RADIO
Kyle Monangai a Risky Start if Active
Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (toe, thumb) has been officially listed as questionable for this weekend's home matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Monangai logged a limited practice session on Friday - his first practice in any capacity since sustaining thumb and toe injuries in the team's Week 4 win over the Jets. It's good news for the 24-year-old, but he's far from a recommended fantasy play if active, as backfield mate D'Andre Swift has been excellent, and the Bears also have teammate Roschon Johnson to turn to if Monangai isn't capable of handling his typical workload. In addition, Tampa Bay's defensive unit has been the league's best on a yards-per-game basis (80) against the run, as well as a top-five scoring defense (18.9). With a myriad of factors working against the New Jersey native, he's better left out of fantasy lineups for now. Monangai is RotoBaller's PPR RB43 for this week's slate of action.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Rome Odunze a Fine Week 9 Flex
Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is a sound WR3 play for this weekend's home matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Odunze is coming off one of his better games of the campaign, ripping off three receptions of at least 20 yards (4/87) in an impressive win over the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. It's true the University of Washington product hasn't exhibited the upside that teammate Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland have for fantasy. However, Odunze plays a critical role in the intermediate area for quarterback Caleb Williams, breaking free on big, in-breaking routes to pick up explosive plays. He also has decent upside as a low-end WR3. Chicago won't have it easy against one of the league's least-forgiving fantasy defenses in the Buccaneers, but Williams has excelled more often than not this season, and Odunze has proven a decent back-end asset, even on a limited reception total. The 24-year-old ranks as RotoBaller's PPR WR32 for Sunday night's bout.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Luther Burden III Maintains Strong Fantasy Value Vs. Tampa Bay
Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III has solidified himself as a go-to option ahead of a Sunday night matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 22-year-old St. Louis, Missouri native failed to lead the team in receiving for the fourth straight game in a win over the Seahawks, though he was still tied for tops in targets (nine) and receptions (seven) with tight end Colston Loveland. As it stands, the only knock against Burden is his lack of involvement in the second half of games. However, that isn't entirely his fault, as a run-heavy game script to close out victories has robbed him of a few monster outings. Unfortunately, he and the Bears' attack will be met with an imposing test in Week 9 when they take on a vaunted Buccaneers defense that has impressed over the last month. It isn't ideal, but quarterback Caleb Williams' stellar play has raised the offense's floor, making Burden an enticing weekly fantasy asset despite a less-than-full-time role. The second-year pro is RotoBaller's PPR WR11 for the weekend's festivities.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jalen Coker Looks to Take Advantage of Target Opportunity as a WR2
Carolina Panthers third-year wide receiver and undrafted free agent Jalen Coker looked like a major breakout candidate at the start of the season, posting 204 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 16 catches in his first two games. Since then, he hasn't been nearly as productive and now sits at WR24 for the season. Coker has 22 targets over the last three games, but only nine catches and one touchdown. The Panthers offense as a whole has struggled recently, and it may be difficult to get back on track against the strong pass/rush defense of their Week 9 opponent, the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are tied for second in receiving touchdowns allowed to WRs at only four over eight games, and allow a meager 27.6 fantasy points (eighth-least) per game to the position. Coker's 46.2% slot rate could bode well for him, giving him a chance to avoid major coverage from Denver's All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain, who plays the perimeter most of the time. Coker can be slotted in as a low-end WR2 and ranks WR21 in the latest RotoBaller rankings for Week 9.
Source: Rotoballer
Source: Rotoballer
Colston Loveland Heating Up in Chicago's Passing Attack
Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland is again a strong fantasy option for a home matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field. The former Michigan Wolverine has really rounded into form over his previous three outings, compiling a 20/199/2 line while leading the team in receptions and targets (28). Loveland's upside will always be somewhat capped by Chicago's propensity to score points in a hurry and the dearth of talent around him. Still, he's utilized superbly in the scheme, able to use his athleticism on quick flat routes around the line of scrimmage. He also does well on some deeper breaking patterns over the middle and outside the numbers. Tampa Bay's defense has been an undesirable matchup in most respects, but they're actually susceptible to fantasy tight ends as a bottom-half unit. Even if the offense struggles, Loveland should still command a considerable share of targets. He's again a top option for the Sunday night matchup and, officially, RotoBaller's PPR TE4 for Week 9.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
D'Andre Swift Positioned for Another Massive Workload
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift is an excellent fantasy play this weekend when his team takes on the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Swift has been on fire. While he hasn't had a game with gaudy rushing totals since Week 1, the 27-year-old has been superb, notching at least two receptions in all but one appearance, and at least one rushing score in four straight games. In fact, he's already set a new personal best with ten rushing TDs on the campaign, all while dominating Chicago's backfield work with teammate Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) on the sideline. With Monangai officially questionable after two DNPs and a limited practice session this week, Swift could see the bulk of the RB touches yet again. The volume would be a plus, but the Buccaneers are no easy ask on the ground. Through eight contests, Tampa Bay has yielded the second-fewest fantasy points per game to RBs (15.4), and owns the best EPA per play against the run (-0.20). Even still, the seventh-year pro has been scoring touchdowns in bunches with Chicago on a roll, and should ride his volume to another productive fantasy finish. Swift lands as RotoBaller's PPR RB8 for the team's road clash.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Caleb Williams to Continue Momentum in Another Tough Outing?
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will look to keep momentum in Week 9 when his team squares off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football. Williams and the Bears made a statement win their last time out over the hosting Seahawks. The 24-year-old played exceptionally well - picking apart the league's most staunch pass defense with ease. While it was mediocre fantasy output, it marked his third straight game without an interception and with at least 247 passing yards, a stretch in which Chicago has scored at least 30 points in each outing. Williams faces another tough matchup this weekend against a Buccaneers defense that's exceeded expectations in 2026. Despite that, the former first-overall pick is on a hot streak, and owners should have no trouble slotting him into their lineups as an elite fantasy option. Chicago's tendency to lead with the ground game will sometimes hurt Williams' upside, but he's the ringleader of an ascending attack backed by offensive mastermind head coach Ben Johnson. Williams is RotoBaller's QB7 for his outing with the Bucs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Justin Herbert is Risky Streaming Choice with Recent Struggles
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is having a season to forget right now. It has gone from bad to worse for Herbert, who hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. Over his last two games, Herbert has thrown zero touchdowns and three interceptions. The 28-year-old has been held to under 250 passing yards in every game besides one this season. He does draw a favorable matchup against the Houston Texans pass defense, which ranks 29th in the league right now. Despite that, fantasy managers have little reason to believe that Herbert is going to turn it around. He remains a risky streaming choice even with a plus matchup against the Texans defense.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Dameon Pierce is Released with Injury Settlement
Philadelphia Eagles running back Dameon Pierce (undisclosed) was released by the organization with an injury settlement on Friday. Pierce was placed on the Injured Reserve on October 28 due to an undisclosed injury. Pierce would've been forced to miss four games because he was placed on the IR. Now, Pierce is eligible to play once he signs with another team. During his three games with Philly, Pierce carried the ball 37 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He might land elsewhere as a depth option, but it seems unlikely that Pierce will have consistent fantasy value going forward.
Source: Aaron Wilson
Source: Aaron Wilson
Tetairoa McMillan Is a Middling WR2 Start in Week 9 vs. the Broncos
Carolina Panthers second-year wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is off to an underwhelming start this season, coming in at WR17 in points per game and with a preseason ADP of WR13. The majority of his production came in Weeks 2 and 4, when he totaled 293 yards and two touchdowns in those matchups, accounting for 62% of his total 2026 fantasy production in those two weeks. While he hasn't produced points recently and the Panthers' passing offense has struggled, McMillan still maintains a significant role in the passing game. Compared to all receivers' targets over their last three weeks, he comes in tied for 12th with 26 targets. The opportunity has been there, but strong results might not come in Week 9 when the Panthers face a Denver Broncos defense and secondary that has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs. McMillan has demonstrated that he can deliver game-wrecking numbers; however, Week 9 expectations should be tempered. He still slots in as a middling WR2 and is RotoBaller's WR19 in the latest updated ranking for Week 9.
Source: Fantasy Points Data
Source: Fantasy Points Data
Brandon Aiyuk is Not Reinstated on Transaction Report
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) reportedly had his meeting with the organization on Friday. Aiyuk is feeling great and is 100 percent healthy after missing all of last season due to a torn ACL. The 28-year-old is attempting to get reinstated, but it's a bit of a complicated issue. Aiyuk owes roughly $13 million in bonus forfeitures, so we'll see how long it takes for him to get reinstated. He wasn't on the Friday's transaction log as being reinstated, so this could be something that takes time. It doesn't sound like the 49ers want anything to do with Aiyuk anymore, so he'll need to find another team once he does get reinstated. There's some stash value here, but fantasy managers might need to be patient.
Source: Nick Wagoner
Source: Nick Wagoner
Quentin Nelson to Undergo Knee Surgery
Seattle Seahawks offensive guard Quentin Nelson (knee) is set to have surgery to clean out some cartilage in his knee, Ian Rapoport reports. He has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, but the plan is for Nelson to avoid a trip to the Injured Reserve. The Seahawks are hopeful that Nelson can return after the team's Week 11 bye. This is a tough blow for the Seahawks, who recently acquired Nelson in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Nelson made his team debut against the Chicago Bears last week. The hope is that he'll only miss a few games, but his exact timetable isn't known right now. Grey Zabel is expected to start at left guard for Sunday's game versus the Cardinals.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Dalton Kincaid Practices in Full on Friday
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (chest) was a full participant during Friday's practice session. This is good news after Kincaid was limited during Thursday's practice while nursing a chest injury. He was able to shed his red non-contact jersey on Friday, Sal Capaccio reports. It seems like Kincaid is trending in the right direction ahead of Monday's Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Kincaid has been playing some good ball over the last two games, so hopefully he'll be able to keep up that pace. If he does get downgraded, Dawson Knox would likely step into the starting tight end role on Monday.
Source: buffalobills.com
Source: buffalobills.com
Bryce Young Good to Go vs. the Broncos, a Dicey QB2 Play in Week 9
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (ankle) has been dealing with an ankle injury but was a full participant throughout the week and is all systems go for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. Young has scored the 14th-most fantasy points per game (18.9) and has ranked as a top-12 QB four times in his seven 2026 games. He is off to the hottest start of any season in his career so far, throwing for 1921 yards and 13 TDs, but his run of poor fantasy performances over his past two games may continue through Week 9. The Panthers' passing game has struggled the past two weeks, with Young throwing for only 163 and 209 yards and one touchdown each week, plus three total interceptions. The offensive line has given up the seventh-highest pressure rate in the league (43.5%), which has shown up in their recent production. Combine the line struggles with the fact that their Week 9 opponent, the Broncos, have 23 sacks over their last eight games, and Young could struggle to throw on Sunday. The Panthers' pass offense may continue to flounder in this matchup, making Young Rotoballer's QB19 and a lower-tier QB2 in Week 9.
Source: Joe Person of The Athletic
Source: Joe Person of The Athletic
Tory Horton Set to Benefit Once Again From Teammate's Absence
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton is in line to receive more volume in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle will be without wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee) for a second straight week. Horton earned six targets in his absence in Week 8, catching three for 26 yards. While his efficiency was not great, six targets were a solid mark to hit in an offense so dominated by wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Horton's matchup in Week 9 is solid. Arizona is 22nd against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. The Cardinals are also the 26th-ranked team in pass coverage. As a deep threat, Horton has a chance to get loose in this game. Additionally, Seattle is down several key defensive players, opening the door for a potential shootout, further increasing Horton's potential for more volume. Horton should only be considered in 14-team leagues and larger, but he could be deployed as a potential flex option in deep leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
