Blake Krass breaks down his best bets, predictions and picks for the Week 9 NFL slate on DraftKings Sportsbook.
There are some great games on the NFL Week 9 slate as the season hits the midway point. With plenty of ways to get in on the action on DraftKings Sportsbook, this is a look at my best bets for NFL Week 9.
NFL Week 9 Best Bets
The Rams are one of the best teams in the league. Only the Rams, Chiefs, Lions and Patriots rank inside the top ten in the NFL in both offensive and defensive EPA/play. The Rams rank second in the NFL in defensive EPA/play. A defensive unit playing that well paired up with this elite offense makes the Rams one of the toughest matchups in the NFL. After a bye week last week, the Rams are back at full strength on offense with Puka Nacua returning to the field. Los Angeles should come out of the gates firing with one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL back in action.
On the other sideline, Tyler Shough is making his first career start for the Saints. In relief of Spencer Rattler last week, Shough did not play well at all. Kellen Moore seems to be benching Rattler more for his own job security than anything else. Rattler had his struggles at times, but he has been far from the Saints’ biggest issue. Whether it is a lingering injury issue or something else, Alvin Kamara has been playing a low snap count over the last several weeks. The Saints have also barely used Taysom Hill since he returned from injury. Chris Olave has not looked like his old self at receiver and the offensive line has struggled. Shough could be in for a brutal first start against the Rams’ defense. As long as the Rams don’t take their foot off the gas, this game has massive blowout potential.
The Chiefs and Bills are facing off in Buffalo for what should be one of the best games of the NFL season. These two have had some epic battles over the past few seasons, both in the regular season and postseason. This should be another great game, as both offenses are firing on all cylinders this season. The Chiefs rank third in the NFL in offensive EPA/play, and the Bills rank fourth. The Chiefs lead the NFL in offensive success rate, while the Bills rank fifth. Both teams are also incredibly well-balanced on offense, ranking in the top seven in the NFL in both EPA/rush and EPA/dropback. That makes it so difficult to stop either offense.
On top of the efficient offense that both teams have as a unit, these are two of the best quarterbacks on the planet. Josh Allen is the defending MVP, who can make incredible plays with his legs and his arm. Meanwhile, Mahomes has been the best player in the NFL over the past seven seasons. The Chiefs have their full complement of weapons with Rashee Rice back on the field. They look unstoppable currently, scoring at least 28 points in five straight games. Meanwhile, the Bills are coming off a 40-point performance against the Panthers. These two great quarterbacks should trade haymakers back and forth all game. The winner will likely be whoever has the ball last, which is why I am betting on the total instead of the side in this game.
Six-Point Teaser: Lions -2.5 & Raiders +8.5
The Lions are having another fantastic season. There was concern that the team could see some drop-off after both coordinators left to take head coaching jobs. However, Dan Campbell’s squad is still among the best in the league. They sit at 5-2, with the losses coming to the Packers and Chiefs, two of the best teams in the league, both on the road. In Detroit, they have been untouchable. The Lions are averaging 36.7 points per game and should have another good game against Minnesota. The Vikings’ defense is a well-coached group, but they have been struggling with injuries. They have also been struggling due to the lack of help from their offense. Minnesota has given up 65 points over its last two games and should struggle to stop Detroit. J.J. McCarthy is returning at quarterback for the Vikings and has not shown the ability to keep up with an offense like Detroit’s. The Lions should score enough to win this one by at least a field goal.
The Raiders and Jaguars are facing off in a game where both teams desperately need a win. The Raiders have had a disappointing first season under Pete Carroll and need to find some positive momentum. This could be the game to do so with Brock Bowers returning to the field. Last season, Bowers showed that he was a game-changing player and that he could impact games on his own. Geno Smith has played really poorly this season, but last week’s bye week gave him a chance to watch tape and try to fix what has been going wrong this year. If Smith can improve his play with Bowers back on the field, this offense should start to look more competent. After a big win over the Chiefs, it looked like the Jaguars could be in for a special season. However, they have lost back-to-back games, put star rookie Travis Hunter on injured reserve and rumors are swirling that Brian Thomas Jr. will be traded only a year after his special rookie season. Things are looking down for Jacksonville, while Las Vegas is hopefully trending up after the bye week. The Raiders should be able to keep this one within a score at the very least.