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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 11/3/17

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 11/3/17

Point Guard

John Wall
FD $9,900 DK $9,700

There’s an argument to be made for both John Wall and Russell Westbrook. On FanDuel, where Westbrook is barely more expensive, I’ll have plenty of exposure to both. On DraftKings, Wall is $2k cheaper and a better play in cash games. He hasn’t had one of his huge 60 fantasy point games yet, but it’s coming. He gets match-up tonight against the Cavs, who barely have a PG. Derrick Rose is back, but he may be one of the worst defenders at any position in basketball. I’d expect the Cavs to make a switch pretty soon after Wall burns him every play. It doesn’t help when Kevin Love is the guy on the help-side. The Cavs are allowing 46 FPPG to PG’s and I look for Wall to push that number up tonight. This is a game I’m all over and we’ll get to another couple guys later.

Lonzo Ball
FD $7,500 DK $7,300

He disappointed about 50% of DFS’ers yesterday, so maybe his ownership will stay down against the Nets. I highly doubt it. He only played 27 minutes, so he’s ready to go on the back to back. The match-up couldn’t be better, facing off against D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie. They are both pretty horrible defenders and Ball will be able to get inside on both. The Nets allow the most peripherals in the league and it feeds into Lonzo’s game perfectly. His price is still fair on both sites and as long as he keeps getting the minutes, he’ll put up 30-40 fantasy points in most games. This is a top 2 or 3 match-up possible.

Shooting Guard

D’Angelo Russell
FD $7,500 DK $7,900

D’Angelo Russell plays the Lakers for the first time tonight and the Nets players have already been quoted saying they expect him to “attack” and be “extremely aggressive”. While Russell is both of those on most nights, you have to be foolish to think it doesn’t make an impact tonight. he obviously has some problems with the Lakers organization and he is going to have a big game. Maybe if the Lakers had someone to slow him down I would get the fade, but they don’t. He can get to the hole or get open on every single one of these defenders, including Brandon Ingram. Which won’t happen unless Russell is at 40+ real-life points. His price is too low for the role he plays on the high-pace team and I’ll continue targeting him in match-ups much worse than this. If you don’t play Russ tonight, never play him.

Donovan Mitchell
FD $4,400 DK $3,800

Donovan Mitchell has played exceptionally well and his price is yet to react. Especially on DraftKings at just $3,800. Mitchell saw a season-high 34 minutes against the Blazers and responded with 37 fantasy points. There’s been the talk of him getting the start here, but even if not, he won’t see under 30 minutes. The Raptors fit his style of play well and he is a similar body style to DeMar DeRozan. They’ll likely match-up for a decent amount of this game until Joe Ingles is sent to lock him down in the 4th. The Raptors are nothing special on defense, allowing the 11th most FP’s to both PG’s and SG’s. Mitchell is an extremely safe value play tonight at a position without a whole lot of opportunity cost. Compared to other positions, at least.

Small Forward

LeBron James
FD $10,600 DK $10,600

LeBron is having a phenomenal start to the season. Even if the Cavs are “struggling” or whatever people want to portray after 7 games, it doesn’t matter AT ALL. It seems like people do the same thing every year and then laugh about how stupid they were when they thought the Cavs were bad. And then they do the same thing next year. As long as you’re getting this LeBron James, the Cavs will be the team facing the Warriors or Thunder in the championship. James has been over 50 fantasy points in 5 of the 7 games to start the season and sees his best match-up yet. The Wizards play fast (103.3 PACE) and love fastbreaks, which is where LBJ obviously excels. He averaged 62 FP against the Wizards in 2016 and I’d expect a similar number tonight. With these rumors out there as well, he will want to shut them up on national TV. LeBron is a guy I have in 100% of lineups and that will not change.

Brandon Ingram
FD $5,900 DK $6,100

Ingram is going to keep producing and until his price matches, we have to keep playing him. Hen ow sees the best possible match-up he can against the fast-paced Brooklyn Nets. We’ve already touched on D’Angelo Russell and Lonzo Ball from this game, so it’s one you’re going to want exposure to. Especially with the latest news on Larry Nance. Ingram will get about 35 minutes tonight and I think you pencil in a 30 fantasy point floor. That’s extremely difficult to find at $6k. The Nets will have enough on their hands with Ball and Lopez, but I’m sure will try to put RHJ on Ingram at some point. He’s a great defender, but Ingram will still get his peripherals. He’s a safe option that helps you pay up elsewhere.

Power Forward

Kyle Kuzma
FD $4,700 DK $4,700

This is probably the easiest play on the slate. Kyle Kuzma is already getting 25-30 minutes a game and now Larry Nance has broken his thumb. Go ahead and lock Kuzma in there for 30-35 minutes against a putrid Nets squad. That’s all that really needs to be said. They play at an incredibly fast-pace and this is a game we already have a lot of interest in. Do yourself a favor and lock Kuzma into your cash games. The only possible way he doesn’t hit value is an early injury or some crazy Drummond-esqe foul trouble. Assuming no other pivotal Lakers news breaks, Kyle Kuzma is the easiest guy to press the lock button on the entire slate.

Ben Simmons
FD $9,400 DK $9,100

We’ll touch on the two Sixers studs here. Starting with Ben Simmons, he’s been insane. I think most people were expecting a slow start that eventually led to this, but 50 FP a game from the start is quite telling of what his eventual upside is. He now sees a match-up against a Pacers squad that loves to run. Simmons will have no quarrels, as that’s where he makes his dough. He isn’t a big scorer, so is heavily dependant on how many possessions there are. The more possessions, the more boards/assists/steals etc. available. This bout between the 6’ers and Pacers is going to be one of the higher scoring games on the schedule and you’re going to need exposure. If you’re looking to stack, you can look at Oladpio on the Pacers side.

Center

Joel Embiid
FD $9,300 DK $8,300

I get that he’s expensive and won’t play over 34 minutes, but we have to accept that it truly doesn’t matter. He can literally put up 70 fantasy points in 30 minutes of court time. He gets a match-up against the Pacers where he will be an extreme mismatch. With Myles Turner doubtful, it’ll have to be Domantas Sabonis on Embiid. We all know how that will end up. We just touched on why Simmons is a great play and Embiid is the same blueprint. The Pacers like to run and it ups the possessions for these guys to accumulate numbers. There’s plenty of different ways to go at center, but Embiid is undoubtedly one of the best.

Marcin Gortat
FD $5,900 DK $5,900

The Cavs have been horrible against the pick and roll since Kevin Love joined the team. It’s not going to change tonight. The bread and butter of this offense is the John Wall/Marcin Gortat pick and roll with a backside off-ball screen for John Wall. It’s effective as any play in basketball and the Cavs have had plenty of trouble stopping it. Love is a great rebounder and scorer, but he can’t cover anyone in the paint. Expect another double-double out of the ever-consistent Marcin Gortat.

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 9

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 9

Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code "NLA5017"

Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code “NLA5017”

After one of the more active trade deadlines we have seen in the NFL, several players will see a major adjustment in their fantasy value. Throw that in with six teams being on a bye this week and that could make for some unexpected DFS lineups. Don’t worry though, there are still plenty of viable options to help you bring home some cash. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Deshaun Watson vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $9,600

Watson is putting up insane numbers as he has thrown 16 touchdown passes over the last four games. It’s hard to imagine he started this season as the backup quarterback. Not only is he providing excellent numbers through the passing game, but he has also rushed for at least 31 yards in four of the last six games. Sunday brings a great match up against a Colts defense that has allowed the second most net passing yards in the NFL. Pay up for Watson.

Drew Brees vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $8,300

Brees doesn’t come into this game firing on all cylinders as he has thrown for less than 300 yards in four of his last five games and has thrown for only two touchdowns in his last two games combined. The Saints rushing duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara has taken some pressure off of Brees and has been able to punch in several scores of late, taking some red zone pass attempts away from Brees. This could be a breakout week for Brees though as the Buccaneers have allowed the third most net passing yards per game this season. In a week with limited options, Brees is one of the best.

Jared Goff vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $7,600

Goff has had a hard time finding the end zone of late as he only has two passing touchdowns over his last three games combined. Don’t get overly concerned though as those three games were against the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Arizona Cardinals. The Giants defense is not nearly as impressive and will be without top cornerback Janoris Jenkins as he is suspended for this game. If you need to save money at quarterback, look no further than Goff.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Lamar Miller vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,200
FanDuel = $7,500

Miller has been helped greatly by the rapid ascent of Watson as defenses can no longer stack the box against the Texans to stop the run. Miller has scored four total touchdowns over his last four games and has gained at least 81 total yards in three of those four games. The Colts defense isn’t much better against the run as they have allowed the most rushing touchdowns (10) in the NFL this season. Look for another productive game from Miller.

Alvin Kamara vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $6,600

Kamara has really benefited from Adrian Peterson being traded to the Arizona Cardinals as he has become an excellent compliment to Ingram. He has a significant role in the passing game as he has recorded at least 48 receiving yards in three of the last four games. I already documented the struggles the Buccaneers have defending the pass, meaning Kamara could provide excellent value at this price.

Kenyan Drake vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium = Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $4,500

With the trade sending Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles, Drake should find himself with a more significant role in Miami. You can’t really take much stock in his numbers this year as Ajayi handled much of the work load for the Dolphins, leaving Drake with only 10 total carries. Based on volume alone, it’s hard to pass up taking a chance on Drake at this bargain price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $9,200
FanDuel = $9,100

After struggling last year, Hopkins has been revived with Watson throwing him passes now. He has received at least 11 targets in three of the last four games and already has 76 targets in 7 games this season. Not only is he putting up great yardage totals, but he has also scored at least one touchdown in each of the last four games. With all the problems the Colts’ defense has, Hopkins is a great play this week as well.

Jarvis Landry vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,000

The Dolphins offense is a mess, but that hasn’t stopped Landry from receiving a whopping 80 targets this year. Not known for his ability to reach the end zone, Landry actually has three touchdowns receptions, which is only one shy of his season total from 2016. The Dolphins may be forced to throw the ball a lot to keep up with the Raiders offense, leaving Landry with another heavy work load Sunday.

Devin Funchess vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
DraftKings = $5,400
FanDuel = $6,100

The Panthers traded wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills Tuesday, leaving Funchess as the number one receiver in Carolina. His 33 receptions this season have already set a new career high and he is close to setting new career bests in receiving yards and touchdowns as well. While he has failed to exceed 41 receiving yards in any of his last three games, the volume he should see in his new role makes him a valuable option at this price.

Cooper Kupp vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,000

Kupp has had a bit of an inconsistent rookie season as he enters this game with only 23 receptions on 42 targets for 316 yards and three touchdowns. However, two of his touchdowns have come over the last four games and he had a season high 10 targets in his last game against the Arizona Cardinals. With the Giants down their best cornerback in Jenkins, Kupp should be met with less resistance in this game. At this price, he’s worth the risk.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Zach Ertz vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $7,600

Ertz has been a touchdown machine of late as he has at least one score in each of the last four games. He’s developed a great relationship with emerging quarterback Carson Wentz and is well on his way to establishing new career highs across the board. The Broncos are excellent against the pass overall, but struggle to defend tight ends. They have allowed 543 receiving yards and four touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season. Start Ertz with confidence this week.

Jared Cook vs. Miami Dolphons
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,500

A quick glance at Cook’s numbers aren’t very reassuring as he has 46 receiving yards or less in five of his last seven games. However, this a favorable match up against a Dolphins defense that has allowed 358 receiving yards and four touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season. If you need to save money at tight end, Cook is someone to consider.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – EverBank Field
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,300

The Jaguars defense has been a valuable DFS commodity as they lead the NFL in sacks (33) and are tied for the third most interceptions (10). The Bengals have allowed 22 sacks this season, so the potential is there for the Jaguars defense to rack up sacks again in this contest. They will cost a lot, but should be well worth it this week.

Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Lambeau Field
DraftKings = $3,000
FanDuel = $4,500

It would have been hard to imagine liking an opposing defense playing at Lambeau Field at the start of this season, but I’m going in that direction this week. The loss of quarterback Aaron Rodgers has crippled the Packers offense as Brett Hundley has really struggled. Over the last two games, Hundley only has 244 passing yards, one passing touchdown and four interceptions. The Lions have 10 interceptions this season, so Hundley could be in for another rough game. If you want to go with a more budget friendly defense for Week 9, look no further than the Lions.

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 9

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 9

For a limited time use code "NLA5017" to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

For a limited time use code “NLA5017” to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

 

 

Tier 1

I will start with wide receiver Julio Jones in the first tier. Although the Falcons rank in the top half of the league in DVOA pass offense(15th) and passing yards per game(251.1), it has been a disappointing fantasy season for Julio who has just one touchdown and has also only seen double-digit targets twice this season. Now he gets one of his toughest matchups of the season vs. a Panthers team that ranks 7th in DVOA vs. the pass and 8th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. he would be my separation play in this tier but would only consider if you are multi-entering. Both running backs enter this week as favorites but I prefer Todd Gurley on the road for a couple reasons starting with the fact Fournette is coming off an ankle injury. Both the Giants(120.7) and Bengals(111.9) have sub-par rush defenses but looking at DVOA ranks vs. the rush, Gurley has the edge as the Giants rank 24th while the Bengals rank 10th. The final straw is the targets as DraftKings is a full PPR site and Gurley is receiving 5.4 targets per week while Fournette is averaging just 2.9 per week.

Tier 2

Now, this is where it gets really interesting. First of all, we have the most unsustainable form I have ever seen with Will Fuller as he has just 13 receptions this season and seven of them have gone for touchdowns. That is about as crazy as it sounds but he does have one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league, DeShaun Watson, with absolutely full trust in his skill. He also gets an elite matchup vs. the Colts who have allowed the second-most passing yards per game(290.4), rank 30th in DVOA vs. the pass, and 27th in DraftKings points per game to wideouts. Fade at your own risk! Then we have another wideout in Mike Evans who has been a target monster since entering the league and ranks 4th this season with 9.4 per game but gets a tough matchup vs. a much-improved Saints defense that ranks 4th in DVOA vs. the pass and 16th in DraftKings points allowed to wideouts. It would also be a huge downgrade for Evans should his quarterback, Jameis Winston, miss week 9 as he is dealing with a shoulder injury. Stay tuned. On the other side of the ball is our third choice with Saints running back, Mark Ingram who is in a plus situation as the Saints are currently seven-point home favorites. The Bucs sit mid-pack allowing 111.7 yards per game on the ground, rank 20th in DVOA vs. the run and 23rd in DraftKings points allowed to running backs. Then combine that with the fact Ingram has been red-hot since the departure of Adrian Peterson as he has received 65 carries and rushed for 294 yards(4.5 yards per carry) in the last three games.

Tier 3

Only four options in the third tier but some tough decisions to make as all four get near elite matchups vs. teams ranking in the bottom third in DraftKings points allowed to their respective positions. Mark Ingram was discussed in the previous tier and I prefer him over Kamara who has received 10 carries just once this season and is more of a third-down back who gets work when the Saints are down. That should not be the case this week as they are huge 13 point home favorites to the Bucs who could be without their star quarterback. Speaking of questionable players, Lamar Miller is questionable in week 9 with a knee injury and was limited in Wednesday’s practice. If he plays, he is likely to be the highest owned in this tier anyway coming off a fantastic week where he scored twice. I spoke about Zach Ertz last and how I was fading him in the toughest matchup of the season for him was dead wrong. He continued to be Carson Wentz’ top target in the red and he also leads the league with six red-zone touchdowns, having caught eight of his 10 targets inside the 20-yard-line. This week he faces a Broncos defense who has had a ton of trouble with tight ends ranking 30th in DraftKings points allowed to the position. He is my top pick in this tier.

Tier 4

Now we jump into the quarterbacks and it won’t be easy as three of them(Wentz, Mariota, Ryan) face defenses ranked inside the Top 10 of DraftKings points allowed to the position and all but Cam Newton face defenses ranked inside the Top 15 in DVOA vs. the pass. Looking at each quarterback’s last four starts, only Jameis Winston has multiple 300+ yard passing games but has only tallied four touchdowns in those games and like I mentioned earlier, is questionable to play this week with a shoulder injury. The other high-risk option in this tier is Marcus Mariota who has 830 passing yards in his last four games with just three touchdown passes but is coming out of a bye week and is reported to be 100% after dealing with a hamstring injury for some time now. I am not at all interested in using him in a tough matchup vs. the Ravens who rank 2nd in DVOA vs. the pass and 2nd in DraftKings points allowed to quarterbacks. Like last week, I will turn to MVP candidate, Carson Wentz, who has been extremely consistent with 1,005 yards passing and 13 touchdowns over his last four games. He gets a tough matchup vs. a Broncos defense who hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer all season but that should only help with his ownership in the tier.

Tier 5

For starters, we can eliminate Trevor Siemian off the list as head coach, Vance Joseph, announced it would be Brock Osweiler under center this week for the Broncos. Andy Dalton will be starting this week but he is also a scratch off my list as he faces the league’s #1 defense when looking at passing yards allowed per game(161.7), DVOA vs. the pass, and DraftKings points allowed to the quarterback. The next option that gets crossed off for me is Blake Bortles despite coming off his best start of the year. He just doesn’t have the targets with Allen Robinson on the shelf and also doesn’t have to force the ball downfield often with an elite defense and one fo the rookie of the year candidates in Leonard Fournette at running back. That leaves two sophomore quarterbacks who are both on the road this week with decent matchups as the Giants(27th) and Texans(29th) both rank near the bottom of the league in DraftKings points per game allowed to the quarterback. Of those two options, I prefer Jared Goff as the Rams rank 10th in DVOA vs. the pass while the Colts sit way down in 30th. While Brissett has the best overall target in T.Y. Hilton, Goff has the better collective group with Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp at his disposal. I wouldn’t fault you for playing either this week, but I will be leaning on Goff and the Rams.

Tier 6

Like the previous tier, we can eliminate players and it starts with Kelvin Benjamin who was traded to the Bills and per DraftKings, will not accrue fantasy points this week. Another situation we will have to monitor as the week goes on is the status of Devonta Freeman who suffered a shoulder injury and was limited in Wednesday’s practice. Even if he plays, I will be avoiding as he gets a tough matchup vs. a Panthers defense that ranks Top 5 in rushing yards allowed(81.6 per game) and fourth in DraftKings points allowed to running backs. Wide receiver A.J. Green leads all players in this tier with 17.7 DK points per game but gets a very tough matchup this week vs. an elite Jaguars defense at home and will likely be shadowed all day by Jalen Ramsay who currently ranks #3 when looking at PFF’s cornerback rankings. My favorite play in this tier is Christian McCaffrey who is already getting elite targets(8.3 per game) and with Benjamin shipped out of town, could see even more volume moving forward.

Tier 7

Another tough tier this week as DeSean Jackson may be without his quarterback and also faces a tough Saints defense that ranks 4th in DVOA vs. the pass. The same tough matchups exist for Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, and Mohamed Sanu who face defenses (Rams & Panthers) who rank Top 10 in DVOA vs. the pass. For me, I will be turning to Tedd Ginn Jr. of the Saints who gets a near elite matchup vs. the Bucs who rank 31st in DVOA vs. the pass and dead last in DraftKings points allowed to wideouts. The consistency hasn’t been there but Ginn is a home run threat and may not even have to face slot corner, Brent Grimes, who is questionable. The Vegas total(50.5) is one of the highest of the week and I am willing to take a risk here.

Tier 8

I will lead off with the tight ends in this tier as they both have shown consistency and upside. Cameron Brate is only seeing 58% of the snaps for the Bucs this season but continues to be utilized heavily when in the game as he has five straight games with 60 or more yards and has already scored four touchdowns. He gets a tough matchup this week against the Saints who rank Top 5 in both DVOA vs. the pass and DraftKings points allowed to tight ends. At the position, I prefer Jack Doyle who is coming off a 100-yard game and his second touchdown of the season but it’s the volume I like more than anything. He is second to T.Y. Hilton on the team with 6.9 targets per week. The two other plays I will be targeting in this final tier will be Panthers wideout Devin Funchess who has now become the #1 wideout in Carolina with the trade of Kelvin Benjamin at the trade deadline. The matchup is a toss up for me as the Falcons rank 12th when looking at DraftKings points given up but then rank 25th when looking at DVOA vs. the pass. Funchess isn’t going to break any long runs after the catch but should see 10+ targets and be a key in the redzone for Cam Newton. The final play I like in this tier is rookie Joe Mixon who somewhat broke out last week after 91 receiving yards and saw his biggest snap count share of the season at 63% vs. Jeremy Hill who seen is lowest at 13%. He also gets an elite matchup vs. the Jaguars who despite being a top defense against the pass, have been awful against the run and rank 32nd in rush yards per game allowed(138.6) and 32nd in DVOA vs. the run.

 

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

 

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 11/1/17

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 11/1/17

Point Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

John Wall
FD $9,700 DK $9,500

The theme of the day is going to be the few games that have incredibly high over/unders. This affair between the Suns and Wizards leads the bunch at 226 with the Wizards favored by 10. Both the Wizards and Suns have played at a 103+ PACE, which would have made them the fastest team in the league in 2016. Those numbers should end up going down, but it doesn’t take away from how quickly both of these teams play. You also have Eric Bledsoe out indefinitely for the Suns, which leaves Mike James and Tyler Ulis to cover John Wall. Yeah, good luck with that Phoenix. Wall has yet to have a huge game, but this could very well be it. The Suns have allowed 58 FPPG to PG’s which is 4 higher than the 2nd worst team. Wall is easily my favorite play at PG and my 2nd favorite superstar on the slate. He is going to be in every single one of my lineups unless some news breaks that significantly changes things. He has a 45 fantasy point floor with an 80 ceiling.

Jarrett Jack
FD $5,200 DK $4,700

He’s still getting the start and the price is yet to rise too high, so let’s not jump off because he’s no longer the shiny new toy. If you can count Jarrett Jack in for 25-30 minutes against the Rockets, I’ll take it every time. For fantasy, Jack is great. He’s not only unafraid to shoot, but he gets involved on the boards and in the passing lanes. At his price, he gets to value without doing much scoring. When he ends up getting hot and going for 20 real-life points, we’ll see a solid upside game. For now, he’ll be a perfect cash game savings option at a position that isn’t as deep as usual. Unless some more PG news comes out that gives a cheaper option 30 minutes, Jack is the guy to own.

Shooting Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Tim Hardaway Jr.
FD $5,200 DK $5,400

We’ll stay on the Knicks side of the court and look at Tim Hardaway Jr., who’s had quite a weird year. Opposed from having one of his coldest streaks ever, he went berserk against the Cavs with 55 fantasy points. He then followed it up with a more normal THJ game, at 30 fantasy points. You can expect him to be around there for the most part with an occasional 45+ explosion when he gets hot from behind the arc. The Knicks don’t really have anyone they need to feed besides Porzingis, so the shots go to Hardaway. He’s shot just 4 times less than Kristaps per game and 3 more than any other player. It looks like his cold streak is long gone, so don’t expect any 2-for-13 games out of Hardaway for at least 2 weeks. He’ll match-up with James Harden and Eric Gordon at the 2, who are a lot more worries about offense than Hardaway. Expect another 25-30 fantasy points with the upside for a lot more if the game stays close. This is another 210+ total with a close spread, so Vegas thinks it stays close and high-scoring.

Devin Booker
FD $7,200 DK $7,800

With Eric Bledsoe out indefinitely, it’ll take a lot more than $7,500 to make me fade Devin Booker in this match-up. While Bradley Beal can play defense, Devin Booker can play better offense. He can play the type of offense that is literally unstoppable. Think hot Damian Lillard or Kemba Walker. He’s put up 45 fantasy points in B2B games with one of them against an even better defender in C.J. McCollum. Booker gives you a 35 point floor with a ceiling we really don’t know of. The guy was 30 away from breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record last year, so I’m a bit afraid to throw a ceiling on his fantasy points. If he gets hot, he may be a necessity to win a tournament. For me, this game is my top priority and Booker is an elite option. Playing devil’s advocate, the Suns played last night and Booker is a jump shooter. Maybe he goes out and stinks, giving the Wizards a large early lead. If you want to fade, I don’t hate it, but it’s not the side of the coin I’ll be on.

Small Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

LeBron James
FD $10,400 DK $10,400

Small forward is going to be a spot I look to pay up at. LeBron James is right up there with John Wall and Anthony Davis as my favorite superstars of the night. The Cavs haven’t been playing well, and while we all know it’s the same thing that happens every year, Lebron has to prove it. Why? I don’t know. People are stupid. Anyways, this is certainly the match-up to do it. The Pacers don’t even really have an SF, so they’ll throw Bojan Bogdanovic and Lance Stephenson at LeBron. Opposed to blowing hot air into his ear, they won’t do much. LeBron has played 37+ minutes in all but 2 of 7 games so far, so the whole age thing isn’t what’s going on. He’s going to get 55 fantasy points tonight if the game stays remotely close. If it stays close down to the wire and LBJ is needed for the last 10 minutes, a 70 burger here wouldn’t surprise me. It’s nowhere near a guarantee, but this seems like a perfect recipe for a LeBron game.

Jimmy Butler
FD $7,900 DK $7,100

We’ve somehow ignored the game with the 2nd highest projected total on the slate. At 224 and the NO -3, Vegas expects the game to be just as high scoring at WAS/PHO, but a lot closer. There are plenty of options to choose from in this game and Butler is my favorite option on the T-Wolves. He originally got his “Jimmy Minutes” nickname from Thibs, which went to Jimmy Bucks after he was treated like a human with non-metal knees and elbows. He’s now back to seeing 40 minutes each game with the big doofus at the helm. It’s at least good for us, though, as you can guarantee production. This defense is nothing to be scared of and Butler will likely see E’Twaun Moore and Dante Cunningham for most of the game. Lock him in as one of the safest cash game plays on the board at under $8k.

Power Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Anthony Davis
FD $11,800 DK $11,200

Our 3rd and final superstar of the night is the most expensive of the bunch. Some people have taken the stand that rostering AD at all is a bad idea because of his injury history. To those people, please keep depositing. You’re the reason people are still able to make money in DFS. For the rest of us logical beings, Anthony Davis has a phenomenal match-up with the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns and DeMarcus Cousins will be battling at the 5, which should leave Gorgui Dieng and Taj Gibson on Davis. I’m sure Davis and KAT will match-up at some point because they have a long history, but Davis has dominated him in the past anyway. He’s put up 61 fantasy points in B2B games and looks to be fully healthy. As long as he’s a full go, he’s on my radar as a 60 fantasy point monster. if you have the funds to spend at PF, don’t go looking to switch your lineup around because the guy gets hurt in 1% of the games he starts.

Otto Porter
FD $7,300 DK $7,100

We’re touching on this game between the Suns and Wizards a lot because it holds the slate’s highest expected total at 226. It’s also expected to stay relatively close, giving the starters a full allotment of minutes. Here we have Otto Porter, who’s played most of his career as a role player. He’s now a pivotal piece of a contending lineup. He is a close 3rd option and a guy that is no longer going to randomly play 20 minutes. You can lock him in for 30+ with Markieff Morris out and the Wizards needing a backup 4 as well as a starting 3. The match-up with the Suns couldn’t be any better, as they’ve allowed the most FP to PF’s on the season. Marquese Chriss is quite the shot blocker, but he isn’t strong and can’t contend with Porter on the outside. Porter has been one of the more consistent players this early in the season and while his price has risen, it’s rightful. This is the best match-up as a team the Wizards have had and I love the 3 stars in both cash games and tournaments.

If you’re searching for value, Olynyk and James Johnson have a lot of upside if Hassan Whiteside misses another game.

Center

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Kevin Love
FD $7,700 DK $7,500

You’ll rarely see a Cavs game with a 219 over/under. They’re on the slower side of things and have a relatively solid defense. However, the Pacers are on the absolute opposite side of that. They’re the 3rd fastest team in the NBA and don’t play much defense at all. Myles Turner has already been confirmed out, so that’ll leave Domantas Sabonis and Al Jefferson on Love. He should be able to shoot over both, as well as out-rebound. He has a huge individual mismatch, let alone the pace that these guys will be playing at. LeBron is looking for Love more than he ever has before and it’s turned in quite the consistency. Through 7 games, Love has 6 double-doubles. In that 1 “bad” game, he had 9 rebounds. Yep, Love is the real deal this year and you can count on him when healthy in all formats. His price is still too low for me and I’ll continue targeting him in these types of games.

Dewayne Dedmon
FD $5,100 DK $4,500

I know it’s scary, but if you need to pay down at center, you could do much worse. The 76ers and Joel Embiid require a lot of size, which will put Dedmon on the floor for at least 28-30 minutes. the only game he hasn’t seen big minutes in recently was against the Bucks, who don’t require any size to be dealt with. Dedmon has average just over 1 FP per minute, giving him a good shot at 25-30 here. You also have to add in that the Hawks are playing way pace-up and they stink against centers. Dedmon isn’t the sexiest option out there, but he’ll get you at least 20, which won’t kill you at this price. I prefer Kevin Love quite considerably, but the salary god does too.






NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/31/17

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/31/17

Point Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

George Hill
FD $4,400 DK $4,300

Happy Halloween! We finish off October with a very interesting 4-game slate, packed full of options. We’ll start at PG, where we look to save. You could obviously go with Westbrook, and he can get you 70. I would just rather have Giannis and both prices are high. I don’t need to tell you that Russell Westbrook has upside and can single-handedly win you a tournament. If you look at your lineup and have the ability to move up to him at PG, don’t hesitate. I won’t either. However, on initial looks, PG is a spot to pay down. George Hill rested on Sunday against the Wizards and will right back in the starting lineup here against the Pacers, his old team. Hill has been over 30 minutes in most games, but still sits at a ridiculously low $4.3K. Hill is a very good PG that has been priced over $6K for many years at this point. He’s obviously struggled a bit to start the season, but he should get things going against a Pacers team that loves to run. Hill is simply way too cheap for the player he is and the minutes he’s getting. He only needs you about 25 in cash, so I’ll have 100% in all formats.

Spencer Dinwiddie
FD $5,300 DK $5,100

It’s pretty crazy that we’re actually going up in price here to Spencer Dinwiddie. D’Angelo Russell is back, but Dinwiddie proved himself enough to remain in the mix no matter what. He put up 42 fantasy points in just 29 minutes of work against the Nuggets, so he can play ball. You have Dinwiddie getting half of his minutes at PG and the other half at SG. It lets him get his assists and points up. Looking at his box score, he’s a guy who can fill the stat sheet well for a little guy. He’s obviously a lot better than the benchwarmer the Nets have treated him like since being on the team. He gives the Nets a huge spark when on the floor and they’ll need it in a fast-paced game with the Suns. It’s the best game to target on this slate and we start it off early with Dinwiddie. He has to see the minutes after last game and his price is still too cheap on both sites. Feel free to pay up at PG tonight, but I won’t be.

Shooting Guard

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Devin Booker
FD $7,200 DK $7,900

Eric Bledsoe has yet to get traded, but I still don’t think he ever sees the court again with the Phoenix Suns. He requested a trade on Twitter and the owner has already said he’s played his last game, so it’s just a matter of time at this point. That leaves Devin Booker as the clear-cut leader of the offense. He’s done quite a good job, putting up 30+ fantasy points in all but one game. He now gets his best match-up f the year against the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are running just as much as last year and we know how much it impacted DFS. They ended up ranking bottom 5 against every single position, including 2nd to SG’s at 59.1 FPPG. Booker is typically risky, but with Bledsoe out, he’s going to at least hit a few. I’d consider him a lot safer than he was last year, and certainly has more upside (consistently. I know he scored around 80 real points last year). The Nets will toss D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert at Booker, who will both struggle. Booker is one of the best young players in the league and should average close to 30 points on a nightly basis. This match-up with the Nets is an elite one and I’m all over it.

Bogdan (not Bojan) Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield
FD $4,500 – $4,000 DK $4,300 – $4,400

Here are 2 solid punt options from the Kings. These 2 guys will split around 65 minutes, which is fine. At the price(s), you really don’t need much more than 25 fantasy points. Against a team that runs as much as anyone, it shouldn’t be tough for either of these guys to rack up the FP. Bogdanovic is a better player than Hield and he can be argued as a cash game play. He’s the focal point of the offense when out there and has no problem shooting 15+ times. He’s only a rookie, but at 25 years, old, not really. He looks like a real NBA talent that will stick around for some time. You then get Buddy Hield, who’s hit or miss. If his shot is on, count him for 30 FP. if his shot is off, you can see 10 without a surprise. He’s a great tournament option, but nothing more for me.

Small Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Giannis Antetokounmpo
FD $12,600 DK $12,500

This is the guy I’ll be paying up for as much as I possibly can. First things first, small forward is horrible. If you make me pick 2 other guys and I have to leave Giannis sitting there, it’s hard for me to believe that’s optimal. We can always see a flukey bad game out of anyone, but it looks like Giannis may have taken the DFS LeBron role. That role is a match-up proof monster that will put up 50 points against any team. It’s also the guy who can turn it up for 80 when necessary. This match-up with the Thunder is going to be a very fun game to watch with Westbrook and Antetokounmpo battling back and forth. I’d assume Giannis will be covered by Paul George, who’s a good defender, but I don’t care. It’s pace up for the Bucks and nobody is better in the open court than ABC. I’ll have him everywhere tonight and am more than willing to sit on this limb.

T.J. Warren
FD $5,100 DK $5,200

T.J.Warren is going to be in the $7Ks before Christmas. I promise you that. Without Eric Bledsoe, he’ll be putting up 30+ fantasy points on a daily basis. The only problem is the minutes. Last season, he would see close to 38 per night. This year, he hasn’t been over 27 minutes since game 2. That is certainly worrisome. However, this is the best match-up the Suns have seen all season long and Warren has put up some nice numbers over the last 2 games. He’ll see a combo of Allen Crabbe and Caris LeVert on defense, who are both young and pretty average defenders. Warren is a lot better than them and I think he enforces his role as the number 2 option on the offense with Bledsoe in the permanent timeout chair. Warren is cheap and even if he does get less than 35 minutes, he can get to value rather easily. Small forward stinks and on the case Warren does see 35+ (very possible), he can get to 45 fantasy points without trouble.

Power Forward

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks
Tobias Harris
FD $6,400 DK $6,700

Tobias is getting a lot of hype around him for some reason, but he’s the same player as he was last year. He’s been a very good small forward since Orlando and has turned a corner in Detroit. He has a decent jump shot, but relies on the inside game to make it work. You’ll see him work the paint and elbows in the first quarter until Drummond and RJax are out. He’ll then start isolating and posting up against the backup PF. Stan Van Gundy does a good job of getting him minutes on the floor with guys that don’t need the ball. It allows Harris to do whatever he wants for about 10-12 of his 35 minutes. He also has a pretty phenomenal match-up with the Lakers, who’ve allowed the 7th most FPPG to PF’s since the start of 2016. Harris isn’t too expensive yet and I have no problem relying on him as a cash game or tournament option.

Skal Labissiere
FD $4,900 DK $4,600

This is contingent on Zach Randolph riding the pine. He’s currently questionable with a left foot injury and at his age, I don’t think he’ll get pushed back too fast. As long as he is ruled out, Skal Labissiere is going to be one of the top point per $ plays on the entire slate. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t always see big minutes but constantly produces when given opportunity. Think James Johnson or Cole Aldrich. The only difference with Skal is that he’s extremely young and going to be a very good player at some point. For now, he’s cheap and full of upside. The match-up against Thaddeus Young is nothing to worry about, so it just comes down to Zbo and whether he plays or not. If Randolph is confirmed out before final lock, Skal Labissiere will be in 100% of my lineups.

Center

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks

Andre Drummond
FD $9,200 DK $8,200

We ignored the Pistons guards simply because of better options, but we love the bigs. Andre Drummond is a monster. Just watch him play or look at his box scores. Either works quite well in proving my point. In past years, when he would get into foul trouble, it would be the end of tournament hopes for whoever owned him. Now, Van Gundy just throws him in there for 18 minutes in the 2nd half and lets him get 15 points and 15 rebounds with 0 issues. When Drummond stays out of foul trouble, he’s just a lock for 45 fantasy points. He is getting bigger minutes this season and is looking like a much smarter and more developed center. He’s actually using his brain this year instead f going off of whatever crazy instincts he had in there before. The fouls should come down considerably and they don’t worry me much about this game. Brook Lopez can draw fouls, but he’s going to try and hit from deep on an immobile Drummond. I don’t see any reason why a guy that can shoot 3’s will go bang in the paint with one of the largest and strongest people on earth. The price is still fair on Drummond and he should have 20 rebounds easily if he avoids foul trouble. That’s a crazy claim, I know, but have you ever seen Brook Lopez battle for more than 1 tough rebound a game? Probably not.

Willie Cauley-Stein
FD $5,300 DK $5,400

WCS is playing a lot different than last season. He was a boom or bust type of player that we would only unleash when key players were injured. Now, he’s a middle of the road center getting 26 solid minutes a night. Against the fast-paced Pacers, you have to love it. The upside on WCS is well-noted and will continue to be until he shrinks and isn’t able to dunk/jump over every single player on the court. The Pacers will likely be without Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, so I’m not sure what they plan to do with Cauley-Stein. His price is yet to rise and as long as he’s sitting under $6k, I have no issues with him in cash games. He gets involved on both sides of the court and will very rarely bust. Especially in a match-up like this. If you’re unable to pay up for Drummond in a lot of spots (hand raised), WCS is an option I get behind 100%. We only have 4 games on the slate, so don’t worry about being slightly overweight on a game or two. Just hope it stays close and pray for overtime.






NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/30/17

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/30/17

Point Guard

Kyle Lowry
FD $7,500 DK $7,600

Welcome to a 9-game slate full of high totals, low totals, and plenty of injuries. We start things off with a late night Kyle Lowry. Lowry and the Raptors travel into Portland to face off with a Lillard-led Blazers squad. Lillard might be the face of this team, but it’s only because 1 side of the ball. And it isn’t defense. The Blazers have ranked in the bottom of the league against PG’s since Lillard joined the team. They allowed the 3rd most FP last year and this season hasn’t started much better. We’ll also see a great defender in C.J. McCollum on DeRozan, which should funnel even more action towards Lowry. He’s easily my favorite PG on this slate and I will have him everywhere. The price is great and he’s safe as can be against Lillard on the road. This is a game with serious shootout potential and I don’t think anyone besides Lowry will be highly-owned. Don’t be afraid to take 3 or 4 shots in this game if you think it stays close. Lowry is your safest way to get exposure.

Jarrett Jack
FD $4,200 DK $4,300

We see a slight price increase after starting 2 games and producing, but nothing that worries us. Still sitting below $4.5K, Jack will only need about 20 in cash games. He should have that with ease against a Nuggets team he matches up perfectly with. Jamal Murray is at PG for the Nuggets and isn’t a defender by any means. He’s decent at basic m2m coverage, but struggles mightily with any type of movement or screens. Not good when you’re playing a Knicks team that screens all night long. Jack is going to continue to get 28+ minutes and he’s always been a 1 FP/min, at least, so I don’t see that stopping now. He’s not a very good real-life PG, but for less than $4.5k, I’ll take him 100% of the time in this match-up. I actually do have 100% Jack right now, but it could change. I just think he’s the safest value option on the board and it’s not too close.

Shooting Guard

Klay Thompson
FD $11,000 DK $11,200

I’m a big fan of this GSW @ LAC game tonight, as I think it stays close. Vegas still hasn’t released anything for this game and it’s the morning of. Assuming the O/U is around 225 and the spread is between 8 and 13, a ton of these guys are in play. On the Warriors side, we’ll start with Klay Thompson. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out why he’s in play. The Clippers sports Austin Rivers and Lou Williams at SG, so defense isn’t the priority. Klay will be able to get open whenever he wants. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration, either. There isn’t a shot in hell that Rivers or Williams can defend the 3-point game of Klay Thompson. 0% chance. It will just come down to whether they’re hitting the bottom of the net or not. Durant is seeing a lot more of the Warriors action, but Thompson is averaging just 2 fewer shots per game. It’s something, but meaningless with such a small sample size. Thompson will have a chance to have one of his games here, but he’ll have to come out hot and maintain. The Clips won’t be able to switch anyone on him because Beverley is on Curry and Gallo is on KD. If Thompson gets hot, it could be bedtime for the Clips.

Tim Hardaway Jr.
FD $4,300 DK $4,900

I’ve been on Tim Hardaway Jr. every single game so far. He disappointed me with variance for about a week before going absolutely ham against the Cavs. He finished with 34 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds. We haven’t seen the real Tim Hardaway Jr. yet. The real THJ is going to put up 2-25 real-life points and another 10 FP in various peripherals. I’m glad he broke out against the Cavs and proved to people what he could do, but I hope it doesn’t inflate his ownership. This match-up against the Nuggets isn’t great, but it’s not bad either. They’ve ranked 13th against opposing SG’s, with Will Barton and Gary Harris at the helm. Both of these teams play at a slightly above average pace and it’s why the expected total is over 210. Hardaway will be on 100% of my cash game lineup. He is a $6-$7k player, believe it or not. He’s going to average close to 20 real-life points on the season and will be a guy we will deliberate playing in the 6-7Ks. Right now, he’s under $5K and the worst priced player in the entire industry. If you find a lineup of mine without Hardaway, call the internet police. I’ve been hacked.

James Harden is great against the 6’ers, but the price is still crazy and he hasn’t been over 60 fantasy points yet. I’ll have plenty of exposure in tournaments, but didn’t need a paragraph to tell you that.

Small Forward

Kevin Durant
FD $10,300 DK $9,800

We’ll get right back to the Warriors after taking a spot off from Thompson. It might be tough to play both Durant and Thompson, but you can do it if you think the game stays close. They can both easily go off against this Clippers squad that doesn’t play much defense on the outside (besides Pat Bev). Danilo Gallinari was a capable defender early in his career, but those days are separated by about 5 surgeries and 10 years. That’s a big difference when you have the responsibility of covering Kevin Durant. Durant is going to, like Thompson, have his way when on the floor. He’s being looked at as the top option on this team and they’ve been willing to feed him whenever he wants. Sitting over 45 fantasy points in each, there isn’t much risk here. He is a lock for 4-45 fantasy points and that’s if the game blows out in the first half. If it stays close and Durant sees closer to 40 minutes, there’s no telling what his ceiling is. We haven’t seen it yet, that’s for sure. He’s my favorite SF on the slate and while nobody at that price is a must play, he’s close if you have the $ to spend on SF. Your other options aren’t the greatest.

Robert Covington
FD $6,400 DK $6,000

We haven’t touched on this affair between the Sixers and Rockets yet, but it’s my 2nd favorite game to target after the Clips and Warriors. It’s another game without a Vegas spread, but these 2 teams faced off just days ago and it resulted in plenty of fantasy goodness. Trevor Ariza didn’t play, however, so the individual match-up for Covington will be different. He still put up 34 fantasy points against them last time and is looking for a consistent option on the outside. In the past, he was a risky play every game due to the potential of going cold from the3-point line and being useless. That doesn’t look to be the case this year, as he’s been over 34 minutes in 3 straight contests. He’ll still have up and down the game because of his nature, but they will occur far less when the minutes are locked in. He will be able to work through those cold streaks instead of being put on the bench and told to wait until next game. There’s plenty of usage to go around on this 6’ers team and Covington is cheap-ish access to it. This game will remain close and should be high-scoring, so don’t be afraid to get extended exposure.

Power Forward

Blake Griffin
FD $9,500 DK $9,300

This one is risky. Even with Griffin being safe in terms of point per $, we don’t know how close this one will stay and Griffin is directly affected by that more than anyone else. If the Warriors do come out and slam the CLips into lockers, Griffin will stink it up. There’s just no reason for him to battle with Draymond Green for 35 minutes if it’s a 20 point uphill battle Then there’s the other side, that I’m on. The one where the game stays close and we get 48 meaningful minutes of basketball. If that’s the case, Griffin is one of the best plays of the season. This is a perfect match-up for him pace-wise, but will still struggle with the menace that Draymond is. Blake just loves to run at this pace and make things happen in the open court. He’s touching the ball on nearly every possession and this is his team to control. I will personally have cash game exposure as well, but can’t say it’s safe by any means. I’m just confident that the Clippers keep this one relatively close at home. In that scenario, stacking the game could come with some very nice benefits. Let’s hope, right?

Ryan Anderson
FD $5,400 DK $5,100

We’ll get right back to this ROckets game now after targeting Robert Covington at the 3. Anderson isn’t a guy I roster a ton, but you have to acknowledge when he’s getting the minutes and taking the shots. He’s always talented enough to sink them when given the chance. It’s just hard to pin down when he will be on the court. Over the past 3 games, he’s seen at least 34 in each. That lets me unleash him here in a match-up with the 76ers that fits perfectly. You almost need a stretch against them on the floor, so Anderson could see close to 40 minutes if it remains close. He can’t really guard anyone, but he’s certainly more athletic than the other options they have. Anderson will shoot the ball 12-15 times and give you a locked in 15 FP of rebounds/assists. His price is still way low and I’m fine with him in all formats. Power forward isn’t very deep, but Anderson is cheap and gives you a nice floor + ceiling.

Center

Karl-Anthony Towns
FD $9,800 DK $9,000

Hassan Whiteside is officially “unlikely” to play against the T-Wolves. He should probably get himself in there because this could get ugly. Quick. Just take a look at the Heat frontcourt and who exactly you think will cover Karl-Anthony Towns. The answer is nobody. Because of his size, the Heat will be forced to run Bam Adebayo and A.J. Hammons for more minutes than they should see in a month. They are both young, inexperienced, and not very good yet. But hey, they’re big, and that’s what the Heat need right now. In reality, Towns is just going to obliterate anyone not named Hassan Whiteside. He is right up there as the best offensive center in the league and will face a team that literally has no NBA center. I’m not sure what Spoelstra will truly draw up to slow Towns, but unless he has magic in those veins, I’m not sure it’ll work. Towns is a guy I want a lot of cash game exposure to, but he’s expensive. I just don’t see a single player having a shot at stopping Towns 1-on-1, so I’ll be aiming for 100% in cash.

Clint Capela
FD $7,500 DK $6,700

Clint Capela took the court against this same 76ers team a few days ago and put up 56 fantasy points. While we can’t depend or expect another number like that, Capela plays well and matches up against this squad. The 76ers continuously struggle against the PnR, which is what catapulted Capela into 50+ against these guys last time. If Harden comes out and does the same with certainly Capela this game, I think we see exactly what happened once again. He is a double-double on the bus against this team and has more upside than we even know. I certainly wouldn’t have said his upside was 56 prior to a couple games ago, so who knows. What we do know is that James Harden will get Capela involved early and often in a match-up he dominated. I do hope Embiid plays, for as Capela matches up with his size a little bit better. If Embiid is out, I could see the 6ers forcing small ball and the Rockets going along. That could leave you wait a 10 or 15 out of a pricey center.

 

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/28/17

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks for 10/28/17

Point Guard

Damian Lillard
FD$9,300 DK $8,800

If you’re ever going to play Damian Lillard, this is the spot. I’m not sure there is a single better situation he could be in right now. With Eric Bledsoe out, this fast-paced Suns team is working with Mike James and Tyler Ulis at the point. Both have been pitiful and it’s a big reason why the Suns have allowed the 4th most FP to PG’s on the season. Lillard has played well to start the year, but we haven’t seen the breakout contest we all know is right on the horizon. He’s also at home in the Moda Center, where most of those games happen. Lillard is my favorite guard on the slate and it isn’t very close. He will be in 100% of my cash games and tournaments. While I don’t think he’s THAT big of a must, that’s my personal stand. PG as a whole is pretty weak and Lillard gives you a 45 fantasy point floor with the upside for 65.

Dennis Smith Jr.
FD $6,500 DK $6,000

Dennis Smith Jr. has been as advertised. It’s always tough trusting preseason numbers, but it looks like they were correct here. Dennis Smith Jr. is a very good point guard and it looks to me like he has quite the future in this league. As for his role on this team, it’s consistent. He is getting the ball in his hands for 28-30 minutes and creating whenever possible. He then gets another 5-10 mins at SG, where he’s averaged just over 1 FP per minute. He’s bounced back quickly from the injury and is looking like a guy we will be targeting all season long. Tonight, he faces off with the 76ers. The 6’ers play a lot faster than the Mavs and the PG is always the one to benefit most in pace-up affairs. Smith is still affordable on both sites and makes an excellent play in all formats. He’s locked into the minutes and at least 30 fantasy points in this cupcake match-up.

Shooting Guard

Devin Booker
FD $7,000 DK $7,400

With shooting guard one of the ugliest spots on the board, we’ll return to the Moda Center and take a look at the Suns side of the ball. With Eric Bledsoe all but ruled out forever, this is Booker’s team to lose. He is going to get the ball in his hands and shoot as much as he possibly can. He’s been over 20 shots in each game without Bledsoe and this pace-up affair with the Blazers should be no different. He’ll match-up with a good defender in C.J. McCollum, but it doesn’t matter. He isn’t a Tony Allen or Pat Bev type, but more of just a hard-nosed defender. Booker has put up 40 real-life points on guys much better. When his shots are falling, it doesn’t matter who is playing defense. This game is currently sitting with the highest over/under of the night and I’ll be looking to get as much ownership as possible to it. Booker gives you the top Suns piece in a way too affordable tag. Look for Booker to be closer to $9k before too long. You can target McCollum on the other side as well, but I like the Lillard side of things more.

Rodney Hood
FD $5,300 DK $5,100

Rodney Hood is quite the stressful DFS asset. Opposed from having some type of injury tag EVERY DAY, he produces. However, for the first time in what seems like years, Rodney Hood has no O or Q next to his name. Crazy, I know. So, that means we can assume a healthy Rodney Hood against the Lakers. We know the Lakers don’t play much defense and they ranked 3rd worst against SG’s in 2016. That could change with KCP there now, but it hasn’t yet. Hood has played well through his nicks, intestinal issues, and whatever else may hinder a guy with no pain tolerance. He’s gone for well over 1 FP per minute, while shooting under his career average. Hood is way too cheap on both sites for this match-up and he should hit value easily and early. Shooting guard isn’t a very attractive spot, so Hood will be my main focus after Booker. At most positions, I spread my exposure to 4 or 5 guys in total. At shooting guard, there’s a good chance it stays at 3 tonight.

Small Forward

LeBron James
FD $11,300 DK $10,700

We haven’t touched on anyone super expensive, so you can fit LeBron if you want him on this slate. I definitely don’t think it’s a must, so keep that in mind. James is playing great basketball and has been over 60 fantasy points in each of the last 2 games. He now sees a favorable match-up against the Pelicans, who have no SF. They also don’t have anyone that is remotely Lebron James body type. I know not many are, but most teams have some 6’8 fighter than can go and duel with LBJ. For the Pelicans, I guess that’s Dante Cunningham or Quincy Pondexter. LOL. Lebron is going to run this floor and do whatever he wants. The Pelicans should also be without Anthony Davis, which widens the floor and the paint. Cousins is fine down low, but he’s not much of a shot contender. As long as this game stays remotely close, you can pencil in James for 50. His upside is always 70+ if the game stays close down to the final buzzer. Pairing James and Cousins is something I’ll look to do a lot of in tournaments. You have the value on this slate to do it with Lillard still in your lineup.

Harrison Barnes
FD $6,400 DK $5,700

There could be a bias here, as Harrison Barnes is a guy I love to roster. I’m not sure why. I despised him on the Warriors and said many times that he was my least favorite player on the planet. THen he moves to Dallas and after watching him play, was a fan. Now, I roster him what seems like every day. It works quite well for the intended purpose. Now, Barnes can be played in tournaments, but it’s not his thing. He’ll have a few random big games this year, but it won’t be often. Barnes is a guy who lives on consistency. He’s been over 25 FP in each game and now sees one against the shot-happy 76ers. This is one of the games with a bunch of points and a close spread, so you’re going to almost need some exposure. Barnes and Covington will be an interesting match-up to watch as they both play solid defense. Barns is the guy who this offense runs through and at this price, he’s as safe as can be against a run and gun 6ers squad. Don’t hesitate on Barnes if you need to pay down to the mid-range.

Power Forward

Kelly Olynyk
FD $5,500 DK $5,400

I could have gone James Johnson here as well, but he’s been priced up like crazy. Instead, with Hassan Whiteside out, we’ll look for revenge in Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk expressed to the media that this isn’t much of a revenge game as all the Celtics are gone. Still, he admitted there will be some extra juice there. It’s undeniable. He could also be lying and have a lot of vengeance towards this organization. They stuck him on the bench over guys like Amir Johnson for 4 seasons. None of it matters if he doesn’t get the minutes. Fortunately, this Celtics match-up fits his style perfectly and we should see no less than 30 minutes out of him. He has been at 2.32 FP/min on the season and is looking like a guy who has a lot of fantasy relevance at the price. The match-up with the Celtics is a speed-up game for the Heat, who play at a league-ranked 28th pace. Olynyk will come off the bench, but should be in there down the stretch. Expect 28-32 solid minutes.

Lauri Markkanen
FD $6,700 DK $6,300

Lauri Markkanen is a bit more expensive than Olynyk, but it makes sense why. Markkanen has been pretty consistent as a rookie, going for 25+ fantasy points in each of his first 4 games. Coming out of Arizona, he was supposed to be ready for the NBA, but this is still a surprise. He now sees his best match-up yet against a fast-paced Thunder team who doesn’t love defense. They have a lot of strong individual defenders (George, Roberson, Adams), but lack as a team because of the pace they play at. It gives teams extra possessions and even if the possessions aren’t super efficient, it’s better than Facing the Miami Heat and having far less of them. Markkanen is getting the ball a ton and we’ll see a solid 40 FP breakout a lot sooner than later. I’m hesitant to call it here, but I love him as a cash gameplay that you don’t have to worry all that much about.

Center

DeMarcus Cousins
FD $12,000 DK $11,900

Let’s assume Anthony Davis is playing. DeMarcus Cousins is interesting, but nowhere near a must. He would get a solid match-up against Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, but will see a dramatically smaller usage %. Personally, if Anthony Davis plays, I’ll just try to get more LeBron James in hope it stays close. Now if Davis is out, this is once again a spot for Cousins to wild out. Because Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson don’t have much of a chance on a guy like Boogie, I’d bet LeBron covers him on the outside in the 4th quarter. He will still get bullied inside by Boogie, though, so it’ll be tough. It’s never easy when the 340 pound 7-foot behemoth can shoot it like a butterfly and then talk about your mother as he runs down the court. Cousins is a match-up nightmare for any team in this league, but one that sports Kevin Love at the 5 is in greater need than most. If Davis is out, play COusins in cash games and tournaments. You won’t be alone, but neither were the people who jumped on last game. I’m sure they weren’t upset about too many people on the train with them.

Jusuf Nurkic
FD $7,000 DK $6,400

To start the year, it’s been Jusuf Nurkic and Tim Hardaway Jr. that are giving me mini heart attacks. At least for Hardaway, he’s on the floor and able to do damage. For Nurkic, the dude just fouls every single second he’s out there. It’s literally tough for me to write this without any expletives towards the guy. I lost a huge H2H by 4 points with a 10 from him, so forgive me. You’re probably now wondering why the hell I would want to play him against Tyson Chandler and Alex Len. Well, for one, variance. Nurkic hasn’t had these foul issues in the past and they will once again fall by the wayside in the near future. We’re (I) am just getting screwed over in the process. Secondly, there aren’t many fouls to be had against the Suns. With Bledsoe going, the main scorer is a jump shooter. Booker doesn’t enter the lane often and when he does, it’s a floater. This is the fastest game on the board and Nurkic is a lock for 1 FP/min. As long as he can stay out of foul trouble, a 45 FP performance is no big deal at all.

 

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 8

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Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code “NLA5017”

Week 8 looked like a week that was going to be missing several key players with six teams on a bye, including the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants. However, with Aaron Rodgers, David Johnson and Odell Beckham Jr. out for most (if not all) of the season with injuries, the damage was already done. Luckily DFS gives you the opportunity to still come away a winner even with some of the best players in the game unavailable. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Carson Wentz vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,200
FanDuel = $7,900

To say Wentz is on fire is an understatement. Over his last three games, he has thrown 11 touchdown passes compared to only two interceptions. He already has 17 touchdowns passes this season, passing his total of 16 for all of 2016. Not only is he throwing for more touchdowns, but he only has four total interceptions compared to 14 last year. This a great matchup Sunday against a 49ers defense that has allowed 259 net passing yards per game and 12 touchdown passes, both of which are towards the bottom of the NFL.

Jameis Winston vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings = $6,100
FanDuel = $7,600

Winston entered Week 7 against the Buffalo Bills coming off of a shoulder injury, but he showed no ill effects as he threw for 384 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. That’s impressive on the road in Buffalo. If you exclude the previous Week 6 contest where he left early with the injury, he has thrown for at least 328 yards in each of his last four full games. Expect him to throw a lot again Sunday and put up valuable numbers against the Panthers.

Josh McCown vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,600
FanDuel = $7,300

Don’t look now, but McCown has thrown for at least two touchdown passes in each of his last three games. Although he only threw for 209 yards last week against the Miami Dolphins, he threw a season high three touchdown passes and also had a rushing touchdown. The Falcons defense doesn’t create a lot of turnovers as they only have two interceptions to go along with nine passing touchdowns allowed this season. With only a few elite options this week, McCown has the potential to put up valuable numbers at a reasonable price.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Le’Veon Bell vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
DraftKings = $9,300
FanDuel = $9,400

The key for Bell this season has been volume as he has rushed for at least 134 yards in all three games where he received at least 32 carries. The good news is that all three of those game have come over the last four weeks as the Steelers have been making a concerted effort to stick with the run. It hasn’t hurt Bell’s involvement in the passing game though as he has received at least six targets in four of the last five games. Look for him to put up big numbers again Sunday.

Mark Ingram vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $7,200

Ingram has become more involved in the rushing attack since Adrian Peterson was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. He has not let the opportunity go to waste as he has rushed for at last 105 yards and one touchdown in both of his last two games. He’s also been involved in the pass catching side of things as he has received at least five targets and hauled in at least four receptions in both of those games as well. Look for him to continue to get plenty of volume Sunday, making for a solid play against the Bears.

Wendell Smallwood vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,500

Smallwood returned from injury Week 7 to rush for 25 yards on eight carries and catch two passes for 14 yards. While those numbers aren’t impressive, LeGarrette Blount struggled in the game as well as he only had 29 yards on 14 carries. Week 8 brings a matchup against a 49ers defense that has allowed the fourth most rushing yards in the league this season. He’s cheap enough to take the risk on this week if you need to save money at running back.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

A.J. Green vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
DraftKings = $8,600
FanDuel = $8,500

Green is coming off of a tough game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as he hauled in only three catches for 41 yards. Don’t be overly concerned though as the Steelers have allowed the fewest net passing yards in the NFL. His overall production this season has been solid as he has 35 receptions on 57 targets for 545 yards and three touchdowns. Week 8 brings a great matchup against the Colts, who have allowed the second most net passing yards this season. This is the week to pay up for Green.

Michael Crabtree vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,200

Simply put, Crabtree is a touchdown machine. He has scored in each of the last three games and has six touchdowns on the season overall. He’s heavily involved in the passing attack in general as he is averaging just under seven targets per game. While the Raiders successfully got Amari Copper more involved in the offense last week, Crabtree still received seven targets in the game. After Winston and the Buccaneers receivers lit up the Bills last week, Crabtree could be in for another strong performance.

Kelvin Benjamin vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings = $6,400
FanDuel = $6,600

The Panthers offense has been inconsistent this season, resulting in only 29 receptions on 44 targets for 436 yards and one touchdown for Benjamin. He had scored at least seven touchdowns in each of his first two seasons in the NFL, so his inability to reach the end zone has been a disappointment. There is potential for him to succeed this week though against the Buccaneers as they have allowed the third most net passing yards per game in the NFL this season. Benjamin posted 163 receiving yards and a touchdown against them in two games last year and I expect him to be productive in their first meeting this year.

Marquise Goodwin vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $3,900
FanDuel = $4,900

With so many teams on a bye, there aren’t many intriguing cheap options at wide receiver. Goodwin hauled in four of eight targets for 80 yards last week against the Dallas Cowboys and has at least 80 receiving yards in two of his last three games. The Eagles might be up big early in this game, resulting in the 49ers needing to throw a lot. The Eagles defense has allowed the fourth most net passing yards per game this season, so be willing to take the risk on Goodwin if you want to spend money elsewhere this week.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Zach Ertz vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $7,300

Ertz has scored at least one touchdown in four of the last five games and his five touchdowns on the season have already established a new career high. He has 58 targets this season and if he stays healthy, he should easily receive at least 100 targets for the third consecutive season. With an emerging young quarterback in Wentz having a lot of trust in him, Ertz should be another excellent play this week.

Kyle Rudolph vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Twickenham Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $5,800

Rudolph’s numbers don’t jump off the page as he only has 26 receptions, 244 yards and two touchdowns this season. He has been more involved in the offense over the last three games though, hauling in 16 receptions on 25 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown. Week 8 brings a favorable matchup against the Browns as they have allowed 487 receiving yards and five touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Twickenham Stadium
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,300

The Browns offense is an absolute mess as they continue to struggle to find a competent starting quarterback. As a result, they are averaging an NFL-worst 14.7 points per game. The Vikings defense has been excellent at getting to the quarterback as they have 16 sacks over the last four games. Expect them to shut down the Browns in this contest.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
DraftKings = $3,500
FanDuel = $4,900

It’s been a struggle for the Broncos to score points this season as they are only averaging 18.0 points per game. If you think that’s bad, they are averaging a paltry 8.0 points per game on the road. That doesn’t bode well for playing in the unfriendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium. Expect this to be another struggle for them to score, making the Chiefs a solid play at this price.

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 8

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 8

For a limited time use code "NLA5017" to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

For a limited time use code “NLA5017” to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

 

Tier 1

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

There are only three players in the first tier again this week but the decision is much tougher. Both LeSean McCoy and Julio Jones are coming off a week in which they reached the endzone for the first time in 2017 while A.J. Green had a down week in a divisional matchup vs. the Steelers. This week they all get near elite matchups and it starts with LeSean McCoy who faces a Raiders team that ranks 20th in DVOA vs. the rush, and 18th in DraftKings points per game vs. the running back position(113.9 yards per game). The Bills are at home where they have yet to lose a game this season and open as slight favorites(-2.5) and with the lack of receiving options, will rely heavily on McCoy. He is my top choice in this tier. If you are looking to go with a wideout here, I prefer Julio who gets a slightly better matchup vs. a Jets team that ranks 23rd in DVOA vs. pass and 27th in DraftKings points per game to the position. What scares me most about A.J. Green this week is that the Bengals are currently double-digit favorites which could take the game script away from Green as they could focus more on getting the run game going this week.

Tier 2

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Looking at the running backs in the second tier, there is a case to be made for and against both of them. Melvin Gordon gets the much better matchup facing a Patriots team that ranks 26th in DVOA vs. the rush and 29th in DraftKings points allowed to running backs but Chargers are currently 7.5 point dogs which doesn’t bode well for Gordon’s projected carries. The good news is that he ranks 6th among running backs with 6.1 targets to game. For Ingram who has the lesser of the matchups vs. the Bears who rank 16th in DVOA vs. the rush and 14th in DraftKings points per game allowed, he does have the projected game script in his favor as the Saints sits as large nine-point favorites. He also sits in the Top 10 with 5.1 targets per game and has been much more effective since the departure of Adrian Peterson with back to back 100-yard rushing games. With all that said, I lean Ingram in this spot, even over Mike Evans who has been a beast with touchdowns in three of his last four games. The issue with Evans is the matchup vs. the Panthers who rank Top 10 in DraftKings points allowed to wideout this season and have allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game through the air(180.7).

Tier 3

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Naturally, Tom Brady will see a lot of ownership in a pick’em format and it makes sense as the Pats have the #2 passing offense with 300 yards per game. The issue for me in Week 8 is the matchup vs. the Chargers who rank 8th in DVOA vs. the pass, have allowed the fifth-fewest yards per game through the air(185.4), and rank 6th in DraftKings points allowed to the QB position. The other seasoned veteran, Drew Brees, also gets a tough matchup vs. a Bears team that ranks 10th in DVOA vs. the pass and 6th in DraftKings points allowed to the position. Cam Newton has been struggling big time following his back to back 300+ yard games with just one touchdown in his last two games while not breaking the 250-yard mark. Matt Ryan also falls in the struggling quarterback column as he has not broken the 300-yard mark since week one and has just seven touchdowns all season. He would be my low-owned contrarian play in this range as he is starting to target Julio Jones more and faces a Jets team that ranks 23rd in DVOA vs. the pass and ranks 20th in passing yards per game allowed(231.3). My favorite play in this tier is young Carson Wentz who has helped the Eagles to the top overall record in the league. He has been dominant over the last three weeks with 794 yards passing and 11 touchdowns while averaging 28.6 DraftKings points per game. He also gets an elite home matchup vs. a 49ers team that ranks 29th in DVOA vs. the pass and 31st in DraftKings points allowed to the quarterback.

Tier 4

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

I suspect in this tier a lot of people will be chasing points with Derek Carr and Jameis Winston who are both coming off monster games. I am not buying into it as Winston faces a very stout Panthers defense that has limited opposing quarterbacks to the fourth lowest passing yards per game(180.7) and ninth fewest DraftKings points per game. Carr also gets a tough matchup going on the road to Buffalo to face a Bills team that ranks 11th in DVOA vs. the pass and 11th in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position. The Raiders wideouts also have some tough matchups as they will face E.J. Gaines and Tre’Davious White who rank 34th and 4th when looking at PFF’s cornerback rankings. I do like Andy Dalton as a low-owned option in this range but like I mentioned with A.J. Green, I think the game script gets the Bengals away from the pass as they sit as double-digit home favorites. My favorite play in this range is Philip Rivers who shouldn’t have an issue with game script facing a New England team that leads the league with 410 yards per game and sit as 7.5 point favorites at home. I have a feeling the Chargers will be chasing most of the game and that means volume for Rivers and his receiving core. While the Pats defense looked better last week, they still rank 28th in DVOA vs. the pass and dead last in DraftKings points per game allowed to quarterbacks.

Tier 5

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Tier 5 gives us two elite tight ends with monster upside but the issue is they both get very tough matchups vs. teams that rank inside the Top 5 when looking at Draftkings points per game allowed to the position. I just finished telling you how Rivers was my top QB in the fourth tier so I naturally like the upside that Keenan Allen provides as his top target. I also doubt he will be the highest owned player in this tier either as he has struggled this season with just one touchdown(week 1) but sits Top 5 in targets and could easily breakout vs. a Pats team that ranks 30th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. Of the two running backs, I prefer Jordan Howard who continues to see the volume and gets a plus matchup vs. the Saints who are giving up 114 rush yards and 26.9 DraftKings points per game.

Tier 6

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

In Tier 6 we have five wideouts and Christian McCaffrey who has been used almost primarily like a wideout for the Panthers. His average of 8.4 targets per week not only leads all running backs in 2017 but would also rank him 13th if he were a wide receiver. He has not received double-digit carries in a game since week one but could possibly get a little more volume this week as Jonathan Stewart is dealing with a toe injury. If that is the case, he gets a nice matchup this week vs. the Bucs who have allowed 113.7 rushing yards per game and rank 23rd overall when looking at DraftKings points per game allowed to running backs. His teammate Kelvin Benjamin is my favorite target in this tier as he gets a nice matchup vs. a weak Bucs secondary that has allowed the third most passing yards per game(294.8) and rank dead last in DraftKings points per game to wideouts. I like the upside that the New England offense presents with Tom Brady under center but will be avoiding the situation this week as the Chargers outside cornerbacks ranks #9 and #11 out of 112 cornerbacks when looking at Pro Football Focus and rank 5th overall in passing yards allowed per game(185.4).

Tier 7

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Combining opportunity and matchup in this tier, I turn to Pierre Garcon who leads all players(in the tier) with nine targets per game and gets a matchup vs. an Eagles secondary that ranks 28th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. The game script is also right for the picking as the 49ers are 13 point underdogs and should be forced to throw the ball a ton. I mentioned Kelvin Benjamin in the last tier and if you are not using him there, I would consider using Devin Funchess in this tier as the Bucs secondary, as I already mentioned, is bad. Both of their outside corners(Brent Grimes & Robert McLain) rank outside the Top 65 in PFF’s rankings. Nelson Agholor is also a nice high upside play in this tier. The floor is low as he only sees an average of five targets per week but he knows how to gain yards after the catch and reach the endzone and has done so in three straight weeks.

Tier 8

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

With the news on Wednesday that Michael Thomas is dealing with a knee injury, I like the upside that Tedd Ginn Jr. provides. He is coming off a monster week where he went off for 141 yards and has scored twice in his last four games. Even with Michael Thomas in the game, teams have been blanketing coverage his direction forcing Drew Brees to go other directions and Ginn has been the benefactor. In a similar situation, I also like Mohamed Sanu of the Falcons as the Jets are likely to shadow Julio Jones with Morriss Claiborne which could open up extra targets for Sanu who is coming off a decent week where he caught six of his 10 targets for 65 yards. The final play I would consider in this range is tight end Hunter Henry who has all but taken over for future Hall of Famer, Antonio Gates. He has seen 80%+ snaps in back to back weeks while has seen just 57% and a season-low 31% last week. In those two weeks, Henry has caught nine of 12 targets for 163 yards and scored a touchdown in the two weeks prior to that. He gets a nice matchup this week vs. the Pats who rank 26th in DraftKings points allowed to the position.

 

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

 

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 7

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Week 7 may not have a ton of great match ups on the schedule, but it will be highlighted by a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. While that should be an exciting game, hopefully the best part of your Week 7 is bringing home money playing DFS. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Matt Ryan vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,500
FanDuel = $8,700

Ryan and the Falcons offense have struggled this season, resulting in a 3-2 record. Ryan has only thrown for more than 300 yards in a game once this season, which came in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. He has also thrown more than one touchdown pass in a game only once this season and has six touchdowns passes and six interceptions overall. With that being said, I still like him a lot in this contest against a Patriots defense that has allowed the most net passing yards in the NFL and is tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed. If there was ever a week for a breakout performance from Ryan, this is it.

Kirk Cousins vs Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,500
FanDuel = $7,500

Cousins comes into Week 7 on a hot streak as he has thrown at least two touchdowns in each of the last three games while also throwing for at least 330 yards in two of those three contests. He has nine touchdowns compared to only two interceptions this season. Not really known for his running, Cousins already has a career-high 103 rushing yards this season. Week 7 brings a match up against an Eagles defense that has allowed the fourth most net passing yards per game this season. Expect a valuable performance from Cousins Sunday.

Brett Hundley vs New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Lambeau Field
DraftKings = $5,100
FanDuel = $6,500

Hundley replaced injured star quarterback Aaron Rodgers last week against the Minnesota Vikings and struggled as he threw for 157 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. With Rodgers possibly out for the season, Hundley will get a chance to make a name for himself. While you should expect him to struggle at times, Week 7 presents an interesting opportunity against the Saints. Not only have Saints allowed the fifth most net passing yards per game, but Hundley is going to have to try and keep up with their high scoring offense. If you need a cheap quarterback, Hundley is your man.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Devonta Freeman vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $7,800

I’ve already detailed how much the Patriots struggle in pass coverage, but they don’t do much better against the run either as they have allowed 4.7 yards per carry and 116 rushing yards per game. Although the Falcons offense has struggled, it hasn’t kept Freeman out of the end zone as he has five rushing touchdowns this season. This has the makings of a shootout, which could lead to plenty of scoring chances for Freeman.

Jerick McKinnon vs Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,000

McKinnon has played his way into the starting running back role over Latavius Murray as he has 164 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards and three total touchdowns over his last two games.  His role in the passing game creates extra value as he hauled in 11 catches on 12 targets over those two contests. Week 7 brings the opportunity to cash in against a Ravens defense that has allowed the third most rushing yards per game. Roll with McKinnon and enjoy the production.

Duke Johnson Jr. vs Tennessee Titans
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,500

Johnson struggled against the Houston Texans last week as he rushed for 40 yards on five carries and had three receptions for minus one yard. Don’t read too much into that though as quarterback Kevin Hogan was terrible in the contest. DeShone Kizer will start this week in place of Hogan and while Kizer has struggled too, he seems to have good chemistry with Johnson. In four games entering Week 6, Johnson had logged 21 receptions on 26 targets for 250 yards with Kizer at the helm. Use him this week, especially considering his cheap price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Dez Bryant vs San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $7,800
FanDuel = $8,200

Other than Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, Bryant has received at least eight targets in each game this season. He has turned those opportunities into points as he has scored in three of the last four games. Week 7 brings a promising match up against the 49ers as they have allowed the sixth most net passing yards per game this season. A lot of elite receivers have tough match ups this week, leaving Bryant as one of the better expensive options.

Pierre Garcon vs Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $6,700

Although Garcon is still looking for his first touchdown of the season, he is off to a solid start with the 49ers as he has 33 receptions for 434 yards. He is a major part of their offense, evident by his 56 targets already this season. The Cowboys could be in for a big offensive performance in this game, leaving the 49ers to play catch up and throw the ball a lot. Considering the volume Garcon regularly receives, he should be very productive Sunday.

Nelson Agholor vs Washington Redskins
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,900

Agholor is in the midst of a breakout season as he enters Week 7 with 321 receiving yards, which is only 44 yards less than his previous career high for a single season. While he doesn’t get a ton of targets, he has cashed in on his opportunities as he has a 66.7% catch percentage this season. This week brings a rematch against a Washington team that he posted six catches, 86 receiving yards and one touchdown against Week 1. Make sure to plug him into your entry at this cheap price.

Rishard Matthews vs Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $5,500

Matthews is not off to a great start this season as he has recorded 49 or less receiving yards in three of six games. He has also struggled to find the end zone as he only has one touchdown. All that being said, he gets to face a Browns defense that is tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed this season. Mattews has a chance to far outproduce his price point in this contest.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Jimmy Graham vs New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,800

Graham has finally become a focal point of the Seahawks offense as he has received at least eight targets in two of the last three games. He also scored his first touchdown in the Seahawks last game against the Los Angeles Rams. This is a juicy match up for Graham Sunday against a Giants team that really struggles to defend tight ends. The Giants have allowed the most receiving yards (432) and touchdowns (7) to tight ends this season. Look for Graham to cash in on their continued struggles.

Austin Hooper vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $4,100
FanDuel = $5,000

Hooper stormed out of the gate this season with 128 receiving yards and a touchdown Week 1. However, he followed that up with 16 yards total over the next two weeks. It seems he has righted the ship with 98 yards total in the last two weeks. The Falcons are finally throwing him the ball more as he had 16 targets over the last two weeks compared to six over the first three weeks. He doesn’t cost much, making him a great option Sunday if you can’t afford to put Graham in your lineup.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $5,400

The Jaguars defense has created a ton of havoc this season as they lead the NFL in both sacks (23) and interceptions (10). That’s fantasy gold. They get to face a Colts offense that is only averaging 19.8 points per game this season while starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett only has three passing touchdowns. The Jaguars present the best option at defense for Week 7.

New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $3,000
FanDuel = $4,400

The Dolphins have averaging only 12.2 points per game this season, far and away the worst in the NFL. Starting quarterback Jay Cutler only has five touchdowns compared to four interceptions this season and star running back Jay Ajayi is still looking for his first score of the season. At this price, the Jets defense provides great value for Week 7.