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Inside the Matchup
Week 9
11/3/16; Updated: 11/4/16

By: Sal Marcoccio | Jason Katz | Nick Caron | Jake Gordon



ATL @ TB | JAX @ KC | CAR @ LAR | NO @ SF

TEN @ SD | DEN @ OAK | BUF @ SEA | NYJ @ MIA

PHI @ NYG | DAL @ CLE | DET @ MIN | IND @ GB

PIT @ BAL

Notes:
- Green highllight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)

Falcons at Buccaneers - (Gordon)

Passing Game Thoughts: Tampa Bay and Atlanta rank seventh and eighth respectively in defensive yards allowed per game so there should be plenty of scoring opportunities for fantasy owners to exploit in this contest. Matt Ryan has not scored fewer than 17 fantasy points (standard scoring) in a single game this year. He heads into Thursday’s divisional match up coming off his second game of the year with at least 28 completions as a result of the pass-heavy play-calling by the Falcons’ coaching staff. Julio Jones is the best fantasy receiver through seven weeks and scored a touchdown when he faced Tampa earlier this year. Matt Ryan has started to rely more on Mohamed Sanu with defenses focusing on Jones. Over the past three weeks Sanu has accrued 24 targets and the Falcons will be without Jacob Tamme. There is always a chance that Sanu disappoints but I like his chances as a flex option given the match up. Justin Hardy has received the next most snaps amongst wide receivers in this offense but he can’t be recommended for fantasy purposes. Austin Hooper and Levin Toilolo will split the fantasy value at tight end while filling in for Tamme.

TB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.6
TB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
TB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.5
TB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20

Running Game Thoughts: Devonta Freeman remains a must start fantasy option with Tevin Coleman (hamstring) being declared out this week. He didn’t fare too well against the Packers last week and was on the injury report with a hip injury but still managed to put together a useful fantasy line with his added work in the passing game. Freeman’s dual threat capabilities should translate into a big night going up against a defense that has yielded the fifth most fantasy points to fantasy running backs this season. If he needs to take a series off, Terron Ward will be given a few carries but not enough to put him on the fantasy map this week.

Value Meter:
QB1: Matt Ryan
RB1: Devonta Freeman
WR1: Julio Jones
Flex: Mohamed Sanu
Bench: Terron Ward, Justin Hardy, Austin Hooper, Levine Toilolo

Passing Game Thoughts: Tampa Bay is dealing with some injuries in the backfield so don’t be surprised if the Bucs turn to the air to compensate. That should help Jameis Winston see his pass attempts rise over the 35 mark for the first time since Week 3. Getting those added opportunities against the Falcons secondary (19 passing touchdowns allowed) pushes Winston into QB1 territory this week. Russell Shepard has caught touchdown passes in each of the past two games. He hasn’t been a high volume receiver but Vincent Jackson saw seven balls thrown to him versus the Bucs in Week 1. The fact that Winston has targeted him in the red zone recently gives him the edge against Adam Humphries for anyone in deeper leagues needing a wide receiver for Week 9. The last time Cecil Shorts put together a decent fantasy outing it was against the Falcons in Week 4 last year (six receptions for 87 yards and a score). That doesn’t replace the fact that he has only one reception since joining Tampa Bay this year.

ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.1
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.5

Running Game Thoughts: This would have been a great match up for Jacquizz Rodgers owners but a foot injury suffered last week against the Raiders will sideline him for Thursday night’s game. That leaves Antone Smith and Peyton Barber as the two most viable fantasy options with Mike James - resigned this week - to provide the team with depth. Smith has had three weeks to reacquaint himself with the offense and should be motivated to perform against his former team. I’d tab him as the best bet to lead this RBBC but Barber should get mixed in as well. It’s tough to ignore a defense that has been friendly to opposing running backs in a week with so many teams on bye so Smith plays up to a low end RB2 this week.

Value Meter:
QB1: Jameis Winston
RB2: Antone Smith
WR1: Mike Evans
Flex: Russell Shepard
Bench: Cameron Brate, Peyton Barber, Mike James, Adam Humphries, Cecil Shorts

Prediction: Falcons 30, Buccaneers 28 ^ Top

Jaguars @ Chiefs - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Jaguars have been one of the most disappointing passing games so far this season, but after a disastrous first half in Week 8, Blake Bortles and his receivers finally got things going in the second half. Bortles finished the game with 337 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in what was by far his best performance of the season. In Week 9, he’ll have the difficult task of passing against a Kansas City defense that held Andrew Luck to just 210 yards through the air this past week. Both Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns have some appeal in this game, but given the target totals, Robinson is still the better option despite the likelihood that he’ll see more attention from cornerback Marcus Peters. Tight end Julius Thomas has also scored in back-to-back weeks and makes for an interesting TE option with high-end upside given the unusually high number of top tight ends on byes this week. Kansas City has only conceded one tight end to an opposing tight end so far this season, but Thomas is still one of the Jaguars’ main go-to weapons in the red zone.

KC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
KC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.16
KC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
KC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.28

Running Game Thoughts: The Jaguars continue to fall behind early in many games which has led them to be one of the league’s least effective running games. Both T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory have fallen out of favor with fantasy owners – and for good reason. Only Yeldon, who rushed for 71 yards in Week 4, has surpassed 50 yards rushing in a game and they’ve each only scored one touchdown this season. Kansas City has held two of their past three opponents to fewer than 60 total rushing yards and they seem like a good bet to do that again. Yeldon does have some low-end appeal in PPR formats due to his usage in the passing game, but the three or four points that fantasy owners would get from catches doesn’t seem to justify his usage in fantasy. If you’re looking for a silver lining, it’s worth considering that the Chiefs’ offense is missing major contributors including quarterback Alex Smith, so it’s very possible that this could remain a close contest. That would seem to play more to Ivory’s strengths, but it’s difficult to predict what they’d do should they keep the game close or even get out to a lead.

Value Meter:
QB2: Blake Bortles
WR2: Allen Robinson
TE1: Julius Thomas
Flex: Allen Hurns
Bench: T.J. Yeldon, Chris Ivory, Marqise Lee, Marcedes Lewis

Passing Game Thoughts: One of the biggest stories in fantasy football for Week 9 is the status of Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith, who will miss Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. Smith has long been one of the league’s biggest examples of a “game manager,” which is nicer way of saying, “guy who doesn’t put up great numbers” for fantasy owners. His backup, Nick Foles, has some of those same skills, but he’s been a bit more willing to sling the ball than Smith typically has. The drop off from Smith to Foles might not be all that dramatic as he has a great connection with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin who had a career year for the Eagles in 2014 with Foles at the helm. Unfortunately, Maclin will likely be matched up against one of the league’s budding shutdown cornerbacks, Jalen Ramsey, who has been excellent thus far in his season. Maclin is also dealing with a groin injury which has held him out of practice early in the week and may hamper his ability to create separation. Foles also may have been developing chemistry with WR Tyreek Hill, as both have been practicing with the second string unit for most of the season. Tight end Travis Kelce doesn’t have much chemistry with Foles, but his pure talent and the lack of viable options at the position this week makes him an easy TE1 start even against a Jaguars defense that has given up the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing TE’s so far this season.

JAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
JAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
JAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
JAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29

Running Game Thoughts: While the Chiefs will be without their starting quarterback, they’ll also be without running back Jamaal Charles who was placed on IR earlier this week. Spencer Ware has been an RB1 in replacement of Charles, but he too is dealing with an injury – in this case a concussion, which could very well keep him out this week. If their top two backs are out, Charcandrick West seems likely to get a large workload against a Jacksonville defense that has given up six rushing touchdowns and an average of 106 rushing yards over their past four contests. West’s skill set makes him a better play in PPR formats, but his potential usage makes a solid RB2 in either format with RB1 upside.

Value Meter:
RB2: Charcandrick West
TE1: Travis Kelce
Flex: Jeremy Maclin
Bench: Nick Foles, Tyreek Hill

Prediction: Chiefs 24, Jaguars 17 ^ Top

Panthers @ Rams - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Fantasy owners who selected Cam Newton as the first quarterback off the board in drafts have been extremely disappointed with what they’ve gotten from the 2015 NFL MVP. Eight passing touchdowns in six starts just isn’t enough, even for a QB who can run the ball like Newton. Unfortunately, things don’t get a whole lot easier as he and the Panthers head to Los Angeles to face the Rams. The Rams have held opposing quarterbacks to one or zero touchdown passes in four of their seven contests and they’ve only allowed two passers to eclipse 270 yards through the air. Still, Newton’s upside makes him extremely difficult to bench. Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin has been solid as of late, having accumulated at least 70 receiving yards in each of his past three games, but after a monstrous start to the season, he’s scored just one touchdown over his past five games. Benjamin is a high-end WR2 in this matchup with WR1 upside if he can get into the end zone. Tight end Greg Olsen continues to be one of the best tight ends in all of football, especially fantasy football where he currently ranks as the No. 1 player at his position. He was held to just one catch for 11 yards against the Cardinals in Week 8, but Olsen has caught at least five passes in every other contest so far in 2016.

LAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.20
LAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.17
LAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.14
LAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.22

Running Game Thoughts: Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart was given what is being described as a “veteran’s day off” from practice this Thursday, leading to some speculation that the runner had sustained some sort of setback in his recovery from the hamstring injury that hampered him earlier this season. The Panthers coaches insist that it was just an effort to keep him healthy going forward, however, and that will be important as Stewart has been very good when he’s been healthy. Stewart has scored a pair of touchdowns in each of his past two games, including 205 total yards since returning from his injury. The Rams have been good against the run in each of their past two games, but they were going up against two of the league’s least-effective running games (Lions and Giants), so look for the Panthers to give plenty of work to Stewart in this game.

Value Meter:
QB1: Cam Newton
RB2: Jonathan Stewart
WR2: Kelvin Benjamin (high-end)
TE1: Greg Olsen
Bench: Fozzy Whittaker, Cameron Artis-Payne, Devin Funchess, Ted Ginn Jr., Philly Brown

Passing Game Thoughts: Despite grumblings from fans and NFL pundits alike, Los Angeles head coach Jeff Fisher appears to be set in his belief that Case Keenum – not 2016 No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff – should be starting for the Rams. While Keenum will start for the Rams on Sunday, it does remain possible that Goff could step in and take over late in a game if the Rams fall far enough behind on the scoreboard. That’s just one of many reasons to not trust Keenum, even in what is considered to be one of the best fantasy matchups for quarterbacks, against the Panthers. The Panthers have given up the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, but Keenum has been so up and down that it’s hard to justify starting him in anything other than deep two-QB formats. It continues to be difficult to predict who the Rams will key in on in the passing game, as well. This past week it was Tavon Austin who led the team with 10 receptions, but the depth of target was so low that Austin only accumulated 57 total yards with all of those catches. Brian Quick and even Kenny Britt continue to make catches at wide receiver as well, but with Los Angeles being one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the league, the upside for any of these receivers isn’t great and their floor is also very low. One player who could be considered for fantasy purposes this week is tight end Lance Kendricks. Kendricks has the same issues that the other Los Angeles pass catchers do, but given the number of top tight ends on byes this week, many owners will be scouring the waiver wire for a one-week replacement at the position. Kendricks has caught 12 passes over his past two games and could be in for another nice day.

CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.2
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.25
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.1
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2

Running Game Thoughts: Todd Gurley continues to disappoint given his first round ADP in fantasy drafts, but the one nice thing is that his floor has been pretty high despite being on one of the league’s worst overall offenses. Gurley has scored at least seven fantasy points (standard scoring) in five straight contests and while he hasn’t even hit 90 yards rushing in a single game so far this season, he is suddenly seeing a lot more attention in the passing game. Gurley has made 18 receptions over his past four contests and should touch the ball 15 or more times in every game as long as he is healthy, thus making him an RB1 especially given the number of teams on byes.

Value Meter:
RB1: Todd Gurley
TE1: Lance Kendricks
Flex: Tavon Austin
Bench: Brian Quick, Kenny Britt

Prediction: Panthers 24, Rams 20 ^ Top

Saints @ 49ers - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Ol’ reliable, Drew Brees continues to produce huge fantasy numbers and is once again a top three fantasy quarterback here in 2016. Brees’ numbers continue to be substantially better at home than on the road as he and the Saints will be in Week 9, but even a “down” game for Brees is more like a great game for most fantasy quarterbacks. Brees continues to spread the ball around the field, but the primary beneficiaries have been wide receivers Brandin Cooks and rookie Michael Thomas. Cooks has now caught a touchdown in each of his past three games while Thomas has caught at least four passes in every game so far this season. Willie Snead struggles for a couple of weeks, but has been getting back into his groove as of late, including hauling in 15 passes over his past two games. All three receivers are worth a look in fantasy this week as they’ll be up against a San Francisco defense that has given up multiple scores to wide receivers in all but two games so far in 2016. Tight end Coby Fleener is also a TE1 in this contest given the Saints’ pass-happy offense, but it’s worth noting that the 49ers have only allowed 12 total fantasy points (standard scoring) against tight ends in their past four contests combined.

SF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
SF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.1
SF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.12
SF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.13

Running Game Thoughts: Mark Ingram gave his owners what might be the worst fantasy day that any player provides all year as he lost a fumble after just three carries and was subsequently benched for the rest of the game against the Seahawks this past week. It was veteran back Tim Hightower – not Travaris Cadet – who took over for Ingram and produced 102 yards on 26 carries. While it is believed that the benching of Ingram was just a warning shot from the Saints coaching staff, it’s worth noting that Hightower looked fairly good and the Saints obviously have no problem trusting him if Ingram isn’t getting the job done. It’s unfortunate that this situation is happening right now as the Saints will be up against one of the league’s worst run defenses in Week 9, the 49ers, who at 1,137 yards, have already given up more 100-yard rushing games than any other team in the league this season. Ingram could be worth the risk, but Hightower will almost certainly see some time, which could mean that neither player ends the game with a truly huge performance even if the totals between the two are great.

Value Meter:
QB1: Drew Brees
RB2: Mark Ingram
WR1: Brandin Cooks
WR2: Michael Thomas
TE1: Coby Fleener
Flex: Tim Hightower, Willie Snead
Bench: Travaris Cadet

Passing Game Thoughts: There’s not a lot to love about the 49ers right now, but fantasy owners shouldn’t be so quick to disregard what quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been doing and is capable of doing on a weekly basis. Kaepernick’s 187 and 143 passing yards with one touchdown in each contest are nothing special at all, but his 150 rushing yards are elite. In fact, he’s already seventh among quarterbacks in rushing yards despite playing in only two games. Kaepernick’s ability to run gives him a unique fantasy situation. His receivers have practically no value, but Kaepernick himself is capable of being a QB1 against almost any matchup and unless the opposing defense completely focuses on shutting down his running attack, it’s almost a guarantee that he’s going to produce at least a handful of points in that department. Don’t think of him as a lock as an every week starter, but Kaepernick is certainly a capable bye week fill-in.

NO FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
NO FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.2
NO FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
NO FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18

Running Game Thoughts: 49ers running back Carlos Hyde is the top fantasy player on the roster, but a shoulder injury held him out in Week 7 prior to the team’s bye and has left major questions as to his availability for this weekend’s contest. Hyde is still not practicing in full as of Thursday and it seems unlikely that he’d get a full workload even if he is active in this game. It seems likely that the 49ers are headed for a dreaded “by committee” approach at the position in this game, which essentially makes all of the players limited. If Hyde does play, expect him to see the most work, but Mike Davis, Shaun Draughn and even DuJuan Harris could all see touches.

Value Meter:
QB1: Colin Kaepernick (low-end)
RB2: Carlos Hyde
Bench: Shaun Draughn, Mike Davis, DuJuan Harris, Jeremy Kerley, Torrey Smith, Quinton Patton, Garrett Celek, Vance McDonald

Prediction: Saints 27, 49ers 23 ^ Top

Titans @ Chargers - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: There’s been a lot of hype around other young quarterbacks this season, but few have been performing better as of late than Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota. Mariota has thrown multiple touchdowns in each of his past four games and he’s averaging 237 yards passing per game over that stretch. Mariota’s receivers have been difficult to predict, but he seems to be trusting Kendall Wright the most lately despite Wright playing far fewer snaps than either Tajae Sharpe or Rishard Matthews. Look for Wright to continue to work his way back into the lineup as he gets healthier. Mariota’s top target, however, is actually tight end Delanie Walker, who has had his ups and downs this season, but is still tied for the lead on the team with 28 receptions. San Diego ranks about middle-of-the-pack against opposing passing games so far this season, but they’ve been excellent as of late, having allowed just two passing touchdowns over their past three games, including just one score to the league’s top-scoring fantasy quarterback Matt Ryan. This isn’t an excellent matchup, but Mariota is playing well enough that he deserves to be listed as a QB1 especially with all of the teams on byes here in Week 9.

SD FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.12
SD FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.6
SD FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.21
SD FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.12

Running Game Thoughts: It’s hard to find anything negative to say about DeMarco Murray and the Tennessee running game so far in 2016. The back currently sits behind only David Johnson in total fantasy points (standard scoring) at his position and he is tied for the Titans lead with 28 receptions. Murray would be an obvious RB1 in most contests, but an injured toe knocked him out of the team’s Week 8 victory over the Jaguars and has limited him in practice throughout the week. While it’s believed that Murray will be good to go, it’s also very possible – if not probable – that rookie Derrick Henry will play additional snaps in this Week 9 matchup against the Chargers. San Diego has not been good at stopping opposing running backs from scoring fantasy points against them so far this season. While they’ve only allowed one team to eclipse 100 yards on the ground against them, the Chargers have given up a whopping 12 touchdowns to the position on the year – second-most in the league. If Murray does play, lock him in as an RB1 with Henry still having some Flex appeal. If Murray sits, Henry himself moves up to an RB1 and he could have the first truly big game of his young career.

Value Meter:
QB1: Marcus Mariota
RB1: DeMarco Murray
TE1: Delanie Walker
Flex: Derrick Henry, Kendall Wright
Bench: Rishard Matthews, Tajae Sharpe

Passing Game Thoughts: Philip Rivers started the 2016 season on fire, but has struggled a bit in recent weeks, largely due to having two matchups against the league’s best pass defense, the Denver Broncos. Rivers tossed three interceptions in the Chargers’ loss to the Broncos in Week 8, but he has still scored double-digit fantasy points (standard scoring) in every game this season, thus allowing him to hold onto his status as a low-end QB1 for the year. His receivers have once again been decimated this season and now three of his top targets – Travis Benjamin, Tyrell Williams and Hunter Henry – are all banged up and listed as questionable for this contest against the Titans. While all three are expected to play, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to predict which player, if any, is going to perform for the Chargers’ passing game on a weekly basis. This is a great matchup against a Tennessee secondary that has given up multiple passing touchdowns and at least 336 passing yards in each of their past three contests, but only Rivers himself is a reliable and obvious starter in this game.

TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.16
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.28
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8

Running Game Thoughts: San Diego has been a pass-first offense since the days of LaDainian Tomlinson, but they might have finally found their new franchise back in Melvin Gordon. Even if it doesn’t turn out that way, fantasy owners will certainly remember the tremendous first half of the season that he has provided to them so far in 2016. Gordon rushed for a season-high 111 yards in Week 8 against a tough Denver defense and while he failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season, he still leads all running backs with 10 total touchdowns on the year. Gordon’s usage, particularly at the goal line, makes him an elite back in almost any contest, but it’s worth pointing out that the Titans have been excellent against the run, having conceded the second-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Still, Gordon is too hot to even consider benching at this point and given all the injuries to the San Diego pass catchers, it seems likely that the Chargers will give him a heavy workload again in this game.

Value Meter:
QB1: Philip Rivers
RB1: Melvin Gordon
TE1: Antonio Gates
Flex: Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin
Bench: Dontrelle Inman, Hunter Henry

Prediction: Chargers 27, Titans 24 ^ Top

Denver @ Oakland - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Trevor Siemian has not been good for fantasy purposes and now it’s beginning to affect his receivers, more specifically Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. While both continue to catch four or more passes each week, their upside has been extremely limited as they’ve caught just one touchdown between the two of them over their past three games. On a positive note, the Raiders have given up the fourth-most yards per game to opposing wide receivers so far this season. With Denver’s targets condensed so much into their top two wide receivers, it’s hard to not be at least a bit excited for what could be their best fantasy matchup for quite some time.

OAK FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
OAK FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
OAK FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.13
OAK FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7

Running Game Thoughts: Rookie running back Devontae Booker made the first start of his NFL career this past week, rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown while adding 30 yards on five receptions in the passing game. It wasn’t a huge performance, but it was enough to prove that he’s good enough to keep the job for now and that’s what we really need out of Booker going forward. Denver is not built to keep up with the high-powered Oakland passing game, so their best bet might be to slow things down with their running game here in Week 9. A heavy dose of Booker could mean 20-plus touches against the Raiders’ 22nd-ranked fantasy defense against opposing running backs. That should be enough to make Booker a solid RB1 option.

Value Meter:
RB1: Devontae Booker
WR2: Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders
Bench: Trevor Siemian, Virgil Green

Passing Game Thoughts: On the short list for NFL MVP for the first half of the season, Oakland quarterback Derek Carr continues to improve and his top two receivers, Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper, continue to put up huge numbers. Their Week 9 matchup against the Broncos, though, is as tough as it gets. Denver has been incredible against opposing passing games, having allowed just one team to throw for multiple touchdown passes against them so far this season. Denver has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks on the year and while the Oakland passing game has been as hot as any in the league, this is far from a great matchup. Carr threw for just 384 yards against the Broncos in the two games he played against them in 2015, so understand that while Carr, Crabtree and Cooper will probably have to be in most lineups, their upside is limited in this game.

DEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
DEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.13
DEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
DEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17

Running Game Thoughts: A “three-headed monster” backfield is rarely great for fantasy production and the situation that’s playing out in Oakland has certainly been far from great. Veteran Latavius Murray continues to get about half of the touches out of the backfield while youngsters DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard split the remaining touches between the two of them. What has ended up happening – and what will likely continue to happen – is decent overall production but a lack of fantasy production for any one player. Murray did get two touchdowns in the team’s Week 7 victory over the Jaguars, but that’s too small of a sample size for us to really draw much of a conclusion. The Broncos are actually able to be run on, so Murray is worth the risk as an RB2, but Richard and Washington should remain on benches for now.

Value Meter:
QB1: Derek Carr (low-end)
RB2: Latavius Murray
WR2: Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper
Bench: Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington, Seth Roberts, Clive Walford

Prediction: Broncos 21, Titans 20 ^ Top

Bills @ Seahawks - (Caron)

Passing Game Thoughts: Buffalo’s lack of high-end talent at the wide receiver position has been a problem since Sammy Watkins went down. Fantasy owners have pretty much given up on all of the Bills pass-catchers , but now it’s starting to affect Tyrod Taylor’s ability to produce fantasy numbers through the air. Taylor has averaged just under 177 passing yards per game over his past four contests and he’s only thrown five touchdown passes over that span. Thankfully, Taylor’s fantasy production has been saved due to the fact that he has avoided turning the ball over and that he’s among the best – if not the best runner in the league at the quarterback position. Taylor’s 319 rushing yards leads all quarterbacks and he has added three rushing scores. This has allowed him to score at least 14 fantasy points (standard scoring) in every game since Week 1. Still, due to the team’s lack of weapons out wide, his upside is limited, especially in Seattle against one of the league’s best defenses. The Bills did sign the previously retired Percy Harvin, but he should remain on fantasy waiver wires until we at least see him on the field.

SEA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.28
SEA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.30
SEA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.27
SEA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.27

Running Game Thoughts: The Bills continue to be cryptic in regards to whether or not their star running back, LeSean McCoy, will be back on the field in Week 9. McCoy had been one of the league’s top fantasy producers at the position prior to suffering a hamstring injury in Week 7. If McCoy is unable to play, the Bills will likely again turn to Mike Gillislee to shoulder the majority of the workload as he did in Week 8 when McCoy was sidelined. Gillislee performed well against the Patriots, rushing for 85 yards on 12 carries while adding three catches for nine yards. He’ll be up against an even tougher run defense here in Week 9 as he and the Bills head to Seattle, though, so don’t expect too much. Jonathan Williams would likely touch the ball a handful of times again if McCoy is out, but not enough to be fantasy relevant himself. If McCoy does play, there’s a good chance that he’ll still split carries with Gillislee, thus making both players difficult to trust for fantasy purposes. Because this game is on Monday night and the decision on McCoy isn’t likely to be made until Monday, it would be wise to sit both players unless you own both and can make the decision prior to game time.

Value Meter:
QB2: Tyrod Taylor
RB2: LeSean McCoy, Mike Gillislee (if McCoy doesn’t play)
Flex: Mike Gillislee (if McCoy does play)
Bench: Jonathan Williams, Reggie Bush, Robert Woods, Percy Harvin, Charles Clay

Passing Game Thoughts: Unlike the quarterback who will be opposite him in Week 9, Seattle QB Russell Wilson has been extremely disappointing from a fantasy standpoint so far this season. Wilson’s passing yardage numbers have been fine, but his rushing has been practically non-existent due to a knee injury that he sustained earlier in the year. Wilson has also now failed to throw for a single passing touchdown in three straight contests. In fact, he’s only thrown for more than one touchdown pass in one game this season. Wilson’s lack of production has, of course, greatly affected his top wide receiver, Doug Baldwin, who has just two touchdown receptions on the season and hasn’t scored or eclipsed 70 yards in a game since Week 3. Right now, the only player in this passing game who is playing well is tight end Jimmy Graham who struggled a bit in Week 8, but had previously caught five or more passes in four straight contests. This passing game is struggling greatly right now and it’s tough to do because of where he was drafted, but wise fantasy owners might look for other options against a Buffalo defense that has held every quarterback not named “Tom Brady” to one or zero touchdowns so far this season.

BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.14
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.16
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.21

Running Game Thoughts: With Wilson and the passing game struggling the fantasy stud in this Seattle offense has surprisingly been running back Christine Michael. Michael only touched the ball 11 times in Seattle’s Week 8 loss to the Saints, but he was able to salvage an otherwise disappointing day with a touchdown. Michael has now scored six total touchdowns on the season and while the return of Thomas Rawls looms, Michael should remain the lead back in Seattle. With the Bills playing as well as they have against the pass and Wilson struggling, this looks like it could be a heavy workload day for Michael. Buffalo has given up three rushing touchdowns and nearly 300 yards total rushing yards – including a monster day to Jay Ajayi – over their past two contests. Seattle would be wise to lean on their running game in what should be a low scoring, hard hitting Monday night contest.

Value Meter:
QB2: Russell Wilson
RB1: Christine Michael
WR2: Doug Baldwin
TE1: Jimmy Graham
Flex: C.J. Prosise (PPR only)
Bench: Tyler Lockett, Jermaine Kearse

Prediction: Seahawks 24, Bills 20 ^ Top

Jets @ Dolphins - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: Ryan Fitzpatrick laid claim to the starting job for at least one more week with a hard earned victory in Cleveland last week. There was not Fitzmagic, however, as he was erratic and incredibly inefficient. Fitzpatrick completed less than half his passes for just 228 yards The good news is he targeted Quincy Enunwa (11) and Brandon Marshall (9) a total of twenty times. The bad news is they only caught four balls each. Marshall continues to be treated as a WR1 in the fantasy community despite only having been a WR1 three times this season and not since Week 5. Enunwa has scored in back to back games now, but he hasn’t seen any consistent volume all season. The Dolphins are actually top ten in passing yards against and have allowed a respectable ten passing touchdowns on the season. While I certainly wouldn’t view this as a poor matchup for the Jets, it’s not as great as one would think – and neither is Brandon Marshall.

MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15

Running Game Thoughts: I’m not quite sure what Todd Bowles is doing with Matt Forte. He touched the ball 59 times over the first two games. Then he touched the ball 57 times over the next four games. Now, over the last two games, Forte has touched the ball 61 times. It’s like a roller coaster of usage with no real way to predict when we’re going up or down. Still averaging a career low 3.5 yards per carry, Forte is clearly not the runner he once was, but as long as the volume is there, Forte is an RB1. The Dolphins allow 135.6 rushing yards per game so the situation can’t be much better for Forte this week. Bilal Powell had a useful game as well last week, but he still only saw seven touches and is not reliable when Forte is seeing this much work.

Value Meter:
QB2: Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB1: Matt Forte (low end)
WR3: Brandon Marshall (his current value)
WR3: Quincy Enunwa (too many guys on bye for him to be any lower)
Bench: Bilal Powell

Passing Game Thoughts: The Jets have the worst passing defense in the NFL, allowing a league high 289.1 passing yards per game. Darrelle Revis is done. He is so incredibly done that he basically admitted it himself. Ryan Tannehill has proven to be capable of taking advantage of good matchups and situations (Cleveland in Week 3 and lighting up New England in garbage time Week 2). With Dalton, Brady, Cousins, and Palmer having the week off, Tannehill is a nice streaming option. He will continue to focus on Jarvis Landry, who has had at least seven catches or 78 yards in all but one game this season. Who knows, maybe Landry will even find the end zone for the second time. Kenny Stills is the other guy in this passing attack, firmly ahead of DeVante Parker. Stills is not a strong option, but again, with the bye weeks, you could do worse.

NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.9
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.3
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14

Running Game Thoughts: Did Ricky Williams come out of retirement and morph into Jay Ajayi? That’s really the only explanation I have for how Ajayi suddenly went from “guy we believe in so little that we signed Arian Foster” to “fourth player in NFL history to rush for 200 yards in consecutive games.” On the list of things I did not see coming, this would rank right up top with Russell Wilson being droppable even in 2-QB leagues. Okay Jay, you have my attention now. Ajayi has been so good his last two games he literally sent Arian Foster into retirement. Things do not get much more difficult than the top rushing defense in the NFL. The Jets allow just 74 rushing yards per game, which is usually what Ajayi does in a quarter. Isaiah Crowell is averaging 4.9 yards per carry on the season but he managed a mere 29 yards on 11 carries against the Jets last week. If Ajayi comes out of Week 9 with another big game, he might very well be a first round pick in 2017. But that’s a big “if.” I’m having a difficult time completely reversing field on on Ajayi after just two incredible performances. This matchup is difficult and you cannot bench Ajayi at this point if you own him, but don’t be surprised if he puts up a dud.

Value Meter:
QB2: Ryan Tannehill (high end)
RB2: Jay Ajayi (high end)
WR2: Jarvis Landry (high end)
Flex: Kenny Stills
Bench: DeVante Parker, Damien Williams

Prediction: Dolphins 23, Jets 17 ^ Top

Eagles @ Giants - (Katz)

Passing Game Thoughts: Another week, another subpar performance from Carson Wentz. At least he cracked 200 yards in this one. Wentz threw 43 passes against the Cowboys and completed an impressive 32 of them, yet somehow only managed 202 yards. Wentz is completely off the fantasy radar. But we have some great news from last week: Jordan Matthews has awoken. The Eagles treated their best receiver by far like he deserves with 14 targets and Matthews answered the call, catching 11 of them for 65 yards and a score. If JMatt is going to continue to be used this way, he will push WR1 value in PPR formats. The last time we saw the Giants play, they were getting eaten alive underneath by Tavon Austin. The Giants are vulnerable to slot receivers, which is where Matthews primarily lines up. I love Matthews’ rest of season schedule and think he continues trending upwards this week.

NYG FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
NYG FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.22
NYG FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.15
NYG FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.24

Running Game Thoughts: Darren Sproles completely dominated the Eagles backfield last week, but I don’t want to get overly excited. Doug Pederson’s use of his running backs has been wildly unpredictable. With that being said, Ryan Mathews played just eight snaps. There have been games where Sproles didn’t touch the ball often, but he was never on the field that little. Sproles’ fifteen carries are more than his previous four games combined. For the first time all season, there was an intent to get the ball to Sproles. The running game plan was Sproles. While Mathews still managed a touchdown, you cannot trust a guy seeing just eight snaps. You might as well start John Kuhn because all you’re hoping for is a short touchdown. The Giants have been strong defending the run, allowing just 3.6 yards per carry, but Sproles is not a true running back and the Eagles, apparently, will find ways to get him the ball. My belief in Sproles has been renewed.

Value Meter:
WR2: Jordan Matthews (mid-range)
RB2: Darren Sproles (with so many big names injured/on bye)
Bench: Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz, Dorial Green-Beckham, Ryan Mathews

Passing Game Thoughts: I truly believe that Eli Manning is the fifth best quarterback in his own division. I still see him owned in far too many of my fantasy leagues and I can’t figure out why. Manning has had two games with fewer than 200 yards passing and three games with no touchdown passes. He has eight touchdown passes on the season, with six of them coming in two games. He also has turned the ball over eight times. He looked dreadful against the Rams and now has had two weeks to sit in the corner and think about what he’s done to Odell Beckham. Beckham’s talent has gone anywhere and even at far less than 100%, he looked mostly like himself in London. But the reality is Beckham has been a major bust. He has 40 receptions for 630 yards on the season, but over half of those yards came in two games. Beckham has yet to record a double digit reception game and only topped 100 yards twice. The two-week break should help him get healthy, but the real problem is his quarterback. Watching Manning against the Rams was like watching a high school quarterback in his first start – he rarely ever went past his first read and looked incapable of actually moving through progressions. He would just look at the primary read on a play and throw it. For some reason, that was rarely Beckham. It wasn’t working as Victor Cruz has been fantasy useless all season and there’s nothing “Sterling” about Shepard’s 101 yards total over his last four games. The Eagles allow the fifth lowest passing yards against per game at 214.1. If Manning can’t get his act together, Beckham might be calling for his love, the kicking net, to replace Manning under center.

PHI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
PHI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
PHI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.26
PHI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.30

Running Game Thoughts: The Giants running game is the worst in the NFL. It’s been that way for a while – since Shane Vereen went down. Rashad Jennings should not be in the NFL anymore (13 carries for 25 yards last game, 2.7 ypc this season). Bobby Rainey cannot be a feature back. There is some hope here with Paul Perkins. Perkins is not an amazing talent, but is far superior than the Giants’ other options. However, the Giants have not shown to be very good at evaluating talent at the RB position for years, consistently using their lesser backs far more than they should. Perkins is the only Giants’ running back you want and only because of the possibility he sees more work going forward. It’s hands off the Giants backfield this week even against an Eagles team that’s vulnerable on the ground to the tune of 4.7 yards per carry allowed.

Value Meter:
WR1: Odell Beckham Jr. (mid-range)
Bench: All other Giants

Prediction: Eagles 24, Giants 20 ^ Top

Cowboys @ Browns - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Cleveland Browns are allowing 285 passing yards per game and have allowed a league worst 19 passing touchdowns this season. While Dak Prescott is a rookie quarterback, which is usually not a recipe for fantasy success, he has been a fantasy QB1 more often than not this season. Facing the Browns with a healthy Dez Bryant it’s conceivable that he’s the top fantasy quarterback this week. Dez played in 88 percemt of the team’s snaps last week in his first game back and naturally scored a touchdown. Dez is a scoring machine with 45 touchdowns in 59 career games. The return of Bryant will continue to take some targets away from Cole Beasley, who was Prescott’s favorite target while Bryant was out. However, the diminutive slot man has gained over 50 yards in every game so far this season and should have little trouble in this matchup as Cleveland has not been able to contain opposing slot receivers. They did acquire line-backer Jamie Collins from the Patriots this week, which should help their defense pressure opposing quarterbacks and also help in coverage, but it’s hard to imagine that he’ll make an immediate major impact.

CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.4
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.6
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.4

Running Game Thoughts: What will happen when the irresistible force meets…..absolutely no resistance? The Cowboys come into the game with a five game streak of rushing for at least 175 yards, and will meet a Browns team that is one of the worst in the league against the run (allowing 143.8 yards per game with 10 touchdowns). Rookie Ezekiel Elliott is largely responsible for most of those rushing yards and is on pace to set the all time rookie rushing record. Running behind one of the best offensive lines in recent years and with the power, agility and balance that Elliott posses, opposing defenses have little hope of slowing the rookie down. The Browns have even less hope.

Value Meter:
QB1: Dak Prescott
RB1: Ezekiel Elliott
WR1: Dez Bryant
WR3: Cole Beasley
Bench: Terrance Williams, Jason Witten

Passing Game Thoughts: The Browns rotating quarterback position (the team has used six players at the position already) will either give another start to veteran Josh McCown or land back on rookie Cody Kessler if he makes it out of the concussion protocol. McCown gives the team a better chance to win, but the 0-8 Browns are better off seeing if Kessler has any kind of future with the team than trying to win games. Kessler has actually played much better than expected, which makes the decision that much easier for Hue Jackson. Converted quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been outstanding in his new position but a hamstring injury has kept him out of practice this week and he could miss this week’s game. Dallas has done a good job containing outside wide receivers this season but could be without Morris Clairborne this week which would surely benefit Pryor if he’s able to play. Cleveland should get rookie Corey Coleman back from his broken hand to help in the passing game. Coleman was having a nice start to his career early in the season, but his owners may wish to wait a week before inserting him into line-ups, after his long layoff.

DAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.19
DAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.29
DAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.19
DAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.9

Running Game Thoughts: Isaiah Crowell was second in the league in rushing after the first four weeks, but the Browns being in catch up mode in most games has limited his volume in subsequent weeks and his production has dropped off considerably. Against a Cowboys team that is limiting opposing rushing offenses to 92.9 yards per game while yielding only three rushing touchdowns, it could be tough for Crowell to get on track this week. On the positive side, Hue Jackson will likely want to establish the run especially if the rookie Kessler is under center, so the volume could be there as long as the Browns somehow keep from falling too far behind.

Value Meter:
QB2: Josh McCown (if he starts)
RB3: Isaiah Crowell
WR3: Terrelle Pryor (if healthy)
TE1: Gary Barnidge
Flex: Duke Johnson
Bench: Andrew Hawkins, Corey Coleman, Cody Kessler

Prediction: Cowboys 27, Browns 17 ^ Top

Lions @ Vikings - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Sam Bradford has not had any time in the pocket the last two weeks and with the way this offense has looked, he has no business in fantasy lineups, outside of two quarterback leagues, even in this plus matchup (Detroit is giving up the third most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks). Stefon Diggs, especially if Darius Slay remains out, is a good option coming off a big game last Monday Night (8-76-1) as the team’s only true playmaker on offense. Tight end Kyle Rudolph has seen his targets drop considerably from where they were earlier in the season, but will get an early Christmas present this week when facing the top matchup for opposing tight ends with Detroit coming to town. The Lions have allowed touchdowns to Jack Doyle (2), Dwayne Allen, Delanie Walker, Richard Rodgers, Zach Miller, Lance Kendricks and C.J. Fiedorowicz so far this season – not exactly a murderer’s row of tight end talent.

MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23

Running Game Thoughts: To say the Minnesota running game has been nonexistent is an understatement. It’s been downright terrible. The team has only six carries this season that have gone for more than 10 yards. With Jerick McKinnon banged up, the plodding Matt Asiata saw most of the carries last week. If McKinnon misses another game, Asiata’s volume gives him a decent floor and he’s at least shown a nose for the endzone in the past, although he struggled in that capacity last week. While the Lions have only allowed three rushing touchdowns on the season, it would be tough to call this a difficult matchup since they do allow 110 yards per game at 4.4 yards per carry. If McKinnon does suit up, and it’s starting to look like he may, he could be in for a decent day. Keep an eye on the news.

Value Meter:
QB2: Sam Bradford
RB2: Matt Asiata (if McKinnon sits out)
WR2: Stefon Diggs
TE1: Kyle Rudolph
FLEX: Adam Thielen, Jerick McKinnon (if healthy)
Bench: Cordarrelle Patterson

Passing Game Thoughts: Matthew Stafford has been very up and down this season. He has thrown for at least three touchdown passes in four games this season, but he has combined for only three in his other four games. This week is lining up as a down week against the top ranked Minnesota defense that has not allowed a quarterback to finish any higher than QB15 this season. Marvin Jones has fallen off after a blistering start to the season and will now line up against top corner Xavier Rhodes. It would be very tough to trust him in this matchup. Golden Tate, on the other hand, has seen his role increase and with a league high 73 percent of his receiving yards coming after the catch, he could just find some success after the catch in a game where passing yards will be hard to come by.

DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.3
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.1

Running Game Thoughts: Theo Riddick had his best game of the season last week and should be another useful weapon for the Lions against a defense that’s only real weakness has been defending running backs in the passing game. He’s not likely to gain many yards on the ground however, and neither is Zach Zenner, who currently seems to be the preferred “big back” option. The Vikings have allowed only four rushing touchdowns on the season and just 92.6 yards per game on the ground. Riddick’s value comes in the passing game however so don’t be afraid of this matchup for him.

Value Meter:
RB2: Theo Riddick
WR3: Golden Tate
TE2: Eric Ebron
Bench: Matthew Stafford, Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington, Marvin Jones, Anquan Boldin

Prediction: Vikings 20, Lions 17 ^ Top

Colts @ Packers - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: Andrew Luck has spent a lot of time either on his back or running for his life behind a terrible Colts’ offensive line. He’s the only quarterback that has been sacked more than once in every game so far this season. He’s still been highly productive, but one has to wonder how long that (or he) can last at this pace. He gets a soft matchup this week as the Packers have allowed 13 passing touchdowns and are banged up in the secondary. They are however a better than average pass rushing team with 19 sacks on the season which could make for a long day if the line continues to falter. Luck did get one of his better weapons back last week, and Donte Moncrief played in 89 percent of the snaps in his first game back. While T.Y. Hilton (hamstring) is the biggest threat on the team, Moncrief offers the most complete package of size and speed. He’s another weapon in the red-zone for Luck to take advantage of.

IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.6

Running Game Thoughts: Frank Gore at 33 years old has continued to be productive but his lack of usage in the passing game has limited his fantasy upside on a team that prefers to move the ball through the air. Gore received only 9 carries last week, and while OC Rob Chudzinski has stated he would like to get Gore more carries, the Colts may have little choice but to rely on Luck once again, as the Packers have been the best rush defense in the league. The Packers allow only 74.4 yards per game on the ground and have allowed only 2 rushing scores.

Value Meter:
QB1: Andrew Luck
WR1: T.Y. Hilton
WR3: Donte Moncrief
TE1: Jack Doyle
FLEX: Frank Gore
Bench: Phillip Dorsett

Passing Game Thoughts: Aaron Rodgers is averaging a career high 39.3 passing attempts per game. This is due in large part to the fact that the team has no running game to speak of after losing Eddie Lacy and James Starks to injury. The team has been using wide receivers Ty Montgomery and Randall Cobb in the backfield and the short passing game has been used as a pseudo run game. Jordy Nelson has been scoring touchdowns at an incredible rate but has lacked the explosiveness of past seasons while recovering from his ACL tear suffered last season. The Packers passing game should continue to hum against a porous Colts defense that is only behind the Browns and Lions in allowing fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.32
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.11

Running Game Thoughts: The Packer running game, or lack thereof, was addressed above, and even with Montgomery and Cobb missing last week’s game things did not change much. It was fullback type Aaron Ripkowski that saw most of the team’s limited carries, and he could continue to see carries as a “better” version of John Kuhn going forward. Montgomery should be back this week and would likely see the most snaps of the “running backs” which will lead to heavy targets out if the backfield.

Value Meter:
QB1: Aaron Rodgers
WR1: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb
WR2: Ty Montgomery, Davante Adams
Bench: Richard Rodgers, Don Jackson

Prediction: Packers 33, Colts 30 ^ Top

Steelers @ Ravens - (Marcoccio)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Steelers may get Ben Roethlisberger back this week, as the veteran has been practicing in a limited fashion. While fantasy owners will be glad to get him back into their line-ups, Ben has traditionally struggled on the road against this week’s opponent. Ben has thrown for only 7 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in eight career games in Baltimore and his high in passing yards is 280 yards in those games. Does that mean that his owners should bench him? While he’s also struggled in his first game back from past injuries and he’s likely to be a bit hobbled, that’s a tough call. It’s certainly not a given that he even returns this week, so obviously his owners will need to stay on top of the situation. Off-season acquisition Ladarius Green may make his Steeler debut this week, but in his first game back and in a likely time-share with Jesse James, he should not be rushed into any fantasy lineups. Antonio Brown has topped 100 yards in both of Landry Jones’ career starts, so Ben’s availability isn’t a major concern for him necessarily, but whether or not you want to take a chance on Sammie Coates or Eli Rogers should come down to Roethlisberger’s status.

PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.23
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.29
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10

Running Game Thoughts: Le’Veon Bell has yet to find the endzone, but he has still managed to finish as a RB1 in every game since returning. He’s had over 100 yards from scrimmage in all of those games and is obviously a major part of what the team does on the ground and through the air. DeAngelo Williams is likely still out with injury, leaving Fitzgerald Toussaint as the backup running back once again this week. The Ravens have played the run exceptionally well this season allowing only 81.9 yards per game and 3 rushing scores, but that’s not going to matter much to an all purpose back like Bell.

Value Meter:
QB2: Ben Roethlisberger
RB1: Le’Veon Bell
WR1: Antonio Brown
FLEX: Sammie Coates
Bench: DeAngelo Williams, Markus Wheaton, Jesse James, Ladarius Green

Passing Game Thoughts: Steve Smith looks to be out again this week which will not help the Ravens struggling passing game. Joe Flacco has not taken his usual shots downfield and has not been a fantasy factor thus far. A lack of weapons and a reliance on a short passing attack has not done him any favors from a statistical viewpoint. Mike Wallace has been the lone bright spot in this passing game. The speedy veteran has seen a career renaissance, but he alone is not enough to strike fear into opposing defenses.

BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.21
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.26
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31

Running Game Thoughts: Just when Terrance West was gaining some traction as the Ravens’ feature back, he ran into the Jets buzzsaw run defense gaining only 10 yards in the team’s last game before the bye week. The bye week may also have given the team more time to get rookie Kenneth Dixon, more acclimated into the offense. John Harbaugh has stated that he would like to see Dixon more involved, so that could complicate this backfield a bit. It should be noted however, that the Steeler defense was gashed by two power backs similar to West in LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi in their last two games - a fact not likely lost on the Ravens. Dixon may have to wait one more week before he’s incorporated more into the game plan.

Value Meter:
QB2: Joe Flacco
RB2: Terrance West
WR3: Mike Wallace
TE1: Dennis Pitta
Bench: Kenneth Dixon, Kamar Aiken, Breshad Perriman

Prediction: Steelers 20, Ravens 16 ^ Top