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Week 9 Lineup Sleepers & Busts for Fantasy Football

The Boom or Bust play is one of the most talked about aspects of fantasy football each week. Boom or Bust players can be used in the deep lineup leagues, when it appears you are a heavy underdog in your head-to-head matchup or even in Guaranteed Prize Pool Tournaments in DFS.

In this article, I will cover five of my favorite boom or bust plays for Week 9 of the fantasy football season.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces, 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: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford, Lions QB vs MIN

Matthew Stafford is having one of the best campaigns of his career in the first season of the post-Calvin Johnson era in Detroit. Stafford is the QB9 in fantasy points per game with 19 points or more in six of eight games so far this season.

Due to injuries to Ameer Abdullah and Dwayne Washington, the Lions have struggled to get anything going in the running game as the Lions rank 27th in the NFL, averaging 85.5 rushing yards per game. Theo Riddick is returning to full health, but he has proven porous in the running game with a 3.7 yards per carry. To an extent, it has been a positive for the volume of Matthew Stafford as a passer. However, in a tough matchup on the road against a Minnesota defense that has allowed the second fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks so far this season, I think the lack of an ability to establish a run game will mean that the Lions won’t be able to move the ball against the Vikings defense, making Stafford an unattractive play in week 9.

Verdict: Bust

Running Back

Mark Ingram, Saints RB at SF

“The benching”. The horror story that was Mark Ingram in Week 8. Mark Ingram had 18 or more touches in each of his previous games before Week 8. However, Ingram was benched after fumbling, cutting his day short. Ingram has never had a fumbling problem during his career, but he was quickly benched after his mishap against the Seahawks.

The question fantasy players and analysts are asking now are whether or not the benching punishment will carry into the Saints Week 9 matchup against the 49ers. Ingram is a risky play, but I do think that the Saints coaching staff will return to trusting Ingram as the workhorse. He heads into a plus matchup against a 49ers defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to running backs so far this season.

Verdict: Boom

Wide Receiver

Corey Coleman, Browns WR vs DAL

Corey Coleman is expected to make his return to the Browns offense after being out with a broken hand since Week 2. Coleman was the first wide receiver drafted in the 2016 NFL draft at 15th overall, and showed early on he was worth that selection with seven catches for 173 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his first two NFL games.

Along with Coleman, Cody Kessler returns at quarterback against the Cowboys this week. I think that the return of Coleman will dampen much of the excitement around Terrelle Pryor. Coleman will be getting a bulk of the targets for a Browns team that will be trailing early. The Cowboys are 7 point favorites on the road. With heavy volume and his abilities, Coleman could be a top 10 play at wide receiver this week.

Verdict: Boom

Tight End

Lance Kendricks, Rams TE vs CAR

Lance Kendricks is the perfect example of an “unsexy” boom/bust play this week. Kendricks is the TE23 so far this season, but he has scored 10+ PPR points in four of seven games so far. When searching for a tight end streamer, targets are one of the most important things to look at and Kendricks has seen six-plus targets in four of seven games, as well as eight-plus targets in each of the last two games.

This week, Kendricks faces a Carolina defense that has allowed the second most fantasy points to the tight end position. In a plus matchup, and as one of the most targeted weapons on the team, Kendricks is definitely in a position to be a top-six scorer at tight end this week. You can’t ask for much more from a player who is on most waiver wires.

Verdict: Boom

Hail Mary of the Week

In the Hail Mary of the Week, I will choose a Boom/Bust candidate who is available on the waiver wire or at the end of benches in most fantasy football leagues and could have a big week.

Cole Beasley, Cowboys WR at CLE

With the return of Dez Bryant to the Cowboys lineup, many have soured on Cole Beasley as a fantasy asset. I think that souring may be a bit premature, though, as Beasley has nine-plus PPR points in every game this season and has had six or more targets in five of seven games. The two games where he didn't, Bryant was out anyways. I think that a false correlation between the two has been developed. Beasley is a great play this week against a Browns defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. 




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Active Against Mavericks
Peyton Watson

Ready to Face Mavericks
Jaden McDaniels

Out on Tuesday Evening
Jordan Poole

Herbert Jones Out Tuesday
Max Christie

Still Out on Tuesday Night
Darius Garland

Available Tuesday
Brandon Williams

Cleared to Play Versus Denver
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Resting on Tuesday
P.J. Washington

Ruled Out on Tuesday
Lauri Markkanen

Unavailable Versus Grizzlies
Ja Morant

Remains Out Tuesday
Terance Mann

Ben Saraf Available for Nets Tuesday
Josh Green

Active Versus Wizards
Mason Plumlee

Ryan Kalkbrenner, Mason Plumlee Out Tuesday
Collin Sexton

Back in Action Tuesday
Joel Embiid

Cleared for Action Tuesday
Bilal Coulibaly

Upgraded to Available Tuesday
Marvin Bagley III

Good to Go Tuesday
Dominick Barlow

Unavailable Versus Nets
Quentin Grimes

VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes Out Tuesday
Viktor Arvidsson

a Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Ryan Leonard

Available Tuesday
Tom Wilson

in Danger of Missing First Game of the Season
Phillip Danault

Makes Second Canadiens Debut Tuesday
Collin Graf

Available Against Golden Knights
Jack Eichel

Misses Fourth Straight Game
Vince Dunn

Won't Play Tuesday
Deshaun Watson

Will Not be Activated Off PUP List, 2025 Season is Over
Jaylin Williams

Out Again Tuesday
J.J. McCarthy

Ruled Out for Week 17
Rome Odunze

Expected to Return This Season
Christian McCaffrey

Another Monster Game for Christian McCaffrey in Week 16
Brock Purdy

Throws for Five Touchdowns in Week 16
TreVeyon Henderson

in Concussion Protocol, Week 17 Status Unclear
George Kittle

Week 17 Availability in Question?
CFB

Jeff Brohm, Eli Drinkwitz "Names of Interest" for Michigan Head Coach
Timothy Liljegren

to Miss Second Straight Game Tuesday
Will Smith

Out Week-to-Week
Jaccob Slavin

Placed on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Seth Jarvis

Considered Week-to-Week
Darren Raddysh

Totals Three Points in Monday's Win
Mason Marchment

Scores Twice Monday
Vince Dunn

Injured in Monday's Win
Rashee Rice

Still in Concussion Protocol, Estimated as Non-Participant on Monday
J.J. McCarthy

Listed as DNP on Monday Ahead of Week 17
Ilya Sorokin

to Miss Tuesday's Game
DK Metcalf

Suspended for Two Games Following Confrontation with Fan
Christian Dvorak

Returns to Flyers Lineup
Elias Pettersson

Still Out Monday
Brandon Montour

to Miss Four Weeks After Hand Surgery
Miles Wood

Available Against Kings
Zach Werenski

Ruled Out Monday
Leo Carlsson

Won't Play Monday
CFB

Byrum Brown Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

Bobby Petrino Joining Bill Belichick as North Carolina's Offensive Coordinator
TreVeyon Henderson

Exits Week 16 Victory with Head Injury
Lamar Jackson

Questionable to Return in Week 16 with Back Injury
Willson Contreras

Shipped to the Red Sox
Quinshon Judkins

Done for the Season with Broken Leg
Nick Chubb

Officially Active Against Raiders in Week 16
Gardner Minshew

Won't Return in Week 16
Woody Marks

Officially Inactive for Week 16
Quinshon Judkins

Carted Off in Week 16, Ruled Out with Apparent Leg Injury
Tua Tagovailoa

Dolphins Hope to Trade Tua Tagovailoa in the Offseason
Woody Marks

Not Expected to Play in Week 16
Washington Commanders

Commanders to Retain Dan Quinn, Fire Joe Whitt?
New York Giants

Marcus Freeman is a Top Candidate in Giants' Head Coaching Search
Brandon Lowe

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
Shane Baz

Orioles Acquire Shane Baz From the Rays
CFB

Darian Mensah Returning to Duke Next Season
CFB

Josh Hoover Linked to Indiana in Transfer Portal
CFB

Arch Manning Agrees to Reduced Compensation for 2026 Season
Michael King

Padres Bring Michael King Back on Three-Year Deal
Logan Webb

Will Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Tarik Skubal

Joins Team USA for World Baseball Classic
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal
Bo Bichette

Willing to Make the Move to Second Base

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