Tell your friends (just not your leaguemates until next week)
by Optimus Staff
Look, we get it. It’s Week 9. We no longer all have sunny, rosy, happy vibes. This is when the season feels like a slog. The teams you drafted with so much hope have bitten the dust, and even the ones doing well are limping along, taking on water.
Well, get those bailing buckets working overtime; there’s no time for that around here! We’re here to let you know that all you can do is put one foot in front of another and just keep going. So what if you’re eliminated from playoff contention (ethically, we do not endorse shady trades), play spoiler! So, buckle up, lock in, and grab your snacks and drinks of choice. We’re here with your Friday Vibes!
Friday Vibes: NFL Week 9 Storylines and 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!
Nate Polvogt:
First, as the father of an 8-year-old who spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening completely immersed in it, Happy Halloween Weekend!
And what a weekend of football it’s shaping up to be, friends. While there are four teams on bye this week – better than the six we dealt with last weekend – there are plenty of potentially high-scoring affairs coming this Sunday. Of the 13 remaining games headed our way in Week 9, nine have an over/under total set at, or exceeding, 44.5 total points, with four exceeding 50 total points.
They won’t all be gems, of course. Monday night brings the Cardinals and Cowboys (53.5), which could feature most of the scoring on one side. The same could be said for the Patriots and Falcons (45.5) game early on Sunday.
However, for THE game of all games this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs travel to Buffalo (52.5) in a game that could set the tone for the AFC as we approach the midway point of the season.
This game will be a huge litmus test for both teams, but moreover for Kansas City. Currently 5-3, the perennial Super Bowl contender hasn’t looked the part. While they sit at 5-3 and one game out of first place in the division, three of those wins came against Baltimore, Las Vegas and the New York Giants. And after this weekend, their schedule doesn’t get easier, with dates against Denver, Indianapolis, Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Are the Chiefs on the way back, and were their slow start and confusing losses just an aberration? Or is this who they are in 2025? We should have a clearer picture come Sunday night.
Carly Manger:
Welcome to the best day of the year, Halloween. It is by far my favorite holiday. Dressing up isn’t just about the costume for me, it’s about the experience (and taking some really cool photos, I won’t lie).
“But Carly, what does this have to do with fantasy football?”
I’m glad you asked. Spooky season has arrived in a big way for the NFL. A general manager was fired (sure…it was “mutual”), the 2nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft suffered a non-contact knee injury during practice, and the exciting rookie RB for the New England Patriots may finally get his chance to shine.
Rhamondre Stevenson was just ruled out with a toe injury for Week 9. TreVeyon Henderson truthers were spotted falling to their knees in Spirit Halloween stores all around the country. Is it finally time? Is it happening? I hope so! The rookie RB out of Ohio State was supposed to be electric, and I truly hope we get to see that this weekend. The thing is, he can’t just put on the “costume” of RB1, he has to fully get into the experience and use this opportunity to the fullest.
Is there a chance Vrabel makes him split the work with D’Ernest Johnson or Terrell Jennings? Sadly, yes. However, when Henderson was given opportunities in Week 8, he crushed it. He had 10 rushing attempts for 75 yards (7.5 YPC) against one of the toughest run defenses in the league (Cleveland Browns). He did not see a single target, which is bananas to me since that was his specialty coming out of college. Buckle up and strap in; it’s going to be a spooky weekend.
Lou Brunson:
I know Byemageddon, or Byepocalypse, or Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye, or Bye2: Electric Bugaloo, or whatever you wanna call it, was last week, but I’m super curious about the ramifications coming out of it.
We’ve got the hopeful/optimistic. The Seahawks, the Rams, and the Lions were all playing playoff-caliber football at worst heading into the bye. Yes, we expected that to various degrees for the Lions and Rams, but the Seahawks are a bit of a surprise. More than a bit, compared to my preseason expectations (link to team breakdown?). Can they keep it rolling, or will Sam Darnold turn back into a pumpkin the way he did for the Vikings at the end of ’24? Is Puka Nacua really back and healed up from his ankle injury? He does tend to get nicked up throughout the season. Will the Lions avoid catastrophic injury bugs this year, for a change?
We’ve also got the “You’re either terrible, or I’m pretty sure you’re terrible.” The Raiders and Cardinals both make up this tier. For the Raiders, both Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers are supposed to be back. Are they actually healthy, though? Bowers in particular, since he’s the engine that makes the team go. Oh, and their backup QB, who was their starter for a chunk of time last year and helped Bowers be the runaway TE1, is healthy again. Remember Aidan O’Connell, their backup, who might not be worse than their starter, Geno Smith.
For the Cardinals, they may not want to admit it, but they have a QB problem. Specifically, their offense runs markedly better with their backup, Jacoby Brissett, than it does with Kyler Murray, their starter. Read that back again. Jacoby Brissett is outplaying their starter. Their starter, who would be over $54 million in dead cap if they cut/trade him before next season. So that’s…fun?
And finally, there’s the “I don’t know what you are, but I’m pretty sure you don’t know either, so I don’t feel bad about it” tier. In fitting fashion, it’s occupied solely by the Jaguars. The news just broke that Travis Hunter is going on IR from a non-contact knee injury suffered in practice (seriously, you need to follow @news.optimusfantasy.com if you’re not already, your life will be better for it. And be sure to turn on notifications!).
Brian Thomas has been a shell of himself, and he looks like he’s lost confidence. Trevor Lawrence, with all of his flowing ‘Sunshine’ locks, has displayed his mid-ness time and time again. Yet, like falling bass-ackwards into the end zone to beat Kansas City, it keeps working out…kinda? They could challenge the Colts for the top of the AFC South or pick in the top 10 in the 2026 NFL Draft, or anything in between, and it wouldn’t shock me.
So yeah, I have questions, and I want some answers.
For more advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!
Look, we get it. It’s Week 9. We no longer all have sunny, rosy, happy vibes. This is when the season feels like a slog. The teams you drafted with so much hope have bitten the dust, and even the ones doing well are limping along, taking on water.
Well, get those bailing buckets working overtime; there’s no time for that around here! We’re here to let you know that all you can do is put one foot in front of another and just keep going. So what if you’re eliminated from playoff contention (ethically, we do not endorse shady trades), play spoiler! So, buckle up, lock in, and grab your snacks and drinks of choice. We’re here with your Friday Vibes!
Friday Vibes: NFL Week 9 Storylines and 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!
Nate Polvogt:
First, as the father of an 8-year-old who spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening completely immersed in it, Happy Halloween Weekend!
And what a weekend of football it’s shaping up to be, friends. While there are four teams on bye this week – better than the six we dealt with last weekend – there are plenty of potentially high-scoring affairs coming this Sunday. Of the 13 remaining games headed our way in Week 9, nine have an over/under total set at, or exceeding, 44.5 total points, with four exceeding 50 total points.
They won’t all be gems, of course. Monday night brings the Cardinals and Cowboys (53.5), which could feature most of the scoring on one side. The same could be said for the Patriots and Falcons (45.5) game early on Sunday.
However, for THE game of all games this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs travel to Buffalo (52.5) in a game that could set the tone for the AFC as we approach the midway point of the season.
This game will be a huge litmus test for both teams, but moreover for Kansas City. Currently 5-3, the perennial Super Bowl contender hasn’t looked the part. While they sit at 5-3 and one game out of first place in the division, three of those wins came against Baltimore, Las Vegas and the New York Giants. And after this weekend, their schedule doesn’t get easier, with dates against Denver, Indianapolis, Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Are the Chiefs on the way back, and were their slow start and confusing losses just an aberration? Or is this who they are in 2025? We should have a clearer picture come Sunday night.
Carly Manger:
Welcome to the best day of the year, Halloween. It is by far my favorite holiday. Dressing up isn’t just about the costume for me, it’s about the experience (and taking some really cool photos, I won’t lie).
“But Carly, what does this have to do with fantasy football?”
I’m glad you asked. Spooky season has arrived in a big way for the NFL. A general manager was fired (sure…it was “mutual”), the 2nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft suffered a non-contact knee injury during practice, and the exciting rookie RB for the New England Patriots may finally get his chance to shine.
Rhamondre Stevenson was just ruled out with a toe injury for Week 9. TreVeyon Henderson truthers were spotted falling to their knees in Spirit Halloween stores all around the country. Is it finally time? Is it happening? I hope so! The rookie RB out of Ohio State was supposed to be electric, and I truly hope we get to see that this weekend. The thing is, he can’t just put on the “costume” of RB1, he has to fully get into the experience and use this opportunity to the fullest.
Is there a chance Vrabel makes him split the work with D’Ernest Johnson or Terrell Jennings? Sadly, yes. However, when Henderson was given opportunities in Week 8, he crushed it. He had 10 rushing attempts for 75 yards (7.5 YPC) against one of the toughest run defenses in the league (Cleveland Browns). He did not see a single target, which is bananas to me since that was his specialty coming out of college. Buckle up and strap in; it’s going to be a spooky weekend.
Lou Brunson:
I know Byemageddon, or Byepocalypse, or Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye, or Bye2: Electric Bugaloo, or whatever you wanna call it, was last week, but I’m super curious about the ramifications coming out of it.
We’ve got the hopeful/optimistic. The Seahawks, the Rams, and the Lions were all playing playoff-caliber football at worst heading into the bye. Yes, we expected that to various degrees for the Lions and Rams, but the Seahawks are a bit of a surprise. More than a bit, compared to my preseason expectations (link to team breakdown?). Can they keep it rolling, or will Sam Darnold turn back into a pumpkin the way he did for the Vikings at the end of ’24? Is Puka Nacua really back and healed up from his ankle injury? He does tend to get nicked up throughout the season. Will the Lions avoid catastrophic injury bugs this year, for a change?
We’ve also got the “You’re either terrible, or I’m pretty sure you’re terrible.” The Raiders and Cardinals both make up this tier. For the Raiders, both Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers are supposed to be back. Are they actually healthy, though? Bowers in particular, since he’s the engine that makes the team go. Oh, and their backup QB, who was their starter for a chunk of time last year and helped Bowers be the runaway TE1, is healthy again. Remember Aidan O’Connell, their backup, who might not be worse than their starter, Geno Smith.
For the Cardinals, they may not want to admit it, but they have a QB problem. Specifically, their offense runs markedly better with their backup, Jacoby Brissett, than it does with Kyler Murray, their starter. Read that back again. Jacoby Brissett is outplaying their starter. Their starter, who would be over $54 million in dead cap if they cut/trade him before next season. So that’s…fun?
And finally, there’s the “I don’t know what you are, but I’m pretty sure you don’t know either, so I don’t feel bad about it” tier. In fitting fashion, it’s occupied solely by the Jaguars. The news just broke that Travis Hunter is going on IR from a non-contact knee injury suffered in practice (seriously, you need to follow @news.optimusfantasy.com if you’re not already, your life will be better for it. And be sure to turn on notifications!).
Brian Thomas has been a shell of himself, and he looks like he’s lost confidence. Trevor Lawrence, with all of his flowing ‘Sunshine’ locks, has displayed his mid-ness time and time again. Yet, like falling bass-ackwards into the end zone to beat Kansas City, it keeps working out…kinda? They could challenge the Colts for the top of the AFC South or pick in the top 10 in the 2026 NFL Draft, or anything in between, and it wouldn’t shock me.
So yeah, I have questions, and I want some answers.
For more advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!
Look, we get it. It’s Week 9. We no longer all have sunny, rosy, happy vibes. This is when the season feels like a slog. The teams you drafted with so much hope have bitten the dust, and even the ones doing well are limping along, taking on water.
Well, get those bailing buckets working overtime; there’s no time for that around here! We’re here to let you know that all you can do is put one foot in front of another and just keep going. So what if you’re eliminated from playoff contention (ethically, we do not endorse shady trades), play spoiler! So, buckle up, lock in, and grab your snacks and drinks of choice. We’re here with your Friday Vibes!
Friday Vibes: NFL Week 9 Storylines and 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!
Nate Polvogt:
First, as the father of an 8-year-old who spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening completely immersed in it, Happy Halloween Weekend!
And what a weekend of football it’s shaping up to be, friends. While there are four teams on bye this week – better than the six we dealt with last weekend – there are plenty of potentially high-scoring affairs coming this Sunday. Of the 13 remaining games headed our way in Week 9, nine have an over/under total set at, or exceeding, 44.5 total points, with four exceeding 50 total points.
They won’t all be gems, of course. Monday night brings the Cardinals and Cowboys (53.5), which could feature most of the scoring on one side. The same could be said for the Patriots and Falcons (45.5) game early on Sunday.
However, for THE game of all games this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs travel to Buffalo (52.5) in a game that could set the tone for the AFC as we approach the midway point of the season.
This game will be a huge litmus test for both teams, but moreover for Kansas City. Currently 5-3, the perennial Super Bowl contender hasn’t looked the part. While they sit at 5-3 and one game out of first place in the division, three of those wins came against Baltimore, Las Vegas and the New York Giants. And after this weekend, their schedule doesn’t get easier, with dates against Denver, Indianapolis, Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Are the Chiefs on the way back, and were their slow start and confusing losses just an aberration? Or is this who they are in 2025? We should have a clearer picture come Sunday night.
Carly Manger:
Welcome to the best day of the year, Halloween. It is by far my favorite holiday. Dressing up isn’t just about the costume for me, it’s about the experience (and taking some really cool photos, I won’t lie).
“But Carly, what does this have to do with fantasy football?”
I’m glad you asked. Spooky season has arrived in a big way for the NFL. A general manager was fired (sure…it was “mutual”), the 2nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft suffered a non-contact knee injury during practice, and the exciting rookie RB for the New England Patriots may finally get his chance to shine.
Rhamondre Stevenson was just ruled out with a toe injury for Week 9. TreVeyon Henderson truthers were spotted falling to their knees in Spirit Halloween stores all around the country. Is it finally time? Is it happening? I hope so! The rookie RB out of Ohio State was supposed to be electric, and I truly hope we get to see that this weekend. The thing is, he can’t just put on the “costume” of RB1, he has to fully get into the experience and use this opportunity to the fullest.
Is there a chance Vrabel makes him split the work with D’Ernest Johnson or Terrell Jennings? Sadly, yes. However, when Henderson was given opportunities in Week 8, he crushed it. He had 10 rushing attempts for 75 yards (7.5 YPC) against one of the toughest run defenses in the league (Cleveland Browns). He did not see a single target, which is bananas to me since that was his specialty coming out of college. Buckle up and strap in; it’s going to be a spooky weekend.
Lou Brunson:
I know Byemageddon, or Byepocalypse, or Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye-Bye, or Bye2: Electric Bugaloo, or whatever you wanna call it, was last week, but I’m super curious about the ramifications coming out of it.
We’ve got the hopeful/optimistic. The Seahawks, the Rams, and the Lions were all playing playoff-caliber football at worst heading into the bye. Yes, we expected that to various degrees for the Lions and Rams, but the Seahawks are a bit of a surprise. More than a bit, compared to my preseason expectations (link to team breakdown?). Can they keep it rolling, or will Sam Darnold turn back into a pumpkin the way he did for the Vikings at the end of ’24? Is Puka Nacua really back and healed up from his ankle injury? He does tend to get nicked up throughout the season. Will the Lions avoid catastrophic injury bugs this year, for a change?
We’ve also got the “You’re either terrible, or I’m pretty sure you’re terrible.” The Raiders and Cardinals both make up this tier. For the Raiders, both Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers are supposed to be back. Are they actually healthy, though? Bowers in particular, since he’s the engine that makes the team go. Oh, and their backup QB, who was their starter for a chunk of time last year and helped Bowers be the runaway TE1, is healthy again. Remember Aidan O’Connell, their backup, who might not be worse than their starter, Geno Smith.
For the Cardinals, they may not want to admit it, but they have a QB problem. Specifically, their offense runs markedly better with their backup, Jacoby Brissett, than it does with Kyler Murray, their starter. Read that back again. Jacoby Brissett is outplaying their starter. Their starter, who would be over $54 million in dead cap if they cut/trade him before next season. So that’s…fun?
And finally, there’s the “I don’t know what you are, but I’m pretty sure you don’t know either, so I don’t feel bad about it” tier. In fitting fashion, it’s occupied solely by the Jaguars. The news just broke that Travis Hunter is going on IR from a non-contact knee injury suffered in practice (seriously, you need to follow @news.optimusfantasy.com if you’re not already, your life will be better for it. And be sure to turn on notifications!).
Brian Thomas has been a shell of himself, and he looks like he’s lost confidence. Trevor Lawrence, with all of his flowing ‘Sunshine’ locks, has displayed his mid-ness time and time again. Yet, like falling bass-ackwards into the end zone to beat Kansas City, it keeps working out…kinda? They could challenge the Colts for the top of the AFC South or pick in the top 10 in the 2026 NFL Draft, or anything in between, and it wouldn’t shock me.
So yeah, I have questions, and I want some answers.
For more advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!
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