Week 9 of the NFL season is here and boy is this one going to be a tough week in DFS. We have a lot of mid at best teams on the main slate due to bye weeks and primetime games which leaves the top plays and matchups with a wide range of outcomes. That said, it's time to dig into our NFL DFS Week 9 projections and rankings. Each week we will break down our top plays, values and fades at the QB position to help you build your NFL DFS lineups for the DraftKings and FanDuel main slate. 

 

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NFL DFS QB Top Tier Picks

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

To be honest, I don't exactly LOVE this play but this slate is pretty brutal when it comes to matchups and available QBs. My worry is the obvious injury that Hurts is playing with that may limit his mobility which is not what you want when you have to go up against the Dallas Cowboys defense. On the flip side, the Eagles offense is absolutely loaded with weapons and a great offensive line and right now A.J. Brown is batting it out with Tyreek Hill when it comes to who is the best wide receiver in football. We saw DeVonta Smith have himself a day in Week 8 and we know Dallas Goedert and D'Andre Swift can make plays in the passing game as well. It's risky, but the upside is certainly there for Hurts this week.

Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints

In most weeks you would have found Carr in the value or mid-tier section of this article but the QB position is so bad this week that I'm putting the cover boy right here in the top tier section and that's because he is my top QB of the slate and he's going to be the mega chalk as well. Carr has thrown for 300+ yards now in three straight games with 20+ fantasy points in each of those contests. He now has a home matchup against the Chicago Bears, one of the worst defenses in the NFL. If there was ever a matchup for Carr to shine it would be this one right here.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

It's difficult to ignore Prescott a week after he throws four touchdown passes. Yes, we've seemingly been let down more than he's come through for us this season but the Eagles defense, while full of talent, just continues to give up yards and points through the air. If you think Dak gets it done against Philly with Ceedee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup leading the way you can certainly afford the stack.

NFL DFS QB Mid-Tier Picks

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Quite the gut punch in Week 8 from Stroud as the Texans come out of their bye week and lay a big egg against the Carolina Panthers. Stroud threw for a season low 140 yards with zero touchdowns. His 5.8 yards per completion was his lowest average since his debut. In Week 9 Houston is back home and facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have a good but not great secondary and I will look for a better game plan to be put in place for Stroud this week.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I like the wide receiver talent here that Mayfield gets to throw the football too and for that reason I'm willing to run out Mayfield in some GPP lineups this week despite the road matchup against a generally good pass defense in the Houston Texans. Mayfield is coming off a 20 fantasy point effort against the Bills in Week 8  and has put up 16 or more fantasy points in five of seven weeks this season.

NFL DFS QB Value Picks

Mac Jones, New England Patriots

Just hear me out, OK? Yes, I know this Patriots offense has been abysmal. Yes, I know Mac Jones has been pretty downright awful. BUT the Washington Commanders secondary is absolute trash and then on Tuesday's during the NFL trade deadline they traded away BOTH Montez Sweat and Chase Young which means their two best pass rushers are no longer going to cause havoc in the Patriots backfield. We saw Mac Jones finish with nearly 20 fantasy points when home against the Bills in Week 7 and he did have two touchdown passes against the Dolphins in Week 8. Is it my favorite play? No, not at all but again, this slate of games is not good.

Atlanta Falcons QB (Please be Taylor Heinicke) 

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith did not commit to naming a QB for the team's Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings after Heinicke played Week 8 following Ridder's in-game injury. For the sake of fantasy upside I truly believe Heinicke gives the Falcons passing offense their best hope of being productive as he threw for 175 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. Either way, I'm likely going to give a look to whomever starts at QB for the Falcons this week given the home matchup where Minnesota is starting a rookie QB. We could see some short fields for this Falcons offense to take advantage of. UPDATE: Heinicke was named the starting QB for this week.

NFL DFS QB Fade

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Just can't get the guy right. He goes into Arizona and lays an egg when he was the highest rostered QB on the slate and while he has a home matchup this week I'm not too sure I like the matchup against a Seattle Seahawks defense that is looking better and better by the week after they went and traded for Giants pro bowl defensive linemen Leonard Williams.