Jaguars-Ravens DFS Picks: Best Value Plays, NFL Week 9

Week 9 kicks off with an AFC showdown for Thursday Night Football, as the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars head to Baltimore to face a Ravens squad on the downswing. Baltimore’s injury woes continue heading into the short week, just as it seemed the team was moving in the right direction entering Week 8. Superstar QB Lamar Jackson could miss the remainder of the season with a thumb injury suffered on the first play after returning from an ankle injury that kept him out the previous three games. To make matters worse, the Ravens will have to face a Jaguars squad that has won four of its last five games without backup QB Tyler Huntley, who is also out.

Here are the players worth targeting in your DFS lineups for Thursday night’s AFC showdown. Be sure to check out our NFL betting trends page for data and odds on every game.

Jaguars vs. Ravens DFS Picks

Pos	Player	Matchup	FPPG	Salary
MVP	👑 Bhayshul Tuten	JAX @ BAL	17.3	$14,700
FLEX	Jaguars	JAX @ BAL	8.9	$5,800
FLEX	Parker Washington	JAX @ BAL	14.1	$9,400
FLEX	Chris Rodriguez Jr.	JAX @ BAL	6.2	$3,400
FLEX	Derrick Henry	JAX @ BAL	18.0	$10,200
FLEX	Brian Thomas Jr.	JAX @ BAL	4.8	$6,400

👑 Bhayshul Tuten, JAC/RB/MVP ($14,700)

Jacksonville’s sophomore RB Bhayshul Tuten enters the Week 9 primetime spot off a career game on Sunday. The 23-year-old has taken a big leap this season, and his Week 8 performance featured several career highs. Tuten posted his first career 100-yard rushing game and a career-best 55 receiving yards. He scored two TDs, one through the air and one on the ground, finishing the week as the fantasy RB2.

He now arrives in Week 9 with back-to-back elite fantasy performances separated by the Jaguars’ bye week, having scored 4 TDs across his last two games. He faces a Baltimore defense that continues to struggle with the lack of offensive support it has received, conceding 35.5 PPG over its last two contests, including 2 rushing TDs. While Baltimore allows a fairly low 102.8 rushing yards per game, Tuten’s dual-threat ability should help him continue this stretch. It is worth noting his injury designation heading into the short week, as he missed practice with an ankle injury he played through last week, though he appears to be trending toward playing.

Jaguars, D/ST ($5,800)

The Jaguars defense will look for a second straight dominant performance after stifling the Colts on Sunday afternoon. Jacksonville held Indianapolis to just 7 points in a 35-point win and once again arrives as a heavy favorite on the spread, suggesting another lopsided result. The Jaguars will likely face undrafted rookie QB Tyler Fagnano, who saw his first NFL action in last week’s defeat. The 25-year-old finished 10 of 21 for 91 yards and an INT and now faces a defense that arrives with plenty of confidence and will look to force errors from the former UConn QB.

Baltimore managed just 167 yards of total offense in Sunday’s loss to a Bills squad not known for its defense this season. The Ravens will look to bounce back against Jacksonville, though that may prove more difficult than expected. The Jaguars allow the second-fewest PPG (15.9) and rank first in the league in rushing yards allowed at just 77.4 per game. Their 1.7 takeaways per game rank third, and they should be able to force multiple turnovers against an offense led by an inexperienced rookie. Jacksonville has conceded just 12 TDs this season, the second-fewest in the league, and should be able to keep Baltimore’s offense at bay once again.

Parker Washington, JAC/WR ($9,400)

Jacksonville’s young star WR Parker Washington has evolved into a true WR1 in his fourth season as a pro. He leads the Jaguars in every major receiving category, and his team-high 24.5% target share compares well with some of the league’s top wideouts this season. Washington had one of his quietest games of the year in the Jaguars’ blowout win, catching just one pass for 26 yards with the running game dominating. He has a good opportunity to bounce back on Thursday against a Ravens secondary that has struggled badly this season, particularly in recent weeks.

Baltimore ranks 21st in the league, conceding 228.3 passing yards per game through the first eight weeks. That number has climbed to more than 280 per game over the last two contests, with the secondary giving up 6 passing TDs in that span. With Baltimore’s run defense holding up fairly well this season, teams have attacked the AFC North squad through the air and found great success doing so. Washington’s target volume could be limited if this turns into a blowout, but the 24-year-old should be able to make the most of his receptions against a secondary prone to big aerial plays.

Chris Rodriguez, Jr., JAC/RB ($3,400)

Veteran RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. could be in for a bigger role this week with Tuten arriving at Thursday night’s game less than 100%. Rodriguez has performed well when given opportunities this season and enters Thursday off one of his best performances of the year against Indianapolis. The 27-year-old made the most of his six carries, rushing for 41 yards (6.8 YPC) and scoring his third TD of the season. He added one reception for 17 yards and has been an explosive play waiting to happen for most of the year.

Rodriguez would have no problem stepping into the lead back role if Tuten is unable to go or has to exit early. Even with Tuten in the lineup, Rodriguez has seen 10 red-zone carries through the first seven games, and Jacksonville will likely continue to lean on the physical back in short-yardage situations with its lead back a bit hobbled. With the Jaguars expected to dominate and build a lopsided lead, they should call on Rodriguez to help run out the clock.

Derrick Henry, BAL/RB ($10,200)

Baltimore will call on superstar RB Derrick Henry to carry the load with so many questions surrounding the QB position heading into Thursday night. Despite his age, Henry has remained a workhorse this season, averaging 19.8 carries per game, the third most in the league. He scored his 9th TD of the season in Sunday’s loss to Buffalo and is tied for the second-most scores in the league in his 11th NFL season. Henry faces a tough matchup against the Jaguars’ run defense we already highlighted, though the volume and experience the 32-year-old brings will be invaluable to a Baltimore offense in peril.

The veteran back enters Week 9 with 632 rushing yards this season, the seventh most among all RBs. His last three games have been some of his most inefficient of the year, though last week he appeared to be back to his normal self before Baltimore was forced to abandon the run because of the score. He had 53 yards on 11 carries (4.8 YPC) and caught two passes for seven yards. A similar fate may await on Thursday, but the Ravens should feed Henry early and hope their star RB can help them move the ball with an inexperienced QB under center.

Brian Thomas, Jr., JAC/WR ($6,400)

We round out Thursday’s lineup with Jacksonville WR Brian Thomas Jr., who caught his second TD of the season in the Jaguars’ blowout victory on Sunday. The former first-round pick has fallen significantly down the pecking order among Jaguars WRs, though a promising matchup could help the 24-year-old follow up last week’s score with another on Thursday. Given how poor Baltimore’s secondary has been this season, Thomas is worth a look at this price point despite his inconsistent play.

Thomas’ TD on Sunday was his lone catch of the day and only his 10th reception this season. The former rookie breakout star has seen nine targets over the last three games combined and is commanding a 13% target share for the season. While the volume is a big concern, Baltimore’s secondary has invited big games from any WR that faces it. The Ravens are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing WRs, and Thomas could find the end zone for the second straight week given how poorly the AFC North squad has defended the air over the past few games.

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