The Game Plan - Week 9 Fact or Fiction? Garrett Wilson, Bijan Robinson & More

The source is somewhat worried that Brown is cooked, though not to the point of being a complete dud rest of season. The Patriots overpaid to acquire him and will be motivated to get him going, but the source fears he may be done as an elite receiver type going forward.

Ashton Jeanty is running back 12 in fantasy and has not had a single game outside the top 30 all season, demonstrating incredible consistency. The source notes the passing game has paid off for him all year and is the only reason he is a conversational piece; despite concerns about the 49ers matchup, the source believes Jeanty is playable because the Raiders will likely be down early, creating more passing game opportunities.

Jeanty has been more consistent than Washington despite fewer carries; he was running back 30 this week versus running back 32 two weeks ago. The passing game has provided enough supplemental production, and in a game where the team is likely down early (one-three), more passing game opportunities will accrue to Jeanty, making him playable this week.

Bijan Robinson is the number three running back in fantasy right now and remains the best back in the sport despite recent volatility; over the last four games he has posted 15.8, 7.3, 17.2, and 7.6 points, showing bipolar output against strong run defenses (Bears and Buccaneers in two of the last three weeks), but his overall talent and role remain elite; the Falcons have demonstrated apex-level performance, scoring 45 on the Saints, 35 on the Packers, and beating the 49ers 10 days ago.

The source mentions the Falcons should have run wildcat with Bijan Robinson in a two-score game instead of continuing to throw with Penix, suggesting Robinson's role as a potential workhorse option in specific game situations.

The source uses Bijan Robinson as a comparison point for consistency, noting that Robinson has had games outside the top 30 this season (running back 30 this week, running back 32 weeks ago), whereas Ashton Jeanty has maintained more consistent production without full blown ups and downs.

Braylon Allen has been performing well and the source says you can't put the genie back in the bottle; even though the matchup against the Chiefs is tough, you have to play him because he's established himself as the lead back and the Jets can't bench him now.

The source mentions praying for Breece Hall to be traded, grouping him with George Pickens and Jonathan Taylor as players stuck in dysfunctional offensive situations. The source hopes the Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, or Minnesota Vikings acquire these players to salvage their fantasy value.

The source speculates that Breece Hall might be more likely to be traded than Jonathan Taylor, given that the Jets paid him and now have Braylon Allen performing well; Hall's return could create a platoon situation, but the source thinks the team might entertain trading him instead.

Brock Bowers is startable each and every week for the Raiders; the source highlights him as a key tight end option alongside Michael Mayer in a game against the 49ers.

In a running back comparison tier, the source ranks Cam Akers at wider running back 25, placing him behind Jonah Coleman, Blake Corum, Quinshaud Judkins, and Zach Charbonnet in the 20-22 range. The source notes Akers is not quite there rest of way due to injury concerns.

Cam Akers is still dealing with a hamstring injury; the bye week did not eliminate the concern, as he worked off to the side on Monday with trainers regarding his hamstring. He only saw 55% of the snaps in week seven, and the source is concerned about potential snap regression and increased involvement for Jaylen Rogers and Motor Singletary.

CeeDee Lamb is cashing in and becoming a startable, reliable receiver each and every week for the Cowboys, establishing consistent fantasy value.

CeeDee Lamb was wide receiver 18 in a game where he had 68% routes; the source notes he peaked at 95% routes in week six and should benefit on the floor side of things. In the previous week, he was wide receiver 5, suggesting route share volatility impacts his weekly ceiling.

Chase Brown saw eight receptions on nine targets against Tennessee last week and closed in on 100 yards from scrimmage; the source notes people are questioning whether he will bounce back this year, but acknowledges the recent receiving volume as a positive sign.

Christian McCaffrey is acknowledged as a great running back in the context of comparing elite backs in the sport, though the source asserts Bijan Robinson is the best back overall.

The source projects Chuba Hubbard as a top RB2 locked in at worst every single week for the Panthers, providing consistent floor value despite the team's offensive struggles.

Dak Prescott is performing well at quarterback for the Cowboys, establishing consistent fantasy value similar to CeeDee Lamb's reliability.

Douglas has three top-15 finishes in the last four weeks, with the one week without being week seven when Brown ran 96 percent of routes. He is the Patriots' wide receiver one without AJ Brown. The source rates him just under wide receiver 31, though acknowledges he could bump up a few spots to the 27 range given the good matchup against Green Bay.

Denzel Boston has been a consistent target for Deshaun Watson and had a couple of great opportunities in the last game; however, with Shadur Sanders now starting, there is uncertainty about whether Boston will maintain his target volume and role in the offense.

Deshaun Watson took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter last week and was cleared on the field, but reported concussion symptoms to the medical staff on Tuesday morning; he is now officially in NFL concussion protocol and will not start against the Saints this week.

Drake London struggled to produce in last week's rainy conditions against the Buccaneers, failing to get involved in the Falcons' passing attack during poor weather.

Drake London has maintained consistent target volume despite the Falcons' poor performance; he has received 10 or more targets in four of his last six games, with six targets in the other two games, indicating the targets will continue to be there regardless of team performance.

The source calls fiction on the statement that Garrett Wilson is no longer a weekly top-20 receiver; despite recent down weeks, Wilson maintains a 39% target share (last week after two down weeks), and the source projects him around wide receiver 11-13 this week. The source attributes his recent inconsistency to the byproduct of his talent and Gino Smith not having to force feed him.

Despite two down weeks, Wilson's target share rebounded to 39 percent last week; the source projects him around wide receiver 11-13 this week. The source frames this positively as a byproduct of Wilson being excellent and Gino Smith having other weapons, meaning Wilson doesn't need force-fed targets in double coverage—good for fantasy upside even in tougher matchups like Kansas City.

Helani received only 18 percent of snaps last week for a single fantasy point. The source does not anticipate the current snap distribution to continue and expects Charbonet to take on more work.

George Pickens has been disappointing over the last month; he only had one week where he really went off, which was when Christian McCaffrey was out in a game against the Buccaneers. Since then, his performance has been disappointing. Additionally, he ran 66% of routes this week, which is his season low by quite a bit, raising concerns about his role and potential injury.

The source is worried about Pickens but wishful he's traded in the next seven days; however, for this week's matchup against Indianapolis, the source says 15 to 20 points is absolutely on the table for Pickens. The source also notes Pickens is wide receiver 17 on the season but wants him in the lineup each week, though he's difficult to trade at top-12 prices.

Harold Fannin Jr. is positioned to see a massive uptick in weekly production with Shadur Sanders under center; the source's brain goes immediately to Fannin as the over-the-middle guy and short-checkdown target in a conservative passing scheme, which aligns with Sanders' tendencies; Fannin had 45 fantasy points in Week 14 when Sanders started against Tennessee (364 passing yards, three touchdowns).

With Shadur Sanders under center, Fannin shows a massive uptick in production; in six games with Sanders last year, Fannin averaged 14.6 PPR points on 51 receiving yards, 5 receptions, and 7 targets, compared to 9.9 PPR points, 42 yards, 4.4 receptions, and 6.3 targets without Sanders—a 4.7-point positive difference. His snap share also increased from 74% to 80% with Sanders in the lineup. The source recommends getting Fannin before league mates recognize the upside.

Isaiah Davis, from South Dakota State, has 10.5-inch hands and can catch the ball; while not as good as Braylon Allen, he's a capable number two back who could play meaningful snaps for many NFL teams and shouldn't be sitting as a running back three.

The source states JJ McCarthy is a better weekly starter than Kyler Murray in fantasy football this week; McCarthy benefits from a YOLO mentality and a day boss system that is more conducive to aggressive play, whereas O'Connell's system is more by-the-book and holds back McCarthy's upside. The source notes McCarthy is more dependable right now than Kyler Murray.

Jamar Chase is the wide receiver eight in points per game and is finally clicking in the Bengals offense; with Joe Burrow throwing for 460 yards and five touchdowns last week despite three interceptions, Chase is a must-start option if you have him.

Jamar Chase is the wide receiver eight in points per game through week 9, reflecting consistent production as part of a Bengals offense that has been scoring heavily over the last three weeks (31, 35, 43 points).

Jalen Coker has not delivered consistent production this season; after a strong week six performance, he has not produced meaningful fantasy output since week one. The source notes the Panthers offense may have been a flash in the pan after strong early-season performances, and Coker has not given consistent production despite the initial excitement.

Javante Williams had a disappointing week in Week 8 for the Cowboys, though the source notes he ran for 150 yards the week prior, suggesting inconsistency in his fantasy output.

Sean Payton said this week he wants to keep Jalen Waddle's involvement growing, calling him dynamic and quick in reference to his 35-yard reception in the Chiefs game; the source is in on Waddle rest of season and notes that Payton is putting him on the field in opportune spots, with the source ranking him as a top-two receiver in fantasy this week.

If Denver does not add a running back before the November 10th trade deadline, Coleman will be RB8 in fantasy football rest of season; the source projects him as a top-15 running back rest of season with a 70% opportunity share. Coleman has shown consistent production despite modest efficiency (3.7 yards per carry in week 8) with 15 touches for 20.4 fantasy points last week and a goal-line touchdown, and the source notes he is just starting to crest at week 9, making him a league-winner candidate.

Carolina Panthers are 28th in yards allowed per carry, 26th in defensive rush EPA, and the number one matchup on the roster watch matchup tool for opposing running backs; the source emphasizes Coleman's upside against this defense, noting that even without a great game (3.7 yards per carry), he scored with a goal-line touchdown and screen pass opportunity, and with a 70% opportunity share he will hit top-15 production.

Sean Payton said two weeks ago he wanted to get more touches for Jonah Coleman, and this week reiterated the desire to increase his involvement; the source notes Coleman is the clear-cut running back one on the Broncos and is just starting to hit his stride at week 9, with the potential to dominate the playoffs in fantasy similar to CJ Anderson's 2015 playoff run.

The source expresses serious concern about Jonathan Taylor's situation with the Colts, calling it malpractice from a rebuilding team's perspective and borderline despicable for Taylor owners. The source believes Taylor in a competent offense would rush for 1600 yards and 20 touchdowns this year, but the current Colts situation is wasting his prime. Taylor had 63% snap share last week, which the source says is not what fantasy managers need to see. Last week he was running back 12 despite a 40-yard touchdown run accounting for 10 of his 19 points, suggesting boom-bust volatility without consistent volume.

Josh Downs has been a major disappointment this year according to the source, with no specific role or usage details provided beyond the characterization of underperformance.

Jacobs has delivered back-to-back top-10 finishes since his return and shows up consistently in fantasy despite off-field concerns. The source is playing him with confidence, noting that he is controllable in lineups and has proven production that Marshawn Lloyd has not matched over two months.

Johnson is droppable in redraft coming off a bye after back-to-back-to-back poor performances. He's getting only 3–4 targets per game, and the source expresses concerns about his role with Jordan Tyson and Travis Etienne potentially returning, calling him an 'absolute bust' given the team's lack of clarity on Tyson's status and competitive limitations.

Juwan Johnson has been tough to rely on recently; the source dropped him off waivers this morning and not a single claim was put in for him, illustrating his unpredictability—he could sit for six weeks and then have a tight end three week without generating interest.

Good teams have game-planned to shut down Kenneth Walker, resulting in the Chiefs losing both recent games (Broncos last week, Seahawks the week before). The source notes that as fantasy managers, there's hope the passing game opens up to give Walker rushing lanes again, implying his current production is suppressed by defensive game plans.

Kyren Williams is a top-24 running back play this week; the Rams face the Commanders, which was already a decent matchup for running backs (ranked 16th in the roster watch matchup rankings), and the matchup has improved significantly with the Commanders losing Javon Kinlaw and Deron Payne (their two interior defensive line leaders) to IR.

The source is in on Makai Lemon no matter what, noting he has been impressing more and more every week; his air-dot jumped to 10 this last week from 5 the week before. The source projects Lemon as a consistent wide receiver 20-35 rest of season in his slot role, and believes he could develop into a Rashi Rice-type player next year with Jalen Hurts.

Marcus Mariota (referred to as Penix in the transcript, likely referring to Desmond Ridder or the Falcons QB) had a terrible performance last week, throwing four interceptions in rainy conditions and struggling to move the offense effectively.

Lloyd has given nothing for the first four weeks of the season and only produced in week five when he may not have been rostered. The source uses him as a cautionary example of why injury-replacement hype does not work in fantasy football, contrasting his two-month drought with Josh Jacobs' immediate top-10 production.

Michael Mayer is startable each and every week for the Raiders; the source highlights him as a key tight end option alongside Brock Bowers in a game against the 49ers.

Mike Gesicki has established himself as a must-start tight end in fantasy football; he has finished outside the top-24 tight ends (TE2 territory) in only one game this season (week two), and has been consistently productive with finishes of 4, 5, 10, and multiple games in the 22-23 range, providing the consistency the tight end position demands.

The source has Nico Collins at wide receiver 14 and plans to start him this week; Collins has been great lately and the source feels good about the ranking. The source notes Collins is a solid play despite the Texans' conservative offensive approach.

Omar Cooper has been outperforming Garrett Wilson on a weekly basis over the last month, which the source attributes to the byproduct of Wilson's talent and target share allowing other receivers to have their moments.

The source questions whether Mahomes can be a reliable QB1 starter every week, noting he was faded last week (had a good week), was bad the week before, and is no longer in 'smash mode all the time.' Against the Jets this week, the source suggests top-12 quarterback conversation is probably tough to ask given the Chiefs' receiving core limitations.

Rice returned last week and immediately jumped into the top 10 fantasy output, signaling he is a key weapon for the Chiefs offense. The source frames him as the only viable receiving option outside of the struggling Xavier Worthy, Royals, and Cyrus Allen, making Rice a breakout candidate as the offense's primary non-Kelce target.

Ryan Flournoy has been a top 24 fantasy play in three consecutive weeks with scores of 17, 11, and 13 points. He ran 68% routes this week, down from a season peak of 95% in Week 6. If he returns to 95% route share, it should correlate to very playable opportunities. In the same game where CeeDee Lamb was WR18, Flournoy was WR5 the previous week, suggesting significant upside potential.

The source is out on Saquon Barkley rest of season as a running back one; despite a 33% snap share last week and 12.4 fantasy points, Barkley has not played much football this year with inconsistent snap shares (70% week one, 14% week two, 76% week three, 7% week four, 15-30% weeks 5-7). The source compares the situation to Jonathan Taylor on a dying football team and does not believe Barkley will have success.

Tee Higgins is the wide receiver five in fantasy football in 2026, delivering consistent production that should not be overlooked despite the strength of the Bengals' passing attack.

Tee Higgins is currently the wide receiver five in fantasy football in 2024 (through week 9), reflecting strong recent production as the Bengals offense has been scoring heavily over the last three weeks.

Tee Higgins has been rough since his wide receiver one performance back in week four; the source notes he has not provided consistent production and is a concern heading into the Panthers' difficult upcoming schedule against Denver, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota.

The source observes that Kelce, who looked great in training camp and the first month, is now showing signs of decline. Specifically, on stick-and-nod routes where the ball is typically there immediately upon his head turn, Kelce is now too slow to the ball—a timing/athleticism issue suggesting he's losing a step in the Chiefs' offense.

The source is playing Higbee this week over Juwan Johnson due to a great matchup; the Commanders are ranked number two best matchup on the tight end schedule, and the source believes in that offense more.

Higbee is favored for this week over Juwan Johnson due to a great matchup; the source indicates he would play Higbee this week given the favorable opponent situation.

The source dismisses Worthy as a viable fantasy option, grouping him with Royals and Cyrus Allen as non-factors in the Chiefs' receiving corps. This assessment comes in the context of the Chiefs needing another weapon beyond Rashee Rice.

The source notes Zach Charbonnet looks significantly different from a vision perspective based on all-22 footage, running back-to-back snaps with Judarian in the backfield. The source believes Charbonnet might be the starting running back next week and take the majority of carries, making him preferable to Cam Akers in the running back tier.

Zay Flowers is described as getting ready to take the next step forward in his development; the source references him in the context of Casey Concepcion getting into 'the Zay Flowers spaceship,' suggesting upside and momentum.