RADIO
Dalton Kincaid Faces Tough Matchup
Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid enjoyed a solid performance against the Baltimore Ravens last week, but faces a tougher task in the Minnesota Vikings' pass defense this week. Minnesota limited talented Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta to just three receptions for 33 yards a week ago and will look to hold Kincaid to a similar total in Week 9. Kincaid recorded a team-high 86 yards receiving and a touchdown on four receptions during a win over the Ravens. He is RotoBaller's 13th-ranked tight end and is projected to score nine fantasy points against the Vikings, who have allowed a league-low four touchdowns through the air this season. Kincaid (chest) was questionable entering last week's game against the Ravens, but he is good to go after practicing in full the last two days of the week leading into the Vikings game.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hunter Henry Has a "Realistic Chance" to Play in Week 9
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) has a "realistic chance" to play in Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Green Bay Packers despite being listed as questionable, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. This report is an encouraging (and perhaps surprising) development for the veteran tight end, who didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday and only practiced in a limited capacity on Friday. Having Henry available would be great news for Drake Maye and the Patriots, who will be without wide receivers A.J. Brown (knee) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) on Sunday afternoon. It's unclear if the foot injury will limit Henry at all, but even if he's near 100%, he could be a risky play against a Packers defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends so far in 2026.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Khalil Shakir Gaining Steam Entering Vikings Game
Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir got off to a slow start to the season but is starting to heat up as Buffalo faces off against a challenging Minnesota Vikings pass defense in Week 9. Shakir started the season with just eight receptions in his first three games, but over his last four contests, he has totaled 19 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown. Shakir will now take on a Vikings secondary that has limited its opponents to a league-best -0.28 EPA per pass, according to Next Gen Stats. Last week against the Detroit Lions, Minnesota limited Detroit's shifty receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to an average of just 6.6 yards per reception. Shakir is RotoBaller's 45th-ranked wide receiver and is projected to score eight fantasy points against the Vikings.
Source: Next Gen Stats
Source: Next Gen Stats
Tanner McKee Expected to be Active as Backup Quarterback in Week 9
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (ribs) is expected to be active as the backup for Sunday's Week 9 contest against the New York Giants, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. McKee, who was demoted to the backup role earlier this week, is officially listed as questionable after suffering a cracked rib during the opening drive of last week's game against the Washington Commanders. The 26-year-old's demotion to No. 2 on the depth chart is not a result of his injury, but rather a direct product of poor play. He has two touchdowns and three turnovers this season, including all three turnovers in his last two starts. McKee was thrust into action back in Week 6 with Jalen Hurts out for the year due to blood clots. McKee went 0-3 in his time as the starter, so the Eagles will turn to Milton in a desperate attempt to save their season. The 26-year-old is known for his strong arm and mobility, but accuracy has been an issue for him in the past.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
DJ Moore Hopes to Build on Solid Return
Bills wide receiver DJ Moore enjoyed a solid return from injury last week against the Ravens and will hope to build on it during a tough matchup on Monday night. Moore and the Bills take on a Vikings defense that has limited its opponents to just 154.9 yards passing per game this season, the best mark in the NFL. Last week, Minnesota limited the Detroit Lions to just 154 yards passing, while Detroit's leading receiver, Jameson Williams, finished with just 70 yards on four receptions. Moore recorded four receptions on seven targets, finishing the game against the Ravens with 82 yards receiving and a touchdown, while also fumbling the ball away. He is RotoBaller's 23rd-ranked wide receiver and is projected to score 10 fantasy points against the Vikings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Sidney Crosby Moves to Sixth on All-Time Scoring List
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby had a special outing in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, taking sole possession of the sixth spot on the NHL's all-time scoring list. He scored two goals to break a tie with Marcel Dionne. Crosby reached 1,773 points (660 goals, 1,113 assists) in his 1,437th career game. Next, he will set his sights on Ron Francis, who ranks fifth all-time with 1,798 points. After a slow start to the campaign, Crosby has averaged a point per game across his last six appearances, though this run includes three pointless efforts. He still has plenty of work to do to reach that scoring pace for the season, sitting on 12 points (six goals, six assists) after 17 games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Sam Darnold in Jeopardy of Missing Week 10
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (quad, rib) has already been ruled out for Week 9, and he might also miss Week 10, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter points out that the Seahawks have a Week 11 bye, which could influence their decision. Instead of pushing Darnold to get ready for next Sunday's game, they could keep him on the sideline through the bye. Compared to getting Darnold back for Week 10, keeping him out next week would force him to miss just one extra game while getting an extra 14 days to recover. The Seahawks will also likely consider the net loss of having Darnold miss a game. Seattle has plenty of confidence in its backup quarterback, Drew Lock, who performed well when Darnold missed time with a glute injury in Weeks 1 and 2. If Lock plays well against the Cardinals this Sunday, the Seahawks could feel more compelled to play him next week and give Darnold the extra time to rest. There are several factors at play here, but it seems like there's a very real chance we don't see Darnold again until Nov. 29 against the 49ers.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Morgan Rielly Sustains Lower-Body Injury Versus Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (lower body) is questionable for Sunday's action against New Jersey after being hurt in Saturday's loss to Montreal. He sustained a lower-body injury in the contest, logging just 5:45 of ice time. Rielly has been hot recently, boasting eight games in his last eight outings. He's second on his team with 12 assists this season, but Rielly hasn't yet lit the lamp in 18 games. Toronto will likely turn to Dakota Mermis if Rielly needs to be replaced on Sunday. At the same time, Oliver Ekman-Larsson could take on more of the workload.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
William Carrier Makes Precautionary Exit in Blowout Win
Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (knee) didn't play in the third period of Saturday's 9-2 thumping for precautionary reasons, Tom Gullitti of NHL.com reports. The power forward is managing a right knee injury, and the team didn't see a reason to keep him on the ice after taking a 7-0 lead in the first two periods. Carrier has beefed up Carolina's first line this season and has been a great fit, recording 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) and 57 hits in 19 games. With less than a quarter of the season played, Carrier needs just two more assists to set a new career high.
Source: Tom Gulitti
Source: Tom Gulitti
James Cook III Could Expose Vikings' Run Defense
If there is one way to beat the Minnesota Vikings' defense, which is ranked No. 1 against the pass, it's through the running game. That's what Bills running back James Cook III will look to do on Monday night, when Buffalo takes on Minnesota in a critical non-conference affair. The Vikings have allowed 116.7 yards rushing per game this season, which is ranked in the bottom half of the NFL. Last week against the Detroit Lions, the Vikings allowed Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs to total 153 yards on the ground and score a touchdown rushing. Cook is coming off his worst performance of the season in terms of yards per carry (3.8) against the Baltimore Ravens, but he has scored a touchdown in six straight games and will look to extend that streak vs. the Vikings. Cook is RotoBaller's 10th-ranked running back and is projected to score 13 fantasy points against Minnesota.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Josh Allen Goes Up Against Vaunted Vikings Defense
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is RotoBaller's No. 2-ranked quarterback as Buffalo takes on the aggressive Minnesota Vikings defense on Monday night. The Vikings are blitzing opposing quarterbacks at an incredibly high rate this season, with their blitz percentage sitting at 73.1%, according to Next Gen Stats. Expect Allen, who has been sacked just 13 times this season, to be under duress early and often against Minnesota. How he handles the blitz will be a deciding factor in Monday's contest. Allen has completed 65.7% of his passes against the blitz this season, but he has been intercepted three times while throwing three touchdowns when opposing defenses bring extra pressure. The Bills could be without two starting offensive linemen this week, as left guard Alec Anderson and left tackle Dion Dawkins are both questionable. Allen is projected to score 21 fantasy points against the Vikings.
Source: Next Gen Stats
Source: Next Gen Stats
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Exits Early Saturday
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (head) didn't finish Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Oilers lost him when Nugent-Hopkins took a puck to the side of his head during his first shift in the second period. Fortunately, he avoided major damage and isn't expected to miss additional time. "I don't think he is (going to miss time)," Oilers head coach Mike Babcock said after the game. "(We were) initially worried about a broken jaw ... but he seems to be doing OK." After missing the start of the season with a lower-body injury, Nugent-Hopkins has put up 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in nine games, including seven power-play points (three goals, four assists).
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Deshaun Watson Expected to be Inactive Sunday, Should Return in Week 10
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson cleared concussion protocol on Saturday, but he is still expected to be inactive for Sunday's Week 9 contest against the New Orleans Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. However, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports that Watson is expected to return in Week 10. The Browns are presumably making Watson inactive this Sunday because he was in concussion protocol all week long, which means that he didn't get a chance to practice and prepare for the Saints. Projected starter Shedeur Sanders and backup Dillon Gabriel, on the other hand, went through a full week of practice and were able to prepare for the packages that we might see in Sunday's game. Watson will get back to a full level of participation in practice on Wednesday, putting him on track to play in Week 10 against the Houston Texans.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Sandis Vilmanis Expected to Miss Time
Florida Panthers left wing Sandis Vilmanis (undisclosed) will miss at least two games, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports. The Latvian forward was injured on Saturday when Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson sent him head-first into the boards. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Vilmanis will be properly evaluated when the team returns home from its three-game road trip. Florida will make its second stop on Sunday against Boston. Vilmanis has notched seven points (three goals, four assists) in 16 games this season. His absence will open a top-six spot, and Florida must also adjust its second power-play unit.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Drake Powell Called Up by Brooklyn on Saturday
Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Drake Powell was recalled from the G-League's Long Island Nets on Saturday after being assigned there earlier in the week. The Nets also exercised the 21-year-old's 2027-28 team option in late October. Powell averaged 6.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 20.9 minutes while shooting 40.2% from the field as a rookie, but he has struggled to crack Brooklyn's rotation this season and did not play Saturday against Atlanta. With several young guards competing for opportunities, Powell will need to earn consistent minutes before becoming much of a fantasy factor.
Source: Erik Slater
Source: Erik Slater
