The fantasy football playoffs are just around the corner, so these starts and sit decisions mean more than ever. Getting them right can help you determine seeding or clinch a playoff birth. In Week 8, our best calls were Matthew Stafford and Jameis Winston. Both quarterbacks finished as elite QB1s to go along with victories for their teams.
Our misses involved Javonte Williams, who never got it going against the Carolina Panthers, and having Kyler Murray as a sit when he finished as the QB12. Week 9 features a quarterback who is the best in the world but has not been good for fantasy until now.
Week 9 Quarterback Starts
Patrick Mahomes vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Patrick Mahomes should be viewed as a “lineup lock,” but that has not been the case this season. Mahomes has had one week as a QB1, and that came back in Week 1. Since then, his best finish has been QB14. Luckily, he faces the team allowing the most fantasy ppg to opposing quarterbacks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have given up 19 total touchdowns and 271 passing yards per game to quarterbacks. Despite missing Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs scored 26 points, and Baker Mayfield threw for over 300 yards so the Bucs should still push the KC offense to put points on the board.
Mahomes will have plenty of chances to rack fantasy points against the most friendly defense.
Bo Nix vs. Baltimore Ravens
Bo Nix has been the second-best rookie quarterback this season behind Jayden Daniels. The 2024 draft was thought to be just about Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye. Bo Nix is currently the QB13 on a ppg basis, and the Denver Broncos have a record of 5-3. In Week 9, he gets a real test against the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson. The Ravens are allowing over 300 ypg and have given up 18 total touchdowns, with 17 being passing. The Ravens defense is not like in prior years of dominant play. Bo Nix deserves a look and is a sneaky good play for starts and sits in Week 9.
Quarterback Sits
Kyler Murray vs. Chicago Bears
Kyler Murray was a sit for me last week, and it backfired as he finished as the QB12. This week, he has to face a much better defense in the Chicago Bears. The Bears are allowing the second-fewest fantasy ppg to the position and also lost a heartbreaking way with a game-ending Hail Mary. I believe the defense will be ready after letting the team down and shut down the Cardinals in Week 9.
CJ Stroud @ New York Jets
The Houston Texans season is slowly tumbling in the wrong direction. Tank Dell is not fully himself after the nasty leg injury last season. Nico Collins will not be back till Week 10, and Stefon Diggs is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Texans also have not made any trades for a wide receiver to help with the losses. Christian Kirk is out for the season, Diontae Johnson is a Raven, and DeAndre Hopkins is a Chief.
With that being said, I believe CJ Stroud will struggle, and the Texans will try to rely on Joe Mixon and not Stroud in Week 9. Stroud has not been a QB1 since Week 4 and should stay on your bench with his supporting cast decimated by injuries.
Check out all of our Week 9 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex
Week 9 Running Back Starts
Chase Brown vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Chase Brown has been a solid RB3 with RB2 and RB1 weeks. I do believe he is the better running back over Zack Moss and has a great matchup in Week 9 to prove that. The Las Vegas Raiders are bottom-10 in fantasy ppg to running backs and bottom seven in receptions to running backs. The Cincinnati Bengals have been a giant mess since that Super Bowl a few years ago. Since then, they have done nothing and are sitting at 3-5, one game in front of the Cleveland Browns for last place in their division.
I think the Bengals will beat up on the Raiders in Week 9, and it will feature Chase Brown finding the end zone and finishing as a top-2o running back for starts and sits this week.
Tony Pollard vs. New England Patriots
Tony Pollard was able to score double-digit points against one of the best-run defenses in football, the Detroit Lions. Now, he gets one of the softer match-ups, the New England Patriots. The Patriots are allowing 26.89 fantasy ppg, which is the fifth most in the NFL. They have also given up the second-most touchdowns and the fourth-most yards to the position. Pollard is my favorite start in starts and sits this week. I believe Pollard will score multiple touchdowns and be a RB1 in Week 9.
Running Back Sits
Josh Jacobs vs. Detroit Lions
This game can get very ugly and very quickly. The Green Bay Packers face the Detroit Lions, but Jordan Love might not play. With that being said, this was already a tough game, but if Love cannot play, this screams blowout. Malik Willis got the job done earlier in the season against bad teams, but against the Lions, the Packers need to be at full strength. Regardless, Josh Jacobs is on the bench this week against a team allowing 71 rushing ypg and just five total touchdowns in seven games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running backs @ Kansas City Chiefs
For two consecutive weeks in starts and sits, I find myself benching an entire backfield. This week, it is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing off against the Chiefs. The Chiefs are currently allowing the least amount of fantasy points to running backs with 13.61 ppg. That is 3.76 points less than the next team. The Chiefs run defense has allowed 80 TOTAL yards per game to running backs with just TWO total touchdowns in seven games. I simply cannot trust anyone on the Bucs besides the guy who has been a top 5 fantasy player this season, Baker Mayfield.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 9 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!