November 1, 2016

Matt Terelle brings you his sleepers at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and defense/special teams for Week 9.

What's up RotoBallers. Welcome to my deeper standard league sleepers column for Week 9 of the NFL season. In this weekly article we are going to take a look at some deeper waiver wire options for standard leagues, who could help out your team in this upcoming week.

For reference's sake, we are looking at standard scoring leagues and will be using ownership percentage data from Fleaflicker. In order to qualify as a deep sleeper, a player must be 20% owned or less.

Let's get to the picks!

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 9 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Quarterback

Colin Kaepernick (SF) vs. New Orleans Saints

(Ownership: 19%)

Kaepernick is in a great spot as he gets ready to take on a New Orleans pass defense that is one of the worst in the league. Before the Saints' Week 8 game against the Seahawks, their pass defense ranked just 28th in the league in DVOA according to Football Outsiders. This game should be one of the fastest-paced contests on the Week 9 slate, pitting the hurry-up 49ers offense with an explosive Saints team that should have no trouble moving the ball against San Francisco's secondary.

As an added bonus, Kaepernick's rushing ability raises his ceiling on a weekly basis. He has already picked up 150 rushing yards in his two starts this season, almost the equivalent of four passing touchdowns in four-point passing TD leagues. That rushing floor offsets some of Kaepernick's shortcomings as a passer and keeps him squarely on the streaming radar heading into Week 9.

Running Back

Charcandrick West (KC) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

(Ownership: 15%)

West could be in line for a huge workload in Week 9. Jamaal Charles is visiting with Dr. James Andrews to have his surgically repaired knee checked out after experiencing soreness. Starting running back Spencer Ware left Week 8's contest with a concussion and could have a tough time getting cleared in time for Week 9's tilt with the Jaguars.

With the current state of the Chiefs' backfield, West could end up as the team's lead back. The Jaguars have had a stout pass defense this season while their run defense ranks just 24th in DVOA. This is the perfect funnel defense situation for West as the Chiefs prefer to run the ball as frequently as possible. West turned in several useful games last season following Charles' knee injury, including 110 rushing yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh, 97 rushing yards and a touchdown against Detroit, and 161 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns against Denver. He would be a priority pickup in deep leagues if both Ware and Charles are out.

Wide Receiver

Cordarrelle Patterson (MIN) vs. Detroit Lions

(Ownership: 15%)

Patterson has found new life with the Vikings this season after being an afterthought for most of 2014 and 2015. The speedy wideout reemerged in Week 4, turning six targets into five catches for 38 yards. Since then he has yet to drop below six targets and has scored a touchdown in two straight weeks.

Once you get past Darius Slay (who sat with an injury last week), the Lions don't have a great pass defense. Expect Slay to be locked onto Stefon Diggs for most of the game, which will leave Patterson to run routes at slot corner Quandre Diggs and outside corner Nevin Lawson. Diggs is especially burnable and Patterson has been running almost 40% of his routes from the slot this season.

Tight End

Austin Hooper (ATL) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(Ownership: 10%)

Hooper was in on 73% of Atlanta's offensive snaps in Week 8 against the Packers. This was partially due to Jacob Tamme departing early with a shoulder injury and not returning. With Atlanta playing this Thursday night against Tampa Bay, Tamme doesn't have a whole lot of time to bounce back. If he were unable to suit up, Hooper would likely draw another start for the Falcons.

Hooper, a rookie, was reasonably productive in Week 8, catching all five of his targets for 41 yards. Tampa Bay has been tough on tight ends this season, but Hooper still plays for one of the better offenses in the NFL and he would be worth checking in on in deeper leagues.

Defense/Special Teams

Miami Dolphins (MIA) vs. New York Jets

(Ownership: 12%)

The Dolphins defense has been very average this season, which is actually a step up from the 2015 season where they were one of the least effective units in the league. They draw a plus matchup with a Jets offense that has been struggling under Ryan Fitzpatrick this season. Fitzpatrick has had a hard time keeping the ball out of the hands of the opposition this season, serving up 11 interceptions in eight games. The sheer possibility of the Jets committing multiple turnovers makes Miami a great streaming option this weekend.