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Here is the link to NFL Week 9 Review: Hot Takes, Part I.
Corey Coleman appeared on 91 percent of the snaps in his first game back for the Browns. He caught three of seven targets for 41 yards. Things should get better.
Mike Evans had at least two drops and committed an offensive pass interference penalty in Week 9. He also caught 11-of-17 passes for 150 yards and two scores. Since Week 1 he’s seen at least 11 targets each week and he’s scored eight times in eight games this season. Somehow he’s caught only 55-of-103 passes continuing a career long trend of catching barley half the balls thrown his way. Through 38 NFL games Evans has caught 197-of-374 passes, a 52.7 percent conversion rate.
Joe Flacco hit just 53 percent of his passes when under pressure in Week 9 but he threw for 183 yards on 17 attempts. Steve Smith returned showing a nice burst on a 30-yard reception. He caught just three other passes for 17 yards in the outing. Mike Wallace caught four balls for 124 yards. Those two guys provided 134 of their 171 yards after the catch to greatly aide Flacco who threw for just 241 passing yards on the day. #NothingToSeeHere
Newsflash Jets… you need to give the ball to Matt Forte. After seeing monster workloads for the previous couple of weeks he was only given 13 touches in Week 9. He turned them in to 97 yards and a score.
Antonio Gates caught five passes for 75 yards and a score in Week 9, the second week in a row in which he scored. He’s also scored four times his last six games though he only has reached 40-yards one time this season. Gates also blocked really well in the effort and earned his highest grade from Pro Football Focus since the 2010 season. #HOFBound
Melvin Gordon ran for 196 yards in Week 9 with an utter beastmode effort that included 103 yards after contact. He also forced six missed tackles. From the 8th round in drafts to the penthouse, it’s been a stupendous season thus far for Gordon.
Todd Gurley has seen his yards per carry mark fall from 4.8 per carry last season down to 3.1 this season. He’s also fallen from 4th in Elusive Rating according to PFF last season to 27th this season. He’s not breaking the big play, but Gurley’s offensive line simply isn’t setting him up for success.
Mark Ingram touched the balls 17 times leading to 171 yards from scrimmage. Tim Hightower produced 102 yards from scrimmage on his 24 touches. That’s 45 touches and 287 yards from the duo. #NinersWorstDefenseAgainstTheRunEver
Everyone is all excited about Paul Perkins. Here is what I see. (1) Rashad Jennings is the #1 blocking halfback according to PFF. (2) Perkins and Jennings each had 14 touches in Week 9 though Jennings saw 15 more snaps than Perkins. Adding Perkins is fine, but don’t get carried away as it’s not as if he took over the backfield in Week 9.
Case Keenum completed 41.2 percent of his passes when under pressure in Week 9. #FreeJaredGoff
Andrew Luck hit on only three of 13 passes that he threw while under pressure Sunday for 37 yards. When there was no pressure he picked apart the Packers going 20-for-24 with 244 yards and a 122.9 QB Rating. Alas, he is usually under pressure since the Colts o-line struggles, weekly, to keep the pocket clean.
Khalil Mack had 10 pressures on Sunday Night Football. The effort pushed him past Von Miller in the PFF rankings for defensive players on the season and up to #2 overall. #TakeThatVon
Brandon Marshall hasn’t scored in four games. He’s been held to four of fewer receptions in ¾ games as well. He’s also been held under 70-yards in 3-straight. He’s not healthy, but Ryan Fitzpatrick really is playing some poor football.
Ryan Mathews has five rushing scores, and six total this season. He was given just six touches in Week 9 as he scored yet again. He and Barner both scored on the ground by the way. Mathews saw just eight snaps as he’s struggling to get on the field for double-digit snaps each week despite having more rushing scores than Lamar Miller, Devonta Freeman, Frank Gore, Le’Veon Bell, Spence Ware, Mark Ingram, Toddy Gurley etc. #GetHimTheBallYouFailedEaglesCoachingStaff
Ty Montgomery was active a week after being scratched due to ill health. He returned but was on the field for just 31 snaps against the Colts. Even though he was removed from the injury report indicating he was at full health, he clearly wasn’t as the Packers have now confirmed that he was on a snap count. For the gazillionth time… why does the NFL even bother with an injury report? All it is a series of lies.
Latavius Murray produced 5.7 YPC against the Broncos as the right side of the Raiders line laid the beat down on the Broncos defenders. Murray ran for a season best 114 yards in Week 9, but as pointed out in this Big-3 video, it was his first game over 60-yards this season.
DeVante Parker (hamstring) was “limited by his health Sunday” HC Adam Gase said. Someone please pull up a chair for another inclusion on the throne of lies as what Gase said simply doesn’t jibe with reality as Parker was on the field for 57 of the Dolphins 64 snaps. #Liar
Dak Prescott has a 121.5 QB Rating this season when given a “clean pocket.” That’s the second best mark in football. The rookie is simply excelling when given the time to dissect the defense. Quick throws, safe choices, no mistakes, a good run game, and the results is wins. #AstuteAnalysis
Eli Rogers stepped up as Sammie Coates fell on his face in Week 9 as he caught 6-of-10 targets for 103 yards. Rogers also saw 69 percent of the snaps, to 63 for Coates.
Matt Ryan carved up the Bucs completing 24-of-29 passes for 318 yards and four scores when he wasn’t pressured. Ryan was only pressured on seven of 39 pass blocking snaps. #DudeIsALegitMVPCandidate
Matthew Stafford was pressured on just 11-of-37 drop backs against he once vaunted Vikings defense.
Kenny Stills was going to have a nice week, that’s what we at Fantasy Alarm thought (this writer included). Certainly didn’t happen as he was targeted just one time for an 11-yard reception. Cannot trust any pass catching options with the Dolphins other than Jarvis Landry. By the way, before you go and bail on Landry note that he’s on pace for 98 receptions and 1,210 yards, so please, exercise some patience.
Adam Thielen broke two tackles on his way to 68 yards in Week 9. He also caught a 20-yard pass for the 4th straight game.
The Vikings runners touches in Week 9: Matt Asiata 11, Ronnie Hillman 8, Jerick McKinnon 7. In total the three men touched the ball 26 times leading to 111 yards. McKinnon was the biggest disaster with seven touches leading to eight yards. #PayNoAttentionHere
Dwayne Washington carried the ball 10 times for… 26 yards in Week 9. Remove the 42 yard run of Theo Riddick and he gained 28 yards on 13 carries against the Vikings. The Lions still can’t figure out how to run the football effectively.
Charcandrick West was a complete let down though 16 touches for 74 yards isn’t a total disaster, especially since he caught three passes. I had him as an RB1 so it was a letdown, make no mistake.
Terrance West has carried the ball 23 times the last two games for… 31 yards. How is that even possible? Seriously. How is that even possible? It’s shocking to see actually. Kenneth Dixon only gained nine yards on 13 carries so I’m gonna say the o-line has some work to do.
Jason Witten beat six different defenders on his way to eight catches, 134 yards and a score.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM EDT on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).
Player News
Seahawks exercised the fifth-year option on OT Charles Cross.
Cross now remains tied to the organization through the 2026 season. PFF gave the towering 24-year-old tackle exemplary marks in 2024, ranking him 10th of 140 qualified tackles, including 15th in pass protection and 16th in run blocking. The Seahawks extend the negotiating window on one of the key pieces of their offensive front.
Browns signed WR Diontae Johnson to a one-year contract.
The former Steeler wasn’t able to carve out a significant role with the Panthers, Ravens, or Texans in 2024 after seemingly breaking out in Pittsburgh. The Browns apparently saw enough during his visit with the team Monday to sign him to a one-year contract, the details of which have yet to be released. Expect Johnson to start opposite Cedric Tillman on the perimeter while Jerry Jeudy works the slot.
ESPN’s Field Yates reports Browns placed the unrestricted free agent tender on WR Elijah Moore.
Moore visited the Bills on Monday and then saw the Browns place the unrestricted free agent tender on him. Per Field Yates, this means that Moore will count against the compensatory free agent formula should he sign with another team. He’ll play on the tender if he returns to the Browns, which carries a value of $3.428 million for wide receivers in 2025.
Fox Sports’ Jordan Szhultz reports Packers signed LB/S Isaiah Simmons, formerly of the Giants.
The former first-round hybrid linebacker and safety has yet to live up to his No. 8 overall selection in the 2020 draft, but brings the unique ability to fill multiple positions over the middle of the field to a Packers defense that prefers to play a more inside-out style. There is upside in his athletic profile and versatility - perhaps another change of scenery will serve to unlock some of that potential.
Steelers signed WR Robert Woods, formerly of the Texans, to a one-year, $2 million contract.
The 33-year-old wide receiver has long since seen his days of 100-target seasons fall by the wayside, but he still adds a veteran presence to a relatively young wide receiver room in Pittsburgh. Woods played over 60% of the offensive snaps for the Texans just twice in 2024 after doing so 13 times in 2023, indicating a high likelihood he was brought in for his locker room presence and veteran savvy rather than as a consistent contributor to the offense. The low risk signing makes sense for both parties considering Woods’ age and the state of the Pittsburgh pass-catching corps.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the Browns met with free agent WR Diontae Johnson.
Johnson had a forgettable 2024, to put it mildly. The former Steelers receiver saw himself traded to the Panthers last offseason only to later be traded to the Ravens, where his lack of playing time eventually led to his release. He then found his way to the wide receiver-needy Texans, who rostered him for just over three weeks. He was then claimed off waivers by the Ravens but was not eligible to play during the postseason. Now a free agent, Johnson, 28, has not enjoyed the market many expected him to see this time last year. He’s a productive receiver who has amassed 424 catches for 4,738 yards and 28 touchdowns in his six-year career, but it goes without saying that he’s likely in brand rebuilding mode as far as this offseason is concerned. It’s hard to imagine any team giving him a lucrative contract after last year’s disastrous campaign. That said, Johnson could still still provide help to plenty of needy teams and could prove to be a valuable contributor at a cost-efficient price. This is the first visit we’ve heard of for Johnson, who may meet with other teams before signing.