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RotoBaller's updated Week 9 FLEX rankings for fantasy football in 2026. Read the weekend updates for our fantasy football FLEX rankings and win more.
With only the Titans and Steelers on the bye in Week 9, fantasy managers only have a small bye-week crunch to deal with. However, many fantasy teams are dealing with injuries that could make selecting the FLEX option in Week 9 trickier. At RotoBaller HQ, we updated our top 200 Week 9 fantasy football FLEX rankings to help with those tough FLEX decisions. In this article, you will find FLEX options like Antonio Williams, Braelon Allen, Ryan Flournoy, Chris Godwin Jr., Kenny Gainwell, Omarion Hampton, Chig Okonkwo, Makai Lemon, DeMario Douglas, Xavier Worthy, Demarcus Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Mike Gesicki, Eli Raridon, Jordyn Tyson, and Kaelon Black.
Our FLEX fantasy football rankings for Week 9 are put together by Nick Mariano. In addition to his rankings, below you will also find a summary of the important fantasy football injury news for this week. Key injuries are always in play, so be sure to check back until kickoff.
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Week 9 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football
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Week 9 FLEX Outlooks for Fantasy Football
Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams has emerged as a vital piece of the passing attack and an impact fantasy option. The rookie third-rounder recorded a season-high five catches (seven targets) for 54 yards in last week's win over the Eagles and continues to ascend in the absence of Terry McLaurin (knee). Williams will be relied upon more in Week 9 as Treylon Burks (foot) is also banged up and has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Rams.
Williams has been hyper-efficient on his targets from Jayden Daniels so far this season, connecting on 15 of 17 targets for 199 yards (13.3 yards per target). That connection should stay hot on Sunday against a Rams defense that has been stingy against the pass all season, allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. However, they are dealing with injuries to starters Jaylen Watson (shoulder) and Trent McDuffie (back), who is questionable after missing practice all week. Williams should be featured as one of Washington's top targets in the passing game and projects as a solid WR3/FLEX option for Week 9.
Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon has had a rough start to his rookie campaign, but he is starting to find his footing and is becoming more consistent. Lemon, who was drafted with the 20th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, has received at least six targets in the passing game in each of the past five games. Most recently, the USC product led the Eagles in targets (nine), receptions (six), and receiving yards (57) in last week's loss to the Washington Commanders. Lemon has seen an uptick in opportunities over the past two weeks as wide receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) have each missed the previous two games. Lemon has recorded a combined 13 receptions (on 17 targets) for 124 yards (9.5 yards per reception) and a touchdown over the last two games.
Smith and Wicks have also been ruled out for Week 9, so Lemon will continue to work as Philadelphia's de facto No. 1 wideout in a matchup with the New York Giants. Also of note, Joe Milton III is expected to make his first career start at quarterback for the Eagles, so Lemon's connection with him will be important. As for New York, it only allows 184.9 passing yards per game, which ranks third in the NFL. Additionally, per Pro Football Reference, the Giants allow 20.6 fantasy points per game to wide receivers (17th in the league). Lemon ranks as RotoBaller's No. 44 wide receiver for Week 9 (half-PPR). He should continue to see enough volume to warrant consideration as a flex or WR3 play.
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton could see a larger workload against the Houston Texans in Week 9 after offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel acknowledged Thursday that changes to the backfield rotation are under consideration. According to Alex Insdorf, McDaniel said the coaching staff has discussed adjusting how carries are distributed and praised Hampton's preparation throughout the week. Head coach Jim Harbaugh previously raised the possibility of relying more heavily on one running back rather than continuing the three-man rotation.
Hampton managed just 20 rushing yards on nine carries in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, while Kimani Vidal received eight carries for 23 yards and Keaton Mitchell added four carries for six yards. Hampton leads the Chargers with 89 carries for 309 yards and three touchdowns across seven games, although his last outing with at least 15 rushing attempts came in Week 3. An expanded role would improve his fantasy outlook, but the coaching staff has not committed to making him the featured back. Los Angeles' offensive struggles also leave Hampton as a risky FLEX option despite the encouraging comments.
Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson is worth targeting in 12-team PPR leagues, although his fantasy appeal comes primarily from receiving opportunities rather than rushing volume. RotoBaller lists him at 17% rostered, and he has caught nine of 11 targets for 94 yards in two games since returning from injured reserve. Sunday's 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers highlighted the distinction between Sampson's role and Quinshon Judkins' responsibilities.
Sampson played 39 offensive snaps (56%) and caught six passes for 62 yards, but received only one carry. Judkins, meanwhile, handled 11 rushing attempts despite playing fewer snaps (27, 39%). Cleveland spent much of the afternoon trailing, which contributed to Sampson's increased involvement in the passing game. He has also rushed seven times for 52 yards since returning, providing some additional production beyond his receiving work. Sampson offers immediate PPR flex potential and valuable backfield insurance, but his workload against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 will depend heavily on game script.
Kenny Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell put together his best performance of the season during last week's win over the Atlanta Falcons. Gainwell carried the ball 25 times for 140 yards during the victory. Both the carries and the yardage were season highs for Gainwell, who has seen a minimal workload throughout most of the season. The Bucs have leaned heavily on the rushing attack lately, which has led to more carries for Gainwell over the last two weeks.
He has run extremely well over the last two games and is expected to continue having an expanded role in Week 9. Sadly, he'll run into a Chicago Bears defense that ranks 4th in rush defense. The expectation is that the Bucs will keep pounding the ball, so Gainwell should at least offer flex value in deep leagues.
Who Should I Start Tool
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Week 9 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Antonio Williams, Braelon Allen, Ryan Flournoy, Chris Godwin Jr., Kenny Gainwell, Omarion Hampton, Chig Okonkwo, Makai Lemon, DeMario Douglas, Xavier Worthy, Demarcus Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Mike Gesicki, Eli Raridon, Jordyn Tyson, and Kaelon Black. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 9.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare, all in a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 9 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 9 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 9 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 9 for Antonio Williams, Braelon Allen, Ryan Flournoy, Chris Godwin Jr., Kenny Gainwell, Omarion Hampton, Chig Okonkwo, Makai Lemon, DeMario Douglas, Xavier Worthy, Demarcus Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Mike Gesicki, Eli Raridon, Jordyn Tyson, and Kaelon Black:
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