Anyone can look at fantasy football rankings, but what if you like risks and want to swing for the fences? As the season goes on, this will be the spot for you to find the sleepers to start in your fantasy football league. Especially when byes and injuries start to pile up. Each week I will be picking one fantasy football sleeper at each position. These players are set to outperform their ranking and help win your week on the way to becoming a League Winner! Welcome to Fantasy Football 2023: Week 9 Sleepers.
Now let’s look at what we are picking from:
- I’m defining a sleeper as someone ranked outside of the top 30 for WRs and RBs who will finish in the top 20 at the position. That would be around 14 fantasy points based on the average of last year.
- For QBs and TEs, I am defining them as outside the top 12 but will finish in the top 10. Last year using average points per game that would be 21 fantasy points for QB and 11 fantasy points for TE.
- PPR Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) on Fantasy Pros will be used. These players may not be on the waiver wire but could be big
- I will track the hit rate based on the above settings but also how far the picked sleepers outperform their initial rankings for the week.
Week 8 Review
This was a blah week! Kenny Pickett got knocked out of the game at the end of the first half. If you add his and Mitch Trubisky’s numbers, Pickett would have finished as QB21. A small victory. Cam Akers just missed the threshold for a sleeper hit and Joshua Palmer was clearly not 100 percent. Now after eight weeks, we are 8/29 on sleepers and improved to 15/29 picks finishing ahead of their initial ranking. Sleepers have been tough but at least we are getting over 50% that are beating their projection.
So, now let’s take a look at some fantasy football sleepers for Week 9 of the NFL season.
QB: Taylor Heinicke vs the Minnesota Vikings
Fantasy Pros ECR: QB25
Taylor Heinicke has been named the starter this week for Atlanta. This bumps up all the value of the skill position players for the Falcons. Last week, Heinicke almost brought the Falcons back with 175 passing yards and a touchdown in the second half. The Minnesota Vikings give up the 11th-most points to quarterbacks and Heinicke has shown that he can put up big numbers when he starts. With the Commanders, he had four games ranked QB15 or higher in 2022 and he has much better overall weapons with the Falcons.
RB: Royce Freeman vs the Green Bay Packers
Fantasy Pros ECR: RB38
Last week it worked with Cam Akers, so let’s try it again with a running back against the Green Bay Packers. The Rams are sharing carries between Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman but last week Freeman received the touchdown. Freeman had the better rushing day, averaging 4.9 yards per carry on nine attempts. The Packers are allowing the sixth most points to running backs and both Rams’ running backs could have good days. An injury to Matt Stafford could cause the Rams to be even more run-heavy than normal.
WR: Jahan Dotson vs the New England Patriots
Fantasy Pros ECR: WR40
Jahan Dotson has been disappointing all season but in the last two weeks, he has been getting the targets. He has 18 in the last two games and turned that into a 100-yard performance in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The New England Patriots are giving up the 12th most fantasy points to wide receivers and I think Dotson will be freed up with the focus on Terry McLaurin. Here is hoping that the Dotson breakout last week continues for the rest of the season.
TE: Donald Parham vs the New York Jets
Fantasy Pros ECR: TE25
This one is a little bit risky but I really like it especially if Gerald Everett does not play. The New York Jets give up the eighth-most points to tight ends while giving up the least points to wide receivers. Donald Parham had a big game last week four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. He has at least three targets in each of the last three games and is someone Justin Herbert definitely looks for in the red zone.
Good luck to everyone this week! Hopefully these Week 9 sleepers can take your fantasy football team over the top. Make sure to follow our content all year so we can help you to be a League Winner!
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Brandon Haye
Brandon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and works as a health insurance data analyst. He has no children, but two fur babies - Squirt and Brownie. He and his wife, Katie, spend their time playing poker and enjoying time with their pups. Brandon is a huge Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. He at one time was in 77 fantasy leagues and loves the game of football. Brandon started writing for The Leauge Winners in 2021.