6 Big-Name Players You May Want to Avoid in Week 9

Jerick McKinnon, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Perhaps McKinnon isn't a "big-name" player yet, but he is in a lot of football circles. And he's only going to get better.

The freak rookie has done well since taking over the lead backfield role in Minnesota, totaling 80 or more yards in each of his last three contests. That's translated to weekly running back rankings (PPR) of 17, 20 and 30. Not bad.

His matchup this week looks decent at first glance, but then you realize that the Redskins have actually been pretty strong against the run this year. They rank fourth in fantasy points against to the position, and are a top-half team versus the run according to our metrics.

Like Gore and Decker, you may need a touchdown from McKinnon in order to really make you feel good about his performance. Given the flaws in Minnesota's offense and a relatively low over/under in this game, that may not happen.