Header Image - PICK LIKE THE PROS
PICK LIKE THE PROSLineup Lab is an advanced MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL daily fantasy lineup optimizer for Fanduel, Draftkings, and Yahoo. Pros use a DFS optimizer, so why don't you? Pick like the pros. Use the worlds most advanced projections and optimization techniques. Join today, and start winning!
start winning

Tag Archives

684 Articles

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 4

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 4

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

Week 4 is upon us and this is the last full week of games before bye weeks start Week 5. That means this is your last week for a while to have a full complement of players to choose from in DFS. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

 Tom Brady - Daily Fantasy Football - NFL - Lineuplab.com

**QUARTERBACKS**

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**RUNNING BACKS**

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rob Gronkowski - daily fantasy football - NFL - lineuplab.com

**TIGHT ENDS**

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

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

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

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

daily fantasy football - Jacksonville Jaguars - Lineuplab

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

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

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

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

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






DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 28, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Lineuplab.com - DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 28, 2017

 

Starting Pitchers

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Lineuplab.com

Sonny Gray
Opponent – vs. TB
DraftKings – $11,700
FanDuel – $9,200

With the Nationals likely to limit and not push Strasburg again tonight(85 pitches last outing), I turn to Sonny Gray as my top pitcher. The Yankees have clinched a birth in the playoffs but still have an outside shot at capturing the AL East with four games remaining. Sure, they will need some help from Red Sox opponents but all they can do is go out there and win. Gray has been very consistent for the pinstripers since joining them in August, recording a 3.12 ERA as he has held opponents to two or fewer earned runs in eight of his 10 starts. Gray has also posted his highest K/9 rate(8.46) since his rookie season and it gets a boost tonight vs. the Rays who strikeout nearly 25% of the time vs. right-handed pitching. He is safe in all formats.

Sean Manaea
Opponent – @ TEX
DraftKings – $6,200
FanDuel – $6,500

Consistency is not a word we will use with Manaea who enters tonight with a 4.56 ERA but considering the price and smaller slate, he is in play as a SP2 on DraftKings. His splits are pretty glaring as right-handed bats have had their way with him(.351 wOBA) while he has shut down lefties(.262 wOBA). That is good news for tonight as the Rangers are likely to have three or four lefties in the lineup(Odor, Choo, Mazara, Gallo). The Rangers have also been terrible down the stretch ranking dead last in wOBA(.244) and wRC+(42) over the last 14 days with a crazy 31% K rate. There is definitely some risk here but the price is in a great spot that allows you to pair him with Gray and load up on bats tonight.

Top Stack

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks - Lineuplab.com

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Edwin Jackson(WSH)

The top stack of the night comes from a team that has been out of the playoff picture for some time now. That hasn’t stopped them from closing out the season strong as they sit with a .351 wOBA and 114 wRC+ over the last seven days. It should be no problem for them to add to those numbers tonight as they get the best matchup on the board facing Edwin Jackson who has been a complete dumpster fire, for lack of a better term. He has made four starts since the calendar turned to September, giving up 22 earned runs in 16 innings including multiple home runs in each game. The best part is that the Pirates do not come with premium prices in a premium matchup.

Top Hitters to Stack: Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, David Freese, Adam Frazier

Also Consider: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kyle Hendricks(CHC), New York Yankees vs. Jacob Faria(TB)

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 – Wednesday, September 27, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Wednesday, September 27, 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*

Justin Verlander @ Texas Rangers
Park – Globe Life Park in Arlington
Vegas O/U – 3.96

On this 4-game early slate, you have 1 game in Coors Field, 1 in Chase Field, and 1 is a dual between Erasmo Ramirez and Kendall Graveman. That leaves us with Justin Verlander and Nick Martinez in Arlington. Nick Martinez is awful and I wouldn’t consider playing him in a million years. Verlander has been on a roll lately and I think he keeps it going into the playoffs. He’s gone 13 straight starts with at least 6 innings and 8 of those with 7+. He’s been allowed to go to 100 pitches and I think that’s what we see again today. The Rangers are a good hitting team, but Verlander is great and we don’t have any better options. On the early slate, Verlander is almost a plug and play.

Luis Severino Vs Tampa Bay Rays
Park – Yankee Stadium
Opp implied total – 3.10

Sitting as the biggest favorites of the day (-256), the Yankees will host the Tampa Bay Rays in a huge mismatch between Luis Severino and Matt Andriese. Andries is a decent pitcher, but the Yankees are going to light him up. Severino is an elite pitcher and I don’t think the Rays have much of a shot in getting to him. We may only see 85-95 pitches out of Severino, but that’s most guys with any sort of talent at this point in the year. He’s the safest option on the main slate and a great way to go in both cash and tournaments. They should be in for the W pretty easily.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Colorado Rockies Vs Adam Conley (Marlins)
Park – Coors Field
Implied Total – 6.68

The Rockies still have something to play for, so I love getting exposure here. The wild-card has still yet to be clinched and the Rockies have the best shot at it. They’ll have all their chips on the table and we can expect them to be left in, even in a blowout. Adam Conley is one of the lesser intimidating guys around and I love seeing a lefty. Conley was good to start the year, but he’s fallen off. Way off. He’s now allowing a .361 wOBA to righties and a .340 to lefties. He’s given up 18 homers in less than 100 innings and now heads to Coors Field. Yikes. Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story are the 2 top options and both have held a .380+ wOBA against lefties. In Arenado’s case, closer to .450. The rest of the order is pretty random and you can go with whoever finds a spot. Ian Desmond and Jonathan Lucroy are both pretty good against lefties and should see a solid spot in the order. All in all, there are a few different ways to go on this early slate and the Rockies are my favorite.

Main Stack – Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Charlie Blackmon, Ian Desmond
Sneaky Stack – Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Mark Reynolds, Jonathan Lucroy

Kansas City Royals Vs Jordan Zimmerman (Tigers)
Park – Kauffman Stadium
Implied Total – 5.48

Moving on to the main slate, you have to love the Royals. When any team is sitting in Kauffman Stadium with a 5.46 implied total, you pay attention. When it’s the Royals, you better really pay attention. Jordan Zimmerman is an atrocious pitcher and one that can be taken advantage of by both sides of the plate. In 140 innings of work this season, he’s allowed a .383 wOBA ago lefties and a respectable .373 to righties. Everyone in this Royals lineup can be played, but the preference is at the top. Merrifield and Perez are my 2 favorites and the guys I’ll have the most exposure to. Moustakas is also free on FanDuel and nearly a must in cash games. The rest of the order will fill itself in and you can go with whoever fits. They might not be the most popular stack of the night, but they should put up at least 5 or 6 runs and make some noise.

Main Stack – Mike Moustakas, Whit Merrifield, Eric Hosmer, Sal Perez
Sneaky Stack – Mike Moustakas, Whit Merrifield, Melky Cabrera, Brandon Moss

 

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 26, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 26, 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*

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

Chris Sale Vs Toronto Blue Jays
Park – Fenway Park
Opp implied total – 3.08

At the top, it’s Robbie Ray or Chris Sale. Ray has as much upside as anyone, but it’s tough to play a guy in Chase Field when Chris Sale is the same price. Moving down a bit, you have a lot of solid options, 1 of which we’ll touch on next. Sale is facing the Blue Jays for the 4th time this season, after going a combined 22 innings, 0 ER, and 35 strikeouts. To put it lightly, Chris Sale has owned the Blue Jays. On the season as a whole, he’s sported a .251 combined wOBA and has struck out 12 batters per 9 innings. He has been seeing a solid pitch count and the Red Sox will push him to 110 if he’s pitching well. The Blue Jays are a pretty bad team overall and rely on the bats of Josh Donaldson and Kendrys Morales against lefties. The rest of the order has held a combined .296 against lefties with a 24% strikeout rate. Sale is more comfortable pitching in Fenway and should be the safest way to go on this slate.

Alex Wood Vs San Diego Padres
Park – Dodgers Field
Vegas O/U – 2.88

Alex Wood was the same price as Chris Sale just a couple months ago. Since he’s struggled mightily and has seen a huge drop in production. However, these last 2 starts have derived some hope. He has shut down 2 offenses in a row and the Dodgers have allowed him to get to 100 pitches when it makes sense to. The Padres are an atrocious team and the one Wood has the most upside against. They’ve posted a .296 team wOBA on the season against lefties and a pitiful 25.1% strikeout rate.If you’ve had the honor to watch Wood pitch, it’s clear why he’s so productive. He has a starting pitching motion and snaps his elbow at the top. It’s a bit like Chris Sale and what he does over in Boston. Getting back to Wood, he’s a bit cheaper than Sale on both sites and makes for a fine play in both cash games and tournaments. I’m not sure there is a big difference between a lot of these pitchers, so let’s try to make the difference with the bats.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

Lineuplab.com - MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians Vs Bartolo Colon (Twins)
Park – Progressive Field
Implied Total – 5.64

Bartolo Colon is just doing whatever he possibly can do to get out of this season and make it to the offseason healthy. He has been absolutely horrible all year long and has been taken advantage of by both sides of the plate. He’s held a .387 wOBA against lefties and a .379 against righties, so the splits are marginal. He’s allowed close to 2.5 HR/9 and strikes out just under 6 batters per 9. The time is over for Colon, as I think 1 more season might just be the limit. He might not make it out of the 1st innings a few times if he kept going. This Indians lineup is extremely dangerous and a team you can definitely afford to pay up for. Lindor and Edwin are my 2 favorites, with Santana and Ramirez following closely. The whole order is in play and I couldn’t fault you for playing anyone 1-6. You should have the funds to pay up and there will be punts to pay down for. Just keep an eye out for lineups and jump on.

Main Stack – Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion, Jason Kipnis
Sneaky Stack – Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Austin Jackson, Carlos Santana

Arizona Diamondbacks Vs Matt Moore (Giants)
Park – Chase Field
Implied Total – 5.48

Matt Moore isn’t the worst pitcher in the world, but the D-Backs have a 5.48 implied total and face a lefty, so you have to pay attention. Matt Moore has allowed an 11% barrel rate (2nd highest) to back up the 44% hard contact rate allowed vs righties. Moore is no longer the pitcher he was a couple years ago and is now just pushed around by righties with any kind of power. Paul Goldschmidt and J.D. Martinez are some of the best plays on the slate and guys that could hit 2 HR without blinking. Pollock is the next righty, but you can also go with lefties in hopes we see an early bullpen. Both Lamb and Peralta will be close to ignored by the general public, all the while having as much upside as anyone after the 4th or 5th inning. However you decide to go, it may be a good idea to get exposure to the Diamondbacks, who are expected to put up close to 6 runs in mini-Coors.

Main Stack – Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, J.D. Martinez, Brandon Drury
Sneaky Stack – Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, Jake Lamb, Chris Iannetta






MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Tuesday, September 25, 2017

by Austyn Varney 0 Comments

*Austyn Varney*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks – Monday, September 25, 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 - Lineup Lab - Chicago Cubs

Yu Darvish Vs San Diego Padres
Park – Dodgers Field
Opp implied total – 3.52

With all these talented arms on the slate, it’s a bit weird for me to say I don’t think anyone is very safe. With the end of the regular season very near, most pitchers aren’t seeing full workloads. Yu Darvish is part of that group, but he has every other thing working for him. First of all, he’s facing the Padres. They’ve posted a .299 wOBA against righties and strikeout the 2nd most in the league at 25.1%. He’s also at home, where he’s posted a .286 wOBA against. He might just see 85-95 pitches, but they should be productive and clean. He strikes out 10 batters per 9 and only walks 1.5. He’s been great over his last 2 games and will look to keep it going into the playoffs. The Dodgers are facing off with Travis Wood and the win should be there with ease. He is expensive, but if you need safety, here you go. 

Jon Lester @ St. Louis Cardinals
Park – Busch Stadium
Vegas O/U – 3.97

Jon Lester has been sitting around $10k all year, so this drop down to $8400 is very intriguing. He faces a Cardinals team that he has dominated many times. As we know, Lester is risky. He can get knocked around occasionally and we saw it just last start. He is typically one of the best starters in the league and if you look at his box score, the bloops usually come about once every 2 months. As for the match-up, the Cardinals aren’t the greatest against lefties. They have held a .321 wOBA against them and a 22.5% strikeout rate. Lester, on the other hand, has sported a .245 wOBA against righties and he’s struck out over 9 per 9 innings. Busch Stadium is bigger than Wrigley Field and I expect Lester to have a very solid game as the Cubbies get ready for the postseason.

*OFFENSIVE STACKS*

MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Stacks - Lineuplab.com - Redsox

Los Angeles Dodgers Vs Travis Wood
Park – Dodgers Field
Implied Total – 5.51

Boy, Travis Wood is not very good. I keep waiting for him to turn things around, but a .372 wOBA suggests otherwise. In about 90 innings, he’s given up an astounding 18 home runs. He also strikes out 6 per and walks 4. No matter how you cut it, Travis Wood is one of the worst pitchers in the entire league. The Dodgers are one of the best offenses and I think there is a ton of ways to stack them. Justin Turner and Corey Seager are my 2 favorites, with Taylor, Forsythe, and Bellinger following. The entire lineup can be considered in a stack and I think they will be a bit too low-owned. They need some momentum after struggling the last month and you can expect Dave Roberts to leave he guys in if they swing it right. All in all, get some exposure to the Dodgers if you want a chance to win a GPP.

Main Stack – Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Chris Taylor, Logan Forsythe
Sneaky Stack – Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Austin Barnes

Boston Red Sox Vs Brett Anderson
Park – Fenway Park
Implied Total – 5.68

The Red Sox are back to Fenway Park and they start it off with an exceptional match-up against Brett Anderson and the Blue Jays. Anderson has somehow been worse than the aforementioned Travis Wood. Against lefties, Anderson has allowed a .457 wOBA. Against righties, .375 wOBA and 43% hard contact rate. As a lefty, Anderson is going to struggle with the green monster. Hanley Ramirez is actually my favorite of the bunch and I think his HR projection is exceptional for the price. Moving on, Bogaerts, Mookie, and Young/Davis are my favorites. The entire lineup is in play and you really don’t need to fade anyone. Anderson has been atrocious against everyone and I can’t find a reason that he gets better tonight. Fenway is the toughest park he’s pitched in yet and the Red Sox will show him why.

Main Stack – Hanley Ramirez, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Pedroia
Sneaky Stack – Hanley Ramirez, Mookie Betts, Chris Young, Rajai Davis






Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 09/24/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Sunday, September 24

Only two Sundays left in the long 162-game schedule. As teams are clinching playoff spots and others are eliminated from the hunt, we are running out of time in the baseball DFS season as well. 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**

Max Scherzer vs. New York Mets
Park – Citi Field

Scherzer has had another stellar campaign in 2017 as he is 15-6 with a 2.59 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and has 253 strikeouts in 191.1 innings. Scherzer is on pace to have a WHIP under 1.00 for the fourth time in the last five years. When you limit base runners to that extent, you are bound to have success. This will also be his sixth straight season with a 10.1 or higher K/9. In summary, he’s awesome. He has also been excellent on the road this season, posting a 1.84 ERA and 0.82 WHIP away from Nationals Park. Roll with him again Sunday.

Chase Anderson vs. Chicago Cubs
Park – Miller Park

After never posting an ERA below 4.00 in his career, Anderson has made major strides this season as he enters Sunday 11-3 with a 2.74 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 120 strikeouts in 128 innings. He has been excellent over his last three starts, allowing only one run to go along with 15 strikeouts over 16.1 innings. Consistency has been a big plus for Anderson as he has allowed three runs or less in each of his last 14 appearances. Miller Park has treated Anderson kindly this season as he has a 2.34 ERA and 0.99 WHIP at home. Anderson presents a nice option in the mid-tier price range Sunday.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Boston Red Sox vs. Jackson Stephens (Cincinnati Reds)
Park – Great American Ball Park

Stephens has only made five appearances in the majors this season, two of which have been starts. He has not had much success as he has a 4.80 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 13 strikeouts over 15 innings overall. The concerning part about Stephens is that he did not pitch well in the minors this season either, posting a 4.92 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 139 innings at Triple-A. This looks like a receipt for disaster against a hot Red Sox team.

Players to consider stacking: Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers and and Jackie Bradley Jr.

Atlanta Braves vs. Nick Pivetta (Philadelphia Phillies)
Park – SunTrust Park

Pivetta has had a terrible season for the Phillies, posting a 6.57 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in 122 innings. The fact that Sunday will be his 25th start of the season shows just how bad the Phillies rotation is. He’s been even worse of late, allowing at least six runs in three of his last six games. The road has not been kind to him either as he has a 7.29 ERA and 1.75 WHIP away from Citizens Bank Park. This is the day to stack your lineup with the Braves offense.

Players to consider stacking: Freddie Freeman, Nick Markakis and Ender Inciarte

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks for 09/23/2017

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Baseball Stacks – Saturday, September 23

The season is almost over, so let’s not waste any time and get right to the business of cashing in Saturday. 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**

Stephen Strasburg vs. New York Mets
Stadium – Citi Field

Strasburg has been largely healthy this season as Saturday will mark his 27th start of the season, the most he has had since he started 34 games in 2014. He has been excellent as he is 14-4 with a 2.60 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 162.2 innings. Not only does he record a lot of strikeouts, but he has only allowed 13 total home runs. Saturday brings a road match up against the Mets, a team he has a 2.33 ERA and 0.98 WHIP against in three starts this season. He is also excellent on the road as he is 8-2 with a 2.06 ERA and 1.03 WHIP away from Nationals Park. I expect another great performance from him in this contest.

Lance Lynn vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park

Lynn is my choice more often than not if I’m looking to use a cheap starter on days when he pitches. He’s having an excellent season as he enters Saturday 11-7 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 147 strikeouts in 180.2 innings. It’s impressive that he missed the entire 2016 season, but he is still going to log almost 200 innings this year. He has had success against the Pirates this season, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP against them this season. Roll with him Saturday if you want to save money at the position.

**OFFENSIVE STACKS**

Houston Astros vs. Bud Norris (Los Angeles Angels)
Stadium – Minute Maid Park

Norris had a stretch this season where he excelled as the closer for the Angels, saving 19 games in the process. However, the bottom has fallen out of his season as he has a 8.84 ERA and 1.91 WHIP over his last 21 appearances. He started his last game against the Cleveland Indians, allowing three runs over only two innings. While he gets the start again Saturday, he’s not expected to pitch deep into the game. Look for the Astros to get off to a hot start while he’s in the game, then continue to tack on as the game moves along.

Players to consider stacking: Jose Altuve, Marwin Gonzalez and Yuli Gurriel

Atlanta Braves vs. Henderson Alvarez (Philadelphia Phillies)
Stadium – SunTrust Park

You remember who Alvarez is right? He’s the guy who threw a no-hitter for the Miami Marlins in 2013 and was a National League All-Star in 2014. Injuries and struggles have limited him to only five games in the majors since 2015 though, one of which was last Sunday against the Oakland Athletics. He struggled in that appearance, allowing four runs over five innings. Even when he was at his peak in 2014, he never recorded a lot of strikeouts as he only had a 5.3 K/9. This has the makings of an offensive explosion for the Braves.

Players to consider stacking: Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies and Ender Inciarte

DraftKings FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 22, 2017

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings / FanDuel MLB Lineup Picks for September 22, 2017

Welcome back to the second last Friday in daily fantasy baseball as far as the regular season goes. Tonight we have a full 15 game slate with some nice pitching options across the board combined with some teams in great matchups that make excellent stacks. Let’s jump right into the picks.

Starting Pitchers

Zack Greinke - MLB Lineup Picks - Lineuplab
Zack Greinke
Opponent – vs. MIA
DraftKings – $12,100
FanDuel – $10,100

Friday night gives us a few more options than last night and it starts with Zack Greinke. As I have said many times this season, don’t worry about the park factor with Greinke as he has been lights out at home this season with a 2.33 ERA while limiting opponents to a low .196 average and .250 wOBA. He has also seen an uptick in strikeouts with a 10.23 K/9 rate at home vs. a 8.7 K/9 on the road. The matchup presents a bit of risk going up against Giancarlo Stanton and the Marlins but Greinke comes in red hot holding opponents to two or fewer earned runs in five straight starts. Roll him out in all formats tonight.

Michael Wacha
Opponent – @ PIT
DraftKings – $8,200
FanDuel – $8,200

For a value SP2 on DraftKings or GPP value on FanDuel I will be turning to Michael Wacha. He doesn’t flash a ton of upside but has posted a career-high 8.5 K/9 rate(not counting rookie season with 9 starts) in 2017. He has also been consistent lately holding opponents to three or fewer earned runs in four straight starts lowering his xFIP below 4.00 for the season. The one thing that makes or break his value is the control but if he can limit the free passes tonight should be able to hit or exceed value. He faces a struggling Pirates team that ranks 27th in wOBA and wRC+ over the last 14 days while walking a league-low 5.4% of the time.

Top Stack

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Adam Conley(MIA)

The Diamondbacks enter Friday night’s action with the highest implied run total of any team and while they will be the chalk, have a near elite matchup. First of all, down the stretch it is important to target teams who are playing for something and the D-Backs hit on that narrative as they look to hold off the Rockies and Brewers in the NL Wildcard. They get a great matchup tonight vs. Adam Conley who has struggled to a 5.20 ERA and 5.38 xFIP this season and has given up nine home runs over his last six starts and 17 for the season(13.3% HR/FB rate and 38% hard contact). While the D-Backs have been slightly worse this season vs. southpaws don’t be fooled as they still have a ton of upside bats at the top of the lineup.

Top Hitters to Stack: Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, J.D. Martinez, Chris Iannetta

Also Consider: Atlanta Braves vs. Ben Lively(PHI), Minnesota Twins vs. Daniel Norris(DET), New York Yankees vs. Marco Estrada(TOR)
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 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