Week 9 winners and losers: Walker, Lamb come up big; Gibbs, Taylor disappoint

• Matt Bowen

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  Matt Bowen

  ESPN Writer

  Matt Bowen is a fantasy football and NFL writer for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2015, writes regularly for ESPN+ and spent multiple years on "NFL Matchup." After graduating from the University of Iowa, Matt played safety in the NFL for St. Louis, Green Bay, Washington and Buffalo over seven seasons.
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• Tristan H. Cockcroft

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  Tristan H. Cockcroft

  ESPN Senior Writer

  Tristan H. Cockcroft is senior writer for fantasy baseball and football at ESPN. Tristan is a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame. He is also two-time LABR and four-time Tout Wars champion.

Nov 8, 2026, 07:15 PM ET

Week 9 of the 2026 fantasy football season featured another big performance from the Cincinnati Bengals' trio of Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, as well as massive days by Kenneth Walker III, CeeDee Lamb and Puka Nacua. Things didn't go quite as well for Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor, who fell short of their normal standard Sunday.

So, who were the big winners and losers around the league? Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis.

Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Biggest injuries and what's next

Ranking fantasy winners of Week 9

1. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Walker scored a season-high 36.3 points in Sunday's win over the Jets, his third game of 30 or more points this season. Walker had 143 total yards and three touchdowns on 24 touches. While Walker had two subpar games this season (SEA, DEN), he remains the most consistent fantasy scorer in the Chiefs' offense. -- Bowen

2. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Nacua is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday on his knee, which he injured on the final offensive snap versus the Commanders, so let's wait for updates there. Nacua scored 35 points Sunday, catching a season-high 14 passes (on 19 targets) for 150 yards and a touchdown, plus he added 20 yards on two rushing attempts. If the knee checks out, Nacua will continue to see heavy target volume (with Davante Adams on IR), and he's the only Rams pass catcher we can recommend playing in weekly lineups. With 21 or more points in five of his past six games, Nacua would remain an elite WR1 if he's up for the Week 10 game at Arizona. -- Bowen

3. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

When Lamb is the top dog in the offense, wow, can he produce. The star wide receiver had 16 targets, 10 receptions and 33.5 fantasy points, and let's not forget that position-leading 403.2-point season he had in 2023 in a similar spotlight. Lamb's performance gives him nine games with at least 30 points since the beginning of that huge 2023. Tuck that all away as we track George Pickens' availability (hamstring, shoulder) in upcoming weeks. But even if both play in Week 10 against the 49ers, Lamb has midrange WR1 potential. -- Cockcroft

4. Cincinnati Bengals passing game

This part of the Bengals' offense is humming, though the team's running game issues are certainly contributing to the passing game's production. QB Joe Burrow exceeded 28 fantasy points for the third consecutive week, WR Ja'Marr Chase topped 31 for a second straight game, and WR Tee Higgins reached the 20-point plateau for the third straight week. Chase and Higgins, by the way, are the first wide receiver teammates to score 20-plus points in consecutive games since Keenan Allen and DJ Moore did it for the Bears in Weeks 12-13 of 2024.

Burrow and company lit up the scoreboard early in the Bengals' 34-17 victory in Madrid, completing 82% of their passing attempts for 239 yards and two scores before halftime -- and Burrow added a rushing touchdown on a quarterback sneak. With running back Chase Brown struggling, the trio should continue to deliver high-level fantasy production throughout the season's second half. That includes next week on "Sunday Night Football" against the Steelers, as they all exceeded 20 fantasy points in the division rivals' Week 3 meeting. -- Cockcroft

5. Darren Waller, TE, Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young leaned heavily upon his tight ends in a 26-21 loss to the Broncos, as they accounted for 16 of 37 total Panthers targets, led by Waller's 10. He turned them into a season-high 23.0 fantasy points, his most in a game since Week 15 of last season. Waller hasn't been the most reliable fantasy option -- he had exactly two targets in each of his previous three games -- but Young's tendency to look in his tight end's direction in scoring position makes him a viable matchups dart throw. -- Cockcroft

6. Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos

Coleman, playing in a lead role for the Broncos, scored 18.8 points in Sunday's win over the Panthers. Coleman had 21 touches to J.K. Dobbins' five, finishing with 57 yards rushing and a touchdown on 17 carries, plus he had 31 yards receiving on four receptions. The Broncos have a bye next week, but Coleman, who has has 18-plus points in back-to-back games, has RB1 value when Denver plays the Raiders in Week 11. -- Bowen

7. KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns

Concepcion, who returned from an in-game leg injury versus the Saints on Sunday, caught four of six targets for 85 yards and a touchdown (his first as a pro), plus he added 3 yards rushing (18.8 points). With 18 or more points in two of his past three games and dynamic ability after the catch, managers can play the rookie as an upside WR3 for the Week 10 home matchup against Houston. -- Bowen

Ranking fantasy losers of Week 9

1. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

The Dolphins' defense brought it's A-game in Week 9, limiting the Lions to 19 total points and Gibbs to a season-low 13.4 fantasy points. Gibbs was stuffed at the line six times on his 20 rushing attempts, had 18 fewer rushing yards than expected (per Next Gen Stats) and was held without a catch for the first time since Week 4 of 2024. It's not a performance that should be expected often, as Gibbs remains the class of the running back position. A bounce back seems likely in Week 10 against the Patriots. -- Cockcroft

2. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Taylor had 18 touches in the Week 9 loss to the Cowboys, but he lacked rushing efficiency (3.5 yards per carry) and finished with only 64 total yards. Taylor has scored fewer than 10 points in back-to-back games, and he could be on the move before the NFL trade deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Stay tuned here, as Taylor's value could change if he is traded this week. -- Bowen

3. Jared Goff, QB, and Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions

Goff was the eighth-most-started quarterback (57.3% of ESPN leagues) and Williams the 17th-most-started wide receiver (70.7%) in Week 19. Their final scores: 5.30 fantasy points for Goff and 5.0 for Williams -- both season lows. In Goff's case, it's his second straight week below 10 points, which is the first time he has done that since Weeks 9-10 of 2024. He doesn't have it much easier the next two weeks, either, with the Patriots and Buccaneers his opponents for those games. Try to keep Goff to the sidelines, and regard Williams as his usual big-play-dependent WR2/3 fantasy self. -- Cockcroft

4. Malik Willis, QB, Miami Dolphins

A popular streaming pick (season-high 15.1% start rate), Willis scored an entirely forgettable 3.82 fantasy points against the league's worst passing defense in the Lions. Willis' groin issue, which was brought to light during the game, severely limited his mobility. He needs that facet of his game for him or his receivers to have any hope of streaming utility in future favorable matchups, which might've included the Bills in Weeks 11 and 17 and Bears in Week 14. -- Cockcroft

5. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

The J.J. McCarthy magic that boosted Nabers' fantasy scores in Weeks 6-7 was simply not there Sunday, as Nabers managed only 9.3 fantasy points on eight targets while taking a back seat to Isaiah Likely as McCarthy's go-to guy. That's the drawback of the McCarthy experience; he's big-play reliant, but needs both the accuracy and frequency of deep throws in order to boost Nabers' numbers into the fantasy WR1 tier. Nevertheless, a Commanders matchup next week suits the Giants' passing game well, and Nabers should be expected to rebound. -- Cockcroft

6. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns

Judkins had a season-low 5.5 points in Sunday's OT loss to the Saints, managing only 43 yards rushing on 15 carries (2.9 YPC), while he added one catch for two yards. With two straight games of fewer than 10 points, and limited receiving upside (four receptions over his last three), Judkins should be viewed as a volume grinder who needs scoring opportunities. With the Houston defense up next in Week 10, I'll have Judkins as a fringe RB2 in 10-team leagues. -- Bowen

7. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

Williams saw 18 touches in the Week 9 win over the Commanders, but he scored a season-low 9.1 points, and it's clear that Blake Corum's usage (three straight games with 11 or more rushing attempts) has made this a true backfield rotation in L.A. Williams' value does take a hit here, as he will drop into the mid-tier RB2 range, while Corum can be played as a weekly RB2/Flex. The Rams get the Cardinals in Week 10. -- Bowen

Injury impact

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Denver Broncos

What we know: He left before halftime with a concussion and was ruled out for the day shortly thereafter.

What's next: Waddle will need to clear the NFL's concussion protocol, but he has a Week 10 bye to afford him more time to do so. If he isn't ready to play by Week 11 against the Raiders, Pat Bryant -- who scored 15.6 fantasy points on five targets in his first game back from IR -- could be a matchup-driven WR3/flex for that game. -- Cockcroft