Draftkings NFL Week 9: Picks, Sleepers & Strategy

It's not too late to jump on our DFS money train.

Here at Roto Street Journal, we fancy ourselves as fantasy addicts. Fantasy football has evolved into something much more than your standard league draft. With the opportunity to enter new lineups every week through Daily Fantasy Sports, the RSJ will be giving you the best plays for your lineups, in order to win you some cash. From the high-priced superstars, to the penny stock sleepers, we have you covered to piece together the optimal lineup week by week.

Note:

  • Standard DraftKings salaries are used when creating these lineups.
  • The Thursday Night, and Monday Night Football games are excluded from tournament play

Quarterbacks

  • Top Shelf

    • Aaron Rodgers ($7,800) – Rodgers has been red hot lately and now returns home to Lambeau to face the Colts in the game with the highest over/under on this week’s slate.
    • Drew Brees ($7,200) – He’s not in the Superdome, but Brees faces the horrible 49ers that he should have no problem picking apart. He offers the same high ceiling as Rodgers but with a cheaper price tag.
  • Retail Price

    • Dak Prescott ($6,100) – Dak hits the jackpot this week with the Cleveland defense that has been atrocious. The return of Dez raises Prescott’s ceiling giving him a bonafide WR1 to throw to.
  • Bang For Your Buck

    • Marcus Mariota ($5,900) – Mariota continues to ride the cake train when he travels to San Diego for another good matchup. He’s thrown at least two scores in four straight games and is a great bet to do it again Sunday.
    • Ryan Tannehill ($5,600) – Tannehill isn’t likely to be a popular play but a divisional game against the Jets could be exactly what he needs to break out of his funk. Tannehill’s last game against the Jets saw him throw for 351 yards and 3 scores.
  • My Pick

    • Andrew Luck ($6,700) – While Rodgers is the sexier pick in the Colts/Packers matchup, Luck provides a sneakier play with the chance to explode. We know this game has the highest projected point total, so a Luck/Rodgers shootout seems imminent. The Packers have a funnel defense, meaning they are great against the run which forces Indy to throw. Add in the injuries and struggles of the Packers secondary, and I like Luck to put in a big game. He might be a goofy motherfucker, but I’ll roll the dice on him this week.

Running Backs

  • Top Shelf

    • DeMarco Murray ($7,600) – Murray has been a workhorse for Tennessee this year and should continue to see a ton of chances if his foot holds up. He’s scored 20+ points in every game except one, so he’s very likely to do that against a bad Chargers run defense.
  • Retail Price

    • Matt Forte ($6,400) – Forte has seen 25+ carries in back to back weeks and has more than delivered. Now Forte faces the Dolphins defense who allows an average of 135 rushing yards per game. I’m in.
    • Devontae Booker ($6,400) – Booker was a steal last week after Anderson went down with an injury. After returning quickly from an early injury, Booker made the most of his opportunity and solidified himself as an RB1 going forward.
  • Bang For Your Buck

    • Theo Riddick ($4,900) – Riddick offers an immensely high ceiling thanks to his PPR value in the passing game. With Detroit playing a stout Minnesota defense, it could be Checkdown City for Riddick.
    • Charcandrick West ($4,400) – West offers an immense value if Spencer Ware is ruled out for Sunday. West was amazing last year in the featured RB role and gets a cake matchup against Jacksonville at home. With Foles at QB, the Chiefs will likely look to run the ball and limit what they ask Foles to do to win the game.
    • Tim Hightower ($4,000) – Hightower made his mark last week after Ingram was benched for fumbling. The Saints play the 49ers this week, who are known as the leagues worst run defense. Should Hightower get the bulk of the carries again, he’s in for a monster day at such a low price.
  • My Pick

    • Ezekiel Elliott ($7,900) – Zeke leads the NFL in rushing. Zeke plays the Cleveland Browns this week. Zeke should be in every lineup this week. Zeke will be in my lineup this week. End of story.

Wide Receivers

  • Top Shelf

    • Antonio Brown ($8,900) – You will probably never see Antonio Brown priced this low ever again. With Roethlisberger likely coming back this week, the roof of Brown’s proverbial ceiling blows off against the Ravens.
    • Dez Bryant ($7,400) – Dez returned last week and immediately made his presence felt. The superstar receiver gets to face the Browns secondary and is all but locked in for a touchdown.
  • Retail Price

    • Devante Adams ($5,900) – Adams was a spectacular play last week in Cobb and Montgomery’s sudden absence. He’s seen double digit targets and receptions in back to back games, while likely to make it three straight in a shootout against the Colts.
    • Michael Thomas ($5,500) – Thomas has cemented his spot as the WR2 in New Orleans, and even leads the team in receptions this year. Thomas has proven to be a consistent and productive receiver in one of the NFL’s best offenses. #sshh
    • Tyrell Williams ($5,000) – With Travis Benjamin dealing with a PCL sprain, this looks like an ample time to play Tyrell the Gazelle. The Titans don’t have a very good secondary so Williams could capitalize at home as Rivers’ go-to-guy.
  • Bang For Your Buck

    • Tavon Austin ($4,200) – Austin has seen an increase in his usage as he develops more chemistry with QB Case Keenum. The speedy receiver has the tools to be such a weapon in this offense, it’s just a matter of getting him the ball. The Rams take on the Panthers this week who have one of the NFL’s worst pass defenses.
    • Rishard Matthews ($3,800) – Matthews has come on strong in the Titans receiving game ever since Mariota has caught fire. He’s caught a touchdown in three of his last four games and gets the luxury of the Chargers secondary.
  • My Pick

    • Donte Moncrief ($5,800) – I’m rolling with the Luck/Hilton stack this week after last week’s pick of TY Hilton absolutely burned me. Moncrief returned for his first action since injury and looked just as good as he was Week 1. We expected big things from Chief Crief this season, and what better time to burst back onto the scene than against the Packers secondary.

Tight Ends

  • Top Play

    • Greg Olsen ($6,200) – Olsen had a very down performance last week, but should look to bounce back nicely. Aside from that previous outlier performance, Olsen has scored in double figures every week.
  • Bargain Plays

    • Kyle Rudolph ($4,000) – *checks to see who the Lions play* *inserts opponents tight end into lineup*
    • Gary Barnidge ($3,900) – This is strictly dependent of quarterback. If its McCown, then it’s a great play, but if its Kessler then look elsewhere.
    • Antonio Gates ($3,000) – The emergence of Hunter Henry made Gates look like he was as good as done. Then Gates reminded the young buck who the real man in town is and has recaptured Rivers’ eye. Ol’ Reliable is a viable option once again.

Defenses

  • Top Play

    • Kansas City Chiefs ($3,700) – The Chiefs have a very good defense and get to play the awful Blake Bortles and Jacksonville defense at home. This has blowout and turnovers written all over it.
  • Bargain Plays

    • Dallas Cowboys ($3,400) – I’d feel a lot more comfortable with this play if Kessler is the quarterback. Cleveland is usually a good offense to target, but McCown can put up numbers if he plays.
    • Miami Dolphins ($3,100) – We all know of the Jets struggles this year, especially with Fitzpatrick at the helm. A divisional opponent should provide extra motivation.

Author

  • THE Inaugural 2016 RSJ Fantasy Football League Champion. Owner of a #bigbrain, and lover of football, baseball and college hoops. When not grinding for the RSJ, can be found captaining his beer league softball team.

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