Fantasy Football Week 9: Insider Notebook and Preview

Halloween time is more than just ghosts, goblins, zombies or sexy costume get-ups. It also marks the return to the fantasy living for those once-sexy fantasy options who were down for the early part of the season—be it on the PUP/NFI list (Marcus Lattimore, Leonard Hankerson), IR designated for return (Charles Sims, Tyler Eifert, Marcedes Lewis and Marquess Wilson) or suspensions (Josh Gordon).

Those players are either back at practice now or scheduled to return to it in a few weeks. Each of them could have value in fantasy before this season is over. Some definitely will. Once you get through the roster stress of the bye season, you will want to have these guys.

We break down each of their prospects in the coming weeks of fantasy crunch time:

WR Gordon, Cleveland Browns

He is eligible to return Week 12 (Sunday, Nov. 23) against the Atlanta Falcons, since his suspension was reduced to 10 games and the Browns have already had their bye. Gordon will get six games in this season, and we saw what damage he can do right away after a suspension a year ago.

Gordon returned in Week 3 last year with 10 catches on 19 targets for 146 yards receiving and a touchdown. The longer absence might be disconcerting, but Gordon is working out at the Browns facility through this time—as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reported—and, honestly, who is really in the way of Gordon getting significant snaps in his first week eligible?

Gordon hasn't been sitting by idle, so the ramp-up time might be minimal. Head coach Mike Pettine told Ulrich:

"

He's been in the team meetings, but I do know that we have him on a separate schedule because he can't be out at practice. He's not in the weight room when our other guys are, so he's kind of on the opposite schedule of everybody else. But he has been here.

"

Gordon, owned in just 16.3 percent of ESPN.com leagues, is going to be owned in 100 percent of fantasy formats in just a few short weeks. He is going to have a significant impact on the most important games on the fantasy calendar.

RB Sims, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Doug Martin's struggles have those in Tampa hoping Sims can be the savior of the damaged running game. Tampa Bay radio host Tom Krasniqi tweeted he is hearing Sims (ankle) "will play a TON" upon his return. Sims is a versatile pass-catching back, but we have to assume he isn't quite up to speed on the thing that plagues all rookie backs: pass protection.

While Gordon looks like a pretty sure thing to contribute, Sims sounds a bit too much like wishful thinking.

TE Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals

With A.J. Green (toe) unlikely to play at 100 percent the rest of the season, we have to figure Andy Dalton is anxious to get this pass-catching tight end back. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer predicts Eifert will return to the active roster for Week 11 at the New Orleans Saints (Sunday, Nov. 16). Eifert is a top-15 fantasy option, when healthy.

"

Lewis commented on Tyler Eifert. Originally aimed return to practice for next week but doesn't know now. My best guess return: @Saints.

— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) October 24, 2014"

RB Lattimore, San Francisco 49ers

The former South Carolina running back isn't technically fantasy roster-worthy yet, but he is an interesting story. Having devastatingly blown out his knee multiple times in college, he still got drafted by the 49ers in an era when running backs are treated like toilet paper.

Lattimore is making his debut in an official NFL in-season practice, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News.

Lattimore, who will wind up being held out two full calendar years since his South Carolina injury, told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com:

"

I felt good, but I felt when (head athletic trainer Jeff Ferguson) and I talked, it was the best plan. I just needed more time. There was no reason to rush it. It was a huge injury. It takes time. It's still a process, and I'm still going through the process. But I feel great. ...

You just feel it. A football game is different. Contact is different. But also when you're out there, you're not thinking about making that cut. You're thinking about making this guy miss or picking up your assignment on a block. I won't have time to think. I'll just react and play football.

"

Lattimore is a long shot to help the 49ers or fantasy owners the remainder of this season, particularly since Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde are ahead of him on the depth chart and healthy. If one of those backs goes down, though, Lattimore will be a favorite off the waiver wire.

The Washington Redskins' Hankerson, Chicago Bears' Wilson and Jacksonville Jaguars' Lewis don't have the fantasy cachet those above have. They can be picked up off waivers relatively affordably if they return and prove productive in a given week.

RG3 Nears His Own Return

Colt McCoy led the Redskins to an upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night, but Robert Griffin III (ankle) still might be the quarterback savior for that organization and his fantasy owners. The question is no longer if RG3 will return to the starting lineup for the Redskins and fantasy owners, but when.

"An injury like this just takes time," RG3 said postgame, per Zac Boyer of The Washington Times. "When I'm ready to go, I'll be back out there. It was a big win we got (Monday) against the Cowboys, so things are looking up."

RG3 returned to team drills last week, but it was "a collaborative call" to hold him out of the lineup against the Cowboys, Boyer reported. Now the Redskins can either bring their franchise quarterback back this weekend against the Minnesota Vikings or hold him out through their Week 10 bye.

For anyone doubting RG3's fantasy potential, look at what the Redskins have in the offensive arsenal: Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Jordan Reed and Alfred Morris. Very few teams have that many regular fantasy starters. Add a dynamic quarterback to the mix, and look out!

Griffin, owned in just 43 percent of CBSSports.com leagues, is a must-add off waivers heading into the bulk of the bye season, especially if he returns against the Vikings on Sunday.

Midseason Vacations

From those returning to those taking a break...

If you have read this space recently, you know full well half of the NFL is going on bye in the next three weeks (16 teams). There are six teams on bye in Week 9 and Week 10, and four more idle Week 11. The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills make the following players unusable this week:

1. RB Matt Forte
2. WR Calvin Johnson
3. RB Eddie Lacy
4. WR Julio Jones
5. QB Aaron Rodgers
6. WR Brandon Marshall
7. WR Alshon Jeffery
8. WR Jordy Nelson
9. WR Randall Cobb
10. QB Matthew Stafford
11. QB Matt Ryan
12. QB Jay Cutler
13. WR Golden Tate
14. TE Martellus Bennett
15. WR Sammy Watkins
16. WR Kendall Wright
17. RB Bishop Sankey
18. Lions D/ST
19. RB Steven Jackson
20. TE Delanie Walker
21. RB Anthony Dixon
22. RB Fred Jackson
23. RB Bryce Brown
24. WR Justin Hunter
25. TE Scott Chandler
26. Bills D/ST
27. Packers D/ST
28. K Mason Crosby
29. K Matt Prater
30. K Matt Bryant
31. K Robbie Gould
32. K Dan Carpenter

That group might go down as the heaviest bye week there is this season. Next week, these six are off: Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings.

Waiver-Wire Favorites

Every Monday of the season, FantasyPros.com surveys analysts to create a consensus ranking of the top free-agent options available. Here are the results:

RK	Player	POS	TM	Consensus	Best Rank	Worst Rank
1	Brandon LaFell	WR	NE	2.6	1	6
2	Jonathan Stewart	RB	CAR	3	1	7
3	Allen Robinson	WR	JAC	3.6	1	10
4	Bobby Rainey	RB	TB	4	2	7
5	Charles Sims	RB	TB	5.6	4	8
6	Jonas Gray	RB	NE	5.6	3	10
7	Lorenzo Taliaferro	RB	BAL	6.6	5	9
8	Martavis Bryant	WR	PIT	7.6	6	10
9	Andrew Hawkins	WR	CLE	8.2	6	12
10	Tim Wright	TE	NE	10	7	14
11	Davante Adams	WR	GB	11	9	14
12	John Brown	WR	ARI	12	11	14
13	Donte Moncrief	WR	IND	12.4	12	13
14	Theo Riddick	RB	DET	13.8	10	16
15	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TE	TB	15.4	13	17
16	Kenny Stills	WR	NO	16.2	15	18
17	Markus Wheaton	WR	PIT	17	15	19
18	Kenny Britt	WR	STL	17.2	15	18
19	Crockett Gillmore	TE	BAL	18.2	15	19

Thursday Night Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

New Orleans Saints

Start: Drew Brees, Mark Ingram, Marques Colston, Brandin Cooks, Jimmy Graham, Shayne Graham

Sit: Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson, Travaris Cadet, Kenny Stills, Saints D/ST

The Carolina Panthers are in the bottom 10 against quarterbacks, bottom three against running backs and bottom five against wide receivers. This is a relative "start all" game for your Saints, despite the fact the Panthers slowed the Seattle Seahawks a few days ago. Also, the short week doesn't give the banged-up backs much of a chance to return, so consider Cadet a sleeper option in PPR formats.

Carolina Panthers

Start: Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Kelvin Benjamin, Greg Olsen

Sit: Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Avant, Graham Gano, Panthers D/ST

Williams is expected to return, according to Max Henson of the Panthers official website. Both Williams and Stewart are viable plays in a game that could see each of them get in the end zone with about 60 total yards. The passing game should have a much better day against the Saints, who are sixth worst against quarterbacks and fourth worst against wide receivers.

Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.