The NFL season is back for another week of action, and fantasy football managers are ready for a full slate of games to flood their TVs this weekend. As not all matchups or roles are equal, we’re breaking down our top fantasy football start/sit Week 9 plays.
Week 9 Fantasy Football Start ’ems
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
I think we should start giving Justin Fields a little bit more respect. His 26 fantasy points against Dallas gave him a top-five finish and his third in a row inside the top-eight. Fields hasn’t finished outside of the QB13 since Week 4 and has 40 yards or more rushing in every game since Week 3. That’s a touchdown’s worth in most leagues.
Since Week 5, Fields is the QB2 overall. Although his passing is still coming along, we’ll see how much the addition of Chase Claypool helps. However, Miami has allowed the seventh most points to the position and the fifth most rushing yards to QBs. Fields is a must-start QB1 in Week 9.
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Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
He had a slow start to the year, but Geno Smith has turned 2022 into his best year yet. His 78.4% adjusted completion percentage is six best in the NFL, and he scored the third most fantasy points since Week 3. Smith also sits number one in completion percentage over expectation and looks to make it four in a row with multiple passing touchdowns on the road. Start Smith as a low-end QB1 against Arizona.
Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins
I was all in all Raheem Mostert last week and got burned. That’s on me if you started him, but I’m going back to the well again this week with a massive bounce-back opportunity against the Bears. Chicago has allowed the eighth most points to the position and traded away their two best defensive players over the past couple of weeks.
MORE: Week 9 Fantasy RB Start/Sit Recommendations
Since Week 4, Mostert played on at least 62% of the snaps while averaging 17.2 touches and 85.4 yards as the RB19 in fantasy. While the addition of Jeff Wilson Jr. further proves Mike McDaniel’s desire to turn Miami into San Francisco east, I’m not as concerned about his impact on Mostert this week. He is an RB2 against the Bears, coming in ranked 15th in our Week 9 running back rankings.
D’Onta Foreman, RB, Carolina Panthers
I’m sorry, who is this man? Is that D’Onta Foreman, Derrick Henry, or Bo Jackson? Foreman has been going off these last two weeks, recording RB17 and RB5 finishes. Foreman saw 73% of the rushing attempts last week and ran all over the Falcons, rushing 26 times for 118 yards with three touchdowns.
Although we certainly can’t bank on multiple touchdowns every game, the Bengals are 30th in rushing yards per game, 28th in EPA, and 31st in explosive rate. Chuba Hubbard has also been ruled out, which means this will be Forman’s backfilled once again. He’s a high-end RB1/low-end RB2 that you must start for fantasy in Week 9.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Although it might’ve taken a little time, JuJu Smith-Schuster is starting to live up to the expectations placed on him when he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s now put together back-to-back monster games, including a team-high 124 yards in Week 7 on seven of eight receiving.
Believe it or not, Smith-Schuster is on pace for 1,200 yards. He’s topped 75 yards in four of his seven games and is now the WR14 in per-game scoring since Week 3 (15.5 PPR). Smith-Schuster is an excellent starter this week against the Titans’ defense, who have allowed the six most points to wide receivers.
Joshua Palmer, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Joshua Palmer was removed from the concussion protocol on Wednesday, and that could not have been better timing. Keenan Allen’s hamstring did not get any better, and he will miss Week 9 along with Mike Williams and Donald Parham Jr.
This places Palmer as the number one option for Justin Herbert this week and paired up alongside DeAndre Carter. If you have them, I would start Palmer as a WR3 against the Falcons.
Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles, Chargers
While reading this, please check your waiver wire to see if anyone dropped Gerald Everett during the Chargers’ bye week. Everett has seen 16 targets over his last two games and at least six in all but one since Week 6.
He scored over 11 PPR points in all but one of those games and could be the target leader for the Chargers this weekend with Williams and Allen out. The Falcons have allowed the fourth most points to tight ends this year, and I have Everett as a top-six option in Week 9.
Noah Fant, TE, Seattle Seahawks
When you find something that works, you stick with it. And that means starting tight ends against the Arizona Cardinals. This is the second time these teams have matched up, and after suggesting Will Dissly last time, I’m going with what we saw on the field. We saw Noah Fant have his best game of the year, where he set season highs with targets (seven) and receptions (six) for 45 yards and a season-high 10.5 fantasy points.
MORE: Week 9 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
Arizona has allowed the most receptions and touchdowns to TEs, plus the second most yards and points per game to the position. Throw in sitting 31st in DVOA to the position, and if you need a streaming option, Fant is your TE to start in Week 9.
Week 9 Fantasy Football Sit ’ems
Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles, Rams
Matthew Stafford is coming off his second-best game of the season and scored 17.5 PPR points, but that only managed to get him the QB17 spot on the week.
Stafford is 24th in yards per attempt, 12th in adjusted completion rate, and 22nd in passing touchdowns and takes on the Buccaneers with a less than 100% Cooper Kupp. The Bucs are sixth in EPA per dropback and passing yards per game. Stafford is a QB2 in Week 9.
Mac Jones, QB, New England Patriots
Every week, we are two passes away from seeing Mac Jones back on the bench. That does not give me much confidence. Jones has yet to throw multiple touchdowns in a game this season and has just three on the year compared to seven interceptions. He doesn’t have any rushing upside and has only cracked the top 15 once in 2022.
Over the last four weeks, the Colts have allowed the ninth fewest points to the position. They’re also 11th and EPA per dropback and have allowed the fourth fewest passing yards. In a game that wouldn’t shock me if Bill Belichick wants to keep it on the ground, keep Jones out of your starting lineup in Week 9.
Brian Robinson, RB, Washington Commanders
This backfield has been a mess for fantasy. After what looked like we were about to get Brian Robinson as the clear-cut top option, that’s not the case. His 3.3 yards per carry is the fifth-worst among RBs, and since he returned in Week 5, he’s 37th in points scored.
The Commanders’ offensive line has been a mess, and the Minnesota Vikings have held opponents to an average of 38 yards on the ground over the last three weeks to running backs. Throw in Antonio Gibson’s continued usage, and Robinson Jr. is a sit in Week 9.
Darrell Henderson Jr., RB, Los Angeles Rams
This offense is a mess. One thing they certainly can’t do is find any production on the ground, as Darrell Henderson Jr. continued the trend by playing on 43% of the snaps against the 49ers with just for carries and two targets. He turned those into 30 yards and a grand total of five fantasy points.
Henderson has put up single-digit points in four of his last five games, and the usage of Ronnie Rivers and Malcolm Brown are only furthering to dampen the upside of anyone in this backfield. This is a situation to avoid, and I would sit Henderson again in Week 9.
Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
This is so dumb. I cannot figure out what Arthur Smith’s grand plan is. The only thing I know is that it doesn’t involve throwing the football, and certainly not in Drake London’s direction. London’s averaged 2.8 receptions for 26.4 yards with zero touchdowns over the past five weeks as the Falcons remain one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL this year.
I expect that will most likely continue, especially with the potential return of Cordarrelle Patterson off the IR this week. It doesn’t matter that London is ninth in target share and eighth in targets per route run rate because he’s 66th in routes and 36th in targets. London is a sit as one of the most disappointing rookies of 2022 at no fault of his own.
Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
Garrett Wilson is coming off a great game last week, where he caught six passes for 115 yards and scored 17.5 PPR points. However, he’s been hot and cold as this was his first solid outing since Week 3 and just his third where he’s finished with double-digit points.
MORE: Week 9 Fantasy WR Start/Sit Recommendations
As a reward, Wilson gets to face the Buffalo Bills, who are one of the most challenging matchups not just for wide receivers but because they terrorize quarterbacks. And Zach Wilson has not been great when under pressure. Even with six teams on a bye, I would sit Wilson this week.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
On the busiest NFL trade deadline we’ve ever seen, the one that surprised me the most was the Minnesota Vikings acquiring T.J. Hockenson from the Detroit Lions. Hockenson had a solid game last week with 80 yards on three of four receiving, but I might hold off starting him this week.
There’s a concern about how long it will take to get up to speed in this new offense, and it’s not a good matchup. Washington is third in DVOA to the position and has allowed the third-lowest catch rate, the 11th fewest yards per catch, and just one touchdown. They sit last in points allowed at 6.5 PPG and just 3.4 over the previous month. I love his future outlook, but I would sit Hockenson in Week 9.
Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills
If you were someone who bought into the touchdown production of Dawson Knox, you’ve been sorely disappointed in 2022. Over the last three games, Knox has just a 12.4% target share and is just 18th in points per game this year. Knox tied for a league-low 0.85 YPRR and faces a Jets defense yet to allow a tight end to score a touchdown this year.
Buffalo has so many other ways they can win. Knox has become a background piece. If they get up early, which they tend to do, Knox’s chances of a good day diminish as Buffalo pulls starters. He’s a touchdown-dependent TE2.