Week 9 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Each Position's Top 10 Players and Stat Predictions
The heaviest week of byes in the 2015 NFL season calls for fantasy owners to dig deeper than usual in Week 9, with six squads enjoying a bye.
Add onto that a terrible weekend of injuries that saw a plethora of first-rate fantasy studs go down for extended periods of time, and things get even murkier for certain fantasy owners looking to fill the void.
You won't find many waiver-wire candidates across the top 10 players at each position for Week 9, but expect to see a number of fantasy bench-warmers ready to step into the spotlight. As always, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns players are excluded after their Thursday Night Football encounter.
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Quarterbacks
| 1 | Tom Brady (NE) | WAS | 25.4 |
| 2 | Philip Rivers (SD) | CHI | 23.1 |
| 3 | Drew Brees (NO) | TEN | 20.2 |
| 4 | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) | OAK | 20.0 |
| 5 | Eli Manning (NYG) | TB | 18.9 |
| 6 | Aaron Rodgers (GB) | CAR | 18.4 |
| 7 | Cam Newton (CAR) | GB | 18.4 |
| 8 | Matt Ryan (ATL) | SF | 17.6 |
| 9 | Derek Carr (OAK) | PIT | 17.4 |
| 10 | Tyrod Taylor (BUF) | PIT | 17.1 |
Start: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Fantasy owners of Ben Roethlisberger assumed he'd get back to his early-season dominance when making his return from injury in Week 8. That didn't happen, but don't expect his struggles to continue into Week 9.
Roethlisberger threw three interceptions in last week's loss to the Bengals, but he faces a much more susceptible Oakland Raiders pass defense Sunday. Oakland gives up the sixth-most points to opposing quarterbacks in ESPN leagues, and doesn't have the complete secondary capable of slowing Roethlisberger's many weapons.
Expect more of the numbers Big Ben put up in the season's opening games from this matchup.
Sit: Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins' midseason surge stemming from a coaching change has returned quarterback Ryan Tannehill to fantasy relevance, but he's bound for a second straight week of regression Sunday.
Pass protection has been key to Tannehill's success, but he won't have that Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Tackle Ja'Wuan James is out indefinitely with a foot injury, per Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, which forces Miami into a method that Buffalo is adept at facing, according to Chris Trapasso of NFL.com:
Expect this AFC East clash to turn into a defensive brawl, leaving Tannehill with a subpar fantasy performance following his dud outing against New England last week.
Running Backs
| 1 | Devonta Freeman (ATL) | SF | 23.2 |
| 2 | Todd Gurley (STL) | MIN | 20.1 |
| 3 | Mark Ingram (NO) | TEN | 18.4 |
| 4 | Adrian Peterson (MIN) | STL | 18.1 |
| 5 | Doug Martin (TB) | NYG | 17.5 |
| 6 | Chris Ivory (NYJ) | JAC | 17.1 |
| 7 | LeSean McCoy (BUF) | MIA | 16.7 |
| 8 | Lamar Miller (MIA) | BUF | 16.5 |
| 9 | DeAngelo Williams (PIT) | OAK | 16.3 |
| 10 | Dion Lewis (NE) | WAS | 15.9 |
Start: Dion Lewis, New England Patriots
Don't let Dion Lewis' constant appearances as a limited practice participant on the Patriots injury report fool you—he's in line for big fantasy numbers week in and week out.
Lewis was a game-time decision for last Thursday's win over Miami, and he tore it up despite getting just five carries. He caught six balls for 93 yards and a touchdown, proving to be one of the most dangerous pass-catching backs in the league.
Quarterback Tom Brady has a way of striking when the iron is hot for his weapons, and that's certainly the case for Lewis. Against an iffy Washington Redskins defense, Lewis will put up good production again.
Sit: T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars rookie back T.J. Yeldon is getting the kind of usage that makes him hard to ignore in fantasy, with 20 or more carries in three games—including a 115-yard, one-touchdown outing last time out against Buffalo. But he faces a big step up in defense Sunday.
His Jacksonville team is bound to get into a hole against the New York Jets, who are absolutely dominant against opposing running backs. They give up the second-fewest points to the position in ESPN leagues, which should make Yeldon a nonfactor and force the Jags into a one-dimensional offense.
Wide Receivers
| 1 | Julio Jones (ATL) | SF | 26.4 |
| 2 | Antonio Brown (PIT) | OAK | 23.2 |
| 3 | Odell Beckham Jr. (NYG) | TB | 20.1 |
| 4 | Demaryius Thomas (DEN) | IND | 19.8 |
| 5 | Alshon Jeffery (CHI) | SD | 18.4 |
| 6 | Julian Edelman (NE) | WAS | 17.6 |
| 7 | Mike Evans (TB) | NYG | 16.1 |
| 8 | Amari Cooper (OAK) | PIT | 15.9 |
| 9 | Brandon Marshall (NYJ) | JAC | 15.6 |
| 10 | Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) | IND | 15.5 |
Start: Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
An early-round pick in virtually every fantasy draft, Buccaneers second-year wideout Mike Evans has largely failed to live up to expectations. However, he should be in for a breakout performance against a defense that is still licking its wounds.
The New York Giants are fresh off allowing seven touchdown passes to Drew Brees, tied for an NFL single-game record. While you can't expect Jameis Winston to match that, he should still be dangerous through the air.
There's no doubt Evans is the top target for Winston as fellow receiver Vincent Jackson battles injury.
Sit: James Jones, Green Bay Packers
The early-season explosion of James Jones had fantasy owners who were fortunate enough to pick him up ecstatic, but it's quickly fading as the Green Bay Packers offense continues to sputter.
Jones is fresh off his worst outing of the season, catching one pass for two yards in a blowout loss to Denver. His Packers face a similarly daunting secondary Sunday in the Carolina Panthers, who should keep Jones under wraps again and prevent him from reaching the end zone for a second straight game.
Tight Ends
| 1 | Rob Gronkowski (NE) | WAS | 18.9 |
| 2 | Greg Olsen (CAR) | GB | 15.4 |
| 3 | Antonio Gates (SD) | CHI | 13.9 |
| 4 | Jordan Reed (WAS) | NE | 12.2 |
| 5 | Martellus Bennett (CHI) | SD | 11.0 |
| 6 | Benjamin Watson (NO) | TEN | 10.5 |
| 7 | Delanie Walker (TEN) | NO | 9.2 |
| 8 | Heath Miller (PIT) | OAK | 9.0 |
| 9 | Charles Clay (BUF) | MIA | 8.9 |
| 10 | Jason Witten (DAL) | PHI | 7.8 |
Start: Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints
Speaking of strong waiver-wire candidates from earlier in the season, Benjamin Watson is tearing it up in that regard. He's emerged from the shadows to turn into a great fantasy flier, catching all three of his touchdowns in the last four games.
The New Orleans Saints should continue airing it out Sunday against the lowly Tennessee Titans, who will be overly aggressive in the wake of a coaching change. That will leave Watson open for a number of big plays.
Sit: Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
From one player blowing his expectations out of the water to one failing to live up to his own, Zach Ertz is in the midst of a disappointing fantasy season that doesn't appear likely to get better in Week 9.
His Philadelphia Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys, whose defense has been strong in the middle of the field, limiting tight ends to just two touchdown catches all year. Quarterback Sam Bradford should have much more success on the perimeter than in the middle of the field with Ertz.
Expert consensus rankings courtesy of FantasyPros.com.
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