With Week 9 of the NFL season upon us, fantasy football fans are preparing for making some important lineup calls. All the biggest name include Jordan Love, Khalil Shakir, and more receivers than you can count are leading the charge of a loaded group this week. The smart and objective analysis identifies their matchups and projections and each player’s boom or bust potential to help guide fantasy managers in finding those critical points.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love has put together a variety of performances this season. In two of those games, he finished as a top-5 WR in fantasy points. This is balanced by his own struggle that has seen him finish 16th or lower four times. Most concerningly, Love has cleared 13.1 fantasy points just once all season. This inconsistency and the uncertainty about his viability in DFS/Casino lineups heading into an extremely tough matchup leaves him a hard fade.
The Denver Broncos have proved they can be brutal on wideouts. On the season, they’ve not permitted a single player to score more than 20 fppg in 24 games. This trend would make Love’s path to victory even more difficult. 47 is the over/under for one NFL game. This ranks as the ninth highest over/under line this week, indicating the possibility for a shootout style high-scoring game.
The Los Angeles Chargers bolt into Week 9 with one of the highest win probabilities at 88%. This is tied for the second best in the entire league! Projections for next week’s New England Patriots – Atlanta Falcons game indicate a likely Patriots win, 27-16. That speaks to New England’s extraordinary offensive firepower.
Rising Stars: Khalil Shakir and Other Considerations
Khalil Shakir is another player to rise up this week, coming off a strong performance versus Carolina last Sunday. He boasted a stellar 6-88-1 line on seven targets. This masterpiece cements him as a premier option for fantasy lineups. He’s done it just in time for fantasy managers. Of course, they’re all looking to make the best last touches of the expansion season, as it goes into its final few months.
Along with Shakir, Wan’Dale Robinson, and George Kittle, among others, are likely to be Week 1 contributors with best-ball appeal right from the jump. Both are game-changers who bring something different to the table and will thrive against the right defenses. Offensive explosion Pittsburgh has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing teams this season. Consequently, the Colts’ pass-catchers should all be in terrific spots to excel against a beleaguered Steelers defense.
DJ Turner’s anticipated shadow coverage of Odunze this week is featured by the Shadow Report. Turner has made a nice name for himself as one of the Bengals’ best defenders, regularly shadowing opposing WR1s and keeping them from doing much of anything. He has gone head to head with top guys such as Travis Hunter and Justin Jefferson. In those contests, he was able to limit their contributions to the game’s outcome.
“Expect DJ Turner to shadow Odunze this week. Turner has emerged as the Bengals’ top corner.” – Mike Clay
Analyzing Player Matchups: Love vs. Denver and More
There are plenty of concerns surrounding Jordan Love’s matchup against Denver that make him a dicey play for fantasy. The Broncos’ D is on pace to be one of the best ever at keeping passing yards and touchdowns allowed to a minimum. Despite the loss of Pat Surtain II to injury, the danger posed by Denver cannot be overstated.
Simply put, Denver’s pass defense as a whole has been better than even anticipated, Mike Clay warned when it came to their performance numbers this year. Their defensive efficiency has ranked third in EPA allowed against passes. Through the air, they’ve held opponents to an average of two touchdowns and a league-low 6.3 yards per target.
For coaches contemplating lineup changes, it’s important to understand the impact of matchups. If London comes back from injury this week, he’s a candidate for shadow coverage by Christian Gonzalez. Even though New England’s overall pass defensed hasn’t been anything special, they’ve kept opposing wideouts under 18 fantasy points on the year.
“After missing time to open the season… expectations for London should be lowered.” – Mike Clay
Week 9 Projections and Final Thoughts
As Week 9 continues to develop, the best managers will be monitoring multiple projected final scores and win percentages in different matchups. The Rams are at the top with a commanding win probability of 91%, putting them in a great place to defend their opponent. Other generic games have lower over/under totals by one or two touchdowns. As an example, one potential matchup is as low as 38, indicating strong difficulty in putting up points.
Jordan Love’s up-and-down play combined with difficult matchups might have fantasy managers second-guessing Jordan offered Week 8. The emergence of players like Khalil Shakir offers hope for roster improvements while navigating challenging defenses.
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