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Mike Fanelli gives his fantasy football bold predictions for Week 9 of the NFL season, giving fantasy players something to think about when setting their lineups.
Week 9 is here, and I’m back with another edition of fantasy football bold predictions. This week’s list of bold predictions will include Tua Tagovailoa, Tony Pollard, Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, and Dalton Kincaid.
Every week, I will provide some fun and bold fantasy football predictions. While these bold predictions aren’t the most likely outcomes, they are things I believe could happen this week.
Let’s look at my five bold predictions for Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season.
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Tua Tagovailoa…
Outscores Patrick Mahomes in Germany
Almost everyone had Mahomes as their fantasy QB1 entering the season. Meanwhile, Tagovailoa was one of the more polarizing fantasy quarterbacks. However, they’ve been very similar over the first eight weeks. Mahomes is the QB4, averaging 19.5 fantasy points per game. Tagovailoa is the QB5, averaging 19.2 fantasy points per contest. Yet, Tagovailoa has been the more consistent fantasy quarterback.
The former Alabama star has scored 21.5 or more fantasy points in half the games this season. Furthermore, his lowest-scoring performance was 10.3 fantasy points. By comparison, Mahomes has scored over 21.5 fantasy points only twice this year. Meanwhile, the superstar has averaged only 16 fantasy points per game in the other six contests. More importantly, he scored only 5.6 fantasy points last week against the Denver Broncos.
Furthermore, Tagovailoa leads the NFL in passing touchdowns (18), while Mahomes is fifth (15). Meanwhile, these two teams haven’t played in three years. However, Tagovailoa had an impressive performance in 2020. The former Alabama star was a rookie but had over 300 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing score in a 33-27 loss.
Tony Pollard…
Finishes Week 9 outside the top 24 running backs
Many had high hopes for Pollard this season. He was coming off a top-10 finish in 2022 despite splitting the backfield work with Ezekiel Elliott. Unfortunately, the former Memphis star has been a bust, given his late first or early second-round draft cost. Pollard is the RB18 for the year, averaging 12.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Yet, he’s severely struggled lately.
The former Memphis star is the RB34 over the past five weeks, averaging only 8.5 fantasy points per game and 3.5 yards per rushing attempt. The Dallas Cowboys have faced a few talented run defenses, and the passing attack has been on fire the past two games. While I believe Pollard is an appealing buy-low candidate, fantasy players should wait until after Sunday’s matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in a critical NFC East showdown.
Philadelphia has arguably the best run defense in the NFL. They have surrendered only 12 fantasy points per game to running backs, the lowest average in the league. Furthermore, the Eagles have held running backs to fewer than 65 rushing yards in all but one game this year. The NFC East division leaders have allowed the sixth-lowest yards after contact per rushing attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Pollard will struggle this week, but better days are ahead for the star running back.
Saquon Barkley…
Scores at least 35 half-point PPR fantasy points
Last week was an ugly game for the New York Giants. Daniel Jones missed his third consecutive game with a neck injury. Then Tyrod Taylor had only seven pass attempts before suffering a rib injury that required him to get transported to a local hospital. With the top two quarterbacks injured, Tommy Devito had to take over under center. Yet, he had negative passing yards despite playing 67% of the snaps. Thankfully, the team had Barkley.
The superstar running back was the entire Giants offense in the loss to the New York Jets. Darren Waller suffered a hamstring injury early in the game, leaving the team with limited passing options. The former Penn State running back had 36 rushing attempts for 128 yards in the game, scoring 14.3 half-point PPR fantasy points. Furthermore, Barkley was the RB12 in Week 8 despite not scoring a touchdown.
While Waller won’t play this week against the Las Vegas Raiders, Jones could return to the lineup. Regardless, Barkley will rip apart the Raiders defense. Las Vegas has surrendered 24.5 fantasy points per game this season, the fourth-most in the NFL. Over the past three weeks, running backs have averaged 147.7 rushing yards, 1.7 touchdowns, and 33.7 fantasy points per game against the Raiders. Furthermore, Las Vegas ranks fifth in yards before contact per rushing attempt (1.50) and seventh in yards after contact per attempt (2.67) this season (per Fantasy Points Data).
CeeDee Lamb…
Is the WR1 against the Philadelphia Eagles
Over the past three weeks, A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Amon-Ra St. Brown are the only players with more receiving yards than Lamb. However, those four players didn’t have their bye during the past three weeks. The former Oklahoma star has averaged 137.5 receiving yards per game over the past three weeks, the most in the NFL. More importantly, the superstar wide receiver has been outstanding for fantasy players lately.
Despite having his bye in Week 7, Lamb is the WR5 over the past three weeks, averaging 25.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. More importantly, he has been the WR1 on a points-per-game basis over the past three weeks. The former Oklahoma star had two touchdowns and 35 fantasy points in the Week 8 win over a Los Angeles Rams defense that had shut down wide receivers this season. Yet, Lamb has an excellent matchup Sunday afternoon against the Eagles.
The NFC East division leaders have an elite run defense. However, their pass defense has struggled. They have given up 38.2 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season, the most in the NFL. Furthermore, the Eagles got obliterated by the Washington Commanders wide receivers in Week 8, giving up a top-12 finish to Jahan Dotson (20.8 fantasy points) and Jamison Crowder (19 fantasy points). Lamb could easily drop 35 fantasy points again on Sunday.
Dalton Kincaid…
Is the TE2 in Week 9, only behind Travis Kelce
Kincaid was a popular sleeper tight end candidate entering the year. However, the rookie was a bust over the first five weeks. He was the TE27, averaging 4.1 fantasy points per game, scoring fewer than seven points in every contest. The former Utah star showed signs of life after the Buffalo Bills’ Week 7 game. Kincaid was the TE7, scoring 11.5 fantasy points after catching all eight targets for 75 receiving yards against the New England Patriots.
However, fantasy players rushed to the waiver wire after learning Dawson Knox would go on injured reserve because of a wrist injury that required surgery. The rookie tight end was one of the top waiver wire adds in Week 8, and he didn’t let fantasy players down. Kincaid was the TE7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, scoring 15 fantasy points. The former Utah star had five receptions on seven targets for 65 receiving yards and his first career touchdown.
The rookie’s role on offense is growing. Meanwhile, he has an excellent matchup on Sunday night. The Cincinnati Bengals have surrendered 12.8 fantasy points per game to tight ends, the most in the NFL. Opposing tight ends have scored 12.6 or more fantasy points in all but two games against the Bengals this year. Furthermore, they have given up a receiving touchdown or over 140 receiving yards to tight ends in three of their past four contests. While he won’t be the TE1, Kincaid will outscore every other tight end.
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