Start DeMario Douglas or Jalen Royals? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start DeMario Douglas over Jalen Royals in Week 9.

Market-based projections have DeMario Douglas at 7.7 points and Jalen Royals at 6.0, a gap of 1.7. No player market is posted for DeMario Douglas this week yet, so his 7.7 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6, 7 and 8 (4.8, 8.9 and 9.4); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Jalen Royals this week yet, so his 6.0 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (6.2 and 5.7); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for DeMario Douglas yet. His market-based projections were 4.8, 8.9 and 9.4 points in Weeks 6, 7 and 8, an average of 7.7, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for DeMario Douglas is 0.4 touchdowns (7 market sources).

No Week 9 player market is posted for Jalen Royals yet. His market-based projections were 6.2 and 5.7 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 6.0, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

That puts DeMario Douglas 1.7 points ahead of Jalen Royals on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

DeMario Douglas and NE host GB on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

GB allowed 34.8 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 9th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 152 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against GB.

Jalen Royals and KC host NYJ on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYJ allowed 28.5 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 9th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 121 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against NYJ.

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

Injury status

DeMario Douglas is not on the injury report.

Jalen Royals is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, DeMario Douglas played 56 percent of NE snaps, drew 16 percent of the targets, earned 18 percent of the air yards and had 7 percent of the red zone chances.

DeMario Douglas, Week 5 against LV: 37 of 75 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 65 yards, 2 touchdowns.

DeMario Douglas, Week 6 against NYJ: 40 of 68 snaps, 8 targets and 7 catches for 86 yards, 1 touchdown.

DeMario Douglas, Week 7 against CHI: 35 of 54 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 23 yards.

DeMario Douglas, Week 8 against MIA: 39 of 60 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 76 yards, 1 touchdown.

Through Week 8, Jalen Royals played 43 percent of KC snaps, drew 6 percent of the targets, earned 6 percent of the air yards and had 3 percent of the red zone chances.

Jalen Royals, Week 4 against LV: 38 of 60 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Jalen Royals, Week 6 against LAC: 45 of 61 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 24 yards.

Jalen Royals, Week 7 against SEA: 36 of 53 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Jalen Royals, Week 8 against DEN: 22 of 69 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 4 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, DeMario Douglas played 17 games for NE and scored 95.8 PPR points, 5.6 a game, finishing WR65.

He caught 31 of 46 targets for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 7 red zone targets and 233 air yards.

He was on the field for 26 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Jalen Royals played 7 games for KC and scored 2.4 PPR points, 0.3 a game.

He caught 2 of 3 targets for 4 yards and 0 touchdowns, with 0 red zone targets and 0 air yards.

He was on the field for 9 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start DeMario Douglas over Adonai Mitchell.
• Start DeMario Douglas over Cooper Kupp.
• Start Courtland Sutton over DeMario Douglas.
• Start Jalen Royals over Adonai Mitchell.
• Start Cooper Kupp over Jalen Royals.
• Start Jalen Royals over Efton Chism III.