Fantasy Football Week 9: Sunday Morning Gameday Preview

Another Sunday full of NFL action is upon us. This, of course, also means another full day of fantasy football. In this piece, we focus on preparing you for the busy day of gridiron entertainment ahead.

With a rash of injuries and a heavy bye week thinning the tailback position, it's a key week for streaming tailbacks. This means guys like the Kansas City Chiefs' Charcandrick West and the New Orleans Saints' Tim Hightower will prove popular and pivotal in lineups for Week 9.

Join us in canvassing the league with specific matchup metrics for each game on the Sunday slate. Feel free to share your lineup questions and predictions for the day in the comments below.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

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Game Preview

The Detroit Lions are one of just two teams that have trailed in the fourth quarter in every game this season. In fact, seven points or fewer have decided each of Detroit's first eight games this year. It's fitting then, to find the Minnesota Vikings favored by nearly a touchdown in a game with a low implied point total, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

The Lions' Theo Riddick is listed as questionable with the same lingering ankle issue he's been dealing with for weeks, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN reports. Given Riddick participated in practice throughout the week, we expect him to play and fulfill his busy role out of the backfield.

Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune reports we can expect Vikings tailback Jerick McKinnon to return from his ankle ailment this Sunday after returning to practice at the end of the week.

Fantasy Fixtures

Lions

The Vikings' middle linebacker Eric Kendricks has been ruled out according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, and this sets up the Lions' Theo Riddick for a strong game as a receiving threat.

With six teams on bye and several starting signal-callers off the board, Matthew Stafford's volume-driven profile supports streaming potential. That said, expectations are tempered for Stafford, Marvin Jones and Golden Tate since the Vikings are allowing the fewest points per game in the league.

Vikings

Stefon Diggs could thrive with Pat Shurmur taking hold of the offense, as he's the team's most reliable receiving threat by a wide margin. The Lions rank 31st in defensive efficiency, and opponents are completing 73.6 percent of passes against the Lions—on pace to be the highest allowance in NFL history. With such a soft secondary, shares of Kyle Rudolph are attractive.

Sleepers and Streamers

With tight end proving so shallow and Kendricks' absence in coverage, we also identify Eric Ebron as a streaming commodity. For the Vikings, tailback Jerick McKinnon could earn at least 15 touches and thrive against a Lions defense ceding the sixth-most yards per rush in the league.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

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Game Preview

Since Ben Roethlisberger debuted in 2004, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 117-58 in games he's started and 12-10 with all other starting quarterbacks. The Steelers average 15 points per game and more turnovers than touchdowns as a team in the first game back for Roethlisberger from injury, compared to 23.8 and a 1.9 touchdown-to-interception ratio in his other games. It's then reasonable to see Baltimore Ravens poised as slight favorites in a game with a sluggish point total, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

Dale Lolley of the Observer-Reporter reports Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is questionable and expected to suit up against the Ravens.

Listed as a full participant in practice to end the week, we expect Steve Smith Sr. to play for the Ravens after missing multiple weeks with an ankle injury, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.

Fantasy Fixtures

Steelers

Superstar back Le'Veon Bell has at least 100 total yards in all four games this season. Bell has 30 catches in his four games, the most of any back since Week 4. The Ravens have ceded the second-most fantasy points per game to wideouts, so Antonio Brown is clearly a must-start. We're not as enthused with Roethlisberger's upside given the aforementioned struggles upon return from injury, but his elite skill weapons support a high ceiling.

Ravens

Terrance West clearly has a low fantasy floor given the Ravens ran for a franchise-low 11 yards in their last game against the Jets. It helps to consider, however, that the Steelers have allowed the third-most fantasy points to receivers in ESPN leagues. For at least this week, West remains a flex option.

Sleepers and Streamers

If Smith Sr. is active, we expect him to lead the team in targets. Thus he's a worthy flex asset. We also consider Mike Wallace in the flex discussion, as his rich average depth of target supports real upside.

Fantasy Football Week 9: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

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Game Preview

The Jets haven’t lost in Miami since 2012, a stretch of four consecutive road wins over their division rivals. With New York's struggles on offense—they are second in the NFL in turnovers per drive—we find the host Miami Dolphins as favorites, according to Odds Shark. This could prove to be a compellingly competitive division battle.

Injury Updates

After getting some regular rest in during the week for his knee, veteran workhorse Matt Forte finished the week as a full practice participant—per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald—and is expected to start and handle a majority share of snaps and touches out of New York's backfield.

Miami's DeVante Parker was a full participant to end the week and is expected to play despite dealing with a hamstring ailment the past few weeks, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

Fantasy Fixtures

Jets

Matt Forte has scored seven touchdowns in eight games this season, after scoring seven through 13 games for the Bears last season. Given his rich usage and scoring rate, Forte is a top-five option this week. Brandon Marshall enjoys nearly 29 percent of the team's target market. Thus, we appreciate his upside despite a lack of efficiency this season.

Dolphins

Surging tailback Jay Ajayi is seeking his third consecutive 200-yard rushing game Sunday, something no NFL player has ever accomplished. The Jets have allowed the sixth-fewest yards per rush to backs this season, but with Ajayi's rare workload and upside he remains a borderline RB1 commodity.

Sleepers and Streamers

The Jets' defense is interesting given Miami's Ryan Tannehill has been sacked at least five times in three of the Dolphins' four losses. We also like receiver Quincy Enunwa for New York, as he's netted a healthy target share.

For Miami, vertical wideouts Kenny Stills and Parker provide intriguing upside facing a Jets defense that has allowed a generous series of big plays this season.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns

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Game Preview

The Cleveland Browns are 0-8 for the second time in franchise history, while one more loss would match their worst start ever. The Dallas Cowboys and their record-setting duo of offensive rookies enter as sizable favorites thanks to ranking second in the league to the Atlanta Falcons in points per drive, according to Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

Despite being listed as questionable with a back ailment, Dallas' Dez Bryant finished the week with consecutive full practices and is expected to play his full allotment of snaps and routes in Cleveland, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Fantasy Fixtures

Cowboys

Dak Prescott leads all quarterbacks with four rushing touchdowns and should thrive against a soft Cleveland defense. Ezekiel Elliott’s 799 rush yards are the second-most overall in a player’s first seven career games, trailing only Eric Dickerson's 851 in 1983 through as many games.

Dez Bryant caught two of his four targets of at least 20 yards downfield last week after having entered the game 1-of-20 on such targets since the start of 2015. Bryant is again in the WR1 discussion.

Browns

Terrell Pryor Sr. is the lone starting fantasy commodity from Cleveland thanks to his awesome market share of the passing offense and his ability to build a nice yardage day with the team likely to pass often when trailing.

Sleepers and Streamers

The Dallas defense merits consideration against given the team's potential to dominate on the scoreboard and tee off on a rookie quarterback. For the Browns, rookie receiver Corey Coleman offers some upside as a flex option in deeper formats.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs

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Game Preview

The Jacksonville Jaguars have produced a touchdown on just 18.8 percent of their drives this season, ranked 22nd in the league. Given their inefficient offense, the team released offensive coordinator Greg Olson this past week. Given the shift, there is talk of the team dedicating to the run more. The Kansas City Chiefs' tough defense has allowed the seventh-fewest points per drive this season, thus we find them positioned as touchdown favorites, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

ESPN's Adam Teicher reports Jeremy Maclin is expected to start, according to coach Andy Reid, despite dealing with a groin ailment. Teicher also reports tailback Spencer Ware has been ruled out due to a concussion suffered in Week 8. The Kansas City Star's Perez Taylor reports Chiefs signal-caller Alex Smith has also been ruled out for Week 9.

Fantasy Fixtures

Jaguars

Despite his lack of consistency this season, we're still giving Allen Robinson a starting spot in fantasy lineups thanks to his rare scoring upside. It also helps to consider the Chiefs have allowed the eighth-most receiving yards per game to wideouts this season. Given this soft allowance rate to receivers, we also find flex appeal for Allen Hurns.

Chiefs

The Chiefs' defense leads the NFL with 11 interceptions and has a league-best 33 since the start of last season. Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles has thrown a league-high 27 interceptions over the last two seasons, so Kansas City is a strong starting option.

On offense, we dig the Chiefs' Charcandrick West as a strong starting option as the team's temporary feature back. West led the team in rushing last season, so there is a precedent of success to consider.

Tight end Travis Kelce could thrive with signal-caller Nick Foles pushing the ball vertically more often than Smith would. This also supports a higher ceiling for Jeremy Maclin, who has a strong rapport with Foles dating back to Philadelphia.

Sleepers and Streamers

Bortles is a streaming option given the team's passing volume and his ability to produce fantasy production in garbage time.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

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Game Preview

The New York Giants' Eli Manning has just one win in his past nine home starts against the Philadelphia Eagles. Yet given the Eagles' conservative offense of late, we still find New York positioned as slight home favorites, per Odds Shark. FiveThirtyEight's predictive model finds both team positioned with a 50-percent win probability rate, so we can expect a closely contested division battle.

Injury Updates

With the Giants coming off the bye and the Eagles proving healthy among their key skill players, we don’t find any meaningful injuries to discuss.

Fantasy Fixtures

Eagles

The Giants have faced 43.9 passes per game this season, the most in the NFL, while ceding the sixth-highest completion rate in the league. This makes wideout Jordan Matthews and receiving back Darren Sproles intriguing as starting options in points-per-reception formats.

Giants

Odell Beckham Jr. hasn't proven consistent this season, but his undeniably high ceiling against the Eagles' exploitable outside corners sustains elite WR1 stock. Both Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz qualify as flex options in deeper points-per-reception leagues given New York's pass-happy scheme.

Sleepers and Streamers

Philly's Ryan Mathews is a truly risky flex option given fluctuations in snaps and touches this season and is essentially a touchdown-or-bust option at this stage. Over his last two games, the Eagles' Carson Wentz has thrown at least 25 passes in each outing and has finished with fewer than five yards per attempt in both games. With such a low efficiency rate, Wentz is merely a streaming option at this point of the season.

Talk of rookie tailback Paul Perkins seeing an increased workload for the Giants opens up some interest as a daily fantasy flier, but we're still not ready to trust him in redraft formats given the lack of production precedent.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Carolina Panthers at Los Angeles Rams

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Game Preview

The Los Angeles Rams rank last in the NFL in passing yards per and first downs per game and are 31st in points per game. Thus it is understandable to find the Carolina Panthers enter town as field-goal favorites, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

In a bit of positive news, there are no fantasy-relevant injuries for these respective teams.

Fantasy Fixtures

Panthers

Cam Newton remains a must-start commodity given his rare ability to produce via the run. A strong theme this week is how thin the running back position proves due to a heavy bye week and injuries throughout the position, so we find starting status for Jonathan Stewart given an expected workload for at least 15 touches.

With the Rams' secondary thinned by injury, Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen are elite starting options at their respective positions.

Rams

Todd Gurley doesn't have a single rush of at least 20 yards this season nor has he hit 100 yards in a game. The Panthers are allowing the fewest yards per carry among backs on the season, so expectations are a bit tempered. We do, however, value the rare volume Gurley nets as the rare feature back.

Sleepers and Streamers

The Rams' Kenny Britt is quietly on pace for over 1,200 yards and is a nice plug-and-play sleeper against a young Carolina secondary.

Fantasy Football Week 9: New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers

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Game Preview

We find an impressive point total above 50 points for this meeting with two up-tempo teams, per Odds Shark. The New Orleans Saints are third in the NFL in points per drive (2.61), while both teams rank in the bottom seven in points per drive allowed on the season. With such generous defenses in place, this game could prove friendly for fantasy purposes.

Injury Updates

San Francisco's feature back Carlos Hyde is dealing with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder and is highly questionable. He is likely trending towards not playing against the Saints, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Fantasy Fixtures

Saints

Drew Brees is averaging 338 yards passing, the most in the league and on pace for the third-most in NFL history. Brees has been pressured on just 16.1 percent of dropbacks, lowest in the league. With the 49ers allowing a touchdown on 32.1 percent of opposing drives since Week 2, the most in the NFL, Brees is a candidate for the top spot among fantasy arms heading into Sunday.

With the 49ers allowing 1.86 touchdowns per game to receivers, tied for the most in the NFL, we find starting potential for all three of Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas and Willie Snead in this contest. This also rings true for tight end Coby Fleener, who despite a variant fantasy pattern is still a valuable red-zone threat at a thin position.

As for the backfield, Mark Ingram is still a worthy flex option, but increased risk is present given he was benched for much of Week 8 thanks to an early fumble.

49ers

We don't trust any member of this offense as a surefire starting option, although with Hyde ailing it appears DuJuan Harris has real upside to consume the majority of backfield touches for a run-heavy team.

Sleepers and Streamers

The 49ers' Colin Kaepernick has 150 rush yards on 17 carries over his two starts, which helps buoy a high fantasy floor and supports streaming status against a soft Saints defense.

At a thin week in the backfield across the league, we find some sleeper upside for Tim Hightower against a 49ers defense that has allowed nearly 20 percent more rushing yards per game to opposing backs than any other team in the league.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers

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Game Preview

The San Diego Chargers are poised as home favorites over the Tennessee Titans in a game that should prove competitive between two teams with hopes of contending for a Wild Card berth.

Injury Updates

The Titans' leading receiver, Delanie Walker, slipped during a drill in practice on Thursday and injured his groin. Walker said, "It’s going to be a game-time decision, so we’ll see what happens," according to Terry McCormick on Titans Insider.

Jim Wyatt of the team's site reports Tennessee's feature back DeMarco Murray finished the week as a full participant in practice as he's on the mend from a toe injury. Murray is expected to start and consume a majority of snaps and touches for the team's backfield.

Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports receivers Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams are expected to play through respective injuries on Sunday against the Titans. Tight end Hunter Henry, meanwhile, proves more questionable given his absence from practice to end the week, again per Gehlken.

Fantasy Fixtures

Titans

Murray is a must-start asset against a San Diego front that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to tailbacks in ESPN leagues. This rings particularly true with the Chargers missing two starting inside linebackers to injury. If Walker is active, his target share alone at a shallow position merits some interest, but his investors are likely best off seeking alternatives given his murky status.

Chargers

Melvin Gordon has at least 11 fantasy points in all but one outing in ESPN leagues and is also a must-start asset given his rich red-zone role. The Titans run defense has held opponents to 55 rushing yards per game over their last four games, so scoring could prove vital for Gordon's fantasy output.

Philip Rivers needs four passing touchdowns to become the ninth quarterback in league history with 300 career passing touchdowns. The Titans have the fifth-highest blitz rate in the league, so Rivers' ability to handle increased pressure could prove pivotal. At the helm of a pass-heavy offense against a Tennessee secondary that ranks 25th in pass coverage on Pro Football Focus, Rivers is a solid starting option.

Antonio Gates leads all tight ends in targets over the past three weeks and leads the Chargers in red-zone targets over the past month. At a shallow position, Gates is again in the starting tier.

Sleepers and Streamers

The Chargers' Williams is a fine streaming option at receiver against a susceptible secondary, as his recent poor stretch of production is heavily influenced by meetings with the Broncos.

Marcus Mariota has thrown for multiple passing touchdowns in four straight games, which makes him the first signal-caller from the franchise to accomplish this since Kerry Collins in 2010. With the Chargers' depleted defense—they are missing two key inside linebackers and their top cover corner to injury—Mariota is a capable streaming option on a heavy bye week.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers

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Game Preview

The Indianapolis Colts haven't won a road game against the Green Bay Packers since November of 1988. Netting their first win in Lambeau in such a long time could prove difficult for the Colts with the Packers listed as heavy touchdown favorites, per Odds Shark. With the Packers listed fifth in points per drive and the Colts eighth in per-drive efficiency, we find this game set with the highest point total of the entire slate.

Injury Updates

Mike Chappell of Fox 59 and CBS 4 in Indy reports tight end Dwayne Allen is expected to return after missing multiple games with an ankle issue. Wideout T.Y. Hilton is also expected to play after resuming full practice, per Kevin Bowen of the team's site.

Tom Silverstein of Packers News reports tailback James Starks didn't fully test his ailing knee this week and isn't expected to play against the Colts. Ryan Wood of Packers News reports slot weapon Randall Cobb doesn’t sound likely to play with a lingering hamstring ailment.

Fantasy Fixtures

Colts

Andrew Luck has been sacked the most times in the league this season (31), while the Packers are fifth in the NFL in sacks per dropback on defense. At the same time, Green Bay has allowed the ninth-highest touchdown rate (per attempt) in the NFL.

The Colts' Frank Gore needs 168 rush yards to pass Tony Dorsett for eighth in NFL history, a feat he's highly unlikely to accomplish against the Packers' stingy rush defense that has allowed the second-fewest yards per game to opposing backfields. Even with the tough matchup, the backfield position is a mess this weekend, so Gore's steady usage rate still fuels bankable RB2 status.

Hilton is due to bounce back from a quiet Week 8 thanks to such strong vertical usage and the fact the Packers' depleted secondary ranks 28th in pass coverage on Pro Football Focus.

With the Packers still missing multiple key players on the secondary and Donte Moncrief netting a touchdown on 9.5 percent of his targets from Luck since the start of last season, we admire his upside in this potential shootout.

Packers

The Colts have allowed the seventh-most yards per dropback this season and the sixth-most points per drive this season, so Aaron Rodgers is in a strong position at home.

With the Packers' running game proving so lackluster, we find the team passing to run instead. This means wideout Davante Adams is a high-floor option at the stage, with 25 total targets and at least 10 receptions in each of the past two games. No player has caught at least 10 passes in three straight games since Calvin Johnson in 2012.

We also find Jordy Nelson in a strong position given Rodgers' recent uptick in passing volume and the soft matchup against an exploitable secondary.

Sleepers and Streamers

Green Bay's Ty Montgomery is a superb sleeper candidate given his uptick in touches and targets as the key backfield weapon with Cobb likely to sit.

Fantasy Football Week 9: Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders

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Game Preview

In a battle for division supremacy between two conference contenders, we find the Denver Broncos have pressured opposing quarterbacks a league-high 41 percent of dropbacks this season, the highest such rate over the past eight seasons. The Oakland Raiders, meanwhile, have allowed Derek Carr to be pressured on just 20.3 percent of his dropbacks, the third-lowest in the NFL and lowest in the AFC. In a matchup of pressure versus protection, we find a close spread and relatively low point total for this pivotal matchup, per Odds Shark.

Injury Updates

Denver's feature back Devontae Booker returned to action during Week 8's game with a shoulder injury and practiced throughout the week, per Mike Klis of 9News, thus we expect him to play and assume a full workload.

Amari Cooper was limited throughout the week with a back issue, per Vic Tarfur of the San Francisco Chronicle, but is expected to play on Sunday night against the rival Broncos.

Fantasy Fixtures

Broncos

With 76 percent of the team's rushing attempts last week and nearly 18 percent of the team's targets, Booker is in a prime position for a big game against a Raiders defense that has allowed the most yards per carry to backs in the AFC.

Both of the team's veteran wideouts are high-floor options, as Emmanuel Sanders has consumed 28.2 percent of the team's targets, the fourth-highest team share in the league. Demaryius Thomas, meanwhile, enjoys 23.9 percent of the team's targets and has hauled in a healthy 67.7 percent of his targets. The Raiders have yielded the third-most receiving yards (196.25) per game to receivers this season, thus we find room for both to merit WR2 status.

Raiders

Even as he produced a franchise-best 513 yards last week, Derek Carr is difficult to trust in this matchup given the Broncos have proven so capable of pressuring the pocket and have allowed just 5.7 yards per attempt, the lowest rate in the NFL. Carr is essentially a low-end QB1 given the unfriendly matchup metrics.

Expectations are also tempered for the Raiders' tandem of productive wideouts, as the Broncos have allowed the fewest yards per game (94.8) to receiving corps this season. Such a dramatically low allowance means Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree are low-ceiling WR2 assets during this heavy bye week.

Sleepers and Streamers

Given his low fantasy ceiling of late, we'd only consider Denver's Trevor Siemian in multi-quarterback formats or as a daring daily fantasy option. The matchup is at least inviting, as the Raiders have allowed the fourth-most yards per attempt to enemy arms.

The Raiders' running back Latavius Murray is merely a risky flex play given an inconsistent usage pattern, although it's intriguing to consider the Broncos have allowed 95.6 yards per game to opposing backs, 14th-most in the league.

Data such as defensive allowance, drive rates, and target share sourced from an ESPN database.