The Guru Gridiron Report: Week 9 Bench/Start Runningbacks

Week 9 brings another round of challenging BYE week players including Drew Brees, Philips Rivers, LT, and Frank Gore to name a few. The San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers are all on BYE this week, so find your waiver players early because there will be allot of people hunting. If you have a deep bench, get ready to use it. Here are our week 9 picks.

RUNNINGBACKS YOU MUST START
Marion Barber and Brandon Jacobs will go at it in a game where running will be needed to win. Figure both for nice games. Marshawn Lynch should have a great game against the NY Jets. Big week for Ernest Graham and company to hammer the Kansas City Chiefs. This should be a big game for Michael Turner against the Raiders. The Raiders can stop the pass, but not the run. Big Matt Forte is back. He should have a great game on the ground and catching passes for your PPR leagues.

Others: Ernest Graham, Brian Westbrook, Maurice Jones-Drew, Steven Jackson (Check Injury Status), Adrian Peterson, Willis McGahee

Other Runningbacks To Consider Starting With Some Risk
Tim Hightower has to start from this point on. He won't get allot of carries, but he almost good for 1, maybe 2 TDs a game and will start getting more carries. The Jets will lean on Thomas Jones to establish the pass against Buffalo. There is risk, but he should do alright. IF Warrick Dunn is healthy he is a good play this week to get some catches and carries against the woeful KC defense. We said IF. We like Joseph Addai to comeback this week and have a solid game against New England. He won't get more than 15-16 carries as they spell him with Rhodes, but he should be effective. Just monitor his injury status through Sunday. Tough week for Clinton Portis against Pittsburgh. You can't bench him, so hope for the best. We'd say, bench him. We like LenDale White cause we figure he will score 1 TD on 10 carries for 7 yards.

Others: Jamal Lewis, Kevin Faulk, DeAngelo Williams, Julius Jones, Ernest Graham, Ronnie Brown, Michael Pittman, Fred Taylor

Please Bench These Runningbacks
Bench Cedric Benson. Jacksonville's defense will dominate this game. If Addai is back, then bench Rhodes. Dominic Rhodes will get 10-12 carries, but not enough to matter and Addai will get the important carries. Chris Johnson is a bench. The Green Bay defense is very good and should neutralize the Titans offense. Bench Ryan Grant as well. This is not his game. People expecting a repeat performance from Leon Washington are kidding themselves.

Others: Rudi Johnson, Kevin Smith, Edgerrin James, Darren McFadden, Kolby Smith, Selvin Young, Julius Jones, Willie Parker, Mewelde Moore, Ahman Green

Sleeper Runningbacks
This week we like Justin Fargas against Atlanta. This is a good week to start Ricky Williams. He will find the end zone against Denver and get 75 total yards. We called BenJarvus Green-Ellis a sleeper last week and we will do it again. Look for 50 yards and a TD.

Good luck. Next are our Wide Receivers and Tight Ends!

The True Guru