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Week 9 of the NFL season is here. The trade deadline has come and gone, and we saw a record number of deals go down. While no quarterbacks were moved, some players may see an instant uptick in fantasy football relevance due to a new face in town. With six teams on bye, you may need to get creative to find value from unlikely players. Here are two quarterbacks to start and two to sit for your Week 9 fantasy football lineups.
Quarterback Starts
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals
If you had told me at the beginning of the year that I would recommend starting Smith at some point this season, I would've called you a liar, but here we are. Whether it is from a dominant running back in Kenneth Walker or the overall surrounding cast, Smith has been solid for Seattle this year. He faces a Cardinals defense giving up the sixth most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. Washington Commanders
Washington is giving up middle-of-the-road numbers to opposing quarterbacks. While the matchup doesn’t look great on paper, the Vikings' offense took a huge step forward at the trade deadline. They brought in star tight end TJ Hockenson to play alongside Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook. This should see Cousins performing even better.
Quarterback Sits
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Brady was a highly touted quarterback during drafts because it seemed like time would never catch up to him. He has had off-the-field things he is working through, but regardless Brady hasn’t performed well this season. He hasn’t been on the same page with his teammates and now faces a Rams defense allowing the ninth-fewest points per game to quarterbacks. Sit him.
Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Carr was my late-round quarterback flier because I thought that the presence of Davante Adams would finally elevate him to weekly relevance. Last week, he faced a banged-up New Orleans Saints defense and ended with a whopping 1.94 fantasy points. Jacksonville is average against quarterbacks, but after a poor performance in Week 8, sit Carr this week.