Fantasy Football Recap: Week 9
We are officially through the halfway point of the season, as week 9 has come and gone. Surprise-breaking talent Darnell Mooney has kept his career season on the track, Josh Allen had an unreal second half, and Saquon Barkley, backward hurdles and all, exploded again. Let’s take a look around the week 9 results and storylines from the Sunday slate. The following fantasy point total refers to a 4-point passing TD, standard PPR format.
Falcons 27 Cowboys 21
- Every team scored in every quarter, with neither side scoring more than eight points in any quadrant. Darnell Mooney (19.8 PTS) led all receivers with 88 yards. With Dak Prescott leaving the game due to injury, Rico Dowdle (21.7 PTS) stole the show for Dallas with 107 all-purpose yards and a score. Don’t look now; the Falcons have won five of their last six contests.
Bills 30 Dolphins 27
- In this week’s edition of late-game heroics, Tyler Bass drilled a 61-yard field goal to send Bills fans home happy. Ray Davis (17.0 PTS) touched the ball just six times, but a 63-yard reception highlighted the backup running back’s remarkable day. De’Von Achane (20.4 PTS) was the lead contributor for Miami’s offense. Achane garnered the most targets (8) and rushing yards (63) of any Dolphin. Despite being just nine weeks into the season, Buffalo holds a four-game lead over the rest of the AFC East.
Bengals 41 Raiders 24
- In a game that saw the most total points (65) of any contest this week, it was the Bengals who inched one game closer to .500. With Vegas coming into the matchup winless on the road and Cincinnati being winless at home, something had to give. Chase Brown (26.7 PTS) posted a career-high 120 rushing yards to lead his team’s attack on the ground. The Raiders struggled to find their footing, logging more punt yards (280) than total yards on offense (217).
Chargers 27 Browns 10
- Jameis Winston looked just as locked in during pregame interviews as he did last week, but it wasn’t enough to stifle the impressive, mistake-free Chargers. Los Angeles won the turnover battle 3-0, and J.K. Dobbins (24.5 PTS) led all rushers with 14 carries for 85 yards. The Chargers have now matched last year’s win total (5) through just eight games. Cedric Tillman (19.5 PTS) made his presence known as a prominent pass-catcher for Cleveland.
Titans 20 Patriots 17 (OT)
- While neither the Titans or Patriots have had the seasons each program would have hoped for, Tennessee re-entered the win column in dramatic fashion. Calvin Ridley (12.3 PTS) led the way with 5 receptions for 73 yards. The Titans will aim to make it back-to-back wins when they take on the Chargers in week 10.
Commanders 27 Giants 22
- Jayden Daniels entered the week as the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year, and this performance only strengthened his case. Daniels (19.86 PTS) threw multiple touchdowns for the third time this season and led his squad to a 7-2 start through nine games. Daniels’ former teammate, Malik Nabers (14.9 PTS), led all Giants receivers with 59 yards.
Panthers 23 Saints 22
- After being benched for Andy Dalton in September, Bryce Young got his first win since returning as the starter. Chuba Hubbard (21.2 PTS) exploded for his third performance of 20 or more fantasy points this season. The Panthers running back rushed for 72 yards while scoring two touchdowns. Alvin Kamara (27.5 PTS) one-upped him, although his season-high 155 yards on the ground came in a losing effort. Despite losing the yards battle 427-246, the Panthers squeaked out the win.
Ravens 41 Broncos 10
- A week removed from their stunning loss to the Browns, the Ravens got back on the saddle and steamrolled the Broncos. 30-year-old Derrick Henry (26.3 PTS) was checking off milestones left and right. Henry logged his 100th career rushing touchdown and now leads the league in rushes (168), yards (1,052) and rushing touchdowns (11) through nine weeks. Calling his 2024 campaign impressive would be a severe understatement.
Eagles 28 Jaguars 23
- In a game that looked like one where Philadelphia would bring in the backups, the Eagles took a 22-0 lead halfway into the third quarter. Credit to the Jaguars, as Travon Walker’s 35-yard fumble return for score made this a one-possession game just a few minutes later. Saquon Barkley (32.9 PTS) had a dominant performance, highlighted by his no-look hurdle on an impressive run where he shook off multiple tacklers.
Cardinals 29 Bears 9
- Keeping the theme of strong running games going, the Cardinals logged 213 yards on the ground at an impeccable 6.3 yards per attempt. James Conner (14.9 PTS) and Emari Demercado (16.0 PTS) joined forces for 166 rushing yards. Rome Odunze (15.4 PTS) was the main contributor for the Bears’ offense, but Chicago has now lost back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Lions 24 Packers 14
- In a battle for the NFC North, it was the Lions who prevailed behind a bend-but-don’t-break defense. While the Packers outgained their division rivals 411-261, Kerby Joseph’s 27-yard pick six was the turning point in this one. Amon-Ra St. Brown (18.6 PTS) caught Jared Goff’s lone passing touchdown, while Josh Jacobs (12.8 PTS) had one of his more efficient games on the ground. Green Bay is on their bye in week 10, one they could use to get stars like Jordan Love and Jaire Alexander fully healthy.
Rams 26 Seahawks 20 (OT)
- With the Rams having both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back, they look like a whole new team. Now winners of three in a row, Los Angeles looked to Demarcus Robinson to make the game-winning score in overtime. Robinson (27.4 PTS) already has a career-high five touchdowns on the season. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (37.0 PTS) looked remarkable, putting up 180 yards and two scores as Geno Smith’s main target. Seattle is now 1-5 since starting the season off with three straight wins.
Vikings 21 Colts 13
- The Sam Darnold comeback story continues, although this chapter didn’t come without some adversity. Darnold (19.0 PTS) threw three touchdowns while also having his first multi-interception game of the season. Justin Jefferson (21.58 PTS) hauled in over 100 yards and threw a 22-yard pass as well. Minnesota dominated in yards (415-227) and time of possession (36:54) to get their sixth win at the halfway point of the year.
With week 9 giving us a greater idea of the 2024 data, look out for patterns and new storylines that continue to accumulate. Some of the best performers of this season may even be a free agent in most leagues. Stay tuned for our week 10 recap next Monday.
