DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football Helper for Week 9
Running Backs
High-Cost Option: Devonta Freeman $8,000
This week's highest priced option at running back is Devonta Freeman at $8,000, and he merits that title in what looks like a great matchup despite going on the road. Freeman and the Falcons travel to San Francisco to take on the Blaine Gabbert-led 49ers in a game where Atlanta is favored by 4.5 points. Freeman has fallen back down to Earth after his early season breakout, but this matchup has all the ingredients for Freeman to return to fantasy eliteness. The 49ers are allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs and now take on the league leader in rushing yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points. San Francisco is the second-worst rushing defense according to numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics and could fall to the bottom of our rankings following another big outing by Freeman.
Mid-Cost Option: Mark Ingram $6,500
Eight-point favorites at home, the Saints will now be turning solely to Mark Ingram for the remainder of the season to ice games after the loss of Khiry Robinson. Taking on a reeling Tennessee Titans squad that just fired their head coach, the Saints should get out to a big lead as the point-spread suggests and utilize Ingram. Tennessee's opponents are rushing the ball 47.2% of the time against them -- second highest in the league. Ingram should be a volume play with touchdown upside this week (only Freeman has more rushing scores) without having to worry about anymore Khiry vultures.
Low-Cost Option: Jeremy Langford $4,000
The Bears will likely be without Matt Forte for at least a couple weeks after suffering a knee injury last week and will get to see exactly what they have in fourth-rounder Jeremy Langford on a bit of a trial run. Luckily for Langford, he gets a terrific matchup as Chicago takes on San Diego. Langford faces a rush defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs and the sixth-most rushing yards. At $4,000, Langford should be a safe bet to hit value going against the third-worst ranked defense by Adjusted Rushing NEP.
GPP Wildcard: Darren McFadden $4,300
The matchup against the Eagles is far from ideal (fifth-fewest fantasy points allowed to running backs), but Darren McFadden has the Dallas backfield to himself now as he's played 81% and 80% of the team's offensive snaps the last two weeks. He's converted that into high volume production averaging 25 touches and 22.3 fantasy points over that same time span. The Eagles pace of play (fifth-highest plays per game) should lead to plenty of volume for McFadden on the other side of the ball, as Eagles' opponents are pulling off the fourth-most plays per game. As the Cowboys continue to get Dez Bryant up to game speed, look for the Cowboys to continue to lean on McFadden, subsequently turning him into a sneaky GPP play this week.