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There are plentiful options for lower-priced running backs. Which has the best profile to be in many of your lineups in Week 9?
Dan Hindery: Lamar Miller is in a nice spot to see in the neighborhood of 20 touches given all of the skill position injuries for the Texans. He is a solid value, though I would feel better about his chances of a big game if he was playing better in the passing game.
Latavius Murray also looks like a strong play with Minnesota a home favorite against a weak Detroit run defense. It looks like Dalvin Cook will probably be out again so Murray should have a third-straight week of 17+ touches in a nice matchup.
Another name worth considering is Chris Thompson. He has missed time with injury and been overshadowed in recent weeks by Adrian Peterson but the matchup couldn’t be any better against an Atlanta defense that concedes an incredible amount of receiving production to opposing running backs. In tournaments, it is worth rolling the dice on Thompson in hopes we get another of those 10+ target games from him.
Phil Alexander: Latavius Murray has returned a 4x multiple of his current salary on DraftKings in each of the last three games. His opponent this week, the Lions, have allowed 26% more fantasy points to opposing running backs than league average so far this season. Newly acquired defensive tackle Damon Harrison played exceedingly well in his debut with Detroit, but it wasn't enough to stop Chris Carson from running for 105 yards and a touchdown. If the game stays on script (the Vikings are five-point home favorites), Murray should see 20+ touches and multiple goal-line opportunities.
James Brimacombe: I am going to somewhat chase points this week with Kenyan Drake. I was high on him coming into the season but he has been so up and down to start the season. Drake had his first truly big game of the season scoring a pair of touchdown and adding 95 total yards. I feel like he will be a lower owned RB2 this week in DFS and playing him against the Jets defense makes some sense.
Justin Howe: Miller is definitely on fire, but across the field, Phillip Lindsay is my favorite name here. The matchup isn’t ideal, but it’s not suffocating, either, and Lindsay is a three-down back who breaks plenty of molds. He’s small (180ish pounds), but breaks tackles at a strong rate and can generate his own yardage. Devontae Booker had an eye-catching Week 8, which could lead a sizeable chunk of the DFS field to overlook Lindsay. But it was a career performance for Booker, who’s never shown the ability to spin gold out of his opportunities. Lindsay is close to a bell cow, and he’s a truly dynamic one.
Like the guys, I’m also in on Latavius Murray. The Detroit run defense is sieve-like, and Murray is running exceptionally well (5.11 yards per rush over the last 4 weeks) behind a line that’s gradually coming together. Most importantly, as Dan pointed out, Vegas is firmly on Murray’s side.
Chad Parsons: I am buying Latavius Murray for one more week and Kenyan Drake as low-cost options in Week 9. Latavius Murray has seen 80% or more of the snaps each of the last three weeks and the Lions are the No.2 matchup for opposing running backs in the adjusted strength of schedule. The Jets are a neutral matchup for running backs (and Kenyan Drake this week), but Drake is seeing strong snaps despite a committee on face value with Frank Gore. Drake has been in the 55-65% range for the past month and sees more red zone opportunities than Gore and a balmy 41 targets on the season, including being used as one of the premiere downfield running back targets in the NFL this season.
