Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Justin Boone’s Week 9 lineup advice

Justin Boone provides a weekly look at undervalued fantasy players to consider starting this week and potential busts you might want to leave on your bench. 

For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult his Week 9 rankings. 

Starts

Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys

at Colts

It’s almost surprising that Prescott is the QB11 in fantasy points per game this year, considering he went a month without a multi-touchdown game at one point. Fortunately, he’s found the end zone at least twice in each of the past two weeks. 

Now Prescott faces a Colts team that’s circling the drain before a likely selloff at the trade deadline. In its first game after dealing Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, Indy was dismantled 42-7 by the Jaguars. The Cowboys are 5.5-point favorites on the road with the fourth-highest implied point total on the week. 

Though Dak hasn’t been the most reliable fantasy option this season, you can start him confidently as a top-five QB versus the Colts. 

Other QBs to start:

• Malik Willis vs. Lions – With the Dolphins’ young receiving corps getting healthy, Willis has been heating up lately as a solid fantasy streamer who offers a high floor and high ceiling. This is setting up to be a potential ceiling game for him, against a Detroit defense giving up the most fantasy points to QBs, including multiple TDs in every outing.  

• C.J. Stroud at Chargers – Stroud has quietly had a very solid season and, with the Texans’ struggles in the run game, you can expect the team to continue relying on his arm. The 25-year-old is tied for the fifth most fantasy points among quarterbacks over the last five weeks. Coming off the bye, Stroud should get a boost from Marvin Harrison Jr. getting more comfortable in the offense and Tank Dell seeing a rise in snaps. 

Chase Brown, RB, Bengals

at Falcons

Brown only finished as the RB20 in a great matchup with the Titans last week, but that would have been a top-12 fantasy back if his 20-yard touchdown catch wasn’t nullified by a penalty. 

The good news is that Brown continues to dominate the Bengals backfield, paying almost 70% of the snaps last week and turning them into 20 touches, 101 scrimmage yards and eight catches. 

He also gets another positive matchup with the Falcons defense that’s the fourth easiest matchup for fantasy running backs. Atlanta has allowed seven touchdowns to RBs over its last three games and just got decimated for over 300 rushing yards by the Buccaneers backs in Week 8. 

I know it’s been frustrating at times having Brown in your lineup; just don’t give up now. Bigger days are within reach. If you are planning to sell him, you’ll want to wait until after this game to get the most value. 

Other RBs to start:

• Jonah Coleman at Panthers – Coleman returned from IR and immediately took control of the Broncos backfield, playing 58% of the snaps over the last two weeks and racking up 173 scrimmage yards, six receptions and a touchdown. Now, he gets a Panthers defense that’s permitting the second-most fantasy points to his position. The rookie is a top-15 fantasy RB option this week. 

• Blake Corum at Commanders – Over the last month, the Rams offense has leaned on their backfield more with Davante Adams hitting IR. That resulted in both backs averaging top-15 fantasy stats, with Corum at RB13 and Kyren Williams at RB15. Don’t be misled; Williams is still the lead back and Corum hasn’t played over 50% of the snaps in any game. However, he’s getting plenty of opportunity, which should continue as 5.5-point favorites over the Commanders. 

• Tyler Allgeier at Seahawks – While I hate the matchup, it’s impossible to argue with the setup for Allgeier. Jeremiyah Love is on IR and Bam Knight is in concussion protocol. That leaves Allgeier as the last man standing in Arizona’s RB room. Though you can’t expect another 191-yard, five-catch, two-touchdown performance (because he’s not playing the Cowboys defense), Allgeier can still be started as a volume-based low-end RB2.

Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings

vs. Bills

Jefferson isn’t a name that makes it to the Start section very often because he’s such a talented player that fantasy managers don’t need a reminder. However, given the state of the quarterback play in Minnesota, starting Jefferson wasn’t as obvious as it had been in the past. 

The veteran wideout has been held to receiving-yard totals of 55, 32, 44 and 33 in four of his last five outings and Kyler Murray wasn’t finding his rhythm in Kevin O’Connell’s scheme. 

Murray’s new hamstring injury gave the coaching staff a chance to make a change and they jumped on it, naming Carson Wentz the starter for Monday’s matchup with the Bills. With Buffalo’s defense still being a work in progress, Wentz and company should be able to get the Vikings’ passing game back on track. 

That’s great news for Jefferson, who has averaged 6.4 receptions and 89.1 receiving yards during the seven games where Wentz has played at least 80% of the snaps over the last two seasons. That includes an 8-92-2 stat line from the opener this year. 

This move pushed Jefferson back into the top-10 fantasy WRs and in the conversation for a spot in the top-five for as long as Wentz is under center. 

Other WRs to start:

• George Pickens at Colts – Pickens has been playing through shoulder and hamstring injuries the last couple of weeks and his playing time has taken a slight hit because of it. Jerry Jones was very clear this week that he believes Pickens needs to be getting the ball more, so this could be the rare squeaky wheel game initiated by the owner. As it stands, Pickens is still 14th in receiving yards among wideouts, but that ranking could rise thanks to a matchup with the Colts. 

• Rashee Rice vs. Jets – For all the concerns about Rice before the season, he’s actually performed well in every outing. Rice has at least 83 yards or a touchdown in all four of his healthy appearances, including a 7-53-1 stat line in his first game back last week, despite only playing 56% of the snaps. That number should rise in a favorable spot against the Jets defense that plays a lot of single-high coverage, which Rice excels against. 

• Rome Odunze vs. Buccaneers – Odunze is 20th in receiving yards, but 53rd in fantasy points scored among wideouts. The discrepancy exists due to a lack of touchdowns, with Odunze not finding the end zone yet this season. Fortunately, the offense has been regaining its form with Caleb Williams back and Odunze has posted two of his best outings this season in recent weeks, with 69 yards against the Patriots and 87 yards versus the Seahawks. Next up is a Bucs defense that’s allowed five different WRs to top 85 yards in the last month. 

Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions

at Dolphins

Through the first five weeks, LaPorta was a top-five fantasy tight end against one of the easier schedules at his position. Then came a bye, followed by back-to-back matchups against the two toughest defenses against his position: the Packers and Vikings. 

That led conspiracy theorists to speculate that the team was punishing LaPorta for his comments about being frustrated with contract extension talks with the organization. I’m guessing the degree of difficulty being turned up on him had more to do with it. 

Thankfully, a softer matchup has arrived with the Dolphins defense giving up the third most fantasy points to tight ends. The Lions are also tied for the second-highest implied point total on the slate. This all points to a bounce-back week for LaPorta, which is why he’s back in my top five. 

Other TEs to start:

• Kyle Pitts Sr. vs. Bengals – After three straight top-12 TE finishes, Pitts finally came back down to earth with just two catches for six yards in a rainy loss to the Bucs last week. Now, he suits up for a potential shoutout in the dome against a Bengals defense that’s the ninth most generous unit to tight ends. 

• Mike Gesicki at Falcons – You can also start the other tight end in that game, with Gesicki having a great chance to extend his touchdown streak versus Atlanta. The veteran has scored a touchdown in six of his seven outings and currently sits as the TE6 in fantasy points per game. You could do worse than streaming him in a game that’s tied for the highest projected point total at 52.5. 

Sits

Bryce Young, QB, Panthers

vs. Broncos

It seems like the distant past now, but Young was the QB4 overall in fantasy points per game through the first six weeks, in part thanks to an easy early-season schedule. Life comes at you fast, though and a slew of injuries on the offensive line have completely changed the outlook for this offense. It doesn’t help that their last two opponents have been much tougher, the Buccaneers and Packers, leading to a test that Young ultimately failed. 

Coming off his two lowest fantasy outputs of the season, Young now has another difficult challenge ahead with the Broncos defense that got back Patrick Surtain II last week. There will be better days ahead, including the Saints matchup in Week 10, but for now, Young needs to head to your bench. 

Other QBs to sit:

• Geno Smith at Chiefs – Kansas City’s defense is allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and tends to be even more stout at home. Meanwhile, the Jets are likely to be without their top receiver Garrett Wilson, who is in concussion protocol. This isn’t the spot to play Smith. 

• Baker Mayfield at Bears – At some point, Mayfield will begin throwing again and this could be the week, since he’s facing a high-scoring Bears offense. But forgive me if I’m not interested in starting a quarterback who hasn’t topped 13 fantasy points in a game this season and has only attempted 14 passes over the last two weeks. 

Rachaad White, RB, Commanders

vs. Rams

White came through in Week 8 thanks to a touchdown, but his usage (13 touches, 47% snap share) was disappointing given the matchup with the Eagles and the fact that Jacory Croskey-Merritt is on IR. 

The situation isn’t getting better this week against a Rams defense that’s his toughest opponent yet. Not only are they allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to running backs, but it’s possible Myles Garrett could be activated for the game. 

This all points to a risky setup for White, who will likely need another touchdown to save his fantasy day again. 

Other RBs to sit:

• Zach Charbonnet vs. Cardinals – The Seahawks are 8.5-point favorites, so the possibility of a goal-line carry is always there. However, it’s tough to get overly excited about Charbonnet, who managed just 29 yards on nine touches while playing 37% of the snaps in his season debut. Rookie Jadarian Price displayed far more juice during the game and should earn more touches moving forward, while Charbonnet remains in a supporting role. 

• Omarion Hampton vs. Texans – Coming off the Chargers’ bye, Hampton played a season-low 29.5% of the snaps. The sophomore back has only topped 56 scrimmage yards once this season. Like most of the running backs in this section, he’s purely a TD-or-bust RB3. 

• Jordan Mason vs. Bills – Mason returned to the lineup in Week 7 with a 64% snap share and 15 carries for 68 yards. Unfortunately, just one week later, those numbers dropped to 28% of the snaps and just eight carries for 20 yards. While the matchup with the Bills is a positive one, it’s hard to trust Mason until we see more from him and the Vikings offense as a whole. 

Michael Wilson, WR, Cardinals

at Seahawks

Wilson finally rediscovered his ceiling with an eight-catch, 111-yard, one-touchdown performance, but it took a very friendly matchup with the Cowboys to get there. 

Wilson also accomplished the feat while playing through two broken ribs, something that will continue to be a challenge this week. 

It’s also worth remembering that Wilson was held to 55 yards or less in three straight games before that springboard encounter with Dallas. The Seahawks defense, which is giving up the fewest fantasy points to wideouts, won’t be the same kind of pushover. That makes Wilson a volatile WR3. 

Other WRs to sit:

• Jalen Coker vs. Broncos – The issues on the offensive line and the difficult matchup with the Broncos defense are more than enough reason to avoid Coker this week. He’s only managed three catches over his last two outings. 

• Chris Godwin Jr. at Bears – Godwin hasn’t topped 50 receiving yards in a game this season and hasn’t reached 40 yards in his last six appearances. Injuries have simply sapped his effectiveness, and given his age, it’s likely his best days are behind him.  

• Xavier Worthy vs. Jets – Worthy has been held to 25 yards or less in five of his seven games this season. He’s also only found the end zone once all year, making him a very shaky flex option at best. 

Dalton Kincaid, TE, Bills

at Vikings

Kincaid’s best performances have coincided with DJ Moore being in the lineup, which gives you hope that he can get back to being a top-10 fantasy tight end the rest of the way. Unfortunately, this week’s matchup is with the Vikings defense, which is the biggest threat to tight ends by far this season. 

Minnesota is allowing just 5.5 fantasy points per game, with the second-place Packers coming in at 7.0 fppg. The Vikings also haven’t allowed a touchdown to a tight end and we’ve yet to see them give up more than 65 yards to a player at the position. Even if you look back to last year, Brian Flores’ crew was the eighth-worst opponent for tight ends. If Kincaid comes through this week, it will be an outlier based on what we’ve seen from this defense in 2026. 

Other TEs to sit:

• Chig Okonkwo vs. Rams – After back-to-back 60-plus-yard games, Okonkwo managed just two catches for 32 yards in a tougher matchup with the Eagles last week. The Rams are the seventh most difficult opponent for fantasy tight ends, so I wouldn’t get my hopes up here. 

• Tyler Higbee at Commanders – Higbee has been held to 22 yards, 14 yards and 14 yards over his last three outings, and it’s possible Terrance Ferguson could return for this contest.

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