Fantasy Football Week 9: How To Handle Derrick Henry, Aaron Rodgers Fallout
Here's how to go about starting and sitting other members of the Titans and the Packers
The fantasy football world, and NFL world in general, is dealing with a unique Week 9 due to a pair of very different, but very impactful scenarios.
First and foremost, the season-ending injury to Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is a league-changing development. Henry, after all, was leading the NFL in every major category for a team that relied on him more than any other team does a single player.
And then there's the very murky situation with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, of course, is not injured but will miss Week 9 after testing positive for COVID-19 despite leading many to believe he was vaccinated.
Their fantasy football impact is so extensive it creates a major fallout with both of their respective teams. And that's why we decided to provide advice on the biggest question relating to their teammates: Do I start or sit them? Of note, all statistics reflect full-point PPR leagues and were compiled by SportRadar.
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers, RB
A lot of cases are dealing with somewhat of a double-edged sword. The Packers will be playing without Rodgers, which means the opposing Kansas City Chiefs will be able to focus more on the run game, right? Well, then again, the Packers will be playing without Rodgers so it should mean the running backs, and in this case the pass-catching back, will see more of a workload. And Jones is among the best at both. He has ranked RB5 in fantasy football in total points scored this season after averaging 1.04 points per touch on 137 touches. His 2.07 points per target are the third-most from a running back with 26 or more targets. In Week 9 specifically, although it hasn?t been the case much this season, the Chiefs' ability to put up points in a hurry also plays into Jones because if the Packers are trailing, second-string QB Jordan Love will have to throw the ball rather than continue hand it off.
Verdict? Start
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers, RB
Dillion, similarly, should benefit from Rodgers' absence based on a previous point: The Packers likely will lean much heavier on the running game. They should be able to against a defense as bad as the Chiefs -- even if Kansas City puts eight in the box and forces Love to beat them. And while Dillion (78 touches) has seen far fewer touches than Jones, he has continued to increase his productivity with 59 yards or more from scrimmage in four of his last five games. He was getting 8.5 carries per game with Rodgers behind center, and it wouldn?t be a huge surprise for him to see closer to 14 or 15 against the Chiefs. He has averaged 0.69 points per touch, and he feels like a decent flex play with all things considered.
Verdict? Start
Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers, WR
Rodgers or no Rodgers, if Adams is going to play then he's a must-start in fantasy football. Adams is WR6 in total scoring this season behind 1.98 points per target on 73 targets. He is one of only seven receivers with 50 or more touches, and he?s done it in one less game after missing Week 8 due to COVID-19. We're not going to act like Adams won't be impacted with his trusty quarterback sidelined (he might), but not enough to sit the All-Pro.
Verdict? Start
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans, QB
If you're in a tough spot at the quarterback position due to someone being on a bye or due to an injury, you may consider Tannehill given the other options. But if you're in a decent situation with Tannehill as your backup QB, don't let the injury to Henry make you think Tannehill is a must-start -- especially given the matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Tannehill's fantasy football value may improve with Henry out as the Titans tweak their ground-first mindset, but it's not something you should gamble on right off the bat. Additionally, Tannehill hasn't been great this season himself. He's averaged 17.07 points after completing just 30% of passes 20 or more air yards with 30 explosive passes of 16 yards or more -- both of which rank him well outside the top 20 signal-callers. And that was when he wasn't able to be pressured at a high rate (23.4%) due to Henry. In Week 9, especially with Aaron Donald and newly-acquired Von Miller, the Rams are going to be able to get after the passer.
Verdict? Sit
A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans, WR
Another one of those Catch 22 situations we hinted at previously. Brown will not have the same benefit as he did when Henry was in the backfield. Now, opponents will be able to do more in the secondary as they aren't forced to stack the box. But on the flip side, it's hard to not think about the targets that Brown could see both in Week 9 and beyond. And in the games Brown receives targets, he tends to do very well. Brown has recorded eight or more targets in five of the seven games this season and averaged 19.42 points in those contests with three touchdowns. He is also coming off consecutive weeks where he was the second-highest and highest scoring wideout in the league.
Verdict? Start
Jeremy McNichols, Tennessee Titans, RB
McNichols should see more opportunities given the injury to Henry and the fact Adrian Peterson still is being brought up to speed. McNichols is RB51 on the season, but is much more efficient than that may appear. He ranks RB12 in points per touch (1.83) on 28 touches. That?s the second-highest output among running backs with 16 or more touches. The fact the Titans could get down against the Rams likely will mean the pass-catching back gets more looks, as well. McNichols, especially short term before Peterson picks up the playbook, should be considered as a decent flex play given his potential target share.
Verdict? Start
Adrian Peterson, Tennessee Titans, RB
It just feels like too early to throw Peterson into the fire, again, especially against the Rams. Peterson is worthy of a waiver claim and roster spot, but at this point, he?s probably best served on the bench. It is worth noting, though, that Henry led the league in touches from scrimmage (237) including more than 27 rushes per contest. While Peterson certainly won?t see the same workload even half of that would rank him with Austin Ekeler (117), Nick Chubb (112) and James Robinson (106) in regards to touches. Peterson was RB40 in total scoring during the 2020 season while recording 0.74 points per touch on 168 touches for a bad Detroit Lions team. You would think he fares better in Tennessee.
Verdict? Sit
