• Jaxon Smith-Njigba finishes as Week 9's WR1: While Smith-Njigba has put up 20-plus PPR points only one other time this season and the nearing return of DK Metcalf will limit games like this going forward, it was a fun week to be a Smith-Njigba fantasy manager.
• Kyren Williams goes quiet: It was not a very efficient week for Williams, who took 22 carries for 69 yards and averaged just 3.1 yards per carry en route to 10.5 PPR points (RB28).
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
BOOMS
WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
It is time to give Zay his flowers.
Flowers has been the PPR WR3 since Week 5 and has produced 18-plus PPR points in four of his past five games. He racked up 127 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only six targets in Week 9 against the Broncos, leading to 29.7 PPR points.
Flowers' 23.5% threat rate — his target total divided by routes run — leads the Ravens and ranks 23rd among wide receivers with at least 25 targets this season.
Fantasy managers who drafted Flowers, the preseason WR28 and the current WR9, should be thrilled with his production. The second-year wideout ranks fifth in the NFL in receiving yards (654), fourth in yards after the catch (316) and second in receptions of 15-plus yards (19, behind only Justin Jefferson).
The only knock on Flowers has been a lack of red-zone targets (three). If quarterback Lamar Jackson starts looking Flowers' way more in the red zone, he will be locking up a top-10 PPR finish.
It will be interesting to see if Flowers' role changes when Diontae Johnson is fully in the mix, but until we know more, fire him up in fantasy lineups every week.
Going Forward: Mid-tier WR1, high-end WR2
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
JSN is the WR1 of Week 9 after a career day that included seven receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns en route to 37 PPR points.
JSN with a career day 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qxnADfwOZQ
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) November 4, 2024
JSN hauled in five 20-plus-yard catches, the most such receptions in a single game this season (tied with Justin Jefferson in Week 9).
While Smith-Njigba has put up 20-plus PPR points only one other time this season and the nearing return of DK Metcalf will limit games like this going forward, it was a fun week to be a Smith-Njigba fantasy manager.
Going Forward: Mid-tier WR2
RB Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown handled a career-high 27 carries for 120 yards and also snagged five receptions for 37 yards on his way to 26.7 PPR points in Week 9.
Brown had a 57.1% touch rate in the game (receptions plus carries on snaps, divided by snaps), ranking 10th among all players with at least 10 touches. The breakout game was bound to happen, and this was the week for it. The Bengals established a healthy lead early enough in the contest to allow the game plan to shift toward Brown.
Despite the large workload, Brown continued to churn out yards, with 4.4 yards per carry, 79 yards after contact, two rushes of 10-plus yards and two missed tackles forced.
Zack Moss will be returning eventually, but Brown is the Bengals running back to lean on in fantasy football.
Going Forward: Mid-tier RB2 with boom potential
BUSTS
WR DJ Moore, Chicago Bears
A frustrating season for DJ Moore‘s fantasy managers continued in Week 9, as he recorded only four receptions for 33 yards and 7.3 PPR points.
Moore has now gone under 10 PPR points in his past three games and hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 5. He saw nine targets in Week 9, but only four were deemed catchable.
The data suggests Moore should be having an excellent year, leading the team in targets (58), receiving snaps (306) and receptions (37), but it appears to be a year of growing pains for the Bears' offense. There will be weeks where everything clicks and weeks where all offensive weapons score fewer than 10 PPR points.
Temperature Check: Low-end WR2
WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
While 11.3 PPR points is far from a dud, it was a disappointing day for Chase in the sense that Joe Burrow threw for 251 yards and five touchdowns but Chase accounted for only seven Receptions and 43 yards.
These weeks will happen, with tight end Mike Gesicki leading the team in receiving on the day and Tee Higgins out due to injury. There is no reason to be worried about Chase moving forward.
Temperature Check: Top-five WR
RB Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
The streak is finally over. Kyren Williams had scored a touchdown in every game this season and in his past 10 games, but Week 9 left much to be desired.
It was not a very efficient day for Williams, who took 22 carries for 69 yards and averaged just 3.1 yards per carry en route to 10.5 PPR points (RB28).
The usage is still exactly what fantasy managers want to see going forward, though Still fire up Williams as a top-five fantasy running back every week.
Temperature Check: Top-five RB
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