NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs

The main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 9 will be missing some big names at various positions with the Saints and Rams on a bye and the Patriots, Ravens and Cowboys among the teams playing in prime time. With that being said, there are still several quarterbacks and running backs that are in a position to thrive. Let’s dive into the matchups and discuss which ones stand out. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NFL Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

QUARTERBACK CASH TARGETS

Russell Wilson, SEA vs. TB
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $7,100

Wilson only attempted 20 passes last week against the Falcons, completing 14 of them for 182 yards. On the plus side, he recorded two more touchdown passes, giving him 17 for the season. The yardage total was certainly disappointing given the Falcons’ struggles to defend the pass, but the Seahawks’ desire to run the ball is really the only limiting factor with Wilson. Now he’ll face a Buccaneers’ defense that has allowed the second-most passing yards per game in the league, once again leaving him as an enticing option.

Matthew Stafford, DET at OAK
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $6,800

With Kerryon Johnson (knee) out, the Lions are going to have to rely more on their passing game. Stafford was up to the task against the Giants last week, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns. He’s now thrown for at least three scores in a game four times this season and at least 340 yards three times. With the Raiders allowing the third-most passing yards per game and tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed, Stafford could be in line for another monster afternoon.

QUARTERBACK GPP TARGETS

Derek Carr, OAK vs. DET
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $5,500

Staying in that same game, Carr is a viable option, albeit a more risky one. He’s coming off of his best game of the season against the Texans, throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Although his yardage totals aren’t always great, he does have at least two touchdown passes in four of his last five games. Further helping his cause last week was the return of wide receiver Tyrell Williams, who has caught a touchdown pass in all five games in which he has played in this season. With the Lions allowing the most passing yards per game in the league, this has the potential to be one of Carr’s finer performances.

Sam Darnold, NYJ at MIA
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $5,900

If there was any glimmer of hope for the Jets in Week 8, it’s that Darnold couldn’t have played any worse than he did versus the Patriots the previous week. He did rebound to throw two touchdowns passes against the Jaguars, but he also threw three picks. The Jets finally get some relief in terms of their schedule, starting off with this matchup against a Dolphins team that has very little talent to speak of on defense. If Darnold is going to right the ship, this could be just the game that he needs.

RUNNING BACK CASH TARGETS

Christian McCaffrey, CAR vs. TEN
FanDuel = $9,700
DraftKings = $10,000

McCaffrey is pretty much matchup proof at this point. He faced a difficult task in Week 8 against a 49ers defense that has been among the stingiest in the league. However, that didn’t stop him from turning 14 carries into 117 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four of five targets for 38 yards. He already has 10 total touchdowns across seven games and has rushed for at least 100 yards four times. The Titans have not struggled to defend the run, but fade McCaffrey at your own risk.

Dalvin Cook, MIN at KC
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $9,500

As appealing as McCaffrey is, resisting Cook this week will be equally as difficult. He already has 156 carries across eight games, turning them into 823 yards and nine touchdowns. While not to the same extent as McCaffrey, he’s also very involved in the passing game, catching 29 of 34 targets for 293 yards. Combine his heavy workload with the Chiefs allowing the third-most rushing yards per game and Cook is poised to shine.

RUNNING BACK GPP TARGETS

Le’Veon Bell, NYJ at MIA
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $7,700

One great part about Bell is that he rarely comes off the field. Case in point, he’s played at least 82.3 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps in every game this season. His production hasn’t always been great, but part of that is because of the injuries that they have had at quarterback. They had trouble producing extended drives when Luke Falk was at the helm, but the return of Darnold helps alleviate that problem, to an extent. Don’t be surprised to see Bell come away with his best stat line of the season against a Dolphins team that has allowed the second-most rushing yards per game.

Phillip Lindsay, DEN vs. CLE
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,300

The Broncos already weren’t great at quarterback with Joe Flacco running things, but their outlook will be even more bleak this week with him out due to a neck injury. That will leave Brandon Allen to start, who has never appeared in a regular season game. Expect them to rely heavily on their running game, which could pay off since the Browns have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per contest. Despite sharing some of the workload with Royce Freeman, Lindsay still has 109 carries for 492 yards and four touchdowns. He has also racked up at least four catches in five of eight games and could be busy in that regard once again if the Broncos prefer Allen to make short passes.

Jamaal Williams, GB at LAC
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,900

Aaron Jones is putting up some monster performances, but don’t forget about Williams. He tallied both a rushing and a receiving touchdown against the Chiefs in Week 8 and has at least one touchdown in each of his last three games. While his yardage total will likely be underwhelming, it should help that he has caught at least three passes in three straight games. If the Packers jump out to an early lead against the inferior Chargers, Williams could also see some increased work in the second half. While he comes with some risk, he’s at least worth a look in tournament play.

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.