Per Arye Pulli of the NFL, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen would not commit to Anthony Richardson starting at quarterback in Week 9. "We're evaluating everything," proclaimed Steichen. Yikes. It's a rough turn of events for the second-year starter, but not exactly one that's a surprise. The former Florida Gator has had a tough go in his appearances this season, failing to complete more than ten passes in 4-of-5 contests that he's played the entire game. Alternatively, veteran Joe Flacco excelled in his three outings, tossing seven touchdowns to just one interception. Fantasy managers must track this developing story ahead of the team's Week 9 road matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. If the team does turn to Flacco, it'd be an instant boost for the outlooks of Indy's pass-catchers. Stay tuned.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) has reportedly picked up a high-ankle sprain and will "miss time," per Rod Walker of The New Orleans Advocate. Ouch. It's yet another ailment afflicting a Saints' offensive player as the injuries continue to pile up for them. The amount of time he'll miss is unclear, but one has to assume it will be at least a couple of weeks before he returns to action. With quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) projected to return to practice this week, New Orleans' offense is trending positively. Still, it appears they'll be without another one of their skill players for at least a short while. Wide receivers Mason Tipton and Equanimeous St. Brown figure to pick up more snaps, while newly acquired Marquez Valdes-Scantling could be pushed into action sooner than initially anticipated.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) will practice on Wednesday in preparation for the team's Week 9 matchup, per Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Additionally, head coach Dennis Allen is "optimistic" he'll play on Sunday when the team lines up against the Carolina Panthers on the road. It's fantastic news for New Orleans, which has been without their starting quarterback since the team's loss in Week 5 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Saints are reeling after their sixth-straight defeat, and while it isn't yet confirmed, Carr's activation would be a massive boost to the offense's outlook. If he does return in Week 9, he'll get a juicy matchup against a tissue-paper-soft Panthers defense. Keep an eye on his status over the coming days.

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According to head coach Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (collarbone) underwent surgery this morning on his broken collarbone. He'll miss the remainder of the season, as Kainani Stevens of the team reported. While Jacksonville's 2024 is in turmoil -- sitting at 2-6 -- it's still a considerable blow to the team, who could have potentially traded Kirk to a contender before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. He'll now begin the road to recovery. It's the second consecutive season that an injury has cut the 27-year-old's campaign short after missing the final five games of 2023 with a core muscle injury. The Texas A&M alum has potentially played his last snap for the Jaguars, with one year left on his four-year deal after being the subject of trade rumors recently. With rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) dinged up as well, wide receivers Gabe Davis (shoulder), Parker Washington, and Tim Jones figure to see an increase in usage.

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Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, there is optimism around Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love's (groin) status for this Sunday, and he is considered day-to-day. Love underwent an MRI on Monday, confirming he escaped Sunday's victory having avoided a long-term injury. It's excellent news for Green Bay, as the 25-year-old remained in Week 8's 30-27 win over the Jaguars even after initially tweaking his groin. Still, his status for Week 9 remains to be determined. Fantasy managers will want to monitor this situation, as the Packers' game plan could change with third-year QB Malik Willis under center -- particularly the potential for a more run-centric attack. Green Bay will host their division-rival Detroit Lions this Sunday -- one of the more staunch defensive units in the league.

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According to head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Cleveland Browns will continue to roll out quarterback Jameis Winston. Scott Petrak of The Chronicle-Telegram reported the news. It's of little surprise, considering the effectiveness Winston displayed in his first start since 2022. The 30-year-old tossed for 334 yards and three touchdowns in Cleveland's 29-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens -- two benchmarks that Deshaun Watson (Achilles) never hit in his Browns tenure. In fact, Watson had not eclipsed even 200 passing yards in any of his 2024 appearances. The former first-overall pick did an excellent job moving the Browns' offense, and he'll get a chance to build on his performance in Week 9 when Cleveland hosts the visiting Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.

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Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) is out of the hospital and defensive back Denzel Ward (concussion) is currently in concussion protocol according to Kelsey Russo. Koramoah left Sunday's game on a cart after enduring a collision and went to the hospital out of precaution. Thankfully, the 24-year-old was discharged and did not suffer any serious injuries. Ward suffered his second concussion of the 2024 season on Sunday and will likely miss at least one game as he progresses through the league's protocol. The Browns are slated to face the Los Angeles Charges next week. If both players are unable to suit up, the Browns defense should not be considered as a potential streaming option without two of their top starters.

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Chicago Bears offensive tackle (knee) avoided a serious injury and may only be sidelined for a week or two according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Jones was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders early. He was replaced by third-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie who struggled to contain Washington edge rusher Frankie Luvu as quarterback Caleb Williams was under pressure all afternoon. In this game, Williams threw for a mere 131 yards and completed just 41.7% of his passes. As a result, the Chicago offense was unable to find much rhythm. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Jones' status throughout the week as his absence would weaken the Chicago line and limit Williams' weekly upside.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb finally put together the performance that fantasy managers have been waiting for. The fifth-year receiver was targeted 17 times on Sunday night in the loss to San Francisco. He caught 13 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns with both scores coming late in the fourth quarter. The outing was just Lamb's second WR1 weekly finish of the season but with an astounding 45% target share, fantasy managers can expect more of the same in the future.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert was targeted three times in the comeback loss against San Francisco on Sunday night. Tolbert caught all three targets for 44 yards, making minimal fantasy impact. With CeeDee Lamb (45%) taking a massive target share, Tolbert will likely remain a touchdown-dependent deep flex option going forward.

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Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson worked in the short field on Sunday night in the loss to San Francisco. The 25-year-old averaged just 3.8 yards per reception despite being targeted eight times. He caught six passes for 23 yards, failing to make much of an impact in the box score. The receptions were encouraging for PPR formats and the 21% target share remains encouraging, but Ferguson has still failed to find the end zone in 2024 after leading all tight ends in red zone targets in 2023. He will remain a TE1 option heading into next week's matchup with Atlanta.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) is optimistic he will be able to return in Week 9 to face the Los Angeles Rams according to Gregg Bell of the News Tribune. Metcalf was held out of action this past Sunday due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 7 and was unable to practice all week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression this week as a return to practice could suggest he will be able to suit up this weekend. Metcalf has been very productive through the first half of the season as he has totaled 568 yards and three scores on 35 receptions. After scoring just 5.9 PPR points in Week 1, Metcalf has gone on to average 17.3 PPR points since Week 2. Fantasy managers should lock the 26-year-old into their lineup as a high-end WR2 if returns this weekend.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott struggled for most of the night on Sunday against San Francisco. It wasn't until halfway through the fourth quarter when Prescott and the Cowboys' offense came to life, pushing too little too late. Prescott's two touchdowns both came with under eight minutes remaining in the game. He finished the night 25-for-38 for 243 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The 31-year-old will be back in action next week with a slightly easier matchup against Atlanta.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott drew the start on Sunday night with Rico Dowdle (illness) being a late scratch. The veteran led the rushing attack with 10 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown. He added a reception for four yards in what turned out to be his best fantasy outing since Week 1. With Dowdle likely to be back next week, Elliott's fantasy relevance was likely short-lived.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (hamstring) will test out his hamstring during pre-game and remains questionable for Monday's game against the Giants. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network noted that if there are any issues with Fields, the team may opt to lean on the side of caution with the bye week coming up. Fantasy managers should expect Fields to serve as the No.2 option behind Russell Wilson if he is able to suit up. During his six starts this season, Fields averaged a solid 21.4 PPR points per game due to his elite rushing upside. Last weekend, Wilson looked quite sharp in his 2024 debut as he threw for 264 yards and two scores against the Jets. Wilson should be viewed as a QB2 this evening and a solid flex option in DFS facing the Giants who have the 20th-most points to opposing quarterbacks this season.

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Dallas Cowboys running back Dalvin Cook was elevated from the practice squad on Sunday night with Rico Dowdle (illness) missing the game as a late scratch. The veteran rushed six times for 12 yards and added a ten-yard reception, totaling 22 yards in his Dallas debut. He is not currently in the fantasy picture, especially with Dowdle expected back next week, but his usage going forward could further muddy the backfield should he be elevated again.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson is expected to be traded before the trade deadline according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Schefter reported this on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday afternoon. The veteran wideout was held out of action this past Sunday due to a rib injury. However, he has performed very well at times this season in Carolina. During Weeks 3 through 6, Johnson averaged an impressive 18.3 PPR points after struggling during the opening two weeks of the campaign. Johnson remains an intriguing buy-low candidate for redraft purposes as he will likely join a much more positive fantasy environment during the stretch run of the season. Fantasy managers who currently roster Johnson should continue to hold him on their roster as better days are likely ahead.

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Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (chest/ribs) could miss 2-4 weeks due to a chest and rib injuries he suffered in their loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon according to Jeremy Fowler. Fowler noted that the young wideout will undergo further scanning to determine the full extent of the injuries. Fantasy managers should expect the standout rookie to miss at least two weeks of action with the potential to miss a longer period of time. The LSU product has enjoyed an impressive start to his NFL career as he has averaged 15.2 PPR points per game with 573 total yards and five scores. The Jaguars also lost Christian Kirk (collarbone) for the remainder of the season on Sunday. This will leave Trevor Lawrence with a depleted wide receiver room consisting of Parker Washington, Gabe Davis, and Tim Jones in their Week 9 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph had his team looking competitive early on in Sunday's matchup with the Lions, leading two touchdown drives with the score knotted at 14 apiece a minute into the second quarter, but ultimately lost 52-14 after failing to score the rest of the game. The 29-year-old finished 22 of 38 passing with 266 yards, one TD pass, and two interceptions, plus he added four rushes for 29 yards and a rush TD of his own. Much to Calvin Ridley's delight, Rudolph gave him 15 looks and was able to connect on 10 of them for 143 yards. The Titans have a winnable matchup at home versus the Patriots in Week 9, but it is uncertain whether Will Levis will be ready or not by then. Neither one would realistically be a viable streaming option, but for Ridley managers at least, it seems Rudolph would at least be a slight upgrade for his fantasy prospects.

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Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze had a modest performance against the Washington Commanders in Week 8, finishing with three catches for 41 yards and no touchdowns. It's challenging for any receiver to shine when the quarterback manages only ten completions for a total of 131 yards. Odunze's 41 yards unfortunately led all Bears receivers, highlighting the limited offensive production. He was targeted six times, indicating that quarterback Caleb Williams views him as a go-to option, even if some passes were off-target. Odunze will aim to bounce back next week in a favorable matchup against the weaker Arizona Cardinals defense.

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