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Should I pick up and start Derek Carr for fantasy football in Week 9? Read our fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and fantasy lineup recommendations.
Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints may be simpatico after all.
The ex-Raider and first-year Saints quarterback has thrown for over 300 yards in three straight contests, following three games when he was under 185 yards. That stat may be a surprise because the star wideout on this offense, Chris Olave, was held under 60 yards against Jacksonville and Indianapolis. Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, and Taysom Hill are all making big plays in the passing game to help out their quarterback.
Carr's name still carries a stench because of his well-publicized early-season struggles. But there's some fantasy value in his play, especially with a tilt versus the Chicago Bears on deck.
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Derek Carr Fantasy Football Outlook
Thanks to Carr's offensive outburst (with the help of a couple of game scripts), the 32-year-old is averaging the 11th-most fantasy points over the last three weeks. Unfortunately, he's been just under the 20-point threshold in all three contests. He'll have a better chance to clear that mark against a soft Chicago secondary. Before the game got out of hand and the Chargers stopped throwing, Justin Herbert torched the Bears' defense.
The biggest blemish on Carr's resume this season is his difficulties in the red zone. When inside the 20, the Saints find paydirt just under 43% of the time. That ranks 27th in the league. The Saints also frequently opt to turn to Taysom Hill at quarterback when in scoring position.
Should I Start Derek Carr in Week 9 Fantasy Football?
Four of the top 14 quarterbacks on the season are on bye this week. Another two (Kirk Cousins and Joshua Dobbs) won't play this week. Number 15 on the list (Matthew Stafford) is also a question mark. There will be several fantasy managers looking for a streaming quarterback this week. Luckily for them, there are options aplenty.
| Quarterback | Opponent | Yahoo! Roster Percentage |
| Zach Wilson | Los Angeles Chargers | 7% |
| Mac Jones | Washington Commanders | 12% |
| Bryce Young | Indianapolis Colts | 16% |
| Dak Prescott | Philadelphia Eagles | 95% |
| Derek Carr | Chicago Bears | 70% |
The above players are playing the five worst defenses against fantasy football quarterbacks. Dak Prescott can be crossed off the list due to his roster percentage. The other three (Wilson, Jones, Young) take guts of steel to start. That leaves Carr, whose roster percentage is on the higher end, but could be available to those who need him.
With his recent play and great matchup in Week 9, Carr is a QB1 in the rankings for Week 9 and should be a near lock to connect on a deep ball to either Olave or Shaheed.
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