Week 9 NFL Matchups Analysis: Start/Sit for Fantasy Football (Part 2)

Adam Sabol analyzes the Week 8 NFL matchups, and provides fantasy football start/sit advice for games 8-13. Set you optimal lineups with quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends & running backs.

Welcome to Week 9 of NFL and fantasy football action, RotoBallers.

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down each of the NFL matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well.

Below, you will find our Week 9 NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis, which should help you prepare your lineups to win this week. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL matchups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

To read about the rest of this week’s NFL matchups, check out Start/Sit &  Matchups Analysis for Games 1-8 and our Week 9 Standard and PPR Rankings. And of course you can always stop by the RotoBaller chat rooms for any live advice you may need.

Washington Professional Football Players @ Vikings - Sunday 11/2, 1:00 EST

Matchups We Love

DeSean Jackson: Jackson is boom-or-bust, but against the Vikings' defense this week, he leans closer to "boom."  The return of RG3 may provide a boost to the deep ball in D.C.'s passing game, but we'll have to see how well Griffin shakes off the rust.

Alfred Morris: With the QB uncertainty in Washington look for Morris to get looks often on early downs.  He's got solid RB2 potential.

Matchups We Hate:

Jerick McKinnon: Yes, DeMarco Murray ran all over the Washington Professional Football Players last week, but Murray is like Albert Einstein this season, and everyone else is basically a six-year-old making a trifold poster about their potato clock.  The Tides of History are still 5th against running backs this season.  McKinnon's got promise, but he isn't Murray.

Both Quarterbacks: Griffin's got 8 weeks worth of rust to shake off, and Bridgewater isn't working with much in the passing game.  Pass on them (heh) this weekend.

Cordarelle Patterson: He's basically being phased out of the Vikings' game plans for some reason.  Let someone else waste a roster spot on his "potential."

Jordan Reed: The Vikings have allowed the seventh-fewest points to tight ends this season, and Niles Paul is still seeing snaps.

Pierre Garcon: Garcon has had 2 games of more than 10 points this season, but he's had 3 games with less than 3.  It's not looking great for Garcon owners.

Rams @ 49ers - Sunday 11/2, 4:05 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Colin Kaepernick: Kaep should feast on the team he gouged for 343 yards and 3 TDs just 3 weeks ago.  Damn, I really hoped it would be 333 yards.  That would've been freaky.

Matchups We Hate

The Rams: Austin Davis is not a QB1 this week, Tre Mason disappointed after his breakout and is still splitting with Benny Cunningham and Zac Stacy, the Rams still don't know how to use Tavon Austin, and Jared Cook is a non-factor at tight end.

San Francisco WRs: The three big San Francisco receivers (Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin and Stevie Johnson) have caught 7 TDs between them over 8 weeks.  There are more trustworthy options at the position.

Vernon Davis: Davis has put up 6 points in standard scoring since his return in week 5, which includes that game where Kaep torched the Rams.  Davis should be benched in all formats this week.

Frank Gore: The Rams gave up only 38 yards to Gore in the teams' last meeting, and Carlos Hyde is legitimately cutting into Gore's carries.

Broncos @ Patriots - Sunday 11/2, 4:25 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Peyton Manning: Manning has only once thrown for less than 3 TDs this season.  In a shootout with the Patriots, don't expect that to change.

Demariyus Thomas: Thomas "cooled off" last week.  He only had 108 yards receiving.  You should probably drop him.  Especially if you're in a league with me.  Please disregard the earlier sarcasm if that is the case.

Emmanuel Sanders: Holy cow, did Sanders go off against the Chargers.  He's proven to be a great WR2/flex play with crazy high WR1 upside.

Julius Thomas: The other Thomas on the roster actually has cooled off (as soon as I traded for him, natch) but the TD threat is always real with Orange Julius.

Ronnie Hillman: Against the top-5 run defenses he's played against (the Jets and 49ers) Hillman put up 33.9 points combined in standard scoring.  The Patriots are 27th against the run this season.

No.  No.  Oh God Don't Make Me Say It: Please, anything but this.  Anything.  No?  Ugh, fine.  Tom Brady should be considered an elite QB1 again due to his recent stellar pla-ulph.  Sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little.  Start Brady.  We're moving on.

Rob Gronkowski: Yeah, that looked like Gronk at 100 percent.  Which was also a convenient reminder to never, ever sit Gronk at 100 percent.

Matchups We Hate

Jonas Gray: No, just cause he saw a lot of garbage-time action does not mean he will see a lot of regular time action.

D/STs: In a Manning/Brady game, why would you ever?

High Risk, High Reward

Brandon LaFell: LaFell's last 4 games in standard scoring, respectively: 2, 21.7, 5.5, 18.4.

Shane Vereen: Vereen could see a lot of usage as a receiver out of the backfield, but other than one stellar game he hasn't done that all that often.

Raiders @ Seahawks - Sunday 11/2, 4:35 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Russell Wilson: Last week was a rough outing until Wilson's game winning TD, and even then it wasn't stellar.  Still, the Raiders give up so much production on the ground that Wilson's running contributions ought to turn him into a QB1.  Plus, y'know, the Raiders.

Marshawn Lynch: He's had it rough in the last couple of weeks, but Lynch is due.  Plus, y'know, the Raiders.

Doug Baldwin: In the two weeks since Percy Harvin's departure, he's seen 18 targets.  Plus, y'know, the Raiders.

Seattle D/ST: I've run out of font modifiers.  There doesn't appear to be an underline function.  But you already knew what I was going to say.

Matchups We Hate

Y'know, The Raiders: Has that stopped being funny yet?  I'll stop.  Mainly because I'd get stabbed if I kept going.

Luke Willson: I didn't think this was something I would actually have to tell people, but for some reason there is a guy in my 8-man league starting Willson this week.  In an 8-man!  And the last thing I can remember seeing this guy in was Anchorman!

Ravens @ Steelers - Sunday 11/2 8:30 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Antonio Brown: Which idiot said that Jordy Nelson was going to pass up Antonio Brown in scoring last week?  Oh, right.  This one.  Well, that didn't happen, and although the Ravens held Brown to only 10 points in their Week 2 meeting, you can't sit him this week.  Or any week. Tell me he can't find the end zone on a bye week.  You know it's probably impossible, but with the way he's playing this season there's that little kernel of doubt.  I can see it in your eyes.

Le'Veon Bell: Held below double digits yet?  Nope?  Alright, moving on.

Justin Forsett: He's got the reliability you want at the RB spot this season.  He may not find the endzone, but he'll get you the 10-12 points you need.

Steve Smith: If the Steelers' offense is half of what it was against the Colts, the Ravens are gonna need points in a big way, and Smith has developed a rapport with Joe Flacco.

Matchups We Hate

Ben Roethlisberger: I don't think Roethlisberger will do horribly in this game.  I do think that about a million people claimed him off waivers because he put up 522 yards and 6 touchdowns.  He's not going to do that again.  That's why he's here this week.

Joe Flacco: Speaking of crazy outlier games, Flacco hasn't done much since his 5 touchdown game against Tampa Bay, and in fact only put up 5 points against the Bengals.  Stay away.

Other Matchups

Lorenzo Taliaferro: With Bernard Pierce's status up in the air, Taliaferro stands to be the premier goal-line vulture in Baltimore, and this week's giant thorn in the side of Forsett owners.

High Risk, High Reward

Markus Wheaton / Martavis Bryant: Not every Roethlisberger TD pass can go to Antonio Brown, but there may not be 6 of them up for grabs this week.  (Pun unintentional.)

Colts @ Giants - Monday 11/3, 8:30 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Andrew Luck: Right, like you're sitting the guy who's outperforming Peyton Manning.  Everyone who isn't a Colts fan is now silently resenting Colts fans.

T.Y. Hilton: Hilton is still on his crazy roll, and Reggie Wayne is still questionable.  Hilton is a WR1 until further notice.

Ahmad Bradshaw: He's yet another really consistent guy at a position that desperately needs consistency.  He may not explode, but he'll get you 15 or so reliably.  Do not underestimate "15 or so reliably."

Matchups We Hate

Reuben Randle: Randle simply hasn't made enough out of his increased opportunities since the injury to Victor Cruz.  He's not a threat in fantasy right now.

Andre Williams: Similarly to Randle, Williams simply isn't doing enough with his increased playing time. He'll touches will be replaced as quickly as Rashad Jennings can return from injury, which looks to be week 10.

Other Matchups

Eli Manning: He's had a couple of good games this season, but he's still a low-end QB against the Colts this week.

Trent Richardson: He's coming off an injury and Bradshaw will limit his touches, but he's managed to be respectable for the last couple of weeks.  There's worse starting options.

High Risk, High Reward

Odell Beckham Jr.: He is only a rookie and going against a good pass defense, but he's the premier threat in the Giants' passing attack fantasy-wise.  I'd trust Beckham over Randle.