We are now just over the half way mark of the 2017 NFL season and what a wild ride it has been. Fantasy studs like Odell Beckham, Aaron Rodgers, and David Johnson are all on the injured reserve. Alex Smith, Carson Wentz, and Deshaun Watson are top five fantasy quarterbacks. Todd Gurley and DeAndre Hopkins have already matched or even surpassed their fantasy totals in 2016 depending on your league scoring. Just how we drew it up in August, right? Well, at least the Cleveland Browns are sitting at 0-8 to keep things somewhat normal.
Perhaps the craziest stat of all is that for the fifth consecutive week my QB “Streamer of the week” finished as a top eight option, placing fourth amongst all quarterbacks with 18.3 fantasy points. Not bad, right?
My TE “Streamer of the Week” also finished as a TE1. Jared Cook managed four receptions for 57 yards, which was good enough for 9.7 fantasy points in PPR formats. Not spectacular numbers, but productive enough to finish as a top 10 TE for the week.
Before we move forward with the top streamers of Week 9, here are the complete results from last week’s article:
Quarterback
- Josh McCown – 257 Passing Yards, 2 TDs = 18.3 FP
- Case Keenum – 288 Passing Yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT = 17.5 FP
- C.J. Beathard – 167 Passing Yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 40 Rush Yards = 10.7 FP
Tight End
- Jared Cook – 4 REC, 57 Yards = 9.7 FP
- Tyler Kroft – 5 REC, 46 Yards = 9.6 FP
- O.J. Howard – 2 REC, 16 Yards = 3.6 FP
As we look ahead to Week 9, remember that in order to qualify for this list the selected players must be owned in no more than 40 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues.
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Quarterback Streaming Options
QB Stream of the Week: Drew Stanton (ARI) at San Francisco (1% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
Only the New England Patriots have allowed more fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks than the 49ers. Decimated with injuries right across the board on defense, San Francisco will be hard pressed to stop anyone. Stanton doesn’t appear to be a big threat, but he has had success against the 49ers in the past, throwing four touchdown passes and zero interceptions in two games dating back to 2014. I’m chalking this matchup up as an easy 250 yards and two touchdowns for Stanton, not too shabby for someone with a mere one percent ownership in Yahoo leagues.
Josh McCown (NYJ) vs. Buffalo (25% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
With at least two touchdown passes in four straight contests, McCown has become one of the top weekly streaming options of any position. However, this week he faces a stiff test versus Buffalo’s top five ranked passing defense. In their previous matchup in Week 1 of this season, McCown scored just 9.5 fantasy points, his second-lowest total of the 2017 campaign thus far. On the flip side, Buffalo’s secondary isn’t as healthy this time around and this one is being played at home, which are both positives for owners looking to cover a Week 9 bye week.
Jacoby Brissett (IND) at Houston (10% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
Brissett has had an up and down year so far, but he has shown some promise, scoring over 15 fantasy points in three of the seven games he has started in Indianapolis. This week he will look to take advantage of a favorable matchup. The Texans are uncharacteristically weak against the pass, surrendering over 19 fantasy points per game despite compiling eight interceptions. Furthermore, Russell Wilson just shredded their defense for over 450 yards and three touchdowns, solidifying the fact that maybe there is a problem in Houston.
Tight End Streaming Options
TE Stream of the Week: Tyler Kroft (CIN) at Jacksonville (47% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
I’m bending the rules a bit here since Kroft is more than 40 percent owned, but I was left with few options given the bye weeks and injuries at the TE position. As I mentioned last week, Kroft is quietly producing TE1 numbers and should be considered a low-end TE1 moving forward. The 25-year-old has scored three touchdowns in his past four games, along with a solid reception total of 19 during that span. Kroft has racked up seven or more fantasy points in four straight games, giving him a high floor in PPR formats.
O.J. Howard (TB) at New Orleans (37% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
With very limited quality options at tight end, might as well take a shot on someone with big-play ability and upside. Howard is just two weeks removed from a 27.8 fantasy day and he is clearly a better play than many of the other streaming options such as Coby Fleener or Ben Watson. The game-script could work in Howard’s favor this week as well if it turns into a shootout or if the Saints pull ahead. Both are reasonably realistic scenarios. The Tampa Bay rookie has three touchdowns on the season and has put up 14 or more fantasy points in two games despite limited action playing second fiddle to Cameron Brate.
Ed Dickson (CAR) vs. Atlanta (25% owned in Yahoo Leagues)
Dickson has caught at least three passes in five consecutive matchups, but with only one game of double-digit fantasy production he remains a low ceiling play for fantasy owners. On the plus side, the eight-year veteran has seen a steady dose of targets with 23 in his past four games, so you are at least getting a decent floor and someone that is going to at least keep you in it. If Cam Newton can get hot and play up to his ability, Dickson is capable of some big games, like his 175-yard performance in Week 5.
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Mike Dente is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @1ststopfantasy.
