Before we get into my favorite tight ends for fantasy football Week 9, let's take a look back at some of the players I liked in Week 8.

Before we get into my favorite quarterbacks for fantasy football Week 9, let's take a look back at some of the players I liked in Week 8.

Most of the time, I gently mock myself to open the article by looking back at some of my favorites from the previous week who disappointed. 

In Week 8, though, I had some great hits.

Let's see if I can keep the good times going as we hit the midway point of the regular season.

As of Tuesday evening, here's an early look at my (preliminary) favorite Week 9 fantasy plays—the guys who (in some combination) …

  • Might be high in my fantasy rankings relative to the industry consensus.
  • Need to be started in most season-long leagues.
  • Must be added if they are on waivers.
  • Possess underappreciated upside.
  • Have advantageous matchups.
  • Should be considered in daily fantasy.
  • Make for desirable dynasty acquisition targets.
  • Are on teams with player-friendly betting odds.
  • Catch my eye with their player projections.
  • Stand out in our Fantasy Life Player Prop Tool.

Some notes.

Updates: After I submit this piece, any changing opinions I have will be reflected in my rankings and my projections (accessible with a FantasyLife+ subscription), which I will update throughout the week.

Scoring & Ordering: All fantasy points are half-PPR scoring unless otherwise stated. Players are ordered within position roughly (but maybe not precisely) according to my rankings.

Abbreviations: Check out the end of the piece for abbreviations I might use.

Bye Week: This week, the Steelers and 49ers are on bye.. 

Sports Betting Data: Odds are as of 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and based on the consensus lines in our Fantasy Life Odds Page.

Freedman's Favorites: Although we publish this piece as four separate articles broken out by position, I think of it as one cohesive whole and write it as such. With that in mind, please be sure to check out the rest of my favorite Week 8 fantasy football plays in the other positional previews.

Best TEs for Fantasy Football Week 9

Evan Engram (Jaguars) at Eagles

  • Jaguars: +7
  • O/U: 46
  • TT: 19.5

WR Christian Kirk (shoulder, IR) suffered a season-ending injury last week, which makes Engram incredibly intriguing as the go-to middle-of-the-field option for the Jaguars.

Since they both joined the Jags in 2022, Engram has had notable splits based on the presence (and absence) of Kirk (per FTN).

  • Engram With Kirk (35 games): 6.6 targets | 8.6 fantasy points
  • Engram Without Kirk (5 games): 10.4 targets | 14.8 fantasy points

Additionally, WRs BrIan Thomas Jr. (chest) and Gabe Davis (shoulder) exited Week 8 with injuries, and neither is guaranteed to return to action this week.

If all three starting WRs are out, Engram could approach double-digit targets by halftime, especially since the Jags could be motivated to pass at an increased rate as sizable road underdogs.

Last week, TE Mike Gesicki—in the absence of No. 2 WR Tee Higgins (quadricep)—had one of his best games of the season with 7-73-0 receiving on 8 targets against the Eagles.

The Hot Route

Trey McBride (Cardinals Pick'Em, TT: 22.25) vs. Bears: Since returning from injury in Week 5, McBride has functioned as the No. 1 pass catcher for the Cardinals with 28-324-0 receiving on 35 targets in four games. Eventually, he'll turn targets and yards into TDs. The Bears could be without SS Jaquan Brisker (concussion), who has been out since Week 6.

Noah Fant (Seahawks +1.5, TT: 23.5) vs. Rams: Fant's 67% route rate is respectable, and he might see more action if WR DK Metcalf (knee) is out again. The Rams are without FS John Johnson (shoulder, IR) and rank No. 32 in defensive pass DVOA against TEs (41.6%).

Taysom Hill (Saints -7, TT: 25.25) at Panthers: In his Week 8 return to action, Hill had a season-high four targets, and he's almost always good for 3-6 carries. With No. 2 WR Rashid Shaheed (knee, IR) out and WRs Bub Means (ankle) and Cedrick Wilson (hip) and RB Kendre Miller (hamstring) uncertain, Hill could see a steady stream of opportunities on Sunday. The Panthers are No. 1 in largest fantasy boost allowed to TEs (+4.2).

Abbreviations

  • Fantasy Points per Game (FPPG)
  • Against the Spread (ATS)
  • Over/Under (O/U)
  • Team Total (TT)
  • Moneyline (ML)
  • Return on Investment (ROI)
  • Adjusted Yards per Attempt (AY/A)
  • Expected Points Added (EPA)
  • Success Rate (SR)
  • Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE)
  • Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA)
  • AirYAC (Air Yards + Yards After Catch)
  • Weighted Opportunity Rating (WOPR)
  • Average Depth of Target (aDOT)
  • Short Down and Distance (SDD)
  • Long Down and Distance (LDD)