Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 10 Players at Every Position

Halloween brings with it the conclusion of the eighth week of the 2011 fantasy football season, and it's been a frightfully exciting campaign to this point, with some fantasy owners having a scary-good time while others have been left terrified by the results their teams have generated.

To aid fantasy owners everywhere in preparing for Week 9 (as well as to help you folks scrub all the bad Halloween clichés from the last paragraph out of your heads), here's an early look at the top 10 fantasy options at each position for the upcoming week.

1. Aaron Rodgers and the Top 10 Quarterbacks

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns to the business of shredding opposing defenses this week with a tilt in sunny San Diego against the Chargers, and coming off his bye week the seventh-year veteran regains his spot atop the quarterback rankings for Week 9.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at SD)

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (vs. NYG)

3. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CHI)

4. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB)

5. Eli Manning, New York Giants (at NE)

6. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (vs. CLE)

7. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (vs. SEA)

8. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (vs. GB)

9. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. BAL)

10. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NO)

2. Arian Foster and the Top 10 Running Backs

Arian Foster appears to have rounded back into top form, as the Houston Texans running back has rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns over the past two games.

The third-year pro has an excellent shot at making it three 100-yard games in a row when the Texans meet the Cleveland Browns Sunday, making him this week's top fantasy option at running back.

1. Arian Foster, Houston Texans (vs. CLE)

2. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (at PHI)

3. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers (at WAS)

4. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CHI)

5. Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills (vs. NYJ)

6. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams (at ARI)

7. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens (at PIT)

8. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons (at IND)

9. Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders (vs. DEN)

10. Chris Wells, Arizona Cardinals (vs. STL)

3. Wes Welker and the Top 10 Wide Receivers

The Pittsburgh Steelers held New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker to his lowest output of the 2011 season in Week 8, limiting him to six catches for 39 yards, but a suspect New York Giants secondary will be hard pressed to repeat that success, meaning a bounce-back week for Welker and leaving him as the top fantasy wideout for Week 9.

1. Wes Welker, New England Patriots (vs. NYG)

2. Greg Jennings, Green Bay Packers (at SD)

3. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. CHI)

4. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. MIA)

5. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (vs. STL)

6. Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. BAL)

7. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (vs. SEA)

8. Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers (vs. GB)

9. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB)

10. Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins (at KC)

4. Jimmy Graham and the Top 10 Tight Ends

In a bizarre loss to the winless St. Louis Rams that was certainly suited to Halloween weekend, New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was held to a pedestrian four receptions for 39 yards, but order should be restored to the universe Sunday against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that Graham torched for 124 receiving yards a few weeks ago.

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB)

2. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (vs. NYG)

3. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (vs. SEA)

4. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers (vs. GB)

5. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons (at IND)

6. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans (vs. CLE)

7. Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers (at SD)

8. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers (at WAS)

9. Fred Davis, Washington Redskins (vs. SF)

10. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots (vs. NYG)

5. John Kasay and the Top 10 Kickers

After carefully consulting the shadows cast by the flames inside a mystical fantasy football jack-o'-lantern, I can say with absolute, 20 percent certainty that New Orleans Saints kicker John Kasay will be the top fantasy option at his position this week.

Or not.

1. John Kasay, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB)

2. Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (vs. DEN)

3. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (at SD)

4. Neil Rackers, Houston Texans (vs. CLE)

5. Billy Cundiff, Baltimore Ravens (at PIT)

6. Robbie Gould, Chicago Bears (at PHI)

7. David Akers, San Francisco 49ers (at WAS)

8. Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (vs. SEA)

9. Rian Lindell, Buffalo Bills (vs. NYJ)

10. Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (at IND)

6. San Francisco and the Top 10 Team Defenses/Special Teams

The "usual suspects" at the top of the team defense totem pole don't have ideal matchups in Week 9, but the San Francisco 49ers tangle with a Washington Redskins squad that was just shut out 23-0 by the Buffalo Bills, so the Niners claim the top spot among fantasy defenses this week.

1. San Francisco 49ers (at WAS)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. BAL)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (at TEN)

4. Green Bay Packers (at SD)

5. Baltimore Ravens (at PIT)

6. Dallas Cowboys (vs. SEA)

7. Houston Texans (vs. CLE)

8. New York Giants (at NE)

9. Atlanta Falcons (at IND)

10. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. MIA)