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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 – TE/DEF/ST

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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The NFL season is finally here! Along with it comes another exciting year of daily fantasy football. We’ll be doing things a little differently as we look to help you fatten your wallet. We’ll be churning out four articles a week, including one each for quarterbacks, runnings backs, wide receivers and a combined piece for tight ends and defenses/special teams.

In each article, we’ll highlight some players to target for cash or GPP contents. We’ll also discuss players to avoid as your craft your lineup. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 - TE/DEF/ST

Rob Gronkowski vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $6,900

Gronkowski was able to stay relatively healthy last year and he put up big numbers as a result. He caught 69 of 105 targets for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns. He also received 21 red zone targets, second to only Jimmy Graham (27) among tight ends. In the last four seasons that Gronkowski has played at least 14 games, he has at least 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in each of them.

While he’s always one of Tom Brady’s top targets, Gronkowski will likely be leaned on even more so with Julian Edelman suspended for the first four games of the season. Outside of Chris Hogan, the Patriots are extremely thin at wide receiver. For a Week 1 schedule that has so many viable cheap options at running back and wide receiver, this might be the time to pay up to get Gronkowski into your lineup.

Delanie Walker vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,900

Walker is as steady as they come at tight end. He’s logged at least 100 targets, 60 receptions and 800 receiving yards in four consecutive seasons. His three touchdowns last year were a bit of a disappointment, but the struggles of quarterback Marcus Mariota led to some down numbers for most of the Titans pass catchers. Mariota threw just 13 touchdowns the entire season.

The Titans still don’t have a ton of great weapons on offense, but they did bring in Dion Lewis to form a solid duo out of the backfield with Derrick Henry. They also should see some improvement from second-year receiver Corey Davis. That might help take some of the attention away from Walker by opposing defenses. Considering Walker received at least five targets in all but one game last year, he has one of the highest floors at the tight end position.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $3,800

This seems like the chalk play of the week. The Bills offense looks simply atrocious outside of LeSean McCoy. Nathan Peterman will be their starting quarterback after he threw one touchdown and five interceptions in two starts last year. They are extremely thin at wide receiver, as well, which doesn’t exactly help Peterman’s cause. The Ravens were excellent at creating turnovers last year with 22 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. Don’t overthink this one, play the Ravens.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 - TE/DEF/ST

Jordan Reed vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,000

Reed has never played more than 14 games during a season in his career. In four of his five years in the league, he’s played 12 games or fewer. More injuries ruined his 2017 campaign, resulting in him playing just six games. He wasn’t productive when he was on the field, either, averaging 35.2 yards per contest.

The good news is that Reed looks to be healthy heading into Week 1.  The Redskins managed his workload throughout training camp and during the preseason, but he’s not listed on their injury report for this game. Although he’ll be playing with a new quarterback in Alex Smith, Reed is one of the best pass-catching options on the Redskins roster. It’s not often that you get the opportunity to roster him at such a reduced price, so this might be an opportunity to pounce on.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,200

Seferian-Jenkins entered the league with a lot of promise after being selected 38th overall in the 2014 draft by the Buccaneers. Off-the-field issues prevented him from fulfilling his potential with the Buccaneers, ultimately leading him to become a member of the Jets. He played a career-high 13 games for the Jets last year, catching 50 of 74 targets for 357 yards and three touchdowns.

The Jaguars badly needed to add talent at tight end, ultimately leading them to take a chance on Seferian-Jenkins. He gets a great matchup right out of the gate against a Giants defense that allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends last year and looks to be soft in the middle of the field again this season. Seferian-Jenkins is dealing with a core injury right now, but if he’s cleared to play, he has an excellent opportunity to outproduce his price point.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $2,800

The Chiefs certainly have plenty of talent on offense, led by Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce. They have turned over the reins at quarterback to Patrick Mahomes, their promising first-round pick from 2017. Mahomes has a great arm and could be in store for a productive NFL career, but he gets a tough assignment Week 1 on the road against a Chargers defense that can create pressure with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. They did lose cornerback Jason Verrett due to a torn Achilles, but they still have an extremely talented secondary. Don’t be surprised if the Chargers create a couple of turnovers in this game.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 - TE/DEF/ST

Evan Engram vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,700

The Giants were decimated by injuries at wide receiver last year, which sometimes left Engram as their best pass-catching option. He had a promising rookie campaign, overall, catching 64 of 115 targets for 772 yards and six touchdowns. The Giants are healthy at wide receiver heading into Week 1 and added talented rookie running back Saquon Barkley to their backfield, so Engram might not see a ton of targets come his way. Add in the fact that he is playing the stingy Jaguars defense and he’s risky at this price.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $3,100

The “Legion of Boom” era is officially a thing of the past in Seattle. Not only did they lose Richard Sherman this offseason, but Sheldon Richardson and Michael Bennett are also gone from their defensive front. They did receive some encouraging news when Earl Thomas ended his holdout Wednesday, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to play at full capacity considering his last-minute arrival. The Broncos improved significantly at quarterback with Case Keenum and also added promising rookie running back Royce Freeman during the offseason, leaving the Seahawks as a defense to avoid for your entry.

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 6 Cash and GPP Plays

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

The Week 6 teams on bye aren’t as difficult to overcome compared to last week’s teams. This week the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks are all on bye. That being said there are a few games that are worth targeting if you are starting your research with Vegas totals. There are 7 games with a game total over 46 points, including the most appealing of them all in New Orleans (50). Let’s take a look at some plays this week from each position.

Quarterback:

NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints - Lineup lab

As I’ve mentioned throughout this year, quarterback ownership is almost always spread out equally, that there rarely is a QB that we see over 20% owned. That figures to be the case this week with several good options on the slate.

Drew Brees (DK $7,200, FD $8,600) – Brees is surprisingly not the highest priced QB on neither DK or FD. He’s the third priced QB on both sites and is in a pretty damn good spot. If you’re a football fan, you’re well aware of Bree’s home and road splits. Brees has averaged over 300 yards and has had a 2:1 TD to interception ratio in dome stadiums. This week Brees is at home coming off a bye against a Lions team that has been over performing to start the season. To add more frosting to the cake, Brees is a slight home favorite implied to score 27.25 points. This game has the slates highest over/under (50), so Vegas is expecting these two teams to light up the scoreboard. Brees will be popular this week.

Matthew Stafford (DK $ 6,500, FD $8,500) – For all the reasons mentioned in the Brees section, I think Stafford will be popular on this slate. He’s $700 cheaper on DK than Brees so the savings could make him higher owned than Brees, but on FD he’s essentially a pick ‘em with only $100 separating the two. This game is one of the few games with a high total and a relatively close spread so if any game is going to shoot out; it will likely be this one.

Deshaun Watson (DK $6,700, FD $7,900) – Watson is another QB I expect will garnish some ownership based on his recent play. Watson has averaged 31.8 DK points over the past 3 weeks, and his price spike reflects his performance. He does have a good matchup as a home favorite against the Browns who are worst in the league in adjusted fantasy points allowed (26.3). His rushing ability gives him a nice floor for cash games, but in gpps, I like fading him for my favorite quarterback on the week (next player). He’s not a bad play at all, but he’s gotten to be a little too expensive for my taste, especially when you consider that most of his TD production last week came during garbage time against the Chiefs.

Kirk Cousins (DK $6,800, FD $ 7,800) – Cousins is the same price point as the last two QBs I mentioned above, and I feel he will be the least owned, which is why I like him for gpps. Cousins is coming off of a bye week and facing the 49ers who are coming off their second consecutive road overtime loss. Cousins and the Redskins go into week 6 with the highest implied team total (28.8) and are 10.5 point favorites. The 49ers are probably the best winless team in the league, losing 4 games by a combined 11 points, but their secondary can be attacked. Per PFF, the 49ers have 3 of the worst rated corners. Dontae Johnson rated no. 108 of 109, Rashard Robinson is no. 104, and K’Waun Williams is no. 99. The Redskins should be able to attack through the air, especially with Rob Kelly expected to be out.

Bargain Barrel:

Carson Palmer, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett

Running Backs:

NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - DeVonta Freeman - Lineuplab.com

Kareem Hunt (DK $8,200, FD $9,300) – I wasn’t going to write up Hunt because by now you should be aware of the amount of volume he’s been getting this season. On DK he’s $1,400 cheap than Bell, which is insane when you factor in that the Chiefs are home favorites over the Steelers. Hunt lost a lot of fantasy points last week with two flukey touchdowns by Charcandrick West. This week Hunt is going up against the Steelers who are 31st DVOA against the run and just got burned for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns from top rookie Leonard Fournette. Hunt is currently projected as our top RB this week over Bell, regardless of price.

Leonard Fournette (DK, $8,000, FD, $8,600) – Speaking of rookies. It’s about time to start talking about Fournette on a consistent basis. He’s averaging 24 touches per game and has scored in all but one game this season. There’s no secret the Jags are trying to keep the ball out of Bortles’ hands as much, which leads to Fournette carrying the offensive workload. Through the first 5 weeks, Fournette has received 70% of the carries and has been targeted 15 times. He’s going up against a Rams defense that ranks 32nd in aFPA (32.8). The Jags are a slight home favorite, so that also bodes well for Fournette.

Devonta Freeman (DK $7,400, FD $ 8,500) – Freeman is the better play on DK since his salary gives you bigger savings from the two backs mentioned above. Freeman has the luxury of playing behind the number 1 rated run blocking offensive line according to PFF. The Falcons are among the biggest home favorites this week (11.5) and are implied to score over 28 points. The Dolphins rank in the middle of the pack in aFPA with an average of 21 PPG. There’s always a concern with splitting carries with Tevin Coleman, but through the Falcons first 4 games, Freeman has 73% of the carries compared to Coleman’s 27%.

Mark Ingram (DK $4,400, FD $ 5,900) – A true committee that a lot of DFS players will have their eye on. With the trade of Adrian Peterson, this backfield is now a true timeshare between Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara (DK $4,500, FD $ 5,800). My initial thought is that Kamara will be the more popular back because of his involvement in the passing game and his big game before last week’s bye. Kamara went for 25.6 DK points on 10 receptions for 71 yards and a TD. This game has shootout written all over it so Kamara could continue to see more passing targets out of the backfield. My only concern here is that although Ingram is being phased out by the coaches, he’s still seeing over 55% of the carries and 36% of the targets. Ingram does have pass-catching upside and is still the goal line back, so he’d be the preferred choice on FD. However, on DK I think I’d have to lean on Kamara for the bigger PPR upside.

Jerick McKinnon (DK $4,100, FD $5,600) – Another running back situation that people will monitor is the Vikings’ committee. Last week in their first week without Delvin Cook, McKinnon saw 67% of the snaps compared to Murray who saw 31%. The carries were 55% for McKinnon and 41% to Murray. McKinnon led all backs with 6 receptions on 6 targets, while Murray seemed to be phased out in the second half. McKinnon was more successful with his workload averaging 5.9 YPC compared to Murray’s 2.6. McKinnon is currently rated as our top value play (points per dollar) on DK and FD.

Chris Thompson (DK $5,000) – A nice GPP pivot off the chalkier cheaper options I mentioned above. If Rob Kelly misses like the reports indicate he is, Thompson could be a great gpp option against the 49ers. He’s not that cheap on DK but has a lot of upside. Samaje Perine could work the early downs but Thompson is the featured back in the passing game, which I expect the Redskins to focus on.

Other Viable Options:

CJ Anderson, M. Gordon, T. Gurley, A. Jones *T. Montgomery out*, L. Miller, E. McGuire.

Wide Receivers:

NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - DeAndre Hopkins - Lineup Lab 

Wide Receiver is a little more open season when compared to running backs. There are a lot of teams that are big favorites so there are really only a few passing offenses that you want to use.

DeAndre Hopkins (DK $8,100, FD $8,000) – Nuke’s price took a STEEP hike on DK, rising over $1,700 after a 3 touchdown performance against the Chiefs. But even at over 8K, that price is finally warranted for a guy that is receiving over 12 targets per game. Through 5 weeks of the season, Hopkins only trails Antonio Brown for most targets in the league. This week Hopkins has an above average matchup against Jason McCourty, who actually has a great grade on PFF(91.7), but the past two seasons he’s averaged a grade in the mid 50’s. It’s also worth noting that Hopkins is expected to lineup against Jamar Taylor (has a 45.1 PFF rating) in two WR sets. Hopkins should be able to produce with the 12+ targets he’s expected to see.

Julio Jones (DK, $8,300, FD $8,400) – I have yet to roster Julio this season, and thankfully so. Julio has yet to score this year and only has 30 targets on the season (4 games). But I have a feeling this is the week we see Julio get back on track. The Falcons are really thin at WR and Julio will be facing either Cordrea Tankersley or Xavien Howard. Regardless of who Julio matches up against, he’s virtually matchup proof. Julio notoriously plays better at home than on the road. It’s about time Julio finds the endzone this week.

Pierre Garcon (DK $ 6,300, FD $6,800) – I loved Garcon last week against the Colts despite going up against Vontae Davis. This week I want to go back to the well in a game that I expect the 49ers to be trailing. The Redskins will be without Josh Norman which helps Garcon. Garcon is currently 8th in the league in targets with 44 through 5 games. This week Garcon could face Quinton Dunbar and Bashaud Breeland who are both targetable corners. I expect Garcon to get 10-12 targets this game and can very well see him putting up over 14 fantasy points.

Adam Thielen (DK $6,000 FD $6,500) – Thielen gets a great matchup here against a bad Packers secondary. Thielen is the primary slot receiver for the Vikings so he’ll face Quinten Rollins who is one of the worst slot corners according to PFF. The Packers should jump out to an early lead, which would mean the Vikings would have to pass the ball more. It’s worth monitoring Bradford’s status as game day gets closer.

Cash Viable Plays:

M. Thomas, K.Allen, L. Fitzgerald, J. Landry, G. Tate,  C. Hogan, A. Cooper.

Gpp Flyers:

D. Jackson, John Brown, M. Jones Jr., T. Hill, D. Amendola, B. Cooks, T. Pryor Sr.

Value Receivers

A. Wilson, J. Kearse, J. Crowder.

Tight Ends:

Hunter Henry - NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - San Diego Chargers - Lineuplab.com

Hunter Henry (DK $4,100, FD $5,400) – Henry looks to have finally taken over the tight end position for the Chargers. After 3 weeks of force-feeding Antonio Gates, Henry has finally become a part of the offense. He has now scored in two straight weeks. He ran 33 routes in over 75% of snaps he played last week.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (DK $4,300, FD $5,600) – ASJ came through last week by scoring a touchdown. That now gives him an average of 6 targets the past 3 weeks. He’s going up against the Patriots who will get out to a big lead and have allowed the most passing yards in the league. 

Travis Kelce (DK $6,100, FD $7,200) – Kelce is the top projected TE on both sites this week. Kelce has 20 targets the last two weeks. Keep an eye out on the Chiefs injury report to make sure Kelce is active.

Defense:

 NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - Baltimore Ravens - Lineuplab.com

There are 5 teams that are currently more than a touchdown favorite. The Patriots are the only team in that bunch that is not at home. The Ravens (16.5), Falcons (17.25), Redskins (18), Texans (18.5), and the Patriots (20) are all going up against teams implied to score less than 20 points. Defense is very volatile so any one of these could land atop the leaderboards. The Ravens are currently our top projected defense. While the Bucs are the best value projected to score nearly 3x.

Good Luck!






Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 6

Lineuplab.com - Win on Fanduel & Draftkings with our tools - Daily Fantasy Football

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.

Deshaun Watson - Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Lineup 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.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Kareem Hunt - Lineup Lab

**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.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - DeAndre Hopkins - Lineuplab

**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.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Austin Seferian Jenkins - Lineuplab.com

**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.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Denver Broncos - Lineuplab.com

**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

by Cesar Becerra 0 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.