The quarterback position around the NFL has really fallen off a cliff. A season that started with such promise for guys like Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins quickly went down the drain. The stars aren't playing like stars, and many of the starters look like backups. The state of the position is in rough shape for a variety of reasons, injuries being a key one. Kyler Murray, Justin Fields, Deshaun Watson, and Daniel Jones know that all too well. Each watched their teams play from the sidelines last week, but there is hope that some will be out there for fantasy football owners in Week 9.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these starting QBs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 9 fantasy landscape.
For updates on banged-up pass-catchers Darren Waller, Drake London, Kendrick Bourne, and Curtis Samuel, click here. For news on ailing quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford, Kenny Pickett, and Desmond Ridder, go here.
WEEK 9 FANTASY: Top waiver pickups | FAAB budget planner | Trade advice
Kyler Murray injury update, Week 9 fantasy outlook
We last saw Murray on the field tormenting defenses in December before he tore his ACL in New England, but it's been even longer since he had a truly memorable moment on the football field. Fortunately, we're inching closer to having some new ones. The Cardinals' signal-caller is nearing a potential return in Week 9 after head coach Jonathan Gannon initially denied that would happen. Following Sunday's loss, Gannon declared that Josh Dobbs would remain the starter in Cleveland against the Browns on Sunday. Not even 24 hours later, Gannon said that Murray or rookie Clayton Tune would start instead. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that it's likely to be Tune, but the situation has evolved enough in a short time that it is anyone's guess what will happen now.
If Murray does end up playing, it's worth taking a week to see the results before awarding him a starting spot in your lineup. Coming off a knee injury, it's unclear how much we'll see the quarterback take off and run, especially at his typical rate. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the fantasy quarterback situation is in dire straits. Dobbs has helped this Cardinals team be competitive despite their 1-7 record, but the upgrade with Murray is clear. We'd steer clear of Tune or Murray against Cleveland's top-ranked pass defense, but it's worth adding Murray if he's still available in your league.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Justin Fields injury update, Week 9 fantasy outlook
The Tyson Bagent era rolls on. Fields will be sidelined for another game with the thumb injury, and his status remains week-to-week. Head coach Matt Eberflus left the door open for Fields to practice, but even that is up in the air at the moment. Most of the concerns with the Bears' quarterback center around his ability to grip the ball, meaning he won't play until he can do that.
Bagent is a nice story for people to rally around, but he is not a starting option in fantasy right now. He was fairly poised on Sunday night against the Chargers, but he's now tasked with battling the Saints on the road. In Week 8, Chicago abandoned a run-heavy game plan that was successful in their Week 7 win, leaving us to wonder if D'Onta Foreman will be featured more this time around. Chicago's willingness to run should help open the passing game for Bagent, but it's tough to trust the Bears offense in fantasy right now.
WEEK 9 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Deshaun Watson injury update, Week 9 fantasy outlook
Watson's situation continues to be a curious one. He was initially sidelined with a shoulder injury, one that lacked context. There was the random Dorian Thompson-Robinson start, the bye week, and then his inability to get back on the field. P.J. Walker started a game, Watson came back and promptly left, bringing us right back to the Walker experience. It seems that the target date moves back every time we get close, leaving everyone in limbo until further notice. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the absence is not expected to be long-term, adding that it's unlikely to be more than two weeks. That isn't the first time we had a positive report on Watson only for it to later not materialize, so proceed with caution.
If and when Watson returns, he shouldn't be in your fantasy lineup. The Browns might've seen enough to award him with a massive $230 million deal, but we aren't trusting our hard-earned cash with Watson anytime soon. As for Week 9, it seems Walker is the likely starter once again. With a more than generous Cardinals defense coming to town, we prefer the Browns with Walker than with Watson right now. Amari Cooper will continue to get plenty of targets as essentially the only fantasy-relevant receiver, David Njoku enters streaming territory, while the running backs are risky flex options based on their unpredictable usage.
Daniel Jones injury update, Week 9 fantasy outlook
In a miracle of modern medicine, Jones (neck) was cleared for contact. This came after all the reports indicated that Week 10 would be Jones' earliest chance to return. However, following Tyrod Taylor's rib injury that landed him in the hospital, news suddenly dropped that Jones was cleared. The timing is curious, to say the least, especially considering head coach Brian Daboll said Jones was cleared for contact before Sunday's game against the Jets only for him to be told afterward. It's hard to trust anything coming out of the Giants' facility now with their season going down in flames and the local media carving them up whenever someone's at the podium. Regardless, it seems that Jones will be starting for the G-Men when they make the trip to Vegas on Sunday.
Jones hasn't been a starting-caliber fantasy quarterback -- or even an NFL quarterback -- all season long, meaning the switch is unlikely to flip in Week 9. However, if there was a matchup that could do the trick, it would be this one. The Raiders defense has more holes than Swiss cheese. With the way the Giants defense is playing, that should give Jones and the offense plenty of short fields and chances to score. It will be interesting to see whether the quarterback runs as much this week given the neck injury that had many wondering if his season would be over. With bye weeks and countless injuries plaguing quarterbacks at the moment, Jones is a lower-tier streaming option in his return, though we'd rather stream someone like Sam Howell (@ NE) or Derek Carr (vs. CHI) who are also owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.
