Welcome to Week 9 of Money Makers and Heart Breakers for the 2024 NFL season! Every week I break down the main slate to tell you who is going to get you some money and who is going to break your heart.
I am writing this on Halloween so I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Halloween. I like Reeses Peanut BUtter Cups, please feel free to send some my way.
Here is a brief definition of each of my terms for anyone that might be new:
💰 Money Maker – This player will perform better than expectations
💔 Heart Breaker – This player will perform lower than expectations
Week 9 Money Makers💰
Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts
Hurts is coming off two magnificent fantasy performances. He has a total of secen touchdowns in the past two games. This week he gets to play against the Jaguars. The Jaguars give up the second most fantasy points to opposing teams quarterbacks. In five out of the last six games a quarterback has scored 20 or more fantasy points against the Jaguars. Jalen is going to lay the Hurts down on the Jaguars in Week 9.
$7,800 on DraftKings
$9,300 on FanDuel
Bo Nix
The Broncos will play the Ravens in Week 9. The Ravens give up the third most fantasy points to quarterbacks in fantasy. Quarterbacks have passed for over 250 yards and multiple touchdowns in five straight games against the Ravens. Nix has passed for over 200 yards and multiple touchdowns in 3 out of the past 4 games. Nix will have to pass in Week 9. This should be fun for Broncos fans.
$5,900 on DraftKings
$7,200 on FanDuel
Kirk Cousins
Cousins has over 200 yards and a touchdown in four straight games. He gets to play against the Cowboys defense that gives up the sixth most fantasy points to quarterbacks. He has not always had to pass for touchdowns against bad defenses this season though because the Falcons can run the ball exceptionally well. This game has the highest over-under on the slate at 51.5. Kirk has a shootout with the Cowboys in Week 9.
$6,400 on DraftKings
$7,500 on FanDuel
Other Quarterback DFS Picks for Week 9
Garner Minshew
$4,500 on DraftKings
$6,600 on FanDuel
Derek Carr
$5,600 on DraftKings
$7,000 on FanDuel
Dak Prescott
$6,300 on DraftKings
$8,100 on FanDuel
Running Backs
Alvin Kamara
Kamara last played against this Panthers defense in Week 1. He had 110 total yards and a touchdown in that game. The Panthers give up the most points to opposing running backs. How bad is it? At least one running back gets a double-digit fantasy score each week against the Panthers. Running backs average 128 yards rushing, 4 receptions for 30 yards receiving, and 2 touchdowns per week against the Panthers defense. I want Kamara in my lineup when the Saints come marching in.
$7,800 on DraftKings
$8,800 on FanDuel
De’Von Achane
With Tua Tagovailoa back in the line up Achane looked like the player he was earlier in the season. He also played this Bills team earlier in the season and whacked them up with 96 yards rushing and 7 receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. Look for similar numbers in Week 9 as Achane is used as both a runner and a pass catcher. Achane is going to run, he is going to catch passes, he is going to score touchdowns in Week 9.
$6,700 on DraftKings
$7,800 on FanDuel
D’Andre Swift
Swift has four straight weeks with 19 or more fantasy points. In that span, he has over 100 total yards and a touchdown in each and every game. That streak will continue in Week 9. Because in Week 9 the Bears play the Cardinals. The Cardinals give up the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs. D’Andre has never looked as swift as he does in that Bears uniform.
$6,400 on DraftKings
$7,200 on FanDuel
Other Running Back DFS Picks for Week 9
Bijan Robinson
$7,400 on DraftKings
$8,500 on FanDuel
Tony Pollard
$6,800 on DraftKings
$7,300 on FanDuel
Saquon Barkley
$8,200 on DraftKings
$9,400 on FanDuel
NOTE: Kyren Williams and James Cook are also great plays this week.
Wide Receivers
Brian Thomas Jr.
Brian Thomas is day-to-day right now with a chest contusion. If he plays in Week 9 he has a great match-up against the Eagles. The Eagles do not defend wide receivers well. Thomas has a 31% target share of the Jaguars passes. In the last two games, Thomas has at least 60 yards and a touchdown in each game. If he is playing I am playing him in DFS and season long. I am not doubting Thomas.
$6,600 on DraftKings
$7,000 on FanDuel
Romeo Doubs
The Packers play the Lions in Week 9. The Lions give up the third most fantasy points to wide receivers. Doubs has led the Packers in snaps at wide receiver the past three games. He has 22% target share in those three games. Doubs has 20 targets, 14 receptions, 205 yards, and 2 touchdowns in those three games. The moral of the story kids, complain about your playing time and target share and watch it go up. It worked for Romeo.
$5,700 on DraftKings
$6,300 on FanDuel
AJ Brown
Brown has double-digit fantasy scores in every game he has played this season. He is a stud. In Week 9 he gets to play against a Jaguars defense that gives up the fourth most fantasy points to wide receivers. Expect the Eagles to beat up on the Jaguars early. Brown should do some heavy damage in the Eagles passing game against this defenseless Jaguars team.
$8,100 on DraftKings
$9,000 on FanDuel
Other Wide Receiver DFS Picks for Week 9
Courtland Sutton
$5,400 on DraftKings
$6,000 on FanDuel
Ladd McConkey
$5,600 on DraftKings
$6,400 on FanDuel
Puka Nacua
$7,200 on DraftKings
$8,100 on FanDuel
Tight Ends
Sam LaPorta
With Jameson Williams out on suspension, LaPorta saw his most targets of the season. He was targeted six times which he turned into six receptions, 48 yards, and a touchdown. In Week 9 the Lions play the Packers who are a bottom-10 team at defending tight ends. The match-up is right and the volume should be there. You can feel good about Sam again.
$4,800 on DraftKings
$6,300 on FanDuel
Brock Bowers
Bowers leads the Raiders in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. The passing tree for this Raiders team has two branches on it right now with Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. Bowers will take his massive volume and run it up against the Bengals bottom of the barrel defense.
$6,000 on DraftKings
$7,700 on FanDuel
Other Tight End DFS Picks for Week 9
David Njoku
$5,500 on DraftKings
$7,000 on FanDuel
Noah Fant
$3,600 on DraftKings
$5,100 on FanDuel
Grant Calcaterra
$3,400 on DraftKings
$5,200 on FanDuel
DEF
Patriots
The Patriots play the Titans in Week 9. The Titans give up the most fantasy points to opposing defenses. The Titans have allowed four out of six defenses to score in double digits this season. The Patriots should get some sacks, interceptions and a fumble recovery in Week 9. The Titans can’t help but turn the ball over often.
$3,000 on DraftKings
$4,000 on FanDuel
Bengals
The Bengals play the Raiders in Week 9. Defenses have scored eight or more fantasy points against the Raiders in five straight games. The Bengals are not a great defense. This is just a great match-up.
$3,700 on DraftKings
$4,000 on FanDuel
Commanders
In the last two weeks, team defenses have scored 15 fantasy points against the Giants. The Commanders play the Giants in Week 9. The Commanders have been a very good real-life defense of late. You can expect them to get a few sacks and an interception against the Giants
$3,400 on DraftKings
$3,900 on FanDuel
NOTE: The Jets are a defense I like against the Patriots as well.
💔Heart Breakers
Quarterbacks
Josh Allen
The Bills played the Dolphins way back in Week 2. Allen had 139 yards and a touchdown in that game. He did not break 10 fantasy points. The Dolphins give up the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. This is a run-funnel defense. James Cook is going to have a big day.
Kyler Murray
Kyler is currently the overall QB8 on the season. So in season long you are probably playing him, but for DFS I am out on Murray in Week 9. The Cardinals play the Bears in Week 9. The Bears give up the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. It will be a tough one.
Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson didn’t practice on Thursday. He also has one of the toughest matchups for quarterbacks and passing offenses this week in the Broncos. He makes it a trifecta of guys I expect to not be great in Week 9 that are all most likely starting for you in redraft anyway. But in DFS don’t pay up this week.
Running Backs
Nick Chubb
Chubb is back in the lineup and not looking bad. In Week 9 though, the Browns play against the Chargers. The Chargers are the second toughest defense against the run. There is a path to double-digit fantasy points this week as in the last 2 games James Conner and Alvin Kamara got there, but this is a floor game not a ceiling game for Chubb.
Josh Jacobs
The Lions give up the third-fewest rushing yards in the league. Jacobs does most of his damage running the football. This is just not a good spot for Jacobs to dominate. More likely than not game script will dictate a lot of passing in Week 9 for the Packers.
Tank Bigsby
The Jaguars play the Eagles in Week 9. The Eagles give up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. Not a good spot to plug him in if Travis Etienne it out. The Jags will need to pass in this game, a lot.
Wide Receivers
Keon Coleman
The Dolphin’s defense is the toughest against wide receivers. It is the entire passing offense the Dolphins defend well. Coleman has been very good the past few weeks, this is the week to sit him. He is going to need a touchdown to produce in Week 9.
Jalen Waddle
In the same game I want no part of Waddle. The Bills are the fifth toughest defense against wide receivers. Only the Jets have had significant success passing the ball against the Bills this season. Waddle back to my bench Jalen.
Cedric Tillman
The Broncos are a great real life defense. We know they are good against the run, they are also good against the pass. I know Jameis Winston will be throwing the ball. I am sure he will try to force it to TIllman. That doesn’t mean I want to force Tillman into my line up.
Tight Ends
Tucker Kraft
The Packers play the Lions in Week 9. The Lions give up the least amount of fantasy points to tight ends. Not a single tight end has made it to double-digit fantasy points against this Lions defense. Only two people have scored more than five fantasy points. Yuck,