DraftKings NFL 2017: Week 9 Lineup
By Joe Romano
High Priced Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins – Houston Texans ($9,200) – There was a really nice portion of this dedicated to how great it is that DeAndre Hopkins has a competent quarterback now. With the Deshaun Watson injury Hopkins value plummets. Tom Savage is taking over at quarterback. The All-Pro wide receiver is having a tremendous season and has five touchdowns over the last four weeks. Quarterback Deshaun Watson completely changed the Texans offense. This week with Savage returning, the offense will revert to what we saw in the first week of the season. Houston plays the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts allow the eighth-most points per game to opposing receivers and second-most yards over the last four weeks. Without rookie safety Malik Hooker there is no one in the Colts secondary that can scare anyone on the Texans. It’s tough to invest that much capital in a receiver with a quarterback who has shown his ineptitude in the beginning of this season. Hopkins, and the entire NFL, will miss Watson.
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Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons ($7,800) – There is a massive price drop from the number one to number two wide receiver. If Hopkins is having his best season yet, Atlanta Falcons’ wide receiver Julio Jones is having one of his worst. The talented pass catcher is still racking up yards but only has a single touchdown on the season. Atlanta’s offense has been a mystery all season and no solution looks like it’s coming. This week the Falcons play NFC South rivals the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers defense ranks in the top ten in points allowed to opposing wide receivers and have only allowed one touchdown in the last four weeks. Jones used to be matchup proof. If you plug him into your lineup now you’re hoping that this is the week the Falcons turn it around. That’s tough to predict but more surprising things have happened in the NFL this season.
Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($7,700) – Another case of an elite wide receiver who’s in a struggling offense is Mike Evans in Tampa Bay. This week Tampa Bay travels to New Orleans in another NFC South battle. The Saints defense has been playing very well over the past four weeks. Rookie Marshon Lattimore looks like a lock down corner already. He will likely be tasked with shadowing Evans. In his first season Lattimore has yet to allow over 40 yards receiving in a single game. I’m avoiding Evans, especially with quarterback Jameis Winston struggling so much the past few weeks.
A.J. Green – Cincinnati Bengals ($7,400) – The Cincinnati Bengals are another team that face an elite defensive backfield. Wide receiver A.J. Green won’t be shadowed in this game but the Jacksonville Jaguars boast the most impressive corner duo outside of Denver in the NFL. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye have locked down opposing wide receives all season. With the Jaguars also leading the league in sacks, this could be a long day for the entire Bengals offense. Like Evans, I’d avoid Green even though he’s shown his ability to put up big numbers against elite defenses. I don’t trust Andy Dalton to be able to have time to throw the deep ball that Green thrives on.
Michael Thomas – New Orleans Saints ($7,200) – New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is cementing himself into the upper echelon of wide receivers. He enters Week 9 13th in receiving yards in the NFL. Even with the Saints running the ball more and spreading it out, he’s the top option for an elite offense. Thomas will always have value for daily players. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming to town on Sunday, I like Thomas as a lineup building block. The Buccaneers have been abysmal on defense all season, especially to opposing wide receivers. They’ve allowed the fourth most receiving yards during the last four weeks and sixth most points per game to opposing receivers over that span. A Drew Brees-Thomas stack is a good way to kick start some lineups in a very favorable matchup while only eating up 28 percent of your available money.