Week nine is filled with really good matchups and not so great matchups for your fantasy players. Below are players you should absolutely think about either starting or avoiding for this week. It is critical that you consider every player’s week nine matchup before you pencil them into your starting lineup. Obviously, don’t bench the star players (Mahomes, Kamara, Hopkins, Kelce, etc.), but take a close look at your players that are replaceable.
Quarterbacks
Must Starts:
- Josh Allen (vs SEA) After the first four games of the season, Allen was considered an early MVP candidate. He was averaging about 30 PPR points per game. Since then, he has come back to life averaging just about 16 per game. Expect the early MVP candidate to perform more like an MVP this week against the Seahawks. Seattle has given up the MOST fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, and they are coming off a game where Nick Mullens only played in the fourth quarter (Jimmy Garoppolo injury replacement), and he still scored 17.5 fantasy points.
- Justin Herbert (vs LV) Herbert is in a heated battle with Joe Burrow for rookie of the year honors so far. Since taking over for Tyrod Taylor in week two, the star rookie has thrown for 1,820 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ranks 12th among all fantasy quarterbacks on the season, and he may jump up that list this week as he has an enticing matchup with the Raiders. Las Vegas has given up the 10th most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.
Must Avoids:
- Ryan Tannehill (vs CHI) Tannehill and the Titans are in somewhat of a slump as of late. They have lost two straight games, and their signal-caller has come short of 20 fantasy points in both of those outings. Don’t expect things to get better this week as Chicago has given up the least amount of passing touchdowns this season (8 in 8 games). They have also given up the fifth least amount of fantasy points to quarterbacks. Avoid starting Tannehill this week against that Bears defense.
- Teddy Bridgewater (at KC) Bridgewater is in a fantasy slump right now. He hasn’t thrown for 300 yards since week five; he hasn’t surpassed 20 fantasy points since week five; he has thrown just as many interceptions as he has touchdowns in the last three week (3), and he has yet to even throw for three touchdowns in a game this year. Kansas City ranks sixth against fantasy quarterbacks this season. Either avoid starting the veteran signal-caller this week or drop him to pick up a more consistent, and productive, player.
Running Backs
Must Starts:
- Chase Edmonds (vs MIA) Kenyan Drake is more than likely out against the Dolphins this week. This means it’s time for Edmonds to make his second start of the 2020 season. The third-year-pro is coming off of a 21.5 PPR-point outing two weeks ago against Seattle. Expect him to stay hot against the Dolphins this week as Miami has given up the seventh most fantasy points to running backs this season.
- David Johnson (at JAX) Johnson isn’t the flashiest fantasy running back this year, but he has been Mr. consistent. The veteran back has fallen short of double digit fantasy points just once this season. And in his last five games, he has scored from a range of 11.2 to 16.4 PPR points. Start him this week against a terrible Jacksonville defensive front.
Must Avoids:
- Ronald Jones (vs NO) Jones has clearly been affected by Leonard Fournette’s return to action. Since Fournette returned two weeks ago, Jones has averaged just 8.6 PPR points per game. He has been out touched by Fournette 25 to 35. He is also getting outperformed as Fournette has produced 8.6 more PPR points in the last two weeks. Sit Jones as he should only see about 10 to 15 touches against a stout Saints run defense. Fun fact, New Orleans hasn’t allowed a 100-yard performer in 50 games. They’ve also held five of their opponents to below 100 yards rushing as a team this season.
- Mike Davis (at KC) Christian McCaffrey was a full participant in practice yesterday. It looks like the end of an impressive fantasy stint for the journeyman running back, Mike Davis. Expect the tremendous play from Davis in the last seven weeks to lead to a prominent role with the team, but it shouldn’t lead to great fantasy numbers. It’s time to finally cut Davis from your fantasy team(s).
Wide Receivers
Must Starts:
- Cole Beasley (vs SEA) Beasley has fallen short of double-digit fantasy points just two times this season. He is averaging an impressive 12.8 PPR points per game on a wide receiver core that includes both Stefon Diggs and John Brown as well. Expect another double-digit outing this week as the Seahawks have given up the MOST fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
- Chase Claypool (at DAL) Dallas, as a team, has been atrocious. They allow everyone to look good as of late. This looks like it could be another MONSTER game for Claypool. The rookie has played inconsistent, but he takes advantage of bad defenses. He especially takes advantage of the NFC East. He’s averaging 24.65 PPR points against that division alone.
Must Avoids:
- Mecole Hardman (vs CAR) Hardman has been one of the most inconsistent fantasy players this season. The second-year-pro is coming off his best game of the season (seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown), but he is also three weeks past a game where he only saw one target and caught zero passes. He can’t be trusted, and he has a bad matchup this week against a Carolina team that ranks in the top five of the league defending fantasy wide receivers.
- Darius Slayton (at WAS) Slayton is another inconsistent player who has a bad matchup this week. Washington has given up the FEWEST fantasy points to wide receivers this season, and Slayton has been in a fantasy slump. In his last three games, he has only averaged 8.9 PPR points per game. He also has fallen short of double-digit fantasy points in half of his games this season (4).
Tight Ends
Must Starts:
- Rob Gronkowski (vs NO) The Brady-Gronk connection is just as strong now as it has ever been. They have connected on touchdowns three weeks in a row now, and Gronk has posted the second most fantasy points, from a tight end, in the last four weeks combined. He’s also surpassed 50 receiving yards four weeks in a row. This week, expect his streaks to continue as New Orleans ranks third-to-last against fantasy tight ends this season.
- Noah Fant (at ATL) Fant has yet to look like he did the first couple of weeks of the 2020 season, but he is getting closer. Last week, he caught seven of his nine targets for 47 yards, and he should continue rolling this week against Atlanta. The Falcons have given up the MOST fantasy points to tight ends this year.
Must Avoids:
- Mark Andrews (at IND) Indianapolis has given up the least amount of fantasy points this year to all tight ends. It doesn’t help that we’ve seen a new, and unfortunately unimproved, Andrews this season as he is averaging 11.5 PPR Fantasy Points and just 9.3 in his last four games.
- Jimmy Graham (at TEN) The veteran tight end didn’t practice yesterday as he is nursing a sore hamstring and knee. We’ve seen flashes of the old Graham this season, but he has ultimately been a fantasy “dud” the past three weeks. In those three weeks, Graham has fallen short of double-digit fantasy points, and he hasn’t scored a touchdown nor topped 35 receiving yards. Avoid starting him, and maybe even think about dropping him.
Defenses
Must Starts:
- Pittsburgh Steelers (at DAL) Pittsburgh has scored the fifth most fantasy points as a defensive unit this season while Dallas has given up the third most fantasy points to team defenses in 2020.
- New England Patriots (at NYJ) Always think about starting the defense going against the Jets. You know that defense won’t play bad enough to lose as New York’s record shows eight losses and zero wins.
Must Avoids:
- Chicago Bears (at TEN) Chicago’s defense doesn’t play particularly well against good offenses. Last week, they only scored one point against a struggling, but good, New Orleans offensive unit.
- San Francisco 49ers (vs GB) The 49ers have major injuries all around their offense and defense. They do not look the same as last season when they finished towards the top of the league in defensive fantasy points (third). They’re also facing Aaron Rodgers and his lethal Green Bay Packers’ offense.
