tradeRavens trade for Brissett as Jackson, Huntley out for the season
Lamar Jackson's thumb injury requires surgery and could end his season; backup Tyler Huntley has a season-ending turf toe injury. Baltimore is finalizing a trade for QB Jacoby Brissett from Arizona — the Cardinals restructured his contract (converting $2.7M of his $5.4M remaining salary into signing bonus) before the deal, expected to close this weekend. Because it won't close before tonight, undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano starts at Jacksonville, with newly added Kedon Slovis his only backup — a trio with zero combined career starts. Baltimore has lost three straight, scoring under 14 points in three straight games, its worst offensive stretch since 2005. Brissett is expected to start next week's Monday night game against the Chargers.
Fantasy take
Baltimore's passing game was already thin before tonight — Andrews logged four or fewer targets in 11 of 17 games last season, and a rookie UDFA with no NFL starts isn't the guy who fixes that in Jacksonville. Henry's workload doesn't hinge on who's throwing it; his usage has stayed run-heavy and low-target regardless of QB for years, so the carries keep coming while Baltimore tries to survive on the ground. Flowers is the most exposed of the three tonight, since a rookie quarterback with no experienced backup behind him until Brissett arrives next week typically means fewer vertical shots and more checkdowns, and Andrews' reduced role already limits how much better the passing game gets even once Brissett starts Monday against the Chargers.
tradeSeahawks add All-Pro guard Nelson to fix pass protection
Seattle traded a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to Indianapolis for guard Quenton Nelson, an eight-time Pro Bowler. The Seahawks rank 21st in pass-block win rate (46.8%) and allowed 10 sacks and 26 QB hits over their last two losses, to San Francisco and Denver; left tackle Charles Cross is also dealing with an ankle injury. Quarterback Sam Darnold is out this week with a quad injury, so Drew Lock starts Sunday against Arizona — Nelson's first game in Seattle's lineup protects Lock, not Darnold.
Fantasy take
Nelson slides in at a position that touches both run-blocking gaps and interior pass protection, the same areas Charbonnet and Lock depend on most. Charbonnet is sharing the Seattle backfield with rookie Jadarian Price, who returned from injured reserve in Week 8 and out-touched Charbonnet in that game, so the carry split was already unsettled before this move — a more stable interior line doesn't resolve that competition on its own. Lock has already started twice in relief of Darnold this year, including a 139.1-rating, three-touchdown game, so Sunday's assignment is a quarterback with recent results behind an upgraded middle of the line rather than a first look at an unknown passer.
transactionsTrade deadline: Taylor market widens, Barkley and Wilson staying put
With Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline five days out, the Colts are seeking a package for Jonathan Taylor on the level of what it took to get a back like Christian McCaffrey; Seattle has emerged as a new suitor alongside previously reported interest from Denver, Green Bay, Minnesota and the Giants. The Eagles say Saquon Barkley will not be traded before the deadline. Garrett Wilson said he loves being in New York amid Jets trade speculation.
Fantasy take
Seattle's interest adds a fourth team chasing Taylor alongside Denver, Green Bay and Minnesota, while Indianapolis continues to ask for a package in the range of what it took to get Christian McCaffrey. A move to Seattle would put Taylor into a backfield that already has Charbonnet sharing carries with rookie Jadarian Price, a different role than the lead one Taylor currently holds over DJ Giddens in Indianapolis. Any trade would mean redrawing that split rather than Taylor simply inheriting a full-time job. Separately, the Eagles have ruled out moving Barkley before the deadline and Wilson said he wants to stay with the Jets, so both backfield and receiver situations for those two are set through at least the deadline.
injuryParsons' practice window opens — real target is Week 12, not this week
Green Bay designated Micah Parsons to return from PUP Wednesday, opening a 21-day practice window; he did individual drills that day, continuing to rehab a torn ACL. Despite the window opening ahead of this week's game against New England, Ian Rapoport reports the team's plan is to hold him out of game action until Nov. 25 (Week 12, vs. the Rams), using the full three-week window rather than activating him sooner.
Fantasy take
Standard-format fantasy rosters don't start edge defenders, so the practical read on this doesn't move much. The three-week window gives Green Bay runway to ease him into full practice reps before deciding on a Week 12 activation, rather than rushing him onto the field this week. For IDP or best-ball formats, the operative date to track is Nov. 25, not the Patriots game.
Ravens-Jaguars kicks off Week 9 tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video.