Fantasy Football Week 9 Rankings: Guide for Top Players and Sleepers

Another week of NFL action has passed, and along with it, the 2021 trade deadline.

Heading into Week 9, the overall fantasy landscape remains largely unchanged. Marlon Mack isn't getting a new starting opportunity away from the Indianapolis Colts. Odell Beckham Jr is still stuck in a Cleveland Browns offense that does not feature him.

Of course, injuries, matchups and player roles do change the week-to-week picture, and we're here to focus on that aspect Below you'll find updated point-per-reception (PPR) rankings for each key position, along with some sleepers and potential waiver-wire targets.

As a reminder, the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Football Team are on bye this week.

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

4. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

5. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

7. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders

10. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

11. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

12. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

  

Sleeper: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

Here's a tip: If you're in need of a sleeper quarterback play, it's usually safe to target whichever signal-caller is facing the Houston Texans.

Houston ranks 29th in yards per passing attempt allowed and 31st in scoring defense. It has also allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks through the first eight weeks of the season.

This week, the Texans will take on the Miami Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa—who is not a high-end fantasy option but who should remain in Miami's lineup for the remainder of the season.

"Barring injury, yeah," Flores said, per Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.

Tagovailoa can be a functional streamer when playing bad defenses like Houston's. In Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, he threw for 291 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Tagovailoa is rostered in 38 percent of Yahoo leagues and 36 percent of ESPN leagues.

1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

3. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

4. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

5. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

6. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

7. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

8. Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams

9. Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers

10. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

11. Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons

12. Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears

13. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

14. Damien Harris, New England Patriots

15. Michael Carter, New York Jets

16. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers

17. Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals

18. Zack Moss, Buffalo Bills

19. Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles

20. Devontae Booker, New York Giants

  

Sleeper: Mark Ingram II, RB, New Orleans Saints

Running back Mark Ingram II returned to the New Orleans Saints via a trade last week, and he immediately saw game action—albeit on a limited basis.

Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, Ingram carried six times for 27 yards and caught two passes for 25 yards.

With quarterback Jameis Winston out with a torn ACL, New Orleans may rely even more on the run moving forward. While Alvin Kamara remains the top option for the Saints, Ingram should see a steady rise in usage as the change-of-pace back.

This makes him a fine sleeper play against an Atlanta Falcons defense that is decidedly average. Atlanta has allowed the 13th-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. Ingram is rostered in 37 percent of Yahoo leagues and 25 percent of ESPN leagues.

1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

2. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers

4. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

5. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

6. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans

7. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

8. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

9. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

10. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

11. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals

12. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers

13. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers

14. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

15. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams

16. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers

17. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

18. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys

19. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos

20. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers

   

Sleeper: Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Here's your reminder that rookie receiver Rashod Bateman is finally in the lineup for the Baltimore Ravens this season. The Ravens were on bye in Week 8, though, so he remains rostered in only 32 percent of Yahoo leagues and 19 percent of ESPN leagues.

Bateman has been a notable piece of the Ravens offense since making his debut in Week 6. He caught four passes for 29 yards in his first NFL outing. He caught three for 80 yards in the Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

With a full two weeks to prepare for the Minnesota Vikings, Bateman could be poised for a strong fantasy performance. The Vikings have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.

Bateman is also a great pickup for the rest of the season. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is passing at a much higher rate than in any previous season—he's currently on pace for 546 passing attempts in 2021—and Bateman should only continue to get better.

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders

3. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

4. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

5. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles

6. Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys

7. Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins

8. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

9. Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals

10. C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals

11. Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings

12. Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers

  

Sleeper: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

If you haven't been paying attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers, you may have missed the fact that they have won three in a row and are beginning to find a rhythm on offense. Rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth is becoming a significant piece of that offense, even if his workload is relatively small compared to top fantasy tight ends.

In Week 6, for example, Freiermuth caught seven passes for 58 yards. This past week, he caught four for 44 yards and a touchdown.

Freiermuth's usage makes him a deep sleeper option in Week 9, though he does have a tough matchup against the Chicago Bears. Chicago has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Still, Freiermuth should be looking at four-to-five receptions and 40-plus yards as a floor with the potential to score in the red zone. Managers in a pinch can scoop up Freiermuth, who is rostered in 18 percent of Yahoo leagues and eight percent of ESPN leagues.

*Fantasy roster info and points allowed from FantasyPros.