Nov 2, 2026, 11:58 AM ET

Houston Texans running back David Montgomery (groin) remains without a clear timetable for his return, with head coach DeMeco Ryans offering no significant update on his recovery Monday, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Montgomery suffered the injury during Houston's Week 5 victory over Tennessee and missed the following two games before the team's Week 8 bye. He did not practice at all leading up to the Week 7 matchup against the New York Giants, leaving his availability uncertain for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Woody Marks has handled the bulk of the backfield work in his absence, including all 19 running back carries against New York, finishing with 66 rushing yards and one reception for 15 yards. Marks should remain Houston's primary fantasy option if Montgomery misses another game, while the veteran's eventual return could create a more divided backfield.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Jonathan M. Alexander

Nov 2, 2026, 11:55 AM ET

Arizona State running back Cardae Mack is a rising fantasy asset and could continue things in Week 10 with a favorable matchup lined up. He has gotten 27 and 28 touches over the past two games, racking up 166 total yards and four touchdowns in Week 8 before going for 170 total yards in Week 9. He has 523 rushing yards and six scores over 78 attempts in his eight games played overall, plus has 11 receptions for 106 yards and another score. He takes on Colorado in Week 10 - the Buffaloes allow 386 total yards and 29.4 points per game this season, so that's a favorable matchup for Mack. He's a very solid deep-league option for the coming week, while also being an option in standard fantasy setups.--Morgan Rode
Source: ESPN

Nov 2, 2026, 11:47 AM ET

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel commented on whether wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) will practice this week and said, "Yeah, we'll see. We'll see how he progresses," according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. The news isn't entirely encouraging, as it appears to be a wait-and-see situation. Brown was scratched for Week 8 on Saturday with a knee injury, after missing four weeks with an ankle injury earlier in the season. Fantasy managers who have held onto Brown or traded for him will want to monitor his practice status this week as he heads into a crucial Week 9 tilt against the Green Bay Packers. If Brown can't go, Hunter Henry (foot) and DeMario Douglas will remain Drake Maye's top passing options.--Nicho Roessler
Source: Evan Lazar

Nov 2, 2026, 11:40 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black deserves consideration on the Week 9 waiver wire after showing what he can provide when Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) is sidelined. Black rushed 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's Week 7 loss to Atlanta, including a 30-yard scoring run. He played a season-high 47% of the offensive snaps while McCaffrey missed much of the first half, although Black also lost a fumble and caught just one of three targets for negative-four yards. The rookie has totaled 233 rushing yards on 57 carries this season and is listed directly behind McCaffrey on the 49ers' depth chart. Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed optimism that McCaffrey would return from his mild hamstring strain following the Week 8 bye, potentially limiting Black's immediate opportunities against Las Vegas. Still, Black's position in the backfield makes him a worthwhile insurance stash in leagues with 10 or more teams, particularly for managers with room to carry a backup running back.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 2, 2026, 11:36 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee struggled again on Sunday night against the Commanders, throwing 34 times and finishing with only 7.98 fantasy points. He's had some good matchups since taking over as the Eagles starter, against the Panthers, Cowboys, and Commanders, and he's had 34 or more pass attempts in all three, but hasn't capitalized. That said, with Jalen Hurts (blood clots) not set to return anytime soon and the Eagles spiraling, McKee will likely keep getting opportunities to quarterback the Eagles, keeping him on the fantasy radar in superflex formats when a solid matchup presents itself. Fantasy Managers should only see a boost for McKee if DeVonta Smith (hamstring) returns to the lineup and Saquon Barkley (hamstring, back) continues to get better down the stretch. The Eagles take on the Giants in Week 9 before a Week 10 bye, which should help get everyone healthy.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 2, 2026, 11:25 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell has made a compelling case for a waiver-wire addition after rushing for 228 yards on 39 carries over the last two games. He followed his 88-yard performance against Carolina in Week 7 with a career-high 140 yards on 25 carries in Sunday's 16-0 victory over Atlanta. Gainwell played 50% of Tampa Bay's offensive snaps, up from 30% the previous week, although the unusually heavy workload came in a rain-soaked game in which the Buccaneers completed no passes. Bucky Irving remained the lead back, rushing for 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Gainwell's recent production is encouraging, but Sunday's circumstances make another 25-carry outing difficult to project. He is worth adding in leagues with 10 or more teams as a valuable insurance option behind Irving, with some standalone appeal if his involvement continues. Fantasy managers should view him as backfield depth rather than a dependable Week 9 starter against Chicago.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 2, 2026, 11:21 AM ET

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew II entered Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys for Jacoby Brissett and led the Cardinals to a 33-30 win after trailing 17-3 in the third quarter. Minshew was fantastic, completing 17 of 23 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Brissett struggled mightily, which is what led to Minshew getting an opportunity, and head coach Mike LaFleur told Darren Urban of the team's official site that he won't name a Week 9 starter between Brissett and Minshew; however, given the performance Minshew put forward, it makes it difficult to ignore, and he should be considered an add in superflex formats. Minshew has been fantasy-relevant at times, finishing as the QB22 in 2019 with Jacksonville and QB21 for the Colts in 2023. Fantasy managers desperate for a second quarterback in superflex formats will want to add Minshew as a speculative add, in case he gets the chance to start.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 2, 2026, 11:13 AM ET

Baltimore Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano, out of UConn, was called upon in relief of Lamar Jackson (thumb) and Tyler Huntley (toe), who both exited Week 8's contest against the Buffalo Bills. Fagnano struggled in his first opportunity: he completed only 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards, plus an interception and a lost fumble. With Jackson slated to land on Injured Reserve and Huntley's status up in the air, Fagnano could get the start on Thursday against the Jaguars. He wouldn't be a recommended starter, but in superflex formats with no available quarterbacks, he's worth considering. Fagnano completed 64.7 percent of his passes and threw for 5,252 yards, 48 touchdowns, and six interceptions in his career at UConn.--Nicho Roessler
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 2, 2026, 11:12 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) has started running and hopes to return following the team's Week 9 bye, according to Ashley Wenskoski of Pittsburgh Sports Tonight. Pittman explained that his injury initially began as plantar fasciitis before developing into a different foot issue, although he did not specify the exact diagnosis. He also said surgery was never under consideration. The 29-year-old has been on injured reserve since October 10 and is eligible to return against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10 on November 15. Pittman caught just seven of 12 targets for 89 yards in three appearances before landing on IR. Rookie Germie Bernard has taken on a larger role during his absence, recording 32 receptions for 284 yards and a touchdown. Pittman's progress is encouraging, but his limited early-season production and Bernard's emergence leave questions about his fantasy value whenever he returns.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Ashley Wenskoski

Nov 2, 2026, 11:00 AM ET

William Byron ended Sunday's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway as the winner. Byron began the race from eighth and did not have much of a presence initially, but was among the first drivers to head to pit road midway through the first stage on lap 65. Some drivers stayed on track for track position and elected to run the whole stage without pitting, but Byron ended up leading the group of drivers who moved up after getting tires and fuel. As the stage progressed, Byron passed every driver and gained the lead by lap 125. He went on to win the first stage. In the second stage, Byron started to dominate the race even through pit stops as he kept remaining in first throughout the entire stage. Despite challenges from Ryan Preece and his teammate, Chase Elliott, Byron went on to lead nearly every lap of the second stage and win it. The final stage, much like the second, was also dominated by Byron. Although lap traffic in the late stages of the race kept Elliott in contention against Byron, Byron's car was too quick for Elliott to get close and make a move. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver went on to get his first win of the 2026 season and the fourth of his Cup career at Martinsville. Byron's victory on Sunday moved him to ninth in the championship standings, with only next weekend's Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway left for the 2026 season.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 2, 2026, 10:59 AM ET

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott finished as the runner-up in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. Elliott started ninth in the race and was one of several drivers to hit pit road midway through the first stage on lap 66 for tires and fuel. Although this put him behind in track position initially, Elliott rallied and made it up to 10th by the end of the first stage. In the second stage, Elliott did not make much progress to the front initially, but he did avoid pit road until a lap 199 caution for Carson Hocevar spinning. Elliott cycled to the front of the pack behind his teammate William Byron as a result and went on to finish the second stage behind him. In the final stage, Elliott ran second almost the entire stage behind Byron. Although lap traffic got Elliott close to Byron in the final laps, he could not get close enough to make any moves on Byron, while more traffic caused Elliott to fade behind Byron late on the final lap. After Martinsville, Elliott moved up to 10th in the championship standings with only one race left for the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 2, 2026, 10:58 AM ET

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin finished in sixth position during Sunday's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Hamlin started the race from the pole position, but quickly lost the lead to his teammate Ty Gibbs on lap three as he overshot one of the corners. By lap 46, however, Hamlin regained the lead from Gibbs and held it until lap 85, when lap traffic slowed him down to the point where Ryan Preece passed him. As other drivers went to pit road for fresh tires and fuel midway through the stage, Hamlin ran the entire stage without pitting. This caused him to lose positions on older tires until he ended the first stage in 17th and without stage points. In the second stage, Hamlin struggled to regain his track position, but tried to pit midway through the stage. He was a lap down when the caution came out on lap 199, but he took the wave around to get back on the lead lap. However, after the next restart, Hamlin spun after contact with Christopher Bell and Joey Logano on lap 216. Hamlin tried to regain further positions for stage points, but fell short of earning any at the end of the second stage as he placed 12th. In the final stage, Hamlin kept his car clean and avoided further mistakes, allowing him to move up through the field as the race progressed on a longer green flag run. He made it up to his eventual finishing position of sixth, falling short of a top-5 finish. After the 35th race of the year, Hamlin is still alive in the championship fight as he is 70 points behind Kyle Larson in the standings. However, he is a long shot to win the title as he is the furthest back of the three drivers remaining for the championship, but he can easily be eliminated after the first stage.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 2, 2026, 10:55 AM ET

Kyle Larson's performance in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway was full of challenges, but he recovered for a top-10 finish by the end of the event. Larson started the race from third, but immediately fell to fifth. He continued to run inside the top 10 until drivers started pitting around lap 63. Larson continued to stay on track and ran the whole stage on older tires. This proved to be detrimental for his track position as he fell back to 23rd by the end of the stage and fell off the lead lap. For most of the second stage, Larson tried to get back to the lead lap, but was unable to do so until a lap 217 caution for Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin spinning. Despite making it back to the lead lap, Larson was unable to make it back to the top 10 to score any stage points as he finished the second stage in 13th. In the final stage, Larson quietly kept his car clean and ran without further issues, eventually going from the top 15 to finishing the race in ninth. As a result, Larson maintained the championship lead, but failed to clinch the title at Martinsville. With Homestead as the final race of the season, Larson can win the 2026 championship with eight points or a finish of 28th or better.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com

Nov 2, 2026, 10:54 AM ET

Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing finished 10th in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, but could have potentially scored a better finish. Bell began the race from 14th position and only made it up to 11th before his first pit stop on lap 62 for fresh tires and fuel. Other drivers stayed out on track at this time, allowing Bell to take advantage of his fresher tires to pass other drivers quickly and move to the front. The No. 20 Toyota driver ended the first stage in fourth and scored seven stage points. In the second stage, Bell ran third behind William Byron and Ryan Preece until he elected to move to pit road on lap 199 right as a caution was called. During this pit stop, however, Bell was tagged with a speeding penalty and lost his track position. From there, Bell restarted in the top 15, but then a few laps later spun on track thanks to Joey Logano. After this spin, Bell recovered to end the second stage in 10th and earn one extra stage point. In the final stage, Bell made it up to as high as sixth before dropping back positions over the course of the stage as others were better over the final long green flag run. Bell placed 10th for his 19th top-10 finish of the 2026 season. With this performance, Bell moves to second in the championship standings, with a slim chance of fighting for the title next week at Homestead, as he is now 67 points back from leader Kyle Larson.--Sean Engel - RotoBaller
Source: NASCAR.com