Nobody has a more stacked lineup of fantasy analysts and NFL team reporters than ESPN. It's the rare "backfield by committee" that is actually a good thing for fantasy football managers.
Every Tuesday, Mike Triplett will ask our NFL Nation reporters a series of burning questions about the weekend's biggest stories to help inform you for your waiver-wire pickups and other roster decisions.
Unfortunately, injury replacements are the major topic heading into Week 9, with Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry and New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston suffering season-ending injuries Sunday.
It's time to begin our weekly trip around the league, so fasten your seat belts and get ready to tour the NFL Nation!
Tennessee Titans
How do you expect the Titans to divide their running back workload in the wake of Henry's injury?
Mike Vrabel pointed to the running back by committee approach when asked how the Titans will handle the loss of Henry. But they'll continue to have a run-heavy offense. Expect to see most of the carries go to Jeremy McNichols and Adrian Peterson. "I'm not ready to commit to anything or a wholesale change," Vrabel said Monday. "A lot of teams rely on multiple backs to run the football within their same scheme." -- Turron Davenport
New Orleans Saints
Will Taysom Hill be the Saints' starting quarterback once he returns from his Week 5 concussion? And how will that affect Alvin Kamara's fantasy value?
The Saints haven't announced their QB plans yet, aside from Sean Payton insisting that they don't plan to look outside the building. And Hill has not been officially cleared from the concussion protocol yet. So there are reasons to be cautious, especially if Trevor Siemian starts this week and plays well against the Atlanta Falcons. But I still consider Hill the front-runner for the job long term. And his potential fantasy upside is so high as a running quarterback that he should be a top free-agent priority even if it's just a speculative add. Payton said Hill is doing well in his recovery from the concussion, so it's possible he could return to practice and start as early as this week.
As for Kamara's value, obviously there would be some concern because Hill seemed uncomfortable targeting him on checkdowns last season (Kamara caught zero, one, two and seven passes during Hill's four starts). However, we also saw Winston struggle to develop a rhythm with Kamara in the passing game early this season before they started to get on the same page. And we know from that experience that the Saints will keep trying to feed Kamara in one way or another because they recognize how vital he is to their offense. -- Triplett
Jacksonville Jaguars
Will Carlos Hyde get an RB1 type of workload as long as James Robinson is sidelined? Or do you expect more of a timeshare?
Hyde will get the bulk of the work, but there will be multiple players used in the run game as well. After Robinson went out against Seattle, Hyde had nine carries, Dare Ogunbowale had two and Laviska Shenault Jr. had one. Expect that ratio to be pretty similar going forward, with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell mixing in Ogunbowale, Shenault and maybe even Tavon Austin at times, too. -- Michael DiRocco
Philadelphia Eagles
Boston Scott and Jordan Howard had 12 carries each (mostly with the starters) and Kenneth Gainwell had 13 (mostly with the backups). Should we expect that type of even distribution going forward? If you could keep just one in your fantasy lineup, who would it be?
A committee approach seems most likely in Miles Sanders' absence, with the distribution of snaps dictated in part by whether the Eagles have a more run-based attack (which would lean more toward Howard and Scott) or go pass-heavy (in which case Gainwell would have a more prominent role). Tough call, but I'd probably lean toward having Howard in the lineup for now, given the likelihood he'll be used in goal-line situations. -- Tim McManus
Washington Football Team
Do you expect Antonio Gibson to return to a RB1 workload if he can get healthier after the bye? Or should fantasy managers expect this timeshare to continue with Jaret Patterson and J.D. McKissic?
I do expect a heavy load, but the problem is we don't know if he'll be able to handle it. Will one week off change his situation? The shin remains an issue and has cost him some of his explosiveness. But also it has robbed him of practice time, and that's something he still needs at this position. It's not completely natural for him. I'd be wary of believing he can not only handle a full load -- he's had two 20-carry games with the shin injury -- but be as productive as we anticipated before the season. It would help him, too, if and when they get back players such as tight end Logan Thomas, guard Brandon Scherff and right tackle Sam Cosmi. The line is a mess with injuries right now, another reason to be cautious thinking that Gibson is close to that sort of production. -- John Keim
New York Jets
Kudos on pointing out last week that Michael Carter should remain heavily involved in the passing game as long as Mike White is at quarterback (Carter had nine catches for 95 yards on Sunday). Should fantasy managers look to trade him before Zach Wilson returns, or has he done enough to ensure a major featured role no matter who is at quarterback?
I'll say 24 touches (Sunday's total) is a lot to expect every week, but it's reasonable to believe he will be in the 15-20 range. The coaching staff's confidence in Carter is growing. The same could be said of Ty Johnson, the Jets' third-down back, which is why they will continue to share the reps. But, yes, Carter is a worthwhile fantasy option ... and thanks for the shout-out on last week's projection. -- Rich Cimini
Miami Dolphins
DeVante Parker was one of the most-dropped WRs in ESPN fantasy leagues after missing three straight games with injuries. But he came back with season highs of eight catches and 85 yards. Should he be a trusted fantasy option whenever he's active?
Can't blame anyone for looking for help while Parker nursed a hamstring injury, but the opportunities he gets each game will be there for as long as he is a Miami Dolphin. He's seen no fewer than seven targets in each game he's played and is a major part of an offense that averages the fourth-most pass attempts per game this season. Tua Tagovailoa said the team needs to get its playmakers involved early and he stuck to his guns, targeting Parker five times in his first nine attempts. If he's available and you have a need, go for it. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Buffalo Bills
Any particular reason why Cole Beasley had 10 catches and Emmanuel Sanders had none Sunday? (Beasley has now had his two biggest fantasy weeks of the season over the past two games.) Or is it just a reminder that fantasy managers should expect random spikes from this crowded WR group?
Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Beasley's success in the past couple of games and Sanders not having a reception against the Dolphins aren't necessarily telling signs for the weeks to come. Beasley's production, especially in the second half, came from the slot position and quarterback Josh Allen finding openings in the Dolphins' scheme and taking advantage of them. One of the things that the Bills do well is adapt the game plan to the opponent. Beasley will still be a key option for Allen, but the next week Sanders might explode or Stefon Diggs could have a big game. While tight end Dawson Knox is out, there will be more opportunities in the middle of the field for the likes of Beasley, which could help him continue to see more targets. But don't be surprised if opportunities still get spread around. -- Alaina Getzenberg