Fantasy Football: Week 9 Wide Receiver Rankings

MIAMI, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Bengals stud wide receiver A.J. Green, Houston Texans stud DeAndre Hopkins, and Chicago Bears target Alshon Jeffery join the talented pass-catching crews of the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, and Washington Redskins on the bench during Week 9 byes.

With a dozen teams serving bye weeks in the last two weeks, it's impossible that your fantasy football team has gone unaffected by the brutal trend.

To help you figure out how to replace your No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 pass catcher, here are my top 50 wide receivers for the week. You can also view my add/drops for the week and more positional rankings in the links below.

TOP SHELF

All-Pro Antonio Brown is typically penciled in as fantasy football's top wide receiver every week, but this week I expect an outburst. Brown had a bye week to recover from a Week 7 hip pointer injury. He gets rewarded when the Pittsburgh Steelers face a Baltimore Ravens secondary allowing the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers. The Ravens are tied with the San Francisco 49ers for allowing league-high 13 touchdowns to the position. This recipe bakes for a delicious dish for Brown, who has more than 100 yards receiving in just one of his last four games. He also is due for his first score since Oct. 9. Dallas Cowboys ace Dez Bryant will obliterate a Cleveland browns secondary allowing the second-most touchdowns to wide receivers this season and the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position. I'm very high on Bryant this week after he put together a great comeback performance consisting of 113 yards and a touchdown on four catches in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles had allowed just three scores to wide receivers entering that contest.

SNEAKY PLAYS

Jarvis Landry is a fantastic play in any format against a New York Jets defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw all seven of his interceptions this season in four games. Following that stretch, he has the Dolphins on a two-game winning streak heading into Sunday's contest and hasn't thrown a pick since Week 5. Tannehill's top target should benefit from the quarterback's progression and I can see the Dolphins extending its winning streak to three games. Although you are probably frustrated with Jacksonville Jaguars' Allen Robinson, you have to be excited for him to face a Kansas City Chiefs secondary allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. The Chiefs have allowed nine scores to the position through seven games. Robinson could approach WR1 territory.

LONGSHOTS

Donte Moncrief and the Indianapolis Colts face a Green Bay Packers defense allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. I envision Colts quarterback Andrew being forced to throw, while playing catch-up at Lambeau Field. The Packers are tied with the Jets and Jaguars for giving up 10 touchdowns to wide receivers this season, the third-most in the NFL. Moncrief is a high-end WR2 this week. Stefon Diggs looks to be back in the good graces of Sam Bradford. Last week's touchdown was his first since Week 2. His eight catches were his second highest total in six contests. I like Digs again in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions. The Lions have allowed nine touchdowns to the position this season.