Week nine of the NFL season ended with a bang. We saw Lamar Jackson lead his Ravens to a win on Monday night, and the Indianapolis Colts fired head coach Frank Reich. Of course, there were some outstanding fantasy performances this past week.

A second-year quarterback made a huge impact with his legs, while a particular running back couldn’t stop scoring. And yes, Aaron Rodgers still misses Davante Adams. Losing 15-9 to the Detroit Lions? That’s when you know things are bad in Green Bay.

Anyways, without further ado, let’s show some love to the fantasy stars of week nine and hate on the ones who disappointed us.

A Bengal Led the Way for Fantasy Owners

Entering Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals looked to bounce back after a loss to division rival Cleveland. A Carolina Panthers team allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs came to town, and that posed a question.

Could Joe Mixon carry this offense to a win? Well, he tried.

Joe Mixon in the FIRST HALF:

????173 total yds
????4 TDs
????45.1 PPR points pic.twitter.com/F8ECzLmu4O

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 6, 2022

You read that correctly. The Bengals running back ran all over the Panthers in the first half, and would finish with five total touchdowns on his way to a 55.1 PPR fantasy point performance. Outstanding.

Mixon did it in a few ways. He carried the ball 22 times for 153 yards, while also catching four balls for 44 yards. With Ja’Marr Chase still out, Mixon showed he is capable of carrying the team on his back until he returns.

It’s not like he’s been bad all year. Before Sunday, he had a five-game streak with at least 11 fantasy points. But, Sunday against Carolina showed he put it all together and carried fantasy owners on his back to a win.

Speaking of carrying the team on his back, Bears quarterback Justin Fields also made his mark. Projected to score just 16.3 fantasy points against Miami, he erupted for 42.72 PPR points. The former Ohio State product threw three touchdowns and 123 yards. But, his legs carried the team’s offense all game long.

.@justnfields is an actual cheat code ????‍???? pic.twitter.com/Ecg9TfM4cw

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 8, 2022

Fields led the team in rushing with 178 yards, breaking an NFL record for yards rushing by a quarterback. He also scored a touchdown on the ground.

After being irrelevant from a fantasy aspect, he is becoming a must-start for those who need a spark at the quarterback position. His legs are a big part of why, and no one is complaining.

Justin Fields ????

Weeks 1-4: Fantasy QB31
Weeks 5-9: Fantasy QB1 pic.twitter.com/U8RmrN97rT

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 7, 2022

Other Studs: Davante Adams (36.6), Patrick Mahomes (34.14), Kenneth Walker III (27.9)

The Duds From Week Nine

The Green Bay Packers have been struggling all season long. Sunday was no different, scoring only nine points against a Detroit defense allowing points like they’re gifts. For running back Aaron Jones, he struggled mightily. He had nine carries for 25 yards and had to exit early in the third quarter with an injury.

Despite still being in the top 10 in fantasy points by running backs, this season has been a disaster for the running back. Still stuck on three touchdowns, failing to rush for 100 yards, and not having success as a whole are reasons why Jones isn’t a dependable option at running back anymore. Unless Aaron Rodgers is involving him more in the passing game, starting the back is no longer a sure thing.

Finishing with 6.5 fantasy points? No, thank you.

This was supposed to be the year Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis breaks out. Although he’s had his moments, Sunday’s performance against the Jets was another underwhelming one. Known as a deep threat, he finished with just two catches for 33 yards.

This Jets secondary is no joke, but if Sauce Gardner is focused on Stefon Diggs, you would think Davis would make the most of it. Unfortunately, that was not the case and Davis is now a player who fantasy owners should be wary about. He is not a matchup-proof fantasy player, and Sunday showed that.

Thank you for reading! If you want more player spotlight articles or fantasy football Studs and Duds, make sure to visit Belly Up Sports every week and follow me on Twitter! Check out my last article here. Thank you for your continuing support, and be on the lookout for more quality content! Also, check out my podcast here!