Week 9 officially marked the halfway point of the NFL regular season. Some teams are rolling, others are struggling, but all of them still have something to play for. The next few weeks are crucial for fantasy players, with 14 teams having a bye within these next three weeks. With that said, here are some fantasy football lessons to take into Week 10.
Fantasy Football Lessons for Week 10 and Beyond
Drake Maye Is A Fantasy Starter For Years To Come
The New England Patriots took their time bedding in third overall pick Drake Maye. It was always a matter of when, not if, Maye would take over the starting job from Jacoby Brissett. The Patriots finally pulled the trigger on the switch in Week 6, and Maye has shown why. In his first start, Maye threw for more touchdowns than Brissett had all season.
Maye is carrying the Patriots offense. Fantasy-wise, he’s averaging 18.7 fantasy points per game in games he’s started and finished. That might not be groundbreaking, but factor in that Maye is starting behind the worst offensive line in the league and has a bottom-three wide receiver group to work with. This is likely the worst he’ll ever be in fantasy, and he’s still producing QB1 numbers.
The intriguing thing about Maye is his rushing upside. In Week 9, he led the Patriots with 95 rushing yards on eight carries and generally has shown that he’s not afraid to take off and run. Maye also showed off his mobility and elite improvisation skills when he sent the game to overtime on the game’s last play.
Maye has a tough matchup this week against Chicago, but he’s still a low-end QB1 in most matchups for the rest of the season. As he continues to grow and develop, he should be a top target in dynasty leagues.
Zay Flowers Is The Undisputed WR1 In Baltimore
Zay Flowers had a solid rookie season last year. He caught 77 passes for 858 yards and five touchdowns and was an inconsistent WR2/WR3 with a low floor. This year, things have changed. Despite having the best rushing offense in the league, the Ravens have been forced to throw the ball more due to their struggles on defense.
Flowers has over 110 receiving yards in four of his last five games. He’s a shifty receiver who can work well in the slot or out wide. He loves the ball in his hands, where he can turn short completions into significant gains. He’s a smaller target, so his touchdown upside isn’t as high, but Flowers is a solid WR2 in PPR formats.
The Ravens traded for Diontae Johnson, which had many questioning Flowers’ role. Johnson only played 30% of snaps in Week 9, as it was his first week with the team. That number will slowly tick up, and Johnson will have a place in the offense, but Flowers is the WR1.
Chase Brown Is A Lineup Lock With Zack Moss Out
Coming into the season, Zack Moss and Chase Brown were right next to each other on fantasy draft boards. Moss had an ADP of 116 on ESPN, while Brown’s was 114. Brown was the higher-upside pick, but Moss was the leadback to start the season.
Moss’s fantasy production outweighs his real-life production, as he averages only 3.3 yards per carry. Now, he’s out indefinitely with a neck injury and has been placed on IR. Brown was already taking over as the RB1, having out-touched Moss in his last three healthy games.
In Week 9, Brown had a breakout performance. He ran for 120 yards on 27 carries and caught five passes for 37 and a touchdown, scoring 26.7 fantasy points. The Cincinnati Bengals traded for Khalil Herbert, who will take away some of Brown’s touches, but there’s a clear hierarchy. Brown was already fantasy relevant while splitting work with Moss, but without him, he’s a high-end RB2 for the rest of the season.
Main Image: Katie Stratman – USA Today Sports
