Start CJ Donaldson or Seth McGowan? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Seth McGowan over CJ Donaldson in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Seth McGowan at 4.1 points and CJ Donaldson at 3.2, a gap of 0.9. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Seth McGowan this week yet, so his 4.1 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6, 7 and 8 (3.6, 2.7 and 6.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for CJ Donaldson this week yet, so his 3.2 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (3.4 and 3.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for Seth McGowan yet. His market-based projections were 3.6, 2.7 and 6.0 points in Weeks 6, 7 and 8, an average of 4.1, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

No Week 9 player market is posted for CJ Donaldson yet. His market-based projections were 3.4 and 3.0 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 3.2, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

That puts Seth McGowan 0.9 points ahead of CJ Donaldson on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

Seth McGowan and IND host DAL on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

DAL allowed 26.5 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 8 games, the 4th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 116 yards and a touchdown a game against DAL and caught passes for 29 more yards.

CJ Donaldson and NO host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 21.1 fantasy points a game to RBs this season over 8 games, the 15th fewest in the league.

Running backs ran for 116 yards and 0.8 touchdowns a game against CLE and caught passes for 18 more yards.

By points allowed to the position, Seth McGowan has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Seth McGowan is not on the injury report.

CJ Donaldson is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Seth McGowan played 21 percent of IND snaps, took 17 percent of the carries, drew 2 percent of the targets and had 8 percent of the red zone chances.

Seth McGowan, Week 5 against PIT: 19 of 71 snaps, 5 carries for 16 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 3 yards.

Seth McGowan, Week 6 against TEN: 19 of 83 snaps, 4 carries for 27 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Seth McGowan, Week 7 against MIN: 20 of 58 snaps, 11 carries for 46 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 2 yards.

Seth McGowan, Week 8 against JAX: 15 of 61 snaps, 5 carries for 29 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Through Week 7, CJ Donaldson played 25 percent of NO snaps, took 10 percent of the carries, drew 2 percent of the targets and had 3 percent of the red zone chances.

CJ Donaldson, Week 4 against ATL: 28 of 74 snaps, 3 carries for 18 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 5 yards.

CJ Donaldson, Week 5 against MIN: 19 of 45 snaps, 4 carries for 13 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 7 yards.

CJ Donaldson, Week 6 against NYG: 24 of 72 snaps, 6 carries for 39 yards, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

CJ Donaldson, Week 7 against PIT: 4 of 57 snaps, 0 carries for 0 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Corey Kiner over Seth McGowan.
• Start George Holani over Seth McGowan.
• Start Seth McGowan over Isaiah Davis.
• Start Corey Kiner over CJ Donaldson.
• Start George Holani over CJ Donaldson.
• Start CJ Donaldson over Isaiah Davis.