As we get closer and closer to the end of the season, there are fewer opportunities to make moves that matter. Check into FantraxHQ every Tuesday for the best RB options on your bench/waiver wire. Now enjoy our Week 9 Running Back Sleepers and Streamers.
Whether it’s to improve your own team or keep one of your league-mates from improving, you’ll want to check in with us weekly. Let’s get into it!
Week 9 Running Back Sleepers and Streamers
Running Back Sleepers
Darrynton Evans, Chicago Bears, ~0% owned
A couple of weeks ago, D’Onta Foreman cut through the Raiders run defense like a knife through butter. Evans got a piece of that action taking 14 carries for 48 yards rushing. Lead back Roschon Johnson was out with a concussion, however, making Evans only the temporary backup. I thought in Week 8 when Johnson returned, Evans would fade back into fantasy oblivion. WRONG! Evans took 4 carries for 18 yards, and 1 TD. While that is a pedestrian yardage line, he had the most yards out of all the healthy backs last week. It seems to me that this backfield rotation is going to keep Evans in the mix. As long as you don’t have Foreman or Johnson, that should be no problem to you. Pick up Evans now, before one of the aforementioned backs get hurt, and skyrocket Evans’ value.
Chase Edmonds, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ~1% owned
I’ll be honest. This is as speculative as speculative gets. The Bucs running game has been among the league’s worst week after week. Their passing game isn’t great either, but Mayfield remains a serviceable QB, making the possibility of a positive game script for the running game, a feasibility each week. Edmonds is finally healthy after having a knee injury for the past 4 games. He got his first action last week vs. Buffalo. He took 3 carries for 5 yards (I know. Nothing amazing) and 2 catches for 16 yards in the passing game. Honestly, with Houston coming up (who just lost a game to the formerly winless Panthers), there’s a chance that Edmonds could get plenty of touches. He’s as good as it gets on the waiver wire this week.
2023 Week 9 RB Streamers
Emari Demarcado, Arizona Cardinals, ~40% owned
I try to avoid putting running backs in these articles for more than one week. Not only am I failing at that, but Demarcado is in my article for back-to-back weeks. But the opportunity remains. Last week he was 16% owned, and now he’s 40%, which is still too low. While the QB situation is in flux (Dobbs apparently being benched after a seemingly solid performance), the running back situation is not. Emari is the lead back and he’s shown that in consecutive weeks. Last week, he took 20 carries for 78 yards. Not only is that a workhorse back’s load share, but it was against an elite Baltimore defense. Demarcado is the real deal. I’m sold. He should be owned closer to 80%.
Leonard Fournette, Buffalo Bills, ~2% owned
Again, I hate to repeat picks, but the people need what they need. Fournette has finally signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad. A move that I assume is only a formality until he knows the playbook enough to take up a roster spot and get playing time. James Cook has perked up a bit in recent weeks (primarily in the passing game), but when it comes to running in between the tackles, the Bills need help desperately. Fournette provides that. Will he become the lead back? It seems unlikely. But at 2% owned, you can spend a waiver wire priority to find out. That’s as cheap a price as it gets.
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
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