The Chase Brown train rolls on 🚂

Tune into yesterday’s episode of the Upper Hand Fantasy Podcast! Faraz and Zach go over everything you need to know about Week 9’s action, and stay tuned later today for Week 10 waiver wire guidance, top streaming options, and reactions to all of the latest injury updates and news!

• Cowboys QB Dak Prescott expected to miss ‘multiple weeks’ with hamstring injury; Ceedee Lamb considered week-to-week

  • As is the case with most hamstring injuries across all positions, it seems like Prescott’s is likely to linger for the foreseeable future and hangs a dark cloud on the remainder of the Cowboys’ season. On his own as a fantasy quarterback, Prescott has hardly been lighting things up: his 11:8 touchdown to interception ratio is nothing to write home about, and he’s finished just once as a top-10 fantasy QB this year. His absence will be felt more by fantasy managers hoping to cling to Ceedee Lamb in the stretch run, though, as the star pass catcher’s upside takes a significant hit with Prescott essentially out indefinitely. Lamb is also dealing with a reported AC joint sprain, as well, and is considered week-to-week. There’s reportedly optimism that he can make the turnaround and be available for Dallas’ Week 10 matchup against the Eagles (seeing as he was able to return to the game for the Cowboys with just a minute left in Week 9), though fantasy managers will want to pay attention to injury reports later this week to have the best idea of Lamb’s status. What’s next for the Cowboys? Well, it’s officially rush hour in Dallas – Cooper Rush is set to start next week for the Cowboys for the first time since 2022. Lamb falls into the WR2 dimension as a result, especially in a tough matchup against the Eagles on Sunday. Cooper Rush can comfortably be left on waivers.

• Bengals RB Zack Moss set to miss indefinite amount of time with neck injury that held him out of Week 9’s game vs Raiders

  • Chase Brown’s massive day against the Raiders on Sunday may have given the Bengals the assurance they needed to admit that Moss’ injury is trickier than they originally believed. An indefinite designation for Moss casts considerable doubt on his status as teams push to make the fantasy playoffs. On the other hand, Brown’s role as Cincinnati’s top back has perhaps never been more secure; no other Bengals running back besides Brown touched the ball on Sunday. While each week moving forward likely won’t as chock-full of volume for the former Illinois ball carrier – especially this Thursday against the Ravens –fantasy managers can rest assured that his workload will be that of a solid fantasy RB2 barring a surprise addition/elevation. Moss should remain on fantasy rosters given the success he had earlier in the season and the uncertain nature of his recovery timeline, though the ship may have sailed for Moss as an every week starter as a result of the success Brown has had in the Bengals offense. Cincinnati’s offense has come to life as of late, and with Tee Higgins nearing a return as well, there’s a chance that Brown could benefit from an overall upgrade to the offense moving forward without competition for touches out of the backfield.

• Trio of receivers receive ‘day-to-day’ designations: Eagles WR A.J. Brown (knee), Falcons WR Drake London (hip), Bills WR Amari Cooper (wrist)

  • It seems to be the most popular prognosis among doctors as we head into the beginning of Week 10. Perhaps the largest headline coming out of Sunday’s games was the status of Philly’s top pass catcher A.J. Brown, who by and large seems to have avoided serious injury. He’ll have a shot to play this weekend against the Cowboys, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Eagles hold him out for a week to ensure that he’s all the way right as Philly gets ready to make a push for the playoffs – especially considering how well Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, and Saquon Barkley have been playing since the bye. Drake London has also been labeled day-to-day, and fantasy managers would be disappointed to say the least should he miss a great matchup against a torn and tattered Saints squad. Bills WR Amari Cooper was a surprise inactive in Week 9 and the only pass catcher of these three not to start the game this past weekend, but HC Sean McDermott seems at least to be more optimistic about his prospects for Week 10. Cooper played a very limited role in his one game of action in the blue and red, and the anticipation is that his role should increase as he continues to get healthy and familiarize himself with Buffalo’s scheme.

Taysom Hill (TE - New Orleans Saints)

• Taysom Hill is turning back into the TE weapon we originally anticipated going into the season, having posted 6+ points in each of his last three games and 14+ points in two of those three. This week was the perfect encapsulation of what he will bring going forward: a modest receiving role due to a lack of weapons in the Saints' offense (5 targets, 4 for 41), a modest rushing role as a change-of-pace option from Alvin Kamara (5 carries, 19 yards), and a goal-line threat (1 rushing TD).

• He's not going to be an every-week double-digit performer, but in a position with such inconsistency, Hill is playing himself into a borderline startable spot, especially with the weekly 50/50 chance of him finding the endzone. With Chris Olave (concussion) likely out for a few weeks and the lingering potential for New Orleans to reduce Alvin Kamara's workload (broken ribs and hand) as the season becomes more out of reach, Hill may be the go-to guy in these absences.

• He's worth a stash on the bench unless you already have a definitive top TE.

Elijah Moore (WR - Cleveland Browns)

• The narrative still remains the same for Elijah Moore (and the rest of the Browns' receivers) with Jameis Winston at QB: the volume will be there on a weekly basis. This now makes all three weeks under Winston ones where Moore registered 6+ targets and he's posted 10+ targets in back-to-back weeks.

• The volume should continue to be there down the stretch, especially with the schedule becoming even more competitive for the Browns in the sense that game scripts should lean more pass-heavy. He's a borderline FLEX option going forward.

Jaylen Warren (RB - Pittsburgh Steelers)

• We're just starting to see Jaylen Warren truly being incorporated into the Steelers' Arthur Smith offense, having recorded 25 touches in his last two games after returning in Week 6 from a 2-and-a-half week absence.

• This isn't an indication of Najee Harris being replaced or taking a lesser role (he was even one of my top trade targets this past week), but the schedule going forward does imply we will be seeing a bigger emphasis on the RBs, particularly Warren in the passing game as Pittsburgh enters their gauntlet of a second-half schedule.

• They get Washington, Baltimore twice, Cleveland twice, Cincinnati twice, Philadelphia, and Kansas City the rest of the way. They're likely going to be favored only twice (vs Cleveland) - maybe three times (at home vs Cincy). Those game scripts suggest they will be passing much more than the first half of the season, which is a major positive for Jaylen Warren.

• He won't be a league-winner (barring a Najee Harris injury), but he should be a viable RB3/borderline-FLEX option the rest of the way. Just make sure he's not sitting on waivers as he's somehow only rostered in 42% of leagues on Yahoo.