The New York Giants will face the Washington Commanders in Week 9. Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Giants skill player who has the potential to make a fantasy impact during the game.
Looking for more lineup advice? Head over to our Week 9 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Daniel Jones, QB
Per our NFL Week 9 Stats and Insights piece, released every Tuesday morning and demands your attention if you want a jump start on the week ahead, Daniel Jones hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass at home since the Damar Hamlin injury. If that feels like a long time ago, that’s because it was (Jan. 2, 2023).
A note like that isn’t predictive as much as it is a way to highlight the state of New York’s offense right now, and the field conditions at their home venue certainly don’t help.
In the past, we’ve seen Jones overcome his limitations as a passer thanks to plus-rushing numbers. But no more than five carries in three of his past five — that out is not one we can currently bank on having.
The Commanders own the third-highest pressure rate in the league this season, and Jones’ completion percentage when sped up is set to decline for a second consecutive season.
There may be opportunities to stream Jones in a pinch or get creative in a daily setting (they get the Bucs with an extra week to prep in Week 12 and a meeting with Baltimore still looms), but I’m going to need to see something in the way of form before considering those dangerous options.
Devin Singletary, RB
This is no longer to be considered a committee situation. This is Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s world, and Devin Singletary is just living in it. Over the past two weeks, the rookie has held a 63.1% – 29.5% snap edge, but that sort of thing can be impacted by a million factors.
What most impacts that factor from a predictive standpoint is production, and there simply is no way around it — Tracy is “the guy.” Across those two weeks, he’s producing 36.1% over expectation (Singletary: -17.2%) and averaging 27% more PPR points per touch than the preseason starter.
If you need to cut ties, you have my stamp of approval.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB
If there was any question as to who sits atop this depth chart, it’s gone now. Long gone.
Tracy piled up 145 rushing yards in Week 8, the most by a rookie drafted in the fifth round or later since Phillip Lindsay (Week 13, 2018, at Bengals: 157 rush yards). He was likely to take over this backfield with time given that the team views him as a part of their future, but it seems that he has forced their hand — I’m now giving him two-thirds of the running back touches in New York and I feel good about it.
The rookie is an RB2 for me this week assuming health (concussion protocol, a situation to monitor as lineup lock approaches), facing the worst per-carry defense in the NFL (second most yards per carry allowed before contact and sixth worst in success rate). The limitations of this offense will result in some ranking fluctuation, but in this matchup, I’m starting him without reservation.
Darius Slayton, WR
Despite what we saw last week (108 receiving yards against the Steelers), I’m still labeling Slayton as nothing more than a Malik Nabers handcuff. The 43-yard catch on Daniel Jones’ first pass in Pittsburgh was fun, but is it predictive?
Before Week 8, Slayton’s production was at least 30% under expectations in the three most recent games that included a healthy Nabers; when you factor in a limited target share in those spots, that’s a damning profile.
This is a tempting matchup, especially if you think this game shoots out, but I’m not excited about the WR2 in an offense as inconsistent as this one.
reasonable, and that’s where I have him ranked: as a strong Flex option in PPR formats.
Malik Nabers, WR
There is a little bit of an empty-calorie feel to Nabers’ bananas volume, but the combination of talent and sheer volume is impossible to ignore.
Most targets through six career games since 2000:
- Nabers: 73
- Puka Nacua: 70
- Anquan Boldin: 60
- Chris Olave: 56
Is it true that, since returning from a multi-week concussion absence, he is barely averaging a PPR point per target? Yes (22.2 points on 21 targets), but ebb and flow are to be expected, especially in less-than-ideal spots.
The rookie has already scored 18.7 points in a game against this leaky secondary, one that has allowed seven receivers to reach double figures. The matchup and role create a stable foundation, and Nabers’ ability brings a top-10 week into the conversation every time he laces up his cleats.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR
If there is ever a time to play Wan’Dale Robinson, this might be it. The Commanders are likely to script the Giants out of any balance, thus making dump-off passes a version of the run game, which feeds right into Robinson’s profile.
How many air yards do you think Robinson has accumulated on his 14 targets over the past two weeks?
Fewer.
Those 14 looks have come with just 14.9 air yards, making Robinson’s targets little more than long handoffs. That’s not the most appealing skill set in the world, which is why he’s started in fewer leagues each week.
Robinson’s catches are unlikely to show up on NFL RedZone or post-game highlight packages, but with the Commanders allowing the third-most yards per short pass to receivers this season (6.8), I’m happy to take a double-digit PPR day (at least five catches in five straight games and three games north of 10 targets this season) and be on my way.
Robinson is my WR27 this week, ranked over the emerging Keon Coleman and flashier names like Keenan Allen and DeAndre Hopkins.
Washington Commanders at New York Giants Insights
Washington Commanders
Team: Washington begins a stretch this week where they play an NFC East team three times in four weeks (Eagles in Week 11 and Cowboys in Week 12.
QB: Against the Bears, Jayden Daniels threw 12 deep passes, five more than he had attempted in any other game.
Offense: Tress Way had five punts on Sunday against the Bears – he had four in September.
Defense: Washington has held its opponents to five first downs on 22 third-down conversion attempts over the past two weeks (22.7%). Through six weeks, that rate stood at 46.2%.
Fantasy: For the first time this season, Brian Robinson failed to score and didn’t reach 100 yards on the ground. He’s the lead man in this backfield, but without a 20-yard run in five straight and just a single catch over his past three games, this fantasy profile is a little thinner than you might assume.
Betting: The Commanders have seen their past five road games (and seven of their past eight).
New York Giants
Team: The last time Daniel Jones threw a touchdown pass at home was January 1, 2023 – one day before the Damar Hamlin injury.
QB: Monday was Daniel Jones’ fourth game this season with 20-plus completions and zero touchdown passes. Since 2020, this is the third instance in which a QB has “accomplished” that: Jared Goff did it in 2021, and … well, Daniel Jones did it in 2020.
Offense: Since 2022, only twice has an NFC team failed to score more than 18 points in at least six games through Week 8—the 2023 Giants (seven) and the 2024 Giants (six).
Defense: The Giants didn’t allow a red zone touchdown on Monday, but it didn’t matter … again. The Giants are 0-3 this season when not allowing a red zone touchdown (all other NFL teams are 20-7 this year in such spots).
Fantasy: Tyrone Tracy had 145 rushing yards, the most by a rookie drafted in the fifth round or later since Phillip Lindsay (Week 13, 2018 at Bengals: 157 rush yards).
Betting: The Giants have covered 12 of their past 15 games when playing on short rest (six straight when that game is played in front of their home crowd, including a Week 4 cover against the Cowboys).