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Week 9 of the 2023 fantasy football season features an intriguing matchup on Sunday Night Football between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
These are two of the most successful teams in the NFL over the past three years, mostly due to their dominant offenses and elite quarterback play. This also means that this specific game will be loaded with potential fantasy options.
The last time these two teams faced off, the Bengals eliminated the Bills from the NFL Playoffs last year. Josh Allen had one of the worst postseason games of his career, so he will likely be looking to get revenge.
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It won't be easy against Joe Burrow, who appears to be back in form just at the right time after a slow start to the season.
With both quarterbacks playing well right now, two of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and solid rushing games to go along with it, this primetime showdown is a potentially high-scoring game. This is exactly what fantasy football managers are hoping for when finalizing their Week 9 lineups.
While plenty of legitimate fantasy options will be playing in this particular game in a favorable situation, managers should still never blindly start any of their players. They must instead properly analyze all of their potential options before finalizing lineups. The following breakdown can help them do so.
Sunday Night Football Week 9 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em fantasy football
Fantasy football managers must weigh a large amount of variables for each available player when making lineup decisions. This is one of the best ways to maximize final scores in lineups, leading to more consistent victories.
Some of them include recent individual performances, injury situations to relevant players, potential game scripts, direct weekly matchups, and projected offensive output, among many others. These factors help to determine which options to target each week.
The Start/Sit Optimizer streamlines this complicated process in the most efficient way. This useful tool considers all of the variables on any players in a given week to generate lineup suggestions and fantasy projections.
Managers who use it often gain an edge over the rest of their fantasy leagues. It was used to help produce a list of potential targets and fades for a Week 9 contest between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
Official injury reports are another crucial factor when making fantasy football lineup decisions on players from any game. Luckily for this SNF showdown, both teams are expected to be relatively healthy with pretty much all of their usual offensive options available to them. Dawson Knox is the only skill-position starter that isn't expected to play this week.
All of these factors, along with many others, were taken into careful consideration when coming up with the following list of potential players to target and others to avoid. This is for fantasy football lineups on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 for the 2023 NFL season.
SNF Week 9 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Picks
Josh Allen
Josh Allen has finished each of the past three seasons ranked among the top three overall quarterbacks in total fantasy football points. This puts him on the rare list of just a few quarterbacks who can be started every week, regardless of their specific matchup.
He earned this title by being one of the best rushers in the position, while also having one of the strongest arms.
Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow got off to an uncharacteristically slow start to the 2023 fantasy football season, totalling just two touchdowns in his first four games this year. He was reportedly dealing with a calf injury, but has turned things around.
Burrow has now totaled eight touchdowns in his past three games, including a season-high QB4 finish last week.
Stefon Diggs
Stefon Diggs is currently leading the entire NFL with 64 receptions entering Week 9. He has been dominant in his four years with the Bills and makes for an obvious starter in fantasy lineups each week, regardless of his matchup.
Ja'Marr Chase
Ja'Marr Chase is another easy choice for fantasy lineups every week as he has been one of the best overall wide receivers in the NFL since joining the Bengals. He is well on his way to a third consecutive finish among the top five fantasy football wide receivers in total points scored.
Gabe Davis
Gabe Davis will enter Week 9 about the same way he enters every week, with an extremely high ceiling and dangerously low floor. He has four finishes among the top 15 wide receivers this year but has also ranked outside of the top 65 in three other games. In a projected high-scoring game with the Bengals, he's worth the risk in lineups this week.
Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon is the clear workhorse running back for the Bengals, receiving more than 65 percent of their backfield touches this season. The Bills have allowed the 12th most fantasy points to the position this year, creating a favorable opportunity for Mixon to have a big day.
Also Read: Joe Mixon fantasy outlook
James Cook
James Cook is still expected to be the featured back for the Bills in the remainder of the season, despite them recently signing Leonard Fournette. Cook currently ranks as the overall RB25 this year, so despite a possible workload reduction, he still makes for a solid lineup option in fantasy football.
Dalton Kincaid
Dalton Kincaid took over as the featured tight end when Dawson Knox became unavailable after undergoing wrist surgery. He has responded by turning in two consecutive finishes among the top 10 tight ends.
He makes for one of the best fantasy football tight end options in Week 9 against the Bengals' defense that allows the most fantasy points per game to the position.
Managers looking to acquire any of these Week 9 targets should consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.
SNF Week 9 Fantasy Football Sit 'Em Picks
Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins has severely struggled in fantasy football this year after consecutive top 20 overall finishes in his past two seasons. He has recorded just one weekly finish better than WR45 in 2023 and has been held without a touchdown in five of his six games. He can be left on the bench until he proves he can get back to being productive again.
Also Read: Tee Higgins fantasy outlook
Tyler Boyd
Tyler Boyd is one of the best WR3s in the NFL, but his production hasn't been strong enough to earn him a spot in fantasy lineups. He has finished outside of the top 50 wide receivers five times this year.
Khalil Shakir
Khalil Shakir exploded for the best performance of his career, by far, last week in his first opportunity at extended playing time. He thrived by catching six passes for 92 yards. He is an ideal bench stash for now and needs to show consistency before being trusted in lineups.
Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette recently signed with the Bills to add depth to their running backs chart. He will likely slot in as their RB2 behind James Cook to contribute in short-yardage situations and passing downs. Managers should take a wait-and-see approach with Fournette.
Irv Smith Jr.
Irv Smith Jr. has failed to eclipse 25 yards in a single game this season and currently has zero touchdowns, despite serving as the Bengals' starting tight end. He is off of the fantasy football radar, especially against the Bills' defense that allows the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends.
