daily fantasy football lineups – Page 8

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 – Wide Receivers

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on November 8, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

With the Vikings and Texans on byes and the Steelers and Giants both playing in prime time games, a lot of the top talent at wide receiver won’t be available for the main slate in DFS for Week 10. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Wide Receivers

Michael Thomas vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,100

Thomas got off to a blistering start this season with at least 10 targets and 10 receptions in each of his first three games. During that stretch, he had a total of 398 yards and three touchdowns. His production dropped off significantly starting in Week 4 but he rebounded to post 211 yards and a touchdown Sunday in a shootout against the Rams. It’s no coincidence that he received 15 targets, which were his most in a game since Week 4.

The Saints have a great running back duo of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, which could limit Thomas’ production from time to time if the Saints take a run-heavy approach. This could end up being a blowout against a far inferior Bengals team, but don’t shy away from Thomas just because there could be a lot of run calls in the second half. The Bengals allow the most passing yards per game (319) in the league, making Thomas a great option in cash games.

Keenan Allen vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,100

Although Allen hasn’t been as productive as he was last year, it was going to be hard to duplicate the 159 targets that he received in 2017. The good news is he still has 66 targets through eight games, 10 of which came in Week 9 against the Seahawks. Normally a good defense against the pass, the Seahawks allowed Allen to rack up six receptions for 124 yards.

One area of disappointment for Allen has been his lack of touchdowns. He found his way into the end zone in Week 1 but hasn’t scored since. That’s a significant stat for someone who had six touchdowns last year. This could be the week he breaks that streak, though, with the Raiders tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed (19) in the league. In their first meeting this season, Allen was plenty involved with eight catches on nine targets for 90 yards.

Tyler Boyd vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,500

The Bengals found themselves in a high-scoring affair with the Bucs in Week 7, leaving Boyd with a team-high 10 targets. He sure made the most of his opportunities, catching nine passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. After posting 225 total receiving yards across 10 games last year, Boyd already has three games with at least 100 receiving yards this season.

Boyd had already worked his way into a significant role, but he’s now the Bengals top wide receiver with A.J. Green (toe) out for at least two games. Even with Boyd’s emergence, Green is still leading the team with 76 targets, so that’s a lot to make up for. This Bengals might also be forced to throw a ton to keep up with the Saints high-powered offense, potentially setting up Boyd for another monster day.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Wide Receivers

Mike Evans vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,000

The Bucs scored 28 points against the Panthers in Week 9 and Evans received 10 targets. He must have dominated, right? Unfortunately for his sake, and for the sake of everyone who played him in DFS, Evans actually had a disastrous performance with one catch for 16 yards. That marked the first time this season that Evans has finished with fewer than five receptions and 58 yards in a game.

Don’t overact to one fluky performance. The fact that Evans received 10 targets is the key takeaway. Across the first four games in which Evans received at least 10 targets this year, he averaged 7.3 receptions and 125.6 yards. He scored three total touchdowns in those games, as well. The Redskins have been great against the run this year, but their pass defense is suspect. Both sites dropped Evans’ price tag after last week’s dud, leaving a prime opportunity to take advantage of for your entry.

Cooper Kupp vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $6,400

Kupp had sat out the previous two games due to a knee injury, but he was able to take the field Sunday against the Saints. He certainly wasn’t eased back into action as he was on the field for every one of the Rams offensive plays. Even with so many weapons around him, Kupp had another valuable performance with five receptions on six targets for 89 yards and a touchdown. Although he’s only played in seven games, Kupp has already set a new career-high with six touchdowns.

It was great to see Kupp at full go in his first game back. He’s had a couple of games this season where he’s had to leave early due to injury, one of them was against these same Seahawks in Week 5 due to a concussion. Despite only playing 55 percent of the snaps in that contest, Kupp still finished with six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. At this very reasonable price, Kupp is a great option to consider.

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,400

The Cardinals offense has been horrible for most of the year, which has really put a cap on Fitzgerald’s upside. After receiving at least 145 targets in three straight seasons, Fitzgerald only had 41 targets across his first seven games. The Cardinals mercifully fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, which immediately provided positive results for Fitzgerald. In his first game with Byron Leftwich at the helm of their offense, Fitzgerald had eight receptions on 12 targets for 102 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers.

With a bye in Week 9, the Cardinals had even more time to get their new offense up to speed. Leftwich has already stated that he wanted to get Fitzgerald and David Johnson more involved, so don’t be surprised if you see dramatically better production from both players over the second half. Week 10 stands out as an opportunity for Fitzgerald to shine against a Chiefs defense that has allowed the fifth-most passing yards per game (303).

Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,000

The Packers seemed pretty well set at wide receiver heading into the year with the trio of Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Geronimo Allison. As a result, Valdes-Scantling was relegated to a very limited role out of the gate. After injuries started to mount, the Packers had no choice but to turn to their young receiver for production. Not only has he held his own, but Valdes-Scantling has shined in his added playing time with at least 101 receiving yards in two of his last three games.

Valdes-Scantling was already pressing for more snaps, but he has a secure role now with Allison being placed on IR earlier this week. Cobb might carry more name recognition, but Valdes-Scantling could be the Packers number two wide receiver for the rest of the year. With Aaron Rodgers throwing him passes, he’s hard to pass up in tournament play at this cheap price.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Wide Receivers

T.Y. Hilton vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,700

The Colts scored 42 points against the Raiders in their last game Week 8, but Hilton was pretty quiet with only one catch on five targets for 34 yards. That marked the fourth time in his six games that Hilton has finished with 50 or fewer receiving yards. The Jaguars defense hasn’t been as formidable this year, but they’ve still allowed the fewest passing yards per game (190). They’ve only allowed nine touchdown passes, as well, leaving Hilton as a very risky option.

Randall Cobb vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,900

Cobb started out the season with 142 yards against the Bears in Week 1, but he has a total of 116 yards across four games since. If it wasn’t for the injury to Allison, there was an argument to be made for Valdes-Scantling to receive more playing time over Cobb. Cobb should be on the field plenty moving forward, but he might not get a ton of passes thrown his way with all of the other options that Rodgers has. If you want to take a chance on a cheap Packers receiver, Cobb is not the one you want.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 – Running Backs

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on November 7, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

Only a few of the top running backs won’t be available for the main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 10, leaving plenty of great options to choose from across the price scale. Let’s dig into the position to see where you can gain the edge for your entry. 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Running Backs

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $10,800
DraftKings = $9,400

The Rams were caught in a shootout with the Saints in Week 9, which finally led to a subpar game from Gurley. He averaged 5.2 yards-per-carry, but he only finished with 68 yards on 13 attempts. The Saints held him in check in the passing game, as well, with Gurley finishing with six catches on seven targets for 11 yards. Even though Gurley managed to record a rushing touchdown, he had just one touchdown for the second straight week.

If you paid up to get Gurley in your entry last week, you were left disappointed, but don’t let that cloud your judgment moving forward. This is a much better matchup against a far inferior Seahawks offense, which should lead to more rushing attempts for Gurley. The Seahawks are also allowing an average of 4.8 yards-per-carry, which is tied for the fourth-most in the league. When these two teams met earlier this season, Gurley finished with 113 total yards and three touchdowns.

Kareem Hunt vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $8,500

The Chiefs had another great offensive performance against the Browns in Week 9 and Hunt was right in the thick of the action. He had 17 carries for 90 yards, and although he only received two targets, he caught one of them for a 50-yard touchdown. Add in his two rushing touchdowns and it was his third multi-touchdown game of the season. A feat even more impressive than that is that he has at least one touchdown in eight straight contests.

With the ease at which the Chiefs move the ball, Hunt is going to get plenty of opportunities for touchdowns. This is another stellar matchup for him against the Cardinals, who have allowed the second-most rushing yards per game (143.1). Their 12 rushing touchdowns allowed is also tied for the second-most, so don’t hesitate to pay up for Hunt.

Melvin Gordon vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $9,000

A bye week came at just the right time for the Chargers. Gordon missed Week 7 with a hamstring injury, but a bye in Week 8 helped him to miss only that one game. He certainly didn’t look hampered at all against the Seahawks on Sunday, turning 16 carries into 113 yards and a touchdown. That marked the third time in his last four games that Gordon finished with at least 6.9 yards-per-carry.

Week 10 brings a matchup against the Raiders, who looked like a trainwreck against the 49ers last week. In their first meeting this season, Gordon had 120 total yards and a touchdown against the Raiders. With the Raiders allowing the most rushing yards per game (144.5), expect Gordon to have another strong performance in their rematch.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Running Backs

Tevin Coleman vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $5,400

Coleman’s performance against the Redskins in Week 9 was impressive. They’ve had one of the better run defenses in the league this year, but Coleman still finished with 88 rushing yards on just 13 carries. He did plenty of damage in the passing game, as well, hauling in five of seven targets for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Those are the only two receiving touchdowns the Redskins have allowed to running backs all season.

Coleman is still sharing the backfield duties with Ito Smith, but Coleman has been on the field for exactly 57 percent of the Falcons offensive plays in each of their last three games. Smith wasn’t on the field more than 46 percent of the time in any of those contests. The Browns have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game (138.9) and the most rushing touchdowns (14), leaving Coleman with excellent upside.

David Johnson vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $6,800

If you play in season-long fantasy football, Johnson is right up there with some of the biggest disappointments in the league. The Cardinals finally moved on from offensive coordinator Mike McCoy before Week 8, which really can only help Johnson at this point. His first game with Byron Leftwich as offensive coordinator wasn’t exactly off the charts, but he finished with 100 total yards against the 49ers, marking just the second time this season he has recorded at least 100 total yards in a game.

The Cardinals had a bye last week, which should be helpful as they adopt Leftwich’s new offense. He’s already stated his desire to get Johnson more involved, at least bringing him back onto the radar in DFS. This is certainly a favorable matchup for Johnson to exploit with the Chiefs allowing a league-high 5.2 yards-per-carry. There is risk involved here, but Johnson could be someone to consider for your entry.

Duke Johnson Jr. vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,700

One of the more perplexing things we’ve seen this season is the Browns usage of Johnson. After finishing with 74 catches on 93 targets last year, Johnson only had 20 receptions on 29 targets through their first eight games. The Browns decided to clean house by firing their head coach and offensive coordinator last week, which immediately provided positive results for Johnson. With the Browns trying to keep up with the Chiefs, Johnson caught all nine of his targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

It was about time the Browns got Johnson more involved. They aren’t exactly deep at wide receiver, so it would seem to remain in their best interest to keep throwing passes Johnson’s way. If he can get similar usage in Week 10, he could once again have a big stat line considering the Falcons have allowed a league-high 68 receptions to opposing running backs. At this cheap price. Johnson could be well worth the risk in tournament play.

Jalen Richard vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,800

Few losses this season have been as embarrassing as the one the Raiders suffered at the hands of the 49ers in Week 9. With Nick Mullens making his first career start, they managed to blow out the Raiders, 34-3. Richard only had two carries in that contest, but running the ball is not his forte. He did catch all four of his targets for 45 yards, marking his fourth-straight game with at least four targets.

After the Raiders dealt Amari Cooper to the Cowboys and lost Marshawn Lynch to injury, their offense doesn’t have a ton of talented playmakers left. Their defense has played poorly as well, which should leave with some early deficits to try and make up. In those situations, Richard should be heavily involved in catching passes out of the backfield. Don’t be surprised if the Chargers race out to an early lead, setting things up nicely for Richard to provide value.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Running Backs

Leonard Fournette vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $6,300

Fournette injured his hamstring in the first game of the season against the Giants, which forced him to miss the subsequent two games. He tried to return in Week 4, but couldn’t make it through that contest and hasn’t played since. After having a bye in Week 9, everything is pointing towards Fournette taking the field against the Colts. Although he can be a major asset when healthy, it might be best to make sure he can make it through an entire game before you start playing him in DFS again.

Adrian Peterson vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,700

Peterson’s success with the Redskins has been surprising. After looking ineffective with the Saints and Cardinals last year, Peterson has already rushed for at least 96 yards in a game five times this season. However, his prognosis going forward looks extremely bleak with the Redskins offensive line decimated by injuries. Not only have they lost guards Brandon Schreff (pectoral) and Shawn Lauvao (knee) for the season, but tackle Trent Williams (thumb) is also a couple of weeks away from returning. With a bunch of backups blocking for him, Peterson isn’t very appealing at this price.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 – Quarterbacks

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on November 6, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

After a brutal Week 9 where six teams were on a bye, things get a little better in Week 10 with only four teams getting the added time off. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you craft your DFS 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $9,800
DraftKings = $7,200

To no surprise, the Chiefs beat the Browns soundly in Week 9. Another obvious outcome of that game was Mahomes having a strong performance. He certainly didn’t disappoint, throwing for 365 yards and three touchdowns. Although that marked five consecutive games with an interception, he also has four straight games with at least three touchdowns.

There might not be any other quarterback who is more automatic than Mahomes from a DFS perspective. He has a ton of talent around him and plays within a great offensive scheme. What shouldn’t go unnoticed with all the passing yards and touchdowns is that Mahomes has even posted a completion percentage of at least 70.6 percent over three straight games. The Cardinals have been one of the better teams at defending the pass in the league, but facing Mahomes on the road is a whole different story.

Drew Brees vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,300

The highlight matchup of Week 9 was the Saints taking on the undefeated Rams. It certainly was an offensive shootout with the Saints ultimately dealing the Rams their first loss. Brees had one of his best performances of the year, throwing for 346 yards and four touchdowns. He didn’t throw an interception, either, and has only thrown one pick all season.

Brees’ stellar stat line came on the heels of a dud in Week 8 against the Vikings when he threw for 120 yards and one touchdown. He might have games from time to time where the Saints heavy use of the run limits his upside, but that wasn’t exactly a great matchup against a Vikings team that is only allowing 233 passing yards per game. With the Bengals allowing the most passing yards per game (319), expect this to be an opportunity that Brees exploits.

Philip Rivers vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $6,000

Rivers faced a tough Seahawks defense in Week 9 that had allowed 10 touchdown passes all season. They did a good job limiting Rivers to 228 passing yards, but he still salvaged his performance with two touchdowns. Rivers has been extremely consistent in that department, recording at least two touchdowns in every game this year.

Things get much easier for Rivers in Week 10 against a Raiders team that was just lit up by the 49ers with Nick Mullins at quarterback. The Raiders have not only allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game (263), but they’ve put very little pressure on the quarterback with only seven sacks. In their first meeting this season, Rivers had 339 passing yards and two touchdowns, so don’t be surprised if he excels in their rematch.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Quarterbacks

Andy Dalton vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $5,800

The Bengals are coming off of their bye after squeaking out a 37-34 win over the Bucs in Week 8. Dalton took advantage of the Bucs porous secondary, finishing with 280 passing yards and two touchdowns. After averaging only 207.5 passing yards per game last year, Dalton has been much more productive this season with 262.8 yards per contest.

One big negative for Dalton’s prospects for Week 10 is the injury to his star receiver A.J. Green (toe), who is expected to miss at least the next two games. On the bright side, receiver John Ross (groin) is looking like he might be able to return to the field. Even without Green, Dalton has the potential to be productive against the Saints, who have allowed the second-most passing yards per game (311). The Bengals might also be forced to throw the ball a lot to keep up with the Saints offense, so don’t shy away from Dalton just because of Green’s injury.

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $5,900

Fitzpatrick regained his starting job for Week 9 against the Panthers. The Bucs were down big early and forced to throw a lot, which played right into Fitzpatrick’s wheelhouse. He did throw two interceptions, but he also had 243 yards and four touchdowns. Across his five starts this season, he has finished with at least three touchdown passes four times.

Even though the Bucs suffered yet another loss, Fitzpatrick played well enough to remain the starting quarterback for this matchup against the Redskins. The Redskins have been stout against the run, but they’ve allowed 254 passing yards per game to go along with 15 touchdown passes. With how bad the Bucs are playing on defense, look for Fitzpatrick to have plenty of opportunities to provide value Sunday.

Baker Mayfield vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,400

The change at head coach and offensive coordinator made an immediate positive impact on Mayfield last week against the Chiefs. He finished with 297 passing yards and two touchdowns, but it should also be noted that his 69.1 percent completion percentage was the highest in any game in which he has started.

While it certainly helped that Mayfield was facing the Chiefs defense, the initial results under his new coaching staff are encouraging. He also gets another exploitable matchup against the Falcons in Week 10, who have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (304), which is actually more than the Chiefs have allowed. The Falcons have also given up 18 touchdowns through the air, which is tied for the fourth most. If you want to take a chance on a cheap option in tournament play, Mayfield is worth considering.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 - Quarterbacks

Mitch Trubisky vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $5,600

As most people expected, the Bears destroyed the Bills last week. With Nathan Peterman under center for Buffalo, the Bears defense scored two touchdowns of their own. The Bears had little need to throw the ball with a big early lead, leaving Trubisky to produce season-lows in pass attempts (20) and passing yards (135). This should be a more competitive game against the Lions, but the way to beat them is on the ground, not through the air. The Lions have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game (215), but the third most rushing yards per game (142.5). Trubisky might not attempt a lot of passes in this contest, either.

Matthew Stafford vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,000

Stafford and the Lions had a disastrous performance against the Vikings in Week 9, losing 24-9. Stafford attempted 36 passes but only finished with 199 yards. Although he didn’t throw an interception, he also failed to throw a touchdown for the first time this season. The trade of Golden Tate to the Eagles certainly isn’t going to help Stafford moving forward, either. The Bears have the second-most interceptions (14) and are allowing only 237 passing yards per game, leaving Stafford with limited upside.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – TE/DEF/ST

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on November 2, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

Six teams on a bye for Week 9, dealing a significant blow to the options at tight end in DFS. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players, and defenses/special teams, to target or avoid as you create your entry. 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - TE/DEF/ST

Travis Kelce vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $6,600

Kelce came through for the Chiefs in their win over the Broncos in Week 8, catching six of 10 targets for 79 yards and a touchdown. With that performance, Kelce now has at least five receptions in seven consecutive games and at least eight targets in six of those contests. He only has four touchdowns this year despite the Chiefs explosive offense, but his 80.3 yards per game is the highest mark of his career.

If you are prepared to pay a premium at tight end, Kelce is the safe route to take. He leads the Chiefs with 70 targets, which actually ranks inside the top-15 in all of football. The Browns have only given up two touchdowns to opposing tight ends, but they have allowed 44 receptions to them, which is tied for fifth-most in the league. This game has the potential to get out of hand for the Browns early, so expect Kelce to be heavily involved in yet another offensive explosion for the Chiefs.

O.J. Howard vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of American Stadium
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,300

Howard only received four targets in Week 8, but he made the most of his opportunities by catching all of them for 68 yards and a touchdown. The score was Howard’s second in his last three games, giving him a total of three for the season. His targets have been a bit up an down, but that hasn’t stopped Howard from recording at least 54 receiving yards in six of seven games. The only contest where he didn’t reach that mark was in Week 4 against the Bears when he had to leave early due to injury.

One major plus about the Bucs offense is that their defense often puts them in an early hole that they have to try and pass their way out of. The Bucs are making a change back to Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, but that shouldn’t impact Howard negatively considering how well the two played together when Jameis Winston was suspended to start the year. The Panthers have allowed 545 yards and five touchdowns to tight ends, making Howard a great option at this reasonable price.

Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,100

The Bears only allowed 10 points to the Jets in Week 8, but they didn’t force a single turnover. That’s saying something considering Jets quarters Sam Darnold has 10 interceptions. They also recorded just one sack, which can mostly be attributed to the absence of Khalil Mack (ankle). The Bears had started out strong in that area this year, recording at least four sacks in each of their first four games.

Whether or not Mack returns for this game, you still want to play the Bears defense. The Bills offense is already a mess, but due to injuries to Josh Allen (elbow) and Derek Anderson (concussion), it looks like Nathan Peterman will once again be their starting quarterback. Peterman has thrown four picks across only 32 pass attempts this year, so don’t hesitate to pay up for the Bears, even at this expensive price for a defense.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - TE/DEF/ST

Greg Olsen vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of American Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,700

Olsen continues to battle his way through a foot injury, but he’s been on the field for at least 97 percent of the Panthers offensive snaps the last three games. He only has 10 receptions for 109 yards during that stretch, but he has found his way into the end zone in both of the last two weeks. The Panthers will continue to take a cautious approach with him in practice leading up to Sunday but expect him to be on the field a lot once again.

Even though Olsen has been one of the most consistent tight ends in the league, his upside is limited by his injury. That makes him somewhat of a risky play, but this could be a matchup to exploit. The Bucs have not only allowed the second-most passing yards per game (318), but they’ve allowed 542 yards and four touchdowns to opposing tight ends.

David Njoku vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,600

Talk about a rough week for Njoku. The Browns had plenty of problems scoring points against the Steelers, ultimately losing 33-18. Njoku has been a big part of their offense, but he didn’t receive a single target Sunday. He may have been hampered by a knee injury that has limited him in practice leading up to Week 9, but he was on the field for 84 percent of their offensive snaps.

Don’t panic over one bad game from Njoku. He had received at least six targets in all but one game leading up to Week 8 and had four straight games with at least 52 receiving yards. With the likelihood that the Browns are going to have to throw a lot to keep up with the Chiefs, Njoku is going to get targets Sunday if he’s healthy enough to play. With there being no indication so far that he won’t be able to suit up, he’s a great option in tournament play.

Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $3,000

The Texans hung 42 points on the Dolphins in Week 8, but they did allow them to score 23 points of their own. The Texans defense had been on a streak of allowing 16 points or fewer in three straight games, but those were three outstanding matchups against the Cowboys, Bills, and Jaguars. Outside of games versus the Patriots and Colts, the Texans really haven’t been faced with many offensive juggernauts this year.

The schedule continues to fall in their favor for Week 9 against a Broncos team that just traded away receiver Demaryius Thomas. Case Keenum has not played well since coming over from the Vikings and the Broncos haven’t protected him, either, resulting in 22 sacks. To put that into perspective, Keenum was sacked 22 times all last season. If you don’t want to pay up for the Bears, the Texans are another viable option to consider.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - TE/DEF/ST

Austin Hooper vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $3,800

Hooper isn’t priced poorly on DraftKings, but his price on FanDuel doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It’s likely inflated due to his performances in Weeks 5 and 6 where he combined for 18 receptions on 22 targets for 148 yards and a touchdown. However, over his other five games, he has a total of 15 receptions on 19 targets for 173 yards and a score. Buyer beware, especially against a Redskins team that has only given up 292 receiving yards to tight ends.

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $3,200

The Panthers might explode offensively against the Bucs, but their defense could be in for a struggle. The Bucs throw the ball a ton and have some great offensive weapons. Fitzpatrick can be turnover prone, but he also had 11 touchdown passes across his first three games. This isn’t exactly an appealing price for the Panthers, either, so it might be best to avoid them altogether when crafting your lineup.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Wide Receivers

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on November 1, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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Even with so many teams on a bye for Week 9, there are still a ton of great wide receiver options across the price scale in DFS. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Wide Receivers

Adam Thielen vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $8,900

For the first time all season, Thielen only received single-digit targets in Week 8 with seven against the Saints. However, it didn’t hurt his bottom line as he hauled in all of them for 103 yards and a touchdown. He has at least 100 yards in every game this season and has scored at least one touchdown in five straight contests. After never posting more than five touchdowns in a season during career, Thielen already has six this year.

Without question, Thielen has one of the highest floors of any receiver in DFS. He leads the NFL in targets (96), receptions (74) and receiving yards (925) and opposing defenses can’t key in on him with Stefon Diggs also a great option for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. Detroit has allowed 15 touchdowns through the air and recorded just two interceptions, so don’t be afraid to pay up for Thielen.

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,300

The Texans exploded for 42 points in Week 8 against the Dolphins after having scored 22 points or fewer in six of their first seven games. As one of their best offensive weapons, it’s no surprise that Hopkins stuffed the stat sheet in that contest, catching six of seven targets for 82 yards and two touchdowns. After finding the end zone 13 times last year, Hopkins has been extremely productive this season, as well, with six touchdown receptions.

The Texans suffered a significant blow to their offense last week when Will Fuller was lost for the season with a torn ACL. They were able to quickly address his loss via trade, though, by acquiring Demaryius Thomas from the Broncos. It might take Thomas some time to get adjusted, but it will be a benefit to Hopkins to at least have him on the field Sunday to occupy some of the defense’s coverages. Hopkins has the seventh-most targets (78) among wide receivers in the league, leaving him with a high floor again Sunday.

Mike Evans vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $8,100

The Bucs dug themselves a big hole early against the Bengals last week, which forced them to throw the ball a ton in the second half. Evans certainly got all the work he could handle, catching six of 13 targets for 179 yards and a touchdown. With 770 receiving yards through his first seven games, Evans is well on his way to totaling at least 1,000 yards for the fifth straight season.

It should be noted that Evans’ touchdown last week came from Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was forced to relieve the struggling Jameis Winston. Evans has four touchdown receptions this season, all of them coming from Fitzpatrick. Across the first three games that Fitzpatrick started this season, Evans had 23 receptions on 30 targets for 367 yards, as well. Fitzpatrick will be under center again in Week 9, leaving Evans with the plenty of upside.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Wide Receivers

Jarvis Landry vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,500

Landry came through with an odd stat line last week. He was certainly involved with 12 targets, which he turned into eight receptions. That tied for his second-most receptions in a game this season. However, he only finished with 39 yards. Believe it or not, that actually marked the third time in his last five games that Landry received at least 10 targets, but recorded 39 yards or fewer.

With the Browns having fired their head coach and offensive coordinator on Monday, this could end being an ugly game. Add in the fact that the Chiefs have arguably the most potent offense in the league and the Browns could be trying to dig themselves out of a huge hole early. They might be forced to throw the ball plenty to keep up, with Landry being one of the main beneficiaries in that scenario. The Chiefs have also allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (305). Landry is a bit risky, but he’s still a viable option in tournament play.

Devin Funchess vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $5,600

The Panthers don’t always throw the ball a lot, which leaves Funchess with limited opportunities. Even in a game where the Panthers scored 36 points Sunday against the Ravens, Funchess only had three receptions on three targets for a season-low 27 yards. He hasn’t topped more than 77 yards in a game this season and has only received at least 10 targets one time.

On the bright side, Funchess does have a touchdown in three of his last five games and leads the team with eight red zone targets this year. The Bucs have been horrible against the pass, allowing the second-most passing yards per game (318). Considering they have also allowed the most passing touchdowns (20), this could be the week to take a chance on Funchess in tournament play.

Kenny Golladay vs. Minnesota Vikings
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,500

Golladay was one of the focal points of the Lions passing attack to start the season, receiving at least seven targets in four of his first five games. However, he hasn’t seen much action in the last two weeks with three total targets. He caught all three of them, but only totaled 49 yards and failed to find his way into the end zone in either contest. It was especially surprising last week that he only had one pass thrown his way considering he was on the field for 92 percent of their offensive plays.

Even though it’s been a quiet couple of weeks for Golladay, look for him to be much more productive Sunday. The Lions dealt Golden Tate to the Eagles at the trade deadline, leaving a significant hole in their offense. Tate was leading the team with 69 targets, which was at least 20 targets more than anyone else. The Vikings aren’t exactly a stellar matchup, but Golladay is still worth considering based on his likely increased role.

Courtland Sutton vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,900

As a second-round pick in the 2018 Draft, the Broncos have high hopes for Sutton. He hasn’t received a ton of targets in the early going, but he has been on the field for 69 percent of their offensive snaps. His 45.9 percent catch rate leaves a lot to be desired, but he’s shown big-play upside by averaging 19.1 yards per reception.

With Thomas now in Houston, Sutton will step in as the Broncos’ number two wide receiver behind Emmanuel Sanders. He could also see more opportunities in the red zone since Thomas had the second-most red zone targets (eight) on the team. Sanders has the higher upside of the two, but Sutton makes for a great tournament option at this reduced price. Don’t expect him to be this cheap again next week.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Wide Receivers

Keenan Allen vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $7,300

Allen had a 64.2 percent catch rate last year, which was the second-lowest mark of his career. He’s corrected that issue with a 73.2 percent catch rate this year, but that still hasn’t led to lofty production. His 56 targets are good, but he’s a long ways away from matching the 159 targets that he received last season. The Chargers haven’t been looking his way when they get in close, either, with his five red zone targets ranked third on the team behind Melvin Gordon (10) and Mike Williams (six). The Seahawks have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards (219) and only 10 touchdowns through the air, so this could end up being a quiet week for Allen.

Calvin Ridley vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,700

Ridley started out his career in impressive fashion with six touchdowns across his first four games. However, he wasn’t on the field for more than 66 percent of the Falcons offensive snaps in any of those contests and finished with five or fewer targets twice. His targets have continued to remain limited across his last three games, resulting in 47 receiving yards or fewer in each contest. The key stat, though, is that he failed to reach the end zone in all three games. This isn’t a great matchup against a Redskins team that has allowed just 11 passing touchdowns all season, making Ridley awfully risky at this price.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Running Backs

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 31, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

One of the highlights of Week 9 in the NFL will be Todd Gurley facing a New Orleans Saints defense that has allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (74.1) in the league. If there was ever a week not to pay up to get him into your entry, this might be it. Let’s dig into the running back position to see where you can gain the edge for your entry. 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Running Backs

Melvin Gordon vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,200

Gordon had his first 1000-yard rushing campaign last year, but his 3.9 yards-per-carry weren’t exactly great. He’s made a significant improvement in that area this season with 5.1 yards-per-carry through six games. The Chargers have relied on him more in the passing game, as well, resulting in Gordon catching 30 of 42 targets for 279 yards and three touchdowns.

Gordon sat out Week 7 with a hamstring injury, but he’s received the benefit of added rest after the Chargers were on a bye in Week 8. All signs are pointing to him playing Sunday, bringing back one of the top options in DFS. The Seahawks have been excellent defending against the pass, but their 4.5 yards-per-carry allowed is the 10th-highest mark in the league. If you want to shy away from using Gurley against the Saints, Gordon is a safe bet to consider in cash contests.

Kareem Hunt vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $7,700

Hunt was limited to 50 rushing yards in Week 8 by the Broncos after recording at least 80 rushing yards in four straight games. He still had plenty of attempts with 16, but his 3.1 yards-per-carry was his third-lowest mark of the season. However, he also chipped in five catches on six targets for 36 yards and a touchdown.

With the Chiefs high-powered offense, Hunt has recorded at least one touchdown in every game since failing to find the end zone in Week 1. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him score again Sunday with the Browns tied for the most rushing touchdowns allowed (12). They’ve also allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (138.9), setting up Hunt with a very high floor.

Christian McCaffrey vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,800

The Panthers exploded for a season-high 36 points against the Ravens last week, which resulted in a very productive game from McCaffrey. His 56 total yards left a lot to be desired, but he scored two total touchdowns, one of which was his first rushing touchdown of the year. In fact, McCaffrey only had one receiving touchdown, as well, through his first six games.

Don’t be overly concerned with McCaffrey’s lack of yardage in Week 8, especially his paltry 11 receiving yards. He still had 14 carries and six targets, the kind of volume that is going to help him be productive more often than not. The Panthers are met with another favorable opportunity to score plenty of points in Week 9 against a Bucs team that has allowed 20 touchdowns through the air and eight on the ground. With McCaffrey as one of the focal points of their offense, this is a matchup to exploit.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Running Backs

Tarik Cohen vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $6,200

It took a while for the Bears offense to get going, but they’ve been excellent of late. They are coming off of a 24-10 win over the Jets in Week 8, a game in which Cohen had a 70-yard receiving touchdown. It was his only catch of the game on three targets, although he did have five carries for an additional 40 yards. Cohen has benefited greatly from the improved play of the Bears offense, scoring a touchdown in four straight games.

Another encouraging stat for Cohen that came out of Week 8 is that he was on the field for 58 percent of the Bears offense plays, the exact same amount as Jordan Howard. It marked the first time this season that Howard didn’t have a higher percentage than Cohen. Howard could get plenty of carries if the Bears get up big against a bad Bills team, but Cohen’s big-play ability makes him someone worth targeting in tournament play.

Nick Chubb vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $4,500

In his second week as the Browns featured back, Chubb finished with 65 yards on 18 carries. He also caught his first two passes of the season, although only for a total of 10 yards. The Browns were down big to the Steelers, which might be why Chubb was only on the field for 48 percent of the Browns offensive plays after being on the field for 66 percent of their plays in Week 7.

While it was concerning that somehow Dontrell Hilliard played 23 percent of the Browns snaps last week, all that goes out the window for Week 9 with the Browns having fired their head coach and offensive coordinator Monday. Duke Johnson has largely been underutilized this year, so it will be interesting to see if they get him more touches Sunday. Even with the uncertainty surrounding their offensive scheme moving forward, Chubb is going to get the majority of their carries. The Browns might be able to move the ball well against the Chiefs leaky defense, leaving Chubb with touchdown upside, as well.

Lamar Miller vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,200

There was certainly concern surrounding Miller heading into Week 7 against the Jaguars with him rushing for 49 yards or fewer in three straight games. He even had on horrid performance against the Giants where he gained 10 yards on 10 carries. However, he broke out of his slump against the Jaguars, accumulating 100 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he followed that up with 133 yards and another touchdown Week 8 against the Dolphins.

With Alfred Blue as his only real competition for carries, Miller is the most talented player in the Texans backfield. He’s set up with another great matchup Sunday with the Broncos allowing the sixth-most rushing yards per game (135.8). The game flow could lean in Miller’s favor, as well, with the Broncos having dealt away wide receiver Demaryius Thomas at the trade deadline. They’ve already scored 23 points or fewer in six of eight games, so his loss likely won’t improve their odds of being more productive. If the Texans get up big, we could see a heavy dose of Miller in the second half.

Isaiah Crowell vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,200

On the surface, Crowell’s stats look pretty good. He’s averaging a career-high 5.1 yards-per-carry and has already found his way into the end zone six total times. The problem is that most of his damage done on the ground came in two games. Although he had 102 rushing yards in Week 1 and 219 rushing yards in Week 5, he’s had 40 rushing yards or fewer in each of his other six contests. Week 8 was another struggle against the Bears, gaining 25 yards on 13 carries.

It should be noted that his two big performances came against the Lions and Broncos, two of the worst rushing defenses in the league. He’ll face another bad one in the Dolphins in Week 9, who have allowed the third-most rushing yards per game (143.1). The Dolphins also don’t have a great offense, which is good news for Crowell since a close contest would likely result in a better game script for Crowell. He’s certainly risky, but he might be worth taking a chance on at this cheap price.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Running Backs

Mark Ingram vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,000

The return of Ingram in Week 5 struck fear in the hearts of everyone who rosters Alvin Kamara in season-long fantasy after Ingram rushed for 53 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. While Ingram does somewhat eat into Kamara’s upside, Ingram’s value in DFS is largely touchdown dependent. He hasn’t found his way into the end zone in either of the last two games and has to face a Rams defense in Week 9 that has only allowed five rushing touchdowns this season. His price isn’t all that unreasonable on DraftKings, but he’s definitely someone to avoid on FanDuel.

Tevin Coleman vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $4,800

Coleman only has 21 carries for 85 yards over his last two games. Ito Smith has cut into his opportunities with Coleman only on the field for 57 percent of the Falcons offensive snaps in those two contests. The Falcons don’t throw the ball to Coleman a lot, either, with him receiving three targets or fewer in all but one game this year. The Redskins have allowed the second-fewest rushing yards per game (80.1) and have allowed just six rushing touchdowns, making Coleman too much of a risk based on his limited upside.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Quarterbacks

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 30, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

For the first time this season, six teams will be on a bye in Week 9. The good news is that three of those teams are the Giants, Cardinals, and Jaguars, none of which have someone who plays under center that is particularly appealing in DFS, anyways. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you 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.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $7,100

There is no slowing down Mahomes. He led the Chiefs to another big offensive performance in Week 8, completing 24 of 34 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns. That marked his third straight game with four touchdown passes, bringing his total up to a gaudy 26 for the season. While he has thrown at least one interception in each of his last four games, Mahomes has failed to throw for fewer than 300 yards since Week 1.

With all of the weapons that Mahomes has at his disposal, he’s a great option against pretty much any opponent. That being said, he could really thrive this week with all of the chaos that’s going on in Cleveland after the Browns fired their head coach and offensive coordinator Monday. Their defense hasn’t been good against the air attack, either, allowing the seventh-most passing yards per game (276) in the league. They have held teams to 11 passing touchdowns while recording 12 interceptions, but that shouldn’t shy you away from starting Mahomes in cash contests.

Cam Newton vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $6,600

While Mahomes racks up yards through the air, Newton has only topped 300 passing yards in a game one time this season and has two games with fewer than 200 yards. However, he’s still thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of the last six games and only has four total interceptions. He also makes up for his lack of passing yards with his legs, posting at least 40 rushing yards in five of seven games.

Even though the Panthers aren’t a pass-heavy team, they could put up some of their better totals of the season through the air in Week 9. The Bucs defense has been dreadful, allowing the second-most passing yards per game (318). They’ve also allowed the most passing touchdowns (20) while recording just one interception. Look for Newton to excel in this contest.

Jared Goff vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,000

Goff didn’t exactly have his best game last week when he completed just 19 of 35 passes (54.3 percent), which was his second-lowest completion percentage of the season. To show just how potent the Rams offense is, though, Goff still had 295 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also didn’t throw an interception for the second time in as many weeks, which helped lead the Rams to a big win over the Packers.

Things don’t get much easier for the Rams in Week 9 having to take on the Saints. The Saints have been stout against the run, which makes for an intriguing matchup against Todd Gurley. Things shouldn’t be as difficult for Goff, though, with the Saints allowing the fifth-most passing yards per game (300) and picking off just three passes all year. Coming in cheaper than both Mahomes and Newton, Goff is also an excellent option in cash contests.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $5,900

Wilson had one of the strangest stat lines you are going to see last week against the Lions. He only attempted 17 passes but completed 14 of them for 248 yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks are a run-heavy team, which has led Wilson to attempt 26 passes or fewer in five straight games. He’s made the most of his opportunities, though, throwing at least two touchdowns in four of those five contests.

Wilson’s only averaging 222.3 passing yards per game this season, but his 16 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions still make him someone to target in DFS. The Seahawks defense has played surprisingly well, for the most part, but they’ll be faced with the tough task Sunday of trying to slow down Philip Rivers and the Chargers. If they can’t, it could lead to more passing attempts for Wilson, making him someone to consider in tournament play.

Joe Flacco vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,300

Week 8 was a disaster for Flacco and the Ravens. Not only did they give up 36 points to the Panthers, but Flacco threw for just 192 yards to go along with one touchdown. He was also picked off twice after having thrown two interceptions across his last five games combined. His 56.4 percent completion percentage stands as his second-lowest mark of the season.

Flacco will look to rebound this week in what will be his second meeting of the year against the Steelers. In their first matchup at Heinz Field, Flacco had what has been his best game of the season up to this point with 363 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers haven’t been great against the pass, in general, allowing the ninth-most passing yards per game (265) and 17 touchdowns through the air, which is tied for the fourth-most.

Baker Mayfield vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,600

The Browns offense didn’t have a banner performance against the Steelers in Week 8, eventually losing the game 33-18. Mayfield completed 61.1 percent of his passes, but only for 180 yards. He somewhat salvaged his performance with two touchdowns, although he did throw an interception. Mayfield has now thrown for 238 yards or fewer in three straight games.

With the Browns cleaning house, it’s hard to predict what their offensive scheme will look like in Week 9. One thing for certain is that Mayfield will be under center and tasked with trying to keep up with the Chiefs high-scoring attack. It wouldn’t be surprising if they threw a lot, as a result, leaving Mayfield with some upside considering the Chiefs have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (305).

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 - Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $5,600

Rivers is having another excellent season, averaging 286.9 passing yards per game to go along with 17 touchdowns. Turnovers have been a problem for him at times during his career, but he’s only been picked off three times so far. He’ll be faced with a tough task Sunday with the Seahawks allowing the fourth-fewest passing yards per game (219). They also have 10 interceptions, matching the 10 touchdown passes that they have given up. His price isn’t terrible on DraftKings, but he’s risky at his price on FanDuel considering this matchup.

Alex Smith vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,000

The Redskins have won three straight games, but it hasn’t exactly been on the shoulders of Smith, who threw for fewer than 180 yards in each contest. He continues to do a great job of limiting turnovers, but his eight touchdown passes don’t leave him as a great fantasy option. To put his lack of touchdown upside into perspective, he had 26 touchdowns in 15 games for the Chiefs last year. Mahomes already has that many across eight games. Even though the Falcons defense has been porous, stay away from Smith.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 – TE/DEF/ST

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 26, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

Even with four teams on a bye for Week 8, the tight end position has several excellent options available in DFS. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players, and defenses/special teams, to target or avoid as you create your entry. 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 8 - TE/DEF/ST

Travis Kelce vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $6,800

Kelce had another impressive performance last week against the Bengals, catching all five of his targets for 95 yards. He just missed posting 100 yards for the fourth time this season, but he has now caught at least five passes in six straight games. With his 60 targets and 563 receiving yards, he’s well on his way to his third straight season with at least 100 targets and 1,000 receiving yards.

This could actually be the best year yet for Kelce as his 14.8 yards per reception and 80.4 yards per game would both be the highest marks of his career. With a major upgrade at quarterback in Patrick Mahomes over Alex Smith, the Chiefs offense is demolishing the league. Kelce’s three touchdowns are a bit disappointing, but he’s still a great option in cash contests based on his role in this explosive offense.

David Njoku vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,600

Njoku doesn’t exactly pile up yards, but he does have at least 52 receiving yards in four straight games. He’s proven to be an important part of the Browns passing game, receiving at least six targets in all but one game. Although it took him a while to find the end zone, he has a touchdown in back-to-back contests.

Njoku has added opportunities to provide value because he has been on the field for 83 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, second only to Jarvis Landry (94 percent). With the departure of Josh Gordon, the Browns don’t have a ton of talent at wide receiver outside of Landry. The Steelers have been destroyed by opposing tight ends, allowing 46 receptions for 478 yards and three touchdowns to the position. If you don’t want to pay up for Kelce, Njoku is also one of the safer options based on this matchup.

Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,100

The Bears defense looked like a powerhouse to start the year, allowing an average of 16.3 points across their first four games. All that changed in Week 6 when they gave up 31 points to the Dolphins, of all teams. They followed that up by allowing 38 points to the Patriots. On a positive note, they did force six turnovers across those two contests.

One area of concern for the Bears is that after recording at least four sacks in each of their first four games, they only had one in the two games where they gave up all those points. Part of that is because Khalil Mack is battling an ankle injury, which still might hinder him in Week 8. The Jets offense is decimated by injuries right now and Sam Darnold has thrown 10 interceptions, so they are still a top option even with their recent struggles.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - TE/DEF/ST

Trey Burton vs. New York Jets
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800

Being involved in a shootout with the Patriots last week certainly paid off for Burton, who had a season-high 11 targets. He hadn’t received more than six targets in any of the previous five games. Not only did he get plenty of passes thrown his way, but he took full advantage of the opportunity by catching nine of them for 126 yards and a touchdown. It marked Burton’s third straight game with a touchdown and his fourth score of the season, overall.

The Bears signed Burton to a big deal in the offseason, and even though his 325 receiving yards aren’t stellar, he has been on the field for 82 percent of their offensive snaps. That’s second only to Allen Robinson (88 percent). His five red zone targets are second only to Robinson and Tarik Cohen, who have seven each. Burton’s touchdown dependency makes him a bit of a risky play, but the Jets have allowed three touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season.

O.J. Howard vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $3,900

Howard received a season-high nine targets in Week 7, leading to five receptions for 67 yards. Outside of Week 4 when he injured his knee against the Bears, Howard has finished with at least 54 receiving yards in each of his other five contests. The Bucs do have another talented tight end in Cameron Brate, but Howard is clearly their top option at the position. Brate has only been on the field for 39 percent of their offensive plays while Howard has been on the field 59 percent of the time.

With how poorly the Bucs play on defense, they often get involved in high scoring contests where they have to abandon the running game. That certainly provides a boost in value for Howard, who has a matchup to exploit in Week 8 against a Bengals team that has allowed the third-most receiving yards (521) to opposing tight ends.

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,200

If you just look at the final score of the Cardinals’ 45-10 loss to the Broncos in Week 7, it doesn’t exactly instill a ton of confidence for playing their defense in Week 8. However, the Broncos returned two interceptions for touchdowns, so the drubbing wasn’t all the fault of the Cardinals defense. Josh Rosen through threw total interceptions in that contest, which didn’t do any favors for his defense.

The Cardinals are terrible against the run, allowing the most rushing yards per game (148.3) in the league. The 49ers are a bit banged up in their backfield with Matt Breida dealing with an ankle injury. Even if he does play, it’s an injury that has plagued him at times this year, so he’s no guarantee to make it through the entire contest. Their quarter C.J. Beathard has shown flashes of promise, but he’s thrown at least two interceptions in three of his four starts. The Cardinals had four sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions against the 49ers in Week 5, so they might be worth the risk in tournament play.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - TE/DEF/ST

Jordan Reed vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,500

In a somewhat surprising turn of events, Reed is still healthy heading into Week 8. He’s already played in six games this year, matching his total from last season. The problem is, he hasn’t been productive with just 22 receptions for 268 yards and one touchdown. His total of 35 targets isn’t a terrible number, but his 62.9 percent catch rate is the lowest mark of his career. The Giants traded away a couple of their better defensive players in Eli Apple and Damon Harrison this week, but Reed still might not be worth the risk for your lineup.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $2,800

The Ravens defense hasn’t given up a lot of points this year, so this might not stand out as a team to avoid. However, they haven’t been great at creating turnovers with just five interceptions and two fumble recoveries, total. They’ve also recorded one or no sacks in three of their seven games. The Panthers are tied for the fifth-fewest sacks allowed (10) and Cam Newton has only thrown four picks, potentially leaving the Ravens with very little upside Sunday.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 – Wide Receivers

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 25, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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A lot of the top stars at wide receiver won’t be available for the main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 8. Adam Thielen, Julio Jones, Keenan Allen, Michael Thomas, and DeAndre Hopkins are among the players who are either on a bye or playing in prime time games. That being said, there is still plenty of talent available across the price scale. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. 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 8 - Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,500

Brown received a season-low six targets in Week 6, but he hauled in five of them for 105 yards and a touchdown. That marked Brown’s second consecutive game with at least 100 receiving yards and the fifth time in six contests that he found his way into the end zone. With six total touchdowns this season, he is only three scores away from matching his mark from all of last season. Even with being on a bye last week, Brown’s 72 targets rank sixth-most in the league.

Brown was able to take advantage of the Browns during their first meeting in Week 1, catching nine of 16 targets for 93 yards and a touchdown. The Browns have only allowed nine touchdown passes while generating 11 interceptions, but they have allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game (279). This game being played at home does work in Brown’s favor since his quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has historically played better at Heinz Field. While Roethlisberger has posted similar yardage totals at home and on the road this year, he has seven touchdowns and two interceptions in three home games compared to five touchdowns and four interceptions in three road contests.

A.J. Green vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Even with the Bengals’ offensive struggles in Week 7, Green still put up great numbers. He received a season-high 14 targets, converting them into seven receptions for 117 yards. That marked Green’s third straight game with at least 10 targets and the fourth time this season that he has finished with at least 85 yards. However, he did fail to reach the end zone for the third straight week.

While it is a bit concerning that Green has struggled to score touchdowns lately, he did record five of them across his first four games. He’s also finished with at least eight touchdowns in every season of his career in which he has played all 16 games. This is a prime matchup for him to find his way into the end zone again with the Bucs allowing the most passing touchdowns (18) in the league despite already having their bye week.

Tyreek Hill vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $8,600

Hill didn’t have a great performance yardage wise last week, catching seven passes for 68 yards. His 9.7 yards-per-reception was his second-lowest mark of the season. On the bright side, he still had 10 targets, marking the third time in the last four games that he had at least that many. Also, he scored a touchdown to bring his total to seven for the year, matching his mark from all of 2017.

The Chiefs offense leaves most of their skill players with significant upside with Hill maybe having the highest ceiling of them all. His 15.5 yards-per-reception rank him inside the top 20 in the league and his seven touchdown receptions are more than any other player. The Broncos have been much better at defending against the pass than the run this season, but Hill still has a high enough floor in this potent offense to be worth considering in cash contests.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Wide Receivers

Emmanuel Sanders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $6,500

The addition of Case Keenum at quarterback hasn’t exactly gone as well as the Broncos had hoped for, but he’s certainly provided a significant boost for Sanders. Last year, Sanders caught 47 of 92 targets for 555 yards and two touchdowns across 12 games. Through seven games this season, he has 46 receptions on 61 targets for 601 yards and three touchdowns. He had just a 51.5% catch rate last year, but that mark stands at 75.4% this season.

Sanders did leave their Week 7 game after injuring his ankle, but he’s had extra time to recover with that game being played on Thursday. All indications are that he should be able to play Sunday and the Broncos will certainly need him to try and keep pace with the Chiefs offense. The Chiefs defense did play much better against the Bengals. but they’ve still allowed the second-most passing yards per game (317).

Tyler Boyd vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $6,700

Boyd was one of the main players to suffer from the Bengals 10-point performance last week, catching three of four targets for just 27 yards. It was the first time this year he received less than five targets in a game and his three receptions were also his fewest since Week 1. He’s been a bit boom-or-bust, posting two 100-yard performances, but also recording three contests with fewer than 50 yards.

The Bengals continue to be short on pass-catching options with Tyler Eifert out for the season and John Ross unlikely to play in this game. That should be great news for Boyd because not only do the Bucs give up a ton of touchdowns, but they’ve also allowed the most passing yards per game (328). Boyd has been on the field for at least 93% of the team’s offensive snaps the last two weeks, so don’t be surprised if he has one of his best performances of the season Sunday.

Christian Kirk vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,500

The Cardinals offense is a disaster. They’ve scored fewer than 20 points in all but one game this season, which finally led to the firing of offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. Byron Leftwich now takes over the offensive reins, so it might take a couple of games to see how his play calling shakes out. That being said, it can’t be any worse than things were under McCoy’s tenure.

One player who has played fairly well despite the team’s struggles in Kirk, who has been on the field for 74% of their offensive snaps this season. He’s finished with at least 57 receiving yards in four of his last five games and has received at least five targets in five of his last six. Their offensive futility has resulted in him scoring only one touchdown, but that score did come against these same 49ers in Week 5. The 49ers defense has allowed 16 touchdown passes and recorded just one interception, so this looks like an opportunity to take a chance on Kirk in tournament play.

Jordy Nelson vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $4,700

This season has been a lost cause for the Raiders. The team traded away their best defensive player in Khalil Mack just before the start of the year and now they have dealt Amari Cooper to the Cowboys. Add in the fact that Marshawn Lynch was just placed on IR and this offense is severely lacking playmakers.

One of the last men left standing is Nelson. Outside of his 173-yard performance in Week 3, Nelson hasn’t finished with more than 50 receiving yards in another game this year. The good news is that he does have three touchdowns and he was tied with Cooper with 31 targets, so he could be even more involved moving forward. The Colts have been scoring in bunches of late, so the Raiders might need to lean on Nelson and the passing game to keep pace.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Wide Receivers

Sammy Watkins vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,600

Watkins is coming off one of his better performances of the season in Week 7, catching four of seven targets for 74 yards. He has upside, but he also is very inconsistent, finishing with 21 yards or fewer three separate times. Hill and Travis Kelce are the clear top receiving options for the Chiefs, with both having at least 60 targets compared to Watkins’ 40. His price on DraftKings is somewhat reasonable based on his inconsistencies, but he’s still risky. Considering Boyd is close to the same price as Watkins on FanDuel, it might be prudent to avoid him all together there.

Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,800

The Lions have three talented wide receivers, but they use a ton of three-receiver sets, helping Jones be on the field for 98% of their offensive snaps. With that being said, Jones’ 37 targets are third behind Golden Tate (57) and Kenny Golladay (43). Jones is only averaging 45 receiving yards per game, as a result, which is a far cry from his career-high 68.8 yards per game last year. The Seahawks have allowed the third-fewest receiving yards per game (206), leaving Jones with very little upside.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 – Running Backs

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 24, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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Even though four teams will be on a bye for Week 8, there are still plenty of great running backs available in DFS. Let’s dig into the position to see where you can gain the edge for your entry. 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 8 - Running Backs

Todd Gurley vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $11,000
DraftKings = $9,800

Gurley is as automatic as they come. His performance in Week 7 was a prime example of just how high his floor is. He didn’t rack up a ton of yards on the ground with 15 carries for 63 yards. His receiving yards weren’t stellar, either, catching four of five targets for 23 yards. However, he had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving score. With the Rams loaded on offense, Gurley has already been able to cash in with 14 total touchdowns.

The Rams destroyed the 49ers 39-10 last week, so it didn’t really make much sense to run Gurley into the ground during a blowout. This game figures to be more competitive against a Packers team that has far more firepower on offense. The Packers defense hasn’t been very good at stopping the run, leaving them tied for the 10th-highest yards-per-carry allowed (4.5) in the league. Gurley is crazy expensive, but he’s someone to build your lineup around in cash contests.

Kareem Hunt vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $7,100

Things were looking scary for Hunt over the first three games this season, rushing a total of 52 times for 168 yards, which equated to 3.2 yards-per-carry. He wasn’t really involved in the passing attack, either, with one reception and three total targets during that stretch. The good news is that his struggles were shortlived. After destroying the Bengals for 141 total yards and three touchdowns in Week 7, Hunt now has 595 total yards and six touchdowns across his last four contests.

The Chiefs have arguably the most explosive offense in the league, which is going to leave Hunt with plenty of opportunities to find the end zone. His nine total touchdowns this year puts him only three scores away from passing hit total from all of last season. This has the makings of another monster performance for Hunt since the Broncos have allowed the second-most rushing yards per game (148.1) to go along with eight rushing touchdowns allowed.

James Conner vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,500

Conner comes into this game with fresh legs after the Steelers had a bye in Week 7. He was hot heading into the bye, rushing for 221 yards and four touchdowns across his previous two games. He also chipped in eight receptions for 93 yards. There were some rumors about Le’Veon Bell possibly reporting to the team during their bye week, but as of Wednesday, there was still no sign of his return. That should leave Conner as their starting running back for at least one more week.

This will mark Conner’s second start of the year against the Browns. He demolished them in Week 1, rushing 31 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns while also catching five of six targets for an additional 57 yards. While those numbers might be hard to duplicate, the Browns have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (134.7) and the second-most rushing touchdowns (10). Don’t hesitate to add Conner to your entry.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Running Backs

Kerryon Johnson vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $5,300

Johnson’s usage has been frustrating. In three of the first four games, he received nine or fewer carries. The only time he had more was in Week 3 when he cashed in 16 rushing attempts for 101 yards. The Lions have finally started to lean on him a little more over their last two games, resulting in Johnson finishing with at least 12 carries and 70 yards in both contests. It will be hard for them to justify lessening his workload Sunday considering he posted 158 yards on 19 carries last week against the Dolphins.

Another downside when it comes to Johnson is that he’s not very involved in the passing game, receiving more than three targets in only one game so far. He also has to deal with LeGarrette Blount stealing some of the goalline work. The Seahawks defense has been very good against the pass, but they’ve allowed the ninth-most rushing yards per game (120.7). Johnson is certainly not a safe option, but this matchup leaves him with upside.

Marlon Mack vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $5,400

The Colts sure missed Mack at the beginning of this season. Injuries have limited him to just three games, but he’s healthy now and running away with the starting job in their backfield. He’s coming off of his best performance in what was a blowout win over the Bills in Week 7 when he had 126 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.

The Colts racing out to a big lead helped Mack in terms of the game flow last week. There is a chance this game could play out in a similar fashion with the Raiders losing two key parts of their offense in Amari Cooper and Marshawn Lynch. Nyheim Hines limits Mack’s involvement in the passing game, but with the Raiders allowing the sixth-most rushing yards per game (131.8), Mack is worth considering for your entry.

Phillip Lindsay vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,200

The Broncos offense hasn’t been good, but that didn’t stop them from hanging 45 points on the Cardinals last week. Lindsay didn’t blow the roof off in that game, but he had a strong performance by turning 14 carries into 90 yards and a touchdown. Although he has to split carries with Royce Freeman, Lindsay has still provided value in large part because he is averaging 5.8 yards-per-carry. Freeman, on the other hand, is averaging 4.4 yards-per-carry.

Freeman injured his ankle last week and his status is still up in the air for Sunday. If he is unable to play, Lindsay is likely to see a significant increase in volume. That could lead to a stellar stat line with the Chiefs allowing the third-most yards-per-carry (5.2). In their first meeting this season, Lindsay had 12 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Raheem Mostert vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $3,800

The 49ers backfield looked so promising heading into this season after they signed Jerick McKinnon. However, he tore his ACL before playing in a regular season game, leaving Matt Breida and Alfred Morris to lead the position. Breida has played well, but he’s been battling injuries of late. Morris has been largely ineffective with just 3.6 yards-per-carry, which has opened up an opportunity for Mostert. He’s made the most of his chance, so far, with 146 yards on 19 carries across their last two games.

Breida re-aggravated his ankle injury in Week 7, resulting in him leaving the game early with just five carries. His status is still uncertain for Week 8, but it might be prudent for the 49ers to rest him since this is an injury he’s dealt with before. If Breida doesn’t play, Mostert could receive the bulk of the carries. At this cheap price, he’d make for an excellent play against a Cardinals team that has allowed the most rushing yards per game (148.3) and the most rushing touchdowns (12).

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Running Backs

Alex Collins vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,600

Collins looked primed for a big campaign this year after grabbing hold of the Ravens starting running back job last year. He didn’t take over as the regular starter until Week 6 last season, but he finished with an average of 4.6 yards-per-carry. While efficiency was his strong suit, the opposite has been the case for him this year with just 3.6 yards-per-carry. Javorius Allen is their preferred option when they get close to the end zone, which significantly limits Collins’ upside. This is not a great matchup with the Panthers allowing the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game (95) so it might be best to avoid Collins.

Isaiah Crowell vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $3,700

Crowell has had two big games this season. His first was in Week 1 when he turned 10 carries into 102 yards and two touchdowns. The other was a 15-carry, 219-yard, one touchdown performance in Week 5 against the Broncos. However, he has a total of 138 rushing yards over his other five games. The Bears have allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game (87.5) and have still not given up a score on the ground, making Crowell way too risky of an option in Week 8.

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CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Michael Thomas vs. Cincinnati Bengals Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $8,600 DraftKings = $8,100

Keenan Allen vs. Oakland Raiders Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum FanDuel = $7,900 DraftKings = $7,100

Tyler Boyd vs. New Orleans Saints Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $7,800 DraftKings = $7,500

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Mike Evans vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – Raymond James Stadium FanDuel = $7,500 DraftKings = $7,000

Cooper Kupp vs. Seattle Seahawks Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum FanDuel = $6,500 DraftKings = $6,400

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $5,800 DraftKings = $5,400

Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Miami Dolphins Stadium – Lambeau Field FanDuel = $5,400 DraftKings = $5,000

PLAYERS TO AVOID

T.Y. Hilton vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium FanDuel = $7,000 DraftKings = $5,700

Randall Cobb vs. Miami Dolphins Stadium – Lambeau Field FanDuel = $6,100 DraftKings = $4,900

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Seahawks Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum FanDuel = $10,800 DraftKings = $9,400

Kareem Hunt vs. Arizona Cardinals Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $9,000 DraftKings = $8,500

Melvin Gordon vs. Oakland Raiders Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum FanDuel = $8,900 DraftKings = $9,000

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Tevin Coleman vs. Cleveland Browns Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $7,300 DraftKings = $5,400

David Johnson vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $6,900 DraftKings = $6,800

Duke Johnson Jr. vs. Atlanta Falcons Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $5,600 DraftKings = $4,700

Jalen Richard vs. Los Angeles Chargers Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum FanDuel = $5,400 DraftKings = $4,800

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Leonard Fournette vs. Indianapolis Colts Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium FanDuel = $7,000 DraftKings = $6,300

Adrian Peterson vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Raymond James Stadium FanDuel = $6,800 DraftKings = $5,700

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Patrick Mahomes vs. Arizona Cardinals Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $9,800 DraftKings = $7,200

Drew Brees vs. Cincinnati Bengals Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $8,400 DraftKings = $6,300

Philip Rivers vs. Oakland Raiders Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum FanDuel = $8,200 DraftKings = $6,000

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Andy Dalton vs. New Orleans Saints Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $7,900 DraftKings = $5,800

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – Raymond James Stadium FanDuel = $7,600 DraftKings = $5,900

Baker Mayfield vs. Atlanta Falcons Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $7,400 DraftKings = $5,400

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Mitch Trubisky vs. Detroit Lions Stadium – Soldier Field FanDuel = $7,700 DraftKings = $5,600

Matthew Stafford vs. Chicago Bears Stadium – Soldier Field FanDuel = $6,800 DraftKings = $5,000

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Travis Kelce vs. Cleveland Browns Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $7,600 DraftKings = $6,600

O.J. Howard vs. Carolina Panthers Stadium – Bank of American Stadium FanDuel = $6,000 DraftKings = $4,300

Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills Stadium – New Era Field FanDuel = $5,400 DraftKings = $4,100

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Greg Olsen vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Bank of American Stadium FanDuel = $6,200 DraftKings = $4,700

David Njoku vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $5,200 DraftKings = $4,600

Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High FanDuel = $4,700 DraftKings = $3,000

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Austin Hooper vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – FedEx Field FanDuel = $5,900 DraftKings = $3,800

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Bank of America Stadium FanDuel = $4,300 DraftKings = $3,200

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Adam Thielen vs. Detroit Lions Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium FanDuel = $8,900 DraftKings = $8,900

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Denver Broncos Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High FanDuel = $8,600 DraftKings = $8,300

Mike Evans vs. Carolina Panthers Stadium – Bank of America Stadium FanDuel = $7,900 DraftKings = $8,100

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Jarvis Landry vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $6,600 DraftKings = $6,500

Devin Funchess vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Bank of America Stadium FanDuel = $6,400 DraftKings = $5,600

Kenny Golladay vs. Minnesota Vikings Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium FanDuel = $6,200 DraftKings = $5,500

Courtland Sutton vs. Houston Texans Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High FanDuel = $5,500 DraftKings = $3,900

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Keenan Allen vs. Seattle Seahawks Stadium – CenturyLink Field FanDuel = $7,400 DraftKings = $7,300

Calvin Ridley vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – FedEx Field FanDuel = $6,500 DraftKings = $5,700

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Melvin Gordon vs. Seattle Seahawks Stadium – CenturyLink Field FanDuel = $8,600 DraftKings = $8,200

Kareem Hunt vs. Cleveland Browns Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $8,500 DraftKings = $7,700

Christian McCaffrey vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Bank of America Stadium FanDuel = $7,900 DraftKings = $7,800

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Tarik Cohen vs. Buffalo Bills Stadium – New Era Field FanDuel = $7,200 DraftKings = $6,200

Nick Chubb vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $6,600 DraftKings = $4,500

Lamar Miller vs. Denver Broncos Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High FanDuel = $6,500 DraftKings = $5,200

Isaiah Crowell vs. Miami Dolphins Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium FanDuel = $5,700 DraftKings = $4,200

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Mark Ingram vs. Los Angeles Rams Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome FanDuel = $7,400 DraftKings = $5,000

Tevin Coleman vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – FedEx Field FanDuel = $6,600 DraftKings = $4,800

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Patrick Mahomes vs. Cleveland Browns Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $9,500 DraftKings = $7,100

Cam Newton vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Bank of America Stadium FanDuel = $8,600 DraftKings = $6,600

Jared Goff vs. New Orleans Saints Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome FanDuel = $8,400 DraftKings = $6,000

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Russell Wilson vs. Los Angeles Chargers Stadium – CenturyLink Field FanDuel = $7,700 DraftKings = $5,900

Joe Flacco vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium FanDuel = $7,500 DraftKings = $5,300

Baker Mayfield vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $7,400 DraftKings = $5,600

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Michael Thomas vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,100

Keenan Allen vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,100

Tyler Boyd vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,500

Mike Evans vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,000

Cooper Kupp vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $6,400

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,400

Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,000

T.Y. Hilton vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,700

Randall Cobb vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,900

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $10,800
DraftKings = $9,400

Kareem Hunt vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $8,500

Melvin Gordon vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $9,000

Tevin Coleman vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $5,400

David Johnson vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $6,800

Duke Johnson Jr. vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,700

Jalen Richard vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,800

Leonard Fournette vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $6,300

Adrian Peterson vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,700

Patrick Mahomes vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $9,800
DraftKings = $7,200

Drew Brees vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,300

Philip Rivers vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $6,000

Andy Dalton vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $5,800

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $5,900

Baker Mayfield vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,400

Mitch Trubisky vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $5,600

Matthew Stafford vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,000

Travis Kelce vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $6,600

O.J. Howard vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of American Stadium
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,300

Chicago Bears vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,100

Greg Olsen vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of American Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,700

David Njoku vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,600

Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $3,000

Austin Hooper vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $3,800

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $3,200

Adam Thielen vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $8,900

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,300

Mike Evans vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $8,100

Jarvis Landry vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,500

Devin Funchess vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $5,600

Kenny Golladay vs. Minnesota Vikings
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,500

Courtland Sutton vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,900

Keenan Allen vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $7,300

Calvin Ridley vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,700

Melvin Gordon vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,200

Kareem Hunt vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $7,700

Christian McCaffrey vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,800

Tarik Cohen vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $6,200

Nick Chubb vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $4,500

Lamar Miller vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,200

Isaiah Crowell vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,200

Mark Ingram vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,000

Tevin Coleman vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $4,800

Patrick Mahomes vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $7,100

Cam Newton vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $6,600

Jared Goff vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,000

Russell Wilson vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $5,900

Joe Flacco vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,300

Baker Mayfield vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,600

Philip Rivers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $5,600

Alex Smith vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,000

Travis Kelce vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $6,800

David Njoku vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,600

Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,100

Trey Burton vs. New York Jets
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800

O.J. Howard vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $3,900

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $3,400
DraftKings = $3,200

Jordan Reed vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,500

Baltimore Ravens vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $2,800

Antonio Brown vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,500

A.J. Green vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Tyreek Hill vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $8,600

Emmanuel Sanders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $6,500

Tyler Boyd vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $6,700

Christian Kirk vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,500

Jordy Nelson vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $4,700

Sammy Watkins vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,600

Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,800

Todd Gurley vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $11,000
DraftKings = $9,800

Kareem Hunt vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $7,100

James Conner vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,500