Week 9 fantasy football rankings: Evaluating best QB, RB, WR, TE, D/ST and kickers

The Sportsnaut Week 9 fantasy football rankings break down the most important positions in fantasy, evaluating individual matchups, recent performances, and injuries for the best players in the NFL. Bookmark this page for updates leading up to every game.

The NFL injury report for Week 9 is a big part of the reason why the options are slim. Ja’Marr Chase, Marquise Brown and Mike Williams are among the NFL stars already ruled out for Sunday. Combine that with six teams on a bye and the Week 9 fantasy rankings thin out significantly.

Before diving into our fantasy rankings for Week 9, here are the NFL teams on a bye this week.

Related: NFL waiver wire targets for Week 9

NFL bye weeks – Week 9

• Cleveland Browns
• Dallas Cowboys
• Denver Broncos
• New York Giants
• Pittsburgh Steelers
• San Francisco 49ers

Here are our Week 8 fantasy football rankings with stats via Pro Football Reference.

Week 9 fantasy QB rankings

Related: Week 9 NFL quarterback rankings

Rank:	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Jalen Hurts	@ Houston Texans
2	Justin Herbert	@ Atlanta Falcons
3	Joe Burrow	vs Cincinnati Bengals
4	Patrick Mahomes	vs Tennessee Titans
5	Josh Allen	@ New York Jets
6	Lamar Jackson	@ New Orleans Saints
7	Tua Tagovailoa	@ Chicago Bears
8	Geno Smith	@ Arizona Cardinals
9	Kirk Cousins	@ Washington Commanders
10	Kyler Murray	vs Seattle Seahawks
11	Aaron Rodgers	@ Detroit Lions
12	Justin Fields	vs Miami Dolphins
13	Marcus Mariota	vs Los Angeles Chargers
14	Jared Goff	vs Green Bay Packers
15	Tom Brady	vs Los Angeles Rams
16	Andy Dalton	vs Baltimore Ravens
17	Taylor Heinicke	vs Minnesota Vikings
18	Ryan Tannehill	@ Kansas City Chiefs
19	Derek Carr	@ Jacksonville Jaguars
20	Trevor Lawrence	vs Las Vegas Raiders
21	PJ Walker	@ Cincinnati Bengals
22	Sam Ehlinger	@ New England Patriots
23	Matthew Stafford	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
24	Mac Jones	vs Indianapolis Colts

MVP candidate Jalen Hurts leads off the Week 9 fantasy rankings, even on a short week when scoring is typically down. While the Houston Texans have performed admirably against the pass – 217.6 pass ypg, 76.7 QB rating allowed – this is one of the worst run defenses in football. Hurts will find multiple ways to exploit Houston in a blowout.

It’s been a disappointing 2022 season for Justin Herbert to date, coming into Week 9 ranked 13th in ESPN QBR (55.4) and 7th in touchdowns (12). A matchup against the Atlanta Falcons can change all of that. It’s beyond exploitable, allowing 1,415 passing yards in the last four games.

In terms of quarterbacks facing tougher matchups, Kyler Murray and Josh Allen are among them. In the last four weeks, opponents averaged just 199.3 passing yards per game with a 4-3 TD-INT mark and an average 80.8 QB rating vs Seattle. Meanwhile, New York’s pass defense is holding opponents to 186.8 pass ypg with a 63.5 QB rating and a 2-7 TD-INT mark.

Week 9 fantasy football rankings – Running Backs

Rank:	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Derrick Henry	@ Kansas City Chiefs
2	Austin Ekeler	@ Atlanta Falcons
3	Miles Sanders	@ Houston Texans
4	Alvin Kamara	vs Baltimore Ravens
5	Aaron Jones	@ Detroit Lions
6	Dalvin Cook	@ Washington Commanders
8	Travis Etienne Jr	vs Las Vegas Raiders
9	Joe Mixon	vs Carolina Panthers
10	Josh Jacobs	@ Jacksonville Jaguars
11	D’Andre Swift (Q)	vs Green Bay Packers
12	Kenneth Walker III	@ Arizona Cardinals
13	Raheem Mostert	@ Chicago Bears
14	Rhamondre Stevenson	vs Indianapolis Colts
15	Leonard Fournette	vs Los Angeles Rams
16	James Conner (Q)	vs Seattle Seahawks
17	Dameon Pierce	@ Philadelphia Eagles
18	Cordarrelle Patterson	vs Los Angeles Chargers
19	Jamaal Williams	vs Green Bay Packers
20	D’Onta Foreman	@ Cincinnati Bengals
21	Devin Singletary	@ New York Jets
23	Antonio Gibson	vs Minnesota Vikings
24	Damien Harris	vs Indianapolis Colts
25	Deon Jackson	@ New England Patriots
26	Kenyan Drake	@ New Orleans Saints
27	AJ Dillon	@ Detroit Lions
28	David Montgomery	vs Miami Dolphins
29	Kenneth Gainwell	@ Houston Texans
30	Brian Robinson Jr.	vs Minnesota Vikings
31	James Robinson	vs Buffalo Bills
32	Rachaad White	vs Los Angeles Rams
33	Clyde Edwards-Helaire	vs Tennessee Titans
34	Eno Benjamin	vs Seattle Seahawks
35	Alexander Mattison	@ Washington Commanders

It should come as no surprise that Derrick Henry is atop the fantasy football rankings at running back for Week 9. The Tennessee Titans are turning back the clock, with Henry now accounting for 645 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns in the last four games. There is some slight risk if the Chiefs take a massive leaving, forcing Henry off the field, but you’ve got to trust the fantasy RB1.

Miles Sanders might have some frustrating moments for fantasy managers, but Sunday won’t be one of those days. The Houston Texans are allowing 186 rushing yards per game this season, by far the worst run defense in the NFL. Sanders is going to feast, with a 100-yard game and a TD.

Running backs to fade in Week 9

• Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
• Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills
• David Montgomery, Chicago Bears

Let the recent performance from Dameon Pierce serve as an example of what might happen in Week 9. In a game controlled by Tennessee, Pierce received just 15 rushing attempts and only managed 35 yards. Now squaring off against an Eagles’ offense that will control the clock and likely put this one out of reach early, it doesn’t bode well for Pierce to find the end zone or hit 70-plus yards.

There is similar pessimism for Devin Singletary and David Montgomery. Singletary faces a Jets’ run defense that is holding opponents to 3.8 yards per carry and it will push Buffalo to be even more pass-heavy. Meanwhile, Montgomery now seems to be sharing a workload with Khalil Herbert and that limits the upside against an improving Dolphins’ run defense.

Fantasy WR rankings – Week 9

Rank:	PLAYER	OPPONENT
1	Tyreek Hill	@ Chicago Bears
2	Tee Higgins	vs Carolina Panthers
3	Cooper Kupp	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4	DeAndre Hopkins	vs Seattle Seahawks
5	Jaylen Waddle	@ Chicago Bears
6	Justin Jefferson	@ Washington Commanders
7	Stefon Diggs	@ New York Jets
8	A.J. Brown	@ Houston Texans
9	Mike Evans	vs Los Angeles Rams
10	Davante Adams	@ Jacksonville Jaguars
11	Tyler Lockett	@ Arizona Cardinals
12	DJ Moore	@ Cincinnati Bengals
13	Gabe Davis	@ New York Jets
14	Chris Olave	vs Baltimore Ravens
15	Amon-Ra St. Brown	vs Green Bay Packers
16	Terry McLaurin	vs Minnesota Vikings
17	Tyler Boyd	vs Carolina Panthers
18	Chris Godwin	vs Los Angeles Rams
19	DK Metcalf	@ Arizona Cardinals
20	DeVonta Smith	@ Houston Texans
21	Curtis Samuel	vs Minnesota Vikings
22	Romeo Doubs	@ Detroit Lions
23	Michael Pittman Jr	@ New England Patriots
24	Christian Kirk	vs Las Vegas Raiders
25	Brandin Cooks	vs Philadelphia Eagles
26	JuJu Smith-Schuster	vs Tennessee Titans
27	Adam Thielen	@ Washington Commanders
28	Drake London	vs Los Angeles Chargers
29	Joshua Palmer	@ Atlanta Falcons
30	Chase Claypool	vs Miami Dolphins
31	Allen Lazard (Q)	@ Detroit Lions
32	Devin Duvernay	@ New Orleans Saints
33	Robert Woods	@ Kansas City Chiefs
34	Alec Pierce	@ New England Patriots
35	Garrett Wilson	vs Buffalo Bills

There are quite a few absences in the Week 9 fantasy rankings at wide receiver, especially among the top-15. With Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel all on the bye – combined with other injuries – the options at receiver are slimmed down.

As long as Tua Tagovailoa is under center, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are elite plays. Field Yates of ESPN notes that the Dolphins’ receiver duo is now responsible for 1,688 receiving yards, the most through eight games. No matter who they face, always consider them no-doubt WR1s.

We’re going to advise setting some cautious expectations with Stefon Diggs and Davante Adams this week. While Jets’ cornerback Sauce Gardner is a rookie, he is already one of the best shutdown defensive backs in the NFL. Even if Buffalo tries to line up away from him, D.J. Reed Jr. has only allowed a 56.8 average QB rating when targeted in coverage this season (PFF).

Meanwhile, Adams could be in for a challenge of his own. Jaguars’ cornerback Tyson Campbell, at 6-foot-1, is enjoying a breakout season. Selected 33rd overall in 2021, Campbell has allowed just 24 receptions this season across 338 coverage snaps with receivers averaging just 9.8 ypr against him.

We love Joshua Palmer against the Atlanta Falcons. Entering Week 9, Atlanta’s secondary is without cornerbacks Casey Hayward and A.J. Terrell. Unsurprisingly, opponents have averaged over 350 passing yards per game vs Atlanta in the last four weeks.

Week 9 fantasy tight end rankings

Rank	PLAYER	MATCHUP
1	Travis Kelce	vs Tennessee Titans
2	Dallas Goedert	@ Houston Texans
3	Zach Ertz	vs Seattle Seahawks
4	Taysom Hill	vs Baltimore Ravens
5	Kyle Pitts	vs Los Angeles Chargers
6	Gerald Everett	@ Atlanta Falcons
7	Tyler Higbee	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8	Evan Engram	vs Las Vegas Raiders
9	T.J. Hockenson	@ Washington Commanders
10	Noah Fant	@ Arizona Cardinals
11	Hayden Hurst	vs Carolina Panthers
12	Robert Tonyan	@ Detroit Lions
13	Darren Waller (Q)	@ Jacksonville Jaguars
14	Dawson Knox	@ New York Jets
15	Hunter Henry	vs Indianapolis Colts
16	Tyler Conklin	vs Buffalo Bills
17	Mike Gesicki	@ Chicago Bears
18	Juwan Johnson	vs Baltimore Ravens

The top of the Week 9 fantasy tight end rankings is what you’d expect, with one small caveat. Uncertainty surrounding Mark Andrews’s injury clouds his availability and effectiveness. Adding to that, playing on Monday Night Football means there is added risk. If you roster Andrews, Isaiah Likely must be on your bench.

We do want to highlight this matchup for Zach Ertz. Already a go-to target for Kyler Murray, he matches up against a Seahawks’ defense that has allowed the most receiving yards (595) to tight ends. While 100-yard games are rare for tight ends, it’s doable for Ertz.

Related: NFL games today – 2023 NFL schedule

Speaking of defenses that struggle vs tight ends, it’s our motivation for moving Gerald Everett up the Week 9 fantasy TE rankings. Through eight games, the Falcons are one of just three defenses (Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals) to allow 500-plus receiving yards to tight ends this season.

In regards to the players we’re feeling weary of, the spotlight centers on T.J. Hockenson and Darren Waller. Hockenson, just traded to the Minnesota Vikings, needs time to acclimate to the offense and just a few days of practice makes him a volatile play in fantasy.. As for Waller, he could be limited by the hamstring injury that keeps landing him on the inactive list.

Fantasy K rankings Week 9

1. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens vs New Orleans Saints
2. Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals vs Carolina Panthers
3. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs vs Tennessee Titans
4. Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders vs Jacksonville Jaguars
5. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks vs Arizona Cardinals
6. Younghoe Koee, Atlanta Falcons vs Los Angeles Chargers
7. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets
8. Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles vs Houston Texans
9. Nick Folk, New England Patriots vs Indianapolis Colts
10. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions
11. Ryan Succop, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Los Angeles Rams
12. Chase McLaughlin, Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots
13. Matt Prater, Arizona Cardinals vs Seattle Seahawks
14. Will Lutz, New Orleans Saints vs Baltimore Ravens
15. Greg Joseph, Minnesota Vikings vs Washington Commanders

Week 9 fantasy football rankings – D/ST