Fantasy football managers must set their Week 9 lineups from a smaller player pool, as six teams with brand-name stars take their bye.
Gamers will seek victory without Tom Brady, David Johnson, A.J. Green, DeAndre Hopkins, Rob Gronkowski and Jordan Reed. Those not short-handed by a scheduled week off likely have an injury or four plaguing the roster.
As a result, some managers can't afford to nitpick matchups. Even against the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders' passing offense (Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree) may stand tall over the diminished alternatives.