Two star running backs are looking to bounce back from quiet Week 8 performances, coming into Week 9 of the fantasy football season with similar projections for the week. Ollie Gordon II and Ashton Jeanty are two RB2-caliber contributors in fantasy, with potential to reach RB1 upside in any given week.
Jeanty and the Las Vegas Raiders are slated to go on the road to square off against an injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers squad, while Gordon and the Miami Dolphins will host the Detroit Lions. Both backs offer notable fantasy outlook for Week 9, but the pair of rushers raise a tough start-sit decision for managers this week.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty rushes the ball past New York Jets safety Andre Cisco | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jeanty's role in Las Vegas' offense is in flux , yet he's still mustering starter-quality fantasy output. He was shockingly limited to just five carries against the New York Jets in Week 8, but managed to carve out 73 yards from scrimmage and a respectable 10.3 PPR points considering his vastly reduced role.
We don't know what Jeanty's volume will look like against San Francisco, but he's presented one of the more safe fantasy floors of any player this season, eclipsing 10.0 points in PPR every week of the season thus far.
Even in a receiving-heavy role during Week 8, Jeanty continued this trend, taking the field for just 36.7 percent of snaps. I expect he'll see greater rushing output in Week 9, elevating his outlook against the 49ers, even if only slightly.
The 49ers present a tough matchup for a Raiders rushing attack that saw plenty of volume against the Jets. San Francisco ranks fourth in the NFL in run defense this season, holding opposing teams under 100 rushing yards in each of its last five games.
Las Vegas has endured plentiful struggles when attempting to establish the run so far this year, coming into Week 9 with the 31st-ranked ground attack in football. Jeanty should see a vastly expanded role compared to his two-carry day in Week 8, as the Raiders look to secure another upset win.
Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II reacts after a play against the New England Patriots | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Gordon doesn't present the same ceiling to that of Jeanty, but I feel the Dolphins' lead back presents a higher ceiling in fantasy this week than the former No. 6 overall pick. He's faced little contention for volume since taking over as Miami's RB1, commanding 18.8 touches per game over the last four weeks.
Jeanty can't offer such cemented volume, giving Gordon the edge in that regard of our debate. He presents valuable touchdown production, scoring in four consecutive games prior to last week's loss to the New England Patriots, and will look to re-ignite that streak against Detroit on Sunday.
Gordon is averaging an encouraging 4.5 yards per carry, and has carved out 14.3 fantasy points per week despite limited receiving upside.
The Lions' defense has endured plenty of struggles through the team's 5-2 start, but remains one of the NFL's most sound units against the run. Detroit has allowed 25.7 points per game, coming into Week 9 ranked 29th in total defense.
This isn't as favorable of a matchup as it may seem, though. The Lions boast the ninth-ranked run defense in football, a unit that has allowed just 65.6 rushing yards per game to opposing offenses. This matchup will cap Gordon's ceiling, but his RB1 workload makes him a quality starter option for Week 9.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty rushes the ball in the first half against the Los Angeles Rams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Despite their quiet performances in Week 8, I'm bullish on both Gordon and Jeanty for Week 9. For standard leagues, I'm rolling with Gordon. Jeanty has carved out the majority of his output through the air over recent weeks, elevating his PPR value heading into Week 9. Gordon won't match such pass-catching production, but presents lineups with a reliable bell-cow back.
I'll take Jeanty over Gordon for PPR lineups, but if I were forced to pick one, I'd start Gordon over Jeanty for Week 9.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Fantasy Football Week 9 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Ollie Gordon vs. Ashton Jeanty .
