5 breakout fantasy football stars to pick up for Week 9

2. Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders

The quarterback market should be heating up after all of the Week 8 injuries and Sam Howell is again in the spotlight. The season has been a bit of a roller coaster for Howell, who has mixed in some blowup games alongside stink bombs, but Week 8 fell firmly in the former category for him.

Howell diced up the Philadelphia Eagles' vaunted secondary for the second time in a month, completing 39-of-52 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns, which were season-highs in both categories. The Eagles did record one interception against Howell, who has thrown eight of them this season, but his passing prowess is a positive development for the Commanders.

Game flow should also be a positive for Howell, who plays on a team that has a shaky defense that could see pieces subtracted ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. The potential for shootouts or garbage time production is high with Howell, who has a nice arsenal of pass catchers to work with in Washington.

Demand for Howell's services should significantly increase this week, especially in light of Cousins' injury. Howell is rostered in 45 percent of leagues and could be a preferred fill-in for Cousins owners thanks to his demonstrated potential for big games.