Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 9: Flex, PPR Advice for Fringe Fantasy Football Stars
After eight weeks of the 2022 NFL season, the playoff picture is beginning to emerge (even with plenty of time still to go). The same can be said for fantasy football leagues, where it's perhaps even clearer.
The majority of fantasy leagues have a 14-week regular season, so they've already passed the midway point. It's getting clearer which managers likely have a chance to be competing in the playoffs and who will be hoping for better luck next year.
In Week 9, the battle for postseason positioning continues. However, many fantasy managers will be without key players, with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers all on byes.
With so many fantasy standouts out of action, here's some start/sit advice for multiple fringe flex players for this week.
Start 'Em: Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions
In the Lions' Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Jamaal Williams had only 13 touches, his fewest since Week 2.
That happened in part due to the increased involvement of D'Andre Swift, who had 10 touches while continuing to be reintegrated into the offense after missing time due to a shoulder injury.
Still, Williams made the most of his opportunities, racking up 76 total yards and scoring a pair of rushing touchdowns for his fourth two-TD game of the season. So, it's clear he doesn't need 20-plus touches to be a worthwhile fantasy flex option.
However, the 27-year-old's involvement may go back up in Detroit's Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
On Tuesday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket that the team "probably gave Swift one too many carries" last week and that he's "not back" (h/t Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit).
The Lions' backfield has a great matchup this week against the Packers, which are allowing 141.3 rushing yards per game (the fourth most in the NFL).
Williams should fare well against his former team and is a start-worthy RB regardless of how the work is split up between him and Swift.
Sit 'Em: Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets
Don't be fooled because the Buffalo Bills gave up 208 rushing yards in their win over the Green Bay Packers last week. Their run defense is still among the best in the league, as it's allowing 95 yards on the ground per game (the fourth fewest in the NFL).
So, the Jets may have trouble running the ball against the Bills, which should have a bounce-back performance in that regard in Week 9. And that means it's not wise to risk starting New York RB Michael Carter in fantasy lineups this week.
The 23-year-old had only 26 yards on seven carries in the Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots. James Robinson, New York's recent trade acquisition, had only five rushing attempts, but his workload is likely to increase as he becomes more familiar with the offense.
With an unfavorable matchup and the uncertainty surrounding Carter's role moving forward, it's best to leave the North Carolina product on fantasy benches this week. He should only be started by managers whose rosters are depleted at the position because of byes.
Start 'Em: Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
Over the past two weeks, Curtis Samuel has eight catches and nine rushing attempts. Those opportunities have resulted in 158 total yards, so it's clear he'll continue to be heavily involved in the Commanders' offense now that backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke is at the helm.
Samuel hasn't gotten into the end zone since Week 2, but that drought could end in Week 9. Washington is hosting the Minnesota Vikings, which are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers, per NFL.com.
Even though the 26-year-old hasn't had the biggest fantasy outputs this season, he remains a strong flex option in points-per-reception leagues. The wide receiver has had five or more catches five times this season and six games with seven or more targets.
Heinicke excels in the short passing game, and that bodes well for Samuel's involvement. So, have confidence in starting the Ohio State product in fantasy lineups for Week 9.
Sit 'Em: Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts
Sam Ehlinger took over at quarterback for the Colts' Week 8 loss to the Commanders, making his first career NFL start.
The 24-year-old had a solid performance, throwing for 201 yards. And 53 of those came on passes to Michael Pittman Jr., who had a team-high seven receptions.
Although Ehlinger is clearly going to try to get the ball to Pittman, that doesn't make the wide receiver a must-start in fantasy lineups moving forward. Indianapolis' offense still had some struggles, and that was in a decent matchup vs. Washington.
This week, the Colts are on the road to face the New England Patriots. So, it may be much more difficult for Ehlinger to connect with Pittman. The Pats have a solid secondary, and one of those strong cornerbacks will be aiming to shut down the 25-year-old.
If you have enough depth at wide receiver on your fantasy roster, it could be the right move to leave Pittman on the bench. Ehlinger hasn't fixed all of Indianapolis' offensive troubles, and Week 9 could prove to be a much bigger test for this unit, Pittman included.