Fantasy Football Bye Weeks: Replacing Your Studs In Week 9

Week 9 is heavy on bye weeks, with six teams off. The Cardinals, Ravens, Lions, Texans, Chiefs and Seahawks all won’t be playing, leaving lots of fantasy stars on the bench. Here is one widely available replacement at each position. All ownership percentages are courtesy of Yahoo.

Quarterback: Derek Carr, Raiders (44% Owned)

This week there are several relevant QBs off, including Russell Wilson, Carson Palmer, and (don’t laugh!) Alex Smith. Carr has thrown seven touchdowns and no picks in his last two games, and on Sunday his victim was the Jets, previously the second-best defense in football. Carr has gone for more than 300 passing yards three times in 2015, and he’s been held to less than two touchdowns only twice.

Best Bargains For Week 9 On Draft Kings

Oakland has been bad for so long it’s hard to accept this success as reality, but Carr is a legitimate fantasy weapon with real assets in his offense. Latavius Murray gives the Raiders a strong running game, while Amari Cooper, a rookie, already is performing like a top wide receiver. Take the Carr out for a spin.

Running Back: Matt Jones, Redskins (39% Owned)

The optimism surrounding Jones has largely faded, but he is still the leader of a running back committee, which has value. The Redskins offensive line is a strong unit, and Jones gets a weak run defense this week when they take on the Patriots. And don’t worry if the Pats get ahead early, because Jones is a solid pass-catcher, and Chris Thompson, who has stolen targets this season, is injured. Jones should see a minimum of 15 touches, and it’ll probably be closer to 20 so they can control the clock and keep Tom Brady off the field.

FanDuel's Top Bargain Players In Week 9

Wide Receiver: Malcom Floyd, Chargers (32% Owned)

The focus right now has been on picking up Stevie Johnson in the wake of Keenan Allen’s season-ending kidney injury, but Floyd shouldn’t be ignored. He scored twice last week, and was San Diego’s leading receiver in 2014, even with Allen healthy. Philip Rivers spreads the ball around, and Antonio Gates will likely benefit the most in terms of targets from Allen’s injury, but Floyd will continue to be a major focus once the Chargers get in the red zone.

Tight End: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (34% Owned)

ASJ is as high-upside a player as there is on the waiver wire. He flashed his ceiling in Week 1 when he went off for 110 yards and two touchdowns. The problem here is his “questionable” designation. He began practicing last week, but was inactive for the game. There haven’t been many reports since, but he’s projected for points, so there’s some expectation he will play. Monitor the situation, but grab him now, and if he winds up inactive, pick up Falcons TE Jacob Tamme (9% Owned) at the last minute.

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