DraftKings NFL picks, Week 9: Best DFS fantasy football values

DraftKings Week 9 Values: Tight Ends

Travis Kelce (KC vs. CAR, $7,200) has a favorable matchup against a Carolina Panthers defense that hasn’t been as good over the last four weeks against tight ends (18th) as it has been all season (8th). We’ll never dissuade anyone from paying up for Kelce, as long as the strategy and salary cap align.

Some might fade T.J. Hockenson (DET at MIN, $5,100) if Stafford sits, but that might be a mistake: a tight end is often a backup QB’s best friend, and the Minnesota Vikings have been quite generous to the position of late. The Purple People Bleaters have sheepishly allowed a whopping 16.03 fantasy points per game to tight ends over the last four weeks.

In the value tier ($4,000 to $4,900), we find Mark Andrews (BAL at IND, $4,800), who draws an Indianapolis Colts defense that has allowed fewer receiving yards to tight ends than any other team in the NFL. However, they barely place inside the Top Ten in that category over the last four weeks, so it wouldn’t surprise us at all for Andrews to score the first two tight end touchdowns against the Colts this season as they respect the legs of Lamar Jackson.

Noah Fant (DEN at ATL, $4,600) is rounding into form after returning from injury in Week 7. He has a much favorable matchup against the Falcons, and has seen at least seven targets in each of his last two games. Eric Ebron (PIT at DAL, $4,500) has averaged 5.8 looks over his last four games, while Evan Engram (NYG at WAS, $4,300) has seen 19 in his last two.

While we didn’t choose him as our “Best Bet,” we’re all over Hunter Henry (LAC vs. LV, $4,000) in DFS this week against a Raiders defense that ranks in the bottom three in fantasy points per game allowed to tight ends over the last four weeks.

Best Bet: Darren Waller (LV at LAC, $5,800) has scored 15 or more fantasy points per game in three of his last four contests. We see no reason why he won’t repeat that feat against a Los Angeles Chargers defense that ranks 25th in fantasy points allowed per game to tight ends since the start of Week 5, and we like the $1,400 savings we get by starting him over Kelce.

Bargain Bin Values: DraftKings pricers have faded Jonnu Smith (TEN vs. CHI, $3,900) due to the returns of A.J. Brown and Corey Davis, creating a great value against a defense that has had some trouble locking down the tight end position this year. For GPP “studs and scrubs” strategists, we offer flyers on Greg Olsen (SEA at BUF, $3,100) and his lower-priced teammate Will Dissly (SEA at BUF, $2,700) against a defense that has consistently been generous to the position all season.