Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 9: Rashid Shaheed, Gus Edwards, Josh Downs

The hardest decision to make every week in fantasy football is who to start. As rosters deal with injuries and bye weeks, those start/sit options don't come easy anymore. The fringe starters in this article could be worth a look in your starting lineup if your team needs help in Week 9. 

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed is coming off his best game of the season. Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards has been a solid RB1 over the past two weeks, and Indianapolis Colts wideout Josh Downs has been a strong flex play over the past month. 

So, should you start Shaheed, Edwards, or Downs in Week 9? Let's dive in.

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Should I Start Rashid Shaheed for Fantasy Football?

Shaheed continues to impress with the Saints and has become the team's deep-threat option on offense. In Week 8, the speedster caught three passes for 153 yards and one touchdown. His performance on Sunday marked the third time this season that the young wideout had over 80 receiving yards and one touchdown in a game. 

Shaheed is an extremely high-ceiling, low-floor play going forward in fantasy. He has three top-12 wide receiver finishes in half-PPR formats in 2023, but also has five wide receiver finishes in the 53-65 range. Even in a Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears defense, the Saints playmaker is likely too risky to start this weekend. 

He is the WR43 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Gus Edwards for Fantasy Football?

It's a comeback season for Edwards, and the veteran is finally contributing for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old has scored 20-plus points in all formats in back-to-back weeks. He is also coming off an impressive three-touchdown day in Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. 

That performance carried Edwards to an RB1 finish in half-PPR formats. In Week 9, the veteran is almost a must-start against the Seattle Seahawks. He has seen at least 15 touches in four of the past five games and is the clear RB1 for the Ravens moving forward. With Baltimore running the ball at the highest mark in the NFL this season (51.1%), Edwards has a very safe floor. 

He is the RB19 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Josh Downs for Fantasy Football?

Downs has surprised a lot of fantasy managers through the first eight weeks of the season. He currently ranks as the WR31 in half-PPR formats in 2023 and is coming off another solid game in Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints. In that contest, the rookie caught seven of nine targets for 72 yards. 

Since Gardner Minshew took over in the middle of the Colts' Week 5 game, Downs has seen consistent volume. He has at least six targets and five receptions in every game during that span while also finishing inside the top 36 for wide receivers from Week 5 to Week 8. Facing a banged-up Carolina secondary in Week 9, Downs is a solid flex play in PPR formats. 

He is the WR31 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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