2015 Fantasy Football, Week 9 Gold Mine: Consider Roddy White, Robert Woods
Me: “What would you do if you were stuck in one place and everyday was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?”
Ralph: “That about sums it up for me!”
Wait, are you trying to tell me I am NOT Bill Murray in Groundhog Day? Following yet another set of top 10 players at their respective positions going down for the rest of the season that’s exactly what it feels like.
Jamaal Charles and Arian Foster now have some company as LeVeon Bell, Keenan Allen, Steve Smith and Reggie Bush will be watching the games from home the rest of the way. Not to mention Matt Forte missing a few weeks potentially, or the countless injuries to the QB position earlier in the year. The 2015 season is one of those years where it just seems like everyone is getting injured and the worst part about it all these injuries are happening to players we were and are counting on to keep our seasons rolling.
Now, that we have finished up the first half of the NFL season with a little over six games left before the average fantasy leagues playoffs begin these injuries are starting to add up and hurt more and more each time. If you were lucky enough to grab the DeAngelo Williams, Jeremy Langford‘s or Malcom Floyd‘s of the world then you should be pretty set for at least the next couple of weeks. However, if you weren’t lucky enough to be high up on the waiver priority to grab the players who will have just been thrown into the mix then you’ve come to the right place.
The following player showcase will break down players who are still owned in far fewer leagues than they should be. These players will all be owned in less than 35% of ESPN leagues. If you don’t play in an ESPN league that’s okay. Each player’s percentage of ownership will also be tracked for Yahoo and NFL leagues plus salary information for Fanduel and Draftkings.
Jameis Winston (TB): ESPN: 30.7; Yahoo: 27; NFL: 15.9; FD: 6.7K; DK: 5.2K
Being the first overall pick in the 2015 draft you’d think that Jameis Winston would be putting up better numbers, however, that just hasn’t really been the case. Winston has now thrown 210 yards or less in four of the teams seven games on the year and has thrown for only one touchdown in a game four times. So, why would I recommend starting him if he has played so poorly you ask? Well, he has now had two straight games of at least 21 fantasy points, scoring twice in both and has extended his turnover-less streak to three in a row. He is holding on to the ball and making good decisions despite failing to throw for large quantity of yards. The Bucs may be pushing more to a run first offense as of late but this week they get to take on the fifth worst defense against opposing QBs. The New York Giants are coming off giving up seven touchdowns to the Saints and although Winston is not Drew Brees the Giants have had tendencies to give up plenty of points to the position.
Robert Woods (BUF): ESPN: 10.4; Yahoo: 19; NFL: 4.3; FD: 4.9K; DK: 3.5K
The Buffalo Bills skill players are beginning to get healthy, which of course proves to do well for the organization. However, they aren’t there yet and with Sammy Watkins still nursing the injured ankle Robert Woods has stepped up pretty well in his absence. Woods who had only recorded more than three receptions twice in the season leading up to the Bills week 7 match up against the Jags in London was able to pull in nine receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. There is a lot of question as to whether Sammy Watkins will be able to suit up this week coming off the bye and was limited in practice this week so far. If Watkins can’t go Woods will get a nice pump in projections, if Watkins does go don’t be quick to think Woods will lose his targets as the injury Watkins suffered can linger for quite some time. The Bills get another favorable match up, this time against the Dolphins. In their week 3 matchup Woods caught four passes for 38 yards but the Dolphins gave up a total of 185 yards to the Bills in total that week. If Woods can cut into the remaining 140+ yards he could have yet another solid performance.
Jamison Crowder (WSH): ESPN: 7; Yahoo: 8; NFL: 0.4; FD: 5.7K; DK: 3.7K
Despite the news that DeSean Jackson may be returning to the field for the first time since the beginning of the season Jamison Crowder is still an excellent play this week. Jackson who hasn’t practiced as a full participant all week has still not seen the field since week 1 and for that reason will be pretty rusty. With how explosive Jackson can be on the field there is reason for why the Redskins would want to get their star wide out the ball. However, Crowder has proven himself to be very similar to Garcon in the idea that he will run a crisp clean route and get open. While Jackson will be able to stretch the field vertically both Garcon and Crowder have the ability to eat up the middle of the field. The Patriots may be 7 – 0 looking to become 8 – 0 this week but they have been susceptible to the pass early on this year and that makes Crowder a solid play in week 9. The Pats are ranked 27th in the league against opposing WRs and have given up at least 190 yards receiving in three straight games with three touchdowns in that span.
Roddy White (ATL): ESPN: 29; Yahoo: 40; NFL: 58.7; FD: 5.3K; DK: 3.9K
To say that Roddy White is having a less than stellar season is an absolute understatement. In 2014 Roddy White only had three games of three or fewer receptions but in 2015 all but one of those games meet that same feat. A mainstay in the Falcons offense for several years now, White may be getting to the end of the tunnel when it comes to his time in Atlanta but before he exists completely he is going to need to prove that he can still play this game at a high level if he plans on sticking around the league any further. The Falcons started off with a big bang earlier in the season winning their first five games but have since cooled off losing two of their last three and only winning by three in a ten point contest to the Titans two weeks ago. If the Falcons are going to continue to make a push for the division or even a wildcard spot they are going to need the veteran status of White to get back to his old self. The Falcons get another solid match up this week against the 25th ranked 9ers who have given up at least 155 yards to opposing wide outs six times this season.