Fantasy Billboard: Giddy Up! and Whoa Down! for NFL’s Week 9

Last week as I settled in at 12:55 p.m. to watch the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube, the messages “Cannot Access App” and “Try Again Later” blinked across my TV screen. My blood pressure rose as it wasn’t until 1:15 p.m. that I was finally able to stream the Cowboys-Rams game. But there was constant buffering that lasted throughout the 1 p.m. games. X (Twitter) blew up with colorful critiques I can’t print in this paper, but I agreed with all of them. YouTube has an estimated 1.3 million subscribers to NFL Sunday Ticket at about $450 a pop. That’s $585 million. With that kind of income, they should fire the high school techies I can only assume they employ and hire some savvy cyber geniuses to rectify the problem.

GIDDY UP!

Derek Carr, QB — After the Carr wreck of a performance back in Week 4 (5.18 points), Carr had three consecutive 300-yard games and six TD passes. Life in the fast lane will continue against a weak Chicago defense missing injured Pro Bowl LB Tremaine Edmunds.

Mac Jones, QB — The Commanders have surrendered 20 points or more to opposing QBs seven weeks in a row. I know Mac runs extremely hot and cold, but he can get you those 20 points.

Kareem Hunt, RB — Since re-upping with Cleveland after Nick Chubb’s injury, Hunt has posted three straight games of 14 points or more against very good defenses. He should be even better against a bad Arizona defense. Giddy Up!

Jerick McKinnon, RB — Admittedly this is a longshot, but QB Patrick Mahomes has few trustworthy receivers in Sunday morning’s game against Miami. It’s time to feed McKinnon the ball like they did over the last 10 games of 2022 when he ranked fifth among RBs in Fantasy points.

Chris Olave, WR — If I’m driving Carr, I want his best wideout to hop in too. Olave has a 31% target share but hasn’t capitalized, just missing a 39-yard TD last week when the ball “doinked” off his helmet. Olave will rebound nicely at home against Da Bears.

Diontae Johnson, WR — Johnson is still convalescing from his testy hamstring since Week 1, but he’s played through it with two impressive outings. He hasn’t scored since 2021 (20 straight games), but I predict Johnson comes out of his TD drought Thursday night at home against the Titans.

Dalton Schultz, TE — It’s a tale of two Daltons. Hopefully Schultz was watching Buffalo Bills’ Dalton Kincaid bash the Bucs for the best game of his young career. Schultz had a string of three TDs in three games snapped last week but should mimic Kincaid’s success against Tampa.

WHOA DOWN!

Justin Herbert, QBs — Slaying Da Bears at home is one thing, but traveling across the country to play the Jets is another. Gang Green held Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts to one TD pass apiece.

Tommy DeVito, QB — Daniel Jones might play (check status) but let’s bring on the Tommy and Danny DeVito similarities: Danny grew up in NJ. Tommy grew up in NJ. Danny starred in the TV show Taxi. Tommy has taken a taxi. Danny is the pitchman for Jersey Mikes. Tommy has eaten at Jersey Mikes. Danny has thrown for zero yards in the NFL. Tommy has thrown for…minus one.

Emari Demercado, RB — Demercado burned us with a two-carry effort for 11 yards in Week 6 as James Conner’s replacement. He’s improved since, but the Browns surrender 31 yards per every RB they’ve faced in 2023, and only two rushing TDs. Sit Demercado.

Najee Harris, RB — Harris is trending in the wrong direction. He had his fewest carries (seven) since Week 1 and lowest yardage (13) all year. If QB Kenny Pickett is out (check status), Tennessee will happily stack the box and dare backup QB Mitch “Last Ditch” Trubisky to throw. Najee is on my bench.

D.J. Moore, WR — Poor Moore. The list of passers he’s had throwing to him is a veritable “Who’s Who of Second String QBs”: Sam Darnold, Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen, Will Grier, P.J. Walker and now Tyson Bagent. Moore averaged 106 yards and a score over the first five games with the since-injured Justin Fields. He now averages a miniscule 50 yards a game with Bagent, and no TDs.

Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn, WRs — Fifth round rookie out of BYU Jaren Hall is no replacement for gunslinging QB Kirk Cousins. Until the newly acquired QB Josh Dobbs starts for Minnesota, it’s best to play it safe and bench Addison and Osborn.

Michael Mayer, TE – The former Notre Damer’s play was as ugly as Quasimodo last Monday night (one catch, 19 yards). I have a hunch Mayer won’t get any payback versus the Giants’ third ranked defense against TEs.

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