Conviction Picks: Week 9 fantasy football predictions to count on
Our analysts reveal the fantasy football takes they have the most conviction for heading into Week 9 to help you feel better about the lineup decisions ahead. For more sit-start advice, check out our rankings hub.
Breece Hall continues upward trajectory
Breece Hall was shut down on the ground last week but remained plenty active as a receiver. His opportunity share has increased each of the last three games, including a season high last week with the Jets coming off a bye. Hall is ready for a full workload now further removed from knee surgery and with Dalvin Cook no threat to steal touches. Hall has the fourth-most breakaway runs this season despite having just the 29th most carries. He’s getting 6.0 YPC at home and faces a Chargers defense allowing the second-most receiving yards to running backs this season. Hall scores twice Monday night and finishes as this week’s top fantasy back. — Dalton Del Don
Garrett Wilson keeps overcoming circumstances
Somehow, even without Aaron Rodgers at the controls of the Jets offense, Garrett Wilson is still delivering a season that won’t make his ADP seem so bad. Wilson is on pace for over 1,100 yards and he’s caught at least seven balls in three of his last four games. This perhaps isn’t everything you would have expected with a healthy Rodgers, but it’s also not a complete disaster. Wilson’s arrival as a star can’t be disputed.
This week, New York happens to be facing the Chargers, the league’s most generous pass defense, a group allowing 8.4 yards per attempt and nearly 300 passing yards per game. It’s a stellar matchup for an unguardable receiver who’s set up for a monster week, assuming his usual 10-12 targets. Expect 100-plus yards and a return to the end zone. — Andy Behrens
Both Colts RBs finish as top-15 options
As it turns out, there is enough room to go around in the Colts backfield for both Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss, having ranked eighth among NFL teams in total rush attempts since Week 5. The Colts have averaged 142.3 rushing yards per game in that span (third most) while leading the league in rushing touchdowns. Even better than the volume, however, has been the efficiency, averaging 4.95 yards per carry as a unit (fourth). This week, this already-productive backfield will face the Carolina Panthers, allowing just over 32 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs per game since Week 5. They’re averaging the sixth-lowest defensive success rate in that span and a league-high 1.4 rush yards over expectation per carry, per Next Gen Stats. This is a perfect spot for a monster game from this running back tandem, with this defense having allowed four different teams’ backfields 175 scrimmage yards and two+ touchdowns in seven games this season. — Kate Magdziuk
Davante Adams will have reason to smile
Adams is understandably frustrated. He hasn't scored a touchdown in five games, and although he was consistently open Monday at Detroit, Jimmy Garoppolo was off target. The Raiders cleaned house after the game, firing their head coach and general manager, and also benching Garoppolo.
I can't promise you Aidan O'Connell is a miracle worker at quarterback. But I expect Adams to get a bushel of targets right off the bus. Fantasy managers were going to play Adams anyway, but I'll also use him proactively for DFS and props. — Scott Pianowski
Diontae Johnson ends TD drought
He returned in Week 7 and ran 86% of the routes leading to a strong 26% of the targets. But there was an issue. The Steelers threw a season-low 25 times, with only 20 catchable targets to go around to their pass-catchers.
This changed in Week 8. Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett combined for 43 pass attempts as Johnson's usage increased. He played 98% of the snaps and earned a team-high 35% of the targets.
Johnson also saw the only end-zone target of the game for Pittsburgh. This week he faces the Titans' 22nd-ranked secondary. I have conviction around him scoring his first TD since 2021. — Sal Vetri
C.J. Stroud rebounds back at home
Stroud is ready for another 300-yard game, and it’s happening on the fast track of NRG Stadium where he’s averaging 296.3 yards per game and has a 6-1 TD-INT rate this year. He’ll also be looking plenty in the way of Nico Collins, who has both his 100-yard games in the comforts of home, including a 7-168-2 masterpiece against the Steelers. The Buccaneers are a great opponent, too, as they have allowed 927 passing yards since Week 6, just one yard ahead of the Chargers for most allowed in that span. Jared Goff and Josh Allen went over 300 yards, and Desmond Ridder even touched up the Bucs for 250 yards. I’m booking Stroud for 300+ yards and at least two touchdowns with a top-10 QB performance. — Jorge Martin
