NFL Player News

Jefferson briefly left Sunday's game against Houston due to a left knee issue but returned and finished with three receptions for 88 yards on six targets.

According to the Athletic reporter Jourdan Rodrigue, coach Sean McVay praised Jefferson after the game and quickly clarified that Jefferson's knee is fine. With DeSean Jackson potentially on the way out via trade, Jefferson's workload could project for even more stability in the season's second half, though it remains to be seen if the Rams move Jackson before Tuesday's deadline. It might not matter either way for Jefferson -- Jackson was inactive against Houston, and he only played three snaps the week prior. Jefferson is likely locked in as the Rams' third wideout behind Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, though Jefferson is unique among the trio for his downfield chops. As the Rams' designated big-play threat in the midst of a career year for quarterback Matthew Stafford, Jefferson is poised to keep providing value for his fantasy investors. The Rams face Tennessee in Week 9.

Chase caught three of eight targets for 32 yards and a touchdown while adding nine yards on one rushing attempt in Sunday's 34-31 loss to the Jets.

Chase has done most of his scoring from distance, but he showed he can be an effective red-zone weapon as well with a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter. That was his seventh touchdown in eight games, as the rookie fifth overall pick has lived up to his draft-day billing and then some. The underrated Jets secondary kept Chase to under 50 receiving yards for the first time in his career, but he'll have a WR1 ceiling in all formats in Week 9 against the Browns.

Cooks recorded six receptions for 83 yards and one touchdown on six targets against the Rams on Sunday.

Cooks continues to produce well despite the poor overall health of the Houston offense, and now he's up to 51 receptions for 585 yards and two touchdowns on 70 targets in eight games. For Cooks to be on pace for triple-digit catches in an offense like Houston's is a convincing testament to his talent. There have been no reported trade developments for Cooks ahead of Tuesday's deadline, but by now, he's proven the ability to produce for fantasy investors even if he stays in Houston. The Texans hit the road to face Miami in Week 9.

Parker (shoulder/hamstring) secured eight of 11 targets for 85 yards in the Dolphins' 26-11 loss to the Bills on Sunday.

Suiting up for the first time since Week 4, Parker comfortably paced the Dolphins across the board in receptions, receiving yards and targets. The veteran wideout's numbers unfortunately came in another loss for the Dolphins, but with Will Fuller (IR/finger) still sidelined, Parker should continue to enjoy a robust role in Miami's inconsistent passing game against the porous Texans secondary Week 9.

Brown caught an impressive 10 of 11 targets for 155 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 34-31 overtime win over the Colts.

Brown missed two days of practice for undisclosed reasons, but he clearly was not hampered physically based on the monstrous line he dropped on the Colts. His day was highlighted by an impressive 53-yard catch and run where he burned multiple defenders en route to the end zone. Brown has really picked things up over the last three weeks following a mild start to the season, posting 25 receptions, 379 yards, two touchdowns and an impressive 86 percent catch rate over that span. The star wideout will face his stiffest test of the season lining up against Jalen Ramsey when the Titans take on the Rams next Sunday, but no matchup should deter Brown managers from starting the wideout with the tear he is currently on.

Woods caught three receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown on nine targets against Houston on Sunday, adding three carries for 22 yards and one touchdown.

Woods' inefficiency as a receiver (33.3 percent catch rate, 4.1 yards per target) was somewhat disappointing, especially since quarterback Matthew Stafford was very efficient as a passer, but Woods' two touchdowns bailed out his day from a fantasy perspective. Woods will normally be more productive with his workload, so the fact that he saw nine targets and three carries gives reason to hope for a proper breakout game in the near future -- one where the volume and the efficiency are both there for his fantasy investors. His Week 9 matchup is a good one, as the Rams take on Tennessee in a game that should have one of the highest projected totals of the week.

Johnson caught six of 13 targets for 98 yards during Sunday's 15-10 win over the Browns.

Johnson had most of his production on a 50-yard catch-and-run during the fourth quarter, which eclipsed the receiving yards of every other Pittsburgh pass catcher. The 25-year-old led the team in targets by a significant margin, but there were plenty of opportunities left on the field with seven missed connections from QB Ben Roethlisberger. It's the fifth time this season Johnson has received double-digit targets, and he now has 40 receptions for 474 yards and three touchdowns through six games.

Robinson caught three passes for 21 yards in the Bears' 33-22 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

Robinson secured two of his receptions on third downs to move the chains, but he had another forgettable fantasy performance. He's been held to 35 yards or fewer in all but two games this season while finding the end zone just once, and fantasy managers need to carefully weigh out their wide receiver options when deciding whether to use him when setting weekly lineups.

Kupp recorded seven receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown on nine targets against Houston on Sunday.

Kupp continues his pursuit of the WR1 title in fantasy for the 2021 season, logging his third straight game with 100 yards and a touchdown through the air. He's up to 63 receptions for 924 yards and 10 touchdowns on 90 targets through eight games -- already good for more fantasy points than he scored in 15 games in 2020. Kupp and the Rams should keep the gas pedal down in Week 9 as they take on a surging Tennessee team in a contest that figures to carry one of the highest projected totals of the week.

Mooney caught six passes for 64 yards in the Bears' 33-22 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

Mooney was targeted nine times, which was six more than any wide receiver on the team, but as usual, with Justin Fields for throwing for less than 200 yards, there was only so much production to go around. Overall, Mooney has three games with at least 66 yards over his last seven contests, and he's the only Chicago wide receiver who has been a viable fantasy option this season.