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Kaleb Johnson Worth Adding in More Fantasy Leagues After Week 9
Green Bay running back Kaleb Johnson is worth some speculative adds in deeper fantasy football leagues after what happened in Week 9. He rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown across 14 carries. That was easily his best performance of the season, and he has just 172 rushing yards and the score over 42 attempts overall - he has one catch across three targets for 10 yards. Another thing working in his favor is that Josh Jacobs (finger) was injured, opening the chance for Johnson to pick up more offensively going forward. Things could change if the Packers swing a trade for a running back, but Johnson is worth adding in case the team sticks with its current stable of running backs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Seth McGowan's Fantasy Value Hinges on Potential Trade
Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan had six carries for 45 yards and a touchdown, along with one reception for minus-three yards in the 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. As McGowan continues to carve out a role behind starting Jonathan Taylor, the rookie scored his first career touchdown from two yards out. Taylor has been involved in trade talks, and he said postgame, "I just hope that they appreciate and know that I appreciate them and it was a pleasure to put on display not only my hard work but the team's hard work each and every single week, each and every single year. Just know it was a pleasure." If Taylor is dealt prior to Tuesday's deadline, McGowan should factor in as a low-end RB2, assuming no other backs are traded to Indianapolis. McGowan's value hinges on a Taylor trade, as he doesn't offer enough value as a handcuff in this struggling offensive attack.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaelon Black Continues to Carve Out Backfield Role
San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black had 11 carries for 70 yards in the 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. While starter Christian McCaffrey played and produced again, the rookie continues to factor in, totaling 33 touches over his last three games. In eight games this season, Black has 68 carries for 303 yards and a touchdown, with minimal production in the receiving game. Although McCaffrey is on pace for another elite season, his injury history and heavy workload raise concerns about his overall fantasy value. At this point, Black is a low-end FLEX play at best, but he should be rostered as one of the best handcuff options among backup running backs.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Giants Trading for Jonathan Taylor Would Be a "Surprise"
According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, it would be a surprise if the New York Giants traded for star running back Jonathan Taylor. Raanan notes that the interior defensive line is a higher priority for the Giants than the running back position. Over the weekend, it was reported that the Giants offered a second- and a fifth-round pick for Taylor, but the Colts declined. Taylor has totaled 161 carries for 656 yards, with eight touchdowns, and has added 26 receptions for 220 yards. He has been involved in trade talks over the past few weeks and even hinted at a trade in his postgame press conference, saying, "I just hope that they appreciate and know that I appreciate them." With the Giants appearing to be out of the mix, Taylor's situation should continue to be evaluated before Tuesday's deadline.
Source: Jordan Ranaan - ESPN
Source: Jordan Ranaan - ESPN
Emmett Johnson Finds End Zone in Week 9, Remains a Top Handcuff Option
Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Emmett Johnson had six carries for 34 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs' 35-12 win over the New York Jets. The rookie running back continues to produce efficient numbers in 2026, averaging 8.7 yards per touch and breaking a tackle on every 8.7 carries, which ranks behind only Jaylen Warren. While Johnson has been so productive that he would likely be a starting back on over half the teams in the NFL, he's behind the league's leading rusher, Kenneth Walker III. Walker had another huge outing, totaling 143 scrimmage yards and scoring three touchdowns on 22 attempts. With Walker handling the majority of the work in the backfield, Johnson still only factors in as a backup. Fantasy managers should still target Johnson if he's available on the waiver wire, as he should continue to be one of the most productive backup running backs in the league.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Javonte Williams Bounces Back Against Colts
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams had 20 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown, along with four receptions for 23 yards in the 27-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts. After struggling in Week 8's loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys' run game was the difference in Week 9, with Williams and backup Tyler Goodson combining for 201 scrimmage yards. The sixth-year back has now totaled 154 carries for 629 yards with nine touchdowns, while adding 24 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. He is now the RB8 in half-PPR formats, averaging 16.4 fantasy points per game this season. While there was a more balanced backfield, fantasy managers can still start Williams as an RB1 moving forward.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Omarion Hampton Leads the Way in Losing Effort
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton totaled 60 scoreless yards on his 13 carries in the team's 44-22 home loss to the Houston Texans. He was not targeted in the passing game for the first time since Week 1. The second-year pro's box score isn't too useful for fantasy. That said, it's the first time in a few games for LA that a member of the backfield committee separated themselves considerably in the carry total. Hampton's 13 totes nearly matched teammates Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell combined (14). Moreover, Hampton looked explosive on a highlight 32-yard run. It isn't much to go on, but a little bit of touch consolidation here could go a long way for the 23-year-old. Unfortunately, a wait-and-see approach is best for now, but there's at least a little life after a decent workload. Hampton will look to build on the solid outing in Week 10 against a formidable Baltimore Ravens rush defense in primetime.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Kyren Williams Held in Check in Road Win
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams rushed for 45 yards on his 15 carries, adding three receptions and 16 yards (four targets) in Sunday's 20-13 win against the Washington Commanders. Williams has been great for most of the season, but underwhelmed in a tougher matchup. To make matters worse, backfield mate Blake Corum got into the end zone for a third straight game and was again more efficient with his touches. It's an unsettling trend, but there's little reason to believe the former fifth-round pick is losing his 1A role. In fact, Williams (48) handily out-snapped Corum (27) in Week 9, as the former has more often than not in 2026. There will likely be an ebb and flow here for the remainder of the campaign, as the duo indiscriminately split every other drive in a productive offense. On the bright side, both should remain productive assets, and they'll get a boost in a plus matchup next Sunday with the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on the schedule.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Baker Mayfield Unable to Salvage Any Touchdowns in Week 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 18 of his 32 pass attempts for 243 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. The 31-year-old has been an incredibly disappointing fantasy option ever since he returned from injury in Week 7. Across his three games since returning, Mayfield has yet to post double-digit fantasy points in a single game, and he has just 307 yards and one touchdown during that span. Low passing volume and turnovers have been a major red flag for the former No. 1 pick this year, making him a riskier fantasy option when the Bucs return from their Week 10 bye. It also doesn't help that the Bucs have a new-look receiver room this season, with the biggest loss being Mike Evans (Achilles), who is now in San Francisco. Mayfield is a low-end QB2 with a low floor going forward.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Colts Could Receive "11th-Hour Offer" for Jonathan Taylor
The Indianapolis Colts could entertain an "11th-hour offer" for running back Jonathan Taylor ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. There has been plenty of reporting on Taylor's availability over the last couple of weeks, with some headlines saying that he won't be dealt and other headlines saying that he'll be shipped off to the highest bidder. Holder's read on the situation is that "there's not a strong indication that there's going to be a lot of movement by the Colts at the trade deadline," and the team has already turned down an offer of a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick for Taylor. Holder did clarify that he definitely can't rule out the possibility of a trade, especially if the Colts receive an offer they can't refuse. This will be one of the biggest storylines to follow in the NFL before trade talks get cut off at 4 p.m. EST on Tuesday.
Source: Stephen Holder
Source: Stephen Holder
D'Andre Swift Highly Disappointing on Sunday Night Football
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift rushed for 31 yards on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was unable to haul in his lone target in the passing game. Although Chicago came away with the victory, Swift had his worst game of the season. This was just his second single-digit (PPR) fantasy output of the season, as well as his first game this year with fewer than 8.4 points. The game script seemed like it should have led to a large workload for Swift, so perhaps we'll just have to chalk this game up as an outlier. Swift still ranks as a mid-range RB1 in total scoring so far this season, but with teammate Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) close to returning, the veteran ball-carrier may have to share some of his volume, which would drop him closer to the low-end RB1 or high-end RB2 tier. On a more positive note, Swift will have a relatively appealing matchup against the Saints on the other side of his Week 10 bye.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Bucky Irving Continues to Produce as a Strong RB1 Despite Buccaneers' Loss
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving totaled 20 carries, 97 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 9 loss against the Chicago Bears. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 28 receiving yards. Irving ranks fourth among all NFL players in rushing yards per game this season, and the three running backs that he trails are Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Kenneth Walker III. That's a pretty good group to be associated with, and in addition to his rushing production, Irving has carved out a sizable pass-catching role to boost his value in PPR leagues. He has also been able to share some touches with Kenneth Gainwell without letting it impact his own fantasy outlook too much, as there are plenty of touches to go around in this Tampa Bay run game. Irving now has 20+ points (PPR) in three consecutive weeks, and he should continue to be deployed as a low-end RB1 heading into the Bucs' Week 10 bye.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaelon Black Leads 49ers in Rushing in Blowout Win Over Raiders
San Francisco 49ers rookie third-round running back Kaelon Black had double-digit carries for the second straight week behind starter Christian McCaffrey and led the team in rushing in their 38-17 blowout win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in Week 9 at Levi's Stadium. Black handled 11 carries for a team-high 70 yards (6.4 yards per carry) but was not involved in the passing game. Meanwhile, McCaffrey had a team-high 18 rushing attempts for 68 yards (3.8 yards per attempt) and one touchdown, while adding two catches on three targets for 19 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. The 25-year-old Black is San Francisco's clear RB2 back, but he was more efficient than CMC against the Raiders, and his increasing involvement in the team's backfield makes him a fantasy handcuff at RB that should no longer be ignored. Black now has double-digit carries and at least 63 rushing yards in two straight games, giving him some flex appeal in fantasy lineups for a juicy Week 10 matchup on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. As we head into Week 10, Black is still rostered in under 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Woody Marks Not a Standout Contributor in Team's Big Win
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries during Sunday's Week 9 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He also converted one of his four targets into a four-yard reception. Marks continued to see a high volume share, but with just one catch and fewer than four yards per carry, his performance was somewhat underwhelming, especially considering that the Texans as a whole scored 44 points. Marks still has just two touchdowns through eight games this season, and he's averaging fewer than 3.6 YPC on the year. To make matters worse, the 25-year-old could be headed for a slight reduction in volume now that teammate David Montgomery (groin) is getting closer to returning. Marks should be viewed as a high-end RB3 with RB2 upside heading into Week 10 against the Cleveland Browns.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Christian McCaffrey is a Dual Threat in Win
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey did a little bit of everything during Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The superstar back looked healthy and unstoppable during Sunday's blowout victory. He carried the ball 18 times for 68 yards and a touchdown on the ground. McCaffrey also hauled in two of his three targets for 19 yards and an additional score through the air. When McCaffrey is healthy, he's one of the best players in the league. The 18 carries on the ground were a season high for McCaffrey, so it's good to see him getting heavy usage on the ground. Fantasy managers should expect McCaffrey to once again be an elite option for next week's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
