by Winslow Townson/Associated Press
Now it’s time to kick things into high gear, run the two-minute drill and hit some more questions rapid-fire style.
Have more Week 9 lineup questions? Leave them in the comments. I try to spend at least a couple of hours there each Friday and Saturday to assist readers in setting their lineups.
I’m a helper.
lucastrombley needs a couple of spots filled. “Half PPR. [Damien] Harris or [Jonathan] Taylor? Marquise Brown, [Amari] Cooper or [CeeDee] Lamb?”
Damien Harris (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300) of the Patriots is by no means a great play, but Jonathan Taylor of the Colts was benched in the second half last week in favor of Jordan Wilkins and has a bad matchup with a stout Ravens run defense. Baltimore’s Marquise Brown (DraftKings DFS Value: $6,000) is an easy call at wide receiverboth Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb will be “catching” worm-burners from a fourth-string quarterback in Week 9.
It’s a defense question for Zeke214. “Baltimore defense or Colts defense?”
This boils down to which opposing offense you trust to move the ball more consistently. The Colts defense has a better matchup from a fantasy-points-allowed perspective, but the Baltimore Ravens (DraftKings DFS Value: $3,500) are coming off a tough loss and have the run defense to force Philip Rivers to throw the ball to beat them. Baltimore is the play, albeit narrowly.
general8151 needs a starting quarterback. “Cam Newton or Drew Lock?”
There was a time when this question would be a no-brainer. But Cam Newton of the Patriots has struggled this year, Drew Lock (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200) of the Broncos is coming off a three-touchdown game against the Los Angeles Chargers, and Lock gets an Atlanta Falcons team in Week 9 allowing the second-most fantasy points in the league to quarterbacks.
For Matty_K, it’s a tight end query. “Do I start Jonnu Smith or Logan Thomas? Full PPR.”
Washington’s Logan Thomas has had his moments this season, but so has Jonnu Smith of the Tennessee Titans (DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900), who also has the advantage of a matchup with a Chicago Bears defense surrendering the ninth-most DraftKings points to tight ends in 2020. Roll with the latter.
linguisticlegs also needs help at tight end. “Gronk or [Noah] Fant?”
Noah Fant of the Denver Broncos has a fantastic fantasy matchup Sunday with the Atlanta Falcons, who lead the league in PPR points allowed to tight ends. But Rob Gronkowski (DraftKings DFS Value: $4,900) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has touchdowns in three straight games and leads all NFC tight ends in fantasy points over that span. Gronk smash.
NastyMofos is looking for assistance at wide receiver. “Corey Davis or Sterling Shepard?”
Corey Davis (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900) of the Titans is coming off a big stat line (8/128/1) in last week’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but he has a tough fantasy matchup in Week 9 against a Bears defense giving up the fourth-fewest PPR points to wideouts this year. But Sterling Shepard of the Giants has an even worse one against Washington, and his target share has fluctuated wildly in 2020. Go with Davis.
Finally, MTSPICUZZA needs to choose a running back. “Antonio Gibson or J.K. Dobbins?”
Baltimore’s J.K. Dobbins gashed the Pittsburgh Steelers for 113 yards on 15 carries last week. But the rookie from Ohio State faces a Colts defense giving up the third-fewest PPR points to running backs. In his last game, Washington’s Antonio Gibson (DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800) posted an even more impressive 20/128/1 line, and he gets a much more favorable Week 9 matchup with the New York Giants. Gibson it is.
DFS player salaries courtesy of DraftKings. Fantasy scoring data courtesy of FFToday. Fantasy points against data courtesy of My Fantasy League.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year.
Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com for details.
