Should You Start Terry McLaurin or Gabe Davis in Fantasy Football Week 9?

Wide receivers play a huge role in fantasy football every week, and this week will be no difference. Making the right decision is imperative if you want to get a win.

Let’s take a look at two receivers who are capable of having a big game. Should fantasy managers start Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin or Buffalo Bills WR Gabe Davis in Week 9 of the fantasy football season?

Terry McLaurin Fantasy Outlook This Week

There was some talk on Tuesday that McLaurin might be finishing the season somewhere else. That was nothing more than rumors, though, now that the trade deadline has come and passed.

McLaurin is coming off a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles, finishing with five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown. As of late, the Commanders’ pass catcher has been heavily involved  — having been targeted 11, 9, and 12 times in the last three games, respectively.

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The Commanders’ offense is predicated on spreading the ball around. QB Sam Howell does a very good job of sharing the ball with all of his receivers, so the fact that McLaurin is getting that many targets is definitely a reason to be happy as a fantasy manager.

The New England Patriots are currently ranked 17th in pass defense (223.3 yards), so there could be more opportunities for McLaurin this weekend.

Gabe Davis Fantasy Outlook This Week

When Davis is at his best, he can put up fantasy numbers with the best of them. In the win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, he finished with nine catches for 87 yards and one touchdown. He has big-play ability every time he touches the ball, but Davis also has some frustrating games where he doesn’t put up numbers.

Take a look at his last four games. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, Davis had six catches for 100 yards and a score. Then, in the following two weeks against the New York Giants and Patriots, respectively, he had a combined four catches for 27 yards. It’s this inconsistency that drives Bills fans and fantasy managers absolutely crazy.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have been playing great football as of late, but they’ve been below average when it comes to stopping the pass. Cincinnati currently ranks 21st against the pass (232.1 yards), so with the defense focusing on Stefon Diggs, there should be ample opportunities for Davis to make a play.

Which of the 2 Wide Receivers Should You Start?

Pro Football Network’s Start/Sit Optimizer says that McLaurin is the player to start. His projected 12.5 points include four receptions and 64 yards. That doesn’t seem like a big stat line, but it outperforms the consensus projection for Davis’ 11.9.

The optimizer is on the right side of this debate — reliability and consistency separate these two. Even when McLaurin doesn’t have his best game, he still puts up numbers. Take out Week 1 when he had two catches, and his season-low in catches is four and 41 yards.

Davis has had four games this year lower than both of those, and you just can’t count on him nearly as much as you can McLaurin.

Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!