FanDuel NFL DFS Picks for Week 9

Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season was littered with blowouts, as just 1 of the 13 games played was decided by fewer than 10 points. Taking that into account, hopefully we get more competitive games in Week 9.

Similar to recent weeks, there are a handful of notable injuries to keep tabs on before making lineup decisions in all fantasy football formats.

When taking a look at the options in NFL DFS on FanDuel, there are a variety of contests and ways to attack each slate.

Using our NFL DFS projections as a guide, let's take a look at some of the best daily fantasy football plays at each position -- accounting for salary -- on the Week 9 FanDuel main slate.

Note: All stats come from NextGenStats or Pro Football Focus unless stated otherwise.

NFL DFS Picks for Week 9

Quarterbacks

Josh Allen, Bills

FanDuel Salary: $8,900
Matchup: vs. KC

The marquee matchup in Week 9 features the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, so Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are understandably going to be popular options on the slate. While Allen has topped 250-plus passing yards just twice all season, he has still averaged 23.4 FanDuel points (FDPs) per game due to his red-zone role (32.6% red-zone rushing share and 5 rushing TDs) and rushing upside (7.0 rushing attempts per game and 37.3 rushing yards per game).

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

FanDuel Salary: $8,500
Matchup: at BUF

Despite Buffalo being a run-funnel defense (26th in schedule-adjusted run defense and 4th in schedule-adjusted pass defense), my favorite way to attack the Bills-Chiefs clash is stacking Mahomes and targeting Buffalo's ground game via James Cook. Mahomes has scored fewer than 23 FDPs just once all year, and we could see the All-Pro signal-caller use his legs a bit more with Isiah Pacheco week-to-week with a knee injury.

Others to Consider

Daniel Jones ($7,900 at PIT) - Although Daniel Jones will be playing outdoors for just the second time all season on Sunday versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, he's tallied 22-plus FDPs in three straight starts, and the Steelers are 21st in schedule-adjusted pass defense.

Drake Maye ($7,800 vs. ATL) - No team blitzes more than the Atlanta Falcons (48.0% blitz rate). Drake Maye has the highest adjusted completion percentage (85.1%) when blitzed among QBs with 50-plus dropbacks in the split, and he's contributed 23-plus FDPs in four of his last five outings.

Matthew Stafford ($7,700 vs. NO) - Along with Matthew Stafford being easy to stack, the Los Angeles Rams are third in pass rate over expected (+3.4%), and he's erupted for 27-plus FDPs in three of his last four starts as the team comes out of their bye week.

Running Backs

Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

FanDuel Salary: $9,500
Matchup: at NYG

I don't blame anyone for trying to get Jonathan Taylor ($11,000) into their lineups, but it's going to be tough to fit him in due to his salary, making Christian McCaffrey a standout option in a favorable matchup in Week 9. CMC is averaging the most adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) per game (36.0) among all RBs, and the New York Giants are 32nd in schedule-adjusted run defense and 32nd in rushing yards over expected per attempt allowed (2.37) to the position.

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions

FanDuel Salary: $8,900
Matchup: vs. MIN

Jahmyr Gibbs had a season-best 38.3 FDPs in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Detroit Lions would be wise to continue leaning on the big-play back out of their bye week in a home bout versus the Minnesota Vikings. Aside from the Vikings being a run-funnel group (21st in schedule-adjusted run defense and 8th in schedule-adjusted pass defense), they are permitting the 3rd-highest target rate (23.6%) and 10th-most rushing yards over expected per attempt (0.70) to RBs.

Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants

FanDuel Salary: $6,000
Matchup: vs. SF

Following the unfortunate season-ending injury for rookie Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr. is expected to handle most of the backfield touches for the Giants. Skattebo was averaging 20.6 adjusted opportunities per game before suffering his injury, and Tracy finished as the RB20 or better in DFS for 8 of his final 13 appearances in 2024, so he can return value at this salary just off volume alone.

Others to Consider

James Cook ($8,400 vs. KC) - Out of the Bills' bye week in Week 8, Buffalo went back to leaning on James Cook -- resulting in Cook scoring 36.6 FDPs -- and the Chiefs are also a run-funnel defense (17th in schedule-adjusted run defense and 3rd in schedule-adjusted pass defense).

D'Andre Swift ($6,900 at CIN) - Despite D'Andre Swift having rookie Kyle Monangai garnering touches in recent weeks, Swift still leads the Chicago Bears' backfield in adjusted opportunities per game (18.7), scrimmage yards per game (128.0), and red-zone rushing share (50.0%) since the team's bye week in Week 5, and the Cincinnati Bengals are 30th in rushing yards over expected per attempt allowed (1.31) to the RB position.

Jaylen Warren ($6,500 vs. IND) - Jaylen Warren is pacing the Steelers' RBs in snap rate (60.9%), adjusted opportunities per game (20.0), scrimmage yards per game (98.0), and red-zone rushing share (100.0%) since the bye week in Week 5. Plus, Pittsburgh is expected to be in a negative game script on Sunday -- which could lead to more targets for Warren.

Note: Kareem Hunt ($5,900) and Rhamondre Stevenson ($5,800) -- or rookie TreVeyon Henderson ($5,300), depending on who starts for the New England Patriots -- are other viable salary-saving options at RB.

Wide Receivers

Puka Nacua, Rams

FanDuel Salary: $9,500
Matchup: vs. NO

Puka Nacua is expected to return for the Rams in Week 9 against a pass-funnel Saints defense (23rd in schedule-adjusted pass defense and 9th in schedule-adjusted run defense). Puka was leading LA's offense in target share (34.6%), receptions per game (10.4), and receiving yards per game (117.6) before suffering an ankle injury in Week 6 while averaging 20.1 FDPs per game during that span.

Rashee Rice, Chiefs

FanDuel Salary: $8,200
Matchup: at BUF

Across his first two games since returning from suspension, Rashee Rice is producing an elite 28.8% target share, 40.4% target rate (!!!), 8.0 receptions per game, and 2.87 yards per route run for the Chiefs. Kansas City are slight road favorites against Buffalo on Sunday, and the Chiefs boast the highest pass rate over expected (+8.1%) in the league by a wide margin.

Michael Pittman Jr., Colts

FanDuel Salary: $7,200
Matchup: at PIT

Over the last two weeks, the Indianapolis Colts have logged a double-digit pass rate over expected, and Michael Pittman Jr. has been the No. 1 option through the air with a 30.0% target share, 7.5 receptions per game, and 76.5 receiving yards per game during that span. The matchup is favorable for Pittman this week, as the Steelers are 28th in target rate (21.0%) and 24th in yards per route run allowed (1.71) to WRs.

Others to Consider

Ladd McConkey ($7,800 at TEN) - Following a slow start to the year, Ladd McConkey leads the Los Angeles Chargers in target share (28.9%), air yards share (35.9%), and end-zone target share (45.5%) across his last three outings. While the Chargers are outdoors in Week 9, they're favored on the road against a Tennessee Titans team that is giving up the fifth-most FDPs per target (1.66) and most yards per route run (1.90) to WRs this season.

Khalil Shakir ($6,100 vs. KC) - While it's hard to trust Khalil Shakir or any of the Bills' pass catchers each week, Buffalo is expected to be in a high-scoring affair with Kansas City, and Shakir leads the offense in target share (20.7%) and receptions per game (4.4).

Travis Hunter ($6,000 at LV) - I want some exposure to Travis Hunter in case he experiences a post-bye rookie bump, and the Las Vegas Raiders are sitting at 24th in FDPs per target allowed (1.51) to WRs.

Alec Pierce ($5,700 at PIT) - Alec Pierce has the second-highest route rate (78.3%) on the Colts, and his 46.4% air yards share and 21.8-yard average depth of target could come in handy against a Pittsburgh defense that is coughing up the 12th-most downfield receptions (receptions of 10-plus yards; 32) and 9th most yards per target on downfield passes (11.3) to WRs.

Tight Ends

Tucker Kraft, Packers

FanDuel Salary: $6,200
Matchup: vs. CAR

Of the Green Bay Packers' pass catchers, Tucker Kraft is the one we can trust the most as he's got a 91.5% snap rate, 70.0% route rate, 20.6% target share, 35.5% red-zone target share, and 2.83 yards per route run. The Carolina Panthers are permitting the fourth-most FDPs per target (1.73) and third-most yards per route run (1.87) to TEs, so the matchup can't get much better for Kraft.

George Kittle, 49ers

FanDuel Salary: $6,000
Matchup: at NYG

After producing a goose egg in Week 7, George Kittle bounced back with 12.3 FDPs in Week 8, and he logged an 88.6% snap rate and 80.6% route rate in a tough matchup against the Houston Texans. On top of the Giants being 23rd in target rate allowed (20.5%) to TEs, and Kittle should be heavily involved in San Fran's passing attack given all the team's injuries.

Others to Consider

Sam Laporta ($5,500 vs. MIN) - There aren't many times we've seen Sam LaPorta at a sub-$6,000 salary in recent seasons, and he could see his usage increase out of the Lions' bye week.

Colston Loveland ($4,800 at CIN) - If Cole Kmet is again ruled out for the Bears, Colston Loveland stands out as a salary-saving option versus a Bengals defense that is 30th in FDPs per target (1.83) and 27th in yards per route run allowed (1.71) to TEs.

Defenses

Los Angeles Rams

FanDuel Salary: $4,900
Matchup: vs. NO

If you have a decent amount of salary for a defense, the Rams are coming out of their bye week with the fifth-highest pressure rate (38.4%) and are facing a Saints team that will be starting rookie Tyler Shough on the road as double-digit underdogs.

Houston Texans

FanDuel Salary: $3,900
Matchup: vs. DEN

The Texans' defense has surrendered 20-plus points just twice all season, and they have scored 11-plus FDPs in three of their last four games ahead of a home bout against the Denver Broncos.

Others to Consider

Las Vegas Raiders ($3,400 vs. JAC) - We're going to need to save salary somewhere, and as bad as the Raiders' defense has been, the Jaguars' offense could still be out of sorts coming out of their bye week.

New York Giants ($3,300 vs. SF) - Using the Giants' defense saves us salary, and Big Blue has a pass rush that is capable of wreaking havoc in most matchups.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.