Start 'Em, Sit 'Em For Week 9 Fantasy Football: Start Kyle Pitts, Bench DJ Moore

Week 9 is here. Bye weeks and injuries are in full swing, so it's time to dive into our Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Week 9 fantasy football.

This column uses our Fantasy Football Projections Model, Freedman’s NFL Betting Game Model, projected roles, injuries, depth-chart changes, and matchup context to identify the players whose Week 9 outlooks are better or worse than previous weeks.

For "start" options, I will avoid obvious names that everyone is starting and focus on fringe options that might be better than their typical ranking. Mostly, I'll focus on players who aren't usually inside the top 24-49 but are this week. For QBs and TEs, I'll focus on players entering the top 12 or nearly making it for Week 9.

A “sit” is not always a must-bench. It means the player is a downgrade from their rest-of-season outlook or the previous week and may be worth fading for a similarly ranked option in a better spot.

I will also include rankings upgrades (players who get upgrades for a variety of reasons, i.e., high team totals, matchup-related boosts, recent Utilization, etc.) and rankings downgrades (players downgraded for similar reasons working against them). Plus, you will find several players who bombed last week that I am happy to go right back to the well with. Lean on stronger underlying utilization metrics and matchup data rather than benching someone because of one poor performance.

Finally, you will find my positional SICKO starts. These players are for you, deeper-league SICKOS in 14+ teamers or deep bench formats who need to scrape the bottom of the barrel for viable starters.

If you haven't read the Utilization Report yet, it is my weekly piece where I break down usage changes and trends for every team. I covered 60+ players in Week 9. Much of what you see here around Utilization comes from that piece, so go check it out for more juicy nuggets—it's free this week, y'all!!!

Quarterbacks To Start In Week 9 Fantasy Football Lineups

Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs

In 2024 and 2025, Kansas City ranked second in dropback rate over expected (DBOE) at 5% and 6%. With the arrival of Kenneth Walker, they are a more balanced offense in 2026 (2%).

But with that balance, Mahomes has surged in efficiency:

Yards per attempt: 6.8 → 7.1 → 7.7
TDs per attempt: 4.5% → 4.4% → 5.2%

And Andy Reid has embraced play action—a proven cheat code for improving fantasy points per dropback: 25% → 23% → 33%. The Chiefs rank 4th in play action in 2026.

Mahomes' passing yards per game (YPG) of 256 ranks 8th in the NFL and is slightly higher than his two-year average (251). His 1.71 passing TDs per game ranks 12th and is also up vs. his two-year average of 1.6.

Last week, Mahomes passed for 321 yards and 3 TDs against a stout Broncos defense. He was in the downgrade section of this column last week. That was WRONG.

This week, the Chiefs get a Jets defense providing a 2.3 PPG boost to QBs. Plus, Mahomes & Co. have the fourth-highest team total (27.9). They are 9.7-point favorites, which is great for Kenneth Walker, but the projection model already accounts for that.

The projections are just a tad under betting markets for passing yards and TDs.

Fantasy Projections

Median: 18.4
Xfinity Best (Ceiling): 23.2
Floor: 14.5

Mahomes is a mid-range QB1 against New York in Week 9.

Week 9 Fantasy QB Upgrades

Malik Willis | Dolphins: Willis delivered 20.9 and 26 fantasy points in Weeks 5 and 7, showing signs of life. Between designed attempts and scrambles, he averages 5.2 totes per game. The Dolphins remain the most run-heavy offense (-9% DBOE) but have shown signs of life, scoring 23.7 PPG over their last three outings. The Lions are an improving defense, but are still the best matchup for QBs (+6.6 PPG). Since Week 4, they are the 4th-best (+3.5). Willis projects for 16.9 points with a 23.2-point Xfinity Best ceiling. He is a high-end QB2 with mid-range QB1 upside in Week 9.

Week 9 Fantasy QBs I Am Sitting

Bryce Young | Panthers: The Panthers are dealing with a massive injury crisis on their offensive line, and Young is paying the price. He has the highest pressure rate in the NFL (45%), overtaking the Chargers for that honor last weekend. Young has thrown for 163 and 209 yards and one TD in the last two games. The Broncos defense has yet to regain its 2025 form, but Patrick Surtain II is back. They have the coverage to mimic the Bucs' and Packers' loaded-box looks that left Young without answers. Young DOWNGRADES to low-end QB2 status against Denver in Week 9.

Running Backs To Start In Fantasy Football Lineups For Week 9

Jonah Coleman | Broncos

Coleman emerged from Week 8 as the No. 1 Broncos RB, maneuvering ahead of J.K. Dobbins with RJ Harvey on IR. The Round 4 rookie played 68% of snaps and handled 52% of rushing attempts, including 4 of 5 inside the five-yard line. He was also active in the passing game, tying for the team lead in targets (16%) on a 50% route share.

That workload translated into 20.4 points and an 82 Utilization Score.

If you want a full breakdown of Coleman's range of outcomes for the rest of the season, including multiple scenarios, you can find them in this week's Utilization Report.

Coleman has a good setup in Week 9 against the Panthers. Carolina is the 3rd-best matchup for RBs (+4.1 PPG). The Broncos are 3-point favorites with a respectable 23.4-point total.

Interestingly, Coleman lands in must-start territory, though we're slightly more conservative with his workload than oddsmakers because of Sean Payton's unpredictability.

Fantasy Projections

Median: 14.2
Xfinity Best (Ceiling): 22.7
Floor: 10.5

Coleman is a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside against the Panthers in Week 9.

Week 9 RB Upgrades To Start In Fantasy Football

Mid-range RB2s (start in most formats)

Tyler Allgeier | Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is out, and Bam Knight (concussion) is questionable for Week 8. Allgeier could have an every-down workload in Week 9. But he faces a much tougher opponent than the Cowboys, whom he thrashed for 36.1 points. The Seahawks are the 8th-hardest RB matchup (-2.3 PPG). And they're better than that—the Bears averaged only 3.6 YPC but scored 3 TDs. Seattle still ranks No. 2 in rush-success rate (36%) per SumerSports. Allgeier projects for 13.1 points with a 21.2 Xfinity Best ceiling. If Knight is active, he falls to high-end RB3 status.
Quinshon Judkins | Browns: Judkins was a sit recommendation in this article last week, but has a much better setup against the Saints. New Orleans is the best rushing matchup for RBs (+6.7 PPG), which is Judkins' role. He typically handles over 70% of the attempts. This could be a close game (2.2-point underdogs) where the 2nd-year RB has a good chance to punch in a TD. Judkins projects for 11.9 points with a 19.0-point Xfinity Best ceiling.

Low-end RB2s (start in 12-team leagues)

Woody Marks | Texans: David Montgomery has already been ruled out for Week 9. In two games without Monty, Marks has been an every-down RB: 83% snaps, 70% attempts, 56% routes, 7% target share, 92% short-yardage snaps, 100% 2-minute offense. He hasn't done much with those opportunities, averaging 9.6 points. But his Utilization Score (70) comparisons averaged 13.7 PPG. The Chargers have sanctioned the fifth-highest RB rushing boost (+3.7 PPG), and Houston is a 4.9-point favorite with a decent team total (22.8). If this recommendation scares you, I can't blame you. But we are below the market on his rushing attempts by 1.2 (16.5 vs. 17.7, bet the under) and receptions by 0.2 (2.3 vs. 2.5), and he still projects as the RB18 with 12.3 points and an Xfinity Best ceiling of 20.2.
Rachaad White | Commanders: With Jacory Croskey-Merritt on IR and Jeremy McNichols out, White should operate as the head of a committee for the third straight game. Over the last two weeks with JCM out, White has averaged 14.9 PPG with a 73 Utilization Score. He has handled 59% of snaps, 49% of attempts, and has a juicy 14% target share on a 49% route participation rate. White handles most of the short-yardage snaps (82%) and handled both attempts inside the five-yard line last week, punching one in for a TD. The Rams are the fifth-hardest matchup for RBs (-3.4 PPG), but are a neutral matchup versus RBs in the receiving game (+0.3 PPG). White projects for 11.2 points with an Xfinity Best ceiling of 18.9.

RB3s (start in larger formats)

Blake Corum | Rams: Corum is on a heater over the last four games, averaging 15.1 PPG, handling 41% of the Rams' attempts. The Commanders have been solid against RBs on the ground (-1.8 PPG), but their two starting defensive tackles, Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw, are out for the season. The Rams own the 6th-best team total (26.8) and are 4.9-point favorites. Our model is lower than oddsmakers on Corum (10.3 attempts vs. 11.5), but he still projects for 10 points with a 17-point Xfinity Best ceiling—he is a high-end RB3.
Zach Charbonnet & Jadarian Price | Seahawks: Charbonnet and Price returned to action in Week 8 and served as the top two options in the backfield. Price handled 59% of the attempts with a 10% target share, while Charbonnet settled in with 35% and 13%. George Holani remained involved with an 18% snap share. Both backs could get a bump in this week, but it is hard to know which RB will lead the way. We project an even split on the ground, with a slight edge to Charbonnet in the passing game. The Seahawks are 11.6-point favorites over the Cardinals and have the third-highest team total (28.1) with Drew Lock at QB. Charbonnet and Price are both mid-range RB3s in my rankings.
Mike Washington | Raiders: In Week 8, Washington dominated rushing attempts (25) with Ashton Jeanty handling the pass downs. We don't know for sure how Klint Kubiak will divvy up the roles moving forward, but this adds a new potential outcome to his weekly range. I think the most likely scenario is a split backfield where Jeanty also gets half the touches on the ground, but I am not a Kubiak mind reader. The biggest concern for Week 9: the 49ers are 9.9-point favorites over the Raiders, which hurts Washington's outlook as the theoretically early-down banger. Plus: San Francisco is the worst RB rushing matchup (-4.0 PPG) and the best RB passing matchup (+5.2 PPG). This feels like a Jeanty game. Still, Washington makes the upgrade section because of the role change last week. Washington is a borderline RB3 but offers high-end RB2 upside if the game is close, and he retains the bulk of the attempts.

RBs That Bombed In Week 8 That I Am Starting Again In Week 9

"'Cause I gotta have faith

I gotta have faith

Because I gotta have faith, faith

I got to have faith, faith, faith"

- George Michael

Ollie Gordon | Dolphins: Gordon bombed in Week 8 with 6.9 points. But his dominant workload remained intact: 83% snaps, 79% attempts, 64% routes, 100% short-yardage snaps, 95% 2-minute offense. The Dolphins are 7-point underdogs against the Lions, who are the 7th-toughest RB matchup (-2.5 PPG). But here's the thing: Miami is the most run-heavy operation in the NFL with a -9% DBOE. They don't care what the scoreboard says; they remain committed to the cause. And Detroit will be without top linebacker Jack Campbell. After accounting for all of this, Gordon projects for 11.5 points with an 18.1-point Xfinity Best ceiling. He is a low-end RB2 who should be in most lineups unless you play in an 8- or 10-team league.

RB Injury Watch for Week 9 in Fantasy Football

Bhayshul Tuten | Jaguars → Chris Rodriguez: Tuten (foot) is a game-time decision against the Ravens on Thursday night. Jacksonville is a 9.3-point favorite (4th-highest) with a 25.9-point team total (8th). Rodriguez is dealing with a hand injury, but is expected to play. If Tuten can't suit up, Rodriguez could handle 70% of the rushing workload, catapulting him into high-end RB2 territory.
Breece Hall | Jets → Braelon Allen: Hall (quad) was limited on Wednesday but is "trending in the right direction" per Aaron Glenn. The Jets are 9.7-point underdogs (3rd-highest) with an 18.2-point team total (4th-lowest), which isn't an ideal environment for RBs. Plus, Allen has played fantastic. Coming off a soft tissue injury in this setup makes Hall a borderline RB2 for me. If Hall can't play, Allen—averaging 16.5 PPG in five starts—would climb to high-end RB2 territory in a near every-down role.
Saquon Barkley | Eagles → Elijah Mitchell: Barkley (back/hamstring) didn't practice on Wednesday, and there isn't much incentive for the 2-6 Eagles to force him into the lineup again. Joe Milton will take over as the starting QB, which pushed the Eagles' already-low team total down to 18.4 (fifth-lowest). They are 3.1-point underdogs to the Giants. If Barkley isn't a full participant by Friday and plays, I am taking the under on his rushing attempts (13.5). We are projecting 11.2 with re-injury risk baked in. He has 7 and 13 in the last two games. Barkley is a low-end RB2 if he plays. Mitchell is a mid-range RB3 if Barkley can't go.
Cam Skattebo | Giants → Devin Singletary: Skattebo (hamstring) didn't practice on Wednesday and is questionable for Week 9. With Tyrone Tracy on IR, Singletary would climb into the driver's seat. The Giants have a 21.6-point team total and are 3.1-point favorites over the Eagles. Singletary is a low-end RB2 with high-end RB1 upside if Skattebo doesn't play. Skattebo is a high-end RB3 if he plays. He carries re-injury risk and could fall victim to a hot-hand approach in a backfield battle that isn't 100% settled.
Kyle Monangai | Bears → D'Andre Swift: Monangai (turf toe) is at risk of missing another game. Over the last two games, Swift has monopolized the backfield: 82% snaps, 84% attempts, 57% routes, 11% targets, 75% short-yardage snaps, 75% attempts inside the five-yard line, 100% 2-minute offense. He has a 91 Utilization Score with 23.5 PPG. Swift plays in the 6th-highest-scoring offense (26.8 PPG), which has averaged 31.8 over the last three games with Caleb Williams back. The veteran RB delivered 27.9 points against the vaunted Seahawks. The Buccaneers are the 3rd-hardest RB matchup (-3.6), but it's impossible to downgrade Swift too much as the lead option in a potent offense. He projects for 17.1 points with a 26.4-point Xfinity Best ceiling assuming Monangai is out. If Monangai is active, Swift falls to mid-range RB2 territory.
TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots → Rhamondre Stevenson: Henderson (illness) didn't play last week and missed practice on Wednesday. Stevenson scored 12 fantasy points with an 82 Utilization Score with Henderson out in Week 8: 76% snaps, 66% attempts, 63% routes, 17% targets, 83% short-yardage snaps, 91% pass downs. The Patriots are 3-point favorites with a 24.6-point team total (9th) against the Packers. Green Bay has been steadily improving on defense and is the 6th-toughest RB matchup since Week 4. Stevenson is a borderline RB2 if Henderson plays; if Henderson is out, he climbs to mid-range RB2 status.

RB SICKO STARTS For Week 9 Fantasy

These players are for deeper-league SICKOS in 14- 16-team or 12-team leagues with 2-3 flex spots. These players are available in over 50% of Yahoo leagues and aren't in many starting lineups, but they offer a ray of light. You could get lucky.

Devin Singletary | Giants: Available in 87% of Yahoo leagues. See injury write-up above for Skattebo and Singletary.

Running Backs To Sit In Week 9 Fantasy Football Lineups

Week 9 RB Downgrades for Sit Consideration

Mid-range RB2s (sit in 8-team leagues)

Derrick Henry | Ravens: The trade for Jacoby Brissett was enough to push Henry back into low-end RB1 territory in our rest-of-season projections. However, the weekly projection model does not like Henry in Week 9. With Joe Fagnano scheduled to start, the Ravens are 9.3-point underdogs (4th-largest) with a 16.6-point team total (2nd-lowest). That could lead to a severely crippling game script, with little TD upside for King Henry. Plus, the Jaguars are the 5th-hardest rushing RB matchup (-3.2 PPG). They rank No. 1 in rush defense success (34%). Henry projects for 12 points—a massive reduction from his usual 15-17. Bonus: Bet the UNDER on Henry's 18.2 attempts. He has averaged 14.1 in two seasons with the Ravens in eight losses of 7+ points. He projects for 15.4 in the projection model.

Note: If you want to see our rest-of-season projections: Click on projections → click Filters → hover over Period → select 2026 ROS. We update them with all breaking news, and they are refreshed on Monday-Tuesday each week to account for the previous week of action.

RB3s & 4s (sit in larger formats)

Kenneth Gainwell | Buccaneers: Gainwell popped for 14 points in Week 8 against the Falcons on a 50% snap share with 25 rushing attempts. But Bucky Irving out-snapped him 73% to 23% in the first half before blowout conditions. The Bucs are the third-most run-heavy team in the NFL (-6%) with their defense morphing into a dominant unit. But they are 5.1-point underdogs against Chicago, which is the fifth-hardest RB matchup (-3.2 PPG). Gainwell projects for 6.3 points and reverts to mid-range RB4 status in Week 9; don't chase last week's points.

Wide Receivers To Start In Week 9 Fantasy Football Lineups

Rashee Rice | Chiefs

The Chiefs haven't found a replacement for Rice in the WR room, and Xavier Worthy was a dud while Rice was out. In Rice's first game back (hamstring), his 61% route share was lackluster, but he returned to his target-earning form with a 26% targets-per-route run (TPRR).

He collected 18.3 points against the Broncos in Week 8. He operated from the slot 42% of the time and was back to his underneath role with a 2.1 average target depth and 7.0 average route depth. Denver is the 7th-hardest matchup for WRs (-3.0 PPG) and the 5th-hardest slot matchup (-2.1).

After the game, Andy Reid noted that Rice's routes were part of workload management coming off the injury. That should ramp. In fact, Rice saw a career-high 85% route share over the first three weeks of the season.

This is a great setup for Rice moving forward. He could return to his old target-dominating form with a full-time role to boot.

The Chiefs are 9.7-point favorites over the Jets, which could mean plenty of Kenneth Walker. But they have a 27.9-point team total (4th). And Kansas City has passed on 80% of plays in the red zone (4th). New York is the 8th-hardest WR matchup (-2.9 PPG), but I don't care with this total. Plus, Rice finished WR9 against the Broncos.

Zain Dhanani's WR Score data, which accounts for defensive coverages and alignment against Rice's role, sees this as a neutral matchup.

Fantasy Projections

Median: 14.5
Xfinity Best (Ceiling): 22.2
Floor: 10.7

Rice is a mid-range WR2 with WR1 upside in Week 9.

WR Upgrades for Fantasy Lineups In Week 9

Low-end WR2s (start in most leagues with a flex)

Stefon Diggs | Commanders: Diggs saw a season-high 79% route share in the first game without Terry McLaurin. He is already the team leader with a 23% target share, averaging 13.7 PPG. The Rams have been banged up, so their defense could make strides in the coming weeks. But so far, they are a neutral matchup for WRs (-0.5 PPG) and a slightly positive slot matchup (+0.9 PPG). Diggs projects for 11.5 points with an 18.2-point Xfinity Best ceiling.

High-end to mid-range WR3s (start in larger leagues with a flex)

Denzel Boston | Browns: This one only applies if Deshaun Watson (concussion protocol) plays. Right now he is day-to-day. The bet with Boston is simple: he is due for a big game. He continues to play on the outside in a vertical role (10.9-yard route depth), but is earning targets at a high rate. Boston has 20 targets and 262 air yards over the last two games. He scored 20.5 points in Week 2 with similar numbers but has only 5.7 and 9.7 in the last two games. The Saints sanction the 9th-best fantasy boost (+1.7 PPG) to outside WRs. Boston is a mid-range WR3 with WR1 spike potential if Watson plays. He downgrades to low-end WR3 status with Sanders.
Ladd McConkey | Chargers: McConkey played a full-time role (92% of routes) in his Week 8 return against the Rams. He scored 12.6 points on 17% of targets. This is a terrible offense, but McConkey plays a Texans defense that has surprisingly struggled against WRs. Houston is the 3rd-best WR matchup (+5.0 PPG). And Zain's role-matchup data likes McConkey this week—he has the third-best matchup in that dataset as well. McConkey projects for 10.4 points with a 16.4-point Xfinity Best ceiling as a mid-range WR3.

Low-end WR3s & WR4s (start in larger leagues with 3WR + flex or double flex)

Jordan Addison | Vikings: Addison plays the vertical boundary role for Minnesota, which isn't ideal. But his 22% target share is low-key impressive for playing that role. Most WRs in that situation don't reach 18%. The former Round 1 NFL pick has reached 170+ air yards twice this season and popped for 20 points in one of those outings. The Bills provide the 2nd-highest WR boost (+5.6 PPG) and are the 2nd-best matchup for outside WRs (+4.7 PPG). Kyler Murray (hamstring) is working through soreness but has until Monday to get ready. Addison is a low-end WR3 with WR1-spike potential against Buffalo.
Antonio Williams | Commanders: Williams led the Commanders in routes (88%) and targets (25%) in the first game without McLaurin. He is playing on the outside and working multiple layers of the field with a 9.5-yard average route depth. Williams projects for 9.9 points with an Xfinity Best ceiling of 15.5. He is a borderline WR3 with WR2 upside.
Josh Downs & Keenan Allen | Colts: The Colts are struggling. But they play the Cowboys' make-a-wish defense. Do you really need to know more? Allen projects as a low-end WR3 with WR2 upside. Downs projects as a mid-range WR4 with WR2 upside.

WRs That Bombed Last Week That I Am Starting Again In Week 9

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm keeping the faith…

- Billy Joel

Drake London | Falcons: London scored only 1.8 points in a tough matchup against the Buccaneers in rain and wind, and Michael Penix couldn't grip the ball. He could face shadow coverage from DJ Turner II this weekend, but the Bengals offense has been slipping. Cincinnati is the 11th-best WR matchup (+2.2 PPG). London has the 5th-hardest matchup according to Zain's data, but I don't care. I am starting the WR who has reached 18+ PPG in 3 of 6 games with Penix. Zain still has London as WR9, which is exactly where I also have him.

WR Injury Watch For Week 9 In Fantasy Football

Christian Watson | Packers → Matthew Golden & Savion Williams: Watson is dealing with a broken rib, which he returned from in Week 8. He was limited on Wednesday but is expected to play. If Watson can't go against the Patriots, Golden climbs to mid-range WR1 territory, and Williams moves to WR5.
DeVonta Smith | Eagles → Makai Lemon: Neither Smith (hamstring) nor Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) practiced on Wednesday. Lemon has averaged 15.7 PPG with a 25% target share in two games without them. But Joe Milton, who has considerable accuracy woes, will take over for Tanner McKee. The Giants are the 5th-hardest WR matchup (-3.6 PPG), and Deonte Banks has developed into a strong defender. The Eagles have the 5th-lowest team total. Lemon is a borderline WR3 if Smith and Wicks are out.
Mike Evans & Deebo Samuel | 49ers → TBD: Evans (Achilles) and Samuel (hamstring) didn't practice on Wednesday. The 49ers WR room is a mess without them, but Demarcus Robinson could return from IR. He was limited on Tuesday. The Raiders are the 6th-best matchup for WRs (+3.3 PPG). Robinson is a boom-bust WR5 if he practices in full by Friday and Evans is out.
A.J. Brown | Patriots → DeMario Douglas & Mack Hollins: Brown (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Hollins (calf) practiced in a limited fashion and is trending toward a Week 9 return. Douglas has averaged 16 PPG over the last four weeks, showing a new gear to his game as a multi-layer threat. The Patriots have a 24.9-point team total (9th) as 3-point favorites over the Packers in what could be a shootout. If Brown is out, Douglas is a low-end WR3, and Hollins is a WR5.
Emeka Egbuka | Buccaneers → Chris Godwin & Tez Johnson: Egbuka (foot) didn't practice on Wednesday. Neither Godwin nor Johnson has had a chance to shine over the last two games without Egbuka, thanks to their dominant defense. But this week they face a Bears team that scored 34 points on an elite Seahawks unit. That could push the Bucs to pass more. They are 5.1-point underdogs. Godwin (88% routes) and Johnson (95%) have played full-time roles over the last two games. Godwin is a mid-range WR3, and Johnson is a boom-bust WR5 if Egbuka is out.
Jordyn Tyson | Saints: Tyson (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday and could play his first game of 2026. The first-round pick was a target monster in college and is a WR4 with WR2 upside if he plays. If Tyson can't go, Devaughn Vele has the second-best role-coverage data in Zain's database this week. He would be a high-end WR4 if Tyson is out.

WR SICKO STARTS For Week 9 Fantasy

These players are for you, deeper-league SICKOS in 14-16-team or 12-team leagues with 2-3 flex spots or multiple starting WRs. These players are available in over 50% of Yahoo leagues and aren't in many starting lineups, but they offer a ray of hope. You could get lucky.

Caleb Douglas | Dolphins: Douglas is averaging 11.9 PPG in four games. Since returning in Week 7, he has reclaimed a starting role: 84% routes, 18% targets, 32% air yards, 50% end zone targets. The Dolphins are a run-first offense, but Douglas gets the 6th-best WR matchup against the Lions (+4.9 PPG). But they have been tough on outside WRs (-1.0 PPG). Still, I decided to make Douglas the SICKO start because he is a rookie Round 3 pick who could provide value the rest of the season. Douglas projects for 9.3 points with a 15-point Xfinity Best ceiling. He is a mid-range WR4.

Wide Receivers To Sit In Week 9 Fantasy Football Lineups

DJ Moore | Bills

Moore is only a sit option in 8- to 10-team leagues. But in those formats, I would rather not take on his injury risk (AC joint + hyper-extended knee) against the Vikings. Minnesota is the hardest WR matchup (-6.5 PPG).

The Bills' team total (24.8) is still respectable. But it still reflects the Vikings' defense. The Bills are the No. 1 scoring offense, averaging 33.3 PPG.

Last week, Jameson Williams scored 17 points against the Vikings. The Bills could look to replicate their run-centric, heavy-TE personnel game plan.

Teams have kept their TEs and RBs in to block more against Minnesota, which leads the NFL in blitz (71%) and pressure rate (45%). That creates less target competition for the WRs. That hasn't worked out well for most WRs, which makes this a tough matchup.

But Moore is a good WR, so he could pay off with one big play. That's why he stays high enough in the ranks (WR25) to remain in lineups in larger leagues.

Fantasy Projections

Median: 11
Xfinity Best (Ceiling): 18
Floor: 7.9 (really 0 though if injured)

Moore is a high-end WR3 against the Vikings in Week 9.

WR Downgrades for Sit Consideration in Week 9 Fantasy Football

Borderline WR2s (sit in 8-team leagues without 3WRs or flex)

Zay Flowers | Ravens: Flowers is the WR9 in PPG (17.5), but he is in a tough spot in Week 9. With Fagnano starting at QB, the Ravens have the second-lowest team total (16.6) and the passing game projects for 163.5 yards and 0.69 TDs (both align with props). Flowers plays in a fantastic role with a lot of slot and motion work, so he is a strong bet to lead the team in targets. But the pie is extremely small, leaving little margin for error. Flowers projects for 12.3 points with a 19.7 Xfinity Best ceiling—that makes him a low-end WR2 rather than the WR1 we are used to.
Jalen Coker | Panthers: Carolina's passing game has hit the skids over the last two weeks, with Bryce Young now ranking as the most-pressured QB in the NFL (45%). Now they must face a Broncos defense that ranks 4th in pressure rate (40%) and is the 7th-hardest WR matchup (-3.0 PPG). The Panthers have the 6th-lowest team total (20.4). Coker looked like a high-end WR2 to start the year, but is a borderline WR2 in Week 9.

WR3s (sit in 10-team leagues without 3WRs or flex)

Michael Wilson | Cardinals: Wilson erupted for 26.8 points against a beleaguered Dallas pass defense. He is clearly a top-two option for the Cardinals and plays a great role schematically (slot, motion, in-breaking routes). However, he is battling a rib injury and gets a much harder assignment in Week 9. The Seahawks are the 3rd-hardest WR matchup (-5.1 PPG). And even with his schematic advantages, Wilson has the 4th-hardest matchup per Zain's role-coverage data. Wilson downgrades from WR2 territory to high-end WR3 status in Week 9.
Tre Tucker | Raiders: The Raiders utilize 12 personnel more than any other team since Week 2 (57%) when Brock Bowers returned. They rank 15th in 13 personnel (9%). Bowers and Michael Mayer are staples of the offense. That hasn't been an issue for Tucker, but it shifted in Week 8 with Jack Bech's return. Tucker posted a season-low 63% route share, playing only 13% of snaps in 13 personnel. He was the odd man out in this small sample, where the team used 13 on 16 snaps. That adds volatility to his profile against the 49ers. Tucker has been projected as a WR2 multiple weeks, but downgrades to mid-range WR3 status against the 49ers.

WR4s (sit in 12-team leagues without 3WRs + flex or double flex)

Rome Odunze | Bears: Odunze primarily plays outside and works downfield, which limits his ability to earn targets. The former Round 1 pick ranks 47th in target share (17%) among WRs with at least 150 routes. He ranks 44th in targets per game (5.1). He could always come down with a big play, but the Buccaneers' defense has found its groove. They are now the 2nd-hardest WR matchup (-5.9 PPG) and are the 4th-hardest against boundary WRs (-4.6 PPG). Odunze is a boom-bust WR4 in Week 9.
Khalil Shakir | Bills: Shakir has three consecutive top-36 finishes, averaging 11.9 PPG. Some of that was due to Moore missing time, but Shakir got to 11.4 with Moore returning in Week 8. However, I am following my golden rule: don't start fringe fantasy assets against the Vikings. Minnesota is the 2nd-hardest slot WR matchup (-4.9 PPG). Don't chase the three-week trend; Shakir is a mid-range WR4.

Tight Ends To Start In Week 9 Fantasy Football Lineups

Kyle Pitts | Falcons

Pitts—as he often does—disappointed in Week 8 with 2.6 points. But the bigger takeaway: his route participation has stabilized over the last four weeks (71%). And he ranks second on the team in targets (19%).

Over that span, he has averaged 13.5 PPG, including the 2.6 dud in a bad weather game.

This week, the Falcons have a respectable team total (24.6) as 3-point underdogs against the Bengals. This game offers shootout potential, and Cincinnati is the 4th-best matchup for TEs (+4.6 PPG).

This could be the start of a great stretch run for Pitts. He has the No. 1 TE schedule (+3.0 PPG) the rest of the way.

Fantasy Projections

Median: 10
Xfinity Best (Ceiling): 15.6
Floor: 7.3

Pitts projects as a low-end TE1 with mid-range TE1 upside against the Bengals.

TE Upgrades Fantasy Lineups In Week 9

Mid-range TE2s (bye-week fillers/flex options in TE premium)

Greg Dulcich | Dolphins: Dulcich is gaining traction over the last three games: 71% routes, 21% targets, 72 Utilization Score, 10.5 PPG. He gets the No. 1 TE matchup (+11.4 PPG) against the Lions. Dulcich is a mid-range TE2 with mid-range TE1 upside.

TE Injury Watch For Week 9 In Fantasy Football

Hunter Henry | Patriots → Eli Raridon: Henry (foot) left last week's game and didn't practice on Wednesday. If he can't go, Raridon will step into a larger role. The rookie TE has already made noise over the last four games with a 48% route share and an electric 23% TPRR. In a part-time role, he has a TE13 (10.7) and a TE7 (14.6) finish. The Packers have been tough against TEs. They are the 5th-hardest matchup (-3.6 PPG), which has held even after LB injuries. We currently have Henry projected as out. In that scenario, Raridon projects for 9.8 points with an Xfinity-best ceiling of 15.4.
Terrance Ferguson | Rams: Ferguson returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday. He could be activated off of IR for Week 9. He should not be on your waiver wire—especially if you need upside at TE. Ferguson is a boom-bust low-end TE2 if he plays this week, but could quickly ascend to top-12 status.
Jake Ferguson | Cowboys → Brevyn Spann-Ford: Ferguson (ankle) left the Week 8 game and did not practice on Wednesday. Spann-Ford, who has already been eating into Ferguson's playing time, notched a 74% route share and 17% target share against the Cardinals. The Cowboys have the 5th-highest team total (16.8) against the Colts. Spann-Ford is a low-end TE2 that could fill a flex spot in TE-premium leagues if you are in dire need.

TE SICKO START For Week 9 Fantasy

These players are for deeper-league SICKOS in 16-team leagues or TE premium formats with two flex spots.

Eli Raridon and Terrance Ferguson: See write-ups above for details. Raridon is available in 99% of Yahoo leagues, and Ferguson is available in 83%.

Tight Ends To Sit In Week 9 Fantasy Football Lineups

Dallas Goedert | Eagles

Theoretically, Goedert could be positioned to earn targets with Smith and Wicks questionable again in Week 9. But we have already seen that movie the last two weeks. Goedert posted a 16% target share with 8.5 PPG.