With no teams on a bye for Week 14, we have a bevy of options at both wide receiver and tight end to pick from in DFS.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
It’s been a rough few weeks recently with regards to viable tight end options in DFS, but things are shaping up to be much more favorable at the position for Week 13.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
The good news is that there are no teams on a bye in Week 13. The bad news is that we have three games on Thanksgiving, so we still have a somewhat limited amount of options for the main Sunday slate in DFS. With that being said, several of the top offenses will be at our disposal, which should make for an interesting group of games.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
Get ready for a reduced schedule in Week 10 with six teams on a bye. The Vikings, Cowboys and Seahawks all play in prime time, as well, leaving out a lot of the top names for Sunday’s main DFS slate.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
The main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 9 will be missing some big names at various positions with the Saints and Rams on a bye and the Patriots, Ravens and Cowboys among the teams playing in prime time. With that being said, there are still several quarterbacks and running backs that are in a position to thrive.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 2 – Quarterbacks
Now that the dust has settled on the opening weekend of action in the NFL, it’s time to quickly turn the page and focus on Week 2. We have several intriguing quarterback options across the price scale, setting us up to deploy a few different strategies.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
If you didn’t make the playoffs in your season-long fantasy football league, the fun isn’t over yet. Every week is a new opportunity to bring home some cash in DFS. We already discussed quarterbacks to target and avoid in DFS for Week 14, so now let’s dive into the rest of the positions to hopefully help you bring home some cash. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
RUNNING BACKS
Christian McCaffrey vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $9,100
DraftKings = $9,300
McCaffrey continued his run of dominance against the Bucs in Week 13, turning 10 carries into 106 yards. He also caught nine of 10 targets for 55 yards and a touchdown. Not only has he been racking up yards in bunches, but he has 10 touchdowns across his last five games. Maybe the craziest stat of them all for McCaffrey is that he has been on the field for 97 percent of the Panthers offensive snaps. This is shaping up to be another great matchup for him in Week 14 against a Browns defense that has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (136.4) in the league to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns.
Aaron Jones vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,200
Jones looked to finally be establishing himself as the lead running back for the Packers, but he was only on the field for 51 percent of their offensive snaps in Week 13. Even with his limited playing time, he still managed to score a touchdown for the fourth straight game. Maybe the biggest boost for his value moving forward was the dismissal of head coach Mike McCarthy after their embarrassing loss last week to the Cardinals. Despite is seeming obvious that Jones is their best running back, McCarthy still continued to force Jamaal Williams onto the field. If Jones gets the bulk of the carries in Week 14, he could explode against a Falcons defense that has allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game (130.7) and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Jeff Wilson Jr. vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $3,800
There was a lot of excitement around the 49ers heading into the season, but injuries have decimated them to the point where they are one of the worst teams in the league. Their most recent injury came to running back Matt Breida (ankle), who has already been ruled out for Week 14. Wilson did a nice job after Breida went down against the Seahawks, carrying the ball 15 times for 61 yards and catching eight of nine targets for 73 yards. He’ll likely get all the work he can handle Sunday, making him an extremely appealing option in tournament play based on his cheap price on both sites.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Keenan Allen vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,400
The Chargers were involved in a high-scoring affair against the Steelers last week, resulting in Allen catching 14 of 19 targets for 148 yards and a touchdown. He’s really started to turn things on down the stretch, hauling in 42 of 57 targets for 490 yards and four touchdowns across his last five games. That recent hot streak has left him just four yards shy of reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight year. Expect him to blow past that number against the Bengals, who have allowed the second-most passing yards per game (280) and 26 passing touchdowns.
Chris Godwin vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,900
Godwin had one of the best games of his young career last week against the Panthers, catching five of six targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. It was certainly a favorable matchup against a porous Panthers secondary, but Godwin was also heavily involved because of the absence of DeSean Jackson (thumb). He was actually on the field for a season-high 80 percent of the Bucs offensive snaps. If Jackson is unable to play again in Week 14, Godwin is an excellent target against a Saints team that has allowed the third-most passing yards per game (279).
Courtland Sutton vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,500
The Broncos certainly don’t have an electric passing attack, but Sutton was productive in Week 13 with four catches on seven targets for 85 yards and a touchdown. He’s already received an expanded role after the Broncos traded Demaryius Thomas to the Texans and will be even more involved now after Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles) was placed on IR on Wednesday. This could be a dream matchup against the 49ers, who have allowed 27 passing touchdowns and picked off just two passes all season.
TIGHT ENDS
Zach Ertz vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $6,400
The Eagles came away with a big divisional win against the Redskins last week, a game that saw Ertz catch nine of 10 targets for 83 yards. That marked the eighth game this season that Ertz has received at least 10 targets and his sixth with at least nine receptions. The Cowboys have had trouble slowing down tight ends this season, allowing 725 yards and five touchdowns to the position. That included Ertz destroying them in Week 10 for 14 catches, 145 yards, and two touchdowns. It will certainly be difficult for Ertz to duplicate those numbers, but he still has an extremely high floor.
Vance McDonald vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,800
McDonald isn’t exactly on a roll right now with 28 receiving yards or fewer in four of his last five games. However, he received at least five targets in four of those five contests and also recorded touchdowns. The presence of Jesse James does eat into some of McDonald’s playing time, but he’s received 56 targets this year compared to just 35 for James. If you want to take a risk on a cheaper tight end in tournament play, the Raiders have allowed 896 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to the position this year.
DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS
Denver Broncos vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $3,600
Don’t look now, but the Broncos have won three straight games. Two of those victories were even against tough teams in the Chargers and Steelers. They have been winning on not only the strength of their running game but also their defense, which allowed a total of 49 points across those three games. They’ve also done a great job of creating turnovers during their winning streak with five interceptions and four fumble recovers. With all of the injuries that the 49ers have on offense, the Broncos defense has a favorable chance to keep things rolling again Sunday.
New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $2,500
The Giants allowed 27 points in their overtime victory against the Bears last week, but they did post five sacks, one fumble recovery and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. They took advantage of backup quarterback Chase Daniels and will face another backup in Mark Sanchez on Sunday, who has only been on the Redskins roster for a couple of weeks. The loss of safety Landon Collins (shoulder) is a huge blow for the Giants, but with all of the injuries the Redskins have suffered on offense, they should at least be considered in tournament play.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – TE/DEF/ST
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
Another tight end option is off the board with Jack Doyle (kidney) on IR, but the position is still fairly deep with no teams on a bye during Week 13. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players, and defenses/special teams, to target or avoid as you create your DFS entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
CASH CONTEST OPTIONS
Travis Kelce vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,000
The high-scoring affair between the Chiefs and Rams certainly resulted in a productive performance from Kelce. He received a season-high 14 targets, catching 10 of them for 127 yards and a touchdown. That marked Kelce’s fifth game of the year with at least 10 targets and the fourth time he compiled at least 100 yards. He’s also reached the end zone four times across his last four contests.
Kelce was already one of the best tight ends in the league, but his production has risen to the next level with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. He already has 67 receptions for 914 yards across 11 games after finishing with 83 catches and 1,038 yards all of last season. Even with all the weapons that the Chiefs have on offense, he still leads the team with 101 targets. Kelce is expensive, but he also has the highest floor of anyone at his position.
Jared Cook vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,700
This season can’t end soon enough for the Raiders. They lost again in Week 12 to the Ravens, marking their sixth loss in their last seven games. They allowed 34 points, which didn’t exactly do their injury-depleted offense any favors. Cook is one of the best pass catchers that they have left, but he caught only two of his five targets for 32. He did somewhat salvage his performance, though, with one of those catches resulting in a touchdown.
Even with their lack of talent at wide receiver, Cook hasn’t been on the field for more than 62 percent of the Raiders offensive snaps in any of their last five games. On the bright side, he does have three touchdowns during that stretch, two of which have come across his last two games. The Raiders might be forced to throw the ball a lot to keep up with the Chiefs, whose defense has actually allowed the most receiving yards to opposing tight ends (812) in the league. This could be a matchup to exploit with Cook.
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,400
The Seahawks won last week against the Panthers, but their defense did not play well. Christian McCaffrey ate them alive, leading the Panthers to score 27 points. The Seahawks did grab an interception, but they failed to record a sack for the first time this year. With that performance, the Seahawks have now allowed at least 24 points in three consecutive games.
Even though Week 12 wasn’t great, this is about as good of a matchup as you can get for the Seahawks defense. The 49ers only scored nine points against a horrible Bucs defense in Week 11 and will again roll with Nick Mullens at quarterback. After his impressive debut against the Raiders, Mullens has four interceptions and two touchdowns across his last two games. Add in the fact that the Seahawks are at home and they have the potential to be the chalk defense play in DFS.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
David Njoku vs. Houston Texans
Stadium = NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,300
Njoku has been battling a knee injury but had the benefit of a bye in Week 11. That allowed him to log 67 percent of the Browns offensive snaps in Week 12, resulting in him catching all five of his targets for 63 yards and a touchdown. He’s already surpassed his totals in targets, receptions and receiving tards from his rookie season and could be in line for a productive finish with the changes the Browns have made to their coaching staff.
The key for Njoku for this game against the Texans will be his health. The Browns have continued to take a cautious approach with him in practice, but all indications are that he will be fine for Sunday. The Texans generally have good numbers defending against the pass, but they’ve had trouble with tight ends, allowing 725 yards and six touchdowns to the position. At his reasonable price on both sites, Njoku makes for a great option in tournament play.
Cameron Brate vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $3,700
Brate has had a limited role in the Bucs offense, but all that changed when O.J. Howard (ankle/foot) was lost for the season. In his first game as the team’s top tight end, Brate was on the field for 70 percent of their offensive plays in Week 12. The only skill player with a higher percentage was wide receiver Mike Evans (79 percent). He wasn’t overly involved with just four targets, but he did catch three of them for 26 yards and a touchdown.
The yardage total last week wasn’t what you were hoping for from Brate, but the key is how often he was on the field. The Bucs also won 27-9, so it’s not like they had to throw the ball a lot late in the game. They’ll face a much tougher task this week against a Panthers team that scored 42 points on them in Week 9. One way to attack the Panthers is through the use of the tight end as they have allowed 713 yards and nine touchdowns to the position.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – TIAA Bank Field
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $2,600
The strength of the Colts is quarterback Andrew Luck and their offense, but their defense hasn’t been as bad as initially predicted at the start of the season. While their performance in Week 11 against the Dolphins wasn’t a total flop, it wasn’t great, either, with them allowing 24 points and recording just one sack.
These two teams just faced off in Week 10 but under very different circumstances. Leonard Fournette will have to miss their rematch due to a suspension and the Jaguars have benched Blake Bortles at quarterback. Having Carlos Hyde and T.J. Yeldon does somewhat help offset the loss of Fournette, but Cody Kessler doesn’t exactly instill a lot of confidence at quarterback. If you want to save a few bucks at defense, the Colts are at least worth considering.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Jimmy Graham vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,000
Graham is dealing with a fractured thumb, but he still managed to play last week against the Vikings. However, he was only on the field for a season-low 42 percent of the Packers offensive plays. He finished with just two catches for 34 yards on four targets and will have to deal with the injury again Sunday. The Cardinals defense has done a good job slowing down tight ends already, so this is a situation to stay far away from with Graham.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $4,200
DraftKings = $2,800
The Ravens took advantage of the Raiders poor offense last week, recording three sacks and returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Add in their punt return touchdown and the Ravens came through in a big way. However, they did still allow 17 points and those were their first defensive and special teams scores of the season. This will be a much tougher task on the road against a Falcons team that averages 30 points a game at home.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – Running Backs
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
We’ve passed the last bye weeks of the season, so Week 13 will bring a full slate of games in the NFL. With plenty of options to wade through, let’s dive right in and highlight a few running backs that stand out with favorable matchups, and a couple to avoid. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
CASH CONTEST OPTIONS
Kareem Hunt vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $7,800
With all of the prolific passing numbers put up by the Chiefs and Rams in Week 11, Hunt didn’t get a lot of work on the ground. He did make the most of his opportunities, carrying the ball 14 times for 70 yards. His involvement in the passing game wasn’t great, either, but he did turn his four targets into three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. With that score, Hunt already has 14 total touchdowns.
There are few running backs with as high of a floor as Hunt. Not only does the Chiefs offense put him in a lot of great positions to score touchdowns, but he is averaging 109.3 total yards per game. The Raiders have allowed the most rushing yards per game (151.4) in the league, so expect Hunt to have another excellent performance Sunday. The only cause for concern with him is if the Chiefs jump out to a big lead and rest Hunt in the fourth quarter. However, if they do score a lot early, it could be in large part because of Hunt’s efforts.
Christian McCaffrey vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
Draft Kings = $8,800
McCaffrey couldn’t have looked any more dominant than he did last week against the Seahawks. They had no answer for him on the ground, allowing him to rack up 125 yards and a touchdown on just 17 carries. Things were equally as impressive for McCaffrey in the passing game, catching all 11 of his targets for 112 yards and another touchdown. If you rostered him in DFS or season-long, you likely came away as a winner.
It’s highly unlikely that McCaffrey matches that performance this week, but this is a matchup for him to exploit against the Bucs. They’ve allowed 14 rushing touchdowns this year and four more scores through the air to opposing running backs. When these two teams met in Week 9, McCaffrey finished with 79 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and 78 receiving yards on five receptions.
Aaron Jones vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $6,700
The Packers are slumping right now, but it certainly isn’t due to the play of Jones. He was effective again in Week 12 against the Vikings, rushing 17 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. While his 21 receiving yards weren’t great, it was important that he received five targets. With his role starting to expand as we head down the stretch, Jones has received at least five targets in three straight games.
The talent level seemed pretty obvious with Jones, but it took a while for the Packers coaching staff to give him the lead role. That time is finally here with Jones being on the field for at least 74 percent of their offensive snaps in each of the last three games. There’s no reason to believe that will change this week, setting him up for possibly a career day against a Cardinals team that has allowed the most rushing touchdowns (16) and third-most rushing yards per game (144.8).
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Phillip Lindsay vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,400
Don’t look now, but the Broncos have won back-to-back games against two tough teams in the Chargers and Steelers. Their passing attack has been awful this year, but Lindsay has established himself as a weapon on the ground. Despite receiving just 14 carries in Week 12, Lindsay ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. That’s particularly impressive considering the Steelers are allowing only 4.2 yards-per-carry for the season, overall.
Next up for Lindsay and the Broncos is a matchup against a Bengals team that just lost their starting quarterback for the year and might still be without their best wide receiver in A.J. Green (toe). Their struggles likely won’t be limited to their offense, though, since they have allowed an average of 37.8 points over their last five games. They particularly struggle in the running game, allowing 147.5 rushing yards per game to go along with 14 touchdowns.
Gus Edwards vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800
If you play in season-long fantasy, a player like Edwards coming out of nowhere to play well can help propel you into the playoffs if you were lucky enough to snap him up off waivers. He was heavily involved again Sunday versus the Raiders, carrying the ball 23 times for 118 yards. His usage in the passing game has been non-existent, but it’s hard to argue against his success with 233 rushing yards over two games since assuming the lead running back role.
The key to Edwards’ success might be Lamar Jackson remaining as the Ravens quarterback. With Jackson’s own ability to rush the ball, the duo creates a nightmare for opposing defenses. Initial reports indicate Joe Flacco (hip) isn’t ready to return, so it’s hard to see Edwards’ role fading with Jackson still running the offense. The Falcons allow the third-most yards-per-carry (5.1), making Edwards a potential steal in DFS, especially at his price on DraftKings.
Lamar Miller vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $4,600
Miller burst out for a 97-yard touchdown run in Week 12 against the Titans, helping propel him to 162 rushing yards for the game, overall. He only received 12 carries, but it marked the third time in his last five games that Miller rushed for at least 100 yards. It’s no coincidence that he ran for a touchdown in each of those contests, which accounted for all three of his rushing touchdowns this season.
Miller is peaking at the right time for Texans, which has helped them reel off eight straight wins after starting out 0-3. Alfred Blue does cut into his carries, but Miller has been on the field for at least 62 percent of the Texans offensive snaps in five of his last six games. During that stretch, Blue didn’t log more than 48 percent of their snaps in any contest. The Browns have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (131.8) to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns, making Miller a great target in tournament play.
Jalen Richard vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,300
Looking at Richard’s line from Week 12 doesn’t exactly install a whole lot of confidence in playing him for Week 13 in DFS. He only had one carry for one yard and caught two of four targets for an additional 15 yards. The Raiders were down big early, but Richard still couldn’t get much going in the passing attack with the Raiders having to throw a lot in an attempt to catch up.
If you want to roll with Richard, make sure you do so with the understanding that he won’t provide much in terms of rushing yards. He did post 61 yards on the ground in Week 11 against the Cardinals, but that’s more than half of his total for the entire year. His main source of value is in the passing game with a career-high 53 receptions on 63 targets. The Raiders should have to throw a lot in an attempt to keep up with the Chiefs high-powered offense, meaning Richard might be more involved then their primary rusher, Dough Martin, who only has 17 targets all year.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Tevin Coleman vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,500
Coleman was completely shut down on the ground by the Saints last week with only six yards on eight carries. His three catches for 17 yards weren’t great, either, but he somewhat salvaged his line with a receiving touchdown. The Saints have arguably the best rushing defense in the league, so it’s not a surprise that Coleman struggled. Things won’t get much easier for him in Week 13 against the Ravens, who allow the third-fewest rushing yards per game (92.1).
Peyton Barber vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $3,700
Barber has reached the end zone in both of his last two games while racking up 153 yards on the ground. The Bucs have struggled to run the ball most of the season, but that didn’t stop them from giving Barber 18 carries in both of those contests. This isn’t shaping up to be a matchup to exploit, though, against a Panthers team that is allowing just 4.1 yards-per-carry. When these two teams met earlier in the year, Barber had only 31 yards on 11 carries.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 – Wide Receivers
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
With the Vikings and Texans on byes and the Steelers and Giants both playing in prime time games, a lot of the top talent at wide receiver won’t be available for the main slate in DFS for Week 10. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
CASH CONTEST OPTIONS
Michael Thomas vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $8,100
Thomas got off to a blistering start this season with at least 10 targets and 10 receptions in each of his first three games. During that stretch, he had a total of 398 yards and three touchdowns. His production dropped off significantly starting in Week 4 but he rebounded to post 211 yards and a touchdown Sunday in a shootout against the Rams. It’s no coincidence that he received 15 targets, which were his most in a game since Week 4.
The Saints have a great running back duo of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, which could limit Thomas’ production from time to time if the Saints take a run-heavy approach. This could end up being a blowout against a far inferior Bengals team, but don’t shy away from Thomas just because there could be a lot of run calls in the second half. The Bengals allow the most passing yards per game (319) in the league, making Thomas a great option in cash games.
Keenan Allen vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,100
Although Allen hasn’t been as productive as he was last year, it was going to be hard to duplicate the 159 targets that he received in 2017. The good news is he still has 66 targets through eight games, 10 of which came in Week 9 against the Seahawks. Normally a good defense against the pass, the Seahawks allowed Allen to rack up six receptions for 124 yards.
One area of disappointment for Allen has been his lack of touchdowns. He found his way into the end zone in Week 1 but hasn’t scored since. That’s a significant stat for someone who had six touchdowns last year. This could be the week he breaks that streak, though, with the Raiders tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed (19) in the league. In their first meeting this season, Allen was plenty involved with eight catches on nine targets for 90 yards.
Tyler Boyd vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,500
The Bengals found themselves in a high-scoring affair with the Bucs in Week 7, leaving Boyd with a team-high 10 targets. He sure made the most of his opportunities, catching nine passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. After posting 225 total receiving yards across 10 games last year, Boyd already has three games with at least 100 receiving yards this season.
Boyd had already worked his way into a significant role, but he’s now the Bengals top wide receiver with A.J. Green (toe) out for at least two games. Even with Boyd’s emergence, Green is still leading the team with 76 targets, so that’s a lot to make up for. This Bengals might also be forced to throw a ton to keep up with the Saints high-powered offense, potentially setting up Boyd for another monster day.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Mike Evans vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,000
The Bucs scored 28 points against the Panthers in Week 9 and Evans received 10 targets. He must have dominated, right? Unfortunately for his sake, and for the sake of everyone who played him in DFS, Evans actually had a disastrous performance with one catch for 16 yards. That marked the first time this season that Evans has finished with fewer than five receptions and 58 yards in a game.
Don’t overact to one fluky performance. The fact that Evans received 10 targets is the key takeaway. Across the first four games in which Evans received at least 10 targets this year, he averaged 7.3 receptions and 125.6 yards. He scored three total touchdowns in those games, as well. The Redskins have been great against the run this year, but their pass defense is suspect. Both sites dropped Evans’ price tag after last week’s dud, leaving a prime opportunity to take advantage of for your entry.
Cooper Kupp vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $6,400
Kupp had sat out the previous two games due to a knee injury, but he was able to take the field Sunday against the Saints. He certainly wasn’t eased back into action as he was on the field for every one of the Rams offensive plays. Even with so many weapons around him, Kupp had another valuable performance with five receptions on six targets for 89 yards and a touchdown. Although he’s only played in seven games, Kupp has already set a new career-high with six touchdowns.
It was great to see Kupp at full go in his first game back. He’s had a couple of games this season where he’s had to leave early due to injury, one of them was against these same Seahawks in Week 5 due to a concussion. Despite only playing 55 percent of the snaps in that contest, Kupp still finished with six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. At this very reasonable price, Kupp is a great option to consider.
Larry Fitzgerald vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,400
The Cardinals offense has been horrible for most of the year, which has really put a cap on Fitzgerald’s upside. After receiving at least 145 targets in three straight seasons, Fitzgerald only had 41 targets across his first seven games. The Cardinals mercifully fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, which immediately provided positive results for Fitzgerald. In his first game with Byron Leftwich at the helm of their offense, Fitzgerald had eight receptions on 12 targets for 102 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers.
With a bye in Week 9, the Cardinals had even more time to get their new offense up to speed. Leftwich has already stated that he wanted to get Fitzgerald and David Johnson more involved, so don’t be surprised if you see dramatically better production from both players over the second half. Week 10 stands out as an opportunity for Fitzgerald to shine against a Chiefs defense that has allowed the fifth-most passing yards per game (303).
Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,000
The Packers seemed pretty well set at wide receiver heading into the year with the trio of Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Geronimo Allison. As a result, Valdes-Scantling was relegated to a very limited role out of the gate. After injuries started to mount, the Packers had no choice but to turn to their young receiver for production. Not only has he held his own, but Valdes-Scantling has shined in his added playing time with at least 101 receiving yards in two of his last three games.
Valdes-Scantling was already pressing for more snaps, but he has a secure role now with Allison being placed on IR earlier this week. Cobb might carry more name recognition, but Valdes-Scantling could be the Packers number two wide receiver for the rest of the year. With Aaron Rodgers throwing him passes, he’s hard to pass up in tournament play at this cheap price.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
T.Y. Hilton vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,700
The Colts scored 42 points against the Raiders in their last game Week 8, but Hilton was pretty quiet with only one catch on five targets for 34 yards. That marked the fourth time in his six games that Hilton has finished with 50 or fewer receiving yards. The Jaguars defense hasn’t been as formidable this year, but they’ve still allowed the fewest passing yards per game (190). They’ve only allowed nine touchdown passes, as well, leaving Hilton as a very risky option.
Randall Cobb vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,900
Cobb started out the season with 142 yards against the Bears in Week 1, but he has a total of 116 yards across four games since. If it wasn’t for the injury to Allison, there was an argument to be made for Valdes-Scantling to receive more playing time over Cobb. Cobb should be on the field plenty moving forward, but he might not get a ton of passes thrown his way with all of the other options that Rodgers has. If you want to take a chance on a cheap Packers receiver, Cobb is not the one you want.