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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Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsdenhas 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.

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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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Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson led the team in receiving with 69 yards and his third touchdown of the season on a season-high six targets in the Week 8 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. It was a career-best day for the 25-year-old pass-catcher, but will it continue? Hutchinson's career day came with both Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) out due to injuries. Going into Week 8, the former sixth-round pick had only 13 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 18 targets in six games. Whether Hutchinson continues to see elevated volume in Houston's passing attack will depend entirely on whether Collins and Kirk can return this weekend to face the visiting Denver Broncos. Collins and Kirk both practiced on Wednesday, so they could be on track to return. Despite Hutchinson's career day last weekend, he's still only rostered in 1% of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

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Denver Broncos second-year wide receiver Troy Franklin has drawn real attention off the waiver wire in fantasy leagues over the last two weeks after catching nine of his 18 targets for 108 yards and three touchdowns in wins over the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. Franklin's chemistry with quarterback Bo Nix from their days in college at Oregon is starting to manifest itself after a lackluster rookie campaign in 2024. Through eight weeks, the 22-year-old ranks second behind Courtland Sutton in receiving yards for Denver with 358, and he leads the Broncos with his four touchdowns. Franklin is now rostered in just under 50% of fantasy leagues on Yahoo, and with Marvin Mims Jr. now dealing with a concussion and questionable to play in Week 9 against the Houston Texans, he could find the end zone for a third straight week. Disclaimer: Since Franklin's last 89-yard performance in Week 2, he failed to eclipse 50 receiving yards in four of five games.

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Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine had easily his best game of the year in the Week 8 loss to the New York Jets, carrying the ball a season-high nine times for a season-high 94 rushing yards and his first touchdown of 2025. He also caught his only target for a six-yard gain. The 30-year-old veteran's touchdown came on a 32-yard scamper to put the Bengals up comfortably at the time in the third quarter. Perine also had seven carries in Week 7 for 31 yards, which at the time represented a high mark for the season. It was a nice showing for the veteran back this past Sunday, but Chase Brown also continued his upward trend with 108 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 15 touches. Brown will continue to be Cincy's RB1, though, making Perine nothing more than a deep-league handcuff. He is only rostered in 8% of Yahoo leagues.

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The Cleveland Browns are on their bye in Week 9, but rookie running back Dylan Sampson could be in line for the lead-back role in Week 10 when the team takes on the New York Jets. Fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins left the Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots in the third quarter with an AC joint sprain in his shoulder that could keep him sidelined coming out of the bye week. Sampson didn't have any rushing yards on only three carries in the blowout loss to the Patriots, but he did contribute five receptions for 29 yards, and he figures to be the Browns' first choice for RB1 duties in Week 10 if Judkins isn't ready to go. The 21-year-old fourth-round pick out of Tennessee is only rostered in 17% of Yahoo leagues, but that number should jump up next week if Judkins does not return to practice. The Browns also have Jerome Ford, but he's a candidate to be dealt by next Tuesday's trade deadline.

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Chicago Bears wide receivers Luther Burden III (concussion) and Olamide Zaccheaus (knee) did not practice on Wednesday. Both receivers' statuses are in doubt ahead of Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. Burden faces an uphill battle to play, as he'd first need to clear concussion protocol. The rookie entered protocol last Sunday, and while a player can be cleared in less than seven days, it's certainly improbable. Managers should pay close attention to his status on Friday, when the Bears publish their final injury report. As for Zaccheaus, the 28-year-old appears to be banged up after posting a season-high seven catches for 33 yards in Week 8. He'd likely need to log a limited session over the next two days in order to have any shot at playing this coming Sunday. DJ Moore (hip, groin) and Rome Odunze (heel) also missed Wednesday's practice, leaving Chicago at risk of playing without its top four receivers. Even if some of them are healthy in time for kickoff, we'll likely still see depth receivers like Jahdae Walker and Devin Duvernay take on expanded roles in Week 9.

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