X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 9 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Chase Brown, Keon Coleman, Ladd McConkey, Joe Flacco, more

Keon Coleman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights are an essential weekly feature on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, he focuses on players to choose as starting options when you are dealing with tight lineup decisions.

The lineup picks included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter the promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount and access his player rankings in all formats. Plus, you will gain access to a deep bucket of tools and analysis for in-season use.

When considering the players included here for lineup usage, also consult our staff fantasy football rankings to see if they are ranked higher or lower than your other possible starters. The skill position analysis is tied to Scott’s Week 9 PPR rankings.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 9

Ladd McConkey

The rookie is starting to come on strong for a Chargers team that has needed a wide receiver to step forward. McConkey busted out in NFL Week 9 to catch all six of his targets for 111 yards and two TDs. The Chargers are starting to throw the ball more, and he is emerging as a top-25 fantasy WR.

Earlier this season, under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Chargers seemed set to be a heavy run-first team. Yet he and the rest of the staff do realize that Justin Herbert is the team’s best offensive player, and McConkey may be on the verge of solidifying himself as the No. 1 WR for Los Angeles.

Herbert has completed 30-plus passes in the last three games. With fearless gunner Jameis Winston opposing him at QB this week, we may see a game script with a healthy amount of passing attempts on both sides in Chargers-Browns.

McConkey has a top-8 WR/CB matchup grade against the Cleveland corners for Week 9 on Pro Football Focus. That grade qualifies as “Excellent.” Lock McConkey into your lineup.

Keon Coleman

Here is another first-year WR who is starting to hit his stride. Coleman is more of a pure downfield threat than McConkey, who is a fine all-around pass catcher.  It is apparent in recent weeks that Coleman, who struggled in the preseason and early in the regular season, is starting to get more comfortable as a pro.

In Week 7, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder posted a career-high 125 receiving yards. Last week, he caught five of seven targets for 70 yards and a TD. Josh Allen has continued to maintain confidence in Coleman, who will also function as a contested catch and goal line area target.

Some may point out that Miami ranks third in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to WRs, but I am not concerned about the Buffalo passing game in this matchup. Khalil Shakir will get his receptions as a dependable option for Allen. Amari Cooper is new to the offense, though, and dealing with a wrist injury, and Dalton Kincaid has not produced as hoped.

I have Coleman ranked as a top 20 fantasy receiver for NFL Week 9, as he is becoming an upside play to consider for now and likely going forward.

DeAndre Hopkins

When the Chiefs acquired Hopkins, I thought the hype was overblown in real life and fantasy football circles. There were a lot of “superstar QB gets standout WR” type of narratives. Yes, Mahomes is a superstar, but Hopkins is certainly past his prime.

That’s not to say that Hopkins won’t help the Kansas City offense, and he will be productive for fantasy purposes. But I view him as more of a fantasy WR3 type at this point of his career, and the 2024 Chiefs offense has shown it does not need to be explosive to win games. Also, getting traded at midseason is challenging for any wide receiver.

Despite all of those points, I do expect Mahomes to get Hopkins more involved this week in a good matchup. Tampa Bay ranks 28th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to WRs. I believe you can expect at least a respectable fantasy performance from Hopkins.

 

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 9

Tyrone Tracy Jr.

It was actually astonishing to see Tracy clear the concussion protocol for Week 9. I won’t be worrying about his health outlook because if the team clears him to play, then he is cleared for my fantasy football lineup.

The significant question now is, who do you start Tracy over this week? He is certainly earning surefire fantasy RB2 status. The Giants rookie showcases a blend of vision, patience, elusiveness, and the ability to kick into another gear when he hits the second level of defenders.

For this week, the Giants have a top-12 run-blocking advantage grade for their offensive line against the Commanders on Pro Football Focus. Washington ranks 26th in rushing yards allowed to RBs. I have Tracy ranked inside my top 20 this week, ahead of James Conner and Brian Robinson Jr., among others.

Chase Brown

Zack Moss is not expected to play this week, putting Brown in a position to truly operate as an unquestioned featured back for the first time. Now we get to see what he can do with a larger role on offense. He was still splitting a good amount of reps with Moss recently, with his snap counts not exceeding 62% in each of the past three games.

Brown played on 50% of the snaps last week, per FootballGuys. He has rushed for TDs in two of the past three games, but he also averaged under three yards per carry in the last two games. While a matchup against the Raiders seems like a great ticket to fantasy production, starting Brown will mean you are depending on what should be satisfying TD production.

Getting quality yardage numbers from Brown will be the nice bonus that could make him a difference-maker in fantasy football this week.  Las Vegas ranks 23rd in rushing yards allowed to RBs. I have Brown also ranked just inside my top 20, but if you want to start him over a more established RB, I won’t vehemently debate it in some cases.

Chuba Hubbard

It may appear that time could eventually expire on Hubbard as the unrivaled lead back for Carolina soon. If Jonathon Brooks makes his NFL debut next week, we could see a timeshare of sorts by the fantasy playoffs.

Still, the Panthers reportedly won’t be trading Hubbard, as having a solid and proven lead back can only help Bryce Young in his development. So take what you can get from him while you can, even though he has a higher statistical ceiling when Andy Dalton is at QB for Carolina.

The Panthers actually have the second-best run-blocking grade of any team on PFF for this week. New Orleans ranks 24th in rushing yards allowed to RBs. Hubbard can be started as a flex option for quality production.

 

Quarterback And Tight End – Fantasy Football Week 9

Joe Flacco

Much to the chagrin of the online NFL community, the Colts chose to bench Anthony Richardson. Many opponents of the move opined that Indianapolis is not going to make the playoffs and should let Richardson work out his issues on the field.

Inside NFL headquarters and locker rooms, however, the mentality is not the same. The Colts believe they have a chance to make the playoffs, and they are not going to increase the potential for losses. Flacco gives them the best chance to win games right now.

Minnesota’s defense is the lowest-ranked unit against the pass in the NFC. Flacco’s potential upside is his QB4 finish in Week 5. I rank him as a top-12 fantasy QB for NFL Week 9.

T.J. Hockenson

We get a top fantasy TE back this week, which can be an important event at the thinnest position in fantasy football. But you should be cautious about using him right away after he came off such a long layoff following a major injury.

It will be good to see Hockenson recover to the point where he will be back on the field. You may have stashed him waiting for the week when he will be available for lineups again. But we can look to the Nick Chubb arc of progress and performance for a loose but sensible comparison. He has yet to deliver an impactful fantasy performance since returning.

Hockenson is only a top-15 TE for this week. I would only consider starting him if your situation at the position is shakier than most.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen15 mins ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
CeeDee Lamb18 mins ago

Listed As Limited, Dealing With Two Injuries
Alex Tuch22 mins ago

Available Wednesday
Kevin Durant28 mins ago

Could Return Next Week
Tage Thompson29 mins ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta42 mins ago

Practicing In Full
Jordan Eberle43 mins ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Trey Murphy III49 mins ago

Out Versus Cavs
George Kittle52 mins ago

Will Play In Week 12
Ludvig Aberg56 mins ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Ladd McConkey56 mins ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Si Woo Kim1 hour ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 hour ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 hour ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
Brandon Ingram1 hour ago

Unavailable Wednesday
Scottie Barnes1 hour ago

Officially Listed As Questionable
San Francisco 49ers1 hour ago

Nick Bosa Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey1 hour ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
George Kittle2 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Brock Purdy2 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Alexander Mattison2 hours ago

Zamir White Not Practicing On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta3 hours ago

Trending Towards Playing In Week 12
Calvin Ridley4 hours ago

Out Wednesday With Illness
Isiah Pacheco5 hours ago

To Practice On Wednesday
D'Andre Swift5 hours ago

Won't Practice On Wednesday
Brandin Cooks6 hours ago

Cowboys Open Brandin Cooks' Practice Window
Mike Evans6 hours ago

Practicing Again On Wednesday
Cam Whitmore8 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Wednesday
Ryan Rollins8 hours ago

Continues To Sit Wednesday
Kevon Looney8 hours ago

Expected To Return On Wednesday
Kyle Anderson8 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday
Miles McBride8 hours ago

Remains On The Shelf Wednesday
Norman Powell9 hours ago

Will Not Play On Wednesday
Connor Bedard9 hours ago

Ends Drought With Two Assists
Sam Reinhart9 hours ago

Pushes Point Streak To 11 Games
Mark Scheifele9 hours ago

Celebrates Ninth Career Hat Trick
Evan Bouchard9 hours ago

Rocks Senators With Three-Point Period
Connor McDavid9 hours ago

Nets Two Goals During Three-Point Night
TB10 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Exits Early With Injury Tuesday
Zach Hyman10 hours ago

Sits Out Third Period Versus Senators
17 hours ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers17 hours ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
Bradley Beal20 hours ago

Still Out On Wednesday Evening
Jusuf Nurkic20 hours ago

Questionable Versus The Knicks
Anthony Davis20 hours ago

Will Play Against The Jazz
Stephen Curry21 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report For Wednesday
Jalen Johnson21 hours ago

Questionable Versus Golden State
Ben Sheppard22 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Wednesday
Jalen Green22 hours ago

Uncertain For Wednesday’s Game
Myles Turner22 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Wednesday
Cam Thomas22 hours ago

Will Not Play Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo22 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Wednesday
Marcus Smart22 hours ago

Ruled Out For Tuesday
Jonas Brodin24 hours ago

Returns To Action
Joel Eriksson Ek24 hours ago

Returns To Wild Lineup
24 hours ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Robert Thomas24 hours ago

Back For Blues Tuesday
Jose Siri24 hours ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
Alexander Romanov24 hours ago

Rejoins Islanders Lineup
Brayden Point1 day ago

Ready To Return Versus Penguins
Conor Garland1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
J.T. Miller1 day ago

Takes Indefinite Leave For Personal Reasons
Jake Ferguson1 day ago

"Will Be Hard-Pressed" To Play In Week 12
Alex Ovechkin1 day ago

Considered Week-To-Week
Cooper Rush1 day ago

Will Start In Week 12
Brandin Cooks1 day ago

Cowboys Hoping Brandin Cooks Returns This Week
1 day ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
1 day ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
Aaron Rodgers1 day ago

' Status With Jets In Doubt For 2025?
1 day ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
1 day ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
1 day ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
New York Jets1 day ago

Jets Fire GM Joe Douglas
Travis Konecny1 day ago

Stretches Point Streak To Seven Games
Sam Montembeault1 day ago

Records 30-Save Shutout Versus Oilers
Luke Schoonmaker2 days ago

Commands 10 Targets Amidst Teammate's Injury
Luis Gil2 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes2 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer2 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
2 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
2 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler2 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva2 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy2 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
Nick Martinez3 days ago

Signs Qualifying Offer With Reds
3 days ago

Luis Severino Likely To Decline Qualifying Offer From Mets
James Llontop3 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig3 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal3 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic3 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones3 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title
Grayson Rodriguez5 days ago

Orioles Optimistic Grayson Rodriguez Will Have A Full Spring Training
5 days ago

Red Sox Have Productive Meeting With Juan Soto
Michael Chandler5 days ago

Set For A Rematch At UFC 309
Charles Oliveira5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC 309
Viviane Araujo5 days ago

An Underdog At UFC 309
Karine Silva5 days ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy5 days ago

Looks For His Second UFC Win
Jett Williams6 days ago

Suffers Sprained Ankle In AFL
James Llontop6 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC 309
Paul Craig6 days ago

Looks To Snap Losing Skid At UFC 309
Bo Nickal6 days ago

Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic6 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC 309
Jon Jones6 days ago

Defends Heavyweight Title At UFC 309

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 12 Include Bo Nix, De'Von Achane, Quentin Johnston, Calvin Ridley, more

It seems as though fantasy managers were either incredibly disappointed or incredibly excited in Week 11. The output was modest for most players. However, if you had a monopoly on a select few players such as Cooper Kupp, Taysom Hill, or the Detroit Lions, you likely won your week. With the fantasy playoffs roughly three weeks […]


Brian Thomas Jr - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Rookie Report for Week 12 - Searching for League Winners

We're getting awfully close to the fantasy football playoffs, and it's been an interesting year for rookies. Unfortunately, even some that seemed cemented into league-winner status have had huge drop-offs in production, but yet others have emerged. Extracting value wherever you can is vitally important. Unfortunately, there's an upcoming squeeze. With trade deadlines nearing in […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Steelers vs. Browns TNF Showdown (Week 12)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! This will be an interesting matchup between stout AFC North defenses. The Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) are traveling to take on the Cleveland Browns (2-8). We have no players of significance on the injury report for this game, therefore everyone is on the table! We have been pretty successful so far with these […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Jonnu Smith Fantasy Football Outlook - Was His Big Game Legit or a Fluke?

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith had his first big game in Week 7, but he broke out in an even bigger way in Week 11 in a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He caught six of his eight targets for 101 yards and a touchdown in the 34-19 win. His biggest play came […]


Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 12) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests (2024)

There will be six teams on a bye for Week 12. The good news is, we still have some great matchups. That includes the Chargers hosting the Ravens and the Rams taking on the Eagles. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who […]


Jake Bates - Fantasy Football Rankings, Kicker Waiver Wire Pickups, Streamers

Week 12 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings: Kicker Updates Include Justin Tucker, Chris Boswell, Austin Siebert, Cameron Dicker, Wil Lutz, Chase McLaughlin

If you're one of the many fantasy managers who have struggled to get production out of your fantasy kicker spot, be sure to use our Week 12 fantasy football kicker rankings for 2024 to guide you in setting optimal lineups. The kicker position has always been challenging to predict and project, so we're here to […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Running Backs (Half-PPR) - Chubba Hubbard, Isiah Pacheco, Tyrone Tracy, JK Dobbins, Kareem Hunt, Tony Pollard

Somehow, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain in most leagues. Whether you're hoping to hold onto a top seed or need to stack a few wins together to qualify for the playoffs, our initial Week 12 fantasy football running back projections for the 2024 NFL season will help you understand where […]


Xavier Worthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Wide Receivers (Half-PPR) - Xavier Worthy, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jayden Reed, DeAndre Hopkins, Tank Dell

The fantasy football playoffs begin in Week 15, so needless to say, time is running out if you need wins to qualify. If you're in a must-win spot down the stretch, it's critical to read our Week 12 fantasy football wide receiver projections for the 2024 NFL season. Ahead of the all-important slate, let's dig […]


David Njoku - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections: Tight Ends (Half-PPR) - George Kittle, Hunter Henry, Zach Ertz, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft, Mark Andrews, more

We're back for another week of fantasy football coverage, and while rankings are a great place to start your weekly start-or-sit preparation, you can use our Week 12 fantasy football tight end projections for the 2024 NFL season for further assistance. Ahead of the Week 12 slate, let's navigate the numbers and see the projected […]


Bo Nix - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Week 12 Fantasy Football Projections Quarterbacks: Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff, C.J. Stroud, Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Jayden Daniels

It's make-or-break time for many fantasy managers, so it's time to lock in and set optimal lineups. Our Week 12 fantasy football quarterback projections for the 2024 NFL season are here to assist. Check the projections below to see how key Week 12 QBs such as Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love, Jared […]


Houston Texans Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Derek Stingley Fantasy Football IDP

D/ST Strength of Schedule: Best Fantasy Football Defense Streamers and Matchups (Weeks 12-17)

Ahh, the good old Defense/Special Teams (DST) position in fantasy football. It is a controversial inclusion in fantasy lineups for some fantasy players, but strategizing around DSTs is one of my favorite aspects of the in-season fantasy football experience. In the article below, I will present the strength of schedule (SOS) for the fantasy Defense/Special […]


Video: Week 12 Must-Start Defense (D/ST) Streamers - 2024 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Analysis

We're back and dropping fire content for Week 12! Check out our top 2024 fantasy football must-start Defenses (D/ST) and be prepared to dominate your matchups! LaQuan Jones discusses his top "Must Start" Defense (D/ST) streamers that have the potential to be game-changers in Week 12, as well as some defenses that you might want […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Fantasy Football Trade Targets - Buy/Sell For Week 12 Including Josh Downs, T.J. Hockenson, Bucky Irving, D'Andre Swift

For many fantasy football gamers, the end of Week 11 marked the last opportunity to make trades ahead of the fantasy playoffs. However, there are plenty of leagues that have a later deadline and some that have no deadline at all. This is especially true of dynasty leagues, and while this week's column will still […]