Fantasy Football QB/RB FAAB Report Week 9: How Much FAAB Are Will Levis, Cam Akers, Devin Singletary Worth?

Welcome to my weekly FAAB report article for Fantasy Football. Every week, I am going to go over my favorite additions at the QB and RB positions in both shallower leagues and deeper leagues and tell you how much FAAB you should be spending and why. 

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Best Fantasy Football FAAB Pickups for Shallow Leagues (10 and 12 Teams)

QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

Levis got his first NFL start in Week 8 with Ryan Tannehill nursing an injury, and the 2023 second-rounder did not disappoint. He threw for four TDs in the Titans' win over the Falcons, and he didn’t turn the ball over, which is always important, even more so from a rookie. He was so impressive that I find it hard to believe that he won’t take over as the starting QB in Tennessee now. Spend between 7-10% of your remaining FAAB in  2-QB or Superflex leagues and 3-6% in one-QB leagues. 

QB Taylor Heinicke, Atlanta Falcons 

Falcons starter Desmond Ridder left the Week 8 game against the Titans with a concussion, and he didn’t return. Reports suggested that Ridder cleared concussion protocol, but the Falcons stuck with Heinicke, who came in to replace Ridder. It’s really not all that surprising that Heinicke remained in the game either. He was much better at passing the ball than Ridder and he even brought the Falcons back from a large deficit, coming up just short of completing the comeback. He finished the game with 175 passing yards and a TD and completed 12 of 21 passes. He should be added in any 2-QB or Superflex leagues, but until we get confirmation that he is the starter, I would limit my bids to less than 5% and up them to 10-12% if he is named the starter. 

RB Cam Akers, Minnesota Vikings 

The Vikings’ offense is about to look really bad with no Kirk Cousins and no Justin Jefferson, so you might not want to spend big on Akers. The thing is, Alexander Mattison continues to underwhelm, and it’s leading to more opportunities for Akers, who scored the lone rushing TD for the Vikings in Weel 8. With bye weeks resuming in Week 9, Akers might be a nice fill-in for you as he continues to get more and more touches. He has an okay matchup coming up against the Falcons in Week 9, and you should look to spend 2-4% of your remaining budget on him, keeping in mind that if you roster Mattison, you should spend 6-8%. 

RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans 

On the off chance that Derrick Henry is traded this week, Spears will be vaulted into a starting role with the Titans and has the ability to be a top-12 back for the rest of the season. He is a must-add in all formats for pure upside. I would take a risk and spend 12-16% of my remaining budget. Even if Henry isn’t traded, Spears is still usable as a flex play, and there is always a chance that Henry gets injured as well. 

Best Fantasy Football FAAB Pickups for Deep Leagues (14 and 16 Teams)

QB Mitch Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers

Trubisky entered the game for Kenny Pickett in Week 8, and although he threw two interceptions, he also threw for 138 yards on 15 passes and connected with George Pickens for a TD pass. Trubisky also ended the day as the second-leading rusher on the Steelers, and if Pickett misses any time moving forward, Mitch certainly has some value in deeper leagues. He should at least get the Week 9 start, with the Steelers playing on Thursday night. Spend 5-8% of your remaining budget here.

QB Jaren Hall, Minnesota Vikings 

He is only an option in 2-QB or Superflex, and that’s only because it looks like he is going to be the starting QB for the Vikings after Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8. Without Justin Jefferson, his value is limited, but Jefferson could come back at some point with the Vikings being in the middle of what will be a close race for the final one or two wild card spots in the NFC. Unless the Vikings make a trade this week, expect Hall to be under center for their Week 9 game on the road in Atlanta. 

RB Royce Freeman, Los Angeles Rams 

Freeman was the top back in the Rams' backfield in Week 8, carrying the ball nine times for 44 yards and a TD. Had the Rams not fallen behind so early, he likely would have carried the ball more and been more productive. He should be the lead back again in Week 9 as the Rams head to Green Bay to take on the Packers, who rank 30th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed this season. Kyren Williams will miss two or three more weeks at least, so pick up Freeman and ride him while he has a starting gig. 8-11% of your remaining budget seems appropriate. 

RB Devin Singletary, Houston Texans

He and Dameon Pierce had the same amount of touches in Week 8, but it was Singletary who got the passing work, making him more valuable in PPR right now. The Texans have had their bye week already, which also adds to Singletary’s value over the next several weeks. There is also a possibility that he could be traded this week and move into a better role. Bid between 4-7% of your remaining budget,