Matchups to target for Week 9 in fantasy football

Every Monday here at FTN Fantasy, we take an early look at some of the most favorable matchups in the week ahead. It can never hurt to get an early view of the upcoming slate, right?

Let’s look forward to Week 9. 

Austin Ekeler vs. Philadelphia Eagles

After missing practice Thursday and Friday with a hip injury, it appeared Austin Ekeler was in jeopardy of missing Week 8’s contest. However, he was good to go and was not limited, logging 75% of the snaps, while handling 17 of the Chargers’ 24 running back touches. He turned his 17 touches into 104 total yards and a touchdown and now faces a Philadelphia defense that has struggled more than usual in 2021. Of course, a lot of it is because they play a lot of Cover 2 zone, similar to the Chargers, actually, inviting you to run the football. The Eagles are allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing backfields this season, as well as the fifth-most receptions per game to running backs (7.0). Meanwhile, 35.8% of the yardage allowed by this defense has come via the run, good for the seventh-highest mark in the NFL. Ekeler is going to get his touches on the ground, but these Eagles linebackers will also have no chance of defending him as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.

Quarterbacks vs. Atlanta Falcons

This could be tricky. Jameis Winston suffered a torn ACL Sunday, ending his season. Trevor Siemian entered the game against the Buccaneers since Taysom Hill has been out with a concussion. However, if Hill is cleared to play this week against the Falcons, you can make the argument he is a borderline QB1 in Week 9. The combination of floor and ceiling due to his rushing ability is very intriguing, as Hill had a four-game stretch where he started for the Saints last year. During that span, he averaged just over 52 rushing yards and 21.5 fantasy points per game. If he is under center this weekend, Hill would get a fantastic matchup against a bad Falcons defense that is coughing up the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing signal callers on the season. Atlanta is also allowing nearly 30 rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks and just gave up 66 rushing yards to Sam Darnold Sunday. 

Dallas Goedert vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Suddenly the Chargers are allowing more fantasy points per game to tight ends than any other team in the NFL. That bodes well for Dallas Goedert, who has been heavily involved in the two weeks since the Eagles traded Zach Ertz. During that span, Goedert has seen 12 targets and has run 51 pass routes on 57 Jalen Hurts’ dropbacks (89.4%). And despite the Eagles only passing for 103 yards on 14 pass attempts on Sunday, Goedert accounted for 72 of those yards, while seeing seven of the team’s 16 targets. Goedert’s role is fantastic right now and while you are obviously starting him in seasonal leagues, he is also someone I will be targeting in DFS this weekend.

Marquise Brown vs. Minnesota Vikings

Marquise Brown had the week off but will be back to build off his stellar 2021 campaign this weekend. He faces a vulnerable Minnesota secondary that is coughing up a healthy 11.5 yards per completion, the eighth-worst mark in the NFL. They have allowed nearly 30 passing plays of 20 yards or more, while also coughing up five different 100-yard games to opposing wide receivers. We just saw both Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb eclipse the century mark against the Vikings Sunday night and that was with Cooper Rush under center. 

Zack Moss vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Zack Moss has been a difficult player to trust this season for fantasy, but he did haul in six of his seven targets last game and will have plenty of opportunities in Week 9. Buffalo travels to Jacksonville as 15-point favorites and Moss has been the running back to get more work in the fourth quarter of games. He has 21 fourth-quarter carries this season to Devin Singletary’s 11, and the Bills should be up by quite a bit in this game. We’ve seen Moss score at least 12 fantasy points in all of his games this season where Buffalo has won by at least 17 points. Meanwhile, Jacksonville’s defense is obviously bad, surrendering the seventh-most points per drive in the league (2.47), as well as the fifth-most yards per drive (36.5). Moss is a very strong flex option this week but could easily finish as an RB2 in fantasy.