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Fantasy Football Week 9: Flex Rankings, Waiver-Wire Targets and Projections

Fantasy Football
November 2, 2015

If your fantasy football team managed to escape Week 8 free of any injuries, get in your car right now. Drive to Las Vegas, and don’t make any stops along the way that don’t include bathroom breaks or buying lottery tickets.

In the wake of all Sunday’s carnage, we are all left searching for answers and replacements. That means we will be paying extra attention to the flex position and the waiver wire. If we have to patch up our Week 9 lineups with Band-Aids and duct tape, so be it! When the fantasy football gods hit, we must hit back.

We will also hit you with some projections and rankings, and we’ll shed light on potential injury replacements you may want to keep an eye on. But first, here is your full slate of NFL action in Week 9.

 

Flex Rankings and Projections

 

Boom: Allen Hurns, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Quick disclaimerany players who were typically drafted as surefire WR/RB/TE starters were omitted from these rankings.

The first one who sticks out to me on the list is Allen Hurns all the way toward the bottom. Is that a serious projection for a guy on a five-game touchdown streak? I understand his last two games have been subpar, but come on.

Hurns owners aren’t thinking twice about their flex player this weekhe is the man without question. Coming off a bye, he has a sneakily decent matchup with the Jets defense that might not be as mighty as once thought. Derek Carr just ripped them for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns, so Blake “The Garbage Man” Bortles should have no trouble putting up at least some numbers.

This perennial sleeper is also a true DFS darling that could lead you to an easy victory on FanDuel or DraftKings. Despite five consecutive weeks in the end zone, he still gets undervalued. The always-reliable DraftCrunch lineup optimizer agrees.

The only thing to worry about with Hurns is if Bortles will be somewhat accurate or if he will come out firing like a depressed Jags fan playing some postgame 2 a.m. darts at the local pub. Hurns is second in the NFL to teammate Allen Robinson in yards per catch at 16.6, and he will be facing a defense that’s getting torched right now and has surrendered 483 yards and six touchdowns in the last five quarters.

I’m all in. Beam me up, Allen.

 

Bust: Antonio Andrews, RB, Tennessee Titans

A few things factor into this prediction.

First, the Titans aren’t capable of sustaining drives. This is especially true with Zach Mettenberger calling the shots, but things should be slightly better when Marcus Mariota likely returns in Week 9. The Titans have 36 points over the past four games combined. What reason is there for optimism?

Secondly, the Titans haven’t had a 100-yard rusher under Ken Whisenhunt. Is Antonio Andrews a real threat to end that streak? It’s doubtful.

The Titans are also facing the New Orleans Saints in Week 9. Do you really trust Ken Whisenhunt to have his team in a position to be running the ball much against Drew Brees coming off a 511-yard, seven touchdown performance? No, you don’t.

Finally, David Cobb is expected to finally make his long-awaited debut for Tennessee this week, and he could immediately vault to the top of the depth chart.

This backfield is in shambles, largely because of Whisenhunt. He hasn’t put any of his four running backs in position to succeed. Bishop Sankey was the first running back taken in the 2014 draft, and Whiz has him returning kicks. Dexter McCluster was signed to a hefty deal to return kicks for Tennessee prior to last season, yet he has at times been the starting running back. It’s backwards and disgusting.

Avoid all Titans running backs unless Cobb grabs the job by the throat.

 

Boom: Brandon LaFell, WR, New England Patriots

LaFell made his inauspicious debut two games ago, and he promptly dropped more passes than teenagers drop iPhones.

Things were much different in Week 8, as the drops clearly didn’t deter Tom Brady from targeting his newly healthy wideout. LaFell caught four passes for 47 yards, and more importantly vaulted clear over Danny Amendola on the depth chartwhich was actually shocking given Amendola‘s recent hot stretch.

Nevertheless, LaFell is a legitimate playmaker when lined up on the outside in this offense, and his production will only increase. Don’t think twice about running him out there on the Buccaneers in Week 9. I’d bet he finds the end zone this time.

 

Bust: Danny Woodhead, RB, San Diego Chargers

Sunday was an interesting turn of events in the Chargers backfield. Coming off a two-touchdown performance, the butterfingered Melvin Gordon out-touched Woodhead 23-5. Even Darren Oliver got six touches.

Given how much San Diego has invested in Gordon, it’s troubling news for Woodhead owners that he had a game like this. Every pass Philip Rivers throws to Gordon puts a tiny chink in Woodhead‘s armor. Gordon led the Chargers in receptions with five in Week 8, even though he did next to nothing with them.

Without looking too much into one game, Woodhead is extremely boom-or-bust to begin with. The 2-6 Chargers giving their rookie 23 touches could be an early signal that they’re ready to prepare for the future.

If you’re in a PPR league, Woodhead is still worthy of consideration. In standard leagues? Not nearly as much.

 

Waiver-Wire Targets

David Cobb, RB, Tennessee Titans

Now in Week 9, it’s not too easy to find a diamond in the rough on the wire. All the Stefon Diggs, Charcandrick Wests and Gary Barnidges are mainstays in your opponents’ lineups by now.

The Titans’ revolving door in the backfield is nauseating to watchas we’ve already coveredand David Cobb might be the man to put an end to that. He is a shifty, bruising runner who might be able to force Ken Whisenhunt’s hand.

It’s definitely worth a shot if Cobb is still lurking on your waiver wire. There are only so many chances you’ll have coming down the stretch to scoop up a potential starting running back.

 

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Don’t forget how well Williams did during Le’Veon Bell’s early two-game absence. How does 204 yards and three touchdowns sound?

Now with Bell likely out for the rest of the season, Williams will look to pick up right where he left off.

Whoever used Williams for Weeks 1-2 in your league probably chucked him back in the ocean catch-and-release style once Bell returned from his suspension. Make his trash your treasure if at all possible.

Williams ripped off 110 yards on 13 touches after Bell went down against the Chiefs in Week 8, showing no signs of rust. Don’t have any qualms about running him out there the rest of the year.

 

Mike Davis, RB, San Francisco 49ers

A perfect storm of unfortunate events may be forming that results in Mike Davis as the Niners’ starting running back.

Reggie Bush reportedly tore his ACL after slipping on some inconveniently placed concrete in Week 8, while starter Carlos Hyde might be preparing to sit out another week and possibly more.

We know Mike Davis can run the ball effectively after a successful career in the SEC for South Carolina, and Colin Kaepernick is not capable of carrying an offense without the help of his running mates.

The caveat is that Davis actually exited the Week 8 game as well with a hand injury, leaving after rushing 10 times for a paltry four yards against the Rams’ ferocious defense.

The Niners might have no choice but to dial up 15-20 touches for Davis against the Falcons in Week 9, so if you are in need of a plug-and-play, look no further.

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Daily Fantasy Football Week 9: DraftKings Optimal Lineup Advice, Matchup Guide

Fantasy Football
November 2, 2015

Looking to get ahead in daily fantasy football for Week 9 of the NFL season? The key is starting early in the process, crunching the numbers and processing matchups to dominate tournaments on DraftKings.

Sifting through 24 rosters in 12 games is an arduous task, so we’ve done the leg work for you. As the midway point of the NFL season approaches, here’s a look at a matchup guide to build your optimal lineup.

 

Quarterback

It’s going to be hard to improve upon his seven-touchdown performance on Sunday, but Drew Brees has yet another decent matchup to explore. Going against the Tennessee Titans, Brees should certainly match the huge points total that Brian Hoyer put up in Week 8.

Brees has been up-and-down this season but clearly has his offense running on all cylinders again at the Superdome. With Ben Watson suddenly looking invigorated and Willie Snead becoming a reliable target, Brees should have no trouble against the Titans secondary at home.

For those who don’t want to pay the high price for Brees, Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning come at reasonable prices. Rivers has been on fire all season and plays a putrid Chicago Bears defense. Meanwhile, Manning will be facing the Indianapolis Colts, which rank 23rd on DraftKings against quarterbacks.

Coming in at $300 less than Brees, Rivers might be the more consistent target for the QB slot in Week 9. Given the fact that he hasn’t scored less than 30 points in his last three games on DraftKings, Rivers should be locked in for most lineups.

Still not coming down to your level in price? There’s this guy named Derek Carr whom you might want to start paying attention to this season.

Carr hasn’t been shaken this season when playing on the road, either. In fact, he’s had two games with over 23 DraftKings points away from Oakland. Coming off a torching of the New York Jets offense, look for Carr and Amari Cooper to light up the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

Running Back

Sticking with the hot hand is a great strategy in daily fantasy. In Todd Gurley, DFS owners have the hottest hand in the entire league right now.

But wait, the Minnesota Vikings have been stout against running backs this year, can Gurley get going?

That’s why sometimes matchups can be deceiving. While the Vikes rank 11th against running backs on DraftKings, a quick look at the teams they’ve faced gives us a clearer picture. According to Kyle Thele of the Chicago Sun-Times, through seven games, Minnesota has faced the Lions twice, the Chargers, the Chiefs during Charcandrick West’s first game as a bell-cow back, and the Bears when Matt Forte suffered an injury.

When they’ve faced good running backs, it’s been a different story. Carlos Hyde rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota. Ronnie Hillman passed the century mark with a touchdown. Expect the same from Gurley at the top of your lineup.

Looking to pair Gurley up with a ridiculously productive back at a low price? Chris Ivory hasn’t been strong recently but has a get-right game this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. At just $5,900, Ivory is an RB1 this week at an RB2 price.

Still not saving enough salary to build your team? Luckily, Hillman and Jeremy Langford come at great prices. Hillman is coming off his first multi-touchdown game of the year. Langford should have a heightened role if Forte misses time against the Chargers, who rank 32nd on DraftKings against running backs.

 

Wide Receiver

Hello, Odell Beckham Jr.! The Giants’ dynamic wide receiver took advantage of the Saints to the tune of eight receptions for 130 yards and three touchdowns. That’s absurd, but his encore against the NFC South set for this weekend might be equally as great.

Coming off a matchup against the No. 6-ranked Saints secondary against receivers, Beckham faces the 29th-ranked defense. A week after Julio Jones ravaged the Bucs to the tune of 12 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown, expect similar results from Beckham en route to a massive afternoon.

Demaryius Thomas hasn’t exactly enjoyed a stellar season for the Broncos, but his two straight games of over 110 yards shows he’s clicking in this offense. He also cracked the 10-yard line twice while narrowly missing out on a touchdown after landing near the goal line.

No. 88 will reach the end zone several more times this season, and at least one will come against the porous Colts secondary. Coming at a price point of over $1,000 less than Beckham and Jones, Thomas is a great option for owners who need extra salary.

Another solid option is Eric Decker, who has a touchdown in all but one game this season. The New York Jets quarterback situation looks dicey with Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick injured, via Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com. Why shouldn’t you worry? Because Decker played well with both under center.

A great flex play this week comes from Brandon LaFell, who showed life in his second game back from injury on Thursday. He might not have a double-digit-fantasy-point game this year, but LaFell should shine against a Redskins defense that ranks 22nd against receivers.

 

Follow R. Cory Smith on Twitter for more NFL DraftKings advice.

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Ravens extremely thin at WR without Smith

Fantasy Football, NFL News
November 2, 2015
InjurySeason-ending Achilles injury cripples Baltimore receiving corps

The loss of veteran receiver Steve Smith to a season-ending Achilles tear is a tough one for the Ravens, because of what he meant to them emotionally. But pragmatically, it was even tougher, as he was their last effective receiver left. (ProFootballTalk)

Nerdy Football Analysis: Kamar Aiken, Chris Givens and Jeremy Ross are the top three receivers in Baltimore right now. Rookie Breshad Perriman is battling a knee injury and isn’t close to returning. Don’t be surprised if the Ravens add a free agent receiver this week.

AFC Notes: Patriots, Grigson, Thomas

NFL News
November 1, 2015

The Patriots have been very active in midseason trades in recent years, but playing on Thursday didn’t give them a big advantage in terms of trade talks ahead of the Tuesday deadline this year, writes Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com. “Teams are involved with games here, yesterday, today, so even though we had a little time, I’€™d say teams have their rosters set for this game and probably wouldn’€™t want to do something, maybe a disruptive move at the end of the week,” Belichick said. “I don’€™t really think there’€™s not too much talk going on in the league. We’€™ll see what happens next week.”

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • News that Andrew Luck has been playing through broken ribs for much of this season has forced Colts general manager Ryan Grigson to defend his injury reports, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Colts have been accused of not accurately communicating player injuries with the league in wake of the Luck news. “Our injury reports are accurate,” Grigson said. “If people have any questions about player injuries, they should refer to our injury reports.”
  • Browns All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas may be on the trading block, but that doesn’t mean he is looking to get out of Cleveland. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that Thomas does not want to be traded. “I’m not a quitter,” said Thomas. “I’m not a guy that gives up on my goals and my goal from day one was to be part of the turnaround here and that hasn’t changed.”

Le’Veon Bell Tears MCL, Likely Out For Season

NFL News
November 1, 2015

The Steelers were able to get Ben Roethlisberger back in the lineup in time for today’s game against the Bengals, but star running back Le’Veon Bell was carted off with a knee injury. The team was optimistic that it is only an MCL injury with no damage to the ACL based on the initial exam.

However, the MRI showed that Bell had a significant MCL injury, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). According to Schefter, the team will continue to evaluate the injury, but he is expected to be placed on season-ending injured reserve.

With Bell out, DeAngelo Williams should take back the starting role that began the season in. He carried the ball 41 times in the first two games with Bell serving a suspension, but had only 13 attempts in the subsequent five games in a backup role, before filling in today after the injury. He had 71 yards on nine carries, including a 55-yard rush for his season long.

Dri Archer and Jordan Todman are the other runners on the active roster. Fitzgerald Toussaint is on the practice squad, but the team will likely bring a number of backs in to work out this week.

Former Rams halfback Isaiah Pead will be the first to work out for the Steelers, visiting the Steelers tomorrow, writes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport believes the team could sign him and get him acclimated to the team quickly.