Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 9 Matchups to Consider
Hitting the halfway point of the fantasy regular season is a big milestone. Hopefully, your fantasy team is somewhat intact and resembles a partially competent roster that might be able to get to the playoffs and luck (or skill, however you see it) their way to a run for Week 17!
Like every other week on the march to Championship Week, I’m here again to take a look through a handful of matchups at each position that could be the difference in how final roster decisions are made before Week 9!
Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray
QB - MIN
It’s been a tough start to the season for Kyler Murray, especially when it comes to delivering on the late-round QB hopes for fantasy managers. Murray hasn’t finished higher than the QB16 in any of the four games he’s played for the Cardinals this season, though on the bright side, he hasn’t completely destroyed fantasy managers either, averaging 15.6 fantasy points per game. What’s really helped create a high floor for Murray has been the nearly 35 rushing yards per game he’s averaging. If Murray can get the passing game rolling to add to his running game, he may be able to deliver more for fantasy managers in the right matchup.
The right matchup may be sitting in front of Murray this week, with a visit to the Cowboys coming on Monday night. Dallas’ defense has allowed the most passing yards and passing TDs in the league this season. For fantasy, the Cowboys have allowed a top-12 QB finish in every game this season except for one, and that’s when Jayden Daniels played just 69% of snaps in Week 7 and still finished as the QB13. Fantasy QBs against Dallas are averaging 24.5 fantasy points per game. If Murray can’t find a way to turn in a top-12 QB finish this week, he might be space dust for fantasy purposes.
Caleb Williams
QB - CHI
There has been a lot of back and forth for Caleb Williams for fantasy to start this season. In his first seven games, Williams has finished as a top-10 QB three different weeks, but has finished outside the top-20 QBs in those other four games. That type of inconsistency really makes it difficult for fantasy managers to be able to rely on Williams on a regular basis, but it’s encouraging that the high-end performances are at least coming occasionally. What’s frustrating though, is when Williams isn’t able to take advantage of a juicy matchup like he had last week against the Ravens, when he managed just 11.8 fantasy points.
Luckily for Williams, he’s got another chance to show he can perform in a strong fantasy matchup this week against the Bengals. Cincinnati has been one of the best defenses to target for QBs this season. On average, the Bengals are allowing 20.4 fantasy points to opposing QBs and have allowed a top-12 QB in back-to-back weeks. While the Bears’ offense is still pretty hard to bet on for fantasy purposes, Williams could be a great streaming candidate this week for fantasy managers in need.
Running Backs
Ashton Jeanty
RB - LV
The high hopes and draft capital spent by fantasy managers on Ashton Jeanty seem to be vanishing for the Raiders’ rookie. While Jeanty has definitely shown flashes of the player that excited the fantasy community all offseason, his supporting cast in Las Vegas has made it difficult for him to consistently be an RB that can help rosters in a way that validates his 1st-Round draft price. Even so, Jeanty has been a top-20 RB in three of his last four games before the Raiders’ bye week, and in those games, he was more involved in the passing game, averaging three receptions and 23 receiving yards per game.
If Jeanty is going to get back on the right track to start the second half of his fantasy season, he will have a tough matchup to break through against the Jaguars. Jacksonville’s defense has been one of the best in the league against the run, allowing the 6th-fewest rushing yards in the league and just four rushing TDs on the season. For fantasy, the Jaguars haven’t allowed a top-24 RB in either of their last two games before their bye last week. Given the talent that Jeanty brings to the table, it’s likely fantasy managers don’t have the ability to sit Jeanty, but expectations should be tempered with a tough matchup this week.
Kenneth Walker III
RB - KC
The back-and-forth usage of the RBs in Seattle has made it difficult for fantasy managers to be able to rely on Kenneth Walker through the first two months of the season. After finishing as a top-10 RB in two of his first three games, Walker hasn’t cracked the top-24 RBs in any of his last four games. While the split between Walker and fellow RB Zach Charbonnet has been pretty even, in recent weeks, it’s been Charbs who has seen the valuable work around the end zone, punching in four TDs in the last four weeks in the red zone, while Walker hasn’t scored since Week 3. If Walker can’t get back into some of that work in the red zone, he’s extremely limited for fantasy production.
A good matchup against the Commanders should help the chances of Walker getting back on the right track this week. Washington’s defense has allowed the 8th-most rushing yards on the season, though they are one of just three teams that have allowed 1,000+ rushing yards and fewer than 10 rushing TDs. For fantasy, the Commanders have allowed a top-24 RB in each of their last five games, four of which were RB11 or better. With plenty of players out this week on a bye week, Walker has a chance to be a decent FLEX play with upside.
Tyjae Spears
RB - TEN
After a very slow start to the season, there was finally some positivity from Tyjae Spears in Week 8 for the Titans’ offense. Spears has only played in the last four games for Tennessee, but saw a season-high in opportunities against the Colts, out-producing starter Tony Pollard in yardage with nearly the same number of opportunities. Where Spears could really eat into Pollard’s work is in the passing game, where he’s averaged nearly four targets over the last three games.
If Spears is going to keep his positive momentum going forward into Week 9, he will have a tough matchup to do so against the Chargers. Los Angeles’ defense has been decent against the run, sitting in the middle of the pack in rushing yards allowed, but they have given up the 2nd-most rushing TDs on the season. For fantasy, it’s really been feast or famine for opposing RBs. In three of the Chargers’ last four games, they have allowed 32+ fantasy points to opposing RBs. In those three games, LA allowed the RB4, RB4, and RB3 on the week, so there’s definitely a ceiling for Spears in this game. Fantasy managers may have picked Spears up off waivers and could throw a dart as a FLEX option this week.
Wide Receivers
Courtland Sutton
WR - DEN
The results have been mixed for fantasy managers who invested in Courtland Sutton this season. Through his first eight games, Sutton has finished as a top-20 WR five times, but has been a detriment to fantasy rosters in the other three weeks, scoring a combined 12 points in those games. What could be mildly concerning is that Sutton hasn’t given fantasy managers a usage fantasy result in two of his last three games, and in good matchups against the Dallas and Jets defenses.
Things don’t get any easier for Sutton this week with a tough game against the Texans on tap. Houston’s defense has been one of the best passing defenses this season, allowing the 3rd-fewest passing yards and fewest passing TDs in the league this season. For fantasy, the Texans have only allowed one top-24 WR in their last five games. It’s tough to pivot away from a WR who can explode like Sutton has shown, but expectations might need to be lowered for the WR given such a tough matchup this week.
Travis Hunter
WR - JAX
After an offseason full of speculation around exactly how much Travis Hunter would be involved in the Jaguars’ offense, the results have really been mixed to start the season. After finishing as WR48 or worse in six-straight games to start the year, Hunter finally broke into the top-24 in Week 7 before Jacksonville’s bye week. In that game, though, Hunter saw a career-high 14 targets for 101 yards and got into the end zone for the first time. With any luck for fantasy managers, the week off should allow Hunter to be further integrated into the Jaguars’ offense to take over more of the passing offense.
Hunter should have a great opportunity to continue the good vibes in Week 9 with a matchup against the Raiders in Vegas. Las Vegas’ defense hasn’t been the typical target for fantasy receiving threats that it has in the past, but they are still giving up plenty of production this season. The Raiders’ defense has allowed opposing teams’ WRs to score at least 20+ fantasy points in all but one game this season, and that was against the Titans, so it isn’t saying much. If Hunter is once again the focal point of the Jaguars’ passing attack, he should have every chance to string together another productive fantasy week for fantasy managers.
Khalil Shakir
WR - BUF
It’s difficult to be a consistent receiving threat in the Bills’ offense based on how much they throw the ball, but Khalil Shakir has been a decently steady option for fantasy managers to start the year. Through seven games, Shakir has been a top-24 WR three times, all three of which came in his last five games, and the best came just last week as the WR7 against Carolina. The key for Shakir being a usage fantasy asset really comes down to getting into the end zone. When Shakir scores a TD, he’s averaging 15.2 fantasy points, but when he doesn’t, that number drops down to just 5.98.
Putting together another strong week for fantasy managers will be more difficult for Shakir this week against a tough Chiefs defense. Kansas City has been one of the better units against the pass to start the year, allowing the 5th-fewest passing yards and passing TDs on the season. After allowing two top-12 WRs in their season-opener, the Chiefs have been really stingy against opposing fantasy WRs. In their last seven games, Kansas City has allowed just two top-24 WRs, though those came in two of their last three games. There should be plenty of points scored in this big AFC battle, but picking which Bills receiving option will be the one to get into the end zone makes Shakir a risky option for fantasy.
Tight Ends
Colston Loveland
TE - CHI
Living up to the hype of being a top-10 NFL Draft pick is difficult enough, but doing it as a TE makes Colston Loveland’s task in returning value even more difficult. Luckily, fantasy managers are finally getting to see more of Loveland on the field now that it appears he’s getting healthy after seeing a career-high 81% of the team’s snaps last week against Baltimore. Even better for Loveland than just being on the field is getting actual targets in the Bears’ offense, seeing a career-high five targets for 38 yards. With veteran TE Cole Kmet’s status up in the air again this week, Loveland could see his role expanded even more.
An expanded role could mean a huge fantasy day for Loveland against a Bengals defense that has been a team to target with TEs this season. Cincinnati’s defense has allowed the 3rd-most passing yards and 2nd-most passing TDs this season. For fantasy, the Bengals allow the most points to opposing teams’ TEs, giving up 18.7 points per game to the position. In each of their last four games, Cincinnati has allowed a top-10 TE finish, including a TE7 finish to fellow feline and rookie TE Mason Taylor. It’s hard to bet on a rookie breakout performance, but the situation is right for Loveland to hopefully take a step forward for fantasy managers this week.
Travis Kelce
TE - KC
From a baby TE to the oldest of the old at the position, Travis Kelce has been more of the same to start the season. While Kelce isn’t the TE1 that we once knew, he’s still been very solid, finishing as a top-12 TE in five of his eight games this season, including a season-best TE2 finish behind 18.9 fantasy points last week against the Commanders. There were concerns that the return of WR Rashee Rice to the Chiefs’ lineup would be a detriment to Kelce’s fantasy ceiling, but it may just be opening more of the field up for the TE to continue to produce down the stretch of the season.
For fantasy managers to get another vintage Kelce performance this week will be a large ask with a tough matchup against the Bills on the slate. Buffalo’s defense has allowed the 2nd-fewest passing yards and passing TDs in the league this season. Against TEs, the Bills have been one of the best in the league, allowing just 4.4 fantasy points per game to the position, with a season-high peaking at eight fantasy points back in Week 2. It may be tough to think about sitting Kelce after such a strong performance last week, but fantasy managers may be relying on a TD from the TE, something Buffalo has only given up once so far this year.
Comments
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