There was no sign of New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) at Friday's practice, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Stevenson has yet to practice this week and is now unlikely to play on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. He has yet to officially be ruled out, but that's likely coming later on Friday, so fantasy managers should be moving Stevenson to their benches for the week, if they haven't already done so. With Stevenson likely sidelined this weekend, rookie TreVeyon Henderson should get his first real opportunity to be the Patriots' RB1, with Terrell Jennings expected to be elevated into the backup/change-of-pace role in the backfield. Henderson, the team's second-rounder in April out of Ohio State, has had ball-security issues through his first eight NFL games. However, with the boost in volume coming this Sunday, he will be in play as an RB2 in fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

The Pittsburgh Steelers placed safety DeShon Elliott (knee) on Injured Reserve on Friday, according to Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. Elliott suffered his knee injury in the Sunday night loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 and will now be forced to miss at least the next four games. The former sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 started five games for the Steelers this year and had recorded 38 tackles (20 solo), one tackle for loss, an interception, and two passes defended. The 28-year-old defensive back was a big part of Pittsburgh's secondary and was also in play as a starting DB in IDP fantasy leagues before his injury. Now that he's on IR, Elliott won't be eligible to play again until Week 13 on Sunday, Nov. 30, versus the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers made the move this week to acquire defensive back Kyle Dugger from the New England Patriots to help make up for the loss of Elliott.

From RotoBaller

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle, knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Maddy Glab of BuffaloBills.com. Palmer returned to practice on Thursday, but he was moving around gingerly and will now end up missing a second straight game. Struggling second-year wideout Keon Coleman wasn't able to take advantage of Palmer sitting out in last week's blowout win over the Carolina Panthers, catching three of four targets for 30 yards. With the 26-year-old Palmer missing another game, Elijah Moore, Tyrell Shavers, and Curtis Samuel should battle for WR3 snaps again behind Coleman and Khalil Shakir, but it's really hard to trust anyone outside of Shakir in starting fantasy football lineups at the moment, especially in a tough matchup against KC's defense.

From RotoBaller

According to ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien, when referencing wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder), Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen noted he's "truly practiced the best I've seen him practice," ahead of Sunday's road clash with the Las Vegas Raiders. Thomas Jr. entered Jacksonville's bye week nursing a shoulder injury. While he's yet to log a full session in two opportunities, the glowing praise from his head coach is encouraging. After a standout rookie campaign, the 23-year-old had gotten off to a slow start in 2025, but he'll get a chance to turn it around in the back half of the season. With rookie hybrid teammate Travis Hunter (knee) suddenly heading to IR, Thomas Jr. figures to shoulder a heavier workload when available. Fantasy managers should keep tabs on his official game-time designation for Week 9.

From RotoBaller

The Athletic's Josh Kendall reports that the Atlanta Falcons have yet to have "any serious trade discussions with another team," regarding quarterback Kirk Cousins ahead of next Tuesday's trade deadline. Cousins has been the speculation of quarterback-needy teams, although his recent performance in a blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins likely didn't help his case. As it stands, Atlanta is likely to hold both the veteran and second-year pro Michael Penix Jr. (knee). However, Kendall notes that doesn't mean Cousins is a long-term fit for the team. He figures to resume backup duties behind Penix Jr. once the latter is fully recovered from his knee injury. That's likely to change following the 2025 season.

From RotoBaller

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has not had the season owners expected in 2025, and it may be some time before he turns it around. When fantasy managers selected the former Alabama Crimson Tide, it was with a top 75 pick, and with the hopes that he would build off his stellar run to close out 2024. However, that hasn't been the case, as Jeudy has already been through two quarterbacks while Cleveland is scoring a paltry 15.8 points per game -- the third-lowest mark in the league. Unfortunately for the sixth-year pro, rookie QB Dillon Gabriel has had a rough go, meaning it may not be long before we see fellow first-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders manning the helm. Cleveland's shuffling at the quarterback position has lowered both Jeudy's floor and ceiling. He's currently the PPR WR66, and not worth consideration for fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell has been all but an afterthought in the team's rushing attack since the return of backfield mate Jaylen Warren in Week 6. Warren missed a game earlier in the season with a knee injury, in which Gainwell erupted for 134 total yards and two rushing scores. However, following Pittsburgh's Week 5 bye, the latter has taken a backseat in terms of playing time and touch share. With the way things have been, fantasy managers can't trust the University of Memphis product to provide standalone value. While Gainwell would handle a majority of the work in the event Warren were to miss more time, he's presently better relegated to handcuff duties.

From RotoBaller

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said that the team is placing rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (knee) on Injured Reserve after Hunter injured his knee during the team's practice on Thursday, per John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. The exact details of Hunter's injury are unclear, but the 22-year-old will now be sidelined through at least Week 12. It's a disappointing turn of events for Hunter, who recorded a season-high eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets in Jacksonville's final game before its Week 8 bye. The rookie looked like a potential second-half breakout candidate for fantasy managers before suffering this injury. Without Hunter, Jaguars wideouts Dyami Brown and Parker Washington appear to be the most likely candidates to see an uptick in targets and playing time alongside Jacksonville WR1 Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder). Thomas Jr. has been limited in practice this week due to a shoulder injury, so the Jaguars could be without both of their top wide receivers in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

With his team dealing with multiple wide receiver injuries, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton seemingly had a golden opportunity to emerge as a heavy target-earner in Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints. Instead, Otton turned in a modest performance, recording four catches for 40 yards on five targets. Tampa Bay will remain without Mike Evans (collarbone) following its Week 9 bye, but wide receiver Chris Godwin (leg) could make his return in Week 10 against the New England Patriots. Star running back Bucky Irving (shoulder, foot) could also be back in the mix, which would likely take some short-area targets away from Otton. Otton should still provide a relatively stable floor for fantasy managers when Tampa Bay returns from its bye, but he may have missed his highest-upside window of the season.

From RotoBaller

Through the first seven games of his NFL career, Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden has struggled to live up to the preseason fantasy hype. The 22-year-old has recorded 21 catches for 253 yards and zero touchdowns on 26 targets so far this season. He's failed to crack six targets in a game and is coming off one of his least productive outings of the season in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording three catches for four yards. To make matters worse, Packers wideout Christian Watson (knee) made his debut in Week 8 after missing the start of the season due to a knee injury. Green Bay should also get wide receiver Jayden Reed (collarbone, foot) back on the field at some point, which could push Golden even further down the target pecking order. Golden's speed and big-play ability give him some upside, but he's likely to remain difficult for fantasy managers to trust for consistent production.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins had his best game of the season in Week 8, recording seven catches for 89 yards on seven targets in a win over the Cleveland Browns. The 32-year-old has now hauled in 18 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns on 21 targets across eight games in 2025. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has regularly spread the ball around to several different receivers so far this year, which makes Hollins tough to trust on a week-to-week basis. Still, Hollins has at least consistently been on the field for New England, playing at least 66% of the team's offensive snaps in each of the last two weeks. Hollins profiles as a desperation deep-league flex play for fantasy managers heading into a Week 9 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, but he could be a waiver-wire target if he sees a heavy target share for the second straight week.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz has recorded 27 catches for 245 yards and four touchdowns on 40 targets across eight games so far this season. With Washington battling wide receiver injuries in recent weeks, Ertz has been targeted 19 times over his team's last three games. The Commanders briefly got healthy in their wide receiver room for Week 8, but star wideout Terry McLaurin (quad) re-injured his quad and will miss the team's Week 9 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks as a result. In addition to the reduced target competition, Ertz could get Commanders QB1 Jayden Daniels (hamstring) back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him in Week 8. All four of Ertz's touchdowns this season have come from Daniels. Ertz profiles as a low-end starting option at tight end for fantasy managers in Week 9.

From RotoBaller

The New York Jets acquired wide receiver John Metchie III from the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. Metchie III was barely utilized in Philadelphia this season, recording four catches for 18 yards on seven targets across seven games. However, the 25-year-old should now be in a much better position to earn consistent playing time as a member of the Jets. New York could be getting star wideout Garrett Wilson (knee) back in Week 10 after the team's Week 9 bye, but Wilson is the only wide receiver who is clearly ahead of Metchie III on the Jets' wide receiver depth chart. A former second-round pick by the Houston Texans, Metchie III has hauled in 44 catches for 430 yards and a touchdown on 71 targets across 36 career NFL games. In deep fantasy leagues, he may be worth adding off the waiver wire as a low-risk dart throw.

From RotoBaller

New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson had his most efficient game of the season in the team's Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns, rushing for 75 yards on 10 carries, although he did lose a fumble near the goal line. It was an encouraging outing for Henderson as they used him on more outside runs and toss plays to get him in space, where he looked much more comfortable. And now with starter Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) banged up and missing both practices to open the week, it could open up a great opportunity for Henderson to see more snaps and handle his biggest workload of the season. His highest snap share in a game this season was 50% back in Week 5 against the Bills, where running back Antonio Gibson suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Since then, Henderson surprisingly hasn't had a snap share higher than 30% in any of the three games. The rookie out of Ohio State has earned praise from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels this week, which hopefully signals more touches and better days ahead for Henderson. If Stevenson is ultimately ruled out, Henderson would rank as an RB2 with upside for Week 9 against the Falcons.

From RotoBaller

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (ankle) said he feels "fantastic" and should be all ready to go for their Week 9 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. Nacua suffered a sprained ankle in their Week 6 win over the Ravens and missed the following week against the Jaguars, but had the Week 8 bye to fully recover. The star wide receiver was a limited participant in practice to open the week on Wednesday before being upgraded to a full participant on Thursday. Nacua was having an outstanding season before getting injured, recording the most catches by a player in the first five games in NFL history. Through six games, the 24-year-old has 54 catches on 65 targets for 616 yards and three total touchdowns, ranking as WR2 in PPR points per game. He is an elite WR1 for their Week 9 matchup against the Saints.

From RotoBaller

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle is expected to be the team's featured back in Week 9 against the Packers following head coach Dave Canales' comments in his press interview on Monday. Dowdle has been impressive with his touches this season, handling 106 carries for 605 yards and two touchdowns while adding 13 catches (17 targets) for 121 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. Meanwhile, Chuba Hubbard has struggled after a breakout 2024 season that earned him a four-year contract extension, recording 79 carries for 282 yards with a touchdown and adding 15 catches (21 targets) for 118 yards with two touchdowns. The Panthers have made it clear that they don't plan on trading Hubbard, and while he'll still be involved, Dowdle has clearly earned more work and should be the preferred fantasy option moving forward. Dowdle is ranked as RotoBaller's RB18 for Week 9 against the Packers.

From RotoBaller

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. made his return in Week 8 against the Chargers after being put on injured reserve with a hamstring injury earlier in the season. It was a relatively quiet first game back for Jones, handling five carries for 15 yards and catching two of his four targets for 15 yards. The Vikings' offense was stuck in the mud all night, and they should see better days moving forward. However, that is dependent on how second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) performs, as he is expected to return as the starter in Week 9 against the Lions. Jones had the most touches of the Vikings running backs in his return, with Jordan Mason recording only five and third-string back Zavier Scott mixing in for four. The 30-year-old dual-threat back should see his snaps and touches increase as he gets further removed from his injury, but will likely still see close to an even split with Mason moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai has carved out a larger role in recent weeks, recording 28 touches to starter D'Andre Swift's 49 since the team's Week 5 bye. Monangai played 29 snaps in their Week 8 loss at Baltimore, just two fewer than Swift's 31, which also marked Swift's lowest total of the season so far. Now, Swift has missed the first two practices to open the week with a groin injury that he's been battling for a few weeks, putting his status for their Week 9 matchup in Cincinnati. Monangai would be in line to handle the bulk of the touches if Swift were unable to go. It'd be a dream spot for the rookie out of Rutgers to make his first career start as the Bengals have allowed the most PPR points per game to opposing running backs this season. Monangai remains a must-roster player with plug-and-play potential if Swift were to miss any time.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar caught two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown during Thursday's Week 9 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The 26-year-old has now scored in back-to-back games, earning himself a larger role alongside established tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. While Kolar is clearly third on the depth chart, he should continue to handle more opportunities in the passing game, especially if he continues to score touchdowns. His snap share has already started to increase, as he played 46.4 percent of the offensive snaps Thursday. He was on the field for just two fewer plays than Andrews and five fewer plays than Likely, which isn't exactly a very sizable margin. Kolar isn't a fantasy threat, but he'll continue to be a thorn in the side of Andrews' and Likely's fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Baltimore Ravens LB Roquan Smith recorded a team-high 12 tackles (nine solo) in a Week 9 win over the Miami Dolphins.

From TheHuddle