Week 9 of the fantasy football season is officially underway, and it’s almost time for you to lock in your lineup for the week. Fantasy is hard, and while some people claim to be “experts,” nobody can predict injuries or players just completely underperforming.

We’re not claiming to be experts, but Tim and I have over two decades’ worth of fantasy experience under our belts, so we like to think we’re pretty knowledgeable on the subject. So, if you need some fantasy help and want some advice on who you should start and sit this week, look no further than this article.

Here are our best starts and sits in Week 9.

Start ‘Em

Quarterback

Luke’s Picks

Daniel Jones: Daniel Jones faces a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has been surprisingly bad this season. They allow the second-most points to opposing QBs, and while Indy’s run game is dominating, Jones is still having a career year through the air.

Sam Darnold: Another quarterback who isn’t always being started in fantasy that has a great matchup is Sam Darnold. He faces a Washington defense that gives up 20 points to opposing quarterbacks, and Darnold’s average sits right in that 18-20 point range. It should be a very viable fantasy option this week.

Tim’s Picks

If Kyler Murray were fully healthy, this would be a gimme. But I can’t go with Arizona here.

Caleb Williams: Instead of Murray, I will pivot to Caleb Williams against the Bengals. I like the chemistry that’s building with the entire receiving corps and against a battered Bengals secondary that is already giving up the seventh-most points to QBs, sign me up. Stat freaks want me to hedge my bets here, pointing out that without the Dallas game on his stat line, Williams would go from QB15 to QB25. And yet, that game happened, and so will this one to bump Williams up into the top 12.

Matthew Stafford: I’m kind of shocked Luke didn’t immediately gravitate toward Matthew Stafford against the Saints, so I’ll go there. No. 9 has three TDs in three of his last four games and is getting Puka Nacua back against a middling Saints secondary and overall, a team now playing for the No. 1 pick in 2026.

Running Back

Luke’s Picks

Kimani Vidal: Ever since Omarion Hampton went down with an injury, Kimani Vidal has been an excellent replacement. He’s scored 15+ points twice in his last three games, and now he gets a Tennessee defense that’s allowing 28+ points to opposing running backs. Start him this week if you’ve got him.

Tyrone Tracy Jr.: With Cam Skattebo out, Tyrone Tracy is set to take over as RB1 for the New York Giants. He has a decent matchup against San Francisco, but his receiving upside is why he’s a start for me. I think he’s going to be pretty involved in the pass game with Skattebo out.

Tim’s Picks

Let me just say I hope Luke is right on those picks, because I have big shares of both on my league teams. (And I have Hampton plenty as well, so I’m hoping this is the last week Vidal is the feature back.)

Javonte Williams: The game script should favor Javonte Williams against the Cards. Yes, I know, most of you like to avoid Monday Night starts if you can, so you don’t have to wait for the results. But I think this will be worth it. Williams is a shocking RB so far and has TDs in six of his last eight games. The Cards are middling against the run, giving up 16.6 FPPG to RBs. I’d take that all day as a point total to put me over the top on a Monday night.

Kyle Monangai: The Bears’ rookie will be the beneficiary of D’Andre Swift’s absence. The rookie from Rutgers has been impressive as the change-of-pace back thus far, but much like Skattebo’s evolution, he will shine when given the chance at the clear spotlight – especially against a Bengals D giving up a league-worst 27 FPPG to running backs.

Wide Receiver

Luke’s Picks

Marvin Harrison Jr: I know Marvin Harrison Jr. is yet to live up to the hype, but he has the best matchup of any receiver in the league this week, going against the Dallas Cowboys. With Kyler Murray back, he’s going to be targeted more and more, so he should have a good week.

Michael Pittman: With Josh Downs potentially missing this week’s game and the fact that Michael Pittman is facing one of the worst pass defenses in football, he should be in for a big game on Sunday. I think Pitt will sell out to stop the run, forcing Daniel Jones to throw the ball more, and Pittman is going to be one of the main beneficiaries of that.

Tim’s Picks

George Pickens: I did not expect to be leaning into George Pickens this late in the season. And on paper, you want to stay away from this, as the Cardinals have given up the eighth-fewest points to WRs. But analytics and AI can never replace what we see with our eyes. And in this matchup, I think both CeeDee Lamb and Pickens are going to feast. And given that Dallas is rarely making stops, volume is not going to be an issue here. 

Ladd McConkey: Picking the Chargers’ WR1 at the Titans feels like stealing Halloween candy from toddlers. The early-season Keenan Allen push has subsided. Quentin Johnston, who? McConkey is averaging six-plus catches over the last four games, and it’s going to reach a peak this week. I’m thinking we could see 10 catches and 130 yards with two tuddies here.

Bonus: I think Nico Collins is going to GO OFF without Patrick Surtain II to be all up in his business. 

Tight End

Luke’s Picks

Kyle Pitts: The Kyle Pitts breakout is likely never coming, but he’s still a very solid tight end in the NFL. He’s been pretty good this year, especially when Michael Penix plays, and this week he has a favorable matchup against the New England Patriots, who give up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. 

Sam LaPorta: LaPorta has not lived up to the hype since his excellent rookie season, but as the season goes on, it feels like the Detroit Lions will need to get him more involved. Their offense is better when he’s playing well, and this week they should score a lot against the Minnesota Vikings, so I’m betting on a pretty good week from LaPorta.

Tim’s Picks

Brock Bowers: This is a typical no-brainer, right? Given Bowers’ injuries and overall sophomore inconsistency, most of Fantasy Nation is angry at the Raiders stud right now. They wasted high draft picks for low yield thus far. And given the overall cloud over the offense, it’s felt like a full-on bust. Bowers sat out three games and got a bye in there to heal the knee. In his one healthy game this year in the opener, he put up 103 yards against the Pats. The Jags have given up a TD to tight ends in three of their last four games. I’m expecting this to be the last week I can put him in start ’em, sit ’em, because he’s going to be a “duh?” pick from here on out.

Oronde Gadsden II: The hype is real here, folks. I’m looking to ride Gadsden to a fantasy title in many leagues, because we all know it’s your prowess on the waiver wire that seals that deal. Gadsden has been a gift, and that gift keeps on giving this week, even against a Titans D that has been solid against the position.

Sit ‘Em

Quarterback

Luke’s Picks

Michael Penix: I just don’t see the Atlanta Falcons having much success against the Patriots this week. Their offense has been in the dumps recently, and even though I think Pitts could have a decent game, I wouldn’t start Penix. I don’t think there’s enough upside to start him over most other quarterbacks.

Jayden Daniels: The Washington Commanders are expecting to have Jayden Daniels back this week for their game against Seattle, but I’m not sure I’d start him. He hasn’t been the fantasy beast he was last year, and the Commanders’ offense is just all sorts of banged up.

Tim’s Picks

Bo Nix & C.J. Stroud: Good picks from Luke, but I’ll simply say I’m staying away from the Broncos-Texans game altogether. I like the season progression of Bo Nix and C.J. Stroud, but I just don’t like the matchups for either here (other than for Collins, as I said above).

Those are two hard sits for me if you have the luxury.

Trevor Lawrence: I’m hoping that coming off the bye, he will get cooking with Brian Thomas Jr. against the Raiders. But sadly, Lawrence is going to be a sit for me the rest of 2025. Personally, I love him. But in fantasy, he has been a classic Lucy-Charlie Brown-football headache, and I’m tired of getting burned.

Running Back

Luke’s Picks

Chuba Hubbard: I know Chuba Hubbard owners are waiting for him to take over the backfield again, but Rico Dowdle isn’t going anywhere. He’s playing super well right now, so at best they’ll split carries 60-40, and this week they have a very tough matchup against the Packers.

Jaylen Warren: The Indianapolis Colts have struggled defending the pass, but they’ve been very stout against the run. They allow the 7th-least points to opposing RBs, and I don’t see Pittsburgh hanging around in this game for too long. This is going to be a track meet, so expect the Steelers to throw the ball much more often than they’re accustomed to.

Tim’s Picks

Jacory Croskey-Merritt: No thanks on Jacory Croskey-Merritt or any Commanders against the Seahawks. I think Daniels is going to have a decent return game, mostly because Seattle is going to stonewall the run and force Daniels to throw plenty.

We should be banned from putting Titans in the sit ‘em because that’s a given from here on out. But just be aware that this is especially true with the RBs.

Jordan Mason: And I’m out on Jordan Mason until further notice. He just hasn’t shown the endurance ability to be relevant in the second half of seasons. And that will be especially true against a nasty Lions D-line. 

Wide Receiver

Luke’s Picks

Quentin Johnston: After a red-hot start to the season, Quentin Johnston has cooled down quite significantly. Still, his play early in the season has him being started in nearly half of Sleepers’ redraft leagues. This week, he has a favorable matchup, but I’d stay away from him. I think the Chargers get up big and run the football a lot, and when Justin Herbert does pass, he’s going to be looking at Oronde Gadsden, Keenan Allen, and Ladd McConkey.

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Courtland Sutton: Another guy I’m benching from the same game is Courtland Sutton. He may be WR1 in Denver, but the Texans have one of the best defenses in the league. Points (and fantasy points) will be at a premium in this game.

Tim’s Picks

Big second on Sutton, and I made it clear how I feel about Johnston already. 

Stefon Diggs: It pains me to say this, but I’m sitting Stefon Diggs against the Falcons (and really, until he shows he has a second burst left in him down the stretch here). Drake Maye is getting confidence in all his available hands now, and with Diggs battling nagging injuries, he’s been held under 35 years twice in the last three games. 

Romeo Doubs: Doubs is the boom-bust wideout of the moment, and it’s a bust this week against a Carolina D giving up the sixth-fewest points to WRs.

Tight End

Luke’s Picks

Dalton Kincaid: The Buffalo Bills’ TE1 has had a couple of big games this year, but overall has been pretty underwhelming fantasy-wise. I don’t think that changes this week. The Chiefs have a great defense, and I think a lot of the Bills’ offense is going to come from James Cook and Josh Allen playing hero ball.

Theo Johnson: Theo Johnson seems to be pretty boom or bust. He’s had some big games, but he’s also put up some stinkers. I don’t see the Giants having a ton of success this week without Cam Skattebo, so everyone’s going to see their fantasy production go down.

Tim’s Picks

I’m just out on T.J. Hockenson in general, especially at the Lions. This is also a bad matchup week for Travis Kelce. I’d like to say that given the spotlight moment, he will rise above the analytics, but I think he’ll be more of a decoy that opens up the field for everyone else this week.

Best FLEX

Luke’s Pick

TreVeyon Henderson: Maybe this is just me wanting TreVeyon Henderson to finally have a big game, but with Rhamondre Stevenson ruled out on Sunday, this is finally his chance to be RB1. He’s coming off the best game of his career, and he has a somewhat favorable matchup against Atlanta. If you can afford to risk it, he has a ton of upside this week.

Tim’s Pick

Jameson Williams: I’m going to believe what the Detroit coaches are saying in terms of wanting to get Jameson Williams more involved. To hear an OC be that publicly contrite in knowing they’ve screwed a player over, I’m figuring on a big target week here.

Best Sleeper

Luke’s Pick

Chimere Dike: Ever since Brian Callahan was fired, Chimere Dike has been one of the best fantasy wideouts in the NFL, scoring 16 points in each of his last two. He’s seen a drastic increase in snap count, and he has an obvious connection with Cam Ward. I don’t love the matchup, but if Ward keeps targeting him like he has the last two weeks, Dike could have another 15+ point outing.

Tim’s Pick

Geno Smith has earned every ounce of venom that has come his way around his 2025 performance. With a healthy Bowers and a bye week to work with his corps, I think Smith puts up big fantasy numbers this week. I don’t think it translates to a win, but it could put you over the top in your matchup.