Sunday’s Week 9 DFS slate features plenty of juicy options, with 13 games and only the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers on bye.
Here we’ll put together a DFS lineup using DraftKings prices that can help you win big this week.
Week 9 DFS Picks
All stats are from TruMedia unless otherwise stated.
- QB: Kirk Cousins ($6,400)
- RB1: Alvin Kamara ($7,800)
- RB2: Nick Chubb ($5,800)
- WR1: Drake London ($6,700)
- WR2: Darnell Mooney ($6,000)
- WR3: Noah Brown ($4,000)
- TE: Kyle Pitts ($4,900)
- FLEX: Jakobi Meyers ($5,300)
- D/ST: Eagles ($3,100)
DFS Strategy: Falcons Passing-Game Stack
To win a large contest, stacking a particular team is usually a good strategy. It’s a boom-or-bust approach that requires you to hit on the right lottery ticket, but you’ll likely finish in the money if you pick the right offense.
This week, the Atlanta Falcons loom as a strong stack option against the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas has one of the worst defenses in the league, ranking 24th in fantasy PPG allowed to quarterbacks and last in red-zone defense.
This lineup featuring Cousins, London, Mooney, and Pitts allows you to buy up virtually the entire Falcons passing game at a reasonable price. The trio of pass-catchers has accounted for 61% of the team’s receptions, 68% of the receiving yards, and 86% of the receiving touchdowns.
Pitts’ re-emergence is particularly encouraging. The beleaguered tight end has four straight games with at least 65 receiving yards, a total he topped only three times in his previous 32 games played. He’s also averaging the most yards per reception (14.4) of any tight end this season, making Pitts the rare vertical threat from the position.
This looks like rookie Kyle Pitts! His burst & explosiveness is back and it’s great to see! pic.twitter.com/ZnVqLtlIOx
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) October 29, 2024
With the Cowboys allowing a league-high 8.2 yards per pass attempt, Cousins and the Falcons passing game could be primed for a big day.
Buying In on Big-Name Running Backs
Kamara and Chubb have been two of the more dependable fantasy running backs for years. However, neither has impressed in recent weeks. Kamara is the RB21 overall since Week 5 and has one touchdown in that span, while Chubb is the RB39 since making his season debut in Week 7.
Still, both are worth rostering in DFS this week. Kamara gets a matchup against the abysmal Carolina Panthers defense, which has allowed the most PPR points per game to running backs this season (27.3). In fact, the Panthers are on pace to be the worst fantasy defense vs. running backs since the 2020 Detroit Lions.
With Derek Carr potentially returning from his oblique injury, the New Orleans Saints should finally resemble a functional offense again. That makes Kamara a playable asset in fantasy.
Chubb has only had 74 rush yards on 2.7 yards per carry in two games since returning from his gruesome 2023 knee injury. However, he’s been the workhorse in that span, taking 61% of the Cleveland Browns’ carries. That’s in line with his last healthy season in 2022 when he took 57% of the Browns’ carries.
Chubb does not have a favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, who have allowed the second-fewest PPR points per game to RBs this season. However, his price is a bargain for his track record and share of the offense. For context, Chubb is priced below other RBs such as Travis Etienne Jr. ($5,900) and Raheem Mostert ($6,000), neither of whom have been the primary ball carriers in their respective offenses.
With Jameis Winston boosting the Browns’ offensive outlook, Chubb’s opportunities should eventually pay off. He won’t have many more weeks with a price this low in DFS contests.
Rounding Out the Bargain Bin
The vast majority of this lineup’s budget is going to the Falcons and the running backs. That doesn’t leave you with much spending power to fill out your lineup, but here are some quick-hitters on potential bargain-bin options:
– Jakobi Meyers had six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown in his return from an ankle injury. Meyers has received a healthy 25.7% target rate in three games played since Week 4, which is the stretch following Davante Adams’ departure from the offense.
That’s in the same range as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Chris Godwin for the entire season. Meyers is the clear second option in the passing game behind Brock Bowers and gets a nice matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
– Noah Brown is fresh off a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown in the season’s most exciting ending last week. That made up nearly all of Brown’s production in Week 8, as he only had three receptions for 73 yards including that touchdown.
However, there are some promising signs that Brown might have a higher fantasy upside without a miracle play. Brown ran a season-high 38 routes in Week 8 and is running roughly the same number of routes per game as Terry McLaurin and Zach Ertz since Week 4.
The New York Giants rank 16th in PPR points per game to wide receivers, making this a neutral matchup for an excellent offense. Brown has had at least four targets in three of his past four games, making him a decent big-play dart throw given his consistent snap counts.
– Finally, the Eagles D/ST looks far better than it did during the early weeks. Philadelphia leads the league in PPG (12.0) and yards per play (3.9) since Week 6. While two of those games were against the Deshaun Watson-led Browns and New York Giants, the Eagles largely stymied the Cincinnati Bengals on the road last week as well.
This week they get a matchup at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are a largely neutral offense in most categories, including turnovers per drive (18th) and sack rate (15th). But given the Eagles’ recent ascension on defense, their very low DFS price is worth a shot to help you fill out your lineup.