NFL Week 9 DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown

Welcome to week nine of the Add More Funds DraftKings Main Slate Rundown. Remember, this is a weekly column. We are very excited to bring you high-level content using tools from our website. At AMF, we want to help both the experienced-player and beginners alike. To do this, every week we will release our favorite weekend classic slate plays.

We will go position by position highlighting different price points. We will try to find the plays that provide value, whether they are underpriced or possibly, projected to be under-owned. Plays will be denoted as cash game or tournament specific. 

Here is our week nine NFL DraftKings main slate rundown.

Quarterback:

Lamar Jackson ($7300) Play in all formats.

Coming off his bye week Lamar should be fresh going into this week nine game against the Vikings. Plus, after watching Cooper Rush and company carve them up I can only imagine what Lamar will do. Finally, with his receiving weapons getting healthy themselves I think the arrow is only pointing up, on an already incredible season for Lamar. 

Jordan Love ($4400) Prefer in cash but will sprinkle in tournaments

I don’t put a lot of stock into the preseason but Love did look competent this year. He’s also going against a Chiefs defense that has been carved up by everyone they have played this year. Also, the Chiefs should be getting a bit healthier this week which means Love and the rest of the Packers' offense will have to keep up. At $4400 I don’t know if he’ll crack tourney lineups, but in cash, this price is simply too low. 

Other QB thoughts:

Once again Josh Allen ($8,200) is the most expensive QB on the slate but for a good reason. There are so many good QB plays this week that is hard to choose who to write up on but I like Daniel Jones ($5,600) and Tua Tagovailoa ($5,800) as viable cash game plays but more so in tournaments stacked with receiving options. 

Running Back: 

Austin Ekeler ($7,900) Prefer in tournaments but is still strong in cash

Against a Philly linebacker corps that has been decimated by opposing backs, I love this spot for Ekeler. Regardless of game-flow, he is a great spot as his pass game and goal-line role (80% of his team's touches this season inside the 10-yard line) are unmatched by anybody not named Kamara ($8,200). 

Ezekiel Elliot ($7,000) Play in all formats.

The Denver linebacker and d-line corps are in shambles due to injuries and trades. Using AMF tools we can see that Zeke is strong compared to his other running back peers in attempts and attempts and touchdowns in the red zone. In a game the Cowboys are implied to win handily I think this will continue. Play Zeke in all formats confidently.  

Myles Gaskin ($5,800) Prefer in tournaments but is still strong in cash

Since Malcolm Brown went down with an injury Gaskin’s touches have skyrocketed. Over the last two weeks, he’s tenth in the NFL in carries as a back. Against a brutal Texans team, that number should only go up as his Dolphins team is implied to win by about a touchdown. Gaskin also has a strong pass game role that only boosts his floor and ceiling. 

Other RB thoughts:

I think Chase Edmonds at $5300 is underpriced and am not afraid to deploy him even if Murray misses. I also think Cordarelle Patterson has proven not only with his role but success in that role that he's here to stay. If James Robinson ($6400) does play I think he’s a full fade for me. 

Wide Receivers: 

Tyreek Hill ($7,900) Play in all formats.

There’s value everywhere on the slate so you need to spend up somewhere. Why not with Hill? He’s leading the NFL in targets and catches, fifth in air yards and yards, and scores TD in bunches. It sucks Rodgers isn’t playing to keep up the Packer's projected point total but that isn’t scaring me away from the NFL’s most talented receiver, getting peppered with targets, in an offense that is ready to fully breakout. 

Amari Cooper ($5,700) Cash play only

Excuse me? This price is absurd. Just look at the other guys in this range with Cooper. Also, his teammate Ceedee Lamb ($7,200) is an absurd $1500 more than Cooper. The savings you are getting off not only Cooper but other players is crazy. I expect Cooper to be popular in cash but that is fine. Eat the chalk there. In tournaments, I don’t mind fading Cooper and playing either Lamb or Zeke as pivots off or just other players at his position. 

Tee Higgins ($5,300) Prefer in tournaments but is still strong in cash

This is what I said last week about Higgins… “Quick! Name the Bengals receiver with the most targets this year. On the Tee Higgins write up you are probably thinking it is Higgins (43 targets), but it is Jamar Chase (51). So what's my point? Higgins has missed two full games and parts of another, leading him to have a higher target % than his likely rookie of the year teammate. Everyone will be Chasing Chase’s ($7,500) big week. I strongly prefer to go with the player who is $2,300 cheaper, with the same role, who is due for positive TD regression, not the other way around.” Well, guess what. Higgins' price went up to $100 as did Chase’s. Ride the value with Higgins with me for at least one more week. 

Other WR thoughts:

Mecole Hardman at ($3,900) is fun as is Rondale Moore ($4,200). Jarvis Landry, Kadarius Toney, and Jerry Jeudy are all great plays in that low 5k range. I’ll be fading Vikings receivers this week as well as Jaguars receivers. 

Tight Ends:

Mike Gesicki ($4,900) Prefer in tournaments

I keep writing this guy up and he keeps smashing. Gesicki appears to be Tua’s preferred target if not equal #1 option with Jaylen Waddle. Also, Devante Parker is out leaving Gesicki as the top red-zone option. The price is starting to catch up but at sub 5k he is still a bargain. 

Albert Okwuegbunam ($2,600) Play in all formats

If he’s healthy I think “Albert O” is the clear top tight end play this week. The price is stupid but his role will be strong too. An equally good athlete as Noah Fant when he’s had the chance to play Okwuegbunam has taken advantage. In a game they should be trailing with conservative Teddy at the helm I expect a good game here for the Denver tight end. 

Other TE thoughts: 

Most of the guys this week are TD or bust plays. In tournaments playing your QB with a cheap TE, play is a great way to increase exposure to that game and save up for higher-priced players at other positions. 

Defense: 

49ers ($2,800) Play in all formats

Colt Mccoy looks to be the starter against the 49ers here. Colt Mccoy has 30 career passing touchdowns to go with 28 interceptions and 23 fumbles. Don’t overthink it. 

Chiefs ($2,300) Play in all formats

Prices were calculated with the assumption that Rodgers was playing. Instead, it’s Jordan Love in his regular-season debut.