Who should you start in Week 9 fantasy football?
Zay Flowers and Jakobi Meyers have turned in fairly similar fantasy football seasons so far in 2023. Flowers has ranked among the top 25 wide receivers four times this year, while Meyers has done so five times. On the negative side, both recorded their worst fantasy performance of the year in their most recent game in Week 8, so they are looking to bounce back strong.
Many managers may be debating which of the two wide receivers they should plug into their fantasy lineups for Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season. They each profile in around the WR3 range for this particular fantasy week, so it's a fair comparison. The following breakdown should make the decision a bit easier.
Is Zay Flowers a good fantasy pick in Week 9?
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70% Win
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70% Win
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70% Win
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'; }); pollOptions.innerHTML = pollOptionsDom; pollCount.innerHTML = totalVotes + ' votes'; if (totalVotes > 10) { pollCount.classList.remove("hidden"); } } function trackBetsTodayPollImpression() { var intersectionObserverForArticlePoll = new IntersectionObserver( function(entries) { entries.forEach(function(entry) { var pollId = entry.target.getAttribute("data-poll-id"); if (POLLS_BY_ID[pollId]['impression_tracked']) return; if (!entry.target || !entry.isIntersecting || entry.intersectionRatio < 0.5) return; setTimeout(function() { if (isInViewport(entry.target)) { POLLS_BY_ID[pollId]['impression_tracked'] = true; var isDesktop = "1"; var gaPayload = { "question" : POLLS_BY_ID[pollId]['question'], "category": "NFL", "page_url": window.location.href, "option1": POLLS_BY_ID[pollId]['option1'], "option2": POLLS_BY_ID[pollId]['option2'], } if (isDesktop) { gaPayload["device"] = "Desktop"; } else { gaPayload["device"] = "Mobile"; } gtag("event", "BETS_TODAY_POLL_IMPRESSION", gaPayload); intersectionObserverForArticlePoll.unobserve(entry.target); } }, 1000); }); }, { threshold: 0.5 } ); var pollElements = document.querySelectorAll('.bets-today-poll'); pollElements.forEach(function(pollElement) { var isAnswered = pollElement.querySelector(".poll-option-answered"); if (!isAnswered) { intersectionObserverForArticlePoll.observe(pollElement); } }) } return { answerPollX: answerPollX, }; }();The Baltimore Ravens selected Zay Flowers during the 2023 NFL Draft to complement their philosophical shift on offense. Switching offensive coordinators from Greg Roman to Todd Monken shifted their focus from a run-heavy style to more of a dynamic passing approach. They needed to upgrade their wide receivers, so they also signed Odell Beckham Jr.
Flowers wasted no time making an immediate impact in their offense, recording nine receptions on ten targets in his first NFL game. This was good enough for a solid WR16 finish in PPR leagues, immediately making him a fantasy football asset. He has continued his solid contributions throughout the season so far, as he leads the Ravens WRs in receptions and yards.
Up next for the rookie standout is a premier matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. While they have been one of the best overall teams so far during the 2023 NFL season, defending wide receivers has been one of their biggest weaknesses. They are currently allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the position.
This puts Zay Flowers in a solid position to bounce back from his season-worst WR69 finish last week against the Arizona Cardinals. His volume was there as usual, being targeted seven times, but he turned that into just 19 yards. His consistent usage and favorable matchup make him an intriguing target for Week 9 fantasy football lineups.
Is Jakobi Meyers a good fantasy pick in Week 9?
Jakobi Meyers spent last season with the New England Patriots as their leading receiver and a fantasy football lineup staple. When he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of the 2023 NFL season, many believed that his fantasy value would regress playing alongside superstar Davante Adams. That hasn't been the case at all.
Meyers has been highly consistent in his first year with the Raiders, recording five finishes among the top 25 wide receivers in PPR formats in his first seven games. He has also been targeted ten or more times in four games this year, while totaling five touchdowns. This has resulted in an impressive WR16 overall ranking entering Week 9.
While Meyers had his worst game of the season last week against the Detroit Lions, recording just one reception for 19 yards, he was in excellent form prior to the let down. He entered that game having been ranked among the top 14 fantasy football wide receivers in PPR formats in each of past three consecutive weeks.
Meyers' consistent production this year suggests that he has a strong chance of bouncing back in Week 9 against the New York Giants. They rank in the middle of the pack in defending fantasy receivers, so has a decent matchup to do so. The main challenge will be a quarterback change in Las Vegas after the Raiders decided to bench Jimmy Garoppolo this week.
Rookie QB Aidan O'Connell is now in line to make his second his second start of the season. His first start came in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers when Meyers recorded just two receptions for 33 yards. He will be looking to have a better result this time around, but the new quarterback makes Meyers a riskier fantasy football option than usual in Week 9.
Managers looking to acquire either of these Week 9 targets should consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.
Zay Flowers vs Jakobi Meyers: Who should I start in Week 9 fantasy football?
According to the Start/Sit Optimizer, Zay Flowers makes for a better wide receiver option than Jakobi Meyers in fantasy football lineups for Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season. Flowers is expected to record about two more receptions and six additonal yards than Meyers, heavily contributing to his higher projected fantasy score.
Flowers is facing off against a team that has been significantly worse in defending fantasy football wide receivers than Meyers this year, so he has a more favorable matchup. He also gets the luxury of continuity at quarterback, as well as a massive advantage in talent throwing him the ball.
While Lamar Jackson has appeared in every game this year and is a candidate to win the NFL MVP award, O'Connell is making just the second start of his career. This is a significant factor in giving Flowers the edge.
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