​NFL DFS Week 9 – The Sunday Crossword

For the first time in a while, the top-ten winning tickets in DraftKings Millionaire Maker GPP all had four players in common: Drew Brees (this week's price $7,200), Todd Gurley ($6,900), Odell Beckham ($8,800) and Benjamin Watson ($4,000). While Gurley was still in the stratosphere with 61.7 percent ownership, Brees and Beckham were on the wrong side of modest at 3.2 percent and 6.6 percent respectively—and that's where the money was earned. Because of this, Brees and Beckham's percent ownership will skyrocket this week and into the future, and their impacts will be somewhat muted.

Injuries have shelved some very desirable players with Le'Veon Bell, Keenan Allen, Steve Smith, and Matt Forte, among others, missing in action. At running back, this will spread the percent ownership around more than usual; for the DFS game, this is some small consolation. There now are many relatively attractive options, which means not everyone has to keep paying the still-too-inexpensive fare to ride the Gurley train.

The high-dollar wideouts are very tempting, but you're most likely only affording one this week. Injuries will no doubt focus the public's laser beams on San Diego's pair of cheap options—Malcolm Floyd ($3,900) and Stevie Johnson ($3,200)—and I'm expecting their percent ownership to be extra fat this week, which will make them less attractive.

Jacksonville, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington return from their bye weeks. Arizona, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City and Seattle all hit the bench while Cincinnati and Cleveland play Thursday night.

Here are some options to consider for your ticket:

QB

Tom Brady ($8,500) – Lots of dollars, lots of points

Drew Brees ($7,200) – Can he back it up? Tennessee's defense is middling

Eli Manning ($6,900) – Off a six-TD groove, and here comes Tampa

Philip Rivers ($6,900) – Still priced so nice

Jay Cutler ($5,200) – Last four weeks even better points-per-dollar than Brady

RB

Devonta Freeman ($8,000) – Too expensive this week; he costs you a top wideout

Todd Gurley ($6,900) – Still priced waaaay too low, but much tougher matchup against Minny

Dion Lewis ($6,400) – Receptions written in ink

Chris Ivory ($5,900) – Like him to bounce back against the Jags

Doug Martin ($5,700) – Facing a sieve in the Giants

DeAngelo Williams ($5,500) – Love him this week against Oakland

Jeremy Langford ($4,000) – His time is now against San Diego

WR

Odell Beckham ($8,800) – Looks good for back-to-back big weeks against Tampa

Julian Edelman ($8,200) – More expensive than ever to play a Patriots stack

Demaryius Thomas ($7,500) – Sports a great PPG at a reasonable price

Mike Evans ($6,800) – Love the matchup against the Giants but wish his compatriots were healthier

Alshon Jeffery ($6,700) – Two straight weeks of making you money; percent ownership up, up, and away

Malcolm Floyd ($3,900), Stevie Johnson ($3,200) – Join the party

Robert Woods ($3,500) – Strong showing in London as Buffalo's number one wideout; watch Watkins' injury

TE

Gronk ($8,000) – One ticket with him for every ticket without

Ben Watson ($4,000) – Two out of three fantastic weeks

Jacob Tamme ($3,000) – Hot and cold

Heath Miller ($2,700) – Big Ben's security blanket and then those Raiders

D

Falcons ($3,400) – Suddenly Blaine Gabbert

Denver ($3,000) – Looking for the pick-six against Luck

Dallas ($2,700) – Way too cheap when facing Bradford

Philadelphia ($2,700) – Ditto but for Matt Cassell

My DraftKings Ticket

Eli Manning, Dion Lewis, DeAngelo Williams, Odell Beckham, Mike Evans, Alshon Jeffery, Heath Miller, Robert Woods, Cowboys Defense