Who to start? Week 9
by Josh Gaier
Injuries are mounting in the NFL, and Josh Gaier identifies a few sleepers who may help you make your playoff push.
For many of us it’s too late to salvage our season, but for the rest of us it’s time to gear up for the playoffs and work on our positioning. As injuries pile up, the waiver wire is more important than ever. Keep an eye on NFL depth charts as reserve running backs will be getting some increased carries. However, if your waiver wire is dry, below is a list of sleepers for Week 9, and the top five players at each position.
Quarterback: Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins
The pin-point accurate Pennington has turned the Dolphins into a weekly threat. Pennington has quickly formed a connection with second-year receiver Ted Ginn Jr., and he rarely forces throws or turns the ball over. Pennington faces the vulnerable Denver Broncos secondary this week, against whom many quarterbacks have succeeded. Put Pennington, a savvy vet who can find the open man, against the Broncos’ defense, and you’ll find yourself a fantasy sleeper. The only true downside with starting Pennington is the Broncos are also horrendous against the run, which may cause them to pound the ball. Nevertheless, give the often-criticized Pennington the shot this week.
Runner-Up: Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears
Running Back: Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Graham hasn’t been impressive during the last few weeks despite being the feature back in Tampa. Regardless, the Bucs face the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday, where any team is able to run. Simply put, the Chiefs have been dreadful this year against the run and rank dead least in the category. Graham is a bruising back who loves to earn tough yards up the middle, so expect him to work his way up the field every time Tampa starts a new series. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to handcuff Graham with Warrick Dunn this week either, as both are bound to get high fantasy points.
Runner-Up: Steve Slaton, Houston Texans
Wide Receiver: Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons
If you have Roddy White on your fantasy squad but have been to stubborn to put him in over bigger-name players, then shame on you. White has been remarkable this year and is coming off a gigantic performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, which included two touchdowns. Over his past three games, White has had a touchdown in each of them. Quarterback Matt Ryan scared owners off in the beginning of the year, but now that he’s shown he’s a formidable, polished passer, give White the go this week against the Raiders. Ryan is always looking in White’s direction and should see many balls thrown his way Sunday.
Runner-Up: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
Tight End: Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
Olsen has had an up-and-down season and faces the Detroit Lions defense Sunday. As we all know, the Lions are disastrous on both sides of the ball, leaving Olsen plenty of room to roam over the middle of the field. Olsen’s athleticism alone proves to be a mismatch for the Lions, as he should be able to exploit their soft cover two scheme. The lack of touchdowns during the past weeks are troublesome, but Olsen should be able to get his third touchdown of the season Sunday when they square off against the Lions.
Runner-Up: Bo Scaife, Tennessee Titans
Defense: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags go up against one of the two winless teams Sunday: the Cincinnati Bengals. After a let up last week against the Cleveland Browns, the Jags are in dire need of a victory here and should be hungry to get their season back on track. The Bengals have been lackluster on offense, as Palmer has been marred by an injury and Fitzpatrick has failed to ignite the offense. The Jags are a perfect sleeper pick this week on defense, and they should record significant sacks and interceptions.
Runner-Up: Philadelphia Eagles
Top Five Players at Each Position
Quarterback
1. Donavan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles
2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
3. Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
4. Eli Manning, New York Giants
5. Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears
Running Backs
1. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia Eagles
2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
3. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
4. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
5. Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins
Wide Receivers
1. Larry Fitzergerald, Arizona Cardinals
2. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans
3. Lee Evans, Buffalo Bills
4. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts
5. Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos
Tight Ends
1. Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
3. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts
4. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans
5. Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
Defenses
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Chicago Bears
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. Buffalo Bills