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As Week 9 of the fantasy football season approaches, managers face the difficult task of deciding whether to bench their superstar players. While it's never easy to sit a top-tier talent, a string of subpar performances or a challenging matchup can justify such a move. Here are five players who could disappoint in Week 9, along with additional names to be cautious about.
For final lineup decisions, be sure to consult Start 'Em, Sit 'Em advice and weekly player rankings, which are updated daily throughout the season. Note: Starting percentages are sourced from Sleeper.
Week 9 Fantasy Busts and Players to Beware
Jordan Love at Patriots (54% started): The Packers quarterback has posted 20-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games. However, expectations should be tempered against the Patriots. New England's defense has allowed only three quarterbacks to score more than 14.6 points, and all three of those performances occurred on the road. At home, the Patriots have surrendered the fourth-fewest points per game.
Ashton Jeanty at 49ers (94% started): Despite his high ownership and the scarcity of reliable running backs, Jeanty is difficult to bench. Yet, after last week's game, expectations must be tempered. Against the Jets, Mike Washington Jr. saw 25 carries and led the Raiders backfield in both touches and snaps. If that trend continues, Jeanty will be a risky starter in fantasy leagues.
Saquon Barkley at Giants (83% started): Have you seen Barkley's snap numbers lately? In his last two games, he has played just 32 snaps and a modest 24% of the Eagles' offensive snaps. That's because he's clearly not 100%. While it's tough to sit Barkley against his old team, it's also hard to start him with such a limited workload.
Michael Wilson at Seahawks (73% started): Wilson scored a season-high 26.8 fantasy points last week in Dallas, but facing the Seahawks is a much tougher task. Their defense has given up the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to perimeter receivers, and no team has allowed fewer receiving points per game to the position, regardless of alignment. Beware of the Cardinals receiver.
DJ Moore vs. Vikings (68% started): Moore posted a solid stat line last week for the Bills, scoring a touchdown and 16.6 fantasy points. However, a matchup against the Vikings makes him a risk. Their defense has allowed just one wide receiver to beat them for more than 12.6 points since Week 2, and perimeter receivers have averaged the sixth-fewest points per game against them.
More Players to Beware
Bryce Young vs. Broncos (35% started): After a hot start, Young has been held to 15.4 points in his last two games. Keep him on the sidelines in one-quarterback leagues against Denver, who have allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per dropback.
Ollie Gordon vs. Lions (74% started): Gordon has been solid in most games he has played this season, but he has a tough matchup against Detroit in Week 9. Their defense has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.
Jalen Coker vs. Broncos (71%): Coker has failed to score more than 9.6 points in three games and has averaged a mere 7.8 points over his last four games. This week, he faces a Denver defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest points per game to wideouts.
Dalton Kincaid vs. Vikings (52% started): Kincaid had 18.6 fantasy points last week. Still, beware of a matchup against the Vikings. No defense has allowed fewer points per game to tight ends, and not one has scored more than 9.5 points this season.
Vikings defense vs. Bills (73%): The Vikings have the best fantasy defense in the league this season, but they face superstar quarterback Josh Allen and a Bills offense averaging the most points (33.3) and the second-most yards per game this season.
Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio and the Locked on Dynasty Podcast. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame. Follow Michael_Fabiano.