Start Gardner Minshew II or Joe Fagnano? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Gardner Minshew II over Joe Fagnano in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Gardner Minshew II at 9.4 points and Joe Fagnano at 9.1, a gap of 0.3. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Joe Fagnano's number is scaled up from a partial market: not every stat the position needs is posted yet, so the rest is estimated from what is.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 9.4 fantasy points for Gardner Minshew II, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Gardner Minshew II is 200 passing yards, 0-1 passing touchdowns, 6 rushing yards and 0.1 rushing touchdowns (10, 12, 10 and 12 market sources).

Player markets imply 9.1 fantasy points for Joe Fagnano, with 80 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Joe Fagnano is 161 passing yards and 0.1 rushing touchdowns (12 and 14 market sources).

That puts Gardner Minshew II 0.3 points ahead of Joe Fagnano on the market projections.

Week 9 matchups

Gardner Minshew II and ARI visit SEA on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

SEA allowed 11.9 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 8 games, the 2nd fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 169 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against SEA, with an interception a game.

Joe Fagnano and BAL host JAX on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

JAX allowed 15.6 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 7 games, the 9th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 262 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against JAX, with 1.3 interceptions a game.

By points allowed to the position, Joe Fagnano has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Gardner Minshew II is not on the injury report.

Joe Fagnano is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Gardner Minshew II played 42 percent of ARI snaps, dropped back 21 times and threw an average of 6.8 air yards per attempt.

Gardner Minshew II, Week 8 against DAL: 34 of 81 snaps, 17 of 20 passes for 188 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Through Week 8, Joe Fagnano played 78 percent of BAL snaps, dropped back 25 times and threw an average of 4.3 air yards per attempt.

Joe Fagnano, Week 8 against BUF: 40 of 51 snaps, 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 4 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Gardner Minshew II played 4 games for KC and scored 0.7 PPR points, 0.2 a game, finishing QB72.

He completed 6 of 13 passes for 37 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, and ran 6 times for 2 yards and 0 touchdowns.

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

Gardner Minshew II, Week 16 of 2025 against TEN: 14 of 45 snaps, 3 of 8 passes for 15 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 1 carry for 8 yards, 1.4 PPR points.

Gardner Minshew II, Week 15 of 2025 against LAC: 5 of 61 snaps, 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, -0.1 PPR points.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Baker Mayfield over Gardner Minshew II.
• Start Bryce Young over Gardner Minshew II.
• Start Daniel Jones over Gardner Minshew II.
• Start Baker Mayfield over Joe Fagnano.
• Start Daniel Jones over Joe Fagnano.
• Start Deshaun Watson over Joe Fagnano.