Another week of fantasy football is in the books after tonight’s game, so it’s time for my risers and fallers after Week 9!
Risers
QB Shedeur Sanders | Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns were without Deshaun Watson on Sunday and turned to their young QB. While the Browns lost, Sanders played exceptionally well, completing 19/31 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
This likely only boosts his dynasty value a bit because Head Coach Todd Monken appears to be sticking with Watson as the QB1 for the foreseeable future, leaving Sanders’ future in question.
RB Bucky Irving | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The monsoon a week ago was no fluke; Bucky is back after an inconsistent first six weeks. Over the last three games, Irving has had 405 total yards and five touchdowns, elevating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense.
Bucky sits as the RB7 following this great stretch of football, and at just 24 years of age, he remains a high-end dynasty RB, and in redraft he may be the best “bang for your buck” kind of guy, giving you elite RB1 production without paying the price of a Bijan or Gibbs, for that matter.
WR Luther Burden III | Chicago Bears
Before the season started, I said one of the Chicago Bears’ WRs, Rome Odunze or Luther Burden III, would be a top-15 fantasy WR this season after a year in Ben Johnson’s offense and a second offseason. Well, here we are in Week 9, and Burden III sits as the WR10. In Weeks 1-5, Burden III has just one game over 12 points, but in Weeks 6-9 he has 17+ fantasy points per game, putting him in elite company.
Like Bucky Irving, Luther Burden III can give you the best “bang for your buck”. As long as he keeps playing like this down the stretch, which he likely will given he has a favorable schedule, this guy can give you those WR1 numbers you desperately need, especially you A.J. Brown owners out there.
TE Darren Waller | Carolina Panthers
I have no idea where I would rank Waller’s fantasy season so far, but he’s been the definition of inconsistent. He’s a riser this week, mostly because of his targets. He’s had three straight games with just two targets, and we’ve seen WRs struggle in that time, but Waller has a ten-target game where he caught eight passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Next week will be a massive one for the Carolina Panthers TE. If he keeps this kind of volume, he is a must-start, but he may well return to 3 points next week and 10 points the week after. A big coin flip, as Waller’s season can go either way from here on out.
Honorable Mentions: RB Audric Estime & RB Seth McGowan
Fallers
QB Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This one hurts; I’ve always been a Baker guy, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt last week because of the downpour, but he’s QB33 this season (only six games played). Three straight games under ten fantasy points at the QB position is inexcusable. This Tampa Bay Buccaneers team should be walking away with it, but the entire NFC South has been incredibly inconsistent.
If Mayfield continues playing like this, he might not make it to Week 18 as the starter. His fantasy value is all but gone after three straight seasons as a top-12 QB. I’d expect the Bucs to be in the QB market come April.
RB Quinshon Judkins | Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns’ second-year RB averaged 3.60 yards per carry as a rookie, and it’s only gotten worse. This season, Judkins is averaging just 3.32 yards per carry, and to make matters worse, he’s averaging just 2.62 yards per carry over the last two games. Judkins has a pair of good performances this season in Weeks 4 and 7, but in every other matchup, Judkins has less than 10 fantasy points.
Quinshon Judkins is still young and has plenty of football left, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations this season. Dylan Sampson’s production in the passing game may hinder any breakout for Judkins this season and beyond.
WR Drake London | Atlanta Falcons
I miss Weeks 3 – 5 Drake London, the Atlanta Falcons elite playmaker has struggled the last two games combining for six receptions for 76 yards, it wasn’t awful on Sunday, but it wasn’t great either. Again, last week was the crazy rain game, so I can’t fully blame him, but London hasn’t had 70 or more receiving yards since Week 5.
I do fully expect him to turn it around and be the elite WR we know he can be. London doesn’t have a tough immediate schedule, but it gets better down the stretch—definitely a guy to buy low on right now.
TE Sam LaPorta | Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions failed to extend Sam LaPorta ahead of the season after paying practically everyone else. You would think that would motivate LaPorta to return to TE1 like he was back in 2023. Since the Lions’ Week 6 bye, LaPorta has averaged less than eight fantasy points per game, hasn’t eclipsed 35 receiving yards, and has no touchdowns. It’s as if they’re phasing him out of the offense.
Despite this, he remains the TE7 this season, mostly because TEs are in a bad spot in fantasy unless you’re named Trey McBride or Brock Bowers. LaPorta has a brutal schedule for the rest of the season, especially for the fantasy playoffs, so it’s best to make a move while you can.
Other Content
Check out all my previous articles, plus future Buffalo Bills and fantasy content, here: {Articles}, and use code DL10 for 10% off all memberships! Also, tune in to YouTube to watch our latest video, where we discuss our instant reactions to Week 9.
