🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Target Acquired: Surprise Target Grabbers from Week 9 and Possible Breakouts

The fantasy playoffs are only a couple weeks away. The bye has been in full effect. Owners are scrambling to fill their squad with worthy replacements in their stars' absences. The Bills, Lions, Colts, and Raiders all have the week off.

Here is a look at the surprise target grabbers from Week 9, and a look at possible breakout options for Week 10 based on the usage they are seeing in the passing game. You can ask me more waiver wire and game day questions on Twitter @DemetriRafto.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive our full season NFL (or NBA) Premium Pass for free, a $59.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium pass.

Editor's Note: Find sleeper picks, undervalued ADPs, and draft targets to help you dominate your fantasy football drafts. Try our free who to draft tool for personalized recommendations.

 

Surprise Week 9 Target Grabbers

Lance Kendricks - (TE, LA)

After two straight seven-reception weeks, Lance Kendricks has inserted himself into the Los Angeles Rams' offense. Kendricks was targeted a career-high 12 times and reeled in 90 yards; his most since December of 2012. Amidst the production, Kendricks dropped a crucial, routine catch on third-and-goal in the fourth quarter that would have inched the Rams closer to coming back against the Carolina Panthers. The team settled for a field goal and the loss.

Kendricks, despite the impressive showing, remains a matchup-based option. The Rams head to New York to face a Jets squad that has allowed the 12th most fantasy points to tight ends and 272.2 passing yards per contest, according to Yahoo! Sports. Kendricks has found the end zone only once this season yet could accumulate enough receptions and yards against a spiraling Jets defense to be a useful play this weekend.

 

Albert Wilson - (WR, KC) 

Albert Wilson tied a career-high with eight targets on Sunday, although he reeled in only three for 42 yards. One of those three went for a touchdown, his third in a professional uniform. Wilson could see another boost in target volume if Jeremy Maclin misses more time. Maclin went down with a groin injury early in Kansas City's win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The issues with trusting Wilson are that he's unestablished and still remains behind Tyreek Hill and Chris Conley on the depth chart. Hill is a guy you want to target more than Wilson when looking for bye week replacements off of the waiver wire.

 

Quinton Patton - (WR, SF) 

Quinton Patton is another wideout that had an inaugural showing on Sunday. Patton finished Week 9's shootout versus the New Orleans Saints with a career-high six receptions on a career-tying nine targets for 109 yards; his most in four professional seasons. He still has not found the end zone and has scored only one touchdown in his career, but looked to be favored by Colin Kaepernick as the team played catchup against the Saints.

Patton has emerged as the best option in the pedestrian group of receivers in San Fransisco, but heads into a difficult matchup against an Arizona Cardinals club that has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to wideouts this season, according to Yahoo! Sports. He can remain on the wire, unless you're in need of a desperation punt.

 

Possible Week 10 Breakout Options

Cameron Meredith - (WR, CHI)

Jay Cutler returns, wins one game, against the Minnesota Vikings, and suddenly makes Chicago players relevant to fantasy again. The value of Zach Miller and Alshon Jeffery has remained steady throughout the season, but someone like Cameron Meredith has shown bursts of brilliance followed by moments of nonexistence.

Meredith exploded for noteworthy showings in Week 5 and Week 6, accumulating 20 receptions on 27 targets for 243 yards and a touchdown. In two games since, Meredith has reeled in only two catches on four targets for 36 yards. He didn't seem to mesh too well with Cutler in Chicago's win before their bye, but heads into a favorable matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to Yahoo! Sports, the Bucs have surrendered the third-most fantasy points to receivers, while they have already relinquished 18 touchdowns through the air. Meredith is a punt, but has enough upside to stir some appeal around his name. With all the attention likely pinned to Jeffery on Sunday, Meredith should see a ton of one-on-one matchups.

 

Marqise Lee - (WR, JAX)

It's difficult to trust a receiver on the Jacksonville Jaguars that doesn't answer to the first name of Allen. But Marqise Lee has been a bit of a surprise for fantasy so far. While only owned in 4% of Yahoo! leagues, Lee has put up some solid points for PPR leagues on three separate occasions. Against a stingy Kansas City defense last week, Lee posted four catches on eight targets for an impressive 84 yards.

It doesn't get any easier for the struggling Jaguars as they host a Houston Texans squad that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wideouts this season. But with Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns tightly covered, Lee could find plenty of openings to reel in enough catches to make him a worthy punt on Sunday.

 

Zach Ertz - (TE, PHI) 

After a solid season debut where he reeled in six of seven targets for 58 yards, Ertz missed the following two weeks with an injury. Following Philadelphia's bye, Ertz returned to the field but was unable to reassert himself into the Eagles' offense, catching only nine passes over a four-week span.

Week 9 proved to be a turnaround showing for Ertz, posting eight catches on eight targets for 97 yards, ushering his name back into waiver-wire-pickup consideration. Still likely owned in over 50% of leagues, Ertz is a streaming option against an Atlanta Falcons team that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season and currently own the 31st ranked pass defense in the league.

 

Other Options: Austin Hooper (TE, ATL) @PHI, Jalin Marshall (WR, NYJ) vs LA, Vernon Davis (TE, WAS) vs MIN




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Matthew Stafford

Racks Up Highest Yardage Total in Over a Decade
Puka Nacua

Delivers Career-Best Performance on Thursday Night Football
Michael King

Padres Bring Michael King Back on Three-Year Deal
Anthony Edwards

on the Injury Report Again for Friday Night
Joel Embiid

on the Injury Report for Friday Due to an Illness
Logan Webb

Will Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Tarik Skubal

Joins Team USA for World Baseball Classic
Anthony Davis

Cleared to Play Versus Detroit
Jakobi Meyers

Jaguars Agree to Three-Year Extension With Jakobi Meyers
Davante Adams

Officially Out on Thursday Night
LaMelo Ball

Available Against Atlanta
Trae Young

on a Minutes Restriction on Thursday
Michael Kesselring

Available After 14-Game Absence
Tyrese Maxey

Off the Injury Report for Friday Night
Peyton Krebs

Good to Go Thursday
Norman Powell

Good to Go Against Brooklyn
Jake Bean

Set for Surgery, Out Indefinitely
Mike Matheson

Misses Second Straight Game Thursday
Mitchell Robinson

Won't Suit Up Against Indiana
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Back for Lightning Thursday
Josh Hart

Sidelined on Thursday Evening
Ryan McDonagh

Available Thursday
OG Anunoby

Available Against Indiana
Karl-Anthony Towns

Out on Thursday Night
Artemi Panarin

a Game-Time Call Thursday
Devin Neal

Placed on Injured Reserve, Will Not Return in 2025
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
Norman Powell

Upgraded to Probable
Lauri Markkanen

Ruled Out Thursday
LaMelo Ball

Upgraded to Probable for Thursday
Trae Young

Will Play Thursday Against the Hornets
Christian Watson

Questionable for Week 16
Gabe Vincent

Will Miss at Least a Week
Josh Jacobs

Listed as Questionable for Saturday Night
T.J. Watt

Unlikely to Play in Week 16
D'Andre Swift

Questionable to Face the Packers
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out for Week 16
Jawhar Jordan

Could be in for Significant Workload Against Raiders
Rome Odunze

Expected to Miss Third Straight Game
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal
Josh Jacobs

Expected to Play in Week 16
Sebastian Aho

Leads Hurricanes to Victory With Three-Point Period
Joel Hofer

Notches Third Shutout of the Season
Jordan Martinook

Sustains Lower-Body Injury
Puka Nacua

Brother Charged With Stealing NBA Player's SUV
Jonathan Marchessault

Exits Early Wednesday
Evan Rodrigues

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Wednesday
Lars Eller

to Miss at Least Three More Weeks
Thomas Chabot

Remains Out Thursday
Jrue Holiday

Remains Out Thursday
Khris Middleton

Unavailable Against Spurs
Bilal Coulibaly

Back From Four-Game Absence Thursday
Collin Sexton

Out on Thursday
Tari Eason

Remains Questionable on Injury Report
Bo Bichette

Willing to Make the Move to Second Base
Davante Adams

Doubtful to Play Thursday Night
Matthew Tkachuk

Status Uncertain for Winter Classic
Tyson Foerster

Ruled Out for Five Months
Quinton Byfield

Back From One-Game Absence Wednesday
Gustav Forsling

Available Against Kings
Pavel Dorofeyev

Good to Go Wednesday
Shea Theodore

Out Against Devils
Jack Eichel

Misses First Game of the Season Wednesday
Devin Neal

Ruled Out for Sunday
Christian Watson

"Should be Good" to Face the Bears on Saturday
Geno Smith

has "a Good Chance" to Return in Week 16
Saquon Barkley

Back at Practice on Wednesday
Brady Cook

Will Start Again in Week 16
Patrick Mahomes

Rehabbing ACL, LCL Tears
CFB

Jeremiyah Love Officially Heading to NFL Draft
CFB

Jake Merklinger Leaving Tennessee for Transfer Portal
Mike Trout

Angels Open to Mike Trout Playing Center Field in 2026
CFB

Kansas State's Jayce Brown Intends to Transfer
CFB

Nation's Leading Passer Drew Mestemaker to Enter Transfer Portal
Justin Crawford

Phillies Planning to Start Justin Crawford in Center Field
CFB

Jayden Maiava Signs New Deal to Return to USC
CFB

Aidan Mizell Won't Return to Florida, Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

East Carolina Targeting Jordan Davis as Next Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Michigan QB Jadyn Davis Set to Enter Transfer Portal
CFB

Travis Williams Joining Texas A&M Defensive Staff
CFB

Dylan Raiola Entering His Name into Transfer Portal
CFB

Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby Plans to Transfer When Portal Opens
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia, Phillies Finalizing One-Year Deal on Monday
Brandon Royval

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
CFB

Baylor, LSU, Miami Among Potential Suitors for DJ Lagway
CFB

Aidan Chiles Will Enter Transfer Portal
Manel Kape

Shines At UFC Vegas 112
Kevin Vallejos

Gets Second-Round Knockout Win
Giga Chikadze

Suffers His First Career Knockout Loss
CFB

Quarterback DJ Lagway Entering Transfer Portal
Cesar Almeida

Gets Dominated
Cezary Oleksiejczuk

Wins Sixth Fight In A Row
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Melquizael Costa

Gets First-Round Knockout Win
Marcus Buchecha

Still Winless In The UFC
Kennedy Nzechukwu

And Marcus Buchecha Fight To Draw
Lance Gibson jr

Lance Gibson Jr. Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
King Green

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kenley Jansen

Agrees to One-Year Deal With Tigers
Merrill Kelly

Returns to Diamondbacks on Two-Year Deal
Jorge Polanco

Agrees to Two-Year Deal With Mets
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Return to South Carolina in 2026

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP