NFL DFS rolls on in Week 9, and this is where things will start to get a bit difficult again. Bye weeks aren't a major problem, but many of the top talents at each position are unavailable for Sunday's main slate. Why? Well, some are playing prime-time games (Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Jonathan Taylor, A.J. Brown, Diontae Johnson); others find themselves in COVID protocol like Aaron Rodgers. Of course, plenty others are dealing with injuries and will be out or "questionable.." That means daily fantasy football players will have to get creative to find unique DraftKings and FanDuel stacks that will help them win both tournaments and cash games
A lot of this week's advice is predicated on doing two things: Trusting chalky stacks — which isn't always a big-time winning strategy but can be lucrative — and going for some crazy, lower-end combinations that could pop off in nice matchups. Some of the tournament stacks aren't going to look pretty, but keep an open mind. They could surprise you.
WEEK 9 DFS: Best values | Lineup Builder
Just a friendly reminder that the most popular stacks involve quarterbacks and pass-catching weapons, as those directly result in multiple points for each player. That said, pairing a running back and defense often works synergistically. Sometimes, those contrarian stacks end up hitting it big, especially in tournaments.
DraftKings pricing continues to be more variable than that of FanDuel which makes it easier to create stacks. That said, stacking is still a viable strategy on FanDuel. It's just important to find worthwhile sleepers in the lower price range to balance your lineup.
Below are some of our favorite sets of teammates for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups this week. Be sure to follow our Twitter account @SN_Fantasy to see all of our DFS content heading into kickoff every week.
WEEK 9 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
Week 9 NFL DFS Picks: Top cash game stacks for DraftKings, FanDuel
QB Josh Allen, WR Stefon Diggs, & WR Cole Beasley (or Gabe Davis), Bills at Jaguars (DK/FD stack)
This is going to be one of the chalkiest stacks of the week, but it will be worth it to exploit the ineptitude of Urban Meyer's Jaguars.
Last week, Jacksonville was coming off a bye week and still managed to get absolutely destroyed by Geno Smith's Seahawks. The Jaguars allowed Smith to complete 20-of-24 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for eight yards and a score.
Now imagine what Allen will do against that competition. Since Week 3, Allen has recorded at least 21 fantasy points per game (FPPG) and has recorded fewer than 29 points just once. He is on a tear and will have a chance to burn a weak Jaguars' pass defense that's allowing the fourth-most passing yards per game (278.1).
Allen is the most expensive QB on both DraftKings and FanDuel, but rolling with him is worth it. Pairing him with Diggs and Beasley, who are the two-most targeted players on the Bills, should pan out, even if a lot of other DFS players will take a similar approach.
If you want to mix it up a bit, you could roll with Emmanuel Sanders or tight end Dawson Knox (if healthy), but Diggs and Beasley have the highest floor as partners for Allen.
WEEK 9 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
QB Lamar Jackson, WR Marquise Brown, & TE Mark Andrews, Ravens vs. Vikings (DK/FD stack)
This stack is very similar to the Bills stack. You're rolling with a hot quarterback and his top two receiving weapons in terms of targets. Brown has a team-high 57 and Andrews checks in second with 51. The Vikings might not be as weak as the Jaguars, but they can be exploited.
Minnesota ranks 19th in total defense this year. It's just about average against the pass and a bit below average against the run, so this is a matchup of which Jackson can take advantage.
Minnesota has been solid against quarterbacks this year, but there are some cracks in its game against mobile quarterbacks. The Vikings have faced three quarterbacks with good wheels, and each has posted a solid DFS performance.
| Player | Passing yards | Rushing yards | Total TD |
| Kyler Murray | 400 | 31 | 4 |
| Russell Wilson | 298 | 7 | 1 |
| Sam Darnold | 207 | 48 | 1 |
Wilson and Darnold were lacking in the TD department, but Murray's performance showcases Jackson's upside. He is throwing the ball well, and the Vikings will struggle to contain his dual-threat ability. Minnesota just gave up 325 passing yards to Cooper Rush, so why shouldn't Jackson be able to hit his 277.6 passing yards per game average?
The Ravens look like sneaky-good cash game plays, and while this stack won't be cheap, it can really raise the floor of any DraftKings or FanDuel lineup you put together.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
RB Alvin Kamara & Saints D/ST, Saints vs. Falcons (DK Stack)
Derrick Henry (foot) is out of action, so that makes Kamara the best back on the main slate. He is a great play in DraftKings' full-point PPR format, as he ranks second on the Saints in receptions with 28. That's behind only Marquez Callaway.
Kamara is averaging a career-high 23 touches per game. That includes 19 carries, which is, by far, the most in his career. His touch floor is extremely high, and while Mark Ingram might take some of the pressure off him, Kamara will still be the backfield leader.
The Falcons have been better gainst running backs this year than they were last season, but they have allowed the 12th-most receiving yards to running backs at a mark of 325. They have already had their bye, as well, so per game, they are even worse against the position. Kamara has roasted the Falcons in the past, and this seems like another opportunity to do just that.
If you're rolling with Kamara and his 20-plus touches, going with the Saints defense is the best pair. This game doesn't figure to be high scoring, as the Saints defense has gotten healthier and the Falcons' offense will be without Calvin Ridley (personal). Matt Ryan tends to struggle when his better receivers aren't available, and the Falcons just scored 13 points against the Panthers. The Saints could similarly limit them in a favorable matchup.
WEEK 9 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 9 DraftKings, FanDuel Picks: Best stacks for daily fantasy football GPPs/tournaments
QB Jalen Hurts, RB Boston Scott, & WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles vs. Chargers (DK stack)
Hurts is coming off his worst fantasy game of the season against the Lions. He totaled just 11.2 fantasy points, as the Eagles running backs had their way in Detroit. They could do that again versus the Chargers.
Los Angeles has a good offense and some defensive playmakers, but it sports the worst run defense in the NFL. It's allowing a league-high 159.4 rushing yards per game, and until linebacker Kenneth Murray (ankle) returns, it will be hard for the Bolts to improve much on those numbers.
As such, you'll want two key pieces of the Eagles' running game in this one. Scott was the leader of the Eagles' backfield committee approach in Week 8. You could make a case for Jordan Howard, who also had two TDs last week, but Scott played 45 percent of the snaps compared to Howard's 25. So, Scott is the safer bet to produce and the better receiver among them, as well.
Hurts can also take advantage of the poor run defense. Lamar Jackson had 51 rushing yards against them on eight carries and didn't do more only because the Chargers sold out to stop him. Hurts poses a similar — albeit less explosive — threat and should be treated as a solid option considering his $6,700 price tag.
All that said, it's important to add a passing weapon to this stack just in case the Eagles' middling defense can't contain the Chargers' offensive attack and Hurts has to pass more to keep up. Smith has seen a team-high 56 targets this season, so even against some good, young Chargers defensive backs, it's worth trusting the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
QB Tyrod Taylor, WR Brandin Cooks, & WR Danny Amendola, Texans at Dolphins (DK/FD Stack)
I know trusting the Texans isn't fun, but the Dolphins are not a good team. At all. And you really can't beat the bargain prices you're getting a quarterback in this one.
Taylor is considered bottom-barrel starters on DK and FD. That said, Taylor has averaged 20.1 FPPG in just two games (six quarters) of action. He should be able to put up numbers against a Dolphins defense that has allowed the league's most passing yards (2,430 to quarterbacks).
If you're making a Texans stack, Cooks must be included in it. He has 70 targets and more than three times as many receiving yards as any other member of the Texans. The next closest to him in targets? Jordan Akins with 25. Enough said.
In looking for a third member of the stack, Amendola seems like the best choice. He hasn't done a lot this year, but he has exactly five targets in three of the five games in which he's played. He's cheap enough to throw in as a low-level option to set up potential double points with whichever QB ends up starting.
Given how many people avoid playing Texans in fantasy, this will almost certainly be a low-owned stack. If Amendola can get five catches, this could pay off well, especially in DK's PPR format.
RB Elijah Mitchell (or JaMycal Hasty) & 49ers D/ST, 49ers vs. Cardinals (DK/FD stack)
Trusting Mitchell worked last week in tournament lineups, as he racked up 137 rushing yards and a TD against the Bears. Now, we'll go to him again versus the Cardinals.
The Cardinals had a decent run defense until last week. We got our first look at them without J.J. Watt (shoulder) and it wasn't pretty. The Packers racked up 151 rushing yards, and the Cardinals were, largely, helpless to stop them.
Until the Cardinals find a solution to Watt's absence, you can expect them to be a bit softer against the run. The 49ers seem comfortable leaning on Mitchell, so feel free to roll with him here if he's healthy. He missed Wednesday's practice with a rib injury, but it doesn't seem like a major issue. If it is, JaMycal Hasty can be trusted in this spot instead.
For those concerned about the Cardinals' offense against the 49ers' defense, don't be. Arizona may look scary on paper, but Kyler Murray (ankle) and DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) are both banged up. Murray may not play, and even if he does, he will not be 100 percent. Getting a banged-up Murray or his backup Colt McCoy would make the 49ers' defense an intriguing low-budget play.
