Week 9 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Play or Bench Tips for Fantasy Football Owners

It's more about scary holidays than it is fireworks right now, but the NFL's Week 9 slate should be more about explosive outbursts than players being something they aren't. 

From a fantasy football perspective, Week 9 has it all. Kansas City gets to play Cleveland, the Los Angeles Chargers collide with New Orleans and the Green Bay Packers meet the New England Patriots on prime time. 

This doesn't mean the fantasy start-sit decisions are simple, but it does mean doing proper research and putting in the effort should produce some gaudy point totals. Just remember, the same avenue is available to opponents. 

Here is a look at some of the top matchups of the week and notable start-sit decisions. 

QB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Aaron Rodgers (at NE) vs. Kirk Cousins (vs. DET)	Aaron Rodgers
Cam Newton (vs. TB) vs. Deshaun Watson (at DEN)	Cam Newton
Patrick Mahomes (at CLE) vs. Russell Wilson (vs. LAC)	Patrick Mahomes
Drew Brees (vs. LAR) vs. Matt Ryan (at WAS)	Drew Brees
Jared Goff (at NO) vs. Philip Rivers (at SEA)	Jared Goff

Start: Cam Newton, CAR (vs. TB)

In basketball terms, this is a layup. 

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense features some elite names like Gerald McCoy, a problematic secondary in need of some love creates a superb matchup for quarterbacks each week. 

So while the Carolina Panthers might get involved in a shootout here thanks to a solid Tampa Bay offense, it is Cam Newton owners who should come out ahead. He has scored more than 24 points in three games and counting, tossing a pair of touchdowns in five consecutive games. 

Those Buccaneers cough up the most points to quarterbacks on average, so Newton has league-best upside this weekend. 

Sit: Philip Rivers, LAC (at SEA) 

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

The time has come to put Philip Rivers on the bench. 

Rivers' elite season has largely gone ignored in favor of sexier stories like Patrick Mahomes' outburst, but he's tossed multiple touchdowns in every game with only three overall interceptions. He's playing elite football and it shows in the fantasy realm as well with his five trips above the 20-point mark. 

But that should come to an end on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. While they aren't the Legion of Boom anymore, Seattle still permits the fewest points to quarterbacks so far this year. 

Rivers has the talent to pull off an upset here, but from a fantasy perspective, there is no reason to play with fire at such as streamable position. 

RB

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
Christian McCaffrey (vs. TB) vs. Alvin Kamara (vs. LAR)	Alvin Kamara
Adrian Peterson (vs. ATL) vs. Kareem Hunt (at CLE)	Adrian Peterson
Lamar Miller (at DEN) vs. Tarik Cohen (at BUF)	Lamar Miller
Ezekiel Elliott (vs. TEN) vs. Todd Gurley (at NO)	Todd Gurley
Melvin Gordon (at SEA) vs. Kerryon Johnson (at MIN)	Melvin Gordon

Start: Todd Gurley, LAR (at NO)

If matchups don't apply to one man in football, it's probably Rams coach Sean McVay, with Andy Reid coming in a close second. 

In other words, don't fret too much that Todd Gurley has to play a New Orleans Saints defense allowing the sixth-fewest points to running backs this year. 

But the dirty secret here is the Saints have had some cupcake matchups to help inflate the numbers, going against three or four easy opponents. Gurley has slammed through any and all competition, posting 22 or more points in every game and getting above the 30-point mark four times. 

Many coaches seem to struggle with this, but even in a tough-looking matchup, McVay will find a way to get the ball in his best player's hands all day. 

Sit: Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (vs. TEN) 

Turmoil surrounds Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. 

Coming out of a Week 8 bye, Elliott has double digits in every game but one and boasts limited upside, having scored more than 20 points in a game just once. Last time out, he took 15 carries for 33 yards and 5.2 points in a brutal matchup against Washington. 

One fired offensive line coach later, Elliott has another brutal matchup in Week 9 against a Tennessee Titans defense allowing the fifth-fewest points to the position this season, including the shuttering of names like LeSean McCoy and Kenyan Drake. 

Benching a big name like Elliott isn't a popular idea, but Cowboys haven't exactly been the crux of league-leading teams this year. 

WR

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
DeAndre Hopkins (at DEN) vs. Robert Woods (at NO)	DeAndre Hopkins
Sammy Watkins (at CLE) vs. Mike Evans (at CAR)	Mike Evans
Julio Jones (at WAS) vs. Adam Thielen (vs. DET)	Julio Jones
Michael Thomas (vs. LAR) vs. Amari Cooper (vs. TEN)	Michael Thomas
Jarvis Landry (vs. KC) vs. Stefon Diggs (vs. DET)	Stefon Diggs

Start: DeSean Jackson, TB (at CAR) 

DeSean Jackson is back on the menu. 

Tampa Bay didn't trade the veteran star at the deadline, instead opting to try to convince the world they want to win now, which is what front offices with jobs to lose do. 

But it's a win for owners, with Ryan Fitzpatrick the starter over Jameis Winston again after the latter's four-interception game a week ago. With Fitzpatrick under center to start the season, Jackson scored 29.1 and 20.9 points over the first two weeks and hasn't come close to the mark since. 

So while the Panthers only allow the ninth-fewest points to opposing wideouts, the return of Fitzpatrick should help Jackson have his best performance since Week 2. 

Sit: JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (at BAL) 

Owners aren't going to want to hear this one either, but Pittsburgh Steelers wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster should take a seat this week. 

While Antonio Brown is a matchup-proof play, JSS has been anything but, scoring single digits twice already this year—including last time out against a tough Cleveland defense despite a 33-18 win. 

Now JSS and the Steelers hit the road to play a Baltimore Ravens defense allowing the fourth-fewest points to wideouts, and these games traditionally feature more running than anything. Case in point, JSS scored eight points against the Ravens in Week 4 despite a healthy 11 targets. 

A similar line over the weekend wouldn't be out of the ordinary given this rivalry's history. 

TE

Matchup Comparison	Verdict
George Kittle (vs. OAK) vs. Jimmy Graham (at NE)	George Kittle
Greg Olsen (vs. TB) vs. O.J. Howard (at CAR)	O.J. Howard
Travis Kelce (at CLE) vs. Jared Cook (at SF)	Travis Kelce
Jordan Reed (vs. ATL) vs. Kyle Rudolph (vs. DET)	Jordan Reed
David Njoku (vs. KC) vs. Charles Clay (vs. CHI)	David Njoku

Start: George Kittle, SF (vs. OAK) 

The George Kittle train keeps right on rolling. 

Kittle posted 8.2 points in Week 8, his sixth time with eight or more points. He's hit double digits five times during his breakout season, giving owners a steady contributor at an unsteady position. 

Next up, Kittle gets to take on an Oakland Raiders defense coughing up the seventh-most points to tight ends this year. 

With eight or more targets four times so far this year and fewer than six just once, Kittle has a must-start floor and some best-in-league upside this week. 

Sit: Austin Hooper, ATL (at WAS) 

Good luck getting much of anything from a player going against the Washington Redskins' defense. 

That Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper is one of the more inconsistent players at the position this year doesn't help. 

Hooper had a weird two-week stretch of double-digit targets, but otherwise, he has five or fewer targets in five games. He's scored double digits three times, but Washington allows the 12th-fewest points to the position. 

Hooper is a matchup-based play with some interesting upside most weeks, but the matchup here is bad and the usage has been consistently not what owners want to see. 

All scoring info, points-against info and ownership stats courtesy of Yahoo standard leagues.