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Week 9 Lineup Sleepers & Busts for Fantasy Football

The Boom or Bust play is one of the most talked about aspects of fantasy football each week. Boom or Bust players can be used in the deep lineup leagues, when it appears you are a heavy underdog in your head-to-head matchup or even in Guaranteed Prize Pool Tournaments in DFS.

In this article, I will cover five of my favorite boom or bust plays for Week 9 of the fantasy football season.

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Quarterback

Matthew Stafford, Lions QB vs MIN

Matthew Stafford is having one of the best campaigns of his career in the first season of the post-Calvin Johnson era in Detroit. Stafford is the QB9 in fantasy points per game with 19 points or more in six of eight games so far this season.

Due to injuries to Ameer Abdullah and Dwayne Washington, the Lions have struggled to get anything going in the running game as the Lions rank 27th in the NFL, averaging 85.5 rushing yards per game. Theo Riddick is returning to full health, but he has proven porous in the running game with a 3.7 yards per carry. To an extent, it has been a positive for the volume of Matthew Stafford as a passer. However, in a tough matchup on the road against a Minnesota defense that has allowed the second fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks so far this season, I think the lack of an ability to establish a run game will mean that the Lions won’t be able to move the ball against the Vikings defense, making Stafford an unattractive play in week 9.

Verdict: Bust

Running Back

Mark Ingram, Saints RB at SF

“The benching”. The horror story that was Mark Ingram in Week 8. Mark Ingram had 18 or more touches in each of his previous games before Week 8. However, Ingram was benched after fumbling, cutting his day short. Ingram has never had a fumbling problem during his career, but he was quickly benched after his mishap against the Seahawks.

The question fantasy players and analysts are asking now are whether or not the benching punishment will carry into the Saints Week 9 matchup against the 49ers. Ingram is a risky play, but I do think that the Saints coaching staff will return to trusting Ingram as the workhorse. He heads into a plus matchup against a 49ers defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to running backs so far this season.

Verdict: Boom

Wide Receiver

Corey Coleman, Browns WR vs DAL

Corey Coleman is expected to make his return to the Browns offense after being out with a broken hand since Week 2. Coleman was the first wide receiver drafted in the 2016 NFL draft at 15th overall, and showed early on he was worth that selection with seven catches for 173 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his first two NFL games.

Along with Coleman, Cody Kessler returns at quarterback against the Cowboys this week. I think that the return of Coleman will dampen much of the excitement around Terrelle Pryor. Coleman will be getting a bulk of the targets for a Browns team that will be trailing early. The Cowboys are 7 point favorites on the road. With heavy volume and his abilities, Coleman could be a top 10 play at wide receiver this week.

Verdict: Boom

Tight End

Lance Kendricks, Rams TE vs CAR

Lance Kendricks is the perfect example of an “unsexy” boom/bust play this week. Kendricks is the TE23 so far this season, but he has scored 10+ PPR points in four of seven games so far. When searching for a tight end streamer, targets are one of the most important things to look at and Kendricks has seen six-plus targets in four of seven games, as well as eight-plus targets in each of the last two games.

This week, Kendricks faces a Carolina defense that has allowed the second most fantasy points to the tight end position. In a plus matchup, and as one of the most targeted weapons on the team, Kendricks is definitely in a position to be a top-six scorer at tight end this week. You can’t ask for much more from a player who is on most waiver wires.

Verdict: Boom

Hail Mary of the Week

In the Hail Mary of the Week, I will choose a Boom/Bust candidate who is available on the waiver wire or at the end of benches in most fantasy football leagues and could have a big week.

Cole Beasley, Cowboys WR at CLE

With the return of Dez Bryant to the Cowboys lineup, many have soured on Cole Beasley as a fantasy asset. I think that souring may be a bit premature, though, as Beasley has nine-plus PPR points in every game this season and has had six or more targets in five of seven games. The two games where he didn't, Bryant was out anyways. I think that a false correlation between the two has been developed. Beasley is a great play this week against a Browns defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. 




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Xander Schauffele

is The Best Fit at Torrey Pines This Week
Tennessee Titans

Titans Set to Hire Brian Daboll as New Offensive Coordinator
Justin Rose

Making 16th Start at Farmers Insurance Open
Maverick McNealy

is a Smart Play at Torrey Pines
Buffalo Bills

Bills Promote Joe Brady to Head Coach
Brooks Koepka

Making PGA Tour Return at Farmers Insurance Open
CFB

Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi Signs with Michigan
Teuvo Teravainen

Set to Return Tuesday
CFB

Darian Mensah Reaches Settlement with Duke, Expected to Land at Miami
Simon Edvinsson

Out Until Olympics
Josh Norris

Won't Play This Week
Zeev Buium

Lands on Injured Reserve
Brock Boeser

Canucks Place Brock Boeser on Injured Reserve
Sean Durzi

Hurt on Monday Night
Lauri Markkanen

Expected to Return Tuesday
Keyonte George

Resting Tuesday
Malik Monk

Tagged as Questionable for Tuesday
Zach LaVine

Iffy for Tuesday's Action
Kawhi Leonard

Questionable Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Without Timetable for Return
Devin Booker

Unavailable This Week
Anthony Edwards

Won't Play on Monday Night
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Not Expected to Play on Tuesday Night
Jalen Green

Questionable to Suit Up on Tuesday
Santi Aldama

Back in Action on Monday
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Not Drawing Interest on Open Market?
Tre Jones

Sidelined Versus Lakers
Jonas Brodin

to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Sam Merrill

Won't Play Monday
Kasperi Kapanen

Returns From Three-Game Absence Monday
Lawson Crouse

Available Against Lightning
Draymond Green

Considered Questionable for Monday
Carson Soucy

Won't Play Monday
Rasmus Ristolainen

Returns to Flyers Lineup
Al Horford

Ruled Out for Monday's Matchup with Minnesota
Ryan Pulock

Misses Second Consecutive Game
Shedeur Sanders

Named as Pro Bowl Replacement
Stephen Curry

Questionable on Monday
Simon Holmstrom

a Game-Time Call Monday
Framber Valdez

Among Many High-End Pitchers on Free-Agent Market
Jose Altuve

Won't Participate in World Baseball Classic
Harrison Bader

Agrees With Giants on Two-Year Deal
Paddy Pimblett

Drops Decision
Justin Gaethje

Becomes the New Interim-Lightweight Champion
Song Yadong

Suffers Unanimous Decision Loss
MMA

Sean O'Malley Gets Back In The Win Column
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Extends His Win Streak
Derrick Lewis

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Officially Hire Mike McDaniel as Offensive Coordinator
Nathan Eovaldi

Doesn't Expect Any Limitations in Spring Training
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates in NFC Championship Game Win
Scott Wedgewood

Activated From Non-Roster List
Nikita Zadorov

Questionable for Monday
Stephen Halliday

Injured Sunday
Jack St. Ivany

Exits With Upper-Body Injury Sunday
Brock Boeser

Takes Hit to the Head
Evgeni Malkin

Suffers Apparent Injury in Sunday's Win
Sam Merrill

Still Uncertain to Play Monday
Deni Avdija

Could Miss Second Straight Game Monday
Zaccharie Risacher

Misses Ninth Straight Game Monday
Kristaps Porzingis

Still Out Monday Against Pacers
Austin Reaves

Not Ready to Return Monday
Philipp Kurashev

Joins Sharks for Road Trip
Charle-Edouard D'Astous

Placed on Injured Reserve
Matthew Stafford

Plans to Return in 2026
CFB

Arthur Smith to Become Ohio State's Offensive Coordinator
Bo Nix

Sidelined for 12 Weeks With Broken Ankle
Jose Altuve

to Mainly Play Second Base
Yu Darvish

Considering Retirement
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Finalizing Deal to Make Mike McCarthy Their Head Coach
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Signs Seven-Year Extension With Guardians
Gunnar Henderson

is Fully Healthy Heading into Spring Training
Tyreek Hill

Dolphins Expected to Release Tyreek Hill
Paddy Pimblett

Set For Interim Lightweight Title Fight
Justin Gaethje

An Underdog At UFC 324
Song Yadong

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Sean O'Malley Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Derrick Lewis

Returns At UFC 324
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Philip Rivers

Interviewing for Bills Head-Coaching Job
NFL

Fernando Mendoza Officially Declares for NFL Draft
CFB

Arch Manning Undergoes Foot Surgery
Dalton Kincaid

Played Through Torn PCL
CFB

College Football Playoff Expected to Remain a 12-Team Field in 2026
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Hire Jesse Minter as Their Head Coach
Indianapolis Colts

FBI Investigating the Death of Colts Owner Jim Irsay
MacKenzie Gore

Rangers Acquire MacKenzie Gore From the Nationals
Brandon Sproat

Dealt to Brewers in Four-Player Trade
Jett Williams

Brewers Acquire Jett Williams From Mets
Freddy Peralta

Mets Acquire Freddy Peralta From Brewers
Kyle Tucker

Expected to Bat Second or Third in Dodgers' Lineup
Brandon Aiyuk

has "Played his Last Snap as a Niner"

RANKINGS

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RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
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C
1B
2B
3B
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OF
SP
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