Week 9 fantasy football playbook
Fantasy matchups to exploit, sneaky DFS picks and the latest rankings to help make your Week 8 Sunday less miserable.
Thanks again for being a loyal reader and subscriber! Keep reading for the latest fantasy football rankings, injury news, players trending up and down, and more. Best of luck in Week 9!
Week 9 playbook: Quarterbacks
View the latest Week 9 player rankings for all positions and scoring formats.
🤕 QB pain index
🚫 Nope: Kyler Murray (ARI)
🫤 Looking iffy: Brock Purdy (SF)*; Michael Penix Jr. (ATL)
🙏 Cautiously optimistic: Joe Flacco (CIN)
✅ Good to go: Jayden Daniels (WAS)
View latest NFL injury report | *not starting
↕️ QB matchup breakdown
📈 Notable QBs with great matchups
Best -
Kyler MurrayJacoby Brissett (ARI) at DAL4th best - Daniel Jones (IND) at PIT
5th best - Mac Jones/Brock Purdy (SF) at NYG
💪 Stud potential: Daniel Jones — Jones has been on fire lately, posting four straight 20+ point performances and ranking seventh among quarterbacks in fantasy PPG. He now faces the Steelers, who’ve been shredded for 702 passing yards and six touchdowns over the past two weeks. With his dual-threat ability and hot streak intact, Jones is a strong top-10 QB play and a reliable fantasy starter against a vulnerable Pittsburgh defense.
📉 Notable QBs with tough matchups
Worst - Bo Nix (DEN) at HOU
2nd worst - Patrick Mahomes II (KC) at BUF
3rd worst - C.J. Stroud (HOU) vs. DEN
🥶 Bust alert: Bo Nix — “It’s not just that the Texans are allowing the fewest fantasy points to the position, but they’ve also held four of the past five QBs they’ve faced to under 10 fantasy points.” — Justin Boone, Yahoo! Sports
🍟 DraftKings QB value menu
Week 9 playbook: Running backs
View the latest Week 9 player rankings for all positions and scoring formats.
🤕 RB pain index
🚫 Nope: Isiah Pacheco (KC); Rhamondre Stevenson (NE); D’Andre Swift (CHI)
🙏 Cautiously optimistic: Alvin Kamara (NO)
View latest NFL injury report
↕️ RB matchup breakdown
📈 Notable RBs with great matchups
Best - Kyle Monangai (CHI) at CIN
3rd best - Kimani Vidal (LAC) at TEN
5th best - Zonovan Knight (ARI) at DAL
💪 Stud potential: Kimani Vidal — Vidal continues to impress filling in for Omarion Hampton, topping 125 yards and 19 fantasy points in two of his last three starts. He’s now the clear lead back and draws Tennessee, who’ve surrendered the second-most rushing yards and most rushing touchdowns to RBs. With game script and volume in his favor, Vidal is a must-start RB1 with top-10 upside this week.
📉 Notable RBs with tough matchups
2nd worst - Alvin Kamara (NO) at LAR
3rd worst - Rico Dowdle (CAR) at GB
4th worst - Aaron Jones Sr. (MIN) at DET
🥶 Bust alert: Alvin Kamara — “He has been a top-25 fantasy RB once in the last six weeks. Plus, the Rams have allowed the second-fewest fantasy PPG -- and just one total touchdown -- to backs. I would get away from Kamara.” — Michael Florio, NFL.com
🍟 DraftKings RB value menu
Week 9 playbook: Wide receivers
View the latest Week 9 player rankings for all positions and scoring formats.
🤕 WR Pain index
🚫 Nope: Terry McClaurin (WAS); Ricky Pearsall (SF); Calvin Ridley (TEN)
🫤 Looking iffy: Cooper Kupp (SEA)
✅ Good to go: Nico Collins (HOU); Christian Kirk (HOU); Puka Nacua (LAR)
View latest NFL injury report
↕️ WR matchup breakdown
📈 Notable WRs with great matchups*
Marvin Harrison (ARI) at DAL (Trikweze Bridges, RCB)
Ja’Marr Chase (CIN) vs. CHI (Nahshon Wright, RCB)
DK Metcalf (PIT) vs. IND (Johnathan Edwards, RCB)
💪 Stud potential: Marvin Harrison — With or without Kyler Murray, it’s Harrison’s best matchup of the year. The Cowboys have allowed the most touchdowns and fantasy points to wide receivers, including 15 scores through the air, and 80% of Harrison’s routes come out wide — exactly where Dallas has been weakest with Bridges on coverage.
📉 Notable WRs with tough matchups*
Drake London (ATL) at NE (Carlton Davis, LCB)
Nico Collins (HOU) vs. DEN (Kris Abrams-Draine, RCB)
Justin Jefferson (MIN) at DET (Amik Robertson, RCB)
* Based on WR/CB matchup analysis by FantasyPoints.com
🥶 Bust alert: Nico Collins — “He’s facing one of the worst possible matchups in his return. The Broncos have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025.” — Jack McKessy, USA Today
🍟 DraftKings WR value menu
Week 9 playbook: Tight ends
View the latest Week 9 player rankings for all positions and scoring formats.
🤕 TE pain index
✅ Good to go: Brock Bowers (LV); Dalton Kincaid (BUF)
View latest NFL injury report
↕️ TE matchup breakdown
📈 Notable TEs with great matchups
Best - Colston Loveland (CHI) at CIN
2nd best - Tyler Warren (IND) at PIT
6th best - Kyle Pitts Sr. (ATL) at NE
💪 Stud potential: Kyle Pitts Sr. — Pitts has posted 13+ PPR points in two straight games and remains second on the Falcons in targets since Week 7. His role has shifted toward shorter, higher-percentage routes, boosting both efficiency and floor. The Patriots have allowed the fourth-most yards and fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends, making this another strong spot.
📉 Notable TEs with tough matchups
Worst - Hunter Henry (NE) vs. ATL
2md worst - Travis Kelce (KC) at BUF
4th worst - Dalton Kincaid (BUF) vs. KC
🥶 Bust alert: Dalton Kincaid (BUF) — “The Chiefs are No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and only Mark Andrews in Week 4 and Sam LaPorta in Week 6 have scored at least 10.0 PPR points against Kansas City, with LaPorta catching the lone touchdown the Chiefs have allowed to the position.” — Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports
