The NFL can be a brutal league sometimes. Week 9 saw some major injuries to really high-end fantasy assets. From quarterbacks to tight ends and everything in between. In the DNA league, the contenders have separated themselves from the pack. There are still a couple of spots that are far too close to call, and teams will compete to the final gun in the Dynasty Nerds App League. Week 9 in the NFL saw action that twisted and turned as teams suffered heartbreaking finishes, thrilling victories, and even straight up beatdowns. With all of that in mind, let us examine the upcoming Week 10 matchups and highlight the week that was in the NFL.
Read the latest Week 10 content or check out our other Dynasty Articles!
Week 9 NFL Recap | Headlines
In the wildest game of the day, the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals clashed in an epic offensive battle. Defense was optional in this one, as there were 8 lead changes, over 1,000 combined yards, and 89 total points. Fantasy points were everywhere to be had as Caleb Williams and Joe Flacco both put up QB1 scores. However, it was a TE who had the last word as Chicago rookie Colston Loveland scored an improbable late TD with only 17 seconds left to give the Bears a 47 to 42 victory.
The Pittsburgh Steelers put the brakes on the racing Indianapolis Colts, giving them their second loss of the season, 27-20. Aaron Rodgers helped lead the home team to victory, but the Steel Curtain was the story. Daniel Jones suffered his first bad game of the season, throwing three interceptions. Jonathan Taylor was also slowed down, racking up less than 50 yards for the first time all year.
Sunday’s afternoon action saw the return of Brock Bowers to the Raiders lineup. He was as dominant as ever, bringing in 12 grabs for 127 yards and 3 scores. However, despite the heroics of their TE, the Raiders came up short on a game-winning 2-point conversion in overtime, losing a gut-wrenching 30-29 contest with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Carolina Panthers took home the biggest upset of the week with a 16-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field. The Panthers had their QB back with Bryce Young under center. However, it was RB Rico Dowell that continued to carry the load for the Panthers as he put up over 100 rushing yards and a pair of scores. The Packers not only lost the game but also lost their dynamic young TE Tucker Kraft for the season with a torn ACL.
The Seattle Seahawks continued their excellent play, absolutely putting it on the Washington Commanders in a Sunday Night 38-14 rout. Sam Darnold and Jaxson Smith-Njigba continued their red-hot connection. To add insult to injury, the Commanders also suffered a number of serious injuries, none bigger than reigning rookie of the year Jayden Daniels, who was lost to a gruesome injury to his non-throwing arm late in the game. Daniels very well may be done for the year, and the Commanders are spiraling out of playoff contention.
Standing | DNA League Snapshot
Dynasty Value
Contender Value
Week 10 Standings
3 Up & 3 Down | Which Dynasty Assets Are Producing & Who Is Letting You Down?
3 Up
- Rico Dowdle has effectively pulled a Wally Pip in the Carolina Panthers backfield. Despite being on a 1-year deal with minimal guarantees, the former Dallas Cowboy has taken the reins of Carolina’s backfield and hasn’t looked back. Dowdle ripped off another big day, going for 130 yards and a pair of scores on 25 carries. He could be a big-time league winner down the stretch if he maintains this type of volume and efficiency.
- Buffalo RB James Cook continues his magnificent play. His second consecutive 100-yard game helped propel the Bills past the rival Kansas City Chiefs. His robust play helped drive his fantasy managers to their own individual victories on the weekend. Cook has been on a heater despite missing virtually all of the offseason.
- Cincinnati WR Tee Higgins is often overlooked in favor of his dynamic teammate Ja’Marr Chase. This past week, Higgins reminded us all that if he were on almost any other team, he would be the alpha no. 1 target. He torched the Chicago Bears secondary for a season-high 121 yards and a pair of scores on 7 grabs. The Bengals may not have pulled it out this week, but doubtless, many of Higgins’ fantasy managers did as a result of his monster game.
3 Down
- Chicago WR Rome Odunze began the season on a heater. However, since the bye week, he has cooled off considerably. This past week, he failed to haul in any of his three targets, including a potential TD pass that hit him in both hands. Following the game, his father made headlines by asking that the Bears trade his son to a team that would use him. Given that Odunze leads the team in targets, catches, and yards, it’s not hard to see why the father didn’t get his wish. Despite this, Odunze has struggled as of late, and you may want to explore other options until he comes back to form.
- Detroit RB Jahmyr Gibbs had his worst game of the season in Week 9. He only managed to contribute a measly 28 yards on 12 touches. Just because he had a down week, do not mistake this for a reason to bench the star RB. Just be aware that he struggled against the division rival Vikings and will be looking for a big bounce back his next time on the field.
- New Orleans RB Alvin Kamara hit an all-time low this past week. The team legend somehow managed to turn in a negative point game for his managers. It is quickly becoming a time where the Saints will need to ask themselves how much they would like to get a look at rookie Devin Neal as the games continue to get away from the Saints.
DNA League Trivia | Which NFL QB in Week 9 became the first player ever to throw for 275, run for 50, and have 20 receiving yards in the same game?
Notable Week 9 Injuries
The biggest injury of the week was easily the gruesome arm injury suffered by Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. The star QB was in the game late with very little to play for and attempted to brace himself during an awkward tackle. In the process of bracing himself, he actually dislocated his elbow in a scene looking more like a part of a Stephen King movie than an NFL game. Thankfully for all involved, testing revealed no fracture. There is an outside chance that he could come back, but I have a hard time seeing the DC brass being all right with their franchise QB rushing back for a meaningless contest.
Green Bay tight end Tucker Kraft went down with a significant knee injury during his team’s Week 9 defeat. Subsequent testing has revealed that the star TE will miss the rest of the season and may even be in question for the start of next season. This is a blow to the entire Packers offense as Kraft was the leading receiver and helped set the table for everyone involved. Look for Luke Musgrave to fill his spot in the Packers starting lineup. Like Jason Voorhees, Musgrave is back from the grave looking to take revenge on the league.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud suffered a concussion during his team’s Week 9 contest. It happened while he was sliding to the ground after a scramble as the pocket broke down around him. Stroud had his head bounce off he ground. Concussions usually cost players at least one game with the current protocols. Anyone relying on Stroud for next week should look to make arrangements elsewhere.
Jacksonville WR Brian Thomas Jr. suffered an ankle injury during his team’s Week 9 game. BTJ has been a disappointment this year and may miss some time if this turns out to be a high ankle sprain. Based on the Jaguars acquisition of Jakobi Meyers, I would bet on him missing a little bit of time.
Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte was forced from his team’s Week 9 victory with a hamstring strain. There has been very little information on him since the end of the game. Keep an eye out for news from Pats practices for a hint as to the extent of this injury.
Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet suffered a concussion in the team’s dramatic victory over the Bengals. His injury paved the way for a huge game for 1st Round pick Colston Loveland. With the current protocols, expect Kmet to sit out for at least one game, giving us another look at an every-down role for Loveland.
Week 9 Highlights
No Change at the Top
Rich Dotson maintained his position at the top of the standings with yet another double victory in Week 9. He got some big performances from Justin Herbert (30.95), Drake London (36.80), and Trevor Lawrence (22.20), allowing him to power past a zero-point effort from Rome Odunze. It will be interesting to see if Rich can maintain his pole position down the stretch.
Playoff Race
We are now past the halfway point of the season. Jared Wackerly and Mychal Warno have pulled a couple of games clear of the first two teams out. This will be a fun finish to the season. It will also be interesting to see if Matt Cooper can dig his way out of the bottom 3 spots in the standings. His team has come to life, dropping the highest score in the league this past week. Can he do it?
Matchup of the Week | Matt Cooper vs. Peter Monahan
Wow, talk about an epic clash of squads. Peter had the unfortunate distinction of losing this one despite putting up the 3rd-highest score in the entire league. But, don’t feel too bad for him since our playing against the average system meant that he was actually 1-1 on the week.
Matt’s squad was dominant at every single position except for the running backs. He was driven by a massive (45.30) point effort by Brock Bowers. He also got quality scores from DJ Moore (24.98), Tee Higgins (31.60), and J.J. McCarthy (21.42). Despite coming up on the short end of this one, Peter saw really good numbers across the board. In particular, he got excellent scores out of his quarterbacks, with Josh Allen putting up 29.82 points while Matt Stafford chipped in a gaudy 33.84 points.
Even though he only went 1-1 on the week, Peter is firmly entrenched in a playoff spot. He currently sits as the #4 seed with a 3-game clearance on the top non-playoff squad. As for his part, this double win was critical to Matt’s efforts at clawing his way out of the basement and the dreaded fan vote for he bottom 3 squads. One thing is certain: if both teams continue to score like this, brighter days are ahead.
Weekly Awards | Week 9 Top Performers
MVP
What can I say? Give the man his flowers. Matt Cooper is the MVP for Week 9. He got some dominant performances out of the players we mentioned in the section above. He bested his previous high score on the season by a whopping 50.87 points!
Overachiever
Rich Dotson was the clear-cut overachiever on the week. This doesn’t come as a result of his not having a good squad. In fact, he currently sits at the top of the standings. However, he overcame a massive bye week and injury situation to take home the coveted double win on the week. This team overcame Quinshon Judkins, Saquon Barkley, and D’Andre Swift being out of his lineup. Well done, sir, well done.
Underachiever
The boo boo award for Week 9 has to go to Keith Ensminger. Not only did Keith take a loss on the week, but he also lost his best overall player for the season when Washington QB Jayden Daniels went down with a brutal elbow injury. This squad will have to scramble to re-establish its footing down the stretch.
Manager Spotlight | Interview With Matt Cooper | @CouchScoutsFF
Q: So tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from, what team do you root for, and how long have you been with Dynasty Nerds?
A: My hometown is Apex, North Carolina. I am a fan of my home state squad, the Carolina Panthers. I have been with the Nerds for going on 4 years. I am the film room coordinator, and I specialize in rookie scouting.
Q: How did you originally get into fantasy football?
A: It’s honestly hard to remember. I have been playing in redraft leagues with my friends for 20 years or so.
Q: Your team seems to be finally getting healthy. How do you feel about your chances of climbing out of the bottom 3?
A: I’m cautiously hopeful. Every win matters, and stealing two this week against a top contender feels significant. Bowers, in particular, finally played like a difference maker. I drafted him in the 1st round of the startup. I’d feel better about my chances if Hampton were coming back in Week 10, but it doesn’t seem like he is close.
Q: What is your favorite trade you have made this season?
A: I’d say trading Adams, Stafford, and Keenan Allen for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The prize there was getting a 1st, which is currently projected as mid-round for players well into their 30s. It didn’t feel like I was going to get more than a 2nd for any of those guys on their own.
Q: Is there any message you have for the Nerd Herd as we get into the back half of the season?
A: If it does come down to the vote, I’d just encourage voters to focus on my stable of proven young studs rather than the eye candy of Taylor’s list of draft picks. While I respect the level of activity he has had in the trade market and the clear direction he has taken with his team, I feel I’m in a much better position both short and long term.*
Q: Finally, is there anything you have to say to Jared Wackerly ahead of your matchup next week?
A: I’ve looked ahead, and we both have some key players on bye and might have to make some ugly starts. So here’s to hoping I can steal another upset win in what might be a low-scoring slugfest.
*Editor’s Note: Pfft.
Trade of the Week
Wow, talk about a slow trade week. But, we did get one with Taylor Christianson sending Samaje Perine to Keith Ensminger for a 2027 4th round pick. It doesn’t get much smaller than that. I mean, we are talking about Nathan Peterman levels of excitement here.
Elimination Watch
The Danger Zone
Taylor Christianson (2–16)
At this point, he will likely be looking for mercy from the Nerd Herd. Taylor has chosen to go down the rabbit hole of the total rebuild. It will be interesting to see if he is laying the foundation for something special for himself or someone else.
Matt Cooper (5–13)
The writing may be on the wall, but he still has time to climb to the #9 spot and avoid an elimination vote. Last week’s league high score highlights the potential this roster still has to offer. Let’s see if he can keep it up.
John Hammersmith (5–13)
Despite pulling out the double win last week, John slips to the #10 spot. Given that he is only one game behind the #7 seed, he has plenty of time to get this turned around and avoid an elimination vote.
Looking Ahead Week 10 Preview
Game of the Week Prediction
In one of the most consequential matchups of the week top top-seeded Rich Dotson takes on the #4 seed Peter Monahan. Rich gets a ton of players back from the bye week and looks poised to lock down the No. 1 seed if he can get through this one with a double victory.
Rivalry Watch
The contest between Keith Ensminger and Nick Piovano is one of the most consequential of the week. Both teams are just off the pace in the playoff race. As the season winds down, both of these teams are in desperate need of a W. Who will come out on top?
Upset Watch
If last week was any indication of the types of scores that these squads are capable of we are in for a treat in Week 10 as Jared Wackerly takes on Matt Cooper. Can Matt ride Brock Bowers and company out of the basement, or will Jared continue his rise up the standings?
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Trivia answer | Caleb Williams became the first player to accomplish these stats this past week in the shootout against the Bengals. It was certainly one to remember for the former 1st overall pick. (click to return)
