Start Jalen Coker or Devaughn Vele? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Jalen Coker over Devaughn Vele in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Jalen Coker at 11.8 points and Devaughn Vele at 10.4, a gap of 1.4. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Devaughn Vele this week yet, so his 10.4 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (10.4 and 10.3); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Jalen Coker at ADP 126 and Devaughn Vele at 213.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 11.8 fantasy points for Jalen Coker, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Jalen Coker is 51 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.4 touchdowns (3, 3 and 6 market sources).

No Week 9 player market is posted for Devaughn Vele yet. His market-based projections were 10.4 and 10.3 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 10.4, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for Devaughn Vele is 0.3 touchdowns (5 market sources).

That puts Jalen Coker 1.4 points ahead of Devaughn Vele on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

Jalen Coker and CAR host DEN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

DEN allowed 27.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 7th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 130 yards and 0-1 touchdowns a game against DEN.

Devaughn Vele and NO host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 29.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 12th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 137 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against CLE.

By points allowed to the position, Devaughn Vele has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Jalen Coker is not on the injury report.

Devaughn Vele is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Jalen Coker played 70 percent of CAR snaps, drew 21 percent of the targets, earned 25 percent of the air yards and had 11 percent of the red zone chances.

Jalen Coker, Week 3 against CLE: 28 of 77 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards.

Jalen Coker, Week 6 against PHI: 59 of 79 snaps, 13 targets and 6 catches for 97 yards.

Jalen Coker, Week 7 against TB: 37 of 56 snaps, 4 targets and 1 catch for 9 yards.

Jalen Coker, Week 8 against GB: 63 of 73 snaps, 5 targets and 2 catches for 35 yards, 1 touchdown.

Through Week 7, Devaughn Vele played 91 percent of NO snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 24 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Devaughn Vele, Week 4 against ATL: 66 of 74 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown.

Devaughn Vele, Week 5 against MIN: 43 of 45 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 26 yards.

Devaughn Vele, Week 6 against NYG: 66 of 72 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 42 yards.

Devaughn Vele, Week 7 against PIT: 51 of 57 snaps, 5 targets and 5 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Jalen Coker played 11 games for CAR and scored 90.4 PPR points, 8.2 a game, finishing WR69.

He caught 33 of 43 targets for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 3 red zone targets and 292 air yards.

He was on the field for 68 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Devaughn Vele played 13 games for NO and scored 66.3 PPR points, 5.1 a game, finishing WR95.

He caught 25 of 39 targets for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 4 red zone targets and 259 air yards.

He was on the field for 51 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Jalen Coker over A.J. Brown.
• Start Christian Watson over Jalen Coker.
• Start DJ Moore over Jalen Coker.
• Start Chris Godwin Jr. over Devaughn Vele.
• Start Denzel Boston over Devaughn Vele.
• Start DJ Moore over Devaughn Vele.