Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has posted a few dubs in recent weeks, but is looking to turn it around in Week 9. Williams will get a plus-matchup against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals who can't seem to stop anyone. Williams has shown an ability to pick apart bad secondaries considering his four-touchdown performance in Week 3. Since then, Williams has totaled two passing touchdowns with three interceptions, but desperately needs to rebound in Week 9. All the signs are pointing to Williams having success in this game. Fantasy managers should give him the benefit of the doubt and plug him in as a QB1.

From RotoBaller

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike continues to ascend into one of the team's top offensive weapons ahead of Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie now has 11 catches, 163 yards, and one touchdown over his last two games, scoring over 16 points (PPR) in each of those contests. He has taken advantage of Calvin Ridley (hamstring) being sidelined, and he has also been more productive than Elic Ayomanor despite trailing the fellow rookie in snap count. Dike has earned both trust and public praise from the Titans' coaching staff, and it's clear that rookie quarterback Cameron Ward feels comfortable throwing him the football often. In an offense that will need to throw the ball a lot to stay competitive, being the primary target directly translates to fantasy football success. Dike should continue to rank as a WR3/flex with WR2 upside as long as Ridley remains sidelined. That remains the case this week as Tennessee enters as the underdog.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter is heading into a plus matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. A defensive unit that has struggled to stop anyone all season long. That being said, it should be a good night on the ground for the Cardinals running backs. However, this is a frustrating situation for fantasy managers given the three-back committee. Bam Knight was announced as the starter, which means Carter and Emari Demercado will see work behind him. Last week, Carter struggled as he rushed for 11 yards on seven carries in the loss to the Green Bay Packers. Despite that, the Cardinals figure to continue giving Carter the ball as the change-of-pace back. For desperate fantasy managers, Carter could offer flex value for Week 9, but is probably better off on the bench in most formats.

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New York Jets running back Breece Hall has been speculated in trade rumors over the last few weeks. Given the state of the Jets team, it's not shocking to see them considering trading Hall. The Jets are sitting with one win and Hall is in the final year of his rookie deal. Despite that, Hall is unlikely going to be traded unless the Jets get blown away with an offer. The 24-year-old has rushed for 581 yards with two touchdowns on the ground. If he's traded, Isaiah Davis figures to handle the bulk of the Jets for the rest of the season. However, most organizations are unlikely going to give up a ton for a soon-to-be free agent.

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Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson could see a bigger role in the backfield going forward. Last week, Wilson rushed 11 times for 61 yards, while hauling in three receptions for 26 yards in the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He remains the primary backup to Josh Jacobs, but outings like this will help him get more carries in the backfield. Jacobs has been cleared to play against the Carolina Panthers this weekend. However, Jacobs has been dealing with a lingering calf issue, so the Packers might elect to give Wilson more carries again. Sadly, his ceiling is limited as the backup to Jacobs, but he's worth keeping an eye on. The 26-year-old could be worth a stash in deep leagues, but isn't a recommended starting option for Week 9.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington is likely to see an expanded role in the offense. Fellow wideout Travis Hunter (knee) recently landed on the injured reserve. That being said, Washington figures to have a larger role in the passing game going forward. Last week, Washington saw 10 targets during the loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He hauled in four of them for 52 yards, which was one of his better outings of the season. The 23-year-old figures to continue seeing a high volume of targets while Hunter is sidelined. Fantasy managers should be able to trust Washington as a flex option for the Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai is set to be the lead back for Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie back has seen an increased role in recent weeks, but will be the primary focus in the running back this weekend. The Bears will be without D'Andre Swift (groin), so Monangai will get a chance to show what he can do. The 23-year-old rushed for 81 yards on 13 attempts and scored a touchdown in Week 7. Given bye weeks and injuries, Monangai could offer RB2 value for this weekend.

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Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty has a favorable matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9, but he is tough to trust in fantasy lineups following an underwhelming stretch of games. The 23-year-old is 9-for-10 on extra points over his last three contests, but he's just 2-for-4 on field goals during that span. He has just 10 total field goals in 2025 and ranks as the overall K25 to this point. On a positive note, the Saints have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to kickers this season, and RotoBaller's expert rankings have Karty listed as the #6 kicker in Week 9, so perhaps he can bounce back after the bye week. However, managers are advised to peruse the waiver wire for more consistent kickers with better recent track records before settling on someone like Karty purely based on matchup.

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Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta could be due for contract extensions during the upcoming offseason, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Gibbs has been terrific through his first three pro seasons. He totaled over 1,250 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns in each of his first two campaigns, and he's on track to surpass those marks in 2025. The 23-year-old is under contract through 2026, and the team will likely exercise his fifth-year option to keep him in tow through 2027. That leaves Detroit with time to extend Gibbs, but it could also be in their best interest to finalize an extension sooner rather than later. LaPorta, meanwhile, does not have a fifth-year option, so he'll hit free agency after the 2026 campaign. Schefter notes that it can be easier for teams to re-sign tight ends than some of the other positions, such as running back. Nevertheless, the Lions may have to pull off some cap gymnastics to sign Gibbs and LaPorta, as well as linebacker Jack Campbell and safety Brian Branch, after already paying significant money to Jared Goff, Aidan Hutchinson, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kerby Joseph, Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker, David Montgomery, and Jameson Williams.

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The Dallas Cowboys are interested in acquiring a pass rusher before Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. While Dallas might not pull off a total blockbuster, the team could be a realistic landing spot for a pass rusher such as Arden Key, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, or Malcom Koonce. Rapoport also reports that the Cowboys are open to trading defensive tackle Mazi Smith, who was their first-round pick in 2023. The 24-year-old Michigan product had 54 tackles and two sacks through his first two pro seasons, but he has been limited to just three tackles through five games in 2025.

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Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (hamstring) "has emerged as a potential trade target," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport notes that the lingering hamstring injury and the $23 million in salary owed to Ridley could complicate a trade, but that teams remain interested in acquiring him nonetheless. The 30-year-old has been underwhelming with Tennessee this year, catching just 16 passes for 290 yards through six games. His best outing came in Week 6 when he caught five of 10 targets for 131 yards, but other than that, he hasn't exceeded four catches or 8.7 fantasy points (PPR). A fresh start could be exactly what Ridley needs to bounce back and fulfill the expectations of his lofty four-year, $92 million contract extension.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings has generated interest ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The 49ers fielded trade calls on Jennings prior to training camp, and some of those same teams that previously called are now interested in him once again. Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently said that he would be surprised if Jennings wasn't on the team at the end of the 2025 season, but he also didn't rule out a trade. Through six games this year, the 28-year-old receiver has 18 catches, 212 yards, and one touchdown, operating as an impact starter alongside Ricky Pearsall when both are healthy. If San Francisco were to part with Jennings, their top two receivers would be Pearsall and Kendrick Bourne, at least until Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is healthy enough to play again.

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The Seattle Seahawks have fielded calls from several organizations regarding linebacker Boye Mafe and cornerback Riq Woolen, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Although the Seahawks are 5-2 and won't be sellers at the deadline, Schefter indicates that Mafe and Woolen could be available if a trade partner offers an aggressive compensation package. Mafe, 26, has nine tackles through seven games and is slated to hit free agency during the upcoming offseason. Woolen, also a 26-year-old impending free agent, is a former Pro Bowler with 19 tackles and zero interceptions through six games in 2025. These names will both be interesting to monitor ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have told teams that they don't intend to trade star defensive end Trey Hendrickson, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. With the trade deadline approaching on Tuesday, Cincinnati appears to remain uninterested in moving on from its standout defender. However, Schefter notes that opposing teams wonder if the Bengals' stance might soften if they lose on Sunday and fall to 3-6. Nevertheless, the Bengals' commitment to holding onto Hendrickson is interesting. The team has shown little interest in extending him at market value, even as their relationship with the player worsens. As a result, it seems likely that he'll hit free agency this upcoming offseason. Therefore, perhaps it would be in the team's best interest to trade Hendrickson now and recoup some form of compensation, rather than letting him walk for next to nothing in free agency. The 30-year-old has appeared in seven games this season, registering 16 tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble.

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Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (heel, hamstring) is not expected to suit up for Sunday night's contest with the hosting Washington Commanders. Coming out of the team's bye, the 32-year-old was a full practice participant, though listed with a heel injury. That changed later in the week as Kupp's practice status was downgraded each of the ensuing two days. If he is eventually deemed inactive, it would further diminish Seattle's passing attack, as they'll already be without teammates Jake Bobo (Achilles) and Dareke Young (quad). In that case, Tory Horton, Cody White, and Ricky White III are the only other receivers without a designation behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

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Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz (knee, shoulder) is expected to play this Sunday when his team squares off against the visiting Denver Broncos. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the news. Schultz has been battling a shoulder ailment for a few weeks now, but his knee injury was new, as he dealt with a back issue the week prior. The eighth-year pro started the week off with two DNPs before upgrading his practice status to full on Friday, and looks to be trending positively ahead of a matchup with a staunch Broncos defense. If the Texans decide to scale back Schultz's snaps, fellow tight end Harrison Bryant would be the most likely candidate for an increased workload. The veteran is a back-end TE2 for Sunday's outing with Denver.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (hip) is expected to play in Week 9's matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, despite being deemed questionable with a hip injury. The 27-year-old practiced in a limited capacity all week and is projected to be out there for rookie quarterback Tyler Shough's NFL debut. Shaheed is coming off one of his more productive outings of the campaign, nabbing a career-high nine passes in the Saints' losing effort to the Buccaneers. As of now, it's unclear in what capacity he'll play, though the team sure could use him against a Rams defensive unit that's yielded the third-fewest points per game through eight weeks (16.7). He'll be a low-end flex option for this weekend's slate of action.

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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (ankle), who is questionable for Sunday's road clash with the Los Angeles Rams, is expected to play, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Kamara has been on the team's injury report since Week 6 while he battles an ankle ailment, logging a full practice session just once in that time frame. Despite the issue, he's yet to miss an appearance and is projected to be out there again when New Orleans takes on the hosting Rams. Kamara and the Saints' offense have had a rough go all season, though it's worth mentioning he's eclipsed 30 rushing yards just once since Week 5. If he plays, fantasy managers can expect the University of Tennessee alum to be out there for his usual allotment of snaps, with backfield mate Devin Neal spelling him on occasion. He's a fringey RB2/3 with the extra variable of a new starting quarterback in rookie Tyler Shough.

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According to The Athletic's Michael Silver, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (knee) is not thought to have suffered long-term damage to his knee after picking up an injury at practice on Thursday. Hunter was the victim of a non-contact injury late in the week. Although reports state his ACL remains intact, the Jags wasted no time sending him to IR. It's hapless timing for the rookie, who was coming off his best performance as a pro. Fortunately, the team doesn't seem too concerned about his ailment, though Silver noted that they have no intention of rushing him back. Either way, Hunter will miss at least the next four contests. While he's sidelined, fantasy managers can expect teammates Parker Washington and Dyami Brown to pick up most of the slack behind the corps' leader, Brian Thomas Jr.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne will get another shot at starting when the team clashes with the New York Giants in Week 9. Ricky Pearsall (knee) will miss his fifth straight game, allowing Bourne to stand in again. Mac Jones (knee), with whom Bourne has demonstrated a solid rapport, will get his seventh start on Sunday, in place of Brock Purdy (toe), who is listed as questionable. The Giants have given up the most yards and third-most receptions to opposing wide receivers, but fantasy football managers will have to think twice before plugging Bourne into lineups. With Jauan Jennings' (ankle, ribs, shoulder) health improving and George Kittle back from injured reserve, Bourne's target share over the last two weeks sits at 11%. Bourne is projected as a borderline WR4/5 in Week 9, and deserves consideration only in deeper leagues.