With six teams on bye in Week 9, there is a much thinner player pool, and that makes it much more difficult to avoid potential busts. Fantasy owners will always try to dodge potential low-level options, but this week it will be hard to avoid them, especially if it's a regular starters like the recently traded Amari Cooper or Demaryius Thomas. Still, there are some potential sleepers to target who may rise up the fantasy football rankings from the depths of the waiver wire.
Our busts from last week were pretty accurate. Carlos Hyde and Isaiah Crowell both underachieved in tough matchups, while Josh Gordon and Devin Funchess only were marginal performers. That said, our QB bust predictions all exceeded expectations, so we'll make sure to try and find better bust picks there this week.
Week 9 Rankings:
Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
You don't necessarily have to avoid starting these guys. We just don't like their matchups. And if you find yourself relying on too many of them, you may end up on our "How You'll Lose" list for Week 9. Target some of our top sleepers instead.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Week 9 fantasy football busts: Running backs
LeSean McCoy, Bills vs. Bears (Jacob Camenker). The Bears have yet to allow a rushing TD this season. McCoy has only 14 rushing yards on 14 carries in the past two weeks. While he is a threat to do damage through the air, he simply lacks TD upside. With Nathan Peterman at QB, the Bears will likely try to eliminate McCoy in their game plan, as he is far and away the best player on their offense.
Mark Ingram, Saints vs. Rams (Iyer). This is a game for all pass-related personnel,and game flow won’t get him enough touches or a needed score to save his value.
Tevin Coleman, Falcons @ Redskins (Matt Lutovsky). Coleman has scored in each of the past two games, but he’s only averaged more than 3.6 yards per carry in two contests this year. With Ito Smith still around to steal carries (especially around the goal line), Coleman is a mediocre option this week against a Redskins defense allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs.
WEEK 9 DFS CASH LINEUPS: Yahoo | FanDuel | DraftKings
Week 9 fantasy football busts: Quarterbacks
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers @ Ravens (Camenker). Last time Roethlisberger faced the Ravens, he was held to just 16.86 fantasy points -- and that was at home. On the road, he may have even more struggles, so it might be better to stream another QB in Week 9 because of Roethlisberger’s low upside.
Mitchell Trubisky @ Bills (Iyer). A young QB on the road against good pass defense in November doesn’t sound like a formula for big points.
Matthew Stafford, Lions @ Vikings (Lutovsky). No Golden Tate on the road against a defense that’s allowed multiple passing TDs just twice all year (and gets decimated by TEs, which Detroit doesn’t feature)? Pass.
MORE WEEK 9 DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup Builder
Week 9 fantasy football busts: Wide receivers
Demaryius Thomas, Texans @ Broncos (Camenker). Thomas was just traded to the Texans and has less than a week to learn their full playbook. That could keep him on a snap count depending on how quickly he picks up the new offense. Further complicating matters is the fact that he will be playing his former team, and the Broncos will know just how to exploit Thomas’s weaknesses. It may be best to go in another direction this week until we really see how Thomas fits in the Texans offense.
Amari Cooper, Cowboys vs. Titans (Iyer). He didn’t suddenly change into a great player moving to Dallas, and it’s not a defense that will allow him run free in a zone.
DeSean Jackson, Buccaneers @ Panthers (Lutovsky). Don’t get excited just because Ryan Fitzpatrick is back under center for the Bucs. Jackson remains a boom-or-bust option like always, and the Panthers have been strong against WRs all year (ninth-fewest FPPG to WRs).
Week 9 fantasy football busts: Tight ends
Trey Burton, Bears @ Bills (Camenker). The Bills have actually been solid against tight ends this year, and they have only allowed one player to score in double-digits. Burton may disappoint, especially considering that he has only seen more than six targets in one game this season.
Austin Hooper, Redskins vs. Falcons (Iyer). He’ll be contained well by their linebackers and safeties, especially in scoring position.
Vance McDonald, Steelers @ Ravens (Lutovsky). McDonald posted a solid five catches and 62 yards when these teams faced off in Week 4, but he’s had three or fewer targets in two of the past three games. The Ravens have been mediocre against TEs, but McDonald is riskier than his owners might think.
WEEK 9 DFS GPP LINEUPS: Yahoo | FanDuel | DraftKingsWeek 9 fantasy football busts: Defenses
Detroit Lions @ Vikings (Camenker). I’m not optimistic about the Lions chances of containing Kirk Cousins and company in a potential bounce-back game for them at home. They’ll give up too much yardage to be a top option this week.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Steelers (Iyer). This defense only comes through with monster weeks against bad offenses, and Pittsburgh should win the game.
Los Angeles Rams @ Saints (Lutovsky). New Orleans has shut down the Ravens (one sack, one turnover, 24 points allowed) and the Vikings (no sacks, one turnover, 24 points allowed) in successive weeks – and those games were on the road. Back home, the Saints will make it three in a row against some of fantasy’s top defenses.
