Is Kelce Done? Honestly it’s hard to believe this is even a discussion, but he’s trending the same direction as the entire KC team – downward. But I’m not willing to count him out in my tight end rankings this week.
Pitts is a risky bet this week against New Orleans who has been shutting down opposing QBs, and Ryan frankly turned in a geriatric performance last week against lesser competition. Still impossible to sit the freak athlete but temper expectations.
The best TE play this week might be Mike Gesicki, going against the 4th softest defense against tight ends this year in Houston, and Tua finally has the trade rumors no longer swirling around him, at least for now.
On to the tight end rankings.
Tight End Rankings Week 9
Name
Opp
Notes
Darren Waller
@ NYG
Giants good against TE but not good enough
Travis Kelce
vs GB
Bounce back should happen
Mike Gesicki
vs HOU
No reason he doesn't have one of his best games
Mark Andrews
vs MIN
Cooled off against Cincy, MInny similar against TE
Dallas Goedert
vs LAC
High target share, but Philly lowest PA in NFL last 3
Dalton Schultz
vs DEN
Gallup back, affects targets?
Kyle Pitts
@ NO
Can't really trust a bounce back here but can't sit either
George Kittle
vs ARI
Expected back
Hunter Henry
@ CAR
Should be good for TD
Dan Arnold
vs BUF
Getting 2nd most targets to (checks notes) Jamal Agnew ><
Wide receiver rankings are always the hardest and week 9 is no exception. There’s never a reason to move Kupp out of the no. 1 spot but especially not against the Titans, who are surging as an offense and still floundering as a defense.
This definitely feels like a Chase week in Cleveland, and Deebo just seems to always get it done. Diggs is a great play against the Jaguars team that just brought Lockett back from the dead. And despite the uncertainty around the Titans offense without Henry, Brown should be able to produce top-five numbers yet again.
Watch out for potential spike games from Brandin Cooks, Van Jefferson, and Rondale Moore, especially if Murray plays. I’m betting Hunter Renfrow blows up as well.
Wide Receiver Rankings Week 9
Name
Opp
Notes
Cooper Kupp
vs TEN
No 1
Deebo Samuel
vs ARI
MIP
Ja'Marr Chase
vs CLE
Rookie of the year
Stefon Diggs
@ JAC
Lockett tore them up, similar profiles
A.J. Brown
@ LAR
Think he can beat additional coverage
Tyreek Hill
vs GB
Mahomes not right
Justin Jefferson
@ BAL
Bounce back coming
CeeDee Lamb
vs DEN
Dak back, Lamb can roast Surtain
Michael Pittman Jr.
vs NYJ
Killing it
Keenan Allen
@ PHI
Waxing as Williams is waning
Davante Adams
@ KC
No Rodgers, connection with Love TBD
Adam Thielen
@ BAL
Perennially underrated
Diontae Johnson
vs CHI
Ben just not there anymore
Marquise Brown
vs MIN
Probably too low
Robert Woods
vs TEN
Getting the love, great offense, terrible defense
Amari Cooper
vs DEN
Balled out last week without Dak, should do it again with
Emmanuel Sanders
@ JAC
Inexplicable doughnut, probable bounce back
DeAndre Hopkins
@ SF
No Murray, hammy issues
Mike Williams
@ PHI
Last two games under 30 years each
Brandin Cooks
@ MIA
Tyrod = yes!
Tee Higgins
vs CLE
Probably should be higher but not catching TDs
Courtland Sutton
@ DAL
Great receiver, QB declining
Chase Claypool
vs CHI
Ditto
Van Jefferson
vs TEN
Very underrated, snap counts in 90s
D.J. Moore
vs NE
Would love to have Teddy or Ben throwing to him RN
With King Henry felled by a foot, it’s looking like Jonathan Taylor is the new king in town. Cook could bounce him for the rest of season, but playing the Jets should be a lock for no.1 RB this week.
Hope my running back rankings week 9 help you be the best fantasy manager you can be.
Running Back Rankings Week 9
Name
Opp
Notes
Jonathan Taylor
vs NYJ
New king in town
Dalvin Cook
@ BAL
Can't hold him down two weeks in a row
Alvin Kamara
vs ATL
Worry about passes with Hill
Aaron Jones
@ KC
Packers should lean on run
Austin Ekeler
@ PHI
Featuring Ekeler is Herbert's best chance to get right
Najee Harris
vs CHI
Elijah Mitchell tore Bears
up
Ezekiel Elliott
vs DEN
Great spot against bad defense
Nick Chubb
@ CIN
Should see ypc tick back up above 4.5
Joe Mixon
vs CLE
Smash spot, having a great season
Darrell Henderson Jr.
vs TEN
Love Henderson but can't get him any higher
Damien Harris
@ CAR
CAR giving up 4.4 in last 3 - great play
Saquon Barkley
vs LV
Just needs one more negative test
Cordarrelle Patterson
@ NO
Ryan resorting back to low ypa, benefits CPatt
Michael Carter
@ IND
Playing lights out
Zack Moss
@ JAC
Tough to trust, ypc has been down
Elijah Mitchell
vs ARI
Don't expect a repeat, Cards tougher against the run
Devontae Booker
vs LV
Chuba Hubbard
vs NE
Passing game a wreck, maybe Belichik focuses here?
Khalil Herbert
@ PIT
Tough defense
Josh Jacobs
@ NYG
Low ypc grinder, TD dependent
Darrel Williams
vs GB
Maybe sees another week, losing carries to Gore
Chase Edmonds
@ SF
Only game above 80 rush against HOU last 4
Boston Scott
vs LAC
Run funnel should improve his play, splitting with Howard
Melvin Gordon III
@ DAL
Won't see more than 11 carries
Javonte Williams
@ DAL
Ditto
James Conner
@ SF
W/o Murray will he see GL opportunities?
Myles Gaskin
vs HOU
Just not that good
James Robinson
vs BUF
Watch practice, tough matchup, team going nowhere
D'Ernest Johnson
@ CIN
Getting all passing down and 2-min work
Devin Singletary
@ JAC
Probably won't do much worse than Moss
Tony Pollard
vs DEN
Can't be trusted
Jeremy McNichols
@ LAR
AP is not the answer, McNichols has to fill the void
AJ Dillon
@ KC
Should see more than normal amount of carries
Ty Johnson
@ IND
Getting receiving work and making most of it
Mike Davis
@ NO
bad spot bad RB
Carlos Hyde
vs BUF
Derrick Gore
vs GB
No reason for role to change, was productive last week
So every week I do an exhaustive look at every QB for Superflex leagues which you can find here. But here is the tl;dr version for setting your lineups. In short, I think Mike White could be a thing and you shouldn’t be afraid to bench crap QBs like Wentz and Big Ben for him.
Week 8 is proving to be more brutal than ever. First off I want to recognize the loss of the family of the girl that died in the crash with Henry Ruggs, and also the loss Ruggs is experiencing despite the carelessness of his actions. Nothing is worth the risk of getting behind the wheel intoxicated.
Going into week 9, owners are now without Aaron Rodgers because of COVID (guess that alternative treatment didn’t quite work) and according to @JayGlazer Kyler Murray is experiencing a legitimate ankle sprain following last week’s game, and could miss this week and possibly more.
We had already said goodbye to Jameis Winston and are still waiting on official word if Taysom Hill will start, but he’s trending in the right direction according to his head coach.
Obvious QB1 Starts Week 9
Matthew Stafford vs the Titans: QB6 finish last week despite only playing 3 quarters, Stafford is playing some of the best ball in the league. The Titans are bottom ten in the league in passing yards allowed.
Josh Allen at the Jaguars: Jacksonville is stiffening against the pass the last three weeks, allowing only 232 passing yards per game, so Allen is only no 2 this week.
Lamar Jackson vs the Vikings: The Vikings barely stood up to the passing attack of Cooper Rush last week. No reason to think Lamar isn’t top three this week.
Dak Prescott vs the Broncos: Check practice reports to ensure he’s good to go but given that he was a game-time decision last week, should be fine. Fire up as QB4.
Joe Burrow vs the Browns: Three straight games with 3 TDs, QBR north of 100, Burrow is playing at a very high level. Still no rushing floor.
Patrick Mahomes II vs Green Bay: Mahomes won’t be facing Rodgers so might not have reason to chuck it, and frankly something is off. Not sure if its practice reps being too easy or Reid losing an edge, but his throws were almost all off last week.
Derek Carr at the Giants: Losing Ruggs hurts but still think Carr is good for 300+ and 2 TDs.
Justin Herbert at the Eagles: Somebody get this kid some strawberries. Two straight duds, maybe the Eagles bottom 8 pass D can help get him back on track.
Kirk Cousins at the Ravens: Cousins has been maddeningly inconsistent but should be good for top 10 numbers in a week with a lot of QBs out.
Tua Tagovaioloa vs the Texans: QBs do kinda well against the Texans. 4th worst in FPA to QBs. With the trade pressure off at least for now, Tua should be back to his fantasy-winning ways.
Jalen Hurts vs the Chargers: We really didn’t learn anything about Hurts last week. The Chargers will tell us a lot about his future. Chargers are top ten against QBs and have shut down running quarterbacks.
Ryan Tannehill at the Rams: Tannehill is without Henry and facing a newly strengthened Rams pass rush. Should be a rough game but garbage time will save his fantasy day.
Questionable QB2 Starts Week 9
Taysom Hill vs the Falcons
All we have to go on is last year, and it sounds like there is a chance that he won’t be able to suit up. But I’m planning on him starting. In his two games against the Falcons he passed for 230+ and had 49-2 and 83-0. Should be good for this week as the Falcons defense has not improved since last year. Probably the best of the QB2s available this week. Start with confidence.
Mike White at the Colts
I covered this in my WW column this week but White took the underneath stuff Cincy was giving him and had a lot of success. Check the chart:
I really can’t see any reason to put this guy any lower. You can’t just accidentally throw for 405 yards and 3 TDs. I can see regression to about 250 and 2 but that’s the floor. 300 and 3 is attainable but the Colts are only giving up 215 yards through their last 3, allow the 12th-most fantasy points to QBs on the season.
Daniel Jones vs the Raiders
Jones just isn’t pulling it together with any regularity. A player that seems to possess all the potential in the world, this is Jones’s third season delivering uneven results.
The Raiders are top ten in the league against the pass in their past three in passing yards allowed and sacks per game, and in the top half in completion percentage. Don’t expect big things from Jones this week, or ever.
Mac Jones at the Panthers
Jones has been less than thrilling as a fantasy option this year. So boring in fact he didn’t even merit a throw chart for week 8. His rating went into the toilet (70.9) as he managed only a 51% completion for a meager 218 yards and no scores. But that was against the Chargers, and Carolina is allowing a 70+ completion percentage to opposing QBs over their last three.
Teddy Bridgewater at the Cowboys
Teddy has been more consistent with previous versions of himself, underwhelming and staying conservative. Likely won’t change against the ascendant Cowboys defense, even though they have softened a bit in their last three. They held Kirk Cousins to under 200 yards passing, I think they will easily be able to do the same to Teddy.
Matt Ryan at the Saints
Ryan came crashing back to earth after a really promising game in week 7 after his bye. He had a 5.4 YPA with only 146 yards on 27 attempts. Some think that Ridley’s late announcement left them scrambling, but the problem that really reared its head is Ryan being scared to throw into the tight coverage surrounding Pitts. Still Pitts didn’t do Ryan any favors catching only 2 of 6 targets. The Saints are currently second in pass completion percentage allowed over their past three, so despite the rivalry this is not a get right spot for Ryan, but I do expect a better outing than last week, like 250 and 2 TDs.
Desperation Plays at QB Week 9
Tyrod Taylor at the Dolphins: Very risky play in his first game back.
Jimmy G vs the Cardinals: Don’t chase points and the Cards are likely without Murray. Probably won on the ground.
Baker Mayfield at the Bengals: Not in great shape and very few skills players to rely on, but should be forced to throw by Bengals offense.
Justin Fields at the Steelers: Not a recommended play, the Steelers are sack machines and TJ Watt will have a field day.
Carson Wentz vs the Jets: No longer looking like a cakewalk, and Wentz sucks.
Gentle Ben vs the Bears: Just can’t trust him…arm is shot.
Avoid at All Costs QBs Week 9
Trevor Lawrence vs the Bills: Not with this coach, not against the Bills. No sir.
Sam Darnold vs the Patriots: Belichik is not going to know how to game plan because literally nothing is working for the Panthers right now.
Jordan Love at the Chiefs: Rookie QB who looked terrible in preseason at Arrowhead in his first game as a starter…no.
Colt McCoy at the Niners: You know, I could see him Mike White-ing the Niners, but the floor is literally 65 yards and 18 sacks.