Rest-of-season values for RBs and TEs in Week 9 Shuffle Up

Shuffle Up season is here, my friends. Here’s the idea — how would we rank fantasy players if the season were starting right now?

A few caveats up front. The prices are unscientific in nature, merely used as a way to compare players within their position. I do not compare prices outside of position — a price of a quarterback is only meant to be considered within his positional class. I am generally far less expectant with injury-returning players, so don’t be surprised when I like them less than you do.

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Every Shuffle Up is done from scratch. I think it’s counterproductive to justify an old, dated list. I want my current opinions. I considered a modified PPR scoring system for the field players.

And of course, you’ll disagree with plenty on this list — that’s why we have a game in the first place.

I’ll do quarterbacks and wide receivers in the even weeks, running backs and tight ends for the odd weeks. You can figure out kickers and defenses on your own (keep streaming, streamers; those positions are rarely worth holding for extended periods, and matchups are critical in those streaming decisions).

Comments will follow later in the day. For now, here are your prices. I reserve the right to edit this list as the day goes along; win the debate, you might win the rank.

Have a strong disagreement, with a reason attached? Catch me on Twitter: @scott_pianowski.

Running Back

$45 David Johnson
$43 LeVeon Bell
$43 Ezekiel Elliott
$41 DeMarco Murray
$38 Melvin Gordon
$35 Devonta Freeman
$32 Jay Ajayi
$32 Spencer Ware
$32 Devontae Booker
$31 LeSean McCoy
$28 Todd Gurley
$26 Matt Forte
$26 Lamar Miller
$23 Theo Riddick
$22 Carlos Hyde
$22 Frank Gore
$21 Jonathan Stewart

Everything coming up Stewart over the last couple of weeks, as he’s getting more goal-line chances than usual — perhaps the Panthers want to be less proactive running Cam Newton in those spots — and the overall Carolina offensive performance has been sharp. And the upcoming schedule is a daisy, ranked the No. 1 rushing slate per PlayerProfiler.com. Normally I’ve been a little leery of Stewart through the years, with the Panthers so insistent on using Newton as the goal-line back, but that probably less of an issue to finish. Stewart isn’t much of a receiver and his YPC is around last year’s ordinary haul, but he has come back strong after missing time with a hamstring injury.

Hyde is a player I’m reluctant to fully trust, given that he’s tied to a losing team (and a horrible defense) and in game-flow jeopardy every week. He’s managed to beat this setup in a few games, but that’s the type of thing I’d never want to price into expectations. Hyde is also coming back from a shoulder injury, and he’s not a major factor in the receiving game (36 catches over three seasons). Now could be a reasonable time to dangle him in trade.

There’s probably signature significance to Ajayi posting two monster games in a row, and it also speaks to how well the Miami offensive line is playing right now. Ajayi’s play success in the Buffalo game also earns credibility — it wasn’t a case of one or two long runs padding the stat page; Ajayi was consistently thumping the defense with chunk plays. Sure, everything Miami told us about Ajayi in the preseason steered us away from the player, logically, but the Dolphins can no longer deny what they have in house. Sit back, enjoy the ride.

$20 Latavius Murray
$20 Christine Michael
$20 LeGarrette Blount
$19 Jordan Howard
$17 Giovani Bernard
$17 Isaiah Crowell
$16 Mark Ingram
$14 Darren Sproles
$14 Tevin Coleman
$13 Terrance West
$12 Duke Johnson
$12 Jeremy Hill
$9 Matt Asiata
$7 Charcandrick West

I am not going to give you the cheap “stash everybody” advice, but Ware owners probably need to have West, given Ware’s concussion and the plug-and-play viability of the KC rushing game. Things are also more concentrated now that Jamaal Charles is officially out for the year . . . I don’t know how much work is left in those nimble legs of Sproles, but he sure looks like he’s taking over in the Philadelphia backfield. His lateral agility doesn’t look compromised at all . . . Asiata’s value probably doesn’t change all that much even with the coordinator change, because I don’t see what new cards the Vikings can really play. But he’s still going to have a meaty role here, even if it’s tied to a lousy offensive line . . . I’d love to chase Howard into the 20s after Monday’s bustout, but he still has to beat the John Fox regime in Chicago, never an easy thing. They’re always going to see something in Langford and Carey, even if no one else does.

$7 Tim Hightower
$7 *Doug Martin
$6 Derrick Henry
$5 Chris Thompson
$5 Jerick McKinnon
$5 Rashad Jennings
$5 Ryan Mathews
$5 James White
$4 Bilal Powell
$4 Rob Kelley
$4 Matt Jones
$4 Mike Gillislee
$4 Kenneth Dixon
$4 Jacquizz Rodgers
$3 C.J. Prosise
$3 T.J. Yeldon
$3 Chris Ivory
$3 Antone Smith
$3 Alfred Morris
$2 Damien Williams
$2 Bobby Rainey
$2 DeAndre Washington
$2 DeAngelo Williams
$2 Andre Ellington
$2 Jeremy Langford
$1 Robert Turbin
$1 Kapri Bibbs
$1 Thomas Rawls
$1 Alfred Blue
$1 Paul Perkins
$1 Dion Lewis
$1 Cameron Artis-Payne

[Week 9 rankings: Overall | FLEX | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K]

Tight End
$32 Rob Gronkowski
$30 Greg Olsen
$24 Jordan Reed
$20 Delanie Walker
$20 Jimmy Graham
$18 Tyler Eifert
$16 Travis Kelce
$14 Kyle Rudolph
$13 Eric Ebron
$13 Zach Miller
$12 Gary Barnidge
$11 Martellus Bennett
$10 Julius Thomas
$10 C.J. Fiedorowicz
$10 Dennis Pitta
$9 Coby Fleener
$8 Jason Witten
$7 Hunter Henry
$7 Jack Doyle

There are no special physical attributes to Doyle, but the Colts like throwing to their sizable targets around the goal line, and Donte Moncrief can’t catch all the touchdowns . . . Pitta’s consistent targets probably portend a modest second-half jump, provided he can stay healthy. He’s always had a good working relationship with Joe Flacco, his best friend . . . The wide usage tree in New England keeps Bennett very much grounded. He’s also an excellent blocker, which works against his fantasy value . . . Fleener’s snap share bottomed out last week, largely because Josh Hill is a superior blocker. The Saints have three outstanding wide receivers they can feature in the passing game; they don’t have to force it to Fleener or any of the backs.

$6 Cameron Brate
$6 Antonio Gates
$4 Lance Kendricks
$4 Zach Ertz
$4 Austin Hooper
$3 Charles Clay
$3 Dwayne Allen
$2 Virgil Green
$2 Jesse James
$2 Clive Walford
$2 Vernon Davis
$1 Larry Donnell
$1 Jared Cook
$1 Ryan Griffin
$1 Jacob Tamme
$1 Vance McDonald
$1 Will Tye

Brate’s become a touchdown-or-bust guy; he’s not getting enough volume otherwise. Perhaps you can dial him up during a bye-heavy week, but I wouldn’t look to him in normal spots . . . I’m curious to see what Hooper can do with an expanded role; Tamme won’t play Thursday. Hooper certainly passed the eye test against the Packers, and I went after him in the Stopa League, where two starting tight ends are required . . . Davis gets a $9-12 jump if Reed comes into another concussion problem later in the year.