Fantasy start-or-sit decisions can rack your brain, especially when last week’s box score points one way and the usage points another. That’s where we come in: stats such as passing volume, goal-line carries, target volume and receiving usage can cut through the noise and make those lineup calls a little easier.
With eight weeks in the books, we’re focusing on roles that are holding steady or changing in ways worth noticing. Let’s dive into the top five stats you need to win your Week 9 fantasy matchup, and the 10 players they point to as starts!
1. Quarterback Passing Volume
Volume is what gives a quarterback his floor. The ones dropping back and throwing it the most pile up the counting stats no matter how the touchdowns break.
| Player | Team | Wk 9 Opp | Pass yards / TD / INT (thru Wk 8) | Full-PPR PPG (thru Wk 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Love | GB | @ NE | 2,246 / 16 / 6 | 19.4 |
| Matthew Stafford | LA | @ WAS | 2,146 / 15 / 8 | 17.5 |
Love has been a high-volume passer all year, up to 312 attempts for 2,246 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, worth 19.4 points a game. The dropbacks keep coming and the scoring has followed. He’s a strong QB1 at New England.
Stafford keeps slinging it in Los Angeles, with 303 attempts, 2,146 yards and 15 touchdowns, though the eight picks add some risk, for 17.5 points a game. The sheer volume gives him a weekly floor. He’s a solid start at Washington.
Starts: QB Jordan Love, QB Matthew Stafford
2. Running Back Red Zone Carries
Red zone carries are the cleanest read on a back’s touchdown equity. The ones trusted inside the 20 get the scoring chances that season-long yardage totals can hide.
| Player | Team | Wk 9 Opp | Red zone carries / rush TD (thru Wk 8) | Full-PPR PPG (thru Wk 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javonte Williams | DAL | @ IND | 34 / 8 | 17.1 |
| Bucky Irving | TB | @ CHI | 26 / 5 | 16.8 |
Williams has become one of the league’s premier goal-line backs, with 34 red zone carries and eight rushing touchdowns on 134 totes for 528 yards, worth 17.1 points a game. The scoring role is the piece that holds up week to week. He’s a strong RB2 at Indianapolis.
Irving carries a true workhorse load in Tampa Bay, with 26 red zone carries and five scores among his 147 totes for 728 yards and 16.8 points a game. Volume plus goal-line work is the safest profile at the position. He’s a strong RB2 at Chicago.
Starts: RB Javonte Williams, RB Bucky Irving
3. Running Back Receiving Work
In full PPR, a back’s work in the passing game counts as much as his carries. The ones who earn targets keep their floor even when the running lanes close up.
| Player | Team | Wk 9 Opp | Targets / receptions / rec yards (thru Wk 8) | Full-PPR PPG (thru Wk 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | CIN | @ ATL | 42 / 36 / 189 | 13.6 |
Brown is a genuine passing-down weapon for Cincinnati, catching 36 of 42 targets to go with his 94 carries, worth 13.6 points a game. The receptions give him a floor even on the weeks the rushing lanes close. He’s a solid flex at Atlanta.
Starts: RB Chase Brown
4. Wide Receiver Target Volume
Targets are the currency of receiver scoring, and the players seeing the most looks carry the highest floor, even on the weeks a quiet box score tempts you to bench them.
| Player | Team | Wk 9 Opp | Targets / receptions / rec yards (thru Wk 8) | Full-PPR PPG (thru Wk 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luther Burden III | CHI | vs. TB | 56 / 42 / 547 | 14.7 |
| Denzel Boston | CLE | @ NO | 53 / 26 / 409 | 10.6 |
Burden has emerged as a go-to option in Chicago as a rookie, with 56 targets, 42 catches, 547 yards and three scores, worth 14.7 points a game. The target share keeps climbing and so does the role. He’s a confident flex at home against Tampa Bay.
The rookie Boston is earning real volume in Cleveland, with 53 targets, 409 yards and three touchdowns, worth 10.6 points a game. The looks are the signal even when the catch rate lags. He’s a deep-league flex at New Orleans.
Starts: WR Luther Burden III, WR Denzel Boston
5. Tight End Receiving Yards
At a position this thin, receiving yards separate the every-down tight ends from the touchdown-or-bust streamers. Yardage points to a steady role.
| Player | Team | Wk 9 Opp | Rec yards / targets / rec TD (thru Wk 8) | Full-PPR PPG (thru Wk 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton Kincaid | BUF | @ MIN | 401 / 35 / 2 | 11.3 |
| Michael Mayer | LV | @ SF | 351 / 43 / 1 | 9.6 |
Kincaid leads this group with 401 receiving yards on 27 catches and two scores for Buffalo, worth 11.3 points a game. At a thin position, that kind of yardage is the floor you want. He’s a back-end TE1 at Minnesota.
Mayer has quietly become a reliable target in Las Vegas, catching 36 of 43 looks for 351 yards, worth 9.6 points a game. The steady volume makes him startable at a shaky position. He’s a streaming TE1 at San Francisco.
Starts: TE Dalton Kincaid, TE Michael Mayer
The Bottom Line
These numbers point to opportunity, not a guarantee. Eight weeks in, efficiency still bounces around, and a strong role doesn’t promise a strong Sunday. Good luck in your Week 9 matchups, and come back next week for the Week 10 stats to know!
Methodology: Full PPR with no bonuses. Passing yards/25, four points per passing touchdown, minus one per interception, rushing yards/10, six per rushing touchdown, one per reception, receiving yards/10, six per receiving touchdown. Figures reflect finalized Weeks 1 through 8. Lost fumbles and two-point conversions are left out because the format defines no value for them. Injury data reflects the Week 9 report pulled 2026-11-04; none of the featured players carried a game-status designation at that time. Confirm each player’s final status before kickoff.
This article was written with the help of generative AI and edited by a DraftKings Network employee.