Week 9 Flex Rankings: Juice is Worth the Squeeze

Week 9 of the NFL season is upon us and as usual, it will provide fantasy managers with several minefields to navigate. We have four teams on a bye, three of whom are averaging at least 24 points per game. That means lots of contributing fantasy players will be off the table this week. All four teams on bye have quarterbacks who are fantasy-viable. We will also be missing two of the top three year-to-date running backs (Christian McCaffrey and Travis Etienne), two of the top five tight ends (Sam LaPorta and George Kittle), and several high-end wide receivers including Amon-Ra St. Brown, Courtland Sutton, and Christian Kirk. We also have the normal litany of injuries and other issues to deal with. Because of that, we are lacking in bit in both quality and quantity this week when it comes to my Week 9 Flex rankings.

I ranked just under 250 players this week. That should still give you an idea of where I stand regarding the relevant players on your roster. As you know, these are based on half-PPR scoring. They are subject to change as news changes throughout the week. But as always, feel free to comment below or on Twitter with any questions you may have concerning your roster.

Running Back Notes

The Cleveland Browns divvied up 37 opportunities between three different running backs last week. Kareem Hunt saw the most work, with 14 carries and a reception. Jerome Ford, who gutted it out after suffering an ankle injury the week prior, had nine carries and two targets. And, not to be forgotten, Pierre Strong had 10 carries and a reception. I want to say Strong was only an insurance policy for Ford, but he parlayed his 11 touches into 82 yards. I still have Strong as a distant third in the pecking order behind Hunt and Ford, but this could be a situation to monitor. Hunt and Ford are both squarely in the Flex conversation for me. I currently have both Brown running backs just outside the top 50 overall in my Week 9 Flex rankings.

Expectations for Dameon Pierce and Alexander Mattison were relatively high in the summer. They were mostly drafted in the low-RB2 range in 12-team leagues. As of now, though, the pair looks straight out of the dreaded running back dead zone. Mattison is averaging 8.8 fantasy points per game but has finished outside the top 20 in three straight weeks as Cam Akers has taken on more work in the Minnesota backfield. Pierce has also finished outside the top 20 in three straight games, but his lows have been much lower. Pierce has combined to score 8.0 fantasy points in his last two games, finishing each week as the overall RB46, while losing reps to Devin Singletary. As of now I still have Mattison and Pierce ranked ahead of their counterparts, but I am trying to avoid starting them if I can help it.

Wide Receiver Notes

Diontae Johnson has returned from a trip to the IR and posted consecutive weekly finishes as the overall WR22 in half-PPR leagues. Johnson had 14 targets last week and led all wide receivers with 188 air yards. He faces the Tennessee Titans this week on Thursday night. Tennessee has a reputation for being a pass-funnel defense, so Johnson should get plenty of targets once again in this matchup. Quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered an injury last week which forced him out of action early. However, he practiced in full on Wednesday and should be good to go for Thursday’s contest. I have Johnson ranked in the WR3 range, but he could easily exceed those expectations. And that’s not even considering the possibility of him scoring a touchdown for the first time since the 2021 season.

The Arizona Cardinals decided that Joshua Dobbs was no longer fit to be the team’s starting quarterback. They then sent him on his merry way to Minnesota, presumably to be Kirk Cousins’ replacement. Kyler Murray is on the mend, but it appears as though Clayton Tune will be under center when the Cardinals take on the Browns this week. Cleveland has a ferocious defense and has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. This does not feel like the ideal week to trust Marquise Brown in fantasy lineups. I have Brown as my overall WR35, which is right on the precipice of starting territory. But the decision on whether or not to start him is likely based on your other options. As of now, I plan to bench him in a league where I have DeAndre Hopkins, Jakobi Meyers, and Tyler Lockett.

Tight End Notes

I ranked Darren Waller as if he is playing, but it sounds unlikely to be the case. Waller left last week’s game due to a hamstring injury. I’m not a doctor, but I would surmise that a soft-tissue injury for a player on the wrong side of 30 will take more than a few days to heal. Daniel Bellinger gets a slight bump, but I would not start him anytime soon. The Giants will surely accumulate more than the -9 passing yards they mustered last week. But this is not an offense I want any part of at the moment outside of Saquon Barkley.

Dalton Kincaid and Trey McBride broke out in a big way last week. Kincaid scored his first career touchdown while finishing as the overall TE7 for the week. McBride had 10 catches for 95 yards and a score. Fantasy managers are hoping for a repeat this week from the dynamic young tight ends. I am much more willing to buy into Kincaid this week than McBride. Kincaid will face the Cincinnati Bengals, who allow the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. He is also on the receiving end of passes from one of the best in the business, Josh Allen. Meanwhile, McBride will face the Browns, who allow the fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends. McBride may have value as a safety valve, but his ceiling appears limited in this matchup.

More Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty

Week 9 Flex Rankings