We’re going streaking! After absolutely crushing it in Week 8 with players like Bo Nix, Cedric Tillman, and James Conner, it’s time to continue on more weekly winning adjustments to your lineup with Week 9 bold predictions. As always, these players aren’t always considered “set-and-forget” starters, but I believe can swing your matchup if you need a boost.
Week 9 Bold Predictions for the 2024 Fantasy Football Season
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Bold Prediction: 250 passing yards, 3 touchdowns; 21 rushing yards
24.1 fantasy points
Since their Week 5 bye, the Chargers are a much more pass-heavy team. Over the last three weeks, they rank inside the top 10 in pass attempts per game. Herbert has attempted 32 or more passes in each of the last three games. Compare that to his average of just 22.75 attempts per game before the bye. As far as production goes, Herbert did not eclipse 179 passing yards prior to Los Angeles’ bye week. Since then, he’s averaging 288 yards per game and is third in total passing yards over the last three weeks.
In Week 9, Herbert and the Chargers travel to Cleveland to take on the newly Jameis Winston led Browns. With Winston running the offense, there’s a likelier chance of a competitive game, increasing Herbert’s likeliness to keep throwing as well. In each of their last three games, the Browns defense has allowed every quarterback they’ve faced to throw for exactly two passing touchdowns. Additionally, during this stretch, quarterbacks averaged 244.6 passing yards per game.
Against the Browns, Herbert should have the most full complement of weapons he’s had this season. Neither Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, nor Will Dissly have an injury designation. D.J. Chark is listed as questionable but logged back-to-back full practices this week.
Herbert’s schedule moving forward is extremely fantasy-friendly. After Week 9, Herbert and the Chargers have three straight home games against the Titans, Ravens, and Bengals. The latter two rank inside the top four in fantasy points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Last week may have been the start of a league-winning run for Herbert. My Week 9 bold prediction is just a continuation of that.
Julius Chestnut, RB, Tennessee Titans
Bold Prediction: 18 carries, 85 rushing yards, 1 touchdown
14.5 fantasy points
Let’s be clear about this Week 9 bold prediction: if Tony Pollard ends up playing, then starting Julius Chestnut becomes much, much riskier. Starting Chestnut is risky at baseline, but this is a bold prediction article. He has just 20 career carries heading into Week 9 of his third season with the Titans, half of which he handled over the last two weeks. Knowing the sample size is extremely small, it’s worth noting that Chestnut has managed a 4.6 yards per carry average or better over his last two games with a run of eight yards or more in each game.
We already know Tyjae Spears (hamstring) is going to miss Week 9. Tony Pollard hasn’t practiced all week due to a foot injury but is still considered questionable. That leaves Julius Chestnut as the healthiest running back on the active roster. If the Titans activate Joshua Kelley from the practice squad on Saturday, then Pollard’s chance of suiting up, or handling a lead-back workload, won’t look good.
If Chestnut gets the chance to handle a lead-back role in Week 9, he gets an advantageous matchup to do so. The Titans are hosting the New England Patriots. Over their last four games, the Patriots have allowed six different running backs to rush for 75 or more yards. That includes two games in which multiple running backs from the same team did so. They’re also tied for the second-most rushing touchdowns allowed (10) to running backs this season.
Jacoby Brissett will likely start for the Patriots in Week 9. If so, it could be another painful day for the Patriots offense lending to a positive game script for the Titans and, more specifically, their run game. This Week 9 bold prediction for Chestnut is a classic case of volume plus matchup equals fantasy points. The running back position is better this year than most, but if you need a high-volume starter with upside in Week 9, Chestnut is in the right spot.
Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers
Bold Prediction: 7 receptions, 91 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
22.1 fantasy points
The Panthers will start Bryce Young again in Week 9 as Andy Dalton recovers from a thumb injury. Plugging any of Young’s receivers into your lineup is a bold move. However, Young did have his best statistical performance in Week 8. He completed 24 passes for a season-high 224 yards and two touchdowns, his first two of the season. The first was to Xavier Legette.
If you recall, the Panthers traded up from the 33rd overall pick in this year’s draft back into the end of the first round to pick Legette 32nd overall. Legette posted a 71/1,255/7 receiving line last year in his final season at the University of South Carolina.
Although Diontae Johnson was not active last week, he’s now officially a Baltimore Raven. That means Legette is the presumed top wide receiver for the Panthers for the remainder of the season. Moving forward, I expect the Panthers to find ways to get the ball in his hands. Legette is dangerous after the catch so mixing in a few handoffs out of the backfield could come into play, as well.
In Week 9, the Panthers will have a rematch with the New Orleans Saints. Their defense will be without their two top cornerbacks, Marshon Lattimore and Kool-Aid McKinstry. This season, the Saints defense has allowed the seventh-most receptions and fifth-most receiving yards to wide receivers. I’m willing to look beyond Bryce Young starting and start Legette where needed based on his expected target share against backup cornerbacks in Week 9.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Bold Prediction: 5 receptions, 60 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
17.0 fantasy points
The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t a particularly advantageous matchup for tight ends. Travis Kelce caught 10 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown against them in Week 8, but otherwise, they’ve allowed an average of just 4.28 receptions, 42.8 yards, and one other touchdown to the position this season.
Mike Gesicki may not cash in on a Travis Kelce stat line, but my Week 9 bold prediction for him exceeds the average production for a tight end against the Raiders. A big reason why I’m including Gesicki in the Week 9 bold predictions is the expected absence of Tee Higgins. He missed Week 8 with a quad injury, suffered in practice just two days before kickoff in practice. Tee Higgins did not practice all week leading up to Week 9.
In three games without Tee Higgins this season, Mike Gesicki has caught 17 of is 21 targets for 182 scoreless yards. In Weeks 2 and 8 specifically, he caught seven passes in each for at least 73 yards in each. George Kittle and Pat Freiermuth have a Week 9 bye and a lot of managers are streaming tight ends this season. If you need a high-upside option, I think my Week 9 bold prediction for Gesicki is a good gamble.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!