Fansided

Week 9 DraftKings NFL – Main’s Mavericks Boom-or-Bust Low-Salary Picks

By Benjamin Main

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Running back C.J. Anderson
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Running back C.J. Anderson /
facebooktwitterreddit

Main’s Mavericks is providing weekly Draftkings NFL GPP contest advice by searching out low-salary, boom-or-bust plays destined to outperform value. As a general rule for this article, I target players below $5,000. My goal is to pick value plays who I believe can exceed 4-5 times their value (EX: $5,000 player x 4 = 20DK Pts). I will be using all of my picks in Week 9 DraftKings NFL GPP tournaments as boom-or-bust punt options. Saving on these volatile players will allow you to pay-up for superstars when building that Week 9 DraftKings NFL $1,000,000 lineup.

How I did last week:

Joe Flacco 4,800 vs MIA (28th Priced QB) – 8.94 (23 QB)

Joe Mixon 4,700 vs IND (27th Priced RB) – 12.90 (20 RB)

Tarik Cohen 4,600 @ NO (28th Priced RB) – 7.80 (35 RB)

Willie Snead 4,000 vs CHI (45th Priced WR) – 0 (>50th WR)

Travis Benjamin 3,900 @ NE (52nd Priced WR) – 18.80 (11 WR)

Marquise Goodwin 3,900 @ PHI (52nd Priced WR) – Injured

Ryan Griffin 3,100 vs @ SEA (20th Priced TE) – 2.00 (TE)

  • Prices courtesy of draftkings.com
  • Rankings courtesy of fantasydata.com

Tough week of injuries for the Mavericks this week. It started on Thursday with Kiko Alonso’s cheap shot on Joe Flacco. Snead and Goodwin were active for Sunday’s contests, but were extremely limited. Both were on snap counts and didn’t receive a target.

For those who did play, we saw some strong performances. Travis Benjamin finished with 18.80 DK points, finishing as the 11th WR despite being priced 52nd. Joe Mixon finished with 12.90 DK points, outperforming his price by 7 ranks. Tarik Cohen got into the end zone, but a strong day for Jordan Howard limited Tarik’s playingtime.

Through week 8, Main’s Mavericks has 8 top 10 finishers at their respective positions’. 4 of those top 10 finishers ranked 5th or better, with 2 1st overall finishes (CJ Anderson week 2, Jerrick McKinnon week 6).

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 31: Kenyan Drake
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 31: Kenyan Drake /

Week 9 DraftKings NFL GPP Picks

QB:

Drew Stanton 4,700 @ SF (29th Priced QB)

Drew Stanton is not a rookie. He has started in 13 games over his 8 year career (per pro-football-reference.com). Now he goes up against the worst team defense against QBs over the last 4 weeks (per fantasy.nfl.com). Plus I am a sucker for players coming off their bye. Bruce Aryans is a good coach, and he will have a good game-plan for his scab QB. If Stanton doesn’t shimmer your Jimmer, then check the board. There is a lot of value this week at QB. 7 starting QBs are priced at $5,000 or below.

RB:

CJ Anderson 4,800 @ PHI (23rd Priced RB)

Love this price tag. Last time DraftKings priced CJ this low he went off for 33.4 points (see week 2 Main’s Mavericks). Matchup is not great, but he is far too talented for a price tag this low.

Kenyan Drake 4,000 vs IND (38th Priced RB)

It is entirely possible that Damien Williams is the play here. However, I expect Kenyan Drake to get early down work, as he did last week – 7 carries/targets on 12 snaps vs Damien Williams 1 target on 8 snaps (courtesy of fantasypros.com). And I see Drake as the more talented option. Watch him break a big run and the Dolphins faithful saying “who was that bum we traded this week?”

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Wide receiver Cooper Kupp #18 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass for a touchdown in front of free safety T.J. Green #32 of the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The Rams defeated the Colts 46-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Wide receiver Cooper Kupp #18 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass for a touchdown in front of free safety T.J. Green #32 of the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The Rams defeated the Colts 46-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

WR:

Cooper Kupp 4,500 @ NYG (36th Priced WR)

If you are a faithful reader, you know that I love a talented WR3 against the Giants defense. Kupp is not your ordinary WR3. He has double digit DK points in 3 of his 7 games and is averaging 6 targets per game (per fantasypros.com).

More from FanSided

Kenny Stills 4,500 vs Oak (36th Priced WR)

Adam Gase is too good of a head coach to put up goose eggs in back to back weeks. Look for Miami’s offense to get back on track. Kenny Stills has been playing great in the absence of Parker. Plus, that Oakland defense looks bad. Maybe not so much against the pass, but that unit has unimpressed me.

  • If Devante Parker is able to suit up this week, roll with TY Hilton @ 4,900.

Ryan Grant 3,500 @ SEA (65nd Priced WR)

This is the essential throwaway option this week. I am guessing Grant will put up anywhere from 5-15 points this week. Which is a solid week for any WR, let alone a guy priced with the pigs. Who knows, if Kirk Cousins goes all Deshaun Watson on their asses, then we may be looking at historic upside.

TE:

Ben Watson 2,700 vs @ TEN (28th Priced TE)

I think Flacco will suit up Sunday. But I am starting Ben regardless of who lines up under center. Watson has been the model of consistency recently. Over his last 3 games, Watson has 8.8, 8.8, and 8.2 DK points. 8 points is all I ask of my TE every week.

Next: ESPN College Pick Em Picks Week 10

For more up to the date fantasy content, follow me on twitter @MdrnCoachSports. Best of luck, and let’s make some money!