NFL Daily Fantasy Picks – Page 16

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6

by Mike Barner on October 12, 20170 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 6

With four teams on a bye this week and injuries mounting across the NFL, some unexpected players will be valuable options in DFS. Their names might not be flashy, but their potential to produce should not be overlooked. 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

Deshaun Watson vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,700
FanDuel = $7,900

Watson has burst onto the scene this season and has established himself not only as the starting quarterback of the future for the Texans, but also a valuable fantasy option. He has already thrown for 1,072 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions to go along with 179 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Although some of his production came in garbage time last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, he still finished the game with a whopping five touchdowns. Week 6 brings a favorable matchup against the Browns who have allowed 11 passing touchdowns this season, tied for second-most in the NFL. Start Watson with confidence.

Kirk Cousins vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – FedEx Field
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $7,800

After a rough first two games this season, Cousins turned things around as he threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns combined Weeks 3 and 4. With Washington coming off of its bye week, they have had extra time to prepare for an already weak 49ers passing defense that has allowed the seventh most net passing yards in the NFL. The last two weeks, they allowed Jacoby Brissett to throw for 314 yards and Carson Palmer to throw for 357 yards. Cousins is a much better quarterback than both of them and I expect him to put up big numbers Week 6.

Josh McCown vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,200
FanDuel = $6,900

I never thought I’d be recommending you play McCown this season, but I’m doing just that this week. The Jets are off to a surprising 3-2 start and McCown has been a steadying veteran presence at quarterback for them. While he has helped them improve in the win column, his numbers aren’t great as he has five touchdowns compared to four interceptions through five weeks. The reason I’m inclined to give him a shot Sunday is because the Patriots have allowed the most net passing yards per game this season. The Jets may also need to throw the ball more in an effort to keep up with the Patriots offense, so go with McCown if you need a cheap quarterback for your entry.

RUNNING BACKS

Kareem Hunt vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
DraftKings = $8,200
FanDuel = $9,300

Hunt continues to be a reliable fantasy option as he has rushed for at least 100 yards in four of five games this season. While he hasn’t scored in either of his last two games, he still has four rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns on the season overall. Week 6 brings a great match up against a Steelers defense that allows the fifth most rushing yards per game in the NFL. Fellow rookie Leonard Fournette exploded for 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns last week against the Steelers, so the Steelers could be sick of seeing rookie running backs after this contest.

Marshawn Lynch vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $5,000
FanDuel = $6,000

Lynch had a favorable matchup last week against the Ravens and while he only had 43 rushing yards on 12 carries, he did find the end zone for the second time this season. He has rushed for 45 yards or less in four of five games this season, but I’m rolling with him against the Chargers in Week 6. The Chargers are allowing an average of 161 rushing yards per game, most in the NFL. Did you see what the Giants did to them last week? The Giants, who have one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL, managed to come away with 152 rushing yards. That’s scary. I can’t pass up Lynch in this matchup considering his cheap price.

Andre Ellington vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $5,300
FanDuel = $5,500

Ellington is clearly not a factor in the running game for the Cardinals as he only has 49 total rushing yards this season. He is a major factor in the passing attack though as he already has 257 receiving yards on 28 receptions. The last two games have been even better for Ellington as he has 18 receptions on 24 targets for 151 yards. Don’t worry about the addition of Adrian Peterson, Ellington is clearly their passing-down back. The Buccaneers have allowed the second most net passing yards per game this season, making Ellington a great option again this week at a cheap price.

WIDE RECEIVERS

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $8,000

Week 5 wasn’t looking great for Hopkins, but he cashed in for two touchdowns during garbage time to finish with three scores and 52 yards on the day. Hopkins had a rough 2016 season, finishing with 78 receptions on 151 targets, 954 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He already has 35 receptions on 61 targets, 363 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season. Clearly Watson’s preferred receiving option, Hopkins has racked up at least 12 targets in four of five games this season. I’m a big fan of a Watson/Hopkins stack this week.

DeSean Jackson vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $6,400

Jackson has had an inconsistent start to his Buccaneers’ career, recording 39 receiving yards or less in two games while hauling in at least 84 receiving yards in the other two contests. He is coming off of his best game last week against the Patriots where he had five receptions on nine targets for 106 yards. He gets the Cardinals this week and while much is made about star cornerback Patrick Peterson, he will be matched up against Mike Evans in this game. The Cardinals have actually allowed 10 passing touchdowns this season, tied for third most in the NFL. Look for Jackson to take advantage of their other cornerbacks in this contest.

Jermaine Kearse vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,800
FanDuel = $6,100

Yes, I again like Kearse. It’s hard not to when he is so cheap every week. The Jets don’t have great receiving options, leaving Kearse with a prominent role each week. He had 38 yards on four receptions last week, but also reached the end zone for the third time this season. I believe the Jets are going to have to throw more than they usually do in this game, leaving Kearse with even more targets coming his way. I’m on his bandwagon again Week 6.

Marvin Jones Jr. vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $4,600
FanDuel = $5,900

Jones has not put up big yardage totals this season as he has 42 yards or less in four of five games. However, he does have two touchdowns this season and has received at least six targets in two of the last three weeks. I like this matchup against the Saints who have allowed the fifth most net passing yards per game this season. The Lions might find themselves in a high scoring game on the road, meaning Jones has the potential to outproduce his price point Sunday.

TIGHT ENDS

Austin Seferian Jenkins vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,300
FanDuel = $5,600

If you had told me before the start of the season I’d be recommending three Jets offensive players in a game against the Patriots, I would have told you that you were crazy. Well, I guess I’m the crazy one this week. Seferian-Jenkins is another viable fantasy option after reaching the end zone for the first time last week against the Browns. While he hasn’t hauled in more than 46 receiving yards in any of his three games this season, he has received at least six targets in a game twice. I expect him to be heavily involved Sunday.

Evan Engram vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Sports Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,300

It’s not too often that a team loses their top three receivers in one game, but that’s exactly what happened to the Giants last week against the Chargers. By the end of the game, they only had one healthy wide receiver, meaning Engram was forced to play the role of wide receiver. The Giants are plucking guys off their practice squad to fill out their receiving core for Week 6, so expect Engram to be one of their main pass-catching options. While the Broncos pass defense is tough, they have allowed 245 receiving yards on 24 receptions to tight ends this season.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

Denver Broncos vs. New York Giants
Stadium – Sport Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,400

This is going to be one ugly game for the Giants. I already mentioned they are decimated at receiver, but now they have to face a Broncos defense that has four interceptions and 10 sacks this season. The Giants offensive line is really bad and quarterback Eli Manning can be turnover prone. They are the most expensive defense this week, but this match up is too good to pass up for the Broncos.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $4,900

The Ravens get to face rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky after he made his first start for the Bears last week, completing 15 of 25 passes for 128 yards, one touchdown and one interception at home against the Minnesota Vikings. He gets a tough test on the road Week 6 against a Ravens defense that has the second most interceptions in the NFL. A rookie quarterback making his first career start on the road is a great recipe for success for an opposing defense, making the Ravens a great option this week.

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 5 Cash and GPP Plays

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Cesar Becerra on October 5, 20170 Comments

Week 5 brings us the first scheduled bye week (Tampa Bay and Miami week 1 bye week was obviously not scheduled). This leaves us incredibly thin at Quarterback if you are playing the main slate. *Note that Draftkings main slate does not include Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, nor Monday Night Football* This week we’ll be without the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins.

Let’s get to the position breakdown.

Quarterbacks

As I mentioned, QB is incredibly thin if you’re playing Draftkings main slate. With the teams on byes that leaves us without Brees, Ryan, Siemian, and Cousins. Each are quarterbacks who could warrant usage in a week with a solid matchup. The list of available quarterbacks becomes even shorter when you exclude the TNF, SNF, and MNF game. That removes Brady, Winston, A. Smith, and Watson from the slate. So as you can see we are missing quite a few relevant quarterbacks on the main slate. My best advice if you want to get exposure to any of these guys would be to play on the Thurs-Mon slate, but for the sake of consistency, I’ll only address players on the main slate.

Aaron Rodgers (DK $8,100, FD $9,500) – The highest priced QB on both sites and for a good reason. Rodgers comes into the game with the highest over/under at 52.5. The Packers are currently 2 point underdogs implied to score the second highest mark on the slate (25.25). Rodgers has played three of his first four games at home but was able to eclipse the 300-yard mark and throw two touchdowns against the Falcons in week 2. This week the Packers offense should look to rely more on Rodgers’ arm with Ty Montgomery expected to miss the game with a rib injury. Pay up for Rodgers if you can afford him in cash games.

Dak Prescott (DK $6,800, FD $7,700) – Staying in the same game, let’s go to the opposite side of the ball. Prescott and the Cowboys currently have the largest implied team total on the slate (27.25) and are at home against a Packers secondary that has yet to allow a 300-yard passer through the first four games. The Packers secondary has held opposing quarterbacks to an average of 210 yards and 1 touchdown. It is worth noting that three of those four games have been at home and against quarterbacks off to a slow start (Wilson, Dalton, and Glennon). The situation may not seem to be ideal for Prescott, but I expect the Packers secondary to regress a bit, especially with Rodgers needing to throw the ball more. Prescott does have some rushing equity, which could help him reach value. Currently, Dak is projected to score the fifth highest total according to Lineup Labs player pool.

Carson Palmer (DK $5,900, FD $7,200) – If you’re looking for value you may want to consider Carson Palmer, who is currently rated as our second highest points/dollar QB. Palmer is on the road facing the Eagles who have averaged 300 yards and 1.8 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks per game. The Cardinals are about a touchdown underdog so the game script could favor Palmer if the Cards fall behind and he has to throw 40+ times. Consider Palmer a gpp only flyer.

Other options to consider
Matthew Stafford (DK $6,300, FD $7,600) – Stafford is one of the most talented QBs on the slate but has a difficult matchup against the Panthers at home. The Panthers have averaged 211 passing yards and 1.3 touchdowns this season. They have shown vulnerabilities against good QBs, allowing Brees and Brady to combine for 527 yards and five touchdowns the last two weeks.

Brian Hoyer (DK $4,700, FD $6,500) – Again a pure value play that allows you to allocate salary at other positions, but Hoyer is facing a Colts defense that has averaged a touchdown and over 240 in every game this season.

Running Backs

Le’Veon Bell (DK $9,500, FD $9,500) – Finally, the Le ‘Veon we all grew to know and respect made an impact this season. Bell is coming off of a 39 touch game, in which he totaled 186 yards and two touchdowns against a solid Ravens defense. The Steelers are the biggest favorite on the slate (8.5) and are at home so Le’Veon checks all the boxes you’d want for your number 1 running back. The issue is trying to get the salary to pay up for him.

Todd Gurley II (DK $8,000, FD $7,800) – Gurley makes his way on the list over Zeke simply because of the salary savings you get. On DK you save $800, and on FD you save $900 from Zeke. I expect Zeke to have higher ownership than Gurley and rightfully so as Like Bell, Zeke is a home favorite and coming off of a big game. But here’s the kicker, Gurley is too. Surprisingly the Rams are a slight favorite over the Seahawks at home (-1) and are implied to score 24.25 points. Gurley has been heavily involved in the passing game this year and should get plenty of work in a game I expect to be a slugfest. Gurley is second in our projected points behind Bell.

Jonathan Stewart (DK $3,900, FD $5,700) – Looking for a value you may want to drop all the way down to Jonathan Stewart. Yes, I know his role has diminished since McCaffrey has joined the Panthers backfield, but Stewart has continued to get the majority of the carries. Through the first four weeks, Stewart has received 63% of the rushing attempts out of the Carolina backfield. Stewart is only playing in 42% of the snaps, which trails McCaffrey, but at 3,900 on DK if Stewart finds the end zone he could very well hit 3x value. Stewart is currently ranked as our top-rated value play according to DFSR projections.

GPP Flyer

Joe Mixon (DK $5,500, FD $5,900) – His price actually dropped a couple of hundred dollars ($200) on DK, which is surprising. Coming into the season, it was only a matter of time before Mixon took over the Bengals backfield. Since firing Ken Zampese and appointing Bill Lazor as the OC, Mixon has received 52% of the snaps and 65 % of the rushing attempts out of the Bengals backfield. Last week Mixon had 17 rushes and four catches on four targets but was only able to muster 28 yards. He’s going up against a tough Bills defense, but as a 3 point home favorite, I can get around the idea of sprinkling in some Mixon on my GPP teams.

** It’s worth monitoring the Packers practice reports. Montgomery is expected to miss so that could lead to more opportunities for Aaron Jones. But at $5,100 on DK and $5,900 on FD, I’d rather take my chances with Mixon over Jones.

Other options to consider
Melvin Gordon, Jay Ajayi, Frank Gore, Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson, Bilal Powell, Wendell Smallwood.

Wide Receivers

Dez Bryant (DK $6,500, FD $7,800) – Dez is perhaps my favorite wide receiver to play this week for the sole reason that the game script may lead to more targets for Dez. Dez is currently 4th in the NFL in targets with 40, which is just over 42% of Dak Prescott’s targets. The Cowboys are implied to score over 27 points, and the game script could mean that the Dallas passing offense will need to be in full force, so I expect Bryant to get a lot of looks. Bryant only has a 40% catch rate on his targets, but that has a lot to do with the difficult matchups he’s had to deal with through the first four weeks of the season. I like a Dak and Dez stack to help differentiate lineups.

Jordy Nelson (DK $8,100, FD $8,600) – Jordy will be the most popular receiver in the slate. Nelson figures to get a lot of work considering that the Packers will abandon the run game and force Rodgers to throw 45+ times. Nelson is coming off of a week 3 where he caught 4 of his seven targets, which included two touchdowns against the Bears. Nelson has now caught over 60% of his targets and has scored four touchdowns in what really was only 3 full games on the field.

Randall Cobb (DK $6,700, FD $6,600) – If you have not noticed yet, I really like every aspect of this Green Bay vs. Dallas game. The Packers are going to be one dimensional, and I think the Cowboys are going to have to play catch up. But Cobb is my sneaky play here. With Ty out I can see a situation where Cobb gets some work out of the backfield, adding in 3-5 more touches for the game. Cobb does most of his damage in the slot, but if Adams and Montgomery are out, I see him playing the same role that Montgomery played last year where the Packers had backfield issues. This, of course, could make Geronimo Allison a play with Cobb getting less work in the slot. This entire Packers offense is a situation worth monitoring.

DeVante Parker (DK $6,600, FD $ 6,100) – It’s tough to trust any aspect of the Dolphins offense attack, especially when you consider that Jay Cutler hasn’t thrown for more than two touchdown passes in his last 16 starts. That being said, Parker is someone worth writing about. Parker is 18th in the league with 18 targets and has caught over 75% of those targets (14). The Titans rank 32nd in the league in aFPA to wide receivers, so this could be the breakout week for Parker.

Aldrick Robinson (DK $3,100, FD $4,600) – One of my favorite DFS writers, Adam Levitan love Aldrick for the sake of #Preseason. Aldrick has dominated preseason the past two years under Shanahan and now may get more of an opportunity with Marquise Goodwin in the concussion protocol. Last week Robinson had 12 targets in an 86% of the offensive snaps. If Goodwin is out, like I expect him to be, Robinson is likely to be a beneficiary. The 49ers are going up against the Colts secondary that has had a lot of trouble at WR this year.

Tight End

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (DK $3,500, FD $5,500) – I don’t know why I went away from playing tight ends against the Browns last week but lessoned learned and I’m not doing that again. The Browns rank 32nd against TE in aFPA, averaging just over 15 points per game. Jesse James lit up this defense in week 1 and so did Ben Watson, now after adding Tyler Kroft to the list, I can’t help but add ASJ to the list.

Delanie Walker (DK $4,700, FD $6,000) – Walker is 6th in the league in targets with 14 and now has to deal with a quarterback change with Mariota out. Matt Cassel will start this week and will likely be looking for a security blanket to dump the ball off to. Walker should be the most significant beneficiary of the Mariota injury. Walker is currently the third highest projected tight end according to our projections.

Tyler Kroft (DK $ 3,200, FD $5,500) – Kroft leads our projections as our top value play for the week. After a big performance against the Browns, Kroft figures to be an essential role in the Bengals red zone passing attack. Kroft caught six of his seven targets last week with Tyler Eifert out for the Bengals.

Defense

Pittsburgh Steelers (DK $3,900, FD $4,800) – The Steelers are the highest projected defense on both sites according to Lineup Labs and rightfully so. They are the biggest favorite on the slate, at home, and are going up against the Jags who are implied to score 17.5 points. The issue here is that they’re costly. They may be safe, but I’ll more than likely be looking elsewhere for defense.

San Francisco 49ers (DK $2,600, FD $4,200) – I think the 49ers are in a good spot to take advantage of a lousy offense. The Colts line gives up over 3 sacks per game, and the 49ers have a much improved defensive line. This 49er team has had a rough schedule to begin the season, but their defense has performed well even without their late first-round pick Reuben Foster.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5

by Mike Barner on October 5, 20170 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 5

We have hit bye weeks, leaving less options than normal for your DFS entry. While that means less unique lineup possibilities are available, that doesn’t mean there still aren’t plenty of great options to help you come away a winner. 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

Aaron Rodgers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $9,500

Rodgers is off to another great start this season as he has 1,146 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. While he had his lowest yardage total with only 179 yards Week 4, he also had his highest touchdown total with four. Starting running back Ty Montgomery was injured in that game and while word at this point is that he’s going to try and play in Week 5, expect him to be limited even if he takes the field. The Cowboys have allowed eight passing touchdowns this season, tied for fourth most in the NFL. With the offense squarely on the shoulders of Rodgers yet again this week, expect him to come through with a big performance.

Carson Palmer vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $5,900
FanDuel = $7,200

Palmer isn’t off to the best of starts this season as he has five touchdowns compared to five interceptions. However, he’s actually thrown for more yards than Rodgers has (1,282). He has thrown for at east 325 yards in each of the last three games, though it did come against three poor defenses in the Indianapolis Colts, Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He gets another favorable match up this week as the Eagles have allowed the second most net passing yards in the NFL. I think he has a relatively high floor considering how little he will cost you.

Eli Manning vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $6,100
FanDuel = $7,000

The Giants are off to a surprising 0-4 start and there has been a lot of blame placed on their offense, particularly their offensive line. While the offensive struggles were a big reason why they lost their first two games of the season, that hasn’t been the case the last two weeks. They have made some changes to their offensive line and are now getting the ball out of Manning’s hand quickly, resulting in at least 288 yards and two touchdowns for Eli in both of the last two games. They still have no running game, so it’s going to be up to Manning to help them finally get a win this week. The Chargers have allowed at least 24 points in three of their four games this season, so their defense is certainly no juggernaut. I like Manning to put up another valuable stat line this week.

RUNNING BACKS

Le’Veon Bell vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $9,500
FanDuel = $9,500

Bell is coming off of his best game of the season as he rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns to go along with four receptions and 42 receiving yards last week against the Baltimore Ravens. He only had 180 rushing yards and one touchdown through the first three weeks combined, which may have been a product of sitting out the preseason. Last week was a great sign that he is busting out of his slump and he gets a great match up this week against a Jaguars defense that has allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL. Pay up for Bell Sunday, he’ll be worth it.

Marshawn Lynch vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $5,100
FanDuel = $6,100

Lynch is not off to a very good start in his return from retirement as he only has 151 rushing yards and one touchdown through four games this season. He is only averaging 3.4 yards per carry, which would be the lowest of his career. A player known for being a workhorse, Lynch has received 12 or fewer rushing attempts in three of four games this season. That should change this week though with quarterback Derek Carr out due to injury. I expect Lynch to be significantly more involved in this game, which is good news considering the Ravens have allowed the eighth most rushing yards in the NFL this season. Look for a breakout performance from Beast Mode.

Andre Ellington vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,600
FanDuel = $5,400

Ellington has become a very important part of the Cardinals offense with David Johnson out, especially catching passes out of the backfield. While he hasn’t rushed for more than 22 yards in any game this season, he has 14 receptions on 24 targets for 145 yards over his last two games. Johnson caught 80 passes on 120 targets last season, so having their running backs catch passes is clearly a major part of their offensive scheme. I already mentioned the Eagles struggles in pass coverage, making Ellington a great play this week at a cheap price.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Jordy Nelson vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $8,600

Nelson entered 2017 having scored at least 13 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons that he played. He’s well on his way to reaching that mark again this season as he already has five touchdowns. Although he hasn’t recorded more than 79 receiving yards in any game so far, you don’t need a ton of yardage to be extremely valuable when you reach the end zone as often as Nelson does. There is a chance fellow receiver Davante Adams might be out for this game due to a concussion, which would leave Nelson to shoulder even more of the offensive load. Either way, the production from a Rodgers-Nelson stack this week is too good to pass up.

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $6,700

Fitzgerald continues to produce as he has 276 receiving yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Even in his 14th year in the NFL, Fitzgerald is the focal point of the Cardinals receiving core and has received 41 targets this year as a result. He has received at least 100 targets in every season of his career, so this should come as no surprise. As you can tell, I like the match up for the Cardinals this week against a porous Eagles secondary. I expect another big performance from Fitzgerald in this contest.

DeVante Parker vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $6,100

It has been an ugly start for the Dolphins offense, but that’s not because of a lack of production from Parker as he has recorded at least 69 receiving yards and eight targets in all three games this season. That’s saying something considering the Dolphins only have 548 net passing yards this entire season. The Titans secondary has struggled as they are tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed this season with 11 and have also allowed the fourth most net passing yards. He presents a solid mid-tier priced option for Week 5.

Jermaine Kearse vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $5,600

After getting off to a hot start this season, Kearse has slowed considerably as he only has seven receptions for 59 yards over the last two games. He laid an egg last week with only 17 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it should be noted that the Jaguars have allowed the fewest net passing yards this season. Week 5 brings a much more favorable match up against a Browns defense who has allowed the fourth most yards per pass attempt and third most passing touchdowns in the NFL. I expect Kearse to get back on track with a valuable performance Sunday.

TIGHT ENDS

Zach Ertz vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium = Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,200
FanDuel = $6,600

Ertz has been heavily involved in the Eagles offense this season as he has received at least eight targets in all four games. He has cashed in on his opportunities as he had at least 81 receiving yards in three of those four games. The Eagles made some significant changes to their receivers this off season, leaving Ertz as a player who quarterback Carson Wentz has a comfort level with from last year. Although Ertz only has one touchdown this season, the volume of targets he receives makes him another valuable option Week 5.

Hunter Henry vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,200

Henry is off to a terrible start this season as he only has nine receptions, 96 receiving yards and one touchdown through the first four games. His lack of touchdowns is surprising as he had eight touchdowns in 2016. That being said, I’m going to take a risk on playing him this week. The Giants have really struggled to cover tight ends as they have allowed 309 yards and five touchdowns against them this season. At such a cheap price, Henry makes a lot of sense for your entry.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $3,900
FanDuel = $4,800

The Steelers defense has allowed nine points in two of the last three games and has allowed more than 20 points only one time this season. They have done a good job forcing turnovers as well as they have four interceptions and three fumble recoveries this season. Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has been turnover prone during his career, so this could be a tough task for him on the road Sunday. In a week where I don’t think there is one defense that stands out as the obvious play, I believe the Steelers have the potential to be very productive.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,500

While I think Lynch is primed for a big game, that doesn’t mean the Ravens defense as a whole still doesn’t have value. With Carr out, EJ Manuel will be starting at quarterback. For his career, Manuel has 16 interceptions to go along with only 19 passing touchdowns. He threw an interception in relief of Carr last week against the Denver Broncos as well. The Ravens defense has nine interceptions this season, most in the NFL. That’s not a recipe for success for Manuel.

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 5

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Chris Durell on October 4, 20170 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 5

Week four of the NFL season is in the books and we now move on to the bye weeks. Technically the Tampa Bay and Miami have already had their bye week due to Hurricane Irma but this week four teams(Atlanta, Denver, Washington, New Orleans) will be getting a break from the action. With the limited games, the DraftKings Pick’Em “Early Only” contest is limited to just six tiers this week so let’s jump and take a look at some of the top picks.

Tier 1

The first tier gives us eight quarterbacks with a lack of top matchups when looking at DraftKings points allowed to the position as the Lions, Jaguars, Panthers, and Bills all rank Top 10 in that area. My top options in this tier is Carson Palmer who faces a Eagles team that has allowed the sixth-most DraftKings per game(20.3) to quarterbacks and the third-most passing yards per game(285). If the Eagles are unable to get pressure on Palmer this week it could spell trouble for the secondary as the Cardinals have a speedy wide receiver core with J.J. Nelson and John Brown and then have to deal with Larry Fitzgerald who may have the most reliable hands in the league. Palmer will most likely be the chalk here as he currently sits third in tags at the QB position when looking at FanShareSports. Next on my list is Eli Manning who trails on Carson Palmer in attempts this season after tossing it up 47 and 49 times over the last two weeks. The Giants are desperate for their first win of the season and Eli has the advantage of throwing to one of, if not the best wideout in the game with Odell Beckham Jr. The matchup isn’t great, by any means, as the Chargers rank 13th in DK points allowed to QB’s this season but that should only help keep his ownership down and that appears to be the case as he ranks 10th in tags on FanShare as of Wednesday night.

Tier 2

In the second tier, we get a nice mix of elite wideouts and running backs. For the wide receivers, Antonio Brown gets the toughest matchup facing the Jags who have allowed the fewest passing yard per game(147) and rank 2nd in DK points per game allowed to receivers. This has me leaning Le’Veon Bell who is coming off a huge bounce-back week where he rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns while catching four of six balls for an additional 42 yards. While the Jags have been dominant against the passing game, the same can’t be said for their rush defense as they have allowed the most yards per game(165.5) and rank 26th in DK points per game to the position. I am also in favor of rookie Leonard Fournette on the other side of the ball as the Steelers, like the Jags have been dominant vs. the pass but weak vs. the run. I talked about Eli above being one of my favorite quarterbacks due to the volume which automatically has me drifting towards OBJ who is averaging 8.3 targets per game. The only risk here is that he has been limited in practice this week due to an ankle injury. If it’s volume you are after, don’t discount the matchup for Keenan Allen who is likely going to see a ton of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as he is averaging 10 targets per game and already has two 100-yard games in 2017. While the Dolphins pass game ranks in the bottom of the league(28th in passing DVOA), I do like DeVante Parker this week as the Titans rank 31st in DK points per game allowed to wideouts and Parker is averaging nine targets per game and has over 75 yards in each game so far.

Tier 3

In the third tier, I favor the wideouts who all get matchups vs. teams who rank 25th or worse when looking at DraftKings points allowed to the position. By default, I lean Larry Fitzgerald as I mentioned Carson Palmer in the QB section being my favorite. Even at 34 years of age, Fitzgerald has not lost a step and still remains up there with the games elite. He sits fifth in targets per game(10.3) and has scored a touchdown in back to back contests. My second favorite wideout is Pierre Garcon who is likely going to be lower owned coming off a poor outing vs. the Cardinals but consider he had a very tough matchup vs. Patrick Peterson. Garcon is the leading receiver for the 49ers and is averaging 8.3 targets per game and has a good shot to score his first touchdown of the season. Of the four running backs, I lean Melvin Gordon who faces a Giants defense that has allowed the fifth most rushing yards per game(142.8) and should see some added volume after making it clear he has been frustrated with his overall touches.

Tier 4

We get a couple tight ends in this tier but I will be avoiding them as it’s a vulnerable position and both players get tough matchups s the Bengals and Cardinals rank Top 5 against the position. Of the two running backs, I lean Christian McCaffrey who is getting a whopping 7.3 targets per game. This should continue in Week 5 as the Lions have held opponents to 86.3 rushing yards per game which has been Jonathan Stewart’s department through four weeks. Looking at the wideouts, I favor Rishard Matthews who faces a Dolphins defense who has allowed sixth-most passing yards per game(272.3) and ranks 21st in DK points allowed to the position.

Tier 5

The decisions become a bit more tricky as we get into the final two tiers but there are a couple players who stand out. First of all, I like Duke Johnson over Joe Mixon at the running back position as he faces a Jets team that ranks 27th in DVOA defense vs. the run. He gets out-touched in the run game by Isaiah Crowell but has a rushing touchdown in back to back games and provides most of his value via the passing game. He has seen his target share rise each week with 5, 6, 7, and 10 targets and now has over 200 yards through the air. I won’t be touching Alshon Jeffery in any format this week as not only has he underperformed through four weeks, he also gets a terrible matchup and is likely to be shadowed by Patrick Peterson. I like Sterling Shepard and John Brown in this tier who make nice stacking options with their quarterbacks(Manning & Palmer) who I mentioned in tier one.

Tier 6

Things get even tougher in the final tier this week as there is no one name that stands out, which I guess should help level out the ownership. I love the speed of J.J. Nelson vs. the Eagles defense but he presents a ton of risk as he has taken the biggest hit since the return of John Brown who I mentioned earlier. I do, however, like his teammate Andre Ellington who is working in a committee with Chris Johnson and despite being out-touched in the run game over the past three weeks(36-12), has been getting the majority of the targets out of the backfield(27 last three games) and has piled up 157 yards receiving over the past three games. Despite a tough matchup vs. the Panthers, my only other target in this tier is Ameer Abdullah who scored his first touchdown last week on a seaosn high 20 carries and 94 yards.

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!

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 4

by Mike Barner on September 28, 20170 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 4

Week 4 is upon us and this is the last full week of games before bye weeks start Week 5. That means this is your last week for a while to have a full complement of players to choose from in DFS. 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

Tom Brady vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $8,000
FanDuel = $9,500

Remember when the sky was falling after Brady threw for only 267 yards and no touchdowns Week 1? Brady shook off those worries in a hurry as he has thrown for 825 yards and eight touchdowns in two games since. Yeah, that will do. While the big performance in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints was no surprise, he put up five touchdowns last week against a solid Houston Texans defense. Week 4 brings a favorable matchup against a Panthers defense who gave up three passing touchdowns last week against Drew Brees and the Saints. Brady is the most expensive quarterback of the week, but he’ll produce enough to warrant the price.

Carson Wentz vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $7,600

Wentz’s numbers Week 3 don’t stand out as he threw for 176 yards and one touchdown. However, it should be noted that it came against a very talented Giants secondary who have one of the best trios of cornerbacks in the NFL. He didn’t throw an interception and posted a 67.7% completion percentage, making for a solid performance all things considered. He put up big numbers the first two weeks of the season, throwing for a combined 640 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. His mobility has also been a plus as he has 14 rushing attempts for 83 yards this season. At this mid-range price, I like Wentz to put up valuable numbers against the Chargers Week 4.

Tyrod Taylor vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
DraftKings = $5,300
FanDuel = $7,100

Taylor laid an egg Week 2 against the Panthers, but threw for at least 213 yards and two touchdowns in each of the other two games this season. While his passing yards aren’t overly impressive, he adds a lot of value with his legs as he already has 24 rushes for 106 yards this season. That’s always been a big part of his game as he has posted at least 95 rushing attempts and 568 rushing yards in both of the last two seasons. I like this matchup for Taylor because he’s going to need to produce to try and keep up with the Falcons high-scoring offense. If they get down big, he could be looking at a lot of pass attempts in the second half. At this price, Taylor is worth a shot Sunday.

Kareem Hunt - Daily Fantasy Football - NFL - Lineuplab.com

RUNNING BACKS

Kareem Hunt vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
DraftKings = $8,500
FanDuel = $8,900

To say Hunt is off to a great start is an understatement. He has already posted 401 rushing yards, 137 receiving yards and six total touchdowns. His 8.5 yards per carry is insane and he also has caught all nine passes thrown his way. There was a lot of hype around him when Spencer Ware went down for the season, but even this start couldn’t have been expected. The Chiefs will continue to lean heavily on him Week 4 against the Redskins and I expect him to be up to the task.

Christian McCaffrey vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $6,400

McCaffrey hasn’t been able to get much going on the ground the past two weeks as he only has 12 carries for 26 yards combined. He has failed to reach the end zone this season as well. However, his big value comes in the passing game as he has already received 23 targets this year. He exploded Week 3 against the Saints as he caught nine passes on 11 targets for 101 yards. The Panthers will be without tight end Greg Olsen again, meaning they need McCaffrey to continue to be a significant weapon in their passing attack. The Panthers are going to have to throw the ball a lot to keep up with the Patriots, meaning big production should be in store for McCaffrey.

Wendell Smallwood vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings = $4,100
FanDuel = $5,300

The Eagles offense was dealt a significant blow Week 3 when Darren Sproles was lost for the season with a broken arm and a torn ACL. Smallwood posted his best game of the season, rushing 12 times for 71 yards and catching one pass for nine yards. LeGarrette Blount is clearly the team’s power back and may see an increase in rushing attempts with Sproles down, but Smallwood should be more involved as well. Blount is not much of a receiving threat out of the backfield, so Smallwood may be counted on to produce more in that area. The Chargers have allowed the second most rushing yards in the NFL this season, so I think Smallwood could be a nice value play at a very cheap price.

Odell Beckham - New York Giants - Daily Fantasy Football - NFL - Lineup Lab

WIDE RECEIVERS

Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings = $8,900
FanDuel = $9,100

Beckham missed the first game of the season due to injury and was limited in Week 2 as he had only four receptions for 36 yards. His health improved for Week 3 and he cashed in big time, posting nine receptions on 13 targets for 79 yards and two touchdowns. It’s no coincidence that the Giants offense finally showed signs of life when Beckham was playing at his best. While he does a lot of questionable things when he scores or is on the sideline, his play between the lines is stellar. This is a very favorable matchup against the Buccaneers who allow the second most passing yards per game in the NFL. Beckham might be on in store for his first 100 yard game of the season Sunday.

Emmanuel Sanders vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Sports Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $6,100
FanDuel = $6,900

Sanders is coming off of a solid performance Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills where he posted seven receptions for 75 yards. The key stat though is that he received 15 targets, bringing his season total up to 29 targets over three games. Sanders has received at least 136 targets and recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons, making him a very reliable option. He’ll take on a Raiders defense Sunday who has allowed the 10th most passing yards per game this season, so this has the makings of another valuable stat line.

DeVante Parker vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Wembley Stadium
DraftKings = $6,700
FanDuel = $6,500

Parker has developed a nice chemistry with new quarterback Jay Cutler and has received at least nine targets in both games this season. He recorded eight receptions, 76 yards and a touchdown Week 3 against the New York Jets, an impressive line considering how much the Dolphins struggled on offense in the game overall. Week 4 brings a great matchup against the Saints as they have allowed the second most passing yards in the league. I’m rolling with Parker Sunday, especially at this reasonable price.

Devin Funchess vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $5,300
FanDuel = $5,400

While the Panthers passing attack has struggled this season, Funchess has put up respectable numbers as he has 10 receptions on 18 targets for 146 yards overall. He had 371 receiving yards all of last season, so he looks to be well on his way to blowing past that mark. The Patriots have allowed the most passing yards in the NFL this season, some of which may be because teams have to throw so much to try and keep up with their offense. Expect much of the same Week 4, meaning Funchess has the potential to outproduce his price point.

TIGHT ENDS

Rob Gronkowski vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $8,500

Gronk is back to his old tricks after struggling Week 1 against the Chiefs when he posted only 33 receiving yards. In two weeks since, he has 205 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriots offense is firing on all cylinders right now and a healthy Gronk is a big reason for their success. Health is the only concern you should ever have with Gronk, but he’s fine heading into Week 4. Expect major production from him again against the Panthers.

Charles Clay vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $5,300

Clay hasn’t produced more than 53 receiving yards in a game this season, but he has scored a touchdown in two of three games. The Bills are lacking talent at wide receiver and Clay has become one of the more trusted targets for Taylor. In a game where the Bills will need to keep pace with the Falcons elite offense, they are going to need to throw the ball a lot. Considering Taylor’s comfort level with Clay, he’s a great option at this cheap price Sunday.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,600
FanDuel = $5,200

The Jaguars defense has been a bit inconsistent through the early part of the season as they allowed only seven points each in Weeks 1 and 3, but they allowed 37 points Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. They have produced a lot of turnovers though as they already have four interceptions and four fumble recoveries for the season. While the Jets put up a solid offensive performance against the Dolphins last week, the Jaguars defense is a much tougher opponent. With the Jets lack of playmakers on offense, the Jaguars are an excellent option for your lineup Sunday.

New York Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,300

The Giants defense was expected to be one of the better units in the league this season, but they have allowed at least 18 points in all three games this season. Surprisingly, they have allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL. Their offense has left them with some short fields and forced them to log a lot of snaps due to short drives this season, but I think the offense will play better again Week 4. Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston can be turnover prone, such as the three interceptions he threw against the Minnesota Vikings Week 3. If you need a cheap defense to fill out your lineup, I like the Giants chances to be improved this week.

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 4

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Chris Durell on September 28, 20170 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 4

Week 4 in the 2017 NFL season is upon us and I am very excited to bring you a new weekly article looking at the DraftKings Pick’Em games. I will be breaking down each Tier and who is likely to be the chalk and who makes a nice pivot to separate yourself in the large field contests. When projecting ownership for fantasy, my main source is always FanShareSports. They track all relevant articles as well as social media mentions and put it all together in an easy to view “Most Tagged List” with sentiment ratings. It’s a great way to determine who is chalk and who will most likely be low owned. This week DraftKings has changed up their slate designations giving us just two Pick’Em slates. I will be looking only at the Sunday Early Only this week. With all that said, let’s jump right into the article.

Ezekiel Elliott - DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 4 - NFL - Daily Fantasy Football - Lineuplab.com