Start Patrick Mahomes or Drew Lock? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Patrick Mahomes over Drew Lock in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Patrick Mahomes at 21.2 points and Drew Lock at 13.3, a gap of 7.9.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 13.4 fantasy points for Drew Lock, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Drew Lock is 213 passing yards, 6 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing touchdowns (8, 8 and 12 market sources).

Player markets imply 21.2 fantasy points for Patrick Mahomes, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Patrick Mahomes is 246 passing yards, 2-3 passing touchdowns, 12 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing touchdowns (11, 12, 8 and 10 market sources).

That puts Patrick Mahomes 7.9 points ahead of Drew Lock on the market projections.

Week 9 matchups

Drew Lock and SEA host ARI on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

ARI allowed 22.4 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 8 games, the 2nd most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 238 yards and 2.3 touchdowns a game against ARI, with 0.4 interceptions a game.

Patrick Mahomes and KC host NYJ on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYJ allowed 18.1 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 8 games, the 16th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 208 yards and 1.8 touchdowns a game against NYJ, with 0.1 interceptions a game.

By points allowed to the position, Drew Lock has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Drew Lock is listed as questionable with a elbow injury.

Patrick Mahomes is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 2, Drew Lock played 96 percent of SEA snaps, dropped back 51 times and threw an average of 7.6 air yards per attempt.

Drew Lock, Week 1 against NE: 45 of 50 snaps, 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 1 carry for 14 yards.

Drew Lock, Week 2 against ARI: 70 of 70 snaps, 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Through Week 8, Patrick Mahomes played 100 percent of KC snaps, dropped back 254 times and threw an average of 5.8 air yards per attempt.

Patrick Mahomes, Week 4 against LV: 60 of 60 snaps, 15 of 30 passes for 225 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 1 carry for 1 yards.

Patrick Mahomes, Week 6 against LAC: 61 of 61 snaps, 23 of 30 passes for 272 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, 3 carries for 19 yards.

Patrick Mahomes, Week 7 against SEA: 53 of 53 snaps, 19 of 33 passes for 165 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 14 yards.

Patrick Mahomes, Week 8 against DEN: 69 of 69 snaps, 30 of 41 passes for 321 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 6 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Drew Lock played 5 games for SEA and scored 0.1 PPR points, 0.0 a game, finishing QB73.

He completed 2 of 3 passes for 15 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, and ran 6 times for -5 yards and 0 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 4 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Patrick Mahomes played 14 games for KC and scored 296.7 PPR points, 21.2 a game, finishing QB11.

He completed 315 of 502 passes for 3587 yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and ran 64 times for 422 yards and 5 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 97 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Baker Mayfield over Drew Lock.
• Start Bo Nix over Drew Lock.
• Start Bryce Young over Drew Lock.
• Start Patrick Mahomes over Baker Mayfield.
• Start Patrick Mahomes over Bo Nix.
• Start Brock Purdy over Patrick Mahomes.