Believe it or not, we’ve officially passed the halfway mark in the NFL fantasy season. Time flies when you’re chugging Pepto, cursing the Fantasy gods, cursing your dog, making last-minute changes to your lineup that you’ll regret 37 seconds after kickoff, trying to remember why you put yourself through this every season, and admitting to yourself that life just wouldn’t be complete without Fantasy Football, despite the anguish.
Are we having fun yet?
The real question is, are we ready to tackle the second half of the season and emerge victoriously? Here are a few things to consider as your decisions loom large:
Bye Weeks
Week 9 teams on bye: Falcons, Saints, Rams, and Bengals.
London Game
The Jaguars and the Texans play in London on Sunday, with a start time of 9:30 a.m. Be sure to set your lineups before kickoff. The good news is that Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 3 at 2 a.m., so you’ll have an extra hour to make your final lineup decisions. Or sleep in, if you’re feeling confident.
Injury Update
It’s halfway through the Fantasy season, and the injuries are piling up. No big surprise there, but you don’t want to be caught unaware. Here are some notables for your Fantasy consideration:
Out
- Panthers QB Cam Newton (foot)
- Redskins QB Case Keenum (concussion)
- Redskins RB Chris Thompson (toe)
- Steelers RB Benny Snell (knee)
- Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (calf)
- Texans WR Will Fuller (hamstring)
- Titans TE Delanie Walker (ankle)
- Buccaneers TE O.J. Howard (hamstring)
- Redskins TE Vernon Davis (concussion)
Doubtful
- Steelers RB James Connor (shoulder)
Questionable
- Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (knee)
- Patriots RB James White (toe)
- Jaguars WR Dede Westbrook (neck, shoulder) *9:30 a.m. London game
- Packers WR Davonte Adams (toe)
- Vikings WR Adam Thielen (ankle, hamstring)
- Jets TE Chris Herndon (hamstring)
Probable
- Patriots RB Rex Burkhead (foot)
- Patriots WR Julian Edelman (chest)
- Giants WR Sterling Shepard (concussion)
- Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate (ribs)
- Ravens WR Marquise Brown (ankle, thigh)
Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups
Okay, so you missed out on the likes of Steelers RB Jaylen Samuels, new Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake, and Raiders’ phenom TE Darren Waller (yes, that was way back in Week 1, but you’re still salty about it). Do not despair. New hopefuls are emerging and are still available in many leagues:
- Raiders QB Derek Carr — WR Tyrell Williams is back from injury and the overall Raiders offense is improving. Carr is a great streaming option for this week.
- Bills RB Devin Singletary — Singletary didn’t make a huge splash upon his return from injury, but a breakout game could be in his near future.
- Packers RB Jamaal Williams — QB Aaron Rodgers seems to trust Williams to make plays in tight situations.
- Miami RB Mark Walton — Kenyan Drake was traded to the Cardinals, so Walton is Miami’s number one back. Walton plays on the worst team in the NFL, however, so temper expectations.
- Lions WR Danny Amendola — WR Kerryon Johnson is out, and Amendola is becoming a trusted target for QB Matt Stafford.
- Texans WR Kenny Stills (Will Fuller out) *9:30 a.m. London game
- Jaguars WR Chris Conley (if Dede Westbrook is out) * 9:30 a.m. London game
- Titans TE Jonnu Smith (Delanie Walker out)
- Texans TE Darren Fells — In NFL Fantasy Leagues, Fells is available in almost 50% of the leagues and is ranked the number eight tight end.
If…Then
If…Packers WR Davante Adams plays, then…plug him in and play him for the rest of the season.
If…Steelers RB James Conner is out, then…Jaylen Samuels is a must-start.
If…you own any Broncos offensive players worth owning, then…keep an eye on the quarterback situation. Joe Flacco (neck) is out for the rest of the season, which leaves newbie Brandon Allen as the starter, at least for this week.
If…you own Lions WR Marvin Jones, then…you might think about starting him this week. He could be in for another big game.
If…you own Josh Gordon, then…you’ll have to wait to play him. The Seahawks claimed him off waivers on Friday, but he won’t be available for this game.
If…Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake was on your bench on Thursday, then…I feel your pain. You can’t always rely on expert opinions.
Do your research. Trust your skills. Listen to your gut. Throw in a bit of luck, and have a great Week 9.
