It’s getting to be crunchtime in fantasy leagues. Continue to assess your rosters and make sure you are doing your due diligence in building depth.
As many owners have learned, even a talented roster is not enough. A .500 record right now does not doom you; a 7-6 record will be good enough to get into the postseason in many leagues. That reinforces the need to always monitor free agents, no matter your record; unknown players will surface down the stretch and could be integral pieces in postseason matchups.
We’ve combed the far reaches of the Internet and culled only the choicest fantasy tips and advice. Below you’ll find easily digestible nuggets addressing some of the critical situations fantasy owners will face from week to week.
Dig in. And dominate.
Bye weeks: Falcons, Bengals, Rams, Saints.
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Chris Conley, WR, Jaguars: Conley’s ability to produce in Week 9 could hinge on the status of teammate Dede Westbrook, who exited early in Week 8 after aggravating his neck and shoulder injuries. The result was Conley stepping up for a second straight week and producing. He wound up with four receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown, illustrating his knack for big-yardage plays. Jacksonville will be the home team in the early London-based matchup against Houston. The Texans’ secondary has had its issues so the Jaguars should be able to move the ball through the air and Conley could be the beneficiary. He’s owned in 15 percent of ESPN leagues.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Steelers: Johnson turned in his best game of the season with five receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s comeback win on Monday night. Johnson has now had five targets or more in four of the past five games for the Steelers. Pittsburgh will host Indianapolis in Week 9. It’s hard to trust an unproven wide receiver, but with injuries and a number of wideouts on a bye week, some owners may need to consider Johnson, who has developed a nice rapport with quarterback Mason Rudolph. He’s owned in less than 12 percent of ESPN leagues.
Fringe Starters
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LeSean McCoy, RB, Chiefs: McCoy is getting 10-15 touches per game, but an early second-half fumble in Week 8 allowed Damien Williams to steal away some touches and a crucial short TD run. Williams’s presence has had an impact on McCoy’s production. Kansas City is at home against Minnesota’s solid defense, leaving McCoy owners in a tough spot. The hope is he can continue to tally about 50 yards from scrimmage and find his way into the end zone, something he hasn’t done since Week 4. Thing is, the Vikings haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown since Week 2. The lean here is look elsewhere in Week 9; at best, McCoy is a flex play.
D.J. Moore, WR, Panthers: Carolina hosts Tennessee in Week 9. The Titans have been pretty solid defensively, but Tampa Bay proved in Week 8 that there are cracks to be found. Moore leads the Panthers in targets but has yet to reach 100 yards in a game this year. That could change this weekend. Start him with confidence.
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans: Tannehill has produced back-to-back 20-point-plus weeks, but now heads to Carolina for a difficult matchup. With bye weeks and injuries, Tannehill might be the only option for some owners. Still, home games against the Chargers and Bucs were one thing; putting up a productive outing against the Panthers on the road is a whole other thing. Sit Tannehill if you have another option.
Injury Decisions
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Marquis Brown, WR, Ravens: Baltimore will have the speedy wideout back for a tough matchup against New England. While the Patriots’ defense has been stellar, Brown owners might not have the luxury of passing on his big-play potential. The good news is his ankle injury is behind him.
Chris Herndon, TE, Jets: New York has not had Herndon on the field all season as he dealt with an early suspension and is now recovering from a hamstring injury. All signs point to Herndon making his debut this weekend and while it’s tough to trust a guy in his first game back, with the opponent being the Miami Dolphins, it may a risk some owners are willing to take. Update: It doesn’t look good for Herndon in Week 9. He’s likely going to give an owner some decent production down the stretch, but not this weekend.
O.J. Howard, TE, Buccaneers: A profoundly disappointing season continues in a downward direction. Howard sat out Week 8 after injuring his hamstring in practice. It doesn’t look much better for Week 9, but Howard owners have been scrambling to find a fill-in when it became obvious he wasn’t going to pick up where he left off in the 2018 season. Update: Not much to report other than Howard is officially out for Week 9.
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DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles: The Philadelphia wideout is practicing this week as he works his way back from an abdomen injury, but sounds like his status remains a bit iffy heading into the weekend. Monitor Jackson. If he’s active, it is going to be difficult to keep him out of lineups. Update: Things are on the upside for Jackson owners. It’s always a little risky to use a guy in his first week back from injury, but Jackson’s reward potential may be too much to ignore when it comes to WR2/flex.
Miles Sanders, RB, Eagles: Sanders exited in the second half in Week 8 after a splendid performance (118 yards and a TD). He is dealing with a shoulder injury, though the expectation is he’ll be fine for Sunday’s game vs. the Bears. Update: Sanders is not listed on the team’s injury report Friday.
Sterling Shepard, WR, Giants: New York could get Shepard back for Week 9 as the wideout appears ready to return from a concussion. Assuming he’s active and you’re in need of a spot start, Shepard certainly qualifies in an appealing Monday night matchup against the Cowboys. Monitor his status through the week because should he not be available, early lineup adjustments will need to be made since the Giants play in the last game of the weekend. Update: Shepard has officially cleared concussion protocol. While it’s not a great matchup as Dallas has been stingy vs. opposing receivers, Shepard owners may not have much of a choice.
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Dede Westbrook, WR, Jaguars: Westbrook’s status is iffy. He has been nursing neck and shoulder injuries and didn’t practice much heading into Week 8. After starting the game, Westbrook aggravated those injuries, forcing him out of the game. While it would be a good matchup for Westbrook owners, he’s a hard recommendation if he’s active again, given what took place last weekend. His teammate Conley (above) might be a safe fill-in should Westbrook sit out. Update: Westbrook is going to be a game-time decision; he’s listed as questionable and given what happened last week, it would be best to look elsewhere.
James White, RB, Patriots: White is questionable with a toe injury. This would boost Sony Michel, but also provide owners of Rex Burkhead an uptick in touches. The Ravens have had their ups and downs defensively, but owners of White will need to monitor his status leading up to game-time.
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