We’re approaching the halfway point in the NFL season, so we have a solid understanding of what teams or players to target in NFL DFS. That being said, there is constant news taking place across the league that could alter our outlooks on teams or players throughout each week.
It’s important to keep track of the news in the NFL as more value could open up at certain positions, allowing us to pay up for other players we want. At the same time, players we were excited to play could be ruled out, forcing us to come up with an alternative.
There are six teams on a bye week this week, with the Browns, Cowboys, Broncos, Giants, Steelers, and 49ers not being options on the main slate. With that in mind, let’s take a look at my favorite stacks and bring-back players for the Week 9 main slate over on DraftKings.
Related: NFL DFS Picks for Week 9 DraftKings Main Slate
Justin Herbert ($7,200) + Austin Ekeler ($8,800) + Joshua Palmer ($5,100) or Gerald Everett ($4,800)
Herbert has been more inconsistent than last season due to injuries at wide receiver, but he’s still posting a solid 19.1 points per game on DraftKings. The third-year quarterback also gets to face a Falcons defense that is allowing the third-most points per game to QBs.
I’m fine stacking Ekeler with Herbert as the dynamic running back is on pace to potentially break the single-season receptions record for a running back. With Mike Williams set to miss more time and Keenan Allen trending toward not playing on Sunday, Palmer and Everett appear to be the top two options outside of Ekeler. DeAndre Carter is also worth consideration as a dart throw in GPPs.
Bring-back options: Tyler Allgeier ($5,400), Drake London ($4,900), Kyle Pitts ($4,500)
Cordarrelle Patterson had his 21-day window to return from injured reserve activated, so there’s a chance he returns in Week 9. If Patterson is unable to return, Allgeier has gotten 13+ attempts in four straight games and the Chargers allow the second-most points per game and most yards per attempt to RBs this season. London and Pitts are certainly viable if you want to use a bring-back player from the Falcons, but I’m fine not using anyone from Atlanta if you stack the Chargers.
Josh Allen ($8,500) + Stefon Diggs ($8,400) + Gabriel Davis ($6,900) or Dawson Knox ($3,500)
The Bills are back on the main slate and we have Allen to stack with again. There isn’t a quarterback that seemingly gives us a safer floor or higher ceiling than Allen right now as Buffalo will take on the Jets on the road in Week 9. The gunslinging quarterback has the third-highest PER (0.58) among all QBs this season.
Diggs leads the Bills with a 26.9% target share and he leads all WRs on the main slate with 26.9 points per game on DraftKings. To differ from those that stack Allen and Diggs, you can go with Davis for the high ceiling, or Knox if you need to save some salary. I’m not against using Isaiah McKenzie in Buffalo stacks, but I’d focus on Diggs, Davis, and Knox.
Bring-back options: Michael Carter ($5,500), Garrett Wilson ($4,800), Tyler Conklin ($3,200)
It will be James Robinson’s second game with the Jets, but with New York likely playing from behind. Carter should continue seeing a decent number of targets in the passing game. Zach Wilson loves to dump the ball off to his RBs, target Wilson, Conklin, or anyone not named Elijah Moore. It remains to be seen if Corey Davis can return on Sunday, so Moore’s role could diminish even further if he is active.
Joe Burrow ($6,600) + Tee Higgins ($7,300) + Tyler Boyd ($6,300) or Hayden Hurst ($3,600)
Joe Mixon is likely going to be one of the most popular plays at running back, so to combat that, we can play Cincinnati’s passing game in GPPs. Burrow and the Bengals struggled in Week 8 against the Browns without Ja’Marr Chase available, but they’ll get to face a banged-up secondary of the Panthers in Week 9.
Higgins has seen seven-plus targets in five of the seven games he’s played thus far while Boyd should see more success out of the slot after facing a Browns team that excels against slot WRs. Using Hurst is a nice way to save salary on DraftKings and he should continue seeing an expanded role amid the absence of Chase.
Bring-back options: D’Onta Foreman ($6,000), D.J. Moore ($5,800), Terrace Marshall Jr. ($3,900)
Foreman has taken the starting job for the Panthers since Christian McCaffrey was traded and he’s proceeded to combine for 54.3 points on DraftKings in the last two games. Moore has looked much better with P.J. Walker at quarterback as he’s accumulated 13 receptions, 221 yards, and 2 touchdowns on 21 targets in the last two weeks. Also, it appears that Marshall could see an increased role moving forward after he notched 4 receptions for 87 yards on nine targets in Week 8.
Trevor Lawrence ($5,200) + Christian Kirk ($5,500) + Zay Jones ($4,100) or Evan Engram ($3,300)
We’ve seen the good and the bad from Lawrence this season as 2022 should essentially be considered his rookie year after having to deal with Urban Meyer as his head coach in 2021. The good thing for us is that Lawrence is $5,200 on DraftKings and all of his pass catchers have seen a dip in their salaries outside of Travis Etienne Jr.
Kirk and Jones have combined for a 39.9% target share this season, with both of them being extremely affordable on the green site. Engram has continued to see more usage in Jacksonville’s offense as he’s recording a solid 16.2% target share, which is 10th among TEs.
Bring-back options: Davante Adams ($8,100), Josh Jacobs ($7,300), Mack Hollins ($4,500)
Even after catching one pass for three yards in Week 8, Adams still has a massive 27.1% target share and the Raiders are likely going to make a concerted effort to feed him the ball in Week 9. Jacobs registered 30+ points on DraftKings for three straight games before posting only 7.4 points in Week 8. The Jaguars are tied for the seventh-most points per game allowed to RBs this season.
Geno Smith ($5,800) + D.K. Metcalf ($6,400) + Tyler Lockett ($6,100)
Some people could be scared off of Smith and the Seahawks after they disappointed in Week 6 against the Cardinals. But I’ll be going right back to Smith and Seattle’s offense in Week 9 as they continue to be one of the most surprising teams in the NFL.
With Arizona having the No. 11 ranked defense in rush DVOA but the No. 23 ranked defense in pass DVOA, I’ll be attacking the Cardinals with the passing game of the Seahawks. Metcalf played limited snaps in Week 8 after suffering a knee injury and he still recorded 17.5 points on DraftKings. Lockett also dealt with a hamstring injury in Week 8 and he logged 16.3 points. If Noah Fant is ruled out, then Will Dissly becomes a solid salary-relief option.
Bring-back options: DeAndre Hopkins ($7,900), Eno Benjamin ($5,900), Rondale Moore ($5,200), Zach Ertz ($5,100)
Since returning to the Cardinals in Week 7, Hopkins has combined for 22 catches, 262 yards, and a touchdown on a whopping 27 targets in his first two games back. James Conner’s status is unknown for Sunday’s showdown, so Benjamin is a viable play if Conner is ruled out. Moore and Ertz are worth consideration if you don’t have enough salary for Hopkins on DraftKings. Robbie Anderson is a decent dart throw in GPPs if the Cardinals can figure out a way to get him more involved in the passing game.