The 2021-22 NFL season is at its halfway point. Bye weeks have been taking place the past few weeks. This means those wide receivers like Mike Evans and Terry McLaurin will be out this week. On top of that injuries have started to mount up at this point of the season. It is always a great idea to evaluate backup options so that way fantasy managers are prepared if star players miss time. Here are the Fantasy Football Week 9 wide receiver rankings.
*Ratings are subject to change due to injury reports or possible move to reserve/COVID-19 list*
(Check out the section below for details on players already rumored to possibly miss this week and how their replacement options rank for the week)
Key:
Must Start- a player who is in your lineup regardless of the matchup or most circumstances. They will likely finish near the top of the league in points that week and in most weeks.
Starting WR1- a player who makes fantasy owners comfortable starting week after week. Regardless of the matchup, this player has a high floor.
High WR2- a player who may isn’t likely to carry a lineup that week, but has the ability to have a breakout game and is teetering between WR1 and WR2 category.
Starting WR2- a player who should be started in most lineups and should reach their point projection. This player is started is because of their consistency and moderately high floor
Low WR2- a player who may not be a lock to start for a team every week, but will start more times than not. Their production may not be pretty or win a person their lineup but the production is consistent enough to make a fantasy owner comfortable starting them.
Flex- a player who could float around the territory of being benched, but is started due to the potential to play better than their point projection. However, this player has the potential to flop and causes a fantasy team to lose if he has a bad game.
Deeper League Flex- a player who has starting value in deeper leagues. There are enough reasons to leave this player on the bench, but their upside makes them an attractive option. Desperate times may call for a player like this to be inserted into starting lineups.
Upside Player- a player who is boom or bust. This player can exceed expectations in a given week or could flop and be the reason why someone lost their fantasy matchup.
Leave on the Bench- a player who should be avoided in all lineups that week. Many times this player could even be left on waivers.
| Category | Name | Opponent | Ranking |
| Must Start | Cooper Kupp | vs Tennessee Titans | WR1 |
| Must Start | Stefon Diggs | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | WR2 |
| Must Start | Tyreek Hill | vs Green Bay Packers | WR3 |
| Must Start | A.J. Brown | vs Los Angeles Rams | WR4 |
| Must Start | Deebo Samuel* | vs Arizona Cardinals | WR5 |
| Must Start | Justin Jefferson | vs Baltimore Ravens | WR6 |
| Must Start | Ja’Marr Chase | vs Cleveland Browns | WR7 |
| Starting WR1 | Marquise “Hollywood” Brown | vs Minnesota Vikings | WR8 |
| Starting WR1 | Diontae Johnson | vs Chicago Bears | WR9 |
| Starting WR1 | Michael Pittman Jr. | vs New York Jets | WR10 |
| High WR2 | Davante Adams | vs Kansas City Chiefs | WR11 |
| High WR2 | Brandin Cooks | vs Miami Dolphins | WR12 |
| Starting WR2 | Robert Woods* | vs Tennessee Titans | WR13 |
| Starting WR2 | Adam Thielen | vs Baltimore Ravens | WR14 |
| Starting WR2 | Devante Parker | vs Houston Texans | WR15 |
| Starting WR2 | Tee Higgins | vs Cleveland Browns | WR16 |
| Starting WR2 | DeAndre Hopkins | vs San Francisco 49ers | WR17 |
| Starting WR2 | Keenan Allen | vs Philadelphia Eagles | WR18 |
| Starting WR2 | Jaylen Waddle | vs Houston Texans | WR19 |
| Starting WR2 | CeeDee Lamb* | vs Denver Broncos | WR20 |
| Starting WR2 | Emmanuel Sanders | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | WR21 |
| Starting WR2 | Mike Williams | vs Philadelphia Eagles | WR22 |
| Low WR2 | D.J. Moore | vs New England Patriots | WR23 |
| Low WR2 | Amari Cooper* | vs Denver Broncos | WR24 |
| Low WR2 | Courtland Sutton | vs Dallas Cowboys | WR25 |
| Flex | Cole Beasley* | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | WR26 |
| Flex | Hunter Renfrow | vs New York Giants | WR27 |
| Flex | Van Jefferson | vs Tennessee Titans | WR28 |
| Flex | Chase Claypool | vs Chicago Bears | WR29 |
| Flex | Jerry Jeudy | vs Dallas Cowboys | WR30 |
| Flex | Kadarius Toney* | vs Las Vegas Raiders | WR31 |
| Deep League Flex | Jamison Crowder | vs Indianapolis Colts | WR32 |
| Deep League Flex | Jakobi Meyers | vs Carolina Panthers | WR33 |
| Deep League Flex | Jarvis Landry | vs Cincinnati Bengals | WR34 |
| Deep League Flex | Darnell Mooney | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | WR35 |
| Deep League Flex | Julio Jones* | vs Los Angeles Rams | WR36 |
| Deep League Flex | Bryan Edwards | vs New York Giants | WR37 |
| Deep League Flex | Rashod Bateman | vs Minnesota Vikings | WR38 |
| Deep League Flex | Elijah Moore | vs Indianapolis Colts | WR39 |
| Deep League Flex | Christian Kirk | vs San Francisco 49ers | WR40 |
| Upside Play | Marquez Callaway | vs Atlanta Falcons | WR41 |
| Upside Play | DeVonta Smith | vs Los Angeles Chargers | WR42 |
| Upside Play | Kenny Golladay | vs Las Vegas Raiders | WR43 |
| Upside Play | Brandon Aiyuk | vs Arizona Cardinals | WR44 |
| Upside Play | A.J. Green* | vs San Francisco 49ers | WR45 |
| Upside Play | Tyler Boyd | vs Cleveland Browns | WR46 |
| Upside Play | Allen Robinson | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | WR47 |
| Upside Play | Zach Pascal | vs New York Jets | WR48 |
| Upside Play | Russell Gage* | vs New Orleans Saints | WR49 |
| Upside Play | Marvin Jones Jr. | vs Buffalo Bills | WR50 |
| Upside Play | Mecole Hardman | vs Green Bay Packers | WR51 |
| Upside Play | Tajae Sharpe | vs New Orleans Saints | WR52 |
| Upside Play | Tim Patrick | vs Dallas Cowboys | WR53 |
| Upside Play | Jamal Agnew | vs Buffalo Bills | WR54 |
| Upside Play | Michael Gallup* | vs Denver Broncos | WR55 |
| Upside Play | Gabriel Davis | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | WR56 |
| Upside Play | Nico Collins | vs Miami Dolphins | WR57 |
| Upside Play | Darius Slayton | vs Las Vegas Raiders | WR58 |
| Leave on the Bench | Tre’Quan Smith | vs Atlanta Falcons | WR59 |
| Leave on the Bench | Donovan Peoples-Jones* | vs Cincinnati Bengals | WR60 |
| Leave on the Bench | Nelson Agholor | vs Carolina Panthers | WR61 |
| Leave on the Bench | Danny Amendola | vs Miami Dolphins | WR62 |
| Leave on the Bench | Allen Lazard | vs Kansas City Chiefs | WR63 |
| Leave on the Bench | K.J. Osborn | vs Baltimore Ravens | WR64 |
| Leave on the Bench | Deonte Harris | vs Atlanta Falcons | WR65 |
| Leave on the Bench | Robby Anderson | vs New England Patriots | WR66 |
| Leave on the Bench | Rondale Moore | vs San Francisco 49ers | WR67 |
| Leave on the Bench | Sammy Watkins* | vs Minnesota Vikings | WR68 |
| Leave on the Bench | Laviska Shenault Jr. | vs Buffalo Bills | WR69 |
| Leave on the Bench | Marquez Vadles-Scantling* | vs Kansas City Chiefs | WR70 |
| Leave on the Bench | Kendrick Bourne | vs Carolina Panthers | WR71 |
| Leave on the Bench | Zay Jones | vs New York Giants | WR72 |
| Leave on the Bench | Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | vs Los Angeles Rams | WR73 |
| Leave on the Bench | Ashton Dulin | vs New York Jets | WR74 |
| Leave on the Bench | Randall Cobb | vs Kansas City Chiefs | WR75 |
| Leave on the Bench | Demarcus Robinson | vs Green Bay Packers | WR76 |
| Leave on the Bench | Quez Watkins | vs Los Angeles Chargers | WR77 |
| Leave on the Bench | Anthony Schwartz | vs Cincinnati Bengals | WR78 |
| Leave on the Bench | Byron Pringle | vs Green Bay Packers | WR79 |
| Leave on the Bench | Cedrick Wilson | vs Denver Broncos | WR80 |
| Leave on the Bench | Jalen Reagor* | vs Los Angeles Chargers | WR81 |
| Leave on the Bench | Denzel Mims | vs Indianapolis Colts | WR82 |
Possible Changes that can occur before Sunday
WR5 Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
Deebo Samuel missed practice Wednesday with a calf injury. He is expected to play this week against the Arizona Cardinals. If Samuel misses this game Brandon Aiyuk would move up to WR26 between Cole Beasley and Hunter Renfrow.
WR13 Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams
Robert woods missed practice Wednesday with a foot injury. He is expected to play but if Woods in inactive against the Tennessee Titans then Van Jefferson would move up to WR21 between Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Williams.
Arizona Cardinals Wide Receivers: WR17 DeAndre Hopkins & WR45 A.J. Green
DeAndre Hopkins is dealing with a hamstring injury for the past two weeks. On top of that A.J. Green has been added to the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Their status for this weekend is uncertain. If both players are out then Christian Kirk moves up to WR25 between Courtland Sutton and Cole Beasley. Rondale Moore would
Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers: WR20 CeeDee Lamb, WR24 Amari Cooper, and WR55 Michael Gallup
Both of Dallas’ top receivers were limited with injuries Wednesday. CeeDee Lamb is dealing with an ankle injury and Amari Cooper is dealing with a hamstring injury. Neither is expected to miss this game against the Broncos this week. However, if either was to miss this game the remaining receiver would move up to WR17 between DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup has been on Injured Reserve since Week 1. He is eligible to return this week against Denver. If Gallup does not return this week then Cedrick Wilson would slot in at WR60 between Tre’Quan Smith and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
WR26 Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills
Cole Beasley missed practice Wednesday with a rib injury. If Beasley was to miss this game Emmanuel Sanders would boost up to WR19 between Keenan Allen and Jaylen Waddle. Gabriel Davis would boost up to WR39 between Elijah Moore and Christian Kirk.
WR36 Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans
Julio Jones missed last week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts because of a hamstring injury. That injury has made him questionable for this week’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. If Jones doesn’t play then Nick Westbrook-Ihkine would boost up to WR51 between Marvin Jones and Mecole Hardman.
New York Giants Wide Receivers: WR31 Kadarius Toney & WR43 Kenny Golladay
The Giants’ wide receiver core is a mess with injuries. It is unlikely that Sterling Shepard is active. Also, both Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay are question marks with their own respective injuries. Keep an eye throughout the week to see if Toney or Golladay play this weekend against the Raiders. If both are out Darius Slayton becomes an interesting flex option this week.
WR49 Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons
Russell Gage is expected to take the WR1 role for Atlanta now that Calvin Ridley is on leave. However, he is dealing with a groin injury. If Gage was to miss this week’s game against New Orleans then the next man up would be either Tajae Sharpe or Olamide Zaccheaus. However, it would be better off if fantasy managers avoided Falcons wide receivers in that scenario.
WR60 Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns
Donovan Peoples-Jones has missed the past two weeks with a groin injury. If he was to miss this week’s game Anthony Schwartz would become the Browns’ number two receiver and take Peoples-Jones’ slot at WR60.
WR70 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury. He may return this week against the Kansas City Chiefs. If Valdes-Scantling does not return then Randall Cobb moves up to WR68 between Rondale Moore and Sammy Watkins.
WR81 Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Reagor left last week’s game with an ankle injury. He was held out of practice Wednesday because of it. This is something to monitor throughout the week for Reagor owners despite the rough matchup against the Chargers.
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