Start George Pickens or A.J. Brown? Week 9
Updated Nov 3, 3:06 AM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 10 answer posts Tuesday.
Latest
- : A.J. Brown: Questionable to Out (Ankle) (Sleeper injury feed)
- : Patriots WR A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) listed as questionable (ESPN)
- : George Pickens: Listed Questionable (Shoulder) (Sleeper injury feed)
Start George Pickens over A.J. Brown
- Market projects
- 14.6
- recent weeks avg
- IND D vs WR
- 29.0
- 8th fewest to WRs (2026)
- Snap share
- 82%
- Through Week 8
- Target share
- 21%
- Through Week 8
- Market projects
- 13.7
- recent weeks avg
- GB D vs WR
- 35.7
- 9th most to WRs (2026)
- Snap share
- 68%
- Through Week 7
- Target share
- 22%
- Through Week 7
Should I drop A.J. Brown for George Pickens?
Yes, on the rest of the season. George Pickens projects 114 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (14.2 a game over 8 games), A.J. Brown 100 (12.5 a game over 8 games). For Week 9 the call starts George Pickens over A.J. Brown. A.J. Brown is listed out.
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Our Week 9 call
Start George Pickens over A.J. Brown in Week 9.
A.J. Brown is listed out on the injury report, so this is not a close call: start George Pickens. Drafters take George Pickens at ADP 20 and A.J. Brown at 18.
What the market projects
No Week 9 player market is posted for George Pickens yet. His market-based projections were 15.4, 13.6 and 14.8 points in Weeks 6, 7 and 8, an average of 14.6, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.
The market-based projection for George Pickens is 0.7 touchdowns (5 market sources).
No Week 9 player market is posted for A.J. Brown yet. His market-based projections were 11.8 and 15.5 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 13.7, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.
That puts George Pickens 0.9 points ahead of A.J. Brown on these projections.
Week 9 matchups
George Pickens and DAL visit IND on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.
IND allowed 29.0 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 8th fewest in the league.
Receivers caught passes for 142 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against IND.
A.J. Brown and NE host GB on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.
GB allowed 35.7 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 9th most in the league.
Receivers caught passes for 157 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against GB.
By points allowed to the position, A.J. Brown has the softer matchup.
Injury status
George Pickens is not on the injury report.
A.J. Brown is listed as out with a ankle injury.
Usage before Week 9
Through Week 8, George Pickens played 82 percent of DAL snaps, drew 21 percent of the targets, earned 31 percent of the air yards and had 7 percent of the red zone chances.
George Pickens, Week 5 against TB: 53 of 60 snaps, 13 targets and 9 catches for 130 yards, 1 touchdown.
George Pickens, Week 6 against GB: 69 of 78 snaps, 11 targets and 6 catches for 73 yards.
George Pickens, Week 7 against PHI: 41 of 68 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 57 yards, 1 touchdown.
George Pickens, Week 8 against ARI: 4 targets and 2 catches for 48 yards.
Through Week 7, A.J. Brown played 68 percent of NE snaps, drew 22 percent of the targets, earned 35 percent of the air yards and had 15 percent of the red zone chances.
A.J. Brown, Week 1 against SEA: 31 of 71 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 26 yards.
A.J. Brown, Week 6 against NYJ: 52 of 68 snaps, 10 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards.
A.J. Brown, Week 7 against CHI: 49 of 54 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 48 yards.
Their 2025 seasons
In 2025, George Pickens played 17 games for DAL and scored 291.9 PPR points, 17.2 a game, finishing WR5.
He caught 93 of 137 targets for 1429 yards and 9 touchdowns, with 21 red zone targets and 950 air yards.
He was on the field for 83 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
In 2025, A.J. Brown played 15 games for PHI 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 and 735 air yards.
He was on the field for 91 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
Their other Week 9 calls
Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 9, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.
Drop or keep
Should I drop A.J. Brown for George Pickens?
Yes, on the rest of the season. George Pickens projects 114 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (14.2 a game over 8 games), A.J. Brown 100 (12.5 a game over 8 games). For Week 9 the call starts George Pickens over A.J. Brown. A.J. Brown is listed out.
Should I drop George Pickens for A.J. Brown?
No. Keep George Pickens: he projects 114 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (14.2 a game over 8 games), A.J. Brown 100 (12.5 a game over 8 games). For Week 9 the call starts George Pickens over A.J. Brown. A.J. Brown is listed out.
Week 8 on the board
- Is George Pickens playing Week 8?
- Is A.J. Brown playing Week 8?
- Cowboys depth chart
- Patriots depth chart
- Week 8 WR rankings
- Week 8 fantasy rankings
- Week 8 start or sit
- Week 9 waiver wire
- Week 9 trade value chart
- Trade deadline buy low, sell high
- Fantasy football rankings
- Start 'em sit 'em Week 8
- Waiver wire pickups
- Fantasy sleepers
- Rest of season rankings
- Week 8 kicker rankings
- Week 8 defense rankings