Week 9 Fantasy Football Game Previews & Predictions: Can Peyton Hillis Return To Stardom?
Unlike past seasons when players like Miles Austin, Jamaal Charles, and Peyton Hillis were still on the waiver wire weeks into the season before being picked up, there do not appear to be any mid-season free agents of note this season. Each week I expect some breakout day from an unknown running back or receiver to make the No. 1 waiver priority a valuable asset, but it seems that each week ends with guys like Doug Baldwin and Michael Bush as the best available options.
DeMarco Murray and Jackie Battle have been about the best of the pick-ups in recent weeks and we don't know if either will remain fantasy relevant for long.
So if you are contending in your league and looking to fill an important hole, you better find a trade partner because the free-agent market looks dry this season.
The good news is we are down the final few teams with a remaining bye this season and no more than four teams will be off in any week the rest of the way. Except for Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Maurice Jones-Drew, this week should be relatively painless as bye weeks go with Detroit joined by Minnesota, Carolina, and Jacksonville with a week off.
Here’s what to expect this week:
Miami at Kansas City: Buy into Reggie Bush's 100-yard game at your own risk. We've all been teased before and disappointed soon afterwards. However, if Daniel Thomas is out again, Bush is at least a decent flex option. When Thomas returns, ditch all Dolphins running backs. You can say that about every Miami player on offense except Brandon Marshall, although he is a low-end WR2 at this point. The Chiefs defense is a solid choice against the 'Fins. Jackie Battle appears to have taken control of Kansas City's running game so he is a reliable RB2. Dwayne Bowe was disappointing on Monday night, but he's still the only Chiefs receiver you can count on. Matt Cassel could have one of his fluky big games against Miami.
Atlanta at Indianapolis: This should be the best week of the season for Matt Ryan, especially if Julio Jones returns. The last quarterback to face the Colts indoors threw for five touchdowns and helped his team score 62 points. I think Ryan should be able to get over 20 points this week and Roddy White should be the No. 1 receiver you expected him to be this season. Michael Turner is a great play here as well. Joseph Addai may be back so at least you know who the Colts will give the ball too, but don't expect much. It's getting harder and harder to believe in Reggie Wayne, but if he's got anything left it should come out this week.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans: LaGarrette Blount should be back and Ernest Graham's injury means Blount should be in line for 20-25 touches each game the rest of the season and that should make him productive if he can stay healthy. Josh Freeman should have a decent day against New Orleans' defense but it is hard to know who he will feature at receiver. Give Mike Williams one more shot this week before giving up on him. Drew Brees is in line for another big day and you want Marques Colston as his top target but I think Lance Moore continues to get more involved in the offense as well. If you held on to Pierre Thomas or picked him up on waivers recently, he's a decent flex option this week.
New York Jets at Buffalo: The Jets passing game should have a nice day fresh off a bye against the Bills, so Mark Sanchez will be a top-12 quarterback this week. I like Santonio Holmes, but not Plaxico Burress and I'm not playing any Jets running back either. Brandon Pettigrew, Greg Olson, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Marcedes Lewis are all on a bye, so either Dustin Keller or Scott Chandler are a decent fill-in at tight end in this game. Ryan Fitzpatrick will struggle and Stevie Johnson is on Revis Island, so Fred Jackson is the only must-start for the Bills.
Seattle at Dallas: Tavaris Jackson is clearly Seattle's best option at quarterback and in a two-team league, he should be good here against the Cowboys for 15 points. Sidney Rice gets a big boost with Jackson back in the line-up and I think last week started a strong second-half surge for Rice. Seattle's strength on defense is against the run, but DeMarco Murray will get more carries this week and should get near 100 yards and a score. The Cowboys passing game is struggling and I don't expect anything above average this week from Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, or Miles Austin.
Cleveland at Houston: Attention Peyton Hillis owners – you really want him back this week. Monterio Hardesty is gone and a healthy Hillis has the chance to be the workhorse fantasy stud that he was last year. This season has been a disaster as Hillis has looked like a malcontent with a contract dispute and an injury-prone back, but a few weeks of 100-yard games with a couple scores can rebuild his reputation so he should be motivated if he returns this week. Andre Johnson owners should be getting worried because the Texans bye week is just two weeks away, so the fear is that Johnson may decide to sit out two more games to get three more weeks off. If he doesn't return this week, don't expect him in Week 10, so you are really rooting for him to get back for a nice home match-up against the Browns. Matt Schaub could use a jolt of Johnson as well and Arian Foster will be a stud no matter who lines up at receiver. Houston's defense could return to favor this week, especially if Hillis is out.
San Francisco at Washington: Frank Gore has become a stud once again, so as long as he is healthy he is a threat to go for 100 yards and a touchdown every week. Michael Crabtree is close to establishing himself as the No. 1 receiver in San Francisco so feel free to play him against the Redskins. The Niners defense is a good option as well. Ryan Torain is the only Redskin to even consider for your lineup, but hopefully you have good enough running backs to keep him on the bench.
Cincinnati at Tennessee: Hearing a lot of hype for Andy Dalton and it is warranted for a rookie QB, but is still in my 15-20 range for QBs. AJ Green is a legit WR2 now and welcome back Cedric Benson, who has nothing to fear from Bernard Scott's one-game audition as Benson should be reliable the rest of the season. I tried hard to buy low on Chris Johnson this week, but couldn't get him for DeMarco Murray/Jackie Battle or Murray/Sidney Rice. So some people are keeping the faith and I would too, this could be the week he finally gets back to 100 yards and a couple scores. I'd put Matt Hasselbeck ahead of Dalton this week but don't like any of his receivers.
Denver at Oakland: Remember all those fantasy owners who rushed to pick up Tim Tebow thinking they had a stud who could find many ways to get 20 points per week? You can be one of those owners now because Tebow is getting tossed back on the waiver wire in many leagues. Hard to see a good ending this season for Tebow, but this week will be particularly rough against the Raiders. In fact, I wouldn’t want to play any Broncos this week except Knowshon Moreno in deeper leagues. Darren McFadden looks healthy and he should be a stud again plus Michael Bush could also have a good week in deeper leagues if the Raiders look to rest McFadden late in a blowout win. Carson Palmer will be better than his debut, but don’t start him yet. However, Darrius Heyward-Bey will get in double digits and the Raiders’ defense will too.
New York Giants at New England: Eli Manning and Tom Brady will both have big days here and Welker should bounce back. Ahmad Bradshaw will be good if healthy, but ignore Giants running backs if he isn’t. Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz both get a nice boost if Hakeem Nicks is out. I’d stay away from Patriots running backs but play both tight ends.
St. Louis at Arizona: Stay healthy Beanie Wells, please, because this could be another 120 yard and two score game. Be healthy Kevin Kolb because you too will go off if you play and Larry Fitzgerald owners need you. Stay healthy Steven Jackson and run wild again this week. Get healthy Sam Bradford, this could be the defense you need to face to get your season on track.
Green Bay at San Diego: Shootout here, so play your quarterbacks, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finley, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and I’d start James Jones in a deeper league. Monitor the San Diego running back situation because if Ryan Mathews sits, Mike Tolbert gets the full workload his owners have been waiting for and that should be good for 15 points. Even if Mathews plays, I’d bench him if I have another decent running back because he will split time with Tolbert.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh: The first meeting was brutal for the Steelers and the second will be better, but not enough to make Ben Roethlisberger a top-12 quarterback this week. Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall are worth the risk. Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin should be in your lineup and with a rare kicker recommendation, Billy Cundiff should have a great week.
Chicago at Philadelphia: I like the Eagles revival to continue so feel good about playing Michael Vick even though the Bears defense is usually a warning sign. DeSean Jackson is another guy I tried to buy low on and failed, but he tends to be good in prime-time games so look for a big Monday night out of him. Matt Forte will take advantage of Philadelphia’s bad run defense, but I wouldn’t play anyone in their passing game.
Written by Steve Mims exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. Follow Steve on Twitter @nwsportscards
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(April 27, 2011 – Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America)
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