Start Evan Engram or Colby Parkinson? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Evan Engram over Colby Parkinson in Week 9.

Colby Parkinson is listed out on the injury report, so this is not a close call: start Evan Engram.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for Evan Engram yet. His market-based projections were 5.8, 6.0 and 6.2 points in Weeks 6, 7 and 8, an average of 6.0, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

No Week 9 player market is posted for Colby Parkinson yet. His market-based projections were 4.0 and 6.7 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 5.4, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

That puts Evan Engram 0.7 points ahead of Colby Parkinson on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

Evan Engram and DEN visit CAR on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CAR allowed 13.5 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 15th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 46 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against CAR.

Colby Parkinson and LAR visit WAS on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

WAS allowed 21.5 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 2nd most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 74 yards and 1.3 touchdowns a game against WAS.

By points allowed to the position, Colby Parkinson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Evan Engram is not on the injury report.

Colby Parkinson is listed as out with a ribs injury.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Evan Engram played 54 percent of DEN snaps, drew 11 percent of the targets, earned 10 percent of the air yards and had 3 percent of the red zone chances.

Evan Engram, Week 5 against LAC: 30 of 62 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 55 yards.

Evan Engram, Week 6 against SEA: 31 of 60 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 13 yards.

Evan Engram, Week 7 against ARI: 24 of 61 snaps, 3 targets and 1 catch for 2 yards.

Evan Engram, Week 8 against KC: 3 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Through Week 7, Colby Parkinson played 63 percent of LAR snaps, drew 9 percent of the targets, earned 2 percent of the air yards and had 8 percent of the red zone chances.

Colby Parkinson, Week 3 against DEN: 37 of 86 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Colby Parkinson, Week 5 against BUF: 53 of 82 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 3 yards.

Colby Parkinson, Week 6 against ARI: 36 of 58 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 31 yards, 1 touchdown.

Colby Parkinson, Week 7 against LV: 50 of 72 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 48 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Evan Engram played 16 games for DEN and scored 102.8 PPR points, 6.4 a game, finishing TE29.

He caught 50 of 76 targets for 461 yards and 1 touchdown, with 10 red zone targets and 159 air yards.

He was on the field for 42 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Colby Parkinson played 15 games for LAR and scored 129.8 PPR points, 8.7 a game, finishing TE17.

He caught 43 of 56 targets for 408 yards and 8 touchdowns, with 20 red zone targets and 137 air yards.

He was on the field for 59 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start AJ Barner over Evan Engram.
• Start Cade Otton over Evan Engram.
• Start Evan Engram over Charlie Kolar.
• Start Charlie Kolar over Colby Parkinson.
• Start Eli Raridon over Colby Parkinson.
• Start Kenyon Sadiq over Colby Parkinson.