Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin is beginning to build more chemistry with quarterback Bo Nix. Over the last two games, Franklin has seen 18 targets and hauled in nine receptions for 100-plus yards with three touchdowns. The 22-year-old posted a few decent games early in the season, but has really come alive as of late. The two-score effort on Sunday will make Franklin the top waiver priority in plenty of fantasy formats. The six-catch contest in Week 8 was the most for Franklin since Week 2. He has shown an ability to make plays and figures to be a viable flex option going forward.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton started off the season by posting some dubs, but has turned it around lately. Over the last four games, Otton has hauled in four receptions or more in every game. The 26-year-old has also finished with 40 receiving yards or more in all of those contests. The Bucs are extremely shorthanded with multiple playmakers out for the foreseeable future. That being said, Otton figures to continue seeing the ball coming his way during the second half of the season. The Bucs head into a bye in Week 9, but Otton should be a viable TE2 in the second half.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill (ankle) was a non-participant on the team's estimated injury report on Monday, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Hill did not play in the team's Week 8 upset win over the Atlanta Falcons and appears to be on track to miss a second straight game during a short week for a Thursday night contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Darren Waller (pectoral) is on Injured Reserve, so the Dolphins were down to Tanner Conner and Greg Dulcich at TE on Sunday. Conner caught both of his targets against Atlanta for only six yards, while Dulcich wasn't targeted at all. Until further notice, fantasy managers should continue to ignore the Dolphins' TE situation with Waller on IR. In seven games in his third year in the NFL, Hill has only 10 catches on 13 targets for 77 yards and no touchdowns.

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Free-agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling plans to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Valdes-Scantling will be reuniting with quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the two played together in Green Bay. The 31-year-old veteran reached the open market earlier in October after he reached an injury settlement with the San Francisco 49ers, and now he'll head to the AFC North, where he'll give the Steelers some WR depth behind DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, and Roman Wilson. MVS might have plenty of chemistry with Rodgers from their days with the Packers, but it would be a surprise if he suddenly became a big part of Pittsburgh's passing attack in the second half of the 2025 campaign. The former fifth-round pick is mainly a deep threat down the field. In five games with San Fran this year, Valdes-Scantling had only four catches on eight targets for 40 yards.

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (knee) suffered a knee contusion in the Week 8 loss to the Houston Texans and is considered day-to-day, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Jones' injury doesn't sound serious, but he could head back to a backup role this upcoming weekend against the New York Giants if Brock Purdy (toe) is deemed ready to return from a turf-toe injury that he aggravated back in Week 4. Jones has also played through a knee sprain this year with Purdy injured and has kept the team's offense afloat. However, the 27-year-old has underwhelmed in two straight weeks and is now up in the air to play this Sunday against the G-Men. In his six starts in 2025, Jones has completed 65.9% of his 226 pass attempts for 1,597 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions. If he's forced to make another start in Week 9, he'll continue to be a low-end QB2 option in superflex fantasy leagues.

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Dynasty | The Raiders are signing free agent wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Dynasty Analysis: Lockett will be reunited with Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith, who he had obvious success with in Seattle. The challenge is the 33-year old Lockett just doesn't look like the same player he once was and only posted ten catches for 70 scoreless yards in his quick burn with the Titans this season. He may have a chance for decent numbers should the Raiders trade Jacoby Meyers but it's much more likely he remains a roster clogger or waiver wire fodder at this point in his career.

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The San Francisco 49ers do not plan to open wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) 21-day practice window on Wednesday, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said late last week that Aiyuk could resume practicing this week, but it won't happen on Wednesday, meaning he's unlikely to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list to make his season debut in Week 9 against the New York Giants. The 27-year-old pass-catcher is still recovering from suffering a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee in Week 7 of last year. Once he returns to practice, the 49ers are expected to take things slow with him, and he could need the full 21 days before he's officially activated to the active 53-man roster. Fantasy managers stashing Aiyuk need to remain patient, and it's possible that he's not back to full speed until the 2026 season.

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The Los Angeles Rams acquired cornerback Roger McCreary from the Tennessee Titans on Monday in exchange for a conditional fifth-/sixth-round pick swap, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Titans will get a fifth-rounder closer to the beginning of the round, which most likely will be the team's original fifth-round pick. The Rams will receive a sixth-rounder that will be closer to the end of the round. The Titans now have three sixth-round picks for next year. McCreary, a former second-round pick by the Titans in 2022 out of Auburn, had four sacks, 253 tackles (196 solo), 22 tackles for loss, five QB hits, three interceptions, and a forced fumble in his four years with Tennessee. He had 33 tackles, one sack, and an interception in eight games (three starts) this year for the Titans before the trade. The 25-year-old is projected to start out of the slot in L.A.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Nyheim Hines was elevated from the practice squad for the third time this season but made little impact in Thursday's 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Hines saw only seven snaps, four on offense and three on special teams, and finished with two carries for minus 2 yards. He was clearly behind Kimani Vidal and Jaret Patterson on the depth chart and has since returned to the practice squad. Now that Hines has reached the maximum number of elevations allowed from the practice squad, the Chargers must decide whether to sign him to the active roster to keep him available, as per NFL rules. With Hassan Haskins (hamstring) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) still sidelined, there's a possibility Hines gets signed. However, his limited usage on Thursday might suggest otherwise. Either way, he's off the fantasy radar heading into Week 9 against a struggling Tennessee Titans defense.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Jaret Patterson was elevated from the practice squad for Thursday night's 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings and served as the primary backup to Kimani Vidal. Patterson ran the ball 11 times for 30 yards (2.7 YPC), showing effort but little ability to break tackles. The Chargers ran the ball 43 times overall, relying heavily on Vidal as they controlled the game. With Hassan Haskins (hamstring) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) sidelined and Nyheim Hines seeing limited snaps, Patterson may get another opportunity in Week 9 against a struggling Tennessee Titans defense. Patterson's value depends on whether he's elevated again, as the team will need to make a roster decision soon with multiple injured backs. The 25-year-old played college football for the Buffalo Bulls before signing with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He rushed for 1,072 yards in just six games with the Bulls and had a 409-yard, eight-touchdown game against Kent State during his junior year.

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Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (biceps) suffered a torn biceps muscle in the Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and will undergo surgery, according to Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News. According to head coach Sean McDermott, Oliver is out indefinitely. It's unclear exactly when the 27-year-old interior defensive lineman will be able to return, but he probably will not play again this season unless the Bills advance to the playoffs. It's a notable loss for the Bills' defensive line moving forward, and the team will now look for more contributions from the likes of DaQuan Jones, Larry Ogunjobi, and Deone Walker. Oliver has only played in three games for the Bills this year and has three sacks, 12 tackles (10 solo), seven tackles for loss, five QB hits, and one forced fumble.

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The Baltimore Ravens are expecting quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) to play on Thursday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. "I feel very confident about it. I expect him to be out there Thursday," head coach John Harbaugh said. Jackson has been out of action since straining his right hamstring in the Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It was initially believed that the 28-year-old two-time MVP would be available coming out of the Week 7 bye, but Baltimore held him out for a third straight game this past weekend in the win over the Chicago Bears. But as long as he doesn't aggravate his hamstring in practice on a short week, it's looking like Jackson will play this week against a burnable Dolphins secondary. If Jackson is back on the field on Thursday night, he'll be a must-start in fantasy lineups.

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't ready to say if quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) will be able to return to play in Week 9 on Sunday against the New York Giants, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "It's too early to say. I don't think it's a long shot. We'll see how he's doing on Wednesday," Shanahan said. Purdy has made slow and steady progress since aggravating his turf-toe injury in the Week 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but his status for this week remains up in the air. In addition to Purdy's status, backup Mac Jones (knee) is dealing with a knee injury and is day-to-day this week. The 25-year-old Purdy will probably need to upgrade to a full practice this week to get the green light to return on Sunday against the Giants. San Fran's offense will receive a boost whenever Purdy can make his third start of the year, and he should immediately be on the low-end QB1 radar for fantasy football managers.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Tre' Harris took advantage of his two targets Thursday night, catching both for a total of eight yards and his first career touchdown during the team's 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The second-round draft pick out of Ole Miss played additional snaps late in the game with the Bolts leading by two touchdowns, finishing a lengthy 17-play drive with his touchdown. Harris remains buried on the depth chart, with only a 33% route rate and a 13% target share so far this year. With rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden emerging as another key target, Harris will probably need an injury to a player ahead of him to secure a significant role. He's more of a stash for dynasty leagues than a redraft pickup, especially heading into Week 9 against a struggling Tennessee Titans defense.

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Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip) is considered day-to-day after aggravating his hip injury in Sunday's Week 8 loss to the New York Jets, according to head coach Zac Taylor. Hendrickson limped to the locker room on Sunday against the Jets and never returned in the second half. Not having the 30-year-old pass-rusher in the second half definitely helped the Jets get back into the game to secure their first win of 2025. Hendrickson disappointed his fantasy managers on the day in IDP leagues with just one solo tackle on 23 defensive snaps. As long as he doesn't have a setback during practice this week, though, he should be on track to suit up in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears. After leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks last year, Hendrickson has been a disappointment with only four sacks and 16 tackles (11 solo) through the first eight weeks in 2025.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (knee) is considered day-to-day after he was injured in the team's Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, according to Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network. Chicago's receiving corps is a bit banged up coming out of Sunday's game, as rookie wideout Luther Burden III (head) is also in the league's concussion protocol. Before getting hurt against Baltimore, Zaccheaus caught a season-high seven passes for 33 yards and also carried the ball once for four yards. It's unclear if the 28-year-old pass-catcher will be able to play in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend, but if he is active, he could be a sleeper option for fantasy managers as a flex play in deeper leagues if Burden isn't cleared from the concussion protocol. Zaccheaus is still looking for his first touchdown of the year and has 25 receptions for 185 yards on 38 targets through seven games.

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Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday that wide receiver Cedric Tillman (hamstring) is expected to return in Week 10 against the New York Jets after the team's Week 9 bye, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Tillman is eligible to have his 21-day practice window opened this week. Whether the 25-year-old actually returns in Week 10 will depend on how he looks once he gets back on the practice field. Before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4, Tillman caught 11 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 20 targets, but that was also when veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was still starting for the team. With rookie Dillon Gabriel now starting under center and mostly struggling, Tillman isn't going to be as intriguing as a WR4/flex in fantasy football lineups.

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The Arizona Cardinals released veteran running back Michael Carter on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. It comes as a surprise with the Cardinals coming off their Week 8 bye. James Conner (foot) is already out for the year, and Trey Benson (knee) isn't eligible to come off Injured Reserve until Week 10. Bam Knight became the team's RB1 several weeks before the Cardinals went on bye, but Emari Demercado (ankle) was unable to play in Week 7, so Arizona's RB depth was already a bit thin. With Carter now on the street, D'Ernest Johnson and Jermar Jefferson would be the next men up behind Knight in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys if Demercado misses another game. In his four games with the Cardinals, Carter averaged just 2.8 yards per carry for 97 rushing yards and a touchdown on 35 carries.

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ESPN's Michael DiRocco suggests that the Jacksonville Jaguars need to get first-rounder Travis Hunter more involved on offense over their final 10 games if they are going to be in the playoff hunt, and head coach Liam Coen hinted at a lineup shift coming out of their bye week. "We are going to play the best 11 [on each side of the ball] as much as humanly possible," Coen said. It sounds as though Hunter is going to be a "significant player in the offense going forward." In the Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London before the bye, Hunter led the team in targets (14), catches (eight), and receiving yards (101) while playing a season-high 64 snaps. The former Heisman Trophy winner now leads the Jags in catches (28) and is second in receiving yards (298). DiRocco doesn't think we should be surprised if Hunter "starts getting the WR1 treatment" in the second half of the season. How it will impact Hunter's role on defense is unclear, but this would be excellent news for Hunter's fantasy managers going forward.

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Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said on Monday that wide receiver Drake London (hip) will be day-to-day this week, according to Terrin Waack of AtlantaFalcons.com. London was a late addition to last week's injury report with a hip injury and ended up being inactive for the team's upset loss to the visiting Miami Dolphins on Sunday in Week 8. Darnell Mooney was a bust as Atlanta's WR1 with London out, as he caught just one pass on the day. Tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. was the primary beneficiary in the passing game for a Falcons offense that couldn't get anything going with backup quarterback Kirk Cousins running the show, with Michael Penix Jr. (knee) also out. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on London's practice statuses this week, but if he's able to play in Week 9 against the New England Patriots, he should be considered a must-start in fantasy.

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