New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced Friday that starting safety Marcus Maye will miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles suffered during Thursday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts, according to Dennis Waszak Jr. of AP Sports.His year concludes with 46 tackles, one sack, and zero interceptions over six games.Maye has been a consistent contributor in the Jets' secondary since being drafted in the second round in 2017. He's compiled six interceptions and four forced fumbles over five seasons.The 28-year-old was brought back on the franchise tag earlier this year and is set to become a free agent after the campaign.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The first half of the season's final week has encountered a similar set of storylines as last week, with COVID-19 again wreaking havoc on rosters while questionable quarterbacks provide uncertainty.Let's look at the most significant line moves over the course of the week and where value lies.Texans @ Dolphins (-5.5, 46.5)This one is on the move, as the Texans' purported savior, Tyrod Taylor, has been announced as the starter. The +7 opening line never made much sense, and look for this to flirt with Dolphins -3 by kickoff.Broncos @ Cowboys (-10, 49.5)Dak Prescott is back, and this line indicates excitement about his return, paired with a dicey injury report for the Broncos. However, underdog legend Teddy Bridgewater is back in a situation where he thrives, and if you're going to give him 10 points, we'll take those and be content.Vikings @ Ravens (-6, 50)There's no major move here, but it's worth noting this went up from -5.5 to Ravens -6 when limits went up Thursday. The Ravens licked their wounds over the bye week, and John Harbaugh is historically strong coming out of the bye at 9-4 ATS. The Vikings lost their most dominant pass-rusher for the season, and if Baltimore wants to open things up and stretch the field, Minnesota's cornerbacks look exploitable with Patrick Peterson out.Browns @ Bengals (-2.5, 47)The line touched Bengals -3 but has come back off the key number despite bettors losing faith in the Browns. This is because most math models make this game right around a pick'em, so getting any points in a coin toss game is worth a bet.Falcons @ Saints (-6.5, 42.5)The number is heading up, and if it touches +7, a bet on the Falcons is required. The Saints are coming off a big win over the Buccaneers but are in a tough spot with uncertainty at quarterback. Going from 4.5-point home underdogs to 6.5-point favorites is a pretty big jump, even if there is a significant drop in opposition quality.Chargers @ Eagles (+1.5, 50)This one has been the bouncer of the week. The Chargers started at -2.5, then found themselves down to -1, and are now back nearing a field goal. This might be a case of market manipulation in trying to set up a big bet on the Chargers at nearly PK. Or, perhaps there was some real concern about Justin Herbert's hand early in the week.Packers @ Chiefs (-7.5, 48)This has been the mover of the week, for obvious reasons. Aaron Rodgers' COVID-19 announcement sent this from Chiefs -1 to as high as -8.5. Anyone who bet Kansas City early could have quickly grabbed the 8.5 with the Packers, creating a healthy middle. That would have dropped the number down to 7.5, and now it's a matter of how much you believe Green Bay will struggle without Rodgers. A 7.5-point spread pegs Green Bay as closer to the Bears' offense. If you think they'll be better than that, you should back the Pack.Cardinals @ 49ers (-2, 45)Anyone else having flashbacks? This game is shaping up like SNF from this past week when Dak Prescott was questionable. In this case, the QB in question is Kyler Murray, and even if he plays, it's likely to be in a compromised state. With the 49ers being the healthiest they've been all year, hopefully you beat the move on this one and nabbed the Niners at plus money.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is hopeful quarterback Sam Darnold and running back Christian McCaffrey will suit up for the Week 9 meeting with the New England Patriots, according to Joe Person of The Athletic.Darnold is listed as questionable due to a concussion and shoulder injury suffered during Sunday's victory over the Atlanta Falcons. He was limited in practice Friday and will need to be cleared by an independent neurologist to play.Rhule added Darnold could dress as the backup to P.J. Walker, who attempted just one pass after Darnold exited last Sunday. Walker has one career start to his name and has thrown one touchdown to five interceptions over his career.Meanwhile, McCaffrey hasn't played since Week 3 due to a hamstring injury and is yet to be activated from injured reserve. The Panthers will have until 4 p.m. ET on Saturday to remove him from IR.McCaffrey and Darnold played a big part in Carolina's 3-0 start, though the team has lost four of five since then.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 9 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 9 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartJoe Burrow, Bengalsvs. Browns Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / GettyDespite a couple of slow weeks at the start of the year when the Bengals were easing him back from injury, Burrow has been the QB10 in fantasy points per game.The sophomore passer has multiple touchdowns in every outing, including three scores in each of his last three appearances.He also balled out in both meetings with the Browns a year ago, throwing for a combined 722 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 53 yards and a score.Cleveland has struggled to contain quality quarterbacks in 2021, with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Kyler Murray each logging top-five fantasy finishes against the Browns.Boone's projection: 321 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, INT, 9 rushing yardsOther QBs to start

Dak Prescott is back.The Dallas Cowboys quarterback said Thursday it's "safe to say" he'll be ready to return from his one-game absence Sunday against the Denver Broncos, according to Jori Epstein of USA Today.Prescott was a full participant at Thursday's practice for the first time since suffering a calf strain in Week 6, and head coach Mike McCarthy said the plan is for the signal-caller to play in Week 9, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic."I feel good," Prescott added. "I had two great days of practice. I'm looking forward to Sunday."The two-time Pro Bowler added he's "pretty close" to being 100%, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.Prescott suffered the calf injury on the last play of the game against the New England Patriots in Week 6. Dallas had a bye in Week 7, but the extra time wasn't enough for the quarterback, who missed the Cowboys' victory over the Minnesota Vikings.Backup Cooper Rush enjoyed a solid performance in his first career start in Week 8, throwing for 325 yards and two touchdowns against one interception on 24-for-40 passing.Prescott put his name in MVP conversations through the first six weeks of the campaign after tossing 16 touchdowns to four interceptions to go along with a 115 passer rating. The 28-year-old has completed a league-leading 73.1% of his throws.The Cowboys enter Week 9 as winners of six straight games, the second-longest active streak in the NFL."We feel like we've got something really special going with our locker room and everything that's going on," McCarthy said, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. "But we're about beating Denver. I think the overview questions, the big-picture questions, we have to answer them ... We need to keep winning."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 9.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

Derrick Henry looked like a near-certain bet to win his third consecutive rushing title after averaging 117.1 yards through the first eight weeks of the NFL season. Then - as is always the risk with running backs - the Titans star suffered a foot injury in last week's win versus the Colts. It will likely cost him the rest of the season.That means the market is wide-open for someone to steal the rushing crown from King Henry, and there's no shortage of potential candidates. Here are the odds to lead the NFL in rushing yards entering Week 9 (100-1 or shorter), along with a few of our favorite value plays:PLAYERODDSJonathan Taylor+250Nick Chubb+300Ezekiel Elliott+350Joe Mixon+550Darrell Henderson+1400Damien Harris+1600Lamar Jackson+2500James Conner+2500Derrick Henry+3500James Robinson+4000Dalvin Cook+4000Najee Harris+6500Austin Ekeler+6500Aaron Jones+8000Zack Moss+10000Saquon Barkley+10000Leonard Fournette+10000Kareem Hunt+10000Josh Jacobs+10000Javonte Williams+10000David Montgomery+10000Christian McCaffrey+10000Antonio Gibson+10000Alvin Kamara+10000Melvin Gordon+10000Nick Chubb, RB, Browns (+300)Jonathan Taylor is currently second league-wide behind Henry with 649 rushing yards, but Chubb deserves to be the betting favorite after running for 584 yards in two fewer games than Taylor.The Browns star leads all active rushers in yards per game (97.3) and has the highest yards per carry (5.5) among backs with at least 80 carries. He'll need roughly four weeks to catch Taylor at that pace, and he'll benefit from one of the league's easiest remaining schedules.Betters shouldn't let the timeshare in Cleveland's backfield scare them away, either. Chubb has logged at least 16 carries in four straight games despite seeing a roughly 50% snap share each week, so expect the Browns to sustain his heavy usage as long as the 25-year-old is healthy.Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings (+4000)Cook has some ground to make up after missing two games through the first eight weeks, but he's one of the few talents on the board who can pull it off. The Vikings star ranks third in rushing yards per game (88.8) behind Henry and Chubb, putting him on pace for roughly 1,330 yards.The 26-year-old is capable of monster games to close the gap, too. Cook rushed for 131 yards in Week 2 and 140 yards in Week 6 - both against top-end defenses - and faces the fourth-easiest remaining slate for running backs, according to FantasyPros. Health is always a concern with Cook, but he's a steal at 40-1.Najee Harris, RB, Steelers (+6500)It takes talent to win a rushing title, but it also takes opportunity. Twenty-six of the last 27 NFL rushing champions carried the ball at least 300 times, and over half of them also led the league in rushing attempts.Harris and Alvin Kamara are the only two rushers currently on pace for at least 300 carries, though Kamara has never handled 200 carries in a year and must now split work with reunited teammate Mark Ingram. Harris, meanwhile, has seen 88.9% of the Steelers' carries by running backs and appears to be trending upward in that regard: He's run the ball 23, 24, and 26 times in Pittsburgh's last three games.The 23-year-old rookie averaged 98 rushing yards in those three contests - a 1,459-yard pace if he sustained it across the rest of the season. Perhaps that's too lofty a goal for the first-rounder, but he's also yet to have a breakout performance. Given Harris' natural talent and the sky-high volume he'll see down the stretch, this might be the best value on the board.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams is back at the team's training facility after being activated from the COVID-19 list, head coach Matt LaFleur announced Thursday, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky.Adams still has to work through protocols this week but LaFleur is "hopeful" the All-Pro receiver will be available to play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.The 28-year-old was sidelined for last week's win over the Arizona Cardinals after testing positive for COVID-19.Adams' return would be a big boost for the Packers, who won't have reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers under center after the quarterback reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Second-year passer Jordan Love will start versus Kansas City.Adams, who led the league with 18 touchdown receptions last year, tops Green Bay with 52 catches and 744 receiving yards in 2021. He's also caught three touchdowns.Green Bay also welcomed back defensive coordinator Joe Barry from the COVID-19 reserve on Thursday. Barry missed the game against the Cardinals due to a positive test."It's great to see those guys," LaFleur said. "They're fired up to be back. It's a huge benefit to this team."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans head coach David Culley named Tyrod Taylor the team's starting quarterback for their game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, according to Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle.Taylor will make his return to the field for the first time since leaving the Texans' 31-21 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 with a hamstring injury.The 32-year-old has passed for 416 yards and three touchdowns while completing 70% of his passes so far this season. He also has 55 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown."We will use the best guys that give us the best chance to win, and Tyrod Taylor gives us the best chance to win," Culley said, according to SportsTalk 790's Aaron Wilson. "He was our starting quarterback for a reason."Culley noted that the former Pro Bowl signal-caller is experiencing "no setbacks" ahead of his return, Wilson reports.Rookie quarterback Davis Mills went 0-6 as a starter in Taylor’s absence. The Stanford alum has passed for 1,357 yards, seven touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He has also been sacked 20 times.Houston is in the midst of a seven-game losing streak after scoring a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the season opener.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Legendary band Led Zeppelin were originally called The New Yardbirds, but Robert Plant and Jimmy Page were forced to change the name because it was deemed too similar to the original British rock group's.Zeppelin started their Hall of Fame run with three epic self-titled albums. "Good Times, Bad Times" aptly describes Thursday nights, though we hope, like last week, our trio of TNF bets feels more like the band's early works.The new yards birdOur own original yards bird cashed last week in heroic fashion as Robert Tonyan caught a long pass to go over his total, tearing his ACL in the process. We got a "Whole Lotta Love" for you, Big Bob!This week, we're playing another folk hero, Mike White, who arrived on the scene in thrilling fashion last week. Unfortunately for those looking for a repeat performance, I don't see an encore.A short week for a road team coming off a big home win is about as bad of a spot as you can find for the Jets, who aren't known for handling success well. It doesn't help that they're visiting a better team who's bitter over a loss and capable of long, time-consuming drives to keep opposing offenses off the field.The Colts' pressure percentage and defensive net yards per pass attempt aren't great, but only three quarterbacks have surpassed 259 yards against them this season - Matthew Stafford, Lamar Jackson (in a wild fourth-quarter comeback), and Ryan Tannehill (needed overtime last week). As exciting as Sunday was for New York, White is more likely to be "Dazed And Confused" in his first start on the road in front of what should be just short of a rock concert-type of crowd.Pick: Mike White under 259.5 passing yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenOur first tongue-in-cheek pick among the anytime touchdown favorites - Randall Cobb - painted the end zone with "Physical Graffiti" more than once, but with a relatively low total in this one, there are only a few shorter-priced candidates available. That's OK because we don't mind getting a little looser with extra money in our pocket.The Jets have trouble with running backs in the passing game, surrendering 79 receiving yards per contest to opposing backs, 9 yards more than the second-worst team. "When The Levee Breaks" for Jets tacklers, the yardage piles up.Nyheim Hines had four receiving touchdowns last season but has yet to score through the air this year despite his snap count remaining around 30%. The Jets stop the run well, so Hines could see a slight uptick in usage on a short week, as the Colts can line him up against Jets linebackers who have struggled in coverage this year.Pick: Nyheim Hines anytime touchdown (+240)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesLooking for a "Stairway To Heaven?" Our long-shot touchdown scorer could come from any of the Jets' wide receivers. Jamison Crowder and Corey Davis are the nominal starters and priced accordingly around +250, but after that, it's dealer's choice in three-receiver sets.PLAYER ANYTIME TD ODDSKeelan Cole+500Denzel Mims+600Elijah Moore+600Braxton Berrios+1100If Davis misses a second straight game with a hip injury, Cole and Mims become interesting, as their snaps increased in Week 8. With uncertainty there, why not look to the biggest payout on a player whose snaps also went up against the Bengals?In the victory, Berrios hauled in a critical catch for a score, which may earn him more high-leverage opportunities. The shifty, sure-handed Berrios is a good target inside the 5, behind the line of scrimmage, and could even break a punt return for a score. We hope "The Song Remains The Same" for the 26-year-old on Thursday night.Pick: Braxton Berrios anytime touchdown (+1100)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns are excusing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from practice for the second consecutive day Thursday, a source told Mike Garofolo of NFL Network.Beckham also didn't practice Wednesday, one day after his father shared a video of Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield's mistakes on the field. The post helped fuel trade speculation involving Beckham before the deadline, though Cleveland didn't move the three-time Pro Bowler.Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that general manager Andrew Berry is meeting with Beckham's representatives to discuss the receiver's future with the team.Mayfield said Wednesday he was caught off-guard by the drama, adding that he hasn't talked to Beckham about the situation.Beckham made his season debut in Week 3 and has since racked up only 17 receptions on 34 targets for 232 yards with no touchdowns.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A combined 5-10 record won't have many fans counting down the hours until the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts meet at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday night. Still, football historians will look back fondly on some of the past meetings between these two franchises.This might not be one for the history books, but the Colts' desperation mixed with the sudden cult hero status of Mike White makes this a better game than anticipated. Here's how we're betting Jets-Colts:C Jackson Cowart: Michael Carter under 49.5 rushing yardsFor all of the attention on White after the quarterback's 405-yard outburst in last week's win over the Bengals, Jets rookie running back Michael Carter also turned heads with 15 rushes for a career-high 77 yards and a score. It was the first time Carter rushed for more than 40 yards in his five games as New York's starting tailback, and he'll be hard-pressed to repeat his breakout performance Thursday.The Colts enter Week 9 ranked No. 1 in run defense DVOA and No. 8 in yards allowed per carry (4.0), and they're coming off a game in which they held superstar Derrick Henry to a season-low 68 yards on 2.4 yards per rush. The better way to attack this Indianapolis defense is through the air, where it's a modest 20th in pass defense DVOA with the fifth-highest passer rating allowed (103.9) through eight weeks. And with the way White looked in his first career start, he's earned the right to pick on the Colts' beleaguered secondary time and time again.This isn't to say Carter won't make an impact in this one - he's been targeted 23 times for 162 receiving yards in the last two weeks. But the matchup and likely game script for Thursday's affair point to a slow day on the ground for the rookie rusher.Alex Moretto: Colts -10.5It's not every day you see a 3-5 team laying double digits, but this is a statement game for Indianapolis. Coming off their second overtime loss of the season, the muddled AFC standings and Derrick Henry's injury have kept the Colts comfortably alive in the playoff hunt - now can they take advantage? The underlying metrics have been really impressive during this 3-2 run, and they're honestly very unlucky not to be 5-0 over this stretch. I suspect they'll take those frustrations out Thursday night.This is a horrible spot for White and the Jets - almost as bad as the one Cincinnati was in last week - after coming off a thrilling win against the Bengals last Sunday. As impressive as the victory was, it's a tough ask for them to repeat that performance just four days later on the road in prime time. Playing away from home is an entirely different beast in this league, and White is about to learn the hard way.As Jackson mentioned, the Colts are stout against the run. That's going to place added pressure on White to make plays through the air against an opportunistic Indianapolis secondary. The Colts also happen to have a punishing ground game, which they'll put to use, unlike the Bengals, who inexplicably ran just 15 times last week and were still covering the -10.5 spread at points in the game.Look for Indianapolis to place White in some uncomfortable situations on the road here, forcing turnovers and dominating the possession battle. Meanwhile, the Colts have averaged 28.8 points per game over the last five weeks and will continue to have their way on offense against a Jets defense that's barely given off the illusion of competence this season. Indianapolis wins in a runaway here as it creeps back toward the .500 mark.Matt Russell: Colts -6 (1st half)Laying double digits in the NFL is the last thing I want to do, on principle. However, this is a brutal spot for the Jets to get up and ready for. This isn't a franchise known for handling success well.Since I don't want to be vulnerable to White and Braxton Berrios connecting on a late touchdown to make the score respectable, I'd rather bet the Colts to come out with some extra energy in a prime-time game at home. They'll get a quick touchdown as part of Frank Reich's early game script, and Carson Wentz won't have to force anything in the first half. Anything under a touchdown is worth a look here in a game I otherwise don't want either side on.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Tera Victoria of Fantasy Pros joins Boone to discuss the important fantasy questions heading into Week 9.

Are we having fun yet?Some weeks, it may feel like we're trying to lose, but that's the thing about the NFL: The value is in the disbelief. If there was a ton of belief in the teams we bet each week, they would cease to be inherently valuable. Sometimes you line up a game perfectly and lose. Other times, things go off script and work out anyway.For as much as we planned on Jameis Winston playing inspired football, not even the involvement of Trevor Siemian could prevent the Saints from beating the Buccaneers - and taking the upset of the week to 6-2 on the season and an outrageous +9.9 units.As we arrive at the new midseason peak, 10 weeks remain to give some money back. Even if we go 0-10, this project will still break even on the season. But we've got a little gamble left in us.Amid the chaos of who's in and who's out in Week 9, we're targeting not one but two upsets of the week: the Bears and the Texans. As with everything great in life, however, there's a catch.The reason we can't pick just one underdog this week is that each team has some significant lineup changes on the horizon - and our picks depend on clean bills of health for a select few players.The marketHouston opened at +7 but has since moved to +6.5; the 1-7 Dolphins can't be favored that heavily against anyone.The Bears were lined as +6 underdogs on open Sunday, up from last week's lookahead line. Chicago's loss to the 49ers and the Steelers' road win against the Browns tweaked this up a half-point, but bettors are keeping it from touching a full seven points, which would be a dream for us.The injury asterisksTexans' offense vs. DolphinsThe Texans found some backers at +7, presumably on the assumption that Tyrod Taylor is finally returning. If so, I make the spread closer to Miami -4, so an official announcement will drop this further.As important as the veteran quarterback is, Houston left tackle Laremy Tunsil is the more stabilizing player for the Texans' offense. It's no coincidence the unit's momentum against the Patriots - even with Davis Mills - disappeared when Tunsil exited the game due to injury. Since then, protection has been a massive issue.Taylor's return will move this line, but Tunsil's involvement is more important to Houston's chances of winning.Bears' defense vs. SteelersThe Bears hung in with San Francisco offensively, as Justin Fields looked the best he has in his limited NFL action so far. But Chicago's defense struggled mightily with Khalil Mack out and Eddie Jackson leaving early.Those two - along with Akiem Hicks - are critical for the Bears to win Monday night. The problem is bettors won't get much clarity until Saturday.Pittsburgh's offense is manageable, especially for a Chicago defense featuring sideline-to-sideline linebacker Roquan Smith. But it would be extremely helpful to have the combination of Hicks' run-stopping ability and Mack's pass-rushing prowess.The other side of the ballTexans' defenseThere's no sugarcoating the Texans' defense: It's not good. What's more than a little shocking is that Miami's offense is operating at just 4.8 yards per play - slightly worse than Houston's 4.9-yard average.These teams turn the ball over at the same rate, and both have turned their opponents over at a rate of 1.1 times per game. They're as identical as their 1-7 records.Bears' offenseChicago's offensive numbers are the worst in the league, but the key to the team's competitiveness going forward is Fields' development. His play has improved in the short term:DATE OPPONENT QBR RUSHING9/26@ CLE6.43 CAR. 12 YDS10/3vs DET70.23 CAR. 9 YDS10/10@ LV29.73 CAR. 4 YDS10/17vs GB41.16 CAR. 43 YDS10/24@ TB1.68 CAR. 38 YDS10/31vs SF63.410 CAR. 103 YDSWhile Fields' quarterback rating is all over the place, he's grown more comfortable using his legs over the last three games. The Steelers, meanwhile, haven't faced a quarterback capable of being dangerous on designed runs since Week 1. Fields can garner a few extra first downs in what should be a low-scoring game.Keep an eye on the injury report, but we may have a pair of live 'dogs to back this week. Hopefully, at least one comes home to add to our profits.Pick: Texans +230 and Bears +220Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants placed running back Saquon Barkley on the COVID-19 list Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Barkley's retest came back positive after an initial positive result, a source told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. The running back is vaccinated and requires two negative tests within 24 hours to be cleared, Rapoport adds.The Giants registered 13 positive tests Tuesday, though 12 returned negative when retested, coach Joe Judge said Wednesday, according to Paul Schwartz of the NY Post. The organization was reportedly sent for additional tests Wednesday following the scare.New York also placed safety Xavier McKinney on the COVID-19 list, added Rapoport.Barkley's status for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders was already in question due to a low ankle sprain suffered in Week 5. He was a non-participant in practice Wednesday with COVID-19 protocol and ankle designations.The 24-year-old entered the 2021 campaign coming off a torn ACL. He accumulated 195 yards on 54 carries through five games before going down with the ankle injury.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced Wednesday that quarterback Aaron Rodgers won't play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs after being placed on the COVID-19 reserve, according to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and is unvaccinated, meaning he'll be out for at least 10 days, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.The 37-year-old suggested in August he was vaccinated."I've been immunized," Rodgers said before the regular season. "There's guys on the team that haven't been vaccinated. I think it's a personal decision, I'm not gonna judge those guys."Before reporting for the Packers' training camp in July, Rodgers petitioned the NFL to have an alternate treatment that would allow him to be considered the same as someone who received the vaccines, sources told ESPN's Rob Demovsky.The quarterback's personal doctor gave him homeopathic treatment to increase his antibody levels and Rodgers asked the NFL to review his status, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com.However, the league reportedly denied Rodgers' claim, ruling he would be considered unvaccinated.The NFL announced Wednesday that it will be reviewing whether the Packers failed to properly enforce the league's COVID-19 protocols, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Rodgers reportedly follows masking protocols while interacting with players and coaches inside the Packers' headquarters, though he doesn't wear a mask during postgame press conferences and weekly media sessions.LaFleur declined to comment on the vaccination status of his players and coaching staff.Jordan Love will make his first career start with Rodgers sidelined. The 2020 first-round pick is the only available signal-caller on Green Bay's roster for Week 9, as practice squad quarterback Kurt Benkert also tested positive earlier this week, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Veteran passer Blake Bortles is expected to sign with Green Bay and serve as Love's backup Sunday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Rodgers has completed 67.1% of his passes while tossing 17 touchdowns to only three interceptions. The Packers have won seven straight games and enter Week 9 as one of the NFL's hottest teams.The reigning MVP will be eligible to return as early as Nov. 13 based on the NFL's COVID-19 protocols, per Pelissero. Green Bay is set to face the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 14.The Packers are 6-11-1 without Rodgers since he became the starter in 2008, according to ESPN Stats & Info.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was caught off guard by critical comments made by wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s father against him Tuesday."I was as surprised as you were," said Mayfield, who added he hasn't spoken to Beckham about the incident, according to The Athletic's Zac Jackson.The Browns excused Beckham from practice Wednesday, one day after his father, Odell Beckham Sr., shared a post in which he criticized Mayfield. The post ramped up trade speculation involving Beckham in the hours leading up to Tuesday's deadline, but Cleveland reportedly wasn't able to move the three-time Pro Bowler.Mayfield said he'd be open to addressing the situation with the pass-catcher."If he's back, we'll work through it and do what it takes," he said, according to Doug Kyed of PFF. "I can put my ego and pride aside to win."Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who also hasn't spoken to Beckham over the last 24 hours, said Wednesday that general manager Andrew Berry is meeting with the receiver's representatives to discuss the situation."There's a lot of conversations that are ongoing between Andrew and his reps and I'm sure there's substantive talk towards all those things," Stefanski said.Many around the NFL believe Beckham could be released, which would mark the end of a disappointing two-plus-season stint in Cleveland. He's on the books for $13.75 million in 2022, but the Browns could cut him in the offseason for nothing since none of the money is guaranteed.The 28-year-old established himself as one of the NFL's best receivers during his five seasons with the New York Giants, but his production has drastically declined since joining the Browns via trade in 2019.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our top two Week 8 selections came through - but not everyone was so lucky.The first domino fell on Sunday as the Bengals became the first touchdown favorite to lose this season, taking a massive chunk of survivor entries down with them. I lost one of my four entries as well, but with nearly half of my pool on Cincinnati, it's a trade-off I'll gladly take.Before we dive into Week 9, I just wanted to say that this article will be published on Wednesdays going forward, having been posted on Tuesdays up to this point. As injuries pile up and more players land on the COVID-19 list, the extra day just allows for more player news to come through, thus resulting in greater accuracy in these articles.With that being said, here's how Week 9 shakes out:AWAYHOMEPICK (CR)BillsJaguars (+14.5)BUF (9)TitansRams (-7.5)LAR (8)JetsColts (-10.5)IND (8)BroncosCowboys (-10)DAL (7)FalconsSaints (-6)NO (5)TexansDolphins (-6.5)MIA (4)PackersChiefs (-8)KC (4)BearsSteelers (-6.5)PIT (3)VikingsRavens (-5.5)BAL (2)ChargersEagles (+2.5)LAC (2)BrownsBengals (-3)CIN (1)RaidersGiants (+3)LV (1)PatriotsPanthers (+4)CAR (1)Cardinals49ers (+2.5)ARI (1)Right off the hop, we're seeing the strain of no longer having the Bills or Rams available to pick. This is going to be a common theme the rest of the way, as both teams have fairly easy schedules down the stretch - especially Buffalo. If you still have one of those teams available, snag them this week without hesitation. If not, let's pivot to one of the other options available to us.Pick: ColtsI can understand people's hesitancy to pick against AFC offensive player of the week Mike White, given the survivor casualties he racked up in Week 8, but this script will be different. White played at home against a Bengals team that was in not only a letdown spot but also a lookahead. It was the perfect storm for a Jets team that's been far more competent at home this season than on the road (2-1 at MetLife Stadium, 0-4 everywhere else).Not to discredit New York's win, but Cincinnati was the architect of its own demise. The Bengals inexplicably ran the ball just 15 times, despite leading for a large chunk of the game. Twice they were inside the Jets' 5-yard line only to come away with three points total, and Joe Burrow threw a brutal interception deep in Cincinnati territory with his team leading by five late in the fourth quarter. With more balanced play-calling and better execution on offense, the Bengals would have won comfortably - but we anticipated that being a concern given the spot they were in.This spot is much better for the Colts, who are home for the second week in a row, which is of greater significance on a short week. It's also a big downgrade for White, who has to come into a hostile environment in prime time to face an Indianapolis team fighting for its life. We've seen a similar situation unfold with Davis Mills, who's a good measuring stick for White. Mills has a 6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio at home this season, compared to a 1-to-7 ratio on the road.Big favorites have a strong win rate on Thursday Night Football, and that's amplified at home. Since 2016, home favorites of at least a touchdown are 14-4-1 ATS and 18-1 SU on Thursdays. Despite a tough loss a week ago, this is a good spot for the Colts who will be buoyed by the Derrick Henry injury news reviving their slim hopes for a division title. Carson Wentz can be turnover prone, but this is still an efficient offense that will command possession, tire out the Jets' defense, and force White into mistakes when he has to play catch up.The Colts have been a well-oiled machine on offense after a slow start, averaging 28.8 points over the last five games. Jonathan Taylor has found a nice rhythm and Michael Pittman's second-year breakout is legit. Don't be fooled by the 3-5 record as this team could just as easily be 5-3, which would be a more appropriate record given their underlying metrics. Indianapolis actually grades higher than Cincinnati in both pass rush win rate and run stop win rate.New York is coming off a shocking victory in what was truly the perfect storm, and while White's story is heartwarming, don't let the fourth-year journeyman scare you off picking the Colts this week. This is a great sell-high spot on these Jets.Alternate pick: CowboysDoubt the Cowboys at your own peril. It's difficult to know just how serious to take Dallas, given how much media attention the team commands, but this year's edition is the best they've had in a long time and they deserve to be talked about among the NFL's elite.The Broncos can be a handful with a full complement of weapons on offense, but last week proved that Jerry Jeudy still isn't fully up to speed and the offensive line remains a hindrance. Denver has allowed the third-most sacks and continues to struggle to find consistency in the running game.But the biggest issue for the Broncos remains their defense. Denver is trending in the wrong direction, allowing a miserable 6.1 yards per play over its last three games. Meanwhile, the Cowboys lead the league on offense in that same timeframe, managing a ridiculous 6.7 yards per play. Dak Prescott will be back for this game, while Michael Gallup could also return for the first time since Week 1. That would give the Cowboys a full arsenal of weapons against a defense that ranks 29th in pass rush win rate and just traded away its best pass rusher.Avoid: Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers, RavensDolphinsThe Dolphins are the team I'm most confident in from this list, but you simply can't pick a one-win team at this stage of the season in survivor. While I do think Miami wins here - this isn't a team looking to tank considering they don't own their own first-round pick - the Dolphins are repeatedly finding creative ways to lose. I am also worried about the galvanizing effect Tyrod Taylor's return will have on the Texans.ChiefsThis is a late addition to the list thanks to the Aaron Rodgers news. Yes, Rodgers is one of the most important players in the NFL, but the Chiefs remain a mess after barely beating the injury-riddled Giants at Arrowhead. We can't say for sure that Daniel Jones is better than Jordan Love - but we can say with the utmost certainty that the Packers have more offensive talent than the Giants. I'll take Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Davante Adams, and Allen Lazard over Devontae Booker, John Ross, a one-legged Sterling Shepard, and a one-handed Kadarius Toney.SteelersAs we saw against the Seahawks a few weeks ago, the Steelers never make life easy on themselves. The Bears showed signs of life on offense against the 49ers with coach Matt Nagy out of the way - shocker! While Chicago's defense was gashed, it could get Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson, and Akiem Hicks back for a date with a rather sluggish Pittsburgh offense. With this game being played on Monday night, we likely won't know the status of these three defenders until gameday, which makes this a clear stay-away spot.Note: The Steelers host the Lions next week, which is a much better spot to save them for.RavensOne unexpected spot that teams historically struggle in is at home following a bye week. We've seen that trend hold true this season with the likes of the 49ers, Vikings, and Chargers all losing on home soil coming out of their byes as favorites of -3 to -6. The Ravens fall into the same spot, and they get a Minnesota team in a nice buy-low spot coming off a disappointing loss to Dallas. The Vikings have the recipe on offense to beat Baltimore, and their tendency to play close games also makes this a stay-away option - unless you're looking to add a little more spice to your life.Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said he's certain that Kyler Murray will be a game-day decision Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers due to an ankle injury, according to team reporter Darren Urban.However, Kingsbury was open to the idea of Murray playing even if he can't participate in practice throughout the week."He has got that type of ability," Kingsbury said Wednesday. "If it was earlier in his career, probably not. His understanding of the system now and some of the pieces that we have around him, I feel good about that."Murray favored his ankle following a game-sealing interception during Thursday's loss to the Green Bay Packers. The injury was reported to come with a recovery timetable of one-to-three weeks, though the Cardinals were hopeful the extra rest following the Thursday game would aid him.The 2019 first overall pick said he believes he can suit up as long as he's able to protect himself in the pocket, even at the cost of eliminating his rushing ability."I don't need to run," Murray said. "There is a difference between running and protecting yourself, and you can't just be a sitting duck in the pocket."Kingsbury says the Cardinals will do what's best for the organization and for Murray's health.The 24-year-old has been an early MVP candidate after leading the Cardinals to a 7-1 record. He's thrown for 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions while adding another three scores with his legs.Veteran signal-caller Colt McCoy would be in line to start if Murray is sidelined.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values and rest of season rankings for each position.Trade Values

Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said Wednesday that the team ultimately decided not to trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson prior to Tuesday's deadline."We did our due diligence behind the scenes trying to figure out as much as we can, and we decided not to pursue a trade," Grier said, according to David Furones of the Sun Sentinel."We're doing background work and investigating everything. Just because we do that, doesn't mean we're going to do a deal," he added.Over the last few weeks, the Dolphins were reportedly considered front-runners in trade talks with the Texans for Watson, who's been a healthy scratch for the first eight weeks of the season amid police and NFL investigations. He's facing lawsuits from 22 women who say he committed sexual misconduct or sexually assaulted them during massage sessions."We never got to a point where anything was close to happening," Grier said, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.Grier didn't deny the reports linking the Dolphins to Watson, but he said most of them weren't accurate."I can't come out here denying every week saying false, false, false. ... Even if I did, people wouldn’t believe me," he said.Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly "had contingencies that needed to be met" in a potential trade for Watson and made the final decision not to move forward after running out of time to come to an agreement with the quarterback.Grier said the fact that Miami considered adding Watson doesn't mean the team doesn't believe in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa."We're very happy with Tua. We think he's developing well," Grier said, according to Furones."If there's a player available around the league that's viewed as being one of the top players in the league - at any position - I think you look at it and go for it," he added, according to Miami Herald's Daniel Oyefusi.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas announced Wednesday that he will be shut down for the remainder of the 2021 campaign due to a setback with his ankle injury."The team and I have worked diligently, day and night to rehab and get me back on the field," Thomas wrote in a statement. "Unfortunately, there has been another small setback, which we will have to address. To my displeasure, I will not be able to make it back in time for this season but will do everything in my power to get back to the player I have always been."It was reported earlier Wednesday that Thomas' return date was uncertain as a result of a new ankle injury. He was placed on the PUP list after undergoing surgery on a separate ankle injury suffered at the beginning of the 2020 campaign. He was eligible to return after Week 6, though his season will now conclude without him playing a single snap.Head coach Sean Payton said Thomas' setback is related to the previous ankle surgery and that the wideout may need another procedure to address the issue, according to Amie Just of NOLA.com.The wideout's setback played a part in New Orleans' attempt to acquire a receiver before Tuesday's trade deadline. The Saints reportedly discussed a trade with the Cleveland Browns for Odell Beckham Jr., but the two sides couldn't come to a deal.Thomas had been one of the league's most productive wide receivers since 2016 but ankle injuries have hampered him since 2020. He was limited to just seven games last season and posted career lows in receiving yards (438) and touchdowns (0).New Orleans' passing offense currently ranks 31st in the NFL. No wideout has produced more than 300 receiving yards. The Saints rank second in the NFC South at 5-2, though they also lost quarterback Jameis Winston to a season-ending ACL injury in Week 8.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.This week, we highlight one player for every team who must step up in the second half of the season.1. Los Angeles Rams (7-1) Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 3It would be unfair to list just one special teams player here from the Rams. The whole group, led by coordinator Joe DeCamillis, needs to step up after being outcoached in most games through the first two months of the campaign.2. Green Bay Packers (7-1)Previous Rank: 5The Packers need someone to step up as their No. 1 corner with Jaire Alexander's return timetable unclear - and that guy can be Eric Stokes. The rookie is having a good year, but it remains to be seen whether he's ready to line up against the NFL's top pass-catchers. After an unimpressive outing against the Cardinals, Stokes is now set to face some of the league's scariest receiving corps in November (Chiefs, Seahawks, Vikings, and Rams).3. Buffalo Bills (5-2)Previous Rank: 4Did everyone see how disruptive the Bills' defense was against the Dolphins? Granted, Miami has a weak offensive line, but Ed Oliver deserves a ton of credit after enjoying his best game of the season Sunday. The 2019 top-10 pick mainly stayed quiet until Week 8, but Buffalo won't have to worry about its lack of interior pressure anymore if Oliver can replicate his last performance more often.4. Dallas Cowboys (6-1)Previous Rank: 6The center position is essentially the only weak spot on the Cowboys' offense, as starter Tyler Biadasz hasn't progressed as much as fans hoped he would during his sophomore campaign. Biadasz's lack of consistency has him ranked 29th among centers this season, according to PFF.5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 2Assuming the secondary improves with starting corners Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting returning from injury soon, the Bucs should focus on Devin White. He took his game to another level in 2020 but has missed 15.1% of his tackle attempts this season (compared to 11% last year) and has yet to record a sack.6. Arizona Cardinals (7-1)Previous Rank: 1Chandler Jones needs to step up for two main reasons. Firstly, he's recorded no sacks and only four tackles in the five games since a five-sack performance in Week 1. Additionally, Arizona's defense needs extra help up front, with J.J. Watt likely to miss the remainder of the campaign.7. Tennessee Titans (6-2)Previous Rank: 9Tennessee knew Julio Jones' prime was behind him when they traded for the seven-time Pro Bowler. Still, it definitely didn't expect the wideout to have only 17 receptions for 301 yards and no touchdowns over five appearances. Plus, Jones is averaging only two yards of separation per target, the fifth-lowest mark in the league.8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)Previous Rank: 10Patrick Queen went from being a Defensive Rookie of the Year contender in 2020 to becoming a concern for the Ravens. Baltimore has struggled with 58 missed tackles this season, and Queen produced 10 of those. The Ravens recently reduced his defensive role as a result of the struggles.9. New Orleans Saints (5-2)Previous Rank: 13The Saints won't have starting quarterback Jameis Winston for the remainder of the season and they apparently don't plan to add a free-agent signal-caller to replace him. That means it's time for Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian to step up. Hill hasn't played since Week 5 due to a concussion but is expected to return soon, while Siemian has experience as a starter and played well in relief of Winston in Week 8 against the Bucs. It's still unclear who will be New Orleans' starter moving forward, but we shouldn't be surprised if coach Sean Payton gets creative by using both passers.Editor's note: Michael Thomas was our initial pick here due to the Saints' passing game struggles and their lack of depth at wide receiver. However, Thomas surprisingly announced Wednesday morning that he won't return this season due to a setback with his ankle injury.10. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2) Jeff Bottari / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 11The Raiders moved Alex Leatherwood from right tackle to guard due to his struggling play. Although the rookie slightly improved at the new role, it's not what Las vegas expected from its 17th overall pick. The Raiders look like a playoff team, but the offensive line could hurt them at some point. Leatherwood and Raiders right tackle Brandon Parker are currently the two lowest-graded offensive tackles in the league, according to PFF.11. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)Previous Rank: 8Chargers fans were hoping that Jerry Tillery would break out in 2021. But the 2019 first-rounder still lacks consistency and ranks outside the top 100 among defensive tackles, according to PFF. Los Angeles is allowing a league-high 5.1 yards per rushing attempt this year, and it'll be hard to fix that if Tillery doesn't step up.12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)Previous Rank: 7Eli Apple has played more snaps through eight games than any cornerback on the Bengals' roster, but his performances have yet to justify the heavy workload. The former top-10 pick is a liability in pass coverage, and he's missed the sixth-most tackles among corners this year.13. New England Patriots (4-4)Previous Rank: 17Nelson Agholor is the Patriots' highest-paid wide receiver, but he hasn't produced as such on the field. The speedster, who's averaging 15.2 yards per catch (down from 18.7 last year), was supposed to help make New England's vertical offense a real threat, but he and quarterback Mac Jones aren't on the same page yet.14. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)Previous Rank: 18The Steelers' defense hasn't missed Minkah Fitzpatrick's big plays that much so far, but it's hard to imagine the unit succeeding all year long without the safety performing at a high level. The All-Pro defensive back has yet to record an interception through Pittsburgh's first seven games of the season and has allowed a 111 passer rating when targeted.15. Cleveland Browns (4-4) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 12Cleveland needs more from Baker Mayfield. Granted, the quarterback is dealing with shoulder issues, but he's still expected to remain under center for the disappointing Browns. Mayfield is on pace to finish 2021 with the lowest QBR of his career (42.2). Additionally, his percentage of bad throws made has gone up, and he's completing just 34.5% of his deep passes (20-plus yards).16. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)Previous Rank: 15Patrick Mahomes knows he's let his team down. Yes, the defense is the Chiefs' biggest concern, and KC also lacks depth at skill positions. But those issues are usually overcome when Mahomes is at his best. However, the former MVP hasn't been able to carry Kansas City on his back this season, tossing a league-high 10 interceptions, including three in the red zone.17. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)Previous Rank: 19It seems like ages ago that rookie Brandon Aiyuk burst onto the scene with 825 yards and seven touchdowns last year. But the former first-round receiver now looks out of sync with the rest of the team and has amassed just 13 receptions, 141 yards, and one touchdown through seven games. The 49ers hope Aiyuk's 45 yards in Week 8 - a season-high for him - indicates that he's improving heading into November.18. Indianapolis Colts (3-5)Previous Rank: 14Eric Fisher showed Sunday he can still be a reliable left tackle, posting arguably his best performance since joining the Colts and giving Indy some relief after his early-season struggles. Now he needs to be consistent. Only six offensive tackles have been better than the 2013 first overall pick since Week 6, but he's only the 53rd-ranked tackle in 2021, according to PFF.19. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)Previous Rank: 16The Vikings already had issues at cornerback, and the position took another blow after the team placed veteran Patrick Peterson on injured reserve. In the first game without Peterson, Minnesota let Cameron Dantzler play all of its defensive snaps, but his performance was far from perfect. Dantzler's improvement will be crucial for the Vikings' secondary in the coming weeks with matchups against the Ravens, Chargers, and Packers on the horizon.20. Denver Broncos (4-4) Justin Tafoya / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 20Jonathon Cooper's time to shine has come earlier than expected. The rookie edge rusher has turned into a steal for Denver out of the seventh round and has seen his playing time increase weekly. He's now the presumable replacement for Von Miller, who the Broncos traded to the Rams. Cooper has yet to record his first NFL sack, but he had three quarterback hits in Week 7.21. Seattle Seahawks (3-5)Previous Rank: 23The Seahawks made Jamal Adams football's highest-paid safety in August, but they can't be happy with what the defender has given back to them two months into this season. Adams is missing too many tackles and allowing a 100-plus passer rating when targeted. He also hasn't recorded a sack after racking up 9.5 last year.22. Carolina Panthers (4-4)Previous Rank: 24This one is way too obvious. Sam Darnold went from being a reliable starter for an unbeaten team to becoming the NFL's worst quarterback over the last five games. He's posted a 62.5 passer rating since Week 4.23. Chicago Bears (3-5)Previous Rank: 21Too many things are wrong in Chicago, but arguably no Bears player has underperformed as much as Allen Robinson. Granted, part of Robinson's issues stem from Chicago's bad quarterback play, but he's succeeded with struggling passers in the past. This year, however, the wideout has just 26 catches for 271 yards and one touchdown, while his 1.7 yards of separation per target rank dead last, according to Next Gen Stats.24. Atlanta Falcons (3-4)Previous Rank: 22Russell Gage posted a nine-catch, 114-yard performance in Week 1 last season en route to enjoying a breakout campaign. This year, he's amassed nine receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown through four appearances combined. Having Gage more involved on offense will be crucial for the Falcons, who have issues at wide receiver and just saw Calvin Ridley step away from football.25. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 26It's fair to say the Eagles' current coaching staff has held most of its best players back, but few Philly defenders have been as quiet as Derek Barnett. He recorded his first sack of the year last Sunday against the Lions. Before that QB takedown, Barnett had played 498 snaps without earning a sack.26. New York Jets (2-5)Previous Rank: 30The Jets were expecting Quinnen Williams to become one of the league's top interior defensive linemen after his solid 2020 campaign. But the 2019 third overall pick is currently on pace to record the worst campaign of his young career, according to PFF.27. New York Giants (2-6)Previous Rank: 25New York will need Saquon Barkley to do more on the field once he returns from his ankle injury soon. The star rusher, who hasn't played since Week 5, has yet to top 60 rushing yards in a game this season and is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.28. Washington Football Team (2-6)Previous Rank: 27We expected Chase Young to contend for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021 after taking the league by storm as a rookie last year. However, Young, one of many defenders underperforming in Washington right now, has just 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks after eight games.29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)Previous Rank: 28One win, 59.6% completion rate, 1,703 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Yes, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been getting little help from his supporting cast in Jacksonville as a rookie, but the first overall pick has to perform better.30. Miami Dolphins (1-7) Joshua Bessex / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 29The Dolphins didn't trade for Deshaun Watson at the deadline, but that doesn't mean they're happy with Tua Tagovailoa. The second-year passer has completed 65% of his throws for only seven touchdowns to five interceptions through five games in 2021. He isn't close to meeting Miami's expectations after being selected fifth overall last year.31. Houston Texans (1-7)Previous Rank: 32The rebuilding Texans are looking for answers along their offensive line, and the clock is ticking for Tytus Howard to prove he's worth a shot. Howard, a 2019 first-round pick, struggled at left tackle early in his career, leading Houston to move him to guard. But the change hasn't worked, and he currently ranks last among 74 guards in 2021, per PFF.32. Detroit Lions (0-8)Previous Rank: 31Who doesn't need to step up for the Lions? Detroit has seen most of its players disappoint after eight weeks, including first-round rookie Penei Sewell. The Lions drafted Sewell seventh overall and hoped the offensive tackle would stand out right away. He's improved over the last couple of games, but Sewell hasn't done enough to justify his pre-draft hype.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders released wide receiver Henry Ruggs after he was charged in connection with a fatal car crash Tuesday morning, the team announced.Ruggs was booked into jail on DUI resulting in death and reckless driving charges, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He's scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning.Police responded to the crash at 3:39 a.m. local time. The preliminary investigation indicated that the front of Ruggs' Chevrolet Corvette collided with the rear of a Toyota Rav4. Responding fire department personnel located a deceased victim in the latter vehicle.Ruggs remained on the scene and "showed signs of impairment" before being transported to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the police report.The victim was identified as a 23-year-old woman. Ruggs' girlfriend, Kiara Washington, was a passenger in his vehicle and was treated for serious injuries.Ruggs' attorney, David Chesnoff, released a statement following the accident."On behalf of our client Henry Ruggs III we are conducting our own investigation as of this writing and ask everyone to reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered," Chesnoff said.The Raiders selected Ruggs with the No. 12 overall pick in last year's draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 9.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

The Los Angeles Rams waived DeSean Jackson after failing to trade the veteran wide receiver before the deadline, the team announced Tuesday."I am very grateful for the time that I spent playing for the L.A. Rams," Jackson wrote on Instagram. "Although this isn't the outcome that we wanted, I am extremely appreciative for the opportunity and support given to me by the Rams' coaches and all of the fans. I understand that everything happens for a reason, and I look forward to beginning the next chapter of my NFL career."Both sides agreed to seek a trade amid Jackson's forgettable performance in Los Angeles. The 34-year-old, who joined the Rams in the offseason, amassed eight catches for 221 yards and one touchdown on 15 targets through seven appearances. He didn't play in Week 8.Jackson generated trade interest prior to Tuesday's deadline, but teams assumed the Rams would release him and opted to wait, sources told Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.He'll now be subject to waivers and looking for the fifth different team of his career.The veteran speedster has established himself as one of the NFL's top big-play threats, averaging 17.5 yards per reception over his career. However, he's missed 24 regular-season games due to injuries since 2019.

Fletcher Cox isn't going anywhere this season.The Pro Bowl defensive tackle will remain with the Philadelphia Eagles despite the team aggressively trying to trade him prior to Tuesday's deadline, sources told Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer.Philadelphia was seeking at least a second- or third-round pick in exchange for Cox, according to Mike Kaye of NJ.com.Cox, who reportedly generated trade interest from multiple teams recently, shared a message to Eagles fans on Instagram minutes before the deadline passed.

The Green Bay Packers released linebacker Jaylon Smith, the team announced Tuesday.The former Pro Bowler will once again be looking for a new team after being released for the second time this season.Smith signed a one-year deal with Green Bay after being cut by the Dallas Cowboys in October. Dallas opted to release Smith despite owing him the remainder of his $7.2-million salary.The 26-year-old tallied one tackle in two games with the Packers, playing just 27 snaps. He was a healthy scratch for the club's 24-21 win over the Cardinals in Week 8.Smith fell out of the inside linebacker rotation in favor of Krys Barnes and De'Vondre Campbell. Oren Burks has also gotten more playing time.Green Bay freed up a roster spot with the move prior to the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.The Packers also released long snapper Hunter Bradley and signed Steven Wirtel to replace him on the active roster.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints discussed an Odell Beckham Jr. trade with the Cleveland Browns but couldn't come to terms before Tuesday's deadline, reports ESPN's Kimberley A. Martin.Money reportedly became a hurdle for the cap-strapped Saints. Beckham is owed the remainder of his $14.5-million base salary.Trade speculation involving Beckham ramped up in the hours leading up to the deadline after his father criticized Baker Mayfield repeatedly on social media. NBA superstar LeBron James tweeted "#FreeOBJ," adding fuel to the fire.The Saints went into the deadline with a clear need for another wide receiver, even though Michael Thomas is expected to return from injury in the coming weeks. A deal for Beckham would have brought the 28-year-old back to his home state.Beckham's production has fallen off drastically over his three years in Cleveland, though a torn ACL limited him to seven appearances in 2020. The LSU product was hailed as one of the NFL's best receivers through his first five seasons with the New York Giants.Beckham is on the books for $13.75 million in 2022, but the Browns could release him in the offseason for nothing since none of the money is guaranteed.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We slogged through another 1-2 week after the Texans' offense came alive in the fourth quarter to spoil a worthwhile under bet. Here are our favorite total plays for Week 9.Falcons @ Saints (-6, 42.5), 1 p.m. ETAssuming Taysom Hill can clear concussion protocol, all signs point to him taking the reins at quarterback for the Saints after Jameis Winston's season-ending injury. If he does, it will be a boon for under bettors.New Orleans went 3-1 to the under in his four full starts a year ago - the one over came by 0.5 points - averaging 208.5 passing yards with five turnovers in those four contests. These Saints don't turn it over as much as he did in 2020, but they've averaged a mere 180.9 passing yards en route to a 4-3 mark to the under.Much of that mark can be credited to New Orleans' fourth-ranked scoring defense (18.3 PPG), which held the Buccaneers to one of their worst showings a week ago. The Falcons are averaging just 15.3 points against defenses ranked outside the bottom six in points allowed and will struggle to carry this one over.Pick: Under 42.5Patriots (-4, 41) @ Panthers, 1 p.m.Until the Panthers welcome back Christian McCaffrey, they'll be one of the easiest under bets to make each week. Carolina's defense ranks fifth in average points allowed (19.9) and eighth in DVOA, but its offense has been the real culprit, managing just 19.2 points per game without its star back.It's added up to a tasty 6-2 record to the under, and the Panthers are due for another against a Patriots team built on a top-10 defense and enough offensive weapons to get by. Save for a 54-point explosion against the Jets, New England hasn't scored 30 points in a game this season, but it's also held six of its first eight opponents to 24 points or fewer.Pick: Under 41Packers @ Chiefs (-1, 54.5), 4:25 p.m.Is there anything more consistent right now than the Packers' offense? This group has scored between 24 and 27 points in each of the past five weeks behind a steady mix of short passes and the occasional deep shot.The bigger question - and the reason why this total is so high - is whether the Chiefs' offense can match or exceed those marks. At this point, there's little evidence to suggest they will. After two more turnovers Monday, Kansas City has now coughed it up an NFL-worst 19 times through eight weeks and is averaging 18.5 points over its last four contests.Patrick Mahomes and Co. won't face an easy test this week against Green Bay's defense, which is holding teams to 16.8 points per game across the past five weeks. These two teams could erupt for 40 at any time, but the smarter play is fading a total that's priced on upside and not evidence.Pick: Under 54.5C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins passed on trading for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly "had contingencies that needed to be met" and made the final decision not to move forward, add SchefterWatson wasn't able to settle his legal situation in order to facilitate the trade, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Texans granted the Dolphins permission to speak to Watson on Monday night, but there wasn't enough time to come to an agreement, Rapoport reports.The quarterback, who's been a healthy scratch for the first eight weeks of the season amid police and NFL investigations, is facing lawsuits from 22 women who say he sexually assaulted them or committed sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Ten women filed criminal complaints.Miami was seemingly the only serious suitor for Watson after the Carolina Panthers reportedly ended their interest. He's now expected to remain on Houston's roster for the rest of the season, after which the team could try again, Schefter adds.It was reported Sunday that many in the Texans organization wanted to trade Watson before the trade deadline - including team owner Cal McNair - but general manager Nick Caserio would have the final say.Meanwhile, the 1-7 Dolphins will continue to roll with Tua Tagovailoa as their starter for the rest of the campaign. The 2020 No. 5 pick has struggled through his first one-and-half seasons, leading Miami to explore acquiring Watson.The 26-year-old Watson led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards last season and threw a career-high 33 touchdowns.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Let's begin with a recap of what I said in last week's teaser basket:

The Houston Texans are trading pass-rusher Charles Omenihu to the San Francisco 49ers, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Houston received a 2023 sixth-round pick in return, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Omenihu, a 2019 fifth-round pick, flashed intriguing potential over his first two seasons in Houston, racking up seven sacks and 21 quarterback hits.However, he's struggled to make a similar impact for the lowly Texans this campaign, registering no sacks and just three quarterbacks hits.Omenihu will likely act as a depth option for the 49ers behind star defensive end Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead.Houston is 1-7 and appears to be selling off some of its valuable assets to help kickstart its rebuild.The AFC South club traded running back Mark Ingram to the New Orleans Saints last week for a reported 2024 seventh-round pick.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some have attributed Odell Beckham Jr.'s lack of production with the Cleveland Browns this season to the wideout's diminishing skills. But Beckham's father, Odell Beckham Sr., sees things differently.Beckham Sr. posted a video on his Instagram Tuesday that highlighted instances in which his son was open and quarterback Baker Mayfield failed to find him, featuring plays from Week 3 to Week 6.Beckham Sr. also agreed with a commenter who called Mayfield "mediocre."

If the New Orleans Saints want to tease Philip Rivers out of retirement, the quarterback is ready to talk.Rivers told Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that he hasn't heard from the Saints, but would listen if they approach him about joining the team. New Orleans recently lost quarterback Jameis Winston for the season due to a torn ACL.The 39-year-old left the door open for a late-season return when asked about his future in August."I'm just going to stay ready," Rivers said. "I want to make sure I'm very clear: I'm not predicting I will play in December or January, for that matter. One, you've got to have somebody who wants you, and two, it's got to be right."But I have not completely ruled that out."The Saints reportedly intend to give Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian the chance to replace Winston before looking at outside options.Rivers took over as the head coach of an Alabama high school football team in July after retiring, but their season ended last week.The veteran signal-caller last played for the Indianapolis Colts in 2020, leading the club to an 11-5 record while throwing for 4,169 yards and 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.He spent the previous 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angles Chargers, putting together a Hall of Fame-caliber career.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Quarterbacks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyTaysom Hill, SaintsNext UpRosteredFABvs. ATL2%$6With Jameis Winston out for the year with a torn ACL, the Saints will almost certainly turn to Hill to take over under center.The only hesitation lies in Hill's own health - he's been out with a concussion since Week 5. However, the 31-year-old dual-threat QB is trending towards returning to the lineup in Week 9, and he'll have QB1 upside for fantasy once he does.Remember, Hill made four starts just last year while filling in for an injured Drew Brees. He was the QB8 in fantasy points per game during that time, and two of those contests came against the Falcons - the team New Orleans is facing this week.Hill threw for 233 yards while rushing for 49 yards and two touchdowns in the first meeting. In the second contest, he threw for 232 yards and two TDs, adding 83 yards on the ground.Needless to say, Hill was a top-eight fantasy QB both weeks, and he'll have a chance to do it again against an Atlanta defense that's playing at a similarly poor level this campaign.Trevor Siemian performed well in relief duty, but Hill gives the Saints their best shot at long-term success.Tua Tagovailoa, DolphinsNext UpRosteredFABvs. HOU35%$3Tagovailoa finished as the QB11 and QB3 overall in his first two starts after returning from injured reserve, but he ran into the vaunted Bills defense on Sunday.Thankfully the Dolphins' next opponent has been a favorable matchup for fantasy QBs all year long. Five of the seven passers to face the Texans have finished in the top-15 weekly fantasy scorers.With DeVante Parker back and Will Fuller soon to follow, Tagovailoa could be an intriguing fantasy option this week and beyond.Daniel Jones is just over the 50% cut-off line but should be rostered in most leagues.Risky streaming options: Teddy Bridgewater at DAL (30% rostered), Baker Mayfield at CIN (35% rostered), Jimmy Garoppolo vs. ARI (11% rostered), Ben Roethlisberger vs. CHI (21% rostered), Tyrod Taylor at MIA (6% rostered), Justin Fields at PIT (22% rostered), Trevor Lawrence vs. BUF (45% rostered)Bye week stashes: Taylor Heinicke (14% rostered)Long-term stashes: Trey Lance (20% rostered)2QB/Superflex streaming options: Mac Jones at CAR (28% rostered), Mike White at IND (2% rostered)2QB/Superflex injury stashes: Zach Wilson (6% rostered)2QB/Superflex long-term stashes: Cam Newton (1% rostered)Running backs Nic Antaya / Getty Images Sport / GettyAdrian Peterson/Jeremy McNichols, TitansNext UpRosteredFABat LAR0%/7%$24/$5Derrick Henry will undergo foot surgery this week with a recovery timeline that likely keeps him out for the rest of the fantasy season - and perhaps the rest of the NFL campaign, depending on how far the Titans can make it without him.Tennessee moved quickly to sign Peterson, who profiles as Henry's direct replacement and gives the offense a proven power back to lead the way.The only problem? Peterson is 36 years old and only a few months away from turning 37. Most running backs' careers are long over by this point, but not this future Hall of Famer.Although his skills are clearly declining, Peterson has been a serviceable option in his last few stops when given adequate volume. His arrival may represent a massive downgrade from Henry, but Peterson should still be capable of delivering low-end RB2 numbers if the Titans put enough on his plate.McNichols will continue to operate primarily in a pass-catching role, giving him flex appeal - especially if Henry's absence forces Tennessee to throw the ball more.Boston Scott/Jordan Howard, EaglesNext UpRosteredFABvs. LAC19%/2%$14/$4Last week, we recommended Scott and Kenneth Gainwell as the top backs to target in Philly after the club put Miles Sanders on I.R.However, reports surfaced a few days later saying Howard saw some snaps with the starters, suggesting a possible three-way committee. Gainwell and Scott could carry most of the work in this situation, while Howard may steal goal-line touches.An RBBC was formed in the end, but it's hard to gauge the workloads with the Eagles dominating the Lions en route to a 44-6 win.

The NFL trading season ends Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. ET. Let's examine the 20 most appealing trade chips ahead of the deadline. (We've updated our big board to reflect the latest speculation about which players could be available.)The big boardThe chipsDeshaun WatsonA trade for Watson could be among the most complex in NFL history. The quarterback hasn't played this season amid 22 lawsuits from women who say he sexually assaulted them or committed sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Ten women also filed criminal complaints. But teams have still explored the possibility of acquiring Watson, most prominently the Miami Dolphins. It's possible a club would send protected picks to the Houston Texans to safeguard itself if the quarterback is suspended or faces criminal prosecution.Potential landing spots: Dolphins, PanthersXavien Howard Justin K. Aller / Getty Images Sport / GettyHoward pushed for an exit this offseason but eventually came to terms on a reworked deal. However, the cornerback is unlikely to be happy for long, and with the Dolphins' playoff hopes all but dashed at 1-7, they would be wise to sell. Howard would fetch a high pick, which the Dolphins desperately need considering they're projected to send the No. 3 pick to the Philadelphia Eagles.Potential landing spots: 49ers, BengalsAllen RobinsonRobinson hasn't played like a No. 1 receiver after the Chicago Bears used the franchise tag on him in the offseason - which he wasn't happy about. He has just 26 catches for 271 yards and one touchdown, and has failed to develop chemistry with rookie quarterback Justin Fields. Long-term contract negotiations are unlikely to be any easier after the season with the wideout underperforming. Chicago could look to sell Robinson now rather than let him walk as a free agent.Potential landing spots: Patriots, ChiefsTua TagovailoaTagovailoa's stock has fallen more than arguably any player's over the last two years. Prior to a major hip injury in November 2019 while at Alabama, he was a possible No. 1 pick. Now, Tagovailoa's future is uncertain with the Dolphins eyeing a trade for Watson, in large part because their sophomore quarterback has looked far from a franchise-caliber player. Perhaps a change of scenery and pairing with an offensive-minded coach will help Tagovailoa reach his potential, but we don't expect suitors to be lining up.Potential landing spots: Texans, WashingtonBrandin CooksDespite being stuck in the worst offensive situation of his career, Cooks is having perhaps his best season. His diminutive stature comes with limitations, but Cooks is one of the league's best vertical threats. He's an ideal No. 2 receiver on a team looking to create more explosive plays.Potential landing spots: Browns, ChargersFletcher Cox Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's hard to tell whether Cox is declining because of his age or a scheme change. The 30-year-old has been one of the best 3-techniques in the NFL over the last several years, but the Eagles have used him in different alignments under first-year coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Either way, he's worth it given his past dominance.Potential landing spots: Raiders, BrownsOdell Beckham Jr.It's more likely the Browns look to move on from Beckham in the offseason rather than weaken their offense during a year when they could contend for a Super Bowl. Still, Beckham is undoubtedly a poor fit with the Browns, and that's unlikely to change this season. If a team offers decent value for the star wideout, Cleveland could opt to cut its losses.Potential landing spots: 49ers, SaintsMarcus MayeMaye and the New York Jets have been headed for a split since the franchise-tag deadline. This hasn't been his best season, but Maye is still a well-rounded safety who's both come down to play the run and drop back into coverage throughout his career. New York's reported asking price of at least a third-round pick could nix any potential deal, though.Potential landing spots: Chiefs, CowboysRobby AndersonAnderson has suffered a severe decline in production following his first 1,000-yard campaign. He complained about his usage in Week 5 and then proceeded to drop a slew of passes in Weeks 6 and 7 when the Panthers force-fed him the ball. The talent is still there, but Anderson may benefit from a fresh start, and his club could look to give him one.Potential landing spots: Browns, TitansMyles Jack Sam Greenwood / Getty Images Sport / GettyJack looks checked out, but who can blame him considering the Jacksonville Jaguars' issues? He's still one of the league's most athletic linebackers, and teams ache for 250-pound defenders who can run sideline to sideline. A move to a contender should reignite Jack, who's had a pair of wins to celebrate over the last two years.Potential landing spots: Ravens, BengalsWill FullerFuller was one of the top trade chips who didn't end up moving last year, and he returns to the block in 2021 during a vastly different season. He's made only two appearances for the Dolphins and was hardly a factor in those games, but Fuller still has value as a vertical threat. He should be back from a broken finger before long.Potential landing spots: Packers, ChiefsDeVante ParkerParker may never replicate his 1,200-yard campaign from 2019, but he's still efficient against man coverage and wins in contested-catch scenarios. If a shake-up is coming for the Dolphins, Parker could be on his way out. Perhaps another team can take greater advantage of his skill set.Potential landing spots: 49ers, FalconsDante FowlerFowler has rebounded from a massively disappointing debut campaign in Atlanta with a far more respectable 2021 season. He has only two sacks, but Fowler's 14.3% win rate makes him a strong complimentary pass-rusher for teams eyeing a boost off the edge. He's on injured reserve, though, which could make a deal tougher to finalize.Potential landing spots: Chargers, ChiefsAkiem Hicks Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Chicago Bears tried to move Hicks in the offseason but couldn't find a taker for his $10.4-million salary. They may prefer to keep him at this point since the team is under pressure to win, but there are contenders that could use a run-stopper who also occasionally flashes as a pass-rusher.Potential landing spots: Chargers, CowboysMelvin Ingram *TRADED*Ingram joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal this offseason and has played a key depth role behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. But his inconsistent playing time apparently has the veteran eyeing an exit, and teams in dire need of a pass-rush boost will likely test Pittsburgh's desire to keep him.The Steelers reportedly traded Ingram to the Chiefs for a sixth-round pickKyle FullerFuller hasn't lived up to expectations after signing a one-year deal this offseason. With the Denver Broncos teetering after four losses in five games, Vic Fangio and Co. should look to move the veteran to a contender that needs depth at cornerback.Potential landing spots: Buccaneers, BillsEvan EngramEngram has teased star potential during his time with the New York Giants, but the flashes have been few and far between. And under coordinator Jason Garrett, the 27-year-old is even more misused. Engram has just 20 catches for 171 yards and zero touchdowns this season. With the Giants going nowhere at 2-5, they should get what they can for the tight end.Potential landing spots: Vikings, TitansAndre Dillard Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyRelegated to a reserve role before the season, Dillard has performed surprisingly well when thrust into the starting lineup to make up for other absences. The Eagles drafted Dillard in the first round in 2019, but he was overpowered as a rookie and missed his sophomore campaign with an injury.Potential landing spots: Ravens, PanthersMarlon MackMack already asked the Indianapolis Colts for a trade after Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines squeezed him out of a role. He didn't have much of a market in free agency after tearing his Achilles in 2020, so it remains to be seen whether teams come calling at the deadline. Mack has been productive throughout his career, however.Potential landing spots: Chiefs, RavensDeSean JacksonJackson could go to his fifth team in six seasons after mutually agreeing with the Rams to seek a trade due to his lack of playing time. The 34-year-old remains one of the NFL's fastest players, but he hasn't played a full regular season since 2016 due to persistent injuries.Potential landing spots: Chargers, PackersCopyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Melvin Ingram is headed back to the AFC West.The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading the veteran pass-rusher to the Kansas City Chiefs, Ingram told NFL reporter Josina Anderson.Pittsburgh will receive a sixth-round pick in return, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.The 32-year-old, who played his first nine NFL seasons for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers, joined the Steelers on a one-year deal in the offseason but has racked up just 10 tackles and one sack through eight appearances. He enjoyed a strong start to the 2021 campaign - registering most of his stats over the first month - but has since struggled.Ingram was on the field for the majority of snaps in September but has played fewer than 50% in two of the last three games, including a season-low 26% in Week 6. The Steelers had a bye in Week 7 and Ingram didn't play in Week 8 due to a groin injury.The Chiefs hope Ingram, a three-time Pro Bowler, can become a disruptive edge rusher once again. Kansas City currently ranks 29th in yards allowed and 25th in scoring defense. The team has amassed just 11 sacks in 2021, the worst mark in the AFC.Kansas City, which hosted Ingram for a visit during free agency, reportedly made a trade offer for him last week, but Pittsburgh was initially reluctant to send Ingram to another AFC team.The Steelers, led by a solid duo of pass-rushers in T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, rank ninth in the NFL with 19 sacks this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos are attempting to find a trade partner for cornerback Kyle Fuller prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, a source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.It was previously reported that Fuller, who signed a one-year deal with the Broncos this past offseason, was a candidate to be traded.The 29-year-old has become expendable due to the strong play of first-round rookie Patrick Surtain and the presence of Bryce Callahan and Ronald Darby. He has only played two snaps in each of Denver's last two games.Fuller has 17 total tackles and two pass defenses in seven appearances this season.The Broncos are seemingly trying to recoup assets by moving veteran players amid a disappointing season. Star pass-rusher Von Miller was traded to Los Angeles Rams on Monday in a blockbuster move.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs added two more turnovers to their league-leading total, but kicked a late field goal for a 20-17 win over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.More to come.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans are signing free agent Adrian Peterson with star running back Derrick Henry sidelined due to a foot injury, Peterson told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.The Titans will reportedly sign Peterson to the practice squad before elevating him to the active roster, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Henry is in danger of missing the rest of the campaign after reportedly breaking the fifth metatarsal bone in his foot. The running back will undergo surgery, but the Titans left the door open for him to return late in the campaign."The workout was good," Peterson told Anderson. He continued, "It feels good to get back into football movement and to sign with a contender. We have big shoes to fill for Derrick Henry, who I feel was the front-runner for MVP, but I'm looking forward to contributing to the running back room and helping the Titans to win the division and to chase the ultimate goal of winning a championship."Peterson hasn't played this season but is coming off another solid campaign for the Detroit Lions in 2020. The 36-year-old racked up 604 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 appearances.The future Hall of Famer had 1,940 yards and 12 scores across the two prior years with the Washington Football Team.Peterson is fifth on the all-time rushing list with 14,820 yards and sits just 449 yards behind Barry Sanders for fourth.Peterson will join a running back group that consists of Jeremy McNichols, Dontrell Hilliard, and Mekhi Sargent.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In advance of Tuesday's usually overhyped NFL trade deadline, the Los Angeles Rams acquired veteran edge rusher Von Miller from the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Rams' second- and third-round draft picks in 2022. What's the impact for both teams? Let's take a look:1. The Rams get an additional pass-rusher for a defense that entered Week 8 ranked fourth in efficiency, both overall and against the pass. Miller is a meaningful asset in an NFC littered with high-powered offenses like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, and Arizona Cardinals. Miller is potentially the kind of addition who could vault Los Angeles toward the Super Bowl.2. Miller is 32 years old and missed all of 2020 with an ankle injury. He might not be the one-man, game-wrecking presence he was five or six years ago, but he still has a lot to offer. He ranks ninth in the league in pass-rush productivity, a PFF metric that weighs sacks, hits, and pressures against pass-rush snaps. He's also played 76% of this season's snaps despite missing Sunday's game against Washington with another ankle injury. Miller's expected to be on the field for this week's game against the Tennessee Titans, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter.3. The Rams' defensive front already features a one-man game-wrecker in Aaron Donald, plus they have Jalen Ramsey, one of the NFL's best cornerbacks. With Donald on the interior and Miller on the outside, opposing offenses will have a lot to account for when setting their protections. AAron Ontiveroz / Denver Post / Getty Images4. The Broncos appear to be punting on the season. Von Miller is unquestionably a legend, but this is a smart move when you put aside what he's meant to the franchise. Denver owns a 4-4 record and sits in 10th place in the AFC playoff standings. It also hasn't beaten a team with a winning record. Miller is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, so based on his years of service, the Broncos risked losing him and getting back nothing more than a fifth-round compensatory pick … in 2023. Instead, they've found a way to get additional value for him that they'll need to get better.5. "As many as four teams expressed interest in Miller," a source told local ABC reporter Troy Renck. The Broncos agreed to pay $9 million of Miller's remaining $9.7-million 2021 salary to get the deal done. There's no doubt the Rams lacked the salary-cap space to bring Miller in at full cost. Again, though, Denver essentially paid that price for two additional top-100 draft picks a year ahead of when it might have reaped a compensatory pick much later in the draft. Sure, Los Angeles' selections will likely be near the bottom of the order, but the Broncos now have 10 picks in 2022, including five in the first three rounds:

Just when you think you've got the league figured out, Week 8 happens. Eight of 14 underdogs won outright this week, bookended by the Packers (+6.5) and Cowboys (+4.5) winning prime-time affairs without their star receiver and quarterback, respectively.The result was a sizeable shift in the Super Bowl oddsboard for a handful of teams with title aspirations. Here are the most notable movements after Week 8:TEAMODDSBuffalo Bills+500Tampa Bay Buccaneers+600Los Angeles Rams+650Green Bay Packers+1000Arizona Cardinals+1000Dallas Cowboys+1000Baltimore Ravens+1200Kansas City Chiefs+1200Tennessee Titans+1600Los Angeles Chargers+2000New Orleans Saints+3500Cincinnati Bengals+5000Pittsburgh Steelers+5000Seattle Seahawks+5000Las Vegas Raiders+5000San Francisco 49ers+5000Cleveland Browns+5000New England Patriots+5000Indianapolis Colts+6500Minnesota Vikings+10000Denver Broncos+10000Carolina Panthers+20000Washington Football Team+20000Philadelphia Eagles+20000New York Giants+50000Atlanta Falcons+50000Miami Dolphins+50000Chicago Bears+50000Detroit Lions+100000Houston Texans+100000New York Jets+100000Jacksonville Jaguars+100000Cowboys keep rolling despite injuriesThe Cowboys have consistently inched their way up the oddsboard through the first eight weeks of the season, moving from an opening price of 30-1 and going all the way to 14-1 entering this week. And that was before arguably their most impressive victory of the season.It wasn't always pretty, but Dallas' defense stepped up with the team missing starting quarterback Dak Prescott. Fill-in starter Cooper Rush captained the offense to 419 total yards and 23 first downs in an impressive prime-time win over the favored Vikings. This team looks more and more like the real deal with each passing week, especially when Prescott returns.Titans, Saints win at a costOn the surface, it was a great week for the Titans and Saints, who both notched upset victories over division rivals. But injuries to key stars on offense could complicate each of their Super Bowl outlooks.Start with Tennessee, which engineered a wild comeback against the Colts in a 34-31 overtime win. However, the bigger news is losing Derrick Henry, who broke a bone in his right foot early on but still carried the ball 28 times for 68 yards - his worst showing of the year. He's expected to miss the rest of the regular season, which could be a fatal blow for the AFC-leading Titans.The Saints are also reeling after a 36-27 win over the Buccaneers that saw Jameis Winston tear his ACL early in the second quarter. Trevor Siemian was an adequate fill-in Sunday, and Taysom Hill is expected to assume the starting role once he clears concussion protocol. Does either quarterback have the upside to lift New Orleans' already struggling aerial attack?Browns, Bengals suffer blow to title hopesEntering Week 8, the Browns and Bengals were making noise as potential dark-horse contenders in the AFC North. But the market has cooled on both clubs after surprising losses to inferior teams Sunday.Cleveland took the biggest hit to its title odds, dropping from 25-1 after Week 7 to 50-1 following Sunday's 15-10 loss to the Steelers in Baker Mayfield's first game back from injury. He couldn't get anything going for the Browns offense, which has now scored 17 points or fewer in three straight weeks.Cincinnati was still a relative long shot at 35-1 last week, but a stunning 34-31 loss to the Jets as 11.5-point favorites won't help matters. Backup QB Mike White shredded the Bengals' defense to the tune of 405 yards and three touchdowns, casting doubts on Cincy's surprisingly effective defense through the first seven weeks.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos are trading edge rusher Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams for second- and third-round picks in 2022, the team confirmed Monday.The Broncos will pay $9 million of Miller's remaining $9.7 million salary, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Los Angeles' acquisition of the veteran adds to an already superstar-heavy defense, which features Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. The Rams, who hold a 7-1 record, have gone all-in to maximize their Super Bowl chances, as they have now traded five 2022 draft picks.With Miller set to join Donald in L.A., the Rams will have a formidable pass-rushing attack from the edge and interior. Both stars have been among the league's best at getting to the quarterback over the last number of years.Most sacks since 2014:PlayerNumber of SacksAaron Donald90.5Chandler Jones84.5Khalil Mack76.5Von Miller75.5Cameron Jordan75The Broncos exercised their option to retain Miller for the 2021 campaign despite the linebacker missing all of 2020 with an ankle injury. He notched 4.5 sacks through seven games this season, though he missed Sunday's matchup with the Washington Football Team due to a sprained ankle suffered in Week 7.Miller has spent his entire NFL career with the Broncos since they selected him second overall in 2011. He has been one of the league's most consistent pass-rushers over the last decade, recording eight Pro Bowl appearances and seven seasons with 10 or more sacks. The 32-year-old was named Super Bowl MVP in 2015.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"All Quiet On The Western Front" is a book and Academy Award-winning movie from 1930. It's also the current status of those who went into battle for the Arizona Cardinals, as we warned about not getting too excited with a good team not being great just because they were undefeated.The good news for the Cardinals is there's no reason to downgrade them because we had them rated accurately in the first place. The Packers, meanwhile, are who we thought they were - a team whose range is probably even tighter than we previously thought. As long as Aaron Rodgers is upright, the consistency is real.TEAMRATINGRANGEBuccaneers7865-85Bills7660-80Rams7260-75Ravens7155-75Cowboys7145-80Chargers6850-80Cardinals6850-70Packers6660-75Chiefs6445-80Browns6355-75Patriots5740-70Saints5645-6549ers5650-65Titans5550-65Bengals5435-70Raiders5335-55Vikings5345-60Colts5235-60Steelers5040-60Eagles4530-55Washington4440-55Broncos4340-55Panthers4335-55Bears4235-55Seahawks4040-75Dolphins3935-55Falcons3925-50Giants3730-50Jets3320-40Lions3220-40Jaguars3025-40Texans2320-40Spooky, Scary, and FrightfulSunday's game of the day saw our No. 1 team take a loss. The Buccaneers expectedly played to the bottom of their range as they were on the road without Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski (mostly) and had to go up against a team that's shown a history of forcing them into sub-par play. The Saints demonstrated that their above-average rating is certainly a good place to start, but we'll have to see how they adjust without Jameis Winston before moving them up or down.Turn on the warning beeps; we're backing up the big rig on the Bengals' bandwagon. Some may have thought we didn't move Cincinnati high enough after the win in Baltimore, but the jump to 58 now seems right after losing to the Jets, who were 10.5-point underdogs. The Bengals definitely played to their range's low end after pushing to the top of it last week. This is common with young teams. Mike White put on the most convincing of costumes - serviceable NFL quarterback. We waste no time seeing him again as New York plays Thursday, so a small upgrade goes to the Jets ahead of that matchup, with more room to move if they have another good game.Cooper Rush wasn't quite as believable, but you'll always be in the contest when you face Mike Zimmer and Kirk Cousins. A couple of good bounces and great plays from their key contributors helped the Cowboys come from behind in Minnesota, and they did it without Dak Prescott, so they get nudged ahead of the Cardinals and Chargers.Speaking of teams out west that we pumped the brakes on, the Chargers lose to the Patriots. Like the Cardinals and Bengals, we're glad we tempered expectations, which led us to bets on the Packers, Jets, and Patriots. New England might be like a lower-level version of Green Bay - the highs will never be that high and lows won't be that low. That shouldn't be surprising with Bill Belichick at the helm.Topical CostumesLike those who dreamed up "Ted Lasso" or "Squid Game" costumes, the teams that think they're better than they are can't help but find themselves moving toward mediocrity.Two clubs made their cases for last week's vacant position of being the 'most average' team - one in a good way, one in a bad. The Steelers somehow survived their own decision-making in Cleveland to earn a bump back up to where we've had them most of the year. The Colts and Carson Wentz had legitimacy in their hands and then dropped it ... or flung it left-handed directly to the Titans from their own end zone. Tennessee received the worst news imaginable Monday morning regarding its MVP, while Cleveland continues to frustrate on offense when it isn't running the football. Both move down - the Browns with themselves to blame, and the Titans due to misfortune out of their control.The GolfersThere's nothing lazier than throwing on a golf shirt and shorts or a team jersey and going out for Halloween as an athlete ... unless you're the Lions, Jaguars, and Texans, who are headed for the golf course early. More blowouts for the league's worst teams push the lower limits of how far we can drop each squad. Kudos to Houston for an outrageous cover of the late line, and Tyrod Taylor's return could see the team perform to the top of its limited range. Unfortunately for the winners of these blowouts, we can't give out upgrades for just showing up, even if they put in an effort with their outfits.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter will miss the remainder of the season with a pectoral injury, head coach Mike Zimmer announced Monday.The pass-rusher suffered the ailment during the second quarter of Sunday night's loss to the Dallas Cowboys and missed the entire second half. Minnesota initially called it a shoulder injury.Hunter's loss comes as a major blow to a Vikings defense that's relied on him to knock opposing quarterbacks off their spot. He leads Minnesota in sacks (six), tackles for a loss (six), and quarterback hits (10).The 27-year-old has been one of the NFC's most dominant pass-rushers when healthy, recording 35 sacks over his last 39 games. But Hunter's now set to sit out the second half of 2021 after missing the entire 2020 campaign with a herniated disc in his neck.The Vikings will have to decide on Hunter's future in the offseason, as they owe him an $18-million roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2022 league year. Minnesota could release him to avoid the payment - Hunter has no more guaranteed money on his deal after this season.Hunter, a Pro Bowler in 2018 and 2019, has spent his entire seven-year career with the Vikings.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh wouldn't commit to a healthy Zach Wilson on Monday when asked directly to clarify the quarterback situation."If everything goes according to plan and Zach comes back and he's healthy, we'll address it when we cross that bridge," he said.Saleh seemingly left the door ajar for Mike White to seize the starting job Sunday, saying "anything is possible" long term. White threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Jets past the Cincinnati Bengals in his first career start.The Jets drafted Wilson second overall, but the rookie has struggled through his first six starts, throwing four touchdowns compared to nine interceptions. He also has the lowest completion percentage and passer rating among qualified quarterbacks.White, a fifth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2018, will get his second start on Thursday Night Football against the Indianapolis Colts with Wilson still sidelined by a knee injury.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone discusses the latest injuries and top players available on the waiver wire.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians says it would take an incredible offer for the team to consider trading running back Ronald Jones.Jones has started just one game this season as Leonard Fournette has overtaken him as the lead rusher in the Bucs' backfield. Despite the change, Arians is wary of breaking up the duo by shipping out Jones before Tuesday's trade deadline."It would have to be something really, really special. Because I love the way he's running," Arians said, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. "It's just one nick on Leonard and then (Jones is) the guy. And so to me, it's still a great one-two punch. It would have to be extraordinary."Jones started 13 games for the Bucs during the 2020 campaign, compiling 978 yards to Fournette's 367 over three starts. However, the roles have reversed this season, with Fournette receiving more carries in all but one contest.A 2018 second-rounder, Jones has had trouble with ball security this season, losing two fumbles. He's also lost time to Giovani Bernard, who has taken a prominent role as the team's receiving back.Jones has rushed 44 times for 194 yards in addition to four receptions for 39 yards this year.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, head coach Sean Payton announced Monday.An MRI reportedly also revealed damage to Winston's MCL, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Winston was carted off from Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being tackled awkwardly by linebacker Devin White. Following the game, Payton said the quarterback's injury appeared "significant."The 27-year-old was in his first season as New Orleans' starter following the offseason retirement of franchise legend Drew Brees. Winston had thrown for 1,170 yards and 14 touchdowns against three interceptions.The Saints are reportedly expected to roll with either Taysom Hill or Trevor Siemian as their starter. The NFC South club is apparently not interested in pursuing free agent Cam Newton.Winston re-signed with New Orleans on a one-year deal after acting as the team's backup last year. He will be a free agent this coming offseason.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.