Week 9 of the NFL season is officially here, and there are some interesting matchups in the league this week, including a couple of division matchups headlined by the Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers in the Fox 4:25 time slot. We also have the Jets vs Texans this Thursday in a game that became interesting to CJ Stroud after losing Stefon Diggs for the season. Here’s a look at the quarterback starts for Week 9.
Quarterback Must Starts for Week 9
Jared Goff ($6,500 Draft Kings, $8,000 FanDuel)
The Lions offense is still on a major role, and Goff has been incredibly efficient these last few weeks running this offense. Goff is facing a tough challenge in the Packers’ defense that has forced many turnovers, including having the league leader in interceptions in Xavier McKinney. So if Goff is still careful with the football and throws a couple of touchdowns like he has been the last four weeks, Goff will be on the back end of the starts list for Week 9.
Jayden Daniels ($7,500 Draft Kings, $8,700 FanDuel)
Daniels is coming off a pedestrian day that got boosted by the late-game Hail Mary that has sent the social media world and both Chicago and Washington into a frenzy. That pass for Daniels made him eclipse the 20 fantasy point mark in 5 of his last 6 games. This week he’s going up against the Giants, where he had his worst full game of his career thus far, but I expect him to be the player we have seen these last six weeks in Week 9 rather than that Week 2 game.
Joe Burrow ($6,900 Draft Kings, $7,900 FanDuel)
Joe Burrow is coming off a bad second half against the Eagles after throwing for 170 plus in the first half of that Eagles game last week. This week’s matchup should be a little easier for him as the Raiders have been giving up some huge gains in the passing game throughout 2024, which should open the door for Ja’Marr Chase to have a big day for Burrow. Burrow will be back to his surgical ways this Sunday against Vegas.
Quarterback Must Sits for Week 9
On the flip side of things, here are a few of the players we are sitting in Week 9
Joe Flacco ($5,700 Draft Kings. $7,000 FanDuel)
Indianapolis thinks that bringing in Joe Flacco will change the dynamics of this passing offense. Yes, Anthony Richardson has been horrible in terms of the passer rating and completion percentage, which are both the worst amongst the 31 quarterbacks with over 130 passing attempts, and Flacco has been good in relief of Richardson this season with a 7 to 1 Touchdown/Interception Ratio in his starts while Richardson was injured. But the Minnesota Vikings defense will present a lot of blitz looks and disguises that might make the journeyman make a couple of huge mistakes on Sunday Night Football in Minnesota this week. Sit Joe Flacco.
Lamar Jackson ($8,000 Draft Kings, $8,900 FanDuel)
From one former Baltimore Raven to the guy who took that former Raven’s job. Lamar is a sit for me this week unfortunately, because of how the Denver Broncos have been playing stellar defense these last few weeks, as Denver is currently only allowing opponents to average 15 points per game and only allowing 176.3 passing yards per game. This is a bad matchup for Lamar Jackson this week, and Jackson has also popped up on Baltimore’s injury report this week is something to keep an eye on throughout the week.
Baker Mayfield ($6,500 Draft Kings, $8,500 FanDuel)
Baker Mayfield is still going into Monday Night Football in Week 9 without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans against a Chiefs defense that has been the sole reason that the Chiefs are the only undefeated team in football at the moment and the game is at Arrowhead. Yep, this is a horrible spot to consider Baker Mayfield in any capacity of fantasy football, DFS, or redraft.
Lock of Week 9
Jalen Hurts ($7,800 Draft Kings, $9,300 FanDuel)
Jalen Hurts is back as one of the top fantasy options at the quarterback position, had a huge 35 fantasy point day against the Bengals last Sunday. Hurts has a favorable matchup against the 31st-ranked defense against quarterbacks, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Eagles offense will continue their hot streak in the Kelly Green’s on Sunday especially with the recent changes to trends with adding the under-center game to this offense from Kellen Moore’s scheme. Also, Jalen Hurts should have more opportunities to run the football this week.
Fade of Week 9
Aaron Rodgers ($5,700 Draft Kings, $7,300 FanDuel)
The Jets have lost 5 in a row and currently have a worse record than they did this time last year when we all said that they were a quarterback away. That quarterback was supposed to be Aaron Rodgers but that hasn’t come to fruition so far this season. Rodgers has already thrown seven interceptions in eight games, including six in his last five games. The Texans have the third-best passing defense in the league at the moment. This is not a great spot for a Rodgers bounce-back spot for a miracle fantasy performance like the old Aaron Rodgers would have occasionally.
Sleeper of Week 9
Bo Nix ($5,900 Draft Kings, $7,200 FanDuel)
Bo Nix is coming off a 3 touchdown day against the Carolina Panthers last week, which led to a very productive day in fantasy football and DFS for Nix. He had over 20 fantasy points for the third time this season in that game against Carolina on Draft Kings. Baltimore meanwhile is coming off a game where they gave up huge numbers to Jameis Winston in his first start of the season. Nix is a sleeper this week against Baltimore because the Ravens’ pass defense has some huge concerns that they have to clean up and Nix can expose those weaknesses this week.
Final Thoughts
This week’s picks have the chance to make serious money if played right in DFS lineups this week. Jalen Hurts is the most likely pick to keep on going off in fantasy this week with the easy matchup. I think that Nix is a solid budget option this week if needed with his budgets on both platforms, for More Positional DFS information on the other positions follow along the rest of the week at Total Apex Fantasy.
For More Great Content
Craving top-tier content that covers it all? From electrifying sports highlights and insider entertainment news to expert gaming tips and sharp betting advice, we’ve got you covered. Dive into our curated articles to stay ahead of the game with the latest sports action, uncover the hottest trends in entertainment, and get the lowdown on gaming strategies that could level up your play.
Plus, our betting advice will sharpen your edge and boost your chances of winning big. Whether you’re looking to stay updated or gain a competitive edge, our content is your go-to source for all things exciting and relevant. Don’t miss out—explore now and power up your knowledge! Follow us on Twitter/X @TotalApexSports, to stay informed.
