Kaelon Black · Keaton Mitchell · 2026 week 9

Kaelon Black or Keaton Mitchell?

Wondering who you should start this week — Kaelon Black or Keaton Mitchell? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start Kaelon Black — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.6 points. The matchup leans Kaelon Black (LV allow the 4th-most RB points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 9	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Kaelon Black START	vs LV	5.8	4th · soft	5.7	351	healthy
Keaton Mitchell	vs HOU	5.2	14th	3.9	–	healthy

RBs vs LV recently: James Cook III 21.3 pts (W6) · Kyren Williams 16.1 pts (W7) · Braelon Allen 21.3 pts (W8).

RBs vs HOU recently: Tony Pollard 5.2 pts (W5) · Bhayshul Tuten 20.7 pts (W6) · Cam Skattebo 18.1 pts (W7).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.6 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Keaton Mitchell has the higher floor (1.3) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Kaelon Black has the higher ceiling (12.1) — the play if you need points.
Keaton Mitchell is steady — about 14% less volatile week to week than a typical RB projected here — higher floor, lower ceiling.
Kaelon Black faces LV, 4th most generous to RBs.
Keaton Mitchell faces HOU, 14th most generous to RBs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Kaelon Black carries the higher trade value — 351 against 0. In a one-for-one, the side receiving Kaelon Black gets the most.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More RB decisions

Kaelon Black or J.K. Dobbins?Kaelon Black or TreVeyon Henderson?Kaelon Black or Seth McGowan?Keaton Mitchell or Tyrone Tracy Jr.?Keaton Mitchell or George Holani?Keaton Mitchell or Ty Johnson?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.