid at the Flex spot.
Final Thoughts
Making tough roster decisions is what separates a savvy fantasy manager from a hopeful one. We're past the point of setting lineups based on name value alone. Stacking five players who are all facing top-tier defenses is a recipe for a low-scoring week, regardless of their season-long reputation. The most crucial takeaway this week, beyond these specific landmines, is the upcoming NFL trade deadline on November 4th.
Keep a close eye on any backfield or receiving corps that sees a sudden subtraction or addition—uncertainty could either evaporate or become entrenched depending on which teams become buyers and sellers. That real-life NFL movement could be the hidden waiver wire gem you need to secure your playoff spot.
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