Fantasy Football: Week 9 Start 'Em or Sit 'Em -- QB Edition

Week 9 of the fantasy football season is one that leaves many fantasy managers with a great deal of problems. If you own quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Colin Kaepernick or Matthew Stafford, then you need to find a quarterback to play for one week and fast.

For those managers, this decision will be a big one because more than likely they depended on these quarterbacks to give them a good record so far this season. Here are two quarterbacks that I would start this week in place of those guys, and two quarterbacks that I would stay away from because of their matchups.

Start: Jake Locker

If there is one player that I would pick up and start over anyone else this week, it is Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker. Locker had a week to recover more from his injuries, and I expect him to come back strong.

The Titans play the St. Louis Rams in Week 9, who will surely focus on shutting down Chris Johnson. If you need proof that Locker will have a good week, look at his numbers against the San Francisco 49ers: 326 yards passing and two touchdowns. I see Locker putting up numbers close to this in Week 9.

Start: Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers are having a pretty rough season. The offense of the Steelers especially has had a tough go-around as of late. For the Steelers, it does not get any easier as they will take on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 9. However, I feel that this will be a good thing for Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger has traditionally played very well when he has to go against top-notch quarterbacks. Ben has had some very decent fantasy weeks this season, especially when he threw for 406 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears. I see Roethlisberger throwing for over 300 yards passing this week, and throwing for more than one touchdown in this big game for the Steelers.

Sit: Ryan Tannehill

I hate to do this to a guy like Tannehill, especially with the good season he is having for fantasy football owners. He has either thrown for a lot of yards in a game or multiple scores in a game every week this season. However, Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins are going against a good Cincinnati Bengals defense that will focus on shutting him down and hitting him in the backfield a great deal during the game. I see Tannehill throwing for around 200 yards and maybe just one touchdown.

Sit: Geno Smith

Smith has been a decent quarterback to start many weeks during the fantasy football season, and yet has had some rough weeks to go along with it. He is a rookie quarterback and this can be expected. In Week 9, Smith and the New York Jets will be taking on the New Orleans Saints.

I feel that Smith is going to try to do too much to try to keep up with Drew Brees, who will be putting up huge numbers against the Jets in Week 9. Look for Smith to throw multiple interceptions and maybe scoring only one touchdown either running or throwing the ball.

Dom DeCarlo is a Fantasy blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him @DomDecarlo1, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.