Last week was one of the craziest DFS weeks I’ve ever seen. I had some lineups that scored over 200 fantasy points, and they barely cashed! That’s a good indicator of how high-scoring the slate was, with numerous big-name players scoring three touchdowns. I had Derrick Henry, D’Onta Foreman and Tony Pollard littered throughout my lineups, but so did everyone else. That’s why we provide you with these guaranteed prize pool (GPP) articles because it’s imperative to find a few pieces to separate yourself from the field. With that in mind, let’s get started with the quarterbacks.
The players below are ones I’m looking at for GPP considerations for Week 9:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Joe Burrow (CIN): $6,600 vs. CAR
Burrow and the Bengals looked horrible on Monday night, but we’re willing to overlook that. The talented quarterback has scored at least 15 DraftKings points in every game, generating a 25-point average. That’s the second-highest total on this slate behind Josh Allen, and it’s strange to see him sitting below $7K. Facing Carolina is far from concerning, with the Panthers ranked 21st in yardage surrendered.
Justin Fields (CHI): $5,300 vs. MIA
Fields has struggled mightily at times throughout his career, but this youngster is starting to find it. He’s scored at least 17 DK points in four straight outings, seeing his total rise in each of those. That culminated with 24 and 26 DK points in his last two outings, which is a brilliant total from such a cheap player. He could keep that trend going against Miami, with the Dolphins owning a 29th opponent rank (OPRK) against opposing quarterbacks.
FanDuel
Justin Herbert (LAC): $7,800 at ATL
Herbert has had a disappointing season, but a matchup with Atlanta could get him back on track. The Falcons are surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing signal-callers, getting blown up by PJ Walker in Week 8. That’s huge since Keenan Allen is expected to take on his usual workload here, which made Herbert a top-three quarterback last season. Many people will fade Herbert with his recent form, but this is the start of a massive second half of the season!
Tom Brady (TB): $6,900 vs. LAR
Everyone watched Brady struggle last Thursday, but the role is still there for him to be a beast. He is still the greatest quarterback of all time, and he’s got as many weapons as anyone. We’re encouraged by the fact that he’s thrown at least 40 passes in six straight outings, averaging 311 yards and 46 pass attempts per game. Anyone with that sort of usage should never be this cheap! The touchdowns are the only thing holding him back, but we’re not worried about him facing an 18th-ranked Rams defense at extremely low ownership.
In Consideration: Aaron Rodgers (GB): DK $5,900/FD $7,000 at DET
It’s been A-Rod’s worst season, but facing a 29th-ranked Detroit defense could get him back on track.
Running Backs
DraftKings
Austin Ekeler (LAC): $8,800 at ATL
Many people will see that Ekeler is the top option by $1,000 and fade him because of the pricing. That’s why he’s one of the best GPP plays on the board, scoring at least 24 DraftKings points in four straight games. He’s also got at least 35 fantasy points in three of those, and we expect him to reach that ceiling against the second-worst defense in the NFL.
Tyler Allgeier (ATL): $5,400 vs. LAC
No one wants to use an Atlanta running back, but Allgeier has quietly been really productive. He’s taken over this role, receiving double-digit carries in all but one game this season. He’s also averaging 15 totes over the last three games, scoring a season-best 18 DK points in Week 8. The ticker pointing up makes it hard to believe he remains so cheap, especially since San Diego is surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing backs.
FanDuel
James Conner (ARI): $6,600 vs. SEA
Conner was a surprising scratch in Week 8, but he should return to action here after practicing all of last week. People forget just how fabulous JC has been, ranked as a top-five running back last season. He can certainly recapture that form for one game, particularly against a Seattle team that owns a 28th OPRK against opposing running backs. In his two meetings with Seattle last season, Conner scored a combined 43 FanDuel points.
Devin Singletary (BUF): $6,000 at NYJ
Buffalo runs the ball less than anyone else, but something tells me they’ll have to run as a double-digit favorite here. That’s big news for a back like Singletary, averaging over 11 FD points per game across his last five outings. More importantly, he’s had 31 carries over the previous two games, taking over this Bills backfield. If he gets 15-20 carries against this 24th-ranked Jets defense, Singletary should be at least $7K.
In Consideration: Travis Etienne (JAX): DK $6,300/FD $7,600 vs. LV
Etienne has taken over this backfield since the James Robinson trade, picking up 24 carries and 156 yards in Week 8.
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Terry McLaurin (WAS): $5,900 vs. MIN
It’s been a “down” year for Washington’s top wideout, but things are starting to turn around. The insertion of Tyler Heinicke is a big boost for McLaurin, with Scary Terry totaling a 26% target share when Heinicke is behind center. That’s what made Terry a $7,000 player in the past, and we love that he’s got at least 18 DraftKings points in back-to-back games. Minnesota is a magical matchup, too, allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
Allen Robinson (LAR): $5,000 vs. TB
Robinson has been one of the biggest busts in fantasy, but things are slowly starting to turn around. The former Pro Bowler has a season-high five catches in back-to-back games, recording season-highs in receiving yards as well. As long as this guy continues to play 95% of the team’s snaps and flirts with double-digit targets, A-Rob should never be this cheap. Of course, there’s also a chance Cooper Kupp is limited with his leg injury, which makes Robinson even more enticing.
FanDuel
Davante Adams (LV): $8,100 at JAX
Adams had the worst game of his career in Week 8, but now’s the time to buy his stock when it’s the lowest it’s ever been. He is still one of the best receivers in the NFL, averaging over 15 FanDuel points per game before that nightmarish performance. That average should be his floor in this matchup, with Jacksonville owning an 18th OPRK against opposing wide receivers. Las Vegas needs a win here, so look for them to lean on their horse!
Keenan Allen (LAC): $7,500 at ATL
It’s wild to see Allen in this price range. This guy is usually around $8K, but this injury-riddled season has fantasy managers panicking. We were all excited to see him return in Week 7, but he had just two catches in a reserve role. It’s clear the Chargers were being cautious with their top receiver, but the bye week gave him plenty of time to get right. That means Allen should return to the 10-15 target stud we saw in the past and could be asked to do even more with Mike Williams out as well. Not to mention, Atlanta allows the most fantasy points to opposing receivers.
In Consideration: Tyler Boyd (CIN): DK $6,300/FD $6,900 vs. CAR
With Ja’Maar Chase out for the next month, Boyd should become one of Burrow’s top targets.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Robert Tonyan (GB): $3,800 at DET
This Packers receiving corp was laughable when it was healthy, but it’s sad now that everyone is getting injured. That leaves Tonyan as one of the only options left, picking up 22 targets over the last three games. That’s one of the highest totals at this weak position, leading to Tonyan totaling 33.7 DraftKings points in that span. Getting 11 DK points from a sub-$4K player is fantastic, and he should keep it going against a 28th-ranked Detroit defense.
FanDuel
Hayden Hurst (CIN): $5,300 vs. CAR
Much like Tonyan, Hurst should see a usage increase with Chase out of the lineup. That’s huge since Hayden has been one of the best tight ends, averaging 8.4 FD points per game across his last five outings. That might not sound like much, but it’s a top-10 total at the tight end position. If we like Burrow and the rest of this passing attack, Hurst needs to be in play at his dirt-cheap price tag.
In Consideration: Kyle Pitts (ATL): DK $4,500/FD $6,300, vs. LAC
Pitts finally broke out in Week 8, picking up five catches for 80 yards on a season-high nine targets.
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers D/ST: $3,000 vs. LAR
Nobody wants to use D/STs against the Rams, but they’ve been one of the best matchups all year. Their atrocious offensive line is why they surrender the most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season. That’s bad news since the Bucs have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL, ranked Top-6 in points surrendered this year.
FanDuel
Green Bay Packers D/ST: $4,100 at DET
The Packers have one of the most talented defenses in football, and a matchup with Detroit should get them back on track. The Lions got off to an unbelievable start, but they’re averaging just 11 points per game across their last three outings. That’s what we expected from this weak roster, and it’s the perfect get-right spot for this dangerous unit.
In Consideration: Buffalo Bills D/ST: DK $4,300/FD $5,000, at NYJ
The best defense in the NFL facing a bottom-five offense is an easy choice. They enter this matchup as a double-digit favorite, with the Jets projected for fewer than 17 points.
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
