It’s time for my DFS Week 9 picks! Thanks for following along each week. Last week almost became the trap game so many were fearful of between the Cardinals and the Ravens. The Ravens still came out on top with Mark Andrews scoring a touchdown and Gus Edwards absolutely on fire. Let’s take a look at the best picks for DFS Week 9, and I’ll toss in a few prop bet ideas along the way as well.
DFS Week 9 Picks
QB Picks
Dak Prescott ($6.5K DraftKings / $8.2K FanDuel)
This week, the Cowboys face an Eagles defense ranking No. 22 in the league, as well as No. 30 positionally against quarterbacks. Dak Prescott is projected to bring us 16 or more FPPG on both platforms. Last week, he had a season-high 304 yards and four touchdowns. Prescott currently ranks No. 2 in the league with a 71-percent completion rate. It’s a totally manageable salary that comes with a lot of upside.
Derek Carr ($5.7K DraftKings / $7.1K FanDuel)
While he’s not been the most consistent quarterback in the league, Derek Carr has an opportunity to take advantage of playing against the Bears this week. The Bears defense ranks No. 28 both generally and positionally against quarterbacks. Like Prescott, Carr is projected to bring in 16 or more FPPG in Week 9 on both platforms. Carr has had over 300 passing yards in 2 of 3 home games this season. Additionally, this could be his fourth game in a row, home and away, with 300 or more passing yards. I’ll be taking Derek Carr in a prop bet for over 300 passing yards this week!
RB Picks
Alvin Kamara ($8.1K DraftKings / $9.2K FanDuel)
Alvin Kamara comes with a pricey salary as a week 9 DFS Pick, but he also brings the highest projected FPPG among all running backs this week (17.6 DK / 14.8 FD). Paired with the modest salary of Derk Carr, you’ve got a really nice-looking stack.
Kamara has 11 career games with both rushing and receiving touchdowns, tied for the fifth-most in NFL history. This week could mark his fourth game in a row this season with 100 or more scrimmage yards (sounds like another good prop bet to me). Kamara also leads all running backs with 39 catches so far in 2023.
Jonathan Taylor ($6.4K DraftKings / $8.0K FanDuel)
Jonathan Taylor goes up against a Carolina defense ranking No. 25 in the league overall and last against running backs. This is clearly a good matchup for JT and the salary is pretty manageable. He’s projected for 14 FPPG on DraftKings and 12.8 FPPG on FanDuel. He rushed for a season-high of 95 yards last week, and is aiming for his 3rd game in a row with 95 or more scrimmage yards. Prop bet? Maybe. Let’s check the lines…
Slowly, Indy's backfield usage is trending in Jonathan Taylor's direction. pic.twitter.com/rJW727ITjq
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) October 22, 2023
Jerome Ford ($5.3K DraftKings / $7.0K FanDuel)
Or…Kareem Hunt. Both Jerome Ford and Hunt are listed at $7K on Fanduel and are close in salary on DraftKings – Ford at $5.3K and Hunt at $5.5K. The two will play by committee it seems, projected to bring in roughly the same amount of fantasy points this week, too (Ford 10.3 / Hunt 9.7). They’re facing Arizona this week, which ranks No. 30 versus running backs.
Here’s the catch: the Cardinals played well against the Ravens last week and held their own; however, they had a very difficult time stopping the bus that is Gus Edwards. Take that for what you will. I see it as a good week to roster one of these two, with the edge going to Ford.
WR Picks
Zay Flowers ($5.7K DraftKings / $6.1K FanDuel)
This feels like a trap, but I’m going in on it. Zay Flowers led the Ravens with five catches in Week 8, mostly because it was a heavy running game. Regardless, it was his fifth game this season with five or more catches. He’s had 75 or more receiving yards in two of three home games this season and ranks No. 2 among rookies with 44 catches. The Ravens are up against Seattle this week, who have a decent defense, but tend to give up plenty of receiving yards.
Zay Flowers dipping inside, carrying his defender vertically, then bending back in for easy separation in the endzone.
One of Zay's standout skills in college was his stacking ability,
here, he shows that you don't always have to get on top of the DB to create the same effect https://t.co/zwxcxSMFIe pic.twitter.com/LUQsYEDHXj— JetPack Galileo (@JetPackGalileo) October 28, 2023
Terry McLaurin ($5.6K DraftKings / $7.2K FanDuel)
While Terry McLaurin might look a lot like Zay Flowers on paper this week, Washington is facing a weak New England defense this week, giving the Commanders an overall edge. McLaurin is projected for 13.2 FPPG on DraftKings and 10.7 FPPG on FanDuel this week, making him a fairly priced Week 9 DFS pick. This game could mark his fourth in a row overall and his fifth in a row on the road with five or more catches and 50 or more receiving yards. Let’s book McLaurin in a prop bet this week for over five catches or over 50 receiving yards. The choice is yours.
Brandin Cooks ($4.4K DraftKings / $5.6K FanDuel)
Need a super value? I like Brandin Cooks this week. While we know that Dak is focused mainly on getting the ball to CeeDee Lamb, Cooks is an excellent support, earning four targets last week and scoring a 25-yard touchdown. He’s projected for 8.3 FPPG on DraftKings and 6.8 on FanDuel. We’ve already discussed the Eagles defense, but they rank last versus wide receivers, so as long as Dak spreads the ball around a little, we’re golden.
TE Picks
Mark Andrews ($6.8K DraftKings / $7.2K FanDuel)
Can’t stop. Won’t stop. Mark Andrews continues to be a must-start tight end this week. While it’s presumed that the Seahawks defense is tougher than the last week with the Cardinals, Andrews knows how to get himself open. He’s produced more than 60 yards in four of his last five games. We’ll look for him to continue at that pace. We’ll also look for him to continue his streak of touchdown catches. Andrews is projected for 14.5 FPPG on DraftKings and 12 FPPG on FanDuel.
Cade Otton ($3.0K DraftKings / $4.9K FanDuel)
If you want to pick a lower-end tight end this week, go with Cade Otton. When matched up against other tight ends in his tier, Otton produces the most consistent weekly fantasy points. Against a mediocre Houston defense, he’s projected to bring in 6.2 FPPG on DraftKings and 4.6 on FanDuel. If wide receiver Chris Godwin doesn’t play this week, that opens up more opportunities for Otton to step in. More opportunities don’t mean he’ll suddenly become a super star, but I’d say he’ll be good for at least five fantasy points if you’re in a real pinch.
Insert Any Decent Tight End Pick Here
Really… I don’t like much of anyone this week in these matchups. It’s not looking good for tight ends in the Week 9 main slate. I’d like to list TJ Hockenson ($5.2K DraftKings / $6.7 FanDuel), but honestly, I just don’t feel comfortable with what’s happening in Minnesota at the quarterback position yet. On the flip side…he might be the most reliable player on the team for whoever ends up under center.
DEF/DST
Atlanta Falcons ($3.7K DraftKings / $5.0K FanDuel)
This is super interesting. The Falcons have a good matchup against either a new or an inexperienced Cardinals quarterback this week. DraftKings is taking it in stride, while FanDuel is looking to make DFS managers pay up for the experiment. I will play the Falcons on DraftKings. The salary is right where I like it to be and they’re projected for 8 FPPG. I am not willing to pay up for that, though. If I’m playing on FanDuel, I’ll take the Baltimore Ravens at $4.3K, also projected for 8 FPPG.
Use Your Resources
Now that you’ve seen my picks, have you checked out the PlayerProfiler DFS Dominator and Fantasy Tools? There are options for every budget and every fantasy football use case, from sports betting to creating and maintaining the most optimized league roster. I’ve been making it a habit to run my favorite lineups through the tools, and it’s paid off every week.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me on the app formerly known as Twitter, @KellyInPhoenix. Thanks for reading! See you next week!
