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Matt's wide receiver (WR) fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 9 of 2025. His WR lineups advice for Week 9 fantasy football start/sit decisions.
Looking at the top 12 fantasy receivers from Week 8 has resulted in plenty of head-scratching. Troy Franklin (26.9), Khalil Shakir (20.8), Xavier Hutchinson (17.9), and Roman Wilson (17.4) clearly were not the top receiving options as they are unlikely to have started in more than 50% of leagues. Even Chimere Dike, who finished with 16.4 fantasy points, was a solid WR2 last week.
This week, fantasy managers will need unsung heroes to rise again as we continue to plug holes left behind by injured superstars. Luckily, the bye weeks of blues don't hit as hard this week, with the Jets, Buccaneers, Browns, and Eagles having a scheduled week off. Outside Emeka Egbuka and DeVonta Smith, many options hitting the bye are either hurt or underperforming.
Here are the RotoBallers Week 9 starts and sits at the wide receiver position.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
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- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
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- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Week 9 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms
Jaylen Waddle - WR, Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens
I'm never one to bet on anyone when it comes to Thursday night Football, as one of the worst feelings in fantasy is staring at a goose egg for four to five days, trying to figure out if you can come back from that.
Then again, there is no better feeling than nailing a start on Thursday, knowing you are well-positioned heading into the weekend. If the matchup is in doubt, toss it out. If the matchup involves one of your receivers facing the Ravens' secondary, it's time to peacock and submit confidently.
Since Tyreek Hill's loss, Waddle has averaged 15.6 fantasy points per game over those four contests. If you remove the Week 7 abomination, Waddle is averaging 19.9 fantasy points, which would have him as the WR6 if that type of production were to continue. Even so, since Week 2, Waddle has five games in which he has produced 14.5 or more fantasy points and is the WR9.
Jaylen Waddle is a BLUR. 43-yard TD!
MIAvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/k6ggqc9Qu1
— NFL (@NFL) October 26, 2025
Looking closer at Waddle's previous seven contests, Waddle's 406 receiving yards sit eighth among wide receivers. In the sample, Waddle has earned a 42.8% team air yards share, a 20.4% target share, a 287.8% first-read target share, and been responsible for 35.3% of the Dolphins' receiving yards.
With that kind of volume, facing a Ravens team that allows the second-most fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position (39.2), the fifth-most passing yards per game (250.9), and the third-most points against (30.0), Waddle is primed for a big week.
Michael Pittman Jr. - WR, Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers
One player who continues to fly under the radar this fantasy season has been Michael Pittman Jr. As we enter the ninth week of the NFL season, the Colts receiver sits as the WR6 in total fantasy points (125.6), WR11 in points per game (15.7), and 13th in receiving yards with 446. His six receiving touchdowns trail only Amon-Ra St. Brown and Dallas Goedert.
Pittman and Tyler Warren have created a fantasy ecosystem in Indianapolis that allows both pass catchers to thrive. In eight games this season, Pittman has earned a 22.2% share in targets and air yards while accounting for 46.2% of the Colts' team receiving market share. Even with Warren and Jonathan Taylor's involvement in this offense, Pittman still gets opportunities.
Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, you get a catch and you get a catch, as the Steelers have allowed 107 receptions and 150 targets so far this season. All those receptions have added up in fantasy as the 1,278 receiving yards (fifth-most), and seven receiving touchdowns have equalled 35.3 fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position (fourth-highest). Over the Steelers' previous three contests, that number jumps to 41.2 fantasy points per game.
Jordan Addison - WR, Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
While the Lions have a stout run defense, their pass defense has proven to be their soft underbelly in recent weeks. Since Week 5, Detroit has allowed 491 receiving yards on 39 receptions. That's actually not too bad. However, the seven receiving touchdowns and 43.2 fantasy points per game conceded to the wide receiver position are bad. In just three games, Detroit has surrendered 129.7 fantasy points. That's enough production sitting on the table for Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison this week.
Wentz to Addison! The @VIkings get their first TD of the night.
MINvsLAC on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LLPud5Cy4g— NFL (@NFL) October 24, 2025
While Addison hasn't seen the target share that wouldn't typically warrant must-start status (20.4%), since returning from suspension, Addison is averaging 16.0 fantasy points per game. Breaking the data further, Addison has a route participation rate of 80.5%, an air yards share of 34.7%, 282 air yards, with seven targets inside the 20 (third-most).
Those metrics all signal that a breakout is coming. Over Addison's last 18 starts, the Vikings pass catcher has accumulated 88 receptions for 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. I'm not great at match, but 17.2 fantasy points per game is pretty good and easily would have any receiver in the top 10 consideration.
Week 9 Sits - Potential Fantasy Football Busts
Courtland Sutton - WR, Denver Broncos at Houston Texans
When looking at the NFL landscape, particularly at the cornerback position, few have done it better than Patrick Surtain II over the last couple of seasons. That said, the Houston Texans boast a pair of corners who have formed arguably the best duo in the league in Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, who combined for five interceptions and 11 passes defended this season. Throw in safety Jalen Pitre, and you have another five passes defended and three more interceptions.
Wherever Courtland Sutton finds himself lined up, receiving yardage will be tough to come by this weekend. Houston sits fourth as a team in passing yards allowed (178.4), and first in the NFL in points allowed (14.7). Since Week 6, Houston has allowed just 259 receiving yards and 26.5 fantasy points per game, the eighth-fewest.
Since Week 6
Sutton: 171 Receiving Yards/ 18 Targets/ 16.5% Target Share/ 27.7% Air Yards Share/ 232 Air Yards/ 18.8% First-Read Target Share/ 0 TDs/ 10 FPPG
Franklin: 127 Receiving Yards/ 22 Targets/ 20.2% Target Share/ 36.4% Air Yards Share/ 305 Air Yards/ 23.8% First-Read/ 3…
— Matt Donnelly (@MattDonnellyFF) October 27, 2025
Since Week 5, Sutton's target share has dipped to 18.9%, while Franklin has coincidentally seen his rise to 17.6%. Look at Sutton's involvement and attempt to make sense of it in fantasy. You will find yourself a receiver who's 12 fantasy points per game and is WR37, making him a flex option at best. Franklin has been a more fantasy-friendly option, averaging 12.9 fantasy points over that period.
Drake London - WR, Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots
Atlanta desperately needs Drake London back in its lineup. Without London and Michael Penix Jr., I'm not sure the Falcons could've beaten the Miami Hurricanes, let alone the Dolphins.
Here's the thing: London is not guaranteed to return this week. He's still not guaranteed to be in your fantasy lineups even if he were. London's 15.8 fantasy points per game is a glaring omission, but two things must be considered over personal pride.
One is the injury itself, which kept him out last week. We aren't talking about a wrist, hand, or finger injury; we are looking at a hip injury he aggravated the previous week, a week in which he produced just 8.2 fantasy points. In all likelihood (not a doctor), it's a hip contusion he is dealing with, but a return this week could come with some limitations.
Second, the matchup. It's bad enough to deal with a hip injury, but now you need to deal with it and Christian Gonzalez. While Jerry Jeudy and London aren't nearly the same caliber of receiver this season, Gonzalez made Jeudy an afterthought again last week, limiting him to just one target (6% target share). In fact, Gonzalez was targeted just four times, yielding one reception for two yards against the Browns.
Since week 6, New England has allowed 22.6 fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, the third-lowest total while surrendering just one touchdown reception over their last three contests.
Zay Flowers - WR, Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
Zay Flowers on Thursday Night Football is a potential start that I am fading. Unlike Waddle, whom you can start confidently based on the matchup, Flowers facing the Miami Dolphins isn't as good a matchup as the media would lead you to believe.
In Miami's last three contests, they have held opposing receivers to 6.10 yards per target. Only the Chiefs have done a better job limiting wide receiver opportunities (5.61 YPT). Now, full disclosure, those games came against the Chargers, Browns, and Falcons, but 21.1 fantasy points per game is still impressive regardless of the competition.
In those three games, only one receiver managed to find the endzone, and opposing pass catchers averaged 97.9 receiving yards collectively over that period. Is that something you want to risk with a Thursday night start?
Things can change. It seemed like Lamar Jackson was close to returning last week, and with his return, Flowers does get a fantasy boost, but given the short week, that is not a guarantee. If Jackson were as close to returning to action as many were led to believe, given the Ravens' dire need for a victory last week against the Bears, one would've thought Jackson would have returned last week, no? Fantasy football creates trust issues, even if Jackson returns, is he 100%?
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