NFL DFS Value Plays: Week 9 Bargain Bin for DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo Includes Jameis Winston, Chase Brown, Khalil Shakir, more

Welcome to the Week 9 main slate edition of RotoBaller's NFL DFS Bargain Bin for the 2024 NFL season, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players across the industry who find themselves in favorable matchups and/or suddenly expanded roles.

Each week, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit. On this ninth main slate of the 2024 campaign, I'm glad to report that value-salary players are abundant on Yahoo, FanDuel, and DraftKings.

In addition to offering multiple candidates at each position, I'll also list at least one more player to consider, along with some site-specific value plays when applicable.

NFL DFS Bargain Bin Intro

Before we go NFL DFS Bargain Bin hunting, here are a few particulars about format and content.

The nature of the beast with value plays is at least a modest amount (and sometimes substantially more) of risk. Therefore, the Bargain Bin may prove to be a bit more of a roller coaster ride on some slates than your typical “tout” article!

Naturally, that doesn’t mean there isn’t upside to be had. All of these selections are, therefore, suitable for GPPs and can also often serve as solid cash-game plays while often helping you accommodate multiple higher-priced studs into your lineup.

Typically, I’ll suggest players who are value-priced across three major DFS sites (DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo). However, there are certainly occasions where one or more sites price a player significantly lower than others. Whenever possible, I’ll typically at least note those players as an “XYZ site special.”

This article is by no means intended to serve as an exhaustive list of all value options for the week. Rather, it’s meant to take a deeper dive into those I feel offer some of the best combinations of savings and upside.

The goal is to recommend truly affordable players, as opposed to say a player priced just $300-$400 away from the highest-priced option at his position. I don’t have set-in-stone price limits in mind for each site, but I do consider legitimate affordability a very important criterion.

Quarterback DFS Value Plays

Matthew Stafford, LAR at SEA | DK: $5,700, FD: $7,600, Yahoo: $23 

Stafford unsurprisingly looked like a different player in Week 8 against a talented Vikings defense with both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back in the fold, throwing for a season-high 279 yards and four touchdowns in an impressive victory for Los Angeles. The veteran signal-caller now faces a Seahawks squad he's thrown for over 300 yards against in two of four games since joining the Rams.

While Mike Macdonald has installed a new defensive scheme in Seattle, the 'Hawks have allowed 250 passing yards per game in the last three contests and an elevated 11.2 yards per completion in that span as well. Nacua did appear to aggravate his knee injury during Thursday's practice, but word out of L.A. is that it's not a serious issue and the trusted wideout could well suit up Sunday. Stafford and the rest of the offense should also benefit from the extra rest afforded by the fact they played on Thursday night in Week 8, furthering his case.

I would run through a wall for Jameis Winston 💪pic.twitter.com/KDTZJ6V3Kl

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 27, 2024

Jameis Winston, CLE vs. LAC | DK: $5,400, FD: $7,000, Yahoo: $22 

Winston delivered handsomely as a value option in Week 8, instantly upgrading a Browns passing attack that had been floundering under Deshaun Watson (IR-Achilles). The 2015 first overall pick played up to his pedigree, throwing for 334 yards and three touchdowns in an upset of the Ravens. Winston completed an impressive five passes of 20+ yards during the contest, particularly noteworthy considering Watson completed just 11 such passes in seven games.

The matchup against the Chargers defense is far from ideal, but Winston will be at home and playing a team that traveled multiple time zones to face off with him (albeit with the help of an extra hour of sleep from the time change Saturday night). Against Baltimore, the veteran signal-caller showed instant chemistry with previously underused targets such as Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, and he also connected with talented veteran tight end David Njoku for a TD. While Winston's pass volume figures to be a bit down compared to last week, his salaries and talent make him very worthy of consideration.

ALSO CONSIDER:

• Justin Herbert, LAC at CLE | DK: $5,300, FD: $7,100, Yahoo: $24

DK-Yahoo Special:

• Dak Prescott, DAL at ATL | DK: $6,300, Yahoo: $29

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Running Back DFS Value Plays

Chase Brown, CIN vs. LVR | DK: $5,900, FD: $6,300, Yahoo: $21      

Brown has essentially usurped Zack Moss for the lead-back role in Cincinnati, and on a week where true value RBs are hard to come by, he's worthy of your attention against a questionable Raiders defense. Brown is averaging a robust 4.6 yards per carry and has five total TDs in what has primarily been a part-time role, and he's also averaging a solid 2.8 yards per carry after first contact. He's logged 14 red-zone touches through eight contests as well, and he's logged double-digit carries in five straight games.

The Raiders check in allowing 137.8 rushing yards per game on the road, along with 4.7 yards per carry to RBs and nine total touchdowns (seven rushing, two receiving) to the position. Las Vegas has also surrendered nine rushing red-zone touchdowns overall, and the Raiders are giving up a 57.1 percent red-zone TD scoring percentage as well. With the Bengals projected for 26.5 points and climbing as of Friday, Brown could certainly make a couple of trips to the end zone.

Chase Brown

Taking over the Bengals backfield.

50%+ snaps in three straight games.

Averaging 15+ opportunities per game Weeks 4-8.

Zack Moss has not eclipsed 3.0+ yards per carry since Week 3.

The best RB will continue to get volume in must win games.pic.twitter.com/yS6L88aOvW

— Joe Orrico (@NoExpertFF) October 30, 2024

Nick Chubb, CLE vs. LAC | DK: $5,800, FD: $6,500, Yahoo: $18

As mentioned earlier, Winston presents as good value even against a talented defense and in a game where his pass attempts may be under 30. That means that if we expect the Browns to have some success, there's a good chance the running backs also have a chance to earn their fair share of production. Accordingly, considering Chubb at salaries that are well below his upside isn't a bad way to go by any means, especially considering he now has two full games under his belt following his delayed debut.

The talented back was already up to 16 carries in Week 8 against a tough Ravens defense after handling 11 in his Week 7 debut. Chubb has also seen a combined five targets over his first pair of contests and now faces a Chargers defense that's allowed 123.8 rushing yards per road game and 4.6 yards per carry to RBs overall. What's more Los Angeles has also yielded a 38-241-1 line through the air to the position, furthering Chubb's prospects.

ALSO CONSIDER:

• Rico Dowdle, DAL at ATL | DK: $6,000, FD: $6,000, Yahoo: $19

Wide Receiver DFS Value Plays

Khalil Shakir, BUF vs. MIA | DK: $5,900, FD: $6,100, Yahoo: $24       

The Bills are projected for 27.5 points as of Friday and Shakir is coming off a  game where his 9-107 line on 10 targets was replete with season-best figures, two immediately good signs for his case as a value play this week. Shakir also has an unheard-of 94.7 percent catch rate for the season, making him the epitome of a receiver capitalizing on his opportunities.

The third-year speedster should continue to benefit from the attention being paid to some of the other members of Buffalo's pass-catching corps, and he's facing a Dolphins defense that was just taken to task throughout four quarters by Kyler Murray, who they allowed a season-high 307-yard day to. Miami is also conceding an elevated 10.8 yards per completion overall, and although they've done well to limit WR production for the most part, a talent the likes of Shakir can arguably do something similar to what Marvin Harrison Jr. accomplished versus the Dolphins in Week 8.

Khalil Shakir vs Seattle:

9 Rec
107 Yards
11.9 Avg
90 Yards After Catch#ShakirSZN#BillsMafia #GoBills pic.twitter.com/kspebzAiD8

— Built in Buffalo (@BuiltInBuffalo_) October 30, 2024

Romeo Doubs, GB vs. DET | DK: $5,700, FD: $6,300, Yahoo: $22

The Packers' WR corps is always a puzzle for fantasy purposes, but a closer look reveals Doubs has been an exception to that rule in recent weeks. The third-year wideout has an encouraging 14-215-2 line on 20 targets in the last three games, and his line last week would have arguably been better had Jordan Love not exited the game in the third quarter due to a groin injury that has him questionable for this week's divisional showdown.

Naturally, a switch at QB from Love to Malik Willis wouldn't be ideal for Doubs' purposes, but Green Bay is likely to maintain a certain level of aggression considering the opponent. Additionally, Doubs has proven a reliable short-to-intermediate target that Willis could potentially make heavy use of, and Detroit checks in surrendering 247.6 passing yards per game while having just allowed a 100-yard day to the previously moribund Calvin Ridley in Week 8.

Rome Odunze, CHI at ARI | DK: $4,900, FD: $5,500, Yahoo: $17

There are undoubtedly safer value options than Odunze, but the talented rookie receiver makes for a very intriguing salary-saving tournament play and could be due for a breakout performance after coming close in some recent games. The 2024 first-round pick encouragingly has a pair of six-target games within the last three contests, and he's 16.2 yards per grab over the last two games.

The Cardinals have allowed 273.7 passing yards per game over the last three contests, along with 10.7 yards per completion in that same span. Arizona has also surrendered a combined 100-1,254-8 line to wide receivers, yielding a 71.4 percent catch rate to the position and 34.8 DK/28.0 FD points per game to the position in the process. This Caleb Williams-Kyler Murray showdown is one that could certainly have some back-and-forth to it, and with Chicago a slight underdog, there could be plenty of passing for Williams as he looks to atone for last week's ugly showing versus the Commanders.

ALSO CONSIDER:

• Chris Olave, NO at CAR | DK: $6,100, FD: $7,100, Yahoo: $25
• Cedric Tillman, CLE vs. LAC | DK: $4,300, FD: $6,100, Yahoo: $20

Tight End DFS Value Plays 

Sam LaPorta, DET at GB | DK: $4,800, FD: $6,300, Yahoo: $16     

LaPorta has had an interesting season to say the least, posting a pair of one-catch tallies with solid yardage relative to opportunity and just going relatively underused relative to his stellar rookie season. Yet, the first game of Jameson Williams' two-game suspension in Week 8 brought some opportunity, as LaPorta logged a season-high six targets and turned them into a 6-48-1 line against the Titans, particularly noteworthy considering how little Jared Goff was required to do in the blowout win.

Williams' suspension continues this week, and LaPorta figures to therefore once again be a central figure in the passing attack. Detroit should have to do a lot more through the air in this critical road divisional clash as well, and LaPorta is facing a Packers team that he recorded a 9-103-1 line against in two games last season. Green Bay has allowed a robust 48-479-3 line to tight ends as well, furthering LaPorta's case at very appealing salaries.

David Montgomery with a dime to Sam LaPorta for a TD! pic.twitter.com/T5fiohi3QG

— LionsFanReport (@lionsfanreport) October 27, 2024

Jonnu Smith, MIA at BUF | DK: $3,500, FD: $5,400, Yahoo: $12 

Smith's evolution in the Dolphins' passing attack has been somewhat obscured by Miami's recent struggles without Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, even though the veteran tight end's best game of the season to date came in Week 7 via a 7-96-1 line, the final game of Tua's absence. Smith continued to be involved in Tua's Week 8 return with six targets, and although he was only able to parlay them into a 4-20 line, it was encouraging to see him run 26 routes, the second-highest figure of the season.

Smith now faces a Bills defense that's certainly improved since the start of the season but has surrendered a 45-372-1 line to tight ends on 64 targets since the start of the season. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle sure to get plenty of defensive attention and Smith still carrying such miniscule salaries, the veteran is worthy of consideration in a game where the Dolphins are underdog and should have to remain aggressive throughout.

ALSO CONSIDER:

• Kyle Pitts, ATL vs. DAL | DK: $4,900, FD: $6,000, Yahoo: $19

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