RADIO
DeeJay Dallas Returns to Practice Squad, Holds No Fantasy Value
Minnesota Vikings 28-year-old running back DeeJay Dallas had one carry in Week 8 and played 32 percent of the team's snaps, but has yet to deliver any meaningful performance in the 2026 season. While he had the chance to back up Aaron Jones Sr. when Jordan Mason was on Injured Reserve, he still didn't earn any meaningful opportunities, and now that Mason has returned, Dallas has been reverted to the practice squad and should be dropped in all formats. Dallas has never had much fantasy relevance in his six-year career, never tallying more than 23 carries in any season. Fantasy managers looking to stash a handcuff running back should look elsewhere.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Makai Lemon Worth Waiver Adds Before Week 9
Philadelphia wide receiver Makai Lemon is a rising fantasy asset going into Week 9. He has 31 receptions for 251 yards and a touchdown across 46 targets so far this season. Lemon had 57 receiving yards on six grabs and nine targets in Week 8 and tallied 67 yards and a score on seven receptions and eight targets in Week 7. He's getting more usage on a Philly offense that's been battered by injuries. Injuries to wideouts DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) have helped Lemon's fantasy cause, and the rookie could remain heavily utilized until those two wideouts are back on the field. Lemon's Week 9 matchup against the Giants is a pretty average one, so he has streaming appeal in all leagues, especially if Smith and Wicks are out again.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Devaughn Vele a Better Deep-League Fantasy Option for Week 9
New Orleans wide receiver Devaughn Vele has had a pretty solid season to this point, but a tough matchup and the possible return of a teammate make him a better deep-league option in Week 9. Vele has hauled in 33 of his 46 targets so far, going for 348 yards and three touchdowns. He had 54 yards and a touchdown across five receptions and targets in his last appearance in Week 7. He's been the team's WR2 behind Chris Olave, but rookie Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) could return this week, which could bump Vele down another peg or two. The Week 9 matchup against Cleveland is also below average, so that's another thing working against Vele, and that's why he's a better option in deeper fantasy leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Keenan Allen Offers Standard League Streaming Upside in Week 9
Indianapolis wide receiver Keenan Allen is coming off a solid fantasy performance and has streaming appeal in standard leagues heading into a favorable Week 9 matchup against Dallas. Allen caught all seven of his targets in Week 8 for 67 yards. He now has 36 receptions for 325 yards and a touchdown across 50 targets this season, and has remained involved enough to be worth at least deep-league fantasy starts. The very favorable matchup against the Cowboys in Week 9 makes Allen an option in standard leagues too, especially on fantasy rosters lacking wide receiver options. The favorable matchup, plus his recent production, makes Allen a very solid deep-league option for the coming week.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Hunter Henry Up in the Air for Week 9
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry's (foot) status for the Week 9 contest against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday is up in the air after he suffered a foot injury in the Week 8 win over the division-rival Miami Dolphins in the second quarter and did not return, according to Karen Guregian of MassLive.com. "I don't have any expectations yet," head coach Mike Vrabel said. "It's kind of how he responds here. He wasn't able to finish the game. So we'll see where he is, and I know Hunter will do everything he can to get back to help us, and we'll go from there." Henry currently leads the Patriots with 29 receptions and is second behind receiver DeMario Douglas in yards (326) while catching two touchdowns in eight games. If the Patriots are without Henry this weekend, quarterback Drake Maye could be thin on aerial targets, depending on the status of top wideout A.J. Brown (knee, ankle), who was unavailable on Sunday. Rookie tight end Eli Raridon would enter the TE2 streaming radar, too. Before injuring his foot against Miami, Henry caught all three of his targets for 30 yards.
Source: MassLive.com - Karen Guregian
Source: MassLive.com - Karen Guregian
Raiders' Backfield Touch Distribution a "Moving Target"
Las Vegas Raiders former first-round running back Ashton Jeanty averaged just over 3.0 yards per carry in the first seven games of the season, so the Raiders changed things up in their Week 8 win over the New York Jets, with rookie Mike Washington Jr. outsnapping Jeanty 60% to 40% and out-carrying him 25 to two. Jeanty saw more time as the third-down back and had a key 45-yard catch. When asked about the playing-time shift in the backfield on Monday, head coach Klint Kubiak said it was not a permanent arrangement. "I think it's always a moving target," Kubiak said. "You see where your team is at and who's playing the best ball at the time. It's a 17-game regular season where things change every week." Washington had 83 yards on 25 carries, so it wasn't a major change in terms of success on the ground for the Raiders. The bottom line is that Vegas has been one of the worst at running the football in 2026, and Jeanty could be in danger of losing the early-down role permanently. The good news for his fantasy managers is that if Week 8's backfield setup becomes more of the norm, he should at least retain value as a PPR flex option. Washington, meanwhile, deserves plenty of waiver-wire attention this week.
Source: Pro Football Talk - Josh Alper
Source: Pro Football Talk - Josh Alper
Sam Darnold a Streaming Option in Favorable Week 9 Matchup
Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold is a fantasy streaming option in Week 9 thanks to a very favorable matchup against Arizona. Darnold has underwhelmed most of this season, and he sits with a 60.2% completion mark across seven games played. He's thrown for 1,478 yards and 10 touchdowns, but also has nine interceptions. Darnold has 72 rushing yards on 11 attempts as well. He had 188 passing yards and two TD passes, but also threw a pick and completed just 50% of his passes in Week 8 against Chicago. Darnold is worth streaming in more fantasy leagues in Week 9 due to his stellar matchup against the Cardinals. Based on what we've seen from Darnold overall this season though, he's a more confident option in deeper leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Courtland Sutton Worth Deep-League Usage in Week 9
Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton is worth deep-league fantasy utilization in Week 9 against Carolina. He has just 221 receiving yards and a touchdown across 20 receptions and 37 targets in eight games played this season, but has fared better the past two weeks. Sutton had 45 yards on three receptions and five targets in Week 7, before tallying 53 yards on four receptions and targets in Week 8. A slightly below-average matchup against Carolina in Week 9 keeps Sutton as a better deep-league option, but he's one to keep in mind for possible standard league usage down the road if his recent production keeps up.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Frank Reich "Assuming" Breece Hall is Still the Lead Back
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said last week that whenever running back Breece Hall (quadriceps) returns, the starting job will be his again. "The role won't change," Glenn said. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich deferred to Glenn when asked the question himself, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. "Well, that's obviously coach's decision, but they're both the guy ... I mean, that's a good problem to have. That's coach's decision, but to me ... Breece is our guy. I'm assuming Breece is our guy, you know what I mean? He's one of the best in the NFL, but I think what's been so exciting is like, oh my gosh, we've got two of them. I mean, we've got two. This Braelon guy, he's a beast as well," Reich said. Rosenblatt says it is fair to wonder now if Hall will lose his lead-back role given how well Braelon Allen has performed in the last five games with Hall sidelined. And if that is the case, it would make sense for general manager Darren Mougey to make Hall available before next Tuesday's trade deadline. The Jets have publicly said they will not trade Hall, but the fact that the team just signed Hall to a new contract last offseason should not be a deterrent to trading him. If Hall is not traded, his fantasy ceiling will most likely suffer as he shares more of the workload with Allen.
Source: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
Source: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
Jerry Jones Says George Pickens Needs the Ball More
Dallas owner Jerry Jones said that wide receiver George Pickens "needs the ball coming his way more." Jones made the statement while speaking on 105.3 The FAN on Tuesday. Pickens had just 48 receiving yards on two receptions and four targets in the team's Week 8 overtime loss to Arizona. He has 533 receiving yards and two scores on 39 receptions and 62 targets across eight games played overall this season. Pickens had 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns across 93 catches and 137 targets in his first season with Dallas. Pickens dealt with shoulder and hamstring injuries coming into Week 8, but played after being listed as questionable. His next chance to start delivering more will come against Indianapolis in Week 9.
Source: Jon Machota
Source: Jon Machota
Ravens Sign Kedon Slovis to Active Roster
The Baltimore Ravens added quarterback Kedon Slovis to its active roster, signing him off the Green Bay practice squad. The signing gives the Ravens another QB option for Thursday night as Lamar Jackson (thumb) is out and Tyler Huntley (turf toe) is also dealing with an injury. Joe Fagnano (ankle) had been the team's third QB, but is also dealing with an ailment. Fagnano, Austin Reed, and Slovis are now the top quarterback options for the team's Week 9 Thursday game against Jacksonville. Fagnano completed 10 of his 21 passes in Week 8 for 91 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception; he had three rushing yards on three attempts. Slovis got in two regular games while with Arizona in 2025, but attempted just two passes. Reed was signed to the team's practice squad on Monday; he has only appeared in preseason games so far.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Source: Tom Pelissero
Ryan Flournoy Could Be Set Up for a Larger Role
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy is a solid option to consider from the waiver wire this week, especially with uncertainty swirling around his teammate George Pickens. Pickens has reportedly been dealing with hamstring tightness during games and has also been listed on the injury report with a shoulder issue. While he hasn't missed any games, his effectiveness has been limited. He's also become a buzzy name in the trade market leading up to the NFL Trade Deadline on Nov. 10. If Pickens misses time or is traded, Flournoy would be a great pickup. He's already involved in the Cowboys' passing game, catching at least three passes in five straight games and finding the end zone in two of his last three contests. He's a borderline add already in deep leagues in his current role, but if he gets more targets and opportunities, he could end up being a great speculative stash from the waiver wire coming into Week 9.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Geno Smith Becoming a Viable Streaming Option Once Again
New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith had another strong fantasy performance in Sunday's loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, throwing for 290 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Geno has now surpassed 250 passing yards in three consecutive games, throwing for 829 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions over that time. It's not perfect, but it never is with Geno, and after a truly embarrassing 2025 season with the Raiders, he is once again a usable, matchup-dependent streaming option. While he shouldn't be streamed with much confidence in his Week 9 matchup against Kansas City, his schedule after that becomes much more playable, squaring off against the Bills, Chargers, and Dolphins, followed by their bye in Week 13. Geno is worth a roster spot in deeper leagues, but fantasy managers should remain selective about when they actually trust him in their starting lineups.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Devin Singletary A Smart Waiver Wire Snag
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary is a very interesting option from the waiver wire as his team returns from the bye week for a road matchup against the Eagles. Singletary is coming off his best game of the season and could be in position for a much larger role for Big Blue in the next few weeks. Singletary had his best fantasy game of the season in Week 7, scoring his first touchdown of the year and running for 41 yards on five carries while adding three catches for 14 receiving yards. Coming out of that game and a Week 8 bye, Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hamstring) was placed on IR, and Cam Skattebo (hamstring) is day-to-day and could end up being a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the Eagles, according to coach John Harbaugh. Singletary could be the last running back standing if Skattebo is sidelined, but even if Skattebo plays through the issue, Singletary seems set for a large enough role in the next few weeks to be an excellent addition from the Week 9 waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jordan Watkins Worth a Speculative Add After Encouraging Usage
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jordan Watkins saw an uptick in usage in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons before their Week 8 bye. With both Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel sidelined, Watkins played 75% of snaps, ran 30 routes, and saw six targets, catching three for 56 scoreless yards. He led the 49ers wide receivers in both targets and air yards (101 yards for a 34% share) against Atlanta. He is the definition of an explosive playmaker who has turned just six receptions on the season into 138 yards, an average of 23 yards per reception. But with both Evans and Samuel expected back in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders, his fantasy appeal has dropped significantly and should only be stashed in deeper leagues where his value could once again skyrocket with any more injuries to the 49ers' receiving corps.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
