People come up to me and they say, “MB, this is it, this is the biggest Tuesday of our lives so far.” I must say that I am confused. Every Tuesday from the start of the season to the fantasy football trade deadline is a big Tuesday. Stealin’ or Dealin’ comes out! They say, “No MB, the presidential election! This election could save or doom the next couple of decades in this country.” Excuse me, but is Kanye West giving you advice on how to manage your fantasy football team? Between making shoes, Gap clothes, making unlistenable music, and foreign policy I’m not so sure he can tell you how much trade value Kareem Hunt has once Nick Chubb returns from injury. They say, “MB, there is more to life than fantasy football, can’t you see that?” Of course I can! I’m not that dull. There is fantasy baseball too and Grey is already putting out rookie profiles. Anyways, here are some buys and a sell for week 9!
Stealin’
Austin Hooper
As expected with a tight end playing for a new team and scheme, Austin Hooper got off to a slow start with the Cleveland Browns. But his production had began to accelerate with two straight games with over 50 receiving yards. Hooper also has 3 straight games with double digit PPR points.Â
Hooper will almost certainly be back after the bye after missing the last 2 weeks due to an emergency appendectomy. He will likely come back to an increase in targets with Odell Beckham out for the rest of the season. Jarvis Landry is still on the wrong side of healthy as he plays through a broken rib, but the bye week will be a good opportunity for him to heal up maybe play through less pain in week 10. As the 2nd best option in the passing game, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hooper sees a chunk of games with double digit targets. That could be huge in a season where it is especially tough to find consistent tight end production. Following the bye, I love Cleveland’s schedule for Hooper. The Browns host the Texans and the Eagles before heading to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars. The Browns are clearly a team that prefers to pound defenses with running play after running play with Kareem Hunt and the likely return of Nick Chubb, but they won’t run it every play. And the risk averse passing game should lead to Hooper continuing his Cleveland ascension as a safety blanket for Baker as the Browns continue to to fight for a postseason birth.Â
Damien Harris
I said in my start/sit column that Damien Harris was going to score his first NFL touchdown and he did it! It probably wasn’t that profound of a call but let me have this one, okay? Damien Harris already has two 100 yard games through his four games this year. He looks to be locked into the Sony Michel role at this point even with Michel coming off of the Covid list. The possibility of Michel being active next week should provide at least a little bit of a discount for Harris.Â
JaMycal HastyÂ
The 49ers are really struggling to keep running backs on the field. They have fantasy players chasing their tail from week to week. Jerick McKinnon might have a long uphill climb to get carries that his “tired legs” can’t handle. Tevin Coleman isn’t practicing to start the week and the 49ers play on Thursday night against the Packers. If you’ve been paying attention at home, the Packers is a smash spot for running backs this year. Hasty should be in line for a marvelous fantasy score this coming Thursday night and he will definitely be on the start side of the start/sit column this week.Â
Dealin’
Jonathan Taylor
This was probably my worst miss this year considering that I kept suggesting that you buy. His value isn’t completely dead. Philip Rivers came out and said that JT is a little banged up which makes a lot of sense considering how things were distributed around the goal line on Sunday. But I’m ready to throw in the towel for a start-able wide receiver. Really to fill in any hole you might have heading into the home stretch.Â
