Happy Halloween, everyone! While the kids are trick-or-treating — hoping each house has the King-size bars and not candy corn — the adults of the fantasy football community will be scouring the wire for potential sleepers and dreading the lineup decisions that could yield feast-or-famine results. With six teams on bye and a handful of major injuries, our Week 9 fantasy RB PPR rankings look more ghoulish than ever. But fear not — we will help guide you through this spooky time of year, highlighting the sleepers and helping you make crucial start-or-sit decisions.
Let’s start with the guys we’re forced to remove from the rankings, as some real PPR superheroes will be on bye this weekend. Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb, Najee Harris, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard headline that group, and we’ll also be missing a few, let’s call them “sidekicks,” in Melvin Gordon III, Latavius Murray, and Kareem Hunt.
Moving to the top of the charts — in his old familiar spot — is the King. No, we’re not talking Elvis Presley, we’re talking Nashville great Derrick Henry (@ Chiefs in Week 9), who looks better each week and seemed to only benefit from athletic rookie QB Malik Willis’s first-career start with Ryan Tannehill out (ankle). Even in PPR leagues, Henry is the RB1. Right there with him in both formats, Austin Ekeler (@ Falcons) is Mighty Mouse and should make mincemeat out of an Atlanta D that has surrendered 10 rushing TDs this season. But, really, just like all Sour Patch Kids are good, all the top-tier options are great this week.
WEEK 9 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Another guy who should be more of a treat than trick? Atlanta’s Tyler Allgeier (vs. Chargers), who looked explosive at key moments of the Falcons’ win over Carolina. Even if Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) returns from his IR stint, Allgeier should get plenty of run. If Patterson remains out, Caleb Huntley has plenty of flex appeal in this favorable matchup, as well.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
If James Conner (vs. Seahawks) finally returns from his rib injury, he launches from multi-week zero to hero. But don’t toss Eno Benjamin to the bottom of the bag with the Rolos and Necco Wafers — he could remain a strong flex option against a soft Seattle run defense. You can also safely start Lions duo D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams (vs. Packers) and Packers’ tandem Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon (@ Lions), though Dillon is a pure matchup play considering he’s been used less lately.
WEEK 9 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start ’em, sit ’em
On the flip side, Antonio Gibson (vs. Vikings) has actually used more lately, getting 14 touches (seven catches) to Brian Robinson Jr.’s eight last week. Gibson is clearly the higher-upside play in PPR leagues, while Robinson is merely a flex who’s somewhat script dependent. Similarly confusing is the Chiefs’ backfield, though we slightly prefer Isiah Pacheco to Clyde Edwards-Helaire (vs. Titans). The Jets (vs. Bills) and Rams (@ Buccaneers) figure to be head-scratchers, too, but Michael Carter still has a decent floor in PPR leagues, while whichever combination of Ronnie Rivers/Kyren Williams/Darrell Henderson Jr. gets playing time for L.A. will be a real sour apple.
WEEK 9 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Like a delicious banana bread your Nana slipped into your pumpkin pail, many surprises could emerge from the Week 9 PPR landscape. Kenneth Gainwell (vs. Texans) and Dontrell Hilliard (@ Chiefs) have great matchups, while Nyheim Hines (@ Jets) should still be a big-time threat in the passing game on a more high-powered offense. Khalil Herbert (vs. Dolphins) has a good matchup, though he won’t get many catches, and Kenyan Drake (@ Saints) should never be counted out, especially with Gus Edwards (hamstring) hurting a bit.
WEEK 9 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Note: Keep scouring the waiver wire for handcuffs, potential breakouts, and lottery-ticket stashes, just like the kids will keep hitting up houses as long as the porch lights are on. As always, we’ll be updating these RB PPR rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement. Happy Halloween, and good luck out there!
Week 9 fantasy RB PPR rankings
Rankings based on full-point PPR scoring leagues
Rank Player
1 Derrick Henry, Titans @ Chiefs
2 Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ Falcons
3 Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ Commanders
4 Josh Jacobs, Raiders @ Jaguars
5 Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Panthers
6 Aaron Jones, Packers @ Lions
7 Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. Ravens
8 Miles Sanders, Eagles @ Texans
9 Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers vs. Rams
10 Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Colts
11 Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars vs. Raiders
12 Jonathan Taylor, Colts @ Patriots
13 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks @ Cardinals
14 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Chargers
15 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins @ Bears
16 James Conner, Cardinals vs. Seahawks
17 D’Andre Swift, Lions vs. Packers
18 David Montgomery, Bears vs. Dolphins
19 D’Onta Foreman, Panthers @ Bengals
20 Devin Singletary, Bills @ Jets
21 Dameon Pierce, Texans vs. Eagles
22 Gus Edwards, Ravens @ Saints
23 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Lions
24 Antonio Gibson, Commanders vs. Vikings
25 Damien Harris, Patriots vs. Colts
26 Caleb Huntley, Falcons vs. Chargers
27 Jamaal Williams, Lions vs. Packers
28 Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders vs. Vikings
29 Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Titans
30 Michael Carter, Jets vs. Bills
31 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs vs. Titans
32 Khalil Herbert, Bears vs. Dolphins
33 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles @ Texans
34 Chuba Hubbard, Panthers @ Bengals
35 Kenyan Drake, Ravens @ Saints
36 Dontrell Hilliard, Titans @ Chiefs
37 Deon Jackson, Colts @ Patriots
38 James Robinson, Jets vs. Bills
39 Ronnie Rivers, Rams @ Buccaneers
40 Rachaad White, Buccaneers vs. Rams
41 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins @ Bears
42 Nyheim Hines, Bills @ Jets
43 Sony Michel, Chargers @ Falcons
44 Eno Benjamin, Cardinals vs. Seahawks
45 Alexander Mattison, Vikings @ Commanders
46 Travis Homer, Seahawks @ Cardinals
47 J.D. McKissic, Commanders vs. Vikings
48 Samaje Perine, Bengals vs. Panthers
49 Darrell Henderson Jr., Rams @ Buccaneers
50 Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs vs. Titans
51 Rex Burkhead, Texans vs. Eagles
52 James Cook, Bills @ Jets
53 Justice Hill, Ravens @ Saints
54 Dwayne Washington, Saints vs. Ravens
Week 9 RB PPR fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
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