We are at the halfway point of the season with the fantasy football playoffs in sight. As you are making your start-sit lineup decisions, this week's bye will impact many fantasy owners with the Cardinals, Bengals, Colts, Jaguars, Giants and Eagles all on off this week.
This means either you need to have a deep bench or hit the waiver wire for a few bye week replacements. CBS Sports' Jamey Eisenberg details why Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore should be one of the top waiver adds this week.
"Moore had his first big game for the Panthers in Week 8 against Baltimore, and hopefully it's a sign of things to come," Eisenberg explains. "He had five catches for 90 yards on six targets, which was tied with Christian McCaffrey for the team lead, and he also added two carries for 39 yards. We hope the Panthers continue to feature him more, and he has an amazing matchup in Week 9 against Tampa Bay. He's worth using as a potential flex against the Buccaneers. Spend up to 15 percent of your FAAB budget on Moore."
Here's a look at a few games that Vegas expects to be shootouts which are good news for fantasy owners.
The Rams-Saints Matchup Is a Fantasy Owner's Dream
The Rams-Saints game is expected to be the most fantasy-friendly matchup on this weekend's NFL slate. According to OddsShark, the point total is set at 60. The game is in New Orleans which is good news for the Saints offense that traditionally plays better at home. Look for the Saints to air it out a bit more than New Orleans did against the Vikings.
"You are just ready to take advantage of any opportunities the opposing team will give you," Brees said after the win over the Vikings per NewOrleansSaints.com. "We come in with a pretty elaborate game plan and then based upon what we are seeing and what is effective, we typically narrow that down and find out bread and butter. It felt like today we were able to really control the ball on the ground and it felt like the passing game was really a compliment to that, getting a first down every now and then, getting completions, and creating positive plays. Positive plays put us in manageable situations so we could sustain drives to stay on the field and keep their explosive offensive off the field and make plays."
The Bucs-Panthers matchup has an over-under of 54 points, but it is hard to project given Tampa Bay's uncertainty at quarterback. Cleveland and Kansas City has a point total of 51.5, but the majority of points are likely to come from the Chiefs.
Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @JonDAdams with any fantasy football related questions. Click the next arrow to see my fantasy football predictions for Week 9 in the latest edition of Start-Sit.
Start: WR Kenny Golladay at Vikings
Sit: Geronimo Allison at Patriots
With the Golden Tate trade, there are more targets to go around in a solid Lions offense. Tate led the Lions in targets with 9.9 per game, with the majority of them being split between Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones. So far this season, Golladaday is averaging 6.3 targets while Jones is slightly higher with 6.7 per Fantasy Pros.
My money is on Golladay to be the Lions WR1 going forward. Jones' 10 targets in Week 8 skew the averages a bit. Both wide receivers should benefit from Tate's absence and are solid fantasy options going forward with Matthew Stafford behind center. USA Today's K.D. Drummond did a great job of describing Galladay's improvement.
"His overall leap from rookie to second year has been really fun to watch," Drummond writes. "Golladay has the impressive size/speed combination. Now he’s learned how to use them together more effectively. Stafford loves to throw to him along the sidelines and use his amazing catch radius and sticky hands. He’s also emerged as a really dogged blocker, something the Lions did not have on the perimeter last year."
Minnesota's defense is not the easiest matchup, but the Vikings also have had some injuries in the secondary. Golladay and Jones are both starts this week. Look for Golladay to emerge as the Lions top receiver going forward.
Geronimo Allison's Usage Continues to Go Down for the Packers
Allison started the season as the Packers WR2, but Randall Cobb appears to have recovered that distinction. While Allison was sidelined with injuries, the Packers other young receivers stepped up. Now, Allison's usage has gone down making it hard for fantasy owners to trust.
Allison had just one target in Week 8 and missed the previous two Packers games before their bye. Fantasy owners would be wise to keep Allison on your roster for another week given the strength of the Packers offense but keep him on your bench. CBS Sports provides a good break down of the current state of the Packers wide receivers.
"Allison returned to action Sunday after missing the previous two games and finished with his lowest output of the season by far, as his previous low-yardage game in 2018 still saw him post 64 yards," CBS Sports explains. "Much of that was due to a lack of opportunity: he was targeted 11 times in his last appearance Week 4, but his reception was the only pass thrown his direction Week 8. While Allison and fellow wideout Randall Cobb missed time the last few weeks, Marquez Valdes-Scantling emerged as a viable receiver for the Packers, and although he was targeted just five times Sunday himself, he did cut into Allison's playing time, finishing with 31 snaps to Allison's 30."
For now, hold onto Allison, but if the targets continue to go down it might be time to drop him from your roster. If Allison's situation improves against the Patriots, it should give fantasy owners more confidence going forward.
Start: Cowboys DST vs. Titans
Sit: Chargers DST at Seahawks
The Cowboys are coming off a bye making them widely available in most leagues. Dallas takes on a Titans offense who put up the following point totals over the last three games: 19, 0 and 12. The Titans offense has a lot of holes and takes on the Cowboys on the road in a Monday Night Football matchup.
Dallas' defense has quietly been one of the better units in the league. The Cowboys are giving up the second-fewest amount of points in the NFL at 17.6 per game. The Titans are scoring the third fewest points in the league at 15.1. All this makes the Cowboys a dream DST stream this week.
The Cowboys defense could get a bit of reinforcement with the return of Sean Lee. The Dallas linebacker hopes to play on Monday and spoke about his status heading into their bye week.
“I’m past the treatment phase, which is nice,” Lee said per DallasCowboys.com. “I’m practicing normally, which is also nice. I’m trying to build some momentum and some continuity week to week. I need to be out there practicing and playing, so hopefully I can do that down the stretch here and for the rest of the year.”
Dallas has only allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points once this season. The Cowboys DST has a good chance to be a top 10 fantasy defense this week. The Cowboys defense received a big boost with the play of linebacker Jaylon Smith. He spoke about how Lee is still the center of the defensive unit, but he still considers himself a leader.
“It’s a responsibility I’m ready for," Smith told the Star-Telegram. "I’ve learned so much from Sean. He’s still the leader of the defense but when he’s not able to play or whenever he decides to retire in the next four years, it’s going to be my defense. I’m ready for it.”
The Chargers Defense Is a Sit Heading into Seattle
With the Seattle offense starting to find their footing, I recommend passing on the Chargers DST for Week 9. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll credits running back Chris Carson for part of the offensive resurgence.
“Chris has got a big style," Carroll explained to Seattle PI. "He can run in traffic. He looks good in the open field. He has a real aggressive nature to him. … He’ll attack guys, which is part of the run style I always really like. … But then (he) also makes (opponents) miss. Chris does all of that. He’s got a real good balance about him. He’s got real good lateral movement when he’s making his choices and you’ll see him just bring it together and go tear somebody up when he gets the chance too. Historically, the really good running backs always have a knack for getting out of trouble and making something out of nothing. … They keep you from those second-and-11s. You make a second-and-8 out of a play and it’s a big difference in how you approach it. He seems to have a good knack for that.”
The Seahawks historically thrive at home, and I think there are much better DST streaming options this week than the Chargers.
Start: TE Greg Olsen vs. Bucs
Sit: TE Vance McDonald at Ravens
Since returning from injury, Olsen has provided the Panthers offense with a big spark. Olsen posted four receptions for 56 yards and a key touchdown against a good Ravens defense. Olsen has scored a touchdown in two straight games.
This week, Olsen faces a Tampa Bay defense that is giving up 318 passing yards per game, the second-most in the NFL. Olsen will have every opportunity to have his best fantasy outing of the season. Olsen explained to the Panthers team site that things can change quickly in the NFL.
“It just shows that in the NFL it’s just so week-to-week, and that’s why each week you’ve got to give it your best shot,” Olsen noted. “Because nobody cares what you did last week, nobody cares what your record is, good or bad. If you have a bad record, nobody is going to come out and take it easy on you; if you have a good record, nobody is going to lay down. It’s just the way this league is.”
With the number of injuries Olsen has battled over the past several years, there was some doubt the Panthers tight end would be able to return to the football field. Olsen admitted to being frustrated with having another setback.
"It's frustrating," Olsen explained to ESPN during his rehab. "I went eight months of never missing an OTA, minicamp, training camp, preseason, never missed a day, never was sore. Felt great. Had probably my best offseason from a production standpoint, a physical standpoint, in years. You step funny and catch a guy's foot ... it's frustrating."
Olsen has a shot to be one of the best fantasy tight ends in Week 9.
The Steelers Offense Faces a Difficult Ravens Defense
Like many tight ends, McDonald has had an up-and-down fantasy season. McDonald had just three receptions for 47 yards against the Browns. Things don't get any easier for the tight end as Pittsburgh faces the Ravens. Given the number of teams on a bye this week, you may not have much of a choice in starting McDonald. Just be aware it is not the most fantasy-friendly matchup.
McDonald is a player that the Steelers like to lean on but his usage may not be as consistent as fantasy owners would like. Roethlisberger broke down why McDonald is such a valuable part of the offense.
“I think it’s a guy that you have to be aware of for down-the-field stuff," Roethlisberger said per Steelers Depot. “He’s a guy that can create some mismatch opportunities, and when you get that you’ve got to take advantage of it. We all saw what can happen when you get the ball in his hands quick enough...Vance and I have a great relationship. We’re in a Bible study off the field. We went on a trip this offseason together. It’s good being there, that we can communicate and talk about football things, life things, faith things, whatever it is."
Baltimore is just slightly behind Jacksonville for the least amount of passing yards allowed in the NFL. If you have to start him this week, you are hoping he is able to find the end zone. Otherwise, there are more fantasy viable tight ends for the week.
Start: WR Julian Edelman vs. Packers
Sit: WR Doug Baldwin vs. Chargers
The Patriots do not have a great matchup against the Packers secondary, but New England's offense is riding a hot streak. Edelman should still be effective given his role in the slot as the volume is still likely to be there. Prior to the Patriots Monday night matchup, Edelman had 16 receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns over his first three games this season.
The Patriots also scored at least 38 points in the four previous weeks heading into their matchup with the Bills. Tom Brady spoke about what has allowed Edelman to succeed as a receiver.
“He gets open so quick," Brady explained to the USA Today. "I think that’s the thing about Jules — his explosiveness in his routes, coming out of breaks. It’s very comforting to see a receiver get open really early in a route. Julian — we ask a lot of him and he plays a lot of different roles. I think he’s capable of moving in and out of a lot of different locations and specialty plays. So there’s a lot that he does well.”
Look for Edelman to lead the Patriots in receiving against the Packers, as New England tries to get their short passing game going against a strong secondary. Edelman is a safer bet than Chris Hogan and Josh Gordon thanks to his targets and red zone work. As for Edelman, he is thrilled to be back on the field after missing the beginning of the season with a suspension.
“That’s something that gets me fired up,” Edelman told Boston.com. “You get to share it with the people that come out and support you, [and] get them riled up. I remember when I tore my ACL, I was sitting back, and, during the rehab, you’re just sitting there and can’t wait to run out of that tunnel.”
Doug Baldwin Is Hard to Trust This Season
Baldwin is typically one of the most trustworthy fantasy receivers, but he has failed to get things going this season. Since returning from injury, Baldwin has only had two fantasy relevant outings, and he failed to score a touchdown in both of these games. Baldwin still has not scored a TD this season.
Meanwhile, David Moore has emerged as a red zone monster for the Seahawks. Moore has scored in three straight games, notching four touchdowns over the last three weeks. Outside of Moore's touchdowns, the Seahawks offense has been hard to predict this season.
If you have other options, I advise keeping Baldwin on your bench until he proves he is going to get regular work going forward. Despite his lack of receptions, the Seahawks are winning, and Baldwin appears to be fine with how things are playing out.
"I talked about it three years ago,’’ Baldwin explained to The Seattle Times. “Run the ball, play stout defense and don’t turn the ball over. That’s successful football. I don’t think it can be any simpler than that.’’
The Chargers rank in the middle of the league for passing yards allowed. Baldwin should be considered a WR3 or flex at best for this week. If you have other viable options, I would avoid putting Baldwin in your lineup this week.
Start: Latavius Murray vs. Lions
Sit: Tevin Coleman at Redskins
After Dalvin Cook's disappointing start to the season, Latavius Murray has come on strong providing Vikings fans and fantasy owners a lot of excitement. Murray has scored in three straight games for Minnesota and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry this season.
This week, Murray takes on a Lions defense that is giving up the second-most rushing yards in the NFL at 144.6 yards per game. Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo explained the running game still has room to grow.
“With that being said, are we looking to improve each week on running the football and our whole offensive operation? 100 percent,” DeFilippo explained to Vikings.com. “But at the same time, I think you are starting to see the guys settling into their roles. I think you are starting to see myself really start to understand what guys do well. That takes time. No one wants to hear that, but it kind of is what it is. I give our guys a lot of credit for taking the approach of getting better each week."
Murray has a chance to put up RB1-type numbers this week against the Lions. The Vikings running back also holds good upside in DFS contests.
The Falcons Running Game Has Struggled Without Devonta Freeman
The Falcons passing offense is hitting on all cylinders, but Atlanta has been unable to get their rushing attack going. Devonta Freeman is on the injured reserve list, but Tevin Coleman has mostly been touchdown dependent this season.
I fear that Ito Smith is going to continue eating into Coleman's carries. Coleman has not had more than 11 carries for the last three weeks.
This week, Coleman gets a difficult matchup against the Redskins. Washington is allowing the second-fewest rushing yards at 80.1 yards per game. The Falcons offense has also not performed as well on the road as it has inside the comforts of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Earlier this month, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn admitted it was something the team needed to address.
“In the run game, it adds to the toughness of our team, and it carries over on to third-and-short yardage,” Quinn said per AtlantaFalcons.com. “It carries over into four-minute opportunities. It carries over into our play-action. So there will be some games when we won't get as many long runs, but they're very important to get the explosive passes. So it's part of our balance of what we do. We just so happen that we love our runners and how we get going. That's more touches for them to have a chance for an explosive play. So it's really important what we do. We have high standards for us in the run game.”
The matchup combined with the past production makes Coleman and Smith sits for this week.
Start: QB Cam Newton vs. Bucs
Sit: QB Marcus Mariota at Cowboys
Newton is coming off three straight great fantasy outings. This week, the Panthers get a plus matchup against the Bucs defense. Tampa Bay is giving up the second-most passing yards at 318 per game. There is some talk that Newton is playing better now than he did in 2015 when he won the MVP, but Panthers head coach Ron Rivera admits there is still plenty of time left in the season.
“He's playing well. It is way too early to judge that,” Rivera said per Panthers.com. "The proof will be in the pudding when we get to the end of the year. We'll see. But he is playing well...The past week we had to work with him because he was working through the shoulder, and you can tell his whole metal approach is different. A lot has to do with the people around him. I think right now, we're protecting him as well as we've ever protected him. He's making just as good decisions as he did in 2015, but just in a different way. And he's got a great set of weapons around him. I think we're playing well as a team right now in all three phases, and I think that helps.”
Newton has a good chance to be a top 10 quarterback this week thanks to a favorable matchup combined with his ability to rack up rushing yards.
Marcus Mariota & the Rest of the Titans Offense Should Remain on Your Bench
Sometimes making fantasy football decisions is as simple as basic math. The Titans have the third-worst passing attack in the league, while the Cowboys defense allows the fourth-fewest passing yards. All this spells a disastrous fantasy formula for Marcus Mariota.
Mariota has passed for less than 120 yards in four of his six games this season, including two of the last three matchups. Mariota cannot be started right now with any sort of confidence. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel believes some of Mariota's struggles have to do with the Tennessee receivers not catching the ball.
“We’ll keep working,” Vrabel said per TitansOnline.com. “I’m going to stand behind them and continue to try and push my arm through the back of them (to challenge them). We’re going to put the boxing gloves on and continue to do those types of things. You have to practice it as fast as you can. It is never going to be a game-tempo, but it has to be fast enough where there’s going to be some carry over when the games come. … You just keep working it.”
Mariota along with the rest of the Titans players should remain on your bench until they prove they can be trusted.
Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Week 9 Predictions