As always, this edition of Sizzle/Fizzle contains plenty of news and views. Four teams are on bye this weekend. Fantasy owners will definitely feel the loss of New Orleans, Atlanta, and the Los Angeles Rams. I guess some are even going to miss the Bengals. Anyways, we hope you enjoy plenty of success in your contests! Make sure to follow our Week 9 fantasy trends to help win your week. Now it’s time to tango.
Week 9 Rankings | QB | RB |WR | TE |
Sizzle
Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints – If you were patient and kept Brees on your roster, congratulations are in order. Brees crushed the Cardinals in his return to action, throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns. As mentioned, New Orleans has their bye this week. Brees happens to have a great setup once the Saints return to action. They will host Atlanta in Week 10. Additionally, they play Tampa Bay in Week 11 and Atlanta again in Week 13. It could be quite a stretch run for Brees and the rest of the Saints.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars – Minshew makes his case to stay Jacksonville’s starter even when Nick Foles returns. The Mustache had no problems taking advantage of the feeble New York Jets. He threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns while also notching 31 yards on the ground. The Jaguars head to London for a key AFC South battle with the Houston Texans. The same Houston Texans who just lost J.J. Watt for the season and have injury issues in their secondary. Minshew ought to have another good week in him before the Foles suspense begins.
Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers – Cherishing someone named Aaron happens every day in Green Bay. But these days, Aaron Jones gets almost as much love as Aaron Rodgers. Lethal in the passing game, Jones hauled in seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns in Week 8. He also compiled 67 yards on the ground. Jamaal Williams continues to be part of the Packers backfield, but keep counting on Jones as a top RB1.
David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears – I said last week that if Montgomery’s breakout did not take place against the Chargers, everyone should press the panic button, and press it hard. Montgomery was the centerpiece for Chicago, rushing for 135 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. The only panic buttons getting pressed in the Windy City now revolve around Mitchell Trubisky. Unfortunately for Montgomery, a strong Philadelphia run defense stands in his pathway to more success. If he keeps getting the volume he got last weekend, productivity often follows despite the opponent.
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Technically, Evans could appear in this column most weeks on either side of the equation. Good Mike traveled to Tennessee and pulled in 11 passes for 198 yards and two scores. He also became Tampa Bay’s all-time leader in receptions. Will Good Mike be on display again on Sunday in Seattle? Probably, as the Legion of Boom no longer causes doom. But it might be a bigger week for Chris Godwin. Godwin was relatively quiet in the loss to the Titans and like Evans, has shown a tendency to flourish after struggling.
Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions – After seeing teammate Marvin Jones score four touchdowns, Golladay wants his own end zone visits. And Golladay got them against the Giants. Kenny hauled in two scoring strikes from Matthew Stafford and racked up 123 yards. With Detroit’s ground game a puzzle, as you will see later, the Lions have to win through the air. Golladay and Jones are poised to potentially roar through the Raiders in Oakland.
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks – Some might dispute Metcalf’s Sizzle classification. After all, he only got 13 yards against Atlanta’s dismal defense. But the touted rookie produced two touchdowns. He rebounded from a disappointing Week 7 where he lost a costly fumble in a loss to Baltimore. As a primary red zone threat for Seattle, Metcalf could keep the touchdown train running in a prime matchup with Tampa Bay.
Jonnu Smith, TE, Tennessee Titans – With Delanie Walker out of action, Smith makes a power move into TE1 territory. Smith hauled in six passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee’s triumph over Tampa Bay. Walker seems likely to remain sidelined on Sunday. Jonnu will have a tougher test against the Panthers. But you should not shy away from using Smith, who seems to have a good rapport with Ryan Tannehill.
San Francisco 49ers – On Sunday, Tevin Coleman rushed for four touchdowns. On Thursday, Jimmy Garoppolo threw for four touchdowns. Newcomer Emmanuel Sanders has scored in his first two games with the 49ers. Matt Breida and George Kittle are also big weapons for head coach Kyle Shanahan. San Francisco’s schedule gets harder the rest of the way. There are two meetings with Seattle. Additionally, they have a rematch with the Rams. New Orleans, Baltimore, and Green Bay also lie ahead. But that is more of a concern for those using San Francisco as a team defense. Shanahan should keep the offense among the elite.
Fizzle
Kyle Allen, QB, Carolina Panthers – Allen certainly understands the full power of the 49ers. After navigating Carolina to a 4-0 record since taking over for Cam Newton, Allen melted down in the face of San Francisco pressure. He tossed three interceptions and was sacked seven times. Kyle will start on Sunday, but if Newton can get healthy, hard to see the Panthers not going back to him. Monitor the situation because the Panthers have two matchups with Atlanta between Weeks 11 and 14. They also get Washington in Week 13.
Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals – After starting for Cincinnati since 2011, Dalton takes a seat for rookie Ryan Finley. At 0-8, the Bengals have to see what they have in Finley. Outside of 2QB leagues, Dalton lacked value outside of occasional streaming opportunities. Still, you knew what you were getting with the Red Rifle. Finley will be worth a flyer in those same 2QB leagues. And maybe he turns out to be a long-term asset in dynasty leagues. Also, A.J. Green could return after Cincinnati’s bye. However, Finley seems likely to struggle on a team in contention for the first overall pick in 2020.
James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers – As expected, Conner dominates the Dolphins on Monday night. He compiles 145 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. But towards the end of the game, Conner injures his shoulder. His status for Sunday looks shaky. With Conner potentially out and Benny Snell definitely out, Jaylen Samuels should have a nice showing.
Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals – You know the feeling when a strong cold front blows through and the temperature drops 40 degrees? That happens to be the feeling right now for anyone with Edmonds on their fantasy team. Two games ago, he was tearing through the Giants for three touchdowns. Then, he injures his hamstring during a game against New Orleans where he produces 13 total yards. Following that, Arizona trades for Kenyan Drake. Edmonds and his fantasy owners watch Drake, woefully misused in Miami, slice through San Francisco’s strong defense for 162 total yards and a touchdown on Thursday night. Those with visions of Edmonds taking over Arizona’s backfield now are thinking of better alternatives. Those waiting for David Johnson to return have to be seriously concerned about Drake.
Ty Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions – Last week’s coveted free agency commodity creates nothing but heartache. Johnson received only seven carries and produced 38 yards from scrimmage. Tra Carson got 12 carries out of nowhere. J.D. McKissic and Paul Palmer, of all people, also saw playing time. Carson appears to be dealing with a hamstring issue, which may yield more work for Johnson. Nevertheless, Johnson needs a nice showing in Oakland to get back in everyone’s good graces.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Los Angeles Rams – With a history of concussions, Cooks will be seeing a specialist. In situations like this, you always hope for the best. Concussions need to be taken seriously. In light of that, Cooks may take an extended absence. Cooper Kupp has been marvelous and will remain the leading receiver for the Rams. Robert Woods and Gerald Everett would retain prime roles if Cooks is out, with Josh Reynolds poised to be a nice roster addition during the final bye weeks.
O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tampa did not pull the trigger on a Howard trade before the deadline. It might have been the only way to save his fantasy season. Currently out with a hamstring injury, Howard will not be able to take advantage of a Seattle defense with vulnerabilities against tight ends. Of course, given how this year has gone for O.J., it probably would have been another disappointment. If you are desperate, Cameron Brate would not be the worst streamer.
Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills – Since catching three passes for 58 yards against New England in Week 4, Dawson has disappeared. In the three games since, he has four receptions for 34 yards. Once a popular sleeper/streamer, you can take Knox off your watch list. Maybe he gets back on track in a good spot against Washington. Nonetheless, do not roll the dice on Dawson until we see a major rebound.
New York Jets – Their quarterback sees ghosts. The star running back gets angry over a lack of work and turns into the subject of trade rumors. Their front office ticked off their top defensive back by making him available via trade. Their best receiver was also on the market. Why exactly did they hire Adam Gase? Gase and turbulence go together like peanut butter and jelly. The turbulence lessens if the Jets take care of business against the winless Dolphins. Le’Veon Bell, Sam Darnold, and Robby Anderson have promising outlooks this weekend. But it would not be stunning to see the Jets lose to a more united Miami squad.
We will look forward to seeing you again next week for another Sizzle/Fizzle journey!
