NFL Week 9 Buy/Sell

With the midway point of the NFL regular season arriving here is who I am buying and selling heading into the second half.

Buy-

San Francisco- I have always liked Jimmy Garoppolo and I believe if healthy can lead the 49ers back to the Playoffs, Garoppolo hasn’t played his best so far but the bigger concern is the defense ranking 26th in rush yards allowed after finished 8th a year ago, the NFC West remains tough but the schedule features winnable games outside the division against Houston, Atlanta, and Minnesota at home along with Jacksonville on the road, they also caught a break likely not having to face Kyler Murray this week after the QB suffered an ankle injury vs the Packers, this may not be 2019 but look for San Francisco to make a run at the return trip to the Playoffs

Sell-

Las Vegas- the Raiders were an AFC West team I was buying to start the year, the team is off to solid 5-2 start but has dealt with numerous distractions including HC Jon Gruden’s resignation and WR Henry Ruggs’ DUI that resulted in his release from the team, the Raiders are near the bottom of the league in rushing yards and rushing yards allowed which doesn’t bode well heading into the latter part of the year when weather can affect the passing game, I am never a fan of leadership changes mid-season and with a difficult stretch in the schedule upcoming missing the Playoffs is a real possibility

Hold-

Minnesota- the Vikings were a team from the NFC North I was buying to start the year, they suffered a disappointing 20-16 loss last week against a Dak-less Cowboys after having climbed back to .500, both RB Dalvin Cook and QB Kirk Cousins have put up solid numbers for the offense but the defense usually a strength under Mike Zimmer coached teams has remained average, the second half of the schedule isn’t easy but does feature Detroit along with a pair of games against the Bears, Zimmer’s future with the team with likely be determined by how it performs from here on in