We’re past the halfway mark of the fantasy football season and the playoff race is starting to heat up. But first, owners have yet another week of six bye week teams to navigate.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 9: Wide receivers
With another bye week crunch, which receivers should fantasy owners look at starting this week? We take a look.
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The wide receiver position is particularly limited this week, with top players like A.J. Green, Larry Fitzgerald, Alshon Jeffery, DeAndre Hopkins, and Julian Edelman all unavailable. So owners will likely have to dig deep into their benches to fill lineup spots in Week 9. With that in mind, here are three recommended starting options at WR, along with three players you should probably stay away from.
Start
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)
Although the Vikings’ offense has stagnated, Diggs is the least of their problems. He hauled in eight catches for 76 yards against the Chicago Bears, catching his first touchdown pass since Week 2. It may have been a garbage time score, but Diggs’ big-play ability makes him a high-upside play against the Lions’ 19th-ranked pass defense.
Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams (vs. Carolina Panthers)
Britt put up a dud against the New York Giants in Week 7, managing just three catches for 43 yards. However, he’s in a good bounce-back spot against the Panthers’ bottom-tier secondary, which is surrendering 286.9 passing yards per game. Case Keenum’s ineptitude should always be taken into account, but Britt has a WR3 ceiling this week.
Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers (vs. Indianapolis Colts)
Montgomery is on track to play after an illness made him a last-minute scratch last week. He’s primarily a running back these days, which gives him great flexibility in fantasy leagues that list him as eligible at both RB and WR. Montgomery has emerged as a nifty dual threat for the Packers’ offense and should be in all lineups against the Colts’ porous defense.
Sit
Golden Tate, Lions (@ Vikings)
With Eric Ebron and Theo Riddick healthy, Tate could see his usage drop once again. He did manage to get nine targets last week, turning them into seven catches, but he got just 42 yards. His fantasy ceiling has plummeted this season and he’s not a recommended option against the Vikings’ defense.
Robert Woods, Buffalo Bills (@ Seattle Seahawks)
Woods has been slowed by a foot injury in recent weeks, but when healthy he’s a semi-useful PPR option. That probably won’t be the case this week, when he goes against the Seahawks’ ninth-ranked pass defense on the road. If LeSean McCoy is active, the Bills will likely double down on the running game, lowering both Woods’ ceiling and floor. He’s off the radar in 12-team leagues.
Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
Coleman is coming back from a hand injury and should have some nice fantasy value the rest of the year. That said, he could be a little rusty after the rookie missed over a month of action, and there’s no telling what kind of connection he’ll have with fellow rookie Cody Kessler. In addition, the Cowboys’ ball-control offense will probably limit possessions for Cleveland, giving Coleman fewer chances to make an impact. I’m bullish on Coleman over the stretch run, but fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach this week.
