Week 8 of the NFL season is officially in the books! The NFL landscape has been riddled with injuries and unexpected twists. If you’re facing tough lineup decisions, I’ve got you covered.
Let’s break down my start/sit fantasy football picks for Week 9.
Quarterback
Start ‘Em: Bo Nix (Broncos) at Ravens
Don’t look now, but Bo Nix is a top 10 fantasy quarterback on the season.
Denver’s rookie has racked up at least 21 points in three of his last four outings, exploding for a career-high 29.8 against the Panthers last Sunday. Nix threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns, also adding a score on the ground. Don’t be fooled by the name of his upcoming matchup, Baltimore has been extremely vulnerable against opposing quarterbacks, allowing the third-most fantasy points to the position this season.
Fire up Nix as a low-end QB1.
Sit ‘Em: Geno Smith (Seahawks) vs. Rams
Smith is coming off his worst game of the season against Buffalo, in which he threw for just 212 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. After back-to-back 22.6-point weeks earlier in the year, the veteran has produced three straight underwhelming outings.
Unless he breaks a scramble for a large gain, Smith’s rushing upside is relatively limited, capping his fantasy ceiling. After missing the last contest, it’s yet to be seen if D.K. Metcalf will be good to go for Seattle’s next matchup with the Rams, who are surprisingly stout against fantasy quarterbacks.
Even if the superstar wideout suits up, there are better options than Geno on this week’s slate.
Check out my full Week 9 quarterback start/sit picks here!
Running Back
Start ‘Em: Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots) at Titans
We’ll be playing the waiting game with New England’s quarterback situation throughout the week. Rookie Drake Maye entered concussion protocol after a helmet-to-helmet hit late in the second half against the Jets. Jacoby Brissett stepped in and was shockingly effective, leading the Pats to a comeback victory at home.
While Brissett impressed in his return to action, it’s not fair to expect that level of play from him on a consistent basis. However, his presence does assure that Stevenson will be the focal point of New England’s offense. If Maye is able to clear protocol and suit up, it could result in fewer touches for Rhamondre, but the Patriots will move the ball with more ease and set him up to score.
Either way, you can look at this matchup against Tennessee positively for the star back.
Sit ‘Em: Rachaad White (Buccaneers) at Chiefs
It’s not often you sit a running back who racked up a combined 44 fantasy points over his last two games.
For me, this is one of those occasions. Despite producing at a high level, White saw a snap share of 56% or lower in each of those contests. He only garnered 11 touches last week, saving his fantasy day with a touchdown. According to the eye test, Bucky Irving is the best back in Tampa Bay. Not only is this the case, but he also ate into White’s receiving work against the Falcons, catching all seven of his targets.
There will be weeks when White and Irving can co-exist from a fantasy standpoint, but I don’t expect that to happen against the Chiefs, who allow the fewest fantasy points to opposing backfields.
Check out my full Week 9 running back start/sit picks here!
Wide Receiver
Start ‘Em: Khalil Shakir (Bills) vs. Dolphins
The biggest beneficiary from the Amari Cooper trade may just be his fellow receiver. For the second straight week following Cooper’s introduction to Buffalo’s offense, Shakir was heavily involved. The 24-year-old caught nine of 10 targets for 107 yards, leading the way as Josh Allen’s top target.
That may not be the case every week as Cooper continues to work his way into the offense, but Shakir’s established rapport with Allen has resulted in consistent fantasy production. With a clear top target now on the outside, that only opens up room for him to feast in the slot. He should be featured heavily once again this week in a pivotal AFC East clash against Miami.
Sit ‘Em: Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins) at Bills
We’re going to the opposing receiving room in this matchup for my sit of the week.
No one is questioning Waddle’s talent, as the speedster produced three straight 1,000-yard seasons to open his career. As things currently stand, that streak will end with this campaign, as Waddle has racked up just 314 yards through eight weeks. That’s not entirely his fault, as Tua Tagovailoa has missed significant time. However, the 25-year-old struggled even in Tua’s return to action, catching just four balls for 45 yards.
This week, Waddle draws a tough matchup against Buffalo, who allow the sixth-fewest fantasy points to receivers. Keep Waddle on your bench until he re-establishes his rapport with Tagovailoa.
Check out my full Week 9 wide receiver start/sit picks here!
Tight End
Start ‘Em: Cade Otton (Buccaneers) at Chiefs
With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin out of the equation, Otton has been elevated to Baker Mayfield’s top receiving threat.
The 25-year-old saw an elite snap share paired with decent production for the first six games of the season. In his last two weeks, he’s caught 17 balls for 181 yards and two touchdowns, amassing 47.1 PPR points. That bump in production should continue against the Chiefs, who allow the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends in the league. Otton is a top-five option this week at his position.
Sit ‘Em: Cole Kmet (Bears) at Cardinals
Thanks to a pair of 24-plus point outings, Kmet sits as PPR TE8 on the year. The rest of his performances have been… uninspiring, to say the least.
The 25-year-old has failed to score nine points in three of his last four games, and he saw just one target against the Commanders, hauling it in for 14 yards. With the other weapons in Chicago’s offense, Kmet has become a touchdown-or-bust fantasy option. Considering how his fellow tight ends around the league have exploded over the last few weeks, it’s best to leave him on the bench for a better candidate.
Check out my full Week 9 tight end start/sit picks here!
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 9 fantasy football picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
