Fantasy football managers who will be without Amon-Ra St. Brown, Brandon Aiyuk, or Calvin Ridley this week are going to have to make some tough lineup decisions on who to start or sit at the WR position.
Here are some of our start/sit options at the WR position for Week 9 of NFL action.
Which WRs Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans
There weren’t many fantasy managers excited about the idea of rookie QB Will Levis helping DeAndre Hopkins’ fantasy outlook heading into Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons. Well, not only did Levis perform like a rock star in his starting debut, but he also helped give Hopkins his first top-five WR fantasy finish in a Tennessee Titans uniform.
MORE: Early Start/Sit Decisions QB | RB | TE
Tennessee will have a short week to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into Thursday Night Football, which means we should see plenty of targets from Levis to his Pro Bowl-caliber WR in a fantasy-friendly matchup for receivers. The Steelers give up an average of 33 fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts this season.
Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers
Those fantasy managers who were quick to label Adam Thielen’s fantasy value as being closely tied to the Panthers constantly playing in negative game scripts were proven wrong again on the 33-year-old veteran receiver.
Thielen has scored a minimum of 15 fantasy points in PPR formats in every game since the season opener, making him one of the most consistent and reliable fantasy options at the WR position.
Another fact worth noting is that Thielen has seen 11+ targets in three straight games, which puts him in elite company in a crucial statistical category for projecting fantasy success. The Indianapolis Colts are giving up an average of 29.1 fantasy ppg to opposing WRs this season. Thielen is flirting with must-start status regardless of format.
Which WRs Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
In case you haven’t noticed, there are a handful of Green Bay Packers offensive players making the sit ’em list this week. Of all the young receivers fantasy managers had high hopes for in this offense in 2023, perhaps no player has been a bigger disappointment than Christian Watson.
Watson has not caught more than three passes in a game and has failed to find the end zone in three straight. He’s topped 33 yards receiving just once all season, which mostly came on a big play because of a busted coverage.
Is this all Watson’s fault? Absolutely not, but the production simply hasn’t been there yet.
Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
This suggestion has absolutely nothing to do with Jordan Addison as a player. He has been excellent during the majority of his rookie campaign. Unfortunately, he just lost his quarterback for the remainder of the season and is likely to be catching passes from a rookie in Week 9 against Atlanta.
If Addison’s 14 receptions for 205 yards and three scores over the last two games makes you incapable of putting him on your bench this week, that is completely reasonable. However, his range of outcomes with a rookie quarterback potentially making his starting debut on the road doesn’t exactly guarantee a high fantasy floor this week.
Trending Searches for WR Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use and it allows you to enter in up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, which we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on.
Should You Start Adam Thielen or DeVonta Smith?
While Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown is currently amid a historic tear, DeVonta Smith has been far more hit-and-miss this fantasy season. Sure, he was productive against a vulnerable Washington Commanders secondary, but he has still been volatile this season.
MORE: Fantasy News Tracker
Against the Dallas Cowboys, Smith has been phenomenal. Over the last two matchups, he has registered 13 receptions for 157 yards and three scores.
Thielen has been incredibly consistent, but I could certainly understand those who want to go with Smith in this matchup. However, I prefer Thielen’s floor in my fantasy lineup.
Should You Start Gabe Davis or Jordan Addison?
Addison has done a fine job with his expanded role since Justin Jefferson was sent to injured reserve.
Unfortunately, he will not have Kirk Cousins throwing him the ball anymore. I don’t want to make it that simple, but I simply trust Josh Allen to find Gabe Davis against the Cincinnati Bengals more than I trust whoever is going to be under center for the Vikings this week. I’ll start Davis this week over Addison.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!