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NFL Week 9 DFS Value Plays: Targets & Advice (2022)

NFL Week 9 DFS Value Plays: Targets & Advice (2022)

While bye weeks have been going for a few weeks now yet little could prepare us for a 10-game slate that has six teams on bye. There is a lot of firepower missing from this slate and therefore plenty of digging for the best values the board has to offer.

Luckily, I’ve already done some of the research to identify some of the better values out there to help construct successful lineups.

Let’s get into it.

Beyond our daily fantasy football content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Football Tools. From our Lineup Optimizer– which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – which helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Quarterbacks

DraftKings

Justin Fields (QB – CHI) $5300 vs. MIA

Justin Fields is starting to catch his stride. The sophomore signal-caller is beginning to execute and it is showing up on the stat sheet. Over his last four games, he averaged 182 passing yards, 1.25 passing touchdowns, 69.2 rushing yards, and .5 rushing touchdowns per game. In three of those four weeks, he finished as QB8 or better including two QB5 finishes.

The Dolphins are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to the position this season. In their eight games played, they’re currently allowing opposing quarterbacks to average 272.6 passing yards, 1.5 passing touchdowns, and 24 rushing yards per game.

Down to the brass tacks, Fields has not just shown growth, but played against one of the best takeaway defenses in the league last week and managed to drop 29 points on them. His legs do not just provide a floor, they provide a high one.

With a very manageable salary and a high potential ceiling, Fields is a good GPP play this week.

FanDuel

Aaron Rodgers (QB – GB) $7000 vs. DET

How the mighty have fallen. Rodgers has fallen off of the set-it-and-forget-it carousel that he once occupied annually. Now, he feels closer to a floor play than a ceiling target. All of this is true. That is why, despite how daunting it may feel, he is a great DFS target this week.

Despite the offensive struggles, he has thrown for two touchdowns in six of eight games and is averaging 225 passing yards per contest. Again, perfect floor play. The problem is there have not been any games that represent the ceiling we have all come to expect from him. A return to the mean is long overdue. What more perfect setting than against a divisional rival like the Lions, in a dome, and in desperate need of a win?

The Lions are allowing the tenth-most passing yards and the third-most fantasy points to the position this season. Despite their scrappy offensive approach, their defense has been nothing short of generous to opposing offenses.

A return to the mean is long overdue for Rodgers and company. Due to the volatility of the play, Rodgers should be used strictly in GPP contests, and more specifically, those who utilize multiple entries.

Running Backs

DraftKings

Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – JAX) $6300 vs. LV

When perusing the points-per-game average, Etienne’s current 13.6 average is fine, but not necessarily awe-inspiring. That average does not paint the entire picture. Over the last four games, Etienne is averaging 19.5 DK points, and ripping off a 40-plus yard run has become a seemingly normal occurrence.

The Raiders are allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season, and are far more susceptible to backs who catch passes. While only allowing an average of 84.6 rushing yards, they’re also surrendering 61.1 yards through the air to the position.

Over the last two weeks, Etienne has been unbridled and handled close to 80% of the snaps. That does not look likely to change as he is quickly becoming a focal point of the offense. Against a soft defensive front and with a fair salary, he should be in lineups for this slate.

Wide Receivers

DraftKings

Joshua Palmer (WR – LAC) $5100 vs. ATL

Keenan Allen has already been ruled out. Mike Williams is not expected back for a least another week or two. Jalen Guyton is done for the season. DeAndre Carter missed practices due to illness. Has anyone bothered to reach out to Malcolm Floyd and see what he is up to these days? The Chargers are down to Austin Ekeler (who also earned a limited tag this week), Joshua Palmer (who was out last game with a concussion), Gerald Everett, and some names I could make up real quick. They are one injury away from me getting my shot to try out for the team.

Palmer was already a starter in three-wide sets, even with both Allen and Williams were healthy. Now, he has the chance to be the primary read and take more snaps from the perimeter. Already toting a healthy 15% of the team’s air yards, expect Justin Herbert to rely on his three healthy options with both Ekeler and Palmer leading the charge.

The Falcons are allowing the most receiving yards (215), the second-most receiving touchdowns (1.5), and the most receptions (16), per game to the position. Pair that up with the lack of literal bodies on the field for the Chargers and Palmer is a low-cost, high-volume option that should be in GPP lineups.

FanDuel

Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS) $7200 vs. MIN

Just like it took P.J. Walker to get production out of D.J. Moore, it took Taylor Heinicke to get Terry McLaurin going again. In two starts with Heinicke under center, McLaurin has finished with his best two games of the season. He finished as WR11 and WR17 respectively and accumulated 186 yards and a score in those games.

Facing a pass defense that is allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to the position is a positive spot to expect continued production. The Vikings are allowing 198.7 receiving yards and .7 touchdowns on a per-game average.

With Jahan Dotson not expected to play this week, McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Antonio Gibson become the primary options through the air. At cost, McLaurin can be started in both cash and GPP contests.

Tight Ends

DraftKings

Robert Tonyan (TE – GB) $3800 vs. DET

New DFS rules clearly state that if the Lions are on the slate, you must play someone against them. That someone is a perfect punt option at cost and represents reliable volume. Robert Tonyan has 22 targets over his last three games. That’s officially more targets during the same span than Ja’Marr Chase, Stefon Diggs, Tyler Lockett, and Cooper Kupp. The only tight end with more targets during that span is George Kittle and he is on bye this week. So…volume? Check.

The Lions are beatable by rock, paper, scissors, that little iron in the Monopoly game (who picks that piece?), and every position available in fantasy football; including but not limited to, tight ends. They allow the fifth-most points and have surrendered five touchdowns to the position. Tonyan has already mustered five red zone targets this season and is looking for his first touchdown since week four.

With all the big-name tight ends missing from this slate, the recommendation is to chase volume and Tonyan certainly has seen that over the last several weeks.

FanDuel

Evan Engram (TE – JAX) $5200 vs. LV

Evan Engram is quietly putting together a solid season as a newly anointed Jaguar. He has finished in the positional top ten in three of his last four games, including a TE4 finish last week. During that stretch, he has 19 targets, 13 receptions, 162 receiving yards, and one touchdown.

This week they face the lowly Raiders who are allowing the third-most fantasy points to tight ends. Thus far they’re allowing an average of 50.1 receiving yards and .9 receiving touchdowns to the position.

With a current 47.5 over/under, there is some expected scoring in this game keeping Engram as an expected volume play with touchdown upside.

John Hesterman is a featured writer and Expert Consensus Ranker at FantasyPros. He also writes for DynastyLeagueFootball.com. For more from John, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @John_Hesterman.

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