DraftKings is doing everything in its power to not let us run Christian McCaffrey with Dalvin Cook, and we'll find a way to play their dastardly game. At close to $20K combined — with no close alternatives in pure floor or ceiling — DK's really making CMC-Cook a tough yet enticing fit in Week 9 NFL DFS cash games.
We did a bang-up job on this past Sunday's DraftKings cash lineup, in part by playing Matthew Stafford at mid-tier price and taking the easy smash from Latavius Murray. We dodged Ty Johnson but did run Chase Edmonds. Overall, good enough to clear 3x.
WEEK 9 DFS LINEUPS:
Y! cash | Y! GPP | DK GPP | FD cash | FD GPP
Now for my latest early-week stab at allocating that $50K cap for a high-floor lineup in DraftKings cash games.
WEEK 9 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
DraftKings Week 9 Picks: NFL DFS cash lineup
QB Jameis Winston, Bucaneers @ Seahawks ($6,100). Matt Schaub nearly went for 500 yards against the Seahawks on Sunday, pushing them to 27th in pass defense. Winston leads all passers in air yards attempted even though the Bucs have already had their bye.
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE RB Christian McCaffrey, Panthers vs. Titans ($10,000). Getting Samuels in allows us to get from Cook up to McCaffrey, DK's leader in fantasy points per game.
PREVIOUS RB Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ Chiefs ($9,500). Think Cook here and CMC at $10K are close to even plays, but needed the extra $500 for this particular early-week build. Could see injury news later in the week getting us a cheap play that affords the $500 to get up for CMC.
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE Jaylen Samuels, Steelers vs. Colts ($4,000): Samuels ranked fifth among RBs in targets over the final four weeks of 2018, and now slides back into a high-volume role with his return to health and James Conner out.
PREVIOUS RB Derrick Henry, Titans @ Panthers ($5,700). Henry's seen no fewer than 16 touches all season and has averaged 20.4 touches over the past four weeks. Light target volume depresses his price but not so much that he should go sub-$6K in this spot.
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
WR Mike Evans, Bucaneers @ Seahawks ($7,200). Evans' team target share of 30 percent ranks fourth among receivers since Week 6, significantly ahead of teammate Chris Godwin at 21 percent. Evans goes for $100 less, and both are interesting plays against Seattle.
WR Allen Robinson, Bears @ Eagles: ($6,800). No team had allowed more DK points to receivers than Philly before visiting a Josh Allen-quarterback team in heavy winds. Mitchell Trubisky is also struggling, but A-Rob still has two 4x outings in their past three games.
MORE WEEK 9 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup builder
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE WR Diontae Johnson, Steelers vs. Colts ($4,500): Johnson averages seven targets in Mason Rudolph's past three starts, providing decent floor at this price.
PREVIOUS WR Jamison Crowder, Jets @ Dolphins ($5,300). We saw a functional Jets offense in their only halfway decent spot, three weeks ago with Sam Darnold starting against the Cowboys. With Robby Anderson being shopped, Crowder could be set for work in a *great* spot.
TE Dallas Goedert, Eagles vs. Bears ($3,100) Goedert ranks top-seven in targets, receptions and yards among tight ends over the past three weeks. Zach Ertz keeps the price down super low, but this pass offense runs through both tight ends right now.
FLEX Mark Walton, Dolphins vs. Jets ($4,500). The Kenyan Drake trade provides even more assurance on floor for the Dolphins new lead back. I'm writing this before MNF, but I'm assuming consecutive 15-plus touch games are in order.
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE Bills vs. Washington ($3,800): With rookie Dwayne Haskins making his first NFL start, we'll swap sides in the ugly one at Buffalo.
D/ST Washington @ Buffalo ($1,800). This price lets us get up to Cook without getting too thin elsewhere. And the matchup doesn't quite dictate this as far as DK scoring, with a middling Washington defense facing a Buffalo offense allowing the 11th most DK points to D/STs.