2024 Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings: WR

Malik Nabers wonders if his game is “Daniel Jones proof” after all, Puka Nacua looks to stack strong performances, and Calvin Ridley and Ladd McConkey hope to build off big days.

Other positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Tight End/Kickers/Defense

Week 9 Receivers

WR Notes: With 31 targets over the past two weeks, CeeDee Lamb is finally seizing the means of Cowboys production. … Justin Jefferson has never quite reached his full ceiling this season. Now T.J. Hockenson is back to join the targets combat. Just something to keep an eye on. It’s certainly nothing to worry about vs. the Colts’ rough defense. … Although he did not smash in Week 8, it still seems like only a matter of time before Tyreek Hill resumes his Tyreek Hill ways with Tua Tagovailoa back at the controls. The Bills have limited enemy receiver numbers, but considerable road ‘dog Miami is going to have to throw a lot on Sunday. … Malik Nabers is looking a little less Daniel Jones-proof with each passing week. The Giants still don’t have any better ideas, especially with Tyrone Tracy (concussion) now on the shelf. … DK Metcalf remains on track to return from his knee injury. The only Seahawks wideout to offer any semblance of consistency this season, the big dog’s return immediately dispatches Jaxon Smith-Njigba back to low-end WR3 compiling status. Tyler Lockett is a dart throw WR4.

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp made their triumphant returns at the same time. We knew Kupp was ready. We heard Nacua would supposedly be snap counted. One dominant Nacua performance later, we are left with a data point that says: Rank Nacua higher and wait for more information. Things were already trending this way last season, of course. Both players have concerning injury histories, but Nacua’s youth is a bullet point in his favor. We love both players as WR1s vs. the Seahawks’ leaky defense. … Zay Flowers went from injury question mark to the WR13 overall in Week 8. It would have been much higher had his 7/115 not happened to be scoreless. Triumphant, though difficult to point chase vs. the Broncos’ elite pass defense. This could be a rare recent establishment game for massive home favorite Baltimore. … That’s one reason we are giving Diontae Johnson a “WR4 wait-and-see” week in his Ravens debut. … I guess we just have to accept Marvin Harrison Jr.’s down-field game is going to make him volatile, though he finally saw some more creative usage in Week 8. Encouraging. The Bears will also be a tough spot to start a hot streak. … Chris Olave has had his fair share of 2024 disappointments. It will nevertheless be hard to do against the Panthers.

Josh Downs can never just be a regular WR2. The second-year pro has either never been more over or so, so back. It’s the latter for Week 9 with Joltin’ Joe Flacco getting Anthony Richardson benched. The Vikings are a brutal matchup, albeit one a similarly-styled Matthew Stafford just carved up. At the very least, Flacco will be ready for the exotic pressures. Flacco’s return also means a WR3 return for Michael Pittman Jr. and his balky back. … DJ Moore is really feeling the effects of: 1. The Bears’ increasingly run-heavy ways. 2. Keenan Allen actually staying in the lineup. The Cardinals provide hope for Week 9 upside, but the downside is a lot lower than it appeared like it was going to be during Allen’s absence. … Calvin Ridley’s monster Week 8 was one game with a clear coaching staff directive: Get the expensive guy the ball. It’s also true there are only so many wideouts who have 10-of-15 for 143 yards in their range of outcomes. Of course, that was with Mason Rudolph under center, who is nothing if not a No. 1 wideout targeter. Will Levis? Is he anything at this point? He does have a strong Week 9 matchup in the Patriots.

Tank Dell is just about out of target competition. We would like to say it “has to be happen” in Week 9, but it’s a short week on the road vs. a tough Jets pass defense. Behind Dell, you can take your blindfolded WR5 pick between Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie. … I’m finally giving up the Jayden Reed ghost. It sort of feels like a Kyle Pitts situation, where the second you cry uncle the obviously-talented player immediately resumes being obviously talented, but the five-man pass catcher rotation is bad enough when it is Jordan Love under center. Malik Willis? Maybe the Pack will shorten things up for the backup, but volume will be too elusive. Reed will need a true “Baby Deebo” day to provide WR2 returns. … What to make of the Bills’ unpredictable receiver output since Amari Cooper’s acquisition? Well one point of clarity emerged on Wednesday when it was revealed Cooper suffered a Week 8 wrist injury. Whereas his 1/3 statline at first appeared to be a case of “Cooper being Cooper,” it was Cooper being hurt. If Cooper can play, he will slot into the WR24-30 range. If he goes, Khalil Shakir remains a floor-based WR3 with Keon Coleman suddenly a WR3 ceiling option.

The Chiefs seem likely to ramp up DeAndre Hopkins’ routes after he managed just 14 in his Chiefs debut. It couldn’t come at a better time, as the Bucs’ pass D seems to be in the process of falling apart. That’s also good news for Xavier Worthy, who seems closer than ever to hitting some bigger plays. … This is the highest you will see Courtland Sutton ranked for the rest of the year. Coming off his best game, he now has by far his best matchup in the Ravens. … Well there goes my Cedric Tillman theory. I thought maybe the young man’s big Week 7 was all about practice squad chemistry with Dorian Thompson-Robinson. But he was just as good for Jameis Winston in Week 8, who also sparked Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore. There will again be weeks where Winston feeds all three, but the Chargers are a much tougher matchup than Baltimore. For now we just have to rely on what the box scores and eye test have revealed, and that’s WR1 Tillman. There is still time for an actual pass-first QB like Winston to finally make Jeudy the No. 1 wideout he was drafted as, however.