Fantasy Football Week 9 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Wide receivers

A flurry of trades in the last week shook up the wide receiver landscape. Jamey Eisenberg sorts through it all as he previews Week 9 at the position.

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Editor's note: Welcome to Week 9! We're handling Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em column a bit differently this season. You're still getting the same in-depth analysis as always, we're just presenting a bit differently, in an effort to get it out to you earlier in the day. This column takes a long time to write, and in the past, we've usually gotten it out to you in the evening. This year, we're going to publish it position-by-position, to get it into your hands quicker. Here's Jamey's take on wide receivers for this week.

Don't worry: If you want the classic Start 'Em & Sit 'Em, we'll still be publishing that at the end of the day with every position included. For now, here's wide receiver.

Wide receivers

Start 'Em

11.8 projected points	John Brown Baltimore Ravens WR
Brown has been great at home this season, and he's acclimated well to playing in Baltimore. In three home games against Buffalo, Denver and New Orleans, Brown has 15 catches for 264 yards and two touchdowns on 20 targets, and he's scored at least 13 PPR points in each outing. He also had three catches for 116 yards and a touchdown on seven targets in Week 4 at Pittsburgh, and the Steelers are No. 4 in the NFL in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers.
10.3 projected points	Amari Cooper Dallas Cowboys WR
Cooper will make his debut with the Cowboys on Monday night, and you know Dallas will do everything possible to feature him as much as possible after acquiring him from Oakland in trade for a first-round pick. I'll go back to what I said following the trade that he will operate much like Dez Bryant did for the Cowboys in 2017, and Bryant averaged 8.3 targets a game that season. Cooper has 27 games in his career with at least eight targets, and he's averaged 16.7 PPR points in those outings. This week, he's facing a Titans defense that has allowed big games to No. 1 receivers, including Kenny Stills in Week 1, DeAndre Hopkins in Week 2, Alshon Jeffery in Week 4 and Michael Crabtree in Week 6. It could be risky to trust Cooper, but I'm starting him in prime time.
12.5 projected points	DeSean Jackson Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR
In his first two games of the season with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jackson had nine catches for 275 yards and three touchdowns on nine targets, and hopefully that rapport remains solid now that Fitzpatrick is starting again. Jackson actually has played well with both quarterbacks in Tampa Bay this year, and he has at least 10 PPR points in 6-of-7 games, with at least 15 PPR points in four outings. In his past three meetings with the Panthers, Jackson has two games with at least 18 PPR points, and he's worth starting in most leagues this week. Chris Godwin is also worth using as a sleeper with Fitzpatrick back.
12.6 projected points	Marvin Jones Detroit Lions WR
Jones and Kenny Golladay get a significant boost in Fantasy value with Golden Tate now traded to Philadelphia, and both are worth starting this week, even with the tough matchup against Minnesota. The targets should be up for Jones with Tate gone, and he has 10 games since last season with at least seven targets. In those games, Jones has either 90 receiving yards or a touchdown in eight of them. We'll see if cornerback Xavier Rhodes (ankle) is able to play, which will clearly impact this secondary, and Jones beat up the Vikings last year with six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets in Week 12. Jones' Fantasy value is on the rise now that Tate is no longer in Detroit.
12.3 projected points	Courtland Sutton Denver Broncos WR
Sutton is another receiver who benefitted at the trade deadline with Demaryius Thomas sent to Houston. He now gets the chance for more targets as the starter opposite Emmanuel Sanders, and he should have the chance for a strong finish to his rookie campaign. For Week 9, Sutton is facing a Texans defense that has allowed 11 receivers to score or gain at least 75 receiving yards. While Sanders is the No. 1 option in this passing attack, the Broncos view Sutton as their future No. 1 receiver. And he already has at least eight PPR points in five games in a row, without getting more than six targets in a game this year. The time is now for Sutton to dominate.

Sleepers

• DJ Moore (vs. TB): Moore and Devin Funchess are worth starting this week with their matchup against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay allows the third-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and Moore is coming off his best game of the season in Week 8 against Baltimore with five catches for 90 yards, as well as 39 rushing yards. Moore and Funchess could both finish as top 20 receivers in all leagues.
• DeVante Parker (vs. NYJ): Parker will benefit if Kenny Stills (groin) and Albert Wilson (hip) are out again this week, and Parker was great in Week 8 at Houston with six catches for 134 yards on nine targets. The Jets have allowed 11 receivers to score or gain at least 100 receiving yards, and Parker has two touchdowns in his past four meetings with the Jets in his career.
• Jordy Nelson (at SF): Let's hope Nelson gets to at least six targets this week. If that happens, there's a good chance he goes off. There have been 13 receivers to get at least six targets against the 49ers, and 10 of them have either scored or gained at least 100 receiving yards. Nelson has two games with more than six targets this season, and he's scored in both. Last week, in the first game with Cooper, Nelson was a dud with one catch for 14 yards on four targets. A rebound game is coming this week.
• Tre'Quan Smith (vs. LAR): The last time Smith played at home was Week 5 against Washington, and he had three catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns on three targets. He's struggled the past two games at Baltimore and at Minnesota with a combined six catches for 62 yards on 10 targets, but this game should be high-scoring with the Rams, who have allowed 10 receivers to either score or gain 100 receiving yards this season.
• Tyler Lockett (vs. LAC): It feels like it's hard to trust Lockett because he's been touchdown dependent with minimal targets, catches and yards. But at some point, we're going to see Russell Wilson open up the offense, and hopefully Lockett will continue to benefit. He's scored in all but one game this season, and he has four games this year with at least 14 PPR points. I'm using him as at least a No. 3 receiver in most leagues until he starts proving me wrong on a consistent basis.

Sit 'Em

10.5 projected points	Calvin Ridley Atlanta Falcons WR
We'll see if the bye week helped Ridley in Week 8 because he was struggling prior to getting some time off. In three games prior to the bye at Pittsburgh, vs. Tampa Bay and vs. the Giants, Ridley combined for just 23 PPR points. He failed to score in each game, and he's been touchdown dependent for the most part this year. We knew his early-season production wasn't sustainable – he had six touchdowns through Week 4 – but hopefully he'll bounce back from his recent poor play. And in Week 9 at Washington, he's just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver. In two outdoor games this season at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Ridley has four catches for 38 yards on eight targets.
12.7 projected points	Corey Davis Tennessee Titans WR
I'm still hopeful for a second-half breakout for Davis, but until I see him start to produce on a consistent level, he's a fade for me. He still has just one touchdown on the season, and he's been held under 10 PPR points in four of his past five games. The Dallas secondary is also a tough matchup for him, and the Cowboys typically struggle with slot receivers more so than guys who typically line up outside. Stash Davis on your roster, but don't plan on starting him in Week 9.
11.6 projected points	Marquise Goodwin San Francisco 49ers WR
I'd be interested in playing Goodwin this week if C.J. Beathard (wrist) was healthy, but there's a chance the QB could miss the game Thursday night. That would leave Goodwin catching passes from Nick Mullens, which would make me nervous to trust him, even in a favorable matchup. Goodwin showed his big-play ability in Week 8 at Arizona with one catch for a 55-yard touchdown, and he has now scored in two of his past three outings. But he also has five targets or less in every game he's been able to play this year. If Beathard plays, then I'd use Goodwin as a No. 3 receiver with upside. But if Beathard is out, keep Goodwin on your bench in most formats.
9.0 projected points	Taylor Gabriel Chicago Bears WR
Gabriel didn't have a great game in Week 8 against the Jets despite Allen Robinson (groin) being out, and he finished with only four catches for 52 yards on six targets. He's now scored 14 combined PPR points in his past two games, and he appears to have fallen behind Anthony Miller as the top option in the Chicago passing game. I like Miller as a sleeper this week against Buffalo, but I would keep Gabriel reserved in most leagues, even if Robinson remains out. The Bills also allow the fifth-fewest Fantasy points to opposing receivers on the season.
11.7 projected points	Michael Crabtree Baltimore Ravens WR
Crabtree is coming off a down game in Week 8 at Carolina with three catches for 31 yards on five targets. And his worst game of the season was Week 4 at Pittsburgh with three catches for 29 yards on eight targets. He does have at least 11 PPR points in five of eight games, but he only has two touchdowns on the season. In PPR leagues, you can use Crabtree as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver. But in non-PPR leagues, with the lack of touchdowns and consistent yards – he has one game with more than 66 receiving yards this year – he's someone you can avoid this week against the Steelers.

Bust Alert

I'd love to be wrong on this one with Baldwin, and hopefully he has a breakout game this week. But it's hard to stay confident in him with his lack of production all year. In four games since coming back from a knee injury, Baldwin has one game with double digits in PPR points. He hasn't scored a touchdown yet, and his targets are seven, one, eight and three over that span. While Lockett and David Moore are making the most of their limited targets, Baldwin has been frustrating Fantasy owners with his lack of production. I'm still using Baldwin as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, but he should not be considered a must-start option in this game against the Chargers.

So who should you sit and start? And what shocking QB could win you Week 9? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy football rankings for every single position, and see which shocking QB finishes in the top 10 this week, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.