FanDuel Fantasy Football: Week 9 Value Plays

FanDuel Fantasy Football: Week 9 Value Plays

This article is part of our FanDuel Fantasy Football series.

QUARTERBACK

Cam Newton, CAR vs. ATL ($7,600): Newton is coming off a bad game in Tampa with the weather being perfect and lost Kelvin Benjamin, so his ownership should be low. This is a solid matchup against the Falcons, who just allowed Josh McCown to have a good game (7.8 YPA, 257 passing yards, two touchdowns). Atlanta has given up at least one passing touchdown every game this season and, not surprisingly, has allowed more fantasy points on the road (16.5) than at home. Cam has also started running more, averaging more than 10 rushing attempts in his last three games and adding a fantasy dimension other quarterbacks don't have in their skill sets.

RUNNING BACK

Kenyan Drake, MIA vs. OAK ($4,500): Both Drake and teammate Damien Williams ($4,500) are in for an increased role the rest of the season with the trade of Jay Ajayi to the Eagles. Despite being the bigger back, Williams has caught more passes than Drake, though both will get a crack at double-digit touches. This is a likely scenario of the Dolphins going with the hot hand, and Drake has more of an upside than Williams. Of the teams playing Sunday, the Raiders have given up the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs, putting Drake in a good spot. A wise move in GPPs would be to put both Williams and Drake in one lineup and load up at the other positions.

Alfred Morris, DAL vs. KC ($5,600):
Morris should get the majority of the touches in the Dallas backfield with Rod Smith ($4,500) and Darren McFadden backing him up. In a half-point PPR format, Morris should be the preferred option as he'll get the early down and goal-line work. Morris in a limited sample averages 8.1 yards per carry, suggesting there's still some gas left in the tank. While its efficiency numbers are decent, Kansas City has given up the fourth-most rushing yards (1,049, 4.9 yards per carry) and is tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns allowed with seven.

WIDE RECEIVER

Sammy Watkins, LAR at NYG ($6,000): If there's going to be a week that Watkins finally breaks out, it should be this one. He's coming off a bye and has a good matchup against the Giants. New York will be without Janoris Jenkins (suspension), and it's tough to know where Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's head is at after he was suspended a couple weeks ago. Watkins is a boom-or-bust play best left for GPP contests this week.

Curtis Samuel, CAR vs. ATL ($4,700):
Samuel should shift into the No. 2 wide receiver role and have the second-most targets for his team until Greg Olsen comes back. Samuel, a rookie out of Ohio State, is a burner who runs a 4.31 40 and will see softer coverage with Atlanta focused on stopping Devin Funchess. Look for Samuel to exploit the Falcons' secondary, which has allowed big games to opposing wide receivers not on Buffalo or Chicago's rosters (35.3 fantasy points in those games).

TIGHT END

Jonnu Smith, TEN vs. BAL ($4,500): Delanie Walker might not play because of an ankle injury, though he hasn't been ruled out yet. If Walker sits, Smith would be an excellent punt play for the minimum price. Quietly, Smith has two receiving touchdowns playing with Walker, whose seven targets per game likely would go Smith's way. Marcus Mariota has always liked to lean on his tight end, just check to make sure Walker does not play.

KICKER

Ryan Succop, TEN vs. BAL ($4,900): Succop is 20-for-22 on fields goals, and the Titans at home should move the ball coming off the bye. Succop has at least 15 fantasy points in half his games this season, averaging 12.3 fantasy points per game overall, fourth most among this weekend's kickers.

DEFENSE

Philadelphia Eagles vs. DEN ($5,200): With six teams on bye and five defenses at least $5,000, it's OK to spend up for a team like the Eagles this week. Brock Osweiler will make his first start of the season, and it's likely he has at least one turnover at Philadelphia. The Eagles have six interceptions in their last three game and have already scored two defensive touchdowns.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Kevin Payne plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: Fanduel: kevinccp, Draft Kings: kevinccp, Yahoo: kevinccp.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin Payne
Kevin has worked for RotoWire over a decade and has covered basketball, baseball and football. A glutton for punishment, he roots for his hometown Bills, Sabres and the New York Yankees. You can follow him on Twitter @KCPayne26.
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