TGIF! Welcome back to my weekly Start/Sit HUB! Mike Hubbard Jr here, providing you with information that can help you win your fantasy league week in and week out. For all things fantasy football, follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard). You can tweet me or message me with any questions you might have regarding the fantasy football season.
Week 9 started which means 8 weeks of fantasy are now in the past. No matter your league record, always keep fighting. Stay informed and be strategic. Right now just focus on this week and in the back of your head start planning for your players BYEs so you can progress without conflict.
Last night was the TNF matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans. The Eagles pulled out a 29-17 victory to become 8-0 for the first time in Eagles history. What was somewhat shocking was how Houston and Philly were tied 14 a piece at the half. Unsurprisingly the Eagles stook to their guns and still almost covered. The Eagles have shown composure and the ability to play well even when the game isn’t in hand like they would like. Hurts threw for 243 yards and 2 passing TDs, Miles Sanders rushed for 93 yards and a rushing TD, and Dallas Goedert hit the century mark with 100 receiving yards with TD. The Eagles have a ton of weapons and are on everyone’s radar. Barring any season altering injuries, it appears the Eagles are poised for playoff success. Meanwhile the Texans fall to 1-6-1 on the season and are fighting for a top draft pick at the rate they are going. Bright spot for the Texans is that Dameon Pierce looks like the real deal. They handed it off to him 27 times and the rookie finished with 139 rushing yards. Eagles take on Washington at home in week 10 MNF while the Texans travel to the New York Giants. Next week’s TNF game is the Atlanta Falcons @ the Carolina Panthers.
Week 9 has some matchups I have my eye on. The games I’m interested in the most are the Bills/Jets, Rams/Bucs, and Titans/Chiefs. Can the Jets overcome an 11.5 line at home? Will Brady or Stafford play well? And can the Titans who have won 5 in a row stop the highest scoring team in the NFL on their home field?
PAY ATTENTION TO BYE WEEKS. THIS WEEKS BYES ARE CLEVELAND BROWNS, DALLAS COWBOYS, DENVER BRONCOS, NEW YORK GIANTS, PITTSBURGH STEELERS, AND SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS. PLAN YOUR LINEUPS ACCORDINGLY
I’m here every week during the fantasy football season with start and sit suggestions that can impact your team each week. My decisions as always include obvious and not so obvious picks. I would also like to clarify that my sit suggestions are based on the assumption you have or can add a player that has a better chance at success. Good luck this week and continue to check out my weekly articles.
START OF THE WEEK
Start – Tee Higgins – Higgins will continue to be the top WR for Burrow and the Bengals while Ja’Marr Chase remains sidelined. Cincinnati gets the Panthers on Sunday in a game that could be closer than most anticipate. Joe Burrow has 35+ passing attempts in every game this season except for week 4 when he attempted 31 passes. Burrow also leads the entire NFL in passing yards, so Higgins is in a good position to produce. Tee has been targeted 6+ times in every game he has played in after week 1. With Chase excluded, Higgins leads the team in targets and receiving yards, while tied with Mixon for receptions. Tee should get good volume Sunday.
Chargers @ Falcons
Start – Joshua Palmer – Justin Herbert and the LA Chargers travel to Atlanta Sunday without Mike Williams. Keenan Allen is currently questionable leaving Ekeler, Palmer, Carter, and Everett as Herbert’s top pass options. Palmer is who I like to have the most success at the WR position. He had 9 receptions on 12 targets in his last game in week 6 but missed week 7 and had a week 8 BYE. He should be fresh and rested barring any setbacks. Atlanta loves giving up huge performances to WRs this season. They have allowed 12 WR TDs this season and have had 11 different WRs reach 75+ receiving yards against them. Herbert should have a lot of success throwing the ball this week and Palmer should be a beneficial recipient of said success. Atlanta likes to put up a fight so there should be plenty of passing attempts in this game.
Sit – Drake London – Drake has struggled lately. Since week 3 he has not had a game with 5+ receptions and his average receiving yards per game since then is a dismal 31. London takes on the Chargers defense that is average at best, but they have not allowed a WR to reach 90+ receiving yards since week 1. London may be a top pass catcher in Atlanta but averaging under 3 receptions per game since week 3 won’t cut it in fantasy, especially without TDs. Marcus Mariota hasn’t had 30+ passing attempts since their season opener which limits pass catcher’s opportunities on a rush heavy offense.
Dolphins @ Bears
Start – Raheem Mostert – Mostert remains RB1 for Miami after trading away Chase Edmonds and acquiring Jeff Wilson Jr. Dolphins take on the Bears defense that has let RBs have their way this season. Just last week Tony Pollard ran for 131 rushing yards and scored a trifecta of TDs. Aaron Jones and Saquon Barkley also rushed for 130+ yards against the Bears. Mostert has 14+ carries in each of his last 5 games. I’m sure Tua will throw a ton to Hill and Waddle, but they should take advantage of the weak rushing defense, especially after the departure of Roquan Smith.
Sit – Mike Gesicki – Gesicki has been progressing recently after a slump start to the season. He has 12 receptions on 18 targets in his last 3 games after totaling 9 receptions on 12 targets his first 5 games. Mike has 3 total TDs in his last 3 games but travels to Chicago on Sunday. The Bears are easier to run against rather than throw. Tua will certainly air it out, but I think they try to establish a healthy run game limiting Gesicki’s chances. He has Hill and Waddle to compete with for targets who are the best duo in the NFL currently in combined receiving yards. The Bears have only allowed 2 TDs to opposing TE’s this season and Schultz’s 74 yards last week was the only time a TE surpassed 42 receiving yards against them all year.
Panthers @ Bengals
Start – Tee Higgins – SEE START OF THE WEEK TOP OF PAGE
Sit – Chuba Hubbard – I don’t imagine you own Hubbard or are thinking of starting him unless you are in need of a RB this week. If you need a RB and have limited options, I would plug in Dontrell Hilliard over Hubbard given he has been more successful in his chances since CMC left for SF. The Bengals defense has only allowed 2 RBs to reach over 70 rushing yards this season (Kamara, Chubb). Don’t overthink it, sit Hubbard unless Hilliard were to miss any time.
Packers @ Lions
Start – Aaron Rodgers – Rodgers and the Packers are a mess this season. The offense isn’t clicking, and the defense isn’t good enough to be solely relied upon. This pick is mostly due to the history of Rodgers dominating the Lions. Over that last 2 seasons, Rodgers has averaged 230 passing yards (left 1 game early) and has a total of 12 TDs (1 rushing) when facing Detroit. Oh, and that is all without losing a fumble or throwing an INT. Lions are letting opposing offenses rack up yards and points giving up an NFL high 32 points per game. Rodgers might not have a huge arsenal of weapons, but he has got to do something to get the Packers back on track, so this is a great place to start.
Sit – Either DST – Pretty obvious sit here, both defenses should not be started. The Lions offense is surprisingly good with Swift and Williams rushing and St. Brown and Reynolds receiving. Goff has averaged over 270 passing yards each game and has 12 passing TDs so they can put up points even against the Packers. Lions defense is almost nonexistent giving up the most points to opposing offenses like I mentioned above. I’m sure there is a DST out there with a better chance at success than either of these 2.
Colts @ Patriots
Start – Rhamondre Stevenson – Stevenson is coming off a good game in the Patriots win over the Jets. Not only did he lead the team in rushing yards with 71, but he also led the team in receiving yards with 72. Stevenson has a combined 131 receiving yards in his last 2 games. Rhamondre has double digit carries in his last 6 games and in 5 of those 6 he has 5+ targets. He is a focal point in Belichick’s offense and has a great matchup with the Colts. Indianapolis let Derrick Henry explode for 128 rushing yards in week 7 and then allowed Antonio Gibson to achieve 58 receiving yards and a TD.
Sit – Parris Campbell – Campbell came back down to earth after his back-to-back games with 11 and 12 targets. He cashed in those looks with 17 receptions and 2 TDs. Last week he only had 2 targets which he caught both for 43 yards. It’s a good sign that he can convert for Ehlinger, but it’s clear the QB preferred Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman first. New England has surrendered just 4 WR TDs this season making Campbells life a little more difficult. I’m expecting both teams to try to establish a solid run game.
Bills @ Jets
Start – Gabe Davis – Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs are obvious must starts but beyond that I like Gabe Davis. Davis has 6+ targets in 4 of his last 5 games and has 4 TDs on the year. The Jets defense has been better than expected this season, but the Buffalo offense is a tough task to tame. Davis has only been catching half or less than half his targets lately, but his big play ability is a threat on any down. I could watch his 98-yard TD on repeat. This game could be a defensive battle, but the Bills clearly are favored to break the Jets defense early.
Sit – James Robinson – As good as Robinson is, he has only been a Jet for 1 game and is getting acclimated to his role on the team. I don’t like any Jets in this game, but I would prefer Michael Carter over Robinson just until I see a role reversal or more chances for Robinson. We know the Bills eat offenses for breakfast and this game should be no different. Carter could get some targets in an attempt to keep up with Buffalo but that most likely won’t benefit Robinson who has 1 reception for 1 yard in his last 3 games.
Vikings @ Commanders
Start – Terry McLaurin – Scary Terry takes on Minnesota this weekend being underdogs with a line that favors Vikings by 3.5 points. Minnesota’s only loss this year came to the undefeated Eagles. Kirk and the Vikings should be able to score against Washingtons average to below average defense forcing the Commanders to play catch up. Whether Washington is down or in a close one, I believe Heinicke will target Terry often as he is the best pass catcher on the team and has been reliable. The last 2 games McLaurin caught 11 of his 16 targets resulting in a total of 186 receiving yards. Worth noting that the Vikings allowed 90+ receiving yards to 2 players in each of their last 2 games (Hill 177, Waddle 129, Hopkins 159, Moore 92). As long as the Commanders can establish any sort of offensive rhythm Terry should be a great play Sunday.
Sit – TJ Hockenson – TJ just got traded from the Lions to the Vikings. An upgrade for TJ and an upgrade for Minnesota. I’m sure Kirk Cousins will want to get him involved; my only hesitance comes with the matchup. Commander’s defense may be disappointing again this season, but they have been very good defending opposing TEs. No TE has reached over 40 receiving yards against Washington and only once did a TE have 4 receptions. Washington also has allowed only TE Dallas Goedert from Philly to score this season. Hockenson is getting his 2nd shot at the Commanders after the Lions faced them in week 2. He was targeted 7 times in that game but only caught 3 passes for 26 yards.
Raiders @ Jags
Start – Josh Jacobs – I was going to go with Trevor Lawrence, Etienne, or Evan Engram in this spot because the matchup is great, but I decided to go with Jacobs in this game. He fell back down to earth last week in an embarrassing shutout loss to New Orleans. The Saint’s defense is much better defending the run compared to the Jaguars. Before last week Jacobs had 3 consecutive 140+ rushing yard games with at least 20 carries and 1+ TDs in those games. He only had 10 carries last week resulting in 40 yards but the game plan didn’t favor him as they were down the entire game. Vegas is slightly favored over the Jags this week so they will have to establish a solid run game to better their chances to win. Derek Carr looked terrible last week so feeding Jacobs could be a great way to steer the offense back in a positive direction.
Sit – Darren Waller – Oh look, Waller is in my sit category again. Seems repetitive but for good reason. His status is questionable right now not giving us much to work with. If Waller plays, I would still sit him. He hasn’t played since week 4 and had only 6 receptions for 46 yards in his last 2 games played combined. The Jaguars have only allowed 1 TD to opposing TEs this season and that was to Jelani Woods of Indianapolis. If Waller plays, he could have top 10 TE potential, but his status is too iffy, and the matchup isn’t very appealing.
Seahawks @ Cardinals
Start – Zach Ertz – Ertz sits in the top 5 fantasy TEs to this point in the season. Ertz has been targeted 4+ times in every game this season including 4 games with 10+ targets. The Seahawks are one of the worst defenses when it comes to defending TEs. Most of the damage done was by Taysom Hill and TJ Hockenson who accounted for 5 total TDs in back-to-back weeks this season. Back in week 6 Ertz faced the Seahawks in Seattle and finished with 10 targets, 7 receptions, and 70 yards. This time Ertz is playing them at home and will look to build on his success.
Sit – James Connor – This is another sit spot like Darren Waller above. Connor hasn’t played since week 5 and his status sits at questionable. In the games Connor played in, he did not surpass 55 rushing yards or hit 30 receiving yards. He scored his lone TD of the season all the way back in week 1. Eno Benjamin has taken over for Connor in his absence and has been doing a steadily good job. Eno has 2 TDs in his last 4 games, an impressive 92 rushing yards against the Saints in week 7, and he has 20+ receiving yards in 6 of 8 games this season including 4 consecutive. The Seahawks defense has allowed opposing RBs to rush for 100+ yards in 3 games this season and have surrendered 8 total RB TDs. For what it’s worth, RBs to be targeted 6+ times against Seattle have all resulted in 65+ receiving yards.
Rams @ Buccaneers
Start – Tom Brady – Tom Brady has struggled this season with on and off the field distractions. The Buc’s offense looks subpar and has them searching for answers. Brady lost his 3rd consecutive game for the first time in 2 decades. Both teams are struggling with just 3 wins each. Brady has to have the edge playing at home against the reigning champs being favored by a field goal. I expect Brady to air it out like he has in every game this season, but hopefully his time he can throw more than 1 TD pass which only has happened once this year when he had 3 in a loss to KC. Brady has 40+ pass attempts in every game since week 3. This is a risky start this week, but I have faith Brady can get something going even against a good defense.
Sit – Darrell Henderson – Henderson has been lost in the shuffle. He has split time with Cam Akers until Cam stopped playing, and then shared time with Malcolm Brown and Ronnie Rivers. Henderson could have been a stud RB1 given chances, but it hasn’t worked out for him and the Rams. In the last 4 weeks there have been 9 different Rams with a rush attempt. Darrell has yet to hit 50 rushing yards and hasn’t exceeded 30 receiving yards. Averaging 28 rushing yards per game simply won’t cut it. Now that we know Cam Akers is staying put in LA, it further complicated the backfield and hurts what little hope we can have for Henderson.
Titans @ Chiefs
Start – JuJu Smith-Schuster – JuJu has played well for KC this season. Mahomes has targeted him 8 times in all but 2 games. Prior to Kansas City’s week 8 BYE, JuJu caught 12 of 13 targets for a total of 237 receiving yards and 2 TDs in his last 2 games. More impressive knowing the teams he faced were San Francisco and Buffalo who have 2 of the best defenses in the NFL. The Titan’s defense has allowed 3 WRs to reach 100+ receiving yards and 8 WRs to total at least 70 receiving yards. Titans have also allowed 9 TDs to opposing WRs. I like JuJu to have a good game as his chemistry with Mahomes seems to be in full bloom.
Sit – Titan DST – Both teams may be 5-3 going into a week 9 battle in KC, but with a line of -12.5 in favor of KC, the Titans defense could be in for a long Sunday night. The Chiefs average 31 points per game which is best in the NFL. Mahomes can sling it with the best and just added another pass catcher Kadarius Toney from the Giants. I’m expecting a close 1st half, but I think KC will take full control in the 2nd half unless king Henry has an epic game.