It’s time for weekly bold predictions. The point here is that if you follow the consensus, you’re probably going to have a good team. But in order to go from good to great, you have to take some chances. You have to do your homework and figure out where you can zig when the rest of your league (or at least your opponent this week) zags. In short, you need to know how and when to be bold.
We asked our analysts to provide a bold prediction for Week 9. Their answers and justifications are below.
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Fantasy Football Week 9 Bold Predictions
What is one bold fantasy prediction (player related) for the upcoming week and why could it happen?
“Rashee Rice has 100 receiving yards and a score. Since Week 7, Rice has settled in with a 57.3% route run rate, a 13.8% target share, a 10.6% air-yard share (5.5 aDOT), 2.27 YPRR, and an 18.4% first-read share (second on the team). Rice’s short-area role will come in handy this week against a secondary that has allowed the ninth-most yards after the catch (YAC) and the fifth-most missed tackles. Among 81 qualifying wide receivers (per Fantasy Points Data), Rice ranks first in YAC per reception and 26th in missed tackles forced per reception. Rice will run about 58% of his routes against Kader Kohou (83.3% catch rate and 126.0 passer rating). The Dolphins have allowed the 11th-highest PPR points per target to slot wide receivers. It’s wheels up for Rice.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
“Alvin Kamara scores four touchdowns against the Bears. We’ve seen two 4-TD games from running backs this season, and Kamara could make it three on Sunday. The Bears give up the 6th-most fantasy points to running backs and also the most receiving yards and TDs to the position. Kamara has been deadly in the passing game this season and should take advantage of that weakness. Kamara has scored six times in a single game before, so half of that isn’t out of the question.”
– Ryan Weisse (Club Fantasy FFL)
“Saquon Barkley puts up 30+ fantasy points and finishes as THE RB1 this week. We just saw Jahmyr Gibbs gash this Las Vegas Raiders defense all game on Monday Night Football. Barkley should be able to do the same thing, especially given the fact he’s seeing a bigger workload than any running back in the NFL right now. The Giants should also get Daniel Jones back this week which should hopefully help the offense as a whole.”
– Robert Norton (Last Word On Sports)
“Saquon Barkley has 35 or more half-point PPR fantasy points against the Las Vegas Raiders. The superstar running back has been outstanding since returning from the ankle injury, averaging 27 rushing attempts, 99.3 yards, and 14.5 fantasy points per game. Meanwhile, the Raiders have surrendered 147.7 rushing yards, 1.7 touchdowns, and 33.7 fantasy points per game to running backs over the past three weeks. Furthermore, they have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season (24.5). According to Fantasy Points Data, Las Vegas ranks fifth in yards before contact per rushing attempt (1.50) and seventh in yards after contact per attempt (2.67) this year.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“Derek Carr will outscore Tua Tagovailoa in Week 9. Carr faces off against the Bears, who are the 3rd easiest matchup for opposing quarterbacks allowing 19.6 fantasy points per game to the position, while Tua faces off against a stingy Chiefs defense that is the 4th toughest matchup for opposing quarterbacks and is allowing only 14.2 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Carr will be a mid-range QB1, while Tagovailoa will put up his usual disappointing performance against an elite opponent.”
– Aaron St Denis (The League Winners)
“Week 9 gives us some epic quarterback matchups such as Tagovailoa v. Mahomes, Allen v. Burrow, Hurts v. Prescott, yet none of those QBs will finish as the QB1 for the week. You know who will? Lamar Jackson. Jackson has played some pretty good ball this year, with most of it being away from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. 3 of the Ravens 8 games this year have been at home, with Lamar posting over 28 points in 2 of the 3 home affairs. This week, against a good Seattle team, will be no problem for Lamar in what could be a high scoring contest. Lamar Jackson goes for 375 yards of total offense with 4 total touchdowns and is the QB1 on the week, comfortably.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
“Rookie Demario Douglas is the new No. 1 WR for the Patriots. Saw 7 targets and a 24% target share last week. He only had 5 catches for 25 yards, but overall great usage. 77% snap share led all Pats WRs, as did his two red zone targets and 84% route participation. They are looking for ways to get this guy the ball, similar, in my opinion, to how Baltimore uses Zay Flowers. It’s a great matchup versus the Commanders, who rank 2nd in most fantasy points allowed to WRs this season. His remaining SOS ranks No. 1 for all WRs. The former Liberty product drafted in the 6th round could be on the cusp of an Amon-Ra St. Brown rookie stretch of production from here on out with Kendrick Bourne placed on IR.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“Jaren Hall lights it up against the Atlanta Falcons and keeps his job for another week. I liked Hall coming out of BYU. He’s got some moxy and profiles a lot like Russell Wilson. He’s better when he’s in play-action and he can run the ball. I think he’ll surprise fantasy managers this week and finish in the top 15.”
– Justin Herrera (TSS Fantasy)
“Isiah Pacheco has a huge week: 150 total yards and 2 TDs. The Bills exposed the Dolphins’ Achilles’ heel, their run defense. They wore them down and bludgeoned them into submission. With Jerick McKinnon iffy this week, the table is set for Pacheco to once again anchor the Chiefs’ rushing attack. Pacheco’s game-breaking speed (4.37 40 time), combined with his hard-nosed running, gives me hope that sooner or later, he’s going to break off some long TD runs. It’s not a matter of if, but when it will happen. Why not this week, in what figures to be a shootout between two AFC contenders at Arrowhead?”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
“Gardner Minshew throws for 350 yards and three touchdowns this week against the Panthers. Minshew has made four starts this season, and they’ve all come against pass defenses that rank in the top eight in DVOA — the Ravens, Jaguars, Browns and Saints. Minshew gets an easier matchup this week against the Panthers, who rank 14th in DVOA against the pass and 23rd in opponent passer rating. Carolina will be without its best cornerback, Jaycee Horn (hamstring). Minshew is averaging 40.8 pass attempts and 268.5 passing yards per start, and the Colts are playing at a brisk offensive pace, averaging a league-low 25.79 seconds between snaps. Minshew is primed for a big game this weekend.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“DK Metcalf finishes Week 9 as a top 10 fantasy WR in half-PPR for the first time all season, against the Baltimore Ravens no less! Metcalf’s 14 targets in Week 8 were just one shy of tying a career-high, and that came against a stingy Browns secondary sporting Denzel Ward on the outside. While the box score was just “OK,” Metcalf also finished that game with 152 air yards, good for fourth overall amongst WRs last week. The Ravens look like a very tough matchup on paper, sure, but let’s keep in mind who they’ve played this year so far. Baltimore’s secondary has faced C.J. Stroud in his rookie debut (Nico Collins still had 11 targets, 6 catches and 80 yards), a hobbled Joe Burrow in Week 2 (Tee Higgins still had 12-8-89 and 2 TDs) and Gardner Minshew’s first start of the season (Michael Pittman and Josh Downs STILL combined for 17 catches for 134 yards in that game) – I think you catch my drift here. Not to mention, Baltimore’s secondary has also had cakewalk matchups against Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Kenny Pickett, Ryan Tannehill AND the venerable Joshua Dobbs. I’m simply chasing talent and volume here, both of which Metcalf possesses by the boatloads. Buy low now while you still can ahead of the fantasy playoff stretch as well, as the Seahawks face the pass-funnel 49ers, Eagles, Titans and Steelers from Weeks 14-17.”
– Christopher Dell (Betting Predators)
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