Start Ladd McConkey or Caleb Douglas? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Ladd McConkey over Caleb Douglas in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Ladd McConkey at 9.9 points and Caleb Douglas at 8.3, a gap of 1.6. Drafters take Ladd McConkey at ADP 42 and Caleb Douglas at 215.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 8.3 fantasy points for Caleb Douglas, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Caleb Douglas is 39 receiving yards, 2-3 receptions and 0.3 touchdowns (12, 11 and 12 market sources).

Player markets imply 9.9 fantasy points for Ladd McConkey, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Ladd McConkey is 49 receiving yards, 3-4 receptions and 0.2 touchdowns (8, 7 and 10 market sources).

That puts Ladd McConkey 1.6 points ahead of Caleb Douglas on the market projections.

Week 9 matchups

Caleb Douglas and MIA host DET on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

DET allowed 37.7 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 3rd most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 176 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against DET.

Ladd McConkey and LAC host HOU on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET.

HOU allowed 37.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 4th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 187 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against HOU.

By points allowed to the position, Caleb Douglas has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Caleb Douglas is not on the injury report.

Ladd McConkey is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Caleb Douglas played 82 percent of MIA snaps, drew 19 percent of the targets, earned 28 percent of the air yards and had 7 percent of the red zone chances.

Caleb Douglas, Week 1 against LV: 51 of 56 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 94 yards.

Caleb Douglas, Week 2 against SF: 51 of 59 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 19 yards.

Caleb Douglas, Week 7 against NYJ: 44 of 65 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 70 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Caleb Douglas, Week 8 against NE: 56 of 65 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 43 yards.

Through Week 8, Ladd McConkey played 53 percent of LAC snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 21 percent of the air yards and had 4 percent of the red zone chances.

Ladd McConkey, Week 3 against BUF: 61 of 69 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 66 yards.

Ladd McConkey, Week 4 against SEA: 24 of 71 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Ladd McConkey, Week 6 against KC: 8 of 68 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 17 yards.

Ladd McConkey, Week 8 against LAR: 55 of 61 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 86 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Ladd McConkey played 16 games for LAC and scored 180.9 PPR points, 11.3 a game, finishing WR30.

He caught 66 of 106 targets for 789 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 14 red zone targets and 479 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Chris Godwin Jr. over Caleb Douglas.
• Start Caleb Douglas over Cooper Kupp.
• Start Courtland Sutton over Caleb Douglas.
• Start Ladd McConkey over Chris Godwin Jr..
• Start Ladd McConkey over Courtland Sutton.
• Start Ladd McConkey over Darius Cooper.