Buffalo Bills running back James Cook has finished as a top-three fantasy football runner twice this season. One instance came from his 133-yard, two-touchdown performance a week ago. The other came in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, the same opponent he'll face on Sunday. Cook scored three touchdowns in that matchup. Expecting another hat trick isn't realistic, but an all-around RB1 performance is in play. The Bills have leaned on the running game throughout the season and the Dolphins' defense is weaker on the ground than through the air. Cook is an RB1 in the rankings this week.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is not a great option in Week 9 fantasy lineups. Palmer hasn't finished higher than the overall WR27 this season and is averaging a WR58 performance through his six games played. With the Chargers receiving corps expected to welcome back Quentin Johnston (ankle) and D.J. Chark (groin) this week, Palmer could fade into a support role and should not be in the starting lineup in most fantasy leagues. He likely does not even need to be rostered in standard sized leagues right now either.

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With consecutive top-20 finishes, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman is breaking out in front of our eyes. The rookie was a boom-or-bust option early in his debut campaign but has earned seven targets in back-to-back games. Unfortunately, it's a crowded Bills' wide receiver room. The odds of the top trio (Coleman, Amari Cooper, and Khalil Shakir) all finishing as top-36 receivers in the same week are low. Coleman and Cooper (wrist) have the highest ceiling, while Shakir possesses the highest floor. Cooper is questionable with a wrist injury. The Dolphins are one of the best defenses against fantasy football quarterbacks and wide receivers. Coleman had zero points in their first matchup in Week 2. Despite that, Coleman is in the flex conversation in Week 9. Coleman should be a safe start if Cooper misses the game.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (ankle) is expected to return to the field in a Week 9 game against the Cleveland Browns. Johnston missed Week 7 and Week 8 due to an ankle injury, but he was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday after a limited practice on Wednesday, and he enters the weekend with no injury designation. In his place, fellow wide receiver Ladd McConkey and tight end Will Dissly have been seeing more targets. Johnston was averaging between four and five targets per game before getting hurt and should be right around there in his return as well. His return will be a nice upgrade for the Chargers offense in general but likely won't be a huge boost to any fantasy teams, as he's a WR4 at best in this matchup.

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When the Buffalo Bills added Amari Cooper (wrist) to their roster, there was concern that Khalil Shakir would lose targets. Instead, he's logged seven and 10 targets in back-to-back games, both season-high marks at the time. Shakir has only missed on two targets this season. If he's getting that kind of volume, he's a lock for PPR lineups. The Miami Dolphins, Shakir's Week 9 opponent, are strong against opposing passing games but weaker against slot receivers. The 24-year-old offers the safest floor of the three Buffalo wide receivers, but Cooper and Keon Coleman have higher ceilings. Cooper is questionable with a wrist injury. Shakir is a flex-worthy wide receiver in PPR formats and slips a little in the non-PPR rankings.

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New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams (groin) is officially listed as doubtful for the team's Week 9 road tilt against the Carolina Panthers. Williams logged a week of limited practice sessions due to a groin injury he picked up, and his status this Sunday is not looking good. With teammate Kendre Miller (hamstring) ruled out for the contest, running back Alvin Kamara could be the only show in town in the Saints' backfield when they line up against their division rivals. Even if Williams suits up, he won't be a recommended fantasy play, as he's no more than a change-of-pace option behind Kamara. Expect hybrid offensive weapon Taysom Hill to chip in as well, especially if the 29-year-old is inactive.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal is likely to remain in his role as the primary backup to starter J.K. Dobbins when the Chargers face the Cleveland Browns in Week 9. Vidal has worked his way up the depth chart to the number two spot, but Dobbins has a three-down skillset and is one of the few backs in the league playing on almost every down. Vidal has mixed in as a change of pace and backup, and while he's looked solid when given the chance, he likely won't receive consistent enough chances to put up reliable fantasy numbers. However, if Dobbins were ever forced to miss time, Vidal would immediately skyrocket into the RB2/3 conversation.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey (hip) will look for another big game in Week 9 when the Chargers face off against the Cleveland Browns. McConkey has been dealing with a hip issue and has missed some practice time lately, but he comes into this game without an injury designation after getting full practices in on Thursday and Friday. McConkey is coming off a two touchdown game that landed him as the overall fantasy WR2, but with Quentin Johnston (ankle) and D.J. Chark (groin) both expected back, McConkey might not see quite as many targets as he has the past few games. Still, he's a high-floor option as a WR2 with a decent ceiling as well.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (left hand) has three straight games of over 20 fantasy points and that trend could continue against the Miami Dolphins. As has been the case for the last few weeks, Allen is on the injury report with a left hand injury that is not impacting his participation. The 28-year-old was inconsistent through the first month of the season. One of his subpar games was against the Dolphins, but it wasn't due to poor play. The Bills jumped out to a big halftime lead and didn't need Allen to throw to secure the victory. The Dolphins allow the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, largely due to their inability to stop the run and lack of offensive output without Tua Tagovailoa. It's not enough for fantasy managers to shy away from one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Allen is a surefire QB1 this week.

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New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Miller made his return to the field in Week 7, but that didn't last too long. He rushed for 52 yards on nine carries over the last two games. Alvin Kamara is getting the bulk of the carries right now anyway. Miller might be worth holding because the Saints are banged up, but he's unlikely to have a big role in the offense going forward.

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Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins will look for another good week in a Week 9 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Dobbins was solid against the New Orleans Saints in a Week 8 win, putting up 57 yards and a touchdown on the ground to go with four catches on seven targets through the air. It wasn't his most effective game on a per-touch basis, but his continued heavy involvement in both parts of the offensive game plan is encouraging. Dobbins was given Thursday off this week, as he missed practice for a rest day, but he enters the game with no injury designation after returning to a full practice on Friday. Dobbins is a steady and reliable RB2 option with weekly RB1 upside, especially with the Chargers offense finally starting to move the ball well over the past couple of games.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Carr is set to make his return to the field after being sidelined for the last three games. The return of Carr is good news for the Saints offense as they struggled heavily with Spencer Rattler under center. Chris Olave should be able to return to his WR2 value while Carr is a high-end QB2 against the awful Panthers defense.

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New Orleans Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of the upcoming Week 9 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Lattimore has been battling a hamstring issue for a few weeks now. He was attempting to play through the issue, but the team will opt to sit him out this weekend. The Saints will also be without Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring) and Paulson Adebo (leg) is on the injured reserve. That means, the Saints are going to be down to their second or possibly third string defensive backs for this weekend.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will look to build off his strong performance in Week 8 as he heads into a Week 9 game against the Cleveland Browns. Herbert had his first fantasy QB1 game of the season in Week 8, putting up 24.1 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues for an overall QB9 finish. Herbert has been playing well most of the season but hadn't been asked to do much in what was an extremely run-heavy offense. He's thrown more in the past two games, however, and could be continuing that pattern against an average at best Cleveland secondary. With several of his pass catchers expected to be back and fully healthy this week, it could be a second QB1 performance in a row for the Bolts signal caller.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) has been removed from the injury report ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. That means, Hockenson is set to make his season debut this weekend. He figures to be a significant part of the offense after hauling in 95 receptions for 960 yards, and five touchdowns during his first full season with the team last year. There's a chance that Hockenson is limited during his first game back, but should still be in the TE1 conversation for Week 9.

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Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss (neck) is listed as doubtful ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Moss has taken a backseat in the backfield over the last few weeks. He has seen six carries or less in three straight games for 13 yards or less in all those contests. Fellow back Chase Brown has run away with the lead back job in Cincinnati. If Moss sits, Brown would probably see a few more carries coming his way this weekend. He'll be on the RB2 radar against the struggling Raiders team.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Nacua left early during Thursday's practice after aggravating his knee issue that sidelined him earlier in the season. The good news is that it sounds like Nacua has avoided any serious injuries. However, head coach Sean McVay said he wouldn't bet on Nacua being able to suit up this weekend. The Rams are going to be careful with their prized young wideout, so fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if he sits out. If active, Nacua will be a risky WR2 given he probably won't be 100 percent healthy. Fellow wideout Cooper Kupp will likely see a heavy workload if Nacua is unable to play.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's tilt against the New England Patriots according to Paul Kuharsky. Levis has been able to participate in practice in a limited capacity this week which is a promising sign for his status heading into the weekend. The 25-year-old has been sidelined over the past two weeks. If Levis were to miss his third-straight game, Mason Rudolph would get the starting nod. Rudolph has eclipsed 200 passing yards in each of his past two games with a season-high of 266 last weekend against the Detroit Lions. Both options would be viewed as low-end QB2s facing a tough New England who have allowed the eighth-fewest points to opposing QBs this season.

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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers. Njoku was sidelined during Thursday's practice but was able to return on Friday. As a result, this could have simply been a scheduled day off for the tight end as he missed three games earlier in the season with the same injury. The 28-year-old has enjoyed the two best of games of his season over the past two weeks averaging an excellent 20.4 PPR points in each of them. Fantasy managers should view Njoku as a solid TE1 in all formats facing the Los Angeles Chargers who have allowed the 21st-most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie running back Bucky Irving (toe) was not seen at Friday's practice according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Irving was also sidelined during Thursday's practice. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during Saturday's practice as he may carry an injury designation into Monday's tilt against the Kansas City Chiefs. The rookie running back has been dealing with this lingering injury for the past few weeks but has yet to miss any time due to it. If Irving is able to play he should be expected to split time with Rachaad White facing a tough Kansas City defense who has allowed the fewest PPR points to opposing RBs this season.

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