The A List at DFS Academy | NFL DFS Week 9

Austin Amandolia

1 year ago

In my three years of writing this article, I don’t think I’ve ever discussed the importance of having a good process. I do not write this article expecting folks to read it and copy and paste it into their lineups. If that is your plan, I appreciate you.

That said, I often get things wrong on the Thursday DFS Academy podcast, which I then correct in this article. Then, I get things wrong in this article, which I correct by Sunday, and end up cashing.

For me, it’s all about the process. I first begin preparing for the week on Wednesdays. That’s the first time I start to sit down and look at the betting lines to get a sense of which teams are expected to pop. It is also when I update my databases to show how teams are performing over the past four weeks, which gives me an updated sense into recent team trends.

Then, I start picking players on Thursday to prepare for the DFS Academy show. I go ahead and put together my Cash lineup to get an initial sense of what it could look like. This process gets further refined on Fridays when I write this article. By this point, I have the most information possible until 11:30 AM ET on Sundays because Friday injury reports have already ruled some players out.

Lastly, as soon as I submit this article, I start looking at what other folks are thinking. While I have a good track record of good plays, getting new information and bouncing ideas off of other people is a crucial aspect of the game and only makes me better as an analyst.

All this to say, playing DFS is more than just waking up on a Sunday morning and setting lineups. To me, it is a week-long process of preparation that culminates with some final Sunday morning tweaks. And when my process doesn’t work, I assess why and consider changes.

And with that, it’s on to our Week 9 NFL DFS Cash picks.

Cash is in session.

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NFL DFS Week 9

Teacher’s Pet

Cooper Kupp (DraftKings: $7,700 / FanDuel: $8,200)

Sometimes, I enter the week with a clear favorite DFS pick. This week, it emerged unexpectedly on Thursday Night. Puka Nacua was reported to have injured his knee during Thursday’s practice, ending up a limited participant before missing all of Friday’s practice. While we have seen Nacua play on limited practice as recently as a week ago, this is still good news for Cooper Kupp, who should see increased volume whether Nacua plays or not. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are in the top ten in terms of points allowed to the receiver position. Plus, this is one of the highest over/unders on the slate. Additionally, the spread is a measly point. In essence, expect a lot of passing and for Cooper Kupp to feast.

Honor Roll

Bo Nix (DraftKings: $5,900 / FanDuel: $7,200)

This one really snuck up on me. I did not expect Bo Nix to be a cash-viable quarterback this season, but here we are. Nix has just been a steady fantasy quarterback this season. He adds some value on the ground. He’s doing enough to get this offense to score touchdowns. And all while being just underwhelming enough to keep his salary below $6,000 on DraftKings. Perfect. While the Ravens seem like a bad matchup for the rookie quarterback, they have allowed the second most points to the quarterback position since Week 5. Plus, the Broncos are 9.5-point underdogs, so Nix will have plenty of pass volume to help him triple his salary.

Chuba Hubbard (DraftKings: $6,500 / FanDuel: $6,900)

The Carolina Panthers have been a weird team for running backs. Typically, we avoid running backs on bad teams that are expected to lose. Yet, Chuba Hubbard consistently maintains at least 15 touches per game despite the Panthers’ struggles this season. That alone makes Hubbard an intriguing play at his salary, especially with Jonathan Brooks likely limited for at least another week. But he also faces a New Orleans Saints defense that has allowed the most points to running backs since Week 5. In a week where it is hard to find reliable, cheap running backs, Hubbard is about as close as we are going to get, except for…

Chase Brown (DraftKings: $5,900 / FanDuel: $6,300)

The Cincinnati Bengals haven’t been too inspiring this season, but they are intriguing from a Cash game perspective this week. Well, at least Chase Brown is. The Bengals are seven-point favorites against a Raiders defense that has been middling against running backs. As for Brown, he has taken over this backfield, bringing in significantly more touches than Zack Moss. He also has a fairly cheap salary, which is crucial on a slate where Saquon Barkley is a must-play at $8,200 on DraftKings and $9,400 on FanDuel.

Check the Chalkboard

Saquon Barkley (DraftKings: $8,200 / FanDuel: $9,400)

When the Philadelphia Eagles have been in close games or ahead, Saquon Barkley has touched the ball frequently. The Eagles are preparing for an incredible matchup against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that cannot stop anyone. They are also projected to score 26.5 points, which ranks fourth in Week 9. Oh, and the Jaguars are allowing the fourth most points to running backs since Week 5. Ya, it’s time to play Saquon Barkley.

Participation Grade

Grant Calcaterra (DraftKings: $3,400 / FanDuel: $5,200)

Dallas Goedert has been ruled out for this week, meaning it is time to target Grant Calceterra once again. He has not lit the world on fire with Goedert out of the lineup, but he did bring in three catches this past week, which was enough to support your DFS Cash lineup. This week, he will play the TE1 role once again and do so against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that has allowed the fourth most points to the position since Week 5. Easy.

Back of the Classroom Studs

Jakobi Meyers (DraftKings: $5,300 / FanDuel: $6,300)

Remember Jakobi Meyers? He’s that good receiver who has been overlooked for his entire career due to perpetually playing on bad teams. But he is now the clear number-one receiver in Las Vegas with no Davante Adams and is coming off a solid performance that saw him score a touchdown. This week, he goes against the Cincinnati Bengals, who crucially struggle to rush the passer. That will help his quarterback get him the ball early and often as the Raiders look to establish some sort of identity.

Cedric Tillman (DraftKings: $4,300 / FanDuel: $6,100)

The Cleveland Browns offense is seemingly functional again, and Cedric Tillman has been a major beneficiary. In the past two games, he has brought in 21 targets. Further, he won someone a million dollars last week. With the volume he is now receiving, playing him in Cash is a no-brainer. While the matchup leaves plenty to be desired, I’m overlooking it for the week to chase volume.

New York Giants (DraftKings: $2,300 / FanDuel: $3,200)

If you take my advice on this one, I recommend not watching the game. I imagine it will look pretty bad at times. But here’s the thing. The New York Giants have been a good defense in terms of their counting stats throughout the season. Despite having a 2-6 record, the Giants’ defense has yet to record a negative point outing, which is precisely what we need when punting at defense. The Giants are sacking the quarterback often and making it tough for opponents to score touchdowns. Plus, playing them makes paying up at other positions much easier.

Check out the NFL Week 9 episode of DFS Academy now!

Report Card

DraftKings

Scoring System

A: Scored over three times their price
B: Scored over two times their price
C: Matched their price
F: Scored lower than their price

Player	Price	Points	Grade
Javonte Williams	$6,000	9.20	C
Joe Mixon	$7,700	26.40	A
Tyreek Hill	$7,000	13.20	C
Jordan Love	$7,100	6.74	F
Kareem Hunt	$6,300	13.30	B
Jalen McMillan	$3,700	9.20	B
Kyle Pitts	$4,400	25.10	A
Ray-Ray McCloud	$4,300	5.60	C
Green Bay Packers	$3,200	5.00	C
Overall	$49,700	113.74	B

Season Long	$394,900	909.80	B

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