Cedric Tillman, Darnell Mooney, Tank Bigsby: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 9

Week 9 of the NFL season is underway and we have an exciting slate of games on Sunday. As we inch closer to the fantasy playoffs, making the right decisions on which players to start and which to sit becomes even more crucial. Fantasy managers everywhere are evaluating their lineups and making last-minute choices as we speak.

Cedric Tillman, Darnell Mooney, and Tank Bigsby are three players generating intrigue in fantasy leagues right now. All three were solid in Week 8, but can you trust them going forward?

Let's take a look at Tillman, Mooney, and Bigsby and discuss their respective outlooks for this week.

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Should I Start Cedric Tillman for Fantasy Football?

Just three weeks ago, nothing in Cleveland was worth getting excited about from a fantasy perspective. At this time, second-year pro Cedric Tillman had just three receptions on the season. Suddenly, things changed in Week 7.

Amari Cooper had just been traded to the Buffalo Bills and reports circulated that Tillman would see an expanded role. His snap share jumped from around 40% to over 80%, and he has been making the most of his opportunity.

Cedric Tillman over the last two games 👀

🟠 15 catches
🟠 180 yards
🟠 2 TDs pic.twitter.com/rQrAa8LRQb

— Browns Film Breakdown (@BrownsFilmBDN) October 27, 2024

Of course, struggling quarterback Deshaun Watson went down with an Achilles injury in Week 7. Tillman shined with Jameis Winston under center last week and caught the go-ahead touchdown with under a minute left to play against the Ravens.

It definitely seems that Tillman is entrenched as a top option on the Browns' depth chart, but will the production continue? On Sunday, the 24-year-old faces the Chargers, who have surrendered the second-fewest fantasy points per game to receivers this season.

Additionally, Los Angeles' defense gives up the fewest points in the NFL. This is not likely to be a high-scoring contest. With Winston leading the Browns' offense, we can expect the team to pass more than they did through the first six weeks, but Tillman is not guaranteed to see at least nine targets as he did in each of his previous two games.

Tillman is worth considering in deeper formats and is a fine option as an injury or bye-week replacement, but he should be viewed as a middling WR3 in this difficult matchup. He comes in as the WR34 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Darnell Mooney for Fantasy Football?

Coming into the season, Darnell Mooney was off the fantasy radar in many leagues. This appeared to be for good reason after a quiet Week 1 showing. Since Week 2, however, Mooney is the WR10 in half-PPR scoring formats.

Darnell Mooney is rediscovering that early Chicago success with Captain Kirk and the Falcons! 🚀

📏 11.6 ADOT (#7)
🏈 4 TDs (#11)
🌬️ 684 Total Air Yards (#11)

Look out for more big plays! 👀 #Falcons #NFL #FantasyFootball #RiseUppic.twitter.com/5jYkkXbnBZ

— PlayerProfiler NFL (@Profiler_NFL) November 3, 2024

He has had a few down games sprinkled in, but fantasy managers have been happy to start Mooney more often than not over the past seven weeks. In Week 9, he'll take on the Dallas Cowboys, who limit wideouts to the 11th-fewest fantasy points this year. Still, there are reasons to be optimistic.

The Falcons-Cowboys showdown is projected to be the highest-scoring matchup of the week. Both teams are allowing over 24 points per game, with Dallas surrendering 28.3, the second-highest in the league. Although the Cowboys' run defense has been its biggest vulnerability, Atlanta should find some success through the air in this one.

Former All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs is questionable to suit up after sustaining a calf injury in Week 8. While Diggs is a game-time decision, he did not practice all week and could be hampered by his injury if he does play.

The Cowboys should be able to put up points on the Falcons, so Atlanta can be projected for plenty of passing volume. Given how well he has been playing, Mooney is a borderline must-start fantasy asset as the WR21 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Tank Bigsby for Fantasy Football?

Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season. He averaged fewer than three yards per carry as a rookie but is gaining nearly six yards per tote in his second professional campaign.

His teammate, Travis Etienne Jr., has been disappointing this season even when healthy. Etienne has missed each of the last two games with a hamstring injury and Bigsby has thrived in his absence.

Unfortunately for Bigsby's fantasy managers, Jacksonville's injury report is a mess this week, making the decision to start or sit him that much more difficult.

#Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby (ankle) and RB Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) are both likely to play today, barring a setback, sources say.

It's the same for WR Brian Thomas Jr. (chest), though Gabe Davis (shoulder) appears to be more of a long-shot.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 3, 2024

Bigsby, who is dealing with an ankle ailment, should take the field alongside Etienne, but it's unclear if either back will be limited in any capacity. Wide receiver Christian Kirk is out for the season with a broken collarbone, while Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis are listed as questionable.

With so many injuries to Jacksonville's wide receiver corps, the Jags may be forced to lean on the ground game against a tough Eagles defensive front. Philadelphia has allowed the the fifth-fewest fantasy points per contest to opposing running backs in 2024.

Because Etienne has not played since Week 6, Bigsby should be viewed as the preferred fantasy option in Jacksonville's backfield this week, but neither inspires a ton of confidence if both are indeed active. Bigsby should be seen as a high-end flex option on Sunday as the RB25 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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