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| Tuesday, November 2, 2021 |
| There's going to be a ton of injury news to keep up with this week, with the likes of Jameis Winston (knee), James Robinson (ankle), Sam Darnold (concussion), and Davante Adams (COVID-19) all at least looking to be in doubt for Week 9, but nothing will be as impactful as what we learned Monday morning: That Derrick Henry will miss at least six weeks, and potentially the rest of the season, after suffering a foot injury in Week 8 that will require surgery. |
| I wrote about Henry's injury and the Titans decision to sign Adrian Peterson Monday, and what that means for Fantasy. And ... I'm not exactly beating down the door or blowing up my FAB budget to make sure I can add Peterson this week: |
| But it's hard to see him being a must-start option at this point. Peterson has never been a great pass-catching option, and he had just 12 catches in 16 games for the Lions last season, and that was a team that threw to their running backs quite a bit. The Titans don't do that nearly as much, and even with Henry seeing an expanded role as a pass catcher this season, he was still barely on pace for 40 catches in 17 games. I would take the under on that pace for Peterson even if he does end up the lead back. |
| Which is all to say, Peterson's best-case scenario is he falls into that Elijah Mitchell/Damien Harris/Antonio Gibson/Nick Chubb archetype of players who rely heavily on volume and touchdowns to be Fantasy starters. And he would almost certainly fall toward the lower end of that hierarchy. Maybe you could be looking at between 60 and 70 all-purpose yards per game, with a touchdown being the difference between a low-end RB3 performance and a low-end No. 2 performance most weeks. |
| That's going to be one of the key situations to follow for Week 9, especially with waivers set to run tonight. For more on what will be another busy week for Fantasy, make sure you tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET, and for help locking in your waiver-wire claims join Jamey, Adam Aizer, and me on the FFT YouTube stream tonight at 8 p.m. , where we'll be taking your questions live for an hour. If you've got any questions before then, as always, you can email me at [email protected] with the subject line "#AskFFT" to be included this week -- including in tomorrow's trade mailbag. |
| And here's what we've got on tap in today's newsletter: |
| ➕Top Week 9 Waiver Wire Targets📈Week 9 Rankings📉 |
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| ➕Top Week 9 Waiver Wire Targets |
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| Hopefully, this week's waiver options will be able to make an impact, and there are a few who certainly have the opportunity. You can find Jamey's entire breakdown here. We're gonna need the help: |
| Jamey Eisenberg's top targets |
| Boston Scott (39% rostered) -- Kenneth Gainwell was the top waiver-wire priority last week, and all I can say about that is ... pobody's nerfect? It might have just been a game script situation, as the Eagles had the most run-heavy play split of any team in the league this season in their 44-6 win over the Lions and Gainwell may just be the primary passing down's back. But Scott is a solid pass catcher and they clearly trust him more as a runner. The presence of Jordan Howard complicates things, but I'd bet on Scott being the best back here for Fantasy. Taysom Hill (4%) -- I might prefer Justin Fields if I just need a starter this week, and I'm not sure Tua Tagovailoa should be far behind Hill even if you're looking longer term, but Hill should probably be the priority of you're chasing upside. We just don't know if he'll play this week. Adrian Peterson (0%) -- As I said before, there's a pretty good chance Peterson is useful for Fantasy but a pretty slim chance he's a must-start guy. You've gotta figure out what that's worth to you. My ideal approach might be to add Peterson and then immediately trade him away to some RB-needy team. DeVante Parker (51%) -- Parker has played three games with Tua Tagovailoa as the starter this season and he has 77 yards in each of them. The Dolphins have been pretty pass-heavy and Tagovailoa has looked much better of late. Add in a matchup against the Texans and Parker is a solid starter this week, at least. Pat Freiermuth (18%) -- With Juju Smith-Schuster out for the season, there's room for another pass-catcher to step up for the Steelers, and Freiermuth has 14 targets over his past two games. I'm not ready to crown him as a must-start TE, but there's clearly upside here with the second-round rookie. |
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| 📈Week 9 Rankings📉 |
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| Here's where things stand for me in my first run through of the Week 9 rankings for PPR leagues. You can find Jamey, Dave, and Heath's rankings right here: |
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| Quarterbacks |
| With Jameis Winston out for the year with a torn ACL, we're hoping Taysom Hill will be able to start for the Saints, because he's got plenty of upside as a Fantasy quarterback. We've seen glimpses of that over the years with his rushing prowess, especially near the end zone, and we got an extended glimpse in 2020, when he averaged 23 Fantasy points per game in four starts. He's got easy top-12 potential for Week 9's great matchup against the Falcons, and beyond. |
| The problem is, we're not actually sure if he's going to start. Hill hasn't played since Week 5 against Washington when he suffered a concussion on a pass route, and it's not even clear if he has practiced since. Hill had 465 passing yards, two touchdowns and 131 rushing yards with two more touchdowns in two starts against the Falcons last season, but if he isn't able to play, the Saints will turn to Trevor Siemian to start. Siemian might be a fine backup, but he's a lot less interesting for Fantasy -- and he would probably be pretty bad news for the Saints offense as a whole. So, let's hope Hill is able to get back to 100% this week. |
| Josh Allen @JAXLamar Jackson vs. MINPatrick Mahomes vs. GBDak Prescott vs. DENKyler Murray @SFMatthew Stafford vs. TENJalen Hurts vs. LAC Justin Herbert @PHIAaron Rodgers @KCTua Tagovailoa vs. HOURyan Tannehill @LARDerek Carr @NYG Taysom Hill vs. ATLDaniel Jones vs. LVCarson Wentz vs. NYJ Joe Burrow vs. CLEKirk Cousins @BALTeddy Bridgewater @DALJustin Fields @PITBen Roethlisberger vs. CHITrevor Lawrence vs. BUFMac Jones @CARBaker Mayfield @CINJimmy Garoppolo vs. ARI |
| Running backs |
| With another superstar running back going down with an injury, you might think the position is especially thin for Week 9, but that actually isn't really true at the top, at least. Of the top 12 in preseason ADP, eight are going to be available for sure and should be considered must-start Fantasy options, and two more -- Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey -- could be back from their injuries. At least among the top options, things are OK. |
| Of course, if you've been paying attention you know that the top of the position is hardly the only thing that matters, and it gets a lot dicier once you get outside of the top 12. Cordarrelle Patterson is my No. 11 RB for this week, and he's got a tough matchup against the Saints coming off a pretty ugly game for the Falcons offense without Calvin Ridley. He's no sure thing, and neither is Michael Carter, my No. 12 RB in PPR leagues. His passing game role has been super valuable with Mike White at QB throwing 40% of his passes to running backs, but he also hasn't done much as a runner and really only has two good Fantasy games for the season. You should start him, but you shouldn't necessarily feel great about it. |
| And things only get sketchier from there, with a menagerie of backups and small-sample-size heroes making up much of the RB2 tier. |
| Najee Harris vs. CHIAustin Ekeler @PHIEzekiel Elliott vs. DENAlvin Kamara vs. ATLAaron Jones @KCDalvin Cook @BALDarrell Henderson vs. TEN Jonathan Taylor vs. NYJJoe Mixon vs. CLENick Chubb @CINCordarrelle Patterson @NOMichael Carter @INDJosh Jacobs @NYGDevontae Booker vs. LVChase Edmonds @SF Elijah Mitchell vs. ARIMyles Gaskin vs. HOUKhalil Herbert @PITDamien Harris @CARChuba Hubbard vs. NEDarrel Williams vs. GBMike Davis @NOBoston Scott vs. LACZack Moss @JAX Melvin Gordon @DALCarlos Hyde vs. BUFJavonte Williams @DALAdrian Peterson @LARAJ Dillon @KCJames Conner @SFTy Johnson @INDTony Pollard vs. DEN David Johnson @MIADevonta Freeman vs. MINDevin Singletary @JAXKenyan Drake @NYGBrandon Bolden @CARNyheim Hines vs. NYJD'Ernest Johnson @CINKenneth Gainwell vs. LACAlexander Mattison @BAL Salvon Ahmed vs. HOUDamien Williams @PITJeremy McNichols @LARSony Michel vs. TENRhamondre Stevenson @CARMark Ingram vs. ATLDerrick Gore vs. GB |
| Wide receivers |
| Week 7 was the worst bye week for Fantasy this season, but Week 9 is coming close at wide receiver, with Terry McLaurin, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, D.K. Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett all out this week. And with Calvin Ridley (personal reasons) away from the team and Davante Adams, Julio Jones, and T.Y. Hilton in question as the week opens, and the deepest position in Fantasy is looking a bit shallow. |
| Even assuming Adams will get the two negative COVID-19 tests he needs to be cleared, you might find yourself struggling to fill out your WR spots this week, but the good news is there are some guys on waivers I'm actually OK grabbing and sticking into my lineup, starting with DeVante Parker. Parker has at least 77 yards in three of five games -- including all three with Tua Tagovailoa -- and he's got a great matchup against the Texans to take advantage of this week. He's a top-24 WR for me this week, and I'd also be willing to use Jarvis Landry (WR31), Jamison Crowder (33), and Brandon Aiyuk (36) if I was in a pinch. |
| Davante Adams @KCCooper Kupp vs. TENTyreek Hill vs. GBDeebo Samuel vs. ARIA.J. Brown @LARJustin Jefferson @BALJa'Marr Chase vs. CLE Stefon Diggs @JAXDiontae Johnson vs. CHIKeenan Allen @PHIMike Williams @PHICeeDee Lamb vs. DENDeAndre Hopkins @SFMarquise Brown vs. MIND.J. Moore vs. NEBrandin Cooks @MIA Courtland Sutton @DALAmari Cooper vs. DENMichael Pittman vs. NYJTee Higgins vs. CLEJaylen Waddle vs. HOURobert Woods vs. TENChase Claypool vs. CHIDeVante Parker vs. HOU Adam Thielen @BALDeVonta Smith vs. LACSterling Shepard vs. LVJerry Jeudy @DALEmmanuel Sanders @JAXMarvin Jones vs. BUFJarvis Landry @CINCole Beasley @JAX Jamison Crowder @INDJakobi Meyers @CARHunter Renfrow @NYGBrandon Aiyuk vs. ARIDarnell Mooney @PITLaviska Shenault vs. BUFMecole Hardman vs. GBA.J. Green @SFCorey Davis @INDAllen Robinson @PITKadarius Toney vs. LVTim Patrick @DALRondale Moore @SFHenry Ruggs @NYGRashod Bateman vs. MINRussell Gage @NO |
| Tight ends |
| On the Fantasy Football Today Facebook page last week, someone pointed out that, hey, maybe tight end isn't such a disaster anymore. And he was right! But, it's the kind of thing you don't want to acknowledge out loud, lest you jinx it. And, guess what happened: Zach Ertz, Noah Fant, Dalton Schultz, Mike Gesicki, Tyler Higbee, Ricky Seals-Jones, Hunter Henry and Rob Gronkowski all flopped. Tight ends are very easily scared, you see, you can't acknowledge when they are doing well. |
| In all seriousness, that's just the way this position works. There just aren't that many truly special players who can make an impact every week, so most of them are pretty touchdown dependent most weeks. A bunch of those players are still starting-caliber tight ends for me in Week 9, but it was just a reminder that the truly elite players are still rare, and they still stand out. |
| Travis Kelce vs. GBDarren Waller @NYGMark Andrews vs. MINKyle Pitts @NODallas Goedert vs. LACMike Gesicki vs. HOUDalton Schultz vs. DENNoah Fant @DAL Pat Freiermuth vs. CHIHunter Henry @CARJared Cook @PHIDan Arnold vs. BUFTyler Higbee vs. TENEvan Engram vs. LVTyler Conklin @BALCole Kmet @PITZach Ertz @SF David Njoku @CINAustin Hooper @CINAnthony Firkser @LARMo Alie-Cox vs. NYJTommy Sweeney @JAXBlake Jarwin vs. DENC.J. Uzomah vs. CLE |
| Top-150 Flex Rankings |
| Najee Harris vs. CHIDavante Adams @KCCooper Kupp vs. TENAustin Ekeler @PHITyreek Hill vs. GBEzekiel Elliott vs. DENAlvin Kamara vs. ATLDeebo Samuel vs. ARIA.J. Brown @LAR Aaron Jones @KCJustin Jefferson @BALDalvin Cook @BALJa'Marr Chase vs. CLEJonathan Taylor vs. NYJDarrell Henderson vs. TENTravis Kelce vs. GBStefon Diggs @JAXJoe Mixon vs. CLEDiontae Johnson vs. CHI Keenan Allen @PHIDarren Waller @NYGNick Chubb @CINMike Williams @PHICeeDee Lamb vs. DENDeAndre Hopkins @SFMarquise Brown vs. MINCordarrelle Patterson @NOMichael Carter @INDD.J. Moore vs. NE Brandin Cooks @MIAMark Andrews vs. MINCourtland Sutton @DALJosh Jacobs @NYGDevontae Booker vs. LVAmari Cooper vs. DENChase Edmonds @SFMichael Pittman vs. NYJElijah Mitchell vs. ARITee Higgins vs. CLE Kyle Pitts @NOJaylen Waddle vs. HOUMyles Gaskin vs. HOURobert Woods vs. TENKhalil Herbert @PITChase Claypool vs. CHIDeVante Parker vs. HOUDamien Harris @CARDallas Goedert vs. LACAdam Thielen @BAL Chuba Hubbard vs. NEDeVonta Smith vs. LACSterling Shepard vs. LVJerry Jeudy @DALEmmanuel Sanders @JAXDarrel Williams vs. GBMarvin Jones vs. BUFJarvis Landry @CINMike Davis @NOCole Beasley @JAX Mike Gesicki vs. HOUJamison Crowder @INDBoston Scott vs. LACJakobi Meyers @CARDalton Schultz vs. DENZack Moss @JAXMelvin Gordon @DALHunter Renfrow @NYGCarlos Hyde vs. BUFBrandon Aiyuk vs. ARI Javonte Williams @DALDarnell Mooney @PITAdrian Peterson @LARAJ Dillon @KCNoah Fant @DALLaviska Shenault vs. BUFJames Conner @SFMecole Hardman vs. GBA.J. Green @SFCorey Davis @IND Allen Robinson @PITKadarius Toney vs. LVTy Johnson @INDTim Patrick @DALTony Pollard vs. DENDavid Johnson @MIADevonta Freeman vs. MINDevin Singletary @JAXRondale Moore @SFKenyan Drake @NYG Henry Ruggs @NYGRashod Bateman vs. MINPat Freiermuth vs. CHIBrandon Bolden @CARRussell Gage @NOOdell Beckham @CINNyheim Hines vs. NYJD'Ernest Johnson @CINHunter Henry @CARNelson Agholor @CARKenneth Gainwell vs. LACJared Cook @PHIRobby Anderson vs. NETyler Boyd vs. CLEDan Arnold vs. BUFChristian Kirk @SFBryan Edwards @NYGSammy Watkins vs. MIN Tyler Higbee vs. TENZach Pascal vs. NYJAlexander Mattison @BALDarius Slayton vs. LVK.J. Osborn @BALEvan Engram vs. LVSalvon Ahmed vs. HOUTyler Conklin @BALCole Kmet @PIT Tajae Sharpe @NOZach Ertz @SFMarquez Callaway vs. ATLJamal Agnew vs. BUFAllen Lazard @KCDamien Williams @PITJeremy McNichols @LARVan Jefferson vs. TENDavid Njoku @CIN Sony Michel vs. TENElijah Moore @INDAustin Hooper @CINKendrick Bourne @CARDanny Amendola @MIAMarquez Valdes-Scantling @KCRhamondre Stevenson @CARMark Ingram vs. ATLQuez Watkins vs. LAC Nico Collins @MIADerrick Gore vs. GBDemarcus Robinson vs. GBLe'Veon Bell vs. MINDeonte Harris vs. ATLAnthony Firkser @LARDare Ogunbowale vs. BUFTy'Son Williams vs. MIN Mo Alie-Cox vs. NYJTerrace Marshall vs. NEJosh Reynolds @LARTommy Sweeney @JAXMohamed Sanu vs. ARIOlamide Zaccheaus @NOBlake Jarwin vs. DENRex Burkhead @MIA |
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