We've dealt with a lot of injuries in this Fantasy football season, as well as players being impacted by COVID-19. It's been frustrating for Fantasy managers, but let's focus on the positive for Week 9. Let's talk about two prominent players coming back to play this week -- at least that's the hope.
Christian McCaffrey and Michael Thomas are expected to return to action, and it will be great to plug them back into our starting lineups. McCaffrey, who has been out since Week 2 with an ankle injury, will hopefully pick up where he left off before getting hurt.
In his first two games this season, McCaffrey averaged 25.0 PPR points. He had four touchdowns in two games against the Raiders and Buccaneers, and he was well on his way toward another stellar campaign. Mike Davis did well as McCaffrey's replacement, scoring at least 21 PPR points in three of six games, but there's a reason he's the understudy. In his past three games, Davis has just 27 combined PPR points against Chicago, New Orleans and Atlanta.
McCaffrey won't have it easy against the Chiefs on the road in Week 9, but no defense is keeping McCaffrey out of your Fantasy lineup. He's back, and hopefully he's here to stay.
The same goes for Thomas, who has been out since hurting his ankle in Week 1. But he also had a one-game suspension from the Saints for punching a teammate, and then he missed several weeks with a hamstring injury. When healthy, Thomas could be the No. 1 Fantasy receiver in all leagues like he was in 2019, and it will be great for the Saints -- and Fantasy managers -- to have him back.
We'll see how he does on the road at Tampa Bay in a likely matchup against cornerback Carlton Davis, but Thomas should remain a starter in all leagues. And it's likely Drew Brees will lean on Thomas quite a bit in Week 9 and moving forward.
We've missed McCaffrey and Thomas as Fantasy players, and it's great to have them back. Now, it's time for them to help lead you to a Fantasy championship.
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Start of the Week
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We said prior to the season that Chase Edmonds could be one of the best lottery tickets if Kenyan Drake ever missed any time, and that's where things stand heading into Week 9. Drake is out with an ankle injury, and Edmonds is expected to start against the Dolphins. It should be a great game for the third-year running back from Fordham.
Edmonds should be looking at a quality workload in Drake's absence, as Drake had five games this season with at least 19 total touches. Edmonds hasn't needed that much work to be successful in 2020, so the increased touches could be awesome. Edmonds has four games this season with at least eight total touches, and he's scored at least 12 PPR points in all of them. And last year, Edmonds had four games with at least seven total touches, and he scored at least 14 PPR points in three of them.
He's been great in the passing game with at least three catches in five outings, including three games with at least five receptions. The hope is the Cardinals continue to throw to Edmonds, which is something they didn't do often with Drake, who only has seven catches on the season. If the Cardinals are smart, they will just use Edmonds in every aspect of the game, and he could be a top-three Fantasy running back this week.
Now, the matchup against the Dolphins won't be easy. Miami has only allowed three running backs to score at least 14 PPR points this season with James Robinson in Week 3, Chris Carson in Week 4 and Raheem Mostert in Week 5, but the Dolphins other games were against New England, Buffalo, the Jets and Rams. None of those teams have a standout running back aside from maybe Darrell Henderson, who injured his thigh at Miami in Week 8.
I'm counting on Edmonds to thrive with his increased workload this week, and the Cardinals are coming off a bye, while the Dolphins have to make a long road trip. This is the moment we've been waiting for with Edmonds, and I'm confident he's going to deliver.
More Week 9 help: Starts & Sits, Sleepers & Busts | RB Preview | WR Preview | QB Preview | PPR Cheat Sheet | Non-PPR Cheat Sheet | Matchup Notes | Game Previews | Sleepers | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: QB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: RB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: WR | Biggest Questions | Waiver Wire | TE Preview | Trade Values | Cut List | Winners and Losers | Believe It or Not
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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The first four games of the season were amazing for Allen when he scored at least 29 Fantasy points in each outing. The past four, however, have been disappointing with under 20 Fantasy points in each game. Well, as we're in November now, hopefully a new month will bring a change for Allen, and he can start producing like he did to open the year. It helps that he's facing a Seattle defense that has struggled with quarterbacks all season, especially rushing ones. Cam Newton, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Kyler Murray all had at least 10 Fantasy points with their legs, which should help Allen's floor since he has four rushing touchdowns on the season. And the Seahawks allow the second-most passing yards on the year. This should be a solid bounce-back week for Allen at home.
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Newton hasn't scored more than 17 Fantasy points since Week 2, but this should be a breakout game for him against the Jets. They have struggled with rushing quarterbacks -- Josh Allen twice went for over 57 rushing yards with one touchdown and Kyler Murray had 31 rushing yards and a score -- but hopefully Newton will find some success through the air as well. Three of the past four opposing quarterbacks against New York (Murray, Allen and Patrick Mahomes) all had at least 307 passing yards. I'm buying back into Newton as a starting Fantasy quarterback this week given his opponent.
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Don't look at what Carr did in Week 8 at Cleveland given the awful weather. Instead, look at what Carr did in five games before that when he scored at least 22 Fantasy points in four outings, with a low of 19 points at New England in Week 3. The Chargers just traded slot cornerback Desmond King to the Titans, and the Chargers have allowed five passing touchdowns in their past two games against Gardner Minshew and Drew Lock. Carr has the potential to be a top 10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 9.
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Herbert just continues to produce at a high level on a weekly basis, and he shouldn't slow down this week against the Raiders. He's scored at least 27 Fantasy points in four games in a row, and he only has one game under 23 Fantasy points in six games as a starter. The Raiders, prior to last week's game in the bad weather against Baker Mayfield, allowed 997 passing yards and 11 total touchdowns in three games in a row against Allen, Mahomes and Tom Brady. Herbert again has top-five upside in this matchup.
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Brady is playing at a high level coming into Week 9 against the Saints, and it should be fun for him to have Antonio Brown ready to make his 2020 debut. Chris Godwin (finger) is also expected to return after missing Week 8, and Brady could be dominant with a receiving corps of Godwin, Brown, Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski. Brady already played New Orleans in Week 1 and struggled, but he still managed 23 Fantasy points. He's scored at least 23 Fantasy points in each of his past two games, and he could have a huge performance this week now that his entire receiving corps is able to play.
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Sleepers
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Lock just had the second 20-plus Fantasy point game of his career in Week 8 against the Chargers, and hopefully he can build off it in Week 9 at Atlanta. While the Falcons defense has improved in three games under interim coach Raheem Morris, Atlanta remains No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks for the season. As for Lock, his receiving corps is getting healthy and could have Tim Patrick (hamstring) back, which could make Lock a decent streaming option this week.
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The Titans don't have much of a pass rush to scare opposing quarterbacks, which should be good for Foles. Tennessee has allowed eight passing touchdowns in the past three weeks, and Foles just had 20 Fantasy points against New Orleans in Week 8.
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This is for Fantasy managers in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues since Luton will make his first NFL start, and it's a great matchup against the Texans. Houston has allowed 948 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in its past three games prior to Week 9, with Gardner Minshew passing for 301 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans in Week 5.
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Sit 'Em
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Brees had his first game with more than 20 Fantasy points on the road this year when he scored 23 points at Chicago in Week 8. We'll see if he can make it two in a row against the Buccaneers, who held him to 18 Fantasy points in Week 1 at home. There is a chance Michael Thomas (hamstring) returns this week for the Saints, who should also get Emmanuel Sanders (illness) back, and both would be a huge boost for Brees. But the Buccaneers have been tough on opposing quarterbacks all season and should limit Brees in this matchup.
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I'm not sitting Roethlisberger because of the matchup with the Cowboys, and he's more of a bust alert than a must-sit candidate. I'm just concerned about his pass attempts and having to do much against an opponent that might not put up much of a fight. The Cowboys haven't allowed a quarterback to pass for more than 222 passing yards in five games in a row, mostly with teams just running all over Dallas. And Roethlisberger has been under 20 Fantasy points in three games in a row, with two of those outings where he's attempted fewer than 33 passes. The Cowboys have scored a combined 21 points in three games without Dak Prescott (ankle), and the Steelers defense and run game should be dominant this week, leaving little for Roethlisberger to do.
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The Chiefs have allowed just two quarterbacks to pass for multiple touchdowns this season with Carr and Allen, and they haven't allowed a quarterback to score in two games against Lock and Sam Darnold. Bridgewater will hopefully perform better than the latter two quarterbacks, but it might not be by much. He's been under 15 Fantasy points in two of his past three games, and we'll see what the return of Christian McCaffrey (ankle) does for Carolina's offense since Bridgewater averaged just 14.0 Fantasy points in two games with McCaffrey this year.
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This is for Fantasy managers in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues since it's hard to trust Tagovailoa after his first start in Week 8 against the Rams. He didn't have to do much with 22 pass attempts, but he only completed 12 of them for 93 yards and a touchdown, along with a lost fumble. Hopefully, things will improve against the Cardinals, but it's his first road start against an Arizona defense coming off a bye. And Miami's offense is down a key weapon with Myles Gaskin (knee) out. I'd prefer to avoid Tagovailoa in all formats this week.
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Rivers comes into Week 9 with a solid two-game stretch against Cincinnati and Detroit where he's scored at least 28 Fantasy points in both outings. He has 633 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception over that span, and it's been fun to watch him have success throwing the ball again after opening the year with 16 Fantasy points or less in five games in a row. But I'm not playing him this week against the Ravens, even in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues if I can avoid it. Baltimore has held three quarterbacks in a row under 215 passing yards -- Joe Burrow, Carson Wentz and Roethlisberger -- and only Wentz had over 20 Fantasy points because he had 49 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. As we know, Rivers isn't going to help himself with any rushing production.
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Bust Alert
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I expect Tannehill to be OK this week, but I don't expect him to have a high ceiling. He'll likely finish in the same range where he's been the past two weeks against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati with 20.5 Fantasy points based on his average. The Bears have only allowed two quarterbacks to score multiple touchdowns against them with Jared Goff and Brees, which have come in the past two weeks, but they also shut down Stafford, Matt Ryan and Brady this year. And Tannehill's two modest games the past two weeks have come with standout left tackle Taylor Lewan (ACL) sidelined, and Tannehill gets to face Khalil Mack in this matchup. I like Tannehill in Week 9, but I don't love him, which is why he's in this spot for Week 9.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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We'll have to wait and see what happens with Chris Carson (foot) and Carlos Hyde (hamstring) this week, but it sounds like both will be out again against the Bills. If that's the case then consider Dallas a borderline No. 1 Fantasy running back in all leagues. The Seahawks gave him 23 total touches in Week 8 against San Francisco, and he delivered 22 PPR points. Now, it wasn't pretty at 2.3 yards per carry on his 18 attempts, but he got goal-line work, as well as five catches on five targets. And his matchup against the Bills is much easier than against the 49ers since Buffalo has allowed a running back to score in four games in a row, with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Damien Harris going over 100 rushing yards over that span.
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Hasty and Jerick McKinnon are both worth using this week -- Hasty is better in non-PPR, while McKinnon has an edge in PPR -- with the matchup against the Packers. Dalvin Cook proved in Week 8 that Green Bay is still awful against the run with 30 carries for 163 yards and three touchdowns, and he added two catches for 63 yards and a touchdown to further the misery. Hasty and McKinnon won't do that, but the Packers have allowed a running back to score in every game this season and lead all teams with 14 touchdowns allowed to running backs. It helps that the 49ers lead the NFL in most Fantasy points scored from their running backs, and we all remember what happened in the playoffs last season when Raheem Mostert had 220 rushing yards and four touchdowns against Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game.
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The key number for Harris this week will likely be 13. If he can get at least 13 carries then he should be successful given what running backs have done against the Jets. The past four running backs with at least 13 carries against the Jets -- Jonathan Taylor, Melvin Gordon, Kenyan Drake and Myles Gaskin -- all had at least 11 PPR points. Harris has two games this season with more than 13 carries (Week 4 at Kansas City and Week 8 at Buffalo), and he's run for at least 100 yards in both of them. He also scored his first NFL touchdown against the Bills, and the Jets are among the league leaders with seven rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs this year.
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My bold prediction on last Sunday's Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ was that Dobbins would run for over 100 yards and score against the Steelers in the first game without Mark Ingram (ankle). I was half right since Dobbins had 15 carries for 113 yards, but he failed to score. Gus Edwards also played well against Pittsburgh with 16 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown, and both are worth using this week against the Colts with Ingram out again. I like Dobbins better since he played 66 percent of the snaps compared to Edwards (32 percent), and even though it's a tough matchup you can use both Ravens as No. 2 Fantasy running backs this week.
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I hope we're not about to be fooled by Jackson again like what happened in Week 7 against Jacksonville when he only had 10 total touches for 55 total yards following his breakout game in Week 5 at New Orleans with 20 total touches for 94 total yards. He looked like that guy against the Saints again in Week 8 at Denver with 17 carries for 89 yards, as well as three catches for 53 yards. Now, he could be sharing touches with Joshua Kelley and Troymaine Pope, but Jackson should be the lead back for the Chargers. And he has at least five targets in three games in a row, which is great for his role in the passing game. I like Jackson as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues this week.
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Sleepers
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McKissic might be the best Washington running back this week against the Giants. The Giants haven't allowed a running back to score on the ground in their past three games, including Antonio Gibson in Week 6, but they have struggled with pass-catching running backs. McKissic had six catches for 43 yards on six targets against the Giants, and they have allowed at least six catches to running backs in three of the past five games.
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Ervin and Dexter Williams could be headed for big roles with Aaron Jones (calf) hurt and Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon out because of COVID-19. I like Ervin better than Dexter Williams given his expected role in the passing game, and the Packers have had a running back catch at least four passes seven times this year. The 49ers have allowed 22 receptions to running backs in their past four games.
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It would be nice to see the Broncos turn to Lindsay for more work over Melvin Gordon based on how he's played over the past three weeks. Over that span against New England, Kansas City and the Chargers, Lindsay has 38 carries for 263 yards and a touchdown, as well as one catch for 3 yards on three targets. He's averaging a whopping 6.9 yards per carry, and he looks more explosive than Gordon.
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Sit 'Em
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Gallman has scored in back-to-back games for the Giants with Devonta Freeman (ankle) hurt, but I didn't like that Gallman shared playing time as much as he did with Alfred Morris and Dion Lewis in Week 8 against Tampa Bay. Gallman played 43 percent of the snaps, while Morris and Lewis were both at 28 percent. This week, it's a tough matchup for Gallman -- or insert Freeman in this spot if he plays -- since the Washington Football Team hasn't allowed a running back to gain more than 68 total yards in four games in a row, including matchups with the Ravens, Rams, Giants and Cowboys. Now, Washington has allowed three total touchdowns to running backs over that span, and Gallman could find the end zone for the third week in a row. But if he doesn't score, his production will be minimal, and I would only consider him a flex at best.
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Jones will likely still start for Tampa Bay and hopefully stay on the field, but it's hard to trust him now that Leonard Fournette is healthy. Jones went from three games in a row with at least 20 total touches when Fournette was out with an ankle injury to 25 total touches in the past two games combined against the Raiders and Giants after Fournette came back. And Week 8 at New York was bad for Jones after he lost a fumble, resulting in just 24 percent of the playing time compared to 73 percent for Fournette. I'm still hopeful for Jones being a quality Fantasy option, but I'm benching him in all leagues in Week 9 against the Saints, who also held him to just nine PPR points in Week 1.
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Gordon and Lindsay have played one full game together, which was Week 8 against the Chargers. Gordon played a season-low 55 percent of the snaps (Lindsay was at 45 percent), and he managed just 47 total yards. He was saved by six catches on seven targets, and he should continue to play ahead of Lindsay on passing downs. But Lindsay might start taking on more work as a rusher, and Gordon could be in trouble as a must-start Fantasy running back. He's still a flex option in all leagues, but you also have to be concerned that the Falcons have allowed just one rushing touchdown since Week 2.
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Singletary had a solid game in Week 8 at New England with 14 carries for 86 yards, as well as one catch for 6 yards, but he's still not doing the things we like to see, which is to get scoring opportunities or work a lot in the passing game. He has just one touchdown on the season and has only five catches over his past four games. Zack Moss outplayed Singletary last week -- and played more than him with 53 percent of the snaps to 48 percent -- with 14 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns, and Moss should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues against Seattle. Singletary is just a flex, and he hasn't scored double digits in PPR in four games in a row.
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I thought Bell would have a quality outing in Week 8 against the Jets with the chance for a revenge game vs. his former team. But he once again had minimal impact with his new team, finishing with six carries for 7 yards, along with three catches for 31 yards on three targets. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has the chance for a breakout game this week against the Panthers, so continue to start him with confidence, and he played 50 percent of the snaps compared to just 26 percent for Bell in Week 8. Bell should be considered a good handcuff for Edwards-Helaire, but he's not playing enough to warrant consideration as a starter in most Fantasy leagues in Week 9.
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Bust Alert
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First, you have to check on Taylor's health since he's dealing with a minor ankle injury following Week 8 at Detroit. Next, you have to see if the Colts remain committed to Taylor after he was outplayed by Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines against the Lions. We're not going to worry about Hines because he's not a direct threat to Taylor. But Wilkins is, and he had 21 total touches against Detroit compared to just 13 for Taylor. And Wilkins was praised by the Indianapolis coaching staff since he had 89 rushing yards and a touchdown, as well as one catch for 24 yards. Taylor still has plenty of upside, and I would start him ahead of Wilkins if both are healthy. But the Colts might start giving Wilkins more playing time, which would clearly be problematic. And in Week 9 against the Ravens you might want to consider finding another running back to use just in case Wilkins has more touches than Taylor for the second week in a row.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receiver
Start 'Em
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In Shepard's two games since coming back from a toe injury, he has been the Giants leading receiver with 14 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets. He should continue to be the target leader for Daniel Jones, and he's worth starting as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in PPR. His value is slightly lower in non-PPR leagues, and the Washington Football Team is among the league leaders in fewest Fantasy points allowed to receivers. But I'm going to trust the rapport between Jones and Shepard, as well as the targets, and I expect another quality outing for Shepard this week.
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Cooks had his best game of the season in Week 5 against Jacksonville, and he should have another quality outing this week in the rematch. He comes into Week 9 with three games in a row with at least 13 PPR points, and he had 30 PPR points against the Jaguars to start that stretch with eight catches for 161 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Will Fuller should be started in all leagues as well and is the No. 1 receiver in Houston, but Cooks isn't far behind based on his recent production. He has top-15 upside in all leagues this week.
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I'm going to trust the squeaky wheel theory here with Brown after he complained about his lack of targets following the Week 7 loss against Pittsburgh. He only had two targets against the Steelers, and while he scored a touchdown on his lone catch for 3 yards, he's clearly frustrated. The Colts have allowed six receivers to score at least 12 PPR points in their past three games, and Brown could be headed for a breakout game with Lamar Jackson doing what he can to get Brown the ball.
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I'll ride the hot hand with Kirk, who went into Arizona's bye in Week 8 averaging 18.0 PPR points in his past three games. He has two games over that span with at least seven targets, and he should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. It's not an easy matchup against a quality Miami secondary, but the Dolphins won't be able to stop DeAndre Hopkins and Kirk. Based on his recent level of production, Kirk will hopefully stay hot for Fantasy managers in Week 9.
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Sleepers
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Even if Chris Godwin (finger) plays as is now expected, I would expect Tom Brady to lean on Brown in his first game for the Bucs. That happened last year in New England in Week 2 when Brown had four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown on eight targets at Miami, and I could see a similar stat line against the Saints in prime time. He's a No. 3 Fantasy receiver with upside in Week 9.
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Beasley had his worst game of the season in Week 8 at New England with two catches for 24 yards on two targets, but he should rebound this week against the Seahawks. Prior to Week 8, Beasley had scored at least 11 PPR points in six games in a row, including three games with at least 14 PPR points over that span. Consider him a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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The Chargers traded slot cornerback Desmond King to the Titans this week, and hopefully that's a spot the Raiders attack with Renfrow. He had four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown on four targets against the Browns in the bad weather in Cleveland in Week 8, and Derek Carr should continue to lean on him. Nelson Agholor also has the chance to make plays this week, but I'll stick with Renfrow again in Week 9 given the matchup.
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Meyers has become the go-to receiver for Cam Newton over the past two games, and he has 10 catches for 118 yards on 16 targets over that span against San Francisco and Buffalo. He will hopefully remain a popular option for Newton in Week 9 against the Jets, who just allowed four touchdowns to the Chiefs receivers last week. This is a favorable matchup to trust Meyers as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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It was great to see Jeudy get fed targets in Week 8 against the Chargers with 10, and he finished with four catches for 73 yards. We'll see if Tim Patrick (hamstring) is able to play this week, which would impact Jeudy,, but he should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver against the Falcons. Atlanta is No. 5 in Fantasy points allowed to receivers for the season, and Jeudy and Drew Lock are hopefully starting to develop a connection.
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Sit 'Em
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The Cowboys are a mess, and you should consider benching Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup in all leagues. Andy Dalton (illness) is out, and Ben DiNucci has been benched. Dallas will start either Garrett Gilbert or Cooper Rush, and neither should inspire confidence for Cooper, who was limited to one catch for 5 yards on five targets in Week 8 at Philadelphia. Oh yeah, and the Cowboys are playing the Steelers in Week 9. This could be ugly.
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The Saints are expected to get Michael Thomas (hamstring) back this week, which will put Sanders back in his No. 2 role. He's been out for the past two games because he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and we'll see how he does in his return. Sanders and Thomas played one game together, which was Week 1 against Tampa Bay, and Sanders had three catches for 15 yards and a touchdown on five targets. His targets could be minimal, and he's facing a tough Buccaneers secondary again. I would only consider Sanders as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver at best, whether Thomas plays or not.
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Davis is more of a bust alert than a must-sit option, but I expect him to struggle in Week 9 against Chicago. He's been awesome so far this year with at least 11 PPR points in all five games he's played. And in his past two games following a stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list he's scored a combined 41 PPR points. But the Bears have allowed just two touchdowns to opposing receivers all season and should make things tough on Davis. I'm still starting A.J. Brown in all leagues, but Davis is just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week.
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In the past two games with Shepard back on the field, Slayton has struggled. He had seven catches for 79 yards and no touchdowns over that span on 12 targets, and it's hard to trust him. Now, he did score in the first game against Washington in Week 6 with two catches for 41 yards on four targets, but that was with Shepard out with a toe injury. Slayton remains a boom-or-bust Fantasy receiver, but right now he's hard to trust with Daniel Jones leaning on Shepard.
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I've gone back and forth on Chark this week with the quarterback change from Gardner Minshew (thumb) to Jake Luton, and I want to believe that Luton will help Chark have a breakout game. But I need to see it happen first before starting Chark in all leagues, and I would consider him just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in Week 9. Chark also has a matchup with Houston cornerback Bradley Roby that could be tough. In their Week 5 matchup, Roby allowed just three receptions for 16 yards on four targets in shadow coverage against Chark.
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Bust Alert
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Parker caught a 3-yard touchdown from Tua Tagovailoa last week against the Rams, but it was Parker's lone catch on two targets. He'll have more involvement this week, but Parker could be headed for a difficult matchup against Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson. I still like Parker as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, but he's not a must-start option until we see more from Tagovailoa, especially when Parker is facing one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL on the road.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Tight End
Start 'Em
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Gronkowski will hopefully stay hot in Week 9 against the Saints, even with the addition of Antonio Brown. Gronkowski has scored in three games in a row and has at least 14 PPR points in each outing over that span. He struggled against the Saints in Week 1 with just two catches for 11 yards on three targets, but he's a much different player since then. Consider Gronkowski a top-five Fantasy tight end in all leagues.
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Fant continues to be a popular option for Drew Lock, which makes sense given Fant's upside. He has at least six targets in four games in a row, including 16 targets in his past two games with Lock. He had seven catches for 47 yards on nine targets in Week 8 against the Chargers, and hopefully that kind of production continues in PPR. In non-PPR leagues, Fant hasn't scored since Week 2, so he's due. Good thing he's facing a Falcons defense that has allowed the most touchdowns to tight ends this year with eight.
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We'll see what the status is for Matthew Stafford (reserver/COVID-19 list for contact tracing) this week, but I'll still start Hockenson against the Vikings even if Stafford is out. Minnesota has allowed a tight end to score a touchdown in two of its past three games, and Hayden Hurst in Week 6 and Robert Tonyan in Week 8 each had at least 12 PPR points against them, so it's a fantastic matchup. Hockenson has scored a touchdown in three of his past four games and is averaging 14.5 PPR points in his past two outings against Atlanta and Indianapolis.
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Sleepers
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Ebron has scored at least 11 PPR points in two games in a row, and he found the end zone for the second time in Week 8 at Baltimore. He has a favorable matchup in Week 9 at Dallas, and he should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues this week. It's nice that he has 13 targets in his past two games.
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Thomas went into his bye in Week 8 having scored a touchdown in two games in a row, including Week 6 against the Giants when he had three catches for 42 yards on four targets, and he faces the Giants again this week. He hasn't had more than four targets in four games in a row, but you'll take his touchdown potential given his role for the Washington Football Team.
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Sit 'Em
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I liked what Schultz did in Week 8 against Philadelphia with six catches for 53 yards on eight targets, but that was with Ben DiNucci throwing him the ball. Maybe Garrett Gilbert or Cooper Rush do the same things as the new starter for the Cowboys, but I'm not trusting Schultz against the Steelers. Pittsburgh has allowed just one touchdown to a tight end all year and limited Jonnu Smith and Mark Andrews to four catches for 41 yards on 10 targets in the past two games.
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Tonyan had a strong game in Week 8 against Minnesota with five catches for 79 yards on seven targets, but I don't expect him to have similar success this week against the 49ers. Prior to Week 8, Tonyan had five catches for 57 yards on six targets in his previous two games, and San Francisco has allowed just one touchdown to a tight end all year, including matchups with Evan Engram, Zach Ertz and Tyler Higbee.
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We'll see if Gesicki benefits with Isaiah Ford being traded to New England, which could open up a few targets, but I'm not trusting him on the road at Arizona, especially without seeing more from Tua Tagovailoa. Remember when the Cardinals couldn't defend tight ends? That was so 2019. This year, Arizona has allowed just two touchdowns to tight ends, and no tight end has more than 53 receiving yards against the Cardinals in seven games.
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Bust Alert
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Hurst has picked up his production of late with at least 10 PPR points in three games in a row, and he has consecutive games with seven targets. He could be needed more with Calvin Ridley (ankle) ailing, but this isn't a good matchup against the Broncos. Denver hasn't allowed a tight end to score or gain more than 50 receiving yards since Week 1, including matchups with Gronkowski, Ebron, Travis Kelce and Hunter Henry. Hurst should be considered a low-end starter at best in all leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
DST
Start 'Em
Washington (vs. NYG): The Washington Football Team had one sack and an interception against Daniel Jones in Week 6 and held the Giants to 20 points. That's the only game where Jones hasn't been sacked multiple times, and has at least one turnover in every game this year. Washington, meanwhile, comes into this game with an interception in four games in a row.
Sleepers
- Cardinals (vs. MIA): Tua Tagovailoa was sacked once, fumbled once and passed for just 93 yards in his first start at home last week. The Dolphins are down Myles Gaskin (knee), and the Cardinals are coming off a bye at home. It's a good setup for the Cardinals DST in Week 9.
- Giants (at WAS): The Giants DST scored a touchdown, had three sacks and an interception against the Washington Football Team in Week 6 and allowed just 19 points. Let's see if that can happen again.
- Texans (at JAC): Jake Luton is making his first NFL start, which could lead to some sacks and turnovers against a Texans team coming off their bye.
Sit 'Em
Bills (vs. SEA): The Bills DST was a letdown in Week 8 against New England and has performed poorly in every game other than the two meetings with the Jets this year. Seattle is averaging 34.3 points per game, and the Seahawks have just seven turnovers on the season.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
KICKERS
Start 'Em
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Fairbairn scored 12 Fantasy points against the Jaguars in Week 5 with three field goals and two PATs, and Jacksonville has allowed six kickers to make multiple field goals this year, as well as six in a row to make at least three PATs.
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Sleepers
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He's gone four games in a row with eight Fantasy points or less, so he's due. And this is a good game for him to get back on track against the Bears, who have allowed four of the past five opposing kickers to make at least three field goals.
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Gonzalez has scored at least 12 Fantasy points in two of three home games this year, including his last outing in Week 7 against Seattle when he made three field goals and four PATs.
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Four kickers have multiple field goals against the Jets this season, including Tyler Bass in Week 7 when he made 6-of-8 field goals in Buffalo. Folk has multiple field goals in three games in a row coming into Week 9.
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Sit 'Em
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Zuerlein was Dallas' best weapon in Week 8 at Philadelphia with three field goals, but he's hard to trust going against the Steelers this week, even at home. Prior to Week 8, Zuerlein had seven Fantasy points combined in the two games without Dak Prescott (ankle), and Pittsburgh has allowed just two field goals in its past five games.
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So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 9 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big-time last season.
