Fantasy Football Week 9 Bad Beats: Downed by Austin Ekeler's late TD & getting Stroud-ed

Week 9 is barely in the rearview mirror, but the sting of victory being snatched by the jaws of defeat is still very fresh — maybe even somewhat raw. That’s what this article is for: to deal with that — and it will be each week throughout the fantasy football season.

We put out the call to the fantasy football community for everyone’s Week 9 bad beats. Call it part-group therapy, part-group hug. Even a little bit screaming into the night. We’ve all had those bad beats that are so razor-thin they hurt like a paper cut with salt dumped on it.

This is to let everyone who had a bad beat know that they’re not alone. Time for us to commiserate in our shared misery.

It looks like our buen amigo and colleague Austin Ekeler was the author of some Monday night comebacks and bad beats, while C.J. Stroud has introduced a new term to the fantasy vernacular. Here are this week's bad beats.

Ekeler up and over

That late fourth-quarter touchdown by Austin Ekeler was the final straw for @ajean to barely get out-touched by Pats de Rimouski. The seven catches for 80 yards by Garrett Wilson sure helped.

Now, to add to the pain, @ajean gets to sit Jalen Hurts on a bye this week. Oy.

Stroud-ed, the new verb

Imagine grabbing the Cleveland defense pitching a shutout and piling up fantasy points, and then losing! That was @sharpshotBRob after inventing a new term: Getting Stroud-ed. When the Houston rookie does that, just tip the 10-gallon hat and move on. To be Stroud-ed is much more original than getting Chased (for Ja’Marr) or Cooked (for James). Wish we could give you points for originality.

Stroud went bananas

When every one of Stroud’s fantasy points were needed in this fantasy matchup, which actually came down to teammates Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson being on opposite sides of this battle. Advantage Hall, but only by the smallest of margins. Sorry @bananas_on_top.

CeeDee reach, a bit short

Submitted by @Dlewisfrank, the last-play reception by CeeDee Lamb may have come up short of the end zone, but it was just enough margin to outlast a Sunday night comeback from Stefon Diggs that came up a hair shy. It takes every player in fantasy, too.

Any Given Sunday

Did you hear about the one where a team with Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa went into a Superflex battle against Taylor Heinicke and Kenny Pickett — and lost? It’s not a fantasy football urban legend. Just ask @datcoOLEiota63, though Keenan Allen finished off the Monday night miracle comeback.

Not. Quite. Enough.

Remember the time that C.J. Stroud outscored Patrick Mahomes almost 3-to-1 and Diontae Johnson scored his first touchdown in almost two years, and it still wasn’t enough in fantasy? Amiga @Unique_Megan sure does.

New York Sack Exchange, 2.0

So it had to feel good going into "Monday Night Football" with a 10.92 lead for @ZachAlderman, and just facing the Jets defense. Well, newly minted Hall of Famer Joe Klecko would approve of the five sacks the Jets put on Justin Herbert, giving the Patriarchy a squeaker of a winner that we’ve seen all too well.

Survived Ekeler on MNF

@halluxx3 had to survive a "Monday Night Football" comeback from Austin Ekeler and @Jon_wrote, who ended up not being able to overcome the goose egg from Gabe Davis. We’re left to wonder who on the bench scored a couple of points and could have been swapped in. The agony.

Embracing Dicker the Kicker

Yes, picking up the Packers defense was an inspired move for @3DsFantasy, but look at the events late in that game. Austin Ekeler scored his second touchdown of the day, that put Gimme the Fruit Bowl up by less than a point. Then Cameron Dicker scored the final point of the contest, providing the difference for Aye-Dare-Aid (very original name) to win. Can I have some strawberries while you soak in the bad beat?