NFL Week 9 fantasy football and DFS targets and fades: Tua Tagovailoa, Elijah Mitchell and more

Fantasy managers face another challenging bye week schedule in Week 9, as the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Football Team are all unavailable. Using PFF’s research tools and player grades, we can identify players to target and fade as the byes and various injuries begin to test the depth of fantasy rosters. 

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Looking at PFF’s Week 9 fantasy football rankings, here are some players that stand out as values and others to fade as we move into the second half of the 2021 NFL season.

Rankings based on PPR scoring.

Target: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

PFF Consensus: QB12
Opponent: vs. Houston Texans

We’ve known for some time that Tua Tagovailoa was going to be in Miami for Week 9’s matchup, we just weren’t certain which team he would suit up for. Now that Tagovailoa is staying with Miami, he gets a premiere matchup against the Texans, who were rumored to be potential trade partners for Tagovailoa’s services. 

Since returning to the lineup in Week 6, Tagovailoa has been an elite fantasy option: He’s produced seven total touchdowns and ranks fourth among all quarterbacks in fantasy points per game in those three games. 

Related content for you: The Fantasy Football Utilization Report: Week 9 waiver, trade and drop candidates via Dwain McFarland

For Week 9, the emerging Tagovailoa gets to face a fading Houston Texans secondary that ranks 31st in PFF coverage grade and has surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing passers. While Tagovailoa is generally considered a weekly streaming option, he’s got a great shot at delivering elite fantasy numbers and staying red hot in Week 9. 

Fade: QB Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

PFF Consensus: QB15
Opponent: at Los Angeles Rams

Without RB Derrick Henry in the lineup, it’s easy to forecast the Titans to evolve into a pass-first team. That may actually be the case, but Week 9 won’t be a good indicator of the success of that approach while facing an elite Rams defense bolstered by the acquisition of edge rusher Von Miller.