Fantasy Football Week 9 Wide Receiver Preview: Josh Palmer looking close to a must-start in Week 9

Things are not looking good for the Los Angeles Chargers receiving corps. Mike Williams is expected to miss multiple weeks with a high-ankle sprain and Keenan Allen's hamstring injury somehow got worse on his bye week. It's a borderline disaster for Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense, but it's also a major opportunity for Josh Palmer in Week 9.

Palmer was in the concussion protocol himself, but he's expected to be a full go in Week 9 against a Falcons defense that has allowed the most PPR Fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Palmer has seen at least eight targets in three games this season and he's topped 13 Fantasy points in all of them. Eight is closer to his target floor this week than it is his upside.

Palmer isn't the only Chargers pass catcher who should benefit. Austin Ekeler's league-leading target share at running back remains secure, as does Gerald Everett as a top-10 tight end. Even DeAndre Carter becomes a potential flex in a great matchup if Allen misses Week 9.

Here is the rest of the Week 8 WR Preview:

Week 9 WR Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

WR Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play in Week 9 at this time. Here's what it means:

Rashod Bateman WR

BAL Baltimore • #7
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Devin Duvernay and Demarcus Robinson are both boom/bust flexes until Bateman returns.

DeVante Parker WR

PHI Philadelphia • #1
Age: 31 • Experience: 10 yrs.

Jakobi Meyers is the only Patriots wide receiver who matters in redraft.

Brandin Cooks WR

DAL Dallas • #3
Age: 30 • Experience: 11 year

Phillip Dorsett will be the Texans No. 1 wide receiver, but we don't want to start him.

WR Preview

Numbers to Know

• 47.1 -- D.J. Moore has scored 47.1 PPR Fantasy points in two games without Christian McCaffrey. Only DeAndre Hopkins has scored more in the last two weeks.
• 41 -- 41 of Rondale Moore's 69 Week 8 snaps came from the slot. He's a borderline No. 2 if the team keeps him in the slot where he belongs.
  
• 9 -- Targets for Terrace Marshall Jr. in Week 8, three of which were in the end zone. The second-year player is worth a look, especially if this is a sign of growing chemistry with P.J. Walker. 
  
• 58 -- In seven games against the Cardinals, DK Metcalf has never topped 58 receiving yards and has only grabbed one touchdown. 
  
• 46.4 -- The Falcons surrender the most Fantasy points per game (46) to wide receivers. Josh Palmer is a good play with Keenan Allen and a must-start without him.
  
• 0 -- Touchdowns for Diontae Johnson and Chris Godwin. They're both regression (and buy low) candidates.
• 7 -- Targets for Romeo Doubs in Week 8. He's a borderline start for as long as Allen Lazard is out.

WR Preview

Matchups that matter

Matchups that matter

Josh Palmer WR

LAC L.A. Chargers • #5
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ ATL LAC -3 O/U 49

OPP VS WR 32nd

PROJ PTS 11.3

WR RNK 47th

YTD Stats
REC 26	TAR 40	REYDS 240	TD 1	FPTS/G 9.4

Brandin Cooks WR

DAL Dallas • #3
Age: 30 • Experience: 11 year

Weekly Breakdown

vs PHI PHI -13 O/U 44

OPP VS WR 6th

PROJ PTS 11.4

WR RNK 32nd

YTD Stats
REC 32	TAR 53	REYDS 354	TD 1	FPTS/G 10.5

Garrett Wilson WR

NYJ N.Y. Jets • #17
Age: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs BUF BUF -13 O/U 47

OPP VS WR 7th

PROJ PTS 10.1

WR RNK 29th

YTD Stats
REC 34	TAR 59	REYDS 429	TD 2	FPTS/G 11.1

Romeo Doubs WR

GB Green Bay • #87
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ DET GB -3 O/U 49.5

OPP VS WR 24th

PROJ PTS 11.8

WR RNK 28th

YTD Stats
REC 30	TAR 49	REYDS 296	TD 3	FPTS/G 9.6

Christian Kirk WR

JAC Jacksonville • #13
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LV LV -1.5 O/U 47.5

OPP VS WR 9th

PROJ PTS 13.4

WR RNK 23rd

YTD Stats
REC 35	TAR 61	REYDS 498	TD 4	FPTS/G 13.5

JuJu Smith-Schuster WR

NE New England • #7
Age: 27 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs TEN KC -12.5 O/U 46.5

OPP VS WR 23rd

PROJ PTS 12.5

WR RNK 19th

YTD Stats
REC 34	TAR 48	REYDS 494	TD 2	FPTS/G 13.3

WR Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 9 Adds (WR Preview)

Josh Palmer WR

LAC L.A. Chargers • #5
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ ATL LAC -3 O/U 49.5

OPP VS WR 32nd

WR RNK 22nd

ROSTERED 62%

YTD Stats
REC 26	TAR 40	REYDS 240	TD 1	FPTS/G 9.4

With Mike Williams out for the next month, Palmer should be a good flex at worst. With a matchup against the Falcons in Week 9, he could be a top-20 WR if Keenan Allen still isn't 100%. Palmer has seen eight or more targets in three games this season and he's scored at least 13 PPR Fantasy points in all of them.

DeAndre Carter WR

LV Las Vegas • #3
Age: 31 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ ATL LAC -3 O/U 49.5

OPP VS WR 32nd

WR RNK 47th

ROSTERED 15%

YTD Stats
REC 19	TAR 28	REYDS 229	TD 1	FPTS/G 6.6

Carter could see six-to-eight targets as Justin Herbert's No. 2 wide receiver in Week 9.

Stashes (WR Preview)

Chase Claypool WR

BUF Buffalo • #83
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs MIA MIA -5 O/U 45.5

OPP VS WR 25th

WR RNK NR

ROSTERED 72%

YTD Stats
REC 32	TAR 50	REYDS 311	TD 2	FPTS/G 10.1

I don't trust Claypool in his first week in Chicago, but there's a decent chance he's Justin Fields' No. 1 wide receiver in the Fantasy playoffs. If Fields continues his current trajectory, that could be a valuable role late in the season.

WR Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Chris Godwin WR

TB Tampa Bay • #14
Age: 28 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LAR TB -3 O/U 42.5

OPP VS WR 11th

PROJ PTS 13.9

WR RNK 15th

YTD Stats
REC 35	TAR 55	REYDS 368	TD 0	FPTS/G 12

Godwin's lack of touchdowns make him both a great buy low and a cheaper DFS play than he should be. He's averaging double-digit targets per game since he returned in Week 4, which should make him a borderline top-five wide receiver. I'm going to play him every week in DFS until that touchdown regression hits.

Contrarian DFS Play

Christian Kirk WR

JAC Jacksonville • #13
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs LV LV -1.5 O/U 47.5

OPP VS WR 9th

PROJ PTS 13.4

WR RNK 23rd

YTD Stats
REC 35	TAR 61	REYDS 498	TD 4	FPTS/G 13.5

Kirk's season had been really up and down, but this Raiders defense provides a great matchup and a get right spot. The fact that we get Kirk at lower price and roster rate because of recent struggles is a bonus.

WR Preview

Heath's Projections