Fantasy Football News

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray (hamstring), who will miss the team's Monday night matchup with the Buffalo Bills, is not a candidate for Injured Reserve, according to beat writer Alec Lewis. Murray has completed less than 60% of his passes in back-to-back weeks, has thrown only five touchdowns in his six starts, and is now considered week-to-week with what the team has described as a "sore hamstring." With Murray sidelined, the Vikings will turn to veteran Carson Wentz, who came on in relief in Week 1 before starting the team's Week 2 win over the Bears. As a team, the Vikings' 165.6 passing yards per game rank 31st of 32 teams, ahead of only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who recently became the first NFL team since 1974 to finish a game without a completed pass.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz will get the start under center for Monday night's primetime matchup with the Bills, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray, who has completed less than 60% of his passes in back-to-back weeks and has thrown only five touchdowns across his six starts, is dealing with what the team has called a "sore hamstring". Wentz has appeared in two 2026 contests, throwing for 133 yards and three touchdowns in relief of Murray in Week 1 before leading the Vikings to victory over the Bears despite throwing for only 143 yards and zero touchdowns in Week 2. Four-time All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who currently ranks as the fantasy WR24, had by far his most productive outing of the season in that Week 1 pairing with Wentz, recording season-highs of eight receptions, 92 yards, and two scores.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (concussion) is still not practicing on Thursday after reporting delayed concussion symptoms following a Week 8 loss to the Steelers and landing in the NFL's concussion protocol. Watson has been the fantasy QB17 through eight weeks, but if he is unable to play in a Week 9 matchup with the Saints, Cleveland will turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders threw for less than 200 yards per game across his seven starts in 2025, while averaging a single touchdown per start. He did, however, form an obvious connection with tight end Harold Fannin Jr., while his propensity for throwing underneath could also help provide a usable fantasy floor for rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion Jr.

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (concussion) is absent from his second straight practice on Thursday as he deals with the concussion that landed him on Wednesday's injury report. Wilson sustained a head injury in a Week 8 loss to the Raiders and has since landed in the NFL's concussion protocol. Should he miss Sunday's Week 9 matchup with the Chiefs, fantasy managers can look to both Adonai Mitchell and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. to see expanded roles, each having featured in recent spike weeks. Mitchell caught seven passes for 142 yards and a score in his first game back from a multi-week absence, while it was Cooper who went for 115 yards and a touchdown in a Week 7 loss to the Dolphins.

Returning from a three-week absence, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring, knee) led the team with seven receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown in a Week 8 loss to the Broncos, and he has now topped double-digit fantasy points in his last three full games played. While he has struggled to stay on the field since the Chiefs selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Rice has consistently proven himself a favorite target of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and he could emerge as a second-half fantasy difference maker through steady volume and a reliably high floor. Facing a relatively stout Jets defense in Week 9, Rice is RotoBaller's WR17.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor said on Thursday that he did not request a trade, according to Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. Taylor has been the hottest name around the league with the NFL trade deadline quickly approaching next Tuesday. The Colts have already traded Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson and Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, and the 27-year-old Pro Bowl running back could be the next to go. Indianapolis is not going to just give Taylor away, though, and it could require two first-round picks to secure his services. It remains to be seen if a contending team will step up to meet the Colts' high asking price for Taylor. For now, he is still a member of the Colts and will have a great bounce-back opportunity this weekend against the visiting Dallas Cowboys and their shaky run defense. JT had a season-low eight rushing attempts for 23 yards and caught four passes for 24 yards in the blowout loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8, but he remains a high-end RB1 talent in fantasy and should be started in all formats if he is still with the Colts for kickoff of Sunday's game against Dallas. Despite the Colts struggling as a team, Taylor is the RB5 in half-PPR scoring in 2026 with 610 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, adding 202 receiving yards.

The San Francisco 49ers continue to work with the NFL to navigate the situation surrounding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has hired new representation in an attempt to get reinstated back into the league for the remainder of the 2026 season, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "This is kind of a unique situation, not one you have, so there's really no playbook. But I always go back to what's my charge, what's my job? My job is to look out for the best interest of the 49ers. And as such, in this particular situation, we're working with the NFL Management Council to navigate through a different situation. And so it's fluid. I'm going to kind of leave it at that because I've been recommended to do so, and I think it's the right thing to do for a pathway for both sides here that works... We can talk a little more in detail about the process because it's kind of a fluid situation." The 28-year-old former first-rounder has been on the left-squad list since late last year, but the former first-rounder is now fully healthy after missing all of last year due to a torn ACL in his knee and is ready to join a team, even if the 49ers still do not want him back amidst all of their WR injuries. As for Aiyuk's rest-of-season fantasy football outlook, that is also a fluid situation. He had two straight 1,000-yard seasons before getting hurt in 2024, but we have no idea how he will look post-injury, or whether he will have a strong market if he ends up being released by San Francisco.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks (foot) was not seen at the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday, according to Tashan Reed of The Washington Post. Burks also missed the first practice of the week on Wednesday due to a foot injury, putting his status up in the air for Sunday's Week 9 contest at home against the Los Angeles Rams. The Commanders are already without Terry McLaurin (knee) for the rest of the 2026 season, so they can ill-afford to lose another valuable member of their aerial attack, especially against a formidable defense like the Rams'. The 26-year-old Burks did not take part in the first two practices last week either, before returning to a limited session on Friday and then playing in the Sunday night win over the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Burks played 67% of the offensive snaps in that contest and caught three passes for 81 yards. He has become a deep-league flex option with McLaurin out for the year, but he will be battling rookie Antonio Williams for the WR2 role behind veteran Stefon Diggs. If Burks cannot play this weekend, Van Jefferson, Dyami Brown, and Luke McCaffrey could step up for more snaps behind Diggs and Williams.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session, according to Pewter Report. Egbuka has missed the past two games while dealing with foot and concussion injuries, although he cleared the league's concussion protocol late last week. He was limited during Wednesday and Thursday's practices last week before sitting out Friday and being ruled out against Atlanta. The second-year receiver worked with a trainer on the side Wednesday before returning to practice Thursday, an encouraging development ahead of Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Egbuka has caught 28 of 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns across six games this season. His availability remains uncertain, and Sunday's 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff presents an additional challenge for fantasy managers. Those considering Egbuka for their lineups should have a late-game replacement available if his status remains questionable.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday that he was not expecting wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) back in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears, and the team is on bye next week, so the next window for him to return from Injured Reserve is when the Bucs return to practice in two weeks, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. McMillan's injury was reported as a six- to eight-week injury initially, so it is still within that window. The 24-year-old aggravated a PCL sprain in his left knee in Week 3 and was placed on IR, and he will not be back until sometime after Tampa's Week 10 bye. With Emeka Egbuka (foot) on the verge of a return from a two-game absence and the Buccaneers' passing attack on life support the last two weeks, even when McMillan returns, he is not going to be a very popular waiver-wire pickup in fantasy leagues as he battles for a depth role behind Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. In two games played so far in 2026 in his third year in the NFL, McMillan had zero catches on just one target.

Atlanta Falcons running back Brian Robinson (hamstring) was listed as a limited participant Thursday, matching his designation on Wednesday's estimated injury report ahead of Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid. Robinson has missed Atlanta's past two games, with Khalil Herbert serving as the primary backup to Bijan Robinson during his absence. Herbert managed just six carries for 21 yards across those contests, illustrating how little rushing work has been available behind Bijan. Before suffering the injury, Robinson recorded 211 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 53 carries through six games, with all four scores coming in Weeks 3 and 4. His return would give Atlanta another option near the goal line, but his modest workload limits his reliability in fantasy lineups. Even if cleared for Sunday's 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff, Robinson would remain a touchdown-dependent option for deeper leagues.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has emerged as a speculative trade target for the San Francisco 49ers ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. Chris Simms said Thursday on ProFootballTalk Live that some people around the league are wondering whether San Francisco could pursue Taylor, although there is no confirmation that the 49ers have contacted Indianapolis about a deal. The Colts are reportedly seeking a compensation package comparable to what San Francisco surrendered to acquire Christian McCaffrey in 2022, but interested teams have yet to meet that asking price. Taylor has rushed for 610 yards and eight touchdowns on 148 carries through eight games this season. A move to San Francisco would create considerable uncertainty about how Taylor and McCaffrey would share opportunities in the short term, while potentially raising questions about McCaffrey's future beyond 2026. For now, the 49ers connection remains speculation rather than a reported negotiation.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (ribs, Achilles) is unlikely to play in Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to general manager John Lynch, who discussed the veteran's availability Thursday on KNBR. Evans did not practice Wednesday despite having the Week 8 bye to recover from Achilles tendinitis that forced him to miss San Francisco's Week 7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 33-year-old aggravated the injury against Washington in Week 6, finishing with three receptions for 94 yards before exiting. Evans has caught 27 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns across six games this season. Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) also missed Wednesday's practice, while Christian Kirk (knee) and Demarcus Robinson (ankle) were limited. Robinson must still be activated from injured reserve before playing. With Evans trending toward another absence and Sunday's game scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET, fantasy managers should prepare a replacement rather than count on his availability.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jauan Jennings was informed of his potential role with the San Francisco 49ers during a FaceTime conversation about a proposed trade, according to David Lombardi. General manager John Lynch confirmed Thursday that San Francisco could have completed the deal without consulting Jennings but wanted to respect the relationship the organization had built with its former receiver. Head coach Kyle Shanahan previously explained that Jennings expressed satisfaction with his situation in Minnesota during the conversation, prompting the 49ers to abandon the reunion. Jennings spent five seasons playing for San Francisco before joining Minnesota this offseason, where he has struggled to establish himself in the passing attack. The 29-year-old has caught just six of 10 targets for 54 yards without a touchdown across six games, including two receptions for 11 yards against Detroit in Week 8. He remains behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in the receiving hierarchy, limiting his immediate fantasy appeal in standard redraft leagues.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. said Thursday that he hasn't been thinking about his offseason trade request or Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. Richardson, who requested a trade in February, told reporters that his focus remains on preparing and getting another opportunity to play. The former fourth overall pick stayed with Indianapolis and earned the backup job behind Daniel Jones, making his first appearance of the season in Sunday's 42-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Richardson completed both passes for eight yards and rushed twice for four yards after replacing Jones in the fourth quarter. Despite Jones' struggles, head coach Shane Steichen confirmed he will remain the starter against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. Richardson's comments do not clarify whether his trade request has formally changed, and his current backup role limits his immediate fantasy appeal to speculative stashes in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.

Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little remains a top kicking option in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens defense has not lived up to the expectations they had coming into the season, making them vulnerable to a humming Jacksonville offense. The Ravens have also given up 35 points and 36 points the last two weeks to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, respectively. That should mean plenty of kicking opportunities for Little, whether through extra points or field goal attempts. Little's floor has been great this season. Beyond missing one kick each in Week 2 and Week 3, he has hit all of his field goals and only missed one extra point. His big leg (season-high of 60 in Week 6) also gives him great upside. In a game where the Ravens will be starting Joe Fagnano, the Jaguars should have great field position for most of the game. That is all Little needs to put up big fantasy numbers. In what should be a second straight high-scoring game for the Jaguars' offense, Little once again serves as a clear starting option for fantasy managers in Week 9.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden has drawn 38 targets over his last three games (12.7 per contest), up from 8.8 per game across his first five. His 13 targets in Thursday's 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers led Green Bay despite Christian Watson drawing 10 of his own. Golden caught seven passes for 79 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown, while Watson finished with eight catches for 113 yards. The second-year receiver has recorded at least six receptions in four consecutive games, giving fantasy managers a steadier source of volume than he offered earlier this season. Still, he caught only 19 of those 38 targets over the past three weeks and was held to 39 receiving yards against Detroit in Week 7, so high usage has not always translated into big numbers. RotoBaller's early Week 9 half-PPR rankings place Golden at WR16 for Sunday's matchup with the New England Patriots. He also was absent from Wednesday's injury report after dealing with shoulder and foot issues ahead of Week 8.

Carolina running back Chuba Hubbard struggled to produce for his team in Week 7, but got back on track with a big showing in Week 8 to regain some lost fantasy value. He ran 22 times for 81 yards and a touchdown, plus caught seven of his eight targets for 38 more yards. Hubbard has 540 rushing yards and five touchdowns across 118 attempts in seven games played, while catching 22 of his 26 targets for 150 receiving yards and two more scores. He's the Panthers' workhorse back with Jonathon Brooks (core muscle) still on the injured reserve list. Hubbard has an above-average fantasy matchup coming against the Broncos, so another strong fantasy showing could be coming. He ranks as RB8 in our RotoBaller Week 9 projections, so he's a back to be starting in all leagues.

San Francisco tight end George Kittle was already a high-end fantasy football asset, but some big showings of late have only increased his fantasy value overall. He was on a bye in Week 8, but went for 88 yards on eight receptions and 10 targets in Week 7 against the Falcons. His role should remain high in Week 9, as the Niners are dealing with a multitude of injuries. Kittle has at least four targets in all seven of his games played this season, and he has gone over 65 receiving yards in all but two contests. Throw in five touchdown grabs already and he's been a top-level fantasy TE. He has a great fantasy matchup against Las Vegas in Week 9, and he sits as TE2 in our RotoBaller projections for the week as a result. He is a confident starting option every week, especially in these favorable matchups.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange serves as a borderline TE1 in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens rank 19th against tight ends in fantasy, and the game overall should be high scoring for the Jaguars. The young tight end hasn't quite had a breakout performance in what has been an interesting season for the Jacksonville passing attack. The rushing attack and defense were the main reasons for their 42-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts last week, which led to Strange finishing with just two catches for 55 yards. Funnily enough, that tied with running back Bhayshul Tuten for top on the team. In what could be a second straight blowout against the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens, the team's passing stats may look similar. Strange has surprisingly only found the end zone once all season, which came back in Week 1, which is another concern. However, in a plus matchup on a potent offense facing a vulnerable defense, Strange has enough upside to be on the streaming radar in Week 9.