FanDuel NFL 2021: Best lineup for Week 9

Wide Receivers

Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins-$6,800

Cooks has been the only useful Texan in fantasy, with at least five catches in seven of eight games this season and over 75 yards five times. Tyrod Taylor might be back under center in Week 9, but even if it’s Davis Mills again it’s still a good matchup for Cooks.

The Miami Dolphins have been a bad defense this season, including allowing the second-most FanDuel points per game to wide receivers (36.1).

It could be a sneaky high-scoring game between two bad teams on Sunday. Faced with going cheap at wide receiver, Cooks stood out to me.

Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders at New York Giants-$5,600

Diving into the Henry Ruggs situation is not something for this specific space, but with the Raiders cutting the 2020 first-round pick, there is a void to fill on the field. As it was Renfrow was solidly involved, with at least five catches in six of seven games before the Week 8 bye and a least seven targets five times.

The New York Giants are a bottom-tier defense against wide receivers, including allowing the sixth-most total receptions (118) and targets (176) to the position. Those two numbers are music to Renfrow’s ears as a primary target for Derek Carr.

I’m putting Renfrow on double-digit targets in Week 9, with a natural floor that guarantees he’ll return DFS value at this salary level.

Tajae Sharpe, Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints, $5,500

With Calvin Ridley out of the mix in Week 5 and Week 8, Sharpe saw by far his two highest snap rates of the season (81 and 68 percent) with 9.3 and 10.8 full PPR points in those games respectively. Ridley is away from the team as he tends to his mental health, so he won’t be playing again Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints have been a solid defense overall, but they are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Ridley is leaving behind a huge target share when he’s been available, and someone will have an opportunity.

Russell Gage could also have been in consideration here as a bargain play among Falcons receivers, but a targetless game in Week 8 lands me on Sharpe.