Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 9? Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, Michael Penix Jr., Cam Ward, Tyler Shough, J.J. McCarthy, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Trevor Lawrence, Jayden Daniels

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice session. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said earlier that Purdy was slated to be limited on Wednesday. It sounds like this was the plan for Purdy as works his way back from a turf toe injury.

An issue that sidelined him for every game besides two coming into Week 9. It's worth noting that backup quarterback Mac Jones (knee) was a full participant on Wednesday. Jones figures to draw another start versus the New York Giants this weekend, assuming Purdy is unable to play.

Fantasy managers will need to wait and see what Purdy does in practice over the next few days. If active, Purdy should reclaim his starting gig and be a QB1 for this weekend.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has enjoyed a strong start to his first season with the team, completing 68.2% of his passes for 1,754 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions through seven games.

Darnold has established a strong connection with star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and has peppered him with a league-high 34.7% target share. The 28-year-old has been the league's most efficient passer, averaging 9.1 yards per attempt, but it's come on limited volume, with just 27.4 pass attempts per game, ranking 29th in the league.

The veteran quarterback has appeal as a weekly streamer in the right matchups, but he doesn't have the pass volume to be a reliable weekly starter for fantasy. He does have a great matchup in Week 9 against the Washington Commanders and is ranked as RotoBaller's QB15.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is considered day-to-day with the bone bruise in his knee. Still, head coach Raheem Morris told reporters on Wednesday that he feels "really good" about his QB for Sunday's Week 9 game against the New England Patriots, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Morris also said that the second-year signal-caller is in line to take part in Wednesday's walk-through practice, although it's unclear if he'll be full-go or limited. Either way, it's good news for the 25-year-old southpaw after he missed the Week 8 upset loss to the Miami Dolphins. He was limited in practice all of last week before being ruled out, so Penix may need to upgrade to a full practice at some point this week to be cleared to play on Sunday.

If Penix plays this weekend, he'll be a midrange QB2 in fantasy versus the Pats, although he could be without his top wideout in Drake London (hip), who also missed last weekend's loss. UPDATE: Morris expects Penix to "get the majority" of first-team reps in practice this week. The QB was limited in Wednesday's practice.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will have a full week to prepare before returning as the starter for Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. McCarthy is expected to step back in as Minnesota's starting quarterback for the first time since Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he suffered a high-ankle sprain that caused him to miss five games.

The 2024 first-round pick struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL in his first two games, completing 24 of 41 pass attempts for 301 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions to go with nine sacks taken.

The 22-year-old will have plenty of growing pains after missing all of his rookie year with a knee injury, but head coach Kevin O'Connell has expressed confidence in him as their starter going forward. It's a tough spot to make his return, with a hostile road environment awaiting in Detroit for Week 9. UPDATE: McCarthy was a full-go in Wednesday's practice.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been outstanding to start the 2025 season. Now in his seventeenth year, Stafford has completed 66% of his passes for 1,866 yards, 17 touchdowns, and just two interceptions through seven games.

With star wideouts Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at his disposal, he's averaging 19.5 fantasy points per game, ranking as the QB10 on a per-game basis. Despite battling a back injury during training camp, Stafford has played at an MVP-caliber level and remains a must-roster player in all formats.

If he was dropped in your fantasy leagues during the Rams' Week 8 bye, managers should prioritize adding him as a steady low-end QB1 for the rest of the season.