Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Wide Receivers For Fantasy Football Week 9

Michael Fabiano | 1 Hour Ago

Terry McLaurin (left) is a start in fantasy this week while Zay Flower (right) is a surprise sit. / Terry McLaurin: Cooper Neill/Getty ImagesZay Flowers: Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

It’s Week 9, folks! Time to set those fantasy lineups! Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I'll examine the wide receivers who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their weekly opponent … like Cedric Tillman and DeAndre Hopkins in Week 8!

For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy player rankings. I update them daily! Also, make sure you subscribe to the Fantasy Dirt Podcast with Lindsay Rhodes and me as we break down all things fantasy football five days a week!

All Positions: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | K & DSTs

Byes: 49ers, Steelers

Fabs’ Top 10 Wide Receivers

1. Justin Jefferson vs. Colts
2. CeeDee Lamb at Falcons
3. Ja'Marr Chase vs. Raiders
4. A.J. Brown vs. Jaguars
5. Tyreek Hill at Bills
6. Drake London vs. Cowboys
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown at Packers
8. Puka Nacua at Seahawks
9. Malik Nabers vs. Commanders
10. Cooper Kupp at Seahawks

Complete Week 9 wide receiver rankings

Week 9 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Chris Olave at Panthers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Olave finally woke up last weekend, putting up 18.7 fantasy points in a loss to the Chargers. He had failed to score more than 12 points in four of his previous six contests, so it was a welcome sight. I’d keep him in lineups this week too, as he faces a Panthers defense that’s surrendered eight touchdowns and the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing perimeter receivers this season.

Start ‘Em

Terry McLaurin at Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox): McLaurin’s hot streak continued last week, as he scored 17.5 points despite a bad matchup on paper against the Bears. This week the opposite is true, as he faces the Giants. New York held him to just 8.2 points back in Week 2, but that was before McLaurin started to heat up. Their defense has been bad against the perimeter, allowing five touchdowns and the seventh-most points per game.

DeVonta Smith vs. Jaguars (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Smith busted out in the stat sheets a week ago, scoring 20.5 fantasy points in a win over the Bengals. That came after he had just 0.80 points the previous week. Smith should remain in all lineups against the Jaguars, who have allowed nine touchdowns and the fourth-most PPR points per game to wide receivers. Smith should post top-20 numbers this weekend.

Courtland Sutton at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Sutton has alternated good and bad stat lines for the last four weeks, but this week’s matchup in Baltimore makes him tough to sit despite those inconsistencies. The Ravens' defense has allowed the most fantasy points per game to perimeter receivers, including seven touchdowns. Overall, their defense has allowed 11 wideouts to score 13-plus points including six who have scored 20-plus.

Xavier Worthy vs. Buccaneers (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Worthy isn’t putting up big totals, but he’s certainly worth using as a flex starter. He’s scored 11-plus points in three of his last four games, and a matchup against Tampa Bay is very favorable. In fact, their defense has allowed seven touchdowns and the third-most points per game in the last four weeks. Overall, the Bucs are allowing 158.0 receiving yards per game to wideouts.

WRs With Good Matchups

• Josh Downs at Vikings (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Darnell Mooney vs. Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Romeo Doubs vs. Lions (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)

Week 9 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is a surprise sit this week. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Sit of the Week

Zay Flowers vs. Broncos (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Flowers has been on fire recently, scoring at least 18.5 points in three of his last four games. Still, this week’s matchup against the Broncos is a tough one. CB Patrick Surtain and his defensive teammates have allowed just four scores and the fourth-fewest points per game to wide receivers. What’s more, just one receiver has scored more than 14.2 points in a game against them on the perimeter in 2024.

Sit ‘Em

Amari Cooper vs. Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Cooper did see his snap count increase last week, but he still saw just two targets in a win over the Seahawks. What’s more, Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir both played more snaps and had more targets in the game. Next up is a tough matchup against CB Jalen Ramsey and the Dolphins, who have given up just two touchdowns and the seventh-fewest points per game to the perimeter.

Jaylen Waddle at Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Waddle’s numbers have been awful since Week 2, as he’s failed to score more than 8.6 points in six straight games. That had a lot to do with the absence of Tua Tagovailoa, but Tagovailoa returned last week and Waddle was still held to 8.5 points. Waddle has also been bad against the Bills in his career, as he’s been held to single digits in four of six career matchups. At best, Waddle is a shaky flex option.

Jordan Addison vs. Colts (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): This is more about Addison’s lack of any kind of fantasy points as opposed to this week’s matchup. The USC product has been held to four or fewer targets in all but one game this season, and he’s been held to single digits in four of five contests. The Vikings will have T.J. Hockenson back in the mix this week too, which just splits up the target pie even more. Addison should be benched.

Jerry Jeudy vs. Chargers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Jeudy had a nice game last week, catching five passes and scoring 12.9 points in a win over the Ravens. However, Cedric Tillman seems to have taken over as Cleveland’s new alpha receiver, and a matchup versus the Chargers is less than favorable. In fact, their defense has surrendered the fewest points per game to wide receivers. I’d start Tillman, who is hot, but Jeudy is a fade this weekend.

WRs With Bad Matchups

• Tank Dell at Jets (Thurs. 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Bears (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Wan’Dale Robinson vs. Commanders (1 p.m. ET, Fox)