Fantasy Football Week 9 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks
Make the right call at QB for Week 9.
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1 min read
A couple of tiers have started to develop at the quarterback position for Fantasy, and it's created some interesting outcomes for Fantasy players. At the tippy top, you've got Russell Wilson, averaging 35.7 Fantasy points per game, followed by a drop down to the Kyler Murray-Patrick Mahomes tier, at 30.5 and 30.7.
Then you've got six more quarterbacks averaging at least 25 Fantasy points per game: Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson and Ryan Tannehill. Not exactly what you expected, and I'm not sure everyone considers all six must-start quarterbacks; especially not Tannehill (who plays the Bears in Week 9) or Herbert (vs. Raiders). Lamar Jackson is in the next tier behind this group right now, but he's in that must-start discussion still.
So, that leaves seven must-start Fantasy quarterbacks, just about what we expected coming into the season. After that? The gap between Drew Brees (the No. 13 QB in points per game) and Jared Goff (No. 20) is just 2.0 points. Which means there are a lot of options to consider every week, and a lot of you making decisions every week. Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em calls for Week 9 will help you make the right ones.
More Week 9 help: Starts & Sits, Sleepers & Busts | RB Preview | WR Preview | QB Preview | PPR Cheat Sheet | Non-PPR Cheat Sheet | Matchup Notes | Game Previews | Sleepers | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: QB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: RB | Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: WR | Biggest Questions | Waiver Wire | TE Preview | Trade Values | Cut List | Winners and Losers | Believe It or Not
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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The first four games of the season were amazing for Allen when he scored at least 29 Fantasy points in each outing. The past four, however, have been disappointing with under 20 Fantasy points in each game. Well, as we're in November now, hopefully a new month will bring a change for Allen, and he can start producing like he did to open the year. It helps that he's facing a Seattle defense that has struggled with quarterbacks all season, especially rushing ones. Cam Newton, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Kyler Murray all had at least 10 Fantasy points with their legs, which should help Allen's floor since he has four rushing touchdowns on the season. And the Seahawks allow the second-most passing yards on the year. This should be a solid bounce-back week for Allen at home.
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Newton hasn't scored more than 17 Fantasy points since Week 2, but this should be a breakout game for him against the Jets. They have struggled with rushing quarterbacks -- Josh Allen twice went for over 57 rushing yards with one touchdown and Kyler Murray had 31 rushing yards and a score -- but hopefully Newton will find some success through the air as well. Three of the past four opposing quarterbacks against New York (Murray, Allen and Patrick Mahomes) all had at least 307 passing yards. I'm buying back into Newton as a starting Fantasy quarterback this week given his opponent.
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Don't look at what Carr did in Week 8 at Cleveland given the awful weather. Instead, look at what Carr did in five games before that when he scored at least 22 Fantasy points in four outings, with a low of 19 points at New England in Week 3. The Chargers just traded slot cornerback Desmond King to the Titans, and the Chargers have allowed five passing touchdowns in their past two games against Gardner Minshew and Drew Lock. Carr has the potential to be a top 10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 9.
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Herbert just continues to produce at a high level on a weekly basis, and he shouldn't slow down this week against the Raiders. He's scored at least 27 Fantasy points in four games in a row, and he only has one game under 23 Fantasy points in six games as a starter. The Raiders, prior to last week's game in the bad weather against Baker Mayfield, allowed 997 passing yards and 11 total touchdowns in three games in a row against Allen, Mahomes and Tom Brady. Herbert again has top-five upside in this matchup.
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Sleepers
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Lock just had the second 20-plus Fantasy point game of his career in Week 8 against the Chargers, and hopefully he can build off it in Week 9 at Atlanta. While the Falcons defense has improved in three games under interim coach Raheem Morris, Atlanta remains No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks for the season. As for Lock, his receiving corps is getting healthy and could have Tim Patrick (hamstring) back, which could make Lock a decent streaming option this week.
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The Titans don't have much of a pass rush to scare opposing quarterbacks, which should be good for Foles. Tennessee has allowed eight passing touchdowns in the past three weeks, and Foles just had 20 Fantasy points against New Orleans in Week 8.
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This is for Fantasy managers in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues since Luton will make his first NFL start, and it's a great matchup against the Texans. Houston has allowed 948 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in its past three games prior to Week 9, with Gardner Minshew passing for 301 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans in Week 5.
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Sit 'Em
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Brees had his first game with more than 20 Fantasy points on the road this year when he scored 23 points at Chicago in Week 8. We'll see if he can make it two in a row against the Buccaneers, who held him to 18 Fantasy points in Week 1 at home. There is a chance Michael Thomas (hamstring) returns this week for the Saints, who should also get Emmanuel Sanders (illness) back, and both would be a huge boost for Brees. But the Buccaneers have been tough on opposing quarterbacks all season and should limit Brees in this matchup.
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I'm not sitting Roethlisberger because of the matchup with the Cowboys, and he's more of a bust alert than a must-sit candidate. I'm just concerned about his pass attempts and having to do much against an opponent that might not put up much of a fight. The Cowboys haven't allowed a quarterback to pass for more than 222 passing yards in five games in a row, mostly with teams just running all over Dallas. And Roethlisberger has been under 20 Fantasy points in three games in a row, with two of those outings where he's attempted fewer than 33 passes. The Cowboys have scored a combined 21 points in three games without Dak Prescott (ankle), and the Steelers defense and run game should be dominant this week, leaving little for Roethlisberger to do.
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The Chiefs have allowed just two quarterbacks to pass for multiple touchdowns this season with Carr and Allen, and they haven't allowed a quarterback to score in two games against Lock and Sam Darnold. Bridgewater will hopefully perform better than the latter two quarterbacks, but it might not be by much. He's been under 15 Fantasy points in two of his past three games, and we'll see what the return of Christian McCaffrey (ankle) does for Carolina's offense since Bridgewater averaged just 14.0 Fantasy points in two games with McCaffrey this year.
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This is for Fantasy managers in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues since it's hard to trust Tagovailoa after his first start in Week 8 against the Rams. He didn't have to do much with 22 pass attempts, but he only completed 12 of them for 93 yards and a touchdown, along with a lost fumble. Hopefully, things will improve against the Cardinals, but it's his first road start against an Arizona defense coming off a bye. And Miami's offense is down a key weapon with Myles Gaskin (knee) out. I'd prefer to avoid Tagovailoa in all formats this week.
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Rivers comes into Week 9 with a solid two-game stretch against Cincinnati and Detroit where he's scored at least 28 Fantasy points in both outings. He has 633 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception over that span, and it's been fun to watch him have success throwing the ball again after opening the year with 16 Fantasy points or less in five games in a row. But I'm not playing him this week against the Ravens, even in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues if I can avoid it. Baltimore has held three quarterbacks in a row under 215 passing yards -- Joe Burrow, Carson Wentz and Roethlisberger -- and only Wentz had over 20 Fantasy points because he had 49 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. As we know, Rivers isn't going to help himself with any rushing production.
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Bust Alert
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I expect Tannehill to be OK this week, but I don't expect him to have a high ceiling. He'll likely finish in the same range where he's been the past two weeks against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati with 20.5 Fantasy points based on his average. The Bears have only allowed two quarterbacks to score multiple touchdowns against them with Jared Goff and Brees, which have come in the past two weeks, but they also shut down Stafford, Matt Ryan and Brady this year. And Tannehill's two modest games the past two weeks have come with standout left tackle Taylor Lewan (ACL) sidelined, and Tannehill gets to face Khalil Mack in this matchup. I like Tannehill in Week 9, but I don't love him, which is why he's in this spot for Week 9.
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So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 9 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big-time last season.
