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Week NINE of the NFL season is mind-boggling. Time flies when you’re suffering through a 4-4 start because Patrick Mahomes has underwhelmed and because you took that cheap shot on Miles Sanders yet again. And then there’s Calvin Ridley. May he be well, first a foremost. But losing a premium pick is losing a premium pick.
Anyhoo, the time is still flyin’. Below are the QB rankings and notes for Week 9. As always, chime in with a comment if you see something egregious. I’m pretty down on Kyler Murray this week. Overall lack of running, ankle injury, on the road against San Fran, DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) is also questionable...I’m looking for another plus option at QB if I have one. On the flip side, I’m really, really rooting for Tua Tagovailoa after all the Watson drama he has endured this season. And the matchup against Houston at home is as good a spot as any. Tua’s finishes among other gunslingers over the last three weeks: QB10 (@ JAC), QB1 (vs ATL), QB14 (@ BUF). He certainly has top 10 quarterback in his range of outcomes this weekend.
QB Rankings for Week 9
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Opponent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player Name | Team | Opponent | Notes |
| 1 | Josh Allen | BUF | @ JAC | The Jags' pass D ranks dead last in DVOA and next to last in NY/A (8.2). |
| 2 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | vs MIN | He should be well rested coming off a bye, and while MIN isn't a great passing D to attack, the Ravens are being forced to throw more in 2021. |
| 3 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | vs GB | He's still third in passing yards and fourth in passing TDs. But the league-leading 10 interceptions...those hurt. |
| 4 | Matthew Stafford | LAR | vs TEN | He's second in passing yards and TDs to only Tom Brady. |
| 5 | Joe Burrow | CIN | vs CLE | Only Brady (25), Stafford (22), and Burrow (20) have eclipsed 20 passing scores so far, and Burrow's 2,215 passing yards ranks sixth in the league. |
| 6 | Dak Prescott | DAL | vs DEN | The Broncos have allowed only 9 passing scores in 8 games, but Dallas should still have the upper hand at home. |
| 7 | Justin Herbert | LAC | @ PHI | The Philly defense can be had, ranking bottom third in passing scores (14), pass attempts, and pass completions. |
| 8 | Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | vs HOU | His passing took a hit versus the stout BUF pass D last week, but he salvaged his day with a rushing score. HOU is much more enticing and Tua has been capitalizing on easy matchups. |
| 9 | Derek Carr | LV | @ NYG | Only 5 teams have allowed more passing scores than the GMen (15). Carr ranks 5th in passing yardage, but all four QBs ahead have played an extra game due to Carr's bye. |
| 10 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | @ BAL | The Ravens are a plus matchup via the air (7.4 NY/A, 12 scores in 7 games). |
| 11 | Jalen Hurts | PHI | vs LAC | The Chargers (6.1 NY/A, only 9 pass TDs allowed) are not to be trifled with via the air--but are a great matchup on the ground (league-worst 5.1 Y/A allowed). |
| 12 | Kyler Murray | ARI | @ SF | Murray (ankle) did not practice all week and is questionable to play. The Niners rank fifth-best in the league with a 5.8 NY/A via the air. |
| 13 | Daniel Jones | NYG | vs LV | The Raiders are coming off a bye and are at home, and Jones hasn't been running enough to offset his awful passing numbers. |
| 14 | Ryan Tannehill | TEN | @ LAR | LAR leads the NFL in picks (11) and sacks (25). Sounds ominous for a disjointed TEN attack that just lost Derrick Henry. |
| 15 | Jimmy Garoppolo | SF | vs ARI | Check the health of Deebo Samuel, but there was an Aiyuk sighting last week and Kittle should return. |
| 16 | Teddy Bridgewater | DEN | @ DAL | The loss of Von Miller to the Rams could mean more catch-up mode for the conservative Broncos. |
| 17 | Matt Ryan | ATL | @ NO | Just when things were looking up, now Ryan will be without Calvin Ridley. Ugh. |
| 18 | Jordan Love | GB | @ KC | Aaron Rodgers (Covid-19 protocol) is out. Chasing the Chiefs is a spot I like when looking for a QB streamer. |
| 19 | Justin Fields | CHI | @ PIT | He's got a wide range of outcomes, so if you need more floor you might consider Big Ben/Mac Jones. |
| 20 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | vs CHI | He's a walking wound (pec, hip, shoulder) but should play and offer boring QB2 production as normal. |
| 21 | Mac Jones | NE | @ CAR | His yardage and passing scores are eerily similar to Jared Goff's. That should tell you something about the low yield NE passing offense. |
| 22 | Tyrod Taylor | HOU | @ MIA | Taylor (hamstring) will start for the first time since Week 2. Like Fields, his running ability means he could pop off. But how much will he run in his first game back? |
| 23 | Trevor Siemian | NO | vs ATL | Atlanta being a plus matchup is tainted by the return of goal-line vulture, Taysom Hill. |
| 24 | Trevor Lawrence | JAC | vs BUF | He gets the awful matchup that is Buffalo, but at least I know he's healthy and he's "the guy." |
| 25 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | @ CIN | Betting on Baker on the road with a shoulder injury is silly. Don't do it. |
| 26 | Sam Darnold | CAR | vs NE | He may not start (concussion protocol). Even if he does, he's in a tailspin and this is NOT a good matchup. |