Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith will take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Week 9. Smith was listed on the injury report with a toe injury, but practiced in full all week and does not have an injury designation heading into the weekend. Smith was barely involved in Week 8, handling just three carries for eight yards in the 28-7 victory over the Washington Commanders. The rookie back has been eased into the offense, but should presumably see a larger workload with Isiah Pacheco ruled out with a knee injury. Smith is the most explosive back in the backfield, but Kareem Hunt should continue seeing the most valuable touches in the offense. That said, Smith could still find success against the Bills, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. With plenty of scoring expected for this matchup, Smith could see an uptick in volume with scoring upside. Smith is ranked RB34 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a flex option this week.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt will face the Buffalo Bills in week 9. Hunt was on the injury report with an ankle injury, but practiced fully all week and has been removed from the report. Hunt is now in line to be the lead back, with Isiah Pacheco ruled out due to a knee injury. The veteran back has been relatively effective in his last two games, averaging at least 4.4 yards per carry, but he's still only averaging 4.0 yards per carry on the season. Despite his lack of explosiveness, the Chiefs have turned to Hunt near the goal line, and he has converted on four rushing touchdowns. Hunt should continue to get those valuable touches while adding volume between the 20s against the Bills, who have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. There should be plenty og points scored in a game with a nearly 53-point total, so Hunt's upside is apparent. Hunt is ranked RB20 in our RofoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a startable RB2 this week.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 9. Mahomes continued his dominant run in last week's contest against the Washington Commanders. The Chiefs quarterback completed 25 of 34 pass attempts (74%) for 299 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-7 victory. Mahomes has now completed at least 70% of his passes in four straight games. The 30-year-old will now face the Bills, who allow the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. That said, the Kansas City offense has been rolling, and they face the fourth-highest scoring team in the league on a points-per-game basis. Mahomes can have a ceiling performance in a matchup with the second-highest Over/Under of the week. Mahomes is ranked QB1 in our RotoBaller rankings, making him a must-start player this week

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New York Giants kicker Graham Gano returns as a reliable leg with consistent opportunities thanks to his perfect 100% field goal percentage (8-of-8) this season. Gano's successful return from IR in Week 8, where he converted both field goals and extra points, provides much-needed stability following his backup's struggles. San Francisco's defense is prone to allowing field goal attempts, ranking 21st in the NFL by allowing an average of 2.3 opponent field goal attempts per game. Gano's ability to hit from a long of 55 yards gives him a decent fantasy floor and upside in this contest.

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New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson enters Week 9 as the TE16, with his fantasy viability heavily reliant on scoring after accumulating four receiving touchdowns on just 23 catches this season. Johnson maintains a significant role with a 78.7% snap share and 37 targets through eight games, but the upcoming matchup presents a challenge against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers defense is tough against tight ends, ranking as the 10th-ranked fantasy defense and limiting the position to an average of only 11.95 points per game. Although the 49ers' pass rush ranks 31st in the NFL with nine sacks, allowing quarterback Jaxson Dart time, San Francisco's solid Red Zone Defense ranks 7th, making Johnson's primary source of fantasy value--touchdowns--more difficult to come by. Therefore, Johnson remains a low-floor, touchdown-dependent TE2 for Week 9.

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New York Giants wide receiver Beaux Collins is a deep-league fantasy dart throw this week due to increased opportunity after Jalin Hyatt was a healthy scratch in Week 8. The undrafted rookie has only six targets on the season for two catches and 25 yards, but his playing time is set to increase as the Giants desperately seek playmakers following major injuries. The Week 9 opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, is a surprisingly welcoming matchup for wide receivers, ranking 21st against the position and allowing an average of 33.81 fantasy points per game to the unit. Furthermore, the 49ers' defense is 31st in sacks, which could give rookie QB Jaxson Dart the time to attempt a few downfield shots to the 6'3" Collins.

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New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart remains a high-floor fantasy option for his sixth NFL start, primarily due to his aggressive rushing ability, evidenced by six rushing touchdowns in just five games and a 16.96 fantasy points per game average. This week's matchup against the San Francisco 49ers defense is favorable, as they rank 31st in the NFL with only nine sacks, which should give Dart ample time to utilize his dual-threat skills. Despite losing key weapons, Dart can exploit the 49ers' passing defense, which has allowed 229.3 passing yards and 13 passing touchdowns on the season. Given the opponent's low pass-rush pressure and Dart's rushing floor, he is a solid QB2 start, capable of exceeding the 16.51 fantasy points per game the 49ers allow to quarterbacks.

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Tetairoa McMillan was the only standout player from the Panthers last week, delivering one of his top fantasy performances of the season. The rookie wide receiver had seven receptions for 99 yards, earning 16.9 PPR fantasy points against the Buffalo Bills. It was the sixth time this year that McMillan recorded double-digit PPR fantasy points. With the Panthers facing the Green Bay Packers in Week 9, McMillan may be in for another favorable situation. The Packers rank 22nd in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers (34.01) over the past four weeks. Last week, two Pittsburgh Steelers WRs finished top-14 in PPR scoring against them. McMillan remains a must-start option, and hopefully, Bryce Young can elevate his numbers in catch-up mode like Andy Dalton did last week.

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Second-year wide receiver Xavier Legette will play in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers despite missing two practices earlier in the week due to illness. Legette is coming off a disappointing Week 8 performance, where he logged 3.7 PPR fantasy points with two receptions and 17 receiving yards. This continues a concerning trend for Legette, as outside of Week 7 against the New York Jets, he was not targeted more than three times in a game by Panthers QBs since Week 2. Jalen Coker, who returned in Week 7 after recovering from a quad injury, finished with more receptions (3) and outdistanced Legette in receiving yards last week, 36 to 17. Despite Bryce Young returning as the starting QB this week, both McMillan and Coker will continue to be more involved in the passing game than Legette. The second-year Panthers WR is not rosterable right now.

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Jalen Coker has steadily increased his involvement in the Carolina Panthers' passing game since returning from a quad injury in Week 7. In his first game back against the New York Jets, Coker was targeted twice but did not have any catches. In Week 8 Coker displayed doubled his targets (four) and caught three of them for 37 yards. Notably, Coker was a more efficient receiver than Xavier Legette last week, as Coker registered 6.6 PPR fantasy points compared to Legette's 3.7. Those numbers are not impressive, of course, but point to Coker possibly progressing in production soon. Bryce Young is returning after missing last week's game due to an ankle injury, which will help get Carolina's passing game back on track. Fantasy players should continue stashing Coker this week and monitor his performance in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers. If his usage continues to rise against the Packers, he could soon lock up the No. 2 WR job in Carolina. Coker was widely touted as a preseason sleeper, and try to still be patient with him if you can.

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Ja'Tavion Sanders has been a complete afterthought in the Panthers' passing attack all season. In five games played, Sanders has just 14 receptions for 111 yards and is averaging 5.0 PPR fantasy points per game. Last week against the Buffalo Bills, Sanders caught all three of his targets for only 19 yards and 4.9 PPR fantasy points. This week, Carolina will face the Green Bay Packers, who allow 17.93 fantasy points against tight ends, ranking 30th of all NFL teams this year. Even though the matchup looks favorable, Sanders hasn't delivered enough to be worthy of any fantasy consideration. Bryce Young is back after missing last week's game due to an ankle injury, which can help Carolina's passing offense, but Sanders still likely won't contribute enough for fantasy purposes. Although this is an excellent matchup for tight ends, Sanders is not rosterable outside of Dynasty leagues, and his appeal in that format is dwindling.

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Bryce Young is back after missing Week 8 due to an ankle injury, but he goes against the Green Bay Packers in his return. Green Bay is on a three-game winning streak and has not allowed more than 23 points in two of those wins. Over the past two weeks, the Packers defense registered nine sacks. This season, Young has averaged 13.9 fantasy points per game but registered fewer than that in four of his last five outings. In seven games played this season. Young has finished as a top 10 fantasy QB once. If the Panthers play from behind, Young can be a productive passer, as 876 of his 1,288 total pass yards this year were recorded while trailing. Young is best suited as a low-end QB2 for Superflex formats.

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Chuba Hubbard may not be worth consideration for fantasy lineups in Week 9 against the Packers, unless you are in a desperate situation. Since returning in Week 7 from a calf injury, Hubbard has totaled just 65 rushing yards and 8.5 PPR fantasy points. During that span, the running game workload was split between Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, and Hubbard took the most snaps (57%). Dowdle was the more efficient runner, though, outrushing Hubbard 133 to 65 yards. Earlier in the week, head coach Dave Canales said that Dowdle would be the team's starting RB in Week 9 and get the bulk of carries. Although Hubbard will contribute to the running game, his reduction in touches severely lowers his fantasy outlook, especially against a Packers run defense that allowed 13.9 points to RBs in the last two weeks, which was fifth-best in the league during that period. For now, Hubbard should be left on the bench for Week 9 against Green Bay. Be sure to monitor any trade rumors involving him heading up to the trade deadline. A move to another team could instantly revive his fantasy appeal, so don't cut Hubbard yet.

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Rico Dowdle is a risky option in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers, but with four teams on a bye, you may not have a viable alternative. The Packers' run defense has allowed 16.73 fantasy points per game to RBs this season, ranking third-best in the league. Dowdle was in a timeshare with Chuba Hubbard through the last two weeks, with Hubbard getting the majority of snaps. Head coach Dave Canales said that Dowdle will be the starter and will get the bulk of the touches this week over Hubbard. While Hubbard will be a part of the Carolina running game this week, Dowdle outperformed him at 5.7 yards per carry to Hubbard's 2.5 over the last two weeks, despite having the lower snap count. The matchup against Green Bay is not favorable, but with Dowdle expected to see the majority of snaps, he is a fantasy RB2 for Week 9. The potential volume signals that he should be kept in lineups.

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Through seven games so far in 2025, Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond has hauled in nine catches for 64 yards on 12 targets. The 31-year-old recorded a season-high three catches in Detroit's final game before its Week 8 bye, but has yet to crack 20 receiving yards in a game this season. Raymond still profiles as the Lions' WR3 ahead of rookie wideout Isaac TeSlaa, as Raymond out-snapped TeSlaa 30 to nine in Week 7. However, that role has not led to consistent fantasy production, which appears unlikely to change in the second half of the season. Detroit has a tough matchup in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings. Through eight weeks, Minnesota has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards (1,428) in the NFL. Raymond should remain off the radar of fantasy managers heading into Week 9.

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Through seven games so far in 2025, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has made an uninspiring eight out of 11 field goal attempts. However, Bates leads the NFL in both extra-point attempts (27) and makes (27). The Lions are currently averaging over 30 points scored per game, which has given Bates a relatively safe fantasy floor. In Week 9, Detroit will host the Minnesota Vikings. Playing inside the domed Ford Field, Bates will not have to deal with any potential weather concerns. In 12 career games at Ford Field, Bates has scored an average of 8.67 points per contest. He profiles as a must-start fantasy kicker in Week 9 against Minnesota.

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Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz has seen six or more targets in three straight games since his no-catch performance in Week 5 against the Chargers. The veteran tight end continues to be a reliable threat in the red zone, leading the team with four receiving touchdowns. The 34-year-old will be happy to have second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels back as the starter, who he has been more productive with compared to backup Marcus Mariota. Ertz has uncharacteristically had multiple costly drops this season. The veteran has already totaled five drops in only eight games this season, more than he had all of last year and one off of his career high of six back in 2021. Ertz will likely see a solid target share with top wideout Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) out, and it's a decent matchup against a Seattle defense that has allowed 47 receptions to opposing tight ends, tied for seventh most. Ertz is ranked as RotoBaller's TE13 in PPR formats for Sunday Night Football.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has been one of the more disappointing players in fantasy so far this season, recording 17 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns on 30 targets across seven games. In his final outing before Detroit's Week 8 bye, the 24-year-old was held without a catch on two targets by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coming out of the bye week, Lions offensive coordinator John Morton told reporters he's looking to get Williams more involved in the team's offense. That may be difficult to do in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, who have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards (1,428) in the NFL through eight weeks. Williams was held in check by Minnesota across two games in 2024, recording seven catches for 30 yards on nine targets. He profiles as a low-end, boom/bust WR3/flex option for fantasy managers in Week 9.

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Across the first seven games of his NFL career, Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa recorded three catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns. The 23-year-old has flashed contested-catch brilliance, but has been unable to be consistently productive on a week-to-week basis. TeSlaa may see a larger role in Detroit's offense post bye week. However, in his final game before the team's Week 8 bye, TeSlaa played just 13% of Detroit's offensive snaps, his lowest playing time share since Week 1. The Lions have a difficult matchup in Week 9 against the division rival Minnesota Vikings, who have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards (1,428) in the NFL through eight weeks. TeSlaa should remain off the radar of fantasy managers in Week 9.

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Across seven games so far this season, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has recorded 50 catches for 538 yards and seven touchdowns on 61 targets. The 26-year-old has seen at least six targets in every game he's played, and he earned double-digit targets in each of Detroit's last two games before its Week 8 bye. St. Brown and the Lions will host the division rival Minnesota Vikings in Week 9. The Vikings have been a stingy pass defense, allowing the fourth-fewest passing yards (1,428) in the NFL. Across two games against Minnesota in 2024, St. Brown looked like his usual self by recording 14 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets. He's a good bet to see 8-10 targets in his first matchup of 2025 against the Vikings and profiles as a must-start fantasy wide receiver in Week 9.

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