Blog · Week 9 · November 3, 2026
Should you pick up Gardner Minshew II in Week 9?
He is worth monitoring in deep leagues or Superflex formats, though his next matchup is extremely tough. He just posted 19.5 fantasy points coming off the bench against Dallas.
News and context around Gardner Minshew II
Gardner Minshew II has sparked a quarterback controversy in Arizona following a stellar performance coming off the bench. During Week 8 against Dallas, Minshew stepped in during the third quarter to replace Jacoby Brissett and engineered an incredible 33-30 comeback win in overtime. Following this historic victory, head coach Mike LaFleur has not yet named a definite starter for Week 9, leaving fantasy managers closely monitoring the situation as waivers process.
Fantasy breakdown and recent stats
In his lone appearance of the 2026 season, the 30-year-old veteran with 7 years of experience delivered 19.5 PPR points, fueled by 188 passing yards and 3 passing touchdowns, maintaining a 19.5 average. However, our exclusive FX model for Week 9 projects just 9.5 PPR, Half, and standard points, ranking him as the QB40 of the week due to an unfavorable road test ahead in his upcoming game.
Upcoming matchup and roster status
The upcoming challenge involves a road trip to face Seattle under a MATCHUP DIFÍCIL designation. The Seahawks defense surrenders an average of 11.9 points per game to opposing quarterbacks, ranking as the Nº31 defense out of 32 teams where Nº32 allows the fewest points. Despite this daunting test, the fantasy community shows active interest, currently rostered in 834080 leagues with zero drop transactions over the last 24 hours.
Fantasy advice
WAIT · In standard 1QB leagues, the best approach is to wait and avoid plugging him into your starting lineup this week. His ceiling is severely capped by the brutal road matchup against Seattle. For Superflex or deeper leagues, his upside if named starter makes him a speculative waiver wire addition, but for standard, half-PPR, and PPR lineups, keep him on your bench or monitor the official starting announcement.
Projection from the FX Model, Fantasy Expertos' own system.
FAQ
How many fantasy points did Gardner Minshew II score in Week 8?
He scored 19.5 PPR points after throwing for 188 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Who is the head coach of Arizona?
Mike LaFleur is the head coach, and he has not officially named a starting quarterback for Week 9 yet.
What is Gardner Minshew II's Week 9 projection?
Our model projects him for 9.5 fantasy points across PPR, Half, and standard formats, ranking him as the QB40.