Lamar Jackson and J.J. McCarthy are set to take the field for the first time in several weeks in Week 9, possibly providing a boost to their respective teams. But if they're anything like Tom Brady, don't expect them to light the world up in their first few drives back on the field.

After missing the last five games due to a high ankle sprain, J.J. McCarthy is set to return for the Vikings and make the third start of his career against the Lions this week. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus and has been out for an extended period once again this season, but is finally ready to play on Sunday.

McCarthy has been out with an ankle injury since Week 2, but was a full participant in the team’s first practice session of the week. After the workout, McCarthy said he feels confident that he’s ready to get back in action.

Tom Brady breaks down the emotional and strategic side of returning to the field after a major injury. In this episode of Story Time with Tom, the GOAT talks about the importance of getting starting quarterbacks back on the field,

Upgrade to Fantasy Plus and gain your edge in player projections and much more] Caleb Williams "Get right" spot Since the Week 5 bye, Caleb Williams' fantasy PPG has dropped from 20.5 to 12.1, as he’s gone back-to-back games without a touchdown.

Leading up to the Week 7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, McCarthy returned to practice for the first time as a limited participant and remained limited through Week 8. However, on Wednesday, ahead of the Vikings’ matchup with the Lions, McCarthy was finally listed as a full participant in practice.

Former Michigan stars Aidan Hutchinson and J.J. McCarthy will soon share a field for the first time since 2021, but this time on different teams.

Which NFL teams have the best chances of winning their games on the NFL Week 9 schedule? ESPN Analytics has revealed its Matchup Predictor numbers for the 14 games in the league this week, and they offer some interesting win probabilities.