Picking busts is a tricky fantasy football game, and Week 9 is no exception. We've got to pick bigger games, like Tom Brady, Odell Beckham Jr., Josh Jacobs, Zach Ertz, and even the recently traded Kenyan Drake. Of course, they don't always bust -- those are studs who can have big games against almost anyone. But mixes of usage and matchup are enough to have us concerned, and that's why there are players some would regard as stars in our Week 9 busts list.
We actually really don't like Eagles TEs this week, as both Ertz and Dallas Goedert make our busts list. Quarterback is a who's-who of the position with Prescott, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Future Hall of Famers (and Prescott) can't have good games each week. Running back features the top two rookies, Josh Jacobs and David Montgomery, both of whom we expect to have rough weeks, too. And the defenses include the full gamut, from the team facing the Dolphins to the team that could face either Matt Moore or Patrick Mahomes.
WEEK 9 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
We were right about Chase Edmonds in Week 8, although it was another correct call that came in part due to injury. It also wasn't that hard to call Odell Beckham Jr. a bust against New England, but we were right and OBJ makes it back on the list again this week. We also nailed Phillip Lindsay, Kyler Murray, Calvin Ridley, and Ertz.
Our defensive choices let us down a bit in Week 8. San Francisco played a great game, the Packers gave up way too many points to a Matt Moore-led offense, and the Chargers struggled to stop David Montgomery.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Let's get into this week's busts. To be clear, these aren't automatic sits. You should just think twice before automatically plugging them into your lineups.
For our Week 9 sleeper picks, click here.
Week 9 Fantasy Busts: Running backs
Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. Lions (Billy Heyen). I'm expecting the Lions to throw all over the Raiders, forcing Oakland to play from behind and abandon Jacobs relatively early. He's not involved enough in the passing game for that game flow to work in his favor.
David Montgomery, Bears @ Eagles (Vinnie Iyer). He goes from an awesome matchup at home to a lousy one on the road.
Kenyan Drake, Cardinals vs. 49ers (Matt Lutovsky). Drake is in line to start Thursday night in his Cardinals debut, and he was undoubtedly a talented player (career 4.6 yards per carry) stuck in a bad situation in Miami. But Arizona isn’t much better, and the 49ers are about as tough as it gets for RBs, allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to the position. Even more noteworthy is San Francisco has allowed the second-fewest receiving yards to backs this year, which is how Drake will have to pick up most of his production.
WEEK 9 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | DK cash | DK GPP | FD cash | FD GPP
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Quarterbacks
Dak Prescott, Cowboys @ Giants (Heyen). Sometimes you've got to take a big swing. Dak certainly is a bit overrated at this point, and the Cowboys could very well choose to lean on Ezekiel Elliott. I can't really say to sit Prescott, but there's also something about the Dallas passing attack that doesn't always make me feel warm and fuzzy.
Tom Brady, Patriots @ Ravens (Iyer). He can be disappointing on the road against a defense that contains everything they do.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers @ Chargers (Lutovsky). Rodgers has found his groove the past three games, averaging 339 yards and 3.7 total touchdowns, but those were in highly favorable matchups (Lions, Raiders, Chiefs). The Chargers are a different story, as they allow just 217.4 passing yards per game. This could be a big running game for Green Bay, so don’t be surprised if we see Rodgers put up numbers closer to his Weeks 1-5 average of 261.4 yards and 1.2 touchdowns.
WEEK 9: Waiver wire | FAAB planner | Trade values | Snap counts
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide receivers
Odell Beckham Jr., Browns @ Broncos (Heyen). Chris Harris can lock OBJ up to a large extent, and Baker Mayfield hasn't been good enough to expect the duo to overcome that matchup or their recent struggles.
Curtis Samuel, Panthers vs. Titans (Iyer). He’s an outside receiver with little versatility -- ones Tennessee shuts down.
Terry McLaurin, Redskins @ Bills (Lutovsky). We picked against McLaurin several times early in the season, and he burned us every week. Still, we’re not too worried about that happening again in his matchup with Tre’Davious White and the Bills defense. Case Keenum is concussed and Dewayne Haskins has looked like a scout-team player in his 22 pass attempts, so expect McLaurin have a similar game as he did against the Patriots in Week 5 (3-51), 49ers in Week 7 (1-11), and Vikings in Week 8 (4-39).
MORE WEEK 9 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup builder
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight ends
Zach Ertz, Eagles vs. Bears (Heyen). There's now the ever-present issue of Dallas Goedert paired with a matchup against one of the league's better defenses. Ertz is my TE bust two weeks in a row, and maybe that's telling enough.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles vs. Bears (Iyer). No, he’s not the new No. 1 in Philly, and this matchup is tough.
Mark Andrews, Ravens vs. Patriots (Lutovsky). It’s difficult to sit Andrews because of his steady target share (at least seven in every game), but he had a case of the drops his last time out and has only once gone for more than 45 yards in his past five games. New England is the second-stingiest defense against TEs this year, so this looks like a touchdown-or-bust game. With so many fringe TEs in good matchups (T.J. Hockenson, Vance McDonald, Eric Ebron/Jack Doyle, etc.), it’s not crazy to look for an alternative.
Week 9 Fantasy Busts: Defenses
New York Jets @ Dolphins (Heyen). Ryan Fitzpatrick's offense looked competent enough against the Steelers, and with injuries and trades weakening the Jets defense, I expect there to be enough points from Miami in this one that the Jets aren't some automatic start this week.
Minnesota Vikings @ Chiefs (Iyer). Matt Moore proved he can keep this offense steady, and it’s a bigger "no" on the Vikings should Patrick Mahomes return.
Houston Texans vs. Jaguars in London (Lutovsky). Jacksonville has three INTs in each of its past two games, so it’s tempting to think it can do more than just get sacks. But those games were against Andy Dalton and Sam Darnold – far cries from Deshaun Watson. Houston will still give up some sacks, but Jacksonville doesn’t have a high floor in this matchup.