Fantasy Football studs & duds Week 9 of 2026 NFL season

The unstoppable machine that is the NFL season continues on for another week. The key is to get ahead of the bye weeks and the disappointing performances while maximizing the good ones. All we can do is move forward, since the NFL changes like the wind. So, let’s dig into some fantasy football studs and duds for Week 9.MORE: 3 teams that should be worried after Week 8StudsOct 19, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws a pass during the first quarter Washington Commanders at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ersThere’s no doubt that Purdy is a better quarterback than Geno Smith. After Smith threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders last week, what is Purdy going to do against them in Week 9?Coming out of the bye week should benefit the 49ers as, once again, injuries haven’t been kind to them. However, with Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel out for the entire game, and Christian McCaffrey for a quarter, Purdy still threw for 288 yards and a touchdown in Week 7.Evans and Samuel should be healthy, and the Raiders are allowing the sixth most points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Despite the injuries, Purdy still has 1,748 passing yards and 15 touchdowns through seven games. Things are lining up well for him this week.Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati BengalsLet’s keep the good times going for Brown. While the matchup might be slightly better for him this week against the Atlanta Falcons, I can’t imagine the Bengals are going to score 43 points again in Week 9. However, both the production and the role were positive developments.Brown finished with 55 yards on 12 carries while catching eight passes for 46 yards. Seeing his role in the passing game with nine targets bodes well for his future outlook. He’s up to 36 catches for 199 yards on the season, as that adds a nice floor to Brown’s expectations.Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota VikingsWith Kyler Murray’s status for Week 9 in doubt, it might be beneficial for Jefferson if Carson Wentz is back under center. Either way, the superstar receiver is set up for success this week against the Buffalo Bills.Yes, the Vikings have a strong defense, but the Bills offense is equally as good, so Minnesota will have to keep pace. However, Buffalo allows the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, so Jefferson should be in position to feast all game. And if Wentz is throwing him the ball, even better.DudsJan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks to pass the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesJayden Daniels, QB, Washington CommandersWhile Daniels is back, the Commanders are being careful with him, and he’s not running. Last week, he carried the ball just two times for 23 yards and failed to generate much upside. He did generate some offense through the air with 217 yards and a touchdown, but things should be tougher in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Rams.Not having Terry McLaurin doesn’t help, but the larger issue here is the fact that the Commanders appear to be cautious in deploying Daniels on the ground. It makes sense as they want to keep him healthy, but it does limit the upside. And the Rams aren’t going to make things easy for him.Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore RavensLamar Jackson was back, and then he wasn’t. He went to Injured Reserve with a thumb injury, and then Tyler Huntley went down as well. The Ravens were down to their third-string quarterback, and the results were as expected.It’s unclear if Huntley will be back under center in Week 9, but regardless, it will be a tough matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. They allow the second fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, and Henry is in a less-than-ideal situation. After three weeks without a touchdown, Henry reached the end zone in Week 8, but he had only 11 carries for 53 yards.I’m not sure that he’ll get many more carries this week, and when he does, room to run will be hard to come by.Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina PanthersMcMillan was targeted 11 times last week, but it translated into only six catches for 58 yards. Yes, McMillan has big play potential at all times, and he’s had explosive success, but he’s also inconsistent and prone to struggles in difficult matchups. Facing the Denver Broncos and Patrick Surtain this week certainly qualifies.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —