Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: Victor Cruz and WRs That Will Be PPR Monsters

It wasn't long ago that a point-per-reception league was foreign to most fantasy football players. But it has become commonplace and is now extremely prevalent. This style of the league obviously puts more emphasis on wide receivers, particularly ones that make a lot of grabs like New England's Wes Welker.

While scoring touchdowns is still important, the PPR format rewards receivers simply for making plays. Here are three receivers who should have no problem getting targets, making plays and putting up monstrous PPR numbers in Week 9.

Brandon Lloyd—St. Louis Rams

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Brandon Lloyd was an absolute revelation in Denver last season, as he came out of nowhere to lead all receivers in fantasy points en route to a Pro Bowl. With Kyle Orton struggling and Tim Tebow taking over at quarterback for the Broncos, though, Lloyd's production declined this year.

Since he and the Broncos weren't making much headway in contract negotiations, Denver traded him to St. Louis at the deadline. As (bad) luck would have it, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford was felled by a high ankle sprain almost immediately upon his acquisition. Because of this, Lloyd has had to play the past couple games with A.J. Feeley as his quarterback.

Despite that, Lloyd has six catches in each of his two games as a Ram, as well as a touchdown. With Bradford set to return this week, those numbers figure to improve even more. On top of all that, the Rams will be facing the Arizona Cardinals, who happen to have one of the worst pass defenses in football. Look for Lloyd to blow up this week.

Roddy White—Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White officially became an elite pass catcher last season, and by virtue of that, he was picked very early in most fantasy drafts this season. While White has played well, he hasn't quite lived up to the lofty expectations that he earned in 2010.

That isn't to say White has been a disappointment, but he has only had one game with 100 or more yards receiving and has three touchdowns on the season. Even so, White has had at least five catches in all but two games this year, making him more valuable in PPR leagues than he might be in other formats.

If White is ever going to bust out, then this week would seem to be a great time. The Falcons are facing the winless Indianapolis Colts, who were torn apart by Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago. While Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is no Drew Brees, he is certainly a high-quality passer in the NFL. The Colts don't have anyone who can hang with White, so I expect a huge game from the dreadlocked speed demon.

Victor Cruz—New York Giants

It wasn't long ago that the New York Giants wide receiver corps was in question due to the imprisonment of Plaxico Burress. But fast forward a couple years later, and the Giants now have one of the best and most versatile groups of pass catchers in the NFL.

Everyone already knows about big-play guys like Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham, but reliable slot receiver Victor Cruz tends to fly under the radar. Fantasy owners have taken notice, though, as quarterback Eli Manning's consistent play has allowed Cruz to quickly become a high-volume receiver who is perfect for PPR leagues.

There aren't always enough balls to go around with so many skilled receivers on one team, but Cruz has had three games with six or more catches, and he wasn't heavily utilized early in the season. Seeing as the Giants are facing the New England Patriots' pathetic secondary this week, Manning figures to be throwing all day long, and Cruz should be open. That is most definitely a recipe for fantasy success.