Sometimes, you're just dealt a bad hand. Week 9 of the NFL season saw two elite running backs and one quarterback underperform for their fantasy football teams. Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott have all been elite options for their fantasy football managers this season.
However, all three players struggled heavily in Week 8. Novice fantasy managers might get a little spooked after their once-reliable stars suddenly underperform. However, let's talk about why these bad performances are one-off bad beats instead of a harbinger of things to come.
Bijan Robinson's No-Good Week
Coming into Week 8, Bijan Robinson has been one of the most reliable running backs in fantasy football. His worst performance prior to Week 8 was an 11.1 outing in Week 3 when the Falcons got shut out by the Carolina Panthers. He also had two huge games in Week 4 against the Washington Commanders (24.1 points) and Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills (29.8 points). With a matchup against one of the worst defenses in the league in the Miami Dolphins, Robinson was primed for another breakout game.
Except, well, Robinson severely underperformed. He had 25 rushing yards on nine carries and caught three passes for 23 yards, but a crucial fumble and no touchdowns severely limited his production. He was held to just 5.8 fantasy points on the day, a far cry from the 22+ FPTS projection for the running back against the porous Dolphins defense.
Despite that terrible performance, fantasy managers shouldn't be too worried about Bijan Robinson's production for Week 9. For one, Robinson doesn't have a severe case of fumble-itis (one fumble last season), so this fumble isn't necessarily something to be worried about. Additionally, the Falcons had Kirk Cousins under center. Cousins did not look good at all, and his struggles allowed the Dolphins to key in on Robinson's run. With Michael Penix Jr slated to come back to practice, Robinson should once again have room to breathe against the New England Patriots.
Christian McCaffrey runs into a Texan buzzsaw
One of the other elite running backs in fantasy football this season, McCaffrey was due for a big night in Week 8. The consensus RB2 among most leagues had been playing at a phenomenal level this season, and it's showing in his fantasy performance. He amassed 187.1 fantasy points through seven games and had never recorded less than 22 FPTS this season. Even though the 49ers were facing off against a tenacious Texans defense, there seemed to be no reason to be worried about McCaffrey.
Except, well, McCaffrey struggled. In an uncharacteristic turn of events, the 49ers running back was stifled by the Texans in Week 8. He had just 25 yards on eight carries and three catches for 43 yards. Unlike Robinson, McCaffrey didn't fumble the ball. However, the lack of touchdowns means he finished the day with just 9.8 fantasy points, his lowest mark by far this season.
This game isn't necessarily an indictment of McCaffrey. Despite what one might think, good quarterback play is important for a running back to perform. Mac Jones was put in hell by the Texans defense, completing just 59.8% of his passes for less that 200 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The 49ers were never quite put in a comfortable position for McCaffrey to run the ball, allowing the Texans defense to keep him in check.
The Giants will prove to be another surprisingly stout defense that the 49ers need to work around. That being said, McCaffrey won't have two bad games in a row. If Brock Purdy comes back in Week 9, expect CMC to do CMC things once again.
Dak Prescott comes back down to Earth
Dak Prescott was a trendy pick to win MVP before the start of the 2025 season. At the start of the season, the projected outcome was that the Cowboys' lack of a run game and their limited defense meant that Prescott would have the go signal to start slinging it. While Dallas has surprisingly gotten a good run game to complement the passing attack, Prescott has still been an elite fantasy option. Coming into the Broncos game, Prescott had four straight games of more than 22 fantasy points.
It all came crashing down against the Broncos, though. Facing arguably the best defensive unit in the NFL, Prescott struggled. He threw for just 188 yards (a season-low, tied with his Week 1 performance vs. the Eagles) and threw a pair of interceptions. That, coupled with the lack of touchdowns. If not for his 31 rushing yards, his fantasy performance might have been uglier. Still, an 8.62 FPTS game is not a good look.
This one's easy to discount. While trusting Dak's hot hand was not a bad option before Week 8, a game like this was in the realm of possibility given their opponent. The Cardinals won't offer as much pushback as the Broncos in Week 9, which puts Prescott and the Dallas offense in line for another big game.
