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Headlined by Antonio Brown, most of the leagues best receivers posted great fantasy days in Week 9. Brown went for an amazing 284 yards on 17 catches. He also racked up 22 rushing yards to finish with 306 yards of total offense. But once you think he has caught a break, Ben Roethlisberger gets re-injuried. Even with Landry Jones under center, Brown remains a top-10 play this week. But what guys outside the top-10 should you consider for a starting spot in your lineup this week? Let's get to this weeks list and then I'll highlight some players, or you can just skip down to my analysis at the bottom, whatever works best for you.
BYE WEEKS: Atlanta, Indianapolis, San Diego, San Francisco
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
1 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | @CIN |
2 | Odell Beckham Jr. | NYG | NE |
3 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | KC |
4 | Julian Edelman | NE | @NYG |
5 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | @STL |
6 | Antonio Brown | PIT | CLE |
7 | A.J. Green | CIN | HOU |
8 | Allen Robinson | JAC | @BAL |
9 | Dez Bryant | DAL | @TB |
10 | Brandon Marshall | NYJ | BUF |
11 | Amari Cooper | OAK | MIN |
12 | Jarvis Landry | MIA | @PHI |
13 | Mike Evans | TB | DAL |
14 | Randall Cobb | GB | DET |
15 | Calvin Johnson | DET | @GB |
16 | Brandin Cooks | NO | @WAS |
17 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | KC |
18 | Michael Crabtree | OAK | MIN |
19 | Allen Hurns | JAC | @BAL |
20 | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | @SEA |
21 | Stefon Diggs | MIN | @OAK |
22 | Eric Decker | NYJ | BUF |
23 | Willie Snead | NO | @WAS |
24 | Tavon Austin | STL | CHI |
25 | Jeremy Maclin | KC | @DEN |
26 | Jordan Matthews | PHI | MIA |
27 | Sammy Watkins | BUF | @NYJ |
28 | John Brown | ARI | @SEA |
29 | Rishard Matthews | MIA | @PHI |
30 | Martavis Bryant | PIT | CLE |
31 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | NO |
32 | Brandon LaFell | NE | @NYG |
33 | Travis Benjamin | CLE | @PIT |
34 | Nate Washington | HOU | @CIN |
35 | Devante Adams | GB | DET |
36 | Desean Jackson | WAS | NO |
37 | Golden Tate | DET | @GB |
38 | Kamar Aiken | BAL | JAC |
39 | James Jones | GB | DET |
40 | Marvin Jones | CIN | HOU |
41 | Rueben Randle | NYG | NE |
42 | Ted Ginn Jr. | CAR | @TEN |
43 | Cole Beasley | DAL | @TB |
44 | Robert Woods | BUF | @NYJ |
45 | Jamison Crowder | WAS | NO |
46 | Michael Floyd | ARI | @SEA |
47 | Dorial Green-Beckham | TEN | CAR |
48 | Danny Amendola | NE | @NYG |
49 | Mike Wallace | MIN | @OAK |
50 | Cecil Shorts | HOU | @CIN |
Larry Fitzgerald has had an impressive season that has put him inside or just outside my top-10 almost every week. But, this week he falls to No. 20 on my list. The reason being is that he is on the road against Seattle and will most likely be matched up across from Richard Sherman. He still should be in your lineup, but consider him a WR2.
With Josh McCown's hopeful return from injury this week, Travis Benjamin should get back to his normal form after three consecutive weeks in the gutter. Cleveland gets a matchup against Pittsburgh who is arguably one of the worst pass defenses in the league. I don't expect Benjamin to have a breakout game, but he should get a healthy number of targets making him a useful flex option in your lineup. That being said, if Johnny Manziel is under center I would probably pass on Benjamin.
Jordan Matthews finally had the breakout game that fantasy owners have been looking for since the first week of the season. But, like many of us (myself included) his unreliability probably landed that production on your bench. This could be the game Matthews needed to jumpstart a late-season surge. Plus it seems like he's finally past his nagging hand injury that contributed to a couple dropped passes. I'm always wary of a fantasy spike, but 13 targets last week and good health makes Matthews a solid flex option this week.
Talking about players who had a fantasy spike, let's finish up with Sammy Watkins. Remember when Watkins came out publicly upset earlier this season that he wasn't getting the ball more? Well he certainly showed us why he deserves to lead the team in targets. Watkins exploded for 32-points in PPR leagues this week(8 receptions, 168 yards, 1 TD), his biggest fantasy day this season. As a Syracuse University student, I have seen what Watkins is capable of doing. I was at the game (back in 2013; his Clemson days) when he burned us for 126 yards and a touchdown in effortless fashion. But, I'm not so sure I'd use his this week.
Watkins is dealing with an ankle injury that he said could be with him the rest of the season and he was limited in Tuesday's practice according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW Buffalo. The former first-rounder (listed as questionable) doesn't have much time to heal as the Bills are in action against the Jets on Thursday. In a divisional game, he has to suit up in order for this team to compete. But, with a bum ankle and Darrelle Revis as his assignment, he will have a tough time being effective.