The Week 9 FanDuel Main Slate features 13 games. Aside from the Cowboys-Falcons matchup, there are no clear shootout games. Dallas and Seattle (facing the Rams) are the only underdogs with implied team totals above 23 points. With no games projected to be overly popular and great point per dollar ("PPD") plays at different price points at every position, we are likely to see a wide range of different roster builds. There are so many different ways to save cap space, roster construction strategy is wide open.

The theme of this slate is adapting to offenses that are changing due to injuries or quarterback shifts. The Browns, who were averaging 15.2 points per game before Jameis Winston took over as quarterback last week, now present better GPP options among their pass catchers, particularly David Njoku and Cedric Tillman. Similarly, Joe Flacco is stepping in after the Colts benched Anthony Richardson, making Josh Downs one of my favorite plays this week. Tua Tagovailoa's return has revitalized the Dolphins' star playmakers. Meanwhile, Derek Carr's return for New Orleans after an extended absence boosts Chris Olave’s appeal, especially after seeing 14 targets last week. The Rams, still led by Matthew Stafford, have an implied team total that is 21.5% higher than their season scoring average, thanks to the recent return of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.

Percent Rostered by Team

The table below ranks each team on the main slate by their implied team total. Generally, focusing on players from high-scoring teams is a strong strategy, as it often aligns with higher player popularity. However, in GPPs, it can be advantageous to target teams projected to score well yet with lower collective ownership. In Week 9, the Eagles stand out, with collective percent rostered of 24% projected despite a high team total of 26.8 points, which ranks fourth-highest on the slate. 

Quarterback

The slate features several elite dual-threat quarterbacks capable of scoring 30-plus points, led by Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Jayden Daniels. If one of these players reaches their ceiling, they will be essential for winning a tournament. Most of my lineups will include one of these top-tier options. However, if none of the dual-threat quarterbacks has a standout game, saving money at the position will be the winning strategy. There is no shortage of solid options in the lower price range. Bo Nix is a high-risk, high-reward budget option who has been making significant plays with his legs in recent weeks. While Kirk Cousins offers almost no rushing production, he is a reliable bet for 225-plus passing yards and has strong multiple-touchdown potential in an excellent matchup.

Core Plays

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia ($9,300, Jacksonville)

Jalen Hurts’ rushing upside is exceptional. He has scored five rushing touchdowns in his last two games and is the primary goal-line option, totaling 48 rushing touchdowns in 58 career starts. He has also shown improvement as a passer. In the first four weeks of the season, he never managed a passer rating above 88.8. Since the Week 5 bye, he has recorded a passer rating of 119 or higher in three consecutive games, averaging 10.4 yards per attempt over that span.

The Jaguars allow the second-most FanDuel points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Jacksonville has given up 338 or more passing yards in three different games and has allowed four passing touchdowns multiple times. On the other side, Trevor Lawrence has started to find his form, and Jacksonville’s offense has the talent to turn this matchup into a shootout. At a projected rostered 

Others to Consider

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore ($8,900, Denver)

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta ($7,500, Dallas)

Cousins threw for at least 275 yards in 75% of his starts last season in Minnesota and has started to find his stride in Atlanta. Over his last four games, he has averaged 310.5 passing yards per game with a 71.1% completion percentage. While those numbers are skewed positively by a monster Week 5 game against Tampa Bay, he has aslo shown a high passing floor. He has thrown for at least 225 passing yards in seven straight.

Dallas got torched by Jared Goff two weeks ago for 315 yards, essentially in three quarters because the game got out of hand so quickly. Last week, Brock Purdy put up 260 despite the 49ers dealing with a number of injuries. This defense is still down bad due to injuries. Daron Bland, Trevon Diggs, and Micah Parsons were again out of practice on Thursday. While Bland is eligible to return from injured reserve and Parsons was potentially expected to return this week, it looks like both are still another week away. While Cousins does not have as much upside as the quarterbacks who are capable of putting up big numbers with their legs, he is incredibly safe and has a very high floor for his price. If the more expensive options like Hurts and Jackson do not score rushing touchdowns, Cousins has a solid chance of being in a tournament-winning lineup.

Bo Nix, Denver ($7,200, Baltimore)

Bo Nix offers a strong combination of rushing upside and solid passing potential in a fantastic matchup. Over the last four weeks, Nix ranks tied for fourth in FanDuel points per game. During that stretch, he has scored at least 6.1 fantasy points with his legs in every game and is coming off the best passing game of his career. Last week against Carolina, he completed 75.7% of his passes for 284 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The fantasy community seems to give more respect to the Ravens' defense than the numbers suggest is warranted. Baltimore is allowing the third-most FanDuel points per game and an NFL-high 312 passing yards per game, nearly 40 yards more than any other team. Top cornerback Marlon Humphrey is questionable with a knee injury, and Jayln Armour-Davis is likely out for another week.

Running Back

My plan this week is to try to save some salary at the position with Chase Brown and/or Tyrone Tracy Jr. in a higher percentage of lineups. Saving some cap space with players like Brown and Tracy helps fit in one or more of the elite, high-priced backs on this slate. I am especially interested in Kyren Williams, Bijan Robinson, Derrick Henry, and Saquon Barkley.

Core Plays

Chase Brown, Cincinnati ($6,300, Las Vegas)

Chase Brown has gradually taken over the lead role in the Bengals' backfield from Zack Moss, leading the backfield in touches for four consecutive weeks. However, Moss has still averaged 9.3 touches per game during that period. With Moss set to miss the Week 9 matchup against the Raiders, most of those touches should shift to Brown.

After leading the NFL in yards per carry through the first month of the season, Brown’s efficiency has dipped while facing a series of tough rushing defenses. This week, the Bengals are favored by a touchdown at home against a Raiders defense that has allowed the 11th-most FanDuel points per game (22.7) to opposing backs. The matchup, projected game script, and reduced competition for touches position Brown for a potential breakout fantasy performance. Given these factors, Brown is a reliable option who should provide solid value for his budget-friendly salary. The main question is whether he will be a must-have play, which depends on how many of the Bengals' touchdowns come on the ground versus through the air. While Brown is expected to be a popular choice this week, his high floor makes him a strong option, enabling you to include higher-priced players like the top-tier rushing quarterbacks and premium running backs highlighted in the next section.

Tyrone Tracy Jr.., New York Giants ($6,200, Washington)

Others to Consider

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams ($8,900, Seattle)

Williams has as high a floor as any player on the slate. He has scored in every single game this season and completely dominates the backfield opportunities. Williams is fresh off of a season-high 30 opportunities (23 carries and 7 targets) in last week's win over the Rams.

The Seahawks have struggled to contain running backs recently, allowing 937 total yards and 7 touchdowns over the past five weeks. Last week, James Cook totaled 133 yards and scored twice. The week prior, Bijan Robinson racked up 143 yards and a touchdown. The week before that, 49ers running backs combined for 225 total yards and a touchdown.

Bijan Robinson, Atlanta ($8,500, Dallas)

After a relatively slow start to the season, Bijan Robinson and the Falcons' offense have been heating up. Atlanta has scored at least 30 points in three of their last four games. Robinson has posted three consecutive games with at least 100 total yards and one or more touchdowns. On the other side, the Cowboys' defense has struggled, allowing 77 points over the past two weeks. Last week, Isaac Curedndo totaled 102 yards and a touchdown, while the week before, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson stands out as one of the top pay-up options on the slate.

Wide Receiver

This is a fun week to figure out at wide receiver. We are absolutely loaded with strong options at every price point. At the top, CeeDee Lamb, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Malik Nabers each stand out as great plays. The mid-range is also loaded and this is a spot where I think we can go contrarian with guys like Josh Downs and Cedric Tillman who have seen big salary increases in recent weeks that will likely scare away most of our opponents. I like the idea of rolling the dice on these two seeing big boosts with the quarterback changes to Joe Flacco and Jameis Winston, respectively. One extreme salary saver worth considering is Jalen Coker, who should serve as Carolina's WR1.

Core Plays

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas ($9,100, Atlanta)

Josh Downs, Indianapolis ($6,900, Minnesota)

In Joe Flacco’s two starts, the Colts have averaged 41.0 passing attempts per game. The Browns were similarly pass-heavy when Flacco started last season, as he recorded 40+ passes in seven of his eight starts for Cleveland.

During Flacco’s two starts this season, Josh Downs has averaged 8.0 catches for 67.5 yards and 0.5 touchdowns on 10.5 targets per game. He also posted 8-82-1 against Pittsburgh, with most of that production coming after Flacco replaced an injured Anthony Richardson. Meanwhile, Michael Pittman Jr. is playing through a back injury that nearly landed him on injured reserve and has visibly struggled, catching fewer than 55% of his targets and appearing to labor at times. Downs has emerged as the more reliable option, functioning as the true go-to receiver in the Colts' passing game.

Cedric Tillman, Cleveland ($6,100, Los Angeles Chargers)

While it's wise not to draw sweeping conclusions about the Browns' offense with Jameis Winston at the helm after just one game (where he threw 41 passes), we do have a larger, relevant sample to consider. The Week 8 Browns resembled the team from late 2023 when Joe Flacco took over for Deshaun Watson. Flacco started six games last season, throwing at least 42 passes in all but one (a blowout against a Trevor Siemian-led Jets). Including Flacco, the Browns have thrown 40+ passes in seven of their last eight meaningful games without Watson.

Cedric Tillman never played more than 37% of the snaps before Amari Cooper was traded, but he has seamlessly stepped into Cooper's WR1 role since the trade. Over the last two weeks, he has played at least 82% of the snaps and averaged 10.5 targets per game. Tillman has capitalized on this opportunity, averaging 7.5 catches for 90 yards and 1.0 touchdowns per game. If the Winston-led Browns offense mirrors the Flacco-led version from 2023, it bodes extremely well for Tillman. In his final three games last season, Cooper averaged 150.3 yards on 12.3 targets per game. With low attention on Tillman this week, I'm taking the risk and betting that the momentum continues for this new-look Browns offense.

Others to Consider

Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers ($6,400, Cleveland)

Over the past three weeks, the Chargers have been the most pass-heavy team in the NFL in neutral situations. Justin Herbert has logged at least 32 passing attempts in each of his last three games. Now fully healthy, Herbert is performing at an elite level. While Jim Harbaugh might prefer a run-heavy approach, this Chargers team is not built to sustain that style of play. Instead, the offense has evolved to feature its most talented players. With both Herbert and Ladd McConkey fully healthy, the Chargers are showcasing the dynamic playmaking ability that was anticipated after glowing training camp reports on McConkey. Last week, McConkey set career highs with six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams ($8,200, Seattle)

Tight End

Most of the ownership is projected to be on the higher-priced tight ends like David Njoku, Trey McBride, and Brock Bowers. I am not sold on any of the top guys hitting their ceilings in their Week 9 matchups. This is the position where I am looking to be the most contrarian. I am willing to throw some darts at inexpensive tight ends with percent rostered projections of 5% or lower.

Core Plays

Taysom Hill, New Orleans ($5,900, Carolina)

I am going out on a limb here and rolling the dice that we have a big Taysom Hill week. If it is going to happen, this is the time. Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller both look unlikely to play, leaving Hill as the de facto backup running back. With Alvin Kamara not fully healthy either, there is a good chance we see Hill get five-to-ten carries. Last week, he had four carries and four targets. We have already seen Hill cash in multiple goal line carries in a game this season and that gives him as much fantasy upside as any tight end on the slate. At projected percent rostered of just 3%, that is the kind of upside worth gambling on.

Others to Consider

T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota ($5,600, Indianapolis)

Hockenson avearged 6.3 targets per game last season and was on his way towards finishing as the overall TE1 befofe his injury. He is a $7,000+ player who we are able to get at a major discount due to him making his season-debut. With most of the ownership expected to concentrate at the top of the salary scale, it makes sense to take a calculated risk that Hockenson hits the ground running and gives you the same production as the top guys at a fraction of the price.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati ($5,400, Las Vegas)

Gesicki is technically a tight end. In reality, he is an oversized receiver who has been serving as the primary backup to Tee Higgins. In the last two games Higgins has missed, Gesicki has averaged 7.0 catches for 82 yards. If the Raiders make the logical choice to try to take away Ja'Marr Chase with double coverage, Joe Burrow will need the secondary weapons to step up and fill the void left by Higgins' absence. Gesicki has been the next man up and has a good chance to again see nearly double-digit targets at a bargain price. 

Defense

Commanders ($3,900) vs. New York Giants

The Giants have averaged 9.3 points per game over their last three and have struggled to protect Daniel Jones without their top offensive lineman Andrew Thomas. The Commanders looked like they would be one of the league's worst defenses through the first three weeks. However, they have dramatically turned things around. Over the past five games, they have held the opponent to 15 or fewer points four times. The high-flying Ravens offense has been the only unit to score mroe than 15 against Washington in the past six weeks. 

Raiders ($3,100) vs. Bengals

Few defenses stand out as great options this week. When in doubt, it often makes sense to just save as much money as possible on the highest-variance position in fantasy. The Raiders are super cheap and have some matchup they may be able to exploit. The Bengals will be without Orlando Brown Jr. this week. His top backup, Trent Brown, is out for the season. That leaves Cody Ford to step in and try to block one of the NFL's best players, Maxx Crosby. In addition to the Brown Jr. injury, the Bengals will be without their top pass-blocking running back, Zack Moss. and WR2 Tee Higgins.