Fantasy Football Outlook: Week 9
Fantasy managers may find it difficult to finalize lineups for a Week 9 riddled with starting position questions.
One of the week’s biggest developing stories revolves around Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers testing positive for COVID-19, which opens the door for Jordan Love to make another appearance.
The former Utah State University quarterback’s last outing for Green Bay recorded 68 yards and five completions. Managers on the hunt for a quarterback can label Love as a low-end QB2 against the Kansas City Chiefs at home in Arrowhead Stadium.
Running backs are in short supply as the NFL injured reserve list continues to grow. Notable names such as Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson and Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry are unavailable along with 25 others in the position across the league.
Pick-ups with potential include New England Patriots running back Damien Harris, who had 23 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown in a Week 8 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In his last five games, Harris has recorded four touchdowns and three straight weeks of double-digit fantasy production. The Patriots’ offense faces the Carolina Panthers with a strong, yet inconsistent defense. If Harris sits on your waiver wire, definitely make a move for him.
Anticipation swirls around running back Adrian Peterson’s possible debut with the Titans. The thought of Henry’s foot injury was fresh in Tennessee’s mind when signing Peterson to the practice squad.
There is incredible risk with picking up Peterson because his role is not yet defined in the Titans’ offense. The Titans are also staring down the Los Angeles Rams’ defense with a newly-acquired Von Miller in the mix, so I would avoid starting Peterson until scoping his offensive fit.
If your lineup has quite a few wide receivers with “Qs” beside their names, you’re not alone. Top receivers such as the Arizona Cardinals’ top target DeAndre Hopkins and San Francisco 49ers’ breakout star Deebo Samuel are nursing hamstring and calf injuries.
The waiver wire for wide receivers can look pretty slim at this point in the season, but a top name to watch for is the Miami Dolphins’ own Jaylen Waddle, who faces a Houston Texans defense guilty of giving opposing wideouts the 11th-most points per game, according to ESPN.
The New York Jets’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals could be attributed to wide receiver Jamison Crowder. He garnered 16.4 points in Week 8 while fellow wide receiver Corey Davis stayed sidelined with a hip injury.
Davis’ doubtful status ahead of Week 9 emphasizes Crowder’s potential to repeat production and be the primary target for rising quarterback Mike White against the Indianapolis Colts for Thursday Night Football.
The “injured reserve blues” are real for fantasy managers. With more injured starters means more potential to seize the waiver wire opportunities.
Emma Holtz is a second-year majoring in public relations. To contact her, email exh5337@psu.edu.
