Fantasy Football Week 9 WR Rankings and Picks feat. A.J. Brown, Josh Downs, and more
Even the most experienced fantasy football managers have been tested by the state of the wide receiver landscape this season. Many fantasy stars have missed significant time, forcing sharp managers to pivot to matchup plays.
Nico Collins, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, A.J. Brown, and Malik Nabers have been out at various times this season, while Rashee Rice, Chris Godwin, and Brandon Aiyuk will miss the rest of the season. Let's go through the wide receiver rankings for Week 9 and highlight the best matchups for your lineup decisions.
Fantasy Football WR Rankings for Week 9
Fantasy Football Best WR Matchups for Week 9
1] A.J. Brown vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Sometimes, it's going to be a DeVonta Smith week. Anyone who has ever had A.J. Brown on their fantasy teams knows Smith can funnel all the targets from quarterback Jalen Hurts in any given week. Unfortunately, it happened to be the week we recommended Brown as our top WR1 play against Cincinnati in Week 8.
Both players turned in nearly identical performances, with Smith making six catches for 85 yards (WR7) and Brown turning in five for 84 yards (WR34). The touchdown makes a big difference in fantasy production and Smith got it last Sunday.
But the NFL and fantasy football is a week-to-week deal, and we’re returning to the well with Brown. The All-Pro still has an absurd 3.81 yards per target, which leads the league. Brown will come into Sunday with 19 Fantasy points per game in the last four weeks (7th), 96.3 receiving yards per game (4th), and 14.4 yards per target (4th) during that span.
Brown will get Jacksonville’s Tyson Campbell for most of the game, as the fourth-year cornerback has allowed a team-high 10.4 Air yards per target in his coverage this season. Campbell has played the right cornerback position in 97.7% of his 108 defensive snaps this season. Brown has lined up 40.2% of his 107 routes on the formation's right side.
Jacksonville has been one of the worst pass defenses in fantasy football this season, especially in the last four weeks. The Jaguars secondary has allowed the third-most receiving yards (1,137), the third-most touchdowns to receivers (10), the 5th most yards per target (7.7), and the third-most receiving yards per game (284.3).
You always run a risk with this Philadelphia offense, especially if Hurt decides to plunge in for a couple of scores. But Brown is well worth the risk and should challenge for the overall WR1 spot against this poor pass defense.
2] Josh Downs vs. Minnesota Vikings
Well, it happened. The Indianapolis Colts decided it was time to sit its former first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson in favor of veteran Joe Flacco. Josh Downs appeared as one of our top targets in our waiver wire article this week after experiencing an ownership dip due to Richardson's inefficiencies.
Richardson has completed a meager 44.4% of his passes this season for 958 passing yards. It's hard to blame them, and it may have been premature to drop Downs in hindsight.
This is the highest rank we have had Downs at all season, as he gets an enticing matchup with the Minnesota secondary this weekend. The Vikings have allowed eight receiving touchdowns in the previous four games and have given up the fourth-most receptions (25.3) and seventh-most receiving yards per game (267.7).
Downs works 85.4% in the slot this season and will face fourth-year safety Josh Metellus, Minnesota's primary slot defender (83.3%). Metellus has allowed touchdowns in consecutive games to slot receivers Cooper Kupp and Tank Dell in Weeks 7 and 8.
He will get a tough assignment with the speedy Downs, who owns 2.24 yards per route run this season, which is 14th for all receivers. Get Downs in your lineup as Flacco gives this offensive multiple viable fantasy options this weekend.
3] Terry McLaurin vs. New York Giants
We were all worried about Terry McLaurin in Week 8. With fantasy star Jayden Daniels trending to miss last week due to a rib injury, many fantasy managers were left wondering what to expect from this offense without its rookie sensation. Daniels ended up starting the game, and McLaurin turned in one of his best performances of the season with 125 receiving yards against Chicago.
McLaurin has now eclipsed the century mark three times this season after just going over 100-plus yards once all of the previous season. Daniels and McLaurin will look to keep it going this week with divisional rival New York this weekend.
McLaurin works the left side 75.4% of his offensive snaps and will get one of the best matchups in fantasy football. The Giants' Deonte Banks works 55.1% of his snaps as the right cornerback, allowing 1.41 yards per route covered (13th-most) and 10.2 Air yards per target this season.
The former first-round pick was benched on Monday Night Football in Week 8 against Pittsburgh. Fortunately for fantasy, Banks will start again this weekend, and we hope he sees a lot of "Scary Terry" on Sunday. McLaurin is enjoying a career year with Daniels and has a great chance to keep it rolling against a struggling Giants secondary.