Week 9 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Derrick Henry vs. Javonte Williams

Evaluating who to play in fantasy football in week nine between Dallas Cowboys RB Javonte Williams and Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry.

Oct 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) looks on at halftime against the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Both running backs Javonte Williams and Derrick Henry, have proven to be good starting options in fantasy football this season. It looks like that is the case for week nine, but who is the better player to lock into starting lineups in week nine? Here is a breakdown on who to start and who to sit between Henry and Williams this week.

Derrick Henry

Sep 22, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) rushes the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

RB1 for the Baltimore Ravens, Derrick Henry, is coming off another promising outing. Against the Chicago Bears in week eight, Henry had 21 rushes for 71 yards and two touchdowns. This is the second week in a row that Henry has garnered over 20 carries. This trend should continue in week nine when he and the Ravens go on to play a poor rushing defense, in the Miami Dolphins.

Miami this season has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game in the NFL. The Dolphins have given up three games this year where RBs have rushed for over 100 yards. They are also allowing the fifth-most PPR fantasy points per game. They have clamped up in the run game there past two games, allowing just a combined 56.5 rushing yards per game to RB1s–two RBs were Bijan Robinson and Quinshon Judkins. In that the two RBs had a combined yards per carry average of 3.3.

Javonte Williams

Oct 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (33) carries the ball against the New York Jets during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Although the Dallas Cowboys struggled overall in week eight against the Denver Broncos, their RB1, Javonte Williams, found a way to carve out a solid fantasy performance. In the game, Williams had 13 rushes for 41 yards. The bulk of his fantasy production came from what he has found a way to do time and time again this season, and that is finding the endzone. Williams had two TDs against Denver, bringing his total on the season to eight touchdowns. This ties for the third most for an RB this season.

His 41 rushing yards in the contest was the second-lowest rushing yard total he has generated all year. The Broncos do have a solid rush defense, and so will the Cowboy's week nine opponent, the Arizona Cardinals.

The Broncos ranked 10th in fewest rushing yards per game, and Arizona is currently allowing the 12th fewest. In PPR fantasy formats, they are allowing the 12th most fantasy points per game to the RB position. The only 100-yard rushing game they have allowed this year was to Indianapolis Colts RB1 Jonathon Taylor.

Final Verdict

Williams and Henry again have proven to be great starts, and that remains the case for week nine, but regarding who should start and who should sit between the two, Henry should be a start, and Williams should be a sit. Henry has gotten his two highest carry totals over the past two games, and he is now going against one of the most vulnerable rushing defenses in the NFL this season. His fantasy ceiling is just way higher in week nine compared to Williams. And if Lamar Jackson is out, that increases the chances of him having a big outing. If the Ravens’ star QB does end up playing, Henry is still a better play than Williams.