Fantasy Football 2013 Wide Receiver Rankings: Week 9
Jordy Nelson
Calvin Johnson was the story of Week 8, but he and the Lions are on bye, so there's someone else sitting atop Athlon Sports' fantasy football Week 9 wide receiver rankings. Ironically enough, it's Dez Bryant, who made plenty of noise before his head-to-head matchup with Megatron last week and nearly stole the headlines away from Johnson following his late-game, sideline "tirade." Turns out the uproar over Bryant's actions were much ado about nothing and the attention paid them overshadowed his two touchdown catches against the Lions. While Johnson hauled in 14 receptions, Bryant had just three on six targets, but expect both of these numbers to go up quite a bit this week. Minnesota is 29th in the league in passing defense and gave up seven catches for 123 yards and two scores to Jordy Nelson, Green Bay's No. 1 receiver, last week.
Speaking of Nelson, he has looked quite comfortable in his new role as Aaron Rodgers' favorite target following Randall Cobb's season-ending injury. In two games without Cobb, Nelson has 12 catches for 165 yards and three scores. Even though Chicago has a pair of All-Pro cornerbacks in Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, Nelson is still a fairly safe bet this week, as evidenced by his No. 2 ranking. This also is somewhat attributed to the fact that besides the aforementioned Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Victor Cruz, Larry Fitzgerald, Justin Blackmon, Eric Decker, Hakeem Nicks, Cecil Shorts and Anquan Boldin are all on bye this week. So which unheralded wide receiver will be the one to step up for his fantasy team this week?
Each week during the NFL season, we will rank enough players at each position to appease everyone from those in 8-team leagues to 16-team leagues, those that can start two QBs, two TEs, three RBs and four WRs. We cut out the rest, because if you're looking at who the 50th-best running back or the 17th-best kicker is for that week, you need more help than any website can give you.
2013 NFL Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings — Wide Receivers
Teams on bye: Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York Giants, San Francisco
Rk | Player | Team | OPP | Notes |
1 | Dez Bryant | DAL | vs. MIN | Dez did have more TDs (2) than Megatron last week. |
2 | Jordy Nelson | GB | vs. CHI (Mon.) | Has 12 rec., 165 yds., 3 TDs in 2 G w/o Cobb/Jones. |
3 | A.J. Green | CIN | at MIA (Thurs.) | Took a backseat to teammate Jones last week. |
4 | Brandon Marshall | CHI | at GB (Mon.) | Must do without Cutler for another game or two. |
5 | Andre Johnson | HOU | vs. IND | Posted season-best 42-yard reception last week. |
6 | Josh Gordon | CLE | vs. BAL | Clicked with Campbell (5-132-1) right away vs. KC. |
7 | DeSean Jackson | PHI | at OAK | Looking to get things going again with Foles back. |
8 | Pierre Garcon | WAS | vs. SD | Contained (6.6 ypr) by Broncos last week. |
9 | Antonio Brown | PIT | at NE | Patriots' pass D could get Talib (hip) back this week. |
10 | Vincent Jackson | TB | at SEA | Seattle's Legion of Boom will zero in on VJax. |
11 | Steve Smith | CAR | vs. ATL | Saw his TD streak end at 2 games last week. |
12 | Harry Douglas | ATL | at CAR | Second straight big game (12-121) replacing Julio. |
13 | Terrance Williams | DAL | vs. MIN | Set Cowboys rookie record w/ TD in four straight G. |
14 | Torrey Smith | BAL | at CLE | Averaging 20.1 ypr, but has 1 TD catch. |
15 | Denarius Moore | OAK | vs. PHI | Eagles allowing second-most passing yards. |
16 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | at HOU | No. 1 role now his with Reggie Wayne out for season. |
17 | James Jones | GB | vs. CHI (Mon.) | Will he be back (knee) after missing last 2 games? |
18 | Keenan Allen | SD | at WAS | Redskins allowing third-most fantasy pts. to WRs. |
19 | Jarrett Boykin | GB | vs. CHI (Mon.) | Has gone for 13-192-1 in first 2 games as starter. |
20 | Alshon Jeffery | CHI | at GB (Mon.) | Has 100+ yards in three of last four games. |
21 | Golden Tate | SEA | vs. TB | Unquestioned No. 1 w/ Rice (ACL) out for season. |
22 | Stevie Johnson | BUF | vs. KC | Hauled in TD vs. Saints, but dealing w/ groin issue. |
23 | Mike Wallace | MIA | vs. CIN (Thurs.) | Wallace still trying to get comfortable w/ new offense. |
24 | Dwayne Bowe | KC | at BUF | Groin an issue, but Bills have given up 20 TD passes. |
25 | Marques Colston | NO | at NYJ | Has just 6 catches for 44 yards in last 3 G combined. |
26 | Marvin Jones | CIN | at MIA (Thurs.) | Caught 4 TD passes vs. Jets, has 6 in last 3 games. |
27 | Emmanuel Sanders | PIT | at NE | Posted season-high 88 yards w/ TD last week. |
28 | Danny Amendola | NE | vs. PIT | Just 3 catches for 15 yards in return from concussion. |
29 | Darrius Heyward-Bey | IND | at HOU | Big opportunity w/ Reggie Wayne out for season. |
30 | Brian Hartline | MIA | vs. CIN (Thurs.) | Has just one 100-yard game, no TDs since Week 3. |
31 | Kendall Wright | TEN | at STL | Has seen eight or more targets in each of last 4 G. |
32 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | vs. IND | Hauled in 29-yard TD from Keenum in last game. |
33 | Greg Jennings | MIN | at DAL | Cowboys giving up most passing yards in NFL. |
34 | Kenny Stills | NO | at NYJ | Hauled in two long TDs (69, 42) vs. Bills last week. |
35 | Lance Moore | NO | at NYJ | Caught a TD pass in first game (hand) since Week 3. |
36 | Nate Washington | TEN | at STL |
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37 | Jeremy Kerley | NYJ | vs. NO | Geno Smith has been much better at home vs. road. |
38 | Aaron Dobson | NE | vs. PIT | Caught TD vs. Miami, 22 targets over last 3 games. |
39 | Vincent Brown | SD | at WAS | Has just 4 rec., 57 yds. since Week 5 (7-117) explosion. |
40 | Eddie Royal | SD | at WAS | Caught first TD pass since Week 2 in last game. |
41 | Rod Streater | OAK | vs. PHI | Eagles giving up second-most fantasy pts. to WRs. |
42 | Drew Davis | ATL | at CAR | Making most of opportunities with Roddy sidelined. |
43 | Marlon Brown | BAL | at CLE |
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44 | Julian Edelman | NE | vs. PIT | Steelers second in NFL in passing defense. |
45 | Dexter McCluster | KC | at BUF | Has 67+ yards in each of last 2 G, got 1st TD vs. CLE. |
46 | Austin Pettis | STL | vs. TEN | Titans yielding second-fewest fantasy pts. to WRs. |
47 | Brandon LaFell | CAR | vs. ATL |
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48 | Stephen Hill | NYJ | vs. NO |
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49 | Kenbrell Thompkins | NE | vs. PIT | Rookie disappearing from passing game. |
50 | Leonard Hankerson | WAS | vs. SD |
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51 | Chris Givens | STL | vs. TEN |
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52 | David Nelson | NYJ | vs. NO | Has been Jets' most productive WR last 2 games. |
53 | Jacoby Jones | BAL | at CLE | Ravens need more consistency from Jones. |
54 | Donnie Avery | KC | at BUF | Bills giving up most fantasy points to WRs. |
55 | Riley Cooper | PHI | at OAK |
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56 | Robert Woods | BUF | vs. KC | Hasn't been as involved with Lewis at QB. |
57 | Jerome Simpson | MIN | at DAL |
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58 | Cordarrelle Patterson | MIN | at DAL | Tied NFL record with 109-yard KOR for TD vs. GB. |
59 | Roddy White | ATL | at CAR | Making progress (hamstring, ankle) but status unclear. |
60 | Tavon Austin | STL | vs. TEN | Rookie still searching for consistent role in offense. |
61 | Miles Austin | DAL | vs. MIN | Did not play last week b/c of hamstring. |
62 | Doug Baldwin | SEA | vs. TB |
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63 | Cole Beasley | DAL | vs. MIN |
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64 | Percy Harvin | SEA | vs. TB | Back at practice, but suffered slight setback w/ hip. |
Rankings are based upon Athlon Sports' standard scoring system:
OFFENSIVE SCORING
All touchdowns are 6 points
1 point for 25 yards passing
1 point for 10 yards rushing/receiving
Receptions are .5 points
Interceptions/fumbles are minus-2 points
Additional Week 9 Positional Rankings
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Tight Ends
Defense/Special Teams
Kickers
Week 9 Waiver Wire
