Week 9 Adds, Drops, Buys, and Sells
What a week! Week 8 was exhilarating but the turnaround is quick. Waivers are running and we have championship rosters to build. With that in mind, here are the adds, drops, buys, and sells to consider making in Week 9.
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Add Jeremy McNichols
As you know, Derrick Henry is out for the season with a foot injury. While the Titans added Adrian Peterson to their practice squad, Jeremy McNichols is the running back to target in this backfield. McNichols has upper-percentile athleticism across the board and is a dynamic threat in the passing game. Even with a healthy Henry, McNichols has had multiple games with double-digit target shares, including 24-percent in Week 4. He is top-10 among running backs in yards per reception and yards per route. He is top-12 in receiving yards and targets, and ranks second among all running backs in fantasy points per opportunity. Peterson may get more of the early-down work, but we know targets are 2.5 times more valuable than carries in fantasy football.
Add Adrian Peterson
While McNichols is the Titans running back to target for fantasy, Adrian Peterson will still have a role and still have some value. He’ll be the between the tackles grinder and goal line back. He doesn’t have much upside and his floor is low, but he will have usable weeks.
Add Taysom Hill
Taysom Hill has missed a few weeks after suffering a concussion, but indications are he will be back this week. It’s likely he will slide into the QB1 job with Jameis Winston out for the season. Hill may not be the most polished passer but he did have three games with a completion percentage over 73-percent last season (min. 15 attempts). He also brings the Konami Code as he averaged 52 rushing yards per game with four rushing touchdowns in his four starts in 2020. For that reason, he’s a weekly QB1 for as long as he’s the starter.
Buy Kyle Pitts
It’s okay to buy high. Pitt has had a target share share over 20-percent in each of his last four games. With Calvin Ridley stepping away from football for the time being, Pitts is locked and loaded as the No.1 pass-catcher in the Atlanta offense. He’s already the TE1 in dynasty, he may pass Travis Kelce for the No.1 TE in redraft by the end of the season.
Add Brandon Aiyuk
Brandon Aiyuk was quietly in a predominant role in Week 8. In the win over Chicago, Aiyuk had season highs in snap share (88%), target share (25%), receptions (tied-4), and receiving yards (45). While the box score scouts will see just another ‘meh’ game, the usage numbers are certainly encouraging. We saw what he did last year so we know what he is capable of if he gets rolling. He’s available in half of Yahoo leagues and is worth an add with a chance this is the beginning of a turnaround.
Buy Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon is the bellcow in one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Sure, he wasn’t efficient on the ground against the Jets, but he was used heavily in the passing game which is what we want. As I mentioned earlier, targets are 2.5 times more valuable in fantasy than carries so while he is also getting double-digit carries, the target volume is very exciting. He’s also the team’s goal line back and he’s converted for a rushing touchdown in five of eight games.
Add Jamal Agnew
Jamal Agnew snagged six passes for 38 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks. The converted defensive back has led the Jaguars in targets since D.J. Chark went down for the season. Agnew has had target shares of 24-percent, 15-percent, and 22-percent in his last three games. In an offense that is playing from behind a ton, target shares like that equal significant volume.
Add Pat Freiermuth
In the two games since Juju Smith-Schuster went down, Freiermuth has had target shares of 18-percent and 20-percent. Ben Roethlisberger can’t get the ball down the field like he used to which means we’ll likely see him continue to pepper his rookie tight end with targets over the middle of the field. We’re constantly looking for usable tight ends, Freiermuth is looking like he’s going to be one.
Sell Chase Claypool
I’ve been advocating selling Steelers wide receivers since Week 1. I will continue to pound that drum, especially with Chase Claypool. He’s just not a fit with what the Steelers are doing offensively right now. He’s an outside receiver who is at his best down the field. But when you have a quarterback who simply can’t get it out there, it becomes a problem. While he was able to muster up 96 yards (on nine receptions) in Week 3 and 130 yards in Week 5, Claypool has been held under 50 yards in three of his six games. The offense is a disaster and things will only get worse as Roethlisberger’s body continues to break down as the season goes along.
Buy Tee Higgins
I talked about buying Tee Higgins a few weeks ago. Since then, he has averaged nine targets per game. He converted his six in Week 8 into 97 yards, including a 54-yard reception. He continues to play a significant role in one of the league’s most explosive offenses.
Add Carlos Hyde
We don’t know how long James Robinson will be out, but as gross as it may feel, Carlos Hyde may be a decent flex play/bye week replacement for the time being. If he is going to step right into the Robinson role like he did in Week 8, Hyde will return fantasy value as he’s peppered with targets in garbage time. This formula resulted in a 15-percent target share in Week 8. Picture it now, five receptions on six targets and a goal line plunge is all it takes for 15-point performance.
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