Week 9 Review

As Week 9 fades away, Jonathan Taylor still can’t seem to get his touchdown numbers up. Something’s off, and it feels like Mike Tomlin worked some Halloween magic on his defense—maybe he should share that spell more often.

In PPR scoring, Christian McCaffrey took the lead among running backs, which wasn’t shocking, especially against the Giants. But Rico Doodle wasn’t far behind, and he faced a Packers team known for stopping runs. So, is Doodle the real deal? It certainly appears so.

Kareem Hunt, Isaiah Pacheco, Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tony Pollard, Tejay Spears, and Javonte Williams were among the notable names in the mix.

Devin Singletary, Giants at Bears

The Giants’ backfield is kind of chaotic right now. However, Singletary managed to step up ahead of Tyrone Tracy in the first game after Cam Scatterbo’s absence. It’s a tricky situation, but both fullbacks might still have some fantasy value. Given the high-scoring potential of this matchup, I’m inclined to play both of the Giants’ backs.

Swift sat out Week 9 due to a groin injury, and the team finally decided to rest him, aiming to get him close to 100%. Rookie Kyle Monangai took advantage, racking up 176 rushing yards and another 22 through the air against the Bengals’ porous defense. If Swift is still out this week, Monangai could have a great opportunity against the Giants.

Barkley tweaked his groin in Week 8 during the game against the Giants, but all indications suggest it’s not serious. By the end of Week 9, he should be good to go for the Packers on Monday Night Football.

Rhamondre Stephenson, Patriots

This week, Stephenson’s status is uncertain after he missed Week 9 with a toe injury. Treveyon Henderson and Terrell Jennings shared the workload while he was out. Henderson has a chance, but Jennings might limit the upside while Stephenson is still sidelined.

Judkins was able to heal a bit during his Week 9 bye and showed up for practice on Monday. The team won’t need to report until Wednesday, but it’s a promising sign. If he can play, he might face a favorable matchup against the Jets.

Jones hurt his AC joint in Week 9, yet early reports say it’s not serious. He might still play this week against the Ravens, but if he can’t, Jordan Mason could see increased action.

Benson, who got hurt in Week 4 and had surgery on his meniscus, is expected to be out for four to six weeks. He might return this week, but updates have been sparse. Without Benson, the team doesn’t seem to trust Liebak, which is unfortunate for fantasy managers.

Omarion Hampton, Chargers

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned that Hampton likely won’t return until after the Week 12 bye, meaning Kimani Vidal will lead the charge for now. He didn’t have an outstanding game last time, but he proved he can be a solid contributor in fantasy.

Irving has missed four games due to shoulder and foot injuries and will sit out another week because of a bye. There’s hope he’ll be ready by the end of the week, but we’ll need to check the practice report. If he can’t go against the Patriots, Rachard White will probably continue to shine.

Pacheco sustained a knee injury towards the end of the Week 8 game against the Commanders, resulting in an MCL sprain. He missed Week 9 but could have a good chance to come back in Week 11 after the bye.

Upcoming matchups to note:

• Rams at 49ers (49.5)
• Lions at Commanders (49.5)
• Patriots vs. Buccaneers (48.5)
• Giants vs. Bears (48.5)
• Falcons at Colts (48.5)

For lower matchups:

• Browns vs. Jets (37.5)
• Jaguars vs. Texans (38.5)
• Saints at Panthers (39.5)

Maximum Implied Individual Team Total

• Bills (29.5)
• Lions (29)
• Colts (27.5)
• Rams (26.5)

Minimum Implied Individual Team Total

• Raiders (16.5)
• Saints (17)
• Browns (18)
• Jaguars (18.5)

Lastly, here’s how the odds are shaking out:

• Bills (-9.5) Dolphins
• Raiders vs. Broncos (-9.5)
• Lions at Commanders (-8.5)
• Falcons vs. Colts (-6.5)
• Cardinals vs. Seahawks (-6.5)