Week nine injuries could affect fantasy owners' teams.
Week nine in the National Football League was, once again, a week during which a few notable fantasy football players went down with an injury.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will miss 2-6 weeks with a lacerated kidney, which he suffered during Sunday's victory over the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger left Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders with a mid-foot sprain and is expected to miss a few weeks.
The fantasy football regular season is reaching the home stretch with only four weeks left until some fantasy playoffs will begin. Now is the time for owners to get their lineup just right if they have their eyes on a fantasy football championship run.
Below are three players that performed well in week nine:
Running back DeAngelo Williams – Pittsburgh: Williams got to start in week nine for the Steelers after they lost their star running back, Le’Veon Bell, for the season last week. Williams fit in seamlessly with the Steelers offense as he rushed for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Raiders. This breakout performance by Williams was good for 36 fantasy points, which was the highest total this past week. On Sunday, Pittsburgh will face the Cleveland Browns, who have the NFL’s worst rush defense, which is a good sign for those who have Williams on their team.
Quarterback Cam Newton – Carolina: In the Panthers biggest game of the season Sunday against the Packers, it was arguably Newton’s best game of the season, as he passed for 297 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-29 victory. It was also Newton’s best fantasy performance of the season, as he scored 32 points. Newton will take on the 2-6 Tennessee Titans in week 10, so look for Newton to continue to play well and make fantasy owners happy.
Wide receiver Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh: Brown had a record-setting day Sunday against the Oakland Raiders as he caught 17 passes for 284 yards in the Steelers victory, which was good for 28 fantasy points. Brown will face a Cleveland Browns secondary that is dealing with its fair share of injuries throughout the season. It is pretty simple, if you own Brown, start him, as he is bound to have another strong performance in week 10.
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The players below are players who can help your fantasy team if you are looking to improve your roster in week 10:
Running back James Starks — Green Bay: With Eddie Lacy dealing with a groin injury, Starks is the guy who will likely receive the bulk of the carries Sunday for the Packers. So far this season, Starks has put up a total of 58 fantasy points on 334 rushing yards, 167 receiving yards and three total touchdowns. If you are in need of a running back, Starks seems to be one of the best options available, as he is owned in 40.5 percent of leagues.
Running back Karlos Williams — Buffalo: After battling injuries in weeks 5-8, it appears as if Williams is healthy as he came back last week and ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns. With the status of LeSean McCoy up in the air, Williams could see increased playing time again if McCoy is unable to play Thursday night. When he has been on the field, Williams has produced well for fantasy owners, scoring 73 fantasy points in the five weeks he has played. Williams is owned in just 41.5 percent of leagues, so just like with Starks, if you need help at the running back or flex position, Williams is an option for your team in week 10.
Quarterback Derek Carr — Oakland: After the Raiders week six bye, Carr has accumulated 78 fantasy points as he has thrown for 923 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those three consecutive strong performances have increased his fantasy stock over the last few weeks. With Luck and Roethlisberger sidelined, Carr, who is owned in 58.3 percent of leagues, will be a popular pickup heading into week 10.
Note: all point totals and percentages listed in the article are based off of the totals found on ESPN.com standard leagues.
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