never trailed and it was briefly tied at 2. The Lobos g

The question was a natural one.It was the Monday morning after Week 6s games, and Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi had just had 26 touches for 207 total yards and two touchdowns. And as we got to the Dolphins-Steelers game, my Fantasy Focus podcast co-host Field Yates turned to me, rattled off the stats, and asked very simply, Do you buy this?And I said that I did. We discussed what we had seen from Ajayi in that game, how he had dominated the Dolphins running back touches and how head coach Adam Gase had been public about wanting to go with one main back, and then I added this: Hes definitely a legit starting RB in fantasy this year, kind of a midtier RB2, but obviously hes not going to run for 200 yards every week.Well.Clearly I was wrong, as in Week 7, Ajayi did go off for 200, this time on 29 touches for 216 total yards and a score.How ridiculous is what Ajayi did? He has 123 more rushing yards than any other running back since Week 6, and he sat out last week due to his Week 8 bye.Eric Dickerson holds the NFL record for rushing yards in a single season (2,105 in 1984), and his two best games that year totaled 423 yards and two touchdowns. Ajayi in Weeks 6 and 7? 423 total yards and three touchdowns. Ajayi has scored 69 total points in the three games in which he has had more than 10 touches, and over 16 games that pace is good for 368 points. That would be the second-best fantasy season by a running back since 2001; LaDainian Tomlinson had 410 in 2006.So yeah, what he did was historic. It was a marvel to watch, really wonderful. Unless, of course, you no longer owned him.Ah, yes. With inconsistent usage and production early in the season, the presence of Arian Foster and the struggles of the entire Dolphins offense, some fantasy owners got impatient with young Jay Ajayi and set him free, only to watch in horror as he rewrote the Dolphins record book. Did you know Ajayi had more than 95 yards after contact in consecutive games, the only running back to do that since 2001. Ha! I could do this all day.Every year there are regrettable trades, ill-advised drops, decisions that seem fine at the moment but look horrific in hindsight. You have these. I have these. Everyone has these. But I have not seen as many involving a single player as I have this year with Jay Ajayi.And so, as Ajayi comes off his bye to take on the New York Jets, and with the usual apologies to Oasis, its time for the third annual edition of Dont Look Back in Anger. This year, however, its the Jay Ajayi top 10 edition.No. 10. If you dont have one of the few elites, youre probably streaming tight ends. Which sometimes works and sometimes doesnt ...@MatthewBerryTMR dropped him right before #fantasyfail for Charles Clay! Woof pic.twitter.com/TfTQ08WjGX- ilardibrosinc (@ilardibrosinc) November 2, 2016No. 9. Searching for a running back with big-play potential, a guy who could potentially break out is always a good idea. Except when that guy is already on your bench ...@MatthewBerryTMR #TMRBADMOVE I did drop Ajayi... Thanks for the reminder pic.twitter.com/KGoinHmaRw- Daren Denker (@mwcoast) November 2, 2016No. 8. Hey, at least he was good once. I mean, not this year or anything, and he already has been released by the Ravens (twice), but hey, at some point, in history, he was good. Gotta give him that.@MatthewBerryTMR Wasnt me, but this happened in our league. #TMRBADMOVE pic.twitter.com/zNVnPfBnPi- Brennan J. Irvine (@bjirvine) November 2, 2016No. 7. Any time you can get an injury-prone wide receiver on a low-scoring offense, gotta do it, amirite?@MatthewBerryTMR @CliffClinton right before Ajai blew up.. pic.twitter.com/cvxcTRhnNr- Drew Rewold (@drewrewold) November 2, 2016No. 6. So much more fun having a guy who is part of a big committee, you know, what with all the guessing and the hoping that he touches the ball occasionally.@MatthewBerryTMR cant get much worse than that. pic.twitter.com/cYzx8YX7C4- david osorio (@davidosorio_) November 2, 2016No. 5. Im not a huge IDP guy but Im pretty sure this was not a winning move.@MatthewBerryTMR #TMRBADMOVE Dropped Ajayi for an IDP the week of his first 200 yd game. pic.twitter.com/f0EPAAKKMg- Greg Novickoff (@Grn138) November 2, 2016No. 4. Speaking of defense, the problem with streaming defense, of course, is that to stream a defense you also have to make a drop. Usually, you drop one defense for another. But sometimes ...@MatthewBerryTMR Friend dropped Ajayi on 10/5, I picked him up on 10/6 #TMRBADMOVE pic.twitter.com/TRe44MzC6g- Woody Dorward (@woody_dorward) November 2, 2016No. 3. Hey, at least the Bills defense was good for a bit there. Yeesh ...@MatthewBerryTMR Just hours before Ajayi went for 200, an owner in our league did this: #TMRBADMOVE pic.twitter.com/CMInJCmnpY- Jeremy Carroll (@jeremyscarroll) November 2, 2016No. 2. Thats pretty bad, you say. Not gonna top that, you say. I say ... challenge accepted!@MatthewBerryTMR Yes, this trade was made in our league. These kinds of moves cost teams a chance at the playoffs. #TMRBADMOVE pic.twitter.com/Afs19XF8WR- DC Banana Republic (@JuicyBananas2) November 2, 2016No. 1. Pretty brutal, right? You feel for these poor owners, out there, staring at these moves, wondering what could have been. How does it get worse than dropping Jay Ajayi? How about doing it more than once?@MatthewBerryTMR Guy in our league dropped Ajayi not once but twice. Even dropped Howard and West along the way. #TMRBADMOVE pic.twitter.com/LcjLvC1yJ5- vocal_e (@vocal_e) November 2, 2016If theres one positive to take away, former Ajayi owners, its that theres still a lot of fantasy football to play, and what are the odds you make a worse decision going forward? Got it out of the way early!Lets get to it. As always, this is not a start/sit column but rather players I expect to exceed or fall short of general expectations. Always check my rankings (updated throughout the week and last updated at 12:15 p.m. ET on Sunday) to see if I would start this guy or that guy. Thanks to Thirsty Kyle Soppe of ESPN Fantasy for his help with the column. Here we go.Quarterbacks I love in Week 9Philip Rivers, Chargers: Yes, he was bad last week, but hes out of Denver and back home against a Titans team that has given up at least 335 passing yards and at least two passing touchdowns in three straight games. Part of the issue is the deep ball, as the Titans have allowed the most pass plays of 20 or more yards. And while that might be limited if Travis Benjamin does indeed miss this game, Rivers has the fourth-most passes of at least 15 yards the past four weeks. Hes an easy top-five play for me this week.Jameis Winston, Buccaneers: I have no confidence that the Bucs can stop Matt Ryan and the Falcons in this one, which means they are going to have to throw to keep up. And they should be successful in doing so. The Falcons have given up at least three passing scores (and at least 20 fantasy points) in five of eight games this season. The only three QBs not to hit at least 20 points against them were Trevor Siemian, a hobbled Russell Wilson (who has been bad all season) and Rivers, who threw for 370 against them but Melvin Gordon vultured all the touchdowns. Especially considering the expected running-game struggles the Bucs will have, Winston should be chucking it a lot. Winston is available in about 30 percent of ESPN.com leagues and is a top-10 play for me.Dak Prescott, Cowboys: You had me at Cleveland. Props to the Indians (and the Cubs), who kept distracting me from writing this thing. What an amazing series. And while the future is very bright in the basketball and baseball worlds of Cleveland, the football world still has a ways to go. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the only QB to not throw multiple touchdown passes against the Browns this season (in fairness, that was last week, but still) and Dak continues to be red-hot, with three total scores in back-to-back games and at least two in four straight. The Browns are 31st in scoring defense the past four weeks, so expect the Dak or Romo conversations to continue in full throat after this week.Others receiving votes: Marcus Mariota now has multiple passing touchdowns in four straight games, and I believe San Diego sells out to stop the run here, opening things up for Mariota against the 20th-ranked pass defense the past month. ... Tyrod Taylor has at least 14 points in seven straight games, and his rushing gives him a high floor. Yes, this game is in Seattle, but the Seahawks are banged up on defense and have given up an average of 314 passing yards per game since their Week 5 bye. ... Speaking of rushing QBs, just remember if you start Colin Kaepernick you dont have to watch him. It wont be pretty, but against the Saints, expect Kap to get you 15 points or so.Quarterbacks I hate in Week 9Derek Carr, Raiders: Insert QB facing the Broncos here. Ultimately, I am a Carr believer and am not buying into the whole second-half fade narrative ... but, you know, Denver. The Broncos have allowed fewer than 15 fantasy points to QBs in seven straight games, Carr was QB21 and QB18 in his two starts against them last season and while I think hell be OK here in a QB2 sort of way -- he actually has been strong against the blitz and you know the Broncos will bring pressure -- he certainly is not putting up the top-five numbers he has so far.Russell Wilson, Seahawks: I mean, theres no other way to put it: He has been bad. Fantasy-wise, at least. Bad. Like, hasnt thrown a touchdown since Week 3 bad. Not one. Like, has yet to gain more than nine yards on a rush this season bad. Like, currently QB29 on a points-per-game basis this season bad. Its not as cushy a matchup as you think here, either, as Rex Ryans squad is 11th versus the pass the past four weeks, and aside from last week against Tom Brady, the Bills have given up just two total passing scores in their previous five games. Given what weve seen of the less-than-healthy Wilson this year, I dont expect Brady-like numbers here. Hes outside my top 12.Carson Wentz, Eagles: With less than 240 yards passing in four straight and the offensive line struggling, Wentz heads to New Jersey to face a Giants team that is coming off a bye and has given up more than 15 fantasy points to an opposing QB just once this season. I prefer the Giants as a streaming defense this week more so than Wentz as a potential bye-week fill-in.Running backs I love in Week 9Mark Ingram, Saints: Im putting him here because, while it has been an incredibly frustrating season with him and last Sunday was brutal, I dont believe he (or his fantasy value) is dead the way some Tim Hightower enthusiasts do. Theres a reason they signed him to the big deal, as the eye test says hes the best running back they have, and Hightower went 0-for-5 (again, thats zero for FIVE!) in goal-to-go situations last Sunday. (Of course, Ingram has gotten only three such carries all season and they gave Hightower five in one game, but whatever, I digress). I stand by the idea that Ingram, not Hightower, is the Saints running back you want (though Hightower will get some work here). Ingram has done his time, so to speak, and gives New Orleans the best chance to win. Hes running well this season when he actually gets a chance and will continue to do so against a 49ers defense that is last against the run the past four weeks.Jonathan Stewart, Panthers: He was on the hate list last week and man, was I wrong, as he ran over and through Cardinals guys with not a care in the world. Since returning from the hammy injury that cost him three games, Stewart has 205 yards and four scores in just two games. The Rams have given up at least 100 yards or a score to opposing running backs in four of the past five, with the Lions (they cant run the ball) being the only exception. Stewart is a top-10 play for me.Charcandrick West, Chiefs: This is assuming Spencer Ware misses the game due to still being in the concussion protocol, and if he does, West is an easy top-10 play for me. When getting at least 20 touches last season, West had more than 120 total yards and a score in every single game, and you cant ask for a better matchup, as the Jags have coughed up four, count em, four running back rushing touchdowns during the past two weeks, and at least one in four straight games.Ty Montgomery, Packers: Hes expected to play this week and he qualifies as a running back in ESPN leagues (he has played roughly two-thirds of his snaps there this season). Montgomery actually led the NFL in receptions from Week 6 to 7. The Colts are 22nd against the run the past four weeks and no team has allowed more running back receiving scores than Indy.Others receiving votes: While I am sticking by (and starting) Mark Ingram, I still think Tim Hightower gets enough touches here to be worthy of a flex play given the matchup with San Francisco, as the 49ers have allowed at least 24 fantasy points to RBs for five straight games. ... From LeGarrette Blount to Jay Ajayi, the Steelers have been mauled recently, and Terrance West (averaging 5.4 yards per carry in his past three) should keep that streak going. ... You saw that C.J. Prosise had more than 100 total yards last week on just eight touches, but did you see he played just four fewer snaps than Christine Michael in that game? I like Prosise as a flex, especially in PPR leagues, against the Bills 25th-ranked run defense during the past month. ... If youre truly desperate, Antone Smith is the Bucs running back of choice for me this week. Hes a good pass-catching back, and you know I believe this game will be a shootout. Smith, who is familiar with Dirk Koetters offense from their days in Atlanta, outsnapped Peyton Barber last week 22-3.Running backs I hate in Week 9Todd Gurley, Rams: I dont know how you bench him given the bye-week issues and the level of guaranteed touches he receives, but I also dont know how you get excited about him. Or use him in daily. Gurley ranks 40th out of 41 qualified RBs in yards per carry (3.01), and he will try to get going against a resurgent Panthers defense that is stout versus the run (second best during the past four weeks) and leaky in the secondary (dead last in the past four). Carolina has allowed just one running back touchdown from Week 2 forward. Volume and passing-game involvement keep Gurleys floor high, but expect another Case Keenum to Kenny Britt and Tavon Austin kind of game here.Matt Asiata and (if he plays) Jerick McKinnon, Vikings: Theres no truth to the rumor that Norv Turner resigned because he realized how many plays he had to call that involved getting the ball into Matt 3.2 yards per carry Asiatas hands, but this is not a team that can run the ball, as the Vikes rank dead last in terms of yards per carry before first contact. Lamar Miller is the only running back who has run for a score against the Lions this season, and in an election year its worth saying that I have met Lamar Miller and you, Matt Asiata, are no Lamar Miller.Rashad Jennings, Giants: Just once in the past five games have the Eagles allowed a rushing touchdown, and Jennings just isnt getting the volume to make up for the lack of guaranteed opportunities, as he hasnt had more than 15 touches since Week 1 (of course, he has been hurt during some of that). Hopefully the bye fixed some of the Giants issues, but I wonder if one of those fixes is finding new ways to get dynamic rookie Paul Perkins more involved. Jennings is averaging just 1.9 yards per carry during his past three games, so I want to see it on the field before I put Jennings back into my lineup, no matter how desperate I am.TMR NOTE: I know, I know. Once again, a fairly weak running back list. It is what it is, gang. Anyone with a pulse these days is a viable fantasy running back, especially with so many injuries and teams on byes.Wide receivers I love in Week 9Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers: The Rams have the third-fewest sacks in the NFL and given Cam Newtons mobility, I expect plenty of time to find the 6-foot-5 Benjamin, who now has at least 70 yards in three straight games and should spend a lot of time matched up with burnable 5-foot-10 corner E.J. Gaines. Hes an easy top-10 play for me this week.Dez Bryant, Cowboys: Just because Brandon Marshall couldnt do it against the Browns doesnt mean Dez wont. Im putting him in this section because Joe Hadens shadow coverage doesnt scare me, especially against a guy like Dez, who can win almost any 50-50 ball, and Dak will give him a chance at some of those. The Browns have allowed more than 200 WR yards in three straight games, and after Sunday itll be four.Demaryius Thomas, Broncos: With at least 10 targets in three straight and five or more catches in seven straight (Emmanuel Sanders hasnt caught five passes in a game since Week 5) , Thomas has a very high floor against a team that gives up more than 23 fantasy points a game to opposing wide receivers.Tyrell Williams, Chargers: You know I like Rivers in this one, and with Travis Benjamin either missing the game or hobbled, expect Williams to easily outscore Benjamin, just as he has in four of the past five games. The Titans have allowed five WR touchdowns and an average of 196 receiving yards in the past three games, including more pass plays of 20 or more yards than any other team in the National Football League. Williams bounces back this week as a strong top-20 play.Others receiving votes: Among wide receivers and tight ends, Michael Thomas has the longest current streak of games of at least six fantasy points with five. Drew Brees keeps getting him more involved in the offense and I expect the streak to continue this Sunday against the 49ers. ... Cole Beasley, lord of the slot, gets a great matchup against a Browns squad that has given up at least 94 yards AND a score to the slot in four of the past six games. ... Even with Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery on the field, I like Davante Adams this week against a Colts team that is 30th against the pass the past four weeks. Adams is quietly on pace for a 91/969/11 season. For comparison, Allen Hurns was WR14 last season with 1,031 yards and 10 scores. ... If Travis Benjamin does, in fact, miss the game against the Titans, you could do worse than Dontrelle Inman. Inman has just one fewer target than Williams or Benjamin the past two weeks and this should be a high-scoring game (at least for San Diego).Wide receivers I hate in Week 9Marvin Jones, Lions: With fewer than 40 yards in three of his past four games, a catch percentage of just 50 percent of his targets the past three weeks and an expected matchup with Xavier Rhodes, Jones is not a top-20 play for me this week against a Vikings team that is second against the pass the past four weeks.Amari Cooper, Raiders: Insert wide receiver facing Denver here. So far this season, the only wideouts to really have any success against the Broncos have been bigger wide receivers. As great as Cooper is, I have a tough time seeing him getting behind the Broncos secondary in a meaningful way here, as Denver allows just 5.7 yards per pass attempt this season, lowest in the NFL.Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs: Man, I hope I am wrong about this one. Im putting him here because people may have seen his score last week and see the Jaguars on the schedule and have reason for optimism. I am here to dash that optimism. He scored last week and still finished with only seven points. Now, I hear that the Chiefs have plans to get Maclin more involved and certainly, he was brilliant down the stretch last season. But because he figures to see a decent amount of Jalen Ramsey in this one, Im in prove-it-to-me mode with Maclin. Hes sitting on my bench this week, as he has failed to catch five passes or gain 50 yards in three straight games. Who knows which Nick Foles shows up, so even in what may appear to be a tasty matchup with the Jaguars, Maclin is outside my top 20 this week.Tight ends I love in Week 9Antonio Gates, Chargers: Again, with the Benjamin injury, I expect San Diego to go to more two-tight-end sets in this one, especially considering the Titans have given up 221 yards and two touchdowns to tight ends during the past two weeks. And while Hunter Henry was a thing there for a minute (and hell certainly be involved Sunday), Gates has run 70 routes the past two weeks to Henrys 39.Kyle Rudolph, Vikings: Yeah, now that Norv Turner is gone, Rudolph will really explode! Wait, what? Um ... this is such a brutal week for tight ends, Im banking on the connection with Sam Bradford -- Rudolph has at least five catches in four of his past five games and is top five among tight ends in targets -- and the matchup. The Lions have been burned for a tight end touchdown in six of eight games this season, and have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.Others receiving votes: The Cowboys are top 10 in most fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season and Gary Barnidge has at least five targets in seven straight games, putting him on the streamer radar. ... My favorite streamer this week is Cameron Brate, in a game I believe Tampa will throw a ton. The Falcons allow the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. ... Speaking of streamers, Lance Kendricks of the Rams has five or more catches in three of his past four games and gets a Carolina team that has given up at least 14 fantasy points to opposing tight ends in four of its past six games.Tight ends I hate in Week 9Zach Ertz, Eagles: The Eagles just arent looking for him, as he has less than 25 yards in three straight games. And while he has the talent to break out of the slump, it wont be this week, as the Giants have allowed just one touchdown to an opposing tight end and given up more than 65 yards to a tight end just once this season.Julius Thomas, Jaguars: He is not a consistent part of their offense, as he now has four straight games with fewer than four catches and under 30 yards. In addition, K.C. is the fifth-best team against tight ends this season.Defenses I love in Week 9Seattle Seahawks: I know they are banged up, but happiness is a home game in prime time against an even more banged-up Bills team.Kansas City Chiefs: You had me at Bortles.Others receiving votes: I like the Giants at home off a bye against the suddenly turnover-prone Eagles. ... The Ravens have scored six points or more in five of seven games this season, and will get either Landry Jones or a gimpy Big Ben.Defenses I hate in Week 9Atlanta Falcons: I think the Thursday night game will be a shootout, so Im staying away.Green Bay Packers: Another shootout alert. You can likely do better.Matthew Berry, The Talented Mr. Roto, knows shirtless J.R. Smith would never drop Jay Ajayi. He is the creator of RotoPass.com, a paid spokesman for DraftKings.com and one of the owners of the Fantasy Life app. Mike Singletary Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Richard Dent Bears Jersey . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. http://www.bearsfootballpro.com/Authentic_Gale-Sayers_Bears_Jersey/ . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. Roquan Smith Jersey . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Mike Ditka Bears Jersey . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Tim Williams scored a career-high 31 points and had 11 rebounds in New Mexicos 95-79 defeat of Houston Baptist on Monday night.Williams hit all but one of his 11 shots from the field and went 11-for-12 from the line while collecting his second double-double of the season for New Mexico (2-0). New Mexico outrebounded the Huskies 38-24.I thought Tim Williams was terrific, New Mexico coach Craig Neal said.Houston Baptist coach Ron Cottrell agreed.We thought that was going to be a matchup issue for us at the four, Cottrell said. We went to zone pretty quick, realizing that was going to be matchup issue throughout. We tried to cover that up going zone. Early on he had 10 quick points. In our man-to-man, we werent able to control him. Hes a load. Hes a heck of a player. Big, physical, really aggressive. I wouldnt want to go against him anymore.Jalen Harris added 13 points for the Lobos.New Mexico never trailed and it was briefly tied at 2. The Lobos gained control with a 14-2 run midway through the first half, building a double-digit lead that it retained for the rest of the game.Colter Lasher led Houston Baptist with 19 points. Four other Houston Baptist players also reached double figures.ddddddddddddEY STAT: The Lobos shot 72 percent (18 for 25) in the first half and 50 percent (10 for 20) in the second half.I thought our guys came out and played very tentative there at the beginning of the game, Cottrell said. I dont think we played up to our capability and we really let them take it straight at us. We had a nice discussion at the half about coming out and playing more aggressive and not just rolling over.KEY STAT II: The Lobos outscored the Houston Baptist 35-12 from the foul line and three Huskies players fouled out: Josh Ibarra, Braxton Bonds and Cody Stetler.We have to play inside out, if we do that well get people in foul trouble, well be able to get to the line, Neal said. When we start getting jump-shot happy, we wont be able to get to the line.UP NEXT: New Mexico is at home Friday against rival New Mexico State in the first of its two meetings. The Lobos have dominated the series of late, winning five of six games since Neal took the New Mexico helm. ' ' '