It’s time for Start Sit Week 9 in Fantasy Football! Which players should you be starting this week, and which players should you consider benching? We will cover it all in this weekly article!
Every week of the NFL season, fantasy gamers juggle players to insert into lineups at each position. Are you questioning which players face easy matchups and which players face tougher paths to production? You are in the right place! For seasonal leagues, DFS, and more, this week’s must-start and must-sit picks can give you some guidance on setting your lineups.
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Quarterback Start Sit Week 9
Start: Caleb Williams
The number-one pick may have struggled against the Commanders’ defense, but he has still dropped 30 and 24-point games in two of the last three weeks. He’s finding his groove, and it’s obvious when you watch him in action. He’s particularly getting better at converting drives into scores, scoring at least two touchdowns in three of the last five games. He has the talent and the supporting cast to clear 20 points in any given week.
cool angle on that Caleb Williams throw pic.twitter.com/3aXGwXJHUz
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) October 27, 2024
This week should be a friendly matchup. The Cardinals’ defense ranks near the bottom of the league in blitz percentage, hurry percentage, and sacks this year (ProFootballReference), so Williams should have plenty of time to make things happen. Additionally, Arizona’s defense allows the third-highest completion percentage and fourth-highest yards per pass attempt (TeamRankings).
Honorable Mentions (Starts): Bo Nix, Sam Darnold, Jared Goff
Sit: Baker Mayfield
I was wrong last week, but I’m not reading too deeply into last week’s game versus the Falcons. Baker Mayfield is missing Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and will be facing a Chiefs defense that puts opposing quarterbacks in hell. The Chiefs allow the 10th-lowest completion percentage and the 14th-lowest yards per pass attempt to quarterbacks (TeamRankings). They’ve also only allowed two passing touchdowns in a game once, against the Bengals in Week 2. To make matters worse, they also create the highest quarterback knockdown percentage and the third-highest QB pressure rate (ProFootballReference).
There aren’t going to be many games where Mayfield finishes as a top-15 quarterback without Evans and Godwin. KC hardly allows quarterbacks to put up solid performances with healthy offenses. Don’t let last week’s results fool you; Mayfield is a low-floor, low-ceiling option this week.
Honorable Mentions (Sits): Justin Herbert, Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers
Running Back Start Sit Week 9
Start: Chase Brown
Chase Brown is teed up for his breakout week. Now essentially in full control of the Bengals’ backfield, he faces a mouth-watering matchup against the Raiders. Vegas is allowing over 4.5 yards per rush attempt to ball carriers and ceding the 13th-most yards per touch and sixth-most touchdowns per game to the position. They’ve allowed big games to nearly every good running back and/or team that they’ve played this season, including all of J.K. Dobbins, Derrick Henry, Chuba Hubbard, Javonte Williams, Najee Harris, Jerome Ford, Kyren Williams, and Kareem Hunt.
The second-year running back has now received at least 10 carries in five straight games, averaging 12.8 in that span. He also has at least one red zone carry in seven of eight games this season. Further, while he hasn’t been astronomically involved in the passing game, he has had consistent usage. His nearly-every-game three targets and two receptions is a nice little boost to his explosive ceiling in the run game. Brown has been itching for a matchup like this to finally solidify himself as a weekly fantasy starter.
Honorable Mentions (Starts): Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Devin Singletary if inactive), Chubba Hubbard, Nick Chubb
Sit: Javonte Williams
Sitting any running back against the Ravens is generally a smart strategy. They’re currently allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Additionally, they’re ceding the fewest amounts of rush attempts, the lowest yards per carry total, and less than one touchdown to running backs this season. They’re the stiffest rush defense in the league, going up against a bad rusher and a bad rushing team. Williams, ranking 49th in True Yards per Carry, 43rd in Juke Rate, and 45th in Explosive Rating, certainly isn’t going to pose much of a threat as a rusher here. His near-14-percent target share, though, could bail him out. He’s generated at least four fantasy points as a receiver in six of his last seven games.
That is the only caveat with this matchup, as pass-catching running backs have put up some good performances against the Ravens. With that said, Williams’ involvement in the passing game isn’t enough to get me to like his spot. Williams will have to get around seven or eight points through the air to pay off this week. With the current state of the running back position, I understand if you don’t have any higher-upside candidates. However, if you have guys like Tyrone Tracy Jr., Chuba Hubbard, Nick Chubb, etc., I would prioritize them over Williams.
Honorable Mentions (Sits): Alexander Mattison, Bucky Irving, Zack Moss
Wide Receiver Start Sit Week 9
Start: Jakobi Meyers
Opportunity is everything in fantasy football, and Jakobi Meyers has quietly earned 35 targets over his last four games and is the WR27 in fantasy points per game on the season. With Davante Adams no longer in the building, Meyers is the undisputed target leader in the Raiders’ receiving corps. He’s also dominating looks in the red zone, earning a 33-percent Red Zone Target Share. All this, and he’s only being started in 46-percent of Sleeper leagues?
Jakobi Meyers in 3 games without Davante:
5/49 on 10 targets
6/72 on 9 targets
6/52/1 on 7 targetsDouble-digit fantasy points every game (technically 9.9+).
13.4 fantasy PPG (equivalent to WR23 in PPG).
Full-season pace: 96/980/5 on 147 targets
Cheap contender BUY. pic.twitter.com/7FMlUGrkWN
— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) October 29, 2024
This week, Meyers is facing a Bengals defense that allows the sixth-highest red zone scoring percentage (TeamRankings), the 11th-most pass attempts per game, and the sixth-most passing touchdowns. Vegas has no run game and should be playing from behind for most of the game. I think we see 10+ targets for Meyers, and he finds the end zone.
Honorable Mentions (Starts): Ladd McConkey, Cedric Tillman, Amari Cooper
Sit: Michael Pittman Jr.
Joe Flacco may be able to save Michael Pittman, but he won’t make him a locked-in weekly fantasy starter. Especially against a defense like Minnesota. Flacco played very well versus Jacksonville, but his games against better defenses in Pittsburgh and Tennessee weren’t as productive. Now, Flacco will find himself against the NFL leaders in blitz rate, the Minnesota Vikings. With 3 starting offensive linemen on the injury report, Flacco is going to have to get the ball out quickly to beat the blitz. That fits Josh Downs‘ profile much better than Pittman’s.
Pittman has struggled to make good on the targets he’s received thus far, catching just 55-percent of his targets. Both Colts QBs have struggled to get Pittman quality targets on the boundaries, resulting in Pittman having only two games with at least five receptions all season. I try to pivot away from touchdown-dependent assets as much as possible in fantasy, and this is one of those cases.
Honorable Mentions (Sits): Diontae Johnson, Tyler Lockett, DeAndre Hopkins
Tight End Start Sit Week 9
Tight ends are perhaps the most disgusting they’ve ever been for fantasy football. If you have one of these guys, you’re probably looking to just start them every week and hope for the best:
If not, consider these options:
Start: Cade Otton
Despite 20-point outings in back-to-back weeks, Cade Otton is only being started in 57-percent of Sleeper leagues (likely lower on other platforms). For the foreseeable future, Cade Otton is a weekly fantasy starter. Even before the Buccaneers’ offensive injuries, Otton was earning targets. In their current situation, Otton has earned 10 targets in two straight weeks. That’s truly elite opportunity.
This week, Otton faces Kansas City, who is 30th against the position this season. They’ve allowed big weeks to nearly every good tight end they’ve faced, including Brock Bowers, George Kittle, and Mike Gesicki. This is a great matchup and great situation for Otton in fantasy. Let’s get his start percentage up to the 90s.
Honorable Mentions (Starts): Zach Ertz, Dalton Kincaid, T.J. Hockenson
Sit: Tucker Kraft
Tucker Kraft is getting away with hyper-efficiency on low opportunity volume … that can’t keep going forever. He’s making the most of his fantasy worth through big after-the-catch plays and touchdowns. Those are two things the Detroit Lions are great at limiting. This is especially true for the tight end position. The Lions have only allowed 2 tight ends to go over 30 receiving yards and have yet to yield more than nine fantasy points to the position.
With Kraft, you have to have a big chunk play and/or a touchdown to make starting him pay off. I understand his ceiling is palpable, so I wouldn’t sit Kraft over everybody. However, I would sit Kraft behind everyone in the Start section, if they’re available.
Honorable Mentions (Sits): Hunter Henry, Cole Kmet, Dalton Schultz
Set Your Lineups!
It is time to set lineups! Fire up those fingers and plug in your productive players (and bench the sits!). Check back for weekly must-starts and must-sits based on the action that unfolds this season. Need some more options? Check out PlayerProfiler’s Upside Finder, or DM me on Twitter! It’s time again for a season full of ups and downs. Buckle up!
