TABLE OF CONTENTS. Fantasy Sharks VIP Weekly Report November 2, rd Edition, Volume 9 FANTASY STOCK EXCHANGE GARY DAVENPORT THOMAS CASALE

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1 VIP Weekly Report November 2, rd Edition, Volume 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS FANTASY STOCK EXCHANGE GARY DAVENPORT THE RED ZONE THOMAS CASALE THE DAILY PLANET TODD COLBURN ASSUME THE POSITION BILL AQUAVIVA FLEX APPEAL MICHAEL NEASE THE BLITZ WALTON SPURLIN GAME CAPSULES MATT WILSON CRYSTAL BALL RANKINGS FANTASY SHARKS

2 Weekly Report Page 2 SECTION I-ARTICLES The Fantasy Stock Exchange By Gary Davenport FANTASY STOCK EXCHANGE: Week 9 In my years covering fantasy football and the NFL, I ve earned a nickname a moniker of sorts. The hardest working man in fantasy football. No, I didn t give myself that nickname. I d have gone with The Fantasy Beefcake or something similarly catchy. I don t know that it s true, either. There are a lot of really hard working men and women who cover the game. But it also isn t inaccurate. I work at least 70 hours a week in-season. Days off are a myth. I ve passed on any number of family and/or social functions because there was work to be done. Odds are given the way the NFL schedule breaks down this year I m going to have to hire elves to do my last-minute Christmas shopping, and with a full slate during Championship Week on Christmas Eve Let s just say when I think about it jolly isn t the word that leaps to mind. What I wasn t going to do, however, is tell a beautiful four-year-old girl in a dragon costume that I was too busy to take her Trick-or-Treating. Not on your life. So this week s version of the Stock Exchange is going to be a bit truncated. Abbreviated, even. It s going to have the same number of players moving up and down just less jabbering by me about why they are. Hell, it may well be that you find this the best, easiest to read edition of this column this season. If that s the case, just keep it to yourself there s no need to get mean. I don t mind busting my ass to help you win your fantasy league. I love my job long hours and all. And it is my job I m one of the fortunate few who have been able to make writing a career and not just a hobby. But occasionally even the hardest working man in fantasy football needs a little slack Because dragons. QUARTERBACKS STOCK UP: Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders: Carr is coming off a franchise record 513 passing yards last week against the Buccaneers. The Raiders aren t the type of team that plays games is more like it. Shootouts are tasty like Halloween candy. STOCK DOWN: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers: Newton isn t the only one who isn t having fun during his games. He s been the fantasy equivalent of that house that hands out apples when you re hoping for Snickers bars.

3 Weekly Report Page 3 STOCK UP: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: For a while Rodgers fantasy owners were in the same boat as Newton s. But with the Green Bay ground game in shambles the 2014 MVP has been throwing the ball a TON the past couple of weeks. STOCK DOWN: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: I love Wilson as a player. But he s 14 kinds of banged up playing behind a line that won t give him a chance to get right. This isn t an issue that s going to disappear any time soon. RUNNING BACKS STOCK UP: Devontae Booker, Denver Broncos: Booker s 19 carries for 54 yards isn t a stat line that makes one salivate. But the rookie found the end zone against San Diego and touched the ball 20 times he s a legitimate fantasy RB1 so long as Anderson s out. STOCK DOWN: Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints: As if it wasn t bad enough that Ingram was benched for fumbling last week against Seattle, his fantasy owners then got to watch Tim freaking Hightower peel off a 100-yard day against the Seahawks. Talk about salt in the wound. STOCK UP: Antone Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jacquizz Rodgers is the latest Tampa running back to go down with what looked like a potentially serious ankle injury. This week at least, Smith s in line to be the guy in a plus matchup with Atlanta. STOCK DOWN: Christine Michael, Seattle Seahawks: Speaking of plus matchups, Michael had one last week against the Saints and disappointed. With CJ Prosise getting more work and Thomas Rawls nearing a return, Michael s time as a no-brainer fantasy start may be nearing its end. WIDE EIVERS STOCK UP: Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars: Hurns is coming off his best game in a good long while a 7/98/1 effort against the Tennessee Titans. Even better, that game featured the return of a fantasy favorite Blake Bortles garbage time! STOCK DOWN: Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks: Baldwin s issues this year go way beyond Seattle s offensive inconsistency. The fact is Baldwin s status as Russell Wilson s go-to guy in the red zone is gone and with it so is a lot of Baldwin s fantasy value. STOCK UP: Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers: Yes, both Ty Montgomery and Randall Cobb were out against the Atlanta Falcons, but hopefully Nelson s big Week 8 was the beginning of a positive trend and not just one fluke game. STOCK DOWN: DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans: Let s see, how can I put this diplomatically Brock Osweiler sucks so, so bad. Let s put it this way, Week 9 is the best I ve felt about Nuk in a while and he s on a bye. Damn you Brock. Damn you straight to Hell.

4 Weekly Report Page 4 TIGHT ENDS STOCK UP: Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals: Any questions about whether Eifert is back were answered emphatically in London. After his 9/102/1 stat line against the Washington Redskins Eifert s ready to start returning top-five numbers for fantasy owners who were patient with him. STOCK DOWN: Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns: Barnidge managed only three catches against the Jets last week even with his buddy Josh McCown under center. With Cody Kessler about to continue Cleveland s quest for anti-perfection, Barnidge is back to being a marginal starter at best. STOCK UP: Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons: Hooper was a surprisingly big part of the Atlanta passing game in last week s big win over Green Bay after Jacob Tamme went down. With six teams taking Week 9 off, the rookie s worth a look as a desperation start against Tampa. STOCK DOWN: Hunter Henry, San Diego Chargers: Elsewhere in the land of rookie tight ends, things aren t as rosy. Henry was invisible in Week 8 against the Broncos, and with Antonio Gates back up to speed the odds of that changing aren t especially good. Gary Davenport is a Senior Staff Writer at Fantasy Sharks and an NFL and Fantasy Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. A member of the Pro Football Writers of America and Fantasy Sports Writers Association, Gary was the winner of the 2015 FSWA award for Print Article of the Year. You can follow Gary on Top

5 Weekly Report Page 5 The Red Zone: Week 9 Thomas Casale Passing Jameis Winston, Buccaneers Winston has been better in fantasy football than real football this season. Part of the reason why is his success in the red zone. Winston has completed 16-of-32 passes with 10 touchdowns in the red zone. The Buccaneers defense is abysmal. Look for Winston to have plenty of red zone opportunities over the final two months of the season. Carson Wentz, Eagles Wentz has attempted 38 red zone passes. He s completed 19 with seven touchdowns. Wentz s red zone numbers are going to limit his fantasy value. The Eagles lack weapons in the passing game and the team prefers to run the ball near the goal line. Wentz hasn t turned the ball over in the red zone but his ceiling is limited because of the Eagles lack of talent and play calling. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers Roethlisberger has a shot to return in Week 9 just two weeks after meniscus surgery. He s been money in the red zone this year. Big Ben has completed 14 passes in the red zone. Eight of those completions have gone for touchdowns. The presence of Le Veon Bell steals away some of Roethlisberger s attempts but he ll still have plenty of opportunities to reward fantasy owners over the final two months if he can stay healthy. Rushing DeMarco Murray, Titans Are you starting to think Chip Kelly doesn t know what he s doing? Murray is having a strong bounce back season in Tennessee. He s been one of the best red zone runners with six touchdowns on 23 carries. Even with the presence of Derrick Henry, Murray is seeing a solid 62 percent of the Titans red zone carries. He also has two red zone touchdown receptions on nine targets. Murray is dealing with a toe injury but as long as he stays healthy and doesn t cross paths with Kelly again, he ll remain a red zone stud. Jay Ajayi, Dolphins Ajayi has four red zone touchdowns on 15 attempts. That may not seem impressive until you consider most of the production has come in the last two games. With Arian Foster retiring, Ajayi is the unquestioned lead back in Miami for the rest of the season. Ajayi is seeing 52 percent of the Dolphins red zone carries. That number will rise significantly over the next two months. Ryan Mathews, Eagles Mathews was one of the best red zone runners early in the season but the bottom has fallen out on his fantasy value. Mathews did score a short touchdown run against the Cowboys but he only carried the ball four times. He s scored four red zone touchdowns on 15 carries this season. He s only seeing 43 percent of the Eagles red zone carries. Mathews will still score from short range every now and then but his days of being the Eagles main red zone threat are long over. Receiving WR

6 Weekly Report Page 6 Michael Crabtree, Raiders The Raiders are rolling and Derek Carr has a lot of weapons at his disposal. However, when Carr gets in the red zone his two favorite targets are Crabtree and Seth Roberts. Crabtree has been targeted nine times in the red zone with four touchdowns. Roberts has been targeted nine times with three scores. Carr has done a great job this year throwing to the open man but in the red zone, Crabtree and Roberts have been the Raiders most productive receivers. Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers Early in the year Benjamin had caught all three of his red zone targets for touchdowns. Now heading into Week 9, Benjamin has been targeted seven times in the red zone. He still has three touchdowns. Benjamin is one of the most dangerous red zone targets in the NFL. He hasn t scored a red zone touchdown since Week 2. That s unacceptable. Dez Bryant, Cowboys Bryant has been targeted five times in the red zone this season. He has one touchdown. One of the problems Bryant faces is while Dak Prescott does many things well as a rookie, one of them isn t throwing a fade near the goal line. That s one pass Prescott has struggled throwing early in his career. Dez will continue to see targets in the red zone but it would be nice if he ran more than just the one route his quarterback doesn t throw all that well yet. Receiving TE Martellus Bennett, Patriots Bennett has taken a clear back seat to Rob Gronkowski as expected. He s been targeted five times in the red zone with three touchdowns but he s been a non-factor over the last three games. Bennett will score some red zone touchdowns when he releases uncovered near the goal line but he s going to be tough for fantasy owners to trust every week. Cameron Brate, Buccaneers Brate has made the most of his red zone opportunities, he just needs more opportunities. Brate has been targeted seven times in the red zone. He s caught four of those targets and scored three touchdowns. Brate is seeing 23 percent of the Buccaneers red zone targets. With Mike Evans Tampa Bay s only real threat at receiver, that number needs to be higher.

7 Weekly Report Page 7 THE DAILY PLANET BY TODD COLBURN The Daily Planet Week 9 By Todd Colburn Week 7 was a decent one for the Daily Planet. We were pleased with the way our guys delivered, so many of our entries cashed. We were a couple of dud performances away from some big wins, however, as big investments such as Allen Robinson, Amari Cooper and Buffalo defense were awful. However, Tyrell Williams and James White delivered some great value. Jerick McKinnon left early with injury; one of the biggest of fantasy bummers. Marcus Mariota didn t have his best day, but still returned a decent result for the investment. Week 8 presents a bit of a challenge with six teams on BYE we ve got a smaller player universe to work with, so let s dig in and find the smart plays for Week 8: BYES in Week 9: New England, Cincinnati, Houston, Washington, Chicago, Arizona VEGAS-SOURCING Vegas-sourcing is the term I use for the strategy of using the knowledge of the wise guys to inform your daily fantasy decisions. Each week you ll want to build a base of information around the matchups. Vegas bookmakers have an uncanny ability to project what teams are going to put up on the scoreboard. The over/unders and the spread give you a free look at what the experts think each team is going to produce. So instead of crowdsourcing, we present: Vegas-sourcing. You just extrapolate the projected points scored by a team by looking at the Over/Unders and cross-referencing the spreads. Keep in mind that the numbers all change throughout the week, so don t get too worked up if the line has moved based on what you see below. The takeaway is the same whether Vegas is projecting 28 or 29 points scored by a team at different points throughout the week. High Scorers: Green Bay 30.5 Low Scorers: Philadelphia Dallas New York Jets Atlanta Seattle New Orleans Jacksonville 18 San Diego 26.5 Detroit 17.5 Notable: Kansas City San Francisco Oakland 21.5

8 Weekly Report Page 8 With the exception of Green Bay replacing New England (BYE) in the top spot this week, the Top 5 is identical to last week. With the matchups that each face, it s perfectly reasonable to expect big scoring performances out of each of those five, though San Diego makes me nervous against an underrated Tennessee defense. Vegas has fully bought into the Packers Zero RB philosophy and expect more of the same going forward. The Bottom 5 consists of some usual suspects plus Seattle. I don t think there is a single team who has found themselves in both the Top 5 and Bottom 5 this many times. Vegas doesn t understand Seattle. Fair to say though, you should be cautious in any Seahawk investment. After hearing incessantly about Matthew Stafford for two weeks, Detroit brings up the rear after their lackluster showing in Week 8. Kansas City was in the Top 5 until it was announced that Alex Smith will not be starting against Jacksonville. The Chiefs are now the 6 th highest projected point-scorer. The big concern, of course, is whether or not Spencer Ware will be going this week, though some might be more concerned about Nick Foles. I m probably one of his five fans. I believe he got a raw deal on a horrible St. Louis Rams team, and his situation with old coach Andy Reid and old fave target Jeremy Maclin has us feeling like it s 2013 all over again. Everyone wants to stay away from San Francisco, but Vegas has them as a Top 10 offense this week against New Orleans. Plan accordingly. It s human nature to want to go heavy on a team that cleaned up the previous week, but fade your Oakland Raiders. The Denver D will not be mocked. WEEK 9 VALUE PLAYS DEFENSE: Defense is where I usually like to steal some value. You can usually find some nice inefficiencies in pricing on defense. I will often start my roster construction with defense, looking for the best relative value, with an emphasis on low price. Some weeks, the matchup compels you to take the high-priced options, but I like to spend my money elsewhere. DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Kansas City $3500 Denver $5000 Carolina $3400 Seattle $4900 Philadelphia $3100 Philadelphia $4600 Buffalo $2800 Atlanta $4500 Atlanta $2700 Buffalo $4200 I went a little high on the values this week, but I m certain that Denver is an elite defense, regardless of matchup. FanDuel is giving away Denver this week, and I m fine with paying up for it. Seattle at home for $4900 is a sweet deal as well. My splurge on DraftKings is Kansas City at $3500 at home versus Jacksonville. Money in the bank. Carolina has a new lease on life after last week s win, and they have a nice matchup with Los Angeles. If you do need to go cheaper on defense, I really like Atlanta on DK and Buffalo on FD. The Philadelphia defense at that price is interesting, as the NY

9 Weekly Report Page 9 Giants feel borderline toxic right now on offense. Philly should create some turnovers and sacks this week. QUARTERBACK: Normally I like to pay up for the best QB options, as they are such a big source of points. This week is no exception, as some of the highest-priced players project to score big this weekend (I m looking at you, Drew Brees). But if you want to go big at another position, here are some values for you to consider: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Ben Roethlisberger $6600 Jameis Winston $7700 Jameis Winston $6100 Dak Prescott $7600 Dak Prescott $6100 Marcus Mariota $7600 Marcus Mariota $5900 Ben Roethlisberger $7500 Nick Foles $5200 Nick Foles $6800 Let me start by saying that if Ben Roethlisberger plays this week (and surely he will be, right?), you have to take that really seriously for daily leagues. Roethlisberger is a mutant when it comes to healing, and his price this week, especially on FanDuel, is very, very attractive. You have to give that due consideration if he looks to be playing this week. If not, some combination of Jameis Winston, Dak Prescott and Marcus Mariota will pepper my lineups. Good bets, good matchups, good salaries, all. But I m most intrigued by Nick Foles at the bargain basement price. This gives you a ton of flexibility, and Foles can absolutely return 4X on that salary. RUNNING BACK: Normally, I m looking for value at RB and paying up for top WRs. With so many roles in question, it s hard to justify going too deep into the bargain bin, but here are some guys outside of the top tier to consider: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Jonathan Stewart $5200 Carlos Hyde $7000 Terrance West $4700 Terrance West $6400 Charcandrick West $4400 Jonathan Stewart $6400 Latavius Murray $4000 Tevin Coleman $5800 Antone Smith $3000 Charcandrick West $5600 I ve got a long history of advocating for Antone Smith. I love to see that he s getting another opportunity in Tampa. You will not find more potential upside in a $3,000 salary. His salary makes going big elsewhere very easy; and he is thought to be the lead dog in that backfield this week. You also have to consider Charcandrick West if in fact Spencer Ware is unable to go this week he s an especially good value on FD. Latavius Murray doesn t have a super matchup, but he s usually a lock

10 Weekly Report Page 10 for a, so he is a very cheap high floor player this week in cash games. The value of the week has to be Jonathan Stewart. I hope you took our advice and started him last week, but if you didn t, perhaps he ll score you two MORE touchdowns this week. WIDE EIVER: Most weeks, my plan will be to max out the wide receiver position. I ll try to get top guys for their reliability. With one higher-end RB, you might have to find at least one bargain among this position group. Here are some options for Week 9: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Jarvis Landry $7100 Davante Adams $7100 Demaryius Thomas $6000 Terrelle Pryor $7000 Davante Adams $5900 Emmanuel Sanders $6800 Jordan Matthews $5700 Jordan Matthews $5800 Quincy Enunwa $5100 Tyrell Williams $5600 Since New England is on a BYE, you are in no danger of my recommending Julian Edelman, rest easy. But I do like Jordan Matthews, whose salary is so low, you ll hardly notice it counting against your cap this week. I like him to get another grab this week. Quincy Enunwa is starting to make Brandon Marshall seem irrelevant get in while the price is right. As per usual, the best, undervalued Denver WR depends on what site you re on choose accordingly. Now that Tyrell Williams is done with Denver, his ascendency can continue unchecked. TIGHT END: I m going extreme on TE most of the time. Either it s Gronk or Jordan Reed if the numbers work out right (I find multiple bargains at other positions), or I might be punting TE. That said, punting TE doesn t mean you put a can of corn out there. You can get a quality contributor for cheap. Here are some options: DraftKings Salary FanDuel Salary Kyle Rudolph $4000 Jason Witten $5200 Gary Barnidge $3900 Gary Barnidge $5200 Dennis Pitta $3800 Dennis Pitta $5200 Coby Fleener $3400 Kyle Rudolph $5000 Ladarius Green $2500 Ladarius Green $4500 I m watching Ladarius Green very closely; the moment he s activated he s instantly relevant for fantasy. It s looking like he ll sit another week, but he s at the bottom in salary if he s activated. Meanwhile, I love Kyle Rudolph this week; he draws Detroit, who has allowed 8 s to TEs this

11 Weekly Report Page 11 season. Get him in your lineup at this very favorable price. I also like the matchups for Gary Barnidge and Dennis Pitta. Their opponents are both Top 10 in points allowed to TEs. Here are a couple of sample lineups for cash game entries this week: SAMPLE TOURNAMENT LINEUP DRAFTKINGS POS PLAYER SALARY QB Jameis Winston $6600 RB Jonathan Stewart $5200 RB Antone Smith $3000 WR Mike Evans $8500 WR Terrelle Pryor $6100 WR Demaryius Thomas $6000 TE Kyle Rudolph $4000 FLEX Jarvis Landry $7100 DST Kansas City $3500 SAMPLE TOURNAMENT LINEUP FANDUEL POS PLAYER SALARY QB Nick Foles $7900 RB Jonathan Stewart $6400 RB Demarco Murray $8100 WR Mike Evans $8300 WR Julio Jones $9000 WR Emmanuel Sanders $6800 TE Kyle Rudolph $5000 K Will Lutz $4500 DST Denver $5000 Thanks for reading this week, best of luck with your Daily Leagues in Week 9! Top

12 Weekly Report Page 12 ASSUME THE POSITION BY BILL AQUAVIVA ASSUME THE POSITION: Week 9 Andre Johnson is retiring...only 2 years too late. Jamaal Charles is on IR and his career may be over. RB Knile Davis was cut by Green Bay, and will now be cut by the Jets, Bucs RB Jacquizz Rodgers is injured so they re-signed Mike James, who you should ignore, and Blake Bortles is working on his mechanics with a personal QB coach, to go along with his new offensive coordinator. Derek Carr tosses 513 yards and 4 s with no picks; only the 3rd QB in history to do that. Jay Cutler returned this week against the Vikings, only 3 RBs cracked 100 yards on Sunday (DeMarco Murray, Melvin Gordon and Tim Hightower), and Buffalo s fill-in RB for LeSean McCoy, Mike Gillislee rushed for 85 yards and a. Aaron Rodgers is looking more like himself the last two weeks and Russell Wilson hasn t thrown a pass since week 4. The Jets are expected to sign C.J. Spiller, Big Ben has a shot to play this week, and the Bills re-signed the formerly retired Percy Harvin. This week the Cardinals, Bears, Bengals, Texans, Patriots and Redskins have byes so adjust your lineups accordingly, and next week the Bills, Lions, Colts and Raiders have byes so make moves now if you need to replace players from any of those teams. As always, the weekly Assume The Position article takes a look at some of the great matchups ( Money in the Bank ), good matchups ( Safe Bets ) and bad matchups ( Rolling the Dice ), and we give you one player at each position (QB, RB, WR and TE) that we ve identified for that respective performance (great, good or bad), taking into account the player s offensive capabilities as well as the defensive matchup they re facing. And remember, a bad matchup is not a suggestion to bench a player; that decision depends on your roster and who you have available to replace that player, it s just a caution for you to review and consider and check for a better alternative. If you don t have a better alternative you should stick with that player. MONEY IN THE BANK (Great Matchup) Jameis Winston QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. ATL) The Atlanta Falcons have the 27th ranked pass defense, give up the most fantasy points and the most passing s to QBs. They also give up the 7th most rushing yards to QB so Winston could get you some additional points on the ground this week. Meanwhile, Winston is 17th in the league in passing yards per game, 9th in s with 14 but does have 9 INTs, the third most in the league. He s at home this week and should be putting up huge passing numbers, especially if the Bucs continue and increase the number of play action plays. Sander Philipse of Bucsnation.com noted that last week Quarterback Jameis Winston fielded the league's best NFL QB Rating on play action passes in week 8. He completed 6-of-6 attempted play action passes for 90 yards and 1. His NFL QB Rating was 42.3 points higher than the next closest QB on play action passes during week 8.

13 Weekly Report Page 13 Ezekiel Elliott RB, Dallas Cowboys (at CLE) Yeah, pretty much a no-brainer here, but it s a great matchup, the best of the week, with the league s number 1 rusher taking on the league s 30th ranked run defense. Cleveland gives up the 4th most fantasy points and the 2nd most s to RBs. Oh yeah, Cleveland gives up the second most 20+ yard plays and second most 40+ yard plays to RBs and Elliott leads the league in 20+ yard plays. It s kind of a perfect storm for a ridiculous number of points to be had by a RB. So leave him starting by default like always and laugh when the points just keep coming. Jarvis Landry WR, Miami Dolphins (vs. NYJ) Landry s 82 ypg is good for 10th best in the league, but his 1 is killing owners. Well this week he might make his owners smile multiple times as he and the Dolphins host the New York Jets and their 31st ranked pass defense. The Jets give up the 4th most fantasy points, the 4th most receptions and the 7th most s to WRs. The Jets also give up the deep ball quite often - 7th most 20+ yard plays and the 2nd most 40+ yard plays. All this certainly bodes well for Landry to have a big game and maybe finally reconcile with the end zone. Kyle Rudolph TE, Minnesota Vikings (vs. DET) The Detroit Lions give up the most fantasy points, s and receptions to TEs, they also give up the 5th most yards to TEs. All of those stats are good news for Kyle Rudolph owners. Rudolph is 11th in the league in yards per game and tied for 3rd in s for TEs. He should have a big day against the Lions this week, as long as the Vikings offensive line doesn t continue to suck. He should definitely be in your lineup. SAFE BETS (Good Matchup) Dak Prescott QB, Dallas Cowboys (at CLE) The pathetic, lowly, embarrassing, winless Browns host the probable runner-up for rookie of the year award Dak Prescott and the Cowboys this week. Cleveland also hosts the 24th ranked pass defense that gives up the 4th most fantasy points, the most passing s, and the most 20+ yard plays in the league. Prescott, while impressive and exciting is only the 18th ranked QB in the league with 253 ypg, and worse, he only has 9 passing s. His yardage and totals should increase this week against Cleveland so plug him into your lineup and reap the rewards. DeMarco Murray RB, Tennessee Titans (at SD) Derrick Henry is a pain in the butt for you but Murray is still 2nd in the league in rushing, just behind Ezekiel Elliott, and 4th in s. He was the leading rusher in the league last week despite missing a little time after injuring his toe. His MRI showed nothing serious but according to Jason Wolf of The Tennessean, Head Coach Mike Mularkey said we re just going to monitor him so while he may be limited in practice this week, he should still be a solid play this weekend. San Diego only gives up 87

14 Weekly Report Page 14 ypg, good for the 7th best run defense in the league, but the problem for them and the good news for you is that they give up the 2nd most s to RBs and the 6th most fantasy points to RBs. Quincy Enunwa WR, New York Jets (at MIA) Enunwa is 21st in the league in receiving yards, 26th in receptions and 18th in s, all while starting just 5 of 8 games thanks to Eric Decker keeping him on the sidelines before his injury. And despite his recent play he knows he has to improve. Steve Serby of the New York Post reported Enunwa saying That should have been two touchdowns, and I should have had 100 yards, I dropped two passes that would have got me 100 yards for the day. That s frustrating. This week the upstart WR takes on a Dolphins pass defense that gives up the 9th most fantasy points to WRs. Brandon Marshall will get lots of attention and steal some points from you and Enunwa, but Enunwa has topped 70 yards receiving with a in each of the last 2 weeks, including 93 yards last week. I look for him to continue his strong play and do well against the Dolphins, especially if Fitzpatrick plays like he did in the second half last week. Gary Barnidge TE, Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL) Barnidge is obviously not having the great year he had last year but he s still 6th in the league in receiving yards and 5th in receptions for TEs. The big issue with him this year is his zero, none, nada, zip, zilch s. Dallas gives up the 9th most fantasy points, the 7th most receptions, the 8th most s and the 12th most yards to TEs, so this could be a good opportunity for Barnidge to get his first score of the year and to continue his quiet but solid play this year. ROLLING THE DICE (Bad Matchup) Derek Carr QB, Oakland Raiders (vs. DEN) Last week s history making QB is at home this week to try and follow-up his amazing 513 yard, 4 performance. Well guess what, he s facing the Denver Broncos #1 ranked pass defense that allows just 184 passing ypg. Denver also gives up the 2nd fewest fantasy points, the 4th fewest s (just 6) and have the 4th most INTs. Now Denver does give up the 2nd most rushing yards and is tied for the most rushing s allowed so that may offset some of the passing restriction you ll see with Carr this week. Carr averages 290 ypg and 2 per game but he may not reach either of those totals this week, so just be aware of this extremely tough matchup in case you have another viable option. Frank Gore RB, Indianapolis Colts (at GB) Old man Gore surprisingly has the 11th most rushing yards this year. But this week he faces the #1 ranked run defense in the league, the Green Bay Packers, who give up the least fantasy points to RBs, and have allowed just 2 rushing s so far - only Detroit and Minnesota have allowed fewer (1). Gore averages 67 ypg but it s unlikely he matches that this week, and all signs point towards keeping him on the bench this week. Colts Correspondent Matt Wineberg acknowledges this: Up next is a tough test with the Packers in Week 9.

15 Weekly Report Page 15 Michael Crabtree WR, Oakland Raiders (vs. DEN) Over the last 2 weeks Crabtree has gone and He, Amari Cooper and of course Derek Carr have been on fire, but this week is going to be different with the Broncos as the opponents. Denver gives up the fewest fantasy points, receptions, yards and s to WRs. I don t see Crabtree approaching 100 yards this week so make sure there s no better options for you before rolling the dice and sticking with him. Jimmy Graham TE, Seattle Seahawks (vs. BUF) After last week s embarrassing beating that Buffalo took from the Patriots and Gronkowski ( ), I look for the Ryan brothers to do something with their game planning and defense to prevent another whooping. Graham had a nice little stretch of games where he was impressing owners and deemed to be back, but the last 2 weeks have seen him produce just 5-53 and 3-34 stats with no s. Add to this the fact that his QB, Russell Wilson, hasn t thrown a pass since week 4 and this is not the best of matchups for Graham this week. You should seriously consider looking elsewhere for your TE spot.

16 Weekly Report Page 16 FLEX APPEAL BY MICHAEL NEASE Flex Appeal Week 9 By: Mike Nease, Senior Writer OMG! Week 9 is here already and we know three things: 1. We have a good shot at making the playoffs. 2. We have a chance to make the playoffs. 3. It s time already to begin the wait until next year. The key here is not to change our weekly routines. Know about injuries and bye weeks. Use the waiver wire to plug holes and keep your team winning. Study the trade options, but be careful about giving away players that are good just to get mediocrity back in return. Take a look at your remaining opponents. How do injuries and bye weeks affect them? If you can hoard RBs and WRs by dropping non-performers and grabbing as many available guys as you can on waivers, you make it harder for your opponents to fix their own lineups. For example, look a week ahead and know who might be hot. In Tampa, where RBs drop like flies, Antone Smith and Peyton Barber carry the load this week. They just signed Mike James who has done well for them in the past. Barber or Smith could be the guy. Put this down as a situation to watch. And act on it if it pans out, maybe even before Week 9. You can stash James that way and if need be, cut him next week. At this point of the season you need to work harder to earn that league championship. But after all, isn t that why we play the game? My goal each and every week will be to help you fill that wild card slot in your lineup, the flex position, with some viable, practical solutions. In a typical fantasy football lineup we have one position dedicated to a flex player, that being an extra RB, WR, or TE. Many people just take a lower tier RB or WR and slap them into the lineup. Following that haphazard strategy can cost you games on a regular ongoing basis. You can turn the challenging flex position in your lineup into one of strength, rather than an afterthought. Typically the selection pool here in a 12-team league includes those players ranked beyond RB24, WR36 and TE12. I will use several rankings sources to obtain a healthy consensus.

17 Weekly Report Page 17 Marriage Material This could be either an available free agent pickup, or a player you already have on your roster that you would take home to meet your folks. This is a likely keeper that you can use more often than not throughout the rest of the season. He has a flair for consistency and the ability to light up the scoreboard with big numbers some weeks. WR Kendall Wright, Ten Finally, Kendall Wright has become a key part of the Tennessee passing game. With a solid stat line over his last three games, he is averaging 17 FPPG over that time. DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, by giving the Titans a feared running game, have created opportunities for the passing game to become a real threat. Look for Wright to get you about 9-10 FP against the Chargers in San Diego in Week 9. WR Donte Moncrief, Ind In his first game back since Week 2, Donte Moncrief just had a (14 FP) game and is ready to step forward. Expect him to help boost the Colts passing game this week against the Packers. His absence has allowed other teams to neutralize the Andrew Luck magic and his return has been much anticipated. We expect him to score about 9-10 FP this week in Green Bay. Love em and Leave em A player here has some flex appeal, but you really only want him because of a favorable matchup this week. You will likely see some red warning flags as you approach. A background check may alert you to injury risks, his coach may favor someone else that is not even suiting up this week, etc., etc. But hey, you don t want to consider marriage. A one week stand is all you need him for now. But over the long-haul, maybe, just maybe he could fit the bill for something long-term. RB Tim Hightower, NO After successfully taking over for Mark Ingram in 2015 when Ingram was hurt, Tim Hightower got the call to play after Ingram made a critical fumble last week. Hightower is expected to lead a new RBBC approach. Thus far in his last two games he has a ///2-5-0 stat line. This week the Saints play the 49ers in San Francisco. We anticipate that Hightower will score about 7-8 FP for you. RB C.J. Prosise, Sea

18 Weekly Report Page 18 Rookie C.J. Prosise was finally healthy enough to play in Week 8 and while complementing Christine Michael, he scored 14 FP with a /// stat line. Over time, barring the return of Thomas Rawls, Prosise should, with his great talent, pass Michael by and get increased playing time. This week with the Bills visiting Seattle, expect Prosise to score about 7-8 FP. Using him comes with a bit of risk, but with so many holes in lineups from injuries and byes, a one week stand to test things out is a good risk. WR Ted Ginn, Car If it is Week 9 we know that desperation will eventually lead us to Ted Ginn In his last two games, Ginn has numbers and has played a big role in the Carolina passing game. This week the Panthers are playing the Rams in LA and this game is critical in their attempt to get up to.500 or better. Ginn is streaky so you want play him while he is hot. We expect Ted Ginn to give us 8-9 FP or so this week as Cam Newton is expected to take his rage over illegal hits out on LA. WR Mohamed Sanu, Atl Over his entire career, Mohamed Sanu has shown flashes of tremendous talent, masked by inconsistency. In 2016 he has had three games through Week 8 where he has scored between 16 and 23 FP. In his last three games he has averaged 14 FPPG with a stat line The last time Sanu played the Buccaneers he was held to 5 FP. This time we look for him to score about 7-8 FP at least. TE Julius Thomas, Jac Everyone recalls what a scoring beast Julius Thomas was with Denver a few short years ago. Then he developed a reputation for being injury prone. Healthy now, he has averaged 9 FPPG in his last three games with numbers. In his last game vs the Chiefs he scored 13 FP and we are expecting around 7-8 FP this week in Kansas City. Last Call The bar is closing and you are so, so desperate. We have all been there at one time or another. A wasted draft choice is a scratch once again. Who can I add to my roster? Here we will give you a guy to start. He won t be great and very seldom will he be even good. But this week this mutt of a player will give you at least something from the flex position. RB Antone Smith, TB

19 Weekly Report Page 19 As another Tampa Bay running back goes down, the running game boils down to Antone Smith and Peyton Barber this week vs the Falcons. By playing 22 snaps to 3 for Barber last week, Smith appears to have an edge going into Week 9. The Bucs have just added veteran Mike James to the RB mix so Smith is likely to be only a one-game stopgap measure. Look for Smith to give you around 7-8 FP this week vs the Falcons. WR Devon Funchess, Car Another player to use for one game is Devon Funchess. Over the last two weeks he has compiled a stat line which works out to a 10 FPPG average. With so many players out with injuries or byes, he at least has an opportunity to see some targets and accumulate a handful of points. He is strictly a PPR play and is pretty much a break glass and use in an emergency option. Look for Funchess to get you about 7-8 FP. He merits a week-to-week evaluation regarding future playing situations. He is a young player who could be a rising talent. WR Kenny Stills, Mia Kenny Stills as a fantasy option will drive you nuts. He is that guy that is going to Unfortunately as soon as you are sure of that, he flops for 2-3 games. So far in 2016 he has had 4/7 games where he has scored in double figures. In Week 7 before the bye he had a nice game in which he had 21 FP. This week expect Stills to give you about 9-10 FP. Keep an eye on him on a week-by-week basis. TE Lance Kendrick, LA Lance Kendrick was the highly touted next great TE about five years ago. As is painfully obvious, that did not even come close to happening. Now he has had a stat line in Weeks 6 and 7, going into the Week 8 bye week. Those 17 targets generated 13 FP and give us some hope that he can become productive, especially when Jared Goff claims the LA QB job shortly. Look for Kendrick to give you about 8-9 FP this week against the Carolina Panthers Adrian Balboa To Rocky, she was the greatest, prettiest woman in the world. To the rest of us with discerning tastes perhaps not so much. In fantasy football there are players like that available all the time. While others are running away from a player and completely overlooking them is the time for you to swoop in and snap them up. WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Phi Nobody wants Green-Beckham, but he is a better alternative than taking a totally unheard of player who is a 100% risk. Over the last three games he has accumulated an stat line that gave him an

20 Weekly Report Page FPPG average for that time. The Eagles were begging for WR before the trade deadline and Huff just got arrested. All signs point to Green-Beckham having a bigger opportunity. Look for him to score about 7-8 FP against the Giants this week. TE Austin Hooper, Atl With a hot passer like Matt Ryan looking for healthy bodies to throw to and TE Jacob Tamme out this week, rookie Austin Hooper has a chance to show what he has. He scored 9 FP based on numbers last week. In a pinch, we expect him to give you about 7-8 FP this week. And there you have it the Week 9 flex player recommendations. When you look at your lineup, view it as a combination of players designed to give you enough points not only to win this week, but enough to win each and every week and ultimately to win the league championship. So, one more time work hard each week to have the strongest lineup possible. Use your judgment to maximize your points based on the players you have. Work the waiver wire and seek out trades to give you the strongest roster you can have. Your job is not done just because the draft is over and the season has begun. In fact things only get harder from this point on. Outwork your opponents and keep building your team from week to week. Good luck! Have fun! Mike Nease is a member of the FSWA and has been playing the game since 1985, while also writing about it since Over the years he has sampled about all the playing scenarios that fantasy football offers, including re-drafter, keeper, dynasty, auction, IDP and salary cap leagues. He and his wife Bonnie reside in West Chicago, IL You can contact Mike at mnease23@yahoo.com anytime and during the football season follow

21 Weekly Report Page 21 The Blitz TEAM DEFENSE Here is what we think we know heading into Week 9: With their season on the line the Carolina Panthers D/ST came out on fire last week steamrolling the Cardinals. Led by DT Star Loutulelei (3 sacks) they rolled up 8 sacks, 2 turnovers and fumble return for a score. This week they face a struggling Los Angeles Rams offense that has turned the ball over 7 times in the last three games and given up 2 D/ST s. We like that Kansas City Chiefs OLB Dee Ford seems to be coming into his own putting up 5 ½ sacks in the last three weeks. This week the Chiefs host the inept Jacksonville offense led by Blake Here comes another turnover Bortles. Kansas City has been a top-5 D/ST over the last three games racking up 9 sacks, 6 turnovers and a D/ST score. Look for that roll to continue this week With the way the Minnesota Vikings offensive line has been playing we like the Detroit Lions as a sneaky outside the top-10 D/ST unit this week. Ziggy Ansah is due for a big week and the Vikings just allowed 5 sacks to an anemic Chicago pass rush. The Lions should get their share of sacks this week. Team Defense Rankings for Week 9 # Team # Team # Team # Team 1 Kansas City 9 NY Jets 17 Oakland 25 Indianapolis 2 Minnesota 10 Philadelphia 18 Los Angeles 26 Tampa Bay 3 Carolina 11 NY Giants 19 New Orleans 27 4 Denver 12 Pittsburgh 20 Baltimore 28 5 Seattle 13 Tennessee 21 Atlanta 29 6 Dallas 14 Buffalo 22 Cleveland 30 7 Miami 15 San Diego 23 Jacksonville 31 8 Green Bay 16 Detroit 24 San Francisco 32 Bye Weeks: Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, New England, Washington Less Than 90% Owned Standout Team Defenses for Week 9* *Ownership information based on ESPN standard leagues Green Bay (vs. Indianapolis)- 55% owned. The Packers are a tough defense playing at home having put up 10 sacks and six turnovers in four games. The Colts continue to struggle badly in pass protection as Andrew Luck was sacked six times last week against the Chiefs. Over the last five games Indianapolis is allowing an average of four sacks per game. If the Packers can get Clay Matthews (hamstring) back this week then this matchup gets even better. Dallas (@ Cleveland)- 44% owned. At this point it s unknown if the Browns will stick with veteran Josh McCown at QB or go with rookie Cody Kessler as he returns from a concussion. No matter who it is under center we like the Cowboys D/ST. Dallas managed to get to Carson Wentz three times last

22 Weekly Report Page 22 week and also had a fumble recovery. In their last three games the Browns have given up nine sacks and thrown four interceptions. The Cowboys should rack up their share of big plays this week. Miami (vs. NY Jets)- 6% owned. It s surprising that more people aren t streaming the Dolphins this week. They may be one of the last defenses to get a shot at turnover machine Ryan Fitzpatrick before New York turns to Bryce Petty at QB. Miami has put up 10 sacks in their four home games and have snagged a pair of interceptions in the past two weeks. What we are chasing here are the 11 interceptions that Fitzpatrick has thrown in 2016 Downside Team Defenses for Week 9: NY Jets (@ Miami) 64% owned. This is another bad week for sniffing out a downside D/ST as once again six teams are on a bye. There aren t any teams that are owned in 90% of leagues that don t have a great matchup this week. Actually, the 60% range and above are the best we can find. The Jets are going to get a look at the run heavy Miami offense that has rolled up 478 rushing yards in the past two games. More importantly they face a Dolphins offense that hasn t turned the ball over in those two games and has allowed only one sack. This new conservative approach has limited QB Ryan Tannehill s chances to turn the ball over and the Jets will not have the chance for big plays in Week 9. Buffalo (@ Seattle)- 64% owned. This is a matchup that I see Seattle looking to pound the ball on the ground in an effort to protect their battered QB Russell Wilson. The Bills are one of the top D/ST units when it comes to getting pressure on the QB so look for a heavy dose of Christine Michael this week. In the last four games the Seahawks have allowed only five sacks and turned the ball over once. This is not a week to roll out the Buffalo D/ST. INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS Here is what the IDP landscape looks like leading into Week 9: This is a good week to roll with both Cliff Avril and Frank Clark of Seattle. In the last five games they have put up a combined nine sacks and face a Bills offense that has allowed 13 sacks to DL in their last five games. Another duo poised for a big week are Ziggy Ansah and Devin Taylor. The Lions square off against a Vikings offensive line that just allowed the Chicago Bears DL to rack up eight solo tackles and three sacks last week Adrian Clayborn has been on a tear of late putting up six solo tackles and three sacks in the last two weeks. I m riding the hot hand here This should be a bounce back week for Malcolm Smith as he faces a Denver offense that is allowing an average of 20 solo tackles per game to LBs over the last three games Although he is just outside the top-30 (32) we like veteran David Harris of the Jets this week. Miami has become a run first offense riding Jay Ajayi and has offered up 47 solo stops to LBs in their last two games Kwon Alexander has officially overtaken Lavonte David as the LB we want from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Through seven games Alexander has 27 more solo tackles than David and is putting up top-10 LB totals We love the way Bobby Wagner has been playing lately as he s racked up 42 total tackles in his last three games I m officially cutting ties with S Corey Graham of the Bills. He s been a huge let down after a big 2015 season and currently sits outside the top-30 DBs in scoring Make sure to get T.J. Ward of the Broncos in your line up as he s having a great season and has an awesome Week 9 matchup. The Oakland Raiders have given up 80

23 Weekly Report Page 23 solo stops to DBs in the last three games. Ward also brings big play potential as he s put up a sack, interception as well as forced fumble in the last three weeks Our sneaky good start is S Daniel Sorensen of the Chiefs. In the last two games he has put up 13 solo tackles, one sack along with a forced fumble as well as an interception. IDP Rankings- Defensive Linemen- Week 9 # D Lineman # D Lineman # D Lineman 1 Khalil Mack 11 Fletcher Cox 21 Gerald McCoy 2 Everson Griffen 12 Cliff Avril 22 Frank Clark 3 Ezekiel Ansah 13 Jason Pierre-Paul 23 DeForest Buckner 4 Aaron Donald 14 Devin Taylor 24 Mario Williams 5 Leonard Williams 15 Sheldon Richardson 25 Cameron Heyward 6 Brandon Graham 16 Olivier Vernon 26 Yannick Ngakoue 7 Cameron Jordan 17 Adrian Clayborn 27 Demarcus Lawrence 8 Robert Quinn 18 Ndamukong Suh 28 Connor Barwin 9 Danielle Hunter 19 Joey Bosa 29 Robert Ayers 10 Muhammad Wilkerson 20 Jurrell Casey 30 Stephon Tuitt IDP Rankings- Linebackers- Week 9 # Linebackers # Linebackers # Linebackers 1 Luke Kuechly 11 Lavonte Davis 21 Jordan Hicks 2 Alec Ogletree 12 C.J. Mosley 22 Mark Barron 3 Derrick Johnson 13 Bobby Wagner 23 Korey Toomer 4 Telvin Smith 14 Preston Brown 24 Lawrence Timmons 5 Zach Brown 15 Malcolm Smith 25 Avery Williamson 6 DQ Jackson 16 Eric Kendricks 26 Brandon Marshall 7 Sean Lee 17 Kiko Alonso 27 Deion Jones 8 Kwon Alexander 18 Tahir Whitehead 28 Perry Riley 9 Paul Posluszny 19 Ryan Shazier 29 Nick Bellore 10 Zach Orr 20 Christian Kirksey 30 Craig Robertson IDP Rankings- Defensive Backs- Week 9 # Defensive Backs # Defensive Backs # Defensive Backs 1 Landon Collins 11 H.H. Clinton-Dix 21 Marcus Peters 2 Karl Joseph 12 Eric Weddle 22 Isa Abdul-Quddus 3 Antoine Bethea 13 Malcolm Jenkins 23 Ron Parker 4 Keanu Neal 14 Eric Berry 24 Eric Reid 5 Johnathan Cyprien 15 Reggie Nelson 25 Vonn Bell 6 Morgan Burnett 16 Bradley McDougald 26 J.J. Wilcox

24 Weekly Report Page Clayton Geathers 17 Jason McCourty 27 Kurt Coleman 8 Rodney McLeod 18 Daniel Sorensen 28 T.J. McDonald 9 Harrison Smith 19 T.J. Ward 29 Robert Blanton 10 Kenny Vaccaro 20 David Amerson 30 Chris Conte Banged Up: DL- Michael Bennett of the Seahawks will be out multiple weeks after undergoing a procedure on his knee Kendall Langford will also be out for a few weeks with a knee injury The Steelers may get Cameron Heyward back this week after he s missed time with a hamstring injury. He has resumed practicing Clinton McDonald missed week 8 with a hamstring injury after practicing on a limited basis last week. There is a chance he returns for Week 9 Colts DE Henry Anderson missed yet another game last week with a knee injury. LB- After practicing on a limited basis late in the week Denver LB Brandon Marshall sat out Week 8. We ll need to monitor practice reports this week to evaluate his availability Both Bruce Carter (quad) and Darron Lee (ankle) missed Week 8 and are iffy to play this week OLB Lorenzo Alexander may miss some time with a hamstring injury Stephone Anthony continues to miss time with a hamstring injury Clay Matthews ended up sitting out last week after practicing on a limited basis. He is dealing with a hamstring issue as well(what is up with all the hamstring issues?) Shaq Thompson left Week 8 with a knee injury and did not return. We are awaiting news out of Carolina as to the severity of the injury Denzel Perryman is out for Week 9 with a you guessed it hamstring injury Jatavis Brown is expected to miss a week or two with a knee injury. DB- Barry Church is expected to miss 3-5 weeks with a broken forearm and his teammate Morris Claiborne will miss time with a groin injury Mike Adams of the Colts is also dealing with a groin issue and is considered week-to-week The Cardinals will be without Tyrann Mathieu for 3-6 weeks with a shoulder injury Sean Smith of the Raiders was forced from Week 8 with a shoulder injury and did not return. Keep an eye on injury updates coming out of Oakland this week It appears Kam Chancellor may be back on the field this week after missing games due to a groin injury Vontae Davis is in the league protocol for concussions Darius Slay missed Week 8 with a hamstring injury and is iffy to play this week. Free Agent Thoughts: There were quite a few injuries last week and we re tossing out as many possible replacements as we can find information on. It s tough this early in the week to get concrete answers as to who the next man up is for every situation. We try to get as many names out as possible so as to alert folks as to which names to look for as the week plays out. Defensive Linemen Chris Baker Put up 5 solos with a sack and forced fumble last week. Star Loutulelei Monster game with 3 sacks, 5 solos and a forced fumble in Week 8. Frank Clark Will see expanded role with Michael Bennett missing time. Tyrone Crawford One of the few pass rushing on the Cowboys D-line. Adrian Clayborn Has racked up 3 sacks in the last 2 weeks.

25 Weekly Report Page 25 Linebackers Elandon Roberts Dee Ford Josh Perry Korey Toomer Could have 3-down role with Jamie Collins traded to Cleveland. Put up 3 ½ sacks last week. Has 5 ½ in last 3 weeks. Will see expanded role with Perryman and Brown out for Chargers. Should get first crack to step in for Brown for San Diego. Defensive Backs J.J. Wilcox Robert Blanton Daryl Worley Will likely step in for the injured Barry Church at safety. Takes over at strong safety for injured Aaron Williams. We love CBs that tackle and he had 11 stops last week for Panthers.

26 Weekly Report Page 26 GAME CAPSULES WEEK 9 By Matt Wilson FantasySharks.com Senior Writer BYE WEEK: Arizona Cardinals Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Houston Texans New England Patriots Washington

27 Weekly Report Page 27 ATLANTA FALCONS (5-3) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-4) T H UR S D A Y NOVEMBER 3 RD 8 : 2 5 PM ET R A Y M O N D J A M E S S T A D I U M T A M P A, F L L I N E : A T L 3.5 O V E R / U N D E R : 51.5 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG ATL OFFENSE TB DEFENSE TB OFFENSE ATL DEFENSE

28 Weekly Report Page 28 ATLANTA FALCONS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Tevin Coleman (hamstring), Jacob Tamme (shoulder) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have played very poorly against the pass, allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and the fifth-most fantasy points to the wideout position. As you probably figured, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are both must-start options, and Mohamed Sanu looks like a nice play. He hit pay dirt against Tampa Bay back in Week 1. The other Falcons wideouts, however, are dice rolls. Jacob Tamme has been ruled out. The Buccaneers rank only 14th in fantasy points ceded to enemy tight ends, but rookie Austin Hooper is still a risky play. The Falcons don t always target their tight ends even in plus matchups. Tevin Coleman also has been ruled out, so Devonta Freeman will handle a heavy workload again versus a Buccaneers defense that has yielded the seventh-most fantasy points to the tailback position. Terron Ward will operate in a breather-back role. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Matt Ryan RB Devonta Freeman RB Tevin Coleman RB Terron Ward WR Julio Jones WR Mohamed Sanu WR Taylor Gabriel WR Justin Hardy WR Aldrick Robinson TE Jacob Tamme TE Austin Hooper FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS

29 Weekly Report Page 29 PK Matt Bryant P/A SK INT FUM s DT Falcons Atlanta Falcons Notes: Previous matchup: Back in Week 1, the Falcons lost to the Buccaneers at the Georgia Dome. In that game, Matt Ryan passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns. Devonta Freeman amassed an rushing line and a receiving line. Julio Jones caught four passes for 66 yards and one touchdown. Mohamed Sanu made five grabs for 80 yards and one score. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Jacquizz Rodgers (foot), Russell Shepard (hip), Doug Martin (hamstring) With Doug Martin and Jacquizz Rodgers parked on the injury shelf, scat-back Antone Smith is expected to start and handle touches, and have a notable role in the passing game versus an Atlanta Falcons defense that has coughed up the ninth-most fantasy points to the running back position. However, Smith is expected to operate in a timeshare with between-the-tackles runners Peyton Barber and Mike James. While Barber offers some limited value in standard scoring formats, James isn t expected to see much action. Mike Evans is a strong play against a Falcons defense that ranks only 27th in fantasy points yielded to opposing wideouts. On paper Jameis Winston looks like a very strong play versus an Atlanta defense that has surrendered the most fantasy points to enemy passers, but Winston s receiver corps is thin behind Evans. Vincent Jackson is parked on Injured Reserve, and Russell Shepard was considered doubtful to play. Cecil Shorts and the other wideouts could step up, but they re too unreliable for fantasy owners to trust. The Falcons are ranked just 27th in fantasy points allowed to the tight end position, so Winston should lean on Cameron Brate. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

30 Weekly Report Page 30 PLAYER QB Jameis Winston RB Doug Martin RB Jacquizz Rodgers RB Antone Smith RB Peyton Barber RB Mike James WR Mike Evans WR Vincent Jackson (IR) WR Russell Shepard WR Adam Humphries WR Cecil Shorts TE Cameron Brate FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Roberto Aguayo P/A SK INT FUM s DT Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Notes: Previous matchup: Back in Week 1, the Bucs outdueled the Falcons at the Georgia Dome. In that contest, Jameis Winston threw for 281 yards and four touchdowns. Doug Martin (hamstring) compiled an rushing line and a receiving line. Charles Sims (knee IR) amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Mike Evans hauled in five passes for 99 yards and one touchdown. DETROIT LIONS

31 Weekly Report Page 31 (4-4) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-2) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET U. S. B A N K S T A D I U M M I N N E A P O L I S, M N L I N E : M I N 6. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 41.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG DET OFFENSE MIN DEFENSE MIN OFFENSE DET DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None DETROIT LIONS A Minnesota Vikings defense that has been shredded during the last two weeks should rebound and play its best at home, but you have to wonder about the psyche of the entire Vikings team following the surprise Wednesday morning resignation of offensive coordinator Norv Turner. As for the Detroit

32 Weekly Report Page 32 Lions, did you know that all their wins and losses have been by seven or fewer points? Minnesota played the run very poorly Monday night, but that big outing by Jordan Howard (Bears) looks like an outlier. Even though the Vikings rank 12th in fantasy points allowed to the running back position, Theo Riddick still deserves starting consideration. Last week he operated as the lead dog in the Detroit backfield while plodder Zach Zenner was sprinkled in. Justin Forsett has edged ahead of Dwayne Washington (inactive last week) in the pecking order. Minnesota has surrendered just two touchdown passes in its last three home games, so don t expect a big outing from Matthew Stafford. The Vikings also have been very stingy to opposing wideouts, so Eric Ebron has the best chance to score. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Matthew Stafford RB Ameer Abdullah (IR) RB Theo Riddick RB Zach Zenner RB Dwayne Washington RB Justin Forsett WR Marvin Jones WR Golden Tate WR Anquan Boldin TE Eric Ebron FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Matt Prater P/A SK INT FUM s DT Lions Detroit Lions Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 7), the Lions lost to the Vikings at Ford Field. In that contest, Matthew Stafford threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Theo Riddick amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Ameer Abdullah (IR) compiled an rushing line but wasn t targeted as a receiver.

33 Weekly Report Page 33 Golden Tate caught two passes for 14 yards. Calvin Johnson (retired) caught a touchdown pass. Eric Ebron made five grabs for 89 yards and one touchdown. MINNESOTA VIKINGS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Jerick McKinnon (ankle) Following the shocking Wednesday morning resignation of offensive coordinator Norv Turner, the Minnesota Vikings elected to promote tight ends coach Pat Shurmur to replace him. Considering the available personnel and the injury depleted offensive line, it s hard to imagine Shurmur making any radical changes. The Vikings did receive some good news: Jerick McKinnon, barring a setback, could return after missing Week 8, and the team really needs him since Matt Asiata isn t a true workhorse back. McKinnon deserves starting consideration against a Detroit Lions defense that has struggled against the run on the road. Consider Asiata a bye-week replacement in deeper leagues. If McKinnon is a no-go, Asiata is a flex option in all leagues. Sam Bradford should have a nice outing against a Lions defense that has yielded the second-most fantasy points to the quarterback position. His top-two targets, Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph, are solid plays. Even though Cordarrelle Patterson scored in Week 5 and Week 7, he s still a very risky option. The Minnesota team defense should be a solid start. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Sam Bradford RB Jerick McKinnon RB Matt Asiata RB Ronnie Hillman WR Stefon Diggs WR Cordarrelle Patterson WR Adam Thielen

34 Weekly Report Page 34 TE Kyle Rudolph FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Blair Walsh P/A SK INT FUM s DT Vikings Minnesota Vikings Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 7), the Vikings downed the Lions at Ford Field. In that game, Teddy Bridgewater (knee IR) threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Adrian Peterson (knee IR) amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Jerick McKinnon compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Stefon Diggs hauled in six passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. Adam Thielen caught one pass for 30 yards. Kyle Rudolph made two grabs for 10 yards and one touchdown. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-3) NEW YORK GIANTS (4-3) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET M E T L I F E S T A D I U M E A S T R U T H E R F O R D, N J

35 Weekly Report Page 35 L I N E : N Y 2. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 43.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG PHI OFFENSE NY DEFENSE NY OFFENSE PHI DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None PHILADELPHIA EAGLES When Carson Wentz cooled off three weeks ago, the entire Eagles offense cooled off, too. Since Week 6, the rookie has tossed just two touchdown passes and has passed for 202 or fewer yards in each game played. The New York Giants defense has surrendered the sixth-fewest fantasy points and only seven touchdown tosses to opposing quarterbacks, so a rebound outing from Wentz is very unlikely. Jordan Matthews, the only reliable Philadelphia fantasy star right now, looks like a decent start against a Big Blue defense that ranks 18th in fantasy points allowed to the wideout position. The Eagles have been trying to get Dorial Green-Beckham and Nelson Agholor more involved, but they re aren t safe options. Sadly, Zach Ertz has disappeared. He still hasn t scored this season. It looks like Darren Sproles, who received a heavy workload last week, has unofficially assumed the lead tailback duties, but it s hard to imagine a 33-year-old running back who has a 5-foot-6, 190-pound frame operating as a workhorse for the long term. Touchdown-dependant Ryan Mathews is still expected to handle the goal-line and short-yardage duties. The Eagles team defense is a decent starting option.

36 Weekly Report Page 36 WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Carson Wentz RB Ryan Mathews RB Darren Sproles RB Wendell Smallwood RB Kenjon Barner WR Jordan Matthews WR Dorial Green-Beckham WR Nelson Agholor WR Josh Huff TE Zach Ertz FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Caleb Sturgis P/A SK INT FUM s DT Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 17), the Eagles downed the Giants at MetLife Stadium. In that game, Sam Bradford (Vikings) passed for 320 yards and two scores. Ryan Mathews, in a backup role, amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Darren Sproles compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. DeMarco Murray (Titans) notched a rushing score. Jordan Matthews made seven grabs for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Nelson Agholor caught two passes for 23 yards. Zach Ertz hauled in nine balls for 154 yards.

37 Weekly Report Page 37 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Odell Beckham (abdomen) Heading into a Week 8 bye, the New York Giants offense had struggled noticeably in road contests but played solidly at home. Even though the Philadelphia Eagles defense has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the quarterback position and the eighth fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts, Eli Manning and Odell Beckham are the two most reliable options. The Eagles have ceded two or more touchdown passes in three of their last four games. The second touchdown pass that we ve projected could go to anyone. Sterling Shepard hasn t hit pay dirt since Week 3, while Victor Cruz s only Salsa dance of 2016 came in Week 1. Philadelphia ranks only 15th in fantasy points allowed to enemy tailbacks, so Rashad Jennings could get on track this week. He scored for the first time this season during New York s game before the bye. Jennings continues to steal targets in the passing game, which has crippled Bobby Rainey s standalone value. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Eli Manning RB Rashad Jennings RB Orleans Darkwa RB Bobby Rainey RB Paul Perkins WR Odell Beckham, Jr WR Sterling Shepard WR Victor Cruz TE Will Tye TE Larry Donnell FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Robbie Gould P/A SK INT FUM s DT Giants New York Giants Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 17), the Giants fell to the Eagles at MetLife Stadium. In that contest, Eli Manning passed for 302 yards and two touchdowns.

38 Weekly Report Page 38 Rashad Jennings piled up a rushing line and a receiving line. Odell Beckham caught five balls for 54 yards. Rueben Randle (free agent) caught a touchdown pass. Will Tye made five grabs for 67 yards and one score. NEW YORK JETS (3-5) MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-4) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET S U N L I F E S T A D I U M M I A M I G A R D E N S, F L L I N E : M I A 3. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 44.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG NY OFFENSE MIA DEFENSE MIA OFFENSE

39 Weekly Report Page 39 NY DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None NEW YORK JETS The New York Jets offense isn t new and improved. This score unit has looked better in the last two weeks only because Matt Forte shredded a couple of defenses that were soft against the run. Even though the Miami Dolphins have improved to 10th in fantasy points allowed to the running back position, Forte still deserves a start. Bilal Powell s receiving role, which usually gives him solid flex value in PPR leagues, has disappeared for now. After catching six balls per game most weeks, Powell has logged just four receptions in the Jets last three games. The Dolphins are so soft against the pass that even Ryan Fitzpatrick, who hasn t tossed multiple scoring strikes in a game since Week 1, should be able to throw for at least two scores. Brandon Marshall is a must-start, but Quincy Enunwa comes with risk. Sometimes he disappears in road games. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Ryan Fitzpatrick RB Matt Forte RB Bilal Powell WR Brandon Marshall WR Quincy Enunwa WR Robby Anderson WR Charone Peake TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Nick Folk P/A SK INT FUM s

40 Weekly Report Page 40 DT Jets New York Jets Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 12), the Jets ripped the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. In that game, Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for 277 yards and four touchdowns. Chris Ivory (Jaguars) amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Bilal Powell compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Brandon Marshall hauled in nine passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Eric Decker (IR) caught five passes for 62 yards and one score. Quincy Enunwa made two grabs for 29 yards. Devin Smith logged two receptions for 33 yards and one touchdown. MIAMI DOLPHINS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Jordan Cameron (concussion), Dion Sims (concussion) The Miami Dolphins come off their bye with a two-game winning streak and with a new workhorse runner, Jay Ajayi, leading their offense now that Arian Foster has retired. Although the New York Jets have slipped to 16th in fantasy points ceded to enemy running backs, don t expect Ajayi to make it three in a row with 200-plus rushing yards. It looks like Damien Williams, who hit pay dirt in each of Miami s last two games, will operate as a breather back. The Jets are arguably as soft versus the pass as the Dolphins are, so Ryan Tannehill and his go-to guy, Jarvis Landry, look like solid starts. Kenny Stills, who seems to have passed the struggling Devante Parker in the pecking order (Parker hasn t topped 30 yards in a game since Week 3), has a good chance to break off a long catch and run against a New York secondary that s vulnerable to speedy wideouts, but he comes with boom-or-bust risk. The Dolphins team defense is a streaming option against a turnover prone Ryan Fitzpatrick. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS

41 Weekly Report Page 41 PLAYER QB Ryan Tannehill RB Jay Ajayi RB Damien Williams RB Kenyan Drake WR Jarvis Landry WR DeVante Parker WR Kenny Stills TE Jordan Cameron TE Dion Sims FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Andrew Franks P/A SK INT FUM s DT Dolphins Miami Dolphins Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 12), the Dolphins lost to the Jets at MetLife Stadium. In that game, Ryan Tannehill passed for 351 yards and three scores. Jay Ajayi amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Jarvis Landry racked up 13 catches for 165 yards and one touchdown. DeVante Parker caught four passes for 80 yards and one touchdown. Kenny Stills made two grabs for 12 yards. Greg Jennings (retired) caught Tannehill s other touchdown pass.

42 Weekly Report Page 42 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-5) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-2) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET A R R O W H E A D S T A D I U M K A N S A S C I T Y, M O L I N E : K C 9. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 45.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG JAC OFFENSE KC DEFENSE KC OFFENSE JAC DEFENSE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Julius Thomas (ankle)

43 Weekly Report Page 43 It s doubtful that the switch in offensive coordinators from Greg Olsen to quarterbacks coach Nathaniel Hackett is going to jumpstart this struggling offense right away if at all. The Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line is clearly one of the worst in the NFL, and Blake Bortles has regressed big time. Assuming there s no extended garbage time, you should expect just moderate yardage from Bortles versus a Kansas City Chiefs defense that has been solid against the pass at home. Even though Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns have both been disappointing, they still deserve starting consideration. Kansas City, however, has yielded the sixth-fewest fantasy points to enemy tight ends, so consider Julius Thomas a weak start. In the rushing department, the Chiefs have allowed just one rushing touchdown since Week 1, so there s little reason to get excited about the struggling Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Blake Bortles RB Chris Ivory RB T.J. Yeldon WR Allen Robinson WR Allen Hurns WR Marqise Lee WR Rashad Greene TE Julius Thomas FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Jason Myers P/A SK INT FUM s DT Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Notes: Previous matchup: During a 2013 regular-season clash, the Jaguars lost to the Chiefs 28-2.

44 Weekly Report Page 44 K A N S A S C I T Y C H I E F S INJURIES TO MONITOR: Alex Smith (concussion), Spencer Ware (concussion), Jamaal Charles (knees Injured Reserve) Let s start with the injury information: Alex Smith has been ruled out, and Nick Foles will start in his place. At last check, Spencer Ware was in concussion protocol. If he can t suit up, Charcandrick West will get the starting nod in his place. Whoever starts at tailback is a strong play versus a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that has surrendered six rushing scores during the last month. Look for Foles to operate in a Smithian game-manager role. Since the Jaguars have yielded the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the tight position, expect a quiet game from Travis Kelce. Jeremy Maclin is most likely Kansas City receiver to hit pay dirt. Speedy rookie Tyreek Hill has scored in two straight contests, but he s still too risky to trust. The Chiefs team defense is a great starting option. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Alex Smith QB Nick Foles RB Charcandrick West RB Spencer Ware RB Jamaal Charles (IR) WR Jeremy Maclin WR Chris Conley WR Tyreek Hill TE Travis Kelce FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Cairo Santos P/A SK INT FUM s DT Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Notes: Previous matchup: The last regular-season contest between the Chiefs and the Jaguars took place in Kansas City prevailed 28-2.

45 Weekly Report Page 45 DALLAS COWBOYS (6-1) CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-8) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET F I R S T E N E R G Y S T A D I U M C L E V E L A N D, O H L I N E : D A L 7. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 48.5

46 Weekly Report Page 46 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG DAL OFFENSE CLE DEFENSE CLE OFFENSE DAL DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None DALLAS COWBOYS The Cleveland Browns defense ranks in the bottom four in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback, running back, wideout and tight end positions. The only thing that can slow down most of the Dallas Cowboys fantasy stars is an emotional letdown from the team s Sunday night triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles. Look for Ezekiel Elliott to have a huge outing. Actually, Joe Haden could limit Dez Bryant a bit, but don t let that scare you away from starting number 88. Cole Beasley, a Dak Prescott favorite, should bounce back from a middle-of-the-road Week 8 showing. Jason Witten, however, hasn t topped 50 yards in a game since Week 2. Terrance Williams usually disappears when Bryant is starting. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Dak Prescott RB Ezekiel Elliott RB Alfred Morris WR Dez Bryant WR Terrance Williams WR Cole Beasley WR Brice Butler

47 Weekly Report Page 47 TE Jason Witten FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dan Bailey P/A SK INT FUM s DT Cowboys Dallas Cowboys Notes: Previous matchup: During a regular-season hookup four years ago, the Cowboys slipped past the Browns CLEVELAND BROWNS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Cody Kessler (concussion) At last check, the Cleveland Browns hadn t named their Week 9 starting quarterback. Josh McCown was expected to make his second straight start and third one of the season, but Cody Kessler, according to media reports, was taking part in full practices, too. Regardless of whoever is under center, Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman are must-starts against an injury depleted Dallas Cowboys secondary. Since Dallas has yielded the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, Gary Barnidge could make some noise. Even though the Cowboys rank second in fantasy points allowed to the running back position, Isaiah Crowell is usually a decent bet for one score but middling yardage. Duke Johnson has flex value in PPR leagues only if McCown is starting. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Josh McCown QB Cody Kessler RB Isaiah Crowell RB Duke Johnson

48 Weekly Report Page 48 WR Corey Coleman WR Terrelle Pryor WR Andrew Hawkins WR Ricardo Lewis TE Gary Barnidge FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Cody Parkey P/A SK INT FUM s DT Browns Cleveland Browns Notes: Previous matchup: The last Browns/Cowboys regular-season clash took place in Cleveland lost

49 Weekly Report Page 49 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-3) BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-4) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 1 : 0 0 PM ET M & T B A N K S T A D I U M B A L T I M O R E, M D L I N E : B A L 3. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 43.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG PIT OFFENSE BAL DEFENSE BAL OFFENSE PIT DEFENSE PITTSBURGH STEELERS

50 Weekly Report Page 50 INJURIES TO MONITOR: Ben Roethlisberger (knee surgery), Sammie Coates (hand/finger), DeAngelo Williams (knee), Markus Wheaton (shoulder) Ladarius Green (ankle) A still-less-than-100-percent Ben Roethlisberger was expected to start. The Baltimore Ravens defense has allowed at least two scoring strikes in five of its last six games but kept most opposing quarterbacks under 200 yards. Forget about that. The Ravens haven t faced a passing attack as lethal as the Pittsburgh Steelers. Antonio Brown is a must-start as usual. Baltimore has hemorrhaged the thirdmost fantasy points to the wideout position, so Sammie Coates, assuming his finger is healed, could get back on track. Darrius Heyward-Bey has replaced Markus Wheaton in the starting lineup, but Heyward-Bey, Wheaton and Eli Rogers are all dice rolls. Ladarius Green could return, but either he or Jesse James would be weak starts against a Baltimore defense that ranks second in fantasy points allowed to the tight end position. The must-start Le Veon Bell is still looking for his first score of the season. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Ben Roethlisberger RB Le Veon Bell RB DeAngelo Williams WR Antonio Brown WR Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Markus Wheaton WR Eli Rogers WR Sammie Coates TE Jesse James TE Ladarius Green FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Chris Boswell P/A SK INT FUM s DT Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 16), the Steelers lost to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

51 Weekly Report Page 51 In that game, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 220 scoreless yards. Le Veon Bell missed the game due to a knee injury. DeAngelo Williams compiled a rushing line and a receiving line. Antonio Brown caught seven passes for 61 yards. Markus Wheaton made three grabs for 41 yards. BALTIMORE RAVENS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Steve Smith (ankle) Despite a long string of largely plus matchups, the Baltimore Ravens offense continues to disappoint. The Ravens ground game should produce against a reeling Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has coughed up the fourth-most fantasy points to enemy tailbacks. Terrance West is a solid start, and he s still the lead dog in the backfield. The Steelers have allowed at least 250 passing yards and two touchdowns in just about all their games, but the struggling Joe Flacco hasn t tossed multiple scoring strikes in a game since Week 2. He should make it at least two touchdown tosses in this divisional matchup. If Steve Smith plays, he s a nice option against what s still a shaky Pittsburgh secondary, and so is Mike Wallace. The Steelers have been soft against tight ends, which is why Dennis Pitta has a good chance to hit pay dirt for the first time this year. The Ravens team defense is a fringe starting option. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Joe Flacco RB Terrance West RB Kenneth Dixon WR Steve Smith, Sr WR Mike Wallace WR Kamar Aiken

52 Weekly Report Page 52 WR Breshad Perriman TE Dennis Pitta TE Crockett Gillmore FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Justin Tucker P/A SK INT FUM s DT Ravens Baltimore Ravens Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 16), the Ravens nipped the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. In that contest, Ryan Mallett threw for 274 yards and one touchdown. Joe Flacco missed the game due to a knee injury. Javorius Buck Allen amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. Terrance West compiled a rushing line but didn t catch any passes. Steve Smith missed the game because of torn Achilles tendon. Kamar Aiken caught eight passes for 66 yards. Chris Matthews made three grabs for 19 yards and one touchdown. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-4) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

53 Weekly Report Page 53 (1-6) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 4 : 0 5 PM ET L E V I S S T A D I U M S A N T A C L A R A, C A L I N E : NO 3. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 52.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG NO OFFENSE SF DEFENSE SF OFFENSE NO DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None NEW ORLEANS SAINTS The San Francisco 49ers defense ranks below average in fantasy points allowed to all the player positions. The 49ers also rank dead last in fantasy points ceded to running backs. Look for the New Orleans Saints to attack more heavily on the ground than they usually do with the Mark Ingram/Tim Hightower tandem. Both players are solid starts. Drew Brees, Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas and Willie Snead are all nice plays, but don t expect monster outings since the ground game will click nicely. Coby Fleener, however, has disappeared in road contests. Lower your expectations for him. The Saints team defense is a solid streaming option.

54 Weekly Report Page 54 WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Drew Brees RB Mark Ingram RB Tim Hightower WR Brandin Cooks WR Willie Snead WR Michael Thomas WR Brandon Coleman TE Coby Fleener FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Wil Lutz P/A SK INT FUM s DT Saints New Orleans Saints Notes: Previous matchup: In a 2014 regular-season clash, the Saints lost to the 49ers SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Carlos Hyde (shoulder) Switching from Blaine Gabbert to Colin Kaepernick hasn t worked any miracles for the San Francisco 49ers score unit, and Jeremy Kerley has completely vanished. Everybody knows the New Orleans Saints secondary is soft, but there are no guarantees that Kaepernick can exploit the weakness. Torrey Smith, who caught a scoring pass from him back in Week 6, is the likely candidate for a score here. The other receivers are dice rolls. Maybe they ll do well maybe they won t. Assuming Carlos Hyde plays, he should roll up some big numbers against a New Orleans offense that has hemorrhaged

55 Weekly Report Page 55 the second-most fantasy points to enemy tailbacks. All other San Francisco ball carriers are dart throws despite the great matchup. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Colin Kaepernick RB Carlos Hyde RB DuJuan Harris RB Shaun Draughn WR Torrey Smith WR Quinton Patton WR Jeremy Kerley TE Vance McDonald TE Garrett Celek FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Phil Dawson P/A SK INT FUM s DT 49ers San Francisco 49ers Notes: Previous matchup: During a 2014 regular-season hookup, the 49ers defeated the Saints

56 Weekly Report Page 56 CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-5) LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-4) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 4 : 0 5 PM ET L O S A N G E L E S M E M O R I A L S T A D I U M L O S A N G E L E S, C A L I N E : C A R 3. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 45.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG CAR OFFENSE LA DEFENSE LA OFFENSE

57 Weekly Report Page 57 CAR DEFENSE INJURIES TO MONITOR: None C A R O L I N A P A N T H E R S The Los Angeles Rams defense has been inconsistent all season, which makes the predictions difficult. The Rams, however, are expected to get injured starters Trumaine Johnson, William Hayes and Robert Quinn back, so this stop unit should be at full strength. Cam Newton is a must-start. Los Angeles has coughed up 11 touchdown passes on the season, and nine of them came in home contests. Newton looks good for at least one touchdown pass and likely one score on the ground. Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen also are must-starts. The Rams rank 19th in fantasy points allowed to the wideout position. Olsen should rebound from dud Week 8 outing, even though Los Angeles ranks 11th in fantasy points ceded to opposing tight ends. They haven t faced any as good as Olsen. While the redhot Jonathan Stewart (four touchdowns scored in his last two games) won t run wild here, but he ll do okay versus a Rams defense that ranks 14th in fantasy points allowed to the tailback position. The Panthers team defense is a solid streaming option against a mistake-prone Los Angeles offense. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Cam Newton RB Jonathan Stewart RB Fozzy Whittaker FB Mike Tolbert WR Kelvin Benjamin WR Devin Funchess WR Ted Ginn WR Corey Brown TE Greg Olsen FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS

58 Weekly Report Page 58 PK Graham Gano P/A SK INT FUM s DT Panthers Carolina Panthers Notes: Previous matchup: The last regular-season clash between the Panthers and the then-st. Louis Rams took place in Carolina won INJURIES TO MONITOR: None LOS ANGELES RAMS Here s the problem for the Los Angeles Rams: the strength of their offense is obviously running the football, but the Carolina Panthers defense, despite its faults, is solid versus the run. The Panthers rank eighth in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, but that won t stop you from starting Todd Gurley. The Carolina defense, however, is very soft against the pass, but Case Keenum isn t an elite passer. While Brian Quick looks like a solid play on paper, he has been more productive in road contests. Tavon Austin s best games have come at home, so he s the favorite for a score. Kenny Britt has scored in just one game so far in 2016, but he also has performed well at home. Keep in mind that all Rams receivers come with risk. Consider the Rams team defense a fringe starting option. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Case Keenum RB Todd Gurley RB Benny Cunningham WR Tavon Austin WR Kenny Britt WR Brian Quick WR Bradley Marquez

59 Weekly Report Page 59 TE Lance Kendricks FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Greg Zuerlein P/A SK INT FUM s DT Rams Los Angeles Rams Notes: Previous matchup: In a 2013 regular-season hookup, the then-st. Louis Rams were routed by the Panthers INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-5) GREEN BAY PACKERS

60 Weekly Report Page 60 (4-3) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 4:25 PM ET L A M B E A U F I E L D G R E E N B A Y, W I L I N E : G B 7. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 54.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG IND OFFENSE GB DEFENSE GB OFFENSE IND DEFENSE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS INJURIES TO MONITOR: T.Y. Hilton (hamstring), Dwayne Allen (ankle), Chester Rogers (hamstring) The Indianapolis Colts have scored at least 23 points in each of their last three road games. Since the Green Bay Packers defense is one of the best in the NFL against the run Frank Gore is a weak play the Colts will rely mainly on Andrew Luck s right arm in what should be a high-scoring contest. The Packers rank 17th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks and 24th in fantasy points ceded to the wideout position, so Luck, T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief are all must-starts. Dwayne Allen was tentatively expected to return, which obviously knocks Jack Doyle back down to fantasy TE2 status. Green Bay ranks 22nd in fantasy points yielded to opposing tight ends. The score

61 Weekly Report Page 61 projected for Doyle could go to Allen. If you re desperate in a deeper league, Doyle wouldn t be a terrible option. The rest of the Indianapolis receivers don t deserve fantasy consideration. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Andrew Luck RB Frank Gore RB Robert Turbin WR T.Y. Hilton WR Donte Moncrief WR Phillip Dorsett WR Chester Rogers TE Dwayne Allen TE Jack Doyle FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Adam Vinatieri P/A SK INT FUM s DT Colts Indianapolis Colts Notes: Previous matchup: The last regular-season duel between the Colts and the Packers took place four years ago. Indianapolis prevailed GREEN BAY PACKERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Randall Cobb (hamstring), Ty Montgomery (illness), Eddie Lacy (ankle), James Starks (knee surgery), Jared Cook (ankle)

62 Weekly Report Page 62 Despite some key injuries, the Green Bay Packers offense has been scary good during the last two weeks with the must-start Aaron Rodgers playing his best football of Look for Rodgers and company to torch a very porous Indianapolis Colts defense at will. At last check, there was no definite word on the playing status of Randall Cobb and the playing status of Ty Montgomery. If Cobb is healthy, he s a must-start alongside Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams. If Montgomery receives medical clearance to suit up, he also should be in starting lineups. With James Starks still at least one week away from returning, Montgomery will continue to operate in his wideout/running back role. Don Jackson and Aaron Ripkowski are sitting atop the team s running back depth chart right now, but neither is a fantasy option. Richard Rodgers has disappeared from the offense, and Jared Cook is still hurt. The Packers team defense is a streaming option against an Indianapolis offense that has allowed a league-high 31 quarterback takedowns. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Aaron Rodgers RB Eddie Lacy RB James Starks RB Don Jackson RB Aaron Ripkowski WR Jordy Nelson WR Randall Cobb WR Davante Adams WR Ty Montgomery WR Jeff Janis TE Jared Cook TE Richard Rodgers FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Mason Crosby P/A SK INT FUM s DT Packers Green Bay Packers Notes: Previous matchup: In a 2012 regular-season clash, the Packers fell to the Colts

63 Weekly Report Page 63 TENNESSEE TITANS (4-4) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (3-5) S U N D A Y NOVEMBER 6 TH 4 : 2 5 PM ET Q U A L C O M M S T A D I U M S A N D I E G O, C A L I N E : S D 5. 5 O V E R / U N D E R : 47.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG TEN OFFENSE SD DEFENSE SD OFFENSE TEN DEFENSE

64 Weekly Report Page 64 TENNESSEE TITANS INJURIES TO MONITOR: DeMarco Murray (toe) The run-first-and-run-often Tennessee Titans offense did a nice job of featuring a re-energized Marcus Mariota-led passing attack during a stretch of three home matchups. This road test against a still suspect San Diego Chargers defense looks like a nice test to see if Mariota s solid play is for real. The Chargers rank 13th in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback position thanks to two matchups against the struggling Trevor Siemian (Broncos) in the last three weeks. San Diego hasn t allowed fewer than two touchdown passes in a game so far this season. The boom-or-bust Kendall Wright is the likely candidate for a touchdown, but he and Rishard Matthews rarely catch more than four passes in a game nowadays. The Chargers rank only 16th in fantasy points yielded to tight ends, so Delanie Walker is a good bet for a solid outing. Even though San Diego has coughed up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing tailbacks, 100-yard games have been rare against them in recent weeks. DeMarco Murray, assuming he s healthy, is a must-start. Derrick Henry is a nice plug-and-play option if Murray can t go. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Marcus Mariota RB DeMarco Murray RB Derrick Henry WR Tajae Sharpe WR Rishard Matthews WR Kendall Wright TE Delanie Walker FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Ryan Succop

65 Weekly Report Page 65 P/A SK INT FUM s DT Titans Tennessee Titans Notes: Previous matchup: The last regular-season contest between the Titans and the Chargers took place during the 2013 season. Tennessee squeaked by San Diego SAN DIEGO CHARGERS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Hunter Henry (knee), Travis Benjamin (knee), Tyrell Williams (knee) With their two divisional matchups against the elite Denver Broncos defense finally in the rear view mirror, the San Diego Chargers offense can get back to its high-scoring ways. The Chargers have racked up at least 34 points in all home games so far in The Tennessee Titans have slipped noticeably against the pass in recent weeks, allowing big outings to Cody Kessler (Browns) and Blake Bortles (Jaguars), so Philip Rivers, Travis Benjamin (assuming his knee isn t an issue) and Tyrell Williams all looks like strong plays. If Benjamin is severely limited or doesn t suit up, Dontrelle Williams fantasy prospects obviously would get a boost. The Titans have surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points to the tight end position, but Hunter Henry has struggled since his big outing against the Broncos in Week 6. The score projected for him could go to Antonio Gates. Despite the plus matchup, both come with risk. Even though Tennessee ranks seventh in fantasy points ceded to opposing running backs, keep rolling with the high-scoring Melvin Gordon. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Philip Rivers RB Melvin Gordon RB Dexter McCluster RB Kenneth Farrow WR Travis Benjamin WR Tyrell Williams

66 Weekly Report Page 66 WR Dontrelle Inman TE Antonio Gates TE Hunter Henry FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Josh Lambo P/A SK INT FUM s DT Chargers San Diego Chargers Notes: Previous matchup: Three years have passed since the last regular-season meeting between the Chargers and the Titans, which San Diego lost DENVER BRONCOS (6-2) OAKLAND RAIDERS

67 Weekly Report Page 67 (6-2) SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6 TH 8 : 3 0 PM ET O. C O C O L I S E U M O A K L A N D, C A L I N E : P I C K E M O V E R / U N D E R : TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG DEN OFFENSE OAK DEFENSE OAK OFFENSE DEN DEFENSE D E N V E R B R O N C O S INJURIES TO MONITOR: Devontae Booker (shoulder) The porous Oakland Raiders defense has surrendered at least 27 points in each game played since Week 4. However, they re playing at home with AFC West division supremacy on the line so expect them to put up a fight. The Denver Broncos offense also doesn t look very scary with rookie Devontae Booker (one career start) and Trevor Siemian (seven career starts) leading the attack. Oakland ranks only 23rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. While Booker looks like a strong play on paper, keep in mind that he rushed for only 54 yards and one score at home last week in a plus matchup. Kapri Bibbs and Juwan Thompson aren t expected to see enough action to have standalone value right now. The Raiders have surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points to the quarterback

68 Weekly Report Page 68 position. However, they ve yielded only four passing scores in their last four home games, which doesn t bode well for Siemian. Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who are Denver s only fantasy relevant receivers, are must-starts. Oakland ranks 20th in fantasy points allowed to enemy wideouts. The Broncos team defense is a must-start, too. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Trevor Siemian RB C.J. Anderson (IR) RB Devontae Booker RB Kapri Bibbs RB Juwan Thompson WR Demaryius Thomas WR Emmanuel Sanders WR Bennie Fowler TE Virgil Green FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Brandon McManus P/A SK INT FUM s DT Broncos Denver Broncos Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 14), the Broncos fell to the Raiders at O.co. Coliseum. In that contest, Brock Osweiler (Texans) threw for 308 scoreless yards. Ronnie Hillman (Vikings) amassed a rushing line and a receiving line. C.J. Anderson missed the game due to an ankle injury. Demaryius Thomas caught 10 passes for 95 yards. Emmanuel Sanders logged two receptions for 17 yards. Bennie Fowler made one grab for 12 yards.

69 Weekly Report Page 69 INJURIES TO MONITOR: None OAKLAND RAIDERS Even though the elite Denver Broncos defense isn t as tough on the road, this stop unit will still play well enough to mount a huge challenge to an Oakland Raiders offense that has racked up at least 28 points in four of their last five contests. A Broncos secondary that has allowed six touchdown passes all season likely will neutralize the Derek Carr-led passing attack with ease assuming Aqib Talib (back), who sat out last week, plays. Talib is expected to shadow Amari Cooper. If Talib sits, things will look better for Carr and Cooper, but it still would be hard to expect anything more than moderate yardage from possession guy Michael Crabtree. Based on the matchups, any touchdown passes from Carr likely will go to a tight end or a running back. The score projected for Clive Walford could easily go to Mychal Rivera. Denver ranks only 18th in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, so Latavius Murray should have some moderate success despite operating in a timeshare. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Derek Carr RB Latavius Murray RB DeAndre Washington RB Jalen Richard WR Amari Cooper WR Michael Crabtree WR Seth Roberts WR Andre Holmes TE Clive Walford TE Mychal Rivera FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Sebastian Janikowski P/A SK INT FUM s

70 Weekly Report Page 70 DT Raiders Oakland Raiders Notes: Previous matchup: Last season (Week 14), the Raiders beat the Broncos at O.co Coliseum. In that game, Derek Carr passed for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Latavius Murray compiled a rushing line but didn t catch any passes. Amari Cooper played but didn t log any receptions. Michael Crabtree notched four grabs for 19 yards. Seth Roberts caught two passes for 20 yards and one touchdown. Mychal Rivera hauled in three balls for 49 yards and one score. BUFFALO BILLS (4-4) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-2-1) M ONDAY NOVEMBER 7 TH 8 : 3 0 PM ET C E N T U R Y L I N K F I E L D S E A T T L E, W A L I N E : S E A 7. 0 O V E R / U N D E R : 44.0 TEAM OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS

71 Weekly Report Page 71 UNIT OVERALL SCORING POINTS RANK RANK PER GM RANK YPG RANK YPG BUF OFFENSE SEA DEFENSE SEA OFFENSE BUF DEFENSE BUFFALO BILLS INJURIES TO MONITOR: LeSean McCoy (hamstring), Marquise Goodwin (concussion) The Buffalo Bills are in a tough spot. They probably won t have the services of LeSean McCoy once again, and the Seattle Seahawks are undoubtedly mad about their (1) Week 7 tie with the Arizona Cardinals and (2) Week 8 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Don t expect to see the emotionally drained Seahawks defense that coughed up 25 points to the Saints. It s going to be tough sledding for presumed starting tailback Mike Gillislee against a Seattle defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points and only two touchdowns to opposing running backs. The Seahawks also have yielded just five touchdown passes all season, so there s no reason to get excited about Tyrod Taylor and company taking on the Legion of Boom. Robert Woods is expected to match up against Richard Sherman. In addition, Seattle has ceded only one touchdown to enemy tight ends, so Charles Clay is a weak start. Consider the Bills team defense a fringe starting option. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER QB Tyrod Taylor RB LeSean McCoy RB Mike Gillislee RB Reggie Bush WR Robert Woods WR Marquise Goodwin

72 Weekly Report Page 72 WR Greg Salas (IR) WR Walter Powell WR Justin Hunter TE Charles Clay FGA FGM XPA XPM PTS PK Dan Carpenter P/A SK INT FUM s DT Bills Buffalo Bills Notes: Previous matchup: In a 2012 regular-season clash, the Bills lost to the Seahawks SEATTLE SEAHAWKS INJURIES TO MONITOR: Thomas Rawls (leg) With only four offensive touchdowns scored in three games played since a Week 5 bye, the Seattle Seahawks offense is clearly struggling. However, the Seahawks should muster enough scoring at home to slide by a formidable Buffalo Bills defense. Russell Wilson hasn t tossed a touchdown pass in three straight games and looks like just a shell of his prolific 2015 self. He s not a recommended start. The Bills rank ninth in fantasy points allowed to the tight end position, but Jimmy Graham, who has been a Wilson favorite lately, is still the best bet for a receiving score. Since Buffalo ranks 16th in fantasy points ceded to opposing wideouts, Doug Baldwin deserves flex consideration. Tyler Lockett and Jermaine Kearse continue to slide by with only three or four scoreless catches most weeks. The Bills rank just 20th in fantasy points yielded to enemy tailbacks, so Christine Michael, who usually runs well at home, is an okay play. The Seahawks team defense is a solid start. WEEK 9 PLAYER PROJECTIONS PLAYER