Fantasy Football: Week 9 Streamers to Consider
The back half of the fantasy regular season is in full swing, so making sure that your lineup is set to its absolute best is more important now than ever! With injuries piling up and Bye Weeks taking their toll on starting lineups, being able to find the right player to plug into your lineup to fill the holes is essential to keep getting that next victory!
Ahead of Week 9, let’s look through the streamers worth considering adding to your lineup!
Make sure to make use of the Stream Finder on the website to get even more insight!
Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes
QB • KC
After a strong start to the season for fantasy, Patrick Mahomes hit a skid, finishing outside the top-12 QBs for four straight games. Luckily for fantasy managers, Mahomes got back into the green this week against the Broncos, finishing as the QB3 behind a trio of passing TDs. Mahomes was really not called on to do much of the heavy lifting through the Chiefs’ 5-0 start, but now with Kansas City dropping two straight games and their offense struggling to run the ball at a high level, the QB may see more opportunity to produce for fantasy. Looking towards Week 9, Mahomes gets a solid matchup against the Jets, who have allowed a QB5 or better finish from opposing QBs in three straight games. It is likely that Mahomes is already rostered in your league, so if he is sitting on your bench, it may be time to dust him off and get him back into the starting lineup for Week 9.
Bo Nix
QB • DEN
The first six weeks of the season were rough for Bo Nix in the Broncos’ offense, but things seem to be getting back on track. After putting together just one top-12 QB finish in his first six games, Nix has finished as a top-12 QB in back-to-back weeks. What is appealing about Nix heading into Week 9 is a strong matchup against the Panthers. Carolina’s defense has allowed opposing QBs to score 20+ fantasy points in four of their seven games this season, even though they have only allowed the fifth-fewest passing yards in the league. Nix is already rostered in nearly 60% of leagues, but may be available and worth a start this week.
Malik Willis
QB • MIA
There was plenty of optimism around Malik Willis being a late-round QB that fantasy managers could rely on heading into the season, but a slow start tempered those expectations greatly. While Willis didn’t really deliver for fantasy managers to start the year, his last three games should give some hope that he can at least take advantage of a good matchup when given the opportunity. What is most appealing about Willis this week is a juicy matchup against the Lions, who have allowed opposing QBs to score 20+ fantasy points in six of their seven games this season. Willis is available in over 80% of fantasy leagues and should be a perfect one-week plug-and-play for fantasy managers in need of a QB.
Tight Ends
Greg Dulcich
TE • MIA
If we are running with the Lions matchup at QB, might as well pair it up with the TE spot and include Greg Dulcich as a streamer option as well. There was some hope that Dulcich could be a late-round TE option for fantasy managers in a Miami offense that is desperate for a reach pass-catching option, but the results have been mixed thus far, with just one top-10 TE finish on the season. Like his QB Willis, it is the matchup that is appealing for Dulcich against the Lions, who are allowing 24 fantasy points per game to the TE position. Dulcich has seen at least five targets in four of his last five games and could be an easy TE streaming option this week.
T.J. Hockenson
TE • MIN
While the Vikings offense feels like a fantasy wasteland, the one bright spot this season has been the work that TJ Hockenson has gotten at TE. Hockenson is currently the TE12 on the year and has finished as a top-8 TE in three of his last four games. While that hot streak could be due to the matchups Hockenson has seen (Miami, Indianapolis, and Detroit), he has another strong matchup for TEs this week against the Bills. Buffalo’s defense has allowed 10+ fantasy points to opposing teams’ TEs in five of their seven games this season, so the opportunity should be there again for Hockenson to be an option for fantasy managers.
Kyle Pitts Sr.
TE • ATL
Getting an absolute stinker of a game from a guy like Kyle Pitts makes it really difficult to go back to the well, but the process is right heading into Week 9. Pitts and the entire Falcons offense were terrible against the Bucs, but the weather and matchup really had a lot to do with the big pile of poop they produced for fantasy. What fantasy managers may need to be reminded of are the three-straight top-12 TE finishes they got from Pitts in the trio of weeks prior to last week. It also helps that Pitts gets a decent matchup against Cincinnati, who just allowed a TE8 finish to the likes of Gunnar Helm. Pitts may be dropped in leagues after such a bad week, but should be back in lineups again.
Defenses
Chicago Bears
D • CHI
Not to overreact to one week, but what we saw from the Bears defense on Monday night against the Seahawks should really stick with fantasy managers. Chicago’s defense looked awesome against what had been a decently efficient offense in Seattle, and their blockbuster addition of Jeffery Simmons may push their defensive line into the upper end of the league. The Bears defense has recorded at least two sacks per game and has scored double-digit fantasy points in two of their last three games. Chicago’s defense is available in 80% of fantasy leagues and has a juicy matchup against a Tampa Bay offense that has struggled even with Baker Mayfield back at QB. This defense may move themselves out of a streaming option and into a regular defense that can be started going forward.
New York Giants
D • NYG
Sometimes there are streamers who are worth adding because they are performing, and others are strictly a matchup play, and that’s what we are looking at here with the Giants. New York’s defense has been a bit of a disappointment this season, allowing fewer than 20 points scored just once on the year. What is appealing about the Giants this week is their matchup against the Eagles offense that has been absolutely terrible since Jalen Hurts went on IR. Philadelphia’s offense has allowed 10 sacks in their last three games since Tanner McKee took over at QB, and the offense doesn’t seem to be getting any help anytime soon. The Giants are available in nearly every league and could be a nice one-week option if fantasy managers are in need.
Dallas Cowboys
D • DAL
Another matchup-based pick that feels kind of gross could be the Dallas defense. The Cowboys defense hasn’t been one that fantasy managers want to rely on, but a matchup against the Colts might be the only time this unit could be considered this season. To their credit, Dallas has gotten to the QB at a decent rate in recent weeks, with 10 sacks recorded in their last three games. Meanwhile, the Colts look like they are sending out any player they can get future value for and could be out Jonathan Taylor before their matchup against the Cowboys on Sunday. Dallas should be another widely available one-week option for fantasy managers in need.
Boom Boom Kicker
Chase McLaughlin
K • TB
Having to pick a kicker every week must be the worst part of some fantasy managers’ lives, but here we are yet again. If you can kick a perfect 3/3 in the monsoon that Chase McLaughlin did on Sunday, then that is the kicker who should be started every week regardless of the matchup. McLaughlin leads the league with 19 made field goals this season and hasn’t missed a kick yet this year. While he is probably already rostered, fantasy managers should just lock him into their lineups going forward.