This article is part of our King for a Day series.
We'll hit the season's halfway point sometime late Sunday afternoon, and there's no better way to celebrate than getting in on all the fun over at DraftKings. The $2.2MM Millionaire Maker will be running again this week, while three of the Thursday tournaments have guaranteed prize pools of $50,000 or more.
Without further adieu, here are my favorite players for Week 9 on DraftKings…
Quarterbacks
Colin Kaepernick, SF (vs. STL), $7000 – Kaepernick isn't having a big fantasy season, but a closer look reveals that the only thing really missing is rushing touchdowns, of which he has zero. He's on pace for 3,929 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions and 594 rushing yards, with all of those numbers besides the interceptions representing improvements from last season. He figures to eventually find the end zone with his feet, but even if it doesn't happen this week, Kaepernick should tear into a soft Rams defense, a bunch he shredded for 343 passing yards and three touchdowns in Week 6. One week later, the Rams were eaten up by another scrambling quarterback when Russell Wilson provided the first performance of 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in NFL history. There is, of course, some chance that a blowout will severely limit Kaepenick's volume, but his ceiling is just too enticing at a mere $7000.
Alex Smith, KC (vs. NYJ), $5700 – Smith and Joe Flacco are probably the first two names that come to mind when you think of quarterbacks whose real-life value exceeds their fantasy value. However, Smith is priced accordingly for a dream matchup with the Jets defense, which will likely force the Chiefs to abandon their run-heavy tendencies, but is still unlikely to shut down the Kansas City offense. Facing DraftKings' most generous defense against signal-callers, Smith may get the rare opportunity (for him) to throw upwards of 30 passes without playing from behind. The Jets' secondary could even make Kansas City's wideouts look like a talented bunch.
Other options:Drew Brees, NO (at CAR), $8400; Russell Wilson, SEA (vs. OAK), $7800; Ryan Tannehill, MIA (vs. SD), $6300
Notes: Brees hasn't been a good bet on the road the past two seasons, but he should find his outdoor footing against the massively disappointing Carolina defense. Wilson once again makes for a strong GPP option, as he'll likely tear into the Oakland defense….if he's even needed, that is. Tannehill showed last week that he's as inconsistent as ever, but I like his odds to bounce back against the sliding San Diego defense.
Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch, SEA (vs. OAK), $6100 – After piling up six total touchdowns through the first four games of the season, Lynch has failed to find the end zone in each of his last three games, all of which saw the Seahawks play from behind. Between the lack of touchdowns and lack of carries, his price has expectedly plummeted at just the right time. In contrast to recent weeks, the Seahawks will likely sit on a lead in Sunday's game, giving Lynch a good shot at his first 20-carry outing since Week 3. The 'Hawks also figure to do plenty of scoring, and the Raiders have unsurprisingly sported one of the more favorable defenses for opposing running backs, despite allowing just 3.8 yards per carry. I'm not too worried about the low YPC mark, as that got a major boost in Week 8 against a Browns team that has forgotten how to run effectively.
Shane Vereen, NE (vs. DEN), $4600 – What the Patriots will do when protecting a lead is anyone's guess, but there's no doubt that Vereen is entrenched as the top back for passing downs, which often includes first-down work when the Pats spread things out. Facing a Denver team that both scores tons of points and shuts down the run, Vereen couldn't ask for a much better fantasy matchup, as he's heavily reliant on receptions. While mostly disappointing in that department this season, the former Cal Bear did catch five passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 7 win over the Jets. I'm expecting at least five catches in Sunday's game, as the Patriots figure to throw often, and may have trouble getting open downfield against a tough Broncos secondary.
Other options:Andre Ellington, ARI (at DAL), $5900; Ahmad Bradshaw, IND (at NYG) $5800; Ronnie Hillman, DEN (at NE), $5600; LeSean McCoy, PHI (at HOU), $5200; Alfred Morris, WAS (at MIN), $3900; Frank Gore, SF (vs. STL), $3800
Notes: I love the mid-price running back options this week, which means I'll have to alter my favored strategy of using a fourth wide receiver as the FLEX. Ellington is deserving of a full write-up, as he's a rare three-down workhorse, while the Dallas defense is starting to show some cracks. Bradshaw perhaps feels a bit pricey, but I'm guessing we won't see much of Trent Richardson, which should lead to a big day for No. 44 against his old team. Hillman would be an attractive option at this price in most matchups, and the New England run defense is still a disaster. McCoy hasn't reached the end zone since Week 2, but he's quietly back to his old ways, heading into a matchup with the overrated Houston defense. While Morris has also struggled to find the painted grass this season, he's still dominating the workload for a competent offense that will return Robert Griffin III this week. I think I mean this in a nice way, but I suspect that Sunday may mark the last big statistical performance of Gore's impressive career.
Wide Receivers
A.J. Green, CIN (vs. JAX), $6300 – With the prices for top wide receivers starting to rocket up toward the $9000 range, Green becomes all the more enticing, assuming he returns from his toe injury. He encouragingly participated in Wednesday's practice, and while he'd undoubtedly be a risky fantasy choice, the matchup couldn't be any better. Not only are the Jaguars awful against the pass, but they're also dealing with a number of injuries in the secondary, and are even starting to provide resistance against the run. The Bengals will likely need to do quite a bit of throwing to build up a lead, as the Cincinnati running game and Jacksonville run defense are headed in opposite directions. Accordingly, I'm also a fan of Andy Dalton at $6300, though not to the same extent as the five quarterbacks I listed above.
Brandin Cooks, NO (at CAR), $4100 – Cooks has been an interesting player to track this season, especially because I felt he lasted about 5-10 picks too long in May's draft. That's still open for debate, as he's impressively caught 40-of-52 targets (76.9 percent), but at just 9.3 yards per catch is averaging a modest 7.2 yards per target. He's one of those smaller burners in the mold of a T.Y. Hilton, with the physical tools to serve as both a deep threat and high-volume underneath receiver. The Saints have largely used him as the latter, but he finally got his long touchdown last week, breaking free for a 50-yarder on a deep bomb down the middle. He had already scored earlier in the game on a four-yard run, which marked his sixth carry through seven games. Though the big plays have been few and far between, I'm guessing Cooks will see a higher percentage of his looks down the field as the season progresses. It's hard not to bet on the upside here, as he's an extremely talented player on pace for 119 targets and 14 carries in a high-powered offense. At this price, there's no reason to pass.
Michael Floyd, ARI (at DAL), $3800 – Floyd's ugly zero-burger may have ruined a couple of my otherwise beautiful lineups last week, but I like to keep a positive perspective when it comes to fantasy football. In this case, the ugly performance allows me to get an excellent wideout at just $3800 for a favorable matchup, though it's probably worth noting that said wideout has just eight catches over the last four games. Given that Floyd's role and talent appear to be unchanged, this is likely one of those cold streaks that just doesn't carry much significance. He's still one of the top two receiving options in a solid offense, and his excellent size makes him a decent bet to reach the end zone each week.
Other options:Antonio Brown, PIT (vs. BAL), $9100; T.Y. Hilton, IND (at NYG), $8100; Steve Smith Sr., BAL (at PIT), $5600; Keenan Allen, SD (at MIA), $5500; Odell Beckham, NYG (at IND), $5000
Notes: Brown, though incredibly expensive, should outperform his price tag against a decimated Baltimore secondary. Hilton isn't as good of a player as Brown, but he's getting the same kind of consistent targets from an even more dangerous quarterback. With Torrey Smith struggling and Owen Daniels (knee) injured, Smith Sr. may have to put the Baltimore passing game on his back in a crucial matchup against a shaky Pittsburgh defense. Allen gets a major price hike heading into a tough matchup, but I suspect Philip Rivers will throw upwards of 40 passes, giving his top wideout a good shot to reach double-digit targets. While Beckham is rather pricey for a guy with 10 receptions through three career games, his combination of role and talent should pay off big in the second half of the season.
Tight End
Jimmy Graham, NO (at CAR), $6700 – Don't get me wrong, I'm still all aboard the Gronk train, but I slightly prefer Graham and the $900 savings. The Carolina defense is far, far worse than Denver's, and Graham was on the field for more than two-thirds of his team's passing plays during Sunday's dismantling of the Packers. It will be interesting to watch these two jockey for top positional billing the rest of the season, and while I suspect Gronkowski will ultimately take the cake, Graham should provide similar production at a lower price this week.
Other options:Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. DEN), $7600; Greg Olsen, CAR (vs. NO), $6000; Jordan Reed, WAS (at MIN), $4400; Vernon Davis, SF (vs. STL), $3700; Jason Witten, DAL (vs. AZ), $3200
Notes: Much the opposite of last week, I love the tight end options for Week 9. Gronkowski should be able to handle a tough Denver defense, coming off a three-touchdown, 149-yard showing against the Bears. Olsen, while disappointing last week, is quietly on pace for an 84-1,018-10 receiving line, which would be one of the better statistical seasons for a tight end in league history. Reed always seems to have a significant role in the Washington passing game when healthy, and he has 20 receptions over the last three weeks. Davis is the ultimate boom-or-bust play, as he's quite likely to burn you with fewer than 10 DK points, yet has the potential for 20-plus at a dirt-cheap price. Coming off his first strong fantasy showing of the season, Witten draws an Arizona defense that has given up big numbers to tight ends.
Team D/ST
Seattle Seahawks vs. OAK, $3300 – While I don't like to spend this much on a team defense, the discount options are lousy this week, and the Seahawks figure to dismantle Oakland's terrible offense. I'll give some thought to the Chiefs and Redskins as sneakier picks, but there really isn't much benefit to avoiding the crowd when it comes to the low-ceiling world of team defense/special teams.
Other options:Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NYJ), $3300; San Francisco 49ers (vs. STL), $3200; Cleveland Browns (vs. TB), $2900; Washington Redskins (at MIN), $2900; New Orleans Saints (at CAR), $2600
Notes: The Chiefs may get run on a bit, but their fearsome pass rush will likely be far more than Michael Vick can handle. The 49ers made Austin Davis absolutely miserable in the second half just a few weeks back, after getting off to a surprisingly slow start in St. Louis. The Browns get a juicy matchup for the third straight week, and their improvement on defense does seem somewhat legitimate, if obviously aided by the schedule. The Redskins have played surprisingly decent defense in recent weeks, with a solid pass rush making up for a porous secondary. The Saints don't inspire much confidence, but the price is right, and the matchup isn't bad either.
