Fantasy Football Redraft League Week 9 Report
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It's all the rage, all the kids are doing it. It's fantasy football 2.0.
Weekly fantasy football re-draft leagues. Websites that prevent you from losing interest in fantasy football (looking at the 1-7 fantasy owners out there). These sites allow you to participate in weekly fantasy football formats, where you pay a select fee to enter in a tournament type structure each and every week, drafting new players each week based on their match ups and a fixed budget.
Weekly re-draft fantasy football leagues are a lot of fun. However, even if you don't play in these weekly formats, you can still find some valuable information in the post about certain players, you may or may not own, in your yearly fantasy leagues.
I'm here to give you some of the not-so-obvious must starts each position for week 9, and some value plays for you guys that participate in the weekly format leagues.
*These projections and stats are based on standard scoring systems.
QB
Cam Newton vs. Atlanta
Cam Newton is hot. Over his last three games (all wins), Newton has completed 58 of his 75 passes (77.3%), while throwing for six touchdowns and running for two.
This week, he gets the Falcons at home. The Falcons are 22nd in passing yards allowed per game and giving up 2.3 passing touchdowns (2nd worst) and the 9th most fantasy points to opposing fantasy quarterbacks.
I have Cam Newton as the number one quarterback this week, over the more expensive Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Tony Romo.
RB
Eddie Lacy vs. Chicago
The Bears are giving up the 6th most fantasy points to opposing running backs and are 25th in the NFL is rushing yards allowed per game. On the other hand, Lacy's rushing attempts/yards in his last four games: 29/94, 22/82, 23/120, 23/99. Also, he has found the end zone two weeks in a row and has nine catches in those two games. Lacy is almost automatic for 20 carries and 100 yards on Sunday.
Remarkably, Lacy is incredibly cheap this week, coming is as only the 18th most expensive running back on Fanduel.com. I say he's a top 5 running back this week.
Giovani Bernard at Miami (if you can pick Thursday night guys)
Kind of a gut call here. Bernard, who was averaging 12 carries a game from weeks 3-6, only totaled 12 carries in his last two games, but I think Cincy gets back to running the ball this week big time this week. Miami is allowing about 110 yards per game on the ground and is giving up the 4th most fantasy points to opposing running backs. The dolphins are also allowing over 50 receiving yards per game to opposing running backs and the Bengals do like to use Bernard in the passing game.
Bernard is a cheap, sleeper option, ranked as only the 30th most expensive running back on Fanduel.com in systems where you can draft Thursday night players.
WR
Steve Smith vs. Atlanta
(see: Newton, Cam)
But really, Atlanta is giving up the 4th most fantasy points to opposing receivers, allowing 1.6 TD's to receivers per game. I think Newton and Smith hook-up for six at least once on Sunday, in a Panthers win. Smith is only the 12th most expensive receiver this week on Fanduel.com, and I think he is a top-10 fantasy receiver this week.
Keenan Allen at Washington
Sheer value play here. Allen is the 24th most expensive receiver according to Fanduel.com, but I think he can sneak into the top 10 among receivers this week.
Over his last four games, Allen is averaging 5.75 catches for 92.25 yards and has scored twice. The Skins allow the 4th most yards per game in the air and give up the third most fantasy points to opposing receivers.
TE
Martellus Bennet at Green Bay
The Pack give up the third most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Josh McCown makes his second straight start for the Bears, and although Bennet only was targeted three times last week in McCown's first game, he did score. I think the McCown relies on his tight end more here in a high scoring game. Plus, Bennet is only the 8th most expensive tight end this week.
K
Whatever
Defense
New Orleans at New York Jets
The Jets give up the 4th most fantasy points to opposing defenses and the Saints defense has been superb of late. Jets quarterback Geno Smith has thrown 13 picks in eight games this year and the Saints have recorded at least one interception in every game, except one.
Andrew Porter is the Audio Roadshow Coordinator for SportsRadio WIP, editor and writer for The School Philly, and a contributing sports blogger for CBS Philly. You can follow him on Twitter @And_Porter.
