Week 9 Start/Sit Calls

Four players to start this week, led by Tyler Allgeier and D'Andre Swift, and five to bench, including Zay Flowers and Justin Herbert. Plus three hurt running backs to start if they're cleared, including Christian McCaffrey.

Every week our model ranks each player twice: once for this week alone, and once for the rest of the season. When those two ranks are far apart, that's a start or sit call. A start is a player who ranks much higher this week than he usually does. A sit is a player you might be thinking about starting who doesn't make a 12-team lineup this week.

Rankings are half PPR for a 12-team league, from Thursday morning's update, and they include tonight's Jaguars at Ravens game. Every rank and point total below assumes the player suits up, so a hurt player isn't marked down just for being hurt. Pittsburgh and Tennessee are on bye. Injury news is as of Thursday afternoon, so check the live rankings before you lock anything in. They update every day.

Start

Tyler Allgeier, Cardinals (at Seahawks). He's RB14 this week and RB28 for the rest of the season, at 14.5 projected points. Jeremiyah Love is on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, and the model gives Allgeier about 18 carries and 4 targets. Arizona is only expected to score about 15.5 points, so the workload is the whole case for him.

D'Andre Swift, Bears (vs Buccaneers). He's RB4 this week and RB9 for the rest of the season, at 18.2 projected points. Kyle Monangai has been out since mid-October with thumb and toe injuries, and the model has Swift at about 20 carries and 4 targets. Chicago is expected to score about 27 points, sixth-most of any team.

CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys (at Colts). He's WR2 this week and WR7 for the rest of the season, at 17.2 projected points on about 12 targets. Dallas is expected to score about 28.5 points, fourth-most this week, and only Puka Nacua ranks ahead of him at receiver.

Brock Purdy, 49ers (vs Raiders). He's QB2 this week and QB5 for the rest of the season, at 21.9 projected points. San Francisco is expected to score about 31 points, the most of any team this week. Only Joe Burrow ranks ahead of him.

Sit

Zay Flowers, Ravens (vs Jaguars, tonight). Flowers is WR19 for the rest of the season but only WR36 this week, at 8.5 projected points on about 8 targets. Baltimore is expected to score about 15 points tonight, the fewest of any team this week.

Justin Herbert, Chargers (vs Texans). Herbert is QB14 for the rest of the season and QB23 this week, at 14.5 projected points. The Chargers are expected to score about 18 points, fourth-fewest this week.

Jordan Love, Packers (at Patriots). Love is QB11 for the rest of the season and QB17 this week, at 15.9 projected points. Green Bay is expected to score about 21 points in New England, tied for eighth-fewest this week.

T.J. Hockenson, Vikings (vs Bills). Hockenson is TE11 for the rest of the season and TE15 this week, at 8.1 projected points on about 5 targets. Minnesota is expected to score about 21 points against Buffalo, the same as Green Bay.

Dallas Goedert, Eagles (vs Giants). Goedert is TE14 for the rest of the season and TE17 this week, at 7.3 projected points. Philadelphia is expected to score about 17.5 points, third-fewest of any team.

Hurt Players to Start If They Play

Three running backs rank low on the page this week only because they might sit. If they're cleared, start them. If he plays, Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) is RB9, Cam Skattebo (hamstring) is RB16 and Saquon Barkley (hamstring and back) is RB17. All three missed Wednesday's practice (Raiders and 49ers, Giants and Eagles reports), and none of them had a game status yet when we wrote this. Have a backup ready for all three.

Where to Find the Rest

Every player's rank for this week and the rest of the season is on pigskinprojections.com, and it updates every day as injury news comes in. Our free Saturday email puts the start/sit calls up top.