The Giants are a tough team to trust due to all the injuries, and Darren Waller (hamstring) is not going to play in Week 9 at Las Vegas. But Daniel Jones (neck) is back following a three-game absence, and left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) might play for the first time since Week 1.
I'm hopeful that Thomas being back is a huge boost for the struggling offensive line, which should help Jones. While I don't want to start Jones in any one-quarterback leagues, maybe he can help a couple of players turn into sleepers in Week 9 like Wan'Dale Robinson and Daniel Bellinger.
I would consider Robinson as a No. 3 receiver in deeper leagues against the Raiders. Jones was starting to lean on Robinson with six targets in each of the last two games they played together against Seattle in Week 4 and Miami in Week 5, and Robinson should prove to be a reliable weapon with Waller out.
Robinson's best game to date was Week 6 at Buffalo with Tyrod Taylor, and Robinson had eight catches for 62 yards on eight targets against the Bills. Las Vegas is No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, but most teams run on the Raiders, so that number is deceiving. Saquon Barkley should do the same, but I still think Robinson can make some plays in this matchup.
As for Bellinger, he should also be someone that Jones leans on with Waller out. Waller averages 6.3 targets per game, and we'll see if Bellinger gets that type of attention from Jones.
Bellinger has never been a consistent Fantasy option, but last year he had three games with five targets and averaged 10.1 PPR points per game over that span. The Raiders have allowed six tight ends to score at least 8.4 PPR points this season, and Bellinger is worth using as a low-end starter in deeper leagues.
We might also see someone like Darius Slayton or Jalin Hyatt step up with Waller out, but I like Robinson the best of this receiving corps. And Bellinger could benefit as the starting tight end in this matchup at Las Vegas.
It's tough to trust any Giants player right now aside from Barkley. But in deeper leagues, these two sleepers could step up with Waller not able to play.
Now, let's look at some other sleepers I like for Week 9. Hopefully these players will deliver in a big way to help your lineups. And if you're looking for my Week 9 DFS plays, you can find my million-dollar contest tournament lineups for both DraftKings and FanDuel over at SportsLine.
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Week 9 Sleepers
Sleepers
Mayfield has been at his best on the road this season with three of his four outings of at least 20.4 Fantasy points having come away from Tampa Bay, including Week 8 at Buffalo when he scored 25.4 points. The Texans have allowed two of the past three opposing quarterbacks to score at least 18.3 Fantasy points, and Mayfield should be able to perform at that level in this matchup on the road. Mayfield should be considered a borderline No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues.
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It will take some guts to start Jones this week, but he's worth the gamble in deeper one-quarterback leagues. Even though Jones just lost his No. 1 receiver in Kendrick Bourne (ACL), the Commanders parted ways Tuesday with both of their top pass rushers in Chase Young (San Francisco) and Montez Sweat (Chicago) at the trade deadline. With those two, Washington was still No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and Jones has thrown two touchdowns in each of his past two games against Buffalo and Miami.
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Young just got his first NFL win in Week 8 against Houston, and now his coach, Frank Reich, gets to face the team who fired him last season in Indianapolis. Young is starting to make strides as a passer, and he hasn't thrown an interception in his past two games against the Dolphins and Texans. The Colts have allowed two of the past three opposing quarterbacks to score at least 18.5 Fantasy points, and Young is a great option in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in this matchup at home.
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We'll see if Hubbard remains the lead running back for the Panthers in Week 9 against the Colts, but he dominated playing time in Week 8 against the Texans after he played 67 percent of the snaps, even with Miles Sanders healthy. Now, Hubbard managed just 15 carries for 28 yards and two catches for 26 yards on two targets against the Texans, but he could be a flex if he remains in this role for Week 9. The Colts have allowed seven running backs to score at least 15.1 PPR points this season, including six in the past five games.
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Gus Edwards is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in Week 9 against Seattle, but this won't be an easy matchup. It's tough to run on the Seahawks, so we could see Hill more involved in the passing game. He just had four catches for 40 yards on four targets in Week 8 against Arizona, and four running backs have at least four receptions against Seattle this season. I like Hill as a flex option in PPR.
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I don't expect Charbonnet to play more than Kenneth Walker III in Week 9 at Baltimore, but I also didn't expect that to happen in Week 8 against Cleveland. However, Charbonnet ended up playing more snaps than Walker (34-24) for the first time all season, and maybe that's because Walker came into the week dealing with a calf injury. For Week 9, you can consider Charbonnet a flex option, and he did well against the Browns with five carries for 53 yards and two catches for 11 yards on two targets. Walker, meanwhile, had eight carries for 66 yards and one catch for 4 yards on two targets, and he remains a No. 2 running back in all leagues. But Charbonnet could be building momentum, and he might be worth starting as a flex in deeper leagues.
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Let's hope Dotson's performance in Week 8 against Philadelphia wasn't a fluke when he caught eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. He now has 18 targets in his past two games, and Curtis Samuel (toe) is banged up. Terry McLaurin remains the No. 1 receiver for the Commanders and is a must-start Fantasy option, but Dotson is worth trusting again in three-receiver leagues. The Patriots also just allowed three Dolphins receivers (Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson) to score touchdowns in Week 8, so McLaurin and Dotson should have the chance to make plays in this matchup.
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I'm excited about the setup for Douglas this week after Kendrick Bourne (ACL) was lost for the season, along with DeVante Parker (concussion) being banged up. In Week 8 at Miami, Douglas led the New England receivers in snaps (41) and caught a season-high five passes on seven targets. He only managed 25 yards, but he has a great matchup in Week 9 against Washington. The Commanders are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to receivers, and Douglas could have his breakout game this week. In deeper leagues, you can also take a flier on JuJu Smith-Schuster or Tyquan Thornton, but I like Douglas as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all formats.
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I'm excited about Derek Carr in Week 9 against Chicago, and I expect his receivers to play well in this matchup. Chris Olave, despite his struggles with only two games of at least 12.7 PPR points in his past five outings, remains a must-start option. And Michael Thomas is a quality No. 3 PPR receiver since he's scored at least 10.5 PPR points in three of his past four games. Shaheed is a wild card because of his boom-or-bust production. He has three games this season with at least 18.3 PPR points and four outings with 7.2 PPR points or less. But when he's on he can win you a week in your Fantasy league, and I like his chances with this matchup against the Bears.
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Rice had a down game in Week 8 at Denver with four catches for 56 yards on five targets, and his 9.6 PPR points snapped a three-game streak where he scored at least 11.2 PPR points. I'm expecting him to get back on track against the Dolphins in what should be a high-scoring affair in Germany. All the Chiefs struggled against the Broncos, so we can throw that game out. Rice should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, and look for Patrick Mahomes to keep involving him as a significant piece of this high-powered offense.
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In the past four games with Deshaun Watson (shoulder) hurt, Njoku has become a reliable Fantasy option, and Watson isn't expected to play in Week 9 against Arizona. Njoku has scored at least 10.4 PPR points in three of his past four outings, including two in a row, and he just scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 8 at Seattle. He also has 17 targets in his past two games, and the Cardinals have allowed four tight ends to score at least 8.3 PPR points this year.
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There have been three tight ends with at least six targets against the Patriots this season in Jake Ferguson, Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid, and all three scored at least 12.5 PPR points. Thomas comes into Week 9 with at least six targets in three of his past four games, including two in a row, and he has scored at least 9.1 PPR points all three times he's gotten that many attempts over that span. Sam Howell is looking for Thomas as one of his top three targets with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, and this is a favorable matchup. I like Thomas as a top-10 Fantasy tight end in Week 9.
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Hill was back to being a wild card for the Saints with Juwan Johnson back in action in Week 8 at Indianapolis, but that worked out well for Hill's Fantasy production. He had nine carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 14 yards on one target, and he's now scored at least 12.3 PPR points in three games in a row. While it was great to see him operate like a traditional tight end the previous two games with Johnson out, Hill is always a threat to produce with his legs. He's worth trusting as a low-end No. 1 tight end in this matchup with the Bears.
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Defense/Special Teams
Kickers
- Blake Grupe (vs. CHI)
- Ka'imi Fairbairn (vs. TB)
- Evan McPherson (vs. BUF)
