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Fantasy football: Start-em, sit-em players for Week 9

By Jay Marsdale

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 08: Leonard Fournette #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts after rushing for a 2 yard touchdown in the second quarter during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on October 8, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 08: Leonard Fournette #27 of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts after rushing for a 2 yard touchdown in the second quarter during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on October 8, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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FOXBORO, MA – JANUARY 14: DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Houston Texans runs the ball in the second half against the New England Patriots during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA – JANUARY 14: DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Houston Texans runs the ball in the second half against the New England Patriots during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

Sit-em: DeAndre Hopkins (HOU) vs. Indianapolis

The Houston Texans season had already been plagued with a few huge injuries, and this week their season all but ended. Quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his ACL in practice this week, and his loss is just too much for the Texans to overcome. His injury not only ends Houston’s season, but it severely impacts many fantasy football players around the country.

Star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins finally had a quarterback that could get him the ball consistently. Now he is back to poor quarterback play and back to minimal fantasy football output for Hopkins.

Coming off of a game where he caught eight balls for 224 yards, now he makes the sit-em list. For most top receivers, losing their starting quarterback hurts, but for Hopkins it is devastating. We have seen what Hopkins can do with Tom Savage or any other quarterback for that matter. He is not a top-25 receiver for the rest of 2017.

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Hopkins came into this week as my favorite receiver in fantasy football in a very juicy matchup against a poor Colts secondary. This is the only upside for Hopkins this week. Week 9 may be the last time we can get any good production out of him, just because he is so much better than anyone on the Colts defense.

Watson and Hopkins were doing something special this season, and it’s a shame it had to end early. It would have been fun to see Hopkins correctly utilized in a playoff race. Now fantasy football players are left trying to replace a top five receiver who is still healthy.

It’s both a difficult and confusing situation to see someone’s fantasy value dip so much because of a different player’s injury.

Other options: Dez Bryant (DAL) vs. Indianapolis and Devin Funchess (CAR) vs. Atlanta