Should I start A.J. Brown or Justin Jefferson in Week 9?

Where the draft room stands

Live drafts hold no current pick on A.J. Brown, and the board ranks him 83rd overall on the rest of his evidence.

In 2QB drafts he goes at ADP 23.

Live drafts hold no current pick on Justin Jefferson, and the board ranks him 86th overall on the rest of his evidence.

By format he goes standard: ADP 4; 2QB: ADP 15.

The market-based projections

The market has A.J. Brown at 2.9 PPR points a game off 1 market across 1 market source. That is 30 percent of what a wide receiver's projection needs, so it is a fragment of one rather than a projection.

The market-based projection for Justin Jefferson is 2.7 PPR points a game off 1 market across 5 market sources. That is 30 percent of what a wide receiver's projection needs, so it is a fragment of one rather than a projection.

A.J. Brown's projection is not complete, so the two figures are not set against each other here.

This season so far

Through Week 7, A.J. Brown has been on the field for 68 percent of NE snaps, drawn 22 percent of the targets and had 15 percent of the red zone chances.

He has taken 6 of the offence's 26 third down targets, had 0 of its 1 chance inside the five and seen 7 of its 21 two minute targets.

His 20 targets have averaged 13.4 air yards.

In Week 1 against SEA he caught 3 of 4 targets for 26 yards and did not score.

In Week 6 against NYJ he caught 3 of 10 targets for 27 yards and did not score.

In Week 7 against CHI he caught 3 of 6 targets for 48 yards and did not score.

Through Week 8, Justin Jefferson has been on the field for 77 percent of MIN snaps, drawn 27 percent of the targets and had 19 percent of the red zone chances.

He has taken 18 of the offence's 56 third down targets, had 1 of its 4 chances inside the five and seen 3 of its 12 two minute targets.

His 40 targets have averaged 10.0 air yards.

In Week 5 against NO he carried 1 time for -11 yards, caught 6 of 7 targets for 79 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

In Week 7 against IND he caught 4 of 7 targets for 44 yards and did not score.

In Week 8 against DET he caught 5 of 9 targets for 33 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025 A.J. Brown played 15 games and scored 220.3 PPR points, 14.7 a game, finishing WR11.

He caught 78 of 121 targets for 1003 yards and 7 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets.

That came to 8.1 targets a game, a 64 percent catch rate and 12.9 yards a catch.

He was on the field for 91 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

In 2025 Justin Jefferson played 17 games and scored 201.5 PPR points, 11.9 a game, finishing WR21.

He caught 84 of 141 targets for 1048 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 17 red zone targets.

That came to 8.3 targets a game, a 60 percent catch rate and 13 yards a catch.

He was on the field for 95 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

Justin Jefferson was available for 2 games more.

Head to head

In 2025 A.J. Brown scored 14.7 PPR points a game and Justin Jefferson 11.9, 2.8 a game between them.

A.J. Brown finished WR11 that year and Justin Jefferson WR21.

Justin Jefferson had 20 more targets than A.J. Brown, 141 to 121.

Justin Jefferson had 45 more receiving yards than A.J. Brown, 1048 to 1003.

This season Justin Jefferson holds the bigger snap share, 77 percent against 68 percent.

This season Justin Jefferson holds the bigger target share, 27 percent against 22 percent.

Byes and availability

A.J. Brown is off in Week 11 and Justin Jefferson in Week 6, so either can cover the other's bye.

A.J. Brown is listed as out on the injury report.