Week 9 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

It's a scary time of year in fantasy football leagues—and not just because it's Halloween.

Sure, some fantasy managers are delighted, as they have a bag full of tasty victories. Players are exceeding expectations, and they are sailing toward the fantasy postseason.

Others have not been so fortunate, though. Half the team is hurt while the other half has failed to live up to their draft slot. If those managers don't start stacking wins quickly, the season will be over before turkeys start getting nervous.

Whether you're rolling along or keep getting rolled, this column will help you earn a win in Week 9 by offering the names of some players who should be tasty treats and others who are dirty tricks.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Start 'Em

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (at WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Darnold is playing well again this season, but it hasn't really translated to fantasy production in 2025. The 28-year-old has a good shot at a solid stat line in the nation's capital—the Commanders are 26th in pass defense and have given up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (at DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,700]

Murray has missed time with a sprained foot, and he wasn't especially productive before he got hurt. But he is expected to return Monday night in Dallas. He has never lost a game in AT&T Stadium and faces a Cowboys team that leads the league in fantasy points per game allowed to quarterbacks this year.

Sit 'Em

Drake Maye, New England Patriots (vs. ATL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

Maye has been nothing short of outstanding in his second season, and he's fourth in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks after eight weeks. Top-five numbers won't be easy to come by this week against the Falcons, as Atlanta leads the league in pass defense at just 149.1 yards per game.

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,400]

Nix followed up his wild comeback against the New York Giants with four touchdown passes against the Dallas Cowboys. However, both of those outbursts came against porous defenses. The Texans are anything but—Houston is surrendering 178.4 passing yards per game, good for fourth-fewest in the NFL.

Sleeper

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]

Smith isn't an easy quarterback for fantasy managers to trust, unless your league awards points for interceptions. But he had the off week to try to get his head together, and the Raiders now host a Jacksonville Jaguars team that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to QBs in 2025.

Start 'Em

Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Brown got off to a miserable start to the season, but he's hit 100 total yards each of the past two weeks. There's a good chance he'll make it three in a row Sunday against the Chicago Bears, who have given up 143.3 yards per game on the ground and the 10th-most PPR points per game to running backs.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]

Vidal has been quite the waiver-wire find for fantasy managers this season, topping 100 yards on the ground in two of the past three weeks. Now he and the Chargers take on a putrid Tennessee team that ranks 26th in run defense and has surrendered the third-most PPR points per game to running backs this year.

Sit 'Em

James Cook III, Buffalo Bills (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $7,200]

Cook is seventh in PPR points among running backs and coming off his best game of the season. But game script in Sunday's huge showdown with the Chiefs could be an issue, and Kansas City has surrendered the sixth-fewest PPR points per game to running backs this year.

JK Dobbins, Denver Broncos (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000]

The good news for Dobbins is he eclipsed 100 yards on the ground against the Dallas Cowboys last week. The bad news is rookie R.J. Harvey scored three touchdowns and could chip away at Dobbins' carry-share in a tough matchup for running backs against the Texans' fifth-ranked run defense.

Sleeper

Zonovan Knight, Arizona Cardinals (at DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,000]

Knight isn't exactly lighting the world on fire, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. But for now at least he is the lead back for the Cardinals, and the Dallas defense has been spectral this season. By "spectral," I mean it has been invisible. Like a ghost. Happy Halloween.

Start 'Em

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

Ladd McConkey has been on a tear of late, but Allen still has 15 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks. The Titans are atrocious in every way an NFL team can be atrocious, including giving up the ninth-most PPR points per game to wide receivers. Cam Ward wasn't lying about how his team is playing.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Noticing a theme here? As disappointing as Harrison has been over the first one-and-a-half years of his NFL career, the Cowboys have a habit of making opposing offenses look like the Greatest Show on Turf. Dallas is the only team in the NFL allowing over 40 PPR points per game to the wide receiver position this season.

Sit 'Em

Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (at LAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

The Rams haven't been particularly stingy to opposing wide receivers this year, and Olave managed to maintain some fantasy value with Spencer Rattler under center in New Orleans. But Tyler Shough looked awful as the Saints' quarterback last week, so pour one out for Olave's fantasy prospects moving forward.

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos (at HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

Sutton has been an outstanding value for fantasy managers this season—he's 11th in PPR points among wide receivers. As mentioned, though, the Houston defense is no joke, and with Sutton a perimeter receiver he's going to draw a lot of Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage on Sunday.

Sleeper

Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers (at NYG) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,300]

Jennings has been the subject of more than a little trade speculation. But after spending most of the season battling multiple injuries, he is as healthy as he has been all season. He led the team in targets last time out, and the Giants have surrendered the sixth-most PPR points per game to wide receivers in 2025.

Start 'Em

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (vs. SEA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,100]

Ertz has been a decent low-end weekly starter for fantasy managers this year, and he's 10th in PPR points among tight ends after eight weeks. With Jayden Daniels expected to return and Terry McLaurin back on the shelf with a quad injury, Ertz should see a solid target share in a favorable fantasy matchup for TEs with the Seahawks.

Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons (at NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,200]

Pitts is nursing an ankle injury, but he was limited on practice and appears on track to play Sunday in New England. He has 19 targets, 16 receptions and 121 receiving yards the past two weeks, and the Pats have been kind to tight ends—fifth in PPR points per game surrendered to the position in 2025.

Sit 'Em

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (at BUF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]

Kelce is coming off a huge game against the Washington Commanders and is just about impossible to sit. But it's worth noting no team in the AFC has surrendered fewer PPR points per game to tight ends than the Bills, and the last time these teams squared off in the regular season, Kelce had just two catches for eight yards.

Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (vs. KC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000]

Might as well rain on the parade for both sides of Sunday's marquee matchup. Like the Bills, the Chiefs don't give up many PPR points per game to tight ends—just 8.3 per contest, fourth-fewest in the NFL. Kincaid is also coming off his worst fantasy outing of 2025, with one catch for 23 yards against the Carolina Panthers.

Sleeper

A.J. Barner, Seattle Seahawks (at WAS) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

Barner isn't a household name at his position, and he has been up-and-down for fantasy managers. But he has quietly had double-digit PPR points in more games than not this season, and the Commanders have given up the eighth-most PPR points per game to tight ends in 2025.

Start 'Em

Detroit Lions Defense (vs. MIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,700]

The Lions have struggled a bit with consistency this year. However, after signing a lucrative new deal, edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson should be on a mission this week against a struggling Minnesota offense led by a rookie quarterback who has played essentially all of one good quarter of football in total.

Jacksonville Jaguars Defense (at LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,300]

The Jacksonville defense hasn't played especially well, especially against the pass. But the Jags face a Raiders team that ranks 30th in total offense, 31st in scoring offense, tied for second in giveaways and second in fantasy points per game allowed to team defenses this year. Those are some ugly numbers.

Sit 'Em

Indianapolis Colts Defense (at PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,500]

The Colts have been the NFL's most surprising team this year, including a defense that ranks third in the league in fantasy points. But a down week could be in the offing against a Pittsburgh Steelers team that doesn't make a ton of mistakes and has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points per game to defenses this season.

Kansas City Chiefs Defense (at BUF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

The Chiefs are a perennially underrated defense, both in NFL and in fantasy leagues. However, fantasy's No. 8 defense after eight weeks should be glued to benches this week. In two games against the Bills last year, the Chiefs allowed 59 points. It's going to take a defensive score to salvage a decent fantasy line for Kansas City.

Sleeper

Chicago Bears Defense (at CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,100]

The Bears rank outside the top 12 in fantasy points for the season, and their last game against the Tyler Huntley-led Ravens wasn't great. But Joe Flacco's shoulder injury could sideline him in Week 9, and Bengals quarterback Jake Browning has never seen an interception he didn't like.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.