Drew Lock: I'd actually start him

This was supposed to be a Sam Darnold section, but Darnold is out and honestly, I’m still interested.

Arizona has allowed 22.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, second-most in the league, which is why Darnold was already one of the more interesting QB2 options this week before the injury.

The other thing is that Lock has simply looked better than Darnold in his limited action this year. The sample is small, so I’m not saying Seattle should suddenly hand him the job permanently, but when the backup has looked good and now gets one of the best QB matchups on the board, I don’t really need much more convincing in Superflex.

And Seattle is probably the best team in the league at scheming touches for its A1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been the best receiver in football this year, and they are going to make sure he gets fed. If you’re projecting another 120 to 150 yards and a touchdown type of game from JSN, that gives Lock a pretty easy path to useful fantasy production even before you account for anything else the offense gives him.

FantasyPros still has Lock at QB31, with only one projected fantasy point. That ranking clearly hasn’t caught up to Darnold being ruled out, so I’m much more aggressive than consensus here.

Final call: If you were starting Darnold this weekend, there’s no question. START Lock with confidence as your QB2.

Malik Willis: last week was the add. This week is the start

This is why we wanted him on rosters early.

Willis gave you 15.6 points last week and is QB20 on the season at 15.2 points per game. FantasyPros now has him QB14 for Week 9, which is much closer to where I have him.

And now he gets Detroit.

The Lions have allowed 25.5 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, most in the league.

We also still haven’t really gotten the full rushing ceiling yet. A lot of these waiver quarterbacks need everything to go right through the air. Willis doesn’t. If the passing is decent and he gives you something with his legs, that’s enough to get you a very useful QB2 week.

Final call: START Willis as a QB2.

Bhayshul Tuten: I’m buying it, just not as aggressively as Nacc

This was one of the better disagreements on the pod.

Tuten has averaged 27.3 PPR points over the last two games, but his expected production has been only around 12 points per game. He’s also RB15 on the season, and FantasyPros has pushed him all the way up to RB10 for Week 9.

Nacc doesn’t really care about the expected-points warning. His argument was basically that at some point, if a guy keeps making explosive plays every time he touches the ball, maybe we should stop calling it lucky.

And I get it. Tuten has also had touchdowns called back this year, so it’s not like everything has broken perfectly for him either.

I’m still a little more cautious for two reasons. Baltimore has allowed only 18.5 PPR points per game to running backs, seventh-fewest in the league, and that huge Week 8 game came against a Colts team that has basically given up on the season.

I don’t think two huge games mean we throw out the underlying usage, but I’m also not trying to sell him just because the efficiency looks unsustainable. Sometimes guys are just good.

The injury is the new wrinkle. Tuten just popped up with an ankle/foot issue and is a game-time call, so if you own him, Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a must-add insurance policy. Rodriguez is still only 23.5% rostered and gets the same Baltimore matchup if Tuten can’t go.

Final call: If Tuten is ACTIVE, START him as an RB1. If you own him, ADD Chris Rodriguez now so you have the pivot. Do not sell Tuten for Chase Brown. I would still take Chuba Hubbard over him rest of season.

Jonah Coleman: I’m not selling because of a rumor

Last week we said to get ahead of Coleman, and he gave you 20.4 PPR points, four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.

More importantly, the usage was real. Without RJ Harvey, Coleman played 68% of Denver’s snaps, while J.K. Dobbins was at 21%. Coleman also ran 16 routes compared to two for Dobbins.

He’s only RB43 on the season, but that’s largely because he’s played just three games. FantasyPros has already moved him up to RB16 for Week 9, and the matchup gives him a chance to beat that.

Carolina has allowed 28.1 PPR points per game to running backs, second-most in the league.

The only thing making people nervous is Denver reportedly calling around on other running backs. I don’t really care yet. If they actually trade for someone meaningful, fine, we’ll reassess, but I’m not downgrading a good role and a great matchup because something might happen.

Final call: START Coleman. HOLD him. Don’t sell because of a rumor.

Kenny Gainwell: I think there’s something here

This was one of the spots where we didn’t really agree on the pod, right after Fab decided Kenny Gainwell had apparently become Kenneth Gainwell III because the name sounded too regal not to have a suffix.

I called it a light signal then, and I’m probably even a little more interested now. Gainwell has 228 rushing yards over the last two games, Tampa has one of the better offensive lines in football, and Todd Bowles is now saying he sees Irving and Gainwell as more of a 1A and 1B.

The pushback from Fab and Nacc was fair. One of those games was a blowout where Bucky barely played in the second half, and the other was a monsoon where Tampa basically had to run the ball.

But the part I keep coming back to is that Gainwell had 14 carries for 88 yards against Carolina the week before the monsoon, so this isn’t all coming from one weird game.

I also think there’s a real chance Tampa leans more into a ball-control offense. Baker hasn’t looked right, the receiver room has been beat up, and this offensive line is good enough to support two backs.

FantasyPros still has Gainwell RB41 for Week 9, and Chicago has allowed only 17.8 PPR points per game to running backs, third-fewest in the league, so I’m not forcing him into every lineup this week.

But I’m definitely higher on him than the ranking.

Final call: ADD Gainwell. I’m willing to FLEX him if you’re thin this week, and I think he has a real chance to become a weekly starter if the 1A/1B usage shows up again.

Emmett Johnson: I like the player. I don’t like chasing the box score.

Johnson just put up 25.3 PPR points and finished as RB5 last week. More than 1.3 million managers went out and added him.

I get it. He looked good.

But he did that on 13 snaps, while Kenneth Walker played 54. Johnson is only RB38 on the season, and FantasyPros still has him down at RB42 this week.

The matchup isn’t giving me a reason to force him into the lineup either. The Jets are allowing 21.8 PPR points per game to running backs, basically middle of the league.

Nacc’s move before Sunday was to buy every share possible because Johnson is getting closer to standalone value and becomes a league-winner if Walker goes down.

I agree with that. I just don’t think that means you immediately throw him into your lineup. Those are two different things.

Final call: ADD Emmett Johnson. BENCH him this week.

I want the upside on my roster. I don’t want to chase 25 points that came on 13 snaps.