New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener completed 9 of his 17 pass attempts for 122 yards and gained 10 rushing yards on two carries in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The second-year man out of Fresno State was brought in with just under five minutes left to play in the third quarter. Starter Spencer Rattler's inconsistent play demanded a change be made while the Saints were still in range of a comeback. Unfortunately, Haener was not able to spark the offense as was hoped and the team managed to add just another field goal with him under center. With three weeks of Rattler's struggles in the books and Haener not offering much of an improvement it is unclear who will be under center in Week 9. In postgame comments to the media, head coach Dennis Allen acknowledged Derek Carr (oblique) may be ready to play which would stamp out any brewing quarterback controversy in New Orleans and make both backups obsolete in fantasy.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 12 of 24 pass attempts for 156 yards in Sunday's 26-8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie's third start in place of Derek Carr (oblique) featured the same inconsistent play as was seen in his other appearances. Rattler avoided big mistakes in the first half and was effective in the two-minute drill, completing five passes for 51 yards to set up a Blake Grupe field goal. After halftime though, Rattler completed just two more passes on his next seven tries. With the offense sputtering he got the hook late in the third quarter in favor of Jake Haener, who closed out the game. When New Orleans first tabbed their fifth-round pick as Carr's replacement they indicated he would get a long leash to acclimate to the NFL. The result has been three weeks of erratic play and inaccurate passing. Carr is getting close to his return but if he needs more time off then the Saints have to decide if they will stand by Rattler or give Haener a shot as the starter in Week 9.

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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle swept all three team receiving categories and caught his 500th career pass in a 30-24 home win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. He was a clear focal point of the offense and finished with six receptions on seven targets for 128 yards and a touchdown. Kittle has been immensely valuable for fantasy managers this year, as he was drafted as the TE6 by ADP, but has a huge lead over all others as the overall TE1 on a per-game basis. He's at 15.2 PPG in Yahoo default scoring while second place is occupied by Las Vegas' Brock Bowers at 10.8. Looking ahead, Kittle's value should remain stable with Brandon Aiyuk (knee) out for the season, even if Kittle loses a few targets when Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) returns. San Francisco has a Week 9 bye upcoming, followed by a Week 10 date at Tampa Bay.

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Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason left Sunday night's game early with a shoulder injury. Dynasty Analysis: Mason left the game after posting just 18 rushing yards. This could be the end of a good run in terms of dynasty production as the 49ers may get Christian McCaffrey back after their week nine bye. Mason has the looks of a solid runner, but also one who needs to get better in the passing game to truly unlock his potential. Regardless, he'll remain a very valuable handcuff to McCaffrey with the potential to post a RB1 game at any point when called upon.

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Dynasty | 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo posted 85 rushing yards, three catches, 17 receiving yards and a touchdown in a win against Dallas. Dynasty Analysis: It;s clear the 49ers have no shortage of talented runners as Guerendo took over for an injured Jordan Mason and the offense didn't miss a beat. While it's been great to see Guerendo productive when he's had the chance, the bye week is going to be critical for his short-term value as Mason and/or Christian McCaffrey could be ready by week ten after the 49ers have a bye. Guerendo is a solid hold in dynasty leagues, regardless.

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San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall contributed to a 30-24 home win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 on Sunday night. The first-round pick out of Florida got his first bonafide NFL start with Jauan Jennings (hip) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) out. Pearsall caught all four of his targets for 38 yards and took one carry for 39 yards. While the numbers weren't eye-popping, Pearsall appeared competent in only his second time on an NFL field since he suffered a preseason shoulder injury followed by a gunshot wound. The 49ers have a Week 9 bye before a Week 10 matchup versus the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. If Jennings returns, he'll have the inside track over Pearsall for fantasy production but it wouldn't be that surprising to see Pearsall start to challenge him for targets as winter approaches.

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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts continued his stretch of productivity in Sunday's 31-26 win over the Buccaneers, hauling in four of five targets for 91 yards and two scores. The yardage total was a season-high and it was the first time in his four-year career that the 24-year-old recorded multiple touchdown catches in a game. After failing to catch a pass in Week 4, Pitts has averaged five catches for 79 yards in the four weeks since. In Week 9, the Falcons will take on the Cowboys who had been solid defending TEs prior to Sunday when they allowed George Kittle to log a 6-128-1 line. Regardless, Pitts is still likely a TE1 for fantasy, and he has hopefully put some of the volatility behind him.

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San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo took over for Jordan Mason (shoulder) and performed well in a 30-24 Week 8 home victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. After Mason left in the first half, Guerendo took almost all of the backfield carries, finishing with 14 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown. The performance solidified Guerendo as a viable fantasy starter when given the chance. In two games this year with Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) and Mason out, Guerendo has taken 24 carries for 184 yards and a touchdown with minimal backfield competition from the fourth-string Patrick Taylor Jr. However, Guerendo's fantasy value as a handcuff is likely to crash on the other side of a Week 9 bye as both Mason and McCaffrey could return for a Week 10 trip to Tampa Bay. For as good as Guerendo has looked, San Francisco's rushing game has strictly supported one running back in fantasy dating back to 2023.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney led the team with seven targets in Sunday's 31-26 win over the Buccaneers, hauling in five of them for 92 yards and a touchdown. The 26-year-old recorded six or more targets for the sixth time in eight games, giving him a reliable role in this offense, and now has four touchdowns on the year -- although three of them have now come at the expense of the Tampa secondary. The former fifth-round draft pick will take on a Dallas defense that has had trouble slowing teams down lately, so Mooney likely profiles as a WR3 heading into Week 9.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas caught two of three targets for just 12 yards during Sunday's Week 8 win over the New York Jets. The young pass-catcher was unproductive in a matchup against a Jets defense that has struggled against slot receivers this year. Douglas seemed to have fooled fantasy managers with a hot stretch of games from Weeks 3 through 6, a span that makes up just 50 percent of his games this season but a whopping 84.6 percent of his receptions, 85.3 of his receiving yards, and 100 percent of his touchdowns. Until Douglas can get back on track and show that he's consistently startable in fantasy football, managers should leave him on their bench. This advice includes Week 9 despite Douglas' favorable matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

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New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry converted six targets into five catches for 45 yards during Sunday's Week 8 win over the New York Jets. The veteran pass-catcher has been on an impressive run lately, totaling 16 catches, 178 yards, and one touchdown over his last three games. At first, it seemed like the midseason benching of Jacoby Brissett was the main reason for Henry's sudden success. However, on Sunday, most of his production actually came with the veteran quarterback on the field. Henry caught just one pass before Drake Maye (head) exited the game; his remaining five targets and four catches came from Brissett. His splits suggest that he's a dependable fantasy option against the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 regardless of whether Maye is healthy or Brissett makes the start. Fantasy managers should view Henry as a high-end TE2 who can be justified as a viable replacement for tight ends injured or on bye.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had a productive day in Sunday's 31-26 win over the Buccaneers, carrying the ball 13 times for 63 yards while adding six catches for 37 yards and a score. The 22-year-old ceded 12 rush attempts to backfield mate Tyler Allgeier but was clearly the preferred option of the two in the passing game. It was the third consecutive game in which the second-year back recorded at least one TD and at least 100 total yards, producing like the fantasy asset he was drafted to be. With the Falcons offense clicking and the Cowboys defense struggling, having allowed 77 points over their last two games alone, Robinson and company look to have a favorable matchup again in Week 9.

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy led his team to a 30-24 win at home over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The third-year pro went 19-for-26 for 260 yards and a touchdown through the air while adding eight carries for 56 yards and a touchdown sneak on the ground. Purdy avoided the type of gaffe that plagued him in a three-interception Week 7 loss to Kansas City, appearing cool and collected en route to an important win. It's a welcome sight for fantasy managers that Purdy continues to produce with San Francisco's offensive skill position players decimated with injury, but three of his last four touchdowns have come via quarterback sneak, which isn't really a bankable part of Purdy's game. The recent increase in rushing yardage, however, may persist as San Francisco has trusted Purdy with an increase in slow-developing routes down the field, and Purdy has responded with an adept ability to take the escape lanes he's given. Purdy and the 49ers have a Week 9 bye before a trip to Tampa Bay in Week 10.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) exited during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys and did not return. Although the 49ers listed him as questionable at the time of his departure, Mason did not register an opportunity for the entire second half. He finished an injury-riddled Week 8 with just six rushes for 18 yards on the ground and no contributions in the passing game. Mason has now posted single-digit fantasy points (PPR) in four consecutive games, and while three of those performances were limited by injury, his reduced productivity is frustrating nonetheless. Fantasy managers will hope Mason can get healthy during the Week 9 bye, but he could end up losing his job if Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) returns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte led his position group with six targets, three catches, and 46 receiving yards during Sunday's Week 8 win over the New York Jets. He also led the unit in snap share (83.6 percent) once again, showcasing a valuable rapport with both Drake Maye (head) and Jacoby Brissett. Although Boutte did have an impressive game, it still wasn't enough to justify starting him in fantasy football. At best, he's a low-end bench option given the Patriots' subpar offense. He'll now get ready for Week 9 against the Titans.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (ribs) exited during the second half of Sunday's win over the Dallas Cowboys. The team announced that he was questionable to return, but he was not spotted on the field for the remainder of the contest. He finished Week 8 with seven targets, four catches, and 71 receiving yards, plus an additional 15 rushing yards on four attempts. Samuel figures to handle a significant workload moving forward with Brandon Aiyuk (knee) done for the year. Fortunately for Samuel, the 49ers have a Week 9 bye, so he gets a little extra time to rest and recover before his next game. Assuming he suits up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, he'll rank as a fantasy WR2.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs led his team's receiving corps in catches and yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Texans, reeling in four for 109 yards and a score. Downs was the only Colt to amass more than one reception in the contest with quarterback Anthony Richardson completing just 10 of 32 passes, and he nearly scored another touchdown but was down just shy of the end zone. The 23-year-old was also credited with 13 rush yards. Despite the solid effort, the former third-round draft pick will be volatile with such poor quarterback play and hard to trust on a weekly basis. In Week 9, the Colts will face the Vikings who have had seven wideouts record 78 or more receiving yards through seven games, so there's a chance he could have some Flex appeal, especially if Joe Flacco happened to be under center instead of Richardson.

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New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 48 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries during Sunday's Week 8 win over the New York Jets. He also caught all three of his targets for an additional 17 receiving yards. Although Stevenson was inefficient on the ground, he made up for it by finding the end zone twice and also converting a two-point conversion. The 26-year-old has now scored at least 17 fantasy points (PPR) in four of his seven games this year, vaulting him back into the high-end RB3 tier for Week 8 against a Tennessee Titans defense that was just gashed by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

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Despite Kirk Cousins throwing for 276 yards and four touchdown passes on Sunday, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London was not a beneficiary in the 31-26 win over the Bucs. The 23-year-old caught four of six targets for 34 scoreless yards. It was the first time he failed to find the end zone since Week 4, but it was also the seventh straight game in which the 6-foot-4 wideout garnered at least six targets, so he should have no problem bouncing back. The former first-round draft pick will get an opportunity to do so next week when the Falcons take on a weak Cowboys defense in Atlanta.

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New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett relieved rookie Drake Maye (head) during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the New York Jets. He finished the first half and was eventually declared the quarterback for the second half, too, after Maye was downgraded to out. Brissett finished Week 8 having completed 15 of 24 passes for 132 yards, plus one sack and 11 rushing yards. He failed to score a touchdown, but more importantly, he played turnover-free football and led an efficient game-winning drive near the end of the fourth quarter. In the event that Maye enters concussion protocol and misses Week 9 against the Titans, Brissett would temporarily return to the starting quarterback role. He's still off the fantasy radar in most leagues.

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