NFL bye weeks are, in a word, stupid.
I know the players need some R&R, but what about me? What about my needs? What about my fantasy team?
This week, what with Cleveland, the New York Jets, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay getting the week off, I’m kinda hosed at the running back position, as Browns RB Quinshon Judkins and Eagles RB Saquon Barkley are chilling out on the hammock.
And here’s a shocker for ya: There aren’t any RB1s on the waiver wire, which (I hope) (I think) makes my Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em, NFL Week 9 that much more relevant.
So let’s see who could salvage my lineup. If anybody.
NFL Week 9 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
Chargers QB Justin Herbert: Start ‘Em
Chargers @ Titans - 1:00 p.m. ET
This isn’t about Herbert as much as it is the Titans.
Okay, maybe it’s a little bit about Herbert, who leads the league in passing yards (2,140) and is tied for second in TD passes (tied for second) and is, at this point in his fantasy career, a plug-and-play option.
But if you’re hovering in the world of DFS, this might be your guy, as the Titans’ Swiss cheese D allows an average of 27 points per game, so a bit of deductive reasoning tells us that an offensive yardage monster could feast against a paper-thin D-line.
Justin Herbert PrizePicks Projection: 262.5 Pass Yards, 19.5 Rush Yards
Bears QB Caleb Williams: Start ‘Em
Bears @ Bengals - 1:00 p.m. ET
Earlier this week in my bold predictions missive, I wrote, “In their last two games, they’ve allowed, respectively, 39 and 33 points, and save for their opening day 17-16 win over Cleveland, they’ve yet to keep a team below 27 points. They’ve given up the most points in the league (253), and allow the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing QBs.
“Enter Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams.
“The former Heisman winner hasn’t had a bad season — he’s QB15 in fantasy, his 4 TD outing in Week 3 was a thing of beauty — but it’s not worthy of a top pick. Making things more frustrating for Williams, the Bears front office, and Chicago fans throughout the land, Denver’s Bo Nix and New England’s Drake Maye — a pair of quarterbacks selected after Williams in the 2025 NFL Draft — both rank in the top-20 in the MVP race, as per pretty much all of Las Vegas.
“But facing the Bengals, that whole we-should’ve-drafted-Nix thing could go out the window, and we might just see 350+ passing yards, 50+ rushing yards, and 3+ passing TDs from the highly-touted USC grad.”
So yeah, I’ll stick with that.
Caleb Williams PrizePicks Projection: 230.5 Pass Yards, 18.5 Rush Yards
Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers: Sit ‘Em
Steelers vs. Colts - 1:00 p.m. ET
Little in sports makes me happier than seeing that eternally smug Aaron Rodgers get embarrassed on national television, which is exactly what happened on Sunday night, when Packers QB Jordan Love demolished his predecessor in Green Bay, out-yarding him 360 yards to 219, and out-QBR-ing him 89.1 to 38.8.
Riding a two-game losing streak, the Steelers have to try and right the ship against a 7-1 team with an absurd 14.5+ point differential, so it could be another embarrassing Sunday for arguably the jerkiest guy in the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers PrizePicks Projection: 233.5 Pass Yards, 0.5 Rush Yards
Texans QBs C.J. Stroud: Sit ‘Em
Texans vs. Broncos - 1:00 p.m. ET
Last Sunday, for the first time in forever, C.J. Stroud looked like C.J. Stroud…or at least the rookie version of C.J. Stroud, the dude who tossed for 4,000+ yards, racking up 23 touchdowns to only 1 pick.
Can he give us a repeat performance of last week’s 316-passing-yards, 2-TD performance against San Francisco? I dunno, man, the first-place Broncos held Cowboys gunslinger Dak Prescott to 188 passing yards, grabbing a pair of interceptions in the process.
One good game doth not a comeback make. And Stroud has only had one good game.
C.J. Stroud PrizePicks Projection: 219.5 Pass Yards, 19.5 Rush Yards
Packers RB Josh Jacobs: Start ‘Em
Packers vs. Panthers - 1:00 p.m. ET
There are only a small handful of bell cow running backs in today’s NFL — Indy’s Jonathan Taylor and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey come to mind — and Josh Jacobs is among my faves.
He doesn’t have Taylor’s breakaway speed, nor does he have McCaffrey’s hands, but he does enough of everything to make him a fantasy darling — especially when he’s playing a Panthers team that allows 20+ fantasy points to opposing backs.
Jacobs might not get your Jonathan Taylor number, but you could sure do worse.
Josh Jacobs PrizePicks Projection: 70.5 Rush Yards
Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.: Start ‘Em
Giants vs. 49ers - 1:00 p.m. ET
First of all, anybody with any kind of football soul is pulling for the healthy return of Giants rookie RB sensation, Cam Skattebo, who suffered a gruesome ankle injury in Week 8 that put an end to what looked like a magical season.
With Cam on the shelf, Tracy becomes the de facto RB1 and, as noted above, having a bell cow back in your fantasy lineup doesn’t suck, especially when said bell cow will be ringing his bell against a defense that, over the last two weeks, has given up the tenth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs in the league.
But more importantly, get better, Cam.
Bears RB D’Andre Swift: Sit ‘Em
Bears @ Bengals - 1:00 p.m. ET
Just when I thought D’Andre Swift was good, he wasn’t.
After dropping 124 yards on the Saints in Week 7, he reverted to his typically blah self, managing just 45 to a Baltimore team that came into the game ranked in the bottom-ten in run-stopping.
Yes, the Bengals run D is abominable — they give up a whopping 36.1 fantasy points to opposing RBs — but, if as I predicted and Caleb Williams goes off, Swift will be left in the dust. And even if I knew before the game Caleb would mortal, I still wouldn’t want anything to do with Swift…until he managed two put back-to-back quality performances. For that, I don’t have high hopes.
D’Andre Swift PrizePicks Projection: 50.5 Rush Yards
Saints RB Alvin Kamara: Sit ‘Em
Saints @ Rams - 4:05 p.m. ET
It looks like the Aints are going to roll with rookie Tyler Shough at QB on Sunday, so one would think that with a first-year signal caller lining up behind an offensive line that Pro Football Network ranks as 30th out of 32, New Orleans coach Kellen Moore would want to get the ball out of Shough’s hand early and often. One would also think that means a heavy workload for Kamara.
Thing is, the former Tennessee Volunteer has yet to top 100 rushing yards this season, and he’s only averaging 3.2 targets per game, so unless Moore decides to turn the game over to Kamara — which he should, but probably won’t — let’s move on.
Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle: Start ‘Em
Dolphins vs. Ravens - 8:15 p.m. ET (Thursday Night Football)
Last Sunday afternoon, Fins QB Tua Tagovailoa threw 4 touchdowns. That won’t happen again on Thursday night.
But if nothing else, Tua rediscovered some semblance of his mojo, and Waddle, who grabbed 5 catches for 99 yards and a tuddy, should take advantage, especially against a Charm City defense that’s been distinctly uncharming, allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers (39.4…wow) in the league.
Jaylen Waddle PrizePicks Projection: 62.5 Receiving Yards
Patriots WR Mack Hollins: Start ‘Em
Patriots vs. Falcons - 1:00 p.m. ET
The thing about Pats QB Drake Maye is that he doesn’t have a favorite receiver. He kinda digs them all.
Three of his pass-catchers have seen 30+ targets, with another four getting over 19. Hollins sits in the latter category, hauling in an impressive 18 of his 21 looks.
As demonstrated by Miami’s Week 8 34-10 beatdown of Atlanta, the Falcons are a tad vulnerable, so if you’re looking for a deep cut receiver, take a peek at the sure-handed Hollins.
Panthers WR Tetarioa McMillan: Sit ‘Em
Panthers @ Packers - 1:00 p.m. ET
The rookie out of Arizona is a stud in training, but he hasn’t yet received a degree in studliness, so staring down a Micah Parsons-led Packers D that abused Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night, it’s far from logical to pin your fantasy football hopes on the league’s WR34…especially when he’ll be catching balls from 536-year-old QB Andy Dalton.
Vikings WR Jordan Addison: Sit ‘Em
Vikings @ Lions - 1:00 p.m. ET
As of this writing, we’re not sure who’ll be behind center for the Vikes, rookie J.J. McCarthy, or distinctly non-rookie Carson Wentz.
On a fantasy level, neither inspires confidence — this garbage duo of field generals has turned their WR1 Justin Jefferson into the league’s WR16 — so if WR1 can’t bring it, what can we expect from a WR2 facing a team that’s allowed the ninth-fewest points in the league.
Chargers TE Oronde Gadsden II: Start ‘Em
Chargers @ Titans - 1:00 p.m. ET
The rookie out of Syracuse is one quality performance away from being a must-start. To that end, against the league’s third-most porous defense, that must-start thing could be a thing sooner than later.
Oronde Gadsden II PrizePicks Projection: 49.5 Receiving Yards
Rams TE Tyler Higbee: Start ‘Em
Rams vs. Saints - 4:05 p.m. ET
Higbee’s target share has increased each of the last four games, the most notable being Week 6’s 40-yard, 1-TD performance against the Ravens.
Granted, the Ravens D, as noted, ain’t great, but if Higbee and QB Matthew Stafford are getting closer to being completely on the same page, it could be a problem for New Orleans…and the rest of the NFC.
49ers TE George Kittle: Sit ‘Em
49ers @ Giants - 1:00 p.m. ET
In his two games since returning from IR, the All-Pro tight end has totaled 7 catches for 43 yards. Is it rust? Is it a lack of connection with fill-in QB Mac Jones? Or did the dude just lose his stuff?
No idea, but I do know that flying cross country for a game against a team that wants to win one for Cam isn’t the best situation to get back on track.
George Kittle PrizePicks Projection: 51.5 Receiving Yards
Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Jr.: Sit ‘Em
Falcons @ Patriots - 1:00 p.m. ET
Last week, I had Pitts firmly planted in the Start ‘Em section of our program, and he let me down, catching all 9 of his targets, which he managed to run into 59 yards, and a 6.5 yards-per-catch average ain’t gonna get it done in fantasy or reality.
So from now until the end of the season, Kyle Pitts Jr. is an official Sit ‘Em, period, end of story.
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