B/R's Week 9 PPR Fantasy Football 2025 Player Rankings

Know what's even better than being great in Week 8? Feeling fine in Week 9.

Poetry aside, we're in the thick of the fantasy football season. The stretch run for the playoffs will be here before you know it. The pressure on teams sitting at 4-4 or worse is stifling. Time is running out to turn things around. The next loss could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Even teams sitting at 5-3 or better can't let off the gas. Sure, the first eight weeks of the season went OK. But fortunes in fantasy football can turn on a dime—for better or worse. Hit a slump, and all that early-season success will mean nothing.

The goal for all those fantasy managers is the same as always: Get a win.

We're here to help them do just that, with position-by-position PPR rankings, breakout and bust candidates, sleeper picks, and top overall flex options.

It has been a rough season for fantasy managers who drafted an elite quarterback in fantasy leagues this year.

Selecting Josh Allen has worked out OK—he ranks third among quarterbacks in fantasy points per game. The same goes for Jalen Hurts, who is fourth.

However, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow have all missed significant time. The Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller is out for the season.

Quarterback isn't a position where fantasy managers expect injuries to take a major toll, but signal-callers have been dropping like flies in 2025.

Week 9 Quarterback Rankings

Players to Watch in Week 9

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (at PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200]

Jones' magical 2025 continued last week with 272 passing yards and three touchdown passes against the Tennessee Titans. Now he takes on a Pittsburgh Steelers team allowing the most fantasy points per game in the AFC to quarterbacks.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700]

The concern level for Williams' viability as the long-term starter in Chicago may be high, but any worries about him being a solid Week 9 fantasy start aren't. The Bengals have made a habit of making opposing quarterbacks look good this season.

Players to Avoid in Week 9

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,400]

Nix has been on a heater of late, including four touchdown passes in last week's win over the Denver Broncos. It won't be easy to continue that hot streak in Houston, though. The Texans are dead-last in the league in fantasy points per game given up to quarterbacks.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. ARI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700]

Prescott is coming off his worst fantasy outing of the season by far, with less than 200 passing yards, no touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Now he draws a bottom-10 fantasy matchup for quarterbacks with the Cardinals on Monday night.

Week 9 Sleeper

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (vs. BAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,000]

Expecting Tagovailoa to peel off four touchdown passes two weeks in a row probably isn't realistic. But the Dolphins host a Ravens team that ranks 28th in the league in pass defense and is surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season.

It's Jonathan Taylor's world, and the rest of us are just living in it.

Last week, the Indianapolis Colts running back piled up 174 total yards and three touchdowns. It was the third time in the past four weeks that he found the end zone three times and surpassed 30 PPR points.

For the season, Taylor has 850 rushing yards, almost 100 more than any other back in the league. He is averaging a gaudy 5.9 yards per carry and has scored a dozen times on the ground.

Fantasy managers who drafted the 26-year-old over the summer have been thrilled for weeks. And there's no reason to think the good times will stop any time soon.

Week 9 Running Back Rankings

Players to Watch in Week 9

D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

Swift has quietly been a top-12 fantasy back over the first eight weeks of the season, but he should have a loud Week 9. Cincinnati's putrid defense has surrendered the most PPR points per game in the league to running backs this season.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]

After being thrust into the lead role in Los Angeles, Vidal has surpassed 100 rushing yards in two of the past three games. The Tennessee Titans are allowing over 142 rushing yards per game and the third-most PPR points to running backs.

Players to Avoid in Week 9

Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers (at GB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800]

Dowdle was fantastic as the unquestioned lead back in Carolina. But the return of Chuba Hubbard has eaten into his workload, and the Packers have given up the third-fewest PPR points per game to running backs in 2025.

Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,700]

Jeanty has been a disappointment this season. He's RB17 in PPR points per game, but that number is artificially inflated by one huge game. He's hard to trust as more than a so-so fantasy RB2 in a "meh" Week 9 matchup with the Jaguars.

Week 9 Sleeper

Zonovan Knight, Arizona Cardinals (at DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,000]

After the surprising release of Michael Carter, Knight is the unquestioned No. 1 back for the Cardinals moving forward—starting with an atrocious Dallas Cowboys defense surrendering 146 yards per game on the ground.

Joe Flacco may not be able to salvage the 2025 season for the Cincinnati Bengals unless he plays both ways, but the veteran quarterback is doing his level best to save the fantasy value of Bengals wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Over the past two games, Chase has 28 catches for 252 yards and a touchdown on 42 targets. Those are real numbers—over a two-week span.

Higgins hasn't piled up those sorts of jaw-dropping stats, but the sixth-year veteran has seven catches for 140 yards and two scores in his own right.

Fantasy managers who invested an early pick in Chase or Higgins should pass the hat and buy Flacco a nice basket of meats and cheeses or something.

Week 9 Wide Receiver Rankings

Players to Watch in Week 9

Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

Justin Herbert finally remembered McConkey is on the roster, and the second-year pro has 22 catches for 255 yards and two scores the past three weeks. In related news, Quentin Johnston has turned back into a pumpkin.

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (at LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200]

Thomas has been the subject of trade speculation after a slow start in 2025, but the second-year pro should hit the ground running post-bye against a Vegas defense that has surrendered the fifth-most PPR points per game to wideouts this year.

Players to Avoid in Week 9

Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots (vs. ATL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700]

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is playing lights-out football of late, but he's spreading the ball around a lot, and the Falcons have allowed the fifth-fewest PPR points per game to wide receivers this year.

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

Sutton has been solid this season—he's WR11 after eight weeks this season. But he is likely going to see a lot of Derek Stingley in coverage this week, and Houston is fourth in the league in pass defense in 2025.

Week 9 Sleeper

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (at PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,400]

Downs hasn't had 55 receiving yards in a game this season, but the 24-year-old has found the end zone each of the past two weeks and now faces a Pittsburgh defense that ranks dead-last in the NFL against the pass.

There was no shortage of speculation over the offseason regarding who would emerge from a crowded wide receiver room in Green Bay to become the top target for the Packers in the passing game.

Eight weeks in that question appears to have been answered—and it's not a wide receiver at all.

After seven catches for 143 yards and two scores against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tucker Kraft leads the Packers in catches. And receiving yards. And touchdowns.

The 24-year-old has found the end zone in three straight games. His 41 targets are one behind Romeo Doubs, and he leads the Packers in yards per reception at 15.6.

Among all players in the NFL with 30 or more catches, that 15.6 yards per reception ranks fourth.

Week 9 Tight End Rankings

Players to Watch in Week 9

Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons (at NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,200]

Pitts has been on a mini-rip of late, with 16 grabs for 121 yards over his last two games. Look for that to continue Sunday against a Patriots team allowing the fifth-most PPR points per game to tight ends.

Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. IND) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

Aaron Rodgers has targeted his tight ends with a fair bit of regularity. The Steelers will likely be playing from behind this week, and the Colts have given up the fourth-most PPR points per game to the position this season.

Players to Avoid in Week 9

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

Engram hasn't been a consistent factor in the Broncos offense—his next game with 50 receiving yards this year will be his first. That's not going to change Sunday in a bad fantasy matchup for the position with the Texans.

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000]

Kincaid has cooled off after a hot start to the season, though he's still eighth in PPR points per game among tight ends. Sunday's huge AFC showdown with the Chiefs is a poor fantasy matchup—Kansas City has given up the fourth-fewest PPR points per game to tight ends in 2025.

Week 9 Sleeper

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,300]

Chicago's decision to draft Loveland ahead of Tyler Warren hasn't aged well. But if ever there was a week for the No. 10 overall pick to find the end zone for the first time, this is it. The Bengals lead the NFL in PPR points per game surrendered to TEs.

Fantasy managers who wonder why so many analysts advise streaming matchup plays on defense need look no further than the leaderboard after eight weeks to see the wisdom of the strategy.

The top five fantasy defenses aren't a Who's Who of big names at the position: the New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks. Of that quintet, only two (Seahawks and Patriots) were drafted inside the top 12 on average, and none were selected inside the top 10.

Granted, a lot can still change between now and season's end, and the No. 6 defense (Denver Broncos) was the first taken in many drafts this year.

However, playing matchups will give you potentially elite fantasy production for a fraction of the cost of teams like Denver.

Week 9 Team Defense Rankings

Week 9 Kicker Rankings

Players to Watch in Week 9

Los Angeles Rams Defense (vs. NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

The Rams already would have been an excellent fantasy play in Week 9, in no small part because they have built an excellent young defense. With Tyler Shough starting for the Saints on Sunday, this game has the makings of a bloodbath.

Tyler Loop, Baltimore Ravens (at MIA)

Loop hasn't exactly set the world on fire in his first season with the Ravens, sitting outside the top 15 in fantasy points per game among kickers. But he is coming off his best game of the year and gets a favorable Week 9 matchup with the Dolphins.

Players to Avoid in Week 9

Kansas City Chiefs Defense (at BUF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

The Chiefs have been decent for fantasy managers this year, ranking eighth in fantasy points so far. But when the Chiefs and the Bills get together, things tend to go shootout-city—and those aren't good for fantasy defenses.

Wil Lutz, Denver Broncos (at HOU)

The Broncos are 6-2, but that hasn't translated to fantasy production for Lutz, who sits a woeful 30th in fantasy points among kickers. That won't change against a Texans team barely allowing three points per game to the position in 2025.

Week 9 Sleeper

Baltimore Ravens Defense (at MIA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

That the Ravens can be labeled a "sleeper" speaks to how badly the 2025 campaign has gone for the Baltimore defense. But Miami has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to defenses even after dropping 34 on the Atlanta Falcons last week.

This list of the top overall players for PPR fantasy leagues in Week 9 can assist in flex lineup decisions. However, it does not include quarterbacks—if your league has a superflex spot and you have a decent QB2, flex him.

Joe Flacco? Decent. Tyler Shough? Not so decent.

Week 9 is a four-team bye, with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa bay Buccaneers off. It's a drag for fantasy managers but good news for the Eagles and Bucs, as both clubs are banged up on offense and could use an off week.

This week's tip involves trades, as the deadline to make them is coming up in both the NFL and many fantasy leagues.

NFL general managers don't enter negotiations with another team intent on "winning" the trade. They do so in an effort to improve their roster. Fantasy managers would be well-served to do the same.

How the trade helps the other guy isn't especially relevant. Trades are supposed to make your team better. Provided it does, how your opponent benefits is a problem for another time.

Week 9 Overall Rankings

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.