Panthers coach Dave Canales did fantasy football managers a favor when he started the week by saying that he was ditching the backfield committee and had plans to force-feed running back Rico Dowdle.
Canales did not lie, constantly calling Dowdle’s number during Sunday’s upset in Green Bay. Those who didn’t lose faith in Dowdle were rewarded with a pair of rushing touchdowns from Carolina’s new lead back.
I believed Canales when he said he was done with the 50-50 split with Chuba Hubbard, but I didn’t like the matchup against a tough Packers defense. That was a terrible decision by me, but I’ll pat myself on the back for picking up Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai in all of my leagues.
Dowdle and Monangai are two running backs who made the studs’ list this week. And, of course, Lamar Jackson will be on that list after his stellar return on Thursday Night Football against the Dolphins.
This story will be updated throughout the day. Points from Sleeper PPR standard scoring format.
Here are the studs and duds from NFL Week 9.
Studs
Rico Dowdle, RB, Panthers
Fantasy points: 28.10
Stats: 25 carries, 130 yards, 2 TDs; three targets, two catches, 11 yards
Dowdle didn’t miss a beat in his return as the featured back in Canales’s offense. He was instrumental in the Panthers’ upset win in Green Bay, putting the game away with tough runs in the final minutes. Dowdle out-touched Hubbard 27–5. Canales came through on his promise.
Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers
Fantasy points: 31.70
Stats: 19-of-29, 250 yards, 2 TDs, INT; nine carries, 57 yards, TD
Herbert started the game against the Titans with a pick-six, but quickly made up for it with three total touchdowns, including a one-yard run. Herbert has been on a heater, scoring at least 30 points in three consecutive games.
Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals
Fantasy points: 34.10
Stats: Nine targets, seven catches, 121 yards, 2 TDs
Higgins did his best to steal the victory from the Bears, producing a handful of acrobatic catches. Higgins cracked 30 points for the first time this season and hasn’t gone under single digits since Week 4. This Bengals offense has taken off since the arrival of Joe Flacco.
Drake London, WR, Falcons
Fantasy points: 38.80
Stats: 14 targets, nine catches, 118 yards, 3 TDs
London delivered a hat trick during his sensational performance against the Patriots. The Falcons kept it close in New England because London stepped up during a rare sluggish performance from Bijan Robinson.
Colston Loveland, TE, Bears
Fantasy points: 32.80
Stats: seven targets, six catches, 118 yards, 2 TDs
Loveland erupted after a slow start to his rookie season. Loveland had a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner against the Bengals. Expect Loveland to be the most sought-after player on the wire this upcoming week. Loveland was only started by 12% of Sleeper users.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
Fantasy points: 34.30
Stats: 28 carries, 106 yards, TD; six targets, five catches, 67 yards, TD
McCaffrey bounced back in a big way after his nine-point dud vs. Houston last week. McCaffrey did it all in the victory over the Giants, recording 173 total yards. The star running back has now gone over 20 points in eight of nine games.
Kyle Monangai, RB, Bears
Fantasy points: 22.80
Stats: 26 carries, 176 yards; five targets, three catches, 22 yards
The rookie out of Rutgers might have ignited a running back controversy with his stellar performance while filling in for the injured D’Andre Swift. Monangai’s physical runs added another element for the Bears’ offense during the wild game against the Bengals.
Caleb Williams, QB, Bears
Fantasy points: 45.70
Stats: 20-of-34, 280 yards, 3 TDs; five carries, 53 yards; two catches, 22 yards, TD
Williams went off during the Bears’ wild victory over the Bengals. He scored a receiving touchdown and hit the game-winning touchdown pass to Loveland in one of the most bonkers games of the season. Maybe Williams and coach Ben Johnson have finally found a rhythm, especially with the trick plays.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
Fantasy points: 33.56
Stats: 18-of-23, 204 yards, 4 TDs; five carries, 14 yards
Jackson returned in a big way for his fantasy owners, dropping dimes and spreading the ball around against the Dolphins. The two-time MVP might not be fully healthy because he only ran five times, but his passing was on point in his first game in a month. Expect Jackson to put up more big points, with upcoming games against the Vikings, Browns, Jets and Bengals.
Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens
Fantasy points: 16.60
Stats: Three targets, two catches, 22 yards, 2 TDs
Andrews only had two catches against Miami, but he made them count with both being touchdown passes from Jackson. This was Andrews’s first double-digit performance since Week 4 against the Chiefs.
Duds
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Broncos
Fantasy points: 6.90
Stats: 15 carries, 61 yards; one catch, -2 yards
Dobbins didn’t make much of an impact in the Broncos’ win against the Texans. He’s still the team’s No. 1 running back, but rookie RJ Harvey continues to impress by finding the end zone in three consecutive games.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions
Fantasy points: 5.80
Stats: Nine carries, 25 yards; three catches, three yards
Gibbs was a surprise dud against the Vikings. He didn’t make much of an impact, but it’s strange that he only saw nine carries as a runner. David Montgomery had the better game with the lone rushing touchdown.
Daniel Jones, QB, Colts
Fantasy points: 16.08
Stats: 31-of-50, 342 yards, TD, 3 INTs; three carries, four yards, TD
Jones didn’t deliver a total stinker, but his three turnovers weren’t expected against the struggling Steelers defense. The Colts’ QB snapped his four-game streak with at least 20 points.
Jordan Love, QB, Packers
Fantasy points: 9.02
Stats: 26-of-37, 273 yards, INT; one carry, one yard
Surprisingly, Love didn’t deliver much despite hitting the deep ball a few times against the Panthers. Love had his worst fantasy performance of the season after lighting up the Steelers last week. It was the first time he was held under 10 points this season.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
Fantasy points: 7.70
Stats: 14 carries, 45 yards; two catches, 12 yards
Taylor cooled off in a big way during the Colts’ dud against the Steelers. The star running back didn’t crack 10 points for the first time this season, and it was the first time he didn’t score a touchdown since Week 4 against the Rams.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants, RB
Fantasy points: 6.70
Stats: Five carries, 18 yards; four targets, three catches, 19 yards
Many fantasy managers spent a pretty penny to land Tracy on the wire this week. But Tracy wasn’t the featured back during the Giants’ first game without Cam Skattebo. Tracy only had five carries compared to the eight that went toward Devin Singletary.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Dolphins
Fantasy points: 8.54
Stats: 25-of-40, 261 yards, INT
Tagovailoa’s four-touchdown performance against the Falcons was a one-week mirage. The Dolphins’ QB reverted to his old ways, producing a stinker against a Ravens defense that had issues defending the pass. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Tagovailoa loses his starting job in the coming weeks.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fantasy Studs and Duds NFL Week 9: Bears’ Trio Pulls Off Upset Over Bengals.