Fantasy Basketball 2023-24: Week 9 Start/Sit includes Collin Sexton, Josh Giddey and Brook Lopez

We're set for a balanced Week 9 schedule, with just one more team on a four-game schedule than those that have three-game weeks. That still gives us plenty to work with in terms of players who should have ample opportunity to provide strong returns, and the fact only one team is saddled with a two-game ledger is also beneficial. 

Each week, we'll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters that may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, with the focus usually being on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues. We'll also typically hone in on players with four-game weeks in an attempt to maximize opportunities for production.

Likewise, we'll spotlight one Sit candidate at each position that would normally not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, with the focus often on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards

TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Phoenix Suns

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 9:

Guards    

Start: Collin Sexton, Jazz

50% start rate 

Sexton has long been considered a starting-quality reserve, and in his long-awaited opportunity to return to a first-unit role, he's done nothing to dispel that notion. The 2018 eighth-overall pick of the Cavaliers has taken advantage of Keyonte George's and Jordan Clarkson's respective foot and hamstring injuries exploding for 26 points or more in each of his first three starts. Sexton also provided 20 points off the bench in the game before that stretch, and he's shooting a blistering 57.6 percent overall in the entirety of that sample. Even if George can return to action at some point during Utah's four-game week, Sexton may continue to hold down the starting point guard job given the level of play he's exhibited.

Start: Tim Hardaway, Mavericks

43% start rate 

Hardaway keeps a spot in this space this week after putting up 32- and 25-point tallies in two of his three games in Week 8. The veteran wing is now averaging 17.7 points per contest – his highest figure since the 2018-19 campaign and second best of his career overall. Hardaway's career-high aggressiveness from behind the arc is helping fuel that figure, as he's taking 9.3 three-point attempts per game, by far his most prolific showing in that category. With Kyrie Irving (heel) still without a firm timetable for return, Hardaway should continue shouldering a robust level of offensive responsibility this week.

ALSO CONSIDER: Talen Horton-Tucker, Jazz (21% roster rate)

Sit: De'Anthony Melton, 76ers

58% start rate

Melton will play just three games this coming week and continues to offer mostly replaceable production, especially now that Kelly Oubre has returned. Melton checks into Week 9 with 10 points or fewer in four straight games, and he's averaging just 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.8 steals per contest in that span. Granted, his contributions in the latter category can be borderline elite, so you might make an exception for that reason. However, it's hard not to see a similarly talented four-game option that shares the floor with less high-usage options surpassing Melton's production this coming week.

Forwards          

Start: Taurean Prince, Lakers

11% roster rate 

Prince continues to find his way to some solid production despite sharing the floor with multiple high-usage stars, with the veteran averaging 12.5 points (on 54 percent shooting, including 51.4 percent from three-point range), 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals over 30.7 minutes per contest in the last six games. Prince appears to be in firm possession of the starting small forward role for the time being, and with the possibility LeBron James (calf) and Anthony Davis (hip/groin) each get at least one game off during Los Angeles' full Week 9, Prince becomes even more of an appealing option.

Start: Tari Eason, Rockets

44% start rate 

Eason has been providing some diverse production off the bench for the surprising Rockets, and he'll check Week 9 having averaged 18.0 points (on 55 percent shooting, including 60 percent from three-point range), 12.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.7 steals over his last three games. Eason has encouragingly logged between 23 and 27 minutes in those contests and has seen at least 20 minutes in five of the last six contests overall. Having earned head coach Ime Udoka's trust and shooting an elite 43.8 percent from distance, Eason could be quite the rewarding streaming option this coming week.

ALSO CONSIDER: Saddiq Bey, Hawks (47% start rate)

Sit: Josh Giddey, Thunder

74% start rate

Giddey's start rate has bumped up over last week, but with not much sign of improvement and the Thunder playing one less game than a full allotment this week, I'm in the camp of keeping him on the bench if you have a similarly talented four-game option. Giddey played all of 15 minutes Saturday against the Nuggets, which also qualified as his third single-digit scoring effort in the last five games. He continues to lag behind last year's numbers in most major categories and is shooting just 42.7 percent, dampening his overall outlook. 

CENTERS        

Start: Isaiah Jackson, Pacers

9% roster rate 

Jackson is on a nice run of production coming into Week 9, and with there being a dearth of viable centers on four-game schedules this week, he's worth a look. The big man has averaged 12.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks across just 17.2 minutes per contest in the last five games. There's undeniably some risk in rostering the 2021 first-round pick because of his typically modest playing time, but he's notably logged 20 minutes apiece in each of his last two games and plays on the fastest-paced team in the league, which always increases the fantasy upside of a player even if he's on the second unit.

Start: Kelly Olynyk, Jazz

26% roster rate 

Olynyk is currently slotting into the starting center role over Walker Kessler and has been taking advantage of the opportunity, as he's turned in two double-digit rebound tallies and one double-digit assist effort in his last three games. While the veteran's scoring is going to fluctuate, the glass-half-full perspective on Olynyk is that he'll also give you much more in the assist and three-point categories than a standard center will – the 2013 first-round pick is averaging a career-high 4.3 dimes per game and draining a career-best 43.2 percent of his three-point attempts.

Sit:  Brook Lopez, Bucks

57% start rate 

Lopez is certainly having another solid year, but he'll play just three times this week and is coming off a few lackluster offensive games. With Damian Lillard now appearing fully comfortable in his new Milwaukee digs and Khris Middleton also looking increasingly healthier, Lopez may be relied on less consistently for scoring contributions. The veteran has three single-digit scoring tallies in his last six contests and has scuffled with his shot over the entirety of that span as well, draining only 44.6 percent of his attempts overall. Lopez's rebounds also sit at just 4.1 per contest during that stretch, and although he is undeniably often an excellent source of blocks, you may well get better cumulative production from a four-game option.