Fantasy Football Quarterback Start/Sit Week 9: Should You Start Derek Carr, Baker Mayfield, or Gardner Minshew?

While things are getting a little more normal at quarterback, we're still left trying to make heads and tails of the first seven weeks. Sam Howell is still a top-10 quarterback on a points per game basis. Joe Burrow is closer to Mac Jones on a points per game basis than he is to Patrick Mahomes. And Baker Mayfield has been a better fantasy quarterback than Trevor Lawrence, Geno Smith, Deshaun Watson on a points per game basis. Exactly how we all drew it up!

All that to say, we've got our work cut out for us as we try to figure out what to do with our start/sit decisions moving forward. 

You're obviously not benching any of those guys (more on that below), but there are plenty of other borderline fantasy starters we need to sift through. 

I'm going to use the list below to cover every quarterback start/sit situation for Week 9. The list is broken into tiers (which as pretty self-explanatory based on the names of them), and you can simply look at the list and make start/sit decisions -- because it's in order of preference! Think of it as my weekly quarterback rankings.

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No-Brainer Start 'Em

You drafted these guys as your starter. There's no reason to waffle on them based on matchups or anything like that. We don't even need to talk things through on any of these guys -- let's stop over-thinking things. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week: 

• Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

  • Mahomes had an off day in Week 8, but things should get better in a likely shootout with the Dolphins overseas. 

• Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

  • Allen has had a strange season, but he's still producing. Even tough he's nursing an injury, he's a weekly lineup lock.

• Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

  • Hurts hasn't finished outside the top-10 quarterbacks since Week 1 and hasn't finished outside of the top-5 since Week 4. 

• Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

  • Jackson had a quiet game last week, but things should get much better this week against the Seahawks. 

• Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

  • Burrow is seemingly healthy and starting to heat up. He's back into must-start territory. 

• Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

  • Tua and the Dolphins keep rolling, and they should be able to put up a bunch of fantasy points against the Chiefs. 

• Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

  • I don't love the matchup, but you shouldn't ever think about benching Herbert. 

• Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

  • Prescott has finished as QB1 and QB3 in his last two games played. Keep him in there against the Eagles this week. 

Still Start 'Em

These guys are a little more of a borderline decision, but they're worth starting this week. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week: 

• C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

  • Stroud has fallen off a bit, but there is a shortage of good QB options this week so he's as close to a must-start as there is outside of that tier. 

• Sam Howell, Washington Commanders

  • Howell has finished as a top-10 quarterback in three of the past four weeks. Like Stroud, he's as close to a must-start as you can be in this tier. 

• Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints

  • Seems weird to have Carr this high, but here we are... Keep him in there against the Bears. 

• Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts

  • Minshew has been a mid-tier quarterback, but the QB landscape (and a nice matchup against the Panthers) bumps him into this tier for Week 9. 

• Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

  • Love has been backing his way into being a startable fantasy quarterback, but it hasn't been pretty. That said, I think he can be started against the Rams this week. 

Deep League Starts

These guys are basically "sits" in a 12-team league. But they're likely someone you should start in a superflex league or a 16-team league. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week:

• Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

  • Smith has been up-and-down this week and has to go up against a Ravens defense that is allowing the least points per game. He's still a top-15 quarterback due to all the bye weeks, but I wouldn't be excited to start him. 

• Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

  • Young has looked better as of late and should be able to put up points against the Colts. 

• Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • While Mayfield has come back down to Earth, I think he's safe enough against the Texans considering the QB landscape. 

• Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

  • Levis looked meh last week, but was saved by some solid deep balls. I wouldn't rush to start him, but I'm not completely against him either. 

• Mac Jones, New England Patriots

  • Mac Jones has looked close to losing his job all season, but he's still a top-20 QB this week all things considered. 

Sit 'Em

These guys are "sits" in pretty much any league except a superflex. Here's the order in which I'd start them this week if you absolutely have to:

• Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers

  • It looks like Pickett is going to play this week, but I'd sit him if you have another option. 

• Daniel Jones, New York Giants

  • The Giants are a mess on offense. Jones is coming off an injury. There's no reason to start him this week unless you have no other options. 

• Taylor Heinecke, Atlanta Falcons

  • The Taylor Heinecke Experience is always a rollercoaster ride. I don't mind the matchup, but I'd avoid if you can. 

• Zach Wilson, New York Jets

  • Wilson has been better as of late, but that's still not good. Sit him if you can. 

• Clayton Tune, Arizona Cardinals

  • Do you want to start a rookie in his first career game? I don't. 

• Jaren Hall, Minnesota Vikings

  • Exactly what I just said about Tune. 

• P.J. Walker, Cleveland Browns

  • Walker hasn't finished above QB24 in three games this season and there isn't any reason to think otherwise this week. 

• Aidan O'Connell, Las Vegas Raiders 

  • It looks like Jimmy G will be back this week, but there's no reason to have him in your fantasy lineup. 

• Matthew Stafford/Brett Rypien, Los Angeles Rams

  • I'd guess Stafford will sit this week. Either way, I wouldn't want to rely upon either him or Rypien. 

• Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears

  • Bagent hasn't finished above QB20 in his two starts, and I don't think it will get any better against a tough Saints defense this week. 

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