Backfield Breakdowns and Target Shares - Fantasy Football Week 9 Outlooks for Jalen Hurts, James Cook, CeeDee Lamb, and More

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles Offense Balls Out

Heading into Week 9, the Eagles' offense is finally looking like the powerhouse many fantasy managers hoped for. After a few shaky weeks adjusting to offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s new system, Philly found its groove against the Bengals, putting up a season-high 37 points and showing signs that they're hitting their stride.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts was electric, completing 16 of 20 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown through the air, and then going full-on fantasy gold with three rushing touchdowns--exactly the kind of dual-threat performance we love to see from him.

On the ground, Saquon Barkley reminded everyone why he's such a force, racking up 108 yards on 22 carries. And let's not forget the dynamic duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who combined for 11 catches, 169 yards, and a touchdown. Brown’s chemistry with Hurts is the stuff of fantasy dreams, while DeVonta adds that reliable second punch.

Jalen Hurts is the ONLY quarterback in the NFL to have 9+ total touchdowns and 0 turnovers since week 5.

The praise needs to be as loud as the criticism. pic.twitter.com/LAafmRTGYc

— Philadelphia Eagles Central (@pheaglescentral) October 27, 2024

While the Eagles had a few weeks of offensive struggles getting used to Moore's playbook, this Week 8 performance shows they’re turning a corner. Sitting at 5-2, they might have been inconsistent, but if this game is any indication, they’re hitting their stride at just the right time. The defense is starting to gel as well.

Will the Real CeeDee Lamb Please Stand Up?

It hasn't been the best year for the Dallas Cowboys. They've fallen to 3-4 on the season and have only one win against a team with a winning record. After a fantastic 2023 season that fell short to the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, owner Jerry Jones was fond of saying the team was "all in" this offseason towards a Super Bowl in 2024, yet the team has looked anything but a contender.

The offense is struggling to run the ball and doesn't have any consistent weapons outside of Lamb. Quarterback Dak Prescott is doing what he can, but it feels like the holes in this team are starting to show, and it's only made worse by star edge rusher Micah Parsons being sidelined with a high ankle sprain.

Lamb held out for all of training camp and the preseason while awaiting a new contract, and the rust has been evident early in the season. However, that all changed in Week 8 on SNF against the San Francisco 49ers where Lamb saw 17 targets to finish with 13 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns. After trailing 27-10 in the third quarter, Lamb exploded and got the Cowboys back in the game.

Another one! CeeDee Lamb hauls in his second TD to make it a one-score game 👀

📺: #DALvsSF on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/RG5xWlonVE

— NFL (@NFL) October 28, 2024

It was nice to see Lamb show off his exceptional talents in Week 8, but it sure does feel like something is missing from the Cowboys' offense this year. Outside of their star wide receiver, there just aren't enough playmakers for this offense to pick up enough chunk plays.

James Cook and the Bills Throttle the Seahawks

Heading into Week 9, the Bills offense has turned more than a few heads in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Sure, Stefon Diggs is gone, and plenty of people thought this might be a transition type of season, but with Josh Allen under center, you can never count out Buffalo. Allen’s keeping things lively, and this offense has found new life with some fresh faces stepping up big.

Rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman is making a name for himself, bringing that burst of energy Allen needs to keep defenses on their toes. And with veteran Amari Cooper in the mix as a Z type of receiver on the outside to add some much needed spacing, it's allowing Coleman to shine while giving the offense some balance that we haven’t seen in a while.

Love how James Cook finishes this run to get across the goal line#Bills #BillsMafia #GoBills

pic.twitter.com/KZLNAAvgWT

— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) October 27, 2024

Then there’s James Cook, who put on a show last week with 17 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns, plus 3 catches for 22 yards. Cook is finally looking like that workhorse-back fantasy managers were hoping for. This team has added a new level of physicality that it hasn't had in recent years, and it will be extremely beneficial come playoff time.

Bottom line: the Bills might be missing Diggs, but with this squad clicking the way it is, they’re not missing a beat in the fantasy world.

Wide Receiver Target Share Data from Week 8

Here are the wide receivers with the highest target shares from Week 8. Due to longer load times and frame rates on mobile devices, all of the important nuggets you need are below in a separate tweet from my RotoBaller colleague, Scott Rinear.

Here are the pass-catching metrics, snap shares, targets per routes run (TPRR), and other important data points for all the pass-catchers in Week 8.

💥Week 8 WR Recap💥

Top 40 PPR WRs from Week 8 (includes MNF)

Stats shown:

Fantasy points
FPTS/Target
FPTS/Route
Snap%
Routes
Route%
Targets
Targets per Route Run (TPRR)
Target Share

*Snaps/routes data from @PFF pic.twitter.com/YNpgD4gCXp

— Scott Rinear (@MunderDifflinFF) October 29, 2024

A few important notes regarding the wide receivers heading into Week 9.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman is shaping up as a must-grab on the waiver wire for Week 9. Since Amari Cooper got shipped to Buffalo a couple of weeks ago, Tillman has stepped up big time, snagging a 24.1% target share along with 15 catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. And the best part? He’s getting it done without Deshaun Watson (Achilles) out there throwing floaters all of the field.

With Jameis Winston now steering the offense, we’re finally seeing what a Kevin Stefanski scheme is supposed to look like. Now, let’s keep our expectations realistic as Baltimore’s banged-up secondary in Week 8 helped. But it’s clear Winston can give this offense a spark, and Tillman, a second-year guy out of Tennessee, is primed to keep seeing targets.

Drafted in the third round back in 2023 and buried on the depth chart until now, Tillman’s ready for a bigger role, and the Browns are likely ready to see what he’s made of for the rest of the season.

Buffalo Bills rookie wideout Keon Coleman came into the 2024 NFL Draft surrounded by doubts. With a 4.61 forty-yard dash and concerns about his ability to create separation, plenty in the analytics world had their questions. But the Bills took a chance on him early in Round 2, and it’s starting to pay off.

When Buffalo traded for veteran Amari Cooper a couple of weeks back, people wondered what that might mean for Coleman’s role. Turns out, it’s been a game-changer. Before, the Bills’ wideout crew was a mixed bag of guys struggling to win on the outside. Now, with Cooper bringing steady separation as the Z receiver, Coleman has more freedom to do his thing.

And he’s making it count, with 14 targets, 195 yards, and a touchdown over the past two games, Coleman’s showing up in a big way. If he’s still out there on waivers, he’s a priority add.

This is the one for me.

An absolute trust ball from Josh Allen to Keon Coleman.

It's not just the plays Keon Coleman is making. It's the trust from Josh Allen that his guy will make those plays.

This is gonna be a dynamic duo pic.twitter.com/nvxsfSIRIi

— Bills Chat Podcast (@BillsChatPod) October 28, 2024

Without Tee Higgins in the lineup, the Bengals offense just doesn't have the same sizzle that it used to. The Bengals took a hit when their star receiver went down with a quad injury in Friday’s practice, leading to him sitting out their Week 8 game versus Philadelphia.

Without Higgins, the Bengals’ WR lineup looked a bit like it did in the first two weeks of the season. Ja'Marr Chase and Andrei Iosivas were handling outside duties, with Trenton Irwin working in the slot. Recently, Iosivas had shifted into the slot role over Irwin, with Higgins on the outside.

If Higgins should miss any more time, Iosivas isn't a bad target on waivers if you're in a pinch. Just how badly do the Bengals miss their No. 2 WR? Cincinnati is 3-2 with Higgins out there this year and 0-3 without.

Which Running Backs Were Bell Cows in Week 8?

Alright, time to break down those backfield letdowns. If your go-to guy didn’t blow up the fantasy board this week, let’s rewind a bit. Picture this: his team’s down three scores before you can even say “turnover,” and he’s not exactly the go-to pass-catcher. No wonder his stats were more snooze than a splash! Just remember, the game flow usually tells you everything you need to know about those quiet weeks.

Here were the running backs who saw at least a 60% snap share in Week 8.

These are the important takeaways regarding running backs.

The Latest Injury Updates

Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs went down with a non-contact knee injury, but the severity is unknown. He was held out of practice on Monday, and the hope is that he does not have a serious knee injury.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. suffered some torn ribs and will likely be out for several weeks.

Here are all the important injury details you need below.

#NFL Injury Updates:#Texans Stefon Diggs - Video suggests ACL tear. If so, likely back ~Wk 1 of '25#Packers Jordan Love - Groin. Comments suggest mild. If accurate, avg ~2 wks. Wk 9 TBD, but data slightly favors sitting. High re-injury risk w/early return

1/8

— Deepak Chona, MD. SportsMedAnalytics (@SportMDAnalysis) October 28, 2024

Top Waiver Targets for Week 9

• Ricky Pearsall, WR - San Francisco 49ers (37% on Yahoo!, 22% on ESPN)
• Cedric Tillman, WR - Cleveland Browns (19% on Yahoo!, 16% on ESPN)
• Kimani Vidal, RB - Los Angeles Chargers (11% on Yahoo!, 7% on ESPN)
• Ray Davis, RB - Buffalo Bills (26% on Yahoo!, 17% on ESPN)
• Will Dissly, TE - Los Angeles Chargers (1% on Yahoo!, 1% on ESPN)

Conclusion

We’re right in the thick of it now, folks--midseason, where every game counts that much more. Teams are pulling out all the stops, and we’re getting a front-row seat to every trick in their playbooks. And, hey, can we talk about the Detroit Lions for a second? Sheesh.

Now's the time to keep those fantasy radar dishes spinning, and don’t miss out on the hidden waiver gems that could be game changers. Good news on the bye front: with only two teams, the 49ers and Steelers on a bye in Week 9. Don't forget that Week 12 and Week 14 will be brutal with six teams on a bye during each of those weeks.

Appreciate you rolling with me for this week’s fantasy rundown! Keep tuning in for those weekly insight drops to get that extra edge. Do you have questions or need a little advice? Hit me up on X! Let’s keep those lineups locked and loaded for a strong finish. Here's to making every play count!

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