Week 9 Game-by-Game Preview: Rankings, Projections, Matchups & More!

Five teams are starting a different quarterback than they planned, and one of them is down to an undrafted rookie third-stringer.Matthew Freedman and Zain Dhanani go game by game through the entire Week 9 slate, all 15 matchups with only the Steelers and Titans on bye, using spreads, implied totals, injury reports and coverage data to sort out who’s actually startable and who you’re better off benching.They open in Madrid with Bengals-Falcons at a 52.5 total, where Joe Burrow has historically been an assassin away from home, outside the division and indoors — all three apply here. Then it’s Raiders-49ers with San Francisco carrying the slate’s highest implied total at 31.25, Cowboys-Colts against a team in full tear-it-down mode after trading DeForest Buckner, and Lions-Dolphins.The quarterback churn is the story. Lamar Jackson’s thumb injury is potentially season-ending and Tyler Huntley is out too, leaving Baltimore likely starting undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano on a short week. Sam Darnold is out in Seattle with Drew Lock stepping in. Deshaun Watson is in concussion protocol and the Browns are preparing Shedeur Sanders. Gardner Minshew takes over in Arizona. And the Eagles are on Joe Milton.Along the way: Tee Higgins outproducing Ja’Marr Chase again, Brock Purdy in an MVP season against the league’s worst run defense, Javonte Williams against a Colts team that just gave up 42, Jameson Williams on elite usage since the bye, Kenneth Walker as a double-digit home favorite, Braelon Allen with Breece Hall’s return still uncertain, Eli Raridon stepping into a gutted Patriots receiver room, Bo Nix under Sean Payton’s play-calling, Kendre Miller off the bye, Woody Marks, Ladd McConkey finally healthy, Makai Lemon as Philadelphia’s de facto No. 1, Rome Odunze, Justin Jefferson indoors, and Brenton Strange as a big favorite.Plus the fades: Mike Gesicki, Kirk Cousins as a double-digit dog, Chig Okonkwo against the league’s best tight end defense, Josh Jacobs on the road, Tetairoa McMillan since the bye, Omarion Hampton, Michael Wilson against Seattle, Caleb Williams, Bucky Irving losing work to Kenneth Gainwell, DJ Moore, Dalton Kincaid, T.J. Hockenson, and Derrick Henry with a rookie third-stringer under center.Then Buccaneers-Bears on Sunday night, Bills-Vikings on Monday, and Jaguars-Ravens on Thursday.If you’ve got a lineup decision you can’t settle, the game is in here.Topics in this video:2026 fantasy football, week 9 start sit, week 9 fantasy football, fantasy football lineup help, Week 9 matchup breakdown, NFL week 9 odds, Bengals Falcons Madrid, Lamar Jackson injury, Joe Fagnano, Drew Lock, Shedeur Sanders, Gardner Minshew, Joe Milton, Tee Higgins, Mike Gesicki, Kyle Pitts, Brock Purdy, Jordan Watkins, Ashton Jeanty, Kirk Cousins, Javonte Williams, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Josh Downs, Sam LaPorta, Jameson Williams, Malik Washington, Malik Willis, Xavier Worthy, Kenneth Walker, Omar Cooper Jr, Braelon Allen, Matthew Stafford, Davis Allen, Jayden Daniels, Chig Okonkwo, Rhamondre Stevenson, Eli Raridon, Tucker Kraft, Josh Jacobs, Jaylen Waddle, Bo Nix, Jalen Coker, Tetairoa McMillan, Tyler Shough, Kendre Miller, Harold Fannin, Quinshon Judkins, Dalton Schultz, Woody Marks, Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, AJ Barner, Tyler Allgeier, Michael Wilson, Devin Singletary, Dallas Goedert, Makai Lemon, Rome Odunze, Caleb Williams, Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving, Dalton Kincaid, DJ Moore, T.J. Hockenson, Justin Jefferson, Jakobi Meyers, Brenton Strange, Zay Flowers, Derrick HenrySubscribe for more fantasy football content