5 biggest Week 9 fantasy football sleepers: Cedric Tillman, Derek Carr and more

Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season has arrived. As I write this, the second half of the Jets and Texans game is about to kick off. It's been a complete mess of a game. Houston leads 7-0. Malachi Corley dropped a ball going into the end zone. Houston's had injury concerns for both its star second-year players, C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr.

It's been the perfect game for Thursday night on Halloween.

Hopefully, it improves in the second half. And hopefully, as we head to the second half of the fantasy season — see what I did there — your fantasy lineups are continuing to improve. Let's talk about some sleepers who can help you win this week.

To count as a sleeper, quarterbacks and tight ends need to be ranked outside the top 15 at their position on FantasyPros’ weekly rankings, while running backs are ranked outside the top 20 and wide receivers are ranked outside the top 25.

Derek Carr - QB - New Orleans Saints

Week 9 ranking: QB23

While Derek Carr returning this week isn't a guarantee, it does feel like we're trending in that direction. Carr last played in Week 5, when he suffered an oblique injury against the Chiefs.

Signs this week have been encouraging though, potentially setting up a return for Carr for this week's game against the Carolina Panthers.

That would be a good time for Carr to return because he can eat against Carolina, as the Panthers allow the eighth-most passing yards per game and are tied for most touchdown passes given up per contest at 2.13.

Carr has tossed multiple touchdown passes in three of the five games he's played so far this season, including three touchdown passes when he faced this same Panthers defense back in Week 1.

Tyler Allgeier - RB - Arizona Cardinals

Week 9 ranking: RB34

When you talk about the Falcons offense, you probably talk about Bijan Robinson. Or maybe you talk about how strong the passing game has been — Kirk Cousins, Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Darnell Mooney. What you probably don't talk much about is Tyler Allgeier.

Now, part of that is Allgeier hasn't had the greatest season. He's topped 50 yards just three times all year.

But he's also seen an uptick in usage lately with double-digit carries in two of the past three games. He's getting enough opportunities to give him upside in a plus matchup.

And that's what we have this weekend. The Cowboys allow the second-most fantasy points per game to the running back position, which sets Allgeier up in a good spot. If he can get even eight or so touches, he has a shot to produce some good fantasy numbers.

Cedric Tillman - WR - Cleveland Browns

Week 9 ranking: WR34

The Browns started Jameis Winston at quarterback last week because Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles and WOW ... that's what this offense can do with competent quarterback play?

Cleveland scored 29 points, marking the first time all year the team hit the 20-point mark. And maybe some of that was because it faced a Ravens pass defense that's really been struggling, but it was also because the Browns finally had someone throwing the ball who could actually push it downfield.

With Amari Cooper traded away, Cedric Tillman has established himself as the team's No. 1 receiver. He had five targets all year before the trade and wasn't targeted in the three games preceding the move, but Tillman has been a quick riser with Cooper shipped to Buffalo. In the last two games, he's been targeted 21 times and has a pair of touchdown receptions.

This week, the Browns face the Chargers, a defense that's played really well against the pass this season. That limits some of the upside with Tillman, but overall he's still the No. 1 option in a much-improved offense. He's worth starting in most formats.

Jalen Coker - WR - Carolina Panthers

Week 9 ranking: WR58

The Panthers traded Diontae Johnson away this week and Adam Thielen is still dealing with a hamstring injury.I wouldn't count on him playing against the Saints this weekend.

That leaves Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker as the team's top two receivers. And while Legette should be the top guy, I'm just not sure I'm sold on it.

Legette has found the end zone three times in the past five games, but Jalen Coker outplayed him last week, catching four passes for 78 yards and a score while Legette caught for 34 and a score.

Another factor: Legette is rostered in 32 percent of leagues. Coker? 3 perent. So in a league where you need to make a late add off the wire because you're desperate at receiver, Legette might not be there, whereas Coker is.

His role in the slot against a defense that has struggled to stop slot receivers doesn't hurt either. Per Razzball, the Saints allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to slot receivers.

Adam Trautman - TE - Denver Broncos

Week 9 ranking: TE39

No team has allowed more receiving yards to the tight end position this season than the Baltimore Ravens, who face the Broncos this week.

The good news for Baltimore in this one is that Denver doesn't have an elite tight end who's guaranteed to kill them. The team is counting on Lucas Krull and Adam Trautman, neither of whom is a safe option.

But because of the matchup, Trautman has solid sleeper appeal this weekend. After being targeted just three times over the first six games of the season, Trautman has seven targets in the past two games and is coming off by far his best game of the year, catching all four of his targets for 85 yards and a score against Carolina last weekend.

As for Krull, I would have preferred him up to last weekend, but he played just 37 percent of snaps and was targeted twice. Trautman played 56 percent of snaps, the third time in the last four games that his snap share has gone over 50 percent.

I'm not counting on a big game from Trautman, but it's at least a possibility based on how this defense has defended tight ends in 2024.