RADIO
C.J. Stroud a QB2 in Return from Bye Week
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has thrown 11 touchdowns and just one interception in his seven games this season, but his team went just 2-5 before a Week 8 bye. The offensive line has been inconsistent this season, without much success in the running game, leaving Stroud to air it out quite a bit this season. However, the 0-7 Chargers have actually been solid at pass defense, allowing the seventh-fewest passing yards per game and giving up only eight passing touchdowns in seven games. While it isn't a great matchup, Stroud is still a viable fantasy option in two-QB or deep formats. He is RotoBaller's QB16 this week and will look to keep the Chargers winless with a strong road showing on Sunday.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dare Ogunbowale Set for a Backup Role
Houston Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale did play seven snaps in Week 7 against the Giants, although he failed to show up in the box score with a catch or a carry. With David Montgomery (groin) and Jawhar Jordan (practice squad injured list) sidelined again in Week 9's matchup with the Chargers, the veteran is lined up to be the primary backup behind Woody Marks once again. Ogunbowale isn't likely to get a large role, though, especially since the team added Emari Demercado from waivers as well. He is only the RB69 this week and remains well off the fantasy radar, barring further injuries ahead of him on the depth chart.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Woody Marks Set for Featured Role Again
Houston Texans running back Woody Marks will get another week as the primary leader in the backfield, with David Montgomery (groin) still not ready to return from his groin injury originally suffered in Week 5. Marks had 15 carries in that game after Montgomery's early exit and had 15 carries the next week against the Jaguars as well. In Week 7 against the Giants, Marks had a season-high 19 carries and racked up 66 rushing yards and added a 15-yard reception. He was the only running back with a catch or carry in that contest, and should carry a major workload again in Week 9 against the Chargers, as the Texans return from their bye. Marks is RotoBaller's No. 19 RB in Week 9, and he's a low-end RB2 based on his volume, even though he hasn't found the end zone in the last two games despite his increased workload. He will be busy enough to be started in almost all formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Chargers Not Inclined to Trade Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey
Chargers not inclined to trade Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey (@AdamSchefter)
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 7, 2026
Fantasy analysis coming soon
Commanders Haven't Abandoned the Idea of Adding Brandon Aiyuk
Commanders haven't abandoned the idea of adding Brandon Aiyuk (@AdamSchefter)
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 7, 2026
Fantasy analysis coming soon
Tank Dell Looking for More Targets After Successful Return
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was able to return to the field in Week 7 after missing almost two full years recovering from a dislocated kneecap and a series of torn ligaments in his left knee. He caught his one target for a 43-yard gain and played just 11 offensive snaps. Dell's role is still uncertain with Marvin Harrison Jr., Xavier Hutchinson, and Kayshon Boutte all rotating with him for snaps behind Nico Collins. Dell will have a "natural progression in his workload" in the coming weeks, according to coach DeMeco Ryans, and as he ramps up, he could climb back to a regular fantasy role. Headed into Week 9 against the Chargers, though, he is too high-risk to count on in most formats, which is why he's only the WR72 in our RotoBaller projections for this week. He's worth stashing in deep leagues but is hard to start until he's more re-established.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Hutchinson Not a Reliable Option in Most Leagues
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson scored his first touchdown of the season before his Week 8 bye, finishing with three catches for 17 yards and the score against the Giants. He has 21 catches in his seven games this year, with at least three catches in all but one game. The Texans are rotating multiple receivers behind Nico Collins, with Hutchinson, Tank Dell, Kayshon Boutte, and Marvin Harrison Jr. all getting playing time. The uncertain volume and reduced roles make them all high-risk plays, although there could be more time available with Jaylin Noel (toe) expected to miss the rest of the season. Hutchinson is the WR65 this week as the Texans face the Chargers, in a fairly neutral WR matchup. He isn't reliable enough to be started in most formats until he carves out a more consistent role.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Broncos Checked on Trey McBride; Cardinals Refuse to Trade Him
The Arizona Cardinals have zero intention of trading star tight end Trey McBride before the upcoming NFL trade deadline, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Schefter reports that the Denver Broncos recently checked in on McBride but were rebuffed by Arizona. Across eight games in 2026, McBride has recorded 66 catches for 544 yards and five touchdowns on 88 targets. His efficiency has taken a hit this year, as he's averaging a career-low 6.3 yards per target and 8.2 yards per reception. While a move to a more potent offense would likely help McBride's per-target numbers, he remains the clear number one option in the Arizona passing game. As long as he remains healthy, McBride profiles as an elite tight end option for fantasy managers.
Andre Szmyt Is Reliable Kicker Option In Week 9
Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt is in a good spot to deliver solid results in Week 9 at the New Orleans Saints. The Browns are in a good position to score points against a very porous Saints defense and Szmyt has been a reliable option all season long. He is 16-of-18 on field goal attempts and 11-of-12 on extra-point tries this season. Szmyt has a long field goal of 56 yards this season and is coming off of two made field goals in Week 8's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Against the Steelers, Szmyt made one kick in the 30-yard range and one kick in the 40-yard range. Look for Szmyt to deliver more solid results in an indoor environment at the Saints.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Marvin Harrison Jr. Only an Option in Deep Leagues
Houston Texans wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. cost the team some significant draft capital to bring in via trade earlier this season, but the move hasn't fully paid off yet. In his two games with the team, he has eight targets, but just four catches for 40 yards. He did get into the end zone on his one catch for six yards in Week 7 against the Giants, but he was still limited to only 13 snaps in Week 7 after playing just 12 offensive snaps in Week 6. Hopefully, the bye week gave him time to get more involved, and his role could increase now that he's been around the team for several weeks. However, Harrison is still only WR62 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections. In a mostly neutral matchup against the Chargers, he is still only an option in deep leagues until he shows he's ready for a larger workload in Houston.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nico Collins Is In a Strong Bounce-Back Spot Against Chargers
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins had a quiet few weeks before his Week 8 bye, totaling only 10 catches for 136 yards without a touchdown over his last three games. Offensive coordinator Nick Caley emphasized earlier in the week that Collins will "always be a focal point of the offense" and that the team intends to find more ways to get him the ball. Collins had a huge seven-catch, two-touchdown, 118-yard performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4 when he returned from a two-week injury absence, but he has been quiet since then and only caught two passes for six yards in Week 7. He should be in a good bounce-back spot after the bye as he faces the winless Chargers, and he is the WR12 in RotoBaller's rankings this week, making him a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 depending on the size of your league.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Harold Fannin Jr. Should Continue Hot Stretch In Week 9
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is starting to emerge in the Browns' passing game and should continue his hot stretch with another good game in Week 9 at New Orleans. With Shedeur Sanders stepping in at quarterback, he should look to Fannin Jr. as his main target against a Saints defense that ranks near the bottom of the league against the pass. Fannin Jr. is coming off a 10-catch, 154-yard performance in the Week 8 loss to the Steelers and had six catches for 91 yards two weeks ago at Tennessee. Fannin Jr. is racking up the targets the last two weeks with Deshuan Watson as his quarterback with nine against Tennessee and 12 against Pittsburgh. Fannin Jr. has shown that he is a reliable target and with inexperienced wide receivers in Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion Jr., he could come through as the main option for Sanders. Fannin Jr. is reliable on short-field targets and is an option down the middle of the field on deeper targets. He is averaging 11.7 yards per reception this season and has three receiving touchdowns. He hasn't scored since the first matchup with Pittsburgh in Week 4. Fannin Jr. looks like a very dependable tight end play this week. Start with confidence.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Foster Moreau A Very Touchdown-Dependent Long Shot
Houston Texans tight end Foster Moreau caught a pair of touchdowns in Week 6 against the Jaguars in London, but did not have a catch or a target in Week 7 against the Giants. He continues to play well behind Houston's top tight end, Dalton Schultz, and is only a viable fantasy option if he gets more work or gets back into the end zone. Moreau does have three touchdowns in seven games this season, even though he only has 11 catches. He will look to bounce back from that catchless game before the bye week as he faces the Chargers, who have been solid against tight ends, despite their other struggles in their 0-7 start to the season. Moreau is only the TE45 in RotoBaller's Week 9 rankings, so he's best left out of lineups this week in almost all formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dalton Schultz Only a Deep-League Option in Week 9
Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has been a steady but unspectacular PPR producer this season. He had a massive, 12-catch performance in Week 2, but with the team adding pass-catching options since then, he has played a smaller role. He has 33 catches for 322 yards in seven games, with at least three catches in all but one game this season. In Week 7, he had five catches for 45 yards against the Giants, but he still has not found the end zone this season. After the bye, he'll go on the road to face the Chargers, who have been one of the better teams in the league at defending TEs. This season, the Bolts have allowed just one tight-end touchdown, so it's hard to count on Schultz to break through for a score this week. He is RotoBaller's No. 21 TE in the Week 9 rankings, making him worth considering as a starter in two-tight end formats or desperate situations.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
KC Concepcion Jr. Still A Risky Play Against Saints
Cleveland Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr. is starting to emerge a bit in the passing game, but is still a risky play in Week 9 at the New Orleans Saints. Concepcion Jr. has a good matchup overall against a Saints pass defense that is near the bottom of the NFL, but he lacks the overall consistency and touchdown potential needed to be a safe starting wide receiver. Concepcion Jr. had a breakout game two weeks ago against the Tennessee Titans with eight catches for 129 receiving yards, but he has yet to catch a touchdown pass this season and he averages just 10.7 yards per catch this season. The rookie out of Texas A&M needs to show more consistency and more outings like Week 7 at Tennessee before he can be counted on as a starting fantasy receiver. He also has yet to show any chemistry with backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders could look for Concepcion Jr. as a short-field target but that is still an unknown with the two players yet to play with one another. Look elsewhere for a starting option this week.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
