The Stream Option is a weekly article where The Undroppables explore the best options at Quarterback, Defense, and Tight End that should be available in most leagues.
*Note: ESPN rostership rates were gathered on 11/3/2020 and are subject to change.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr – LV @ LAC
Derek Carr is currently the QB19 and rostered in 61.2% of ESPN leagues. While Carr hasn’t been prolific in fantasy this season, he has been consistent and rarely busts. In fact, Carr has zero games this season scoring less than 12 fantasy points, so he brings a consistent floor to your squad if you choose to trust him. In Week 9, Carr will face a Chargers secondary that has allowed 4 top-10 finishes to opposing quarterbacks this season, including a 20-point outing surrendered to Drew Lock just last week. In addition, the over/under for this game is currently at 54 points, making it the second-highest suggested point total of the week for what should be a shootout.
Matthew Stafford – DET @ MIN
Similar to Carr, Stafford also has zero games lower than twelve points this season. While being consistent, Stafford has also shown that he can have the big game every now and then, finishing as a top-10 QB in Weeks 4 and 8. Meanwhile, Stafford faces the third-best matchup for fantasy quarterbacks in the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota has been on the opposite end of four top-10 QB weeks this season, and this game offers a high over/under of 53.5 points. Stafford is only rostered in 65% of ESPN leagues.
Other options: Drew Lock @ ATL (6.2% rostered), Kirk Cousins vs DET (19.1% rostered)
Tight Ends
Jordan Akins/Darren Fells – HOU @ JAX
I have bad luck when trying to project who will play and who won’t in this column, so I present to you what I call the “whichever one plays strategy.” Akins has missed the past four weeks with a concussion and an ankle issue after starting off the season averaging 9.2 points per game. In Week 9, the Texans will face a Jaguars defense that currently allows 12.3 points per game to the Tight End position. If Akins is playing on Sunday, he should start over Fells, but be ready to pivot to Fells if Akins can’t play. Akins is currently rostered in 1.9% of ESPN leagues while Fells has a rostership rate of 7.5%.
Eric Ebron – PIT @ DAL
I touted Ebron pretty hard this offseason, and he has been a little hit-or-miss so far this season. However, he has now strung together two solid games in a row, scoring over 10 fantasy points against the Titans and the Ravens. He has started to develop a solid rapport with QB Ben Roethlisberger, averaging almost 6 targets per game since Week 2. This week, the Steelers will face a Dallas defense that has been horrid against the pass all season, so there should be an opportunity for Ebron to continue this stretch of good games. Ebron is currently rostered in 61.6% of ESPN leagues.
Defenses
Washington Football Team D/ST – WAS vs NYG
The Giants are currently the third-best matchup for opposing fantasy defenses, and Washington averaging 3 sacks per game will face a less-than-average offensive line. In their first meeting of the season, the WFT defense put up 6 fantasy points against the Giants. However, coming off their bye, I think they can do even better in Week 9. The Football Team defense is currently rostered in 23.3% of ESPN leagues.
New England Patriots D/ST – NE @ NYJ
While the Patriots are rostered in 75% of ESPN leagues, they should provide a great game if they are available. The Jets are having an awful season, with more losses on the season than offensive touchdowns, as @Masterjune70 points out in this thread.
How bad are S-S-S-Sammy & the Jets?@TheUndroppables @DynoGameTheory @itsharristime
B-B-B-Bad
(a thread)
The Jets have more losses (8) than they have total offensive touchdowns (7)
— MinshewBroFist (@Masterjune70) November 3, 2020
Meanwhile, the Patriots currently rank as the 10th best defense in fantasy, so expect a solid game for them in Week 9.
Other options: Texans D/ST @ JAX w/ Jake Luton or Mike Glennon at QB (2.8% rostership), Giants D/ST @ WAS (2.4% rostership)
For more options for additions to your lineup, check out Mike Reedy’s Waiver Wire article for Week 9, and feel free to reach out to me with questions on Twitter, @KL_Fantasy.
