October 29, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey (calf) is on the team's Week 9 injury report and was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice with a calf injury. McConkey played a season-low 58% of the offensive snaps in last Thursday night's blowout victory over the Minnesota Vikings, but he still managed a team-high 10 targets and caught six passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. The 23-year-old should have a good chance to play in Week 9 in a plus matchup against the Tennessee Titans on the road, but his status bears watching heading into Sunday's game. The former second-rounder has bounced back after a slow start to his second season in the NFL, catching 27 of his 41 targets for 294 yards and three touchdowns in his last four games. If McConkey is active against the Titans on Sunday, he needs to be in all starting fantasy football lineups.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Chargers
October 29, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver
Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) is not fully healthy coming out of the team's bye week, as he was limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Thomas injured his shoulder in the Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London and is still nursing the injury despite having last week's bye to heal up. He was seen wearing a harness on his shoulder at Wednesday's practice. While Thomas figures to be on the right side of questionable for this weekend's game against the Las Vegas Raiders, his status is worth monitoring heading into Sunday's contest. Through seven games, the former first-round pick is in the midst of the dreaded sophomore slump, and rookie first-rounder
Travis Hunter could be ready to take over WR1 duties in Jacksonville for the second half of the season. The 23-year-old Thomas has scored just one touchdown in 2025 and has only had double-digit half-PPR points in two of his seven games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Jacksonville Jaguars
October 29, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Rome Odunze (heel) was unable to practice with the rest of the team on Wednesday due to a heel injury. The Bears' offense is pretty banged up coming out of their Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, as receivers
DJ Moore (groin, hip),
Luther Burden III (concussion), and
Olamide Zaccheaus (knee) all missed practice as well. It remains to be seen if Odunze's injury is serious enough to keep him from playing in Week 9 in a plus matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, but we should know more about his status over the next two days. After two straight 30-yard performances, the second-year wideout bounced back nicely in last week's loss, catching seven of his 10 targets for 114 yards, his second 100-yard game of the year. Odunze had five touchdowns in the first four games, but he hasn't scored since. He'll have a good chance to end his scoring drought against Cincy, though, if he can play.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bears Communications
October 29, 2025
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Puka Nacua (ankle) will be limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday, according to head coach Sean McVay. It will be the first time that Nacua has practiced with the team since suffering a low left-ankle sprain in the Week 6 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Nacua sat out in Week 7 in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars and had the bye last week to rest further. Although it's not official that the 24-year-old will be back in Week 9 versus the New Orleans Saints, he is trending in the right direction to be available on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Despite having played in only six games so far in 2025, Nacua is still the WR5 in half-PPR scoring thanks to 54 receptions on 65 targets for 616 yards and two touchdowns. His 65 targets rank sixth among all wideouts. If Nacua is active this weekend, he's a must-start in all fantasy football setups.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Daily News - Adam Grosbard
October 29, 2025
Updating a previous report, Tennessee Titans running back
Tony Pollard (neck) had his reps limited in Wednesday's practice due to a neck injury. Pollard's status for the Week 9 contest on Sunday against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers is now in question, although the fact that he was on the field on Wednesday is a good sign that his injury isn't too serious. Still, Pollard has been trending down in fantasy in recent weeks after
Tyjae Spears returned from an early-season injury. The Titans have every intention of keeping Spears involved out of the backfield, too, which will cap Pollard's fantasy upside the rest of the way. With an injury to boot, the 28-year-old should be considered a low-upside RB3/flex, at best, this weekend if he's active. Not only is Pollard now in a timeshare, but he resides in one of the NFL's least efficient offenses.
--Keith HernandezSource: Titans PR
October 29, 2025
Updating a previous report, New England Patriots running back
Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) is on the Week 9 injury report due to a toe injury that kept him from practicing on Wednesday. It's unclear if his toe injury is serious enough to keep him from playing this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, but it's worth noting that Stevenson didn't play in the final seven minutes of the Week 8 blowout win over the Cleveland Browns. It will be a situation that should be monitored closely this week. If Stevenson is limited or unable to play this weekend, rookie
TreVeyon Henderson would be a must-start with RB2 upside as New England's lead back. Despite ball-security issues, Stevenson has remained the Pats' primary RB in 2025, but his toe injury could open the door for Henderson to take over going forward.
--Keith HernandezSource: New England Patriots
October 29, 2025
The Baltimore Ravens officially removed quarterback
Lamar Jackson (hamstring) from their Week 9 injury report on Wednesday, and he will make his return for a Thursday night clash against the Miami Dolphins. Fantasy managers have been without Jackson since he tweaked his hamstring in the Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The two-time MVP was a full participant at practice during the short week of preparation and should be without limitations in his return to the gridiron. Jackson said on Tuesday that he is 100% healthy and ready to go. The four-time Pro Bowler should be put back into all starting fantasy lineups for Week 9 action against a Dolphins defense that has been a top-12 matchup for opposing QBs this season. Jackson comes into Thursday's game with 869 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and only one interception in his four starts, adding 166 yards and a score on the ground.
--Keith HernandezSource: Baltimore Ravens
October 29, 2025
Chicago Bears running back
D'Andre Swift (groin) was listed as a non-participant during Wednesday's practice, the first of the week. Swift also missed practice last Wednesday before two straight limited practices. He ultimately played in the Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but played under half of the offensive snaps while totaling 73 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on his 13 touches. His DNP to begin the week is notable, but as long as he returns to practice on Thursday or Friday, he should be active this weekend in a very favorable matchup on Sunday on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 26-year-old has been a focal point of head coach Ben Johnson's offense in 2025, making him a must-start in fantasy lineups if he's active. If for some reason Swift is limited or out in Week 9, rookie
Kyle Monangai would be a plug-and-play option at RB in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Bears Communications
October 29, 2025
Carolina Panthers quarterback
Andy Dalton (thumb) did not participate in Wednesday's practice, according to the team. Dalton struggled mightily in his first start of the season in Week 8 against the Bills, completing 16 of 24 pass attempts for 175 yards and no touchdowns while turning it over three times and taking seven sacks. It's unclear when the 38-year-old suffered the injury to his right thumb, but his practice status will be monitored as the week goes along. It may end up being just a one-week fill-in for Dalton, as starting quarterback
Bryce Young (ankle) practiced in full on Wednesday and appears to be trending toward playing in Sunday's matchup against the Packers.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Carolina Panthers
October 29, 2025
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore announced on Wednesday that rookie quarterback
Tyler Shough will start for the team for the rest of the season. Moore said that he feels Shough is ready and that he is "really excited for him." The Saints benched
Spencer Rattler in last week's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Shough went 17-for-30 passing for 128 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception in relief in just his second NFL appearance. The second-rounder out of Louisville will now lead the Saints offense for the rest of the year, and he'll get a tough matchup on the road against the Los Angeles Rams this weekend in his first career start. Shough has a strong arm and good size at 6-foot-5, 219 pounds, but he won't give fantasy managers any additional upside with his legs in what has been a very inconsistent Saints offense. Expect plenty of growing pains. Shough should remain on the waiver wire in single-QB, 12-team redraft leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Jeff Nowak
October 29, 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback
J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will have a full week to prepare before returning as the starter for Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. McCarthy is expected to step back in as Minnesota's starting quarterback for the first time since Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he suffered a high-ankle sprain that caused him to miss five games. The 2024 first-round pick struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL in his first two games, completing 24 of 41 pass attempts for 301 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions to go with nine sacks taken. The 22-year-old will have plenty of growing pains after missing all of his rookie year with a knee injury, but head coach Kevin O'Connell has expressed confidence in him as their starter going forward. It's a tough spot to make his return, with a hostile road environment awaiting in Detroit for Week 9.
UPDATE: McCarthy was a full-go in Wednesday's practice.--Kyle McCarthySource: Ben Goessling
October 29, 2025
Washington Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels (hamstring) will practice in full all week, according to Tashan Reed of the Washington Post. Head coach Dan Quinn said on Tuesday that Daniels had a positive rehab session on Sunday and will be part of the practice plan this week, and now confirmed that the 24-year-old will be a full participant in practice ahead of their Week 9 matchup on Sunday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. Daniels already missed two games earlier in the season with a knee injury, but could wind up only missing one game this time because of the hamstring injury suffered in their Week 7 loss at the Dallas Cowboys. His return will be a big boost to the entire Washington offense, as they scored only seven points last week against Kansas City, their lowest in a game since the 2023 season. Washington's QB1 will be without
Terry McLaurin on Sunday, however, as he re-injured his quad and has been ruled out.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Tashan Reed
October 29, 2025
Washington Commanders wide receiver
Terry McLaurin (quad) has been ruled out for Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks, according to JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports. McLaurin re-injured the quad that caused him to miss four consecutive games during Monday night's loss to the Chiefs. It's not great to see the 30-year-old wideout already ruled out for Sunday, but head coach Dan Quinn is hopeful that the setback won't "knock him out for a long time." McLaurin made multiple splash plays in his Week 8 return despite playing only 47.2% of snaps, catching three of his four targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. He'll hope to return for their Week 10 matchup against the Lions. In the meantime,
Deebo Samuel Sr. will take on a bigger target share with
Chris Moore,
Luke McCaffrey, and
Jaylin Lane all likely to see bumps in playing time as well.
--Kyle McCarthySource: JP Finlay
October 29, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles are trading wide receiver
John Metchie III and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for cornerback Michael Carter II and a 2027 seventh-round pick, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Metchie played the most offensive snaps of the season with the Eagles in Week 8 with
A.J. Brown (hamstring) out, but it was only nine snaps, and he didn't record a target in the game. The 25-year-old will join his third team since August, beginning the offseason with the Texans before being dealt to the Eagles in August. Metchie mostly served as a special teamer with Philadelphia, but lands with a Jets team that needs help at wide receiver, with
Garrett Wilson (knee) banged up. He could be in the mix for opportunities early in New York, and he gets a Week 9 bye to get up to speed with his new team.
--Kyle McCarthySource: Dianna Russini
October 29, 2025
ESPN's Mike Reiss writes that the New England Patriots are most likely to target a running back and a veteran pass-rusher before next Tuesday's trade deadline, according to sources familiar with the team's thinking. The Patriots already have
Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie
TreVeyon Henderson in their backfield, but it sounds as though they'd like to add depth for the second half of the season as they look to make a run to the playoffs. It's purely speculation right now, and the Patriots added running back
D'Ernest Johnson directly to their active 53-man roster on Wednesday. It could be a sign that they are standing pat at the position. Stevenson did miss practice due to undisclosed reasons on Wednesday, though, so everything remains on the table. If an RB is brought in to bolster the backfield, it will obviously be bad news for the fantasy values of both Stevenson and Henderson. Stay tuned.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Boston - Mike Reiss
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