Studs who were Slam Dunks:
QB: Jay Cutler (CHI) @ SD: I went out on a limb and suggested Cutler as a Stud last week, and he played his way into Slam Dunk territory. After a sluggish start that included a pick-6 and a fumble, he turned his game around and ended up with 345 yards and 2 TDs, which was good for 17.6 points in ESPN standard leagues. RB: DeAngelo Williams (PIT) vs. OAK: After getting the start for the Le'Veon-less Steelers, D-Willy turned in a massive performance this past Sunday. He totaled an insane 225 yards from scrimmage on 29 touches and sprinkled on 2 touchdowns, giving him a whopping 36.5 fantasy points in ESPN standard formats and earning the #1 overall RB spot of the week. RB: Jeremy Langford (CHI) @ SD: Langford received his first start of his young career on MNF and I pegged him as Stud in Week 9. He came through in a big way, finishing as the 4th best RB in fantasy for the week. With a solid 72 yards and a TD from 18 carries in addition to 3 catches for 70 yards, this rookie earned his Stud designation. WR: Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) @ IND: In last week's article, I said that Sanders would have a good chance to capitalize on the Colts this week as they put their top cover CB on Demaryius. This certainly freed up Emmanuel, allowing him to catch 6 of his 11 targets for 90 yards and a score. WR: Martavis Bryant (PIT) vs. OAK This was a scary performance to watch for fantasy owners, as Bryant failed to make any noise until late into the game. However, he bounced back and made a highlight-reel touchdown prance on a screen pass, saving his day for fantasy (and real life) purposes. He actually dropped what could have been an 80 yard touchdown, which would have let him have another monstrous performance. WR: Brandin Cooks (NO) vs. TEN: I said that Cooks has been clearly developing chemistry with Brees as of late, and he put that on display once again in Week 9. Brees hit him with 6 targets, 4 of which he grabbed for 71 yards and a nice touchdown. Duds who were Slam Dunks: QB: Ryan Tannehill (MIA) @ BUF : From a huge game against the Texans to a mediocre game versus the Pats, I pegged Tannehill as fantasy QB who should disappoint once again in Week 9. Even with a bunch of teams on their bye, he couldn't even finish within the top 20 at his position with 11.4 fantasy points in ESPN standard leagues. RB: Eddie Lacy (GB) @ CAR: Looking slower and less healthy every week, Lacy was primed for a Dud week against the tough Panther defense. He proceeded to prove me right, rushing for 10 yards on 5 carries and adding a bone-headed fumble. He's a Dud for the foreseeable future. WR: James Jones (GB) @ CAR: Another Packer I had as a Dud was James Jones, who caught only 2 balls for 57 yards against the Panthers. WR: Donte Moncief (IND) vs. DEN: I warned owners of Colts WR Donte Moncrief against the Broncos secondary and he grabbed 3 balls for only 30 yards. TE: Vernon Davis (DEN) @ IND: While he might have value down the stretch, I said Vernon Davis was a Dud last week until he gets acclimated to the offense. He saw 1 target and caught 0 balls. TE: Jordan Cameron (MIA) @ NE: For the second time in as many weeks, Cameron provided a pathetic box score in real life and fantasy alike. He caught 1 ball for 6 yards, and has completely removed himself from the fantasy TE picture. Studs who were Airballs: RB: Jeremy Hill (CIN) @ PIT: This was the second time in a row I have Airballed on a Bengals RB, rendering them very difficult to predict from a fantasy standpoint. Hill had a mediocre outing with 15 carries for 52 yards. He and Gio are both good runners, but the Bengals mask their offensive gameplan very well, which is bad for fantasy owners. TE: Heath Miller (PIT) vs. OAK: With Big Ben getting injured again, it was hard for Heath to get things going. Even against the last ranked Raiders defense against fantasy TEs, he could only manage to catch 3 balls for 32 yards. He'll be out of the TE1 streaming conversation until Ben returns. Duds who were Airballs: QB: Andrew Luck (IND) vs. DEN: My outlook on Luck this week was very bleak, especially after his shaky performance against the Panthers on MNF. However, at home against the elite Broncos defense, Luck returned to form and turned in top 8 fantasy QB numbers. He tossed 252 yards yards and 2 TDs, adding on 34 rushing yards as well. RB: Frank Gore (IND) vs. DEN: Another mistake I made this week was recommending you sit Gore. While his yards per carry weren't very impressive, he received 28 carries for 83 yards + 1 catch for 19 yards. He also scored a touchdown. RB: T.J. Yeldon (JAC) @ NYJ: For his second game in a row against very tough defensive fronts, I put Yeldon on the Duds list. He delivered another solid game, however, gaining 101 yards from 17 touches. WR: T.Y. Hilton (IND) vs. DEN: I don't have much to say about Hilton, since he was a game-time decision due to a foot sprain, but was seemingly very healthy during the game, catching 5 balls for 82 yards. Now he gets a bye week to rest. WR: Allen Robinson (JAC) @ NYJ: Another Jaguar that I Airballed on was A-Rob. He was shadowed by Revis for most of the game, but still turned in 121 yards on 6 receptions. He was targeted 11 times, and seems to be matchup proof from here on out. Sleepers who panned out: QB: Jameis Winston (TB) vs. NYG: I liked Winston this week against a weak Giants pass D, and he delivered top 12 numbers. Although he didn't throw a touchdown with his 249 yards, he rushed for 24 and a nice looking TD. WR: Brandon LaFell (NE) vs. WAS: LaFell grabbed 5 balls for a team-high 102 yards this past week. He's getting better every week since his return, and Brady can feed plenty of hungry mouths. Summary of Week 9's Studs & Duds: Week 9 had plenty of ups and downs in the fantasy world. All in all, I calculated 12 Slam Dunks compared to just 7 Airballs, with plenty of middling results that didn't belong in either categories. I hit the jackpot on 2 out of my 3 Stud RBs, as both D-Willy and Langford finished in the top 4 at their position, after being ranked outside the top 10 on most sites. For the third week (in three total weeks of the article), my WR Stud section was extremely successful. Cooks, Bryant, and Sanders all had TDs. This has been my most accurately predicted position thus far. Finally, my Sleeper section was quiet, with only 2 performances really worth mentioning. I am certain that next week will show improvement. Hopefully this guide and my positional rankings helped you get a much-need fantasy win. Check back on Thursday for Studs & Duds for Week 10. |
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