Fantasy Football Preview: Rhamondre Stevenson continues to be a must-start in Week 9

Week 8 saw some stars show up and put out massive fantasy days. We will see if these same players keep rolling this week as we are heading into crucial games leading up to the fantasy playoffs.

Let’s gear up for Week 9 by diving into the fantasy football world.

Fantasy-related News

• RB Jonathan Taylor misses Wednesday’s practice, status against Patriots uncertain
• RB Nyheim Hines traded to Bills and is expected to pick up third-down work
• WR Chase Claypool traded to Bears, boosts Justin Fields value
• WR George Pickens to see increased role for Steelers after departure of Claypool
• TE T.J. Hockenson traded to Vikings, should have more red zone opportunities

Starts of the Week

QB Justin Fields vs. Miami Dolphins: The Bears quarterback struggled early in the season but has really come along strong in the past two weeks. They also just brought in a new weapon in Chase Claypool for him to pass to. Fields is matched up against the 26th-ranked defense against his position and will definitely both pass and run all over this unit.

RB Miles Sanders at Houston Texans: This is a great matchup for Sanders on Thursday Night Football. Derrick Henry just rumbled for 200-plus yards and two scores against an abysmal Texans defense. This means that Sanders will see a heavy use and definitely have a productive day.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Green Bay Packers: The slot wideout is the main receiving option in Detroit now that T.J. Hockenson has been sent to Minnesota. St. Brown will easily see over 10 targets in this offense in what projects to be a high-scoring contest. Look for the second-year receiver to have a big performance in this one.

Bust Candidates

RB Michael Carter vs. Buffalo Bills: Carter is the clear-cut starter in New York now that Breece Hall is out for the year. However, he faces a very good Bills defense and will have a poor day. It also may be a situation that new addition James Robinson is exposed more to the offense if the game gets out of hand.

WR Michael Pittman Jr. at New England Patriots: Pittman Jr. is a good wide receiver but the reason he is on this list is due to his quarterback. Sam Ehlinger is going to struggle against a Bill Belichick-coached defense. This will lead to an unproductive day for Pittman Jr., and he will likely end up on the cut list.

TE Tyler Conklin vs. Buffalo Bills: Another Jet is on this list as the Buffalo defense is no joke. Conklin started the season strong and faded off with the return of Zach Wilson. He finally had his bounce-back day against the Patriots with two touchdowns. This will not be the case with the matchup on Sunday as he will likely have a tough day.

Sleeper of the Week

TE Brock Wright vs. Green Bay Packers: Many people do not know the name Brock Wright, but he is the new TE1 in Detroit. He will not replace the Hockenson’s production, but he will be a valuable fantasy piece. He might have a couple catches each week and be an asset moving forward.

Patriots Fantasy Play of the Week

RB Rhamondre Stevenson vs. Indianapolis Colts: Stevenson is not just the best fantasy player on the Patriots, he is one of the best running backs in the league. He has been a top-three fantasy back since taking over the lead job — catching passes, running hard and seemingly always being on the field. Stevenson is a must-start in all fantasy formats moving forward.

Injury Report

Questionable: QB Aaron Rodgers, QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Derrick Henry, RB Jonathan Taylor, RB De’Andre Swift, RB Chuba Hubbard, RB James Conner, RB Gus Edwards, RB Damien Harris, RB JD McKissic, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Davante Adams, WR Keenan Allen, WR Allen Lazard, WR Michael Thomas, WR Adam Thielen, WR Julio Jones, WR Jarvis Landry, WR Kenny Golladay, WR Kadarius Toney, WR Christian Watson, WR Josh Reynolds, WR Van Jefferson, TE Mark Andrews, TE Darren Waller, TE Logan Thomas, TE Brock Wright

Doubtful: QB Baker Mayfield, RB Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Rashod Bateman

Out: QB Trey Lance, QB Carsen Wentz, QB Matt Ryan, RB JK Dobbins, RB Damien Williams, RB Elijah Mitchell, RB Ty Montgomery, RB Tyrion Davis-Price, RB Giovani Bernard, RB Travis Homer, RB Rashaad Penny, WR Mike Williams, WR Jameson Williams, WR Jamison Crowder, WR James Washington, WR Randall Cobb, WR Sterling Shepard, WR Byron Pringle, WR Treylon Burks, WR Jahan Dotson

Suspended: QB Deshaun Watson