The Monday NFL Roundup: Week 9

Every day is National Tight Ends Day in George Kittle's world. 

In the NFL's world, it is the fourth Sunday in October. It should come as no shock that tight ends know how to celebrate. Tight ends broke the single-day record for receptions by the position with 177 catches. 

Kittle was instrumental in creating the holiday, but Kittle's teammates, Jimmy Garoppolo and Garrett Celek, ignited the phenomenon in 2018. After Celek caught a touchdown, Garoppolo hit the sideline and excitedly said to Kittle, "What is it, like, National Tight Ends Day?"

The best stories start organically. 

In many ways, Kittle has become the face of the position. His alma mater, Iowa, is battling for the moniker of "Tight End U," a topic that has hit the Footballguys Shark Pool. Currently, Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, Sam LaPorta, and Erick All Jr. represent the university in the NFL. 

Kittle also partnered with Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen to start Tight End University. The summit, which features an "immersive three-day program" that brings tight ends together in Nashville in June, offers developmental opportunities and fosters community at the position. The event doubles as a fundraiser, with proceeds from sponsorship donations donated. 

Of course, Kittle will join in and celebrate the week with his first 100-yard game, posting 128 yards to lead a season-saving win against the Cowboys.

Week 8 was for the tight ends, but in many ways, it signaled rebirth across the NFL. 

The 49ers win pulled them back into a tie for first in the NFC West, and they hope to have Christian McCaffrey back when they return from a Week 9 bye. 

Tua Tagovailoa returned to breathe life into Miami's stagnant offense. 

Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua returned to give Matthew Stafford and the Rams life and a chance to move into first against the Seahawks in Week 9. 

Jayden Daniels played through badly bruised ribs to deliver a moment Commanders fans will never forget on a game-winning Hail Mary. 

Jameis Winston took over for Deshaun Watson to spring an upset on the Ravens and keep the Browns season alive. For the Ravens, dropping to 5-3 with a head-to-head loss to the 7-0 Chiefs is devastating for any hopes of claiming the top seed in the AFC. 

The calendar flips to November, and the NFL's November 5th trade deadline is looming. The league has already seen a flurry of activity, with more to come. For now, let your freak out and celebrate with the tight ends!

Thank you, Nathan Jahnke. 

And now, The Roundup.

Blind Resume

We are all thrilled teams can throw the ball again. Multiple players had huge days. 

Can you place this production?

Deep League Waiver Watch List

"Waivers of the Future," released after this column, provides in-depth coverage of waivers. Below is a light introduction to players to watch on your waivers this week, emphasizing Superflex and deep leagues. 

• QB Malik Willis, Green Bay (38% Sleeper rostered) 
• RB Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore (81% Sleeper rostered) 
• RB Will Shipley, Philadelphia (68% Sleeper rostered) 
• RB Chris Brooks, Green Bay (3% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR Parker Washington, Jacksonville (26% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR Kayshon Boutte, New England (47% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR John Metchie III, Houston (36% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR Xavier Hutchinson, Houston (45% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee (10% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR Jalen Coker, Carolina  (36% Sleeper rostered) 
• WR Jermaine Burton, Cincinnati (80% Sleeper rostered) 
• TE Will Dissly, Los Angeles Chargers (27% Sleeper rostered) 
• TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville (44% Sleeper rostered) 
• TE Foster Moreau, New Orleans (20% Sleeper rostered) 

Stats Of The Week

TE George Kittle, San Francisco - 500 Catches, 6,777 receiving yards

Kittle became the fifth 49ers player to accrue 500 catches with the franchise. Fitting it occurred on a day that will be tied to his legacy. Numbers three and four are close, with Roger Craig at 508 and Dwight Clark at 506. On Sunday night, Kittle also passed Clark's 6,750 receiving yards for third place on the franchise's list. 

RB Nick Chubb, Cleveland - 6,585 rushing yards

Chubb moved into third place on the Browns' career rushing list. He trails only Jim Brown (12,312) and Leroy Kelly (7,274). Chubb also sits third on the franchise rushing touchdown list, with his 49 trailing Brown's 106 and Kelly's 74.

WR Calvin Ridley, Tennessee - 10 receptions, 143 yards

Ridley tied his career high with ten receptions and posted his third-most yards in a game. We know his history, and this was his second game over 106 yards since 2020, the second time he had topped seven receptions since that season. It was the first double-digit reception game by a Titan since A.J. Brown in Week 16 of 2021, and it was the most yards for the team since that same Brown game. 

WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore - 7 receptions, 115 yards

Flowers suffered an ankle injury on his first touch of Week 7, serving as a decoy for the rest of that game. Removing that game, here are his lines for the last four weeks: 7-111 / 9-132 / 7-115. That's a 130 reception, 2,028 yards 17 game pace. Somehow, he is "just" WR28 on the season due to a quiet game against Buffalo, the injury against Tampa Bay, and only one touchdown. He is the best buy now in fantasy football. 

Detroit Lions - 52 points scored, 19 pass attempts

The Lions became the first team since the 1988 Indianapolis Colts to score 50 points or more with fewer than 20 pass attempts. If you drop the point threshold to 42, it is the second time the Lions have scored 42 or more this season with fewer than 20 passes. The Saints also accomplished this feat in 2024, in Week 2 against Dallas. The last time a season included three games with 42+ points and fewer than 20 passes was 1979. The Lions have done it twice in five weeks. 

QB Jameis Winston, Cleveland - 334 passing yards, three touchdowns

Deshaun Watson has not hit 300 yards and three touchdowns since Week 17 with the Texans in 2021. Since the Browns organization returned in 1999, the team has had 20 games of 300+ yards and 3+ touchdowns. Joe Flacco, Baker Mayfield, and Kelly Holcomb had three each. 

RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore - 946 rush yards, 9 touchdowns

Henry's 946 yards are the fourth most through a player's first eight games with an organization, trailing Adrian Peterson's 1,036 in 2007, Eric Dickerson's 995 in 1983, and Stephen Davis's 992 in 2003. Henry's nine rushing touchdowns are tied with six for the third most to start with a team. Dickerson had 12 through 8 games, and MacArhur Lane had 11. Dickerson ended his 1983 season at 1,808 yards and 18 touchdowns. Henry is on pace for 2,008 and 19. 

WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas - 13 receptions, 146 yards, 2 touchdowns

Lamb tied his career high with 13 receptions and recorded his eighth two-touchdown game. His 146 yards were his first 100-yard game of 2024 and the seventh most of his career. The two touchdowns broke a tie with Miles Austin for 11th on the career list for the Cowboys franchise, and Lamb sits just two back from tying Terrell Owens' 38 Cowboys touchdowns. 

Backfield Hierarchy

Splitting backfields into key categories based upon snaps and opportunities (rushes plus targets). While carries may be similar, backfields that fall into a Committee with a Lead over a straight Committee saw wide disparities in snap counts.

Bellcows

• Connor completely controls the backfield. The Cardinals hold the NFC West tiebreaker and playoff position following the win over Miami; there is no reason to expect change. Benson carried rookie hype but had a slow camp and minimal situational opportunities to push for a bigger role. He is not a clean handcuff option, as Demercado would play passing downs. Conner will be a free agent following the season, but the organization loves him, and at his age, it is unlikely a big offer awaits to lure him away. 

• Snaps were again almost even in Baltimore in a trailing game script. Opportunities were not. The game plan was odd, and Henry was not featured against a league-average run defense. He still scored a touchdown and is Week 8 RB16 in a floor game. 

• Davis did receive some early reps, but Cook is recovering from the toe injury that cost him Week 6 and returning to his dominant work share. Davis's rookie hype, Week 6 performance, and placement in a high-end offense force him into a consensus rank on the fringe of fantasy lineups, and he frequently appears in start / sit questions. Please know he is a backup who needs a blowout game script or touchdown luck to start in your lineup. 

• Johnson and Khalil Herbert have 40 combined carries. Eight were in the red zone. Their combined season-long rush is nine yards. Still, they have five touchdowns combined. Swift, with five more touchdowns, would be RB4 on the season. If the Bears had fed Swift instead of trying to play Refrigerator Perry with Doug Kramer, they would probably be 5-2. Shane Waldron is getting too cute.

• Jerome Ford remained out, and Chubb held a dominant share of the Browns' backfield attempts. Jameis Winston leading the offense allows the team to stretch the field and attack vertically, similar to Joe Flacco in 2023. That should create lighter boxes for Chubb as he continues to get up to speed. Chubb's recovery is a feel-good story for a 2024 injury-dominated season. Ford still projects as the passing down component.

• Last week, this space said Jacobs was overdue for a spike game to make the fantasy community realize his hold on this backfield. This space also said it had a great chance of happening in Week 8 against Jacksonville. Well, 125 yards and two touchdowns later, Jacobs is RB2 on the week and RB10 over the last four weeks.

• Mixon is having his best fantasy season at age 28. He is second to Henry with 20.6 points per game. His playoff schedule is demanding, though, with the Chiefs ranking number one in fewest points allowed to running backs in Week 16 and the ninth-ranked Ravens in Week 17. Still, Mixon is a significant value based on ADP. 

• Taylor is back and looks like Taylor. Unfortunately, his pass game work with Anthony Richardson again served as the reason he sits at RB10 on the week. Managers are still thrilled with 100 yards and a touchdown.

• Bigsby made a significant step toward controlling this backfield and breaking away from a situational timeshare. The Jaguars' playing in a trailing game script is especially noteworthy given some of Bigsby's previous situation usage. Travis Etienne Jr.'s future with the team will be questioned through the November 5th trade deadline. Bigsby's value could skyrocket. 

• Hunt maintained his lead role on an inefficient day. The Raiders defense gave up a 100-yard day to Najee Harris in Week 6 and two touchdowns to Kyren Williams in Week 7. Hunt saved his day with a touchdown, but not hitting 60 yards on 21 attempts raises the question of whether wear is mounting quickly. 

• Mattison is the feature back. The Chiefs' defense is the worst matchup in the league. Given his volume, his low-point total could create a buy window to pick up an RB2 for the rest of the season.

• Dobbins is locked in as a Bellcow, but a low offensive ceiling and a lack of big plays—only one rush over 13 yards since Week 2—prevent him from holding a weekly RB1 ceiling. Drafters are still thrilled given ADP; his work share makes him a weekly start, but the hot start and feel-good vibes mask he is RB29 per game since Week 3. 

• Williams established himself as a Top-Five fantasy player in 2023. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp's return only raises the overall offensive ceiling.  

• Speaking of owning offenses, Jones was the only back with a touch in Week 8, with Chandler playing just two snaps. The loss of All-Pro left tackle Christian Darrisaw hurts, but Jones is another vet swinging leagues off a discounted ADP. If you have Dobbins, potentially use the loss of Darrisaw as a selling point to flip to Jones. 

• Stevenson did not fumble in October and is out of the dog house. Gibson came into the week with an injury designation but served as the complement. Fingers crossed, Drake Maye does not miss time, but after beating the Jets, the Patriots are trending up.

• Kamara is locked in as the offensive focal point and, after a two-year contract extension, will likely be a Saint for life. Hopefully, Derek Carr returns in Week 9 to raise the offensive ceiling. Yes, the Saints' offense is at a point where it hopes Derek Carr raises its ceiling. 

• Barkley did Barkley things. Jalen Hurts stole two "push" touchdowns. The Eagles have won three straight and are where they expected. An RB23 week with 108 rushing yards is Barkley's floor. 

• The 49ers have a bye in Week 9 and need it, with Mason leaving the game due to the injuries he's been fighting and Guerendo performing well but also leaving late after a visit to the blue medical tent. The team hopes to have Christian McCaffrey back when they return in Week 10. Given Mason's injury in a high-profile Island Game, it is likely too late to flip him for any level of value. If McCaffrey is healthy, expect him to dominate touches. 

• The Bills are labeled as a plus matchup for running backs. It is fun with the sample size. Derrick Henry shredded them for the second-highest fantasy total of the season in Week 4. De'Von Achane had a big Week 2, but if you remember, that was the Tagovailoa injury game where the Dolphins weirdly kept throwing to Achane in a game everyone wanted to leave. But in the last two weeks, they have shut down Tony Pollard for an RB31 game and now Walker for an RB38 performance. Walker's profile has flipped completely, from a home run threat in the run game and a zero in the passing game to a PPR-dependent option with just three runs of 20+ yards and none longer than 28 in 74 attempts. 

• Pollard made the best of a complete mess, totaling 117 scrimmage yards in a game his team lost by 38. The workshare is locked in, and it is worth noting that his playoff schedule does break favorably, with two games remaining against Jacksonville and fantasy playoff matchups against league-average defenses in Indianapolis and Cincinnati. 

Committee With A Lead

• You start Robinson every week. Week 7 showed that with a trailing script, Robinson has Bellcow status. With a leading script, like Weeks 6 and 8, Allgeier will be involved. Allgeier can not be in fantasy lineups unless Robinson is out or the Falcons play the Panthers. 

• The Panthers are a team to watch, with Jonathon Brooks needing to be activated for Week 9 or his window to play in 2024 closes. Miles Sanders caught a career-high seven passes with heavy garbage time usage. Every Panthers game has heavy garbage time. 

• Chase Brown received most of the rush attempts again, and Moss has the passing down role. The Bengals have struggled to establish any meaningful run game in 2024. When they play a poor defense, Joe Burrow and the passing offense create scoring opportunities for the backs. When they play a strong defense, managers are praying for the touchdown Brown was able to score to save his week. 

• A timeline of events: Mike McCarthy says Rico Dowdle will play more. The Cowboys announced that Dalvin Cook will make his season debut. Dowdle shows up to Sunday's game, and the team says an illness could keep him out. The sickness does keep him out, but he stays for the game, hangs out with the team, and meets fans. Elliott and Cook combine for a 2017 dream backfield but a 2024 nightmare—business as usual in Dallas. 

• Williams was coming off his best game in years in Week 7 and facing a juicy Carolina matchup. He was the only part of the Broncos that failed to get rolling. Managers are disappointed, given the situation, but he is still the back we want in Denver. 

• When Tagovailoa returned, the Dolphins also returned to having two relevant fantasy running backs. We are all happy. 

• The Jets are in the midst of a lost season and hunting for answers. For some reason, this week's hunt led them to give Hall the ball less. A week after the committee approach looked settled, they went right back to almost an equal split. Maybe someone should have told them they needed to beat the Patriots before using their backups. 

• Robinson looked excellent, providing the physical compliment to Jayden Daniels. He should be a buy target after his lowest point total of the season. 

True Committees

• Montgomery struggled with efficiency following the injury that cost him a portion of Week 7, but still scored and threw a touchdown pass. Gibbs is very good at football.

• The Buccaneers were back to White and Irving as the top two options. They were heavily featured in the passing game without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Both are weekly RB2 options.