DraftKings NFL 2017: Week 9 Lineup
By Joe Romano
High Priced Quarterbacks
Deshaun Watson – Houston Texans ($8,100) – This is sad. Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his ACL in practice on Thursday and will miss the remainder of the season. We wish him all the best in a speedy recovery. Obviously you will avoid him and most of the Texans offense this week, despite a good matchup.
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Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks ($7,300) –Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson put on a display a week ago in a win over the Houston Texans. He led his team to a fourth quarter comeback while throwing for over 400 yards and four touchdowns. Wilson received some help when the Texans traded Duane Brown to Seattle on Monday. Unfortunately this may lead to more rushing than passing for the Seattle offense. Wilson is still a top tier player every week. In Week 9 Seattle stays home to welcome the Washington Redskins to town. Washington is bottom ten over the past four weeks in points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Wilson is a great option to build around for Week 9.
Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints ($7,000) – From two young surging quarterbacks to an elder statesmen who simply gets the job done. New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Bress may not be playing at the elite level he’s displayed in the past, but he’s still a great option at quarterback. New Orleans welcomes Tampa Bay to the Big Easy on Sunday. Tampa has been better against the pass the last four weeks but still rank 13th in points allowed to opposing quarterbacks over that span. Brees’ upside is a bit limited with the emergence of New Orleans fantastic running game. He will likely not lose you a week but also may continue with his middle of the road performances and cost you big points from a valuable position.
Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys ($6,700) – Back to young dynamic quarterbacks. Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott has continued with the strong play that earned him rookie of the year in 2016. As the Cowboys prepare to play the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9, Prescott is another great option. Unfortunately the loss of star running back Ezekiel Elliott could force Prescott into the toughest situation he’s faced in his young career. Luckily enough the Chiefs are an easy defense for opposing quarterbacks. They rank fourth in points allowed to opposing quarterbacks at over 21 per game. This game could become a shootout and Prescott may be due for a monster game without one of the NFL’s best running backs behind him.
Alex Smith – Kansas City Chiefs ($6,500) – The other side of the field from Prescott will be the surprise of the NFL this season. Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Alex Smith continues to impress after a hot start that some said would not last. The Chiefs signal caller is one of the top five highest-scoring players in all of fantasy. This week he gets a Dallas defense that can rush the passer but struggles to stop the ball once it gets into the air. The Cowboys rank 15th in points allowed per game to opposing quarterbacks over the last four weeks. They’ve been better than some may think but are not an elite option that should scare you away from starting Smith if you want.