We’re onto Week 9 this week. On a slate that has little value at QB, there is an opportunity to find it elsewhere for sure. Let’s jump in and figure out the best ways to attack the DraftKings Week 9 Main Slate.
Quarterbacks
High Priced
Caleb Williams ($10,500) is the most expensive player on the slate, but for good reason. With the playoffs seemingly out of reach for the Trojans after a loss to Utah, Williams is solely playing for a repeat Heisman performance. Padding stats and proving he’s still the QB1 of this draft class should help him pay off that high salary this week.
The Sooners have the fourth-highest team total on the slate this week, and Dillon Gabriel ($9,400) looks ultra-appealing as they take on Kansas this week. Last week was Gabriel’s worst performance of the year, and he still put up over 23 fantasy points. He comes into this week as the safest play at the position and has arguably as high of a ceiling as anyone else.
Middle of the Pack
Drew Allar ($8,000) has been uninspiring for most of the year, but Penn State is tied for the highest team total on the slate, with USC, at just under 40 points. The Nittany Lions get Indiana this week and an opportunity to “get right” after a rough outing against Ohio State. I expect them to try and develop the passing game and come rotate in many WRs to try and see if some better options are available down the depth chart. The Hoosiers made Gavin Wimsatt a fantasy star with 35-point+ potential – expect Allar to have a great game in this rebound spot.
John Rhys Plumlee ($7,200) returned from injury last week and put up 23.52 fantasy points against a very capable Oklahoma defense. UCF is projected to score 33.25 points this week as they take on the Mountaineers at the Bounce House. At just over 7k this week, Plumlee should be a heavily owned option heading into this weekend.
Bare Minimum
There aren’t a ton of cheap options this week at QB. However, Fernando Mendoza ($5,800) has performed admirably against two of the more talented defenses in the PAC-12 and gets to play against an abysmal USC defense as Cal is coming off of a bye week. Mendoza has thrown for two touchdowns against both Oregon State and Utah in his previous games and has enough mobility to avoid negative rushing performances due to sacks. He’s not a world-beater, but this is a great spot for Mendoza and the Bears.
Running Backs
High Priced
Sticking with attacking the USC defense, we’ll take a look at Jadyn Ott ($7,700). Ott gets his most favorable matchup since the 29.4 fantasy point game against Arizona State earlier in the season. His usage has wavered a bit in these tough matchups, but credit his ability to catch passes out of the backfield for salvaging his production against Utah with a receiving touchdown. His expensive price tag may scare some off this week.
Bucky Irving ($7,600) has a tough matchup against Utah this week but re-read the section on Ott, and you’ll understand why I still think there’s value for Irving this week (and why he’s my favorite Duck of the slate). Irving’s ability to catch passes out of the backfield and be a factor in the receiving game gives him the ability to remain fantasy-relevant in any matchup, regardless of difficulty. The matchup will likely decrease his ownership on the slate and could provide some leverage if he finds the endzone a time or two.
Middle of the Pack
Both Penn State RBs are in play due to their decreased prices. Nicholas Singleton ($6,300), however, is my preferred play if I have to choose. Singleton’s ability to break big plays and the versatility he brings to the backfield makes him just a bit more dynamic than Kaytron Allen ($5,900).
C.J. Donaldson ($6,100) has a great matchup against UCF this week, and he brings the elevated floor as he’s scored at least one touchdown in all but one game this season. If West Virginia is able to hit their implied team total this week (26.25), Donaldson should have multi-touchdown upside and the opportunity to put up one of his best games of the year.
Bare Minimum
There’s some value with Utah’s RB/DB hybrid Sione Vaki ($5,000) this week, but his matchup has me wondering if he’ll be able to find the same traction that he’s had the last two weeks. That being said, there’s some juice there. My other value play is Isaac Guerendo ($4,800) if Jahwar Jordan is unable to play. Jordan is questionable as Louisville takes on Duke this week.
Wide Receiver
High Priced
Troy Franklin ($8,300) leads the slate in targets (61), receiving yards (768), and receiving touchdowns (tied with Nic Anderson and Brenden Rice with eight). In a tough matchup, I expect Bo Nix to look for his alpha playmaker early and often. While Franklin and Irving may not be a combination you want to stack in your lineups this week, having one of them seems like a good idea.
Keon Coleman ($7,000) becomes a great play this week if Johnny Wilson is unable to go against Wake Forest. Florida State is projected to score five touchdowns, and Coleman has proven to have 35-40 point ceilings in his performances earlier this year. He’s been up and down, but if Wilson’s targets are vacated, he’ll likely be the beneficiary of some increased volume to reduce the volatility.
Middle of the Pack
Jamari Thrash ($6,100) is tied for fourth on this slate in targets per game with 8.3. The matchup against Duke isn’t one that scares me away from Thrash, but it is one that suggests the Cardinals may be in a back-and-forth matchup where they’ll lean on the most talented player on their offense. Thrash has six touchdowns this season and is a safe bet to cross 18 fantasy points any given week.
The player who is tied with Thrash with 8.3 targets per game is Evan Stewart ($5,800). As 14-point favorites against South Carolina, the Aggies are expected to put up nearly five touchdowns in this one. Stewart’s production has tapered off with Max Johnson’s fill-in opportunity at QB. However, this seems like a spot where Texas A&M may be able to get some mismatches outside with Stewart.
Bare Minimum
Jaden Greathouse ($3,400) is returning from injury this week, and while the Irish don’t pose a huge threat passing against a Pat Narduzzi offense, there’s a chance the Panthers stack the box and look to limit Audric Estime’s rushing production. If that’s the case, Greathouse has been ultra-efficient despite only averaging three targets per game (he’s caught 12 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns so far this season). His connection with Sam Hartman has been noticeable in the games in which he played early in the season, and getting a touchdown this week at his low price would make him instantly viable.
