Getty Gallery: 3/5
Top-10 Highest Projected Running Backs on DraftKings
– Todd Gurley ($9,500) at New Orleans Saints
– Christian McCaffrey ($7,300) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
– Kareem Hunt ($7,700) at Cleveland Browns
– Alvin Kamara ($7,300) vs. Los Angeles Rams
– James Conner ($7,200) at Baltimore Ravens
– Melvin Gordon ($8,200) at Seattle Seahawks
– Mark Ingram ($5,000) vs. Los Angeles Rams
– Phillip Lindsay ($5,500) vs. Houston Texans
– Tarik Cohen ($6,200) at Buffalo Bills
– Adrian Peterson ($6,000) vs. Atlanta Falcons
Tier 2
With there being so many running backs and wide receivers worth playing, I've offered up two tiers of rankings for the two positions. Both lists are ranked based on highest projected and the number of players in tier two will depend on how much I like the options.
– Kerryon Johnson ($5,600) at Minnesota Vikings
– Nick Chubb ($4,500) vs. Kansas City Chiefs
– Kenyan Drake ($5,300) vs. New York Jets
– Chris Carson ($4,700) vs. Los Angeles Chargers
– *Devontae Booker ($3,700) vs. Houston Texans
*Booker if Royce Freeman ruled out
DraftKings Running Back Value Plays
*Note: All value plays at running back cost roughly $5,500 or less.
Mark Ingram may be one of my favorite plays on the slate based on price and upside. He's in a game that should feature a ton of points, he's insanely inexpensive at $5,000 and the Rams have bottled up pass-catching backs (Alvin Kamara). But on the ground, we've seen this talented Rams defense allow 726 rushing yards on 153 attempts (4.7 yards per carry) with five touchdowns.
While the Saints are going to utilize both Ingram and Kamara, this game has the former's name written all over it. He's seen 18, 14 and 16 touches in his first three games back from suspension, so the workload is obviously there as well.
I'm going to talk about both Phillip Lindsay and Devontae Booker here together because if Royce Freeman is ruled out, both names are in play. I wouldn't put them together in the same lineup (although I'm not completely opposed to it), but the matchup isn't bad. The Texans have allowed 640 rushing yards on 182 attempts and 47 receptions for 358 yards with five touchdowns to opposing backs.
The numbers against pass-catching backs are eye-opening, and if Freeman is ruled out, I actually could see the argument of leaning towards playing Booker at just $3,700 over Lindsay. Both are solid options, though.
With the Browns and Chiefs likely to square off in a shootout, Nick Chubb is once again squarely in play at $4,500. The Chiefs have been brutally bad against opposing running backs this season, allowing 5.3 yards per carry on the season and a league-worst 551 receiving yards to running backs. Along with those numbers, Kansas City has also allowed 10 total touchdowns to the position.
The Browns may use Duke Johnson more with Hue Jackson no longer in town, and he could actually be an intriguing inexpensive play. But that doesn't change the fact that Chubb is in a great spot in Week 9. He's seen 18 and 20 touches the past two games, and there's plenty to love about his upside.
Top DraftKings Optimal Lineup Around Favorite RB Play
– QB: Jared Goff ($6,000)
– RB: Christian McCaffrey ($7,800)
– RB: Phillip Lindsay ($5,500)
– WR: Brandin Cooks ($6,700)
– WR: Kenny Golladay ($5,500)
– WR: Sammy Watkins ($4,900)
– TE: David Njoku ($4,600)
– FLEX: Nick Chubb ($4,500)
– DST: Chicago Bears ($4,100)