Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Tips for Week 9 WRs
Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming NFL DFS main slate on DraftKings. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan will do a deep dive into the best ways to attack the wide receiver position to help you climb the leaderboards.
This week’s slate has several injuries worth monitoring, especially in the NFC North showdown between Jordan Love and Jared Goff, both dealing with injuries. Lamar Jackson’s absence from practice also raises concerns, which might reduce Diontae Johnson’s workload since he’s had limited reps with Lamar, if any at all. Overall though, there are still plenty of exciting options and plays projecting for low ownership to consider for stacks.
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Now let’s dive into how I’m approaching this slate.
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Vanek’s Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Tips for Week 9 WRs
Stacks
Dak Prescott ($6,300, QB, Dallas Cowboys)
CeeDee Lamb ($8,800, WR, Dallas Cowboys)
Jake Ferguson ($5,100, TE, Dallas Cowboys)
Bijan Robinson ($7,400, RB, Atlanta Falcons)
This matchup should provide Dak Prescott the opportunity to establish a rhythm and put up big numbers. The Falcons have a 15.1% pressure rate and a league-low 6 sacks on the season. The Cowboys have faced a Defensive Player of the Year candidate on the defensive line nearly every week, from Myles Garrett and Dexter Lawrence to Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt, Aidan Hutchinson, and Nnamdi Madubuike. Now, they should finally have the time needed to find offensive rhythm. Every QB performs better when not under constant pressure, and since the Cowboys have struggled to run the ball, they’ll likely rely on a pass-heavy approach that should funnel plenty of volume toward Dak.
The Falcons play a lot of two-high coverage, which, combined with a weak pass rush, has two effects: it opens up the field for TEs to capitalize on short passes, and it allows QBs the freedom to scramble when nothing’s open. It wouldn’t be surprising if Dak led the team in rushing yards as well. Stacking Dak is straightforward, as a big game would almost certainly include CeeDee Lamb. If it’s a high-touchdown game, Jake Ferguson should also be involved, as he’s already proven to be the second option, with Brandin Cooks less involved.
The bring-back option here is straightforward, with Bijan Robinson. The Cowboys have allowed over 180 rushing yards in each of their last 2 games, and given the Falcons’ passing weapons, the Cowboys can’t afford to stack the box against Robinson. Kirk Cousins also has familiarity with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and MLB Eric Kendricks from their time together in Minnesota, so he likely understands which gaps offer the most potential for the run game, giving Robinson an advantage against his former coach.
Robinson has been averaging 18 touches per game, including 4 targets, and I anticipate he’ll see over 20 touches in this matchup. With his usage and favorable setup, Robinson is positioned for a big game.
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About the Author
Jordan Vanek has been playing DFS since 2016. He attended the University of Central Florida, where he joined the football staff as a player personnel intern and participated in the recruitment of Dillon Gabriel and Ryan O’Keefe. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan joined the RotoGrinders team in 2024 and will be providing College Football and NFL DFS content for Premium subscribers. Follow Jordan on Twitter – @JordanVanekDFS