Fantasy Football 2024: One player I’m fading/starting in Week 9 for each position

Week 9 of the NFL season has arrived. It starts on Thursday night when the Texans take on the Jets, a game that should be interesting. The Texans have one of the best records in the league, but that feels a bit tenuous at this point. Stefon Diggs has a torn ACL. Nico Collins is still out with a hamstring injury. A road game against the Jets is the perfect letdown spot for this Houston team.

It's also arguably the last shot for the 2-6 Jets to turn things around. ESPN currently gives the Jets a 12% chance to make the playoffs. There's not much room for error, and beating a banged-up Texans team feels like a must if Aaron Rodgers and the Jets want to get back on track. The Jets are favored in this game, but it really feels like a toss-up.

So, is anyone from that game a must-start or must-sit in fantasy football this weekend? Sure, but you won't find those names on this list. However, you will find one player to fade and one player to start at each position in fantasy football for Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season.

Week 9 quarterbacks to fade and start

Fade: Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins

Last weekend, Tua Tagovailoa returned after missing four games with a concussion. He was 28-for-38 for 234 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals.

It wasn't Tua's best performance, but at least it felt like the Dolphins offense was capable of doing something. Miami looked completely lost during the games that the left-handed passer was sidelined.

But Miami faces a really tough test against the Bills this weekend. Buffalo allows the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and the only teams they allowed over 212 net yards to were teams quarterbacked by C.J. Stroud and Aaron Rodgers.

Start: Bo Nix - Denver Broncos

Broncos rookie Bo Nix is definitely on the upswing right now. Last week against Carolina, Nix was 28-for-37 for 284 yard and three touchdowns, both career-high marks. Nix has displayed strong accuracy and an ability to make plays when he escapes the pocket. I'm not sold on him being a long-term NFL starter just yet, but the beginning of his career has been encouraging.

And now he gets a very juicy matchup the Baltimore Ravens.

Wait, you might be thinking. The Ravens are a juicy matchup?

Yeah, it sounds weird, but Baltimore is the NFL's worst pass defense this season, giving up 291.4 passing yards per game. That's 20.3 more yards than the second-worst team allows. Something's just off with the secondary.

Week 9 running backs to fade and start

Fade: Nick Chubb - Cleveland Browns

Nick Chubb has been decent in his return, scoring a touchdown in his first game back and then rushing for 52 yards against Baltimore last weekend.

But Chubb, who ran for 1,525 yards in his last full season, just doesn't look like he's all the way up to speed. He's been held to 2.7 yards per carry, down a lot from his career average of 5.2.

The good news is the Chargers are allowing 4.8 yards per carry. The bad news is that they've allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns in the league this year. Until Chubb is able to start gaining yards after contact like the old days, touchdowns really matter to his outlook. This week, he lacks that upside.

Start: Chase Brown - Cincinnati Bengals

Chase Brown comes into this week with double-digit carries in five consecutive games and has claimed the top spot over Zack Moss in Cincy. Last week, Brown had 12 carries and four targets while Moss had five carries and four targets.

Brown's yards per carry are down the last two games, but he still found the end zone against Philly. In fact, he has four rushing scores and a receiving score over the past five games.

This week, the Bengals take on the Raiders, a team that's allowed 10 rushing scores this season as well as the eighth-most rushing yards.

Week 9 wide receivers to fade and start

Fade: Amari Cooper - Buffalo Bills

Amari Cooper was supposed to solve the problem for the Bills. And he maybe has, but not in the way people expected.

Since acquiring Cooper, rookie Keon Coleman has broken out, looking like Buffalo's best wide receiver. But as for Cooper, it's been ... up and down.

Cooper — who is questionable for this week's game with a wrist injury — had four catches for 66 yards and a score in his Bills debut, but was targeted just twice last weekend, catching one pass for three yards.

He has just seven targets since joining the team and now prepares to take on a defense allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position.

Start: Ladd McConkey - Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey is coming off a huge game against the Saints, catching six passes for 111 yards and two scores in the 26-8 win.

The Chargers quest to find a No. 1 receiver could be over. McConkey ha six or more targets in six of seven games this season and is on the ascent right now.

This week, McConkey and the Chargers face the Cleveland Browns, who are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.

Week 9 tight ends to fade and start

Fade: Zach Ertz - Washington Commanders

Zach Ertz is coming off his best game this season, catching seven passes for 77 yards against the Bears. He was targeted 11 times, which marked just the second time this year that he had over five targets.

Maybe this is the start of something for the almost-34-year-old veteran, but I think it's much more likely that Ertz just happened to have a good game the Bears.

It also doesn't help that the Commanders face the Giants this week. New York hs yet to allow a touchdown to the tight end position this season, plus has given up the sixth-fewest yards to the position.

Start: Sam LaPorta - Detroit Lions

Okay, look. If I'd suggested Sam LaPorta as a must-start at the beginning of the year, you'd have been right to laugh at me because of how obvious it was that LaPorta needed to be in your lineups.

But after a bit of an inconsistent season, LaPorta isn't the must-start top three tight end we all expected. There's been ebbs and flows all year.

But LaPorta saw a season-high six targets last weekend and caught a touchdown, his second in three games. He faces a Packers team that's allowed the fifth-most receiving yards to the position this season.