Fantasy Football Week 9: Matt Camp's Week 9 Preview

Through eight weeks of the NFL season, fantasy football owners have gone from pinning their hopes on the top players like David Johnson all the way down to begging for Jacquizz Rodgers to take advantage of his opportunities in Tampa Bay. No matter where you are in the standings, working the waiver wire has been and remains important to your success.

The Chiefs may turn to Charcandrick West this week if Spencer Ware isn't cleared from the concussion he suffered in Week 8. Will it be for just one week? Could it be more? In the week-to-week nature of fantasy football, you take what you can get on a weekly basis and reassess accordingly. Maybe West will stick around long enough to be a difference-maker in your quest for a championship.

Some players included on this week's waiver wire are heading into their bye weeks. If you're struggling and can't afford to use the roster spot on someone who isn't playing in Week 9, Robert Kelley may not be the best choice since the Redskins get the customary week off after playing in London. If you're thinking long-term, a pickup like Kelley could pay off down the stretch.

Quarterbacks

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You know it's a weak group of streamers when Ryan Tannehill is a legit option.

Waiver Wire

Ryan Tannehill, MIA

Percent Owned: ESPN—15.7, Yahoo—22.0

Miami has become more of a run-first team with the rise of Jay Ajayi over the last two games, which explains why Tannehill has thrown just 57 passes in those contests. Ajayi has a tough matchup this week against the Jets run defense, but their pass defense is suspect, as we saw last week when they gave up 341 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Josh McCown and the Browns.

Based on the matchup, Tannehill is worth a shot if you're stuck this week at QB. Just know that if Ajayi is able to overcome another tough matchup like he did against Buffalo back in Week 7, the Dolphins won’t need too much from Tannehill in the passing attack.

Week 9 Projection: 255-265 yards, 2 touchdowns

Sam Bradford, MIN

Percent Owned: ESPN—15.1, Yahoo—16.0

For the second straight week, the Vikings failed to keep Bradford on his feet and suffered yet another loss. He threw for 228 yards and a touchdown on 23-of-37 passing but was sacked five times, which brings him up to 11 sacks taken over the last two games.

Luckily, Bradford and the Vikings have a good chance to bounce back in Week 9 against the Lions. In the last five weeks, Detroit has given up nearly 270 yards and almost two touchdowns per game to QBs. Going strictly by the matchup, Bradford could be worth streaming this week, but you'd like to see him get better protection from a shaky offensive line.

Week 9 Projection: 250-260 yards, 2 touchdowns

The Matchup Men

As a sneak preview of my weekly rankings, these are the players who are helped or hurt by their matchups. I'll provide additional analysis and projections in Wednesday's Big Board.

Matchup Bumps

Aaron Rodgers, GB (vs. IND)

Dak Prescott, DAL (at CLE)

Matt Ryan, ATL (at TB)

Jameis Winston, TB (vs. ATL)

Sam Bradford, MIN (vs. DET)

Ryan Tannehill, MIA (vs. NYJ)

Matchup Concerns

Matthew Stafford, DET (at MIN)

Derek Carr, OAK (vs. DEN)

Running Backs

Larry French/Getty Images

Rob Kelley ran to the front of the line in the Redskins backfield.

Waiver Wire

Charcandrick West, KC

Percent Owned: ESPN—7.3, Yahoo—9.0

West may be the top waiver grab of the week because of opportunity. Spencer Ware suffered a concussion in Week 8, and Jamaal Charles was out again because of his knee. While you can't assume anything when it comes to concussions, we do know that Charles is scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews this week, as head coach Andy Reid told reporters. That's a doctor's name you don't want to hear.

With the injuries in front of him, West rushed for 52 yards on 14 carries and added two receptions for eight yards on three targets in last week's win over the Colts. It's another AFC South matchup this week with the Jaguars, who are beatable on the ground and through the air when it comes to taking on running backs. West isn't as good as Ware, but opportunity can go a long way.

Week 9 Projection: 18 carries, 73 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 10 receiving yards

Robert Kelley, WAS

Percent Owned: ESPN—22.9, Yahoo—35.0

Kelley looked like he was in line for a big role for the Redskins even before Matt Jones went down with a knee injury. With Jones inactive, Kelley was called on to run 21 times for 87 yards and a touchdown.

In his first extended test, Kelley did well and should stay out in front of Jones, even when he's healthy enough to return. Jones has fumbled twice in his last three games, which opened the door for Kelley to play more in Week 8. While the Redskins are off this weekend, you'll still want to go out and get Kelley.

Week 9 Projection: Bye week

Derrick Henry, TEN

Percent Owned: ESPN—44.1, Yahoo—48.0

If you don't already own Henry as a backup to DeMarco Murray, you should make it a priority to change that. In last week's win over the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football, Murray came out of the game due to a toe injury. He has no structural damage, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

According to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online, Murray will be monitored when it comes to his toe injury with a further update coming Wednesday. That indicates some concern with the injury and a chance we see Henry come into the mix like he did last week against the Jaguars. He carried 16 times for 60 yards and a score and added four receptions for 37 yards on five targets. If needed, Henry is ready.

Week 9 Projection: To be determined based on Murray's status

Tim Hightower, NO

Percent Owned: ESPN—1.9, Yahoo—5.0

Hightower had just 19 carries entering Week 8 but played a much bigger role than expected in a Saints win over the Seahawks. After a first-quarter fumble by Mark Ingram, his second in as many weeks, the Saints benched him in favor of Hightower. As the lead back, Hightower responded by rushing for 102 yards on 26 carries.

Head coach Sean Payton told reporters Hightower is "definitely" in line for more carries in the future but that Ingram will still have a key role. The Saints backfield has turned ugly in a hurry, and it's hard to consider Hightower or Ingram to be anything more than RB3/flex options.

Week 9 Projection: 12 carries, 54 yards, 1 touchdown

Bilal Powell, NYJ

Percent Owned: ESPN—48, Yahoo—37

Powell remains the No. 2 running back behind Matt Forte, but for how long? In last week's win over the Browns, Forte rushed 25 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns and caught two of three targets for 16 yards. He did miss some time due to injury, which opened the door to a 35-yard touchdown run by Powell, who finished with six carries for 76 yards and a TD plus a reception for three yards.

Powell should stay in the mix no matter what happens to Forte, but he could be a prime candidate to take over a lead role down the stretch if Forte can't stay healthy with such a heavy workload. Through eight games, Forte is on pace for 314 carries, which would be his highest total since running 316 times as a rookie. If the Jets don't scale back his touches, they could run Forte into the ground.

Week 9 Projection: 6 carries, 28 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 18 receiving yards

The Matchup Men

Matchup Bumps

Tim Hightower/Mark Ingram, NO (at SF)

Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at CLE)

Charcandrick West, KC (vs. JAC)

Darren Sproles, PHI (at NYG)

Matchup Concerns

Matt Forte, NYJ (at MIA)

Isaiah Crowell, CLE (vs. DAL)

Frank Gore, IND (at GB)

Melvin Gordon, SD (vs. TEN)

Wide Receivers

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Corey Coleman has been cleared to return in Week 9.

Waiver Wire

Jamison Crowder, WAS

Percent Owned: ESPN—44.5, Yahoo—49.0

If you weren't convinced Crowder is legit after Week 8, you're not paying attention. Crowder played well in the two games coming into Week 8, catching 10 of 13 targets for 160 yards and a touchdown. That came in the absence of Jordan Reed, so as Reed returned to action in Week 8, you may have sat Crowder.

Instead of fading away and becoming obsolete, Crowder stayed front and center with a career-high 13 targets for nine receptions, 107 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals. Reed had nine receptions for 99 yards and a TD on 13 targets, so it proved both players could play significant roles at the same time. It's a bye week for Crowder, but snatch him up as soon as possible.

Week 9 Projection: Bye week

J.J. Nelson, ARI

Percent Owned: ESPN—1.2, Yahoo—3.0

If you checked out my late-week waiver wire in last week's Futures Report, I included Nelson as an under-the-radar pickup. The Panthers provided a favorable matchup, and both Michael Floyd and John Brown came into the game with injuries, so the door was clearly open for Nelson.

Nelson blew away my expectations with eight receptions on 12 targets for 79 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Carolina. Those numbers and his play were good enough to earn him a spot in the starting lineup, as Bruce Arians told the media. Nelson is another player with a bye, and while he's not as valuable as Crowder, he could still be a solid contributor as the Cardinals try to hang in the playoff hunt.

Week 9 Projection: Bye week

Corey Coleman, CLE

Percent Owned: ESPN—31.5, Yahoo—42.0

If Coleman remains on your waiver wire, pick him up right now. The rookie finally received full clearance to play this week, according to Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. If you're picking him up this week or if you stashed him weeks ago, get ready to fire him up Sunday against the Cowboys.

The last time Coleman played, he caught five passes for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns back in Week 2. That was also the last time Josh McCown was under center before last week. While Terrelle Pryor has been way better than expected, there's room for another strong contributor like Coleman to join the fray against the Cowboys.

Week 9 Projection: 5 receptions, 69 yards

The Matchup Men

Matchup Bumps

Antonio Brown, PIT (at BAL)

Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (at LA)

Mike Evans, TB (vs. ATL)

Corey Coleman/Terrelle Pryor, CLE (vs. DAL)

Jarvis Landry, MIA (vs. NYJ)

Jordan Matthews, PHI (at NYG)

Matchup Concerns

Amari Cooper/Michael Crabtree, OAK (vs. DEN)

Marvin Jones/Golden Tate, DET (at MIN)

Doug Baldwin, SEA (vs. BUF)

Tight Ends

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

C.J. Fiedorowicz has been the best Texans receiver for the last month.

Waiver Wire

C.J. Fiedorowicz, HOU

Percent Owned: ESPN—13, Yahoo—15

With all the complaining about how bad DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller have been for fantasy, many have overlooked the one Texans receiver who is coming through for fantasy, and that's Fiedorowicz. With a great matchup against the Lions in Week 8, Fiedorowicz snagged five of seven targets for 43 yards and a touchdown.

In the last five games, he has 24 receptions for 272 yards and three touchdowns on 34 targets. To put that into perspective, Fuller has 25 receptions for the entire season. The Texans are on bye this week, so if you can't afford to use a roster spot on a tight end who won't contribute, it's understandable, but if you have the room, add Fiedorowicz so you have him ready for Week 10.

Week 9 Projection: Bye week

Eric Ebron, DET

Percent Owned: ESPN—28.3, Yahoo—37.0

Ankle and knee issues kept Ebron out for three games until he returned in Week 8 against the Texans. The rest did him well because he wound up with his best game of the season, posting seven receptions for 79 yards on 10 targets.

When healthy, Ebron has been solid this season with an average of five receptions per game in his five appearances. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Lions offense, so that lowers Ebron's fantasy ceiling, although not enough to shy away from him on a weekly basis. After overcoming a tough matchup with the Texans last week, Ebron will have to do it again during a visit to Minnesota.

Week 9 Projection: 5 receptions, 53 yards

The Matchup Men

Matchup Bumps

Jason Witten, DAL (at CLE)

Antonio Gates/Hunter Henry, SD (vs. TEN)

Kyle Rudolph, MIN (vs. DET)

Matchup Concerns

Greg Olsen, CAR (at LA)

Delanie Walker, TEN (at SD)

Coby Fleener, NO (at SF)

Defenses

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

The Cowboys defense gets a crack at the Browns this weekend.

This will typically focus on the best streaming options widely available in both ESPN and Yahoo leagues based on the matchups. It's another ugly week for streaming defenses with six teams on bye.

Dallas Cowboys

Percent Owned: ESPN—16.5, Yahoo—14.0

The Cowboys haven't been a great fantasy defense this season, but if they were any good, you wouldn't be able to easily grab and stream them this weekend against the Browns. The key to this move is the opponent.

Over the last four weeks, Cleveland has given up the 11th-most fantasy points to defenses thanks to 11 sacks, five interceptions and just 84 points scored. The Cowboys have racked up eight sacks over their last three games and allowed less than 20 points in four of their last five games.

Week 9 Projection: 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, 17-20 points allowed

Kickers

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Josh Lambo has been reliable for the Chargers.

During the season, the kickers on the rise or those entering favorable matchups with a lot of points forecast will be featured in this section.

Josh Lambo, SD

Percent Owned: ESPN—48.9, Yahoo—49.0

I'm surprised to see Lambo available in about half of fantasy leagues considering how good he's been this season, especially over the last five weeks. During that time, Lambo has 13 extra points on 14 attempts and 11 field goals on 12 attempts. Confidence in Lambo should remain high this weekend when the Chargers host the Titans.

Ryan Succop, TEN

Percent Owned: ESPN—1.1, Yahoo—1.0

You can flip to the other side of that game for my other kicker recommendation, and unlike Lambo, I know you can go grab Succop right now. In his last five games, Succop has eight field goals on nine attempts and 14 extra points on 16 attempts. Last week, he posted his best game of the year with three field goals and three extra points. The matchup in San Diego shouldn't be a major concern for Tennessee's offense or Succop.

Camp's Corner

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Don't be afraid to discard waiver-wire heroes like Jacquizz Rodgers.

In their last three games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers called on veteran running back Jacquizz Rodgers to fill the void left in the starting lineup due to the injuries of Doug Martin and Charles Sims. He came through with 324 rushing yards and a touchdown, which was more than anyone expected. That's a pleasant surprise to find and thrive off for a few weeks.

Unfortunately, Rodgers sprained his foot in Week 8, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. He has since been seen in a walking boot, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. The Buccaneers play Thursday and will likely use a committee approach with Peyton Barber, Antone Smith and Mike James against the Falcons, so you won't have a clear answer for fantasy like you did with Rodgers.

Just because Rodgers was a top addition off the waiver wire a few weeks ago doesn't mean you need to keep him around if he's not going to contribute. He overachieved for the three weeks he led the way but is far from the type of talented player you want to keep a roster spot open for in the hope he'll return to fantasy relevance.

The running back position is the most volatile in all of fantasy football, as we've learned once again this season. Your starting RBs may not look the same every week. A running back who helped you win in Week 4 may not even be worth a roster spot in Week 7, but that's the nature of the position. If you can accept that, you'll stay ahead of the game.

Stats provided by FantasyPros and NFL.com. Snap counts provided by Pro Football Focus. ESPN and Yahoo ownership percentages are accurate as of Tuesday afternoon.

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