Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Picks for Week 9

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan)

Created Nov 6, 2026

Last Updated 2026-11-07 14:46:48 Premium Content Part of the product NFL DFS

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 for Week 9. A 2025 Fantasy Sports Writers Association award winner, Jordan’s deep dive into the best stacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

Last weekend, the slate was over for me well before it ever really got started. Lamar Jackson’s injury led to a zero from Zay Flowers, and that was enough to ruin the day. This weekend brings a new slate and new hope of finding some QBs who won’t leave us disappointed. There are plenty of cheap options at the position, allowing us to pay up for some of the best players in the league, and one spot in particular has my attention.

This week’s slate is loaded with value, and there are so many different ways to approach lineup construction. The biggest decision points revolve around the 49ers, Lions, and several key value pieces. Below, I’ll break down how I’m choosing to attack the slate, the stacks I’m targeting, and the reasoning behind each one.

NFL DFS DraftKings Picks: Top Stacks, RBs, WRs, & TEs for Week 9

Game Stacks

Patrick Mahomes ($6,100, QB, Kansas City Chiefs)

Rashee Rice ($6,400, WR, Kansas City Chiefs)

Travis Kelce ($4,900, TE, Kansas City Chiefs)

Adonai Mitchell ($4,500, WR, New Orleans Saints)

The Jets are going to have to load the box against Kenneth Walker III to stop the run, and that’s going to give Mahomes plenty of opportunities against single-high coverage. When Mahomes faces single-high coverage, there are two guys he consistently looks to get the ball to: Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce. The Jets’ secondary has allowed numerous big games to QBs this season, both through rushing production and efficient passing. This is a perfect spot for the Chiefs to bounce back after a tough loss.

Geno Smith has unlocked Adonai Mitchell, and I love the way they’ve been playing together. I don’t think the Chiefs have the ability to take away the deep throws that are coming their way. This season, Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo hasn’t blitzed nearly as much and has played a lot more zone coverage. With Smith at QB, Mitchell has put up awesome numbers against zone, averaging over 3.00 yards per route run with a 30% target per route run rate.

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