The second killer bye week is upon us and plenty of fantasy managers are scrambling for personnel. While there are not always sure fire winners out there, plenty of lottery tickets are on the wire. In weeks like 8 and 9 of this NFL season, boom or bust players are the way to go to fill out that final roster spot.
Quarterback
Nick Foles KC 8.8% owned
Foles has had his share of failures in the NFL, but he has also had a modicum of success. The Chiefs offense is set up well with a variety of weapons. Although Spencer Ware will miss Sunday’s game, Charcandrick West has played well as a starter in the past and should aid the passing game. Between Jeremy Maclin, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, Foles has what he needs to succeed. I think he should be good for 17-20 points and a decent bye week fill-in.
Running Back
Tim Hightower NO 35.7% owned
The back to own for the rest of the season is Mark Ingram, but this matchup is very nice for New Orleans. Last week with Ingram in the doghouse, Hightower went over 100 yards rushing. Now the Saints get to face a 49ers defense that is routinely gashed by opposing rushers. It is likely that the Saints will get up big in this one and run all over the Niners to kill the clock. Ingram and Hightower are both a good bet to help fantasy teams. Of course John Kuhn might break everyone’s heart and score 3 or 4 short touchdowns.
C.J. Prosise SEA 18.4% owned
It is incredibly early in his career, but Prosise has shown flashes of explosiveness. This is a quality that the Seahawks offense has been lacking this season. Last week, Prosise went off for a couple of big plays against the Saints. This has probably bought the young back some added touches for week 9. The Bills defense is far superior to the Saints, but there should at least be some attempts to get Prosise the ball in space.
So You're Saying There's A Chance...
Bishop Sankey KC 0.5% owned
This is the epitome of a desperation play, but one with slight upside. Sankey has been a flat out bust so far in his NFL career, but the Chiefs make running backs successful. It is very likely that Charcandrick West will handle almost the entire workload, but it is worth noting that Sankey is the only other healthy running back on the roster. In deep leagues and desperate situations, Sankey may be worth a shot in the hope of a big play or touchdown.
Week 9 Waiver Wire Picks
Wide Receiver
Sammie Coates PIT 42.7% owned
The ownership percentage is a little high for the wide receiver sleepers label, but Coates is likely on the bench in many leagues. It has been a difficult few weeks for Coates, but as long as Big Ben plays that should change. The big play ability is too much to ignore when it comes to Coates. Roethlisberger has routinely put him in a position to succeed and that should happen again in week 9.
Kenny Stills MIA 18.1% owned
When it comes to Miami receivers, it is tough to trust anyone not named Landry. This week the ‘Fins face off against a Jets team that can defend the run, but the pass gives them fits. Ajayi should stop being the star of the show in this game and that means that Stills has a shot at a big play or two. The deep ball expert has put together a couple of big games this season. Two of his better games have come against division rivals and this should be a third.
Kendall Wright TEN 11.6% owned
In two of the last three games, Wright has commanded a ton of looks and been dominant. The third game saw him catch 2 balls for 12 yards. That is the risk/reward when it comes to Wright, but he should be more toward reward this week. Andre Johnson’s retirement thrust Wright and Rishard Matthews to the forefront of the passing game and Wright is the more skilled of the two. Mariota clearly prefers throwing to Wright along with Delanie Walker and week 9 should bring more of the same.
Tight End
Lance Kendricks LA 10.9% owned
The Texans are on a bye week, so I’ll take a break from hyping C.J. Fiedorowicz. Kendricks has been pretty good over the last two weeks. He has 12 catches and a touchdown in that time period. The Rams offense as a whole is getting a bit better and they face a Panthers defense that struggles to defend the pass. Kendricks should be a sneaky option for week 9, especially in PPR formats.
Week 9 Player Rankings
