The Las Vegas Raiders face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. Las Vegas' defense will be tasked with stopping the 11th ranked offense in points per game in 2024. They haven't been particularly effective at stopping anyone this season, and rank poorly in turnovers forced, severely limiting their upside. LV's D/ST ranks 31st in fantasy football this season, second-to-last in the NFL, and it's unlikely things will change. They typically face uphill battles, as the Raiders offense isn't good at sustaining drives and often loses the time of possession battle with opponents. Bengals QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja'Marr Chase, and RB Chase Brown will present significant challenges on Sunday. This D/ST shouldn't be started in any leagues.

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Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson could see another week of solid volume in his Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati ranks just next to the Kansas City Chiefs, who the Raiders played in Week 8, in fantasy points allowed to opposing teams' kickers. Carlson scored 10 fantasy points as he sent field goals of 32 and 54 yards and two extra point attempts through the uprights successfully. He hasn't missed an extra point so far and has converted on 88.2% of his field goal attempts to this point. He's an excellent kicker, but the problem has always been lack of opportunity. He's a risky start in fantasy lineups due to his inconsistent volume, though. Las Vegas' inability to consistently get within scoring range on offense limits his upside.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker is looking to bounce back to better production after two lackluster performances in Weeks 7 and 8. He's scored just 7.7 and 5.3 PPR fantasy points in his last two games. The extra defensive attention he's drawn due to the absence of the team's current WR1 didn't benefit him in Week 7, and Week 8 he faced one of the toughest pass defenses in the league in the Kansas City Chiefs. His Week 9 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, allow the 14th-fewest PPR fantasy points to opposing wideouts, making them significantly softer than KC's unit. Tucker is a WR4 for this week's contest, so he'll only be viable in very deep leagues.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II was actually fringe-startable in his Week 8 loss with the Kansas City Chiefs, but that was mainly due to him authoring a garbage time drive that went for a touchdown. He faces the Cincinnati Bengals this week, though. They boast a high-powered offense that could have the game out of hand before the fourth quarter, which would give him more opportunities for meaningless scores. Still, considering his penchant for turnovers (five of them in the last two games), he's a risky player to set in lineups in 1QB leagues. In 2QB or Superflex leagues, he's a decent start. Unsurprisingly, he appears to play better when his No. 1 wide receiver, Jakobi Meyers (ankle) plays, and he's expected to play Sunday.

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Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (quad) lost his starting job to his former backup, Alexander Mattison, ahead of his Week 8 matchup. He proceeded to rush the ball two times for negative-one yard after playing just 3% of the snaps in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He's unlikely to earn his job back. Head coach Antonio Pierce expressed his desire to continue getting White the ball, but it's unlikely he'll earn meaningful touches moving forward after such an ineffective performance. To make matters worse, he's designated as "Questionable" with a quad injury now. He's averaged just 3 yards per carry on the season. He's not startable in any leagues for now.

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Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison will keep his duties as the lead RB for the Raiders for their Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. He's been inefficient as a runner, averaging just over 3.1 yards per carry on the season. Most of his value has come from rushing touchdowns and receiving work this season. He rushed 14 times for 15 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, though they're the toughest run defense in the NFL this year. The Bengals present an easier matchup for him as they're closer to the middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Mattison is an RB3/FLEX in PPR leagues for this matchup.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) was a full participant in practice Thursday and is expected to play in his Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Meyers continues to be one of the most underrated wideouts in football, likely because of his poor quarterback situation. He caught six passes on seven targets for 52 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He'll face a softer Bengals defenses that isn't quite as lockdown against receivers. He had solid production before garbage time against the Chiefs, making his game more impressive. He's an easy WR3/FLEX starter with WR2 upside in PPR fantasy leagues this week.

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Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers remains an absolute must-start in all fantasy football leagues ahead of his Week 9 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie star has racked up 52 receptions for 535 yards and one touchdown through eight weeks of NFL action. He's the TE2 overall in full-PPR fantasy scoring. He seems to be a lock to finish top-5 at his position on the season, though the return of wideout Jakobi Meyers (ankle) could siphon a few targets away from him. With Meyers on the field, double-digit targets for Bowers becomes less likely. Regardless, he won't need many to finish as a TE1 this week, and can't be left out of fantasy lineups.

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The New York Giants defense faces a major test in Week 9 against a high-powered Washington Commanders offense led by rookie QB Jayden Daniels, who has propelled Washington to third in the league in both points (29.5) and total yards (396.3) per game. While the Giants' defense excels in certain areas, leading the NFL with 35 sacks and ranking fifth in red-zone defense (allowing touchdowns on just 42.1% of red-zone trips), their 27th-ranked run defense (141.8 yards allowed per game) could struggle against Washington's potent third-ranked rushing attack (165.8 yards per game). Despite being 8th against the pass, the Giants will need a strong, balanced defensive effort to limit the explosive potential of Daniels and his offense.

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The New Orleans Saints D/ST struggled again in Week 8, giving up 26 points to the Los Angeles Chargers. The team did record three sacks (which matched their output over their last three games) and a safety to salvage the day but failed to crack double-digits in fantasy points for the sixth time this season. In Week 9, the Saints get a rematch against the Carolina Panthers, who delivered the Saints' highest-scoring performance in 2024. In that game, New Orleans held Carolina to 10 points, had four sacks, and picked up three takeaways. Unfortunately, New Orleans is missing some key pieces in their secondary. Paulson Adebo (leg) broke his femur last week and both Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) and Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring) have already been declared out. Still, until Bryce Young gives cause to do otherwise it is safe to bet against him.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (hip) logged a DNP to start the week followed by a pair of limited practices on Thursday and Friday. He will carry a questionable tag going into Week 9's matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The seldom-used wideout saw an uptick in usage in Weeks 6 and 7 as injuries to Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) left New Orleans short on experienced pass catchers. He was the top receiver in Week 7, catching six of seven targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. However, he picked up a hip injury that kept him out of Week 8 entirely. Even if he is active on Sunday he will be competing for targets against Mason Tipton and recent signee Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson had three catches for 48 yards in Week 8, matching his season highs in both categories set in Week 6. Johnson is in line to better those numbers in Week 9 when the Saints go up against the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed more fantasy points per game and touchdowns to opposing tight ends than any other team. In Week 1 against the Panthers Johnson had two catches for 26 yards and his only touchdown of the season to date. Johnson showed good rapport with quarterback Spencer Rattler while he filled in for Derek Carr (oblique) but he will be better served by the former, who is set to return to action for the first time since Week 5. Johnson might be viable as a streamer in fantasy lineups tested by injuries and bye weeks and is an intriguing option for DFS players.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback/tight end Taysom Hill caught two of his four targets for 21 yards, took four carries for 20 yards, and completed his lone pass attempt for a three-yard gain in Week 8 against the Chargers. He also forced a fumble while playing on special teams that resulted in a safety. It was his first game back after a three-week absence due to a rib injury and featured his heaviest usage yet. In Week 9, Hill is suited for an even bigger game. Another week removed from injury, Hill will be facing the Panthers who have allowed the most fantasy points to both running backs and tight ends in 2024. With Jamaal Williams (groin) doubtful and Kendre Miller (hamstring) already out, Hill will likely act as Alvin Kamara's primary backup. Hill's atypical usage makes his boom games difficult to predict but conditions are favorable in Week 9, making him worthy of a stream for managers needing a solution at tight end.

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New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe converted field goal attempts from 40 and 43 yards out in Week 8 before missing a 44-yarder in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was his first missed field goal attempt of the season. He was not able to try for an extra point as the Saints were held out of the end zone in the 26-8 loss and remains a perfect 20-for-20 on the season. In Week 9, Grupe and the Saints take on the Panthers in a rematch of their Week 1 blowout wherein Grupe had his highest-scoring game of the season. In that matchup, he converted five extra points and had four field goals, including two from over 50 yards away. New Orleans figures to put up big numbers once more against Carolina's soft defense, paving the way for another big day for Grupe. Fantasy managers in need of a streaming option can plug him into their Week 9 lineups.

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New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (hand/ribs) was limited in practice all week, nursing a fracture in both his hand and a rib. Kamara carries no injury designation going into Week 9's game against the Carolina Panthers, however. In Week 1, Kamara had a total of 20 touches for 110 scrimmage yards and a touchdown and is in line for another big game on Sunday. Jamaal Williams (groin) is doubtful and Kendre Miller (hamstring) is already listed as out, making Kamara the lone healthy running back on the Saints' active roster. Already a key component of New Orleans' offense, Kamara will see an even higher snap share than usual with Taysom Hill seeing increased run as well. Carolina has given up more touchdowns (15) to opposing running backs than any other team. Kamara is as close as you can get to a lock for RB1 status.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave had his first 100-yard game of the season in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers. In Week 9, Olave has a weaker opponent in the Carolina Panthers and a better quarterback as Derek Carr is set to return to the field for the first time since injuring his oblique in Week 5. Injuries to Rashid Shaheed (knee) and Bub Means (ankle) have thinned out the wide receiver room so Olave will have less competition for targets. In the Saints' Week 1 blowout of the Panthers, Olave was targeted just twice and caught both for a disappointing 11 yards. Expectations can be set closer to last week's performance rather than the season debut but his production may still be hampered if New Orleans take advantage of Carolina's porous run defense. Olave looks like a mid-range WR2 in Week 9.

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A week after leading his team in targets, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Mason Tipton drew just two in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers and finished the game with two catches for 14 yards. With fellow rookie Bub Means (ankle) declared out and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (hip) tagged as questionable for Week 9, Tipton is suddenly next in line behind Chris Olave at wide receiver. Even with the dramatic jump up the depth chart, Tipton will be hard to trust against the lowly Carolina Panthers. The Saints' Week 1 blowout of their division rival featured the use of their running backs and tight ends, positions that the Panthers have continued to struggle against mightily. A similar game plan this time around would leave Tipton short on usage. He can be left on the wire in 12-team leagues in favor of players with more certain roles.

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New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton enters Week 9 against the Washington Commanders amid trade rumors and coming off a productive game against Pittsburgh, where he led the team with 108 receiving yards on four catches, including a deep 43-yard reception. Slayton has shown his big-play ability this season, averaging 14.5 yards per catch and posting 420 total yards, although he's managed only one touchdown across 29 receptions. Facing a Washington defense ranked 19th against fantasy wide receivers but allowing just 186.8 passing yards per game (sixth in the NFL), Slayton's upside will hinge on his connection with Daniel Jones on vertical plays. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues might view Slayton as a potential flex, especially with a higher volume, if the Giants look to showcase him ahead of the trade deadline.

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New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson will look to make an impact in Week 9 against the Washington Commanders following a quiet Week 8 performance, where he managed five catches for 30 yards. Robinson has been a reliable short-yardage option for the Giants this season, racking up 333 yards and two touchdowns on 48 receptions, though he's averaging just 6.9 yards per catch. Facing a Washington defense that ranks 19th against fantasy wide receivers but is sixth in overall pass defense (allowing only 186.8 passing yards per game), Robinson's ceiling remains capped by limited downfield usage. However, his consistent target share (72 targets) makes him a possible PPR flex option in deep leagues.

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New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers remains the team's top target heading into their Week 9 matchup against the Washington Commanders, aiming to build on his strong season. Nabers has tallied 498 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 46 receptions, averaging 10.8 yards per catch, and his consistent involvement (73 targets) highlights his central role in the Giants' offense. Last week against Pittsburgh, he showed big-play potential, narrowly missing additional yards and a touchdown due to minor execution issues. The Commanders' pass defense ranks sixth overall, allowing only 186.8 passing yards per game. Still, they sit at 19th against fantasy wide receivers, making Nabers a fantasy starter with upside if he capitalizes on his end-zone opportunities.

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