Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system. For your final starting lineup decisions, check my weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes:Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Robinson has been a reliable option for fantasy fans, scoring double digit points in all but one game this season. He should put up a fine line in Week 9, as the Eagles have allowed 10 touchdowns and the most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide. That's where Robinson has run 61 percent of his routes for the Bears this season.
Chark has become a virtual must-start in fantasy land, and that will remain the case this week when he faces the Texans in London. Houston has been gashed by receivers lined out wide, allowing eight touchdowns and the second-most fantasy points. Chark, who runs 76 percent of his routes lined out wide, should post a nice line.
Gallup is in a great spot to produce this week, as he faces CB Janoris Jenkins and a Giants defense that has surrendered an average of 15.4 yards per catch and the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide. Gallup, who has averaged 15.6 yards per catch thus far, has run 83 percent of his routes out wide this season.
Williams returned to action last week and found the end zone (again). He has now scored in every game he's played. I'd start him against the Lions, who allowed two scores to Darius Slayton last week. Pro Football Focus ranks Williams' battle vs. Rashaan Melvin as the sixth-most advantageous wideout/cornerback matchup as well.
Start 'Em:D.J. Moore vs. Tennessee Titans, John Brown vs. Washington Redskins
Sleepers:Jamison Crowder at Miami Dolphins, Danny Amendola at Oakland Raiders
Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
McLaurin is a tough player to sit, so consider this a warning ... he's in a bad spot against the Bills and CB Tre'Davious White, and he might be catching passes from the erratic and inexperienced Dwayne Haskins if Case Keenum doesn't clear concussion protocol. Regardless, McLaurin should be on fantasy benches if it's possible.
Jeffery is in a revenge game against his old team, the Bears, but the matchup suggests sitting him regardless. The Bears have allowed just 9.4 yards per catch to home wideouts this season, and just one wide receiver lined out wide has found the end zone against them this season. Consider Jeffery a risky flex play at best in fantasy land.
Brown is slated to return from an ankle injury this week, but he's not in a good spot to put up impressive totals for fantasy owners. That's due to a bad matchup against the Patriots, who have allowed the fewest fantasy points to enemy wide receivers this season. In fact, only Golden Tate has had a good stat line against them this season.
Landry posted a respectable 11.5 fantasy points last week (considering it came in New England), but he's still ranks just 44th among wideouts in fantasy points per game. He also has a brutal road matchup against the Broncos, who have allowed 55 yards per game and the third-fewest fantasy points to the slot this season.
Williams continues to flounder in the stat sheets, as he's failed to clear 10 fantasy points in two straight games and has yet to score his first touchdown of 2019. I'd keep him on the sidelines against Green Bay, as their defense has surrendered just five touchdown passes and the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.
Sit 'Em:Corey Davis at Carolina Panthers, Sammy Watkins vs. Minnesota Vikings
Busts:Odell Beckham Jr. at Denver Broncos, Courtland Sutton vs. Cleveland Browns
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
