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Matt Bowen
At various points during the fantasy football season, injuries, bye weeks and breaking news can cause you to need reinforcements for your fantasy lineup. Every Friday throughout the 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen will offer some late-week pickup options to help fill those holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.
Because of that, this column will focus mostly on players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.
We have four teams on a bye this week — Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers — so I went a little deeper, trying to give managers more options for their lineups. We’ll start with the quarterback position, with three signal-callers who will have positive matchups Sunday. And as always, we’ll finish with a defense to roll with, and this one will have opportunities to take the ball away in Week 9.
Quarterbacks
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (31.2% rostered; at Commanders)
This is a matchup play versus a Washington defense that ranks in the bottom five against opposing quarterbacks (20.0 PPG). Sure, the last time we saw Darnold (Week 7 against the Texans) he had a season-low 8.62 points. Before that, however, he posted back-to-back games with at least 20 points, and he has multiple touchdown throws in four of his past six. Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can dial up some big throws for Darnold here, plus wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (22.1 PPG) is one of the best players I’ve watched on tape this season. He’s sure to see heavy volume (again) Sunday night.
Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals (35.3% rostered; vs. Bears)
Flacco is working through a shoulder injury, so let’s keep an eye on his status heading into Sunday. If Flacco can go, I would get him in the lineup for the home matchup with the Bears. Flacco is averaging 23.0 PPG in his three starts with the Bengals, and he is throwing the ball to Ja’Marr Chase at an extremely high rate during this stretch (17.7 targets per game). Plus, Flacco gets a positive matchup versus a banged-up Bears secondary. Let’s roll with the veteran quarterback, who is quickly becoming a staple play in this column.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (38.8% rostered; vs. Colts)
Rodgers fits in deeper formats if you are looking for a streaming option this week. Rodgers has at least 16 points and two touchdown throws in each of his past three games, and his increased mobility is showing up when he must extend plays or get to the edges on boot concepts. This Colts defense ranks in the middle of the pack versus opposing quarterbacks, so you’re looking for 16 to 18 points out of the veteran in this one.
Running backs
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (40.4% rostered; vs. Chargers)
Spears saw the same number of touches (12) as starter Tony Pollard in Week 8 against the Colts, finishing with a touchdown run and a season-high 17.2 points. Plus, Spears has been consistent as a receiver, catching at least three passes in each of his past three games. With this Titans backfield starting to look more like a rotation, Spears is a viable pickup this week.
Kareem Hunt (44.8% rostered) and Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (11.8% rostered; at Bills)
With Isiah Pacheco (knee) expected to miss Sunday’s game at Buffalo, Hunt and Smith become options in deeper formats. Hunt had two touchdowns and 17.4 points on 10 touches in last week’s win over Washington. With the expectation that Hunt is the primary ball carrier near the goal line in Week 9, he is the Chiefs back to target first. However, if you miss out on Hunt (or if he’s not available in your league), Smith gives you more of a dual-threat upside in Andy Reid’s offense. He scored 13.1 points in Week 7 versus the Raiders and has caught at least three passes in four of his past five games, and Reid will scheme touches for him as a screen target.
Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals (41.3% rostered; at Cowboys)
This Cardinals backfield is a tough one to bet on. Yes, Michael Carter was cut and then resigned to the practice squad. So, he could be up (and see touches) in Dallas. But I think Knight gives you the most upside Monday. He has at least nine points and 12 touches in each of his past two games, plus he’s scored a touchdown in two of his past three. You can take a flier here against a Dallas defense that’s giving up 28.4 PPG to opposing running backs (31st).
Wide receivers
Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans (9.4% rostered; vs. Chargers)
With Titans No. 1 wideout Calvin Ridley still down with a hamstring injury, let’s roll with Dike for the second straight week. Dike has scored at least 16 points in each of his past two games and he gives quarterback Cam Ward a third-level target in the pass game. Dike is averaging 14.8 YPC over his past two, and he caught seven of eight targets in the Week 8 loss to the Colts. Teammate Elic Ayomanor (21.8% rostered) is an option here, too, but I lean toward Dike due to his big-play upside.
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos (50.4% rostered; at Texans)
Franklin has seen a major jump in volume, with at least eight targets and one touchdown in each of his past two games, and he scored a season-high 26.9 points in the Week 8 win over Dallas. He’s a glider with the ability to slither past defenders after the catch. This week is a much tougher matchup for Franklin (and quarterback Bo Nix). We know that. But in a deeper format? I’d still take a shot on Franklin.
Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots (39.9% rostered; vs. Falcons)
We can’t ignore the production with Boutte, right? He has scored at least 13 points in three straight games, with one or more touchdown grabs in each. Sure, the Atlanta defense ranks in the top 10 versus opposing wide receivers, but that unit just gave up four touchdown throws in a blowout loss to Miami last week. And it’s hard to find a quarterback right now that’s playing better football than New England’s Drake Maye. With four teams on a bye this week, Boutte fits in deeper formats as a high-upside play.
Tight end
Theo Johnson, New York Giants (25.0% rostered; vs. 49ers)
Johnson could be in line for a bump in volume if fellow Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (neck) is out for Sunday’s game. Johnson has caught at least one touchdown in three of his past five games, and he brings alignment versatility and seam-stretching upside to the game plan. If Bellinger can’t go, Johnson is a solid pickup.
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints (33.3% rostered; at Rams)
With Saints rookie Tyler Shough making his first pro start at quarterback, it’s smart to bet on high-percentage targets in the pass game. And that’s Johnson. Sit routes, flat concepts and crossers. Make yourself available to the quarterback. Johnson, who has posted double-digit points in back-to-back games, feels like a low-risk play versus the Rams on Sunday.
D/ST
Jacksonville Jaguars (45.4% rostered; at Raiders)
It’s rough out there if you have to pick up a defense this week, so let’s take the potential upside of the Jaguars against Geno Smith and the Raiders. Smith’s 10 interceptions (in seven games played) are tied for the most in the league, and he’s been telegraphing throws on the tape. Sure, the Jags haven’t recorded an interception in the past two games, but this unit had 10 picks in its first five games this season. That’s a big number. Let’s bet on the Jags to take the ball away this week.