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Would you drop C.J. Spiller? I can pick up Mike "Sir Drops A Lot" Wallace. - @tchrea (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: I wouldn't drop Spiller. In fact, if someone in your league has dumped him I would put in a waiver claim for him ASAP. That's due in large part to the fact that finding a running back with his talent on waivers is next to impossible at this point of the season. Spiller should also be closer to 100 percent down the stretch -- he's been dealing with a bum ankle that kept him out of action last weekend. Also keep in mind that as good as Fred Jackson has been this season, he hasn't played in a full 16 games since 2010. As a result, I wouldn't be surprised if Spiller ends up being the featured back in Buffalo at some point down the road.
Waiver wire: WRs catching on
Michael Fabiano's Week 9 waiver wire list has a distinct wide receiver flavor, starting with Terrance Williams. More ...
Is it time to quit on Tom Brady? Should he be benched? - @BigToastyToast (via Twitter)
M.F.: Talk about a disappointment. Did you know that 19 quarterbacks have more fantasy points than Brady right now? And that's despite the fact that many of them have already had their bye week! To further prove how poor Brady has been in fantasy land, consider that he is averaging a meager 12.1 points per game in 2013. Last season, Brady averaged almost 22 per game! At this point in time -- and I never thought I would say this -- he's barely a matchup-based starter. This week Brady faces the Pittsburgh Steelers, so I would keep him on the sidelines.
Do you consider Andre Ellington a solid No. 2 fantasy running back, or he is more of a No. 3 or flex? - @LazyGrandeur (via Twitter)
M.F.: I'm not sure I would consider him a "solid" No. 2 running back, but he'll definitely be an attractive flex option once he returns from a Week 9 bye. A far more talented player than Rashard Mendenhall, Ellington has tons of upside both on the field and in fantasy land. With that said, I'm still not sure he's going to see the workload of a true featured back once Mendenhall returns from an toe ailment. Add him off the waiver wire (if he's available) and keep tabs on his weekly touches -- and the matchups -- as we move forward with the season.
What are your thoughts on Jake Locker over the next few weeks? - @SkylerAitken (via Twitter)
M.F.: If you're looking for an under-the-radar quarterback who can help you reach the fantasy postseason, Locker is a tremendous candidate. Did you know that he has averaged 23.4 fantasy points in his last three starts? No, that's not a misprint -- and it's more points than several of the big-name quarterbacks around the league during that time. With six teams off and matchupS against the St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars up next, Locker needs to be on the radar in all fantasy formats.
Would you trade Adrian Peterson for another running back like Eddie Lacy and a wide receiver? I need help at wideout bad! - @DSteele_23 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Like I always say, "if you're not trading, you're not trying!" That includes trading a superstar like Peterson, but you have to receive top talent in return for a deal to be even considered. So if you can land someone like Lacy and a solid wide receiver such as Brandon Marshall or Wes Welker in return, well, pulling the trigger on a deal makes sense. But let me state this to you once again -- you must receive maximum value in return for the best running back in fantasy football.
Were Marvin Jones' four touchdowns a fluke, or do you think he will be a great long-term complement to A.J. Green? - @lazarusa57 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Jones might not score four touchdowns in a single NFL game ever again, but I wouldn't call his success a fluke. In fact, he had found the end zone and scored 11-plus fantasy points in each of his previous two contests before blowing up against the Jets. He has clearly gained the trust of quarterback Andy Dalton, and having a superstar wideout like A.J. Green alongside him does nothing but make life easier for Jones. He should be added in most fantasy leagues and considered a legitimate No. 3 wideout (especially when the matchup is favorable), just don't expect him to suddenly emerge into an elite wideout for the stretch run.
Is now the time to drop Marques Colston? - @richard_alan (via Twitter)
M.F.: I wouldn't drop Colston altogether, but I would be worried if he was a member of my fantasy football team. He caught just three passes for 18 yards against the Buffalo Bills, who have had all kinds of issues against wide receivers this season. What's more, Colston has just six catches for 44 yards with no touchdowns over the last three games -- he's also 77th in fantasy points at his position over the last four weeks. 77! That's shocking when you consider his past statistical success, and the fact that superstar Drew Brees is his quarterback. With that said, I wouldn't start him against a Jets defense that is much more formidable against the pass at home.
Which quarterback is the better start for Week 9 -- Dalton or Philip Rivers? - @tahececlayborn (via Twitter)
M.F.: Dalton has been hotter than a Kate Upton swimsuit calendar in recent weeks, scoring 25-plus fantasy points in each of his last three games. With that being said, he has a much tougher matchup than Rivers in Week 9. Dalton travels to Miami to face the Dolphins on Thursday night, where he'll face a defense that has allowed an average of just 10.9 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks on their home field. On the flip side, Rivers faces a Washington Redskins defense that has surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points (20.6 PPG) to signal-callers on their home turf.
Would you trade Victor Cruz for Jordy Nelson? - @kswitzer89 (via Twitter)
M.F.: No question about it. In fact, I would hit the accept button now and get this trade processed before the other owner has second thoughts. As good as Cruz has been in the past, he's done a bit of a Houdini act in the stat sheets. In fact, he has failed to score more than 8.6 fantasy points in a game since Week 4. Nelson, on the other hand, has scored double-digit fantasy points in three straight contests and has a combined four touchdowns in that time. His totals should continue to excite fantasy leaguers too, as Nelson will remain the top option in the pass attack with Randall Cobb out and James Jones and Jermichael Finley sidelined.
Is Lamar Miller now the No. 1 running back in Miami? He looked pretty good against the New England Patriots! - @yimaester (via Twitter)
M.F.: He sure looked like it last week but you never can know for sure in the age of the backfield committee. Miller has the skills to be a playmaker, which is a big part of the reason I liked him so much in the preseason -- he just needs the opportunities. The problem here is that the Dolphins don't see Miller as a three-down back, which is the reason we keep seeing Daniel Thomas on the field in certain sets. Overall, I see Miller as a flex starter with upside in most leagues.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
