Fantasy Billboard: Giddy Up! And Whoa Down! for NFL’s Week 9
It’s maddening, but Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes hasn’t thrown for more than two TDs in a game since Week 7 last year.
I played golf last week with my buddy Don and his two cohorts John and Bob. John is 86, scored his first hole-in-one last year, and kicked my ass in the round. Bob is a huge Tennessee Titans fan and was good friends with the late-great Titans tight end Frank Wycheck. Bob told the story of playing in a golf event with Wycheck when a fan yelled “It was a forward pass!” referring to Wycheck’s controversial lateral against the Buffalo Bills in the “Music City Miracle.” Bob said that’s all it took to rattle a furious Wycheck and ruin his golf game for the day. He remained ever convinced that his game-winning play to Kevin Dyson was legal. As a Bills fan, I beg to differ, but rest in peace, big Frank. You were a titan among men.
GIDDY UP!
QB Patrick Mahomes (vs. Buccaneers) — It’s maddening, but Mahomes hasn’t thrown for more than two TDs in a game since Week 7 last year. That all changes against the Bucs, who have surrendered 14 TD passes in their last four contests.
QB Dak Prescott (at Falcons) — Dak hasn’t thrown for more than two TDs in a game this season either. It’s a “get right” situation against the Falcons, who just got lit up by Baker Mayfield (330 yards, 3 TDs).
RB D’Andre Swift (at Cardinals) — Swifty has four consecutive games of 20 or more Fantasy points. Against the Cards’ 29th ranked run defense, he makes it one for the thumb (five).
RB Aaron Jones (vs. Colts) — Running hot and cold all year, Jones was downright chilly against the Rams (11 Fantasy points). The Indy Hobby Horses surrender over 123 yards per game to RBs. Aaron should be hot-to-trot this week.
WR Malik Nabers (vs. Commanders) — After two stinkers since missing time with a concussion, look for Nabers to repeat his 10/127/1 TD performance against the Commanders from Week 2.
WR Davante Adams (vs. Texans) — Houston gives up a bevy of TD receptions to WRs. Adams gets his first score as a Jet, and I think his little buddy Garrett Wilson gets one as well.
TE Mike Gesicki (vs. Raiders) — If, and only if, WR Tee Higgins (quad, check status) is out, fire up Gesicki. Gesicki has 17 receptions for 182 yards in the three games played without Tee Hee.
WHOA DOWN!
QB Trevor Lawrence (at Eagles) — Going into battle without your top three wideouts (Kirk, Thomas Jr., and Davis) is no time to play the high-flying Eagles. Lawrence’s mediocre season continues.
QB Tua Tagovailoa (at Buffalo) — Buffalo has not been kind to Tua, knocking him out on a very scary hit in Week 2. With just one TD pass per game in his last three against the Bills, I would look elsewhere.
RB Nick Chubb (vs. Chargers) — Chubb totaled 52 yards in his second game back from injury. He could approach 70 yards here, but better pray for TD to make it worth starting him. The Chargers have given up one TD to RBs all season.
RB Bucky Irving (at Chiefs) — K.C. has been a murderer’s row for RBs: Henry, 46 yards; Bijan Robinson, 31 yards; J.K. Dobbins, 32 yards; Kamara, 26 yards. Mattison; 16 yards. Irving is next on the executioner’s list.
WR Jalen Coker (vs. Saints) — A hot waiver-wire add, the humble undrafted WR out of Holy Cross is a great story and had a respectable game last week (4/78/1). But if QB Bryce Young is starting, it’s best to shy away from all Panthers.
WR Diontae Johnson (vs. Broncos) — It was exciting to imagine the dynamic D.J. on the Texans or Bucs, but the Ravens? On a scale of 1-10, I give it an F.
TE Zach Ertz (at Giants) — Ertz should get his five catches for 50 yards, but he hasn’t scored against the Giants since 2019.
Thursday Night Special: The Jets have two choices: Fight back and prove everybody wrong or run and hide and prove everybody right. It’s hard to do the latter in the Big Apple, so I say Gang Green beats up an understaffed Texans playing team without WRs Nico Collins (IR) and Stefon Diggs (out for the year). Jets 21, Texans 17
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Bill Reinhard is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and a columnist for FantasyGuru.com. Catch Bill every Thursday night at 6:45 on “This Week in Pro Football” on YouTube TV.
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