Key Starters and Tough Calls - Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Week 9 Include Antonio Gibson, AJ Dillon, Gerald Everett

Every week, I share some of my favored players to go with when dealing with challenging lineup decisions. These choices are based on my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a discount and get access to my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the 2022 fantasy football season.

We feature players that you should lean to in tough calls, and guys who may exceed expectations this week are also highlighted, so you can feel even more confident about starting them.

Skill position analysis here is based on my PPR rankings. When considering each player for your lineup, check my rankings to see exactly where they are positioned when compared to your other possible lineup choices.

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Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 9

Khalil Herbert

Herbert rushed for 99 yards and had his fourth rushing TD of the season last week. He has 70+ scrimmage yards in five of his past six games. Herbert has three rushing TDs in three home games this season. He has found the end zone in his last two games. Herbert is emerging as a bonafide quality flex option.

Herbert has played on 41 and 28 percent of the snap counts in Chicago’s last two games, so he is not going to move David Montgomery out of the way as some speculated when he showed some upside in his last two games. Yet he can make the most of his touches and the Chicago offense has come to life over the past two games.

With Justin Fields running a more suitable RPO-based attack, Herbert can see even more open running room when he does get the ball, and he has the potential to make a splash play at any time. He is a recommended RB2 fill-in or a strong flex option for Week 9 in a higher-scoring game vs. Miami.

Antonio Gibson

It has been a rollercoaster ride for those who have rostered Gibson this season, yet he has climbed back to the point where he deserves strong lineup consideration. He tied his career high with seven receptions and Gibson had 77 scrimmage yards while notching his career receiving TD last week. He has scored a TD in two of his past three home games and is aiming for his third in a row overall with a TD catch. Gibson is one of five RBs in 2022 with two rushing TDs and two receiving TDs.

Gibson is still playing on less than 40 percent of the snap counts over the past four games, and Brian Robinson should remain in the Washington RB picture. But Gibson has seemed to re-emerge as a viable fantasy option because he has less of a heavy workload and he looks fresher and more capable of being efficient. He is a very good flex play right now, but don’t expect Robinson to fade away. The current version of Gibson can produce well enough in a timeshare situation.

Kenyan Drake

He appears ticketed for a significant workload this week, but Drake always makes us wonder exactly what to expect when he does operate as a lead running back. He has a proven history of being unreliable, yet Drake is capable of an upside performance at any time.

Drake rushed for 62 yards and he had his first catch of season last week. He is aiming for his third game in a row on the road with 65+ scrimmage yards and a TD. Drake started last week and averaged 8.8 rushing yards per attempt. Yet in his first two starts of the season, he rushed for 39 yards on 17 attempts. Drake did rush for 119 yards on 10 carries in Week 6.

The Buccaneers were facing both Drake and Gus Edwards last week until Edwards left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. As a possible lead RB this week, though, Drake doesn’t inspire great confidence after what we saw in his first two starts of the season. He doesn’t have much of a statistical floor, yet he always could exceed expectations. Drake is a risk/reward play for Week 9.

UPDATE: Gus Edwards is officially doubtful for Week 9.

AJ Dillon

By this point of the season, it has become very apparent that Dillon’s production no longer matches his lingering name appeal. This may be his last chance to truly help out the fantasy players who have continued to maintain fading hope that he will live up to the preseason billing.

Dillon rushed for 54 yards last week, his highest total in his last four games. He has reached the 70-yard rushing mark only once this season. The biggest signal of why he is now a fantasy cut candidate is the fact that he has not rushed for a TD since the season opener.

This week, Dillon faces the Lions, who have allowed an NFC-high 11 rushing TDs to RBs and rank 27th in rushing yards allowed to the position. If Dillon posts mediocre totals again in Week 9, you should cut him. In any close decisions involving Dillon and another guy who is performing better recently, you may want to sit Dillon, because he is not showing that he can be a good bet to take advantage of a friendly matchup. I would not start Dillon over Gibson, as an example.

Kenyan Drake, Deon Jackson, Caleb Huntley, Jeff Wilson and Latavius Murray have avg more touches per game than AJ Dillon the last 4 weeks.

Dillon is droppable if he doesn’t show life this week vs the Lions who are giving up the 3rd most fantasy points/game to RBs. Smh.

— LaQuan Jones (@RealDealFantasy) November 5, 2022

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 9

DK Metcalf

When most of us were concerned that Metcalf would miss Week 7 or be limited because of a knee injury, he admirably played a whole game and produced well enough. He had six receptions for 55 yards and a TD against the Giants. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett both played the whole game and delivered satisfactory fantasy production after their status was in question for the entire week.

The performances of Metcalf and Lockett should remind you that if a team clears a player to go despite being listed with an injury, with no reports of limitations or potential concerns, then start him as usual. My rule is if a team deems the player is cleared with no reports of a “pitch count” or concerns or re-injury, he is also cleared for my fantasy lineup.

Metcalf has five receptions and 85+ receiving yards in two of his past three road games. But he has historically struggled vs. Arizona. In seven career games vs. the Cardinals, he has 198 receiving yards and one TD. You can’t bench Metcalf, yet you must temper Week 9 expectations on him.

Jakobi Meyers

He has actually become a true quality fantasy WR3 this season. Heading into this year, Meyers had two career TD receptions in three seasons. In 2022, he has three TD receptions in six games.

Meyers led the Patriots with nine catches for 60 yards and a TD last week. He is aiming for his third game in a row with a TD catch and his three TD receptions have come in the last four games. Meyers has three games with seven-plus receptions this season and two outings with nine receptions on 13 targets.

The Colts are stingy against opposing WRs, though, ranking No. 2 in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed. Meyers may provide only adequate production at best in Week 9.

Terry McLaurin

McLaurin had six catches for 113 yards last week, his 12th career game with 100+ yards. He has 5+ catches and 60+ yards in four of his past five home games. McLaurin is aiming for his fourth game in a row at home with 5+ catches.

In the last two games since Taylor Heinicke has taken over at QB for the Commanders, McLaurin has 11 receptions for 186 yards and a TD. Minnesota ranks 26th in FFPG allowed to WRs. McLaurin is displaying his better form again and should be locked into Week 9 lineups and beyond.

Allen Robinson

Feed our guy #allenrobinson the rock 🏈!

He should have a heat check 🔥 every game #ramshouse https://t.co/76IYKNi4AG

— Cameron Lynch, MBA (@CameronLynch50) November 1, 2022

After the first five games of the Rams’ 2022 season, Robinson was looking like one of the biggest busts of the year. But he has started to show signs of life with 27.3 total fantasy points over the past two games. Tampa Bay ranks 23rd in total receptions allowed to WRs, and Robinson has 10 receptions on 13 targets in his last two games. He can provide decent fantasy totals if you use him as a WR3 or flex option.

Quarterbacks And Tight Ends

Geno Smith

The incredibly resurgent Smith completed 23 of 34 attempts for 212 yards and two TDs vs. 0 INTs in Week 8. He is aiming for his fourth game in a row on the road with 2+ TD passes. The Cardinals rank 27th in FFPG allowed to QBs, but held Smith to 197 passing yards and no TDs in Week 6. I would expect similar numbers to Week 8, which means you can expect an adequate statistical return.

Justin Fields

Fields is arriving as a top-10 fantasy QB, as he has led the Bears to 62 points in their past two games. He completed 17 of 23 attempts (career-high 73.9 pct. as a starter) with 211 yards (60 rushing) and three TDs (two passing) vs. 0 INTs week. Fields ranks second among QBs with 424 rushing yards in 2022. He has rushed for TDs in each of his last two games. Miami ranks 26th in FFPG allowed to QBs and 28th in rushing yards allowed to the position. Fields gets the nod in most close lineup calls involving him.

Gerald Everett

Everett has five receptions in each of his last two games. He has been targeted 16 times in those two outings. The WR injury crunch pushes him into a likely role as a prime pass-catcher for Justin Herbert against the NFL’s worst pass defense. The Falcons are 28th in FFPG allowed to TEs. Unless you have Travis Kelce, Everett is a must-start in Week 9.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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