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If you need help setting your fantasy football lineups for Week 9, Scott Pianowski offers some assistance.
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Start-sit decisions can be vexing for even the best of fantasy managers, especially as we navigate the bye-week season. Here’s our Week 9 traffic report to help you make some of those calls this week.
Green Light
WR Ja’Marr Chase vs. Bears: Assuming Joe Flacco (shoulder) can go, the Chase video-game tour will continue. Chase has a silly 38-346-2 log in the three Flacco starts, and Chicago is battling cluster injuries in the secondary. Chase feels like a mandatory DFS play, and Tee Higgins is an easy start for managed leagues.
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RB Kyle Monangai at Bengals: With D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson both unavailable, Monangai takes over the Chicago backfield this week. And the matchup is divine, with Cincinnati fielding the worst run defense in the league.
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. vs. 49ers: He ascended to a featured role in Week 5 last year and was the RB16 over the rest of the season. With Cam Skattebo out for the year, Tracy can hold RB2 real estate for the second half.
RB Kareem Hunt at Bills: With Isiah Pacheco (knee) ruled out, Hunt looks ready for double-digit carries at Buffalo. The Bills are handing out 5.3 yards a carry and rank 30th in run-defense DVOA.
QB Jacoby Brissett at Cowboys: The Dallas defense has been a mess all year, and Brissett has already built impressive chemistry with TE Trey McBride. With Kyler Murray (foot) ruled out, Brissett is a lovely pivot for deeper pools or Superflex leagues.
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Yellow Light
WR Chimere Dike vs. Chargers: I’m merely giving him the yellow tag because the Titans’ offensive ceiling is fairly low. But Dike has a classy 11-163-1 line the last two weeks, and he’s running slot routes that make for quick and easy completions.
RB TreVeyon Henderson vs. Falcons: It hurts not to slide him into the green light section, but we’d like to see the Patriots fully commit to Henderson before we shove the chips all-in. Rhamondre Stevenson won’t play on Sunday, but it’s possible Henderson (who did impress last week) will share some work with Terrell Jennings.
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WR Jameson Williams vs. Vikings: He posted a bagel in his last start, but the Lions took responsibility for that during the bye week. Look for Williams to draw some layup targets early on Sunday as the team looks to keep him engaged.
RB Bam Knight at Cowboys: He’s averaging just 3.5 per carry and is nothing special as a receiver, but the Dallas front seven has escorted running backs into the end zone all year. No reason that can’t continue Monday.
WR Alec Pierce at Steelers: He doesn’t see enough market share to be an auto-start, but the Pittsburgh defense has fallen on hard times, and Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. Sometimes home runs die on the warning track, but swing for the fences anyway.
Red Light
RB Alvin Kamara at Rams: He hasn’t scored a touchdown since opening day and is also dealing with a pesky ankle injury. The Rams have been a top-10 run defense all year, and the game script could easily get out of hand.
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QB Bo Nix at Texans: He authored an amazing comeback against the Giants, and the hits kept coming against an overmatched Dallas defense. But this week the assignment is nasty, a road game against a Houston defense that might be the best in the league. Downgrade all of your Denver passing angles this week.
TE Hunter Henry vs. Falcons: Henry had a touchdown last week but it was his only target. He’s averaged a mere 13 yards per week over the past five games, and the Falcons have defended tight ends very well all season.
WR Quentin Johnston at Titans: It’s possible the Chargers might be running out the clock in the second half against this lesser opponent, and now that rookie TE Oronde Gadsden II has spread his wings, Johnston has downshifted to the No. 4 option in the LAC passing game.
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RB Chuba Hubbard at Packers: Dave Canales is hinting at Rico Dowdle being the team’s featured back, and given that Carolina is a 13.5-point underdog, it might be difficult to stick to the run. Dowdle can probably still get home for fantasy with 10-13 touches, but Hubbard has always been a back who relies on volume.
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