It is not about how many times you get knocked down! It is about how many times you get back up! After taking one on the chin in week 7 we bounced back with a huge victory in week 8! 8 out of 10 choices were correct! As we continue to progress through the season the decisions should become more clear. We see the way offenses are running and the way defensive players are responding! Let us ride that momentum into week 9!
*Side note- a sit to me is somebody that will get 10 or less fantasy points for you.*
Week 8 Starts (3 Pass, 2 Fail)
Josh Sweat– 2pts – Fail; George Karlaftis– 24pts – Pass; C.J. Mosley– 24pts – Pass; Jack Campbell– 8pts – Fail; Budda Baker– 11pts – Pass
Week 8 Sits (5 Pass)
Zaven Collins– 9pts – Pass; Gregory Rousseau– 7pt – Pass; Kwon Alexander– 8pts – Pass; Terrell Edmunds– 2pts – Pass; AJ Terrell– 8pts – Pass
If you are feeling hesitant about any IDP I mention then be sure to check out my pivot options. IDP I will not go into detail about, but I am comfortable starting or sitting beyond the guys I speak about. Now let’s get into my week 9 Starts & Sits for IDP!
START
DL- Maxx Crosby (LV) vs New York Giants (START)
There may be some hesitation due to a new coach calling the shots. I am here to tell you not to hesitate. Keep Crosby in your starting lineups as you have been. He is the best defender on the team with a 91.6 overall grade on PFF. Not to mention, he has more than triple the number of pressures than anybody else on the team with 47 total! Plus 27 run stops! This guy is a menace. Do not hesitate. Keep him in.
DL- Christian Barmore (NE) vs Washington Commanders (START)
Barmore struggled at the start of the season but seems to have caught his stride. In the past 3 games he has 3 tackles for losses with 2 sacks. He currently applies the second most pressures on the team with 17. The Commanders have allowed the most sacks on the season with 41. The opposing lineman that Barmore will be between (Sam Cosmi & Andrew Wylie) are strong but they have allowed 6 sacks this season. Expect Barmore to be a force this week causing disruption in the backfield.
LB- Preston Smith (GB) vs Los Angeles Rams (START)
Smith has been a force and with leader De’Vondre Campbell back, he is only going to become a bigger threat. Smith is currently tied for third with pressures on the team. Now he goes against a team that has allowed 19 sacks to Matthew Stafford. Stafford is currently nursing an injury, giving him the questionable tag for this week. If he cannot go, then it goes to Brett Rypien. In the last 3 games, Smith has 4 sacks and 7 hits on the quarterback. He will break the line and get to the quarterback. Most will start Quay Walker, as they should. Have Smith in your lineups too.
DB- Akayleb Evans (MIN) @ Atlanta Falcons (START)
Evans right now is questionable with a neck injury. If able to play, this is a fruitful matchup. The Falcons are typically a run heavy team. They likely will be this week too. But they announced quarterback Taylor Heinicke will get the start. Heinicke will be able to push the ball down the field. This might open the Falcons offense up a little more, allowing for more opportunities for Evans. He has seen over 95% of snaps the past two weeks. If he is good to go, this could be a great match for him.
DB- Jason Pinnock (NYG) @ Las Vegas Raiders (START)
Pinnock has been up and down this season. However, this week he goes against a new look Raiders offense led by an Interim Head Coach and rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell. This could play in Pinnock’s favor. O’Connell may be asked to stretch the field with Jakobi Meyers and Davante Adams, allowing Pinnock plenty of opportunity to make the plays. If anything, rack up his tackles. He is inconsistent from a fantasy perspective. This week I am starting him.
Additional Players to consider starting:
Giants – Dexter Lawrence
Saints – Carl Granderson
Colts – Shaquille Leonard
Browns-Denzel Ward
Buccaneers – Antoine Winfield
SIT
DL- Brian Burns (CAR) vs Indianapolis Colts (SIT)
Burns has not been himself lately. He is currently on pace to get 16 less tackles than last year with one less sack. His saving grace could be that Gardner Minshew has been sacked 14 times on the season. (9 times in the last 3 games). Burns leads the team with 16 total pressures with only 5 sacks to show for it. It could be that he has a miss tackle rate of 21.7% currently. He was once a weekly starter for me. I need to see some consistency like I saw the second half of last season, but I have him on my bench for the now.
DL- Montez Sweat (CHI) @ New Orleans Saints (SIT)
Sweat will bring a dominant force on the edge with Chicago. Right now, he is now the Bears leader with pressures on the season with 27 coming from his time as a Commander. The Saints have allowed 19 sacks on the season. Ryan Ramczyk the lineman likely opposing Sweat has only allowed 3 sacks. Sweat will help elevate this Bears defense. I am sitting to see how he gets acclimated to his new defense.
LB- Nakobe Dean (PHI) vs Dallas Cowboys (SIT)
Dean had himself a day last week with 11 solo tackles and 2 tackles for loss. His snap percentage has increased over the past three-weeks. That is great to see. That was an amazing performance, but I think this week he comes back down to Earth. The Commanders (his opponent last week) has one of the worst lines in the league right now. Although Dallas does not have one of the best offensive lines, they are better. He will be on the side of the Smith’s (Tyron Smith & Tyler Smith). Two of Dallas’s offensive lineman that have allowed no sacks on the season. They know how to block. I am for Dean and his success. I just do not see him having a repeat game like last week.
DB- Jalen Ramsey (MIA) @ Kansas City Chiefs (SIT)
Ramsey is back! He made his 2023 debut last week against New England. He played 92% of snaps and obtained one interception. It is safe to say Ramsey is healthy and ready to go with that workload. It will not surprise me if they lessen his workload to play with caution as their bye week approaches next week. They do not want one of their best defensive backs to reaggravate his injury. Against a Chiefs team that excels with Patrick Mahomes, I am keeping him on my bench until I see a few weeks of consistency.
DB- Quandre Diggs (SEA) @ Baltimore Ravens (SIT)
Diggs has had some good weeks, but some bad. His good weeks (weeks over 10 fantasy points) have been from weeks with more than 5 tackles or an interception. Unfortunately, he only has two games over 5 tackles with one other having his lone interception. The Ravens are about an even team when it comes to running and passing the ball. They prefer to run with star quarterback Lamar Jackson. When they ask him to throw it is usually short intermediate throws getting to his receivers quickly. With this type of game script, I think it is possible we see bigger numbers from Seattle’s front seven than we do their secondary. I am putting Diggs on my bench this week.
Additional Players to consider sitting:
Cowboys – DeMarcus Lawrence
Browns – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Raiders- Divine Deablo
Packers – Jaire Alexander
Saints – Tyrann Mathieu
That is my week 9 start/sits for the IDP positions.
Thank you for reading. Follow me on X at @ThePPRShow for more! If you need offensive start/sit advice, give @TFFGRobbie a follow for his weekly offensive start/sit articles! Peace & Love.
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