Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) has been ruled out for Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. Although Thielen did practice earlier this week, he was sidelined Friday and ultimately downgraded to out on Saturday. Sunday will represent his sixth consecutive absence, leaving Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker in line to operate as the Panthers' top receivers.

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Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks won't make his NFL debut on Sunday. The rookie has been ruled out for Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. He'll have to wait at least one more week before getting back into a game for the first time since tearing his ACL at the University of Texas last year. Chuba Hubbard will continue to lead the Carolina backfield for the duration of Brooks' absence.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) is expected to play against the Philadelphia Eagles despite being listed as questionable, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Etienne has missed the Jaguars' last two games, and during that time, he lost significant ground to Tank Bigsby in the competition for the starting role. It's unclear what the backfield splits will look like this Sunday, but Bigsby figures to get first dibs on the majority share of carries while Etienne nestles into a supplementary role. For the time being, Etienne is not a reliable starter in leagues with 12 or fewer teams.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) is expected to play in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. There were concerns about the severity of Thomas' injury when he suffered it last weekend, but in the end, it looks like the rookie will be able to avoid missing any games. Instead, he'll play in a favorable matchup against the Eagles, and he figures to see a little extra volume with Christian Kirk (collarbone) done for the year. Thomas ranks as a low-end fantasy WR2 this week.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (shoulder) appears to be a longshot to play in Week 9 versus the Philadelphia Eagles, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Davis picked up the injury last Sunday when he exited before commanding a target. Jacksonville is suddenly hurting at wide receiver with Christian Kirk (collarbone) done for the year and Davis temporarily sidelined. In their absences, Brian Thomas Jr. and Evan Engram should see large target shares while Parker Washington also earns extra opportunities.

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Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (foot) is expected to play in Sunday's game versus the New England Patriots. The former Cowboy didn't practice all week, so most had assumed he wouldn't be available. However, it appears he's moving in the right direction, which is good news for fantasy managers. Pollard has struggled this season, amassing only 494 yards and three touchdowns off 114 carries. Still, with Tyjae Spears (hamstring) sidelined, Pollard could be more involved. Yet, his presence could mean a lower ceiling for Julius Chestnut, who has gained waiver attention throughout the week.

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Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (Shoulder) is in line to suit up for Sunday's matchup versus the New England Patriots. With the Titans recently dealing DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs, Boyd has a chance to get more involved on the offensive end. Unfortunately, that has yet to happen, with the 29-year-old most recently accumulating just three catches for 14 yards in Week 8 versus the Lions. With that in mind, until Boyd shows signs of life, which may not happen with Mason Rudolph or Will Levis (shoulder) under center, fantasy managers should leave him on the bench.

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Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) is anticipated to play in Sunday's NFC East matchup with the New York Giants. The Commanders elevated Chris Rodriguez Jr. off the practice squad on Saturday, with many believing the move meant Robinson wouldn't be on the field. However, it appears he'll be out there, which is great news for fantasy managers. The 25-year-old has had a fantastic 2024-25 campaign, accumulating 461 yards and six touchdowns off 101 carries. He's a must-start in Week 9, although his expected participation in Sunday's contest will likely result in lower production from Austin Ekeler.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph is expected to start on Sunday versus the Patriots. Will Levis (shoulder) is still working his way back, so the team will lean on Rudolph once again to handle things under center. But the 29-year-old hasn't played well during the 2024-25 campaign, throwing for 566 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks while completing 58.9% of his attempts. While Rudolph had some quality starts during his time in Pittsburgh, fantasy managers will be taking a gamble by putting him in the lineup in Week 9.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (toe) is expected to suit up for the Week 9 clash with the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers offense has struggled throughout the 2024-25 campaign. However, with Diontae Johnson now a Baltimore Raven and Adam Thielen (hamstring) listed as doubtful, fantasy managers are excited about Legette's potential moving ahead, even more so because he's found the end zone in two of the Panthers' previous three contests. With that in mind, the rookie should be considered at least a flex option, assuming he gets the green light to get on the field.

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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) will "try to play" in Sunday's divisional encounter with the Seattle Seahawks. The wideout spent time on the IR because of a knee issue before returning for the Week 8 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, finishing with seven grabs (nine targets) for 106 yards. Unfortunately, he re-aggravated the injury during practice and is listed as questionable for Week 9. There are other reports suggesting he'll be out there on Sunday. However, fantasy managers should monitor things throughout the day. If Nacua isn't out there, Cooper Kupp's ceiling will rise even higher. It may also mean more targets for Tutu Atwell. Of course, Kyren Williams would be even more of a factor on the offensive end if Nacua ends up back on the shelf.

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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (ankle) is expected to suit up for Sunday's NFC North clash with the Lions. The veteran didn't practice on Wednesday, although he logged limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. However, it wasn't enough to prevent him from earning a questionable tag for Week 9. The 26-year-old is coming off a strong showing, amassing 25 carries for 127 yards and two scores in the Week 8 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Unfortunately, Jacobs will have a challenging matchup against a Lions defense that has held opposing running backs in check this season, so fantasy managers could see him finish below expectations. With that said, he's still a must-start in all formats.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (ankle) plans to play on Sunday versus the Eagles. He was limited in practice throughout the week, resulting in a questionable designation for the meeting with Philadelphia. However, barring a setback, he should be good to go. The 22-year-old has played better than expected during the 2024-25 campaign, totaling 493 yards and four touchdowns off 85 carries. While that kind of production already earns him a spot in fantasy lineups, he may be more impactful if Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) is ruled out.

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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (groin) is expected to play (and start) in Sunday's NFC North showdown with the Lions. The signal-caller injured his groin in the Week 8 matchup with Jacksonville, ending his day prematurely. While there were reports indicating that the injury wasn't as serious as initially believed, he didn't practice on Wednesday before logging limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. Fortunately, all signs are pointing toward his availability for the pivotal matchup, barring a setback. Without question, Love's anticipated participation in Sunday's contest is great news for fantasy managers. However, he has been mediocre versus Detroit over the years, throwing for 648 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 64.7% of his attempts. Granted, Love is still a must-start, but fantasy managers may not see him at his best, especially since he may have lingering issues related to the injury.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. The Chiefs rookie receiver has seen his target volume increase following the team's bye week in Week 6. Worthy has caught seven passes for 56 yards and a touchdown on 16 targets in the last two games. Fantasy managers would like Worthy to catch more of the balls thrown his way, but seeing how involved he is in the Kansas City offensive game plan is encouraging. The rookie will take on the Buccaneers, who rank 28th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. If Worthy sees the same target volume he has seen in the past two games, he should be able to turn those opportunities into fantasy success. One factor to keep an eye on will be the involvement of DeAndre Hopkins in the Chiefs offense. Hopkins only played 32% of the snaps last week, so his time on the field will likely go up in this contest. More Hopkins could eat Worthy's volume but could also help divert the defense's attention toward Hopkins. Worthy is ranked as WR36 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week, so despite the uncertainty with Hopkins joining the fold, Worthy should still find his way into lineups as a WR3/flex option this week.

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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. Butker had no issues in last week's contest, as he nailed all five attempts. The Chiefs kicker knocked through three extra-point attempts and two field goal attempts, with his longest kick coming from 42 yards out. The Kansas City Chiefs are heavy home favorites in this Monday night matchup, which could mean a decent amount of Butker in this game. Butker is ranked as the sixth-best kicker in our RotoBaller rankings this week, so start him confidently.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9 on Monday night. The Buccaneers rank 32nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, meaning Mahomes will have the most favorable matchup at the position this week. Mahomes is ranked as QB8 in our RotoBaller rankings this week, given the matchup. Coming off his best game of the season from a fantasy perspective, the Chiefs quarterback will look to build on that performance in a primetime matchup. The newest Chiefs receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, should be more involved in this contest, which bodes well for Mahomes' fantasy outlook. Mahomes has been very disappointing this season, scoring only 14 points per game in a four-point per passing touchdown league. Still, a favorable matchup and gifted pass catcher addition should be enough to make him a viable fantasy asset this week.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. Kelce had his best game of the season last week against the Las Vegas Raiders, totaling 10 catches on 12 targets for 90 yards and one touchdown. Kelce had his most catches, targets, and receiving yards this season in that one game against the Raiders, and now he has an even better matchup. The Buccaneers rank 27th in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season, meaning Kelce has a top-5 matchup at the position this week. The Chiefs tight end has already established himself as the top pass catcher in the absence of Rashee Rice, and the matchup raises his ceiling even further. DeAndre Hopkins should be more involved in the Kansas City passing attack, but Kelce should still get enough volume. Kelce is ranked as TE1 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week and should be started every week.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. Hunt has been heavily involved in his time as the team's lead back, garnering at least 20 carries and a touchdown in the last three games. Hunt was a limited participant in Thursday's practice but logged back-to-back full practices on Friday and Saturday. The Chiefs running back is officially off the injury report and ready for the game. Now Hunt will face the Buccaneers, who rank 25th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season. With Isiah Pacheco still not ready to return to practice, the runway is set for Hunt to take off. The Chiefs are nearly nine-point home favorites in this week's Monday night matchup, so Hunt should be heavily involved in running out the clock. Hunt is ranked RB17 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week, so he deserves a place in fantasy lineups.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. The Chiefs acquired the star receiver last week via trade with the Tennessee Titans. His limited time with the team led to limited snaps in last week's contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Hopkins only played 32% of the snaps against the Raiders, so he will be more involved in this upcoming matchup. The Buccaneers rank 28th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season, so Hopkins should have no trouble producing against them. His role in the passing attack remains to be seen, but the Chiefs traded for him, so he will likely be a key piece moving forward. Given the uncertainty of his target share and limited rapport with Patrick Mahomes, Hopkins is ranked as WR35 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week. Hopkins should step into the Chiefs WR1 role and find his way into fantasy lineups as a WR3/flex play this week.

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