2025 Fantasy Football Trends for Week 9
My 2025 Fantasy Football Trends for Week 9 article has arrived just in time to help you in your matchups this week, and going forward!
We’ve reached Halloween and, given the relentless list of injuries, some of our fantasy lineups may be some of the scariest beings known to man at the moment. Hopefully, these five trends can give you a little more confidence with your lineup decisions and strategy this week and going forward.
1. Chase Brown’s 74.3 rushing yards per game since Week 6
As someone who was extremely high on Chase Brown coming into the season, I have to admit he’s been a disappointing fantasy asset – particularly given his draft cost. However, Joe Flacco’s arrival and the overall improvement in the offense look to be helping him turn a corner. His two-touchdown performance against the Jets on Sunday marked his best fantasy outing of the year, finishing with 25.5 PPR points.
Since Flacco’s arrival, Brown has averaged 74.3 rushing yards per game, well over double the 32 yards per game over the opening five games. Despite increased usage for Samaje Perine, Brown’s improved efficiency on the ground, combined with greater touchdown upside with Joe Flacco, means we can have much more confidence in Brown going forward.
2. Kyle Pitts’ 19 targets over the last two weeks
Say it quietly, but Kyle Pitts is having a productive fantasy season so far. Having never quite hit the heights we all hoped, Pitts was overlooked, mainly coming into the year, but has seen a noticeable uptick in targets – particularly over the last couple of games. In each of the previous two weeks, Pitts has led the Falcons in targets, seeing ten (joint-highest with London) two weeks ago, and nine in week 8. He has now seen a 27.8% and 30% target share over the last two games, presenting fantasy managers with fairly consistent production.
The former fourth overall pick has now hit 50 receiving yards in back-to-back games, finishing as a top-12 tight end in each. Admittedly, he may lack some of the upside we have seen from the likes of Kraft, Gadsden, and even a revitalised Travis Kelce, Pitts continues to offer a good floor.
3. Quentin Johnston’s zero targets
QJ’s blistering start to the year has come to an abrupt end. The former first-round receiver averaged just shy of 20 PPR points per game over his first four weeks of this season. This figure has since fallen to just 6 PPR points per game over his following three outings, failing to breach the 40 receiving yard mark in any of the three. This included a big zero in last week’s game against the Vikings in which he played on a season-low 52% of snaps. While Johnston’s injury may have played a role, the emergence of rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden, plus the return to form of Ladd McConkey after a slow-ish start, have stymied QJ’s progress.
At this point, Johnston is simply a hugely volatile fantasy asset. He’s currently in an annoying limbo, certainly not worth dropping given the tremendous upside we’ve already seen this season, yet we are also unable to start him with any trust.
4. Travis Etienne Jr.’s season-low nine touches
Travis Etienne the second I thought he was good again: pic.twitter.com/cRVk6U56M4
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) October 19, 2025
Another player moving in the wrong direction is Travis Etienne. The former Clemson back started the season with three top-12 performances over his first four weeks, yet has now failed to reach double-digit PPR points in any of his last three games. In Jacksonville’s previous game, a blowout loss to the Rams in London, Etienne saw just nine touches, his lowest of the season so far. He turned this into just 55 yards from scrimmage, resulting in his worst fantasy production of the year so far. Both his touches and efficiency have fallen away in the last three weeks, averaging 98.5 rushing yards per game over the first four games, to just 40 over the previous three.
Meanwhile, rookie Bhayshul Tuten remains in the background, seeing limited touches (for now). There’s a good chance he rebounds in a likely positive game script against the Raiders this weekend, but remains a sell in my eyes, given the longer-term uncertainty.
5. Christian Watson’s 11.4% target share
Jordan Love goes DEEP to Christian Watson on 3rd down
— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2025
GBvsPIT on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/WjFjHQ3HEy
Watson has shown huge upside in the past, but primarily, his career has been hindered by regular injuries. It was therefore pleasing to see him step immediately into a sizable role in the Packers’ offense, securing all four of his targets for 85 receiving yards. This represented an 11.4% target share, impressive considering this was Watson’s first game since he tore his ACL in week 18 of last season.
The unfortunate aspect for fantasy managers is that it further increases the ambiguity over the Packers’ wide receiver corps. Matthew Golden’s production, for example, had been on the rise, but the rookie had just three receiving yards against the Steelers. And this is before another high upside receiver, Jayden Reed, returns from injury. The other side of the coin, however, is that it raises Jordan Love’s fantasy outlook, following his season-high 360 passing yards, resulting in his best fantasy production of the year so far.