The Outlook - Week 9 (CLE-NO, NYG-PHI, LAR-WAS, DEN-CAR, HOU-LAC)
· Yahoo Sports
Visit moryak.biz for more information.
.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
Hey, folks! We’re back with our second block of games for the Week 9 NFL slate, and we’re staying with the early games here. We have the remaining games that we didn’t cover in the first block, plus a late game featuring HOU-LAC due to the uneven schedule!
We’ve compiled the groupings of games here to make it easier to find the games you want:
- Block 1: JAC-BAL, CIN-ATL, DAL-IND, NYJ-KC, DET-MIA
- Block 2: CLE-NO, NYG-PHI, LAR-WAS, DEN-CAR, HOU-LAC
- Block 3: LV-SF, GB-NE, ARI-SEA, TB-CHI, BUF-MIN
“The Outlook” will give you the details, stats, analysis, recommendations and everything else you need to make informed fantasy football decisions. Every fantasy-relevant player on each team will be profiled in this article. We want everyone reading this to bring home championships in their fantasy leagues!
I’m incredibly excited to bring this article to all of you this season, and I hope you enjoy the ride. If you have any questions, feel free to find me on Bluesky (@ktompkinsii.bsky.social) or tag me in a post with any lineup questions. I’ll do my best to answer them for you.
Let’s get into it!
All game and implied point totals listed were compiled via DraftKings Sportsbook on Wednesday for CLE-NO, NYG-PHI, LAR-WAS, DEN-CAR and HOU-LAC.
Teams on bye in Week 8: Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints- Favorite: Saints –3
- Game Total: 42.5
- Implied Point Total: Saints 22.75, Browns 19.75
Browns Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
Browns QBs
With Deshaun Watson in concussion protocol and potentially missing this week’s game against the Saints in New Orleans, Shedeur Sanders would be in line to start if Watson cannot clear protocol in time. Honestly, it’s probably a slight negative for the offense’s efficiency, but last season, we saw a noticeable uptick in tight end targets with Sanders at quarterback. Either way, regardless of who starts for the Browns, neither quarterback is a safe start outside of superflex or two-quarterback leagues.
Fantasy Advice: Count me out on either Watson or Sanders in single-quarterback leagues. As a low-end QB2 in superflex, either one would be a decent start against a Saints defense that will give up some production, particularly to tight ends.
RB Quinshon Judkins
The Browns threw 41 times and managed just 12 running back carries as they fell behind 20-6 at halftime and then 27-6 in the third quarter. That ended up being the final score in Pittsburgh against the Steelers in Week 8. Judkins led the Browns in carries (11) but could manage only 25 yards on the ground, with another 24 through the air. It was actually Dylan Sampson who led the Browns running backs in routes and snaps, but that was a product of game script more than anything. With the Saints on tap in Week 9 and allowing a whopping 4.9 yards per carry and the most fantasy points to opposing backfields, Judkins can really settle in for some excellent production in this game if the Browns can hang with the Saints.
Fantasy Advice: If I’m a Judkins manager, I’m hoping the Browns can generate some offense and stay in the game against the worst defense against fantasy running backs so far this season. I have Judkins as a high-end RB2 here for Week 9.
Browns WRs
In a negative game script that lasted from around halftime through the end of the game, some of the Browns’ pass-catchers had a chance to stretch their legs. Some, not all. Denzel Boston falls into the “some” bucket, as he earned 11 targets but couldn’t do too much with a 6-37-0 line. That’s the rub with these Browns wide receivers: You can get volume, but efficient volume is another story and remains a consistent work in progress. We know Boston is typically a deeper-aDOT receiver, so he’s bound to connect on those deeper opportunities on a coin-flip basis. That’s why he’s still worthy of a fantasy start.
In the “not all” bucket is KC Concepcion, who caught all three of his targets for 37 yards despite the team attempting 41 passes. That’s just an 8.1% target share, folks. When we talk about volatility, this is a perfect example of a bad team with young receivers who are still very difficult to rely on for fantasy production each week. Both Boston and Concepcion are startable, but it’s definitely caveat emptor with all Browns players, especially these rookie receivers.
Fantasy Advice: With the possibility that Sanders could start instead of Watson, the calculus for the Browns’ receivers doesn’t change too much. Still, they’re both nothing more than flex plays against the Saints, with a volatile range of outcomes.
TE Harold Fannin Jr.
It may have taken seven weeks, but Watson finally remembered that he has a tight end at his disposal who broke records in college and was awesome as a rookie. That’s Fannin, who has put up 16 receptions and 245 yards on 19 targets over the last two weeks. The Saints have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. If Sanders ends up starting, he was the quarterback who helped Fannin produce so favorably in the first place last season. It’s a great matchup, and for you Fannin enjoyers out there (also very much me), things couldn’t set up much better, despite the uncertainty surrounding which quarterback will start.
Fantasy Advice: Fannin is a great start this week as a mid-range TE1, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that some of the volatility surrounding the Browns’ offense also applies to Fannin.
Saints Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Chris Olave
QB Tyler Shough
After finishing as a top-eight fantasy quarterback in each of the first three weeks of the season, Shough has been very inconsistent over his next four games. His only game with more than 16 fantasy points during that stretch was his Week 6 matchup against the Giants, when he accounted for three passing touchdowns and a rushing score while leading the Saints to a comeback victory after scoring 34 unanswered points on the road. The Saints had their bye in Week 8, so hopefully they’ll get their passing game back on track here against the Browns at home. Unfortunately, the Browns are a severe run funnel and play the pass well, so Shough has a tough matchup ahead of him.
Fantasy Advice: Shough is perfectly fine in multi-quarterback leagues as a QB2, but I’d certainly have some reservations about starting him against the Browns in single-quarterback leagues.
Saints RBs
This backfield is as murky as it gets. If it’s just Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara, the backfield becomes much easier to parse, with Miller handling most of the low-value touches and Kamara getting the receiving work. I’d rather have Kamara because receiving work is worth more than carries. However, in a good matchup like this against the Browns, both backs could have some utility. We’ll see if CJ Donaldson (shoulder) will be able to play, but Travis Etienne (hamstring) is expected to return to practice soon, and the team also signed Audric Estime. Between now and Sunday, it remains to be seen which combination of backs the Saints will deploy against Cleveland.
Fantasy Advice: Even with a great matchup, both Miller and Kamara are still just flex plays without much upside.
WR Devaughn Vele
All season, Vele has been a solid, no-nonsense flex play, as he’s run routes on 92% of dropbacks. That said, the Saints opened the practice window for Jordyn Tyson, so Vele’s fantasy relevance could be coming to an end once Tyson gets up to speed. However, let’s not cry over what we had; smile because it happened! Tyson may not be ready to go immediately, so Vele should be very playable this week as a low-end flex. Managers should be ready to pivot away from Vele if his production slows to a crawl or his routes decrease, however. More than likely, though, it’s going to be Bryce Lance who feels the squeeze in routes, not Vele.
Fantasy Advice: It’s a tougher matchup against the Browns, who have been very good against the pass this season, but Vele’s routes and role in the offense make him a solid low-end flex option in Week 9.
TE Juwan Johnson
Johnson has been a ROUGH fantasy start over the past few weeks, with just seven targets, five receptions and 23 yards in his last three games before the Week 8 bye. Even though the Browns present a solid matchup for Johnson, he has lost routes to other members of the tight end room. Players like Noah Fant, Oscar Delp and even wide receiver Barion Brown have all chipped away at Johnson’s targets and snaps. Sometimes, that’s enough to seriously cripple a player’s upside. It’s gotten to the point where Johnson has gone from a top-eight fantasy tight end to somebody you honestly could drop. What happens when we add Tyson to the mix once he’s off IR? That could be too much target competition for Johnson to overcome.
Fantasy Advice: Right now, it’s hard to plug Johnson into your fantasy lineups, but if you have no choice, you’re hoping he catches a touchdown. Otherwise, he’s droppable, especially if he doesn’t produce this week.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles- Favorite: Giants –3.5
- Game Total: 38.5
- Implied Point Total: Giants 21.5, Eagles 17
Giants Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Malik Nabers, TE Isaiah Likely
QB J.J. McCarthy
I truly and honestly think that the Giants could beat the McCarthy allegations and get away with it again in Week 9. Winning in Houston before the bye was an honestly wild outcome, and now they’re fresh off their Week 8 bye and playing in Philadelphia against the Eagles. These Eagles are truly the NFL’s “Ship of Theseus” experiment, with most of the players you know and love injured. The Eagles are still a moderately successful pass defense, but the individual matchups with Nabers and Likely favor the Giants here. That means it’s up to McCarthy and whether you think he can take care of the ball. I will say, this play is NOT for the faint of heart. Honestly, it’s more defensible in DFS than in season-long fantasy. Sometimes, however, you’re so up against it at quarterback that you have to play anybody with a modicum of upside. That’s McCarthy, baby.
Fantasy Advice: If you’re a gambler, McCarthy at quarterback is about as volatile a play as it gets. He could hit big or score negative points, but I’m including him here because people ARE considering him as a deep sleeper this week.
Giants RBs
Cam Skattebo said he felt something in his hamstring toward the end of the Giants’ Week 7 game against the Texans, and apparently, it’s still an issue heading into the middle of the lead-up to Week 9’s game against the Eagles. If Skattebo cannot play in Week 9, the likely lead back would be Devin Singletary, following Tyrone Tracy’s move to IR last week. The Eagles’ run defense hasn’t scared anybody this season, so Singletary could be set up for a solid workload if he has the backfield to himself.
Fantasy Advice: Assuming he shakes off his hamstring injury, Skattebo is a low-end RB2, especially if we work under the premise that he’ll be managed a bit more with Singletary behind him. Singletary probably carries the same low-end RB2 designation if he gets all the work as the starter and Skattebo is inactive.
Eagles Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
Eagles RBs
Sources say that on Washington’s field, you can STILL see Saquon Barkley stretching. All kidding aside, this Eagles team is a literal shell of itself. Barkley missed practice with back and hamstring injuries, and with the team’s bye in Week 10, it does seem a little far-fetched that the Eagles would trot him out against the Giants. We’ll get word when the final injury report comes out, but that would set Elijah Mitchell up as the starting running back, with Jaydon Blue as the backup. It’s gross all around, but the Giants are middle of the road against the run. They are also on their FOURTH quarterback of the season, Joe Milton, who was named the Week 9 starter earlier in the week. That can’t inspire much confidence in any of these Eagles players.
Fantasy Advice: If Barkley starts, he’s a flex option at best. The same goes for Mitchell if Barkley is ruled out. We’re really grasping at straws here with this entire Eagles offense.
Los Angeles Rams at Washington Commanders- Favorite: Rams –5.5
- Game Total: 47.5
- Implied Point Total: Rams 26.5, Commanders 21
Rams Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: QB Matthew Stafford, RB Kyren Williams, WR Puka Nacua
RB Blake Corum
Even with Williams taking two-minute snaps and the majority of neutral game-script touches, Corum has been awesome over the past quartet of games, scoring touchdowns in each of his last four contests. Corum has finished between RB13 and RB18 in each of those games, providing consistent RB2 value to fantasy managers and giving Zero RB sickos (me) the production that’s sorely needed during bye weeks. Tied to one of the best offenses despite being without Davante Adams, the Rams keep chugging along behind Williams and Corum. That shouldn’t change much despite a tougher road matchup against the Commanders.
Fantasy Advice: You have to ride the wave, right? Corum is a solid RB2 against the Commanders, where he’ll look to make it five straight games with a touchdown.
Commanders Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: QB Jayden Daniels
RB Rachaad White
Jeremy McNichols just hit IR, so the Commanders’ running back room is now down to White and Austin Ekeler. Exactly how people envisioned it … and we’re not even to Week 10 yet!
White saw 14 touches to Ekeler’s eight in their game against the Eagles on Monday Night Football, and we’re likely to see that same touch disparity against the Rams in Week 9. With an 11-55 line, a touchdown and two receptions for five yards, White was moderately useful in the flex, but that’s about all he offers in terms of value here against a Rams team that gives up the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing backfields.
Fantasy Advice: Slotting White into the flex is about as high as I can go for a limited running back on a team with a middling offensive line and Jayden Daniels limiting the receiving upside of both White and Ekeler.
Commanders WRs
Antonio Williams actually led the Commanders in routes and targets in Week 8 against the Eagles, posting a 5-54-0 line on six targets. With no Terry McLaurin for the rest of the season, it’s going to be Williams and Treylon Burks on the outside, with Stefon Diggs working the slot while moving outside in two-receiver sets.
It’s about as clean a setup as it gets, and Williams has a chance to establish some fantasy value here in the second half of the season with a healthy Daniels. It’s certainly not the most talented offense, but Williams can make the best of it. Diggs is as reliable a target earner as you’ll find from a 33-year-old receiver, and Burks is the deep threat downfield, as he led the Commanders in receiving yards with 81. The targets are condensed among these three players and Chig Okonkwo, so thankfully, we don’t have to deal with many secondary or ancillary targets.
Fantasy Advice: Both Diggs and Williams are viable flex options against the Rams, who have been decent against fantasy wide receivers but haven’t shut them down completely.
Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers- Favorite: Broncos –2.5
- Game Total: 44.5
- Implied Point Total: Broncos 23.5, Panthers 21
Broncos Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
RB Jonah Coleman
A lot has changed with this Denver backfield over the past few weeks, with RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie both landing on IR and Coleman returning to a barren backfield alongside incumbent J.K. Dobbins. However, Coleman immediately dusted Dobbins and took on a ton of work in the Broncos’ big win over the Chiefs at home. Coleman (14) doubled up Dobbins’ touches (seven) and put together 95 total yards and a rushing score.
Basically, Coleman took Harvey’s receiving role and then some of Dobbins’ low-value touch role, making this a non-committee backfield for now. Dobbins feels more like a backup than somebody who was working in tandem with Coleman for much of the season. I’m comfortable with this immediate pivot to Coleman seizing control of the backfield. That means downgrading Dobbins to a handcuff role and giving Coleman mid-range RB2 treatment as long as this situation holds. Of course, head coach Sean Payton has NEVER changed his mind, right? Right?
Fantasy Advice: In light of these recent developments with Coleman, a mid-range RB2 ranking is a nice spot for him, especially with the Panthers on the schedule next in Week 9. Carolina has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing backfields, so Coleman feels even better now. Dobbins is a borderline drop in 12-team leagues right now, especially because if something happens to Coleman, Dobbins won’t inherit a receiving role to boost his floor.
WR Jaylen Waddle
Dealing with a chest injury that landed him on the injury report and left him listed as questionable heading into Week 8, Waddle played just 56% of the routes and 48% of the snaps but still put up a 3-39 stat line on a team-leading four targets, including a touchdown catch in the second quarter. “Team-leading” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, but Bo Nix threw the ball 32 times, so there was plenty of spreading the ball around to different receivers, as the Broncos love to do. That decreases the potential of all these guys as fantasy options and really hampers Waddle in particular. Unfortunately, he’s been at the mercy of this unconcentrated passing game, but the old Waddle can still pop up from time to time. Still, the Payton/Nix “cone of influence” rules all in Denver and drags down the fantasy values of receivers with reckless abandon.
Fantasy Advice: The Panthers really haven’t stopped many passing games from doing what they want this season, but pairing that matchup with the Broncos’ offense lands us with Waddle as a high-end flex option. You have to be mindful of his chest injury, but he did practice in full on Wednesday and Thursday.
Panthers Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: RB Chuba Hubbard
QB Bryce Young
The Panthers have been stymied over the last two weeks by the Buccaneers’ leather-helmet run game in Week 7 and the Packers in Week 8. They had a long layover and quite a bit of time to prepare for hosting the Broncos in Week 9, but it isn’t going to be easy. Bryce Young has combined for 18.8 fantasy points in his last two games, and you can imagine that his fantasy finishes weren’t exactly great in those contests. His two lowest yards-per-attempt performances of the season have also come in his last two games. It’s safe to say the Panthers’ passing game is in a funk right now, and if there were a game I’d pick for Young and the Panthers to break out of it, this wouldn’t be the one.
Fantasy Advice: The Broncos have locked down opposing receivers and offenses in general, allowing only one team (Kansas City in Week 1) to score 30 or more points.
WR Tetairoa McMillan
McMillan’s targets and opportunities haven’t been squashed by the lack of offensive production, as he has seen 16 targets over the last two games. The efficiency, however, has been an issue, as McMillan caught just 10 of those targets for 98 yards. Even with the Broncos being a brutal matchup for wide receivers, you have to trust the talent here with McMillan, who is about as rock-solid as it gets.
Fantasy Advice: I would just be prepared for a slight downgrade in the production you expect from McMillan, as he’s more of a high-end WR3 than a high-end WR2 this week at home against Denver.
WR Jalen Coker
While the opportunity has been there for McMillan, it hasn’t been as fruitful for Coker, who has drawn just nine targets over his last two games for 45 yards and a touchdown. What we thought was a full-on breakout has turned into a boom-or-bust situation, but we know Coker is at least capable of delivering spike-week performances, as he showed in Week 1. Even with the game he missed in Week 4, Coker is on pace for 113 targets and over 1,000 receiving yards. Let’s just hope Young and offensive coordinator and playcaller Brad Idzik get the Panthers’ passing game back on track and restore it to where it was at the beginning of the season.
Fantasy Advice: Coker is in WR3 territory against the Broncos, but with Pat Surtain II lurking and likely spending plenty of time against McMillan, Coker could have some increased opportunity this week.
Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers- Favorite: Texans –4.5
- Game Total: 40.5
- Implied Point Total: Texans 22.5, Chargers 18
Texans Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Nico Collins
QB C.J. Stroud
At least through the first seven games of this season, Stroud has been much better than he was earlier in his career. Heading into the Texans’ Week 8 bye, he had finished his last four games with four straight QB14-or-better performances and multiple touchdown passes in three of those four games. Stroud has spread the ball around to a bunch of different receivers but is still getting the job done for the most part for any fantasy managers starting him. The Chargers have done well to bottle up quarterbacks, but Los Angeles has been so bad as a whole that it hasn’t mattered much. That shouldn’t change significantly against a Texans team fresh off its bye.
Fantasy Advice: Stroud is a solid streaming quarterback who should be able to add another multi-touchdown game to his resume in Week 9 against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Texans RBs
With David Montgomery (groin) already ruled out for Week 9, that means it’s Woody Marks carrying the torch again for this Texans running game. The volume has been there, with at least 15 carries in each of his last three games, including the last two without Montgomery. Marks has been fine, but no better than RB22 in any of those three weeks. You’re hoping for a touchdown on top of a handful of receptions and some rushing production. The ceiling for Marks is almost nonexistent, unfortunately, but there’s nobody else behind him with Jawhar Jordan on IR. The Texans did just elevate Emari Demercado, so perhaps he gets some work over Dare Ogunbowale.
Fantasy Advice: Marks is a pure volume play, a compiler in every sense of the word. The Chargers haven’t been great, allowing the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing backfields, but Marks hasn’t shown that he’s capable of taking advantage of matchups like that. Consider him a flex play in Week 9.
Chargers Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
WR Ladd McConkey
The Chargers are an absolute tire fire. At 0-7, there’s little redemption left for them this season. Even worse, the Chargers are bereft of any true fantasy options, having ruined Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton through seven games. But perhaps McConkey can be the one shining beacon of fantasy value this season?
Until last week, McConkey hadn’t played a full game since Week 3, after leaving the Week 4 game against the Seahawks with a foot injury and doing the same in Week 6 with a concussion. It’s been a long road for our boy, but McConkey played 95% of routes per dropback and co-led all Chargers pass-catchers in targets with Oronde Gadsden II, earning five targets and catching four balls for 86 yards. It’s great to see McConkey healthy and producing solid numbers in his first full game in over a month. At least we have a startable Charger we can slot into lineups, right?
Fantasy Advice: While the Chargers’ offense doesn’t feel particularly secure in terms of production, McConkey is talented enough to lead the way each week. I have him as a solid WR3 for the Chargers’ Week 9 home matchup against the Texans.
This article originally appeared on The Huddle: The Outlook - Week 9 (CLE-NO, NYG-PHI, LAR-WAS, DEN-CAR, HOU-LAC)