Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 9 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Devin Singletary, Zach Charbonnet, Justin Herbert

November 5, 2023

Scott breaks down his fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 9 (2023). He spotlights key NFL players to start, and tougher lineup start/sit decisions.

Welcome back RotoBallers to my Week 9 Lineup Spotlights - Key Starters and Tough Calls for fantasy football. Every week, I zoom in on some of my favored players to go with when dealing with challenging lineup decisions. These choices are based on my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a discount and get access to my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the 2023 fantasy football season.

We feature players that you should lean to in tough calls and guys who may exceed expectations this week are also highlighted, so you can feel even more confident about starting or adding them. Skill position analysis here is based on my PPR rankings.

When considering each player for your lineup, also consult our fantasy football rankings to see exactly where they are positioned when compared to your other possible lineup choices.

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 9

Devin Singletary, Houston Texans

The disappointing Dameon Pierce has been ruled out for Week 9 because of an ankle injury. The former Buffalo Bill now will get the opportunity to start against Tampa Bay. Singletary became a notable post-waiver wire run pickup in Week 9. Finding an RB that is in line for healthy volume can be helpful in a week when four teams are on a bye and we are dealing with injuries and some shifting workloads at RB.

In the past two games, Singletary has rushed for 88 yards on 22 carries, and he did rush for 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons with Buffalo. Singletary was obviously part of a much more potent offense with the Bills, and they were done with him after four seasons. He never was a dependable fantasy producer despite averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his last two seasons in Buffalo, and after drafting James Cook last year, it became apparent that Buffalo was comfortable about moving on from Singletary.

Bucs on Sunday face a Texans team dealing with unreal levels of offensive line injuries. Literally seven OL on injured reserve, and four others limited by injuries in practice this week. They're on their fourth center, LT Tunsil didn't practice today, LG Howard & RT Fant limited.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) November 2, 2023

Increased opportunities do not always lead to desired fantasy production, and that is the likely case with Singletary, who has always been a decent timeshare RB, and nothing more. According to Pro Football Focus, the Houston offensive line averaged 0.1 yards per contact on run plays last week, which ranked last in the NFL. That performance number was charted against Carolina, which ranks 29^th in rushing yards allowed to RBs. Tampa Bay ranks 10^th and might see stout run defender Vita Vea return from a groin injury this week.

Singletary is ticketed for more volume this week, but I don’t have him ranked as a top 25 RB and would prefer to use another player from another position over him at a flex spot if the alternative has more possible upside.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

The Miles Sanders era has already ended in Carolina, as Hubbard has reportedly been named the starter for the Week 9 matchup with the Colts. We have seen two versions of Hubbard in the last two games played. He rushed for 88 yards and a TD on 19 carries in a blowout loss to Miami, but he was held to 28 yards on 15 attempts in the win over Houston.

Hubbard did add 26 receiving yards on two receptions against the Texans and can provide at least a respectable statistical floor as a starter. The Colts rank 28^th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs and have allowed 11 rushing TDs to the position, tied for the most in the NFL. Hubbard is a viable fantasy RB2 start for Week 9.

James Cook, Buffalo Bills

The signing of Leonard Fournette may appear to puncture a hole in Cook’s lukewarm fantasy appeal. Preseason conjecture that he would emerge as a true feature back for the Bills turned out to be off the mark, as Latavius Murray became a clear source of fantasy frustration in an irritating timeshare situation.  While Cook has seen consistent reps in the 60 percent or more snap count range, he is averaging just under 13 carries a game with one rushing TD.

While he has just two TDs from scrimmage, Cook is averaging 84.7 scrimmage yards per game. The Fournette signing may motivate Cook to display his better form in a major matchup with the Bengals, and I don’t see his role significantly decreasing when “Lombardi Lenny” gets up to full game speed. Fournette is the obvious replacement for Murray near the goal line and on some passing downs yet Cook remains a worthy RB2/flex play for Week 9. The Bengals rank 18^th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs, so you can expect double-figure PPR points from Cook in Week 9.

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle rookie played on a season-high 59 percent of the snaps in Week 9, but Kenneth Walker III was dealing with a calf injury in the week leading up to the win over Cleveland. Still, Charbonnet should be headed for more work in the Seahawks’ backfield, even if Walker remains the clear lead guy.

In one of his most recent columns in The Athletic, Seahawks beat reporter Michael-Shawn Dugar suggested that running the ball more can ease some pressure on Geno Smith. Seattle ranks 17^th in run/pass ratio and may indeed alter the approach against the Ravens, who rank 19^th in FPPG allowed to RBs over the past four weeks.

I am starting Charbonnet in a 14-team league, and this may be the week where we see him confirm that he has earned a larger share of the reps. Charbonnet is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and should at least be monitored as a potential streamer for the weeks ahead.

Seattle’s 2023 second-round draft pick might provide decent totals in Week 9, and even as the 1B to Walker, Charbonnet will have some plug-in flex appeal going forward.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 9

Nico Collins, Houston Texans

I wanted to use this space to feature how outrageously productive Collins has been in home games this season. He has averaged 131.3 receiving yards per game with three TDs in three home games at NRG Stadium, the second-best home receiving average for any player in the NFL. Tampa Bay ranks 22^nd in receiving yards allowed to WRs, so lock Collins in as a WR2 start.

Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders

After a slow start to the season that landed him on many fantasy football waiver wire lists, Dotson re-emerged to enjoy the best game of his career so far in Week 8, catching eight of 10 targets for 108 yards and a TD against the Eagles. Curtis Samuel will sit out this week because of a toe injury, and the Patriots rank 24^th in FPPG allowed to WRs.

We saw Jahan Dotson break out last week.

With Curtis Samuel officially out, the stage is set for Dotson to keep his momentum rolling.

Risky start, obviously, but he's got a sky-high ceiling in Week 9. https://t.co/wyixe21btp

— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) November 3, 2023

Sam Howell is the only NFL QB with two games of 375-plus passing yards this season. Bill Belichick has bogged down young QBs before, but the Patriots are much less scary these days, so take the shot on Dotson as a WR3/flex option in Week 9.

Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys

The six-time 1,000-yard WR was acquired by Dallas in the offseason to fill their No. 2 WR void. He has yet to catch five passes or reach 50 receiving yards in a game, but Cooks has caught TD passes in two consecutive games and faces an Eagles defense that allows the most FPPG to WRs. Cooks may come through with his best game as a Cowboy in Week 9 while signaling that he is getting more comfortable in the Dallas offense. Consider him as a fill-in play this week.

Demario Douglas, New England Patriots

Douglas is a speedster who can make occasional chain-moving grabs. The Patriots need other pass-catchers to step forward with Kendrick Bourne (knee) done for the season. Douglas has been targeted 13 times in the last two games. While he cannot be leaned on for heavy reception numbers at 5-foot-8, 192 pounds, Douglas has deeper streaming upside against a Washington defense that has allowed the most receiving yards and TDs (13) to WRs.

Quarterback And Tight End

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

I do not have Herbert ranked as a top 10 QB this week. I have Derek Carr, C.J. Stroud and Howell all ranked ahead of him, and if you want to consider Gardner Minshew over Herbert, it is not crazy for this week only. The Jets have held Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Jalen Hurts to one TD pass each this season and intercepted all of those top QBs two or more times. I don’t see Herbert faring much better against New York, and he will likely struggle just as much as those other three did in a very tough matchup.

Frame of reference for Robert Saleh’s “embarrassed” the “gauntlet” of QB’s comment - namely Mahomes, Allen & Hurts combining for a 3/8 TD/INT ratio, plus more👇🏽from @NFLResearch pic.twitter.com/8NTmqCZYqg

— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) October 16, 2023

Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

In Week 8, the second-year TE busted out to catch 10 of 14 targets for 95 yards and a TD. Cleveland ranks first in FPPG allowed to TEs, so expectations must obviously be lowered for Week 9. Still, McBride might provide an adequate statistical floor, which is not often possible for many other players at the thinnest position in fantasy football. I still rank McBride as a back-end TE1 play for this week.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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