Khalil Herbert start or sit: Week 9 fantasy football advice

The Chicago Bears may be finding their identity on offense, and it is no secret that their plan of attack leans heavily toward the run game. They will look to lean into their strength as they play host to the Miami Dolphins in Week 9. Khalil Herbert has made noise with his top-end speed in the backfield, which begs the question of whether he remains a surefire starter in fantasy for this week.

Fantasy Football analysis: Bears RB Khalil Herbert

Herbert may not “officially” lead the backfield according to the Bears’ depth chart, but his speed and extra gear are becoming difficult to ignore in fantasy leagues. The second-year tailback led Chicago in carries last week for 99 yards on the ground to go along with a score, resulting in a 15.9 PPR fantasy performance. That makes it back-to-back weeks with double-digit fantasy points for Herbert, who is part of a three-headed rushing attack in the backfield.

Justin Fields and David Montgomery will always provide a threat to Herbert’s fantasy opportunities, but the fact that the Bears have now put together three straight 200+ rushing yard games proves that there are carries to go all around. Additionally, the Dolphins are allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to running backs with an average of 18.5 per game. Even if he may not be the official “starter” in Chicago, his impact on the field makes him a consistent value play in fantasy leagues.

Start or sit in Week 9?

The matchup with the Dolphins could prove to be a back-and-forth affair on the ground, which means Herbert should be more than involved. Fire him up as a start in fantasy lineups for Week 9 as Chicago continues to invest heavily in the ground game week-to-week.