Although we rely on big-name players to guide our fantasy football teams to victory, knowing how to locate the sleepers in a given week could be what pushes your team over the edge. With Week 9 of the NFL and fantasy football season on the horizon, here are some sleepers to keep in mind when setting your lineups.
Top Fantasy Football Sleepers in Week 9
Taylor Heinicke, QB Washington Commanders
Maybe the answer was in front of Washington all along. Taylor Heinicke had another solid outing against the Indianapolis Colts, completing 23 of 31 passes for 279 yards with two touchdowns in one interception. His 23 fantasy points placed him as the QB8 on the weekend, and he will continue to be the Commanders’ QB moving forward with Carson Wentz nursing a thumb injury.
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There are plenty of options on this offense for Heinicke to target, including Curtis Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and even Antonio Gibson out of the backfield. With six teams on bye, Heinicke has a decent matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9. He’s a sleeper QB to keep your eye on this week.
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
It’s hard to call Justin Fields a sleeper, but at the same time, when only a quarter of fantasy managers roster him, I’m left with no choice. With 26 points against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Fields has now put together three straight QB1 performances and barely missed five straight after a QB13 outing in Week 5.
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Although his passing wasn’t great — throwing for 151 yards on 17 of 23 passing — Fields rushed for 80 yards and had three touchdowns on the day. He’s had over 40 yards in every game on the ground since Week 3, which is providing over a touchdown’s worth of fantasy production to his floor. Fields is more than just a sleeper; he might be a QB1 moving forward. (Especially with upcoming matchups against the Dolphins, Lions, Falcons, and Jets.)
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
D’Onta Foreman looked like Derrick Henry was running for them this weekend. Rushing 26 times for 118 yards with three touchdowns, Foreman took advantage of Chubba Hubbard’s absence.
However, that might change in Week 9 as Hubbard looks to return after missing Week 8 with an ankle injury. This is important to note as, in Week 7, Hubbard was getting the first opportunities, rushing nine times for 63 yards while adding 10 through the air and scoring a touchdown before his exit. If he’s back this week, Hubbard could steal a portion of the workload from Foreman as a fantasy sleeper in Week 9.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Coming off of the bye, Andy Reid has had time to figure out how he wants to attack the back half of the schedule. If Week 7 was any indicator, Isiah Pacheco could be in for a busy next few weeks.
Pacheco led the team in rushing against the 49ers with eight carries for a team-high 43 yards in their blowout victory, and while it might be somewhat underwhelming, the fact he was listed as the starter is a massive, massive moment.
In a what-did-you-do-for-me-lately business, Pacheco’s increased roll might be overlooked thanks to their bye week, keeping him as a fantasy sleeper for Week 9.
Caleb Huntley, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Tyler Allgeier is receiving most of the praise, but Caleb Huntley was extremely active on Sunday, rushing 16 times for 91 yards in the team’s victory over the Panthers.
Huntley was far more efficient with his carries, averaging 5.7 yards compared to Allgeier’s 2.8. What saved Allgeier’s day was his involvement in the receiving game, catching all three of his targets for 46 yards and a score. That’s not his role.
Cordarrelle Patterson has a chance of returning in Week 9, but if he doesn’t, Huntley might be the preferred fantasy option in the Falcons’ backfield.
Rondale Moore, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Rondale Moore’s roller-coaster season continued on Sunday, but he had his best day of the season, catching seven of eight targets for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. Moore also rushed for 12 yards, which didn’t necessarily impact his day but was a nice bonus.
MORE: Rondale Moore Worth a Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickup
Moore looks to be the clear WR2 behind DeAndre Hopkins, as no other wide receiver had more than 12 yards. With that said, a little bit of faith is needed as managers need to hope Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t relegate Moore to dink-and-dunk-type plays but keeps him in an intermediate window. If true, Moore moves from a sleeper into a solid WR3 or Flex option next week against the Seahawks.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Don’t mistake me for putting Kadarius Toney as a sleeper for me having any information on what’s going to happen this week. Your guess is as good as mine. But at the same time, the talent of Toney is legit, as is the upside with him on the Chiefs’ roster.
There are conflicting reports about his health. Toney says he’s okay, but apparently, he wasn’t good enough for the Giants, having played in 12 other possible 24 games and catching 41 of 60 targets for 420 yards with no touchdowns.
Toney flashed his ceiling last year, with a 10 for 189 game against the Cowboys, but he remains a wild card. With that said, Toney is a wild card worth having on your roster, as he could turn into your ace up the sleeve down the road.
Van Jefferson, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Van Jefferson made his season debut on Sunday, and in his first action, played on north of 50% of the snaps with a 60.5% route participation. Those are positive signs for the future.
The injury to Cooper Kupp, as you would expect, has dominated the storylines, but Jefferson’s return could be a much-needed boost for the Rams’ offense. He had the quietest 800 yards you’ll ever find last season and could step into the No. 2 or No. 3 role for the Rams’ offense. In leagues with deeper benches, Jefferson is a sleeper that needs to be rostered in Week 9.
Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Much like his career, Evan Engram has been inefficient in 2022, but there has been volume. And with opportunities comes scoring chances, and Engram took advantage of that against the Denver Broncos, catching four of his six targets for 55 yards and a touchdown in the team’s loss in London.
Engram now sits as a TE1 on the season and has hauled in 19 of 29 targets for 231 yards and a score over the past four games. That is quite a difference from his first four weeks of the season, where he caught 13 of 16 for only 99 yards. Given how weak the position is, Engram is a sleeper worth adding that you can start in Week 9.
Greg Dulcich, TE, Denver Droncos
Denver wasted no time getting Greg Dulcich acclimated to their offense. In his first two games, he had a 17.1% target share and a 74.4% route rate. On Sunday, Dulcich put it all together by catching four of five targets for 87 yards. While the bulk of his yards came on a single drive, it’s hard to overlook Dulcich’s production, as he’s finished as a top-12 tight end every single week.
Denver is on a bye this week as they return from across the pond, which makes it a bit tougher to stash him, but I think it’s worth it. The upcoming schedule against the Titans, Raiders, Panthers, and Ravens would make Dulcich a starting-caliber TE every week.