Six-Word NFL Week 9 Fantasy Football Storylines

We learned a lot during Week 9.

Highlighting the week’s most important fantasy storylines using only six words.

Anderson is Finally Finding His Rhythm

Jets 34, Bills 21

Josh McCown has risen to become one of the best QBs in fantasy, thanks in large part to establishing a strong chemistry with Robby Anderson.  The speedy WR scored for the third consecutive week on Thursday Night Football while converting four receptions into 48 yards.  Anderson now has 17 receptions and 263 yards over the past three weeks with mostly limited targets–they usually hover around five per game.  Despite a low number of looks, Anderson offer huge upside and is a must-add in standard formats.  He warrants FLEX consideration next week with a strong matchup against an awful Buccaneers passing defense.

Maclin is Finally What We Hoped

Titans 23, Ravens 20

After missing weeks six and seven due to injury, Jeremy Maclin is returning to the viable threat status we saw to open the season.  In Sunday’s loss to the Titans, Maclin hauled in eight of nine targets for 98 yards.  He now has 14 targets over his past two games and appears to be back in a groove with an inconsistent Joe Flacco.  Maclin is a sneaky start with strong upside the rest of the way, as four of his six remaining opponents are in the bottom ten in the league for fantasy points allowed to receivers (according to Yahoo).  Green Bay awaits after a week 10 bye.

Winston Latest Wrench in QB Plans

Saints 30, Buccaneers 10

James Winston is the latest starting QB to face some time on the shelf, as the sideline instigator will miss at least two weeks with a shoulder injury.  Although this isn’t as significant a hit as the injuries to Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson, it creates a mess for Winston owners at a critical juncture.  With the secret of Josh McCown now out, the QB free agent pool is thinner than a tooth pick.  Jacoby Brissett may be the best streaming option in deeper leagues.

Goff Possibly Key to Playoff Success

Rams 51, Giants 17

Jared Goff was almost perfect in a complete route of New York’s biggest disappointment, posting a QBR of 94.9 en route to the Rams’ highest scoring effort of the season.  The second-year QB made his presence felt by completing 14 of 22 passes for 311 yards and four touchdowns.  He now has 2,030 passing yards and 14 total touchdowns on the season with just four interceptions.  In terms of consistency, the best may be yet to come for Goff.  He has one of the strongest schedules of all fantasy QBs heading into and during the playoffs, as his final five matchups are against the likes of New Orleans, Arizona, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Tennessee.  Ride the Rams QB until the wheels fall off.

The Broncos Running Backs Suck, Period

Eagles 51, Broncos 23

C.J. Anderson: 9 carries for 13 yards.  Devontae Booker: 6 carries for 21 yards.  Jamaal Charles: 4 carries for 1 yard.  I’m done trying to make sense of this.  Anderson is a bigger tease than a college sophomore using you for rides to campus.  Don’t play any of them them until someone establishes some consistency.  They all blow.

Funchess Solid as Lead Wide Receiver

Panthers 20, Falcons 17

With Kelvin Benjamin now in Buffalo and Greg Olsen still on the shelf, Devin Funchess is the lead dog in the Carolina passing attack.  The second-year receiver took his new title in stride, catching five balls for 86 yards in a win over the Atlanta Falcons.  Funchess has shown flashes of brilliance in spurts this year, but his stock will continue to go up and down along with Cam Newton’s.  Benjamin’s departure could pay big dividends during your fantasy team’s playoff push.  Funchess will line up opposite the vulnerable Jets’ and Saints’ passing defenses in weeks 12 and 13, and also has a favorable schedule come championship time (matchups against the Packers and Bucs await, if you make it that far!).

WR Loss Was Your TE Gain

Jaguars 23, Bengals 7

A.J. Green is a moron, but that was good news if you had TE troubles.  Aside from a rare Joe Mixon touchdown, the bright spot of the Bengals’ pathetic offense was tight end Tyler Kroft.  The Rutgers alum caught both of his targets for 79 yards, his highest total of the season.  Although we can’t say this for sure, it is likely that this would not be the case had Green played the second half.  Kroft has been mostly bark this season, but has flashed enough potential to warrant being owned in more than 41% of Yahoo leagues.  If you have any problems at TE, he is a top-tier safety net.

Trade T.Y. Hilton While You Can

Colts 20, Texans 14

There are two primary guiding forces in fantasy: gut feelings and trends.  T.Y. Hilton owners have been waiting all season for the star receiver’s production to stabilize.  Each time he offers a glimmer of hope (153 yards in week three and 177 yards in week five), he doesn’t just come back down to Earth: he goes straight into the ground.  Since Hilton stole the show once again over the weekend–tallying a monstrous 175 yards and two touchdowns on just five receptions–we can expect his trend of disappointment in follow-ups to continue.  Jacoby Brissett’s inconsistency makes Hilton a weekly boom-or-bust and an ideal trade candidate for those who are either on the edge of the playoff picture and/or are desperate.  If you can, unload him for a more consistent option.

Keep Rolling with Adrian Peterson, Sucka

Cardinals 20, 49ers 10

Adrian Peterson’s week nine usage was unreal: 37 carries.  That is the same number of carries as his previous two games combined.  The living legend took advantage of his opportunities, rushing for a massive 159 yards and demolishing would-be tacklers in the process.  This is his second game with over 25 carries in a Cardinals uniform, and the volume will continue with Drew Stanton at QB.  Although his remaining schedule isn’t great, Peterson has a juicy matchup against the Rams during a crucial week 13.

Vernon is Better Than Your TE

Redskins 17, Seahawks 14

Vernon Davis will…not…quit.  In his 12th season as a pro, he has been one of the most consistent tight ends in fantasy football.  Davis hauled in six receptions for 72 yards in an underwhelming win over the Seahawks on Sunday.  This is the fifth game out of his past six that he has logged at least six fantasy points (standard Yahoo scoring). That’s not so great, you say?  Well, the only others to accomplish that feat at the TE position are Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate, and Jimmy Graham (we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt with his 5.9-point week nine).  With Jordan Reed continuing his career-long trend of battling injuries, there aren’t any better options on the waiver wire than Davis, who is still available in 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Don’t Worry About Hunt Despite Decline

Cowboys 28, Chiefs 17

We all knew that Kareem Hunt could not keep up the monster numbers he put up  in his first three games.  The rookie hit a new low on his decline Sunday afternoon, tallying only nine carries (37 yards) and just five targets (four receptions), his lowest usage rate of the season. Believe it or not, a silver lining is on the horizon for the talented rookie.  Despite some bumps in the road, it’s too early for Hunt owners to panic.  After tough matchups against the Giants and Bills in weeks 11 and 12, Hunt has salivating matchups against the Jets, Raiders, and Chargers right in the middle of the fantasy playoffs.

Miami’s Backfield Offers New, Intriguing Options

Raiders 27, Dolphins 24

It sounds weird to say this, but the Dolphins offense shined in every way with Jay Cutler back at the helm.  The performances of Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams are the biggest story out of Miami’s second best offensive performance of the season, as the inexperienced backfield duo exceeded everyone’s expectations in the Dolphins’ first game sans Jay Ajayi.  They combined for 165 yards of total offense, while Williams added a touchdown through the air.  With free agency prospects growing thinner by the week, either back could provide a nice band-aid to cover up an injury or a bye week.  Both were available in over 47% of Yahoo leagues entering the weekend and are worth a waiver bid in PPR leagues.

Hundley is Destroying His Teammates’ Value

Game in Progress as of Writing

Brett Hundley is god awful.  The Packers need to look elsewhere for a replacement while Aaron Rodgers is out.  As of this writing, the rookie QB is 16-for-23 for just 97 yards.  He has struggled immensely throwing downfield and often creates loss of yardage due to backwards scrambling.  It is hard to trust the Green Bay receivers when their QB can’t get them the ball, and it would be easy for defenses to stack the box against Aaron Jones if they chose to do so.  Jordy Nelson and Jones are desperation FLEX plays at best for now, while you’d be better off leaving other Packers on your  bench.

Author

  • A molder of young minds, The Trillest takes great pride in being both a glorified babysitter and member of the RSJ staff. Suffering from heartburn and rewatching the same shows 800 times, I rely of my gut when it comes to fantasy.

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