DEZELSKE: Fantasy Football 2014-15: Week 9

Written by Brian Dezelske

Week 9 kicks off a crazy three-week stretch where 16 teams will have byes over that span. This will be the most critical time of the fantasy season, especially with the fantasy playoffs right on the other side of this stretch. With elite players having to sit, fantasy owners will have to dig deep to find formidable replacement options.

As always, this is based off a 12-team standard scoring league.

Starts

 

Alex Smith vs. NY Jets

If owners are searching for a quarterback with a soft matchup to get them through a bye week, they can stop looking right now. Alex Smith has the best matchup of any quarterback in Week 9. The Jets defense has given up a league leading 22 touchdowns, with only one interception. They’ve also allowed at least three touchdowns in four straight games. Look for Smith to keep that streak alive.

Colin Kaepernick vs. St. Louis Rams

It’s been a pretty up-and-down year Colin Kaepernick, but coming off a bye the young gun will look to repeat the 343-yard three-touchdown performance he posted against the Rams back in Week 6—and that was on the road. It should also be noted that St. Louis has given up three rushing scores to signal-callers—most in the league.

 

Ronnie Hillman @ New England Patriots

Since Ronnie Hillman was thrust into the starting role, he’s made people completely forget about… ummm… what’s that dude’s name again? Anyway, Hillman’s now posted either 100 yards rushing or a touchdown in three-straight games. And what stands out the most about this is that he’s carried the ball (ball? THAT’S IT! Montee Ball, that’s the dude’s name) at least 20 times in two of those games. With the amount of touches Hillman is receiving, he’s bound to have success against a Patriots defense that coughs up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing runners.

 

Frank Gore vs. St. Louis Rams

I know starting Frank Gore doesn’t sound like fun times, and his performance against the Rams back in Week 6 was anything but fun to watch, but that was on the road, and he has scored four touchdowns in his last five games against St. Louis. That garners him flex appeal this week, especially when Eddie Lacy, Matt Forte and Joique Bell are on fantasy owner’s benches.

 

Brandon LaFell vs. Denver Broncos

I think it’s safe to say Brandon LaFell has surpassed Julian Edelman in the wide receiver pecking order, and that means he needs to be owned in every league. Tom Brady has been on fire the past month, and LaFell has been a huge part of that. Their matchup this week against the Broncos could lead to even more success for LaFell. Denver has given up over 400 yards and three scores to receivers the past two weeks.

 

Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Indianapolis Colts

Although he has yet to crack 50 yards receiving as a rookie, he does have three touchdowns in three games since he made his season debut after nursing a hamstring. And while Eli Manning isn’t going to throw for six touchdowns on the Colts like Big Ben did last week, there will still be opportunity to for Beckham to succeed. Of the nine touchdown passes the Colts have allowed to receivers this year, eight of them have been on the road.

 

 

Sits

 

Ben Roethlisberger vs. Baltimore Ravens

Owners who are starting Big Ben based off his six-touchdown, 522-yard performance last week may want to rethink their strategy here. Back in Week 2 the Steelers played the Ravens. The Steelers lost that game 26-6, and shut Roethlisberger down. He finished that game with only 217 yards, no touchdowns and six fantasy points. Not sayin’. Just sayin’.

 

Chris Ivory @ Kansas City Chiefs

Chris Ivory has three scores in the last two games, making him an interesting option this week. But I’d steer clear of him based on the matchup. Kansas City has not allowed a touchdown to any running back this year. And Ivory has only eclipsed 45 yards rushing three times this season, making him a low-end flex option at best.

 

Allen Robinson @ Cincinnati Bengals

With a plethora of stud receivers enjoying their bye this week, many owners will consider turning to Allen Robinson on Sunday. On the surface it looks like a savvy play because Robinson has scored in two straight games. However, he faces a Bengals defense that has only given up three scores to opposing wideouts this season, and only one of those coming in the last five games.

 

Michael Floyd @ Dallas Cowboys

Michael Floyd’s 2014 season has been a bit of a disappointment, capped off by last week’s zero-catch performance against a weak Philadelphia Eagles secondary. Owners who played him last week and got bit, may want to sit him this week to avoid another blunder. Floyd has three games where he’s posted no more than one reception, and now faces the Cowboys who give up the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers.

 

Eric Decker @ Kansas City Chiefs

It’s amazing what a change in uniform does to a player’s fantasy value. Last year Decker was damn near an every-week start. This year he’s a flex option, or a bye-week filler at best in standard leagues. The Jets quarterback situation is too rocky to be able to count on Decker at all. This week is no exception. Kansas City gives up the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers, and you just don’t know what you’re going to get from Michael Vick on Sunday.

 

 

Notes

Wide Receivers

Seven of the Top 25 fantasy receivers have a bye this week, and that doesn’t include Calvin Johnson.

 

T.Y. Hilton

Hilton has posted 485 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games.

 

Arian Foster

Foster has put up 601 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns in the last four games.