Fantasy Football Must-Start Players for Week 9

Enter Week 9. The race to the fantasy playoffs is on, and hopefully, you find yourself in position to push for the postseason. Whether you’re a returning reader or a newcomer, welcome to my weekly fantasy must-start column. I’ll be here for the entire season to bring you a selection of the players you should want in your fantasy football lineups in season-long and/or DFS formats. These guys are screaming starts for one reason or another – it could be an advantageous matchup, a recent hot streak or a value salary in DraftKings contests, among others – so we’re looking to find an edge through the lens of actual analysis. I just want to help you win your week!

Let’s jump in with some must-start players for fantasy football in Week 9.

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Fantasy Football Week 9 Must-Start Players

QB: Kirk Cousins, Raiders at 49ers ($5,300)

I’m not usually a huge fan of paying up for a quarterback unless they’re a truly elite talent. This week is no exception, so I’m looking at Kirk Cousins as a standout on this slate. His 21.3 FPPG are tied for fourth among the available options in DraftKings’ featured contest, but he’s certainly not priced as such in a tough matchup against the 49ers. Cousins has been impressive this season, though – he’s ninth in EPA/dropback and seventh in adjusted net yards/attempt. The veteran has thrown for at least 240 yards in seven straight starts and has tossed multiple touchdown passes in seven starts as well, averaging 2.4 per game. In fantasy, he’s produced six weeks of 20+ DKFP and is coming off a season-high 28.2 DKFP last week against the Jets. The floor is very steady, so even in a tough matchup, Cousins can produce. The total against the 49ers is set at 51.5 combined points and the Raiders are a 10-point underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook, so one can expect plenty of passing volume for the quarterback in what’ll likely be a negative game script against a Super Bowl contender.

RB: Jonah Coleman, Broncos at Panthers ($5,300)

For the second straight week, Jonah Coleman finds himself on this list as our must-start running back. Last time out, he notched a career-high 20.4 DKFP against the Chiefs, who were a very tough assignment for the rookie. In that game, the fourth-round pick took a firm grip on the Broncos’ backfield as he far out-snapped and out-touched J.K. Dobbins – he finished with 11 rush attempts for 41 yards and a touchdown, also catching four-of-five targets for 63 yards. He’s averaging 14.7 FPPG across the three contests in which he actually saw at least one opportunity, doing so on just 43 total opportunities when we factor in both carries and targets. All in all, Coleman looks the part of an NFL starter, and after his last performance, he should maintain his hold on the top job heading into a very soft matchup against the Panthers. Carolina allows the second-most FPPG (28.3) and points per touch (0.98) to RBs. This defense is conceding 115.6 rushing yards and 1.4 rushing touchdowns per game to the position, giving up the fifth-highest YPC mark at 4.73, too. Coleman is a smash start given his newfound responsibilities while RJ Harvey remains on IR.

WR: Ladd McConkey, Chargers vs. Texans ($5,500)

First up, I’d like to say that had Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley not exited with injuries last week, I just know that my Zay Flowers pick would’ve panned out – if you put him in lineups, just remind yourself that the process was good and weird things happen sometimes. Moving on to this week’s pick, I’m actually doing the weird thing myself. Despite the Chargers’ offense looking like one of the worst in the NFL for most of the season, I’m actually putting Ladd McConkey on this list. He’s averaging only 8.6 FPPG, but his play last week as he returned from the bye was encouraging. He saw six targets – his second most of the season – and caught four of them for 86 yards, which was his best yardage total of the campaign. He’s caught at least three passes in four-of-six games and has 60+ receiving yards in three, but his lonely touchdown is a main reason his scoring average isn’t a little bit higher. Could Los Angeles look better at home this week against the Texans? Maybe, but maybe not. The reason McConkey gets the nod here is a somewhat deflated DFS salary and an advantageous matchup. Believe it or not, Houston’s 39.5 FPPG allowed to WRs are the third-most of any defense. The Texans give up the third-most receptions (14.0) with the most targets (22.0) and receiving yards (195.9) conceded to the position. I think McConkey can follow up last week’s 12.6 DKFP with an even better day.

TE: Eli Raridon, Patriots vs. Packers ($3,500)

Hunter Henry was injured during Week 8’s action and carries a questionable tag into Week 9 due to that foot issue. He was a DNP on Wednesday and Thursday before getting a limited session in on Friday, so it’s a little murky to try and project his game status for Sunday. If he doesn’t play, I love Eli Raridon as a breakout candidate. The rookie third-rounder brings elite athletic traits with a 4.62 40-yard dash and a 36-inch vertical at 6-foot-6. He never posted wild cumulative numbers at Notre Dame, but he did average 15.1 yards/reception during his final collegiate season. Skip ahead to today and his 1.92 YPRR ranks ninth among 41 qualifying tight ends at a clip of 13.3 yards/reception. The big-play ability is clear, and he’s probably going to be on the field a little more this week even if Henry does play. Raridon has two games of double-digit fantasy points and has seen at least three targets in four straight games, a stretch that includes a pair of outings with 50+ receiving yards. If Henry doesn’t play, the rookie could really pop since A.J. Brown has already been ruled out, leaving a clear need at pass-catcher. The opposing Packers are a tough matchup for tight ends, but they are a pass-happy team that can turn any game into a shootout. If you’re averse to risk or if Henry suits up, Tyler Warren is probably one of the best names on the board to play at tight end against an abysmal Cowboys defense.