There are only two teams on bye (San Francisco and Pittsburgh) this week, so many of our healthy weekly starters will be available. Still, it seems that every week, there are new injuries. This means making difficult lineup decisions and perhaps taking a chance on a player that has yet to prove themselves. Last week, it worked out if you started players like Cedric Tillman or Keon Coleman. But for every player with potential that comes through, there are two more that don’t. Finding the former can be very difficult. But this week, many options could help you if you are without a starter due to injury or because they’re on bye. Here are my sleepers for Week 9.
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Week 9 Fantasy Sleepers
Start Stat %, Via Sleeper
JOE FLACCO (QB)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS @ MIN (10% START)
Here we go again. Just two weeks after returning to the starting lineup, Anthony Richardson is getting sent back to the bench in favor of Joe Flacco. There’s no debate over who has given the Colts the best chance of winning this season. The Colts are 2-3 with Richardson under center. With Flacco their record is 2-1. But it’s about more than the result. The offense has looked more efficient and dynamic with Flacco taking control. At first glance, the Minnesota defense may look like one to avoid, but while they are a top fantasy defense this season, much of that is due to their early season schedule. They have been much more vulnerable in recent weeks. Over the last four games, the Vikings have given up 1,192 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes, and this is a Colts team with talent. Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce are all capable of producing. This has all the makings of a Sunday Night Shootout.
TYLER ALLGEIER (RB)
ATLANTA FALCONS VS. DAL (9% START)
Every week it becomes more difficult to find sleepers at the running back position. By now most managers have scooped up those players who are considered speculative adds with the potential to break out. But while many of them, like Braelon Allen, Kimani Vidal, and Ray Davis don’t hold much standalone value, Tyler Allgeier does. Allgeier has had 37 opportunities over the last three weeks and even has a game of 105 yards and one touchdown, which was good enough to make him a top-10 option that week. With Allgeier’s involvement in the offense, there is nearly zero chance of him finishing with a goose egg, and if the Falcons choose to adopt a run-heavy approach against a Dallas team that allows the second-most rushing yards per game to opposing running backs, then Allgeier could easily outperform his projection. There’s not a lot of upside with Allgeier because he doesn’t get much usage in the passing game, but if the game script favors him, he could produce.
RAHEEM MOSTERT (RB)
MIAMI DOLPHINS @ BUF (33% START)
While the Dolphins did not win this past week against the Arizona Cardinals, the offense looked much more competent with Tua Tagovailoa under center. This was the first time the Dolphins had scored 20+ points since the first week of the season. Although Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle didn’t have the game managers were hoping they would, both De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert provided solid production, landing among the top 15 running backs (Achane was RB3.) Achane is the clear lead dog in this backfield leaving whatever scraps are left to Mostert, but those opportunities could be useful in fantasy. Even though Mostert’s workload is minimal, he gets some early down work and the goal line work. Last week this led to two touchdowns for the 32-year-old veteran. The Buffalo Bills are middle-of-the-pack against running backs, and early in the season, when the two teams faced off, the Dolphins totaled 139 yards on the ground. Mostert didn’t play in that one. He should get high-value touches in a game that Miami feels they need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
JOSH DOWNS (WR)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS @ MIN (51% START)
With the news that Joe Flacco will be the Colts’ starting quarterback moving forward all pass catchers are back in play. We’ve already seen what Flacco can do for this offense. Here’s hoping he can do it again. Although Downs has managed to produce with both Flacco and Richardson under center, Flacco has a better chance of unlocking him and helping him. Downs has had nine or more targets in four of his last five games. He has been a top-eight wide receiver twice, has three touchdowns on the season, and even has a game of over 100 yards. With more competent quarterback play I expect that to continue. With all the hype surrounding the Vikings’ defense, they have still allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. In a game where the Vikings should be able to put up points, expect Downs to get plenty of work and provide a safe WR2 floor with upside for more if he scores.
JALEN COKER (WR)
CAROLINA PANTHERS VS. NO (2% START)
With Diontae Johnson now in Baltimore, there is a need for someone to step up and claim the mantle of WR1 in the Panthers’ offense. The consensus is that rookie Xavier Legette, who was selected 32nd overall in this year’s NFL Draft, is the most likely to fill that void, but what if he’s not? Jalen Coker has not had a ton of opportunities this season, but he recently finished as a top-12 wide receiver while hauling in four of six targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Legette has failed to crack the top 12 in any game this season. His 12 catches on 15 targets for 186 yards and a touchdown this season puts him just 25 yards behind Legette, but he has 20 fewer targets. The New Orleans Saints allow the seventh most fantasy points to wide receivers. Plus, Legette is dealing with a toe injury that could sideline him in Week 9. It’s hard to trust any wide receiver linked to Bryce Young, but if the offensive line can keep a clean pocket for him, he could perform better than expected. Whether Legette is out or not, Coker could get the attention of Young early and often.
T.J. HOCKENSON (TE)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS VS. IND (22% START)
All signs point to T.J. Hockenson making his 2024 debut in Week 9, and they are reporting that he will not be on a snap count. This is music to the ears of any fantasy manager who has been holding him all this time. Hockenson was having a terrific season before tearing his ACL late in 2023. Even though the tight end position has been a nice surprise so far, it is great to see an elite talent, who has a history of production returning. It’s a great matchup for his first game back as well. Cole Kmet scored over 20 points against the Colts and Jonnu Smith, Dalton Schultz, and Pat Freiermuth all had their best fantasy outings against Indianapolis. With Sam Darnold playing very well and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the field, Hockenson could find himself open a lot and heavily targeted. If that happens he will produce. It’s hard to say you have to start him if you have someone else you like, but he’s a great bye-week fill-in, and after this week, he is likely to be a must-start option.
