NFL Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: Overrated, underrated

Thomas Emerick (Contributor)

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NFL Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: Overrated, underrated image

Sporting News releases its must-read positional rankings and I peruse it for players that, in my humble opinion, are overrated (Danger!) and underrated (Sleepers).

May these critiques complement the rankings and guide you in setting lineups across most league formats and in daily fantasy -- and, at the very least, not lose money.

WEEK 9 RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF

Danger!

QB Russell Wilson, Seahawks (Ranked 4th at position) vs. Raiders: The likely game script looks really tough on Wilson's ceiling this week.

The 0-7 Raiders lost by 10 in Cleveland and are now 15-point dogs in Seattle. The Seahawks haven't held a comfortable lead since Week 1 and should return to their second-half staple, leaning on this guy while he's still around.

RB Branden Oliver, Chargers (18th) @ Dolphins: The rookie back burned me when I tried to hype his usage against the Chiefs, and Miami presents another ferocious edge rush that an inside ground game would offset.

Unfortunately, the Chargers just struggle to find the run push right now to create that effect, ranking 31st in Pro Football Focus run-block grading. Oliver's tallied 103 rushing yards over the past two weeks combined on less than 3.7 ypc.

WR Demaryius Thomas, WR (1st) @ Patriots: Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner possess the physical tools to give Thomas some issues.

Thomas leads the league in yards after catch, accounting for over half of his 767 receiving yards on the season. However, he faces Bill Belichick and a nickel package that presents a challenge. Patrick Chung ranks top 20 at his position in PFF tackling efficiency; FS Devin McCourty and CB Logan Ryan finished top 10 in that regard last season.

TE Jordan Reed, Redskins (6th) @ Vikings: Reed displayed great hands and athleticism in the clutch Monday night despite very low usage.

Reed's snap total took a dip to 28 of 70 in Week 8 and this makes it tough to confidently start him over an all-situation TE like Vernon Davis. Based on their frequent connection last year, Reed's snap total should rise when Robert Griffin III takes over, which many predict to come after the Week 10 bye. UPDATE: Griffin is increasingly likely to start this week.

MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL: Week 9 trade values | Waiver wire pickups

Sleepers

QB Eli Manning, Giants (14th) vs. Colts: Another week likely without Rashad Jennings will force the Giants hand to ride Eli's arm.

The Giants' first three drives in the second half at Dallas sputtered out scoreless, and the run game stalled with Andre Williams. Big Blue can take a lesson from the ensuing 80-yard drive to pull them back in it mid-fourth quarter, as Manning slung it on the last eight plays en route to a touchdown snag by new red-zone weapon Odell Beckham Jr. Andrew Luck is in the building, so the foot will stay on the gas.

RB Lamar Miller, Dolphins (13th) vs. Chargers: In his worst fantasy output of the season in Week 8, Miller still neared 100 total yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

Miller entered Jacksonville with four rushing touchdowns in the previous three games and Miami's defense basically vultured two scores on Sunday. Lock him down as an automatic RB1.

WR Dez Bryant, Cowboys (4th) vs. Cardinals: I'm assuming Tony Romo will play, and if Romo's contusion happens to discount Bryant's cost it just gives me more glee in adding him to each DFS squad.

Brandon Weeden does have the arm talent and sense to hit Bryant with double-digit targets. This Cardinals defense ranks third in fewest rushing yards allowed per game and has been spanked by explosive No. 1 wideouts like Jeremy Maclin and Demaryius Thomas. Also factor in that Bryant was underutilized down the stretch Monday night and how that pendulum tends to swing.

TE Vernon Davis, 49ers (9th) vs. Rams: I get it.

The bye week can do wonders for a player hampered by multiple nagging injuries. Davis suffered three brutal, uncharacteristic drops in his past two games and should now stop leaving those big gains on the field. If I drafted him, I'm starting him over Reed or Dwayne Allen.

Thomas Emerick (Contributor)