We’re officially halfway through the fantasy season. It’s been a wild ride so far. Each week this column will analyze a player at each position rostered in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues or less. This group of players is basically a dream stream team. For reference, the threshold used for Wins and Losses in this article will be if the quarterbacks can score 15 plus points and if the rest can score 10 plus PPR points. Here is the stream team for Week 9.
Week 9 Stream Team: Drew Lock, Sterling Shepard, and More
Week 8 Recap
Quarterback
- Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) @ SEA – 2.76 points – L
- Teddy Bridgewater (CAR) v ATL – 13.04 points – L
- Kirk Cousins (MIN) @ GB – 10.40 points – L
- Totals – Week: 0-3 / Year: 13-12
Running Back
- DeeJay Dallas (SEA) v SF – 22.80 points – W
- Joshua Kelley (LAC) @ DEN – 3.50 points – L
- Zack Moss (BUF) v NE – 20.10 points – W
- Totals – Week: 2-1 / Year: 10-12-2
Wide Receiver
- Sterling Shepard (NYG) v TB – 15.40 points – W
- Greg Ward (PHI) v DAL – 4.20 points – L
- Nelson Agholor (LV) @ CLE – 0 points – L
- Totals – Week: 1-2 / Year: 8-16
Tight End
- Richard Rodgers (PHI) v DAL – Goedert played – DRAW
- Irv Smith Jr (MIN) @ GB – 2.60 points – L
- Trey Burton (IND) v DAL – 10.10 points – W
- Totals – Week: 1-1-1 / Year: 6-16-2
- Grand Totals – Week: 4-7-1 / Year: 37-55-4
Week 9 Stream Team
Quarterback – Drew Lock (DEN – 11 percent) @ ATL
It looked like Drew Lock got some of that patented swagger back this past weekend. It’s been a rough year for the Denver Broncos’ young gunslinger. Lock entered the year with a lot of promise in both real life and fantasy land after showing flashes down the stretch last season. That promise quickly faded after a rough opening week followed up by a second week in which both he and top weapon, Courtland Sutton, both got hurt. Sutton’s was a season-ending injury while Lock’s was a few weeks. After returning, Lock looked brutal in his first two games throwing four interceptions without a single touchdown. Last week though, Lock rebounded nicely with 248 yards and three touchdowns, including a clutch game-winning drive and touchdown as time expired. This week Lock will look to keep the good times rolling against an Atlanta Falcons defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. This game is also in Atlanta, in a dome, which should only help. Lock makes a fine streamer this week if you are dealing with a bye or injury situation.
DREW LOCK THROWS THE GAME-WINNING TD! 🚨
(via @nfl)pic.twitter.com/p88Pc1A4wS
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 2, 2020
Honorable Mentions – Daniel Jones (NYG – 27 percent) @ WAS, Derek Carr (LV – 41 percent) @ LAC
Running Back – JaMycal Hasty (SF – 45 percent) v GB
The injuries are piling up in a crazy way for the San Francisco 49ers. George Kittle, Jimmy Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert, Deebo Samuel, Jeff Wilson, and Tevin Coleman are all hurt currently. With all those running backs out, they are down to JaMycal Hasty and Jerick McKinnon to handle the workload. McKinnon had been good earlier in the year but he’s also coming off major injuries himself and it seems that they aren’t interested in overworking him. Recently he’s been used as more of a passing downs, change-of-pace role, leaving Hasty to handle more of the groundwork. He’s shown burst and flashes the past couple of weeks and should get another 10-15 touches this week. The matchup is extremely juicy against the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay has allowed the most fantasy points to running backs so far this season. Hasty could be the fill-in you need to get through Week 9.
Honorable Mentions – Joshua Kelley (LAC – 45 percent) v LV, La’Mical Perine (NYJ – 39 percent) v NE
Wide Receiver – Sterling Shepard (NYG – 45 percent) @ WAS
I’m going right back to the well with Sterling Shepard. There’s no reason not to at this point as he’s seen eight and 10 targets in his two games since returning from IR. He’s turned those into 17.9 and 15.4 PPR points as well. He’s showing that he’s a reliable target for Daniel Jones and should continue to see a healthy target share moving forward. Anyone who is seeing 8+ targets a week deserves to be rostered and started in more than half of leagues so he’ll likely continue to be a staple here until that roster percentage corrects. This week’s matchup looks tough on paper as the Washington Football Team has allowed the least fantasy points to wide receivers this year. Last week’s matchup looked tough too, however, and that didn’t slow him down. This week in what should be a close, fast-paced matchup, Shepard is a solid play.
A unique insight into Sterling Shepard 🔎
Health has been a concern, but dating back to last season, here is how his last 14 games have looked ⬇️
🔹13.7 PPR/game
🔹8.1 targets/game
🔹56 receiving yards/game
🔹74 air yards/game
🔹22% target share
🔹82% snap share— Sam Wallace (@SWallace_FF) November 4, 2020
Honorable Mentions – Corey Davis (TEN – 50 percent) v CHI, Jakobi Meyers (NE – 1 percent) @ NYJ
Tight End – Jordan Reed (SF – 9 percent) v GB
It’s 2020 and we’re actually talking about Jordan Reed as a legitimate start in fantasy leagues. Who would have thought? As mentioned before, the 49ers are dealing with an incredible amount of injuries and one of those is superstar tight end, George Kittle. Earlier in the year when Kittle missed time with an injury, Reed stepped up in a big way dropping a 7/50/2 line on the New York Jets. Reed has been injured himself, as usual, but is currently getting in limited practices. Should he be able to suit up, he’s in line to have a big role. The matchup is also nice against the Packers on Thursday Night Football. On paper, Green Bay has allowed the third-fewest points to tight ends this year but other circumstances outweigh a noisy tight end defense stat. He would be a top-three option at worst among their healthy weapons and in a game they are likely to be trailing and chasing points. That’s a situation you want, especially with the tight end landscape this season. Should Reed have to sit out, plus in Ross Dwelley.
Honorable Mentions – Eric Ebron (MIN – 48 percent) @ DAL, Trey Burton (IND – 22 percent) v BAL
