NFL Player News

Tonyan was a relatively surprising cut by the Vikings on Tuesday, but they’re able to keep the 30-year-old tight end in the organization. He could be active on game days especially with TJ Hockenson (knee) unavailable, but his days of fantasy significance are likely over.

Worthy was far from emphasized against the Buccaneers after an early mistake cost the team seven points. Worthy appeared to score on the team’s opening possession from 33 yards out but he was ultimately ruled out of bounds after failing to get both feet down in the field of play, something that appeared to come with some level of nonchalance. Instead of ensuring both feet were inbounds, Worthy caught the ball while backpedalling towards the left pylon, both heels clipping the white paint along the sideline. Head coach Andy Reid was clearly aggravated with the rookie wide receiver during his halftime interview as the team departed the field of play, something that could have influenced his usage in the second half. Cementing his fantasy dud was a failed end around in the third quarter, on which he lost 10 yards. Worthy’s next opportunity to return fantasy utility comes in Week 10 against the stout Denver secondary.

Hardman departed in the first quarter following a hard fall on the sidelines on a punt return, initially listed as questionable to return. He would start the second half with the team and eventually secure all three targets for a modest 17 yards. He also saw a red zone carry that was called back for offensive holding. Even so, Hardman’s fantasy utility in an offense now with DeAndre Hopkins is fleeting, at best.

Watson continues to play the most snaps at wide receiver for the Chiefs but took a backseat to both Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins, the former of whom set a career-high with 14 receptions and the latter of whom scored twice in the overtime victory. Even so, Watson should continue to see elevated snap rates based on the currently available personnel on the roster, albeit still unlikely to return fantasy utility in the process.

Hopkins scored the first and last touchdown for the Chiefs in regulation in his second game with the team, clearly operating in a more robust role after playing a modest 23 offensive snaps in Week 8. His nine targets finished second on the team behind tight end Travis Kelce’s 16 but the two scores were more than enough to propel him to his best fantasy finish of the season. Hopkins could find the sledding tougher against the suffocating Broncos secondary in Week 10.

Kelce served as the primary target in another game played without both Rashee Rice and JuJu Smith-Schuster, although it was recent acquisition DeAndre Hopkins that scored twice on the evening. Even so, the fantasy returns for the veteran tight end were more than adequate even though he was tackled at the one in overtime. Kareem Hunt would score two plays later to walk it off for the Chiefs and send the team to a perfect 8-0 record as they now turn their sights to the Broncos in Week 10.

Perine found the end zone for the first time this season on a Patrick Mahomes scramble drill touchdown in early in the fourth quarter, a play in which Mahomes aggravated an ankle injury he suffered a week prior and had Chiefs’ nation holding their collective breath. Mahomes would return and lead two more scoring drives, most of the yardage of which was accounted for by backfield mate Kareem Hunt at the end of the fourth quarter and in overtime. Perine is unlikely to return fantasy value with Hunt seeing workhorse usage, in addition to the eventual return of lead back Isiah Pacheco.

Hunt struggled to modest returns for much of the game before taking over in the fourth quarter and overtime, capping his night off with a walk off touchdown plunge from two yards out in extra time. Even through the poor 3.9 yards per carry mark, Hunt remained the workhorse in the Kansas City backfield in the absence of Isiah Pacheco, a role that has led to a league-leading expected fantasy points per game mark since Week 4. As such, Hunt remains a priority start in fantasy circles for as long as Pacheco remains out, which appears on the horizon after Ian Rapoport reported earlier in the week that he was likely two to three weeks away from a return.

The collective Chiefs nation held their breath as Mahomes came up lame following an early fourth quarter touchdown pass to running back Samaje Perine. Mahomes needed assistance to the sideline before being checked by trainers and cleared to return. It turned out to be an aggravation of the ankle injury the franchise quarterback suffered in Week 8, not enough to withhold him from the game in a tied affair. Mahomes would march the team down the field later in the quarter to take a 24-17 lead but watched on the sidelines as Baker Mayfield returned the honor, forcing overtime with just 27 second remaining. The Chiefs won the coin toss and would never give the ball back to Mayfield and the Buccaneers, walking it off on a Kareem Hunt touchdown from two yards out half way through the overtime frame. Mahomes and the Chiefs escaped yet another close call to improve to a perfect 8-0, with their eyes now turned towards the Broncos at home in Week 10.

Palmer played most of the offensive snaps for a team missing its top three wide receivers but failed to generate anything of fantasy utility against the stout secondary of the Chiefs. Palmer’s next chance to put up usable counting stats comes in another difficult matchup in Week 10 against the 49ers.

Shepard was quiet throughout most of the game before erupting for three receptions on the team’s final drive of regulation to help force overtime. Nevertheless, his five targets paled in comparison to the 11 of tight end Cade Otton, the latter of whom served as the primary cog of the offense through the air for the second consecutive week. Shepard is likely to serve as a complementary option once again when the Bucs host the 49ers in Week 10, a game in which Mike Evans appears set to miss.