Here are the things we learned from Week 9:
Texans @ Jets:
RB Joe Mixon was once again the best player on the field for the Texans, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown. Mixon had 24 of the team’s 36 carries and is, without a doubt, the team’s offensive MVP this season. The only knock on Mixon is that Houston is not using him as much in the passing game. If he adds this to his arsenal, he could be a top-five overall RB the rest of the way.
Tank Dell, a master against man coverage, had 6 receptions for 126 yards. He’s going to need to continue to play at this level while the team waits for Nico Collins to return from his injury. However, no other Texans receiver had more than 44 yards. Without Collins on the field, Robert Woods and/or Xavier Hutchinson is going to need to step up.
Aaron Rodgers had zero passing touchdowns at halftime but in the second half looked much better, throwing for three touchdown passes, including two to Garrett Wilson and one to Davante Adams. Rodgers still looks out of sorts at times and is searching for more consistency.
The Jets failed to get the ball in Breece Hall’s hands enough, as Hall only had 15 carries for 74 yards and two receptions for 11 yards. Hall is the type of running back that needs to be getting 20 to 25 touches per game, and the Jets are just not doing that, which is frustrating to Jets fans and his fantasy managers.
Garrett Wilson made one of the most historic catches in NFL history with his one-handed grab in the end zone. Many felt that Wilson would be the WR2 now that Adams is in New York, but Wilson is clearly taking advantage of his role and has been exceptional in playing against weaker cornerbacks.
Patriots @ Titans:
Drake Maye returned from his concussion and threw for 206 passing yards and a touchdown. His game-tying play at the end of regulation to get the team into overtime was incredible, as he showed off his mobility to find the open receiver in the end zone. Maye added 95 yards rushing, which led the team by close to 80 yards, as Rhamondre Stevenson was only able to muster 16 yards on 10 carries.
Hunter Henry led the Patriots with seven receptions for 56 yards. Henry has been the team’s most consistent receiver, as might be expected, as rookie quarterbacks tend to use tight ends as security blankets.
Tony Pollard shocked most observers who expected him to miss this game as he did not practice all week with a foot injury. Pollard ended up with 31 touches, including 28 carries for 128 yards and three receptions for 26 yards. He has been the team’s best player and free agent signing.
The Texans are going to really need to think about whether to continue with Mason Rudolph as their starting quarterback. Rudolph threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 19 yards. Second-year quarterback Will Levis has shown flashes, but for the most part, he has been inconsistent, especially when he gets pressured by opposing pass rushers. Rudolph looks like the best bet right now if the Titans want to compete this season.
Calvin Ridley looks like a player that might be worth trading for in fantasy leagues. Ridley had 5 receptions (on eight targets) for 73 yards. Ridley has been a central focus of their passing attack, and now, with DeAndre Hopkins in Kansas City, I would expect that to continue each week.
Broncos @ Ravens:
Lamar Jackson is having another MVP type of season. He threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns and barely even had to run the ball. He connected with seven different receivers to confuse the Denver secondary. What’s even more amazing was that Jackson did not complete a pass to newly acquired WR Dionte Johnson. When they integrate Johnson into the offense, it’s going to be to make a great offense even greater.
Zay Flowers is a master against zone coverage. Flowers had five receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns on only 6 targets. He has this amazing symbiotic connection with Jackson, as he always seems to find the holes in the opposing defense. He’s also tremendously elusive, which makes him very difficult to tackle and allows him to get a ton of yards after contact.
Although the Broncos lost the game there was a lot to like in the play of Bo Nix. Nix threw for 223 yards and rushed for another 36 yards. He also caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Cortland Sutton. Nix was sacked four times and threw one interception, but Broncos head coach Sean Payton has to be thrilled with how good Nix is playing as a rookie.
Courtland Sutton led the Broncos receivers with 7 receptions for 122 yards on 10 targets. Sutton also threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Nix on a very successful trick play. Because the Broncos don’t have a true WR2 it’s very important for Sutton to continue playing at a high WR1 level for the Broncos to make the playoffs.
If you’re playing in a dynasty format, keep your eye on Troy Franklin. Even though he finished the game with only 19 yards on one reception, Nix just missed him in the end zone for what would have been a 40-yard touchdown bomb. They have amazing chemistry from their days playing together at the University of Oregon and I think it’s only a matter of time before Franklin becomes the WR2 behind Sutton.
Saints @ Panthers:
Derek Carr threw for 236 yards and a touchdown but is going to be facing a lot of criticism this coming week as he threw a pass into major traffic that got Chris Olave concussed. While it’s not fair to blame a quarterback for what happens to his receivers, Carr put the ball in a situation that was very dangerous, and former Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has already gone on to social media to criticize the throw.
Alvin Kamara rushed 29 times for 155 yards and also caught 6 passes for 60 yards. He is a major weapon in both reality and fantasy. If the Saints were to lose him, they would lose about 80 to 90% of their offense. Taysom Hill filled the role of RB2 behind Kamara with Kendre Miller on the IR and Jamaal Williams inactive with an injury.
In what might have been his final game as the starting running back for the Panthers, Chuba Hubbard had 15 carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie running back Jonathan Brooks from the University of Texas is expected to return to the lineup in Week 10 after missing time with a gruesome knee injury. While it will take Brooks some time to get to playing speed, he will siphon carries away from Hubbard immediately.
With Diontae Johnson now a Baltimore Raven, look for rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette to become the WR1 for Carolina. Legette did not have a ton of great looks thrown his way Sunday, but he did have a fantastic catch in the end zone for a touchdown. What makes him a special player is that he can be used all over the field and is not just a speed burner who runs a limited route tree.
This game did a lot for Bryce Young’s confidence, getting the team a big win at home. Young threw for 171 yards and a touchdown and for the most part looked confident. There will be a lot of questions as to whether Young or Andy Dalton should start in Week 10 but coming off a win I would be surprised if Panthers head coach Dave Canales would make a change.
Commanders @ Giants:
Jayden Daniels has led Washington to seven wins in nine games as a rookie, which, after watching them play the last couple of seasons, is incredibly impressive. Daniels threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, as well as ran for 35 yards, and has what seems to be complete command of the offense.
With Brian Robinson unavailable with a knee injury, backup RB Austin Ekeler had 42 yards rushing and a touchdown, as well as 3 receptions for 41 yards. The team wanted to look at Robinson in pregame warmups before deciding whether to activate him or not. He’s expected to play next week, as he was very close to being active in Week 9.
Daniel Jones finally threw not one but two touchdown passes at home after one of the longest droughts in history. Jones also ran for 54 yards and a touchdown, showing that if the Giants’ offensive line can give him any time, he is able to pick apart an opposing defense. Jones needs to throw with a bit more anticipation, as it seems like he tends to wait for his receivers to get open instead of throwing to a spot and assuming his receivers will be there.
Once again, Malik Nabers was unable to find the end zone as he caught 9 passes for 59 yards on 11 targets. It’s good to see the Giants peppering Nabers with targets, but it’s also a little frustrating at the same time, as they’re not taking advantage of his speed downfield. For the Giants’ offense to play at the highest level, they have to be willing to take big shots to Nabers.
For those of you in dynasty leagues, Tyrone Tracy Jr. is absolutely somebody that I would trade for. After being cleared for concussion, Tracy rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries. Also looking very good is rookie tight end Theo Johnson, who had three receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. If the Giants can find more consistent quarterback play and improved play on the offensive line, there’s a lot to like with their skill players.
Chargers @ Browns:
Justin Herbert was incredibly efficient, completing 18 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Herbert completed passes to 8 different receivers and only rushed for two yards on three carries. When Herbert is allowed to stay in the pocket and have time to throw, he can pick apart an opposing defense. It’s when he is forced out of the pocket he tends to make impulsive decisions which gets the team in trouble.
Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston had four receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown. The knock on Johnston has always been his poor hands, but it seems like he has improved a little bit in that area. What Johnston gives the team is amazing speed, and he allows Herbert to challenge opposing defenses downfield. When he does that, it opens the center of the field for the lad McConkey and the tight ends to get better matchups.
Sometimes, there are revenge narratives, and sometimes, there are college narratives. Former Ohio State running back JK Dobbins returned to Ohio and had 14 carries for 85 yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with two receptions for 20 yards. Sometimes, it’s a great idea to take advantage of these types of narratives as those players tend to have big games in front of their friends and family.
One of the knocks on Jameis Winston is that he throws as many interceptions as he does touchdown passes. On Sunday, Winston threw 3 interceptions to only one touchdown pass as he couldn’t find any room against the smoldering Chargers defense. Although Winston gives the Browns a better opportunity to win than they had under Deshaun Watson, Winston is still going to have a lot of times where he makes some head-scratching throws.
Cedric Tillman once again had another excellent fantasy game. He caught 6 passes on 11 targets for 75 yards on a touchdown. He has been the most targeted receiver in the past three games, and he has emerged as the Browns new WR1. Many people are still not convinced that Tillman is as good as he’s looked, but he was an excellent receiver at the University of Tennessee, and now that he’s finally got an opportunity to shine to play more, he should be able to shine in this offense.
Raiders @ Bengals:
Joe Burrow threw for 251 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Bengals to a victory. Burrow threw passes to eight different receivers and was in complete command of the offense. The Bengals have a Thursday game upcoming this week against the Ravens on the road, with their playoff hopes possibly on the line. Look for Burrow to step up and have another big week against a Ravens defense that has been beaten by far inferior offenses in previous weeks.
With Zach Moss out for the game, Chase Brown was finally given the RB1 role and had 27 carries for 120 rushing yards. He also had five receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. This is the kind of explosive play that many people have been expecting from Brown since he was drafted from the University of Illinois. Expect that when Moss returns, he will only be used in short-yardage situations, while Brown should get the bulk of the touches.
With Tee Higgins out once again with an injury, tight end Mike Gesicki stepped up and had five receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. With Higgins looking for a new contract in 2025, it would surprise me if he rushed back from his injury, as he is not willing to risk hurting himself for a team he does not wish to return to. While Higgins is out, Gesicki has evolved into the team’s de facto #2 receiver and one of Joe Burrow’s favorite targets.
The Raiders have no chance to be successful so long as they continue to get such awful quarterback play as they’ve been getting thus far. Gardner Minshew completed 10 passes for 124 yards with no touchdowns and missed his receivers consistently. Complicating matters further is Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce’s insistence on running the football. The Raiders ran 21 times for only 60 yards, which is less than three yards per carry. Minshew’s best quality is his gunslinging nature; If you’re not going to let him throw, then what the use of starting him is?
The one bright light for the Raiders has been the play of rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers had five receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown and has quickly become the number one tight end in fantasy football. Considering how good he’s been with such poor quarterback play tells you how good he can be if the Raiders can find themselves a good young quarterback to build around.
Dolphins @ Bills:
With Amari Cooper inactivated just prior to the game, Josh Allen leaned on Khalil Shakir to be his top receiver. Shakir had six receptions on 7 targets for 50 yards. He rarely drops a pass, and he runs incredible routes. Tom Brady compared him to Julian Edelman and that feels like a very good comparison. The only knock against Shakir is his lack of touchdowns, but if he’s going to get 6 to 8 receptions a game, those will come as the season progresses.
One of the most under-the-radar rookies this year has been Bills running back Ray Davis. Davis, from the University of Kentucky, has proven to be an excellent complement for James Cook. Not only did Davis have four carries for 20 yards, he also had two receptions for 70 yards and a 63-yard touchdown. He runs with a low center of gravity and is very hard to tackle. He is absolutely deserving of more carries and might get them when the weather becomes colder in Buffalo.
If there was a do-over in fantasy football leagues, I think that De’Von Achane would most likely be a top-five overall pick, especially in PPR formats. Achane had 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown, as well as 8 receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. In the four games that Tua has been the quarterback, he has had 28 receptions. Don’t be shocked to see Raheem Mostert be traded at the deadline. I would think moving forward, the Dolphins are going to need to get Jaylen Wright to get more carries as his skill set is similar to Achane’s in that they both have explosive gear.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s playcalling can be maddening at times. Sometimes, he calls an absolutely great play, and then he’ll follow up later with a play that’s just a head-scratcher, and you’ll wonder what he was thinking. In the first half, the Dolphins were barely able to move the ball, only scoring 10 points. Then, finally, in the fourth quarter, they put up 14 points, and the offense seemed to be rolling. It’s this lack of consistency that is troubling to Dolphins fans because it feels like they’re underutilizing their skill players.
Cowboys @ Falcons:
No one ever wants to root for an injury, but it feels like Dallas might be better off without Dak Prescott as its quarterback, at least for the time being. Prescott could barely get the offense rolling against Atlanta prior to his leaving the game with a hamstring injury. Up until that point, Prescott had thrown for 133 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 30 yards. But the biggest problem is that he just can’t make a play in a critical spot, and it’s killing their drives. If Prescott is out for Week 10 it’ll be interesting to see whether Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy chooses to go with Cooper Rush or Trey Lance. The Cowboys did a good job when Rush was their quarterback last year, so he likely deserves the first opportunity.
At this point, Dallas absolutely must commit to Rico Dowdle as its starting running back. Dowdle had 12 carries for 75 yards as well as 5 receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown. If you haven’t seen the touchdown, it was an incredible play where the ball bounced around, and he caught it in the end zone. Dalvin Cook was only able to muster 2 carries for 8 yards, and Zeke Elliott was suspended for the game for missing team meetings. Many people have suspected that Dallas might make a trade before the trade deadline for a running back, which makes a lot of sense with their issues at the position. Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears would be the perfect addition to their roster.
Early in the season, it felt as if Atlanta was not giving the ball enough to Bijan Robinson, but that’s not the case anymore. Against the Cowboys Robinson had 19 carries for 86 yards as well as 7 receptions for 59 yards. Moreover, they are able to get him the ball in space and give him the best opportunity to help them. Backup running back Tyler Allgeier did steal a touchdown, but that shouldn’t take away from how effective Robinson was throughout the game. If Atlanta continues to lean on Robinson, they are the clear favorites to win the division.
Falcons star receiver Drake London left the game with a hamstring injury after getting two receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown. Normally, hamstring injuries take a couple of weeks to recover, so if London is out for any period of time, look for Darnell Mooney to be the team’s new WR1. Mooney is a big-play receiver who led the Falcons with 88 yards and a touchdown against Dallas. Another beneficiary will be Ray-Ray McLeod, who is very good out of the slot. Both Mooney and McLeod seem to have built a good rapport with Kirk Cousins, so Atlanta might be able to withstand London’s injury better than a lot of other teams.
Jaguars @ Eagles:
It is rare for a running back to win the league MVP award, but right now, it could be argued that Saquon Barkley has been the best player in the league thus far. Barkley had 30 touches against Jacksonville, including 27 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown. He literally has been the entire Eagles’ offense, and it just seems mind-boggling that the Giants gave up on him and decided to keep Daniel Jones instead. It’s hard to imagine that Barkley will be able to keep this pace up throughout the whole season, but you have to ride him as long as he’s getting this many touches per week.
Eagles WR A.J. Brown left the game with a knee injury at the beginning of the third quarter. This is a huge loss to the Eagles passing attack, which is suffering from a lack of depth to begin with. DeVonta Smith stepped up and had four receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, and he will be required to do a whole lot more if Brown misses any time. Another player to look out for might be Jahan Dotson, who came over prior to the season from Washington. Dotson is surehanded but he got off to a rough start with the Eagles because he really didn’t know the playbook when he had his opportunity earlier in the season when Brown was out.
Although this game looked close in the box scores, it really wasn’t if you watched it. Jacksonville was only able to get 60 yards rushing on 18 carries, with Travis Etienne leading the team with 24 rushing yards. Jaguars head coach Doug Peterson might be better off committing to one of the running backs and letting them be the bell cow for this team. I know he doesn’t believe that any player should lose his starting role due to an injury, but prior to this week, Tank Bigsby had been playing very well, and Etienne had been struggling. It’ll be interesting to see what happens moving forward, as Jacksonville can’t continue playing so poorly on offense.
Without Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis, Trevor Lawrence really struggled. He completed 16 passes for 169 yards and two interceptions. If he didn’t have the two rushing touchdowns, his day might have rivaled Gardner Minshew for how bad it was. In Lawrence’s defense, he was playing with receivers who don’t normally play, and they weren’t very familiar with the routes. Lawrence was only able to get the ball to Brian Thomas twice for 22 yards and to Evan Engram, who went 5 for 45. If the Jaguars are not feeding their best two receivers the football, they have zero chance to win.
Bears @ Cardinals:
From way back in the preseason, I have been off the Caleb Williams hype train. I was worried that he was not a student of the game in college and that he needed to take watching film more seriously. Once again, Williams did not throw a touchdown pass and looked pretty awful on the road in Arizona. For the game, Williams went 22 for 41 for 217 yards, but the Bears were never really competitive. Williams is going to have to get all his receivers more involved, especially DJ Moore, who looks like he’s struggling and not being fed the football where he wants it. The Bears have a very difficult schedule moving forward, where they play a lot of divisional games, so now would be the time to trade Williams if you have him.
Speaking of guys who should be traded, now is the perfect time to trade D’Andre Swift. Over the next few games, Chicago plays Minnesota, Green Bay, and Detroit, who all have very good run defenses. Swift still has excellent trade value, and it’s possible to get at least one if not two, players in return for him. His offensive output is going to decrease significantly in the coming weeks, especially with the tough divisional games coming up on the schedule. With the trade deadline coming up soon, it might be a good idea to put a waiver claim on Khalil Herbert, who is the RB3 for Chicago. Herbert is barely playing in Chicago, but he is talented, and if moved to another team, I could see him getting some opportunities.
Quietly, Arizona running back James Conner is putting together a terrific season. Connor had 18 carries for 107 yards, as well as three receptions per 12 yards. The only blemish on his game was the fact that Arizona had the ball on the one-yard line a couple of times, and they didn’t give him the ball, instead choosing to give the ball to Trey Benson and to Trey McBride for short touchdowns. Arizona runs a zone scheme offense and designs plays that really benefit Conner. The NFC West has been particularly soft this season against the run, and it’s fair to expect that Conner will continue to perform at this level for the rest of the season.
Marvin Harrison only had two receptions for 34 yards on five targets, and while it’s fair to say that he’s been inconsistent, Chicago is a tough opponent. The Bears don’t like to get beat deep, and they keep the ball out in front of them. The bottom line is that Harrison will have better weeks to come. To that end, In the fantasy playoffs in Weeks 16 and 17, Harrison play the Panthers and the Rams. There may not be a better match-up for any receiver, so this could be a good time to trade for him coming off a weak performance.
Lions @ Packers:
All the credit in the world needs to go to Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. He does such a fantastic job of play innovation, and he gives the Lions the best play at the time to create offense. Jared Goff only threw for 145 yards and one touchdown, but it felt like the Lions could do whatever they wanted against the Packers. Amon-Ra St. Brown had 7 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown, but what’s even more impressive is that he had the seven receptions on 7 targets. That type of passing efficiency helps lead teams to Super Bowls. Goff has been there once, so he knows what it takes to get back.
One of my favorite plays is using David Montgomery when the Lions are on the road. At home, the Lions are willing to open up their offense in the Dome where Jared Goff doesn’t have to worry about wind than they are on the road where they have to deal with the outside elements. On the road in Green Bay, Montgomery had 17 carries for 73 yards as well as 3 receptions for 23 yards. Although he didn’t find the end zone, he was able to make the critical yards when he needed them to keep drives going. Simply put, Detroit loves to run on the road, and Montgomery is the perfect player to take advantage of that.
After his injury last week, it was a bit surprising to see Jordan Love practicing and getting the start against Detroit, as there was a lot of speculation that he would miss the game entirely due to his injured groin. Although he completed 23 passes for 273 yards, Love lacked the mobility to get out of the pocket and make plays that he needed to. To his credit, Love gutted out the performance and tried his best to keep the Packers in the game. However, with the groin injury and the slippery field, it felt like there was too much for Love to overcome.
Christian Watson has all the talent in the world, and when Green Bay drafted him, they expected him to be their big-play receiver. However, against Detroit, he only had three receptions for 37 yards. Watson has dealt with numerous hamstring injuries in the past, but now that he is healthy, he’s not making the impact that’s needed. Watson must be the downfield target for Love to take the top off an opposing defense. If they don’t use Watson correctly, then they’re dinking and dunking down the field, and other teams safeties are playing up, and that’s causing Green Bay a lot of unnecessary issues. Unless Love can start finding Watson on some bigger plays, don’t be surprised to see Green Bay continue to struggle.
Rams @ Seahawks:
One of the new popular terms in fantasy football is something called flop lag. Flop lag is when a player who disappointed the week before has a good game the following week. Geno Smith disappointed everyone in Week 8 but he was tremendous in Week 9 against the Rams throwing for 363 yards and three touchdowns. Smith did throw for three interceptions but he brought the team back and gave them a chance to win when it was needed.
It was finally good to see Jaxon Smith-Njigba be more involved in the offense. Up until this point, JSN had been incredibly inconsistent, having good weeks followed up by some unproductive weeks. Against the Rams, he had 7 receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns and showed that he could not only be used in the middle of the field but also could be used on deep pass plays. Ryan Grubb, Seattle’s offensive coordinator, has to figure out how to use JSN in conjunction with DK Metcalf when Metcalf returns from injury. If the Seahawks want to make the playoffs, they both have to be hitting at the same time.
Matthew Stafford practically willed the Rams to victory, throwing for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Stafford was also behind the eight ball because his star receiver, Puka Nacua, was ejected from the game after throwing a punch. The Rams are very methodical on offense and work the ball down the field, but in the fourth quarter and in overtime, Stafford finally took some chances and made some very big plays downfield. With the NFC West being one of the weaker divisions in the league, if Kupp and Nacua are healthy Stafford might be a quarterback worthy to roster in fantasy football.
Once Puka Nacua was ejected, Matthew Stafford did his best to feed Cooper Kupp the football. Kupp finished with 10 receptions for 89 yards and looked terrific in his #hometwonnarrative. But the player who really stepped up was DeMarcus Robinson, who had 6 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. People tend to overlook Robinson, which is a big mistake. Robinson was very successful when he played in both Baltimore and Kansas City and should be a perfect WR3 for Stafford the rest of the way.
Colts @ Vikings:
This was a very disappointing game for both the Colts and their quarterback, Joe Flacco. After Colts head coach Shane Steichen made the decision to bench Anthony Richardson to go with Flacco, it was hoped that Flacco’s experience would help them against the Vikings blitz and give the Colts the best chance to win. That didn’t really work out so well, as Flacco only threw for 179 yards, and he didn’t have a touchdown pass. Moreover, stand-out wide receiver Michael Pittman only had one reception for 14 yards. When Pittman plays well, usually the Colts play well, and when Pittman suffers, the Colts suffer.
The one player who is turning out to be one of the top young players in the league is Josh Downs, the wide receiver from the University of North Carolina. Downs led the Colts in targets with 9 and finished the game with six receptions for 60 yards. Down has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and he runs supremely good routes. The one thing I especially like about Downs is that he can be successful with either Flacco or Richardson, as he’s created a bond with both quarterbacks.
Sam Darnold led the Vikings to the home victory throwing for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Although he had two interceptions and he took a few too many sacks Darnold was able to make the big completions when he needed to in the critical times. The biggest knock on Darnold is that he waits and holds the ball too long. If he can improve his and give his receivers more opportunities he might be able to lead the Vikings to the playoffs.
Now would be a good time to add TJ Hockenson in fantasy leagues. Hockinson finally returned from the IR and had three receptions for 27 yards on four targets. His mediocre performance in his return was to be expected as the team did not want to give him a full set of snaps right away as he returned from injury. Expect to see his snap count rise in the coming games and, with that, more receptions and more touchdowns too. Darnold has always liked throwing to the tight end (Josh Oliver had five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota). Hockenson should be able to produce those numbers and even better in the coming weeks.
