Fantasy Football: Week 9 Kicker and Defense Rankings

MIAMI, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Despite some of the league's top fantasy defense plays sitting out with a week 9 bye, there are quite a few streaming options with great matchups.

To help you get a few extra points from the bottom slots in your lineup, I have ranked my top 20 defense/special teams units and top 15 kickers for the week in the tables below. You can also view my add/drops for the week and more positional rankings in the links below.

TOP SHELF

Dan Bailey is my top ranked kicker for Week 9. The Dallas Cowboys veteran faces the Cleveland Browns in a game that I predict will be one-sided. Bailey has nailed three field goals in each of his last two games. He also has made multiple extra points in all but one of his seven games. He is a lock again for multiple extra points in this one and should have a shot at a few field goal attempts, if rookie quarterback Dak Prescott struggles early.

The Seattle Seahawks host the Buffalo Bills and are my top ranked defense for the week. Seattle has only allowed one team to score more than 18 points against its unit this season while playing at home. The Bills are reeling, heading into CenturyLink Field on a two-game losing streak.

SNEAKY PLAYS

Caleb Sturgis should be a nice play from the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have a divisional road test against the New York Giants ahead. Sturgis is a fringe starter for me this week with six teams on a bye. Last week, he hit three field goals and two extra points in another divisional road matchup at Dallas.

Miami Dolphins battle the New York Jets in Miami Sunday. This game is a chance for the Dolphins to win its third consecutive contest and second straight divisional matchup. The Dolphins will likely lean heavily on Jay Ajayi and the ground game in this one, limiting opportunities for Jets running back Matt Forte and the opponents' skill position players. Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been sacked five times in his last two games and 14 times on the season. He also has thrown just two touchdowns in the last two weeks. This game has all the makings of an old-school ground-and-pound format, meaning there is potential for a low-scoring affair.

LONGSHOTS

If you are desperate at kicker, look at Oakland Raiders veteran Sebastian Janikowski. Although the Raiders host the Denver Broncos, I believe Janikowski is an interesting play due to his ability to hit from range and the fact that the Raiders will likely struggle in the red zone against this tough defensive unit. Janikowski has two four-field-goal-games in his last four contests.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could crush the Baltimore Ravens in Ben Roethlisberger's return from a knee injury. That would force the Ravens into playing catch-up, meaning more turnovers are likely. Before Roethlisberger went down, the Steelers had allowed just 14 points and 13 points in consecutive weeks to the Kansas City Chiefs and Jets, respectively. The Ravens face Pittsburgh on the heels of a four-game losing streak and have scored more than 25 points only once this season.