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Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

The NFL regular season comes to a close this week with playoff positioning still to be determined. While several playoff teams are still battling for seeding, there are some that have nothing left to play for, so there is a chance they could rest their starters. Even with a few stars possibly resting this week, there are still plenty of great options for your daily fantasy football entry. Put your favorite recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
DraftKings = $6,700
FanDuel = $7,700

Garoppolo had the most impressive performance of his brief 49ers career in Week 16, throwing for 242 yards and two touchdowns against a tough Jacksonville Jaguars defense. He also chipped in a rushing touchdown, marking his second career game with at least three touchdowns. Not only was it impressive that he played so well against a good defense, but also considering he has very limited offensive weapons around him. The Rams are resting several key players this week with a first-round bye out of each, leaving Garoppolo as someone to consider for your entry.

Kirk Cousins vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $6,200
FanDuel = $7,600

While this has been a disappointing season for the Redskins, Cousins is only three touchdown passes away from setting a new career-high and throwing at least 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career. Week 17 brings an excellent matchup against a Giants defense that is riddled with injuries and playing extremely poorly. The Giants enter Sunday allowing the second-most net passing yards per game (260) and have allowed the most passing touchdowns (32) in the league. Cardinals backup quarterback Drew Stanton managed to throw for 209 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants in Week 16, so the far more talented Cousins might be in for a big day.

Jacoby Brissett vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $6,600

Brissett doesn’t jump off the page as a viable option Sunday as he enters Week 17 having thrown for less than 200 yards in four of his last five games. While he can help out with some rushing yards, he hasn’t of late, posting 36 total rushing yards over his last three games. That being said, he gets a favorable matchup this week against a Texans defense that is tied for the second-most touchdown passes allowed (29) in the league. Brissett threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns against them earlier this season, so he is a viable option if you want to go with a cheaper quarterback.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

LeSean McCoy vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $8,000
FanDuel = $8,200

Despite all their struggles this season, the Bills are surprisingly still in the playoff hunt. With average at best quarterback play from Tyrod Taylor, they will likely lean heavily on McCoy to try and make the postseason Sunday. McCoy continues to rack up yards both on the ground and in the passing game, posting at least 96 total yards in four straight games. One of those games came against these same Dolphins when not only did he have 96 total yards, but he also had two total touchdowns. Expect him to get plenty of touches and provide value again in Week 17.

C.J. Anderson vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Sports Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,900

Anderson is finally getting consistent work for the Broncos as they turn to their rushing attack to cover up their hole at quarterback. Anderson was even heavily involved in the passing game in Week 16, hauling in seven of nine targets for 45 yards. Volume is the key for Anderson as he is averaging 98 rushing yards in the six games that he received at least 16 carries this season. The Chiefs struggle to stop the run and have allowed the fourth-most rushing touchdowns (15) in the league. This is a very reasonable price for Anderson considering his upside.

Derrick Henry vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $5,800

Titans starting running back DeMarco Murray has an MCL tear heading into Week 17 and while he hasn’t been officially ruled out yet, the chances of him playing aren’t great. If he does manage to find his way onto the field, he would likely only play a limited role at best. Henry is in line to see increased carries as a result, something that has been few and far between this season. He only received 11 or more carries in seven games this season but managed to average 75.8 rushing yards in those games. Volume alone makes him a viable option at this price in Week 17.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Field
DraftKings = $8,400
FanDuel = $9,100

It’s amazing to see what Hopkins has been able to accomplish despite all the Texans issues at quarterback this season. Despite catching passes from Tom Savage and T.J. Yates, Hopkins still has 34 receptions for 499 yards and four touchdowns in his last five games. To no surprise, he played well in his previous meeting against the Colts this season when he caught six of 16 targets for 86 yards and one touchdown. The Colts allow the third-most net passing yards per game (255) in the league, so expect another big game from Hopkins on Sunday.

JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $7,300

Smith-Schuster took over as the Steelers number one wide receiver with Antonio Brown (calf) out in Week 16, finishing with six receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown. Brown will be out again in Week 17, leaving Smith-Schuster to get plenty of opportunities to produce. While the Steelers have already clinched a first-round bye, they still have something to play for this week as they try to clinch the number one seed in the AFC. Considering he gets to face the winless Browns, Smith-Schuster could have an excellent performance Sunday.

Jamison Crowder vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $7,000

Crowder only has three receiving touchdowns this season, but they have all come in his last five games. One of those games was against the Giants when he finished with seven receptions, 141 yards, and one touchdown. He’s approaching a bit of a milestone Sunday as he is only four targets away from receiving at least 100 in a season for the first time of his career. With the Giants deficiencies and injuries on defense already detailed, Crowder might be able to end his season with a bang in Week 17.

Keelan Cole vs. Tennesee Titans
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
DraftKings = $5,700
FanDuel = $5,900

To say Cole is finishing the season on a high note is an understatement. With 16 receptions, 393 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his last three games, Cole has been an excellent option at a cheap price in DFS. His price is still reasonable for Week 17, especially considering the Jaguars are still dealing with multiple injuries to wide receivers. With another big role likely on tap, Cole is definitely someone to consider for your entry.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

Antonio Gates vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings = $4,200
FanDuel = $5,700

With Hunter Henry (abdomen) on IR, Gates stepped back into a familiar starting role in Week 16. He had a throwback performance, hauling in six of eight targets for 81 yards and a touchdown. He’ll look to finish off the season strong against a Raiders defense that has allowed the most receiving yards (992) to tight ends this season. The price is right to take a chance that he reaches the end zone again Sunday.

Jack Doyle vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Lucas Oil Field
DraftKings = $4,700
FanDuel = $5,400

Doyle has had an excellent season for the Colts, setting career-highs in targets (103), receptions (76) and receiving yards (652). While he only has three touchdowns, his role in the passing game has still provided him with value. He played well in his previous meeting this season against the Texans, recording eight receptions on nine targets for 63 yards. That should come as no surprise as the Texans have allowed 77 receptions for 884 yards to tight ends this season, both of which put them in the bottom-ten in the league. Expect another solid performance from Doyle in Week 17.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,200
FanDuel = $4,600

The Redskins defense has been productive lately, recording 16 sacks, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries in their last five games. One of those was against these same Giants, who scored only 10 points in the game. The Giants have even fewer healthy players now as they are dealing with injuries to Sterling Shepard (neck) and Evan Engram (ribs), both of whom are listed as questionable for Week 17. Don’t expect the Giants to be able to score much (if at all) in this game.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
DraftKings = $2,100
FanDuel = $4,000

The Rams are resting up for the playoffs and have already ruled out Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, and some key offensive lineman for Week 17. Sean Mannion will start at quarterback, but only has 16 passing attempts in his NFL career. Malcolm Brown is expected to start at running back and he only has 192 rushing yards on 49 attempts this season. With so many backups taking the field, the 49ers defense might be worth the risk in tournament play at this dirt cheap price.

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

*Cesar Becerra*

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

We’re down to the final two weeks of the regular season, that means that we’ll have to monitor team reporters much closer than we usually would have to on Sunday morning. We could see instances where teams that have already clinched playoff berths/bye rest regulars. And we can also see a situation like the Packers where Aaron Rodgers was placed on IR after Green Bay was eliminated from postseason contention.

This applies more next week (week 17) than this week. But we could see a case where the Eagles get a little conservative if they clinch a first-round bye (PHI clinch a first-round bye with Vikings loss on Saturday). Let’s dive right in.

With no more Thursday Night or Sunday Night games, we are left with two Saturday games and two Monday Night games this week, but none of those games are on the Draftkings main slate. The Draftkings main slate features a 12-game slate and is Sunday only games.

Vegas

The Draftkings main slate has only one game with a game total over 50. The Falcons visiting the Saints line is currently sitting with a 52.5 over/under. The next games with the highest game totals are the Rams at Titans (48), Seahawks at Cowboys (47), Bills at Patriots (47), and Panthers at Bucs (46.5). Outside of those five games, no other game has a total over 45 points.

Regarding implied team totals, they are headlined by several of the teams I mentioned above. The Pats (29.75) and Saints (29) lead the way with over a four-touchdown implied total, but the Panthers (28.25), Rams (27.25), and Chiefs (27) are not that far behind. Some other teams with decent team totals are the Cowboys (26), Chargers (24.5), Lions (24). The Falcons (23.5) and Jags (23) round out the top ten of teams with the highest implied total.

In terms of game script, we have three teams that are double-digit favorites. The Pats are 12.5 points favorites at home against the Bills. The Chiefs are 10.5 point home favorites against the Dolphins. And lastly, the Panthers are 10 points favorites over the Bucs (this line is very interesting because the line initially opened at Panthers (-4) and has since moved 6 points). Outside of those huge favorites, the Chargers (-6.5), Bears (-6.5), and Rams (-6.5) all opened up as more than a touchdown favorite, but have since dipped below.

All this Vegas Data was taken as of Wednesday night, so I strongly suggest checking back on Vegas Insiders on Sunday morning.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

Quarterback pricing is relatively even this week. The top 11 quarterbacks are all priced within $1,000 of each other with Russell Wilson ($7,000) leading the way and Dak Prescott ($6,000) rounding out the lower 6k range.

Drew Brees ($6,500) – It’s tough to choose between the top 5 priced quarterbacks, they are all in pretty good spots. I think due to recency bias Cam will be the most popular among that tier. I’m hedging from the slightly higher owned Cam for a cheaper Drew Brees. I like Brees for the $300 savings from Newton and the fact that his game has a higher game total (52.5 vs. 46.5) as well as a closer spread (-5.5 vs. -10). The Falcons and Saints games have traditionally turned into a shootout over the last three seasons, and Brees has crushed each time. Brees is a perfect 3 for 3 at exceeding his salary at home against the Falcons in their last 3 meetings at the Superdome. I know that the Saints have transitioned to a running team with their 2-headed monster, but I like taking my chances with Brees against Atlanta who ranks 20th against QB in aFPA. I get it that Cam has the safer floor, but when Brees is in the right matchup, he has the highest ceiling of any QB in the league.

Dak Prescott ($6,000) – There’s no mistake about it, Prescott has been awful without Zeke. But now the Cowboys finally get Zeke back after a six-game suspension, so that brings Prescott and the Cowboys offense back into play. Prescott is a home favorite facing a Seahawks defense that ranks 15th in aFPA to opposing QBs. The matchup is far from ideal, but if you’re looking to take a flyer on a quarterback with nice rushing upside, Prescott is your guy. I don’t like him as much as the next guy I mention, but if you’re looking at this salary range, I like his rushing upside.

Kirk Cousins ($5,400) – Yes, this is a bad matchup on paper against the Denver Broncos. But the Broncos aren’t the same feared defense that they were in the past. The Broncos rank in the bottom 5 in the league in passing touchdowns allowed (26) on the season. They still rank atop the league in passing yardage allowed (189) but are at the bottom 6 in the league in interceptions forced (8). Teams are throwing the least against the Broncos (418 attempts), yet 6 of the last 7 QBs to face the Broncos have met salary expectations. The lone exception is Josh McCown who was injured early in the game. I’m not saying you should start Cousins with 100% confidence, but Cousins is at his lowest price of the season and should air it out at least 30 times. Cousins has had some big games at home this season, so I think I’ll take a flyer on him for tournaments.

Cash:

C. Newton, R. Wilson, D. Brees, A. Smith, T. Brady

GPP:

(all of above) K. Cousins, D. Prescott, B. Bortles, M. Stafford

Running backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

Kareem Hunt ($8,400) – Everyone will pay up for Gurley after his 48 point eruption game. Gurley is always in play, so I won’t write him up for the rest of the season.  But a pivot off Gurley to save a few hundred bucks is Hunt. Hunt is only a $600 discount, so it’s nothing too crazy, but Hunt is slowly starting to look like how he started off the season. In the last two weeks under a new play caller, Hunt has absolutely smashed. Hunt in his last two games, Hunt has 24 and 25 carries in each game. In those two games, Hunt has 12 targets and 10 receptions totaling 73 yards. Overall he’s scored 3 touchdowns in his last two games, and now he faces the Dolphins who rank 29th in aFPA to opposing running backs. Hunt is a huge home favorite (-10.5) and in another nice spot this week.

Devonta Freeman ($6,500) – Barring any news about Tevin Coleman, Freeman is shaping up to be the highest owned running back on the slate. Freeman is coming off of his best game of the season where he touched the ball 27 times and totaled 194 yards with one rushing touchdown. Freeman’s workload is expected to remain the same, and he’s facing the Saints in which he has killed throughout his career. The Falcons are road underdogs, but this game should stay close, and Freeman could see another 5 targets in a game that has the highest potential to shoot out.

James White ($4,100) – Searching for value, we might have to land on the headache of the Patriots backfield. It’s always a mystery with what Bill Belichick will do with his trio of running backs, but this week we get some clarity. Rex Burkhead will be inactive, and Mike Gillislee ($3,900) is expected to be active for the first time in 5 weeks and should see all the goal-line work. That leaves Dion Lewis ($6,000) and James White ($4,100) in store to get the work in before the Pats reach the 5-yard line. White has seen a fair share of snaps with 45% over the last two games and has also received the most targets in the past four games (15). White figures to see an improved role out of the backfield and will continue to get targets. I like taking a flyer on him at his $4,100 price tag over Lewis.

Cash:

T. Gurley, K. Hunt, D. Freeman, M. Gordon, G. Bernard, A. Kamara, C. McCaffrey.

GPP:

(all of above), E. Elliott, L. McCoy, L. Fournette, P. Barber, J. White

Wide Receiver

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

A.J. Green ($6,700) – Michael Thomas ($7,600) is likely the highest owned receiver and for a good reason. A.J. Green is a nice pivot off the high priced Thomas. Once again, Green finds himself below 7k, but this time he’s a much better matchup than last week. Green faces the Lions defense that ranks 24th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. Erasing last week’s tough matchup with Xavier Rhodes, Green is still seeing close to double-digit targets on average and is seeing 30% of the team’s targets. Green has had a somewhat disappointing season so far, but he always has the potential to go off for 20+ points. Green should come in at single-digit ownership and would be a nice pivot off the heavily owned Thomas.

Larry Fitzgerald ($6,800) – Fitz has 10 targets in 2 of the last 3 games for the Cardinals. This week Fitz goes up against the Giants secondary that is very depleted. The Giants rank 31st in aFPA to wide receivers and the Cards are home favorites. Fitz is a bit discouraging considering that Drew Stanton will be under center, but Fitz will continue to see the majority of the targets from the receiving corp.

Josh Doctson ($3,500) – A value GPP shot in the dark is Josh Doctson. I mentioned in the quarterback section that the Broncos rank in the bottom 5 in the league at allowing passing touchdowns. If you are going to take a shot with Cousins, you should consider stacking him with Doctson. Doctson may not be the possession receiver that Jamison Crowder ($5,000) is, but Doctson leads the team with 33% touchdown percent in the red zone. Doctson doesn’t have a safe floor but has a pretty decent ceiling. If he could find the end zone and catch 3-4 balls, he’ll smash value.

Cash:

M. Thomas, K. Allen, J. Jones, A. Green, L. Fitz, J. Crowder, C. Kupp, R. Matthews, D. Thomas, K. Cole, D. Westbrook,

Gpp:

(All of above), T. Hill, J. Landry, D. Funches, M. Evans, D. Bryant, M. Jones, M. Goodwin, J. Gordon, P. Richardson,

Tight End

Eric Ebron ($3,300) – Ebron has been pretty good since the beginning of November. In his last 7 games, Ebron has 40 targets (5.7/gm) and has 32 catches. That’s good enough for an 80% catch rate. During that span, Ebron also has a pair of touchdowns. This week Ebron is going up against the Bengals who rank 29th in aFPA. In a slate that has very little value, I like Ebron to save some salary.

Antonio Gates ($2,500) – Hunter Henry was placed on IR earlier this week, which signals more opportunity for old man Gates. Gates is the bare minimum and provides salary relief to the roster in studs at other positions. Last week Gates caught his lone red zone target for a 10-yard touchdown. At $2,500 you don’t need much to get four times salary.

Cash:

T. Kelce, E. Ebron, A. Gates, G. Olsen, T. Kroft

GPP:

(All of above), R. Gronkowski, G. Celek

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 16

Carolina Panthers ($3,100) – The Panthers have been on a tear their last two games creating turnovers. In the previous two games against the Packers and Vikings, they have accumulated 9 sacks, 2 fumbles, and 5 interceptions. This week they are huge 10 point favorites at home against the Bucs who are allowing defenses to outscore their implied points projection every time in the past 3 weeks.

Cash:

Panthers, Jacksonville, New England, Kansas City,

Gpp:

(all of above) Arizona, Washington

 

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

With only two weeks left in the regular season, that also means only two weeks left with a full slate of options in DFS. Let’s take full advantage this week and try to bring home the big bucks. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Russell Wilson vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $9,000

The only team that seems to be able to slow down Wilson lately is the Los Angeles Rams. In two games against them, he’s only averaged 170 passing yards and one passing touchdown. In his last eight games against other teams, he’s averaging 288 passing yards and 2.6 passing touchdowns. He’ll get to face the Cowboys in Week 16, a team tied for the third-most touchdown passes allowed (26) in the league. With a more favorable opponent on tap, look for Wilson to rebound with a big performance.

Blake Bortles vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $6,500
FanDuel = $7,600

If you play in season-long fantasy leagues, how crazy is it that Bortles might be one of the quarterbacks you are most confident in starting down the stretch? He’s been rolling of late, throwing for at least 268 yards and two touchdowns in three straight games. All three were homes games, but he’s not facing one of the tougher secondaries in the league on the road in San Francisco on Sunday. While Bortles has been turnover prone in his career, the 49ers have the third-fewest interceptions (seven) in the league this year. If you don’t want to pay up for Wilson, Bortles is someone to consider.

Drew Stanton vs. New York Giants
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,000

Stanton started two games earlier this season before suffering a knee injury and played fairly well, throwing for at least 201 yards and one touchdown in both games. He’ll return to the starting lineup Week 16 with Blaine Gabbert being benched due to his struggles. Normally you wouldn’t want to look at Stanton, but he gets the Giants this week. The Giants defense is riddled with injuries, especially in the secondary. While Stanton is certainly not as talented, backup quarterback turned starter Nick Foles threw for four touchdowns against the Giants last week. He will only cost you the minimum, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Le’Veon Bell vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $9,900
FanDuel = $9,300

Bell likely has the highest floor of any running back in DFS based on his role in both the rushing and passing games. He put that on full display Week 15 against the Patriots, cashing in 24 rushing attempts and six targets for 165 total yards and one touchdown. He has at least 100 total yards in six straight games, scoring five touchdowns over that stretch. With Antonio Brown (calf) out for Week 16, he should have an even bigger role in the offense. Don’t overthink this one, Bell is an elite option again this week.

Dion Lewis vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,700

Lewis continues to see a steady role in the Patriots rushing attack, recording at least 10 carries in eight of his last nine games. He had a solid performance against these same Bills in Week 13, rushing 15 times for 92 yards. The Patriots will likely be without Rex Burkhead (knee) this week, who rushed for two touchdowns in that game. While James White will probably take on some added work with Burkhead out, it’s reasonable to think Lewis might not lose as many carries near the goal line like he has to Burkhead. The price is right to consider Lewis again this week.

C.J. Anderson vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $6,200

Anderson had his best game of the season last week, rushing 30 times for 158 yards. The volume was key as he has rushed for at least 81 yards in four of the five games that he received at least 20 carries in this season. The Redskins are not good against the run as they have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (123.4) in the NFL this season. It’s been a lost year for the Broncos, but Anderson has enough promise to warrant adding to your entry for Week 16.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Michael Thomas vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,600
FanDuel = $8,200

Thomas was expected to have an even larger role in the Saints offense this year with Brandin Cooks being traded to the Patriots and he has delivered, receiving the fifth-most targets (136) in the league. Although he only has five touchdowns, three of them have come in the last three games. His 1,085 receiving yards are sixth-most among all receivers, so he has tremendous upside even in weeks where he’s not scoring touchdowns. He hauled in 10 of 14 targets for 117 yards and one touchdown in Week 14 against these same Falcons on the road, so expect another big game at home this week.

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,400
FanDuel = $8,100

It’s amazing to think about the numbers Hopkins has been able to put up with all the injuries the Texans have suffered at quarterback. He’s the focal point of their offense, receiving at least 13 targets in three straight games. Although he only had four catches Week 15, he made the most of them by posting 80 yards and one touchdown. It doesn’t matter who will be throwing him passes Sunday, Hopkins still has great upside.

JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,400
FanDuel = $7,000

The Steelers lost Antonio Brown (calf) during Week 15, leaving Smith-Schuster to finish with six receptions for 114 yards. With Brown already ruled out for Week 16, Smith-Schuster will likely occupy a bigger role in Pittsburgh’s passing attack. The Texans allow the sixth-most net passing yards per game (248) and are tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed (27) in the league, which could mean excellent numbers from Smith-Schuster this week.

Keelan Cole vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $4,700
FanDuel = $5,300

Cole destroyed the Texans last week, posting 186 receiving yards and one touchdown. Marqise Lee (ankle) missed the game, opening up Cole to receive a season-high nine targets. Lee might not be able to return this week, which would likely mean more targets for Cole again. The 49ers aren’t great at defending the pass as they have allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns (25) in the league. Cole definitely gets a boost in value if Lee doesn’t play, but he should still be considered even if Lee returns based on this price.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Rob Gronkowski vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $8,400

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Gronk crushing the Bills. He destroyed them again in Week 13, recording nine catches for 147 yards. In 12 career games against the Bills, he has 960 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. With 18 receptions and 325 receiving yards over his last two games, don’t hesitate to pay up for him based on this juicy matchup.

Antonio Gates vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $2,500
FanDuel = $4,500

The Chargers lost a big weapon in their offense this week as Hunter Henry (abdomen) was placed on injured reserve. Henry had received at least five targets in four straight games entering Week 15, posting two touchdowns over that stretch. With Henry now out, Gates has an opportunity to finish the season on a high note. He has developed a great relationship with quarterback Philip Rivers over the years, so he has an added advantage over many backups in similar situations. The Jets have allowed eight touchdowns to tight ends this season, leaving Gates with potential at this cheap price.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $4,900

The Jets weren’t exactly a juggernaut on offense, to begin with, but have taken a step backward with the loss of starting quarterback Josh McCown (hand). Bryce Petty was terrible last week against the Saints, completing only 19-of-39 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He’s already been named the starter again for Week 16, which is great news for the Chargers defense. The Chargers have 11 interceptions in their last six games, so things could get ugly for Petty and the Jets in a hurry.

Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,600

The Lions defense has been excellent of late, recording five sacks, five interceptions, and three fumble recoveries in their last two games. They get to face a Bengals team playing out the string in Week 16 that has lost by a combined score of 67-14 over their last two games. It was so bad in Week 15 that the Bengals benched Andy Dalton for A.J. McCarron. With little promise on offense for the Bengals, look for the Lions to provide plenty of value for your entry.

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Tier 1

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Only three options in the first tier but the decision will not be an easy one should be running just one lineup this week. Todd Gurley trails Kareem Hunt by just 13 yards rushing this season but has 190 more receiving yards and eight more total touchdowns giving him 25.1 DraftKings points per game this season and right in the middle of the league MVP talks. He is coming off a monster game where he rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns and also added another touchdown through the air leading the Rams to a huge victory over their division rivals, the Seahawks. Kareem Hunt is also coming off a big game last week with 155 yards rushing and a touchdown and also added nine receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown through the air. It seems the Chiefs just needed to get Andy Reid away from making play calls for Hunt to get back on track as that is now back to back weeks with 100+ yards rushing.

Outside of Week 14 where he got injured, Alvin Kamara has been extremely consistent this season with seven games with 20 or more DraftKings points and sits with 1,336 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. Looking at the matchups, all three of their opponents rank in the top third of the league in rushing yards per game allowed but Tennessee is the only one of the three to hold opponents under 100 yards per game and they also rank 4th overall when looking at DraftKings points per game to running backs.

The game script definitely favors Gurley, however, and he has proven to be near matchup proof at this point. When looking at DraftKings points per game allowed, Hunt has the best matchup of the three as the Dolphins rank 28th in that category and they have also allowed the most rushing yards per game(109.9). The DVOA ranks tell another story as the Falcons rank 30th in that category against the rush which is great news for Kamara who is averaging 6.6 yards per carry this season. The only knock on Kamara is that he is sharing a backfield with Mark Ingram who is also having a heck of a season. Using FanShareSports early in the week, Hunt and Gurley are neck and neck at the top and should command ownership in this tier and for me, I will be running about 45% of each with a little mix of Kamara in some contrarian lineups.

Top Targets in this Tier – Todd Gurley, Kareem Hunt

Tier 2

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

The second tier brings us two of the six running backs in the league who have already broke 1,000 yards rushing this season. I mentioned in the last tier how the Saints have been splitting the reps almost down the middle between rookie Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram and both are having tremendous season leading the Saints to the #1 overall DVOA rank in rushing. While the Falcons rank 12th when looking at DraftKings points allowed to running backs, they have been much worse on the DVOA scale ranking 30th this season. The Saints are currently 5.5 point favorites in a game with a 52.5 Vegas Total which could lead to another run-heavy game script for the Saints. While the game script for LeSean McCoy is not in his favor as the Bills are 11.5 point dogs to the Patriots, he has a lot going for him in this matchup. Both teams rank Top 10 in pace and McCoy always gets his share of touches in the offense regardless of game script. The Patriots have also been pretty bad against running backs as well as they have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game(122.3) and rank dead last in DVOA vs. the rush.

Up next, we have two elite receivers facing each other this week. The bad news for both of them is that both teams rank Top 12 in receiving yards per game and Top 15 in DVOA vs. the pass and both have elite corners in Marshon Lattimore(NO) and Desmond Trufant(ATL) who rank near the top of PFF’s cornerback rankings. The good news is that both receivers are getting targeted a ton in their respective offenses with Julio at 9.0 per game while Thomas is getting 9.7 per game. Julio leads with 1,215 yards while Thomas has 1,085 but Thomas has the slight edge in DraftKings points per game thanks to scoring two more touchdowns.  This game is projected to be a shootout and the only game this week with a Vegas Total exceeding 50 so I don’t think you can go wrong with either here in this spot.

Top Targets in this Tier – Micheal Thomas, Mark Ingram

Tier 3

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Gronk returned from his one-game suspension last week and went off again posting 168 yards on nine receptions. That gives him back to back weeks with 100 or more receiving yards and three straight weeks with 25 or more DraftKings points. I wouldn’t go as far to say he gets a great matchup this week as the Bills rank 12th in DVOA vs. the pass but have been much worse against tight ends than wideouts as they rank 22nd in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position vs. 9th against wideouts. Gronk is pretty matchup proof as well. The other tight end in this tier, Travis Kelce, sits second to Gronk in receiving yards this season with 991 but has the same amount of touchdowns with seven. He has also slightly out-targeted Gronk this season with 8.1 per game but more importantly this week, he gets a way better matchup. Not only do the Dolphins rank 27th in DVOA vs. the pass but they have been terrible vs. tight ends ranking 28th overall in DraftKings points allowed to the position.

We also get two runnings backs in this tier who have been very productive lately. Kenyan Drake took over the #1 role in the Dolphins backfield when Jay Ajayi was traded to Philly and has heated up lately with 100 yards or a touchdown in four straight games for an average of 22.4 DraftKings points per game. The matchup is a bit tricky this week as the Chiefs do rank 31st in DVOA vs. the rush but 11th in DraftKings points per game to the position. The biggest knock on Drake this week could be the game script as the Dolphins are currently 10 point road underdogs and projected for just over 16 points. Drake will undoubtedly be the lowest owned player in this tier. Melvin Gordon, despite only breaking 100 yds twice this season, has been very productive ranking 7th in rushing yards (931) and has topped 75 yards in three straight games and has scored a touchdown in back to back games. The matchup is so-so as the Jets rank 13th in DVOA vs. the rush and 14th in DraftKings points per game allowed to running backs but he should get plenty of volume as the Chargers are 6.5 point favorites and projected to score around 25 points this week.

Top Targets in this Tier – Travis Kelce, Melvin Gordon

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Tier 4

 Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

All four quarterbacks in this tier are at home and all of them beside Drew Brees are huge double-digit favorites. Looking at each player’s last four weeks performance, it has been Cam Newton and Alex Smith who have been far and away the best quarterbacks as both are averaging over 21 DraftKings points per game. Smith’s performance is a bit skewed as he had a huge week 13 scoring 40.6 DK points but didn’t exceed 20 in either of the other three weeks. Cam has been much more consistent with performances of 31.4, 15.5, 20.4, and 17.5 and he has also topped 20 DK points in 50% of his starts this season. He adds a ton of value using his rushing ability and leads all quarterbacks with 643 yards on the ground with five rushes of 20+ yards and five touchdowns.

Despite struggling recently with just two touchdowns over his last three games, Tom Brady still leads the league in passing while averaging 297 yards per game and trails on Carson Wentz and Russell Wilson in touchdown passes. As for Drew Brees, he has not thrown for 300 yards in four straight weeks and has only done so three times this season while throwing for three touchdowns just once and most of that can be contributed to the elite run game that Saints possess. When it comes down to matchups, Cam Newton clearly gets the best of them facing a Bucs team that has allowed a league-high 271.3 yards and ranks 29th in DVOA vs. the pass. Next best matchup goes to Alex Smith who faces a Dolphins team that sits mid-pack when looking at yards per game allowed (222.6) but ranks 27th in DVOA vs. the pass. Of the four, Tom Brady has the worst matchup on paper going against a Bills defense that ranks 12th in DVOA vs. the pass and 4th overall in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position.

Top Target in this Tier – Cam Newton, Alex Smith

Tier 5

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Tier 5 gives us four quarterbacks who are all playing on the road this week and all but Matt Ryan are favorites. Matthew Stafford leads the way this season with 18.8 DraftKings points per game but it has been Phillip Rivers crushing value lately averaging 21.6 DraftKings points per game over his last four thanks to posting 20+ in three of those games. No other quarterback in this tier has more than one and Matt Ryan has zero after back to back performances of under 10 DraftKings points.

Rivers and Goff have the best matchups of the four as the Jets rank 22nd in DVOA vs. the pass and 27th in DK points per game allowed while the Titans rank 24th in DVOA vs. the pass and 17th in DK points per game allowed to the position. Ryan gets the worst matchup in this tier facing the Saints who rank 4th in DVOA vs. the pass and 13thin DK points allowed while Stafford’s matchup is in the middle with the Bengals ranking 18th in DVOA vs. the pass and 11th in DK points allowed to the position but have definitely been trending down lately allowing quarterbacks to score an average of 21.1 DK points per game.

Top Targets in this Tier – Phillip Rivers, Matthew Stafford

Tier 6

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

Three of the four wide receivers (Hill, Funchess, Cooks) teams in this tier are double-digit favorites which could work against their game scripts a little bit but it will be hard to avoid some of the matchups. For instance, Devin Funchess faces a Bucs team that has allowed the most DraftKings points per game this season. He could also be lower owned here coming off a one-catch week for just 19 yards. The concern Funchess this week is the shoulder injury that has been nagging him as he was held out of practice on Wednesday. If you are looking for consistency then don’t overlook Tyreke Hill in this spot as he has tallied double-digit DK points in six straight and eight of his last 10 games, twice going over 25 points. Over the past four weeks, he has also seen an uptick in his targets(8 per game) and sees a matchup vs. the Dolphins who rank 27th in DVOA vs. the pass.

On the flip side, Brandin Cooks has been trending down lately averaging just six targets per game and has exceeded 75 yards just once in that time. Robert Woods made his return last week after being held out for three weeks due to injury and looked catching six of his seven targets for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Rams are 6.5 point favorites and although Todd Gurley has been red hot, they may need to throw a bit more as the Titans have been much worse against the pass this season ranking 24th in DVOA and 23rd in DraftKings points per game to wideouts.

Both running backs in this tier are in great spots this week as their teams (Panthers, Patriots) are both double-digit home favorites. Dion Lewis is likely in for a bit bigger role this week with Rex Burkhead out a couple weeks with a knee sprain. That is good news considering he has already been getting a nice run with double-digit carries in eight of his last nine games. He also gets an elite matchup vs. the Bills who have allowed 122 rushing yards per game (8th most) and the most DraftKings points per game to running backs this season. Christian McCaffrey leads all running backs with an average of 7.2 targets per game and has been a PPR star with double-digit fantasy points in 11 of his 14 games, going over 20 DK points five times.

Top Targets in this Tier – Dion Lewis, Christian McCaffrey, Tyreke Hill

Tier 7

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

I will start with the wideouts in this tier and not only does Jarvis Landry lead them all with an average of 16.3 DK points per game this season, he also gets the best matchup this week. He will be facing the Chiefs who have allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game and while they rank 17th in DVOA vs. pass, they rank 30th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wide receivers. You also never have to worry about usage with Landry as he is one of just three players in 2017 to average double-digit targets each week (10.3).

The Bengals top wideout, A.J. Green, is not far behind averaging 8.8 targets per game and has been trending up lately with 10 targets per game over his last four but is coming off a down week where Xavier Rhodes shut him down with just two catches for 30 yards. Things don’t get any easier for Green this week as he will likely see a ton of Darius Slay who ranks as a Top 10 corner on Pro Football Focus.

On the other side of the ball, we have Marvin Jones Jr. who has been extremely consistent lately recording double-digit fantasy points in eight of his last 10 games with 20 or more in four of those games. While the Bengals rank 3rd in DK points per game allowed to wideouts, they have struggled a ton lately allowing a 100-yard receiver in three straight weeks (four total). Josh Gordon has been targeted 27 times in his three games since returning to the Browns and scored once but has yet to have that monster game we are all waiting for, maybe it’s the fact he is now playing sober (boom).

With Tevin Coleman out last week, Devonta Freeman got 24 carries but wasn’t overly impressive with 91 yards (3.8 per carry) but saved his fantasy day with a touchdown. This week it appears Coleman will be back in the mix which will limit Freeman’s carries but the Falcons are currently underdogs which could help him with some targets in the passing game. Jordan Howard has been up and down all season with four performances of 20+ DK points but has also put up six performances under 10 DK points. This week he faces a Browns team that ranks #1 in DVOA vs. the rush but have been trending down lately. The game script could definitely be in his favor as the Bears are currently 6.5 point favorites.

Top Targets in this Tier – Jarvis Landry, Marvin Jones Jr, Jordan Howard

Tier 8

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 16

While Marvin Jones has been the consistent piece of the Lions receiving core, Golden Tate has been hit and miss. He has tallied double-digit DK points twice in his last four games but also posted six DK points in the other two games. I mentioned the matchup earlier vs. the Bengals who have allowed four 100-yard receivers in the last three weeks so Tate is fully in play this week.

Robby Anderson was limited in Wednesday’s practice and even if he plays, he should be avoided as he is likely shadowed by PFF’s #1 ranked corner in Casey Hayward. Demaryius Thomas is on my radar this week and has been fairly productive lately catching 20 of his 38 targets for 207 yards and a touchdown. The problem this week is the matchup vs. the Redskins who rank 8th in DVOA vs. the pass and 8th in DK points per game allowed to wideouts.

Cooper Kupp has not been the most consistent fantasy option this season and a lot of that has to do with Todd Gurley running over defenses but Kupp is in a nice spot this week vs. the Titans who rank 24th in DVOA vs. the pass and 23rd in DK points allowed to wideouts. With Julio Jones normally getting a ton of the opposing defenses attention, Mohamed Sanu has thrived on the other side lately with 20+ DK points in two of his last three games. Stay tuned for the injury status, however, as he was limited on Wednesday with a knee injury.

Bengals rookie running back, Joe Mixon, was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and likely to be cleared by the league to return this week. Should he get back on the field, he gets a nice matchup vs. the Lions who have allowed 111 yards rushing per game and rank 29th overall in DK points per game allowed to running backs.

Top Targets in this Tier – Golden Tate, Cooper Kupp, Joe Mixon(if he starts)

 

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!

 

Draftkings NFL Cash and GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

We have arrived to the Draftkings championship week. If you are fortunate enough to earn a seat, good luck to you as 200 entries compete for the $2 million top prize. The Draftkings main slate is a unique one this week with only 11 games. There are two games on Saturday along with the usual Thursday Night, Sunday Night, and Monday Night games that are not on the main slate. On top of that, we have six teams (Steelers, Patriots, Jags, Eagles, Rams, and Vikings) potentially able to clinch a playoff berth this week. Let’s dive right in.

Vegas

As a polar opposite of last week’s Vegas stats, this week features three teams that are double-digit favorites. The Saints are a massive 16 point favorite against the Jets. The Vikings are 11 point favorites at home against the Bengals, and the Jags are 10.5 home favorites against the Texans. Outside of these three teams, the Eagles (7.5) and Ravens (7.5) are road touchdown favorites, rounding out the largest spreads of the week.

There are a few games worth targeting this week, starting with the Pats at the Steelers, which has a slate high 53 game total. The Rams at Seahawks, Jets at Saints, and Packers at Panthers all have nice game totals over 47. Outside of those games, there aren’t any games with totals over 45.

As far as implied team totals, the Saints are the clear front-runners with an implied total of 31.75 points. The Pats have the second-best total of 28 points. The Vikings (26.5), Jags (25), Steelers (25), Panthers (24.75) and Seahawks (24.75) round out the top 5 highest implied team totals.

All this Vegas data was taken as of Wednesday night, so I strongly suggest checking back on Vegas Insiders on Sunday morning.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Cam Newton (DK $6,400) – Cam comes into week 15 as one of my favorite quarterbacks of the week. He’s the 6th highest priced quarterback and has a really good matchup at home against the Packers (29th aFPA vs. QBs). We saw Deshone Kizer light up this same Packers secondary last week and scored 19.26 DK points, that’s about Cam’s floor. Cam performs much better as a home favorite opposed to as a  home underdog, and that is the situation he finds himself in this week. His team’s implied total is in the top 5 of the slate (24.75) and I expect this game to be a lot closer than most anticipate. I also love Cam’s rushing upside. Since week 6, Cam has rushed the ball more than 9 times in all but two games. Cam has a nice floor with his rushing upside and has a good ceiling of close to 30 points.

Drew Brees (DK $6,500) – An interesting pivot off Cam would be to pay the extra $100 to get to Drew Brees. Brees isn’t the same Brees we’ve grown to know with the Saints offense constantly throwing the ball 40+ times. Because of the Saints dynamic rushing duo, Brees has failed to meet salary expectations 5 of the last 6 games. Brees has only met salary expectation at home twice this season. All this points to a sneaky gpp play with Brees going up against the Jets funnel defense as they rank 32nd in aFPA to QB’s and are 7th in aFPA to RBs. Brees’ floor is much lower than Newton, but his ceiling always makes him appealing for tournaments.

Blake Bortles (DK $5,700) – Scraping the bottom of the barrel for a value QB is really difficult this week. With the limited number of games, there is a limited number of value quarterbacks on the slate. I’m more than likely going to stay in the midrange ($6,000 – $7,000). But if you are really looking for value, I would say take a look at Bortles. Bortles is coming off of two really decent games in which he combined to throw for 577 yards with 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions (46.58 DK points). This week he faces a horrible Texans defense that ranks 30th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. Believe it or not, I may have talked myself into playing Bortles as I’m writing this.

Cash:

C. Newton, C. Keenum, B. Roethlisberger, R. Wilson, B. Bortles

GPP:

D. Brees, T. Brady, A. Rodgers, J. Goff

Running Backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Le’Veon Bell (DK $9,300) –  Finally we get the opportunity to roster Le’Veon in the main slate. Bell is the highest priced back, $700 more than Kamara, and at this point, it doesn’t matter. He’s in a league of his own, and the upwards of $9,000 price tag doesn’t scare me. Bell has been priced over 9K almost every game this season and has smashed nearly every week. The past three games, Bell is averaging 33.66 DK points and is averaging over 25 touches per game. Although Bell has only carried the ball more than 20 times once the last three weeks, he’s still seeing double-digit targets and has converted that to over 270 receiving yards in the last three games.

Kenyan Drake (DK $5,800) – Kenyan Drake has been absolutely smashing since Damien Williams went down in week 12. Drake has taken over the Dolphins backfield and has produced better than Gase could have expected. In two games without Williams, Drake is playing 85% of the snaps, has 91% of the rushing attempts and has accumulated 234 yards with 1 touchdown and 8 receptions. He has accumulated 53.4 DK points in those two games. This week he goes up against the Bills defense that ranks 32nd in aFPA to opposing running backs and just got lit up by old man Frank Gore for 130 yards. Drake is the chalk this week.

** It’s worth checking William’s practice status as he is pushing to get back on the field. **

Jerick McKinnon (DK $4,800) – There isn’t a free square value play like there was last week with Gio Bernard, but this week McKinnon might rank as my favorite. McKinnon is the same price as Samaje Perine, who undoubtedly comes with a safer floor given that Washington isn’t utilizing a running back committee but I still like McKinnon. McKinnon is starting to separate himself from Latavius Murray, having played more snaps (53% to 46%) and received more of targets (18 to 8) in the past 4 weeks. Murray still sees the majority of the rushing attempts (60:43), but DK’s PPR format helps make McKinnon more valuable. McKinnon is a huge home favorite against the Bengal who rank 30th in aFPA allowed. I do have some hesitation that if the Vikings get out to a big lead, it could mean more of Murray pounding the ball opposed to McKinnon catching the ball out of the backfield, but I think this game is closer than most anticipate.

Cash:

L. Bell, T. Gurley, K. Drake, G. Bernard, S. Perine, L. McCoy

GPP:

A. Kamara > M. Ingram, L. Fournette, K. Williams, J. Ajayi, J. McKinnon, C. McCaffrey

Wide Receivers

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Michael Thomas (DK $7,400) – Outside of Antonio Brown ($9,100) the next best receiver to hit cash game value is Michael Thomas. He’s one of six active receivers averaging over 10 targets per game in the past month and this week he has a nice matchup against the Jets. The Jets rank 28th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers, and Thomas leads the team in targets with 125 on the season and 9.6 targets per game. Thomas has the better matchup than Hopkins at $7,700 and Thielen $7,600.

Devin Funchess (DK $6,600) – The other highest owned receiver along with Thomas might be Funchess. Funchess has either scored a touchdown or reached the 100-yard bonus each of his last 4 games and now gets one of the best matchups you could ask for against the Packers. The Packers are the worst team in the league against opposing wide receivers, and this game could very well shoot out if Aaron Rodgers suits up. Funchess leads the team in targets (39) since the Panthers traded Benjamin. You don’t always have to pair Cam with any of his receivers because of Cam’s rushing upside, but Funchess would be the ideal stack if you do.

AJ Green (DK $6,500) – AJ Green has seen a crazy price drop and is all the way down to $6,500. Green is a top 5 receiver in the league, and I’ll always be interested in Green at this price point. The problem is that Green is going up against the Vikings who rank 6th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers and will see a lot of Xavier Rhodes. Green may be a risk for cash games considering there is Funches around that price range. But I love getting exposure to him at his price in tournaments.

Jordy Nelson (DK $6,300) – The ghost of Jordy Nelson. He’s had a terrible year, but with the news that Aaron Rodgers could return, that could mean an uptick in targets for Nelson. Unfortunately, his price actually increased above $6,000, so he doesn’t come as much of a bargain. But he should come in at single-digit ownership, which makes for a nice tournament flyer.

Cash:

A. Brown, M. Thomas, D. Funches, A. Green, M. Goodwin, A. Jeffrey, R. Anderson, D. Westbrook

GPP:

A. Thielen, B. Cooks, D. Adams, J. Crowder, D. Baldwin, P. Richardson, R. Matthews

Tight End

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Zach Ertz (DK $6,000) – This week we don’t have the value that we had last week with Ertz missing the game making Trey Burton a plug and play. We’re still waiting to hear if Ertz will play this week, but if he does, he’s substantially cheaper than Gronk ($7,300). Even without Wentz, Nick Foles is a formattable backup quarterback. It doesn’t get much better than a matchup against the Giants who rank 26th in aFPA to tight ends. If Ertz is active, he should be considered the top play at tight end.

Jimmy Graham (DK $4,900) – Graham is an even bigger discount from the high priced tight ends. You can’t deny Graham’s red zone market share, and the matchup against the Rams should be a game that is back and forth. The Rams are respectable against tight ends (12th aFPA), but last time these two faced off Graham went for 15.7 DK points. The sub $5,000 price tag seems reasonable to me.

Vernon Davis (DK $3,900) – Davis might be my favorite punt play. He’s taken over the starting tight end job with Reed being placed on IR. The issue is he’s been relatively quiet the last four games only catching 7 balls for 117 yards. The bright side is that last week he saw his targets jump back up to 7 against the Chargers and he was able to find his way into the end zone. Below $4,000 against the Cardinals (18th aFPA vs. TE), I’ll take my chances here if I need salary relief.

Cash:

R. Gronkowski, Z. Ertz, J. Graham, V. Davis

GPP:

E. Engram, D. Walker, G. Olsen, C. Clay, A. Seferian-Jenkins

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Minnesota Vikings (DK $3,500) – The top five priced defense are all in positive spots. Of the five, I like the Vikings the most given their $1,000 salary savings from the Jags. They’re up against the Bengals who just got embarrassed by the 4-9 Bears. The Vikings are coming off of a disappointing loss and should look to rebound as huge home favorites.

Miami Dolphins (DK $2,700) – If Tyrod Taylor is ruled out on Sunday, that could leave Joe Webb starting for the Bills. Joe Webb showed some potential in the preseason, but the Dolphins defense just put out their best performance of the season beating the Patriots on Monday Night Football. Check the news on Taylor. If Taylor is out I wouldn’t mind taking a flyer on Miami.

 

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

If you are out of the playoffs in your season-long fantasy football leagues, don’t worry, your season isn’t over. That’s the beauty of daily fantasy football, there is always fun to be had. Let’s try to pick up your spirits and win you some money. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

Russell Wilson vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $8,400

Wilson is on a roll as he has thrown at least two touchdowns in eight straight games and at least three touchdowns in both of his last two games. Although he’s posted a career-low 61.9% completion percentage, he is averaging a career-high 271.3 passing yards per game. The Seahawks have struggled to establish a running game this season, leaving Wilson to shoulder the offensive load. Wilson has provided value with his legs as well, averaging 37.1 rushing yards per game. Although he only threw for 198 yards and one touchdown against the Rams earlier this season, that was before he took off. That game was also on the road. The Rams have had some big point totals put up against them this season, so look for Wilson to continue his hot streak in Week 15.

Ben Roethlisberger vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $6,700
FanDuel = $8,000

Speaking of quarterbacks playing well, Roethlisberger has thrown for 1,446 yards and 12 touchdowns over his last four games. The key there is three of those four games came at home. Roethlisberger is a different player at home as he’s averaging 322.5 passing yards per game at Heinz Field compared to 258.4 yards per game on the road. He’s played one more game on the road this season, but has 14 touchdowns passes at home compared to only 10 on the road. This could be a high-scoring game between two strong offenses, leaving Roethlisberger with a tremendous opportunity to provide value.

Nick Foles vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $6,000

With Carson Wentz (knee) now out for the season, Foles gets another shot to be the starting quarterback for the Eagles. His previous success as a starter for them is well documented as he threw for 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions in 2013. While it’s not likely that he will return to that type of production, he does take over a talented offense. The Eagles will likely run the ball even more now based on their trio of productive running backs, but that should open up opportunities for Foles still as teams try to stop the run. The Giants defense is decimated by injuries and they are especially thin at cornerback. Foles won’t cost you much, giving him the potential to be one of the better value plays of the week.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

Le’Veon Bell vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $9,300
FanDuel = $9,400

Bell not only has a very high ceiling in terms of production, but he also has a high floor based on his role in the offense. He’s been extremely involved in the passing game, receiving at least 10 targets in three of the last four games. After three straight games without a touchdown, Bell has reached the end zone four times over the last two games. Offense likely won’t be hard to come by in this game, so don’t be afraid to pay up for Bell.

Christian McCaffrey vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,900

McCaffrey is coming off a rough game Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings as he finished with only 53 total yards. He only received four targets in the game, his fewest in any game this season. Fellow Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart had 103 rushing yards in three touchdowns, but that was a rare performance as he has rushed for at least 100 yards in a game only twice all season. McCaffrey may take his turn as the most valuable back in the Panthers backfield Week 15 as the Packers have allowed 80 receptions, 630 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns to running backs this season. That fits McCaffrey’s skill set very well, so get him in your lineup this week.

Kenyan Drake vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $6,500

Drake has thrived as the lead back the last two weeks, rushing for at least 114 yards in both of those games. With Damien Williams (shoulder) out, Drake also recorded eight receptions and 100 receiving yards over the same two games. It’s uncertain if Williams will be able to return this week but even if he does, Drake may have separated himself with his recent success. The Bills have allowed the most rushing touchdowns (18) and the sixth-most rushing yards per game (123.7) in the league this season, so look for Drake to thrive again this week.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

Antonio Brown vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $9,100
FanDuel = $9,300

Brown has put up massive numbers lately, accumulating 39 receptions, 627 yards and six touchdowns in his last four games. He continues to get a ton of volume as he has received at least 10 targets in all but two games this season. With a career-high average of 116.1 receiving yards per game this season, Brown is a great option just about every week. Week 15 brings what should be a shootout with the Patriots and given the success of Roethlisberger at home, Brown is primed for another huge performance.

Devin Funchess vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $7,300

Funchess came out of Sunday’s game against Xavier Rhodes and the Minnesota Vikings with a respectable performance, catching three passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. He’s scored at least one touchdown in three of his last four games and has a career-high seven for the season overall. Now the number one receiver in Carolina, he’s got a reasonable shot to recording at least 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. The Packers present a nice matchup as they allow the ninth-most net passing yards per game (240) and have allowed 22 receiving touchdowns this season. Consider playing Funchess at this reasonable price.

Marquise Goodwin vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,600

EJ Manuel, Thaddeus Lewis, Kyle Orton, Tyrod Tayler, Brian Hoyer and C.J. Breathard, that’s the sad list of quarterbacks that Goodwin has played with during his five-year career. It’s still early, but current 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is probably the best Goodwin has ever played with. Early returns have been excellent as Goodwin has 14 receptions on 20 targets for 205 yards in two games with Garoppolo starting. With so few talented receivers around him, don’t expect his volume to decrease anytime soon. He only has one touchdown this season, but his volume with a quality passer still gives him value.

Dede Westbrook vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – EverBank Field
DraftKings = $5,100
FanDuel = $5,700

Westbrook is starting to take off, catching 11 of 17 targets for 159 yards and one touchdown in his last two games. Those games were against a poor Indianapolis Colts defense and an injured Seattle Seahawks secondary, so he didn’t exactly have the toughest opponents. That won’t change this week as the Texans are allowing the seventh-most next passing yards per game (242). The Jaguars don’t exactly have much depth at wide receiver either, giving Westbrook a relatively high floor at this cheap price.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

Zach Ertz vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $7,900

Ertz did not play Week 14 due to a concussion, but has been cleared and has resumed practicing this week. Unless he suffers an unexpected setback, expect him to take the field against the Giants. Although Ertz will be without his star quarterback in Wentz, he is familiar with Foles as the two played together when Foles was starting for the Eagles in 2013 and 2014. Ertz recorded eight catches, 55 yards and one touchdown against the Giants in Week 3, which is not surprising based on their struggles to defend the tight end. Don’t be concerned about the loss of Wentz too much this week as this is still a juicy matchup for Ertz.

Jared Cook vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $4,400
FanDuel = $6,100

Cook only had two catches for 11 yards in two games combined heading into Week 14 but righted the ship with five receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. Wide receiver Amari Cooper (ankle) left that game early, leaving quarterback Derek Carr to lean more heavily on Cook. Cooper is listed as day-to-day heading into Week 15, but he might be limited even if he does play. The Cowboys are not particularly strong at defending tight ends, making Cook a reasonable option at this price.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 15

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – EverBank Field
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $5,900

The Jaguars already have a special defense, but they have a great matchup this week as T.J. Yates is likely going to start at quarterback for the Texans. Although he looked good by throwing two touchdowns against the 49ers in relief of Tom Savage (concussion) last week, playing the Jaguars is a whole different story. Not only do the Jaguars lead with NFL with 47 sacks, but they are also in the top-five in both interceptions and fumble recoveries. Pay up for them Sunday.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,600
FanDuel = $4,700

The Eagles defense is no pushover either as they are tied for the tenth-most sacks (35) in the league. This is a great matchup against a Giants offense that has only scored 49 total points in their last four games. With the majority of their skill players injured and their offensive line in shambles, things aren’t likely to get any better for the Giants this week. If you can’t stomach the Jaguars pricetag, go with the Eagles.

Draftkings NFL Cash and GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Week 14 is not a pretty slate by any means. This week marks the fourth week in a row that we will be without the Steelers offense and will also be missing the Patriots, Saints, and Falcons. There’s a lot of value found at the running back position, so depending on what you do at that position, it will help you differentiate your lineup. Let’s dive into it.

Vegas

Since Vegas lines have become such a huge part of the DFS community and are where most DFS players start their research, I decided to write up a portion outlining the big Vegas numbers. All Vegas totals will be taken from Vegas Insider page on Wednesday.

As if Wednesday night there is no current game lines on the Lions at Bucs and Colts at Bills. Outside of that, this week doesn’t feature any game with a huge spread. The Chargers are the biggest favorite of the week (-6) but still are within a touchdown. The Cowboys (-4), Chiefs (-4), Packers (-3.5), Titans (-3), Texans (-3), Rams (-2.5), Jags (-2.5), Vikings (-2.5), and Jets (-1) are all very marginal favorites this week.

This week doesn’t feature a lot of teams with extremely high team totals. There are nine teams currently implied to score more than three touchdowns, headlined by the Chargers with a team total of 26 points. The Chiefs (25.75), Rams (25.25), Titans (23.5), Texans (23.5), Cowboys (22.75), Eagles (22.75), Bengals (22.25), and Packers (22) round out the teams implied to score more than 21 points.

In regards to game totals, there are three game totals over 45 points. The Eagles at the Rams lead the list with a 48 over/under, followed by KC @ OAK (47.5), and LAC @ WAS (46). Of these three games, the Eagles and Rams game has seen the largest total movement with a 3 point drop from the opening 51 game total.

As with every week, check pack the Vegas Insider page on Sunday morning to get the latest Vegas data.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Quarterbacks are very thin this week on the Draftkings main slate. We will be without Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Ben Roethlisberger. Yikes.

Alex Smith (DK $6,500) – I feel like I am chasing my tail after Smith’s 23.48 point performance last week. But I expect most people to flock to Smith due to recency bias and the favorable matchup he has this week against the Raiders. Smith is going up against a Raiders defense that ranks 25th in the league in aFPA. The Raiders are riding a two-game winning streak to put them back into contention for first place in the AFC West, but have faced pedestrian quarterbacks the last two weeks. They held both Geno Smith and Paxton Lynch in check. But before that, they were lit up by Brady (28.6 FP), Cutler (27.4), Taylor (16.7), and Alex Smith (28.68). A lot is riding on this game so Smith will look to snap the four-game losing streak and regain the lead in the West. One stat worth noting if you are playing Smith, with the field, Smith has failed to meet salary expectations 4 of the last six times he was priced at $6,000 range.

Russell Wilson (DK $6,200) – At $6,200 this is the lowest price we’ve seen Russell Wilson since November of 2016. That’s insane when you consider the fact that Wilson leads all quarterbacks in scoring after his bye week. Wilson has been smashing as of late, accumulating at least 24 points in 8 of his last 10 games. Now, this week he’s priced down severely because of his tough matchup on the road against the Jaguars. The Jags rank 1st in the league in aFPA this season and are even more dominant at home than on the road. The Jags have allowed an average of 11.61 Draftking points to opposing QBs at home. When you factor that defense dominance with Wilson’s home/road splits, it doesn’t look like an ideal situation for Wilson. It’s just tough for me to write off Wilson given his production the past 10 games and his dramatic price difference. Wilson is an ideal GPP play to hedge off the field.

Jimmy Garoppolo (DK $5,500) – The lower tier is where I will likely land on quarterbacks this week. Jimmy G got his first start last week and certainly passed the eye test. Although he didn’t throw a touchdown and only scored 11.52 DK points, he completed 70% of his passes and missed the 300-yard bonus by only 7 yards. Outside of that, he looked poised under Shanahan’s offense and was able to cut through the Bears defense with just half a playbook. Now Jimmy G finds himself as a road dog against the Texans who rank 30th in aFPA. The Texan’s defense has struggled this season once JJ Watt went down and this figures to be a close game. I think this game has sneaky shootout potential and like how Garoppolo’s savings round out my lineup.

Cash:

A. Smith, J. Garoppolo, M. Stafford (If active), J. Winston

GPP:

R. Wilson, C. Wentz, J. Goff, B. Gabbert

Running Backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Running back offers a lot of value and the top tier running backs are all in difficult spots.

LeSean McCoy (DK $7,200) – McCoy is the only running back of the top five priced backs that is expected to exceed his implied projected point based on salary. Unfortunately, as I write this, there is no line out for this game due to the Bills not naming their QB starter. But I expect to be a slight favorite at home, which benefits McCoy. McCoy has a seen his price drop to the low $7,000 for the first time since September of this season. He’s received 15 targets in the last four weeks and figures to see more check downs if Perriman is under center. The Colts rank 30th in aFPA to opposing running backs, which is why I boost McCoy slightly over Gurley for the price savings. McCoy is still a wait and see based on the Vegas line, but I like him in the higher tier.

Lamar Miller (DK $5,800) – I mentioned earlier that I like this game as a sneaky shootout. Lamar Miller is in theory in a good spot. He’s a 3 point home favorite and is going up against a 49er defense that ranks 31st in aFPA this season. I would note that Miller has only carried the ball more than 20 times once in his last six games and has yet to eclipse the 100-yard mark this season. The 49ers have only allowed 100-yard rushers to 3 running backs (Gurley, Elliott, and Peterson) this season, so their ranking may be a little misleading.  I do like that Miller is averaging more at least 3 targets the last four games, but he hasn’t entirely been efficient with those opportunities. Miller is a decent cash gameplay if you need the salary relief from the top tier and want to differentiate from the value plays I’ll talk about next.

Giovani Bernard (DK $3,100) – The free square of the week. Bernard is the chalk running back this week assuming Mixon is out this week. He is near minimum price and was slashing through the Steelers defense on Monday night. There’s not much more to say here other than Bernard is near min salary and has 20+ touch upside against a Bears defense that is banged up on the defensive line. If Mixon is out, just lock Bernard in and eat the massive ownership.

Cash:

G. Bernard, T. Gurley, M. Gordon, L. McCoy, L. Miller, R. Barber (Doug Martin inactive), J. Howard

GPP:

K. Hunt, S. Perine, M. Lynch, A. Morris

Wide receivers

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Wide Receivers are where you will more than likely differentiate your lineup. There are good plays at the top and in the mid-range.

DeAndre Hopkins (DK $8,500) – Hopkins is a target monster and is going up against the 49ers who rank 16th in aFPA. Hopkins has received more than 10 targets in 7 of the last 8 games. He’s exceeded value in all but one game this season and should have a big game against the 49ers secondary. If you’re paying up for any wide receiver, don’t over think it.

Josh Gordon (DK $5,500) – Every real football fan was watching Gordon last week to see if he would show any signs of the superstar he was when he first came into the league. Well if you ask me, Gordon looked a bit rusty and had some issues catching some of the balls but saw a significant amount of targets. Last week Gordon went up against a tough Chargers secondary and still saw 11 targets. This week he has what comes across as a dream matchup against the Packers who rank 32nd in aFPA. Gordon will likely be heavily owned given his talent level and his good matchup, I’m just not sold on him yet. I also don’t see how Corey Coleman ($4,100) who led the team in receiving before Gordon was activated completely disappears with 0 catches. I understand why people are on Gordon, but I might be lower than the field on him. 

Sterling Shepard (DK $5,300) – I think he’s my preferred pivot off Gordon. Before his injury that sidelined him for 3 weeks, he was averaging 12 targets in week 7 and 8. Last week he disappointed with only 3 catches, but that was with Geno Smith under center. Now he’s $1,700 cheaper, in a good matchup, and has Eli Manning back under center. He’s going up against the Cowboys who rank 25th in aFPA allowed to wide receivers. I like the Giants to keep this game close, so I expect Shepard to get the volume he saw before he got hurt.

Trent Taylor (DK $3,300) – My favorite punt play at wide receiver. With Jimmy Garoppolo he came up big in what Kyle Shanahan called his “Michael Jordan game given he was puking before the game last week. Sickness and all, the rookie came away with catching 6 of his 6 targets for 92 yards and looked like Julian Edelman for Garoppolo early last year.

Cash:

D. Hopkins, L. Fitzgerald, A. Green, A. Thielen, J. Gordon, G. Tate, S. Shepard, E. Sanders

GPP:

K. Allen, T. Hill, D. Bryant, D. Adams, M. Crabtree, S. Diggs, C. Coleman, G. Tate, M. Goodwin, D. Thomas,

Tight End:

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

A lot of value opens up at tight end this week. As always you can be contrarian by paying up for the studs like Kelce, but this week the way to go for cash games is down at the barrel.

Stephen Anderson (DK $3,200) – Anderson had a breakout game last week against the Titans filling in for Bruce Ellington and Cj Fiedorowicz. Anderson saw 12 targets and caught 5 of them for 79 yards and a touchdown. Anderson was a wide receiver in college and is a freak athlete and will figure to see work out of the slot this week. It’s worth monitoring if Will Fuller will play this week as that may eat into some of his targets. But Anderson should be a popular value play.

Trey Burton (DK $2,900) – Zach Ertz is in the concussion protocol. At this point there isn’t much being reported other than Ertz is with the team. IF Ertz is inactive, this opens up a ton of value at tight end, and Burton will almost be another lock and play. When Ertz missed week 9 against the Broncos, Burton filled in with 2 catches for 41 yards and a touchdown pass.

Cash:

T. Kelce, J.Witten, S. Anderson, T. Burton (Ertz), A. Seferian-Jenkins

GPP:

H. Henry, K. Rudolph, C. Clay, J. Graham

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Cincinnati Bengals (DK $3,300) – I like the Bengals this week as a home favorite against a team that has an implied total of 16.25.

New York Jets (DK $3,300) – The Broncos offensive line is vulnerable right now. That means Leonard Williams will have several opportunities to get to Trevor Siemian.

Cash:

Bengals, Packers, Jets

GPP:

Jaguars, Titans, Vikings

 

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

Tier 1

While the Chiefs picked up their fourth loss in a row, both Travis Kelce (4 of 8, 94 yards, 2 TD) and Tyreke Hill (6 of 9, 185 yards, 2 TD) had monster fantasy days last week vs. the Jets. This week they get another plus matchup vs. a Raiders defense that has given up the 10th most passing yards per game (241.1) and rank dead last in DVOA vs. the pass in 2017. They share the targets from Alex Smith pretty equally but I favor Kelce slightly here as the Raiders rank 15th in DraftKings points per game to wide receivers but 26th vs. tight ends. Adam Thielen sits sixth overall in targets per game(9.3) this season and has been incredibly consistent with seven games with double-digit fantasy points and six with 15+ points but draws a tough matchup against the Panthers defense that ranks eighth in DVOA vs. the pass. The game also has one of the lowest totals(41) of the week. All things considered, Thielen could be the low owned play in this tier. Finally, we have LeSean McCoy who had another productive week as he posted 93 yards on 15 carries and his third straight double-digit fantasy week. At the time of writing this, there is no Vegas total yet but I would fully expect the Bills to be at least three-point home favorites vs. the Colts giving McCoy a shot at a high workload this week.

Top Targets in this Tier – Travis Kelce, LeSean McCoy

Tier 2

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

Marvin Jones easily gets the best matchup in this tier facing the Bucs who have allowed the second-most passing yards per game (267.3) and rank dead last in DraftKings points per game to wideouts. The issue this week is the status of his quarterback Matthew Stafford who left last weeks game with a hand injury after being stepped on. If Stafford is back behind center I like Jones a lot but will probably fade if it’s backup Jake Rudock taking the snaps. I have strong feeling A.J. Green will be the chalk in this tier coming off a big game vs. the Steelers on Monday night where he caught seven of his 16 targets for 77 yards and two touchdowns (could have been three if not for a bad penalty). He has now caught at least one touchdown in three of his last four and seven of his last 10 games. Jameis Winston returned to action last week and I was expecting a big game from Evans who has been a target monster all season but it never came to fruition as Evans only caught two of his six targets for 33 yards. Evans will be in a tough spot this week as he will likely draw shadow coverage from Darius Slay who ranks as the #12 cornerback on PFF. If he was somehow able to avoid complete shadow coverage, I think he could be a sneaky play as the Lions have allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game(245.3) this season. Michael Crabtree returns from his one-game suspension this week and gets a plus matchup against the Chiefs who rank 24th overall in DVOA vs. the pass and 31st in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. The Raiders are also four-point underdogs so the game script could be perfect for Derek Carr to see 35+ pass attempts.

Top Targets in this Tier – A.J. Green, Michael Crabtree

Tier 3

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

Kareem Hunt was once again unable to take advantage of a plus matchup and will easily be the lowest owned option in this tier as I am sure most people(including myself) are tired of waiting for the return of his early-season success. Devante Adams has been Brett Hundley’s top target but the passing game was not needed last week in a 26-20 win over the Bucs as the Packers rushed for 199 yards and picked up two defensive touchdowns. Look for Adams to get back on track this week against the Browns who rank 26th in DVOA vs. the pass. I talked about Marvin Jones in the last tier and the same sentiment goes for Golden Tate. He has a great matchup against the Bucs but at this time it is uncertain if Matthew Stafford will be back with an injured throwing hand. Stay tuned for more news. Josh Gordon made his return to the football field last week and was impressive considering he sat out nearly three years. He promptly made a ridiculous catch along the sideline and ended up catching four of his team-high 11 targets for 85 yards. This week he faces a Green Bay team that has allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game(242.9), rank 21st in DVOA vs. the pass, and rank 29th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts.

Top Targets in this Tier – Devante Adams, Josh Gordon

Tier 4

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

I mentioned Matthew Stafford in previous tiers when talking about Marvin Jones and Golden Tate and the update here is that he was limited Wednesday with his bruised hand. He is one of the toughest players in the league and a must-win for the team so I expect to see him on the field but will be avoiding the Lions offense for fantasy. Next up we have a huge matchup between the Vikings and Panthers and very similar value coming from both quarterbacks. Both Cam Newton and Case Keenum have put up 17+ DraftKings points in four straight games but Cam has displayed a little more upside with a 35 point ceiling. A lot of that has to do with his ability to run the ball, especially around the endzone. Both defenses are stout and rank Top 10 in fantasy points against the quarterback and with playoff and top seeds on the line, I fully expect a low-scoring defensive battle on Sunday so neither QB is that intriguing for fantasy. Without Amari Cooper or Michael Crabtree last week, Derek Carr was very serviceable(22 of 36 for 287 and 1 TD) leading the Raiders to a big win over the Giants. He now gets both his receivers back and will face a Chiefs team that has given up the fifth-most passing yards per game(252.8) and rank 26th overall when looking at DraftKings points per game to the position. Finally, we have Jimmy Garoppolo who gets the best matchup of all the options in this tier as the Texans rank dead last in DraftKings points per game allowed to the quarterback. The only issue here is that it’s his second career start and he lacks options in the receiving game.

Top Target in this Tier – Derek Carr

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

Tier 5

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

Starting at the top Dak Prescott has been the best option on paper in this tier with five games of 20+ DraftKings points and has thrown for multiple touchdowns seven times. The issue has been the loss of Ezekiel Elliot as he has only done it once since losing his star running back. He does get a nice matchup this week vs. a Giants team that has given up the third-most passing yards per game(260.2) and rank 30th in DraftKings points per game to quarterbacks. I fully expect 250+ passing yards and multiple touchdown passes as the Cowboys still sit in a position to grab a wildcard spot. Next up is my other top option under center this week with Jameis Winston who returned after a three-week absence. He looked pretty darn good completing 21 of 32 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns. He did this without really getting much from Mike Evans(2 of 6 for 33 yards) and I think he will be going back to his top option this week with a ton of volume. Believe it or not, Andy Dalton has arguably been the most consistent option in this tier lately with multiple touchdowns in four straight and six of his last seven starts. The only issue is the upside is limited as he thrown for 300+ yards and topped 20 fantasy points just once this season. I don’t really have strong feelings for any of the bottom three options but if I had to choose one of them it would be Deshone Kizer who now has the services of Josh Gordon who made his return last week and was heavily targeted and delivered with 85 yards. Despite being inconsistent and inaccurate (52.5% completions), Kizer has shown some upside with his legs and topped 20 fantasy points twice in his last four starts. This week he faces a Green Bay team that has given up the seventh-most passing yards per game(242.9) and rank 19th in DraftKings points per game to quarterbacks.

Top Targets in this Tier – Jameis Winston, Deshone Kizer

Tier 6

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

If you are looking for volume, it will be impossible to ignore what Evan Engram has been doing. Over the last seven games, he has tallied 59 targets and recorded 15 or more fantasy points five times with a season-high 22.9 points last week with Geno Smith under center. This week he gets Eli Manning back and with Sterling Shepard banged up, should once again see lots of volume. Christian McCaffrey should also see a ton of volume this week for two reasons. First of all, Jonathan Stewart is banged up(toe, ankle, foot) and didn’t practice Wednesday. Second, the Vikings defense should have a nice handle on the passing game downfield meaning we could see Cam dump it off to the running back quite a bit this week. Lamar Miller has been a bit of a disappointment from an upside standpoint this season but has displayed a consistent floor with 50+ rushing yards in all but one game and double-digit DraftKings points in all but two games this season. He gets a near elite matchup this week vs. the 49ers who have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game(123.9) and rank 30th in DraftKings points per game allowed to running backs. Jamaal Williams has taken over as the Packers #1 back lately with 20+ rushing attempts in three of his last four games and broke the 100-yard mark last week vs. the Bucs. He has also scored in back to back games. The matchup is a downgrade this week as the Browns have actually been really good against the rush as they are one of just nine teams to allow under 100 yards per game for the season. Alfred Morris has also done a fine job as a backup who has stepped in due to the suspension to Ezekiel Elliot. He is coming off his best game of the season last week when he received 27 rushing attempts and posted 127 yards and a touchdown. He will likely see the same kind of volume this week against a Giants defense that has allowed a league-high 130.7 yards per game on the ground.

Top Targets in this Tier – Evan Engram, Alfred Morris, Christian McCaffrey

Tier 7

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

A couple things stand out in this tier starting with the matchup for Devin Funchess. He will be shadowed for most of the game by Xavier Rhodes who is coming off a terrific game against the Falcons as he completely shut down Julio Jones. The other note here is the that Amari Cooper cleared the concussion protocol but still missed Wednesday’s practice due to an ankle injury and is still listed as questionable. If he were to suit up and get on the field, I like him for a low owned option. Carlos Hyde does not get the greatest matchup as the Texans have allowed the 10th fewest rushing yards per game and rank 4th in DraftKings points allowed to backs but he does have somewhat of a safe floor as he has been targeted a ton lately with 49 over his last six games. He has also put up double-digit fantasy points in nine of his 12 games this season and 20 or more four times. Marshawn Lynch is another running back on my radar this week as he is coming off his first 100-yard game of the season and he has scored in three of his last four games. He also gets a plus matchup vs. the Chiefs who have allowed the third-most rushing yards per game (129.4).

Top Targets in this Tier – Marshawn Lynch, Carlos Hyde

Tier 8

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pickem Strategy Advice Week 14

The hamstring injury for Sterling Shepard is something to monitor as Sunday approaches as he did not practice on Wednesday. If he suits up he gets a nice matchup vs. the Cowboys who rank 30th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. Jordan Howard failed to bounce back last week as he tallied just 38 yards on the ground but gets another nice matchup to get back on the horse facing a Bengals defense that has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game(123.8) and ranks 22nd in DraftKings points per game to running backs. The only issue here might be getting a score as this game has the lowest Vegas total of the week(38). Duke Johnson let us down last week with just three DK points but has been a consistent floor play all season with eight double-digit DK point games thanks to his target share in the offense. The Vikings running backs have a tough matchup this week facing a Panthers team who has allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game(88.6) so I would lean McKinnon who leads the way in the passing game between him and Latavius Murray with an average of 4.5 per game on the season. Both tight ends get plus matchups this week as the Bills rank 24th and the Giants 31st in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position. I lean Jack Doyle here as he comes in ahead with 6.8 targets per game to Witten’s 5.7 and Doyle has also tallied double-digit DK points in four of his last six games.

Top Targets in this Tier – Jordan Howard, Jack Doyle, Duke Johnson

 

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!