Welcome to the weekly wide receiver/cornerback breakdown for fantasy football Week 9! We will review each of the outside matchups, as well as my 10 favorite matchups in the slot. Then, below the charts in this article, I break down my five absolute favorite matchups to use for NFL DFS lineups. It is the roughest of the season with six teams on bye, so our lineup decisions will be harder this week than any other. Which should be starting for your team? Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson headlines the best matchups for NFL Week 9 as you set those fantasy football lineups. This article is also critical for NFL DFS players, as this will help you gain a competitive advantage when setting your daily fantasy football lineups. Be sure to check out our Week 9 fantasy football player rankings, our NFL weekly projections and all of our NFL DFS lineup advice. Follow me on Twitter (@fightingchance) as well!

 

NFL Week 9 WR-CB Matchup Report

Left WR vs Right CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDK / FD $CornerbackOppMatchup
DeAndre HopkinsARI$7900 / $8600Michael JacksonSEASafe
DAAAAAAAAAAMN! This guy is good! Hopkins had 12 catches for 159 yards and an absolutely beautiful one-handed touchdown catch against the Vikings in Week 8. That is 22 catches for 262 yards in two weeks for Hopkins and now he gets a gift against a pretty soft Seattle secondary, although they have been a little better of late. He had five more catches and targets than anyone else on the team and is far and away the number one option. Hopkins is a no brainer in both DFS cash and GPPs and of course your season long games.
Drake LondonATL$4900 / $5600Asante SamuelLACRisky
He had his most targets in three weeks, but sadly his most targets in three weeks was only five. London did catch four passes which was his most since Week 5, but he had only 31 yards and hasn't topped 50 now since Week 3. The Falcons almost threw it a normal amount of times with 28 pass attempts and London still disappointed. The Chargers lost their top cover corner in J.C. Jackson right before their bye, but I still can't trust London in Week 9. I guess if you have a lot of guys on bye I could see him as a flex, but I wouldnt be playing him with much confidence.
Devin DuvernayBAL Alontae TaylorNOModerate
Rashod Bateman was unable to finish Thursday’s game, and while he has had ten days to get ready, he isn't going to play in this one either. Duvernay, though, looked explosive but only ended up with four catches for 31 yards and 33 more on the ground including a rushing touchdown. I was just disgusted watching Lamar Jackson trying to throw the ball last week and considering the very small number of passes they throw, I can’t suggest using Duvernay unless you are in real trouble due to bye weeks, which give that there are six teams off it could be the case. I just wouldn’t bench any established fantasy worthy receiver for him. For Monday night's showdown slate I guess he is a better option than what else Baltimore is running out there.
Stefon DiggsBUF$8400 / $8900Sauce GardnerNYJSafe
What do I have to say here? He delivered his third straight 100-yard game, and Diggs now has five such games in seven weeks. Sure, Sauce Gardner has had a great rookie season and has allowed less than a 50 percent catch rate and under 20 yards per game, but Buffalo is just a machine on offense, and Diggs is among the best in the league. The Jets just haven't faced many receivers quite like Diggs this year and I still think he tops five catches and 80 yards and likely scores again.
DJ MooreCAR$5800 / $7000Eli AppleCINSafe
Last week I wrote if you had the stones, you should play Moore in a good matchup with a very low salary and he came through in a big way. Has P.J. Walker actually stabilized this offense? The Panthers are doing the worst tank job as they beat the Bucs and should have beaten Atlanta. Moore now has 13 catches on 21 targets for 221 yards and two touchdowns in the last two weeks, and clearly Walker knows where his bread is buttered. Moore is one of very few options to be thrown to on this offense, and the Bengals secondary is in shambles after Monday night. Moore's salary makes him a reasonable DFS target and he certainly has reinvigorated himself as a weekly start in season long leagues.
Darnell MooneyCHI$4700 / $6100Xavien HowardMIAModerate
Speaking of having a pulse, check out Mooney! He still hasn't scored yet, but he has topped 50 receiving yards in five straight weeks now, and has 15 catches in the last three games. Sure, this isn't league winning stuff, but considering where he was after Week 2, it is a vast difference. Justin Fields is being allowed to throw more, and that is leading to at least a modicum of success for Mooney. He still isn't on the DFS radar, but he at least has become someone that you can count on in your WR3 or flex spot going forward.
Tee HigginsCIN$7300 / $8000Donte JacksonCARSafe
He finished Monday night with three catches for 49 yards and an impressive touchdown, but that score was late in the game and he had single digit receiving yards at that time. Will the offense continue to struggle without Ja'Marr Chase? Or was it just a night where the offensive line struggled and the Browns just came to play? There is enough uncertainty for me to not focus on Higgins for DFS purposes, but I have plenty of confidence in him that there's no doubt he is a weekly play in season long leagues especially with six teams on bye.
Josh ReynoldsDET$4600 / $5700Jaire AlexanderGBRisky
After three straight good weeks, Reynolds has gone down the toilet with just three catches for 22 yards combined in the last two weeks. You can't say that this is too unexpected from Reynolds as he has been a wildly inconsistent player throughout his career, with some great (short) stretches and many games where you wondered if he is on the field. The Packers secondary is far from impressive, even with the great Jaire Alexander, but there's only one wide receiver on this team that you need to consider for fantasy purposes for Week 9 and it isn't Josh Reynolds.
Romeo DoubsGB$5300 / $6100Jeff OkudahDETSafe
Allen Lazard didn't practice at all last week, and how he described his shoulder injury didn't sound promising. I think we are in for another week of a very limited Green Bay receiving group. That is good news for Doubs who had four catches for 62 yards and a score against the Bills on Sunday night. The Lions is a much easier matchup as we watch the Dolphins destroy them last week. I don't expect to see that kind of day from Doubs, but assuming Lazard misses the game, I think the Packers rookie is going to be a great play in both season long and as a DFS bargain just on the case that the Packers will be able to throw the ball on the Lions and Doubs is probably their only reliable option.
Brandin CooksHOU$10800 / $11500Darius SlayPHIModerate
So it wasn't a complete dud, but I really expected more from Cooks than a measly six targets against the lowly Titans secondary. He finished the game with four catches for 73 yards, but has scored just once the entire season. This guy has really let me down this season, and now gets an awful matchup against the Eagles. The only way that I see Cooks having any success is if he catches some long garbage time ball or two. I am still using him in my flex especially with six teams on bye, but my expectations are definitely pretty low in this one
Michael Pittman Jr.IND$6800 / $6400Jack JonesNEModerate
Game one of the Sam Ehlinger experiment didn't go great. I mean he wasn't awful, but he certainly didn't move the needle up on any of the Colts weapons for the rest of the season. Pittman did have seven catches on nine targets, but that was good for just 53 yards. Considering Ehlinger only threw it 23 times, nine targets is actually good news for Pittman. However, it was against perhaps the worst secondary in Washington, and they aren't going to score a lot. The matchup is much tougher this week against the Patriots, and that fact alone is enough to have me shy away from any Colts receiver for DFS purposes. But that kind of target share makes Pittman at least a WR3 for season long leagues and worth a start in Week 9.
Marvin Jones Jr.JAC$4200 / $5300Rock Ya-SinLVRisky
He only managed three targets in London, which was the second time in four weeks that he failed to have a catch. That was sandwiched between two pretty good games, but I still don’t believe in Jones. If you have several players on bye and/or hurt I could see using him this week as a flex just because the Raiders secondary is awful, but he is far from a good, logical choice for Week 9.
Kadarius ToneyKC Kristian FultonTENModerate
He hasn’t played all year due to “injury” although the rumors were he thought he was ready and the Giants held him out. Toney’s stock hits an all time high in Kansas City and while he might not do a ton this week, he did have a week and a half to get acclimated to his new team since they were on bye last week. He couldn’t get a better matchup to start his time with the Chiefs and I would put him into my season long lineups. I will be tempted in the Sunday night showdown DFS too, but I don’t think he’s been on the team long enough to take that chance.
Davante AdamsLV$8100 / $8100Tyson CampbellJACSafe
He was battling the flu all week so we won't know if that was also a factor, but Adams laid a huge dud with just one catch for three yards against a Saints secondary that was again without Marshon Lattimore and had been getting tattooed on a weekly basis. The Raiders offense has been a shell of what we thought it would be this season, and Derek Carr looks like he has taken three steps back in 2022. That being said, the Jags secondary looks to be without Shaquill Griffin, and they can't really afford injuries to this part of their team. He could be a nice option in DFS leagues considering many will likely flock away from him and I can never sit Adams in season long leagues.
Joshua PalmerLAC$5100 / $6200Rashad FentonATLSafe
With Mike Williams out a while, Palmer will certainly take on an enhanced role and will be the top receiver on the outside. He has shown some flashes this season when given more targets as he had nine catches for 57 yards last week and six catches for 99 yards in Week 3 when he had nine targets. The Falcons secondary has allowed among the most passing touchdowns this season, and with their injuries it could get worse. I like Palmer in both season long and DFS contests for Week 9.
Allen Robinson IILAR$5000 / $7000Zyon McCollumTBModerate
It still hasn't been impressive, but Robinson has woken up slightly as he now has back-to-back games with five catches and more than 50 yards. He was very involved in this one and even had a couple of red zone looks. He still didn't have a great game by any stretch, and Van Jefferson is returning, but it is good to see signs of life from Robinson. I definitely don't expect any 2019 kind of Allen Robinson game against the Bucs, but with six teams on bye and a load of injuries in the NFL, you can definitely find worse options for your flex spot than this guy. If you've held him this long, run him out there and hope for the best. Ringing endorsement, I know.
Jaylen WaddleMIA$7400 / $8200Jaylon JonesCHISafe
It was another game where Waddle and Tyreek Hill both went bananas, but it was Waddle that had both touchdowns to go with his eight catches and 106 yards in this one. This is now three straight weeks that he has over 85 receiving yards and is averagingin six catches over that span. The Bears are a pretty good secondary, but Dak Prescott just shredded them pretty badly last week, and they haven't been the dominant unit they were earlier in the season. Tua Tagovailoa is firing on all cylinders right now and it is hard pressed to think of a matchup that you wouldn't consider Waddle. I would like this game more if it was in Miami over Chicago but he definitely still warrants consideration for DFS and is a lock down season long lineup starter.
Justin JeffersonMIN$8600 / $9000Kendall FullerWASSafe
I'm not going to go into too deep analysis here because I don't think I have to. The Commanders have allowed the third most passing touchdowns in the league, and Jefferson is an elite mega-talent at wide receiver. His streak of three straight 100-yard games last week against the Cardinals when he had 98. He has 34 catches in the last four weeks, and although he hasn't scored since Week 1, that is a stat I expect to change in a big way this week. I will be shocked if Jefferson doesn't go over 100 yards here and possibly score not just once but twice.
Nelson AgholorNE$3200 / $5200Stephon GilmoreINDRisky
With DeVante Parker set to miss the game, that really leaves the Patriots without a lot of options. Agholor has been trash this season, as he has just one target in each of the last three weeks and is basically being pushed out of the rotation. He is only a potential factor due to injury, but I don't expect him to do much here. The Pats are struggling at quarterback, and right now Jakobi Meyers is the only guy you can trust. Leave Agholor on waiver wires as he is not going to be someone to count on in this one!
Chris OlaveNO Marlon HumphreyBALSafe
With no Michael Thomas and no Jarvis Landry against the pillow soft Raiders secondary, I thought Olave was in for a huge game. It wasn't terrible with five catches for 52 yards, but I certainly was expecting much more in this one. It was the Alvin Kamara show both on the ground and through the air, and that happens sometimes. The Ravens are allowing nearly 270 yards per game through the air and 12 passing touchdowns so far, so Andy Dalton should be able to move the ball. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me if Michael Thomas and/or Jarvis Landry returns, I am sticking with Olave in season long and for the Monday night showdown slate.
Garrett WilsonNYJ$4800 / $5800Dane JacksonBUFModerate
This is not a drill folks! A Jets wide receiver has a pulse! Wilson popped off with six catches on seven targets for 115 yards in the first time a wide receiver has been able to do much of anything since Zach Wilson came back. That game script did cause the Jets to throw more than they would like, but I think we got a clear idea of where these guys rank. Wilson was great with Joe Flacco under center, and if Zach Wilson can start to focus on him more, he can get his season back on track! I don't trust this offense enough, especially against Buffalo to consider him for DFS purposes, but you can put him back into your lineups comfortably in your season long leagues.
A.J. BrownPHI$16800 / $14500Steven NelsonHOUSafe
This guy is good at football! Brown had three touchdown catches among his six grabs and 156 yards against the Steelers in Week 8 as his torrid pace continues. He just absolutely took advantage of the Pittsburgh secondary in every possible way. He has at least 65 receiving yards in every game but one and now has four touchdowns in the last two weeks. The Texans are abysmal against the run, but have only allowed five passing touchdowns this season. Feeling like this might be more of a DeVonta Smith week, but Brown should certainly have another great game and has a strong chance of finding the end zone again.
DK MetcalfSEA$6400 / $7400Trayvon MullenARISafe
It seemed like he might miss multiple weeks, but somehow Metcalf not only played last week, but had six catches on ten targets for 55 yards and a touchdown against the Giants. I guess he is healthy after all! Or at least healthy enough to play. The matchup is great this week as the Cardinals have allowed the third most passing touchdowns in the league this season. He only had two catches for 34 yards against the Cardinals back in Week 6, but I am expecting a better game from him. I might favor Tyler Lockett in DFS games, but Metcalf is a guy you have to start in season long leagues.
Mike EvansTB$7200 / $7700Jalen RamseyLARSafe
While the demise of the Buccaneers offense scoring has limited his upside, Evans is still getting the job done, especially in PPR leagues. With his six catch, 123 yard performance last Thursday, he has two very strong games in a row, even if he hasn’t scored since Week 4. His usage is still high as he has 26 targets in the last two weeks alone, but the Rams are a strong secondary, even if Jalen Ramsey hasn’t been as elite as in the past. I have a hard time thinking about using the Bucs in DFS, but Evans is still a no doubter in season long leagues.
Robert WoodsTEN#N/AJaylen WatsonKCRisky
The whole team was terrible except for Derrick Henry, but it is also hard for a wide receiver to have success when the team only throws it ten times. Woods caught both of his targets for 26 yards, but let's not totally blame Malik Willis, Woods wasn't producing with Ryan Tannehill either. The Chiefs have allowed the most passing touchdowns with 17, but I don't see the Titans able to move the ball much on them. Leave Woods on your bench, but he might be as good an option as any if you are targeting a Titans receiver on the Sunday night showdown DFS slate.
Terry McLaurinWAS$5900 / $7200Patrick PetersonMINModerate
We are finally seeing the Terry McLaurin that we are accustomed to! He had six catches for 113 yards and a score against a tough Colts secondary as the Washington pass game has been given new life with Taylor Heinicke. McLaurin had all of the swagger and alpha energy as he willed his team to victory. He gets the Vikings this week who are allowing over 275 yards per game through the air, and the Commanders should continue to have success throwing the ball. I am looking for McLaurin to have another great game with five or more catches, over 75 receiving yards and another score.
 
Right WR vs Left CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Robbie AndersonARI$3800 / $5100Tariq WoolenSEARisky
Robbie Anderson? A.J. Green? Does it really matter who the other outside receiver is for Arizona? This is DeAndre Hopkins passing attack with Rondale Moore and Zach Ertz next in line. Neither Green nor Anderson had a catch and you can continue to watch them sit on the waiver wire going forward.
Olamide ZaccheausATL$3600 / $5200Michael DavisLACRisky
He actually put up better numbers when the Falcons barely threw as Zaccheaus had just one catch on one target for ten yards against the Panthers. He has been nothing of fantasy consequence yet this season, and he will remain that going forward no matter the matchup.
Demarcus RobinsonBAL Paulson AdeboNORisky
He had his best game of the season. Hell, probably his best game in a few seasons with six catches for 64 yards on eight targets last Thursday against the Bucs. However, he only had nine catches on the season before then, so what does that tell you about Robinson’s value? Even if with Rashod Bateman out, I have no faith in Robinson having any fantasy relevant game.
Gabe DavisBUF$6900 / $6600D.J. ReedNYJModerate
The season has been a disappointment for sure for Davis who has just 16 catches in the six games he has played. He actually had a season high seven targets Sunday night against the Packers, but was able to bring in just two of them for 35 yards. Davis has 418 yards on the season, but nearly half of them came in one game (171) against the Steelers. The Jets secondary has allowed nine passing touchdowns in eight games, and Reed is allowing under ten yards per catch. Davis could pop off with a good game, but it is getting very hard to trust when that might happen. You almost have to start him in season long leagues and then just hope for the best or if he is on your bench when he goes off you'll kick yourself in the ass.
Terrace Marshall Jr.CAR$3900 / $5400Tre FlowersCINModerate
The trade of Robbie Anderson opened up the opportunity for someone to step up and it looks like it will be Marshall. The Panthers second round pick in 2021 played nearly every snap and accounted for four catches for 87 yards on nine targets. The efficiency isn't great, but that is damn good volume on a Panthers offense that seemingly has figured it out since dealing Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey. Marshall definitely deserves to be picked up off of waiver wires, and with six teams on bye I certainly see scenarios where he is a solid flex play even against a Bengals secondary dealing with several injuries and will be coming off a short week.
Equanimeous St. BrownCHI$3700 / $5200Noah IgbinogheneMIARisky
He continues to be a non-factor and did not build on his strong Week 7 as he collected just one catch for six yards on three targets against Dallas. St. Brown still hasn't topped 50 receiving yards in a game and still only has one where he has more than two catches. Chase Claypool coming to town just crushes his value further, even though Claypool probably won't be a big part of this week's action
Mike ThomasCIN$3700 / $5100Jaycee HornCARRisky
It really doesn't matter if it is Thomas or Trent Irwin as the second outside receiver for the Bengals they aren't going to have an impact in fantasy. The Cincinnati passing game is going to be Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and then Hayden Hurst, and no one else is going to matter. Leave the waiver wires alone.
Kalif RaymondDET$4000 / $5400Eric StokesGBModerate
With Josh Reynolds perhaps still not 100% it was Raymond again who had a good game with three catches for 76 yards on four targets. That is two straight weeks over 75 yards, but I am still not quite buying into this. You can throw him in a flex spot because of six teams on bye, but I feel like the bottom is due to fall out on Raymond, especially if Reynolds is improving.
Sammy WatkinsGB$3600 / $5400Amani OruwariyeDETRisky
As stated above, this is going off the assumption that Allen Lazard is going to miss the game. Watkins had just one catch for three yards with the one target. The Packers pass game is completely broken and even against the Lions I wouldn't trust Watkins to have any impact kind of game where he is on the fantasy radar.
Phillip Dorsett IIHOU$6000 / $9000James BradberryPHIRisky
A week after getting a little attention with a touchdown and 45 yards in Week 7, Dorsett had another great matchup last week against the Titans and dumped just one catch for six yards on five targets. The Texans passing game has been a wild disappointment and now they will face the best secondary in football in Philadelphia. Dorsett is a non-factor this week and going forward.
Alec PierceIND$4400 / $5500Jalen MillsNERisky
The 65 yards seem good for Pierce in Week 8, but 47 of those yards came on one play and we can clearly tell that Sam Ehlinger isn't going to take a lot of long shots down the field. The targets were less than I was hoping, and I didn't see a lot of positivity from the Colts offense with the new quarterback. Pierce's value takes a hit going forward, and a matchup against the Patriots isn't something you want to see. I think that Pierce is only a desperation flex play and could be dropped if there's a good name on the waiver wire.
Zay JonesJAC$4100 / $5500Anthony AverettLVRisky
It was another disappointing day for Jones across the pond as he only caught three passes for 28 yards. He has topped 50 yards just once in the last four weeks and has only had five catches once over that span. This is a very good matchup and I want to believe in Zay but there just hasn’t been enough evidence to suggest that he will even top ten fantasy points in full PPR scoring.
Marquez Valdes-ScantlingKC Terrance MitchellTENModerate
It will be interesting to see which Chiefs receiver who already wasn’t doing a lot will be pushed down the priority list with Kadarius Toney on the team now considering I think he is better than both Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman. I know Hardman had the big game before the bye, but I still think MVS has more value but still doesn’t belong in starting fantasy lineups even against the Titans. He could always be an option in showdown slates for DFS as he is a boom or bust kind of player.
Mack HollinsLV$4500 / $5700Tre HerndonJACRisky
He had a "decent game" with seven catches for 64 yards against the Saints, however, Davante Adams was a non-factor, and the team didn't score any points. Darren Waller was also out and Hunter Renfrow was a no-show. This was the first time since Week 3 that Hollins had more than three catches in a game and I don't see him having a big game even against Jacksonville who has some injuries in their secondary. In this wild week with six teams on bye he could sneak into a flex spot if you need
DeAndre CarterLAC$4300 / $5500Darren HallATLRisky
He is surely set to have more targets with Mike Williams out, but I still don’t see Carter having much of an impact. He hasn’t had more than three catches in any game this season, and while maybe one day he might get to four or five catches in a game, I don’t see him making any waves in the fantasy landscape. Let him stay on waiver wires.
Van JeffersonLAR$3500 / $5800Jamel DeanTBRisky
He didn't garner a target last week against the 49ers, but it was his first game of the season as he returned from a knee injury. He is a very boom or bust kind of player, but the Rams offense could really use another playmaker. However, Allen Robinson has woken up a little bit and the Bucs secondary should be better than it is. While Jefferson is a worthy pick up in season long leagues, I don't see him having an impact in Week 9 unless somehow Cooper Kupp is unable to play
Trent SherfieldMIA$3300 / $5100Kindle VildorCHIRisky
A week after having three catches for 44 yards, Sherfield had two catches on three targets for another 25 yards. I mean, these are decent games for him, but it is nothing to get excited about for fantasy. The Bears secondary has taken it on the chin in the past couple of weeks, but Sherfield is nowhere near the fantasy radar.
Adam ThielenMIN$5600 / $6200Benjamin St. JusteWASModerate
The floor isn't terrible as he has four of seven games over 50 receiving yards and only one game with fewer than four catches, but the guy who has kept his fantasy value alive with touchdowns isn't scoring this year. In fact, he has just two on the season. If he is going to do it, it better be this week against the lowly Commanders. All the cool kids are scoring touchdowns against them! I don't have enough faith in Thielen's ability to score to use him in a DFS contest, but this will be one of the better weeks to trot him out in your season long leagues.
Tyquan ThorntonNE$3300 / $5600Isaiah RodgersINDRisky
Man, I had such high hopes for Thornton when he returned from injury as I believe he is a weapon that the Patriots don't have in any other player. His speed and playmaking ability are top notch. However, this offense is hampered by poor quarterbacking play and a desire to run the ball a lot. Thornton has just one catch in each of the last two weeks and only had two targets in Week 8. Perhaps he will get a slight bump with DeVante Parker set to miss the game, but I don't see it being enough to warrant putting him in any fantasy starting lineups for Week 9.
Marquez CallawayNO Marcus PetersBALRisky
Where in the world is Michael Thomas? We have no idea when he is going to play again, but it isn't going to be this week, which puts Callaway back as an outside starter. He had no catches last week on one target after having eight catches for 102 yards combined in the previous two games. He is a boom or bust candidate who rarely booms. He has over 60 receiving yards just once this year and over four catches just once. You can take a dart throw on him if you want for the showdown slate for DFS but I have no fantasy of him having a big game.
Denzel MimsNYJ$3100 / $5200Kaiir ElamBUFRisky
Man, the Jets really hate Elijah Moore! They hate him so much that they brought up the last receiver they drafted early and then hated, Denzel Mims, back to play and he actually caught a few passes. Don't fall victim to seeing that he had 76 yards because all but 13 of those yards came on one catch. The Jets aren't all of a sudden going to be a high powered passing attack, and even if they did, Mims wouldn't be a factor. It is a nice game for him, but nothing to move the needle for fantasy purposes.
DeVonta SmithPHI$12300 / $12000Derek StingleyHOUSafe
His yardage totals have been under 50 for three of the last four games, but Smith still has 20 catches combined in the last three. A.J. Brown went bonkers last week with the three touchdowns last week, which doesn't leave a lot for anyone else. I like Smith a lot this week though as Stingley is allowing nearly 70 percent of passes to be caught for more than 13 yards per catch. I also feel like Houston will key on A.J. Brown after his huge game last week and that will open up the defense for Smith. His salary is very reasonable, I like the matchup with the cornerback and I really like Smith in both season long and DFS games for Week 9.
Tyler LockettSEA$6100 / $7600Marco WilsonARISafe
He had a solid game with five catches for 63 yards and a score, but also lost a fumble and dropped another potential touchdown that smacked him in the face. Considering the matchup against the Giants, the Seattle passing game did quite well. The matchup gets a lot easier this week against the Cardinals who have given up 14 passing touchdowns already and over 250 yards per game through the air. This one will also be inside at Arizona, and I like Lockett a lot in that situation. I think he is a solid GPP play for DFS purposes and remains in your season long lineups as a WR2.
Julio JonesTB$5000 / $5300Derion KendrickLARRisky
Sure, he had a late touchdown, but Jones only had two catches for 21 yardsd on four targets last Thursday. It was his first game since the beginning of the month, and if you are still believing in this guy, I don’t know how to convince you otherwise. Don’t even think of starting Jones this week.
Nick Westbrook-IkhineTEN Chris LammonsKCRisky
He has two targets and no catches in the last two weeks. He couldn't be farther from the fantasy radar. Let's just move on.
Cam SimsWAS$3000 / $4700Cameron DantzlerMINRisky
He had one catch for 21 yards in Week 8 against the Colts, but Sims isn't a guy you need to worry about for fantasy. Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel are the only two guys on this team worth a damn for fantasy so keep him on the waiver wire.
 
Slot WR vs Slot CB
Wide ReceiverTeamDraftKings/FanDuelCornerbackOppMatchup
Cooper KuppLAR$8900 / $9000Sean Murphy-BuntingTBSafe
Hard to believe a down game for him is eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Kupp did suffer an ankle injury, but all reports early are that it isn't overly serious and it is believed that he will play this week. I don't think the Rams would put him out there if they thought there was a serious case of an aggravation, and I think he will play his usual number of snaps. Winfield has allowed two touchdowns so far this season, and a play over 20 yards in three of six games this season. Even with Van Jefferson coming back, Kupp is still the bread and butter of this offense. The injury might keep him out of DFS consideration just because of a little uncertainty but unless he's inactive there's no way I'm sitting Kupp ever.
Tyreek HillMIA$8500 / $8700Kyler GordonCHISafe
Just 39 yards shy of 1,000 for the season, Hill is going to get that and much more this week. He had 12 catches for 188 yards last week, and he could have another monster one this week. The Bears are unloading defenders at the trade deadline, and while they aren't cornerbacks it still weakens the defense. Gordon is allowing 81 percent of passes to be caught for nearly 13 yards per grab and a 114.9 quarterback rating against. Even in Chicago, I expect Hill to top 100 yards and likely score in this one.
Chris GodwinTB$6200 / $6700Troy HillLARSafe
Like I said with Mike Evans earlier, Godwin isn’t doing poorly, but it is the lack of scoring for the Bucs that is capping his ceiling. In fact, he hasn’t scored yet this season. He has five straight games with six catches or more and over 50 yards in four of the six games this season. Tom Brady has one touchdown pass in the last two weeks, so it is hard to consider Godwin for DFS games but in PPR leagues or even half-point he is still full steam ahead.
Christian KirkJAC$5500 / $6300Amik RobertsonLVModerate
This is now three weeks out of the last four that have been very disappointing for Kirk as he had just three catches for 40 yards, and he had even less until a late 25-yard grab. The Jaguars offense is again sputtering along, and it is capping Kirk’s upside. It has been enough questions that I can’t consider him for DFS purposes even against the terrible Raiders secondary, but Kirk is certainly still a WR3 to trust for Week 9.
Amon-Ra St. BrownDET$6600 / $7100Rasul DouglasGBSafe
A week after leaving the game early with a head injury, St. Brown picked right back up where he left off with seven catches for 69 yards on ten targets. His volume has been impressive, and he is far and away the most reliable and talented receiver on the team. He goes against a Packers secondary that has only given up eight passing touchdowns in eight games, but Douglas was killed last week as he gave up 99 yards and a score in just the one game. St. Brown is a great play in both season long and DFS games this week.
Keenan AllenLAC$6500 / $7500Isaiah OliverATLSafe
He was iffy to even play in the game, so the fact that Allen had just two catches for 11 yards against the Seahawks before the bye isn’t too surprising or disappointing. He comes out of the bye hopefully fully healthy and without Mike Williams. This matchup will test your risky taking threshold as this is a great matchup against the Falcons, and Allen is now the top receiving option on the team. He should have a great game. It is a matter of if you believe he is fully healthy and able to finish the game if you trust him for DFS, but he is a starter the rest of the way in season long leagues.
Curtis SamuelWAS$5200 / $5600Chandon SullivanMINModerate
His value is picking back up a little bit with Taylor Heinicke under center and he had three catches for 50 yards in Week 8 to go along with 29 yards on four carries. He hasn't scored since Week 2, so the upside isn't what it once was, but there are six teams on bye so the slot is a little lacking this week. Washington is trending up a little and Sullivan is allowing nearly 83 percent of passes to be caught for 13.2 yards per catch which is very high for a slot receiver. I'm not confident enough to use him for DFS purposes, but Samuel looks like a solid play in your Week 9 season long leagues.
JuJu Smith-SchusterKC Roger McCrearyTENSafe
The Chiefs are tough to say who plays what role for the receivers because they all move around a lot, but I’m keeping Smith-Schuster in the slot. He has had 12 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns in the past two games and even with Kadarius Toney in the fold now, I still think Juju holds his value, especially this week against a cupcake defense and Toney only being on the team ten days. Smith-Schuster remains an easy start in seasonal leagues, and I even think he has some value in DFS GPPs this week.
Tyler BoydCIN$6300 / $6900Myles HartsfieldCARSafe
In what looked like a smash game without Ja'Marr Chase turned into a nightmare for the Bengals offense as the Browns defense smothered them all night. Boyd finished with three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown on a tipped pass. Like I said with Higgins, I do worry that the offense might struggle without Chase. However, Hartsfield is not a great corner, and I still have a ton of faith in Joe Burrow so with that salary I still think Boyd is a reasonable DFS option and a weekly play in season long leagues.
Jakobi MeyersNE$5400 / $6800Kenny MooreINDSafe
He continues to be the only reliable part of the Patriots soft passing game as Meyers had nine catches for 60 yards and a touchdown in Week 8 against the Jets. He now has scored in three of the last four games and has only one game all season with under 50 receiving ayrds. He is averaging 7.5 targets and just under six catches per game. Kenny Moore is allowing nearly 12 yards per catch and I think Meyers will continue to get nearly 10 targets a game. Look for him to be a great WR3 or perhaps a low end WR2 in Week 9.
 

Top Week 9 WR/CB Matchups To Target

Elite

Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Kendall Fuller)

What could be tastier than one of the league’s best receivers against one of the league’s worst pass defenses? The Commanders were bad before and gave up on William Jackson this week which could make their secondary worse. Fuller is allowing two-thirds of passes at him to be caught for almost 17 yards per catch and three touchdowns in eight games. Jefferson is going to shred them into a million pieces and to me is the easiest play of the slate. 

DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals (vs. Michael Jackson)

He has been an absolute BEAST since coming back from suspension and as well as Rondale Moore has done there isn’t a receiver on the team that is close to as talented as Hopkins or that is getting near the volume that Hopkins does. Seattle has given up points and yards in bunches and Hopkins performs better at home than on the road. There’s no way he doesn’t see double digit targets again and if he was held out of the end zone I’d be shocked!

Affordable

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions (vs. Rasul Douglas)

The Lions offense has cooled from the early season boom, but St. Brown has still been very good when healthy. He did crush us two weeks ago when he left early, but that was a bull crap head injury that really wasn’t. He came back last week and had a full complement of plays and had ten targets. The Packers were crushed by the Bills early before they let their foot off the pedal and ran the ball a ton. With T.J. Hockenson shipped out of town on Tuesday, there will be even more targets to go around. St. Brown is averaging eight catches and 83 yards with a touchdown in his three home games this season and I expect similar output in Week 9. 

DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers (vs. Eli Apple)

He is finally showing the talent that we all knew was there, and who knew it took an XFL quarterback to bring him back to life? Moore is the only real option on the team, although Terrace Marshall has been better. But the Bengals had a terrible Monday night where they were not only crushed by the Browns but had multiple injuries in their secondary. Hell, Eli Apple might not even be able to play. The Panthers are actually playing well, Moore is their best receiver with a very reasonable salary, and the Bengals defense is trending in the wrong direction. 

Bargain Bin

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers (vs. Jeff Okudah)

This is a matter of a great matchup and a banged up Green Bay receiving room. The Packers haven’t been putting up many points, and Aaron Rodgers has looked quite ordinary, but this is against the Lions and with both Allen Lazard and Christian Watson either out or really banged up, who else is Rodgers going to throw to? Sammy Watkins? I’m sure they will spend a lot of time running the ball, but Doubs salary continues to be so low that he will help you be able to pay up at other positions and likely score you 10-15 fantasy points against a pretty terrible Lions secondary. 

*Information gathered from research done at Pro Football Focus.

 

Check out our list of the best, and most trusted sports betting and fantasy sports promo codes from the top legal sites in your state.

Related Fantasy Football Articles: