We are already in Week 9, and the season is flying by as usual. We have big games this week, and I am expecting a lot of scoring. You can follow me on X @trustintrevor21. My DFS article with all my DraftKings and FanDuel big plays will be posted on Saturday. Here are my Week 9 game previews with DFS and season-long fantasy football in mind.
Week 9 NFL Game Previews for DFS and Season-Long Fantasy Football
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions 1:00 p.m. EST
As a die-hard Vikings fan, I have no idea what to expect on Sunday. QB JJ McCarthy is back after a two-month absence. I’m not expecting the Vikings to run the football against a solid Lions run defense. Pass protection will be key, and the Vikings offensive line is relatively healthy. If McCarthy can get time, he can expose a mediocre Lions’ pass defense. Receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison could go off in this game. Plus, McCarthy has some rushing abilities, so at his price, he can become a sleeper play this week. There are too many good tight ends on the slate to play T.J. Hockenson, but he’s always a threat to score.
The Lions are coming off their bye week, and they should be ready to put up some points against a bad Vikings defense. I think the star is going to be RB Jahmyr Gibbs. The Vikings have struggled against him since he’s been in the league. I’m expecting 120 all-purpose yards and at least one touchdown. RB David Montgomery could have a solid game, but I prefer Gibbs. The passing game could also show out, especially if the Vikings were to put up a fight. QB Jared Goff could light the Vikings up for 300 yards, with many of those yards going to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta. WR Jameson Williams can have a couple of big plays, but I think I like the other weapons better. Don’t be surprised if a total game stack wins the cash because I can see both teams putting up a bunch of points.
Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers 1:00 p.m. EST
This isn’t a great matchup for the Panthers offense. They love to run the football, but they are facing a Packers defense that only allows 3.7 yards per carry. The passing game will have to come alive, and that’s a challenging task because I think they will be playing from behind and facing a big Packers pass rush. QB Bryce Young is back, and he can escape some of that pressure and create plays downfield. I expect him to throw 40 plus times in this game, so maybe one of those receivers could show out. I expect WR Tetairoa McMillan to get most of the coverage, so receivers Jalen Coker or Xavier Leggett could be a dart throw. I prefer Coker, and he may make a milli-maker lineup or two.
The Packers have two players you can trust and a bunch of players that could show out. Running back Josh Jacobs and tight end Tucker Kraft have been outstanding. In fact, I think Jacobs is a lock to score at home. Can he get enough yardage to get into the winning lineups? Last week, we saw James Cook run over the Panthers run defense, but they haven’t played that badly all year. Which defense are we going to see? I see Jacobs getting 20 to 30 fantasy points, so he is in play. Kraft may go a bit on their own because there are a lot of good tight ends on the slate, but as we have seen, he is a slate-breaking type of player. As for the receivers, it’s a mess right now. They’re nice players, but no superstar stands out. Don’t forget that WR Christian Watson is back and making contributions, which makes picking the right receiver impossible. QB Jordan Love is solid but not playable on this slate when there are so many quality QB options.
Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m. EST
I don’t know what happened to the Bears last week, but most of their players seem to be limited in practice this week. QB Caleb Williams isn’t on the report, and he should be a great play. WR Rome Odunze is also limited, but I think he plays and can score 20-plus points. WR Luther Burden is a dart throw play, as he could get some more volume and score on a long touchdown. TE Cole Kmet is limited in practice, but I bet he plays, which makes it challenging to play him or TE Colston Loveland. However, the most significant development is that RB D’Andre Swift is not practicing right now, and he’s trending in the wrong direction. I love him as a play, but RB Kyle Monangai would become a lock button play at his price if he is not out there. The Bengals give up a ton of yards to the running back, and he should score 20 points.
The Bengals have been excellent for fantasy football with QB Joe Flacco. He has gotten the ball to WR Ja’Marr Chase, whom he has targeted 54 times in the last three games. I don’t see that ending here, and Chase will be in many of my lineups. RB Chase Brown is coming off a solid performance in which he scored two touchdowns. I am a little worried that RB Samaje Perine received a bit of volume last week. Still, Brown is a solid play and should score at home. WR Tee Higgins only had one catch for a long touchdown last week, and they need to get him more involved. He is a sneaky option because there will be a game in which he gets more volume and scores 20 points. This is another game where a complete game stack could be in order.
