Fantasy Football Saturday Mailbag for Week 9 (Fantasy Football)
Good morning, FootClan, and welcome to Week 9 of The Fantasy Footballers’ Saturday Morning Mailbag! As is the case every Saturday morning, As always, I am here bright and early on Saturday morning to select a few of your questions from The Fantasy Footballers’ Discord server, answer some of the hot-topics that didn’t quite make it to that week’s edition of The Footcast. The Ballers’ Discord is home to the biggest and best online fantasy football community in the world, and it’s your go-to place to talk about all things fantasy football. Head over today and get involved with thousands of members across dozens of dedicated channels for start/sit questions, trade advice, and waiver wire insights, as well as exclusive areas that are only available to members of the FootClan.
Buenos días, FootClan, y bienvenidos a otra edición sabatina de nuestra sección de correspondencia! It’s Week 9, and the NFL International Series is back with a bang. This weekend sees the Cincinnati Bengals “host” the Atlanta Falcons at the magnificent Bernabéu, home of Real Madrid, for the National Football League’s second consecutive trip to Spain. I was fortunate enough to be at this particular venue last year to watch Miami defeat Washington, and it is truly an impressive arena to watch a game of football. It may mean an early rise for some, but looking at it through a positive lens, there will be almost 15 hours of live action throughout Sunday for the fifth time this season! One person who won’t be there is Jacoby Brissett, but rest assured, he is in almost every part of this column. Of course, we will talk more than just the NFL’s most in-demand QB, and as usual, we have got a lot to cover…so let’s dive right in!
Question #1 – Season-long Strategy (RB Love/Hate Relationship Edition)
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Yo Ballers! Somehow I am sitting at 5-3, even with Jeremiyah Love and his injuries on my roster. Is he safe to drop in Redraft? I need an RB2, and my IR slots are full – ap2011
Answer: It has not exactly been the debut season we were all hoping for from the highly-touted rookie out of Notre Dame. After being taken with the third overall pick by a Cardinals organization that only had Tyler Allgeier, Bam Knight and the dusty bones of James Conner on their roster…Love’s path to the top of the depth chart was practically instantaneous – but with what feels like a never-ending series of injuries, it has been a year to forget for the 21-year-old and his fantasy managers.
Going as early as the late second round in fantasy drafts, Love was the consensus RB14 off the board back in August, and aside from a top-8 finish back in Week 3 against the 49ers…he has done absolutely nothing to repay those who invested their early draft capital into the highest-drafted RB since Saquon Barkley back in 2018. Those hoping for a Doug Martin-style rookie campaign have unfortunately been treated to a Doug Martin sophomore campaign, when he, too, only played six games in an injury-strewn season.
After missing Weeks 6 and 7 (easy now Gen Z readers) with an ankle injury, Love managed only nine carries on his return to action, before once again hobbling to the sidelines and missing the remainder of the game. Was he rushed back too early? Perhaps- but what we now know is that the talented rookie is set to miss at least the next four games after heading to the IR, and with Arizona having a Week 14 bye, there is a good chance we don’t see #4 back on the field before the fantasy playoffs…if at all.
In what has been a fairly meddling rookie showing, Love has averaged just 3.5 Y/A on his 76 carries – the same as Omarion Hampton…and we know how his fantasy managers feel about that! Love’s dismal efficiency ties at 61st amongst RBs who have 50 or more carries on the year – a mark that is being eclipsed by his teammate (and “complementary” back) Tyler Allgeier. The former Falcon is now the undisputed leader of this backfield and is quite literally running away with the job. His 147 yards on the ground against Dallas last week were a career-high, and the first time the fifth-year back has eclipsed 100 rushing yards since October 2024. Allgeier is averaging 4.5 Y/A (RB22) and has caught 21-of-22 passes thrown his way on the year. For now – and potentially the remainder of the year – Allgeier is the clear-cut leader of this Cardinals backfield.
A change of the guard at QB may give Arizona the spark it needs to challenge for the remainder of the year – but at 3-5, it is already over for this team in 2026. Love may make some sparse appearances towards the end of the season, but why would a team that will already be planning for 2027 want to risk their prized asset in meaningless games? His NFL season may not yet be over, but his fantasy season most definitely is…see if you can sell high on the belief he comes back and the Cardinals’ appealing matchups at the RB position during the fantasy playoffs.
Question #2 – Season-long Strategy (Minshew Magic Tricks Edition)
Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Do I sell high on Michael Wilson or do we think what we saw with Gardner Minshew last week will continue? – shane
Answer: Michael Wilson truthers rejoice! After what has felt like an eternity since his WR5 performance back in Week 3, Jerry Rice finally found the end zone again on what has been a painfully bad Cardinals offense operating in the red zone. Through eight weeks, no team in the National Football League has more trips inside the opponents’ 20-yard line than Arizona (33). Unfortunately, due to some questionable QB play (sorry, Jacoby), just over 45% of those plays have resulted in a TD – with only the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns finding paydirt on less often than the Cards.
Through three quarters of Arizona’s trip to Dallas last Sunday afternoon, those trends were looking set to continue, that is, until Head Coach Mike LaFleur made the decision to pull Jacoby Brissett and unleash some Minshew Magic on America’s Team…jorts at the ready, folks!
With Gardner under center, the Arizona offense found new life, particularly in the passing game. Sure, it probably helped that when Minshew entered the game, they were already 14 points behind…but boy did he come out all guns blazing and start throwing some darts to Wilson, Trey McBride and Tyler Allgeier. All but 3 of the journeyman’s 23 passing attempts went to the aforementioned trio…and with the Cardinals coming back to win the game in OT, we can likely expect more of the same moving forward – but what does this mean for Michael Wilson?
Until Minshew entered the game, Wilson was plodding along with just three receptions for 34 scoreless yards through the first three quarters of the game – in the quarter that followed, plus OT, Wilson led the team with five receptions for 77 yards and an all-important game-tying TD as the clocks hit triple-zeroes in the fourth quarter. Seven of Wilson’s 15 total targets on the day came in those final 22 minutes of game time…and more importantly, his catch rate went from 38% up to a far more respectable 71%.
Gardner – now on his sixth different team in eight seasons – looks set to be the starter in Arizona for the foreseeable future, so hopefully we see more of the same in the upcoming matchups against the Seahawks, Rams, and Chiefs…all games that the Cardinals will head into as heavy underdogs. The good news for Wilson managers is that this defense has allowed 30 or more points in 6 of 8 games so far this year, so we can expect Minshew to be chasing the game and throwing a lot in the next five weeks before the team’s Week 14 bye. The coaching staff may want to see what they have in third-round rookie Carson Beck, and the final three fixtures out of the bye may be when we see the former Miami Hurricane take the field for the first time.
Wilson should be a high-ceiling WR2 heading towards the fantasy playoffs…after that, who knows. If you need an upside pass-catcher, keep a hold; otherwise, see what you can get on the back of his WR4 performance last time out.
Question #3 – Trade Talk (10-Year Age Gap RB Special)
What is Derrick Henry’s rest-of-season outlook with the Ravens QB injuries? I’ve been offered Henry for Jonah Coleman straight up…what do I do? – I want to Bo-lieve
Answer: I’m going to take a moment to apologize here, FootClan – heading into the mailbag this week, I had zero intention of turning this into the Jacoby Brissett Show…but here we are – third question, third mention of Beef Brissett…what a time to be alive!
For those not paying attention in the back…Jacoby Brissett is now the undisputed QB1 for the Baltimore Ravens. Turns out, after being benched mid-game in favor of Gardner Minshew, all you need to do to get a starting job the following week is for a pair of season-ending injuries to Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, as well as third-stringer Joe Fagnano putting up a line of 10/60/0 with two INTs and a fumble on Prime Time…there’s hope for us all!
Is Brissett a good QB; no – but is he a better start than Fagnano and breathes life back into this Ravens offense; oh yes. With a competent QB under center, opposition defenses should hopefully be less willing to stack the box, giving Derrick Henry some freedom to build up a head of steam out of the backfield and reignite a season that started with four top-10 finishes in the opening five weeks. Don’t hear what I’m not saying: Henry will likely be a high-floor RB2 with upside for the rest of the season…but given he has scored under six fantasy points in three of his last four outings, it’s a much brighter outlook for the Yeti this morning than it was on Thursday Night.
Baltimore has the fourth hardest strength of schedule at the RB position for the remainder of the season, but the sheer volume Henry should see will hopefully atone for any inefficiencies he displays. Whisper it quietly, but this may be the beginning of the end of the stalwart RB1 Derrick Henry that we have become so accustomed to for the best part of a decade. There is no doubt the talent is still there, but Henry is rushing at only 3.9 Y/A on the season – the lowest of his career, with five of his nine starts all being under the 4.0 Y/A mark. Am I hailing the end of the King’s reign? No- his snap share, ability to find the end zone, and usage in the passing game keep him very relevant for fantasy…but is he more relevant than Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman?
The fourth-round selection out of Washington certainly looks the part, finishing inside the top-12 at the position in two of his three games on the year…but with only 30 carries to his name and R.J. Harvey on Injured Reserve, it is very hard to say just how the year is going to pan out for the talented rookie. What we do know is that Harvey will miss at least the next three games on the IR, and with Coleman earning 61% of the RB carries and over 80% of RB targets in the victory over Kansas City, he seems a good bet to be a weekly starter in most league formats.
So, who is the better player to roster ROS? Well, if I were in your position, I would hold fire for one more week – if you are being offered Henry straight-up for Coleman, you are likely going to be able to ask for a whole lot more after Denver travel to Carolina to face a Panthers defense who rank 30th against the RB position, allowing 5.0 PAE on average per week. Let Coleman go wild on Sunday, and then if you do want to move him for the Yeti as we head into the colder months, make sure you get a little extra thrown in as well.
It’s time for Rapid Round…
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hola Ballers! What’s your rest-of-season outlook for Carnell Tate? He has the 2nd easiest schedule rest of the way for WRs! Could a big leap be coming? – Rough Cuddle
Answer: The No.4 overall pick from this year’s NFL Draft was starting to put together a nice little run of games until having to sit out last week with a shoulder injury. The good news: he should be fine when the Titans return after their Week 9 bye; the bad news: he will still be catching passes (well, trying to) from Cam Ward. The 1.01 from last year’s draft threw for over 300 yards for the first time ever in his young career…but he will not get five quarters against the Cincinnati Bengals to do that in every week. Tate should be solid and has a nice run-in, but he is a boom/bust WR3 at best. He will have his moments…good luck predicting them.
Hey howdy hey! Thanks to you fellers, I am 7-1 and sitting well. Jonathan Brooks is currently hiding out in waivers; is he a sneaky stash? – A Chunk of Moobs
Answer: The Panther’s ever-injured second-rounder from 2024 has only rushed for 18 times in his career thus far…we are verging on historical bust territory here. A core muscle injury has seen Brooks sidelined since Week 2, and in that time – just like two years ago – Chuba Hubbard has stepped up in a big way. Chuba is the overall RB12 on the season so far. Brooks won’t be dethroning him any time soon…that’s if he returns this year at all. There are far better bench stashes out there – check the strength of schedule tool and shore up your back-up options for the playoffs.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hi Ballers, who are the “matchup-proof” players for the rest of season? – Right Hand Golf Glove
Answer: There is a small band of players at each position for whom it just doesn’t matter who they are facing off against…you start them. At QB, Josh Allen, Brock Purdy, and Joe Burrow would be locked into my lineup every single week without fail, and I would probably add Horse Boy Trevor Lawrence to that list as well, for no other reason than his schedule is so fantasy-friendly from here on in. At the RB position, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Kenneth Walker, Christian McCaffrey, James Cook…and my boy D’Andre Swift are all set-and-forget plays. Looking at pass-catchers, Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Malik Nabers will be in my lineup regardless of who they are up against; and at TE, it is only Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and George Kittle who are auto-starts. Shout-out to Bhayshul Tuten, Parker Washington, and Christian Watson…they are all honorable mentions.
Sup Baller Dads! I joined my first “draft pick trading” league that also has divisions. I’m 2-6 but in the worst division, so playoffs are still possible. Do I punt the season and trade for picks? Or do I sell next year’s picks for a few star acquisitions and go for it all? – Phillypino Noir
Answer: As long as you can win…play to win. It may feel like you are very much on the outside looking in, but if you make the playoffs, that’s when anything can happen. Give it at least another week before doing anything drastic. Don’t start playing for next year until you know you can’t win a #FootClanTitle in 2026…and good luck!
How cooked is Zay Flowers? – 6RingsMakaveli
Answer: 6RingsMakaveli, I want you to put the word out there that we are back up! Jacoby Brissett is not Lamar Jackson…but we saw him turn Michael Wilson into a bona fide WR1 last year, and Zay Flowers is already an elite talent. Where’s the Beef likes to pepper his favorite weapon with targets, and although Flowers may be a little seared on the outside after two weeks of Joe Fagnano, he should be medium-raring to go with his new QB. Look for him to bounce back from Week 10 onwards.
That will do it for this week, FootClan – good luck for Week 9!