Before you finalize your Week 9 fantasy football rosters, be sure to check up on the latest injury updates from our expert SI Fantasy insiders.
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Quarterbacks
Jimmy Garoppolo – San Francisco 49ers
INJURY: HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN
STATUS: OUT – IR
San Francisco placed Garoppolo on IR after he aggravated a high ankle sprain suffered back in Week 2. It doesn’t look good for Jimmy G as 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan admitted Wednesday that Garoppolo may be done for the season. Nick Mullens moves in as the starter and C.J. Beathard will serve as his backup. With a host of 49ers dealing with injuries, including TE George Kittle and WR Deebo Samuel, Mullens is a desperation only waiver wire pickup.
Matthew Stafford – Detroit Lions
INJURY: COVID-19
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Detroit has placed Stafford on the reserve/COVID-19 list after determining he had close contact with a high-risk non-team member. He is still eligible to play against Minnesota, if he tests negative each day this week, but would do so without any practice time. Backup Chase Daniel will start if Stafford doesn’t clear COVID protocol. Whoever starts will do so without leading wide receiver Kenny Golladay who is out with a hip injury.
Andy Dalton – Dallas Cowboys
INJURY: COVID-19 + CONCUSSION
STATUS: OUT
Still dealing with a concussion, Dallas moved Dalton to the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday. Dalton won’t play in Week 9 against Pittsburgh and the Cowboys have a bye in Week 10. Backup Ben Dinucci had a rough outing during his first NFL start against Philadelphia in Week 8 and has been benched. Garrett Gilbert and Cooper Rush are competing in practice to be the Cowboys lame duck starter against the Steelers. Playing behind a terrible offensive line – neither pivot offers fantasy upside.
Gardner Minshew – Jacksonville Jaguars
INJURY: THUMB
STATUS: OUT
Minshew is dealing with multiple fractures and a sprained ligament in his right thumb. He has been ruled out ahead of the Jaguars Week 9 home game against Houston. Rookie Jake Luton will get the start, against the porous Texans pass defense, with Mike Glennon serving as his backup. Head coach Doug Marrone wants to see what Luton brings to the table and he will take his first NFL snap on Sunday. The Jaguars had a bye last week and are riding a six-game losing streak.
Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers
INJURY: HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Will this finally be the week fantasy owners get McCaffrey back in their lineup? Out since Week 2, the Panthers are expected to activate McCaffrey from injured reserve at some point this week. It’s encouraging that CMAC was able to get in a full practice on Wednesday. If activated from IR, McCaffrey is an obvious “must start” against Kansas City. Though he may share snaps with Mike Davis who has started the last six games.
Aaron Jones – Green Bay Packers
INJURY: CALF
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Out since Week 6, Jones is questionable for Week 9 after being limited in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Packers backfield is depleted as Jamaal Williams and rookie A.J. Dillon are out due to COVID-19 issues. That leaves Dexter Williams and Tyler Ervin as the only healthy Green Bay running backs. Neither player can be trusted as a reliable fantasy starter during Thursday Night Football against San Francisco.
Ezekiel Elliott – Dallas Cowboys
INJURY: HAMSTRING
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
While the injury isn’t considered serious, Elliott was limited during practice on Wednesday. What’s more concerning is Dallas not having an experienced quarterback plus an offensive line that’s been terrible during the first half of the season. Elliott is expected to play against Pittsburgh but he posted just 124 total yards and no scores against Washington and Philadelphia during his last two starts.
Chris Carson – Seattle Seahawks
INJURY: FOOT
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
As was the case last week, Carson will sit out practice until the end of the week. He will be a dreaded game-time decision for the Seahawks Week 9 game against the Bills in Buffalo. Veteran RB Carlos Hyde (hamstring) has already been ruled out so rookie DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer will split time if Carson is scratched again this week. Dallas posted 22.80 points in SI fantasy football leagues last week as he handled 18 of the Seahawks 28 rushing attempts and caught all five of his pass targets.
Kenyon Drake – Arizona Cardinals
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Despite having a bye week to get healthy, and coach Kliff Kingsbury labelling him as day-to-day, Drake did not practice on Wednesday. That points to Chase Edmonds rising to RB1 status against the Miami defense that’s allowing 125.1 rushing yards per game. The Dolphins have also given up nine touchdowns to running backs during their first seven games. Edmonds ($6,800) is the sixth most expensive running back in Week 9 DFS contests at DraftKings and will be worth the price if he gets the start.
Myles Gaskin – Miami Dolphins
INJURY: KNEE - MCL
STATUS: OUT
Expected to miss three weeks, Gaskin hurt his knee late in the fourth quarter during the Dolphins Week 8 victory against the Los Angeles Rams. Backup Matt Breida (hamstring) sat out practice on Wednesday and is questionable to play in Week 9 against the Cardinals on the road in Arizona.
A healthy scratch the last three weeks – Jordan Howard may finally get a chance to earn his $9.75M offseason free agent contract. Acquired from Chiefs, prior to the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, RB DeAndre Washington is also in the mix and is worth waiver wire consideration prior to Week 9.
Devonta Freeman – New York Giants
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
After missing practice all last week, and then sitting out the Giants Week 8 MNF loss to Tampa Bay, Freeman sat out practice on Wednesday. Wayne Gallman and Alfred Morris now top the New York running back depth chart with Dion Lewis as the pass catching back. Gallman posted 62 total yards and one touchdown against the Buccaneers. The Giants have a tough matchup on the road against Washington this week.
Mark Ingram – Baltimore Ravens
INJURY: ANKLE
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Inactive during Week 8 against Pittsburgh, Ingram was limited during practice on Wednesday. He is questionable for the Ravens Week 9 road contest against the Colts. Rookie J.K. Dobbins (113) and Gus Edwards (87) posted 190 combined rushing yards against the Steelers. They will share snaps again this week against the Indianapolis run defense that’s allowing just 79.9 rushing yards per game this season.
Tevin Coleman – San Francisco 49ers
INJURY: KNEE
STATUS: OUT
After missing five weeks, Coleman played limited snaps in Week 8 before aggravating his knee injury. With Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson still on injured reserve, JaMycal Hasty and Jerick McKinnon will share time when the 49ers host Green Bay in Week 9. Hasty is sneaky fantasy play against the Packers leaky run defense in the Thursday Night Football prime time contest.
Wide Receivers
Michael Thomas – New Orleans Saints
INJURY: ANKLE + HAMSTRING
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Limited in practice all last week, Thomas sat out the Saints Week 8 game against Chicago. Thomas hasn’t played since Week 1 and was limited during practice on Wednesday. While his practice time needs to be monitored, Thomas will likely play against Tampa Bay. Emmanuel Sanders has been removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list and he is expected to start.
Drew Brees (shoulder) and Alvin Kamara (foot) are also listed on the Saints Week 9 injury report. With first place in the NFC South on the line - neither player is expected to sit out against the Buccaneers. Rookie WR Marquez Callaway (ankle) missed Week 8 and was limited in practice on Wednesday. The Saints beat the Bucs 34-23 during a shootout in New Orleans back in Week 1.
Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
INJURY: FINGER
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Following surgery, to repair a broken finger suffered in Week 7, Godwin didn’t play against the Giants last week. He participated in the Bucs walk-through practice on Wednesday and is listed as questionable to start the Sunday Night Football showdown against New Orleans. Scotty Miller (hip) is also questionable while Antonio Brown is expected to make his first start for Tampa Bay. Brown will be “boom or bust” as head coach Bruce Arians has said his snap count will be between 10 and 35 plays.
Kenny Golladay – Detroit Lions
INJURY: HIP
STATUS: OUT
Detroit has ruled Golladay out for their Week 9 game in Minnesota against the Vikings. He was injured late in the second quarter last week and his timetable for return is uncertain at this point. Marvin Jones (3/39/2) stepped up as the Lions most productive receiver against the Colts in Week 8. A solid waiver wire addition in weekly leagues - Jones also has a reasonable $5,100 price in Week 9 DFS contests at DraftKings.
Calvin Ridley – Atlanta Falcons
INJURY: FOOT
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Escaping serious injury, Ridley is dealing with a foot sprain suffered during the Falcons Week 8 victory against the Panthers. He was held out of practice on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day as Atlanta prepares to host Denver on Sunday. Russell Gage (shoulder) was limited practice on Wednesday but is expected to start opposite Julio Jones against the Broncos.
Brandon Aiyuk – San Francisco 49ers
INJURY: COVID-19
STATUS: OUT
San Francisco has placed rookie WR Brandon Aiyuk on their reserve/COVID-19 list and he won’t play against Green Bay on Thursday night. Aiyuk received his designation due to close contact with WR Kendrick Bourne who is also out. Deebo Samuel is on IR (COVID/hamstring) and that leaves Trent Taylor and Richie James as the only healthy receivers on the active rooster. While it’s surprising that the NFL is allowing this game to be played – fantasy owners should bench everyone on 49ers offense.
Tight Ends
George Kittle – San Francisco 49ers
INJURY: FOOT
STATUS: OUT - IR
Things keep going from bad to worse for the 49ers as Kittle has been placed on IR and is expected to miss between three and eight weeks. Ross Dwelley will step in as the 49ers starter at tight end for their Week 9 TNF battle against Green Bay. There is also a chance that Jordan Reed will be activated from IR after sitting out the last five weeks with a knee injury.
Jimmy Graham – Chicago Bears
INJURY: KNEE + HAMSTRING
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Dealing two injuries, Graham was held out of practice on Wednesday. He is listed as questionable to start the Bears Week 9 contest against the Titans in Tennessee. Graham has caught 29 of 49 targets for 247 yards and four touchdowns over eight games. Rookie TE Cole Kmet will take over as the starter if Graham lands on the inactive list on Sunday.
Greg Olsen – Seattle Seahawks
INJURY: FOOT
STATUS: QUESTIONABLE
Normally held out of early week practices, for veteran rest, Olsen didn’t practice on Wednesday due to a foot injury. This is notable as Olsen was hampered by a foot injury during the last two seasons in Carolina. A risky play when healthy - Olsen has a 17/158/1 line over seven games. Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister will share snaps if Olsen is sidelined in Week 9. Neither player has much fantasy value. The Seahawks travel to Buffalo to battle the Bills on Sunday.
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