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Frank Ammirante's five fantasy football bold predictions for Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season. Expert predictions for Malik Willis, Ashton Jeanty, Austin Ekeler, Caleb Douglas, and Harold Fannin Jr.
The 2026 NFL season rolls on to Week 9, so it's time to continue my weekly bold predictions column. This is where I'm trying to predict which players will hit their ceilings this week. I'll focus on players who you're likely on the fence with in start-and-sit decisions.
Last week, I nailed it with T.J. Hockenson, while Mike Washington Jr. got heavy usage and came close to hitting. We'll try to build on that for this week.
For Week 9 bold predictions, I'm on Malik Willis, Ashton Jeanty, Austin Ekeler, Caleb Douglas, and Harold Fannin Jr.
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Malik Willis Finishes as a Top-5 QB for Week 9
Willis came into the season with some hype in fantasy football circles after what he showed in spot starts as a Packer. We always get enamored with quarterbacks with dual-threat ability, so this wasn't surprising. It's been a slow start to the season, as Willis currently ranks as QB22 in fantasy points per game, but there's a lot to like about his situation in Week 9.
For one, the Dolphins have been a lot more competitive lately. We saw them keep it close with the Patriots, Bengals, and Vikings while beating the Jets. Playing in closer games is good news for Willis' chances for fantasy production. On top of that, Willis is starting to show his fantasy upside, putting up 20+ points in two of his last three games. This includes a spike week of 26.0 points in Week 7.
Malik Willis has 20+ fantasy points in two of his last three games, set for a home matchup vs the Lions this week.
Willis is a top-10 fantasy QB for me in this spot.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) November 3, 2026
We also have to acknowledge the exploitable matchup against the Lions. Detroit currently ranks 32nd in fantasy points per game allowed to quarterbacks. Yes, the defense has been better lately with Brian Branch back, but the star defensive back got injured against the Vikings. The latest report has Branch as a limited participant in practice, but he's dealing with a concussion.
I like Willis' chances of throwing for 200+ yards in this game. He's found the end zone on the ground twice in the last three games, adding to his appeal. In one of my leagues, I'm firing up Willis over Trevor Lawrence.
Ashton Jeanty Finishes as a Top-12 RB for Week 9
I came into this season as one of the highest on Jeanty, but he's been extremely disappointing, especially with how inefficient he's been on the ground. We saw Jeanty get only two carries last week, as Klint Kubiak leaned on rookie Mike Washington Jr. While I definitely think Washington has turned this backfield into a committee, I believe that Jeanty's extremely low usage was disciplinary. Kubiak denied it publicly, but my read is that the lack of usage was punitive due to Jeanty's public comments about the Jets defense.
Up next is a tough matchup against the 49ers, who rank 1st in Rush EPA. That means it's likely that we're going to see the Raiders continue to be inefficient on the ground. But Jeanty does most of his damage through the passing game, which the Raiders could lean on here. Facing a tough run defense, they could check it down to Jeanty more often.
It also bodes well that the Raiders are heavy underdogs in this game. If they find themselves behind by multiple scores, we could see Jeanty rack up receptions as they play from behind. Washington is the more explosive runner, but he's much worse in the passing game. That means we could see more snaps for Jeanty in this one.
I know we're all disillusioned by what we saw in Week 8, but I believe going back to Jeanty will pay major dividends in Week 9.
Austin Ekeler Finishes as a Top-24 RB for Week 9
Ekeler hasn't been on the fantasy radar, but I believe that he can be a sneaky FLEX play for Week 9. The main reason for this is that the Commanders are dealing with a myriad of injuries in their backfield. Not only is Jacory Croskey-Merritt on injured reserve, but Jeremy McNichols is also out now. While that may not seem significant at first glance, remember that McNichols had six touches vs. the Eagles.
That leaves Ekeler as the clear-cut No. 2 behind Rachaad White. Yes, of course, White is going to lead the backfield in touches. But he's not going to be a bellcow. Ekeler could find his way to 10+ touches in this one, especially if the Commanders are able to keep it close vs. the Rams. A couple of those can be in the red zone. Who knows, maybe Ekeler falls into the end zone for us?
Granted, this is more of a deep-league play, or an absolute desperation FLEX if you're in a tight spot. But after seeing a season-high eight touches last game, I'm betting that Ekeler gets to 10+ in this spot, making him worth a look.
Caleb Douglas Finishes as a Top-20 WR for Week 9
Douglas has been quite impressive in his rookie season, flashing elite separation skills while healthy. We saw him rack up seven receptions for 94 yards in Week 1 and then two catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns in Week 7.
We saw Douglas' route participation jump from 67.9% to 81.1% in Week 8. That's the kind of usage we want to see to put Douglas into our circle of trust. I already mentioned how high I am on Malik Willis. Douglas looks like the ideal stack partner.
Caleb Douglas down to the 6!
NEvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/isSu0BobV9— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026
The Lions have struggled defending wide receivers this year. They've allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position. I'm betting that the Dolphins can keep it close in this game, perhaps even pulling off the upset with the injuries Detroit is dealing with on defense. It's the perfect letdown spot for the Lions after they just beat the Packers and Vikings in consecutive weeks.
If you have Douglas, don't be afraid to fire him up here. We see fringe fantasy WRs hit their ceilings every week. Douglas has already proven to you that he can put up big numbers. I wouldn't be surprised if he does it again here.
Harold Fannin Jr. Finishes as a Top-3 TE for Week 9
Fannin has been a boom-or-bust tight end this season. Lately, he's been rolling, combining for 16 catches for 245 yards in his last two games. Before that, he put up only 40 combined yards in his previous three games. However, Week 9 is a spot where Fannin can keep the good times rolling.
That's because we're likely to see Shedeur Sanders at quarterback instead of Deshaun Watson, who is in concussion protocol. What's good about this is that Sanders loves to check it down at a much higher rate than Watson.
Just a reminder Harold Fannin Jr averaged 14.6 fantasy PPG with Shedeur Sanders last season - that was 9.9 PPG with any other QB
— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) November 4, 2026
Facing the Saints, this game has the chance to turn into a shootout, since it's indoors. You're probably already starting Fannin if you have him, but the upside is among the highest on the slate for Week 9.
The Saints are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this year. The chances look good at a third spike week in a row for Fannin.
