Awesemo has a ton of great tools and NFL DFS strategy to tackle all the largest contests for Week 9 in NFL DFS. This article will provide some first impressions of the upcoming slate, including some of the top matchups and value plays. It will discuss salaries and who sticks out at various tiers for Yahoo daily fantasy NFL picks this week.
Week 8 brought more big changes to the NFL fantasy landscape with the injury news to Derrick Henry (broken foot), who is on IR and could miss the rest of the regular season. Tennessee has already brought in Adrian Peterson (36 years old) and has Jeremy McNichols as a solid change-of-pace back. Week 8 also saw a ton of backup quarterbacks go for big yardage. The Saints had another big injury, as they lost Jameis Winston for the year and will roll with a combo of Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemen at quarterback for.
Yahoo Daily Fantasy: Week 9 NFL First Look & Value Plays
QB Aaron Rodgers — $33
The Packers take on the struggling Chiefs on the road this week in a game that is interesting for multiple reasons. Green Bay is coming off a huge road win, but this will be their second big test in a row. For fantasy, though, quarterbacks are averaging 8.1 yards per pass attempt against Kansas City (fourth worst mark in the league). Opposing quarterbacks have also thrown for the second most yards against the Chiefs this season. Aaron Rodgers had a low output day for fantasy purposes in his last game but has gone over 20 points on Yahoo in four of his last five starts. Davante Adams may be eligible to return for this game too, and at the very least, Rodgers should have both Allen Lazard and Marques Valdes Scantling available. The arrow is up on Rodgers for fantasy this week, and he remains very affordable at just over $30.
QB Tua Tagovailoa — $26
Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense predictably struggled last week against the Bills’ formidable defense. However, with the Dolphins defense in the gutter these days, Tagovailoa has become a far more viable fantasy quarterback in 2021. In his four starts this year he has rushed the ball at least three times a game and grabbed his second touchdown rushing of the year against Buffalo in Week 8. The Dolphins are throwing the ball far more often in 2021, as Tagovailoa has averaged 43 pass attempts per game over his last three starts. Given Houston’s issues in the secondary — they allow 8.1 yards per attempt, tied with the Chiefs for third worst — expect a better fantasy performance. He is ranked eighth in the early-week Awesemo projections at quarterback for Week 9.
RB Austin Ekeler — $30
The Chargers had all kinds of issues with the Patriots defense last week, but Austin Ekeler was able to break through for a big game. The Chargers gave Ekeler his biggest workload of the season last week, and he responded by averaging 5.81 yards per carry and grabbing six catches on 10 targets. Los Angeles has lost two straights, so the likelihood of them dialing back Ekeler’s usage, even against a weak team like Philadelphia, seems unlikely. The Eagles have allowed the second-most fantasy points to running backs per game this season and the second-most receptions to the position. Ekeler projects for the second-highest ranking on Awesemo early in Week 9.
RB Elijah Mitchell — $21
Elijah Mitchell returned to action last week and had a monster game against the Bears, going for 137 yards on just 18 carries and a touchdown. Mitchell has averaged 6.77 yards per carry in his last two games, so the competition to see who the 49ers lead back is can be officially closed. Mitchell is still going to top out around 60-70% of the snaps played every week, but he gets another tasty matchup in Week 9 against Arizona, who has allowed 4.9 yards per carry as a unit — the second-worst mark in the league. Mitchell is nursing some sore ribs, but if he practices in full Friday, he will be a great play again at barely over $20 on Yahoo.
WR Stefon Diggs — $27
Stefon Diggs had a low-volume day in a relatively easy Buffalo win over Miami. He did score for the second week in a row, though, and remains the lead dog in a Buffalo offense that throws the ball 39.3 times per game (sixth most in the NFL). The Bills take on another weak opponent in the Jaguars in Week 9, and they do not do much of anything well on defense and have allowed 8.6 yards per pass attempt against this year, the second-worst mark in the league. Diggs projects in the top-five at his position in the early-week projections and looks like great value at under $30.
WR Brandin Cooks — $18
The Texans may be getting a boost this week at quarterback with Tyrod Taylor (questionable) potentially back under center. Brandin Cooks posted 132 yards on just seven targets in Week 1 with Taylor, but he has been a useful fantasy asset, even with rookie Davis Mills. The main attraction is the matchup with the Dolphins, whose secondary has been banged up all season. Miami has allowed the third-most receptions to wide receivers and the second-most touchdowns through eight weeks. Teams are also throwing at will against Miami, with opponents averaging over 39 pass attempts per game. Cooks is ultra-cheap for a player who is averaging around nine targets per game this year.
TE Zach Ertz — $16
For once, the main slate seems to have handful of good options at tight end. Going cheaper this week might pay off too, as Zach Ertz is at a very reasonable price. Ertz may be called on for a few more targets in Week 9, with DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) banged up and looming as a questionable game-time decision. Ertz played on over 70% of the snaps in Week 8 after playing on 43% in Week 7 and could realistically push for eight or more targets depending on the status of Hopkins. Ertz is setting up as a potential bargain at just $16.
TE Dan Arnold — $13
Dan Arnold was highlighted last week, as his role was clearly growing in Jacksonville. He took yet another step forward in Week 8, coming down with eight catches on 10 targets, which was second on the team. Things do not get any easier for the Jaguars, as they take on the Bills this week and are 14-point underdogs, but this scenario should also again lead to plenty of late-game target. It is not pretty — he only averaged 8.5 yards per catch last week — but the garbage-time action and inability of Trevor Lawrence to get the ball to his receivers makes Arnold a valuable commodity at such a low price.
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