This article first appeared on RotoBaller.com
By Chris Zolli (@thezman2010)
Welcome to Week 9 everyone. As we move closer to the fantasy playoffs, fantasy owners need to prepare for the final push and decide their strategy going into the stretch run. Those in FAAB leagues also need to be mindful about both their budget and other owners, as players may be able to be added at a lower value if owners burned their budget early.
The Bears, Browns, Chargers, Vikings, Patriots, and Steelers are on bye this week, so fantasy owners will be looking to replace players like Rob Gronkowski, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown leading into this weekend. Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 9. Each price recommendation will be based on a $100 FAAB budget.
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FAAB Waiver Wire Bids – Running Backs
Alex Collins (BAL, RB) – $10-12
34% owned in Yahoo
Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins is fresh off of his first 100-yard game in his NFL career and is the top waiver wire pickup for fantasy owners looking for running back help. Collins is averaging six yards per carry this season, which leads the NFL, but has only topped 15 carries in two of his games this season. While Collins has not gotten a huge amount of work, his game against the Dolphins last Thursday, where he also caught two passes for 30 yards, shows that the Ravens are working towards making Collins their lead running back. The Ravens will play the Titans on Sunday and Collins will look to make a dent in Tennessee’s top-12 defense against RB.
Marlon Mack (IND, RB) – $8-10
44% owned in Yahoo
Indianapolis Colts running back Marlon Mack had the most carries of his young NFL career on Sunday, scoring his first receiving touchdown, and appears to be the top back to own in Indianapolis. Mack was held to only 2.5 yards per carry against the Bengals on Sunday, after coming off three straight games with 5.0+ yards per carry, but does have a 20-yard gain (either on the ground or through the air) in each of his last four games. He has only topped 10 carries once this season, but he is still averaging 5.52 yards per touch and has 10 first downs on his 53 touches this season. A matchup against the Texans, who have allowed the fourth-fewest points to fantasy running backs, looms for Mack and should keep him on the bench for fantasy owners, but his explosiveness makes him a good player to stash for the stretch run.
Orleans Darkwa (NYG, RB) – FAAB Bid: $6-8
47% owned in Yahoo
New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa is fresh off of a bye and could be the running back to own for the Giants in the remainder of the 2017 season. Darkwa only has 51 carries this season, but is tied for third in the NFL in yards per carry (5.4) and is a game removed from rushing for 117 yards against the Broncos. While this 100 yard game against the league’s best rushing defense is strong, this was also the only game this season where Darkwa had more than 10 carries (he had 21) and he only had nine carries for 35 yards against the Seahawks before the bye. The Rams are the second-worst defense against fantasy running backs this season, giving Darkwa an added boost leading into this week’s contest.
Also Consider: DeAndre Washington (OAK, RB) – $5-8, Matt Forte (NYJ, RB) – $5-7, Dion Lewis (NE, RB) – $1-2
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids – Wide Receivers
Robby Anderson (NYJ, WR) – FAAB Bid: $10-12
28% owned in Yahoo
Robby Anderson has a touchdown in each of his last two games, including his career-high of 104 yards in Week 8, and has been the deep threat that the Jets are deseperate for. Anderson has a touchdown in consecutive games and is averaging 16.1 yards per catch this season, grabbing a 30-yard catch in three of his last five games. The Jets will play Buffalo on Thursday and, while the Bills are a top-10 defense against fantasy WR, the Buccaneers (29th) and Chiefs (32nd) are upcoming on the schedule for New York.
Paul Richardson (SEA, WR) – FAAB Bid: $10-12
30% owned in Yahoo
Paul Richardson was the breakout star of Week 8, hauling in six passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns, making him a hot fantasy asset. Richardson has five touchdown catches this season, grabbing a touchdown in consecutive games and three of his last five, and has caught 14 of his 17 targets over the last four weeks. The Redskins’ top-five defense against fantasy WR looms in Week 9 for Richardson and the Seahawks, but Richardson does get to face the Cardinals porous pass defense in both Weeks 10 and 17.
Marvin Jones (DET, WR) – FAAB Bid: $4-7
61% owned in Yahoo
Marvin Jones was likely picked up after his Week 6 performance when he hauled in six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown against the Saints, but his 128 yard performance against the Steelers in Week 8 should make his ownership creep closer to 70%. With Golden Tate nursing an injury and Kenny Golladay out of the lineup, Jones has 25 targets over the last two games and has seen his yards rise in each of the last five games. The Packers, the Lions’ opponent in Week 9, allow the 10th-most points against fantasy WR, giving Jones a plus matchup in a FLEX role.
Also Consider: Marqise Lee (JAX, WR) – $2-4, Kenny Stills (MIA, WR) – $2-4, JuJu Smith-Schuster (PIT, WR) – $2-4
Special JuJu note: Yes, he had a huge game. Yes, he is probably the second WR in Pittsburgh now. But, he is also coming up on a bye. Keep that in mind when you bid.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids – Tight Ends
Jack Doyle (IND, TE) – FAAB Bid: $3-5
49% owned in Yahoo
Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle has caught at least five passes in each of the last four games and his 100 yard game against the Bengals on Sunday makes him a legit TE1. Doyle hauled in 12 of his 14 targets against Cincinnati, totaling 121 yards and a touchdown catch, and is the fifth-ranked TE according to ESPN. He has caught a touchdown in two of his last three games, making him the only Colts’ receiver with multiple touchdowns and has caught 42 of his 55 targets this season.
The Texans allow the sixth-most points to fantasy TE and the Colts will face Houston this week, in one of their two remaining matchups with Houston, making Doyle a good play in Week 9.
Tyler Kroft (CIN, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2-4
15% owned in Yahoo
Tyler Kroft has caught at least four passes in each of his last four games and, with Doyle likely owned in a majority of leagues, is a good pivot for Gronkowski owners. Kroft has caught 23 of his 27 targets this season, also grabbing three touchdowns, and has been targeted five times or more in three of his last four games. The Bengals will face the Jaguars in Week 9 and, while Jacksonville has the league’s best defense against WR, they allow the 13th-most point against TE.
Also Consider: Austin Hooper (ATL, TE) – $1-2
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids – Quarterbacks
Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) – FAAB Bid: $5-7
58% owned in Yahoo
No one did better on Tuesday than Tyrod Taylor, as he added Kelvin Benjamin to his wide receiver corps a few weeks after getting Jordan Matthews back. Taylor has completed at least 60% of his passes in four of his last five games and the addition of Benjamin (and the recovering Charles Clay) could lead to him being more efficient in the red zone. While the addition of Benjamin is nice, playing the Jets (who rank 21st against fantasy QB) might be even better for Taylor.
Andy Dalton (QB, CIN) – FAAB Bid: $3-5
55% owned in Yahoo
Andy Dalton has thrown multiple touchdowns in four of his last five games and has been without an interception in three of his last five games, a good thing for a quarterback that has thrown eight interceptions. Since Week 3, , Dalton ranks 11th in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks and even had a four touchdown game against the Browns. The Bengals will play the Jaguars in Week 9, who have the league’s best defense against QB, but they do still have another matchup with Cleveland.
Also Consider: Jared Goff (QB, LAR) – $2-4
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids – Defense
Detroit Lions D/ST – FAAB Bid: $2-4
48% owned in Yahoo
The Packers without Aaron Rodgers is as soft of a matchup as their can be, as the Packers will rely on Aaron Jones to beat the Lions. Look for multiple turnovers for Brett Hundley and for the Lions to be one of the top 10 defenses this week.
New Orleans Saints D/ST – FAAB Bid: $1-3
62% owned in Yahoo
New Orleans is 5th in interceptions and 12th in sacks this season, and a matchup against the now error-prone Tampa Bay Buccaneers looms, making them a nice pickup this week.
Arizona Cardinals D/ST – FAAB Bid: $1-3
37% owned in Yahoo
The Cardinals will face the 49ers in Week 9. The Niners are winless. Do not overthink this.
