Weekly Rankings: Ranking Each Position For Week 9

Welcome to QB List’s weekly rankings! Each week, I’ll be taking a look at the upcoming matchups and ranking each position, as well as flex positions.

Note: rankings will be updated throughout the week, so continue checking back here as the week goes on.

Week 9 Notes:

• A lot of people have Todd Gurley or Kareem Hunt as their top running back this week, but I’m leaning towards LeSean McCoy. The Bills are running McCoy a lot, he’s been very good lately, and he’s going up against the Jets who give up the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in the league. I think he makes for a great play this week.

• Time for your weekly Ezekiel Elliott caveat: I don’t know if Zeke is going to play this week, it seems like he isn’t, which is why I’ve ranked Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden where they are, but if he plays, he’s obviously a top-3 play this week. I have Morris ranked ahead of McFadden mostly because of Jerry Jones’ statement that Morris will get the majority of the work. It’s the only inkling we have of what that backfield will look like, so for now, I’m rolling with it.
• I know, Marshawn Lynch hasn’t looked good, but he’s not dead. The Miami Dolphins run defense is good, but they got run over by Alex Collins last week, who runs in a similar way to Lynch. I think Lynch is still a low-end RB2 this week, rather than the flex play others have him at. And as far as his backup, DeAndre Washington looked really good last week, and I think he would be the primary handcuff ahead of Jalen Richard.
• I don’t care what defense he’s going against, Christian McCaffery has been supremely disappointing this year, and even against the Falcons who give up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs, I just don’t see him as much more than a low-end RB2. He has more solid RB2 appeal in PPR leagues, but he’s generally just been a major disappointment.
• I’m not totally sold on Amari Cooper yet. He had his one great game and then a mediocre game last week. Miami’s pass defense is middle-of-the-road, if he’s able to put up a great game against them, then I’ll be more sold on him as a WR1 option, but for now, he’s in the WR2 territory.
• Despite the fact that the Rams’ secondary has been very good this year, Sterling Shepard is very talented and should be getting the lion’s share of the targets from Eli Manning. The Giants’ offense has been pretty bad, but give me someone with the talent of Shepard in a game where I think the Giants will be down and throwing. I think Shepard makes for a nice WR2 play.
• Look, I refuse to believe that Willie Snead is just irrelevant now. Sean Payton has said that they plan on relying on Snead down the stretch, and I think that while for now, he’s just a flex play, he’s got potential to be a nice second-half guy. I’m not saying he’s going to set the world on fire, but he’s gotta be better than Ted Ginn, right?
• The Ravens have given up the fourth-most points to opposing tight ends so far this year, and I think that, if Delanie Walker is fully healthy, he’s going to really benefit from that. I think the Titans will have some offensive success, but that Ravens secondary is very good, which means Marcus Mariota might have to rely a little more on Walker than his wide receivers.