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George Kittle Sees Fantasy Value Climb After Big Showings
San Francisco tight end George Kittle was already a high-end fantasy football asset, but some big showings of late have only increased his fantasy value overall. He was on a bye in Week 8, but went for 88 yards on eight receptions and 10 targets in Week 7 against the Falcons. His role should remain high in Week 9, as the Niners are dealing with a multitude of injuries. Kittle has at least four targets in all seven of his games played this season, and he has gone over 65 receiving yards in all but two contests. Throw in five touchdown grabs already and he's been a top-level fantasy TE. He has a great fantasy matchup against Las Vegas in Week 9, and he sits as TE2 in our RotoBaller projections for the week as a result. He is a confident starting option every week, especially in these favorable matchups.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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Brenton Strange a Solid Streaming Option Against Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange serves as a borderline TE1 in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens rank 19th against tight ends in fantasy, and the game overall should be high scoring for the Jaguars. The young tight end hasn't quite had a breakout performance in what has been an interesting season for the Jacksonville passing attack. The rushing attack and defense were the main reasons for their 42-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts last week, which led to Strange finishing with just two catches for 55 yards. Funnily enough, that tied with running back Bhayshul Tuten for top on the team. In what could be a second straight blowout against the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens, the team's passing stats may look similar. Strange has surprisingly only found the end zone once all season, which came back in Week 1, which is another concern. However, in a plus matchup on a potent offense facing a vulnerable defense, Strange has enough upside to be on the streaming radar in Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller TE Rankings
Source: RotoBaller TE Rankings
Marvin Harrison Jr. Eyes More Production After Team's Bye Week
Houston wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will look to start producing a bit more for his new team after the team had its bye in Week 8. Since being traded to the Texans, Harrison has eight targets, but just four catches for 40 yards. His lone catch in Week 7 against the Giants was a touchdown, so that's maybe another reason why his fantasy value is rising a bit. Harrison logged just 12 offensive snaps in Week 6, then played 13 snaps in Week 7. It's fair to assume his playing time and role could improve now that he's been around the team for several weeks. Harrison is still only WR66 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections. He has a pretty average fantasy matchup coming against the Chargers, but until he produces more on the field, he's just a deep-league option.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Woody Marks Back on the Rise After Bye Week
Houston running back Woody Marks is seeing his fantasy football own percentage rise again after being off in Week 8 because of the team's bye. He has started the past two games for the Texans with David Montgomery (groin) injured, and Marks has put together two solid outings. In Week 6 against Jacksonville, Marks rushed 15 times for 56 yards, while catching two of his three targets for an additional 25 yards. Then in Week 7 against the Giants, Marks tallied 66 rushing yards on 19 attempts, while adding a 15-yard catch on his lone target. Montgomery won't play again in Week 9 against the Chargers, so Marks should lead the backfield. In what's an above-average fantasy matchup, Marks is RB31 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections. He has starting value in deeper leagues and is also a standard league streaming option worth at least considering.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jakobi Meyers a Low-Upside FLEX in Week 9
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (hamstring/ankle) remains a borderline Flex option in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens after limited practice participation all week. The Ravens defense ranks 25th against wide receivers in fantasy, but Meyers has only popped in one game all season, which happened to come against his former team, the New England Patriots, in Week 3. Meyers has never been a big red-zone threat in his career, so beyond PPR leagues, the veteran receiver has never had the greatest upside. Game script has also been a limiting factor this season. Despite the team winning 42-7 against the Indianapolis Colts last week, Meyers finished with just two catches for 24 yards on just three targets due to the Jacksonville rushing attack and defense dominating. Unless the Ravens without Lamar Jackson somehow make it a close game, it is hard to imagine Meyers's volume being that different. His consistent but relatively minimal involvement in the potent Jacksonville offense makes Meyers a barely startable option in Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller WR Rankings
Source: RotoBaller WR Rankings
Colts Receiving Trade Calls on Several Players, Headlined by Jonathan Taylor
Indianapolis has received trade calls on several players, most notably Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs and Grover Stewart, according to Jordan Schultz. He added that the belief around the league is that the Colts will wait until after their Week 9 game on Sunday before revisiting the trade offers, accepting deals they want to make before the trade deadline on Tuesday, November 10. It's something to keep in mind when putting your fantasy football starting lineups together, as the Colts might only keep tradeable players on the field for a handful of snaps. Taylor played in just 62.3% of the team's offensive snaps in Week 8 - that was his lowest mark of the season. Downs played 75.4% of the team's offensive snaps, which was his second-lowest mark of the season. Stewart was on the field for 50% of the team's defensive snaps, which was tied for his lowest mark all season.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Parker Washington a WR2 in Great Matchup With Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington is a high-end WR2 in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. The breakout star has mellowed out a bit of late, amassing just five receptions for 80 yards across the last two weeks. Despite the offense humming, Washington has had some dud weeks of late. Besides his London outburst in Week 5, Washington has been producing single-digit fantasy outputs in half-PPR the last four weeks. Interestingly, a lot of his production seems to coincide with game script, which might not change this week with Lamar Jackson out due to injury. Washington had his second one-reception game last week in what was a 42-7 blowout victory. The potential for a second straight blowout does increase the risk for Washington's fantasy managers. However, in a game against the 25th-ranked defense against wide receivers and what should be another high-scoring affair, it would be too cute to bench Washington. There is some risk involved, but fantasy managers should feel fine starting Washington in their WR2 slots in Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller WR Rankings
Source: RotoBaller WR Rankings
Carson Wentz Trending Toward Starting Over Injured Kyler Murray
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Minnesota could be trending toward starting Carson Wentz over the injured Kyler Murray (hamstring) for the team's Week 9 Monday clash against Buffalo. Wentz played in two games early in the season after Murray suffered a concussion. He was 12-of-19 passing for 133 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against Green Bay, then finished 11-of-20 passing for 143 yards, with no TDs or INTs against Chicago. The matchup against Buffalo is a pretty favorable fantasy test, and Minnesota has enough offensive playmakers around to make any QB a viable fantasy option. Wentz has delivered enough over his career to trust in him more than the typical backup as well. Murray is the only Minnesota QB in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections right now, sitting at QB16. Wentz will be a better deep-league starting option, despite the favorable matchup ahead.
Source: Adam Schefter - Get Up
Source: Adam Schefter - Get Up
TreVeyon Henderson Losing Fantasy Value as Role Diminishes
New England running back TreVeyon Henderson is being dropped in more and more fantasy football leagues as his role and workload are low. He missed the team's game in Week 8 due to an illness. He missed the team's Wednesday practice because of an illness as well. In his last game played in Week 7, he had just three carries and two receptions across two targets, going for just 23 total yards. Henderson has seven or fewer carries in three straight games, and only has four receptions over that span. He's fallen behind Rhamondre Stevenson in the New England backfield, and Corey Kiner has also taken away a couple of touches, even when Henderson was healthy. Henderson ranks as RB53 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections, so he's one to skip in standard leagues, and maybe in deeper leagues too, even if he's healthy and despite a favorable matchup against Green Bay.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Maxx Crosby Hopes to Stay with Las Vegas
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby was nearly traded this past offseason to the Ravens, but the star defender has made it clear his desire is to remain with the Raiders at this year's NFL Trade Deadline. He told reporters on Wednesday, "I'm excited about everything; I love being a Raider. This is where I want to be. Superexcited for, obviously, the present, but what's to come as well." Crosby seems to have bought into the new direction under coach Klint Kubiak, and the team has looked much more competitive this season. The Raiders could be active at the deadline, but it doesn't look like moving Crosby is part of the plan, since the star seems happy with the team now. He has three sacks, 22 total tackles, and one forced fumble in his eight games with Las Vegas this season.
Source: Sam Warren
Source: Sam Warren
Xavier Worthy Losing Fantasy Value
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a few weeks of opportunity to be the team's top receiver with Rashee Rice sidelined by a hamstring injury. Rice returned in Week 8, though, sliding Worthy back down the depth chart to the second receiver. Worthy had seven receptions for 73 yards in Week 6, while filling in for Rice, but he was held to three catches for 11 yards at Seattle in Week 7. With Rice's return, he caught three passes for 13 yards against the Broncos. He's averaging 3.9 catches per game but hasn't reached 75 yards or more in any contest this season. With just three catches in each of the last two weeks and Rice back to being the team's top receiver, Worthy's fantasy value is slipping. He's still the No. 43 WR in RotoBaller's Week 9 rankings, so he's usable in deep formats, although he's hard to trust in standard-sized leagues and can be dopped for options with more long-term potential in shallow leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST a Top Option Against Inexperienced QB
The Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST was just a decent starting option in Week 9, but with Joe Fagnano starting at quarterback, the unit is suddenly among the absolute best defenses to stream this week. They are coming off their best game of the season against the Indianapolis Colts, allowing just seven points, forcing three turnovers, earning four sacks, and scoring a defensive touchdown. If Lamar Jackson were starting, they would most likely be considered a mid-tier option, but Lamar's injury changes everything for the Ravens' offense. They scored just 10 points last week against the Buffalo Bills, a weaker defense than the Jaguars. The Jaguars also have had a great run defense all year, meaning they have a good shot at slowing down Derrick Henry, which likely correlates with slowing down the offense altogether. Fantasy managers who had the Jaguars D/ST in their lineups last week should be ecstatic to have them in their Week 9 lineups as well.
Source: RotoBaller D/ST Rankings
Source: RotoBaller D/ST Rankings
Josh Jacobs Believes He Has "Served His Time"
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is not anticipating missing any more time after sitting out the first six weeks of the season on the NFL Commissioner's Exempt List. The NFL has not completed its investigation into Jacobs' potential violations of the personal conduct policy, including previous allegations that came to light with the release of more records over the weekend. If there is a suspension forthcoming, the six games he missed would count towards serving that suspension, but Jacobs said, "It's really just up to them to make their final decision. But like I'm not worried about feeling like I'm going to miss any more time than I already have." Jacobs and the Packers take on the Patriots in Week 9, and unless the situation changes, it looks like the star running back will be available.
Source: Rob Demovsky
Source: Rob Demovsky
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Ranked Higher Than Usual in Week 9
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has a chance for much more opportunity in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. Starting back Bhayshul Tuten is currently questionable and hasn't practiced all week. That means whether Tuten plays or not, there is a good chance Rodriguez Jr. gets more volume than usual. He has hovered around just under 10 touches per game this season, but could approach 15 or even 20 this week. The 27-year-old back has been mostly touchdown-dependent this year, with last week's 58 scrimmage yards and a touchdown being his best performance of the season. Rodriguez Jr. should concede passing-down work to LeQuint Allen Jr. or Ameer Abdullah, and the Ravens rank sixth against running backs in fantasy, which both limit his upside. However, his floor is much higher than normal with the potential incoming volume. Fantasy managers should follow injury updates closely, but as of now, it seems Rodriguez Jr. is a reasonable starting option against the Ravens.
Source: RotoBaller RB Rankings
Source: RotoBaller RB Rankings
Colts at a Standstill with Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor could still be on the move before the NFL Trade Deadline next week, but right now the team's high asking price hasn't been met, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Multiple teams are still interested and have offered a significant package of picks, but the team is looking for draft pick compensation similar to what the Panthers received in the Christian McCaffrey trade. The Colts still view Taylor as a key part of their future, so they seem comfortable keeping him and building around him if teams aren't willing to rise to their asking price. If he is traded, he'll have a major fantasy impact on the existing running back situation where he lands, and the Colts would likely turn to rookie Seth McGowan as their primary running back for the rest of the season.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Brian Robinson Back at Practice on Thursday
Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson (hamstring) was spotted at practice on Thursday after getting in a limited session on Wednesday. Robinson is working toward a return after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. Before the injury, he was involved as a change-of-pace back behind Bijan Robinson, getting at least seven carries in every game before the injury. He had four touchdowns and ran for 211 yards on his 53 carries. While he has been out, Khalil Herbert stepped in as the primary backup and got six carries for 21 yards in two games. If Robinson is able to return, he'll be a deep-league option, and Herbert will not likely have any fantasy value in the short term. Keep an eye on whether Robinson is listed on the practice report as limited again or with a full practice, and check back for his game status on Friday.
Source: Daniel Flick
Source: Daniel Flick
Bhayshul Tuten a Borderline RB1 if Healthy Against Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (ankle/foot) will be a great fantasy option once more in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens as long as he can play. He has not practiced all week and is currently listed as questionable. If he isn't able to play, backup Chris Rodriguez Jr. should be in line for most of the work. The young back is coming off back-to-back great performances, combining for four touchdowns and 246 total yards. Tuten has received consistent volume all season and is starting to raise his upside through more receiving work and finding the end zone more. The Ravens do rank sixth against running backs in fantasy, so there is a chance a hurt Tuten doesn't do as well with his touches, but if he is a full-go and not limited at all, then fantasy managers should not overthink it. As long as he gets a full workload, fantasy managers should be happy with Tuten in their starting lineups in Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller RB Rankings
Source: RotoBaller RB Rankings
Trevor Lawrence Once Again a Clear QB1 in Week 9
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has hovered around 20 fantasy points in each game this season, and that should continue in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. The former top pick has been consistent this season, only producing two down weeks, one against the Denver Broncos and the other against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens defense has been solid at best this season, ranking 18th against quarterbacks in fantasy points allowed. The only concern for the Jacksonville offense heading into this Thursday night matchup is the potential lack of running game with a banged-up Bhayshul Tuten. The Ravens will be starting Joe Fagnano this week, meaning potentially better field position for the offense throughout the night. With all those factors, fantasy managers should have no hesitation starting Lawrence in Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller QB Rankings
Source: RotoBaller QB Rankings
Jordyn Tyson Feels "More Explosive Than I Ever Have"
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) told reporters that he feels "more explosive than I ever have" after returning from his hamstring injury. He said "I ran the fastest I ran since I been here in rehab...So I think I'm doing pretty good. I think I'm doing just fine." Tyson injured his hamstring in joint practices this preseason and was placed on IR. He was designated for return from injured reserve this week, and he could make his NFL debut as early as this week against the Browns, although the team has not officially addressed his status. The first-round pick has great fantasy upside in a pass-heavy offense, and is a great addition from the waiver wire or via trade if he's available. He could need time to adjust to the league, but will likely take targets and playing time from Devaughn Vele as the Saints' second receiver.
Source: Pro Football Talk
Source: Pro Football Talk
Jalen Hurts Makes Appearance at the Eagles Practice Facility on Wednesday
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (blood clots) made an appearance at the Eagles facility for the first time since being placed on injured reserve for blood clots in his lungs. According to Tim McManus of ESPN, it marked the first time some of the players had seen him since he was placed on IR. The 28-year-old sat during meetings but did not address the team. "I've talked to him and am in constant communication with him and know he's resting and recovering," Sirianni said. "I miss him like crazy. But nothing new on that front. I know he's resting and recovering, and we're all still praying for him and hoping for a speedy recovery," said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. Hurts is being held out of football activities and has been ruled out for the season, but the issue isn't expected to be long-term. Tanner McKee replaced Hurts in Week 6, but after struggling and going 0-3 in his three starts, the Eagles will turn to Joe Milton in Week 9's matchup against the New York Giants.
Source: Adam Schefter of ESPN
Source: Adam Schefter of ESPN
Malik Nabers Dominating as Rapport Grows with New Quarterback
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers saw his fantasy stock hit a brief skid early in the season when he was recovering from an injury and still adapting to the quarterback play of Jameis Winston. However, over the last four weeks, Nabers has elevated his production to the next level with Winston and J.J. McCarthy as his quarterbacks. The 23-year-old has been New York's alpha receiver on offense, totaling 44 targets, 30 catches, 397 yards, and one touchdown over his last three games. He ranks as the overall WR2 in half-PPR leagues during that span, and he should continue to operate as a must-start receiver going forward. The jury is still out on whether McCarthy, who is gearing up for his second start with the Giants, can lead this team to the playoffs. However, at the very least, he will continue to support top-five finishes from his No. 1 wide receiver. Nabers is coming off his bye week and will look to feast against a struggling Eagles squad in Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
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