RADIO
Enticing Matchup Awaits Rhamondre Stevenson in Week 9
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has been a serviceable RB2 in his lead-back role this season, and he should continue to be a borderline must-start fantasy running back in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers. He has shouldered the workload in New England this season with TreVeyon Henderson (illness) battling injuries, poor performance, and now an illness. Stevenson ranks as the overall RB17 so far in PPR leagues with 367 rushing yards, 212 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. This week, he gets a very enticing matchup against the Packers, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points and the second-most rushing touchdowns to running backs in 2026. Stevenson, who had 19 carries and three receptions last week, should continue to be heavily involved on the ground and through the air, especially if Henderson, who has missed back-to-back practices, isn't able to play in Week 9. He ranks as the overall RB17 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for this week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rhamondre Stevenson Continues to Have Opportunity in Valuable Role
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has surpassed his fantasy expectations so far this year, being drafted as the RB28 before the season, while returning RB20 value in fantasy points per game so far. He has gained 367 yards on the ground, 212 yards on 23 receptions through the air, and has scored three touchdowns in eight games. His running back mate, Treyveon Henderson, suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 5 but returned in Week 6 and has continued to be an afterthought in the Patriots' offense. Henderson may be inactive (illness) in Week 9, which would put Stevenson in line for even more work. Stevenson has rushed 39 times, averaging 3.59 yards per carry, and caught eight passes on eight targets over the previous three weeks. While he hasn't been the most efficient, Stevenson has maintained a solid workload. This should continue even with second-year RB Corey Kiner getting some work and the eventual return of Henderson, giving Stevenson mid-to-low-end RB2 value. The Patriots trust Stevenson on passing downs and in the red zone, so he should have plenty of opportunity there in their Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, which could result in a substantial point total.
Source: NFL SAVANT
Source: NFL SAVANT
Hunter Henry Missing Another Practice on Thursday
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) is absent for a second straight day of practice on Thursday, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. Henry injured his foot in the second quarter of Sunday's Week 8 victory over the division-rival Miami Dolphins and did not return, and with two DNPs under his belt so far this week, he is trending in the wrong direction to play this weekend against the visiting Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He will most likely need to practice in some capacity on Friday to avoid being officially ruled out for the Week 9 contest this weekend. Top receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) has also not practiced yet this week and could miss a second straight game, so quarterback Drake Maye could be without two of his top targets against Green Bay. If Henry is officially inactive on Sunday, rookie Eli Raridon would become an attractive TE2 streamer with more fantasy upside with more targets coming his way. The 31-year-old Henry has caught 29 passes through eight games so far in 2026 for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
TreVeyon Henderson Missing Another Practice on Thursday
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness) is absent for a second straight day of practice on Thursday, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. Henderson is trending toward missing a second straight contest after he was unavailable to play in the Week 8 win over the division-rival Miami Dolphins while being under the weather. The 24-year-old former second-rounder last year from Ohio State will be a tough sell for starting fantasy lineups this weekend against the Green Bay Packers, even if he returns to practice on Friday and is given the green light to suit up in Week 9. Henderson has had a rough sophomore season with the Patriots so far in 2026, carrying the ball 52 times for 203 yards (3.9 yards per attempt) and one touchdown in six games, operating as the clear RB2 behind Rhamondre Stevenson when healthy. If Henderson misses a second straight game, Stevenson will maintain a higher fantasy ceiling and will be a must-start RB, with Corey Kiner serving as his change-of-pace backup yet again.
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
A.J. Brown Absent From Patriots Practice on Thursday
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) remains absent from the team's practice on Thursday, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. Brown is trending toward missing a second straight practice this week after not being able to play in Sunday's Week 8 win over the division-rival Miami Dolphins due to ankle and knee issues. The 29-year-old suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and landed on Injured Reserve. Brown was not 100% when he returned for two games against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, catching six of his 12 targets for 75 yards and no touchdowns, and now he is in danger of missing a second straight game this weekend when the Green Bay Packers come to town in Week 9. Brown will most likely need to practice in some capacity on Friday to avoid being officially ruled out for a second straight game, but even if he somehow gets cleared to play against the Packers, he will be a volatile starting fantasy receiver. With Romeo Doubs still on IR, DeMario Douglas has been the biggest beneficiary of Brown's ailments, finding the end zone four times in the last four games as New England's top pass-catcher.
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
TreVeyon Henderson Losing Fantasy Value as Role Diminishes
New England running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness) 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 as well. 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
Hunter Henry absent from practice on Wednesday
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) was not seen at the portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Henry suffered a foot injury in the second quarter of Sunday's win over the division-rival Miami Dolphins in Week 8 and never returned, and the 31-year-old veteran's status is now up in the air for the Week 9 contest this Sunday at home against the visiting Green Bay Packers. Henry is not off to a good start, but he still has two more days to return to the practice field. If Henry cannot play against the Packers, though, rookie Eli Raridon would become an intriguing TE2 streamer, especially if top receiver A.J. Brown misses a second straight game with ankle and knee injuries. When healthy so far in 2026, Henry has been at least a low-end TE1 option for fantasy managers with Brown not having been healthy all year. The former second-rounder from Arkansas sits with 29 receptions on 34 targets for 326 yards and two touchdowns through the first eight weeks of his 11th year in the NFL.
Source: ESPN.com - Mike Reiss
Source: ESPN.com - Mike Reiss
TreVeyon Henderson out due to illness Wednesday
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness) is still not practicing on Wednesday as he continues to deal with the illness that kept him out of Sunday's win over the Dolphins. Henderson first popped up on the injury report on Thursday ahead of the Week 8 divisional matchup, and with the Patriots signing practice squad running back Lan Larison to the 53-man roster rather than simply making him a gameday elevation, some close to the situation speculated there could be more to Henderson's absence than just illness. The second-year player has disappointed in 2026, struggling mightily in pass protection, and his status bears monitoring ahead of the NFL's November 10 trade deadline.
Source: Taylor Kyles
Source: Taylor Kyles
A.J. Brown Won't Practice Wednesday Due to Ankle/Knee Injury
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) will not practice on Wednesday as he continues to deal with the ankle and knee injuries that kept him out of the team's Week 8 win over the Dolphins. The Patriots traded a first- and fifth-round pick to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler from the Philadelphia Eagles, but the start of Brown's tenure in New England has been marred by injury and uncharacteristic drops, limiting him to only nine catches for 101 yards and no touchdowns through Week 8. Should Brown miss his second consecutive game, fantasy managers can again look to DeMario Douglas, who finished Sunday's win with 76 yards and a touchdown, as quarterback Drake Maye continues to excel despite a depleted receiving corps.
Source: Evan Lazar
Source: Evan Lazar
Eli Raridon has Brutal Week 9 Matchup
New England tight end Eli Raridon has produced a couple of solid fantasy performances this season, but he has a brutal matchup coming in Week 9 against Green Bay. Raridon had 56 yards and a touchdown across three receptions and four targets in Week 7 against Chicago, but followed that up with just one catch for five yards across four targets in Week 8 against Miami. Raridon has 173 receiving yards and two touchdowns over his 13 receptions and 20 targets in seven games played so far. Green Bay has been the second-toughest fantasy test for tight ends, so Raridon doesn't have a very good outlook for Week 9. Raridon could lead the way at tight end if Hunter Henry (foot) misses the game, but he'd still only be a starting option for those in deeper leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Corey Kiner Worth Stashing Amid Patriots Backfield Uncertainty
New England Patriots running back Corey Kiner rushed seven times for 38 yards in Sunday's 24-19 victory over Miami. With TreVeyon Henderson (illness) sidelined, Kiner served as the primary backup to Rhamondre Stevenson. He has gained 160 yards on 28 carries over his last four games, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt. However, Stevenson remains the lead back, and Henderson's return could further limit Kiner's opportunities. Kiner has totaled 189 rushing yards without a touchdown this season, making him a speculative stash rather than an immediate fantasy contributor. RotoBaller ranked him RB60 in its early Week 9 rankings ahead of Sunday's matchup against Green Bay.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mack Hollins Set to Return to Practice Wednesday
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) is set to return to practice on Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Hollins suffered a calf injury in Week 4, which led to his placement on injured reserve and cost him at least four games. With his stint on the list expected to end in Week 9, fantasy managers should consider adding the ninth-year wideout. In four games this season, Hollins has hauled in 15 of 20 targets for 209 yards and no touchdowns, a total that came during quarterback Drake Maye's struggles. Now with Maye playing MVP-level football and wide receivers A.J. Brown (knee) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) banged up, look for Hollins to make an impact if healthy.
Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
Source: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
Efton Chism III a Top Beneficiary Amid Teammates' Absences
New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III has ascended into a fantasy-relevant role amid injuries to A.J. Brown (knee), Mack Hollins (calf), and Romeo Doubs (shoulder). While the former undrafted free agent's role and volume have fluctuated a little bit over the past few weeks, he has been mostly productive while filling in for Brown (who missed Week 8) and Hollins and Doubs (who are on injured reserve). Just last Sunday, despite rainy conditions in Miami, Chism caught five passes for 37 yards while handling a career-high 88% snap share. We can expect him to maintain a similar snap share if Brown and Hollins can't suit up in Week 9 against Green Bay. If Chism remains in the No. 2 role behind DeMario Douglas, there's a legitimate argument for him to be streamed as a WR3/flex in fantasy leagues with 14+ teams.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kyle Williams Emerging as a Big-Play Threat Amid WR Injuries
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams has emerged as a potential waiver wire target in deeper fantasy leagues while several of his teammates recover from their respective injuries. Williams has worked his way into a more featured role with A.J. Brown (knee) missing Week 8 and both Romeo Doubs (shoulder) and Mack Hollins (calf) on injured reserve. If all three players remain sidelined going forward, Williams will have streaming upside in deeper fantasy leagues. Last week, as the No. 3 receiver behind DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III, Williams played 83% of the snaps and converted his lone target into a 43-yard touchdown. This isn't the first time that Williams has capitalized on a lower target volume; he has a whopping five touchdowns on just 17 catches through his 25 career NFL games. Williams embodies the mindset that all it takes is one or two targets to make a big impact. He represents a potential waiver wire pickup for fantasy managers seeking big-play upside in the middle of the season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
DeMario Douglas' Scoring Stretch Draws Waiver Interest
New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas caught all three of his targets for 76 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-19 victory over the Miami Dolphins, with a 48-yard score accounting for much of his production. Douglas has now collected 17 receptions for 250 yards and four touchdowns over his last four games, already setting a career high in receiving scores. His recent production is appealing, but the volume remains uneven. Even with A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) sidelined and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) and Mack Hollins (calf) on injured reserve, Douglas played 38 offensive snaps against Miami, fewer than Efton Chism III (52) and Kyle Williams (49). Chism also drew five targets to Douglas' three. Hollins is eligible to return in Week 9, while Hunter Henry's foot injury adds uncertainty to New England's passing-game personnel. Douglas remains a worthwhile bench stash in 12-team PPR leagues, matching RotoBaller's recommendation for a player rostered in 37% of leagues. He offers conditional streaming appeal against the Green Bay Packers, though his limited targets make him a risky weekly starter.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
