Fantasy Football News

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) will carry a questionable designation into Sunday's Week 9 matchup with the Packers, according to senior team reporter Evan Lazar. Henry exited the Patriots' Week 8 win over the Dolphins with a foot injury and was held out of the first two practices of the week before returning to the practice field on Friday. With the Patriots' receiving room hit hard by injury, Henry leads the team with 29 receptions through eight games. His absence could create a meaningful opportunity for rookie tight end Eli Raridon, who ran his most routes of the season with Henry sidelined for most of Sunday's win and who has already developed a connection with quarterback Drake Maye, recent recipient of the AFC Offensive Player of October.

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness) has been ruled out for the team's Week 9 matchup with the Packers, according to senior team reporter Evan Lazar. Henderson released an official statement on Friday, chronicling "a series of unexplained neurological symptoms that required hospitalization for several days," and he will now miss his second consecutive game. Henderson continues to work with specialists and physical therapists, and there is no timeline for his return. In his absence, the Patriots will continue to lean on veteran Rhamondre Stevenson, who has handled exactly 50% of the team's running back rush share through eight weeks and is third on the team with 23 receptions.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) has been ruled out for the team's Week 9 matchup with the Packers, according to senior team reporter Evan Lazar. Following a four-game stint on Injured Reserve due to a high-ankle sprain suffered in the season opener, the veteran was able to return for two games before reappearing on the injury report with knee and ankle concerns, and he will now miss his second straight game. Reports of a degenerative knee condition were believed to have thinned Brown's pool of suitors before an eventual offseason trade to the Patriots, and in his first year with the team, the three-time Pro Bowler has appeared in three contests, catching nine of his 20 targets for 101 yards and no touchdowns.

In his two games since returning from the high-ankle sprain that landed him on Injured Reserve, Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman leads the team with 26 total opportunities, racking up 173 yards and a touchdown. With RJ Harvey (knee) on Injured Reserve with a knee injury, Coleman split the backfield with J.K. Dobbins in a Week 8 divisional matchup with the Chiefs, and in a game that stayed close throughout, the rookie outsnapped the veteran 41 to 13 and appears to have taken over the lead back role. The Broncos face a Panthers defense in Week 9 that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points above average to the running back position, firmly putting Coleman into must-start territory as RotoBaller's RB12.

Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (concussion) has been ruled out for the team's Week 9 divisional matchup with the Seahawks, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. With teammate Jeremiyah Love (ankle) sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, Knight came into Week 8 as a popular sleeper play, but was knocked out of the team's upset victory over the Cowboys with a second-quarter concussion, opening the door for Tyler Allgeier to rack up a season-high 191 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. With Love since landing on Injured Reserve and Knight now ruled out for Sunday, Allgeier becomes a usable RB2, though fantasy managers should temper expectations against a Seattle defense that ranks in the top 10 against fantasy running backs.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) was not present for the portion of practice open to the media on Friday, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Wicks and fellow wideout DeVonta Smith (hamstring) have missed practice all week and are likely to be officially ruled out on the Eagles' final injury report on Friday. The 25-year-old generated a ton of buzz during training camp and the preseason as a riser in Philly's new offense with A.J. Brown out of town, and he opened the regular season as the clear WR2 behind Smith. However, the Eagles' offense was slow out of the gates, and now that starting quarterback Jalen Hurts (blood clots) is done for the year, it will be an uphill battle for Wicks to return to fantasy relevance once he gets healthy. Fantasy managers should not expect Wicks to play this weekend against the division-rival New York Giants, and his next chance to play won't come until Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers (the Eagles have their bye in Week 10). In six games so far in 2026, Wicks has caught only 19 of 32 targets for 284 yards and one touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was not seen during the portion of practice open to the media on Friday, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane. Both Smith and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) have not practiced all week and look to be on the verge of being officially ruled out for the Week 9 divisional clash against the New York Giants on Sunday. It has been a disappointing season thus far for the 27-year-old Smith, who has taken over as Philly's No. 1 receiver this year with A.J. Brown in New England. But with Smith hurt and starting quarterback Jalen Hurts (blood clots) out for the rest of the season, Smith's fantasy football value has tanked at the midway point of the year. With Smith and Wicks unlikely to play again this weekend, look for rookie first-rounder Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Hollywood Brown to once again serve as the team's top three wideouts for new quarterback Joe Milton II against New York. The Eagles have a bye next week, so hopefully both Smith and Wicks will be ready to return in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (illness) was absent from Friday's practice, according to Evan Lazar, after officially missing Wednesday and Thursday's sessions. The second-year back also sat out New England's Week 8 victory over the Miami Dolphins because of the illness, putting his availability for Sunday's matchup against the Green Bay Packers in question. Henderson has struggled to build on his productive rookie campaign, rushing for 203 yards and one touchdown on 52 carries across six appearances this season. He has also contributed just five receptions for 45 yards. Rhamondre Stevenson handled 19 carries for 82 yards against Miami, while Corey Kiner added 38 yards on seven attempts. Stevenson has already established himself as New England's primary rusher, so another Henderson absence would primarily preserve Kiner's opportunity for complementary work.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring, back) is present on Friday at practice for the second straight day, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Barkley did not practice on Wednesday, but he was limited on Thursday and is back on the field on Friday, putting him on track to play this weekend when the Eagles take on the division-rival New York Giants at home on Sunday. The 29-year-old missed two games with a hamstring injury but returned in the Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He has not been anywhere close to 100% in the last two weeks while also dealing with a compensatory back injury, and he has been seen constantly stretching on the sideline while not playing his normal allotment of offensive snaps. Barkley should be active in Week 9 against the Giants, but how much he plays and how effective he will be is a major question mark. The good news is that he has been effective when on the field over the last two weeks, carrying the ball 20 times for 92 yards and two touchdowns while adding three catches for 33 yards as a receiver. Barkley's risk of an in-game setback is very real, which lines him up as an extremely volatile low-end RB2 for fantasy managers this weekend if he is active.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) was absent from Friday's practice, according to Evan Lazar, following consecutive non-participation designations on Wednesday and Thursday. Brown missed last week's victory over the Miami Dolphins after a knee flare-up complicated his recovery from a high-ankle sprain. The 29-year-old has appeared in just three games this season, catching nine passes for 101 yards without a touchdown. His continued absence raises serious concerns about his availability for Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams handled much of the receiving work without Brown in Week 8. Chism caught five passes for 37 yards, while Douglas recorded 76 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Williams also contributed a 43-yard touchdown catch. Those three receivers would likely remain heavily involved if Brown misses another game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (foot) will be a game-time decision for Sunday night's Week 9 game in Chicago against the Bears, head coach Todd Bowles told Greg Auman of FOX Sports. It is a disappointing development for fantasy managers after Egbuka was cleared to practice in full during Thursday's session. He appears to be trending in the right direction after missing the last two games with a concussion and foot injury, but with Tampa's Week 9 game coming on Sunday night and Egbuka's status still up in the air, he will be an extremely risky starting fantasy football option. Additionally, the Buccaneers' offense has transitioned to more of a ground-based attack in recent weeks, so if that continues, Egbuka could easily be a bust for his fantasy managers if he plays against the Bears on Sunday evening. Before missing the last two games with multiple injuries, Egbuka was leading Tampa's receiving corps with 28 catches on 49 targets for 240 yards and two touchdowns in six games played. He should officially be listed as questionable on the Buccaneers' final injury report on Friday.

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (hamstring) was seen with a jersey on during the portion of practice open to the media on Friday, but he was not participating, according to The North Jersey Bergen Record's Art Stapelton. Skattebo suffered a hamstring injury in overtime in the Week 7 game against the Houston Texans, and despite having last week's bye to rest, he has yet to practice with the team this week and is trending towards missing the Week 9 divisional clash against the Philadelphia Eagles. If the second-year RB officially misses practice on Friday, he will most likely be ruled out for the weekend, which will set up Devin Singelton for a high-volume role as the Giants' primary RB against the Eagles. Remember, Tyrone Tracy Jr. is on Injured Reserve, and Najee Harris is no longer on the roster. Fantasy managers who have been using Skattebo in their starting lineups this year need to go in another direction in Week 9. If Skattebo is out in Week 9, his next chance to return will be next Thursday in another divisional game against the Washington Commanders.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) was present during the media-access portion of Friday's practice after missing Wednesday and Thursday's sessions, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. Henry suffered the injury during New England's Week 8 victory over the Miami Dolphins, catching three passes for 30 yards before exiting after playing just eight offensive snaps. The veteran leads the Patriots with 29 receptions and has recorded 326 receiving yards and two touchdowns through eight games, making his availability significant ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Rookie Eli Raridon, who has caught 13 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns this season, would be a candidate for additional receiving opportunities if Henry cannot play. Friday's appearance is encouraging after two consecutive absences, although his official participation level and game designation had not been announced at the time of Reiss' report.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) is participating in the team's practice on Friday during the media-viewing portion, according to Art Stapleton of The North Jersey Bergen Record. Nabers officially went down as a non-participant in Thursday's practice, but he told the media that he will "be good" for the Week 9 divisional tilt on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fantasy managers were likely very concerned when they heard that the 23-year-old missed practice on Thursday with a knee injury after he missed most of last year following a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 4. After returning to practice on Friday, it should settle everyone's nerves regarding Nabers' status for Week 9, although we will keep an eye on the team's final injury report. As long as the former first-rounder from LSU is cleared to play this weekend, he should be considered a must-start in all fantasy football lineups after producing four straight 100-yard games. Nabers has developed a strong rapport with new quarterback J.J. McCarthy as the Giants' top dog at receiver.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (concussion) returned to practice on Friday as he makes his way through the league's concussion protocol, according to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. It is good progress for Watson, but it may be a little too late this week, as it was reported earlier on Friday that he is not expected to be cleared to play in the Week 9 contest on Sunday on the road against the New Orleans Saints. We should have more clarity on Watson's status when the Browns release their official injury report on Friday, but as of now, fantasy managers who have been using him in two-QB leagues should not be planning on having Watson available this weekend. If he is officially ruled out, second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders will be in line for his first start of 2026 in what will be a tough task on the road against a team coming off their bye. The 31-year-old Watson has led the Browns to a 5-3 record in his eight starts this year and has been a decent QB2 option in superflex leagues despite taking a league-high 33 sacks. He has thrown for 1,806 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been excellent so far in 2026, and Week 9 should be no different as he faces a Raiders defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the QB position and the most passing touchdowns. Purdy is QB8 this season and QB3 in fantasy points per game, and he's thriving on efficiency rather than volume. Purdy ranks 26th in dropbacks per game; however, third in EPA per dropback, fifth in yards per attempt, and second in adjusted net yards per attempt. Purdy has also been extremely efficient in the red zone, with a 7.1 percent touchdown rate, tied for fifth with 15 passing TDs, and one fewer game played than the quarterbacks above him because the 49ers came off a bye week. Fantasy managers who own Purdy are confidently starting him as a QB1 regardless of the matchup.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker hasn't shown the same explosiveness during Kansas City's two-game losing streak. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry over his first five appearances, rushing for 665 yards and scoring eight total touchdowns. Against the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos, that efficiency fell to 3.0 yards per attempt, with 105 yards on 35 carries and no touchdowns. The dip is noticeable, but it isn't a reason to bench him. Walker played 81% of the offensive snaps against Denver, handled 21 of the Chiefs' 22 running back carries, and caught four passes for the second straight game. That gave him 25 touches in Week 8, even though he finished with just 84 scrimmage yards and 12.4 PPR points. RotoBaller still ranks him RB2 for Week 9 against the New York Jets. The most striking change is the absence of long runs: his longest gain across the two losses was 10 yards after producing runs of 60, 76, and 33 yards earlier this season.

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz enters Week 9 ranked as the TE22 by RotoBaller after his 12-catch, 140-yard performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 failed to translate into sustained fantasy production. Across his next five games, Schultz totaled 17 receptions for 147 yards, never exceeding six targets or 45 receiving yards in any contest. He did draw six targets in each of Houston's final two games before its Week 8 bye, but his playing time has become less consistent. Schultz played just 40% of the offensive snaps against Jacksonville in Week 6 before improving to 57% against the New York Giants. Foster Moreau, meanwhile, has caught three touchdowns on only 11 receptions, including two against the Jaguars when he played 62% of Houston's offensive snaps. Schultz remains scoreless despite recording 33 catches this season. His receiving involvement still offers some appeal in deeper PPR leagues, but the limited yardage and Moreau's emergence as a scoring threat make Schultz difficult to trust as a weekly starter.

Dallas Cowboys running back Tyler Goodson has continued to get work over the past two weeks, with 10 carries in Week 7, seven carries in Week 8, and two receptions. That is back-to-back games now for Goodson, with nine-plus opportunities. While Javonte Williams is the clear-cut RB1 on the team, he's mostly gotten there on volume rather than efficiency, which has opened the door for Goodson to see more work. While it's encouraging that Goodson has been getting more opportunity, he is still a handcuff to Williams entering Week 9 and should see five to 10 touches on Sunday against the Colts, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points at the position and 4.67 YPC. Fantasy managers with a roster spot for a high-end handcuff should consider Goodson.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks (foot) was not spotted at Friday's practice, according to Tashan Reed of The Washington Post, raising concerns about his availability for Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Burks was officially listed as a nonparticipant Wednesday and Thursday after playing through the injury in Week 8, when he led Washington with 81 receiving yards on three catches, including a 53-yard gain against the Philadelphia Eagles. He played 40 of the Commanders' 60 offensive snaps in that game, establishing himself as an important outside receiver following Terry McLaurin's season-ending knee injury. Dyami Brown (calf), who was limited Thursday, was also absent from Friday's practice. Reed suggested Van Jefferson could start outside if both receivers are unavailable. Jefferson played just seven offensive snaps against Philadelphia, so a starting assignment would represent a substantial increase in playing time, although his receiving opportunities remain uncertain.