Running Backs
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Alfred Morris, DAL- Whelp as of now the Ezekiel Elliot suspension is back on which means the likes of Morris and Darren McFadden step into fantasy relevance. At practice Alfred Morris saw reps with the first team offense but owner Jerry Jones also said that McFadden would be involved in the offense. Morris has been active all season, so it would make sense that he gets the first crack at the lead back job with McFadden coming in on passing downs.
Kenyan Drake, MIA- It’s not yet known who will be the lead back in Miami now that Jay Ajayi is a member of the Eagles but to me I am leaning Drake given Damien Williams’ role in the teams passing attack. Of course there is no sure there here so if only one is available in your league I would suggest grabbing him until the situation is figured out.
C.J. Prosise, SEA- In Week 8 against the Texans the combination of Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls combined for minus one rushing yards on 12 carries. Seattle just went and traded for Duane Brown at the deadline to bolster the offensive line so why not also give Prosise a shot at the starting gig. We know when healthy he can be an explosive playmaker and given the lack of performance from the other two backs on the roster it makes sense to see what Prosise has to offer.
Wide Receivers
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Devin Funchess, CAR- The shocking trade of Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills means that Funchess is the now the No.1 receiver in Carolina. While the Panthers passing attack has been erratic this season Funchess is enjoying a career year and should now see even more volume without having to compete with Benjamin for targets. Russell Shepard will move into the No.2 receiver role and his fantasy value also improves with this trade.
Phillip Dorsett, NE- The Patriots are currently on a bye but in Week 8 the lost receiver Chris Hogan to a shoulder injury that is expected to keep him out of action for a few weeks. Dorsett was acquired for Jacoby Brissett earlier in the year and will now have a chance to see a decent amount of snaps given the lack of depth the Patriots have at the receiver position due to injuries this season.
Kenny Stills, MIA- Stills has really taken advantage of the injury to DeVante Parker, having caught 11-of-19 targets for 150 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks. We know stills can be a big time playmaker as we saw during his days with the Saints and fantasy owners should not shy away from him on the waiver wire if he is still floating around there.
Tight Ends
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Vernon Davis, WAS- I’m sure you are shocked to find out that Jordan Reed is yet again injured. The Redskins tight end suffered a hamstring strain in Week 8 that will have him likely out for the team’s Week 9 contest. Enter the still productive Vernon Davis who has seen four targets in each of the last four games while showing off some big play ability. The Redskins have a tough matchup against Seattle in Week 9 but Davis should still be considered a solid play given how often Kirk Cousins will likely be throwing the ball in this game.
Player News
DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman believes rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa “could make his earliest impact on special teams.”
It’s not much of a surprise, as most rookies cut their teeth with special teams duties. Twentyman mentioned return duties as a possibility, though the former Razorback never returned kicks or punts in college. At 6'4/212 with 4.43 wheels, TeSlaa is an explosive athlete who never translated his physical traits to on-field production at Arkansas. The Lions clearly saw potential for him to do so in the pros and traded two future third-round picks to move up to No. 70 overall for him. It’s going to be a slow burn for TeSlaa in the pros, making him a dynasty-only fantasy option.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.