Green Bay Packers - Fantasy News

Lions at Packers Start 'Em / Sit 'Em

by Aaron Bowers

11/1/17

NFL

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Jones

Monday Night Football in Week 9 will feature an NFC North battle when the Detroit Lions travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers. After a promising start to the season, both teams have faded of late.

After getting out of the gates at 3-1, the Lions have dropped three straight games (Panthers, Saints, Steelers). Detroit has flashed competence on offense and defense, but they have rarely put the two together at the same time.

The Packers were humming along at 4-1 until Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone in Week 6. Green Bay lost that game against the Vikings and the ensuing game against the Saints before getting a much-needed bye.

We’ve identified players to target and fade in this battle of scuffling division rivals.

Detroit Lions Week 9 Projected Fantasy Points
Matthew Stafford: 15.5 PFP
Marvin Jones: 10.0 PFP
Golden Tate: 9.5 PFP
Matt Prater: 9.0 PFP
Ameer Abdullah: 9.0 PFP
Theo Riddick: 7.5 PFP
T.J. Jones: 6.5 PFP
Eric Ebron: 5.0 PFP

Green Bay Packers Week 9 Projected Fantasy Points
Jordy Nelson: 11.0 PFP
Davante Adams: 10.5 PFP
Ty Montgomery: 10.0 PFP
Aaron Jones: 9.5 PFP
Brett Hundley: 9.5 PFP
Randall Cobb: 8.0 PFP
Mason Crosby: 7.0 PFP
Geronimo Allison: 5.0 PFP
Martellus Bennett: 5.0 PFP

Start 'Em: Golden Tate (9.5 PFP)

While Tate has scored more than 9.5 DFP only four times in seven games this season, this sets up to be a nice matchup for him.

Since Calvin Johnson retired, the Lions offense has turned into a screen and short-passing team. Unless they are playing from behind or in a two-minute situation, Matt Stafford will toss short and intermediate throws between the numbers, benefiting Tate, who plays in the slot.

Brett Hundley has shown no competence at the NFL level, and the Lions should dominate time of possession. Tate leads the team in targets and will feast on a weak Green Bay secondary to get over his PFP. 

Sit 'Em: Ameer Abdullah (9.0 PFP)

As much as people want to make Ameer Abdullah happen, it just isn’t in the cards for the former Nebraska Cornhusker.

Abdullah has eclipsed 9.0 DFP twice in seven games this season, and the Packers have a strong front seven. The Lions rank in the bottom five of the league in rush attempts and rush yards per game and Abdullah shares a significant amount of work with Theo Riddick and Dwayne Washington.

In case fantasy players hope to get a touchdown in this game, keep in mind that Abdullah has just five touchdowns in 25 career games. We recommend fading him on Dober Play Cards in Week 9.

Start 'Em: Aaron Jones (9.5 PFP)

In a post-Aaron Rodgers world, another Aaron has taken the reigns of the Packer offense.

In his last three games, the rookie out of UTEP has averaged 17 touches and 15.3 DFP per game. Jones has shown the power, speed and elusiveness that NFL talent evaluators look for in a workhorse running back. Green Bay will look to slow this game down and make Brett Hundley’s job easier by establishing the running game; Jones should be the beneficiary and have no problem getting to double-digit DFP.

Sit 'Em: Ty Montgomery (10.0 PFP)

Whether due to his rib injury or the emergence of Jones, Ty Montgomery has been all but phased out of the Green Bay offense in the last two games.

Montgomery has averaged eight touches per game in that span and has just two receptions since Week 3. He hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 2, which is also the last time he scored more than 10.0 DFP in a game. There is still a role for Montgomery in the Green Bay offense, but it isn’t nearly as lucrative as it was earlier in the season when Rodgers was under center. We recommend fading him until his PFP reflects his depressed role and the limited nature of the offense.