Week 9 is here, and this main slate is challenging. We do not have significant teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, or Detroit Lions. With all these teams in prime-time games or on a bye, we must correctly identify which games to lean on to build our DFS lineup. Another curveball we face is that this slate is full of low-scoring games, so our usual “heavy lean” on wide receivers to take down a slate is not the automatic approach it usually would be most weeks. Let me help you break down the correct stacks to identify in your lineup to help you win every slate and bring home that extra holiday money this weekend.
Week 9 is here, and this main slate is challenging. We do not have significant teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, or Detroit Lions. With all these teams in prime-time games or on a bye, we must correctly identify which games to lean on to build our DFS lineup. Another curveball we face is that this slate is full of low-scoring games, so our usual “heavy lean” on wide receivers to take down a slate is not the automatic approach it usually would be most weeks. Let me help you break down the correct stacks to identify in your lineup to help you win every slate and bring home that extra holiday money this weekend.
NFL DFS Week 9 Stacking Advice & Picks
Last week, we leaned into a Houston Texans game, and it bit us on our behind. However, we don’t shy away from fear and enter right back into their matchup this time as we use the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. When you use Rachaad White, you use him for his pass-catching abilities. On a site like DraftKings, where we get the full point for PPR, White could be a precious asset for a cheaper salary within our lineup. With the Texans allowing 7.05 yards per target to running backs (31st overall), we can expose their weakness with our players’ strength to help our lineup reach its maximum potential.
The Houston Texans struggle against tight ends this season. They allow the second most receptions to the position, the seventh most yards, and tied for the ninth most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to the tight end position. Cade Otton is a steady, cheap tight-end value as he has recorded six targets in three games this season. With his salary lower in the cluster of touchdown-or-bust tight ends, Cade Otton’s rostership leverage can help you jump multiple teams this Sunday.
Daniel Bellinger + New York Giants Defense (TE + DEF – NYG)
This section will be quick and easy. With Darren Waller injured, Daniel Bellinger’s price wasn’t adjusted on DFS slates in time. His salary allows us to save money, but fair warning, he will become a bit chalk. Is it worth it for such a low salary? The Raiders are tied for sixth most receptions allowed to the position. It is worth taking the dart throw on Daniel Bellinger.
The defense falls in the save-money-but-eat-chalk section, too. The Giants’ defense faces the rookie Aidan O’Connell in Week 9 and is the cheapest on the slate. You don’t need much for this to pay off; just a few sacks and a turnover should justify this selection.
It’s the game of the week between two potent contenders from the NFC East. We know my Eagles heart is beating to the tune of “Fly Eagles Fly” and that I bleed green; however, for DFS, it behooves us to lean into the Dallas Cowboys offense with a bringback from the Eagles. The Eagles have struggled with the passing game in 2023. They have allowed the most receptions, the third most yards, the second most touchdowns, and are tied for the most FPPG to the wide receiver position. Quarterbacks score the third most FPPG against the Eagles. With the Eagles’ defensive back room in flux with yet another grouping of players, the Cowboys should take advantage of this positional group in Week 9.
This game should produce a ton of points on both sides, so we want to use a bringback from the Philadelphia Eagles. We suggest building leverage on your opponents by fading A.J. Brown, the most expensive wide receiver, and heading to DeVonta Smith, who finally showed some signs of life last week against the Washington Commanders. A.J. Brown is a fine play as well, but between him and CeeDee Lamb, you will need a Hail Mary dart throw somewhere to justify and hit the correct salary markups. Smith allows you a piece in the prime-time game while building some leverage on your opponents.
BONUS INFORMATION ON WHERE TO SAVE SALARY ON THIS SLATE
We have some pricer players with this stack, so where should we look to add value and save money in our lineups? Look at Emari Demercado in your running back position. Without James Conner, he has slid into the “Volume King” position with 13 and 20 carries in the last two games. He also sees passing down targets to add to the mixture. If you decide to use A.J. Brown over DeVonta Smith, register Demarcado into your lineups.
With all this being said, My Philadelphia friends would never let me end this section with anything but ” GO BIRDS!”
I know this Washington Commanders vs. New England Patriots game seems ugly at first glance, but let me explain why we shouldn’t skip over this game in Week 9.
Sam Howell and Logan Thomas keep getting disrespected with their pricing. On DraftKings, Howell is under 6K, while Logan Thomas sits at $3,500. They have produced consistent fantasy points weekly and should continue to do so against the Patriots in Week 9.
One of our favorite rules to drop within this article is selecting a quarterback who is a slight underdog in the week. Why do we do this? Well, underdogs tend to have a lower rostership than their favorite counterparts across the league. The underdog also has the built-in narrative of leaning into the past to help their team win.
The Patriots allow the sixth most passing touchdowns in 2023 to quarterbacks. The same defense is bottom 15 against tight ends regarding yardage related to the position. With Sam Howell having three Top-10 Quarterback finishes in the last four weeks and Logan Thomas finishing TE10 or better three times this season, this duo could lead to big dividends in our DFS lineup.
Week 9 is full of lower totals across all the NFL games. My biggest suggestion for your lineup is leaning into three running backs and prioritizing volume this week. Remember to read all the fantastic work here at FantasyPros and follow me/contact me over on Twitter @jpep20 to help you with your lineups every week. Good luck in Week 9!
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