Updated November 6, 2026
Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season stretches from Thursday Night Football through Monday Night Football, and one game locks much earlier than the rest: Bengals at Falcons in Madrid at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. This is a fantasy start/sit framework for that slate. It is not a projection sheet. We do not invent points, rankings or "must-starts." Every status claim below comes from the official NFL.com injury report as fetched Friday morning, November 6, 2026, Pacific time, or is explicitly marked as not yet posted.
Lineup Lock Times This Week
Most fantasy apps lock each player when that player's game starts, not at a single Sunday morning deadline. For Week 9, the relevant kickoffs on the NFL.com Week 9 schedule and injury page are:
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 8:15 p.m. ET: Jaguars at Ravens (already played by Friday).
- Sunday, Nov. 8, 9:30 a.m. ET: Bengals at Falcons in Madrid (NFL Network). This is the unusual early lock.
- Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET window: several early games (FOX and CBS).
- Sunday, 4:05 and 4:25 p.m. ET windows: late afternoon games.
- Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET: Buccaneers at Bears on NBC (Sunday Night Football).
- Monday, Nov. 9, 8:15 p.m. ET: Bills at Vikings on ESPN/ABC.
If you have Bengals or Falcons players, their lineup decisions are due hours before the early U.S. window. Our Bengals vs. Falcons Madrid how-to-watch guide covers kickoff and TV; for fantasy, the only extra rule is the lock time.
Friday Injury Statuses That Matter
As of our Friday morning pull of NFL.com's injury report:
- Thursday Night (already locked): Game statuses were posted. On the Ravens side, the report listed Jaylinn Hawkins (Out), Tyler Huntley (Out) and Lamar Jackson (Out), with Adam Randall and Nate Wiggins listed Questionable, among other practice notes. The Jaguars side listed Bhayshul Tuten and Travon Walker as Questionable. Those designations mattered only before Thursday's kickoff.
- Sunday and Monday games: The same NFL.com page listed practice participation (full, limited, or did not participate) for many players, but most Sunday and Monday clubs did not yet have a Game Status of Out, Doubtful or Questionable filled in at the time we checked. When a game status is blank on the official report, treat it as not yet posted rather than guessing.
Terms matter. Our explainer on questionable vs. doubtful on the NFL injury report covers what each label means. Practice participation alone is not the same as a game status.
Starts Worth Considering
Without inventing projections, the clean start rules for this week are procedural:
- Set Madrid players first. Anyone on Cincinnati or Atlanta has to be decided before 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday.
- Prefer players with no negative game status once Friday/Saturday designations post. If the official report later lists a player Out or Doubtful, do not start him.
- Do not start anyone whose team is on a bye. Week 9 byes are the Steelers and Titans; see our Week 9 bye fill-in guide.
- Have a Monday backup plan. Bills and Vikings players can be held as flex options later than Sunday morning in weekly leagues that lock by game.
For broader roster habits, our guide to the best strategy for NFL fantasy football covers depth and process rather than one-week hero takes. For next week's four-team bye, see our Week 10 bye weeks fantasy guide.
Sits to Consider
Again without fake rankings:
- Anyone listed Out on the official report when statuses appear.
- Anyone listed Doubtful unless your league scoring and risk tolerance say otherwise; doubtful is still a strong sit signal for most managers.
- Bye-week players (Steelers, Titans this week).
- Players locked to Thursday who already sat out or underperformed cannot be swapped after the fact; review them only for next week.
If a player you want is still without a game status Friday afternoon, wait for the official designation rather than starting him on a practice-participation guess.
Monday Night Tiebreak Decisions
In many leagues, the last undecided lineup slots come down to Monday Night Football. Bills at Vikings kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. Game statuses for Monday games are often finalized on the Saturday report, not Friday. Until those designations post, treat Monday players as pending. If your weekly lineup already locks Sunday morning, Monday options only help in leagues that lock by game.
Refresh the NFL.com injury report Saturday and again before each lock. Inactive lists closer to kickoff are the final word on who is not dressing.
Week 9 Start/Sit: Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the Madrid game lock for fantasy?
Bengals at Falcons is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 8, on NFL Network. Most apps lock those players at kickoff.
Are Friday game statuses posted for all Sunday games?
Not always at the same hour. As of our Friday morning check on Nov. 6, 2026, many Sunday clubs showed practice participation without a filled Game Status yet. Use the official report, not guesses.
Is this a projection sheet?
No. It is a lock-time and injury-report framework. We do not invent fantasy point projections here.
