RADIO
Mike Washington Jr. Back to Deep-League Option Only After Week 9
Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. is back to being just a deep-league fantasy option after a poor performance in Week 9. He got the same number of carries (six) as Ashton Jeanty, but Washington ended up losing three yards overall. He was not targeted in the passing game. Jeanty finished with 25 rushing yards on his six carries, while losing five yards on his five receptions and seven targets. Washington only played 17 offensive snaps, which was 34% of the team's total. Jeanty logged 32 snaps, which was 64% of the team's total. With Washington looking to be back in an RB2 role for the Raiders, he drops to just being a deep-league option. He could be re-added in standard leagues down the line if Jeanty is ever out, but for now, Washington is best skipped in those leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mike Washington Jr. Has a Day to Forget Against 49ers
It was a tough day, to say the least, for Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. in a 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9. The rookie tailback recorded six carries and totaled minus-three yards on the day, and he was not targeted in the passing game. The Raiders were playing from behind for most of the contest and likely had to abandon the running game fairly early. This bust of a performance comes one week after Washington set career highs in rushing attempts (25), rushing yards (83) and offensive snaps played (38) in a win over the New York Jets in Week 8. In the lopsided loss to the 49ers, Washington was out-snapped by fellow running back Ashton Jeanty, 32 to 17. Washington will likely continue to play a role for the Raiders, and he will certainly have better games, but with the volatility in usage, he is a bit hard to trust as a regular fantasy football starter.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Brock Bowers Continues to Produce at High Level
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers leaves little doubt that he is an elite fantasy football tight end, as he once again had high production with seven receptions (on eight targets) for 111 yards and a touchdown in a 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9. Bowers added one rushing attempt for two yards. It was a blowout loss for the Raiders, and Bowers and quarterback Kirk Cousins tend to do a lot of damage while playing catch-up, but fantasy managers won't mind that. Through seven appearances in 2026, Bowers has amassed 48 receptions for 658 yards (13.7 yards per reception) and six touchdowns. According to RotoBaller's NFL Stats page, Bowers ranks first among tight ends in fantasy points per game at 17.4 in half-PPR leagues. He remains locked in as a TE1.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Ashton Jeanty's Struggles Continue in Loss to 49ers
The poor 2026 campaign continues for Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. He rushed six times for 25 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and caught five passes for a total of minus-five yards in a Week 9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The lack of rushing attempts likely had to do with the Raiders playing behind for most of the game, with the 49ers up 21-10 at halftime and then 28-10 to begin the third quarter after quarterback Kirk Cousins fumbled and San Francisco returned it for a touchdown. The positive for Jeanty is that he led Las Vegas' backfield in offensive snaps played with 32, while Mike Washington Jr. played just 17. In a Week 8 win over the New York Jets, Washington out-snapped Jeanty 38 to 25. Jeanty has been highly inefficient in 2026. Through nine games, Jeanty has rushed 114 times for 362 yards (3.2 yards per carry) and one touchdown, while adding 42 receptions for 371 yards (8.8 yards per catch) and three more touchdowns.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Raiders Plan to Keep Kirk Cousins Through Trade Deadline
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins had drawn no trade inquiries as of this weekend, and the Raiders have no interest in dealing him ahead of Tuesday's deadline, according to Adam Schefter. The Raiders plan to keep Cousins as their starter until they believe Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick, is ready. Cousins threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in last week's 38-33 win over the New York Jets, which ended a four-game skid. He enters Sunday's game at San Francisco with 19 touchdown passes and five interceptions through eight games. Mendoza remains second on the Week 9 depth chart. All eight of his regular-season pass attempts came in his 10-snap debut against New England, when he completed six for 48 yards.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Dylan Laube Added to the Injury Report with Illness
Las Vegas Raiders running back Dylan Laube (illness) has been added to the injury report ahead of Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com. It's important to note that Laube doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game, so he will play, barring a setback. Laube made some waves last week with a special teams touchdown, but he's not a reliable offensive contributor with just five carries, nine rushing yards, four catches, and 15 receiving yards this season. The Raiders did indicate that they want to get Laube some more opportunities out of the backfield going forward, but as long as he finds himself behind Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. on the depth chart, he'll remain off the fantasy football radar.
Source: Ryan McFadden
Source: Ryan McFadden
Mike Washington Jr. Worth Adding in Most Leagues as Role Grows
Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. should be a priority addition for fantasy football managers entering Week 9. Washington maintained a steady role through the first half of the season, and his volume took off last week against the Jets, as he tallied 25 carries for 83 rushing yards on a 60% snap share. While we do expect his volume to cool down a little bit going forward, he should still maintain a sizable role alongside Ashton Jeanty. He is no longer just a handcuff, but also has some standalone value as a potential RB3/flex in deeper leagues. The rookie lacks pass-catching upside, but he is a particularly impressive runner who should earn more goal-line opportunities going forward. Washington remains available in 53% of redraft leagues, giving fantasy managers an opportunity to pick up a potential RB3/flex midseason.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tre Tucker's Dud Outing a Bad Sign for His Fantasy Outlook?
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker was held without a single catch in Week 8, which is a concern given how productive he had been in previous weeks. Tucker was particularly dominant in Weeks 6-7, when he combined for 10 catches, 197 yards, and three touchdowns, but he was even a solid WR3/flex earlier in the season. He entered last week as the WR13 in half-PPR scoring, but the dud outing dropped him down six spots to WR19. Tucker's fantasy outlook should be adjusted accordingly, as he went from being a low-end WR2 with a high ceiling to more of a high-end WR3 with a low floor. He's absolutely still worth starting, especially as Kirk Cousins remains the quarterback and the Raiders continue to find themselves in negative game script environments. However, Week 8 showed that he's not immune to a goose egg on the stat sheet, and managers must now temper their expectations a little more than they had in weeks past. The good news is that Tucker is still the undisputed No. 1 wide receiver in Las Vegas, albeit operating behind star tight end Brock Bowers in the passing game.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jalen Nailor Should Remain on the Bench vs. 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jalen Nailor scored a touchdown in Week 8, but his overall production this season instills little confidence for a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. While Nailor caught all of his targets and got into the end zone against the New York Jets, he still only logged four receptions for 38 yards. For comparison, running back Ashton Jeanty was also targeted four times and recorded three catches for 64 yards on top of his rushing duties. That brings Nailor to 12 catches for 113 yards through seven games this season. Week 9 poses an even tougher challenge since San Francisco has the fourth-ranked defense overall coming out of their bye week and has the seventh-ranked scoring defense, allowing 19.9 average points per game. Kirk Cousins likes to air out the ball to different targets, but Nailor remains down the pecking order from Brock Bowers and fellow receiver Tre Tucker. Fantasy managers should continue sitting Nailor as Vegas heads into an uphill road battle.
Source: FOX Sports
Source: FOX Sports
Tre Tucker a Volatile Boom-Or-Bust Option vs. 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker needs to rebound from a nonexistent Week 8, but that could be difficult against a tough San Francisco 49ers defense in Week 9. Tucker was targeted only once and failed to catch the pass in last week's win against the New York Jets, who have a sturdy passing defense. The 2023 third-round pick has 29 receptions for 474 yards and four touchdowns this season, but his lack of production last week reminds managers he is a volatile fantasy asset. San Francisco's defense will be rested coming out of its bye week, plus it added DeForest Buckner and will get another boost with Nick Bosa (calf) returning. That ramped-up pressure on Kirk Cousins could impact the receiving corps' target share and leave Tucker far down the list from Brock Bowers. Tucker should be viewed as a boom-or-bust flex option in deep leagues only this week.
Source: FOX Sports
Source: FOX Sports
Michael Mayer a Streaming Option in Week 9 Matchup vs. 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer continues to have some fantasy weight, but it will be limited against a stingy San Francisco 49ers defense in Week 9. Mayer has proven to be a flex option in the Brock Bowers-led offense, totaling 36 catches for 351 yards and one touchdown through eight games. He has also been very efficient, catching 84% of his targets this season. That includes five catches on six targets for 53 yards in a win against a solid New York Jets defense. That being said, the 49ers have been tough against tight ends in 2026, allowing just 1.8 receptions for 12.7 yards per game on average. San Francisco will be fresh off a bye week and have an even sturdier defensive front with the addition of DeForest Buckner and the return of Nick Bosa (calf). The pressure on Kirk Cousins will impact the passing game, so Mayer's target share could take a hit. Still, his efficiency makes him a solid streaming option despite the difficult matchup.
Source: StatMuse
Source: StatMuse
Brock Bowers Remains a Must-Start Despite Tough Week 9 Matchup
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has one of his toughest tasks of the season going up against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9. The 23-year-old has been Kirk Cousins' favorite target since making his season debut in Week 3, logging 41 catches for 547 yards and five touchdowns. That includes a two-touchdown effort in a Week 7 win against the New York Jets when he caught seven of 10 targets for 92 yards, racking up 28.2 PPR points in the process. Now, the 49ers pose a bigger threat in Week 9 since they have been so tough on tight ends, limiting them to just 1.8 receptions for 12.7 yards per game. Nick Bosa's (calf) return from injury will up the pressure on Cousins, and a healthy Fred Warner will give Bowers plenty of trouble. Then again, the Niners also allowed nine catches on 11 targets for 75 yards to Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride. Bowers is still RotoBaller's TE1 and should be started in this tough Week 9 matchup.
Source: StatMuse
Source: StatMuse
Mike Washington Jr. a Flex Option in Week 9 Matchup vs. 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. is expected to get plenty of work in Week 9, but it will be an uphill battle against a San Francisco 49ers defense that has excelled at squashing the run game. The rookie is coming off his biggest game of the season, leading the run game with 25 carries for 83 yards in a Week 8 win against the New York Jets. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak hasn't specified whether Washington will have a bigger workload than Ashton Jeanty again in Week 9. Regardless, both backs will likely be stymied against a 49ers defense that is allowing just 89 rushing yards per game, and held Falcons star back Bijan Robinson to 63 yards their last time out. The tough matchup and continued tandem workload with Jeanty signal to fantasy managers that Washington should only be used as a flex option in Week 9.
Source: StatMuse
Source: StatMuse
Ashton Jeanty a Low-End RB2 in Tough Week 9 Matchup vs. 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty has stayed relevant in fantasy leagues because of his hybrid workload, but how will that play out against a stingy 49ers defense in Week 9? The 22-year-old had just two carries for nine yards against the New York Jets as Mike Washington Jr. took on a heavier workload, though Jeanty also caught three of four targets for 64 receiving yards in the Week 8 win. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak wouldn't specify whether Jeanty will have a heavier workload in Week 9, which makes his value uncertain against a formidable opponent. The 49ers defense ranks fifth overall against the run (89 YPG allowed), and pressure on Kirk Cousins to throw the ball will increase since Nick Bosa (calf) has been cleared to play. RotoBaller lists Jeanty as RB25 in the positional ranking, and he is a low-end RB2 in 12-plus-team leagues only given the difficult Week 9 matchup.
Source: Sam Warren via X.com
Source: Sam Warren via X.com
Kirk Cousins a Deep-League Option in Tough Week 9 Matchup
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has been impressive this season, making Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers all the more intriguing. The veteran play-caller has the third-most passing yards (2,124) and second-most touchdowns (19) while throwing just five interceptions. In a tough Week 8 road matchup against the New York Jets, Cousins had a 73.1% completion rate while throwing for 294 yards and scoring three touchdowns in the air. He added a rushing touchdown to his tally as well, which was impressive given Cousins isn't a fan of running the ball himself. The 49ers pose a massive threat, allowing 210.3 passing yards per game but holding opposing offenses to just 19.9 points. The pressure will be turned up further now that Nick Bosa (calf) will return to the gridiron after missing five games. Cousins has shown he can battle tough defenses this season, but this Week 9 matchup could still give him a headache. RotoBaller lists Cousins at QB15, and he is a starting option for deep league formats given the tough matchup.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
