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Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 3

We are only two weeks into the NFL season, but the league already feels upside down. Veterans like Andy Dalton, Brandon Marshall and Adrian Peterson have been huge disappointments this season. Rookies Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook have performed well right off the bat. What craziness can Week 3 possibly bring? Hopefully it results in some extra money in your pocket from your DFS winnings. 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. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
DraftKings = $7,100
FanDuel = $8,500

While he’s not off to a spectacular start, Ryan has been solid for the Falcons so far this season as he has thrown for at least 252 yards and one touchdown in both games. He has yet to throw an interception and has a 69% completion percentage. He wasn’t needed to throw the ball a lot last week against the Green Bay Packers as the Falcons got up big early and turned it over to their running game. Week 3 brings a match up against the Lions who have a solid passing attack of their own. The Lions have allowed the 10th most passing yards so far this season and that includes their game against the terrible New York Giants offense. This may be a high scoring affair, which could lead to fantasy friendly numbers from Ryan.

Cam Newton vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $8,100

Newton is not off to a good start this season as he only has 399 passing yards, 30 rushing yards and two passing touchdowns over the first two weeks combined. He was banged up a bit in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills, but is expected to play Sunday. The tonic to cure all offensive woes is a match up against the horrid Saints defense. Through the first two weeks, the Saints defense ranks last in the NFL in passing yards allowed (777), yards per attempt (11.2) and tied for last in passing touchdowns allowed (six). Even though the Panthers will be missing star tight end Greg Olsen due to injury, you should still expect big numbers from Newton in this contest.

DeShone Kizer vs. Indianpolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings = $5,000
FanDuel = $6,900

Kizer got off to a hot start Week 1 as he threw for 222 yards and one touchdown while also scoring a rushing touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He did not have the same fortune Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens as he only threw for 182 yards to go along with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He missed part of the game with a migraine, but is expected to start Week 3. While it’s tough to rely on a rookie on the road, this is a favorable match up against a bad Colts secondary that has allowed the third most passing yards in the NFL this season. If you want to go cheap at quarterback, Kizer is your man.

 

**RUNNING BACKS**

Jay Ajayi vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $7,700
FanDuel = $8,200

Ajayi received a heavy work load in the Dolphins first game of the season Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers as he rushed for 122 yards on 28 carries. Although he didn’t reach the end zone, that’s the kind of volume you want out of a high-priced fantasy option. Week 3 brings a favorable match up against a bad Jets defense who has allowed both the most rushing yards (370) and rushing touchdowns (four) in the league so far. They are also allowing a whopping 5.4 yards per carry. Put Ajayi in your lineup and enjoy the ride.

Christian McCaffrey vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Bank of American Stadium
DraftKings = $6,100
FanDuel = $6,800

First glance at McCaffrey’s yardage totals don’t show anything that impressive as he only has 57 rushing yards and 72 receiving yards through two games so far. The key here though is his involvement in the offense as he has at least eight carries and at least five targets in both games. He may see an even bigger role in the offense as well going forward with Olsen out of action. Throw in the aforementioned favorable match up against the Saints and I believe McCaffrey is primed for the best game of his young career on Sunday.

Chris Thompson vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – FedEx Field
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $5,600

Thompson entered the season as the team’s pass-catching option out of the backfield, but has been a huge part of Washington’s offense as he already has two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown this season. His role in the passing attack has not disappointed as he has at least three receptions and five targets in both games this season. Starting running back Rob Kelley went down with a rib injury Week 2 and even if he does play Sunday, he may not be effective. Samaje Perine would pick up more of the slack if Kelley were to miss the game and would be an interesting play himself, but Thompson’s pass-catching abilities may be needed to keep up with the Raiders offense. Thompson is worth a shot at this price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Antonio Brown vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Soldier Field
DraftKings = $9,000
FanDuel = $9,000

Brown started the season off strong Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns on the road as he had 11 receptions for 182 yards. Week 2 saw a bit of a decline against a much better Minnesota Vikings secondary as Brown finished with five receptions for 62 yards. However, the key is he received 11 targets in each of the first two games. Volume is the key to success for Brown and even though he hasn’t reached the end zone yet this season, he should get plenty of chances to do so this week. The Bears have allowed 8.6 yards per pass attempt this season, tied for fourth worst in the NFL. He’s not cheap, but I think he’ll be worth it Sunday.

Keenan Allen vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings = $7,200
FanDuel = $7,200

Allen was great Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins as he complied nine receptions for 100 yards. Clearly a favorite target of quarterback Philip Rivers, Allen has received at least 10 targets in both games so far this season. He has received at least 100 targets in both seasons of his career when he played at least 14 games, so clearly the only concern with Allen has been staying healthy. No worries there as he’s healthy heading into Week 3 and gets to face a Chiefs defense that has allowed the fourth most passing yards in the league this season. I like him again Sunday, especially at this reasonable price.

Jermaine Kearse vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,600
FanDuel = $5,800

Kearse put together a steady performance Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills as he posted seven receptions for 59 yards. However, he broke out in a big way Week 2 against the Oakland Raiders as he had four receptions, 64 yards and two touchdowns. While you can’t expect him to score two touchdowns every week, he clearly has a big role in a Jets offense that seriously lacks talent at wide receiver. Someone has to catch passes on a team that is likely going to throw a lot because they will be down big in games. Through two weeks, Kearse is that guy. Expect much of the same from him Sunday.

Rashard Higgins vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Field
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,100

Browns wide out Corey Coleman was expected to have a large role in the offense this year, but broke his hand Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. In stepped Higgins who posted seven receptions for 95 yards on a whopping 11 targets. Not bad for a guy who was on the practice squad Week 1. The Browns did bring in Kenny Britt this summer, but he has yet to make a splash with his new team. With few other options, Higgins is now primed for a big role. Considering his cheap price and favorable match up against a poor Colts defense, Higgins may be one of the best value plays of the week.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Travis Kelce vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $7,100

The tight end position is going to be a tough one to fill this week with several of the upper level players at the position dealing with injuries. Kelce looks to be the cream of the crop this week as he’s healthy heading into this divisional match up with the Chargers. Although he got off to a slow start with five receptions for 40 yards Week 1, he rebounded nicely Week 2 to record eight receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown. With at least seven targets in both games this season, Kelce should be heavily involved again Sunday with the potential for another big performance.

Austin Hooper vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,400

Yes, I again like Hooper. After posting 128 yards and a touchdown Week 1, he did come crashing back down to Earth last week as he only posted two receptions for seven yards. I’m not overly concerned with that though as those types of performances happen from time to time at the tight end position. While Hooper may never see a ton of targets, he’s a threat to score a touchdown every week. He gets to face a Lions defense who allowed 49 yards and a touchdown against Evan Engram and the Giants last week. As I mentioned before, the Giants offense has been embarrassing this season. I like Hooper’s chances of being productive and reaching the end zone Sunday.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
DraftKings = $3,600
FanDuel = $5,100

This game might get ugly in a hurry. The Bills offense enters Week 3 ranked 22nd in total yards this season and has scored a total of 24 points. The Broncos stellar defense is off to yet another solid start as they have allowed the sixth fewest total yards through two weeks. The Bills don’t have a ton of play makers on offense while the Broncos defense is loaded with talent. Pay up for the Broncos Sunday as it would not be surprising if they kept the Bills out of the end zone in this game.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $3,000
FanDuel = $4,500

Speaking of ugly, let me continue to pile on the Giants and their terrible offense. They allowed three sacks and an interception against the Dallas Cowboys Week 1 and five sacks and an interception against the Lions Week 2. Their offensive line is a wreck, leaving quarterback Eli Manning to look like he fears for his life every time he takes a snap. Things won’t get any easier against an Eagles defense that already has eight sacks this season. If you want to save money at the position, the Eagles should be your choice as they are primed for a big performance.

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 3 Cash and GPP Plays

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

We close the book on Week 2 of the NFL season after a relatively chalky NFL slate. We saw several of the obvious plays hit like Tom Brady, Ty Montgomery, Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen, and even Coby Fleener all hit value

 

Now we transition to Week 3, which opens up as an unusual ten home teams as current underdogs. The Patriots, Eagles, Panthers, Titans, and Packers are the only home teams that are favored in the main slate. That doesn’t exactly say everything about the slate quite yet; it just means ownership may be more spread out than what we’ve seen the first two weeks. So without further or do, let’s dive in.

Quarterbacks

Matt Ryan (DK $7,100, FD $8,500) – One of the first things I look for when looking into Quarterbacks are team implied totals. Matt Ryan comes in after a dominant performance against the Packers on Sunday Night Football with an implied team total of 26.75 against the Lions. That’s good enough for third highest on the slate behind only the Patriots and the Raiders. The Lions are currently 12 worst in the league by averaging 236 passing yards per game and are averaging 40 passing attempts allowed per game. This game originally opened up with a 48.5 o/u and has since moved to 50.5, which is good enough for the second highest total of the week. The game is on the road for the Falcons, and Ryan is known for performing better at home, so there is a reason to temper expectations. But in a matchup against an improved Lions offense with a secondary bad secondary, the game flow could mean Ryan will a lot of opportunities to chuck the ball.

Matthew Stafford (DK $6,200, FD $7,900) – Pivoting to the other side of the ball, Stafford has done reasonably well his first two weeks against the Cardinals and the Giants. Two opponents that are tougher on paper than his matchup this week. Stafford comes into the week as a 3 point underdog and with an implied team total of 23.75. Stafford is returning home where he threw for 4 touchdowns and 292 yards in Week 1 against a good Cardinals secondary. Out of all the games this week, this Lions/Falcons game is my favorite for quarterback points.

Kirk Cousins (DK $6,100, FD $7,600) – Cousins has been disappointing the first two weeks. He had a disappointing game on the road against the Rams and was mediocre against the Eagles in the opening week. This week could potentially be a rebound spot for Cousins. He’s at home facing a Raiders defense that has been overachieving the first two weeks of the season. The Raiders are averaging only 200 passing yards per game and have only allowed two passing touchdowns on the year. Last year the Raiders were one of the worst secondaries in the league and did very little to improve that unit this offseason. Oakland does have one of the league’s best offenses in the league, which explains the high o/u at 54 (highest of the week). Give me a low-owned Kirk Cousins against a weak secondary at home, even as a 3 point underdog.

Value QB

Andy Dalton (DK $5,100, FD $6,800) – Andy Dalton has been terrible the first two weeks. In fact, the entire Bengals offense has as they are 1 of 2 teams (49ers) that have yet to find the end zone this season. That being said, Dalton has had two difficult matchups after facing the Ravens and the Texans on a short week. The Bengals opened the week as a 10 point underdog on the road against the Packers, but have since narrowed the line to +8.5. Aaron Rodgers is without a doubt looking to light up the scoreboard after getting run over by the Falcons (again) on national TV, so I expect Dalton to have plenty of garbage time opportunities to throw the ball.

Running Backs

Le’Veon Bell (DK $8,800, FD $8,700) – To say Bell has been disappointing the first two weeks is an understatement. He’s been so disappointing that Elliott eclipsed him as the most expensive running back on this week. But this week could be the week we get Bell at depressed ownership and in a bounce-back spot. He doesn’t quite check all the boxes going up against an improved front seven in Chicago, but the Steelers are 7 point favorites. We saw Bell get 27 rushes last week and also 4 targets, so the volume is much improved after that bizarre first week. We all know Big Ben’s struggles on the road, yet the Steelers are still are implied to score 26 points. This should be a get well spot for Bell.

CJ Anderson (DK $5,800, FD $6,900) – Anderson is way too cheap on DK at 5.8k. The Broncos have shown that Anderson is the feature back while Jamaal Charles has only found his way on the field in passing situations. Anderson owns 70% of the Broncos rushing attempts after two weeks and has produced just under 200 yards (199). He also has 4 catches on 6 targets, which adds to his value on DK. The Broncos are a 3 point favorite against the Bills in a game that could feature both running backs with their pedestrian passing games and minimal projections. Anderson is projected as the third best running pack (point per dollar) on LineupLabs.

Isaiah Crowell (DK $4,800, FD $6,600) – If you drafted Crowell as I did in season long or redraft leagues, you’re probably frustrated with the thought of playing him in DFS. But the truth is, if there is ever a spot to play Crowell, it might be this week. Crowell is facing a Colts defense whose defensive line may have more holes than swiss cheese. This game has one of the lowest totals on the week and rightfully so as both teams have young offenses. Crowell does have the luxury of running behind the best offensive line in the league per PFF.com, so this could be a breakout week for Crowell.

GPP Flyer

Mike Gillislee (DK $5,700, FD $6,800) – Probably the better site to play him is on FD since he’s so touchdown dependent, but that’s exactly why he’s a shot in the dark. Gillislee has scored 4 touchdowns in the first two weeks. He leads the league in rushes inside the 5-yard line, converting each 4 of his carries into touchdowns. Although Gillislee is touchdown dependent, he does own 59% of the market share of rushes out of the Patriots backfield. The Pats are the biggest favorite of the week (13.5), and at home so Gillislee should get a shot at a cheap TD.

Cash game plays not noted above: M. Gordon, K. Hunt, J. Ajayi, T. Montgomery.
GPP Flyers: L.McCoy, D. Freeman, C. McCaffrey

Wide Receivers:

AJ Green (DK $8,100, FD $ 7,500) – I talked about Green’s quarterback up top. I like the idea of targeting this game from the Bengals passing attack with the likelihood that they will be playing catch-up for the majority of the game. Green currently accounts for 30% of the Bengals’ targets through the first two games of the season. He’s seen 18 targets and has caught 10 of them for 141 yards. He has yet to find the end zone, but as I mentioned with Dalton, they have had two tough matchups. This week they go up against a Packers secondary that got torched by Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu in really what was only one-half of competitive football. The Packers rank 18th in the league in FP allowed to opposing WR by allowing 18 points through the first two weeks. I can see Green getting one, possibly two touchdowns in garbage time.

Michael Crabtree (DK $7,400, FD  $7,700) – I really thought that Amari Cooper was going to peak this season and Crabtree was going to begin declining. That clearly wasn’t the case last week when Crabtree scored 3 times on 6 targets, while Cooper only saw 5. I still think this may happen, but at least for this week, Crabtree might be the play over Cooper again. The big reason is that I expect Josh Norman to spend most of his time against Cooper, which would leave Crabtree lined up against Bashaud Breeland who currently has a PFF grade of 67.2. If Crabtree does face Breeland throughout the game, he should be able to find the end zone again.

Value

Rashard Higgins (DK $4,000, FD $5,100) – Higgins got a lot more playing time once the Brown’s top receiver Corey Coleman left the game. Coleman was eventually placed on IR and Higgins looks to be the biggest beneficiary from the move. Higgins got 11 targets from Kizer and caught 7 for 95 yards last week.

Devin Funchess (DK $4,200, FD $4,800) – With the injury to tight end Greg Olsen, Cam Newton will have to find someone over the middle of the field to dump the ball off. Per PFF.com, Funches is expected to lineup in 2 and 3 wide receiver sets against P.J. Williams. Williams is by far the Saints worst graded corner (42.7) in a secondary that has gotten torched by Brady and Bradford to begin the season. With Olsen out that’s going to open up more targets for the Panthers passing attack. I expect McCaffrey to see an uptick in targets but Funches should also benefit from Olsen’s absence.

** Devonte Adams is practically a free square if Nelson and Cobb are out ** 

GPP Flyer

DeAndre Hopkins (DK $6,200, FD $ 7,500) – Similar to Green’s situation, Hopkins is likely to find his team chasing a high-powered offense. Hopkins is currently third in the NFL in targets with 13 and also leads the NFL in team target market share 54.2%. It’s amazing how Watson just continues to chuck the ball Hopkins way. The Pats are currently 29th in the league against WR by allowing an average of 27.6 points to opposing wideouts. Hopkins is GPP only because Belichick is notorious for taking away the opposing team’s best weapon, which is Nuke.

Other Middle/Top Tier Options: M. Evans (GPP), K. Allen (Cash), D. Baldwin (GPP), T. Hill (Cash)

Tight End

For the first time this season there isn’t a clear-cut chalk tight end that will be heavily owned in cash games. At least for now. Below are a few of the best options when considering price per dollar spent.

Martellus Bennett (DK $4,400, FD $ 5,600) – Bennett is the tight end that I’m watching pretty closely. As I’m writing this Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb have missed practice early in the week after leaving last week’s game against the Falcons. If one or neither of these players play that leaves plenty of targets up for grabs for the Packers, pass catchers, and I expect Bennett to be a beneficiary. Last week Bennett saw 11 targets with both Nelson and Cobb out of the game. Bennett would face a Bengals defense that ranked 30th in the league against tight ends last season.

Jack Doyle (DK $ 3,600, FD $5,300) – Doyle may be the heaviest owned TE on the week considering many DFS players will stick to recency bias and save their money by using Doyle as their value play. Doyle is certainly cheap and is coming off of a nice outing with Colts’ new quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Brissett targeted Doyle 8 times last week and Doyle caught every one of those targets and gained 79 yards to lead the team in receiving.

GPP Flyer

Jordan Reed (DK $5,400, FD $ 6,700) – Reed is limited to a tournament play only because he has missed practice early this week. Reed is listed as questionable which is likely to drive down his ownership. I already expressed my interest in the ‘skins offense in the QB section and I think adding Reed to a game stack for this Sunday night hammer could lead to a big payoff. Reed is among the top 5 TE in targets this season accounting for 20% of the team’s targets.

Cash game plays not noted above: Z. Ertz, T. Kelce, E. Ebron

Gpp Flyer: R. Gronkowski, D. Allen (if Gronk is inactive)

Defense

With 10 home teams as current underdogs ownership is likely to be spread out at defense.

New England Patriots (DK $3,800, FD $4,900) – The Patriots are at home facing the Texans who are implied to score a slate low 15.25 points. According to Vegas, they seem like the safest play. The issue is that they’re the most expensive option on DK and 4th most expensive on FD. If you’re able to fit them in your lineups, you probably should. Belichick will without a doubt have a scheme to unravel rookie QB Deshaun Watson

Tennessee Titans (DK $ 2,700, FD $4,300) – If you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel on defense I won’t blame you. As we get deeper in the week, I find myself justifying using the Titans for a few reasons. They’re home favorites (-3), Russell Wilson’s terrible home/road splits, and the Seahawks’ team total has dropped from 20.25 to 19.75. The Seahawks haven’t got their offense going this season and were lucky to survive a home game against the 49ers. The Titans like to control the clock by running the ball which could limit possessions, which limits scoring

 

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 21, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 21, 2017

Welcome back for another exciting Thursday in daily fantasy baseball. With two early games today, we will turn our attention to the nine-game main slate that starts at 7:05 p.m. Et tonight.

Starting Pitchers

Dallas Keuchel
Opponent – vs. CWS
DraftKings – $11,300
FanDuel – $8,900

I really don’t love either of the two top-tier pitchers on the main slate tonight but side with Keuchel for a couple reasons. He has the edge over Carlos Martinez in ERA(2.96), xFIP(3.43), Ground Ball Rate(66%) and Hard Contact against(24.4%). He doesn’t have the strikeout upside of CarMart but gets to toss in the best pitchers park in the big leagues and faces a team in the White Sox who rank in the bottom third of the league in runs scored this season. All things considered, it’s Keuchel in cash games all the way tonight but I like the pivot to Carlos Martinez in GPP’s.

Tyler Anderson
Opponent – @ SD
DraftKings – $7,500
FanDuel – $6,400

If you are looking for a value pitcher to pair with CarMart or Keuchel consider Tyler Anderson who is back from a knee injury and looking good. He made has made a four-inning relief appearance and a six-inning start so far and has allowed just three hits and zero earned runs while striking out seven and walking just two. He showed us K per inning stuff early in the season and no better spot to back to that than against the Padres who strikeout 25.1% vs. left-handed pitching.

Top Stacks

Colorado Rockies vs. Clayton Richard(SD)

This could be one of those situations where we can get the Rockies much less owned than if they were at home. Overall, they have been a bottom third offense on the road but have won six of their last 10 away from Coors and also carry the narrative of fighting for their lives trying to hold on to the NL Wildcard. The one split that does lean their way is their hitting vs. lefties with a .342 wOBA and .191 ISO on the season. They are led by Nolan Arenado who leads the league against southpaws with a crazy .536 wOBA, 223 wRC+, and .438 ISO. Tonight they face Clayton Richard who hasn’t been the worst pitcher in baseball this season(3.84 xFIP) but doesn’t strike anyone out(6.6 K/9) and gives up the long ball(19.75 HR/FB rate). He also struggles much more against right-handed batters giving up a .373 wOBA and 37% hard contact(.315/25% to LH).

Top Hitters to Stack: Nolan Arenado, D.J. LeMahieu, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon

Minnesota Twins vs. Jordan Zimmermann(DET)

Jordan Zimmerman is back after sitting out for over two weeks with neck pain. That means it’s once again time to load up on whoever he is pitching against. Zimmermann has really fallen off in 2017 with a 6.18 ERA, 5.49 xFIP, and is striking out less than six batters per nine. On top of that, he is giving up 38.9% hard contact and over a home run per start. Tonight he faces a Twins team that sits near the top of the league offensively over the last 14 days with a .351 wOBA and sit tied with 25 home runs in that time(.225 ISO).

Top Hitters to Stack: Brian Dozier, Eddie Rosario, Eduardo Escobar, Joe Mauer

 

Thank you for reading and if you have any questions as lineup lock approaches please contact me via Twitter (@Jager_Bombs9)

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 20, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Put your favorite MLB daily fantasy baseball lineup stacks from the article below in our MLB 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 MLB Player Lab.

 

Lineuplab.com - NFL Daily Fantasy Sports - We have the tools to help you win DRAFTKINGS & FANDUEL

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Chris Sale - Lineup Lab

Chris Sale @ Boston Orioles
Park – Camden Yards
Opp implied total – 3.42

I’m not exactly sure how the general public will react to this standoff between Chris Sale and Robbie Ray at the top. I do suspect Sale will be higher owned, but I’m not sure by how much. I think it’s a lot closer than some may have it, but still have Sale just a bit higher. The Red Sox are just 3 games ahead of the Yankees and they will allow Sale to go 110 if he’s sailing. The Orioles are an explosive offense, but extremely weak past the surface. They strikeout close to 26% of the time and have held just a .321 wOBA since the break. We know Sale has had a few rough starts this season, but they’re bound to happen with how he throws. You can’t use them to dissuade yourself from exposure tonight. He’s striking out close to 12 batters per 9 and has been the black plague to lefties at the plate. I’m not saying Chris Sale is a must by any stretch, but I do think this will be the first time his ownership under 30% in quite a long time. It just might be something to think about in tournaments. I may end up with 100% in hopes of a crazy game that boosts me way above the field.

Brad Peacock Vs Chicago White Sox
Park – Minute Maid Park
Vegas O/U – 3.30

There’s also the strategy of paying down, which is just as solid on this slate. We have a few different offenses to pay up for and going down to Peacock could very well let you fit 1 or 2 more elite bats. It doesn’t seem like much, but topping off a stack or getting an HR is nothing to scoff at. Peacock has also just been really good. He has demolished righties to a .238 wOBA and lefties a .322. He’s striking out close to 12 batters per 9 and allowing a hard contact rate of just 32%. The White Sox are one of the worst offenses in the league and them also K nearly 26% of the time. Vegas has them expected for just 3.30 runs, which is the lowest on the entire slate. Peacock is a solid value play across the board and a guy you shouldn’t ignore.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Lineuplab.com - Jose Altuve - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks

Houston Astros Vs James Shields (White Sox)
Park – Minute Maid Park
Implied Total – 6.20

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. When James Shields is on the mound, I stack the opposing hitters. A whopping 6.20 implied total on the Astros tells you all you need to know. Him being on the road in Houston is just an utter joke. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong and throw a gem, but we all know how likely that is. The reality of the situation is that he’s given up a .394 wOBA to lefties and a .356 to righties. He’s one of the worst arms in the entire league and struggles to make it 6 innings on a regular basis. I highly doubt he gets out of the 4th tonight, facing such a lethal set of bats. Altuve and Reddick are my 2 favorites and I wouldn’t make a stack without either. After that, any mix of Springer, Bregman, Correa, Gonzalez, and McCann works. The Astros are going to put up runs and you’ll need exposure to get anything done.

Main Stack – Jose Altuve, Josh Reddick, Marwin Gonzalez, George Springer
Sneaky Stack – Jose Altuve, Josh Reddick, Carlos Correa, Brian McCann

St. Louis Cardinals @ William “Rookie” Davis (Reds)
Park – Great American Ballpark
Implied Total – 5.28

Believe it or not, we may have a pitcher worse than James Shields on the slate. While William “Rookie” Davis is very young and still likely to improve, it’s not often you can find numbers this bad. Against righties, a .438 wOBA. Lefties, a .436. He has only pitched a few games, so I wouldn’t say it’s completely fair. However, he wasn’t great in the minors and this is no surprise. The Cardinals offense is dangerous in this ballpark and they can hit righties well. Matt Carpenter should be back in there tonight and is the top guy you want. Paul DeJong and Dexter Fowler are close behind. After those 3, I think you can go anywhere. Wait for the lineup to come out and grab someone who’s seen a shift in the lineup. The Cardinals are rarely projected for over 5 runs and we should probably take advantage of this situation. I’m hoping for a repeat of that run-fest last night in Cincy.

Main Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Paul Dejong, Jose Martinez
Sneaky Stack – Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler, Paul Dejong, Yadier Molina






MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 19, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Put your favorite MLB daily fantasy baseball lineup stacks from the article below in our MLB 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 MLB Player Lab.

 

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Max Scherzer - Lineuplab.com

Max Scherzer @ Atlanta Braves
Park – SunTrust Park
Opp implied total – 3.22

Did you expect anyone else? We do have a full slate on our hands tonight, but there aren’t a ton of pitching options to choose from. Scherzer is the clear top option and I suspect his ownership will certainly reflect that. You can still play him in cash games, though, as the performance he puts up could force you to the bottom if you fade. He has a great match-up with the weak Braves, who are easily one of the worst offenses in baseball. The still have the dangerous Freddie Freeman in the middle of the order, but Scherzer should be able to pitch around him rather easily. Scherzer has been as good as ever, sporting a .187 wOBA against righties and a .283 against lefties. He’s one of the undisputed best pitchers in the league and is just getting into playoff mode. I suspect him to go well over 100 pitches if things are going well and for the win to be in the bag with Luiz Gohara on the other side. Scherzer is the safest option by a longshot and he belongs in every cash game you make.

Zach Godley @ San Diego Padres
Park – Petco Park
Vegas O/U – 3.39

In tournaments and on 2 pitcher sites, you’ll need exposure outside of Max Scherzer. I’m just as uncomfortable with as you are, but it’s necessary. We, fortunately, have a few options who have some real upside and don’t rely on K’s or a terribled offense. Zach Godley has been a very consistennt pitcher for the D-Backs and one of the reasons they still have a chance to make the playoffs. Godley has held both righties and lefties to a sub .283 wOBA and has struck out close to 10 batters per 9 innings. He faces the Padres tonight, who we all know are atrocious. They are a bit better against righties, but a .311 team wOBA is far from impressive. Petco Park is the toughest bark in the league to hit HR’s in and with Godley playing most of his games at Chase Field, this is a monstrous upgrade. He should be able to go at least 6 or 7 innings and strikeout close to 10. He’s still a bit riskier than Scherzer, but his price is also lower, giving you more upside with the bats.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Nelson Cruz - Lineup Lab

Seattle Mariners Vs Martin Perez (Rangers)
Park – Safeco Field
Implied Total – 5.27

Even with so many games on the slate, I can’t find any complete gas cans to pick on. We do have a lot of younger guys, and of course, they can bust at any point, but they have a lot of talent and it’s tough to predict. For example, I’m not willing to bet on Jose Berrios having a bad game. It can still happen, but I’d much rather look towards a guy like Martin Perez. The Mariners hold the highest implied total on the day and should have no problem putting up some numbers. Martin Perez isn’t the worst lefty around, but he’s given up a .365 wOBA and 19 homers to righties in just under 130 innings. The Mariners are extremely dangerous against righties and you can also target the lefties in hopes we see a bullpen game. Nelson Cruz is the easy choice, as one of the absolute best hitters in baseball against lefties. Mitch Haniger isn’t a big name, but he has posted a .382 wOBA against left-handers. Jean Segura, Danny Valencia, and Taylor Motter are all pretty good against lefties as well and don’t be afraid to get some exposure. Cano and Seager are still amazing hitters, so I’m not willing to leave them off a stack. All in all, the Mariners are going to put up some runs and you should probably find a way to get exposure.

Main Stack – Nelson Cruz, Mitch Haniger, Jean Segura, Robinson Cano
Sneaky Stack – Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Danny Valencia

Washington Nationals @ Atlanta Braves
Park – SunTrust Park
Implied Total – 5.16

The Nationals faced this kid just a few days ago and he was actually decent. He went 6 innings and gave up just 1 run on 6 hits. I suspect the Nats will have a much better idea of what’s going on in this one after going into last game with virtually no film. They now have his pitches on file and I’m a big fan of the righties. Anthony Rendon is one of the best hitters against lefties and I will have close to 100% exposure to him at 3B. He’sheld nearly a .500 wOBA against them on the season. Ryan Zimmerman isn’t far behind, either, and I wouldn’t put a stack together without either of them. Trea Turner is better against righties, but he’s still at the top of the order and has an immense amount of upside with the speed. The back of the order has studs against lefties with Werth and Kendrick that are a bit cheaper and have just as much upside. Don’t be afraid to play Daniel Murphy, who could see 2 or 3 at-bats against righty out of the pen.

Main Stack – Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Trea Turner, Jayson Werth
Sneaky Stack – Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy, Howie Kendrick

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, September 18, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, September 18, 2017

*STARTING PITCHERS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Sammy Kershaw - Dodgers - Lineup Lab.com

Clayton Kershaw @ Philadelphia Phillies
Park – Citizens Bank Park
Opp implied total – 2.38

We only have 7 games on the slate tonight, so are pickings are quite a bit slimmer out. Fortunately, we do have Clayton a Kershaw against the Phillies. The biggest concern for Kershaw recent has been his pitch count. He saw 91 last time out and I think he gets there again. The Phillies are obviously a trash defense and they’ve sported just a .299 wOBA vs L since the break, while striking out nearly 24% of the time. We know how great Kershaw is, but a 12 K/9 and 2.64 xFIP solidify it. The Dodgers are -330 favorites and implied to put up nearly 6 runs. The win will be there for Kershaw, even if he just goes 5 or 6. The problem here is the lack of pivots. We’ll touch on one next, but he’s it. The bottom is ugly and there isn’t any arm that I have hope in. Kershaw is the clear top option on the slate and a guy you’re almost forced into in cash games.

Patrick Corbin @ San Diego Padres
Park – Petco Park
Vegas O/U – 3.39

Fortunately, we do have 1 solid pivot off of Clayton Kershaw. Patrick Corbin and the D-Backs enter San Diego to face the Padres in spacious Petco Park. Corbin has made a name for himself on the season, striking out 10 batters per 9 and holding a respectable .291 combined wOBA. He’s death to lefties and not much worse against righties either with a 63% GB rate. The Padres are one of he worst offenses in baseball and happen to call Petco Park, the worst hitting park in baseball, home. Corbin should be able to get up to 110 pitches if he’s slicing and dicing, which does give him substantially more upside for the price than even Kershaw. All in all, these are 2 guys who are extremely skilled and you’ll certainly have to pick at least 1 of them.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Miami Marlins - Lineuplab

Miami Marlins Vs Matt Harvey (Mets)
Park – Marlins Park
Implied Total – 4.73

Boy oh boy, how the great have fallen. Once an ace that could be counted on to dominate, now a so-so 4 starter with not much upside. I don’t know what the problem is with Harvey, bits it’s certainly more than just 1. Literally, every single thing he was good at just 2 years ago is out the window to never be found again. For god sake, Harvey has allowed a whopping .394 wOBA to lefties. He’s also given up 17 homers in just 70 innings, so the HR issue looks to be here to stay. This Miami Marlins offense isn’t full of stars, but they are lethal. It all obviously starts with Stanton, who’ still chasing the 60 HR mark. You then get to Yelich and Gordon, who smash righties consistently. After that, the Marlins lineup is pretty spread out and I think you can go anywhere. Ozuna would be the obvious one to go with. You also have Justin Bour and Derek Dietrich, who hit righties extremely well and won’t be nearly as high owned.

Main Stack – Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna
Sneaky Stack – Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Justin Bour, Derek Dietrich

Los Angeles Dodgers @ Nick Pivetta (Phillies)
Park – Citizens Bank Park
Implied Total – 5.27

With just 7 games to choose from, we don’t have a bunch of offenses with crazy totals. I’d say the Marlins, Dodgers, and Yankees will e the 3 stacks who garner some attention. After that, everything else will be contrarian and off the board. The Dodgers, as I’ve mentioned, enter into this game as -330 favorites against Nick Pivetta. Pivetta has actually been worse against righties, but is still not any good vs lefties with a .331 wOBA. The Dodgers are moving from spacious Dodgers Stadium to Citizens Bank Park, where it’s much easier to hit homers. Justin Turner and Corey Seager are my 2 favorite options as they both drill righties and don’t rely on power for production. Next are Cody Berlinger and Yasmani Grandal. 2 power bats that can send one to the moon at any point. The Dodgers lineup is expected to put up close to 6 runs and you have to get some exposure in cash games.

Main Stack – Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Yasmani Grandal
Sneaky Stack – Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig, Curtis Granderson






Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 09/17/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Sunday, September 17

Finish off your weekend on a high note by cashing in playing baseball DFS. Put your favorite daily fantasy baseball stacks 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 MLB Player Lab.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Corey Kluber vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Progressive Field

Get ready for some crazy stats. Kluber enters Sunday 16-4 with a 2.44 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 243 strikeouts in 184.2 innings.  He has thrown five complete games this season, three of which were shutouts. His control is impeccable as he has 47 strikeouts while issuing only three walks over his last five starts. While it’s hard to imagine, he’s been even better at home this season as he has a 1.93 ERA and 0.82 WHIP at Progressive Field. It doesn’t matter how expensive he is, Kluber will be worth it Sunday.

Sonny Gray vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – Yankee Stadium

Gray has been excellent since being traded as he has a 2.66 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 49 strikeouts over 50.2 innings with the Yankees.  He only has a 3-5 record to show for it, but that’s largely because of his defense and offense letting him down. Gray has really picked it up in the strikeout department of late as he has recorded at least nine strikeouts in three of his last four starts. Ironically, that stretch began after he failed to record even one strikeout in a start against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are steamrolling the Orioles of late and I expect much of the same with Gray taking the mound in this contest.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

New York Yankees vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (Baltimore Orioles)
Stadium – Yankee Stadium

Jimenez is in the midst of the worst season of his career. He enters Sunday 5-10 with a 6.75 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 126 strikeouts in 134.2 innings. A major area of concern is the long ball as he has already allowed a career-high 30 home runs this season. That’s not a good sign for Sunday’s contest against a Yankees team that entered Saturday third in all of baseball in home runs at home. The Yankees scored 30 runs in the first three games of this series and I’m expecting much of the same from them against Jimenez.

Players to consider stacking: Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro

Chicago White Sox vs. Matthew Boyd (Detroit Tigers)
Stadium – Comerica Park

Speaking of bad seasons, Boyd hasn’t pitched well either for the Tigers. He enters Sunday 5-10 with a 5.75 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 94 strikeouts in 114.1 innings this year. Walks have been a problem for the young lefty as he has a 3.7 BB/9 this season. This is a bad match up for Boyd in the White Sox as they entered Saturday hitting .285 against lefties this season, best in all of baseball. They beat up Boyd in their last meeting August 27 as Boyd gave up five runs over six innings. While this may be just another game of two teams playing out the season, you can still cash in with the White Sox offense Sunday.

Players to consider stacking: Jose Abreu, Avisail Garcia and Yoan Moncada

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 09/16/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Saturday, September 16

As teams are making their push for the playoffs, there will be some intriguing series being played Saturday with major playoff implications. Make your day even more exciting by bringing home some cash playing DFS. Put your favorite daily fantasy baseball stacks 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 MLB Player Lab.

**STARTING PITCHERS**

Carlos Carrasco vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium- Progressive Field

Carrasco is having another strong season for Cleveland as he enters Saturday 15-6 with a 3.41 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 201 strikeouts in 179.1 innings. The 15 wins are already a career-high and he is only 16 strikeouts away from setting a new career best as well. He has been a big reason for Cleveland’s success of late as he has allowed two earned runs total over his last four starts. Over those four starts, he has recorded 34 strikeouts in 29 innings. He was excellent in his last start against the Royals August 27, posting eight strikeouts in seven scoreless innings. Run with him again Saturday.

Ben Lively vs. Oakland Athletics
Stadium – Citizens Bank Park

Lively’s record is unsightly at 3-6, but his numbers are solid as has a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 74.2 innings. Other than two outings were he was hit hard and allowed a total of 10 runs, Lively has allowed three runs or less in each of his other 10 starts this season. I like this match up against the Athletics as although they have some power bats, they entered Friday hitting only .246 as a team this season. Lively won’t cost you much and I think he’s worth the risk Saturday, especially in tournament play.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Colorado Rockies vs. Jordan Lyles (San Diego Padres)
Stadium – Coors Field

Nothing like a game at Coors to light up the Rockies offense as they entered Friday leading all of baseball in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage at home this season. That’s the trifecta of terror for opposing pitchers. In steps Lyles and his 6.75 ERA for the season. He was actually on the Rockies earlier this season, posting a 6.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while pitching in Coors Field. Make sure to load up your entry with Rockies hitters Saturday.

Players to consider stacking: Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez and DJ LeMahieu

New York Yankees vs. Jeremy Hellickson (Baltimore Orioles)
Stadium – Yankee Stadium

The Yankees hitters certainly like playing Baltimore as the Yankees have scored 43 runs over their last five games against them. The Yankees love playing in the Bronx as well as they entered Friday with 118 home runs at home, third most in baseball. The trade to Baltimore has not been kind on Hellickson as he is 2-4 with a 6.54 ERA and 1.24 WHIP since joining the team. This has the makings of another big performance for the Yankees, so make sure to take advantage for your lineup.

Players to consider stacking: Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 15, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 14, 2017

Starting Pitchers

Chris Sale Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks Lineuplab

Chris Sale
Opponent – @ TB
DraftKings – $13,100
FanDuel – $

The top option on Friday night is the AL Cy Young candidate Chris Sale. It is neck and neck between he and Corey Kluber and add the fact the Red Sox are trying to hold off the Yankees in the AL East and we should see the A game from Sale tonight. He has only struckout out double digit batters once in his last five starts but still holds an elite 12.8 K/9 rate(1st) and 14.9% swinging strike rate(4th) on the season. He now faces a Rays team that strikes out(26.1%) more than any other team in the league vs. left-handed pitching. He has also faced the Rays five other times this season going 4-1 with 57 strikeouts. Build around Sale in all formats tonight.

Charlie Morton
Opponent – vs. SEA
DraftKings – $8,100
FanDuel – $

The thing here is that Morton has seen his price drop to its lowest point(DraftKings) since right after the All Star break. That is great news considering the upside he provides with a 10.3 K/9 rate and 11% swinging strike rate. The risk with Morton is the walks(3.37 BB/9) that lead to a high pitch count and lack of innings. This is more of a burden on FanDuel where you need six innings and three or fewer earned runs allowed for a Quality Start. Roll him out with confidence on DraftKings in all formats as an SP2.

 

Top Stacks

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Colorado Rockies - Lineuplab.com

Colorado Rockies vs. Clayton Richard(SD)

Anytime the the Rockies are at home vs. a lefty they should be at the top of your list of teams to stack. They have the second best wOBA(.344) and third best ISO(.194) this season vs. southpaws and we all know about the advantage hitting in Coors Field Tonight. Tonight they get a plus matchup vs. Clayton Richard who has flashed with some nice starts this season but has been prone to giving up the long ball with a 20.4% HR/FB rate. He has struggled the most vs. right-handed bats giving up a .372 wOBA and 36.7% hard contact rate.

Top Hitters to Stack: Nolan Arenado, D.J. LeMahieu, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon

Oakland Athletics vs. Mark Leiter Jr.(PHI)

The A’s have a ton going their way tonight starting with the fact they have been one of the hottest teams in the league lately. Over the last 14 days, they hold a .377 wOBA and 138 wRC+ and are tied for third with 22 home runs in that time. On top of that, they have been a top 10 team vs. right-handed pitching and face a pitcher in Mark Leiter who is also prone to giving up home runs(20.3% HR/FB) and has given up four in his last two games.

Top Hitters to Stack: Matt Olson, Matt Joyce, Jed Lowrie, Marcus Semien

Thank you for reading and if you have any questions as lineup lock approaches please contact me via Twitter (@Jager_Bombs9)

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 2

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 2

Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books and not only were there some surprising outcomes to games, but the fantasy landscape changed due to some significant injuries. David Johnson will be out for most of the season while Allen Robinson has been lost for the entire 2017 campaign. That’s the beauty of DFS though as you get to start over with fresh lineups each and every week. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Tom Brady vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings: $7,900
FanDuel: $9,200

Yes, Tom Brady laid an egg Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the game with 267 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. His 44.4% completion percentage was the first time since 2013 that he had a completion percentage of less than 50% in a game. Don’t panic though, Brady hasn’t lost his touch just yet. The Chiefs have a solid defense that can do things that many other teams can’t, such as Week 2 opponent New Orleans. Did you see how badly Sam Bradford and the Minnesota Vikings carved them up? Bradford finished with 346 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and an insane 84.4% completion percentage. Brady is leaps and bounds better than Bradford and the Patriots will be out to prove their Week 1 struggles were a fluke. Expect a big performance from Brady in this contest.

Russell Wilson vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
DraftKings: $6,800
FanDuel: $8,100

Like Brady, Wilson struggled Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers as he finished with 158 passing yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. The only positive was that he rushed for 40 yards on two carries. The Seahawks offensive line struggled mightily, which could be a big concern for the team this entire season. I like this match up Sunday at home though as the Seahawks are a much better team at CenturyLink Field. While his passing yards per game averages were pretty close on the road and at home last season, the big difference was he had 13 touchdowns and three interceptions at home compared to eight touchdowns and eight interceptions on the road. Look for a rebound performance from Wilson Sunday.

Carson Palmer vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings: $6,000
FanDuel: $7,500

As you can see, my trend this week is veteran quarterbacks are primed for bounce-back performances after Week 1 struggles. Palmer really played poorly against the Detroit Lions, throwing for 269 yards to go along with one touchdown and three interceptions. Entering 2017, he had thrown three or more interceptions in a game only once in the last three seasons combined. This is a favorable match up for him though as the Colts defense is terrible. Jared Goff tore them apart in Week 1, throwing for 306 yards and one touchdown. His 72.4% completion percentage marked the best performance of his career. Palmer and the passing attack are also going to be needed to carry more of the offensive load now with Johnson out, so he is going to see plenty of opportunities to succeed. This is a match up you want to take advantage of for Week 2.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Jay Ajayi vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings: $6,400
FanDuel: $7,900

Ajayi and the Dolphins play their first game of the season in Week 2, giving them an advantage over a Chargers team that is coming off of a short week after playing on Monday night against the Denver Broncos. Ajayi was a monster for the Dolphins last season as he rushed for 1,272 yards and eight touchdowns over 15 games. Expect the Dolphins to lean heavily on Ajayi again this year with new quarterback Jay Cutler under center. The Chargers had a rough time with the Broncos rushing attack Monday as they allowed 140 yards on the ground. Ajayi is much better than the duo of C.J. Anderson and Jamaal Charles for Denver, so this has the makings of an excellent start to the season for him.

Terrance West vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
DraftKings: $5,100
FanDuel: $6,600

The Ravens are another team who was dealt a significant injury in Week 1 as running back Danny Woodhead is expected to be out at least a month. In what was already a fairly thin running back group, West is now the main man in Baltimore. He had a solid performance against the Cincinnati Bengals last week as he rushed for 80 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. He’s not going to catch many balls out of the backfield, but he doesn’t need to in order to have value at this price. Don’t be surprised if he reaches the end zone again in this game.

Tarik Cohen vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings: $4,100
FanDuel: $5,400

Cohen certainly made a splash in his first NFL game as he not only finished with 66 rushing yards, but he also caught eight passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. The Bears offense was not great overall, but it certainly was no fault of Cohen’s. Although Jordan Howard will continue to start at running back, Cohen is still going to have a significant role on this team. His ability to catch passes will be crucial as the Bears have been decimated by injuries at wide receiver already. While it will be difficult to match his Week 1 performance, he will still produce enough to make him a valuable part of your lineup at this bargain price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Brandin Cooks vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings: $8,200
FanDuel: $7,900

Cooks didn’t have a huge performance Week 1, but he still posted a very respectable 88 yards on three receptions in the contest. He did receive seven targets, which was an encouraging sign in his first game with the Patriots. I already mentioned I like Brady and the Patriots to rebound in this game, but I also expect Cooks to be one of the main beneficiaries of that improvement. He’ll be highly motivated facing the team that traded him away and he’s very comfortable playing in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. A Brady-Cooks stack is primed to put up big numbers in Week 2.

Keenan Allen vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings: $5,800
FanDuel: $7,100

Allen was stuck facing the vaunted Denver secondary Week 1, which limited him to five receptions and 35 yards. However, he salvaged the outing with a touchdown and received 10 targets in the game. The key you want to look for is volume and that’s something you will get with Allen. The only concern with Allen has been his injury issues the past two seasons, but you don’t have to worry about that in DFS as he’s healthy heading into Week 2. His yardage total should be much higher against a weaker secondary Sunday.

Cooper Kupp vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
DraftKings: $4,100
FanDuel: $5,400

Kupp made a strong impression in his first NFL game Week 1 as he hauled in four receptions on six targets for 76 yards and a touchdown. The Rams have a lot more weapons on offense this season and Kupp could play a key role in their overall improvement. While his performance did come against the bad Colts defense, the Redskins secondary didn’t fair a whole lot better against the Philadelphia Eagles Week 1 either as quarterback Carson Wentz threw for 307 yards. At this price, I’m taking a chance on another solid outing from Kupp in Week 2.

Jermaine Kearse vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings: $3,900
FanDuel: $5,400

The Jets have one of the worst wide receiving groups in the league, but they did receive a slight boost when the team traded for Kearse before the start of the season. He wasted no time being involved in the offense, recording seven receptions on nine targets for 59 yards in Week 1. The nine targets are key as he should continue to get plenty of passes thrown his way with the lack of talent on the roster. With the Jets likely to be down big against a much better Oakland team Sunday, expect Kearse to see plenty of opportunities to haul in passes as they attempt to play catch up.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Rob Gronkowski vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings: $6,900
FanDuel: $8,100

Gronk did not play well in Week 1 as he was limited to two catches on six targets for only 33 yards. He looked a little slow on the field and may have been shaking off some rust after dealing with injuries last season. Another big factor was that he was covered by Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry who did an excellent job shadowing him throughout the game. No such worries in Week 2 though against a porous Saints secondary, look for big numbers from him in this one.

Austin Hooper vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
DraftKings: $3,500
FanDuel: $5,500

Hooper made his two receptions count Week 1 against the Bears as he came away with 128 yards and a touchdown. While the yardage is certainly impressive, that’s not what you should be expecting from Hooper. His value is as a red zone target who can haul in touchdown receptions. The tight end position can be volatile, so I like going with a cheaper option in Hooper who has the ability to find the end zone more often than not.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
DraftKings: $4,000
FanDuel: $5,400

Seattle had a tough match up Week 1 on the road against the Packers, but still managed to hold them to 17 points. That’s no small feat against star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a deep wide receiver group. Sunday brings a much easier match up against quarterback Brian Hoyer and the 49ers, especially with this being a home game. If you want to pay up for a defense, the Seahawks are the one to use in Week 2.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
DraftKings: $3,700
FanDuel: $4,700

The Ravens defense was excellent Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals as they recorded four interceptions and five sacks. They were solid against the run as well as they only allowed 3.5 yards per carry. While the Browns showed signs of improvement at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, playing on the road in Baltimore will be a tough task. If you don’t want to spend the money on the Seahawks, go with Baltimore for Week 2.