Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson made his long-awaited return in Week 8, posting four receptions for 85 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming off an ACL tear in Week 18 last season, Watson looked explosive in limited action, playing 50% of the snaps, just below his typical 60% share from 2024. Watson's big-play ability was on full display, but the Packers' crowded receiver room continues to limit consistent fantasy value. In Week 8, it was the Watson and Tucker Kraft show; next week, it could just as easily be Romeo Doubs and Matthew Golden. With targets spread thin across the offense, Watson remains worth a bench stash, but Green Bay's wide receiver rotation makes it risky to trust any Packers' receiver in fantasy lineups right now.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews hasn't really been fantasy-relevant over the last three weeks. His best finish in that time has been TE20 in half-PPR formats, and the last time he put up double-digit fantasy points was in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions. A couple of things going in his favor this week are the return of Lamar Jackson and the fact that the Miami Dolphins are ranked 22nd against opposing tight ends. Having Jackson under center hasn't exactly made that much of a difference so far this season, as he had two points in the first two games. The biggest issue has been that the offensive line has been so terrible that they've needed Andrews to help block more often. Patrick Ricard's presence should help in this area, but until Andrews is more involved, he'll stick around the TE2 area with better options out there for fantasy managers.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco has been outstanding through his first three starts with the team, throwing for 801 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions. The 18th-year veteran has leaned heavily on Ja'Marr Chase, who's drawn an incredible 54 targets over that span. Flacco suffered a shoulder injury late in last week's loss to the New York Jets, putting his Week 9 status in doubt. With the Bengals heading into a Week 10 bye, the team may opt to give Jake Browning another spot start to allow Flacco time to recover. Even so, Flacco has played at a high level and remains fantasy-relevant across all formats once healthy.

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New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis had a breakout performance in Week 8, racking up 109 yards on just 12 touches in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Jets leaned on their backfield in their best offensive game of the season, with both Davis and Breece Hall taking advantage of Cincinnati's soft run defense. While Davis isn't yet a fantasy starter, trade rumors surrounding Hall could quickly change that. Hall is in the final year of his contract, and with the 1-7 Jets unlikely to contend, the team could look to move him for future assets. If that happens, Davis would step into a significant role and could emerge as a valuable fantasy stash with RB1 upside down the stretch.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden has taken off over the last three weeks, recording 19 receptions for 309 yards and two touchdowns on 22 targets. Gadsden ranks as the TE2 in PPR points per game with 61.9, trailing only Green Bay Packers star tight end Tucker Kraft by half a point in that span. The 22-year-old is emerging as one of Justin Herbert's go-to targets along with sophomore wide receiver Ladd McConkey. The Chargers should continue to lean more pass-heavy with their elite crew of pass catchers, and now that left tackle Joe Alt is back to protect Herbert's blindside. Gadsden had an excellent prospect profile at Syracuse with strong athletic traits as a former wide receiver, and he has all the makings of a stud at the tight end position for years to come. He is ranked as RotoBaller's TE5 for Week 9 against the Titans.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir made a strong statement in Week 8, catching six of seven targets for 88 yards and a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. Facing a defense that plays zone coverage at the highest rate in the league, Shakir showcased his strength as a zone-beater and delivered in a big way. Fans and media members have been calling for a larger role for Shakir, and he proved them right in the first game out of the bye week. With Josh Allen under center and a clear path to the WR1 role in this offense, Shakir now projects as a reliable WR3 with upside for the rest of the season.

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In the TE3 range for Week 9, Miami Dolphins tight end Tanner Conner should not be considered a starting option when Miami takes on the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The fourth-year tight end is playing more with Darren Waller (pectoral) on injured reserve, but isn't earning nearly enough work in the passing game to be relied upon in a fantasy lineup. Despite Waller missing significant chunks of the season, Conner has played more than half of Miami's snaps only once in eight weeks and has yet to catch more than two passes in a game this season. As Miami leans on receiver Jaylen Waddle, running back De'Von Achane, and receiver Malik Washington for the majority of its targets, there isn't enough receiving opportunity for Conner to be a fantasy option.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears is beginning to carve out a larger role in the offense. After missing the first four games with a high-ankle sprain, Spears has impressed since returning, averaging 5.5 yards per carry on 23 attempts. Offensive Coordinator Nick Holz praised his Week 8 performance, calling it "a good reminder of what he can do with the ball in his hands." With Tony Pollard at the center of trade rumors, Spears could see a noticeable uptick in touches moving forward. While Tennessee's upcoming schedule is challenging, Spears' explosiveness and versatility as a pass-catcher give him the upside to be a potential league-winner down the stretch.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal has taken over the starting role in Omarion Hampton's absence and made the most of it. Over his three starts, Vidal has logged 50 carries for 261 yards (5.2 YPC) and a touchdown, adding 39 yards and another score through the air. During that span, he's averaged 16.7 PPR points per game, ranking as the RB7. Vidal has handled roughly 70% of the snaps, with Hassan Haskins filling in on about 30%. That kind of workload in the Chargers' explosive offense gives the 2024 sixth-round pick significant upside. The Week 9 matchup is especially appealing, as the Titans have surrendered the second-most fantasy points to running backs this season. With no clear timetable for Hampton's return, Vidal should continue to command the backfield and deliver strong fantasy production.

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Managers in most standard formats should not start running back Ollie Gordon II when the Miami Dolphins play host to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. Despite coming off his best game in the NFL with 66 total yards and a touchdown last week, the rookie isn't earning enough touches to be relied upon for fantasy purposes. Stuck behind star running back De'Von Achane, Gordon has not caught more than one pass in a game, and he has earned double-digit carries only once in eight tries, drawing exactly 10 carries last week in the Dolphins' blowout victory against Atlanta. In the RB4 range for this week's matchup, Gordon is mostly a handcuff for Achane as long as the latter is healthy.

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Wide receiver Malik Washington of the Miami Dolphins is a risky option, but one with some upside when his team plays host to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The matchup is a good one for Washington, who will see a Ravens defense that ranks 27th against fantasy receivers and has struggled to defend the pass. The diminutive receiver has seen at least five targets in six of Miami's eight games, but averages a lowly 3.5 yards per target due to a high percentage of work near the line of scrimmage. Receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back De'Von Achane are huge parts of the Miami passing game, leaving Washington as the third option, but he did catch his first touchdown of the season last week. He's a WR5 option, but has some streaming and deep-league appeal in a game that could be high scoring.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle should be deemed a quality WR2 option when Miami plays host to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The Ravens have been among the league's worst in defending the pass, ranking a lowly 27th against fantasy receivers. While Miami has been a trainwreck for most of this season, from a fantasy perspective, there's a lot to like with Waddle. With fellow receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) out for the year and tight end Darren Waller (pectoral) on injured reserve, Waddle is clearly the team's top option and facing a defense that has had consistent issues defending receivers over the past two seasons. Waddle should have a solid target floor, and with the potential for a high-scoring game, there is a reasonable chance for a big performance on the table.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers gets his starting quarterback back on the field for the Thursday night contest with the Miami Dolphins. While he posted a low-level WR2 performance in Week 8, his best games came during Weeks 1, 2, and 4. One of the reasons why Flowers isn't projected as a WR1 is that the Dolphins are the number-one ranked unit against opposing receivers in fantasy football this year. They allow 25.84 points to opposing receiver groups on average, and when Jackson is on the field, he tends to spread the ball around to his pass-catchers a lot more than any of their backups. So, even with the firepower returning to the offense, Flowers projects to be around WR16 this week.

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As one of the most consistent options across fantasy football in 2025, running back De'Von Achane should be locked into starting lineups in all formats when his Miami Dolphins take on the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The former Texas A&M star has been among the most impressive players in the league this year, given the circumstances. Miami is 2-6, briefly benched its starting quarterback, lost its top receiver to a gruesome knee injury, has barely seen its top tight end play, could move on from its coaching staff, and yet Achane has performed week in and week out. In PPR formats, Achane has finished no lower than running back No. 17 in eight games, as his solid receiving floor and command of the Miami backfield have made him ultra reliable. Against a Ravens defense ranked 27th against fantasy running backs, Achane should be started confidently in Week 9.

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Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry gave fantasy managers what they've all been waiting for in the Week 8 win over the Chicago Bears. He registered his first finish as an RB1 since Week 1 and found the end zone twice in the process. Now, Lamar Jackson returns to the lineup as the Ravens finally get healthier heading into a short week matchup against the Miami Dolphins. The impact of Patrick Ricard back on the field was evident in Week 8, but having Ricard and Jackson back should start to open up some holes in the defense for Henry. Plus, the Dolphins are ranked 28th against opposing backfields, allowing an average of 27.44 fantasy points per matchup. Look for Henry to bring back mid-to-high-level RB1 value.

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa should only be considered in Superflex formats when his team plays host to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. During the past two weeks, the former Alabama star was benched in a blowout loss, then promptly went 20-for-26 with four touchdown passes in a blowout win last week. The Ravens rank a lowly 25th against fantasy quarterbacks, but looked improved last week with middle linebacker Roquan Smith back in the lineup. The Dolphins are missing No. 1 receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) and No. 1 tight end Darren Waller (pectoral), but even with a full lineup, Miami has been maybe the most volatile team in the league. Tagovailoa has some appeal in a strong matchup, but there is ultimately risk with starting an up-and-down quarterback on a short week.

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is set to be under center for the first time since Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs. As a potential QB1 every time he takes the field, it's not a surprise that he becomes a must-start the moment he returns. Jackson will take on the Miami Dolphins defense in Week 9, a unit that ranks 24th against opposing QBs and has allowed an average of 18.71 fantasy points per game. Through four games this season, Jackson has accrued 869 yards, 10 touchdowns, and one interception while completing 71.6% of his passes. He's also contributed 166 yards and another touchdown on 21 carries. Fantasy managers probably have already thrown him into their lineups the moment he was confirmed to be back, as they should.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker has had a solid season, catching 29 of his 39 targets for 389 yards and four touchdowns in seven games. Tucker could see a boost in value after the trade deadline on November 4th, as well as with wide receiver Jakobi Meyers appearing in multiple trade rumors. Star tight end Brock Bowers (knee) will make his return and earn a high number of targets, but Tucker has carved out a meaningful role in the Raiders offense as a solid YAC guy, plus the ability to win vertically. The 24-year-old could be a solid flex option over the second half of the season, but the Raiders' passing attack with Geno Smith will also need to show more to support multiple fantasy viable pass catchers.

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has enjoyed a strong start to his first season with the team, completing 68.2% of his passes for 1,754 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions through seven games. Darnold has established a strong connection with star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and has peppered him with a league-high 34.7% target share. The 28-year-old has been the league's most efficient passer, averaging 9.1 yards per attempt, but it's come on limited volume, with just 27.4 pass attempts per game, ranking 29th in the league. Darnold has appeal as a weekly streamer in the right matchups, but he doesn't have the pass volume to be a reliable weekly starter for fantasy. He does have a great matchup in Week 9 against the Washington Commanders and is ranked as RotoBaller's QB15.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson caught four of his five targets for 74 yards and his first career touchdown in Sunday night's loss to the Green Bay Packers. Wilson has been earning trust from his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, saying in a press interview that he told Wilson that "this is going to be your week" last Wednesday ahead of their Week 8 matchup. The 24-year-old led the Steelers in receiving and was third in targets behind Calvin Austin III and D.K. Metcalf. There have been plenty of rumors regarding the Steelers trading for a wide receiver ahead of the deadline on November 4th, which would obviously impact Wilson's outlook. Wilson could still potentially emerge over the second half of the season as a second-year player with day two draft capital out of Michigan. He is a player to put on the watch list for now and see how he performs in Week 9 against the Colts.

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