RADIO
Each week, we will look at rookies who have either performed well the previous few weeks or who have a favorable matchup in the upcoming week. These may be high-profile names or under-the-radar depth players; the only thing that matters is that they are first-year pros ready to make a name for themselves.
Hopefully, by the time the season ends, many of them will be household fantasy names and be remembered for their performances in the 2017 season.
Without further ado, here are some NFL rookies to watch in Week 9 of the 2017 season.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Rookies Worth Your Attention
The Stud Youngster
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh's young wide receiver made an eye popping play on his 97 yard touchdown in last week's game. Smith-Schuster has overtaken Martavis Bryant on the team's depth chart and looks to be the spark that the team needed, generating a stat line of 193 receiving yards to go along with his touchdown. Smith-Schuster should be a comfortable flex play for the remainder of the season given the high-powered nature of the team's offense, and may even crack WR2 territory if he can continue to be a big play outlet for his quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Start Smith-Schuster with confidence - you just saw his ceiling, but he can without a doubt produce at a high level for the rest of the season.
The One-Week Wonder
Matt Breida, RB, San Francisco 49ers
With Carlos Hyde and Matt Breida splitting work in the 49ers backfield, Breida popped off the stats sheet with almost 100 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown to go with a modest 17 rushing yards. Even though Breida looked very explosive last week and has taken over some games where Hyde has faltered, the fact that Hyde was not traded and the team is looking to extend his contract is a sign that these games will be hard to predict for the young running back. Although Breida makes a decent handcuff option for Hyde, the unpredictable nature of the 49ers running game under Kyle Shanahan makes it difficult to trust him in a larger capacity.
The Locked-In Starter
Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Buy Kareem Hunt now. It has been several weeks since Hunt has hit pay dirt, and he was unable to reach his standard 100 yards from scrimmage for the first time last weekend against the Broncos. If there ever was a time to buy an elite running back, now is that time. Hunt offers huge upside due to his versatility and three-down skillset, making his upside a rare commodity in fantasy leagues. Hunt can carry your team to the championship as a result of the offense's scoring capabilities and team's reliance on him in the ground game. His ceiling is sky-high and his floor was on display last week. Make moves to acquire Hunt and lock up your RB1 position; you won't regret it.
The Under-The-Radar Sleeper
Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Marlon Mack continues to eat chunks out of veteran Frank Gore's workload in an otherwise slow Colts offense. With the team looking to rebuild, Mack figures to receive even more work as the season rolls on and has shown his big play ability as well as the ability to run between the tackles and carry a larger workload. With the Colts offense not looking promising as a whole, the team may be forced to rely on Mack to provide plays from the backfield. Hold on the Mack as he could develop into a late season workhorse if he impresses or if the aging Frank Gore isn't able to continue carrying his current workload.
The One To Stash
D'Onta Foreman, RB, Houston Texans
Although Foreman has gradually received less carries as the season has progressed, he still remains a good stash candidate due to the workload he could inherit should fellow running back Lamar Miller go down with an injury as the season progresses. The Texans have one of the easiest schedules for running backs for the rest of the season, making Foreman an attractive candidate for a high-upside bench stash with the potential to easily absorb a three-down workload. Foreman has proven his ability to make plays for the Texans offense and should continue to exhibit that ability as a complimentary piece to Miller. However, he could return far more value as the playoffs approach as a late-season lottery ticket should he carve out a larger role like the one he had as the season began or if Miller were to get injured. Continue to hold on to Foreman - he has the skill and upside to win leagues.
