Week 9 Fantasy Cheat Sheet - CBSSports.com
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Editor's note: FanDuel.com is hosting a one-week $3 million Fantasy Football contest for Week 9. It's only $25 to join and first prize is $500,000. Starts Sunday, November 2nd at 1 p.m. ET. Enter now to play with Dave.
This week's confidence scale is based on superheroes who are likely to be great at Fantasy Football, because saving the world is just one prerequisite to being a Fantasy Football league champion!
1. Robin: 'Whaddya think, Batman? Should I go with the Dolphins defense or the Patriots? Or the Colts?! They're on waivers too!? What would you do, Batman?!'
2. Brown Hornet: Wouldn't let cheating happen on his watch. And would he make trades just by snapping his fingers? Probably so.
3. Spawn: Would definitely cheat.
4. Wonder Woman: Should she start Marques Colston or Eric Decker? She'd find both, wrap them in her golden lasso (which forces people to tell the truth) and find out each week just how involved in their respective game plans they'd be.
5. Captain America: So, would he draft all Cowboys? They are America's team ...
6. Wolverine: Wouldn't fear tough lineup decisions, would probably not use the CBSSports.com Fantasy app because of those claws.
7. The Hulk: Would be intimidating on Draft Day but also would be very likely to make quick, rushed, uninformed lineup decisions -- and cause mayhem when they don't work out.
8. Superman: If there's a surprise inactive on Sunday morning, no one would be faster to make a lineup change.
9. Iron Man: He'd try to use his influence when it would come to trades. And I imagine his trash talk would be legendary.
10. Batman: Probably would have a sick database to give him accurate projections every week. Probably would have known Keenan Allen was going to score last week.
Whether you're trying to save the day or save your Fantasy season, let's make a move toward Week 9.
Saints at Panthers, Thu., 8:25 p.m. ET
Since 2006, when Drew Brees was on the team, the Saints have averaged 21.3 points per game at Carolina with only three games (out of eight) with 30-plus points and four with 20-plus points. The Saints offense looked unstoppable at home last week and the Panthers defense is a stunning mess, so this could be one of those weeks where they get over 20 and even get close to 30.
Quarterbacks
Drew Brees (8.4): It remains to be seen just how explosive his receiving corps will be playing on a short week outdoors on grass. His recent track record in Carolina isn't that great but the matchup is too good to ignore: Five of the last six quarterbacks to play the Panthers have thrown two-plus touchdowns and four of the last five have added at least 250 yards and hit at least 22 Fantasy points.
Cam Newton (5.9): The Saints have given up multiple touchdowns to quarterbacks in four straight games, letting up at least 19 Fantasy points in all four. Oddly enough, the Saints have done well against Cam, holding him to one touchdown or less in four of his last five against them. The fear is that Newton could keep that skid going if the Saints carry over their gameplan of covering Kelvin Benjamin the same way they covered Jordy Nelson last week. Tack on an offensive line that might start multiple second stringers and Cam's not a great start in Week 9.
Wide receivers
Brandin Cooks (6.1): As much as I want to call Cooks a must-start, the reality is that he's just as risky as he was in the weeks before. Coming off a career game will draw a lot of attention and playing on the slow grass surface could also hurt his case but the Panthers have had trouble with fast receivers all year long, not so much big physical (and slower) ones. With 14 or more points in two games and seven or less in the other five, the hunch is that he finishes closer to seven than 14. Don't consider him a must-start just because he had a big game last week (how often will he run for a touchdown?).
Marques Colston (3.6): Colston's last good game outdoors on grass? October 21, 2012, at Tampa Bay. His last five games at Carolina? Dreadful. His last game with a touchdown in Carolina was in 2007. Plus he has just one game with 10-plus Fantasy points on the year. You can get by without him.
Kelvin Benjamin (7.9): The Saints should try covering Benjamin the same way they covered Jordy Nelson last week (a lot of double-teams). That could mean another 'tough' week for Benjamin -- tough being a relative word. He had a tough week last week and still had 94 yards on four catches thanks to a couple of deep throws he snared in double coverage. There's just too much potential for him to be a bust against a bad Saints secondary.
Eagles at Texans, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
The Eagles offensive line is back under the microscope -- just as soon as Jason Kelce is expected back, guard Todd Herremans has a torn bicep and will try to play through it. That's extremely dangerous against a Texans pass rush that tends to play better at home than on the road. We continue to see Nick Foles look great when he has a clean pocket but when things break down he's a mess. The Texans' ability to get in Foles' face will make or break them in Week 9.
Quarterbacks
Nick Foles (6.1): You'd like to think that if Zach Mettenberger could throw for 299 yards and two scores on the Texans than Foles could too. Six straight quarterbacks have hung multiple touchdowns on Houston but only four have had 20 Fantasy points and one had more than 22 (Andrew Luck). Foles needs his line to hold up in order to thrive, even if he has 40-plus pass attempts. I'm not very excited about his prospects but have no problem going with him if I didn't have a much better choice.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (5.0): The matchup? Great -- the Eagles have allowed multiple touchdowns to six of the seven quarterbacks they've seen. On average they're giving up 285 pass yards per game, too. But the quarterback has just three games this season with multiple touchdowns and isn't a lock to throw even 30 times given the Texans' reliance on the run. If you're in a pinch Fitzpatrick is fine, but don't willingly start him over better, safer choices.
Running backs
LeSean McCoy (7.4): The Texans' run defense has come alive, allowing just 3.03 yards per carry in their last three games. Of course, that includes last week's dominance over the crummy Titans. Where the Texans are getting hit is through the air as backs are averaging 9.8 yards per catch against them (again, including the surprisingly effective Titans last week). Expect the Eagles to roll out McCoy that way. He should fall into good production.
Arian Foster (9.3): You're starting Foster against the Eagles good-but-not-great run defense. No one's talking about it but he has a DeMarco Murray-esque 100-yard run game in all but one matchup this season (vs. Buffalo in Week 4). Just make sure you have Alfred Blue on your bench if you have Foster.
Wide receivers
Jeremy Maclin (9.0): The Texans do not do well with speed receivers and Maclin has flashed plenty of that this season. The Texans rank 27th in Fantasy points allowed to receivers. Hopefully Maclin reels in a couple of deep targets.
Riley Cooper (3.3): Cooper is tough to trust but if you're in a real pickle he could help given the matchup. We should see a couple of deep targets go his way. He has five catches in three of his last four and eight or nine Fantasy points in two of his last three games (10-plus in each of his last three in PPR formats).
DeAndre Hopkins (6.8): After all the big plays the Eagles allowed last week to the Cardinals you can't help but love Hopkins in Week 9. He hasn't scored or delivered 10-plus Fantasy points in four weeks but the Eagles have allowed four receivers to get 10 or more Fantasy points in their last three games. With Fitzpatrick still developing his rapport with him, he's the best bet among the Texans receivers.
Andre Johnson (6.2): Dre has eight or more targets in each of the last four weeks. Of the 10 receivers to get eight or more targets against the Eagles, six have found 10-plus Fantasy points. Don't shy away from Johnson this week -- he's good enough to consider a low-end No. 2 receiver.
Tight ends
Zach Ertz (5.6): Last week Ertz was invisible in an easy matchup. This one's harder but it's not exactly a killer as the Texans have allowed touchdowns to tight ends in two of the last three weeks. There might not be something for the Eagles to exploit in the red zone so it'll come down to Ertz cashing in on an end-zone target. He's a risk.
Defense/Special Teams
Eagles (5.9): We could see this unit rattle Fitzpatrick for a couple of sacks and pick him off once or twice, but if Darren Sproles isn't working on special teams then it doesn't pay to fall in love with the Eagles defense. They could finish as a Top 12 option in a week where there aren't a lot of special DST choices.
Texans (6.3): Only three times have the Eagles allowed a DST to finish as a Top 12 option this season and two of those times it was a tie for the 11th or 12th-best. The Texans aren't a tremendous option but could wind up as a Top 12 choice.
Jets at Chiefs, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
By all rights this should be a first-class butt kicking by the Chiefs. The Jets are starting a former Andy Reid quarterback running a style of offense that's a direct rip-off of what Reid has been using nearly his entire career. Expect Kansas City to try and contain and collapse the pocket around Michael Vick, taking advantage of his inaccuracy and fumble tendencies in the process. Also expect a lot of rushing from both sides.
Quarterbacks
Michael Vick (3.7): Expect a lot of pressure on Vick in obvious passing situations. He could end up rushing for well over 75 yards but he also will be sloppy with the ball and cause some turnovers. Over the last five games quarterbacks have averaged exactly 200.0 yards per game against the Chiefs with seven touchdowns and five turnovers. None of them have had more than 18 Fantasy points. It would be a stunner for Vick to put up a good game, making him a low-end bye-week replacement option.
Alex Smith (5.4): Smith had a dreamboat matchup against the porous Rams last week and had zero touchdowns. So how can we expect him to put up solid numbers at home against the porous Jets this week? He's a better start this week than Michael Vick but that's about it.
Running backs
Chris Ivory (6.7): The lone bright spot of the Jets offense has been Ivory, who has taken it to the Patriots and Bills run defenses in consecutive weeks for 150 rush yards and three touchdowns. He has at least nine Fantasy points in every game he gets at least 10 carries in. Meanwhile, of the six running backs with at least 10 carries against the Chiefs, only two have had nine or more Fantasy points and none have scored. This will be tough for Ivory but had a tough matchup against a good run defense last week and found the end zone twice. He's a No. 2 running back this week.
Jamaal Charles (9.5): It's been done in varying ways but running backs have been effective against the Jets for four straight weeks, though last week was weird since a fullback scored and Anthony Dixon had 44 yards on 22 carries. If the Chiefs get the ball in Charles' hands 22 times he's bound to post multiple touchdowns and well over 100 total yards. I love him in one-week leagues ... really in any Fantasy league.
Knile Davis (5.3): Davis isn't a bad guy to use if you're in a pinch this week since the Chiefs figure to run the ball as much as possible. He had more carries than Charles in a blowout win last week.
Eric Decker (4.7): I know trusting a receiver catching passes from Michael Vick is dangerous, but it's probably less dangerous than catching passes from Geno Smith. Decker led the Jets in Vick-thrown targets last week with eight, averaging a hot 6.0 yards per catch from Vick. He'll do better for those in PPR owners this week compared to those in standard. Decker has had some amazing games against the Chiefs over the years but that's with Peyton throwing to him.
Percy Harvin (3.2): You have to be encouraged by Harvin's nine targets last week (seven by Vick) and four carries last week, though it totaled all of 50 yards. He's averaging 6.2 yards per catch on the season. There's no sign of him breaking out so keep him benched or on waivers.
Dwayne Bowe (4.2): Congratulations to Bowe, who caught all six of his targets last week for a new season-high in catches, compiling an awesome 64 yards in the process. The six Fantasy points is the third-most he's had on the year. He takes on an equally poor pass defense at home this week. Perhaps the Chiefs scheme specifically to get him in the end zone this week. Feel free to start him on the hope that happens.
Tight ends
Jace Amaro (4.8): Only interesting note: Vick targeted Amaro five times last week, connecting on all five for 51 yards. Kansas City has allowed three touchdowns to tight ends in their last two games thanks in large part to Eric Berry's absence.
Travis Kelce (7.5): If there was ever a week for the Chiefs to unleash Kelce again, this would be it. The Jets have allowed nine touchdowns to tight ends in their last six games. Think about firing up Kelce for one-week league play.
Jaguars at Bengals, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
The Jaguars run defense is starting to round into form and Giovani Bernard is starting to lose some steam. This could be a game where Andy Dalton will have to play well in order for the Bengals to keep their spot in the AFC North. That shouldn't be a tall order if A.J. Green is back on the field but even if he isn't we saw Dalton connect for over 250 yards last week without him. Dalton, who is usually solid at home, will be the toughest quarterback the Jaguars have seen in four games.
Running backs
Denard Robinson (7.1): Interesting matchup here as the Bengals coaches should have some ideas on how to slow down Robinson but might not execute properly with second-string linebackers (Vontaze Burfict won't play). Robinson has been great on outside edge runs (like the one he had nearly half of his rushing yards on last week), so expect the Jaguars focus to be getting him moving out toward the sidelines. Expect at least 15 touches. All four of the backs that have had 15 touches against the Bengals this season have posted nine or more Fantasy points. Figure Robinson can deliver at least 90 total yards again, if not 100.
Giovani Bernard (7.3, if healthy): Take away an 81-yard touchdown run a few weeks back and Gio's been stinko since the bye. I know we're supposed to get pumped because he's taking on the Jaguars but they've actually been great against the run, holding starting running backs to nine Fantasy points or less in four of five weeks. Bernard's been banged up and could start seeing Jeremy Hill take some carries. He's fine so long as you keep No. 2 running back expectations.
Jeremy Hill (6.0 if Gio plays, 6.9 if Gio is out): Hill is a candidate to score this week, though the matchup isn't exactly screaming for that. Only one running back has scored on the Jaguars in their last five. Hill should see upwards of 10 touches given the expected flow of the game, which puts him in No. 3 running back territory.
Wide receivers
Allen Robinson (5.1): With touchdowns in consecutive games and at least five catches in five of his last six Fantasy owners are checking out Robinson. The matchup is tough -- only one receiver has scored on Cincinnati in its last five, containing high-target pass catchers like Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne and Julian Edelman over that span. Despite that, we know the Jaguars will end up throwing a lot and Robinson has made some plays. He's not bad as a No. 3 receiver.
We shouldn't expect Green to be at 100 percent, but will it matter? The Jaguars have been surprisingly solid against receivers over the last four weeks, but if Green plays then they'll have a hard time covering him and Mohamed Sanu. Green's a start for everyone.
Mohamed Sanu (6.3): Sanu's bordering on stud status after punching in for 10-plus Fantasy points in five of his last six games. He also has nine-plus targets in four straight. He could be in for a struggle if Green is out but if Green plays there's no way the Jaguars will focus on him and give Green single coverage.
Tight ends
Clay Harbor (4.6): A replacement option in a week without a lot of good tight ends, Harbor takes on a Bengals defense that struggled with tight ends over the last four weeks (four touchdowns).
Buccaneers at Browns, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
The team that wins will be the team that runs the ball more effectively. Surprisingly the Browns rank 12th in the league in running the ball but the last three weeks have been a disaster without center Alex Mack. Not surprisingly the Buccaneers rank 29th in running the ball as they haven't been able to get anything going with Doug Martin. Expect to see Bobby Rainey and potentially rookie Charles Sims get a lot of work for Tampa Bay while the Browns continue to play the closest player they have to the hot hand. Which team will be more successful? The Browns have allowed 114.3 rush yards per game to backs over their last three while the Bucs have allowed 127.3 rush yards per game to backs over their last three. It's anyone's guess.
Quarterbacks
Mike Glennon (5.2): It was a tale of two halves for Glennon last week, throwing an interception while completing half of his passes in the first half before rebounding to go 13 of 16 for 140 yards and a score in the second half. Hopefully it was a case of bye-week rust getting knocked off but it might lead to more pass rush woes for him. He's a decent one-week replacement for the elite passers on bye in Week 9 and that's it. There hasn't been a single quarterback yet to throw for 20 Fantasy points on the Browns.
Brian Hoyer (4.8): I get that no one wants to start Hoyer, particularly since he won't have Jordan Cameron and because he has one game with more than 17 Fantasy points. But the matchup is a real peach (Teddy Bridgewater's game last week notwithstanding). I probably would rather go with Glennon than Hoyer but it's close. They're both in the low-end bye-week replacement boat.
Running backs
Bobby Rainey (6.1): For now we're assuming that Doug Martin is out and Rainey will have the top opportunity against the Browns. The matchup is better than you might think -- starting running backs have averaged at least 4.6 yards per carry in all but one game and 5.8 yards per catch in all but two games against them. It comes down to just how much work Rainey will get. He had 10 touches in the second half last week without Martin on the field, so there's a shot for him to get a good dose and total upwards of 90 yards and serve as a No. 2 running back.
Tate's last three games (most of which without center Alex Mack) saw him get 140 yards on 56 carries (2.5 avg.) with three touchdowns. Fantasy owners would freak out if he didn't have those touchdowns. The Bucs have allowed eight scores in their last six to running backs and have yielded 4.96 yards per carry to backs over their last three weeks. Tate is the safest bet in the Browns backfield and a good No. 2 Fantasy back (better than Rainey).
Wide receivers
Vincent Jackson (4.9): It's been a long year for Jackson, who looked like he wasn't on the same page with Glennon last week. Until Week 8 he had seven-plus targets in every game and nine-plus targets in five of six. Maybe the lack of work last week was to keep him fresh in hopes of trading him? It seems strange. The Browns have allowed at least one touchdown to a receiver in four straight, and it's been second-best targeted receivers coming through instead of top-targeted guys. The hunch is that Joe Haden won't follow Jackson so look for him to get back into action this week and settle in as a borderline No. 2 Fantasy receiver.
Mike Evans (4.5): The targets have been consistent for Evans -- at least seven per game over his last four including every game he's played with Glennon. He also has at least seven Fantasy points per game with Glennon under center. That might be right around what he delivers this week since a rebound is expected for Jackson.
Andrew Hawkins (5.3): Things are aligned just right for Hawkins to have a monster week. Tampa Bay's secondary is still a mess, giving up 180.0 yards per game to receivers with 11 touchdowns allowed through the air in their last five, and the trade that sent Mark Barron to the Rams means Major Wright will be back on the field. That's a guy the Browns will go after. Hawkins leads the Browns in targets (62), catches (36) and receiving yards (470). Whether the Browns run defense stalls or not, look for Hoyer to look for Hawkins. He's one of my favorite sneaky one-week plays and makes for a Top 20 receiver in PPR leagues/Top 30 in standard.
Miles Austin (4.1): From the 'Only If You're Desperate' file, Austin is second-best on the Browns in targets, catches and receiving scores. Remember, no Jordan Cameron this week means that his targets will go elsewhere.
Cardinals at Cowboys, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
There are three stages of Romo up for consideration: Romo at mostly full strength, Romo at so-so strength and Romo inactive and not on the field. If he's inactive then Brandon Weeden will play and might actually fare well given the offensive line and receivers. If Romo practices toward the end of the week and is listed as probable I'd take it as a sign that he's fine and should do well. The in-between -- Romo playing at far from 100 percent -- is what will make Fantasy owners jittery. The Cardinals won't be shy to blitz him, the Cowboys might be shy to let him throw deep passes and there's no guarantee he'll play four quarters.
Quarterbacks
Carson Palmer (8.2): 24, 22, 20, 25. That's not the combination to my luggage, that's the Fantasy results Palmer's delivered in four games this season. The Cowboys pass defense has played well in their last four games, allowing just one passer to throw a touchdown (it was Eli Manning, and he threw three), but Palmer should be in line for another good game so long as his receiving corps is at full strength.
Tony Romo (6.7 if he's fine, 5.8 if he's limited): The matchup is picturesque as every quarterback worth a darn (and Kirk Cousins) has posted at least 20 Fantasy points on the Cardinals in their last five games. But we've seen Romo play at below 100 percent at the start of this season and it wasn't pretty. If he's hurting, Fantasy owners should go in another direction if at all possible.
Running backs
Andre Ellington (8.9): With at least 20 touches in five straight games and 12-plus Fantasy points in three of his last four, Ellington finds himself in a terrific situation against a Cowboys run defense that just lost leading tackler Justin Durant for the season. If Rolando McClain also misses the game then the opportunity is there for Ellington to rip Dallas. He'll also take on goal-line work with Stepfan Taylor on the shelf. Ellington belongs in every league, seasonal, dynasty, one-week, etc.
DeMarco Murray (9.4): What happens if Romo is out and Brandon Weeden is in? Well, a tough matchup might get a smidge tougher as the Cardinals have held their own against running backs. Only two have posted at least 10 Fantasy points against them on the year. But no one's sitting Murray at this point.
Wide receivers
Larry Fitzgerald (7.8): Would you believe that Fitzgerald leads the Cardinals receivers in catches and yardage when Palmer is under center? A lot of that has to do with last week's outburst but the reality is that he has at least 90 yards and a touchdown in two of his last three overall. If Floyd is limited in any way then Fitzgerald could remain a very hot hand. The Cowboys pass defense has been superb but they'll have their hands full with the Cardinals trio. There's no way Fitzgerald will get doubled.
John Brown (4.8): Would you believe that Brown is second to Fitzgerald in catches and yardage when Palmer is under center? Would you believe he has more targets than Fitzgerald and Floyd when Palmer plays? Last week's 10 targets seem abnormal, I can't help but think it had to do with a knee injury Floyd suffered early on. But it doesn't mean he won't get shots deep against the Cowboys secondary. We have seen speedy receivers play well against Dallas (like DeSean Jackson last week), so there's optimism for a pretty good game from the boom or bust receiver. Use him as a third receiver if you're not jazzed for your other options.
Michael Floyd (6.7): Okay, so Floyd is third best in targets, catches and yards with Palmer under center. But before last week he was first in all those categories as well as touchdowns. And last week he had some deep targets that he couldn't snare before hurting his knee. All indications are that he'll play -- expect him to rebound to the levels he was at before last week's letdown.
Dez Bryant (8.6): Patrick Peterson will play but he hasn't been the shut-down corner his reputation suggests. Bryant let Fantasy owners down a little bit last week and hasn't had a major breakout game yet, but if Romo is healthy and active then a very good game should be expected. Dez has over 100 yards and/or a touchdown in six of his last seven.
Terrance Williams (6.4): Williams has evolved into a boom or bust Fantasy option because his catches and touchdowns are all over the map. Last week was the first time he didn't score at home this season as well as the first time he didn't score when he had at least six targets (one red-zone target, no end-zone targets). Arizona has allowed multiple touchdowns to receivers in three of its last four, giving up 15.6 yards per catch over that span. Williams is worth taking a chance on as a No. 2 receiver.
Tight ends
Jason Witten (5.8): The theory is that if the Cardinals blitz as much as we expect them to, Witten will be asked to block more than catch. But his two best games came against defenses with pass rush problems (the Brian Orakpo-less Redskins and the stunningly ineffective Seahawks). The Cardinals, as blitzy as they've been, just can't get to the quarterback, notching only seven sacks. I wonder if the Cowboys will keep an extra fullback to protect the quarterback and try getting Witten open for short-range stuff. It might depend on how effective the Cardinals pass rush is early on, making Witten a risky low-end No. 1 Fantasy tight end.
Defense/Special Teams
Cardinals (3.8): If you want to start them against a banged-up Romo or a healthy Brandon Weeden and want to keep them because they play the Rams next week I won't fight you on it. But a lack of sacks hurt their chances, especially against a dangerous Cowboys offense. Try to bench them if you can.
Cowboys (2.7): There hasn't been a DST yet to finish as a Top 12 option when Palmer's played. The Cowboys will be tested all over the place. Steer clear.
Redskins at Vikings, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
You have to be even a little bit impressed with the Redskins defense after they held the Cowboys to 17 points at home. Cornerback Bashaud Breeland did a nice job and the unit as a whole wasn't totally exposed by Dallas. Now they play on the short week at Minnesota, an easier draw for them given the struggles of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. It would be surprising to see Washington deliver a dud here, particularly because the Vikings offense has averaged 15.0 points per game over Bridgewater's four starts.
Fun fact: This matchup features friends facing off against each other as Redskins coach Jay Gruden and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer worked together for the Bengals for the previous three seasons. This is the first time they'll call plays against each other in a game instead of on a practice field.
Quarterbacks
Robert Griffin III (5.5): There will be opportunities for the Redskins offense to get some plays against a good but beatable Vikings defense. A huge key will be protecting the quarterback, which has been a problem for Washington this season. If Griffin plays as expected, look for him to keep it simple in his first game back, mixing in a few deep shots to DeSean Jackson with quick short-range passes.
Teddy Bridgewater (4.6): He's slowly starting to come around -- the touchdown pass he hit last week was a beauty. Each of the last six teams to take on the Redskins have connected for two scores but Bridgewater has yet to throw multiple passes in the same game yet. He also hasn't rushed for many yards after doing so in his first taste of action. He's too risky to trust as a bye-week replacement unless absolutely desperate.
Running backs
Alfred Morris (7.5): This should be a good week for Morris against a Vikings run defense that's allowed 4.5 yards per carry on the year and is probably worse than that stat suggests since they bottled up the Bucs' weak run game last week. There's still concern that Morris won't get the workload needed to put up big numbers but after he was such a factor in the second half last week (13 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown) Gruden should give him a shot to help bring some balance to the offense. Getting Griffin back helps Morris.
Jerick McKinnon (7.0): Count on the Vikings giving McKinnon plenty of work this week after DeMarco Murray smashed the Redskins run defense for over seven yards per carry on Monday night. But besides Murray the only starting running back to accumulate over 10 Fantasy points against the Skins was Marshawn Lynch in Week 5. he shapes up as a safe No. 2 running back.
Wide receivers
DeSean Jackson (8.4): Look for the Redskins to try and capitalize on Jackson lining up against Minnesota cornerbacks Captain Munnerlyn and Josh Robinson. The Vikes have given up nine touchdowns to receivers in their last seven games and have had trouble especially with speed receivers.
Pierre Garcon (5.2): It took a 23-yard catch in overtime just to get Garcon over 40 yards receiving last week. The hope is that Griffin's return will help boost Garcon's numbers -- at the very least his targets should improve. Garcon had 12 targets for 10 catches, 77 yards and no touchdowns from Griffin in basically 1.25 games. Without him Garcon averaged 6.7 targets per game over 6.75 games.
Cordarrelle Patterson (4.6): There's improvement for Patterson thanks to an uptick in targets (12 last week, 24 in the last three weeks). The weakness of the Redskins defense is in the secondary, which also plays into Patterson's hands, but he's still too tough to trust as anything more than a low-end No. 3 receiver. He's on the right track, though.
Tight ends
Jordan Reed (6.0): Reed has not taken advantage of favorable matchups recently and now he gets a tough matchup. Only Jimmy Graham has posted more than seven Fantasy points against the Vikings this year. His athleticism and Griffin's return keeps him in the low-end No. 1 tight end conversation, especially in a week with a lot of good tight ends on bye.
Chargers at Dolphins, Sun., 1 p.m. ET
This is a tough spot for Philip Rivers. The Chargers run game is starting to fall apart, which means that the Chargers' fate will be on Rivers' shoulders. Not that he can't handle that, but the Dolphins secondary has been excellent the past couple of games. Throw in a strong Miami pass rush and the time zone challenges the Chargers face and it seems like a tall order for Rivers and his crew, just as it was when they played at Miami last November.
Running backs
Branden Oliver (5.9): The clock struck midnight on Oliver, who has 103 rush yards on 28 carries and 38 yards on nine catches in his last two games (no scores). The Broncos run defense was all over him in Week 8 anytime he had the ball and it took a late run just to get over 60 total yards. Starting running backs have posted at least 100 total yards on the Dolphins in each of their last two games but there's a chance Oliver will have to share the ball with Donald Brown, who is back practicing this week. Don't expect big numbers out of Oliver, making him a No. 3 or flex back.
Lamar Miller (8.1): Miller is 3 for 3 in posting at least 10 Fantasy points at home this season. He also has posted 10 or more Fantasy points in 5 of 6 games with at least 14 touches. Over the last three weeks the Chargers run defense has been hit for 4.6 yards per carry, 7.8 yards per catch and four total touchdowns by backs including back-to-back games with starting backs getting at least 12 Fantasy points. Expect a decent dose of work and a couple of cracks at a touchdown from Miller in Week 9.
Wide receivers
Keenan Allen (5.5): It was nice to see Allen get more involved in the Chargers offense, especially near the goal line. But will it continue? Allen needs a lot of targets and catches in order to be helpful for Fantasy because he's not getting the job done with his feet, averaging just under 10 yards per catch. He has nine or more targets in four games this year but has five Fantasy points or less in two of them. We can assume the Chargers will throw a decent amount, which would theoretically help Allen. I don't mind him as a borderline No. 2/No. 3 receiver but not much higher.
Malcom Floyd (4.3): Typically it's been top-targeted receivers that do the most damage against the Dolphins but the Chargers like to take shot plays with Floyd. Assuming that the Bolts are playing in a close game or from behind there will be some opportunities for Floyd to make some plays. He's a pretty good bye-week replacement.
Mike Wallace (8.5): Venting about the state of the offense while on track to post a career-high in touchdowns isn't a good look, but that's what Wallace did this week. He remains a touchdown-reliant receiver but he's worth it this week given the state of the Chargers secondary, which has allowed seven touchdowns to receivers over their last three games.
Tight ends
Antonio Gates (8.6): Gates scored at Miami last season and faces a Dolphins defense that has struggled with tight ends more often than not.
Defense/Special Teams
Chargers (3.7): The Dolphins haven't allowed a DST to finish as a Top 12 option in five straight games. The long trek east, the banged up secondary and the good-but-not-great pass rush make the Chargers unit a no-no.
Dolphins (6.0): Taking on an offense led by Philip Rivers is always a tough task. Only one DST finished as a Top 12 option against the Chargers all season and it was by a hair (Chiefs, Week 7). But the Dolphins should be able to keep it close and not necessarily high scoring, so they're worth a shot as a low-end starting option.
Rams at 49ers, Sun., 4:05 p.m. ET
The Rams are simply too beat up to compete in this game. Their receiving corps is leaner than it has ever been, the run game is a three-headed mess and the offensive line has been decimated by injury. Meanwhile, the 49ers are coming off a bye and will have Patrick Willis back in the middle of their defense. It would be surprising to see this as anything other than a lopsided victory for San Francisco.
Quarterbacks
Austin Davis (1.3): Behind a rag-tag offensive line and with no credible receivers, expect Davis to get blitzed out of his cleats. A month ago he was a potential Fantasy breakout candidate but that's long gone. He'll be fortunate to record 13 Fantasy points like he did against the 49ers back in Week 6.
Colin Kaepernick (8.6): The Rams secondary remains suspect and the 49ers receiving corps is as healthy as can be. Four of the last five quarterbacks to take on the Rams threw multiple touchdowns and each of the last three quarterbacks have run for at least 24 yards. Kaepernick did both of those things -- and added over 300 yards passing -- against them back in Week 6. He's a must-start.
Running backs
Benny Cunningham (5.1): The Rams aren't going to be able to run the ball effectively and figure to play from behind for much of the game. Cunningham is their best passing downs back and could be in line for a bunch of dump-off passes. Running backs have averaged 7.8 yards per catch against the 49ers over their last three games, a glimmer of hope for Cunningham as a desperation Fantasy play.
Frank Gore (7.6): Look for a big workload from Gore, who had said workload in Week 6 against the Rams but couldn't gain much ground. However, this time around his O-line is pretty healthy and he'll have home field on his side (10-plus Fantasy points in three straight home games). His track record against the Rams isn't too bad either.
Carlos Hyde (6.6): Normally I don't like to project big numbers for backs because of an expected blowout but it seems like that's the way this game is going to go. Hyde couldn't get anything going on 11 carries at St. Louis earlier this year but this time around the Rams could have trouble given the state of their entire team. Hyde's a sneaky No. 2 running back this week with the hope that he can notch a touchdown and pick up more playing time than normal.
Wide receivers
Anquan Boldin (8.1): Boldin is the true No. 1 receiver for the 49ers, leading the way in every major stat except for touchdowns. He's had increasing targets over his last five games, seven catches in each of his last two and had a monster game at St. Louis (94 yards and a touchdown). In fact he has 90 yards and/or a touchdown in each of three games against the Rams as a member of the Niners. This is the safest San Francisco receiver you'll find in Week 9. He's a must in one-week leagues.
Michael Crabtree (5.9): A late touchdown saved Crabtree's bacon against the Rams in Week 6. Without it we'd be looking at four straight games of single-digit Fantasy points from Crabtree, who does have less than 50 yards in each of those four. There's some risk in rolling with Crabtree this week even if he has scored 10-plus Fantasy points in four of his last five against the Rams.
Steve Johnson (3.4): Johnson has scored in three of the 49ers last four games and has five catches in each of the last two. The only question is if he'll still get a decent amount of playing time after the team evaluated their receiving options. He's only a decent play as a bye-week replacement.
Tight ends
Vernon Davis (6.6): It's been ugly for Davis lately but if there's a team for him to get right against, it's the Rams. He scored in both games against them last year and was close to having at least a bigger game than he actually had at St. Louis in Week 6. He's due.
Defense/Special Teams
Rams (2.9): The run defense had a nice little stretch there until the Chiefs broke through against them last week. With an offense that probably won't do them many favors, expect the Rams defense to get worn down before bottoming out.
49ers (9.7): Getting Patrick Willis back will make their run defense stronger. Playing a team captained by Austin Davis and void of any real game wreckers will make their whole defense look better. There isn't a better DST choice in Week 9.
Raiders at Seahawks, Sun., 4:25 p.m. ET
This is an obvious get-right game for the Seahawks, and especially Marshawn Lynch. His Fantasy totals have been abysmal but it's not without effort as he had a touchdown called back two weeks ago and at least 15 touches each of the last two weeks. The Raiders rank 26th against the run -- it doesn't take a Paul Allen to figure out the best way to deliver a victory.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr (2.0): It's obviously a tough spot for the rookie, particularly since his run game is no better than average and his offensive line is hit or miss. He could always come through with a garbage-time touchdown but there's not really any appeal to him.
Russell Wilson (8.7): Three of the last four quarterbacks to play the Raiders have put up multiple touchdowns and at least 20 Fantasy points. This seems like a great time for Wilson to sharpen his skills and put up some nice numbers against a beleaguered Raiders defense.
Wide receivers
Andre Holmes (3.8): I don't expect Richard Sherman to follow any one Oakland cornerback around but that doesn't make things any easier for Holmes. He came through with a trash touchdown late at Cleveland last week, giving him 12-plus Fantasy points in three of his last four games. But Seattle has allowed three receivers to score all year and only one at Qwest Field.
James Jones (4.0): In his last three games Jones has 26 targets (at least seven per game) for 15 catches, 153 yards and a touchdown. Only three out of 10 receivers with at least seven targets against Seattle have posted 10-plus Fantasy points. You'll be lucky to get seven out of Jones.
Doug Baldwin (5.8): There's no telling just how much Wilson will throw in what should end up being a blowout win, but Baldwin has more targets in each of his last two games than he had in any game from when Percy Harvin was on the Seahawks. Oakland has allowed at least one score to a receiver in each of their last four games. Baldwin settles in as a pretty good No. 2 receiver.
Tight ends
Mychal Rivera (4.4): If you're desperate. Rivera seemed to be a bigger part of the Raiders game plan last week, collecting team-highs in catches and yards with seven for 87 on nine targets. Seattle has not been great against tight ends, so he could fit into lineups as a desperation bye-week replacement if you're so bold (or don't have a choice).
Luke Willson (5.1): It feels like we're chasing touchdowns here as Willson scored last week but the Raiders have a weakness at safety and the Seahawks can exploit it with Willson. Jordan Cameron had three catches for 40 yards before leaving 22 minutes into the game with a concussion last week, so the Browns were attacking. The Seahawks should too.
Broncos at Patriots, Sun., 4:25 p.m. ET
With major playoff implications, this should be a heck of a matchup. But at least on paper, everything favors the Broncos. Denver's run defense has improved lately, giving up just 2.5 yards per carry and 4.4 yards per catch over its last three games with no touchdowns. Denver's pass defense isn't quite as good (at least two passing scores allowed in three straight and five of seven overall) but a lot of that has to do with the 41.9 pass attempts per game opponents are averaging. It will be a much tougher challenge for the Patriots to game plan for a win in this game compared to the Broncos, in part because of the Broncos run defense (the Patriots have a pretty stable track record of running the ball as much as possible to keep Peyton Manning off the field.
Quarterbacks
Peyton Manning (9.5): Unrelated-to-Peyton note/embarrassing fact about the author, Vol. 8 of 16: It took me three hours of research to preview this game. And, embarrassingly enough, I'm not at all embarrassed. Also, Manning has 20-plus Fantasy points in six of his last seven games against Bill Belichick-coached teams, which doesn't hurt.
Tom Brady (9.0): Two of Brady's last three against the Broncos have been duds but the one everyone remembers is the come-from-behind victory last season. The typical game plan for the Patriots against Peyton's teams is to run the ball a lot, but that's not going to be as effective as it's been in the past because of how good the Broncos run defense is. So, count on Brady throwing a bunch and especially leaning on short-range and middle-of-the-field targets ( Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Timothy Wright, Shane Vereen) to pick up a bunch of first downs and keep the chains moving. It should result in a pretty good stat line for Brady, albeit not with the 8.8 yards per pass attempt average he's posted over his last four games.
Running backs
Ronnie Hillman (8.5): Hillman has the best matchup of anyone in this game as the Patriots have allowed each of the last two starting running backs to get at least 17 Fantasy points each. Hillman has at least 100 total yards in each of his last three games on the strength of at least 18 carries. Of the seven running backs with 16 touches or more against the Pats this season, six have posted at least 11 Fantasy points. Hillman is a lock.
Juwan Thompson (5.5): I don't mind Thompson as a touchdown splasher this week. New England has allowed a rushing touchdown from two yards or closer in three of its last five games. That's Thompson's territory.
Shane Vereen (5.8): The name of the game for the Patriots has always been ball control, which is what they tried to do in their playoff loss at Denver last January. Then, they worked on short-range passing early on with some deep shots mixed in, not relying heavily on the run. We might see that again this time, though it's not bad for Vereen if it shakes out that way since he can make plays as a receiver. In fact it would be better that way for Vereen since it looks like the Patriots are comfortable with Jonas Gray as their 'running downs' back. But because the Broncos have been so good against the run, he'll have to score to deliver in Fantasy. Look for a season-high in catches from Vereen, who is averaging 8.0 yards per catch, but not a huge Fantasy game.
Jonas Gray (5.0): Gray looked good last week and might end up being the next good back in the Patriots offense but I can't take a chance on him this week. It's not because I don't expect the Pats to run a healthy amount in an attempt to control the clock. It's because I think the Broncos front seven is excellent. It would take a hefty commitment by the Patriots to keep feeding Gray carries and I just don't think it's likely, particularly if Peyton is putting up points.
Wide receivers
Demaryius Thomas (9.5): 19, 10, 18, 9, 11. Those are Thomas' Fantasy point totals in five career games against the Patriots while with Peyton Manning. The hunch is that the Patriots will stick Brandon Browner on him to get physical off the snap and then have help over the top. If that consistently happens then Thomas' numbers might not be so great -- and the Patriots will get smashed over and over again by the likes of Julius Thomas.
Emmanuel Sanders (8.9): If the Patriots go with Browner on Thomas then that would leave Revis to go against Sanders. I don't know if that's such a bad thing for Sanders, who can either catch short passes in off coverage or use his speed to challenge Revis deep. If Sanders can draw Browner, though, expect some deep shots since he can burn past Browner.
Wes Welker (4.4): Welker might be a very sneaky start as a third receiver this week since he'll see the weakest coverage of all of Denver's wideouts. And if the Patriots really try hard to take away the long pass then Welker can eat them up on underneath stuff. It's a risk -- he was basically a non-factor in two games against his old team last season.
Julian Edelman (6.0): Perhaps it was because the Patriots didn't have an outside threat, or perhaps it's because of the game plan they employ (maybe both) but Edelman had monster games against the Broncos last season, getting 110 yards and two touchdowns in the regular-season meeting and 98 yards and a touchdown in the playoff game (with at least nine catches per game). It might be a trend: In 2012 while still with the Patriots we saw Welker, in a similar role to Edelman's, deliver 104 yards and a touchdown on the Broncos. Remember, the short-area passing game is an extension of the run game and an easy way to move the chains, especially if Edelman doesn't draw a top cornerback. This might sound dumb come Monday but I think Edelman has a sneaky shot to produce better numbers than LaFell. Besides, if there's one thing we know about the Patriots it's that what happens one week doesn't mean it will happen the next week (right Brandon Bolden?) .
Brandon LaFell (5.6): The Broncos secondary, namely cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, have been excellent this season. That's despite Denver allowing four touchdowns to receivers in their last three games. However, of the four, maybe one could be put on Talib while Harris hasn't truly allowed a touchdown yet this year. More relevant: the Broncos haven't allowed 100 yards to a receiver this year and have allowed between 80 and 99 yards to one receiver (Reggie Wayne in Week 1). It will be fun to see how LaFell does but he might not deliver double digits.
Tight ends
Julius Thomas (9.2): In the one game Thomas played against the Patriots last season he had eight grabs for 85 yards. This season the Patriots have allowed a touchdown to a tight end in three of their last five (including their last two) and have given up 10 Fantasy points to the position in three straight.
Rob Gronkowski (9.4): The Broncos struggles with tight ends isn't quite as prolific as the Patriots' but they still have some problems there. Antonio Gates scored on them twice last week and Jace Amaro caught a jump ball in the end zone in single coverage. T.J. Ward will have his hands full with the big fella.
Timothy Wright (6.4): Expect to see a bunch of Wright as a utility piece for the Patriots passing game as he'll draw some favorable matchups against the Broncos linebackers and defensive backs. He's worth taking a chance on if you're short at tight end.
Defense/Special Teams
Broncos (3.2): It's tough to expect them to completely slow down the Patriots offense, especially the passing game. But if roster space is tight then I'd start them and take my lumps just so I wouldn't have to lose them for their next two games: at Oakland and at St. Louis.
Patriots (3.1): It's also tough to expect the Pats to keep Peyton Manning grounded, particularly with his track record against them. But unlike the Broncos, you can get away with dropping the Patriots DST because after Week 9 they're on bye and then take on the Colts in Indy in Week 11, the Lions in Week 12, at the Packers in Week 13 and at the Chargers in Week 14.
Ravens at Steelers, Sun., 8:30 p.m. ET
The Ravens have typically done a nice job limiting Ben Roethlisberger, holding him to one or no touchdowns in nine of their last 11 meetings! But this time around things might be different. The Ravens lost top cornerback Jimmy Smith to a foot injury, opening the door for some juicy matchups for the Steelers passing game. Normally the Steelers would employ a play-it-safe strategy against the Ravens but with the Baltimore pass rush not quite where it used to be (17 sacks through eight games), the secondary a little shaky and the Steelers receiving corps starting to kick it up a notch, we might see the Steelers get aggressive in front of their home crowd.
Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco (5.7): Flacco had two scores on the Steelers back in Week 2 but had just 166 yards with it, making for a so-so Fantasy game. You'd have to go back to 2009 to find the last time Flacco had two touchdowns at Pittsburgh but the matchup isn't that bad for him this time around (like the Ravens, the Steelers have some secondary problems too). Ultimately I don't have a lot of confidence in Flacco because he has topped 18 Fantasy points twice this season and it came against non-conference opponents but it wouldn't be a complete shock to let the Ravens let Flacco throw like a madman.
Ben Roethlisberger (7.8): Taking advantage of a banged up secondary worked wonders for Roethlisberger last week. Expect something similar to happen this week, specifically with the improved passing game that Martavis Bryant has helped unearth. The story would be different if Jimmy Smith were active but he won't be.
Running backs
Justin Forsett (6.8): Forsett is the Ravens leading rusher and the Steelers run defense remains a liability. Forsett didn't get much work back in Week 2 but when he did he rushed for 56 yards on eight carries and nearly scored. Over the last three weeks the Steelers are allowing 4.5 yards per carry and 6.2 yards per catch to running backs (which is actually better than their year-to-date averages). Forsett has averaged 18.0 carries per game over the last three weeks and re-emerged as a pass catcher last week with three grabs.
Lorenzo Taliaferro (5.7): Assuming the Ravens don't give the job back to Bernard Pierce (and why would they?), Taliaferro should pound a Pittsburgh defense that has allowed seven touchdowns in eight games on the ground to backs. Expect him to find some chances at the goal line.
Le'Veon Bell (7.8): A no-brainer as he's posted 10-plus Fantasy points in all but one game this season, but that one game was a nine-point effort back in Week 2 against the Ravens. Since that game the Ravens have allowed just three total touchdowns to running backs and no one player has totaled even 90 yards against them.
Wide receivers
Steve Smith (6.9): The last four weeks have been lean for Smith, who had one great play at Tampa Bay but has otherwise been a Fantasy dud. To be fair, he had a big play for a touchdown called back last week because of a penalty. Expect a big play this week as the Steelers left a lot on film for the Ravens to exploit. Since Smith's 71 yard game against the Steelers in Week 2 the Black & Gold have allowed four 100-yard games (and a 99-yard game) and five touchdowns to receivers. Smith got back in the swing of things with nine targets last week.
Torrey Smith (3.7): It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Ravens dial up a couple of deep shots to Smith like they've done in previous weeks -- it's what they do in favorable matchups. The touchdown-dependent Smith has three games with 10-plus Fantasy points, all against non-conference opponents. The Steelers might just be too familiar with Smith's game.
Antonio Brown (9.6): Brown gets the Ravens without cornerback Jimmy Smith making things problematic. It should result in another fantastic stat line.
Martavis Bryant (5.4): Bryant played 34 and 38 percent of the snaps over the last two weeks, effectively working as a third receiver. In those games he's caught 7 of 12 targets for 123 yards and three touchdowns. He's not a secret anymore, and while breakout receivers tend to trail off after two solid games, there's something about the suddenly favorable matchup and the way the Steelers might start playing football (i.e. the no-huddle) that keeps him alluring.
Tight ends
Heath Miller (5.0): So which Miller will show up this week? The one that gets a bunch of targets and scores or the one that gets six or fewer targets and 51 or fewer yards? He's been a factor in Roethlisberger's two biggest games -- eventually the coaches will realize he's important and scheme up ways for him to be effective. This might not be the week, however, as the Ravens have done a great job against opposing tight ends for much of the year.
Defense/Special Teams
Ravens (4.1): Only one of the last six DSTs to face the Steelers finished as a Top 12 option -- it was Cleveland! I really think losing Jimmy Smith impacts the secondary negatively. Find another DST but come back to the Ravens in Week 10 when they play the Titans at home.
Steelers (3.6): Only two DSTs have finished strong against the Ravens this year with only one doing so in the last seven weeks. Pittsburgh's too banged up to trust.
Colts at Giants, Mon., 8:30 p.m. ET
We all know the Colts will come out slinging the ball thanks to Andrew Luck, but the Giants should end up doing the same thing for pretty much every week. Eli Manning had three touchdowns in his last game and should have a few new wrinkles in his offense following the team's bye week. The Colts have allowed just three quarterbacks to throw multiple touchdowns against them this season but including Ben Roethlisberger and his six-burger last week, but they've taken on a lot of sloppy quarterbacks without dominant receiving corps. Manning's group isn't quite dominant but they are tough to handle.
Quarterbacks
Andrew Luck (9.2): The Giants pass rush is pretty good and their secondary will be okay with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie back, but it doesn't matter as Luck has torched pretty much everyone this season. Matthew Stafford, Nick Foles and Tony Romo all have had quality games against the G-Men already this season. Luck is next.
Eli Manning (7.3): It looks like Vontae Davis will end up playing for the Colts after missing most of last week's game. He'll get tested early on but if he's fine then he'll make things tougher than normal for Manning. Still, expect Manning to receive good protection and plenty of pass attempts en route to a good game. He has at least 200 yards and two scores in five of his last six games.
Running backs
Ahmad Bradshaw (7.9): Bradshaw has already said this week he's looking forward to this game against his former team. With 50 yards and a touchdown in all but one of his last seven games, expect Bradshaw to keep the strong performances going.
Trent Richardson (6.2): Stunning to see that Richardson has delivered at least 10 Fantasy points in three of his last four games. Meanwhile the Giants have allowed a rushing touchdown in all but one game this season. So long as it keeps looking good for Richardson to play, consider him among your low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back options.
Andre Williams (5.4): Maybe Williams has had a week to clear his head and begin running with more patience. He needs something -- in two games as the starter he has 110 yards on 35 carries against the Eagles and Cowboys run defenses. The Colts run defense has given up seven touchdowns to backs in eight games and 4.3 yards per carry, so it's not like they're world beaters, but Williams' workload isn't promised to go beyond 15 touches.
Wide receivers
T.Y. Hilton (9.2): With at least nine Fantasy points in each of his last five games, Hilton is too explosive to not start. We've seen highly targeted No. 1 receivers post at least 10 Fantasy points in two of the Giants' last three games.
Hakeem Nicks (3.9): It's squarely a silly 'revenge' factor for Nicks as a low-end No. 3 receiver, but one worth checking into. As much as it might disappoint to allow him to score, they won't focus on covering him versus other Colts targets. Nicks played nearly as many snaps as Hilton last week.
Donte Moncrief (2.6): As we were told by CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson this week, the expectation is for Moncrief to go back to a minimal role once Reggie Wayne comes back. Disappointing because Moncrief looked great last week but understandable as the Colts don't want to rush him on the field. From purely a Fantasy perspective, Wayne has had one great catch this season.
Odell Beckham (5.7): OBJ has 16 targets in three games, catching 10 of them for 106 yards and three touchdowns (all in the red zone). While he's been helpful for Fantasy owners in two of three games, he still hasn't delivered a catch longer than 18 yards. The Colts have allowed nine touchdowns but that includes five last week -- and seven in the red zone. With the Giants expected to play from behind, look for Beckham to be a factor in the offense as he continues to develop in the Giants offense. I'm compelled to like him a little bit more than Randle despite Randle's targets.
Rueben Randle (5.0): I don't think the Colts pass defense is as bad as it looked last week, especially without Vontae Davis, but they have had their problems with top-targeted receivers this season. Beckham has at least nine targets in five straight games for the Giants, though he has only one touchdown and no 100-yard games to show for it. He should still have a solid role coming out of the bye week but questions about what he does with his targets make him a little worrisome.
Tight ends
Dwayne Allen (8.1): A must after the Giants allowed two touchdowns and at least 90 total yards to tight ends in each of their last two games.
Larry Donnell (6.7): You have to like Donnell after the Colts struggled with Heath Miller last week. Donnell could be on thin ice if he keeps fumbling the ball away but for now it seems like he's still going to be a regular in the Giants passing game mix.
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