Fantasy Football Week 9: Rankings and Advice for 'Thursday Night Football'

Hot off the press: The Cleveland Browns will start backup quarterback Johnny Manziel this week, according to ESPN.com's Pat McManamon, and no, he shouldn't be starting for your fantasy football team.

As you may know, Manziel has been in the headlines over the past few weeks after being involved in an altercation with his girlfriend. There was speculation floating around about whether or not Manziel would be suspended for his role in the dispute.

However, let's avoid that whole thing—I'm not TMZ.

Squaring off in their first of two meetings this season, the Browns travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals Thursday night.

The Browns will be without cornerback Joe Haden as he is still experiencing complications from the concussion he sustained in Week 8.

The Bengals are one of just four teams that are still undefeated.

With a chance to go 8-0 on Thursday Night Football, you better believe that the Browns would enjoy playing spoiler.

In 2014, Manziel made a start against these same Bengals; it wasn't the best performance.

I'm taking the Bengals, 31-13.

Big Board

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Thursday Night Big Board

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team
1	A.J. Green	WR	Cincinnati Bengals
2	Gary Barnidge	TE	Cleveland Browns
3	Tyler Eifert	TE	Cincinnati Bengals
4	Andy Dalton	QB	Cincinnati Bengals
5	Duke Johnson	RB	Cleveland Browns
6	Giovani Bernard	RB	Cincinnati Bengals
7	Jeremy Hill	RB	Cincinnati Bengals
8	Travis Benjamin	WR	Cleveland Browns
9	Johnny Manziel	QB	Cleveland Browns
10	Marvin Jones	WR	Cincinnati Bengals

Injury Report

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Cleveland Browns

Player		Status
Tashaun Gipson	DB	Questionable
Joe Haden	DB	Out
Brian Hartline	WR	Out
Andrew Hawkins	WR	Out
Rob Housler	TE	Injured Reserve
Johnny Manziel	QB	Probable
Josh McCown	QB	Out
Nate Orchard	LB	Questionable
Jordan Poyer	DB	Out
Craig Robertson	LB	Questionable
Donte Whitner	DB	Out

Cincinnati Bengals

Player		Status
Carlos Dunlap	DE	Questionable
Rey Maualuga	LB	Questionable
Andre Smith	OT	Out

Injury reports courtesy of ESPN.com.

Quarterbacks

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Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel

For just the second time this season, the Browns will put a game in the hands of quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Looking back at his lone start this season, Manziel put out a noble effort, throwing for 172 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

However, that was against the Tennessee Titans. This time, Manziel gets to face a familiar foe—the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mentioned earlier, Manziel started a game against the Bengals at home last season and was absolutely atrocious. In that game, he threw for just 80 yards and two interceptions with no touchdowns.

The Bengals allow right around 275 passing yards per game, but in terms of fantasy points, they are the 23rd-most generous team to the position.

You're not starting Manziel this week unless you are desperate.

Projections: 180 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton

Heading into Week 9, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is the fifth-best QB in fantasy land.

Dalton will look to continue that top-five quarterback production against a Browns team that gives up right around 268 passing yards to opposing quarterbacks.

Nonetheless, the Browns will be without defensive backs Joe Haden andDonte Whitner, and could be without Tashaun Gipson, the league leader in interceptions last year.

On the season, Dalton has posted three games in which he has thrown three touchdowns, and Week 8 was the only game in which he has thrown multiple interceptions.

In a division game, going up against a Browns team with secondary issues, Dalton is full-fledged QB1 this week.

Projections: 270 passing yards, 2 TDs

Running Backs

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Cleveland Browns: Duke Johnson

While he's not the starter, Browns running back Duke Johnson is the only relevant running back (as of right now) on the Browns roster.

Making his mark mostly in the passing game, serving points-per-reception league players well, Johnson will look to bounce back from a rather pedestrian outing in Week 8 where he had season lows in carries, targets and receptions. With that said, he's still tied for the RB19 spot in points-per-reception leagues.

On the season, Johnson averages eight carries per game. From Week 3 to present, he's also averaging six targets per game.

In a game where we could see some garbage time, expect some dump-offs to Johnson en route to a stuffed stat sheet.

Projections: 35 rushing yards; 6 receptions, 50 receiving yards

Cincinnati Bengals Starter: Jeremy Hill

Seven games into the season and Bengals running back Jeremy Hill has been a disappointment, ranking just below former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle in terms of toal fantasy points. Going into Week 9, he's the RB32 in points-per-reception formats.

However, Hill gets a fantastic matchup this week against a Browns team that allows nearly five yards per carry to opposing running backs and has surrendered six rushing touchdowns on on the season.

Owners of Hill have every right to be concerned—his highest rushing total to date is just 63 yards, and that came in Week 1.

Hill hasn't scored a touchdown over his last three games, but expect that trend to end on Thursday Night Football.

Projections: 70 rushing yards, TD

Cincinnati Bengals: Giovani Bernard

As you'd probably guess, all the same running back semantics apply to fellow Bengals running back Giovani Bernard.

However, Bernard is more of a pass-catching back.

Nonetheless, Bernard is averaging a mere six touches over the past two games, and he received just three last week.

Expect that to change in a game where the Bengals should be up, allowing them to run the ball more.

Projections: 50 rushing yards, 1 TD; 30 receiving yards

Wide Receivers

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Cleveland Browns: Travis Benjamin

Much like his teammate, tight end Gary Barnidge, Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin has exploded onto the scene.

Not only is he the WR14 in points-per-reception leagues, but Benjamin had a four-game stretch earlier this season in which he had double-digit targets.

Also, back when quarterback Johnny Manziel made his only start of the season, Benjamin had just three catches, but they went for 115 yards and two scores.

Manziel obviously like him, and so do we.

Projections: 5 receptions, 50 receiving yards

Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green

When Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green is targeted 10 or more times in a game, he catches right around 75 percent of those balls.

In addition to that, when Green's targeted 10 or more times, he puts up huge receiving totals.

As mentioned earlier, the Browns have a depleted secondary, and Green is licking his chops as he waits for Thursday Night Football.

Projections: 8 receptions, 100 receiving yards, 1 TD

Cincinnati Bengals: Marvin Jones

The Bengals are loaded with weapons, and that includes wide receiver Marvin Jones.

While Jones has had his up and downs throughout the season, he averages right around five targets per game.

All it takes is one play with blown coverage to allow any of these Bengals options to have a good game. Being the No. 2 wide receiver option on the team, Jones will look to benefit from that.

Projections: 4 receptions, 45 receiving yards

Tight Ends

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Cleveland Browns Starter: Gary Barnidge

In his eighth NFL season, Browns tight end Gary Barnidge has taken the league by storm.

Not only is he the TE2 in points-per-reception leagues, the man has at least one touchdown in five of his last six games. Not only that, he has four games of 75 of more receiving yards and five games of five or more catches.

He's an absolute stud and needs to be started in all leagues.

Projections: 7 receptions, 75 receiving yards, 1 TD

Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Eifert

Not trailing too far behind as the TE5, Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has also been a stud.

Eifert has six receiving touchdowns on the season, which ties him with his Browns counterpart.

Eifert had a relatively quiet Week 8, but like Barnidge, he is projected to score a touchdown. Expect Eifert to match that as well.

Projections: 8 receptions, 65 receiving yards, 1 TD

Defense/Special Teams

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Cleveland Browns Defense/Special Teams

Without most of their secondary being healthy and already getting torched by running backs, it's going to be quite the night for the Browns and their defense.

Don't start them this week.

Projections: 31 points allowed, 2 sacks

Cincinnati Bengals Defense/Special Teams

Compared to 2014, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has looked better in his few stints in 2015. That being said, the Bengals weren't particularly nice to him last season, and you can expect that trend to continue.

Projections: 13 points allowed, 2 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 4 sacks

Best Sleeper Add

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Robert Turbin, RB, Cleveland Browns (Owned in 1.2 percent of ESPN Leagues)

Browns running back Robert Turbin is a deep sleeper. While he hasn't been featured in this column up to this point, Turbin is a running back I'll be watching Thursday night.

In the three games he's played this season, he hasn't done a whole lot. He played in just 20 of his team's 66 offensive snaps in Week 8, but this could be the week in which he separates himself from fellow running back Isaiah Crowell as the lead ball-carrier for this offense. Ironically, Crowell played the exact same number of snaps as Turbin last week, and was just as underwhelming.

The Bengals are middle of the pack when it comes to defending opposing running backs, so be on the lookout.

This could be the week Turbin separates himself from Crowell.

Start or Sit?

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Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

If you're like me and own Bengals running back Giovani Bernard, the last two weeks have been disheartening.

However, going up against a soft Browns run defense, Bernard will bounce back in a big way.

Verdict: Start

All advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin.