Fantasy Football Week 9: Everything You Need to Know for Sunday's Action

What a nightmare Week 8 was for the NFL. It was the NFL's "Red Wedding." Injuries rocked the league and fantasy rosters everywhere. 

Best wishes go to those players who suffered those injuries. While it was a rough week in the fantasy realm, it was far worse for the players. 

If your fantasy teams were hit, there are plenty of ways to recover. 

Week 9 Rankings

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Check out this week's rankings.

The 100

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL	at SF
2	Todd Gurley, RB, STL	at Min
3	Mark Ingram, RB, NO	vs. Ten
4	Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN	vs. StL
5	Tom Brady, QB, NE	vs. Was
6	Antonio Brown, WR, PIT	vs. Oak
7	Odell Beckham Jr., WR, NYG	at TB
8	Julio Jones, WR, ATL	at SF
9	Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE	vs. Was
10	Doug Martin, RB, TB	vs. NYG
11	Dion Lewis, RB, NE	vs. Was
12	Philip Rivers, QB, SD	vs. Chi
13	Darren McFadden, RB, DAL	vs. Phi
14	Julian Edelman, WR, NE	vs. Was
15	Latavius Murray, RB, OAK	at Pit
16	Chris Ivory, RB, NYJ	vs. Jac
17	Lamar Miller, RB, MIA	at Buf
18	Drew Brees, QB, NO	vs. Ten
19	Greg Olsen, TE, CAR	vs. GB
20	Brandon Marshall, WR, NYJ	vs. Jac
21	Mike Evans, WR, TB	vs. NYG
22	Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR	vs. GB
23	Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT	vs. Oak
24	LeSean McCoy, RB, BUF	vs. Mia
25	Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN	at Ind
26	Ronnie Hillman, RB, DEN	at Ind
27	Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI	at SD
28	Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN	at Ind
29	Dez Bryant, WR, DAL	vs. Phi
30	Cam Newton, QB, CAR	vs. GB
31	Eddie Lacy, RB, GB	at Car
32	Frank Gore, RB, IND	vs. Den
33	Amari Cooper, WR, OAK	at Pit
34	Jarvis Landry, WR, MIA	at Buf
35	Melvin Gordon, RB, SD	vs. Chi
36	Antonio Gates, TE, SD	vs. Chi
37	Randall Cobb, WR, GB	at Car
38	Matt Ryan, QB, ATL	at SF
39	Brandin Cooks, WR, NO	vs. Ten
40	DeMarco Murray, RB, PHI	at Dal
41	Martavis Bryant, WR, PIT	vs. Oak
42	Steve Johnson, WR, SD	vs. Chi
43	Derek Carr, QB, OAK	at Pit
44	DeAngelo Williams, RB, PIT	vs. Oak
45	Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN	vs. StL
46	Jeremy Langford, RB, CHI	at SD
47	Eric Decker, WR, NYJ	vs. Jac
48	Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB	at Car
49	Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS	at NE
50	Eli Manning, QB, NYG	at TB
51	LeGarrette Blount, RB, NE	vs. Was
52	Martellus Bennett, TE, CHI	at SD
53	Ben Watson, TE, NO	vs. Ten
54	Michael Crabtree, WR, OAK	at Pit
55	Delanie Walker, TE, TEN	at NO
56	Rishard Matthews, WR, MIA	at Buf
57	Jay Cutler, QB, CHI	at SD
58	Danny Woodhead, RB, SD	vs. Chi
59	Allen Robinson, WR, JAC	at NYJ
60	James Jones, WR, GB	at Car
61	Donte Moncrief, WR, IND	vs. Den
62	Willie Snead, WR, NO	vs. Ten
63	Ryan Tannehill, QB, MIA	at Buf
64	Jason Witten, TE, DAL	vs. Phi
65	Antonio Andrews, RB, TEN	at NO
66	Tavon Austin, WR, STL	at Min
67	C.J. Anderson, RB, DEN	at Ind
68	Jameis Winston, QB, TB	vs. NYG
69	Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI	at Dal
70	Rashad Jennings, RB, NYG	at TB
71	C.J. Spiller, RB, NO	vs. Ten
72	Peyton Manning, QB, DEN	at Ind
73	Ted Ginn, WR, CAR	vs. GB
74	Jordan Reed, TE, WAS	at NE
75	Tyrod Taylor, QB, BUF	vs. Mia
76	Malcom Floyd, WR, SD	vs. Chi
77	Brandon LaFell, WR, NE	vs. Was
78	Rueben Randle, WR, NYG	at TB
79	Mike Wallace, WR, MIN	vs. StL
80	Allen Hurns, WR, JAC	at NYJ
81	Marcus Mariota, QB, TEN	at NO
82	T.J. Yeldon, RB, JAC	at NYJ
83	DeSean Jackson, WR, WAS	at NE
84	Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, TB	vs. NYG
85	James Starks, RB, GB	at Car
86	Andrew Luck, QB, IND	vs. Den
87	Sammy Watkins, WR, BUF	vs. Mia
88	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, TEN	at NO
89	Ryan Mathews, RB, PHI	at Dal
90	Charles Sims, RB, TB	vs. NYG
91	Torrey Smith, WR, SF	vs. Atl
92	Sam Bradford, QB, PHI	at Dal
93	Heath Miller, TE, PIT	vs. Oak
94	T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND	vs. Den
95	Julius Thomas, TE, JAC	at NYJ
96	Shane Vereen, RB, NYG	at TB
97	Matt Jones, RB, WAS	at NE
98	Terrance Williams, WR, DAL	vs. Phi
99	Jordan Cameron, TE, MIA	at Buf
100	Danny Amendola, WR, NE	vs. Was

Injury Update

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Probables

Quarterbacks

• Matt Cassel, Dallas Cowboys (knee): Matt Cassel will be fine for this weekend. Hooray.

Running Backs

• Karlos Williams, Buffalo Bills (concussion): After a few weeks out with a concussion, Karlos Williams will be back to steal touches from starter LeSean McCoy.
• Dion Lewis, New England Patriots (abdomen): Dion Lewis' abdomen injury didn't slow him down last week, but the game script might in Week 9. If the Patriots get out to a huge lead, we could see a huge dose of LeGarrette Blount in the second half.
• Stevan Ridley, New York Jets (knee): There probably isn't much to see here.

Wide Receivers

• Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (foot): No setbacks for Dez Bryant, who has a much easier game this week.
• Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings (hamstring): The sensational rookie should be good to go this week, but he faces a Rams defense that has allowed just three touchdowns to opposing wide receivers this year.
• Julian Edelman, New England Patriots (knee): Start all New England pass-catchers against Washington.
• Willie Snead, New Orleans Saints (knee): Snead was one of many Saints who were huge last week. Another good matchup could mean another big game for the second-year wideout.

Tight Ends

• Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars (abdomen): This isn't the best matchup for Julius Thomas, who goes up against the vaunted New York Jets defense.

Risks

Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos (thigh)

There probably isn't much to worry about for Ronnie Hillman, who should play this weekend. But C.J. Anderson's re-emergence could be an excuse for the Denver Broncos to keep Hillman's touches to a minimum if he is hurting.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (shoulder)

After narrowly missing out last week, Austin Seferian-Jenkins makes his return this week. The big tight end had a huge Week 1 before injuring his shoulder, and he could fill the void for the injured Vincent Jackson in his return.

Cecil Shorts, WR, Houston Texans (hamstring)

After a couple of weeks with Nate Washington playing a big role on the Houston passing offense, Cecil Shorts should probably make his return from a hamstring injury this week. Washington may have played his way into a bigger role, but Shorts' return will make it rather dangerous to start either of them this week.

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts (foot)

The Colts have a terrible offensive matchup against the Broncos, who boast the best defense in the league. T.Y. Hilton was seen in a walking boot. 

Garrett Celek, TE, San Francisco 49ers (concussion)

Not that you should be starting any 49ers this week, but Garrett Celek may have seemed like a sleeper in a good matchup now that Vernon Davis is gone. He might play this week, but Celek is iffy heading into the weekend.

Doubtful or Out

Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears (knee)

Fortunately, Matt Forte did not suffer the fate Le'Veon Bell did last week. He, too, injured his knee, but it looks like he won't be out long.

Still, it's likely he won't play in Week 9, which leaves the door open for Jeremy Langford.

John Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals (hamstring)

If Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is to be believed, John Brown is about to be Wally Pipp'd.

That's because Brown will be out again this week with a hamstring injury, while Floyd has been playing well. This sounds like coachspeak more than anything, but that has to be concerning for Brown's fantasy owners.

Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers (stress fracture)
Mike Davis, RB, San Francisco 49ers (hand)
Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco 49ers (hamstring)

Blaine Gabbert is finally getting another shot. Too bad the offense around him is crumbling. This is going to be a bloodbath.

Injury updates courtesy of Rotoworld unless otherwise noted. 

Sleepers and Busts

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Sleepers

Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

This week features a clash of teams that can’t defend tight ends. Unfortunately, neither team’s top tight end is named Rob Gronkowski.

That doesn’t mean Heath Miller won’t be able to produce against the Oakland Raiders, however. In fact, with Ben Roethlisberger back, Miller could be in for his annual Heath Miller Huge Game™.

Harry Douglas, WR, Tennessee Titans

With Kendall Wright out, Dorial Green-Beckham is surely going to get plenty of attention this week. That could open things up for Harry Douglas. 

Clive Walford, TE, Oakland Raiders

The opposite side of that Steelers-Raiders matchup is a little more complicated.

Clive Walford isn’t the established starter yet with Mychal Rivera still around, so he won’t necessarily get the volume his Pittsburgh counterpart will get. What Walford will get is a matchup that is nearly as good—the Steelers have given up 11.1 standard fantasy points per game to tight ends this season, after all.

Dontrelle Inman, WR, San Diego Chargers

Don’t be fooled—everyone will be talking about Malcom Floyd and Stevie Johnson this week. That means neither is really a sleeper, though both may have been called such throughout the week.

The real sleeper in San Diego is Dontrelle Inman. The second-year wideout has some deep speed, and he has produced a little when other pass-catchers have been forced from the lineup. He will be the No. 3 receiver behind Floyd and Johnson and could break a big play or two on any given Sunday.

Busts

Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Everything is relative, so it depends on your definition of bust when it comes to someone like Stefon Diggs. If you’re expecting at least 75 yards and a score, you might be in for disappointment.

The outstanding rookie gets his first real test as a starter when he goes up against a St. Louis pass defense that has given up three touchdowns all season. Granted, anything can happen with a guy like Diggs, but expectations are sky-high for him right now.

Start 'Em

Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos

You know who stands a good chance for a big week? Peyton Manning.

That may have been a tongue-in-cheek comment even a year ago, but his fantasy owners have gotten nothing out of him in 2015. If you still have him on your roster, though, you might want to dust him off in Indianapolis.

Manning’s production suffered last week largely due to Denver’s unstoppable running game. 

Jeremy Langford, RB, Chicago Bears

You may have raced to pick up Jeremy Langford off the waiver wire. Don’t be afraid to use him if you did.

If, for some reason, he is still languishing on the wire, what are you waiting for?

With Forte out, Langford instantly becomes the lead back for the Chicago Bears. While that doesn’t necessarily mean much from a production standpoint—he is the backup for a reason, after all—a matchup against that San Diego defense certainly helps.

The Chargers are giving up 24.8 standard fantasy points per game this season to running backs, the second-most in the league. Giddy-up.

Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Sticking Dez Bryant into your lineup last week felt good, didn’t it? Getting one point out of him decidedly didn’t.

That was to be expected, though. Bryant was in his first game back from his broken foot, and he had to deal with Matt Cassel throwing him the ball while trying to shake off Richard Sherman.

Bryant is a beast by nature, though, and he could bounce back in a big way this week. No setbacks, another week of practice and a matchup against Bizarro Cary Williams—that is, Byron Maxwell—should make for a tasty fantasy brew this week.

Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

Need a tight end in a pinch? Heath Miller may be your huckleberry. The Oakland Raiders have had a devil of a time covering tight ends this season, and Miller is due.

Atlanta Falcons D/ST

Blaine Gabbert at quarterback and a ham sandwich to hand off to? The 49ers offense had major problems before getting decimated by injury and throwing in the towel.

Sit 'Em

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Imagine having started Andrew Luck last week and avoided Monday Night Football altogether. You would have woken up Tuesday morning to find a nice fantasy stat line, none the wiser to his horrific play through three quarters.

If you did watch the game in a close fantasy matchup, remember the sweat dripping off your brow as you white-knuckled your way through. Now imagine doing that again this week, only this time that fourth-quarter magic may never come.

The Denver Broncos have the best defense in the league. They absolutely smothered reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers last week. Luck has been playing atrocious football lately, and the Colts just fired offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton because of it.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Normally, you would plug a workhorse on a middling offense into your lineup every week. Not so this week with T.J. Yeldon, barring any better options on your roster.

The Jets boast the league’s top rushing defense, after all, having given up one rushing touchdown to boot. Why risk Yeldon getting you 3.5 points this week?

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

See: Luck, Andrew.

Vernon Davis, TE, Denver Broncos

Vernon Davis has had some great seasons, but they came despite his quarterbacks. Yes, Alex Smith finally figured something out before giving way to promising yet flawed passer Colin Kaepernick, but neither of those guys compared to Peyton Manning.

Even the Peyton Manning with cable.

None of that means you should just go ahead and stick Davis into your fantasy lineup willy-nilly. We have no idea what we are actually going to get out of Davis yet, and he has not had a full week to learn the offense. Unless you are bereft of talent at tight end, keep Davis on your bench.

Carolina Panthers D/ST

The Panthers had a tough time slowing down Luck in the fourth quarter, and their fantasy score was buoyed by several turnovers by the embattled Colts quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is coming off an awful game against the Broncos, but he doesn't turn the ball over, and Carolina's defense isn't quite as good as Denver's.

The DraftKings Scoop

Here is the Week 9 rundown for DraftKings, if you are of that persuasion. 

The Chalk

chalk (n.)—a player considered to be a consensus pick or a “must-start” option for a given DFS contest, especially in cash games.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers ($5,500)

Le'Veon Bell was caught up in the carnage last week, suffering a brutal knee injury that ended his season. That leaves the Steelers collecting on their insurance policy—DeAngelo Williams.

The 32-year-old has actually been rather productive with his touches this season, showing burst that few expected. He is averaging 6.5 yards per carry in games where he gets five or more carries, and he figures to get plenty more than that going forward.

Jeremy Langford, RB, Chicago Bears ($4,000)

With Matt Forte likely out of action this week, the Bears will turn to Jeremy Langford to shoulder the load. He notched 12 carries for just 46 yards last week in Forte's wake, but the rookie actually vultured a couple of touchdowns the previous week.

Having also played receiver in college, Langford has pass-catching ability that gives him a boost in this PPR format. At $4,000, it will be easy for him to meet value in cash contests and possibly even in GPP formats.

Stevie Johnson, WR, San Diego Chargers ($3,200)

Remember when Keenan Allen missed some time last season? Eddie Royal only amassed 17 receptions for 213 yards and three touchdowns in that three-game span. 

Unfortunately, Allen will miss more than a handful of games with a serious kidney injury. Royal isn’t around to fill the hole this time around, but Stevie Johnson certainly is.

Much of the attention will go to Malcom Floyd, who had a huge game last week. But Johnson is priced so low that he is going to be a hot commodity in the DFS realm.

Darren McFadden, RB, Dallas Cowboys ($4,300)

How is Darren McFadden so cheap?

Granted, he isn’t the most efficient of backs nowadays, and you never know when the dreaded ankle sprain will strike the oft-injured back. But for now McFadden has the backfield all to himself, as evidenced by the fact Christine Michael got just five carries last week.

The Cowboys seem to be content to ride McFadden as a workhorse, which means he will have plenty of opportunity to score fantasy points. He’s even catching plenty of passes out of the backfield, a huge bonus in PPR formats.

The Cash Plays

cash game (n.)—a contest in which at least 40 percent of the entrants earn a prize. High-floor players are desirable in cash games.

Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints ($6,500)

If the Saints are going to divvy up Khiry Robinson's touches between Mark Ingram and C.J. Spiller, the former will see an increase of about five per game. Ingram was already at almost 19 per game before the Robinson injury.

A baseline of over 20 touches per game is quite nice from a cash-game perspective. The fact Ingram has actually become an adept pass-catcher out of the backfield only adds to his value in PPR formats.

Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans ($4,600)

If one guy is producing in Tennessee, it's Delanie Walker.

The big tight end has scored just one touchdown this season, but he has caught at least six passes in four of the other five games in which he hasn't scored. The Saints, meanwhile, have given up 15.4 points per game in PPR formats and just got done giving up six passing touchdowns to Eli Manning. 

Dion Lewis, RB, New England Patriots ($6,400) 

The Patriots are favored by 14 points this week. While that could mean a big dose of LeGarrette Blount in the second half, we could just as easily see Dion Lewis get a ton of touches. Besides, how are the Patriots going to get that lead?

The Stacks

stack (v.)—rostering two to three players from the same NFL team with the hope that if one player performs extremely well, then the other one to two players will also benefit.

Tom Brady, QB ($8,500) and Brandon LaFell, WR, New England Patriots ($3,200)

We can pretty much stack the entire New England offense these days, but I wanted to highlight one particular option that could be rather profitable in GPP tournaments.

Tom Brady is the most expensive quarterback this week by several hundred dollars, but one way to offset that salary would be to pair him with his No. 2 receiver, Brandon LaFell. The latter hasn't quite gotten things going thanks to drops, but he has a great matchup against Washington this week.

This could be the week he goes off, and that price makes him a great option regardless of whether you stack him or not.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB ($6,600) and Antonio Brown, WR ($8,100) or Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers ($5,500)

Well, this didn't work out so much last week save for an early Antonio Brown touchdown. Perhaps it was prudent to wait a week before sticking Big Ben into a lineup again.

Eli Manning, QB ($6,900) and Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants ($8,800)

Too bad last week's supernova can't bleed points into Week 9 for Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. They will be lucky to combine for half the points they did last week, which would still come to 40.

Still, the duo gets another great matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so that total is certainly attainable.

Kirk Cousins, QB ($5,100) and Jordan Reed, TE ($4,500) Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington ($5,000)

You like that? 

The GPP Plays

GPP (n.)—stands for “Guaranteed Prize Pool.” It is a type of tournament for which the daily fantasy sports site promises a specific prize pool amount to be divided among the winners regardless of entry count.

C.J. Spiller, RB, New Orleans Saints ($3,100)

The Saints offense has caught fire again.

With Khiry Robinson out for the season, C.J. Spiller should see an expanded role on a more permanent basis. We already saw what he could do out of the backfield last week—his pass-catching prowess will make him a valuable target out of that backfield.

It’ll also make him a valuable asset in PPR formats, and that $3,100 price is rather tempting for Week 9.

Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington ($5,000)

In case you don't want to put your DFS life in Kirk Cousins' hands, Pierre Garcon makes for a fine GPP starter all by himself. He should lead the team in targets and garbage-time production against the Patriots. 

Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers ($2,700)

A tight end has scored a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders every week but one thus far this season. The lone holdout was old man Owen Daniels, who would have scored on a wide-open target were it not for a batted ball at the goal line.

Heath Miller is no spring chicken, but this is as good a matchup as he’s going to get.

Daily fantasy definitions courtesy of Cracking DraftKings over at FootballGuys.com.

Last-Minute Waiver Additions

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans

It’s likely that Marcus Mariota’s owner dropped him after his injury a couple of weeks ago. With the rookie due back this week, it might be a good idea to troll the waiver wire to see if he’s available.

That is especially true if you are in need of a spot start this week, as Mariota goes up against a New Orleans defense that gave up six touchdowns and 42 points last week. That won’t happen again, of course, but it’s a nice matchup nonetheless.

Atlanta Falcons D/ST

Once again, Blaine Gabbert and a bag of potato chips on offense will be featured on offense for the 49ers.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This is a bit of a risk given Seferian-Jenkins is coming off a shoulder injury, but he could pick up where he left off. Pick him up pre-emptively before he goes off this week and becomes a hot commodity.

What Other Experts Are Saying

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Andrew Luck is a bad start this week according to Matthew Berry in his Love/Hate column over at ESPN.com:

"

Struggling QB, shaky offensive line, T.Y. Hilton banged up. Ask the Aaron Rodgers owner in your league if you should start your QB against the Broncos. Want a stat to help you decide? Denver has given up just five touchdown passes this season and Luck has the third-worst completion percentage in the NFL when under pressure (25 percent). The Broncos pressure opponents on 37.3 percent of dropbacks, most in the NFL.

"

Brandon Funston of Yahoo likes Jeremy Langford:

"

Even though Matt Forte (MCL) is being called "day-to-day" by his head coach John Fox, there's little chance the veteran RB plays this week. So the Bears' backfield spotlight should shine on the rookie Langford, who will likely get a featured role on Monday night against a Chargers defense that has allowed an average of 5.2 YPC and 10 rushing TDs to the RB position. The schedule takes a sour turn for the Bears after this week, as next up is St. Louis and Denver. So if this ends up being Langford's only starting opportunity, at least the timing is right for him to make a big splash.

"

The Colts are off Vinnie Iyer's list over at Sporting News:

"

There’s a chance Hilton misses the Broncos because of a foot injury, so you’re obviously not playing him then. But both receivers are coming off evaporating against the Panthers’ secondary, and it’s even tougher against Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr., given the latter is superb covering the slot. If Indy wants to be able throw effectively at all with new offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, Andre Johnson, Griff Whalen and the tight ends may be the only outlets again in another brutal matchup.

"

All fantasy rankings and statistics courtesy of FFToday.com. Snap count data is courtesy of FootballOutsiders.com.