I sound like a broken record, but this bye week is just brutal on all of the positions. Just because some of the league’s best are on bye this week, doesn’t mean that there aren’t top options of which you can take advantage. Of the eight wide receivers averaging 10 or more targets per game, only two of them (A.J. Green, Larry Fitzgerald) are on bye this week. The wide receiver position continues to grow in importance and you definitely want to have some good ones in your lineup in Week 9.

P.S. Since Julio Jones and Mike Evans play on Thursday night, I decided to throw a sixth guy on the list for all of you. You’re welcome.

Here are the top 6 wide receivers for Week 9 of the NFL season.

Julio Jones @TB

Jones has some monster games this season, and then unfortunately he has some duds. He’s averaging eight targets per game and the Tampa Bay defense is allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. Keep in mind that anytime Julio has gone under 100 yards, he’s followed it up with at least 100 yards and a touchdown. If he’s playing Thursday, he’s in your lineup.

Antonio Brown @ BAL

Baltimore’s defense as a whole is solid, but they’ve struggled to slow down opposing wide receivers. Brown trails only Mike Evans and A.J. Green in targets per game this season, and with the notion that Ben Roethlisberger might be back for this matchup, Brown is a must-start in Week 9. Don’t get cute with your lineup, start Brown.

Mike Evans vs. ATL

Evans is averaging 12 targets per game and it’s clear that he is Jameis Winston’s favorite targeting in the passing attack. Jacquizz Rodgers likely won’t play on Thursday night, so the running game is going to take a serious hit. With that in mind, expect Tampa Bay to throw the ball a tad more, which clearly benefits Evans. In seven games this season, Evans has 70 receiving yards and a touchdown in five of them. He’s a surefire WR1.

Brandon Marshall @ MIA

One of the many keys to being good at fantasy football is a short memory. Marshall couldn’t get it going in Cleveland and quite frankly, he hasn’t had a Brandon Marshall-esque game since going 8-114-1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers back in Week 5. He’s received at least eight targets in all but one game this season and even Ryan Fitzpatrick should be able to get the ball to Marshall against a mediocre Miami Dolphins secondary.

Dez Bryant @ CLE

The Browns are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wideouts this season and while many people likely got burned by Brandon Marshall last week against Cleveland, they can’t slow a star receiver two weeks in a row. Opposing wide receivers have tallied 200 or more receiving yards with a touchdown in three straight weeks and it won’t take much for Bryant to put up WR1 numbers.

Odell Beckham vs. PHI

The Eagles rank in the bottom-third of fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, which is likely why Beckham is just outside the top 5 this week. However, he has the ability to put up top 5 numbers, seeing as he’s received at least eight targets in every game this season and has scored two touchdowns in his last three games against the Eagles. Keep in mind that he’s just two games removed from an 8-222-1 game.

Be sure to check out the rest of the NFL Week 9 Fantasy Football Player Rankings here at Fantasy Alarm.