Welcome to Week 9 of the 2026 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Ravens' Skill Talent, Post-Lamar Jackson
- WRs to Start-Flex-Hold-Drop
- Nebulous Depth Charts
- Jonah Coleman's Outlook
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: These 2-3 players are on the same NFL depth chart, and the situation appears nebulous.
- Marvin Harrison Jr., Kayshon Boutte, or Xavier Hutchinson.
- Ashton Jeanty or Mike Washington Jr.
- Braelon Allen or Breece Hall
Who are you taking for the duration of 2026?
Meng Song: It's got to be Marvin Harrison Jr., right? I'm still not excited for him to be more than a touchdown-dependent PPR flex, but Houston traded a second-round draft pick for him. I imagine the Texans used the bye week to figure out how to best integrate him into the offense. Plus, Harrison produced nearly 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns with Stroud at Ohio State in 2022. They should have some latent chemistry despite the time gap.
C'mon now. Washington may have dwarfed Jeanty in carries and overall touches in the win over the Jets, but he was hardly more efficient on the ground than Jeanty had been in the games leading up to last week. The real reason Jeanty has struggled is likely due to having played through injuries all year.
While he hasn't missed a single game, a preseason ankle injury and a recent flare-up of plantar fasciitis have sapped his explosiveness. I'd still much rather roster and start Jeanty for the rest of the season. I hope he'll be closer to 100% healthy coming out of the Raiders' Week 13 bye, just in time for the fantasy playoffs.
Assuming the Jets don't trade Hall, I'd still lean Hall for the rest of the season. This could devolve into a messy split with how well Allen's played while Hall's been out, but Hall is still the more explosive running back when healthy.
Additionally, Hall is a more efficient receiver out of the backfield, and the Jets figure to continue playing in close games and in contests with trailing game scripts. Because of that, I am leaning toward Hall, especially in PPR scoring. That said, both Jets running backs could be iffy flex plays each week if this backfield devolves into a 50/50 split.
Jason Wood: Marvin Harrison has logged just 20 percent of Houston's offensive snaps over his first two games reunited with C.J. Stroud, so he is by no means a slam-dunk choice. However, both Hutchinson and Boutte were firmly entrenched on the roster when the front office traded to acquire Harrison—signaling that the door is wide open for a changing of the guard. While a complete second-half fantasy breakout remains an uphill climb, Harrison's raw upside makes him a far more compelling waiver add than either of his low-ceiling teammates.
Ashton Jeanty has struggled, but let’s not mistake one message-sending game for a brand-new baseline. The broader reality is that Jeanty has handled 145 touches while averaging 4.9 yards per touch, whereas Washington lags with 68 touches at an underwhelming 4.3 yards per touch.
Jeanty also holds a 4-to-1 touchdown advantage. Don't forget that many fantasy managers wrote off Cam Skattebo a few weeks ago, only for his benching to prove to be a one-game disciplinary measure before he reclaimed New York’s starting gig. Expect the Raiders to follow a similar script with Jeanty.
At what point in a lost season do you simply shut down an injured veteran? Sitting at 2-6, the Jets are almost certain to clean house this offseason and reset around a rookie quarterback.
Strategically, New York has every incentive to keep Hall on ice until he is 100 percent healthy, perhaps showcasing him for a meaningless game or two in December. That leaves Allen, who has been electric in a bell-cow role, positioned as an every-week fantasy starter deep into the playoffs.
Corey Spala: Marvin Harrison Jr. is my bet on the receiver outside of Nico Collins to see increased involvement. As cliché as it is, a second-round draft pick is a significant investment. Jaylin Noel heading to injured reserve will allow Harrison an opportunity to cement himself into the offense.
C.J. Stroud and Harrison have an established connection dating back to college. We are three weeks and two games into Harrison’s tenure with Houston.
Harrison has run 17 routes and been targeted 8 times; the targets per route run is appealing. I do not believe the usage will sustain with an increased role; however, it is important that Houston is acclimating Harrison to the offense and targeting him on his limited routes run.
Ashton Jeanty has seen his weekly carry totals drop since Week 1. Mike Washington Jr. received 25 carries in Week 8 and a season-high 60 percent snap share; he averaged 21 percent snaps the previous seven weeks.
I am still favoring Jeanty for the rest of the season over Washington. Jeanty can certainly lose his carries, but the important note is him remaining a factor in the pass game. Jeanty has at least three receptions in each game and is averaging 47 receiving yards per game.
Braelon Allen has looked like a top running back in the league. He has 419 rushing yards over the last four games. He has surpassed 100 scrimmage yards in all seven career starts.
Head Coach Aaron Glenn noted that Breece Hall will get the starting job back when healthy. He further noted that Allen has made a strong case for a bigger role.
A committee backfield is not out of the ordinary in today’s NFL, and I would like the lead back in said committee. Hall seems to have the coaches' nod, so I will be under the impression that Hall is the preferred running back of the duo.
Jeff Bell: Matt does a masterful job of getting me to answer Harrison in another situation. One could create a scrapbook of the times I keep being wrong about him.
What is the definition of insanity? I still say, Harrison. The end of Week 7 and Hutchinson’s long-term knowledge of Nick Caley’s offense make a strong case for him, but Harrison is C.J. Stroud’s guy, and an insane person can argue he still has the highest upside.
Washington shocked in Week 8. The Raiders have suggested more involvement for weeks but haven't followed through. They followed through. Jeanty’s passing-game role and draft capital suggest he will not be erased, and Washington didn't dominate the look, but for now, I will answer the guy who had 25 opportunities.
Hall. Allen has been so good that the Jets may be extra cautious with Hall’s return to the lineup, but I believe this will be a “starter does not lose his job to injury” situation. Without clarity, I'll default to a 50/50 split as my best-case outcome for Allen.
Maurile Tremblay: Texans receivers: Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison reunites with C.J. Stroud, his quarterback at Ohio State, where the two were pretty good together.
In his first two games in Houston, he played fewer than 30 offensive snaps combined, but he was learning a limited set of plays on short notice. The Week 8 bye will help. With Jaylin Noel out for the season, Harrison should become the main outside receiver opposite Nico Collins.
Raiders backfield: Ashton Jeanty. Mike Washington Jr. is the hot hand. He outcarried Jeanty 25 to 2 against the Jets and has better rushing averages across the board.
But Klint Kubiak said playing time will go to whoever is playing best. The Raiders' run game is terrible no matter who carries it. Both backs keep getting stuffed in short yardage.
Expect Las Vegas to be trailing and throwing a lot, which favors Jeanty. He's one of the league's best receiving backs and has the higher ceiling.
Jets backfield: Braelon Allen. Allen has been one of the best backs in football since Breece Hall went down. Over the last five weeks, Allen leads all backs in runs of 10-plus and 15-plus yards.
Hall's efficiency was mediocre even in his 1,000-yard 2025 season. When both backs are healthy, they may rotate equally; but the tiebreaker here is that Hall is more likely to be traded before the deadline (e.g., to Denver), which would make Allen the Jets' workhorse.
Gary Davenport: This writer needs his head checked for saying this, but give me Harrison. He had the bye week to get more up to speed on his new team; he has a built-in rapport with C.J. Stroud, and he’s the most talented Texans receiver not named Nico Collins. Hutchinson has some PPR value, but Harrison’s fantasy ceiling is higher.
In Vegas, I'm choosing Mike Washington Jr. Ashton Jeanty’s issues go beyond a balky ankle, and while Washington wasn’t great last week against the Jets, he’s been far more decisive and effective as a runner this season. Washington out-touched Jeanty 25-5 last week in a Raiders win. That gap is just too wide to ignore.
The Jets backfield is a tricky one to figure out, but I’m going to side with Allen—I think. Yes, Hall is expected to return this week. Yes, head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters that Hall is the starter.
Still, Allen is the first Jets back since 2015 to crack 100 rushing yards in consecutive games. He’s also fifth in yards after contact (2.64 per carry) and seventh in yards per carry (5.0), and the only back with more yards on the ground over the past five games than Allen is Bucky Irving.
Waldman: As always, thanks for reading. Check out the links below for all this week's roundtable topics:
- Ravens' Skill Talent, Post-Lamar Jackson
- WRs to Start-Flex-Hold-Drop
- Nebulous Depth Charts
- Jonah Coleman's Outlook
Good luck!
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