Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2019 Edition

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks) 
The current MVP favorite kept rolling in Week 9. Wilson went deep into his bag of tricks (378 passing YDS/5 TD/21 rushing YDS/1 2-PT CNV) to help the Seahawks secure an ugly, but ultimately well-earned OT victory over the Buccaneers. Russ will face arguably his stiffest test of 2019 so far when the Seahawks travel down to Santa Clara to take on the undefeated 49ers next Monday night.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Matthew Stafford (Lions)

LVP: Gardner Minshew (Jaguars) 
The rookie QB put together the messiest performance of his young career to-date, scoring 0 TD's and turning the ball over 4 times (2 INT's, 2 lost fumbles) while mustering 343 hollow YDS (309 passing, 34 rushing) in a horrible division loss against the Texans. Minshew Mania has been put on hold for the time being, as Doug Marrone announced today that Nick Foles will be under center when they take the field again in Week 11 against the Colts. Regardless of whether or not he plays again in 2019, Minshew showed enough grit and raw playmaking ability during his 8 starts to prove he deserves a shot to become a full-time starter in this league.
Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tom Brady (Patriots), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

Running Back
MVP: Christian McCaffery (Panthers) 
McCaffery was awfully generous to fantasy owners yet again in Week 9. The stud back registered 166 scrimmage YDS (146 rushing, 20 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) on 27 touches in a victory over the Titans. We're in the process of witnessing a special season (1,244 scrimmage YDS and 13 TD's in 8 games) and hopefully the football gods will be able to keep him healthy down the stretch so he can get the chance to chase history.
Honorable Mentions: Kenyan Drake (Cardinals), Josh Jacobs (Raiders), Melvin Gordon (Chargrs)

LVP: Aaron Jones (Packers) 
The Jones roller coaster hits its first bump in the road in a while on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers. To be fair, this was more of a game script issue than a reflection of Jones' play as the Chargers went up big on the Packers before halftime and never looked back-which limited Jones to just 9 touches for 29 YDS (30 rushing, -1 receiving). He'll look to get back on track against a Panthers defense that has surrendered the 5th most fantasy points to running backs in standard leagues this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Sony Michel (Patriots), Tevin Coleman (49ers), Ty Johnson (Lions)

Wide Receiver 
MVP: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
Both Lockett and rookie DK Metcalf were able to feast on the Buccaneers terrible pass defense in this Week 9 shootout, but the veteran ended up having the better afternoon-reeling in a ridiculous 13 catches for 152 YDS and 2 TD's. Thanks to his precise route-running, top-flight speed and terrific chemistry with Russell Wilson, Lockett has seamlessly transitioned to the top wideout role vacated by the retired Doug Baldwin. He should be viewed as a borderline WR1 the rest of the way.    
Honorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), DK Metcalf (Seahawks), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)

LVP: Allen Robinson (Bears)
Playing in the worst offense in the NFL has finally caught up with Robinson as he mustered just 1 reception for 6 YDS against the Eagles porous secondary. While he's certainly volatile given how bad the Bears quarterback play has been, he's done a masterful job of making the most out of the flurry of hospital balls he receives from Mitch Trubisky on a weekly basis (producing 47 REC/532 YDS/3 TD through 8 games in a passing attack this limp should put him in the MVP conversation)-which is enough to make him a solid WR3 option most weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers), Stefon Diggs (Vikings), D.J. Chark (Jaguars)

Tight End
MVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
Welcome back to the land of the productive Mr. Ertz!!!! The Eagles veteran tight end reminded fantasy owners of the dominance he's capable of by posting 103 YD and a TD on 9 receptions against the Bears last Sunday, which marked his 1st 100+ YD performance of 2019 and 1st trip to the endzone since Week 2. Ertz will likely struggle to replicate this explosion against the Patriots tough secondary in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Vance McDonald (Steelers), Hunter Henry (Chargers)

LVP: Eric Ebron (Colts) 
T.Y. Hilton's absence didn't help Ebron in the slightest. The famously erratic tight end all but completely disappeared against the Steelers, finishing the contest with only 2 catches for 16 YDS. He'll be a boom-or-bust play regardless of whose under center on Sunday afternoon when the Colts take on the Dolphins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Jimmy Graham (Packers), Jonnu Smith (Titans)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Steelers 
The Steelers D were able to take advantage of the chaos that ensued following the injury to Jacoby Brissett as well as Brian Hoyer's general crappiness, picking up 5 sacks, an INT, 2 FUM REC, a blocked field goal and a TD in a 26-24 win over the Colts. While they're susceptible to allowing points, the Steelers strong pass rush and takeaway ability has made them a top 5 fantasy defense over the past month.
Honorable Mentions: Texans, Cowboys, Ravens

LVP: 49ers
The short week had a noticeable effect on the 49ers defense. They allowed chunk plays all game long, failed to create any takeaways and only got to Kyler Murray 3 times in a surprisingly close 28-25 game against the Cardinals last Thursday. This group will face another difficult test against the Seahawks on Monday night.
Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Bears, Jaguars  

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers (2018 Edition)

Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Saints/Rams ended being the riveting shootout for the ages it was billed to be before a single down was played, so naturally the quarterback of the winning team had the best fantasy day. Brees was absolutely brilliant, throwing for 346 YDS and 4 TD while adding 16 rushing yards, on an afternoon where his team knocked off the league's last undefeated team . The league's all time passing leader will look to keep rolling against a very beatable Bengals secondary in Week 10.
Honorable Mentions: Jared Goff (Rams), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

LVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
A truly awful performance from the Lions o-line (10 sacks allowed) against the Vikings resulted in Stafford being under siege all game long. That non-stop pressure and regular trips to the turf were reflected in his thoroughly underwhelming statline (199 YDS, 0 TD and a lost fumble) in this disheartening loss. Matt Patricia's presence in Detroit hasn't been kind to Stafford (he's currently the 20th ranked QB in standard scoring leagues) and with a series of largely unfavorable matchups down the stretch, his owners should consider other options at the position if they haven't already.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Vikings), Mitch Trubisky (Bears), Derek Carr (Raiders)

Running Back
MVP: Kareem Hunt (Chiefs)
Hunt continued his recent tear on Sunday against the Browns, posting 141 scrimmage YDS (91 rushing, 50 receiving) and 3 total TD's on only 18 touches. Anyone who benefited from his last-minute slide out of the 1st round of fantasy drafts should be elated by his elite production thus far.
Honorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Christian McCaffery (Panthers), Tevin Coleman (Falcons)

LVP: Tarik Cohen (Bears)
A 28-0 halftime lead against the bumbling Bills had a negative effect on the workload of the Bears pass-catching back. Cohen ended up with just 13 YDS on 7 touches (6 carries, 1 reception) at New Era filed on Sunday afternoon. The gamescript should be much more favorable for The Human Joystick, who still leads the team in targets, this week in a divisional bout against the Lions.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Ingram (Saints), Kenyan Drake (Dolphins), Adrian Peterson (Redskins)

Wide Receiver 
MVP: Michael Thomas (Saints)
Alvin Kamara got the ball rolling early with 3 1st half TD's, but Thomas stole the show with an homage to Joe Horn's iconic 2003 "pull a flip phone from the goalpost" endzone celebration after the game-sealing score that capped off his 12 REC/211 YD performance in the best way possible. The 3rd year wideout has been a top 5-10 WR option all season long and has an excellent chance of having another huge day against a Bengals secondary that gets burned almost every week.
Honorable Mentions: Josh Gordon (Patriots), Julio Jones (Falcons), Brandin Cooks (Rams)

LVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Despite getting bombarded with targets (10), Evans was pretty much invisible against the Panthers, finishing with just 1 reception for 16 YDS. Tampa's top wideout will look to rebound versus a so-so Redskins secondary in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: John Brown (Ravens), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), Michael Crabtree (Ravens)

Tight End
MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Like Hunt, Kelce was once again a focal point of the Chiefs offense on Sunday against the Browns, hauling in 7 receptions for 99 YDS and 2 TD's. With Rob Gronkowski making far less of impact than usual, Kelce has been the clear top dog at the TE position this season and barring injury, there's no reason to believe he's going to lose that title in the final 7 weeks of the fantasy season. 
Honorable Mentions: O.J. Howard (Buccaneers), George Kittle (49ers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

LVP: Jared Cook (Raiders)
This really isn't fair to Cook as Derek Carr's putrid play against the 49ers last Thursday night killed the chances of anyone on this offense having a productive game. Regardless of circumstances, Cook's 2 REC/20 YD performance in a highly favorable matchup still undoubtedly left his fantasy owners with a very bad taste in their mouths.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Vance McDonald (Steelers), Jordan Reed (Redskins)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Bears
The endlessly generous fantasy defense charity otherwise known as the Bills offense was at again this week. With all-time bad QB Nathan Peterman forced to start in place of the injured Derek Anderson, the Khalil Mack-less Bears defense had themselves a grand old time, putting up 4 sacks, 3 INT, a fumble recovery and 2 TD's in a comically lopsided 41-9 victory. This group hasn't been great on the whole since Mack hurt his ankle early in their Week 6 loss to the Dolphins, so they'll be a somewhat risky start against the Lions this Sunday.  
Honorable Mentions: Dolphins, Vikings, Chargers

LVP: Redskins 
Washington's seemingly excellent defense got flat-out embarrassed by the Falcons on their home field. While they did manage a pair of sacks and pick off Matt Ryan once, the 38 points they allowed made them a terrible fantasy play. Look for them to put up better numbers against a Buccaneers offense that is about as good as anyone in the league at turning the ball over in spades.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ravens, Texans, Broncos 

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Jared Goff (Rams)
To say that the Week 8 bye rejuvenated Jared Goff would be a vast understatement. The Rams signalcaller returned to the dominant form he displayed in the first quarter of the season with a thorough torching (311 YDS, 4 TD) of the Giants despondent defense. Goff will look to keep rolling in Week 10 against a weak Texans secondary that has surrendered 760 passing YDS and 6 TD's in their past 2 games.
Honorable Mentions: Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

LVP: Kirk Cousins (Redskins) 
The quarterbacks that were supposed to show up in Week 9 all managed to do so, so Kirk Cousins is pretty much winning this title by default. Cousins was better than expected against Seattle's hungry defense with 4 of his 5 starting offensive lineman out, but his relatively empty stat line didn't provide much help (247 TD, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 lost fumble) to the owners that were brave enough to play him. Cousins' brutal stretch of matchups continues with a Week 10 tilt against the Vikings notoriously nasty defense.

Dishonorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Derek Carr (Raiders), Marcus Mariota (Titans)

Running Back

MVP: Alvin Kamara (Saints) 
While he hasn't commanded as much attention or had as many eye-popping performances as Kareem Hunt and Leonard Forunette, Alvin Kamara has been arguably the most consistent performer in this exceptional rookie running back class. The University of Tennessee product proved his value to the new-look Saints offense once again with a season-best performance in Week 9. Outside of a lost fumble in the 2nd quarter, Kamara was exceptional against the Buccaneers, finishing the afternoon with 152 total yards (84 receiving, 68 rushing) and a pair of TD's on 16 touches as the red-hot Saints picked up their 6th straight win. Kamara has been a top-tier RB2 since Week 3 and appears to be on track to go down as 2017's most valuable wavier wire pickup.

Honorable Mentions: Todd Gurley (Rams), Marshawn Lynch (Raiders), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)

LVP: LeSean McCoy (Bills)
Last Thursday was an absolute debacle for the Bills as the Jets absolutely embarrassed them on national television and brought the buzz that had surrounded the team going into that game to a screeching halt. While just every major contributor on the team failed to show up for this divisional bout, LeSean McCoy was easily the biggest stiff for the Bills. McCoy mustered just 25 yards on 12 carries against a defense that he had lit up for 159 yards from scrimmage in their previous meeting this season. Shady will look to return to his typical RB1 form in a rough Week 10 matchup versus the suddenly formidable Saints defense.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Jones (Packers), Doug Martin (Buccaneers), DeMarco Murray (Titans)

Wide Receiver

MVP: T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
After managing just 4 receptions for 61 yards in his previous 3 games, T.Y. Hilton made an unexpected return to the top of the fantasy football receiver hierarchy against the Texans. The Colts lethal downfield threat reminded the gridiron world why he led the league in receiving yards a year ago with an absurd 5 REC/175 YDS/2 TD performance. Hilton is highly unlikely to repeat this level of success against the Steelers elite secondary in Week 10.  

Honorable Mentions: Marvin Jones Jr. (Lions), Alshon Jeffrey (Eagles), Robert Woods (Rams)

LVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Sunday's showdown with the Saints proved to be an absolutely hellish day for Mike Evans. Evans posted a career-low 13 yards on 1 reception and thanks to a late-game altercation with cornerback Marshon Lattimore, he got himself suspended for the Bucs week 10 contest against the Jets. Even with Ryan Fitzpatrick running the show for the next few weeks while Jameis Winston recovers from a lingering injury to his throwing shoulder, the Bucs top wideout will remain in the WR1 mix when he returns to the field to face the Dolphins middling secondary in Week 11.

Dishonorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Jordy Nelson (Packers), DeSean Jackson (Buccaneers)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs) 
Travis Kelce maintained his featured role in the Chiefs offense by posting a solid 73 yards and TD grab on 7 receptions in a tough road loss against the Cowboys on Sunday. Kelce enters his bye week as the top overall fantasy tight end and given his heavy target share and newly-minted nose for the endzone (5 TD's in 9 games), it would be surprising if he ended up finishing outside of the top 3 at the end of year.   

Honorable Mentions: Evan Engram (Giants), Jared Cook (Raiders), Tyler Kroft (Bengals)

LVP: Jason Witten (Cowboys)
Jason Witten seems to only perform in extremes this season and Week 9 was another grade-A clunker for the future Hall-of-Famer. Witten reeled in his only target for 5 yards on a day where the Cowboys got huge contributions out of Terrence Williams and Cole Beasley for the 1st time in 2017. Fantasy owners will be in another high-risk, dice-roll scenario with Witten this week as the Cowboys square off against a respectable yet beatable Falcons defense. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Cameron Brate (Buccaneers), Ed Dickson (Panthers), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Jets)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: New Orleans Saints 
After watching them get pummeled on a weekly basis for a majority of the Sean Payton/Drew Brees-era, it feels really strange handing out this honor to the Saints D. New Orleans crushed the Bucs reeling offense/special teams, picking up 4 sacks, a fumble recovery and returning a blocked punt for a TD in a dominant 30-10 win for the NFC South leaders. The Saints have been a top 10 fantasy defense thus far and even with some tough matchups against turnover-averse teams (Bills, Redskins, Rams) coming up, they've proven they can be trusted as a weekly starter in 12+ team leagues.

Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans

LVP: Buffalo Bills
The Jets resilient, stunningly functional offense proved once again that they aren't the creampuff fantasy matchup with an easy 34-21 victory against the Bills. A combination of a stunning 4 turnovers from their usually clean, risk-averse offense, an inability to create takeaways despite multiple INT-worthy throws by Josh McCown and uncharacteristically poor run defense resulted in a horrific night at the office for a Bills defense that had been playing pretty well leading up to this game. With 4 consecutive matchup against offenses (Saints, Chargers, Chiefs, Patriots) that are in the bottom-10 of fantasy points allowed to opposing defense, its definitely worth considering dropping the Bills D for a group that has a softer schedule (Bengals, Bears, Lions) down the stretch. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
Matt Ryan continued to make his case for 2016 fantasy MVP in Week 9 against the Buccaneers. Ryan shredded the Bucs weak secondary for 344 YDS and 4 TD in one of the most impressive performances of his stellar 2016 campaign. Ryan has another solid matchup this week against the Eagles, who just allowed 4 TD to Eli Manning.
Honorable Mention: Marcus Mariota (Titans), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tyrod Taylor (Bills)

LVP: Derek Carr (Raiders)
As expected, Derek Carr followed-up his career-best performance in Tampa Bay with a pretty average one against the Broncos tough secondary. Carr was conservative through the air in this brutal matchup, completing 20 of his 31 passes for 184 YDS and 0 TD, as the Raiders rode their running game to a huge victory over the defending Super Bowl champs. Carr has a nice stretch of opponents following his Week 10 bye (Bills, Panthers, Chargers) and should be able to return to the top-tier QB1 form he's displayed for a majority of this season.   
Dishonorable Mentions: Carson Wentz (Eagles), Andrew Luck (Colts), Cam Newton (Panthers)

Running Back
MVP: Melvin Gordon (Chargers)
The Melvin Gordon fantasy explosion reached a whole new level in Week 9. Gordon was borderline unstoppable all day, picking up 261 total yards (196 rushing, 65 receiving) and a TD on 36 touches as the Chargers eeked out a victory over the Titans in a ridiculous 43-35 shootout. Gordon's success this season has rendered me speechless and there are only a handful of guys in the league (David Johnson, Le'Veon Bell, Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarco Murray, LeSean McCoy) I'd rather have as my RB1 right now. 
Honorable Mentions: Latavius Murray (Raiders), Mark Ingram (Saints), Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)

LVP: Terrence West (Ravens)
A prime matchup against a struggling Steelers run defense wasn't enough to re-energize Terrence West. West was once again DOA, picking up a sorry 27 total yards (21 rushing, 6 receiving) on 16 touches. The Ravens running game hasn't gotten any better under new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and that continued ineptness makes it really hard to justify starting West moving forward.
Honorable Mentions: Devonate Booker (Broncos), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Rashad Jennings (Giants)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
On a rough night for the Buccaneers, Mike Evans still managed to be sensational. The 3rd year wideout conquered every coverage strategy the Falcons threw at him, finishing the game with 150 YDS and 2 TD on 11 receptions. Evans has bounced back beautifully after a rough 2015 season and he'll be a contender for the top overall fantasy receiver as the playoff race starts to heat up over the next couple of weeks. 
Honorable Mentions: Michael Thomas (Saints), Mike Wallace (Ravens), Julio Jones (Falcons)

LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
Dez Bryant was pretty much the only player on the Cowboys that didn't have a huge game on Sunday against the Browns. Bryant was targeted just 4 times and hauled in just 1 catch for 19 yards against a Browns defense that has allowed the 7th most fantasy points to WR's this season. Bryant has an excellent shot of redeeming himself in Week 10 against a Steelers secondary that is ranked 24th against the pass.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeVante Parker (Dolphins), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Jarvis Landry (Dolphins)

Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Jimmy Graham made up for his Week 9 New Orleans homecoming debacle with an absolute gem this week. Graham was the catalyst for the Seahawks offensive explosion against the Bills, picking up 103 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Graham has made one hell of a comeback from the brutal patellar tendon injury that ended his 2015 season and can once again be counted as an elite weekly TE1 option.
Honorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

LVP: Gary Barnidge (Browns)
The up-and-down season for Gary Barnidge continued this week with another underwhelming performance against the Cowboys. Barnidge reeled in all 3 of his targets for just 23 yards on another stagnant afternoon for the Browns offense. Barnidge is still on the TE1 radar, but he's susceptible to putting up stinkers like this as the young Browns offense continues to go through growing pains.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Dennis Pitta (Ravens), Julius Thomas (Jaguars), Coby Fleener (Saints)

Defense
MVP: San Diego Chargers
The Chargers became the 2nd defense (the Eagles were the other) of 2016 to earn a fantasy defensive MVP in unconventional fashion. Despite allowing 35 points and not getting a single sack against the Titans, the Chargers were the top fantasy defense thanks to 3 takeaways (2 INT's and a fumble recovery) and 2 touchdowns. The Chargers have come on strong over the past month and are an excellent option for anyone that's currently looking for a defense on the waiver wire in deeper leagues.
Honorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs

LVP: Denver Broncos
Even juggernauts like the Broncos D have their off-days. The Broncos had no answers for the Raiders powerhouse offense, allowing 30 points, failing to get a takeaway and picking up just 2 sacks against their stout offensive line. Week 10 will serve as another tall order for the Broncos D as they have to travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints elite offense.
Dishonorable Mentions: New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
 Cam Newton's unreal performance in Week 9 reaffirmed why he's one of the most lethal players in all of fantasy football. Newton's dual-threat abilities were on display all afternoon as he carved up the Packers for 297 YDS and 3 TD through the air and added another 57 YDS and 1 TD on the ground. With his large role in both aspects of the offense and largely favorable upcoming schedule, Newton should be a weekly top 5-10 QB for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Drew Brees (Saints)

LVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
In a pretty excellent week for QB's, Eli Manning's middling performance (213 YDS/2 TD/2 INT) against the Buccaneers ended up being the worst play of the week. It should be noted that it was dumping rain for the duration of the game, which made a plethora of turnovers inevitable for both sides (there was a combined total of 5 in the game). Manning's a mildly shaky play in Week 10 against a much-improved Patriots secondary.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Returning to the starting lineup after star running back Le'Veon Bell suffered a torn MCL last week, DeAngelo Williams looked every bit as dominant as he did when he filled in for Bell earlier this year. The NFL 2nd oldest running back decimated the Raiders normally stout defensive front for a ridiculous 225 total YDS (170 rushing, 55 receiving), 2 TD and a 2-point conversion on 31 touches. Williams apparently suffered a foot injury during Sunday's game, but he didn't appear to be hampered it at any point. Williams should be in another for another huge day if he's active on Sunday with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of the lineup and a juicy matchup against the Browns bottom-ranked rush defense.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Karlos Williams (Bills), DeMarco Murray (Eagles)

LVP: Ronnie Hillman (Broncos)
No player filled his fantasy owners more rage in Week 9 than Ronnie Hillman. Hillman embarrassed himself in a prime matchup against the Colts, picking up just 1 yard on 7 carries. Hillman's grasp on the starting job appears to be slipping as C.J. Anderson outplayed him by a wide margin for a 2nd straight week. Even in the currently scarce RB market, Hillman isn't really worth keeping on your roster in a league that's smaller than 12 teams.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
After a quiet few weeks (by his standards), Antonio Brown returned with a career day in Week 9. Brown gassed the Raiders secondary all day long with every conceivable route in his repertoire, putting up 284 yards on 17 receptions-both of which are franchise records for the Steelers. The unprecedented flurry of targets Brown receives every week and his ability to consistently separate from defensive backs makes him an unbenchable WR1 for fantasy purposes.   
Honorable Mentions: Michael Crabtree (Raiders), Sammy Watkins (Bills), Jordan Matthews (Eagles)

LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Last week, Emmanuel Sanders got ignored in Manning season-best game against the Packers. This week, it was Demaryius Thomas' turn to get the cold shoulder from Manning. Thomas picked up just 50 yards on 5 catches against a Colts secondary that has allowed the 8th most fantasy points to receivers this season. Thomas' inability to find the endzone in 2015 (he has just 1 TD on the year) is a bit disconcerting, but he's still been very productive with 3 100+ yard games and no less than 5 receptions in every game this season. Thomas has a prime chance to bounce back in Week 10 against a horrible Chiefs secondary that he torched for 116 YDS in their 1st meeting this year.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Stefon Diggs (Vikings), A.J. Green (Bengals)

Tight End
MVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert once again rewarded his fantasy owners by following up a clunker with a simply monstrous performance. The Bengals favorite redzone target made the most of his opportunities, picking up 53 YDS and 3 TD's on 5 receptions. Finally healthy for the 1st time in his NFL career, Eifert has become the player a lot of experts thought he would be when the Bengals drafted him in the 1st round in 2013. Eifert is currently on pace to be the 2015 winner of the prestigious "best tight end not named Rob Gronkowski" award and is a no-brainer weekly fantasy start for all of his owners.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Owen Daniels (Broncos), Richard Rogers (Packers)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Speaking of Gronkowski, the Patriots cyborg tight end actually looked like a mortal man on Sunday. Gronkowski reeled in just 4 catches for 47 YDS in what was a relatively quiet and surprisingly sloppy  afternoon for the Patriots red-hot offense against a below-average Redskins defense. Gronkowski will more than likely return to destroying everything in sight when he goes up against the Giants god awful pass defense in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Charles Clay (Bills), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: New York Jets
After a really awful performance against the Raiders in Week 8, the Jets defense got back on track against the lowly Jaguars in Week 9. The Jets may have surrendered 23 points, but they more than made up for that subpar point against total with 6 sacks, 2 INT's and 2 fumble recoveries against the Jaguars talented, but erratic young offense. The Jets inconsistent pass rush and currently dinged-up secondary make them far from a slam dunk, but they are a pretty good option for fantasy owners who like to stream defenses based on matchups.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots

LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense fall from fantasy grace continued in Week 9. The Packers D frequently looked lost and overmatched as they got 0 sacks and allowed 37 points to the Panthers mediocre offense. They did manage to pick off Cam Newton late in the 4th quarter, but the damage was already done at that point. The borderline dominant play this unit showed in the first 6 weeks of the season is now just a distant memory and their owners should search the waiver wire for a competent replacement (i.e. The Vikings, Steelers or Giants).
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons

2014 Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger astounded the football world with his 6 TD performance in Week 8 against the Colts. So what did Big Ben have planned for an encore this week? Another 6 TD performance of course! Roethlisberger was money from the second quarter on, spreading the wealth to pretty much of all his receivers and decimating the injury-plagued Ravens secondary on just about every drive. Roethlisberger honestly hasn't looked this good in years. He is throwing the ball with uncharacteristically high accuracy and getting excellent protection from a resurgent offensive line right now. The Steelers have another friendly matchup on this schedule this week when they go up against the trainwreck otherwise known as the New York Jets, so Big Ben's reign of terror on opposing defenses is highly likely to continue.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Andrew Luck (Colts)

LVP: Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
What the hell happened to Phillip Rivers this week? Rivers- who has been excellent for all of 2014- was repeatedly turning the ball over (3 INT's and a fumble on the afternoon) and missing his targets all afternoon in the Chargers embarrassing 37-0 loss to the Dolphins. Rivers heads into the bye with 2 poor performances in his last 3 games and has a bitch of a schedule including matchups against the Ravens, Patriots, 49ers and Broncos down the stretch. Rivers is stable enough, but he's far from the best QB1 option for a team looking to make a deep playoff run.
Dishonorable Mentions: Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Cam Newton (Panthers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Rookie running back Jeremy Hill stepped up big time in his first career start versus the Jaguars in place of the injured Giovani Bernard. It didn't start off particularly noteworthy, but Hill's huge second half led to him finishing with 154 yards and 2 TD's on the afternoon. Hill is expected to start again on Thursday against the Browns terrible run defense, so we could very well be looking at another dominant performance from the promising rookie.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Matt Asiata (Vikings), Mark Ingram (Saints)

LVP: Ben Tate (Browns)
Ben Tate's 2014 campaign has been a roller coaster ride and his performance in Week 9 was a new low. Tate picked up a mere 3 yards on the ground on 10 carries against a Buccaneers run D that has struggled all year long. Tate was able to add 29 yards on 4 receptions to slightly salvage his afternoon, but it was not nearly enough to make up for his terrible day on the ground. With Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell frequently cutting into his carries, his long injury history and general inconsistency, Tate will be a high-risk RB2 for the rest of the year.
Dishonorable Mentions: Branden Oliver (Chargers), Jerrick McKinnon (Vikings), Ahmad Bradshaw (Colts)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Jeremy Maclin (Eagles)
Jeremy Maclin was able to follow up a dominant performance in Week 8 with another explosive performance in Week 9. Maclin put up 158 yards and 2 TD's on 6 receptions in the Eagles hard-fought victory over the Texans on Sunday. Even with Mark Sanchez taking over for the injured Nick Foles at quarterback, Maclin remains a weekly top-end WR1.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Antonio Brown (Steelers), DeSean Jackson (Redskins)

LVP: Andre Johnson (Texans)
Longtime superstar wideout Andre Johnson just hasn't gotten going this year. Johnson's struggles in 2014 are best evidenced by his lackluster 12-yard performance against a very burnable Eagles secondary on Sunday. It's very bizarre to see the Texans not try and get Johnson more involved with the offense. He may not be the full-blown stud he once was, but he's a sure-handed, dependable wideout who can get the job done when called upon. Johnson is nothing more than a mid-level WR3 given his current usage in this offense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), Dez Bryant (Cowboys), Andrew Hawkins (Browns)

Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
In a seemingly recurring theme for Week 9, Rob Gronkowski followed up his dominant Week 8 performance with yet another one this week. Gronkowski picked up 105 yards and a TD on 9 receptions in the Patriots shockingly lopsided victory over the Broncos on Sunday. As long as Gronkowski doesn't get injured after the Patriots bye week in Week 10, he's going to dominate for the remainder of the 2014 season.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Graham (Saints), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Charles Clay (Dolphins)

LVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)
Zach Ertz continues to be the most frustrating tight end in fantasy football. Ertz got just 4 yards on his lone reception against the Texans on Sunday. Ertz is a touchdown-dependent TE1 who will put up just as many stinkers as he does solid performances.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vernon Davis (49ers), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

Defense
MVP: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins defense is suddenly becoming quite a formidable defense. The Dolphins picked up 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, a fumble recovery and allowed 0 points to the Chargers. The Dolphins don't exactly have the easiest matchups for the last 2 months of the season, but they'll remain a solid fantasy option in most weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

LVP: San Diego Chargers
How the mighty have fallen.... The Chargers defense has gone from one of the best to one of the weakest fantasy defenses in a matter of a month. The Chargers got lit up once again by the Dolphins for 37 points and failed to register a sack or takeaway. The Chargers are now droppable in just about any 10-12 team league.
Dishonorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Nick Foles clearly put up the most impressive performance of the week with his record-tying 7 TD performance against the Raiders, but the odds that anyone played him this week are slim to none. With Foles out of the picture, that leaves the one and only Tom Brady as the most valuable fantasy quarterback of Week 9. Brady ended an almost season-long slump and looked like the Brady of old with a 432-yard, 4 TD performance in the Patriots bashing of the Steelers on Sunday. Brady, who looked out of sync with his wideouts for much of the year, finally looked like he was on the same page as his receivers leading to the type of huge output that people have come to expect of Brady over the years. Brady owners hope the momentum of this performance will continue after their bye week in Week 10. 
Honorable Mentions: Nick Foles (Eagles), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Andrew Luck (Colts), Case Keenum (Texans)

LVP: Robert Griffin III (Redskins)
RG3 had a good game with 279 passing yards and a 71% completion percentage in the Redskins victory over the Chargers on the Sunday. The problem is that he failed to get into the endzone, making it a bad game for RG3 from a fantasy standpoint despite his solid play in the real game.
Dishonorable Mentions: Alex Smith (Chiefs), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Terrelle Pryor (Raiders)

Running Back
MVP: Zac Stacy (Rams)
The Rams have finally found their running back. After a mightily impressive performance against the Seahawks last week, Stacy proved it wasn't a fluke by carving up the Titans defense for 177 total yards and two touchdowns. With Kellen Clemens starting at quarterback, Stacy is going to continue to get a heavy volume and should be a solid RB2/borderline RB1 for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Chris Johnson (Titans), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Stevan Ridley (Patriots), Giovani Bernard (Bengals)

LVP: Ryan Matthews (Chargers)
After somehow putting up back-to-back 100 yard games, Ryan Matthews reverted back to his disappointing ways. Matthews put up 34 yards on only 7 carries on a Redskins defense that can't stop anything. This performance wasn't so much Matthews fault as it was the lack of running the Chargers did on Sunday, but it's disappointing nonetheless for anyone who started him this week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ray Rice (Ravens), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), DeAngelo Williams (Panthers), Jammal Charles (Chiefs)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Andre Johnson (Texans)
Well hello dominant Andre Johnson haven't seen you in a while. Johnson came out of his Matt Schaub-induced coma with 229 yards and 3 TD's (his first of the season) on Sunday night against the Colts. Those numbers probably would've been even better if Texans head coach Gary Kubiak didn't collapse at halftime, which emotionally took the team of the game in the second half. New starting quarterback Case Keenum has a strong rapport with Johnson and appears to have strongly revitalized the Texans passing attack. With the emergence of Keenum and a pretty easy schedule down the stretch, Johnson could be in-line for a huge finish to the season.
Honorable Mentions: T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Aaron Dobson (Patriots), Riley Cooper (Eagles), DeSean Jackson (Eagles)

LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
Can anyone figure out Dez Bryant? For the second time in a month, Bryant has put up underwhelming numbers against a poor secondary. Bryant is still a WR1 lock every week, it's just that he puts up more stinkers than guys like Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green and Brandon Marshall. If you're a Bryant owner and could somehow swindle a trade for Green or Marshall before the trade deadline, I'd absolutely do so.
Dishonorable Mentions: Terrance Williams (Cowboys), Steve Smith (Panthers), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Josh Gordon (Browns)

Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Jimmy Graham massacred another team's defense for over 100 yards and 2 TD's. Typical day at the office for Graham, who has shown time and time again that he just can not be stopped.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Tony Gonzalez (Falcons), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
I don't know how the Browns managed to win a game in which both Josh Gordon and especially Jordan Cameron got shut down, but it somehow happened so kudos to them. Gordon at least had a few grabs, Cameron was all but completely shut down registering only a single catch for just 4 yards on the day. This is definitely a fluke for Cameron, who is the most dangerous weapon the offense has aside from Josh Gordon. After the team returns from bye in Week 11, Cameron will continue to be a must-start TE1.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Heath Miller (Steelers), Jordan Reed (Redskins), Martellus Bennett (Bears)

Defense:
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were amazingly held without a sack, but thank to Bills quarterback Jeff Tuel the defense still had a glorious afternoon on Sunday. The Chiefs managed 3 takeaways and a pair of defensive scores to narrowly remain undefeated going into their bye week.
Honorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The stingy Seahawks defense did not look all that stingy on Sunday against the Buccaneers. The team remarkably got zero takeaways and only 3 sacks on a lowly Buccaneers team that has struggled to take care of the ball all season long. At least they managed to avoid the upset with their late comeback which led to an overtime victory. The Seahawks D have a chance to redeem themselves this week against a suddenly turnover-happy Falcons team.
Dishonorable Mentions: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals