by Will Overton
For the second week in a row we have six teams on bye and we are bound to have a lot of teams scrambling to choose which wide receivers to use when they are missing multiple options. We’ll offer a helping hand in the process as we break down the Top 50 wide receivers as I have them ranked for week 9:
- Odell Beckham Jr – New York Giants vs. Philadelphia
- Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay
- Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore
- Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta
- Jordy Nelson – Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis
- Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys@ Cleveland
- Brandon Marshall – New York Jets @ Miami
- TY Hilton – Indianapolis Colts @ Green Bay
- Allen Robinson – Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City
- Kelvin Benjamin – Carolina Panthers @ Los Angeles
- Randall Cobb – Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis
- Brandin Cooks – New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco
- Jarvis Landry – Miami Dolphins vs. NY Jets
- Doug Baldwin – Seattle Seahawks vs. Buffalo
- Demaryius Thomas – Denver Broncos @ Oakland
- Amari Cooper – Oakland Raiders vs. Denver
- Terrelle Pryor – Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas
- Jordan Matthews – Philadelphia Eagles @ NY Giants
- Donte Moncrief – Indianapolis Colts @ Green Bay
- Emmanuel Sanders – Denver Broncos @ Oakland
- Steve Smith – Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh
- DaVante Adams – Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis
- Jeremy Maclin – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Jacksonville
- Michael Crabtree – Oakland Raiders vs. Denver
- Marvin Jones – Detroit Lions @ Minnesota
- Stefon Diggs – Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit
- Ty Montgomery – Green Bay Packers vs. Indianapolis
- Michael Thomas – New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco
- Willie Snead – New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco
- Mike Wallace – Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh
- Corey Coleman – Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas
- Allen Hurns – Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City
- Tyrell Williams – San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee
- Quincy Enunwa – New York Jets @ Miami
- Golden Tate – Detroit Lions @ Minnesota
- Davante Parker – Miami Dolphins vs. NY Jets
- Kenny Britt – Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina
- Sammie Coates – Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore
- Rishard Matthews – Tennessee Titans @ San Diego
- Travis Benjamin – San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee
- Mohamed Sanu – Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay
- Tavon Austin – Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina
- Kendall Wright – Tennessee Titans @ San Diego
- Cole Beasley – Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland
- Tyreek Hill – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Jacksonville
- Sterling Shepherd – New York Giants vs. Philadelphia
- Torrey Smith – San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans
- Dorial Green-Beckham – Philadelphia Eagles @ NY Giants
- Russell Shepherd – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta
- Robert Woods – Buffalo Bills @ Seattle
Thoughts:
- Even coming off disappointing weeks I can’t keep Julio Jones and Mike Evans out of my Top 5. The two big play wide receivers will be squaring off head to head this week and I expect big things from each of them against the other teams suspect defense. The Buccaneers running game is being decimated by injury so I anticipate that they go to the air often and Jameis Winston is going to do everything he can to make sure Mike Evans is a game changer. You should have no hesitation in using either guy in season long leagues or DFS.
- The Green Bay Packers receivers situation is an interesting one to say the least. I have four Packers ranked in the Top 27 and assuming all of them play I firmly believe they all finish Top 30 against the woeful Colts defense. With the running game being wrecked with injuries the Packers have been taking to the air early and often in recent games and this one should be no different. The one thing to watch is that Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery sat out this last week and their status has to be monitored. If one of them is out everyone gets bumped up a few spots, and if both of them sit again you have to include Jeff Janis on this list too.
- The return of Dez Bryant last week couldn’t have gone much better for Dallas and fantasy owners as he cleared 100 yards and scored a TD. It could have been an even bigger game if Dak Prescott hadn’t missed him a couple of times on potential big plays. Now the Cowboys get the Cleveland Browns and Bryant is right back in the Top 10 where you’ll likely find him most weeks, assuming he’s healthy.
- Another receiver who returned in Week 8 and posted nice numbers was Donte Moncrief. The Colts young receiver had four grabs for 41 yards and scored a TD against the Chiefs. Moncrief should continue to get more reps going forward and continue to grow in his role in the offense in a nice matchup with the Packers. He was being drafted as a Top 20 receiver in the preseason and I still believe that talent is there.
- It’s almost impossible to separate Michael Thomas and Willie Snead at this point. In the last three weeks Snead has 19 catches and Thomas has 21. Thomas is definitely emerging as a legitimate every week start in fantasy leagues and he’s getting rave reviews from Drew Brees. Thomas for one reason or another does seem to get more looks in the red zone, which gives him the very slightest of nods right now. Hopefully you don’t own them both and don’t have to decide.
- All signs are pointing to Corey Coleman returning this week assuming practice goes well as he has been cleared for full contact. He has missed the last six games, but in the game he was injured during he had 5 catches for 104 yards and 2 TD before going down. I will certainly like Coleman even more this week if Josh McCown is under center. McCown is a gun slinger type of QB and he’ll do wonders for the fantasy value of Coleman and Terrelle Pryor if he plays.
- I think it’s time we start giving a little bit more credit to Mohamed Sanu as a real fantasy option. Sanu has a TD in two of his last three games and is averaging four catches per game, which isn’t going to wow anyone but it’s solid and consistent and there’s something to be said for that. Now if he is going to start getting looks in the red zone, all the better. Defenses are going to key in on Julio Jones and a lot of times that won’t work, but it may work just enough to get Sanu more opportunities
*** Pre-Order Rotoprofessor’s 2017 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for Just $5.50 By Clicking Here!! ***
A flex question. 14 team PPR and i’m at the brink of playoff worthy (10 of 14, 8 got to playoffs) but super high in points so winning now is an absolute must. My plan is:
Rb-Gordon
Rb-Michael
WR-Evans
WR-Nelson
Flex options are: Ingram, Stewart, Shepard of Sanu. Of course, always open to flex options actually be an RB/WR…thoughts?
I’d probably lean Stewart, but it depends on what we hear about Ingram moving forward
I traded away Sanu. So any add’l about, what I assume to still be, benching Stewart or Ingram?
Yea, as of now still the way I’d go
Hi Prof! I need 2 WRs and a FLEX among Nelson, Cooper, Baldwin and Beasley.
I’m certain to play Nelson and even with a tough match up, it’s hard to sit Cooper down. I currently have Baldwin in play but he hasn’t been hot as of late, especially with Wilson not playing so well. On the other hand, Beasley has a good matchup vs. Cleveland even as a #2 option at Dallas.
Should I stick with Nelson/Cooper/Baldwin or bench one of them for Beasley?
hey professor which wrs should i start this week. beckham, d.thomas, b.cook or montgomery
Hey Roto 10 team standard points league is it safe to drop W. Fuller for JJ Nelson I like fullers schedule down the stretch but hasn’t done anything for me lately your thoughts…Thanks
Hi, Im starting Brown and Cooks. As my flex should I go Adams or Pryor? Or RB Antone Smith?
Hi prof need a rb. Got booker who I’m starting. But I have McCoy jaquiz ware and Jeremy hill on a bye. I picked up Hightower. What do I do. Thanks
JZ – I couldn’t sit Baldwin. You can argue Beasley will be the 3rd or 4th option, depending on how things roll.
darrick – How many do you start? Beckham/Cooks would be my Top 2
Rod – I’m OK with that, though it is risky.
Cara Stewart – I can’t trust Smith. It somewhat depends on the Browns’ health status, but I’d lean Adams
Barney – It’s McCoy if the news is he’s healthy, so all you can do is sit and wait
I meant to type which 3 wrs do I start..Beckham,cooks,thomas or Montgomery
As of now I’d sit Montgomery
hey professor, montgomery is active and i am in a 1/2pt ppr league. would you still start beckham, cook and thomas or would you bench 1 of them for montgomery
I’d def. start Montgomery today, though this is a good problem to have. Beckham is a must start, so that leaves Thomas/Cooks. I guess I’d sit Thomas, given the QB risk, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them
Close choices this week for WR2 and RB/WR slots.Standard 14 team
Dez is my WR1. Who do I put at WR2 & RB/WR out of these guys:
J.Maclin, Q.Enunwa, Crabtree, A.Hurns.
Leaning Crabtree – Maclin but Enunwa has had 2 good consecutive weeks and Hurns got lots of targets last week.
Thanks Prof.
Hey Prof, I was offered Maclin and Winston for Steve Smith and Bortles in a 1/2 PPR. Wanted to check with you before I pull the trigger
Gregor – It is tough to sit Crabtree at this point, gven the way he’s played and the way the offense is going (even in a difficult matchup). As for the 2nd, Enunwa does have a favorable matchup and Maclin has struggled.
Tom – Certainly not a bad offer at all. Maclin should be better than Smith, and while I want to believe in Bortles I don’t any more. It works
10 team standard scoring
pick 3
J.Nelson, K.Benjamin, D.Moncrief, C.Coleman, T.Montgomery, W.Snead
Gotta go Nelson/Benjamin/Moncrief (though I’m a big fan of Snead/Coleman)
That’s how I have them now but Coleman will look even better if they decide on McCown over Kessler, and all Saints are appealing against the 49ers. I was burned by Monty last week being inactive and not knowing until late but his position against the Colts still looks like it could be big if he gets in a full practice.
Agreed. All of these are dependent on the news over the next few days, things can certainly change by Sunday
Well no McCown but would you think Monty would be worth the start over Kelvin or Moncrief given reports of him being primary RB and still getting the passing touches he’s sure to get?
Tough over those two, but he’s a tough sit as well. Moncrief isn’t a lock, so prob. over him
pick two-sanders, pryor or adams
pick two-michaels, gore or j. stewart
lativius murray or terrence west
sanders, pryor or adams — Sanders/Adams given the health concerns for Pryor (and Coleman’s return)
michaels, gore or j. stewart — Gore/Stewart
lativius murray or terrence west — West
Moncrief or Landry for the week?
It’s really close. I’d consider Landry the safer of the two, but Moncrief has the higher upside. In this case I’d lean Landry, unless you need to swing for the fences
Thanks prof… also Marvin jones or copper? another close one
I’m going Cooper
gore or stewart
Flex issue this week- Latavius Murray, Pryor or travis Benjamin if healthy??
dodge10 – Stewart, as long as he’s healthy
chris – Given the injury concerns for Pryor, I’d lean Murray (if he was healthy I’d go Pryor)