Fantasy Football Week 9 is in the books and with it came the gift that keeps on giving. Stats. At the conclusion of each week for the 2019 fantasy football season, I will be sifting through all of the fantasy football stats produced. I will filter out stats I find noteworthy or valuable to pay attention to moving forward. I hope this list of stats encourages you to stop and assess the possible impact each stat could have on fantasy values in NFL Week 10 and beyond. Conversely, stats are fun. Enjoy each one for what it is and don’t overthink everything presented.
For more help getting ready for NFL Week 10, check out our Waiver Wire Recommendations and FAAB Guide.
12 Fantasy Football Stats to get you ready for NFL Week 10
All stats listed are based on .5 PPR.
1.) Just your weekly reminder of how bad the tight end position is. 15.2 fantasy football points separate the #10 TE and the #19 TE. That #10 TE is Will Dissly who is on IR & hasn’t recorded points since Week 5. The #9 TE is Hunter Henry. He’s played just 5 games. The majority of us stream the position but maybe this encourages more of us to draft a top 4 TE earlier next season.
2.) Just 3 days after joining the Cardinals, Kenyan Drake had his best all-purpose yards performance since Week 14 of the 2017 season vs. the Patriots. Drake’s 162 all-purpose yards on Thursday Night Football in Week 9 was the second-best performance of his career. He finished as the #2 RB on the week. As exciting as it was to finally see Drake get the volume he deserves on a better team, you have to take into account that he was the only healthy RB available and David Johnson is still on this team. I’d be selling in redraft but waiting to buy in dynasty once he has a few “meh” games behind David Johnson.
3.) Russell Wilson led all QBs in fantasy points in Week 9. He threw 5 TD passes! This was his 7th game with multiple TD passes this season. Even though he is the #1 fantasy QB this season, he hasn’t been the most consistent. Wilson has 5 games with 24 or more points. He also has 4 games in which he scored fewer than 17 fantasy points. I’m not suggesting you bench him but lower your expectations a bit. He’s got some tough matchups the rest of the way beginning this week against the 49ers.
4.) Through Week 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are the #1 (Evans) and #3 (Godwin) WRs in fantasy. An amazing accomplishment for any WR duo from the same team. You might think this means that their QB should be at least a top 5 QB right? Wrong. Jameis Winston is currently the QB13 despite the success of his 2 top targets. That’s what happens when you lead the NFL in INTs. The point is if you are tempted to roster Winston for his upside, you have to understand the cap of that upside with his turnovers.
5.) Tyler Lockett led all WRs in targets, receptions, and fantasy points in Week 9. Considering how efficient he is with his opportunities, it’s a bit surprising that this was only his third double-digit target game of the season. Lockett is currently the WR4 but is capable of some dud performances especially when he doesn’t get the volume. If you own Lockett, you’ll want him to get that volume moving forward as he doesn’t have the easiest schedule in the second half of this season.
6.) Typically when a WR is coming off and 8 reception, 126 yards, 1 TD performance you’d want to stay in those flames the following week. I’d advise you to think twice before you start Lions’ WR, Marvin Jones in Week 10. Jones has been one of the most hot and cold WRs this season. He finished as the WR5 last week but had just 4.2 fantasy points the week before that. He’s currently the WR15 on the season so I understand the hesitation of benching him. He’s got an awful matchup vs the Bears… the fifth-best defense against WRs this season, Bears.
7.) Despite struggling to begin the 2019 season, Kirk Cousins now has 20+ fantasy points in 4 of his last 5 games. I think he’s a great buy-now candidate. I would be hesitant to start him Week 10 as he has the Dallas Cowboys fifth-best defense against the QB this year and he’s without Adam Thielen. After that, the Vikings have a bunch of matchups against other great offenses which will lead to Cousins throwing more. He’s found his footing in this offense and could be on many fantasy champions rosters by the end of the year.
8.) Zach Ertz finally had himself a “Zach Ertz” kind of game. He caught 9 of 11 targets for 103 yards and a TD. It was his first 100-yard game of the season and just his second TD. Now is your chance to sell him and upgrade at another position of need. Just stream the TE position the rest of the season as Ertz hasn’t been the answer for owners through Week 9.
9.) Mike Gesicki could be an answer at TE to close out the 2019 fantasy football season. The second-year TE had his best game of the season which led to the Dolphins’ first win of 2019. He caught all 6 of his targets for 95 yards. The Dolphins are now without Kenyan Drake who was traded to the Cardinals and target leader, Preston Williams, who is on IR and done for the year. Gesicki will see more looks in the passing game moving forward and is on a team that will be playing from behind a ton. It’s a good recipe for fantasy purposes moving forward.
10.) Damien Williams finally had a great game in 2019 for the Chiefs in Week 9. He had 12 carries for 125 yards including a 91-yard run. That single rush accounted for 9.5% of Williams’ career rushing yards. Do not fall for this trap. My good friend, Keaton Denlay (who came up with that stat) and I were both completely off the hype for Williams before the season started and with good reason. He isn’t a good RB and there is a reason he was likely placed on waivers in your fantasy leagues.
11.) Derrick Henry had a great Week 9. He finished as the RB5 on the week with a TD on the ground and through the air. Henry has been a very consistent option at the position. Although he doesn’t rack up yardage, he’s got a nose for the end zone with 8 total TDs so far this year. This is fourth-best among RBs. He was undervalued in fantasy drafts this season as he’s currently the RB8. Keep this in mind for your 2020 drafts.
12.) Emmanuel Sanders was the WR8 in Week 9. Leading the 49ers with 9 targets. He finished the day with 7 receptions for 112 yards and a TD. He’s now scored a TD in back to back games since joining the 49ers. Jimmy Garoppolo really loves his new target and you should too. Go out and get yourself some Emmanuel Sanders!
Thanks for reading and good luck to all of you in NFL Week 10!
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