The Week 9 NFL DFS Yahoo main slate begins Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT and features 11 games. The Browns, Jets, Eagles and Buccaneers are on bye, while the Thursday Night Football (Ravens-Dolphins), Sunday Night Football (Seahawks-Commanders) and Monday Night Football (Cardinals-Cowboys) participants are excluded from the main slate.
Playing in guaranteed prize pool (GPP) Yahoo DFS football contests is about chasing upside, while lineups geared toward head-to-head, 50/50 or double-up formats should prioritize high floors. The players you want to target for these different contest types aren't mutually exclusive, but winning a GPP tournament usually requires finding a hidden gem or going against the grain in a spot or two while building a solid base of the same chalk plays you would use anywhere. Against-the-grain plays typically consist of big-name players in tough matchups or boom-or-bust types with uncertain roles.
Keep in mind that Yahoo DFS football contests use 0.5 PPR scoring rather than full PPR, which lowers the comparative value of wide receivers and running backs (in that order) while especially affecting high-volume pass-catchers. NFL DFS Yahoo lineups consist of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one D/ST unit. Suggested Yahoo DFS picks for Week 9 include a pair of running backs set for expanded workloads due to injuries to teammates, as well as an ascendant rookie wide receiver.
QUARTERBACK
Aaron Rodgers, PIT vs. IND ($32): Rodgers has thrown multiple touchdown passes in five of his seven games with the Steelers, including each of the past three, with eight passing scores over the latter span. He hasn't reached 250 passing yards in a game this season but is well positioned to blow past that total against a Colts defense that has allowed 999 yards through the air over its last three, despite facing a pair of underwhelming passers in Jacoby Brissett and Cam Ward. Pittsburgh's reeling defense is unlikely to contain a Colts offense that's scoring a league-high 33.8 points per game, so Rodgers will likely be asked to pass frequently as Pittsburgh plays catch-up.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Herbert, LAC at TEN ($40); Daniel Jones, IND at PIT ($38); Matthew Stafford, LAR vs. NO ($37)
Against the Grainers: Brock Purdy, SF at NYG ($33); Jared Goff, DET vs. MIN ($33); Jaxson Dart, NYG vs. SF ($30)
RUNNING BACK
Kimani Vidal, LAC at TEN ($24): Vidal thrived as the Chargers' lead back in Week 8 against the Vikings, turning 24 touches into 127 total yards and a TD. Even if Hassan Haskins (hamstring) returns, Vidal's set to maintain the lead role against the Titans since Omarion Hampton (ankle) and Najee Harris (Achilles) are both on IR. The Chargers are likely to play from ahead and thus employ a run-heavy game plan against the 1-7 Titans, who have allowed a league-high 14 total TDs to RBs and the second-most rushing yards per game to the position (119.4).
Kareem Hunt, KC at BUF ($14): Hunt's expected to lead Kansas City's backfield since Isiah Pacheco (knee) is week-to-week due to a sprained MCL. The Bills have been surprisingly vulnerable on the ground this season, allowing nine rushing scores to RBs in seven games, as well as 114.3 rushing yards per game to the position. Buffalo tends to sit back in a two-deep shell, and Kansas City will be happy to take easy yardage on the ground rather than forcing things through the air with Patrick Mahomes. Hunt has been opportunistic by the goal line, scoring five TDs this season despite averaging fewer than eight carries per game compared to Pacheco's 10.
Honorable Mentions: Jahmyr Gibbs, DET vs. MIN ($39); Kyren Williams, LAR vs. NO ($34); D'Andre Swift, CHI at CIN ($32)
Against the Grainers: Ashton Jeanty, LV vs. JAC ($30); Travis Etienne, JAC at LV ($23); Tyrone Tracy, NYG vs. SF ($17)
WIDE RECEIVER
Justin Jefferson, MIN at DET ($31): There are five wide receivers with cap hits at least $3 greater than Jefferson's, which makes the star Vikings wideout a nice value option, even with the uncertainty of Minnesota turning back to J.J. McCarthy under center. McCarthy underwhelmed in Weeks 1 and 2, but Jefferson still posted a respectable 125 receiving yards and a TD over that span. Jefferson has recorded at least 74 receiving yards in six consecutive games, and the banged-up Detroit secondary has struggled to cover WRs, allowing 154 receiving yards per game to the position, as well as 11 TDs in only seven games.
Michael Pittman, IND at PIT ($29): Pittman has found pay dirt in six of the Colts' first eight games, and he's likely to score once more against a struggling Steelers secondary that has allowed three passing TDs in each of its last two games. Daniel Jones has spread the ball around masterfully while orchestrating the league's highest-scoring offense, but Pittman is Jones' favorite target. Pittman leads the team with 56 targets and has been thrown to nine times in each of the past two games.
Travis Hunter, JAC at LV ($22): Hunter broke out in Week 7 against the Rams prior to Jacksonville's Week 8 bye, setting career-highs across the board by catching eight of 14 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. The rookie second overall pick came along a little more slowly than expected as he got acclimated to contributing on both offense and defense at the NFL level, but Hunter has still managed to catch at least three passes in all but one game. With Brian Thomas (shoulder) still less than fully healthy, Hunter should continue to lead Jacksonville's passing game against a Raiders defense that's giving up 126.2 yards per game to WRs.
Honorable Mentions: Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET vs. MIN ($36); DK Metcalf, PIT vs. IND ($30); Ladd McConkey, LAC at TEN ($30)
Against the Grainers: Jauan Jennings, SF at NYG ($18); Chimere Dike, TEN vs. LAC ($13); Christian Watson, GB vs. CAR ($11)
TIGHT END
Brock Bowers, LV vs. JAC ($20): Bowers hasn't played since Week 4 due to a knee injury but is finally healthy coming out of the Raiders' Week 8 bye. The 2024 first-round draft pick has career averages of 6.2 catches and 67.6 receiving yards per game, having already shown the ability to be productive despite underwhelming QB play. Bowers' price is currently its lowest of the season compared to the previous games in which he played, and that valuation is likely to climb once he proves to be healthy, so this is a nice buy-low opportunity on arguably the league's best pass-catching TE. Jacksonville's 62.6 yards per game allowed to the position are 10th-most in the NFL.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Warren, IND at PIT ($24); Tucker Kraft, GB vs. CAR ($23); Kyle Pitts, ATL at NE ($16)
Against the Grainers: Oronde Gadsden, LAC at TEN ($20); Theo Johnson, NYG vs. SF ($15); Pat Freiermuth, PIT vs. IND ($13)
DEFENSE
Los Angeles Chargers at TEN ($14): The Titans have been a gold mine for opposing defenses, as struggling rookie QB Cam Ward has yet to throw multiple touchdown passes in a game while getting picked off in each of the his last six starts for a 5:6 TD:INT through eight games overall. The Chargers are coming off arguably their best defensive performance of the season, posting five sacks while limiting the Vikings to 10 points. Coming off a mini-bye after playing on Thursday Night Football in Week 8, the well-rested Chargers are likely to stifle a Titans offense that's scoring a league-low 13.8 points per game.
Honorable Mentions: Los Angeles Rams vs. NO ($17); Jacksonville Jaguars at LV ($15); Green Bay Packers, GB vs. CAR ($14)
Against the Grainers: Denver Broncos at HOU ($16); Chicago Bears at CIN ($15); San Francisco 49ers at NYG ($11)
