Even though we have six teams on a bye for Week 9, NFL DFS players still have an abundance of talented players to choose from on the main slate. Our Week 9 FanDuel lineup is centered around a contrarian Seahawks stack that works better for tournaments than cash games and features a couple of dependable RBs and high-volume pass-catchers.
Before we break down our picks and strategy, here are the most notable scoring rules for FanDuel contests: four-point passing TDs and half-point PPR.
WEEK 9 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
FanDuel Picks Week 9: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
Sunday main slate, $60,000 budget
QB Geno Smith, Seahawks @ Cardinals ($7,500). Smith has been one of the surprise stars across all fantasy platforms this season. He’s averaging 18.22 FanDuel points per game, which is higher than Kirk Cousins (18.05) and Justin Herbert (17.84), both of whom have higher DFS salaries than Smith heading into Week 9. He will now face the Cardinals for the second time in as many weeks. In their first meeting in Week 6, Smith had one of his lowest-scoring games with 12.68 FanDuel points. However, the Cards allow the sixth-most FanDuel points per game to QBs this season (20.7, so Smith should be able to have more success. Expect a couple of touchdowns on Sunday afternoon.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Colts ($8,000). Stevenson is one of our favorite picks in NFL DFS this week. The second-year running back had 17.8 FanDuel points last week against the Jets thanks to his ability to be a factor in the passing and receiving games, something he’s been doing more over the past four games. The Colts’ defense has allowed just five total touchdowns to RBs this season but the 12th-most FanDuel points per game to the position (21). At $8,000, Stevenson is one of the best options on a slate that’s missing Nick Chubb, Tony Pollard, Najee Harris, Christian McCaffrey, and Saquon Barkley.
WEEK 9 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings
RB Raheem Mostert, Dolphins @ Bears ($6,500). We had Mostert in our lineup last week and it did not go well, as he only scored 7.2 FanDuel points against the Lions. Despite his lack of production in Week 8, we will stick with Mostert for one more week. The Bears’ defense got carved up by Tony Pollard last week to the tune of 131 rushing yards and three touchdowns. It has been a constant theme this year for Chicago’s run defense, which allows 156 yards per game. Mostert should be able to bounce back and fend off newcomer Jeff Wilson Jr. for at least one more week.
WR DK Metcalf, Seahawks @ Cardinals ($7,400). Metcalf had a good outing last week against the Giants, scoring 14.5 FanDuel points in the Seahawks’ 14-point win. It was the first time since Week 5 against the Saints (15.3) that the star receiver scored double-digit fantasy points. Metcalf will look to carry that momentum into this week’s game against the Cardinals. Arizona has allowed just four TDs to WRs and the 14th-fewest FanDuel points per game to the position (26.1) this season, so it’s not a great matchup. We got a glimpse of that in Week 6 when Metcalf posted just 4.4 FD points against the Cards. However, we know the targets will be there, and if Metcalf is low-owned, he could really pay off big-time in our stack with Smith. Sometimes in order to win big in tournaments, you have to take some chances, so we’ll trust the talent here.
WR Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs. Panthers ($6,900). Without Ja’Marr Chase (hip) in the starting lineup, Boyd will see a lot of snaps and targets. The veteran wide receiver scored a touchdown in Monday’s night loss to the Browns en route to 11.3 FanDuel points. He has now scored a touchdown and posted double-digit FanDuel points in consecutive weeks. We should expect another solid outing from Boyd, who gets to face a Panthers defense allowing the 11th-most FanDuel points per game to WRs this season (28.8).
WEEK 9 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
WR Curtis Samuel, Commanders vs. Vikings ($5,600). Samuel struggled in Week 6 against the Bears but has picked it up over the past two games, averaging 9.9 FanDuel points per game over that span. That’s on par with what we’ve seen him this season (10.07 FanDuel points per game). Samuel has a good matchup on Sunday against a Vikings’ defense that’s allowing the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to WRs (30.9), so he makes for a high-floor value play. The upside is there for a big performance if Washington is forced to throw a lot in the second half.
TE Gerald Everett, Chargers @ Falcons ($5,800). It’s slim pickings at TE this week, as Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, and Mark Andrews are playing in prime time and George Kittle, Greg Dulcich, and Pat Freiermuth are on bye. Everett should thrive against the Falcons’ porous pass defense, especially with Mike Williams (ankle) out and Keenan Allen (hamstring) still slowed. The veteran tight end is averaging eight FanDuel points per game this season and has 10 receptions in the past two games.
WEEK 9 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
FLEX Aaron Jones, Packers @ Lions ($7,800). Jones has regained control of the Packers’ backfield, scoring 17.7 and 24.1 FanDuel points, respectively, over the past two games against the Commanders and Bills. He now faces a Lions’ defense allowing the third-most FanDuel points per game to RBs (25.6). It is a smash spot to start Jones, who will be utilized on the ground and out of the backfield as a pass catcher.
DEF Vikings @ Commanders ($4,500). We don’t have a lot of great D/ST options this week, so we’ll take a chance on a Vikings’ unit that has scored double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back games. Last week, Minnesota got after Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, sacking him four times and forcing him into two interceptions. They could do the same thing to turnover-prone Taylor Heinicke, who’s playing behind a porous offensive line.
