2 weeks Ago By Erik Beaston
The Los Angeles Rams rolled in Week 8, with the returns of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams fueling head coach Sean McVay's offense. All three will be meaningful FLEX plays in Week 9 against familiar foes the Seattle Seahawks, but which other receivers and running backs join them as must-starts as the NFL kicks off the second half of the 2024 season and fantasy managers jockey for position in their leagues? Find out with this preview, which also includes two waiver wire pickups for all teams looking for an answer at their positions. The FLEX rankings for Week 9 are as follows: Matthew Stafford looked human for the season's first seven weeks, his receiving corps decimated by injury.
Week 8 brought with it the returns of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and, suddenly, No. 9 showed up and balled out against the 5-1 Minnesota Vikings, tossing four touchdowns and finishing as the fifth-ranked quarterback in fantasy. It is time to consider picking the former Super Bowl champion up now that his arsenal is fully stocked and the Rams offense can get back to mystifying opposing defenses.
The Seattle Seahawks are ranked 19th against opposing quarterbacks and are giving up 16.28 points per game to the position. Stafford knows the divisional rivals, as do both of his receivers.
Add to it the threat that Kyren Williams presents on the ground and in the passing game, and Stafford can capitalize on the mismatches his offense will present to first-time head coach Mike McDonald and his staff. Barring any injury to the quarterback himself, grab Stafford now as the suddenly hot Rams look to put an abysmal start to the season in the rearview mirror and make a playoff push in the second half. Stafford is available in 61 percent of Yahoo and 81 percent of ESPN leagues.
Bengals receiver Tee Higgins missed Sunday's game against Philadelphia, forcing quarterback Joe Burrow to look elsewhere for a secondary receiver behind Ja'Marr Chase. He found on in tight end Mike Gesicki, who caught seven balls for 73 yards on eight targets against the NFC East leaders. He ranked second on the team in targets behind Chase.
While some may chalk up his performance as a one-off, Higgins is not guaranteed to return to the field in Week 9 with a quadriceps injury. Even if he does, the likelihood that he will be more than a decoy while still recovering is high, meaning Burrow will still be looking for help. Against a Raiders team ranked 17th against opposing defenses and giving up 11.
38 points per game to opposing tight ends, the veteran tight end could be a factor in the Bengals' offense for the second, consecutive week. If you are a manager with a struggling tight end or one on a bye week, consider Gesicki, who is available in 92 percent of Yahoo and 90 percent of ESPN leagues. All stats via FantasyPros unless otherwise noted.
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