Week 9 was the perfect palate cleanser for Week 8’s lopsided contests. As always, there were highs and lows during the latest week of the NFL season. The pleasant surprises included an offensive outburst from two rookie teammates, a young quarterback demonstrating competency and an elite offense that lived up to its billing out of a bye. Sadly, two injuries were the most significant disappointments in Week 9.
Top 5 Fantasy Football Takeaways
Let’s dive into the biggest takeaways from Week 9.
Fantasy Football Week 9 Surprises
The Bears Had Two Breakout Rookies
D’Andre Swift didn’t practice all week, and he was ruled out on Friday with a groin injury. It’s possible the groin injury is significant enough to sideline him for multiple weeks, and the Bears might exercise extra caution with him after Kyle Monangai steamrolled Cincinnati’s pitiful defense.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Mongangai played 59 snaps, ran 25 routes, had 26 carries and netted four targets. Backup running backs Brittain Brown and Travis Homer combined for 19 snaps, 13 routes, one target and five carries. Monangai made the most of the bell-cow workload, rumbling for 176 rushing yards and securing three receptions for 22 yards. Monangai was scooped up in many leagues after Swift was ruled out. Still, he’s a must-add player where he’s available, and, while he won’t face the Bengals every week, Monangai should be viewed as a volume-driven RB2 as long as Swift is out. He could be an RB2 after Swift returns if Ben Johnson flips the backfield’s usage, or Monangai could be a flex if it’s something along the line of a 50-50 split.
Monangai wasn’t Chicago’s only breakout rookie in Week 9. Instead, Colston Loveland torched the Bengals for six receptions, 118 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on seven targets. Cincinnati has been pitiful against tight ends. Nevertheless, Cole Kmet was knocked out of the game, and he’s in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Kmet’s early exit, coupled with Loveland’s blow-up showing, could pave the way for Loveland to take a stranglehold on a full-time role. He’s an outstanding waiver target for TE-needy gamers, including those who lost Tucker Kraft to a likely torn ACL.
The Vikings Might Be In OK Hands
Skeptics of J.J. McCarthy called his sitting with a high-ankle sprain a soft benching. Minnesota’s decision to sit him until he was completely healthy paid immediate dividends, with a 27-24 victory against the Lions in Detroit. McCarthy wasn’t flawless, taking five sacks and throwing an interception. However, he also threw two touchdowns and ran for another. Minnesota hung 27 points on the board in just his third career start, and McCarthy was unflustered late after facing pressure all day. In fact, McCarthy completed a dart into tight coverage on a third and five with 1:41 left in the game to ice the game.
According to Pro Football Reference, the Lions were ninth in pressure rate (23.6%) and tied for fifth in sacks (23) entering Sunday. McCarthy will face less ferocious pass rushes in other starts, and his stellar showing could convince Kevin O’Connell to let him air it out more often in future games.
However, in a tight contest, excluding McCarthy’s three kneel-downs to close the game, the Vikings had 26 rushing attempts and 25 passing attempts. It’s probably prudent to treat them as a balanced offense, which is suboptimal for the pass-catching weapons. Nevertheless, Justin Jefferson was targeted on nine of McCarthy’s 25 pass attempts (36%) and 30 routes run (0.30 targets per route run). He turned his superb usage, albeit on a low volume of pass attempts, into six receptions, 47 receiving yards and a touchdown reception.
Jordan Addison had four targets, two receptions and 48 receiving yards on 30 routes. He also had a 16-yard rush. Addison’s ceiling and floor are lowered until KOC trusts McCarthy to throw more, but 64 scoreless yards probably doesn’t open the door to sell Addison, making him a hold.
T.J. Hockenson saved his day with a touchdown reception. Unfortunately, he’s firmly in touchdown-or-bust territory after garnering only three targets, two receptions and 11 receiving yards on 27 routes. Gamers would likely be better served streaming at the position in 12-team leagues and smaller.
The Rams Are A Wagon
Everyone in fantasy football loves a high-powered offense. Yet it’s even sweeter when usage is highly concentrated among only a few players, and that’s the case with the Rams. Matthew Stafford knows where his bread is buttered in the passing game.
Davante Adams ran 27 routes, and Puka Nacua ran 22, leaving early after getting hit in the ribs. However, the score allowed Sean McVay to err on the side of caution.
Sean McVay said Puka Nacua is good. Said Nacua “got his ribs,” could’ve gone back in game but team erred on side of caution by not putting him back in
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) November 3, 2025
Stafford directed eight targets to Nacua and seven to Adams on 32 pass attempts. Stafford completed 24 of 32 pass attempts for 281 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. Nacua led the team in receptions (seven) and receiving yards (95), and he reached the end zone once. Adams had five receptions for 60 yards, but he continues to have a nose for the end zone, scoring two touchdowns, which runs his season total to eight.
Gamers don’t need to be instructed to start Nacua and Adams, but they can both continue to thrive with Stafford spinning it, and the veteran signal-caller is locked into low-end QB1 territory, despite lacking any running contributions. Stafford is tied for the QB8 in points per game this season, with Monday Night Football remaining.
Kyren Williams is a featured running back, with Blake Corum serving as his change-of-pace backup. Williams played 55 snaps, ran 22 routes and carried the ball 25 times for 114 rushing yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Corum played 22 snaps, ran eight routes and toted the rock 13 times for 58 yards. Neither running back was targeted.
Williams is a low-end RB1, and Corum has cemented himself as a premium handcuff with some flex appeal when the Rams are sizable favorites. Corum has reached double-digit touches in back-to-back blowout victories, in three of LA’s last four wins and three of their last five games in general.
Fantasy Football Week 9 Disappointments
Joe Alt Suffered Another Injury
Sadly, Joe Alt was injured on Sunday. The second-year offensive tackle played only 10 snaps in Week 4 before suffering a left high-ankle sprain that sidelined him until Week 8. This time, Alt suffered a right lower-body injury.
Joe Alt –
Hard to tell if it’s more knee or ankle, possibly both. Right lower extremity injury.
His prior high ankle sprain was to the left.
pic.twitter.com/BTJc4iy7dI
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) November 2, 2025
Hopefully, Alt’s injury doesn’t require a lengthy absence. Justin Herbert has thrived in a pass-happy offense this year, but he has massive on-off splits with Alt.
Justin Herbert with Joe Alt On/Off Field
This Season, Per @NextGenStats
Alt On Field
o 8.0 pass yds/att, 9 pass TD, 2 INT, 107.2 passer rating, 40.5 pressure pct, 0.24 EPA/dropback
Alt Off Field
o 6.7 pass yds/att, 7 pass TD, 5 INT, 88.6 passer rating, 45.5 pressure pct,…
— Tony Holzman-Escareno (@FrontOfficeNFL) October 24, 2025
Obviously, the numbers in the post above don’t include Sunday’s action. Still, Herbert was sacked six times by the lowly Titans in Week 9. Alt’s absence would slightly diminish the fantasy value of Herbert, Ladd McConkey, Oronde Gadsden, Keenan Allen, Quentin Johnston and Kimani Vidal. Nonetheless, Herbert was awesome on Sunday, and the offensive environment is fantastic when Herbert isn’t sacked. Gamers should still recalibrate expectations and prepare themselves for some hiccups if Alt misses time, and it’s not outrageous to attempt to sell any of the Chargers at full value in trades.
Jayden Daniels Gruesomely Injured His Elbow Late In A Blowout Loss
Football fans and pundits are justifiably asking why Jayden Daniels was in a 38-7 blowout with 7:39 left in the contest, and the coaching malpractice resulted in Daniels suffering a gruesome injury — don’t click the link if you’re squeamish.
Daniels will undoubtedly miss significant time, up to the remainder of the year. Marcus Mariota instantly enters the super flex mix, and he’s a potential streamer in single-quarterback leagues, too. The veteran quarterback started for the Commanders in Week 3, Week 4 and Week 8, finishing as the QB6, QB17 and QB19, respectively. The following table has the receiving numbers for Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz in Mariota’s starts, via the Fantasy Points data suite.
Ertz could be a trade candidate before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. McLaurin was out in Week 9 with a quad injury, and the Commanders might not feel compelled to attempt to rush him back since they’re 3-6, and now they’ll be without Daniels for an extended period of time. It wouldn’t hurt to hold McLaurin in 12-team leagues with medium-sized or larger benches to see if he’s able to practice this week. Nevertheless, he’s probably a flex option when he’s healthy.
Samuel could be a half-point per reception (half PPR) and PPR volume-scam option without McLaurin, but it’s difficult to get excited about his ceiling. Samuel is much less valuable in standard formats without Daniels elevating Washington’s offense.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
