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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 – Quarterbacks

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Early bird special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

We’re only two weeks into the season, but injuries are piling up across the league. Aaron Rodgers was able to battle through a knee injury Week 2 against the Vikings, but Marcus Mariota was unable to play against the Texans due to an injured elbow. Week 3 brings some good news at quarterback with Carson Wentz set to return for the Eagles. It also brings another opportunity to win some cash in DFS. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you craft your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $7,000

The Chiefs made the decision to move on from Alex Smith during the offseason and give their promising young quarterback in Mahomes a chance to shine. He’s done just that through the first two weeks, throwing for 582 yards and a staggering 10 touchdowns. There was some concern that he could turnover prone heading into the season, but he’s yet to throw an interception. He’s also completed 69.1% of his passes.

This might be the perfect storm for Mahomes. He has a big arm and a ton of talent around him on offense. The Chiefs are also horrible on the defensive side of the ball, which should force him to throw a lot in high scoring games. Not only has Mahomes dominated in his first two contests, but it shouldn’t be overlooked that both of those performances came on the road. He’ll finally get to play at home against a 49ers defense that allowed Matthew Stafford to throw for 347 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2. Mahomes’ price has jumped significantly, but his ceiling is tremendous.

Kirk Cousins vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $6,800

The Vikings came away with a tie against the Packers in Week 2, but Cousins had an impressive performance. After completing just 55.6% of his passes in Week 1, he connected on 72.9% of his attempts against the Packers. He amassed 425 passing yards, marking the fourth time in his career that he has thrown for at least 400 yards in a game. He also chipped in four touchdowns to go along with only one interception.

Cousins had some decent weapons around at times with the Redskins, but nothing like the trio of Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Kyle Rudolph. He’s primed to have an excellent season. Sunday brings an extremely favorable matchup against a Bills defense that has allowed six touchdown passes and has failed to record an interception through the first two weeks. This game might get out of hand early due to the Bills putrid offense, but Cousins still has a high floor.

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $6,500

Garoppolo understandably struggled in the first game of the season against a tough Vikings defense. He only had to attempt 26 passes in Week 2 against the Lions as the 49ers raced out to an early lead, but he completed 18 of those attempts for 206 yards and two touchdowns. His 69.2% completion percentage was on par with the 67.4% mark that he posted in 2017. It should also be noted that he was missing arguably his best pass-catching option in Marquise Goodwin due to a quad injury.

Going up against the vaunted Chiefs offense, expect Garoppolo to throw a ton in this game. The Chiefs defense was lit up by Ben Roethlisberger last week and has allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through the first two weeks. It’s still uncertain if Goodwin will be able to return for this game, but Garoppolo is an excellent option even if he’s missing his speedy receiver.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson vs. New York Giants
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $6,100

Watson looked rusty in Week 1 against the Patriots. He completed only 50% of his passes for 176 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He did chip in 40 rushing yards on eight carries, but it was a disappointing performance based on the lofty expectations that he set for himself last year before going down with a torn ACL. However, he looked more like himself last week against the Titans, completing 68.8% of his passes for 310 yards, two touchdowns and one interception to go along with 44 rushing yards.

Possibly one of the biggest reasons for his disappointing first game was the absence of Will Fuller. For his career, Watson has averaged 35.4 fantasy points per game in the games Fuller has played compared to 17.4 points per game without him. With Fuller’s return for Week 2, Watson thrived. The Giants defense has had plenty of trouble defending mobile quarterbacks this year, allowing Blake Bortles to rush for 35 yards in Week 1 and Dak Prescott to rush for 45 yards last week.  Watson could be in line for a huge performance.

Alex Smith vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $5,800

Smith was set up nicely for a big game last week against a Colts secondary that has plenty of holes. He did complete 71.7% of his passes, but he only finished with 292 yards on 46 attempts. He again didn’t throw an interception, but he failed to throw a touchdown pass, as well.

Smith is going to take care of the football and keep his team in the game most weeks. The problem is, he’s not always a big-play quarterback. He threw 26 touchdown passes all of 2017, but his replacement Mahomes already has 10 through two contests. The good news for Week 3 is that the Redskins are facing a Packers defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks across the first two weeks. They also might be forced to throw a lot to keep up with Rodgers and the Packers offense, making him someone to consider for your entry.

Ryan Tannehill vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $5,300

Tannehill is back and the Dolphins are 2-0. What more could you ask for, right? Well, before Dolphins fans get too excited, they did beat two mediocre teams in the Jets and Titans. You can only beat who’s on your schedule, though, and Tannehill’s return at least gives them some hope to be more competitive this season. He threw for just 168 yards last week, but only attempted 23 passes in what was a convincing win. He did complete 73.9% of his attempts and record two touchdowns.

It’s encouraging that Tannehill has completed at least 70% of his passes and thrown for at least two touchdowns in both games this season. While not flashy, he has some solid receivers around him in Kenny Stills, Danny Amendola, and Albert Wilson. The Dolphins rushing duo of Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore can cause problems, as well. His upside isn’t as high as that of Watson, but Tannehill could be a low-owned player who provides value at this cheap price.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,800

Rivers is off to a fast start, throwing for 680 yards and six touchdowns over the first two weeks. He’s been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league during his career, throwing for between 28 and 33 touchdowns in each of the last five seasons. The problem is that he has to go against the vaunted Rams defense that has allowed an average of 3.9 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through two weeks. Yes, you read that correctly. There will be plenty of weeks that you want to roll with Rivers for your entry, but Week 3 is not one of them.

Dak Prescott vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,100

Prescott got off to a fast start Sunday night against the Giants, throwing a 64-yard touchdown pass to Tavon Austin on the third play of the game. That being said, he only threw for 96 yards the rest of the game. He threw for just 170 yards in Week 1, as well, and is clearly hampered by the Cowboys lack of talent at wide receiver. This team is built around Ezekiel Elliott and their rushing attack, which will likely limit Prescott’s opportunities. The Seahawks defense is not nearly as formidable as it has been in recent years, but Prescott doesn’t have enough upside to warrant consideration for your entry.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 2 – Quarterbacks

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Early bird special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

The NFL started the season on a high note with a weekend full of wild games. The Browns finally ended their losing streak by forcing a tie against the Steelers, Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Buccaneers to a surprising win against the Saints and the Raiders were beaten soundly in Jon Gruden’s coaching return.

We’re right back at it for Week 2, which is highlighted by the Packers against the Vikings and the Patriots facing the Jaguars. It also brings another opportunity to win some money in DFS. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you craft your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 2 - Quarterbacks

Ben Roethlisberger vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $6,900

Coming away with a tie in Cleveland was a disappointing start to the season for the Steelers. There were plenty of concerns about the weather heading into the contest and while it did rain, it was nowhere near the magnitude that was being discussed as a possibility early in the week. Roethlisberger threw for 335 yards but only had a 56.1% completion percentage and one touchdown to go along with three interceptions. He threw more than two interceptions in a game one time in 2017, which was a five-pick performance against the Jaguars.

While his performance wasn’t pretty, Roethlisberger is set up for a nice rebound game in Week 2. He’s been much better at home, averaging 316.6 yards per game there last year compared to 254.4 yards on the road. He also threw 16 touchdown passes across seven home games compared to 12 over eight road contests. The Chiefs secondary leaves a lot to be desired and allowed Philip Rivers to throw for 424 yards and three scores in Week 1. They also have a potent offense, so Roethlisberger and the Steelers might be forced to throw a lot to keep pace.

Philip Rivers vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $6,700

The Chargers came away with a tough loss of their own at home against the Chiefs. They played poorly on defense and special teams, which forced Rivers and their offense to try and play catch up after being down 31-12 after three quarters. Not only did Rivers finish with over 400 passing yards and three scores, but he threw just one pick and had a 66.7% completion percentage.

He was set up for a big game based on the Chiefs weak secondary and has another good matchup against the Bills, who were destroyed 47-3 by the Ravens. Joe Flacco finished that game with only 236 passing yards, but he had three touchdown passes and a 73.5% completion percentage. Flacco never threw more than two touchdown passes in any game last year and his yardage total could have been higher, but he wasn’t needed to throw much late with the game in hand. The Bills do get the benefit of playing this game at home, but Rivers is still an excellent target for your entry.

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $6,000

It’s no surprise that Garoppolo struggled on the road against the Vikings in Week 1. The Vikings allowed the fewest points in the NFL last year. Garoppolo finished the game with only one touchdown, three interceptions, and a 45.5% completion percentage.

Don’t read too much into that performance, there are few defenses in the league that can compare to the Vikings. One of them is certainly not the Lions, who were crushed by the Jets on Monday Night Football. Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold wasn’t needed to throw much based on the score, but he completed 16 of 21 passes for 198 yards and two scores. Garoppolo isn’t overly expensive, but he has a high floor in this matchup.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 2 - Quarterbacks

Alex Smith vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $6,000

Smith wasted no time getting off to a strong start with his new team in a win against the Cardinals. While Adrian Peterson did have a great game on the ground, Smith was no slouch himself. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. It’s no surprise he didn’t throw an interception considering he threw five all of 2017. His 70% completion percentage isn’t out of the ordinary, either, since he has finished with a completion percentage of at least 67.1% in both of the last two seasons.

Like the Chiefs, the Colts have a porous secondary. Andy Dalton didn’t throw for a ton of yards against them with 243 in Week 1, but he did throw for two touchdowns and post a 75% completion percentage. Dalton only had a 59.9% completion percentage in 2017. Smith’s upside isn’t off the charts, but his ability to limit turnovers while also potentially providing value with his legs makes him someone to consider in tournament play.

Case Keenum vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $5,800

It’s wasn’t all rainbows and gumdrops for Keenum in Week 1. He threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns against the Seahawks, but he also had three interceptions after throwing seven all of last season. He did attempt 39 passes, which was more attempts than he had in all but two games last year. His completion percentage was still reasonable, as well, at 64.1%. It was also encouraging to see him have such good chemistry with Emmanuel Sanders so quickly, who caught 10 of 11 targets for 135 yards.

The Raiders defense suffered a tough loss when they traded Khalil Mack to the Bears. His ability to get to the quarterback can cover up a lot of holes in a secondary which entered the season ranked 24th by Pro Football Focus. Keenum has some weapons at wide receiver with Sanders, Demaryius Thomas, and Courtland Sutton, while Philip Lindsay showed he could be an excellent compliment to Royce Freeman in the Broncos backfield. Expect Keenum to cut down on his interceptions in this game while still providing yardage and touchdown upside.

Tyrod Taylor vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $5,900

Well, at least the Browns didn’t lose for once. They could have come away with a big win to start their season, but they clearly should be an improved team. They’ve been a mess at quarterback in recent years, but they have turned to Taylor to provide some stability at the position. He completed just 37.5% of his passes in Week 1, but he provided plenty of value on the ground with 77 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

The Saints defense may have provided the most unexpected flop of the first week, giving up 48 points to Fitzpatrick and the Buccaneers. Don’t count on the Browns matching that point total, but they might be forced to play catchup against the productive Saints offense late in this game. Taylor’s passing contributions can be inconsistent, but when added with his ability to provide rushing yards, he has plenty of upside at this price.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 2 - Quarterbacks

Jared Goff vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $6,300

Goff didn’t have a great performance against the Raiders, completing only 18 of 33 passes for 233 yards. On a positive note, he did throw for two scores without tossing an interception. The Rams have built him a promising wide receiver trio of Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp, but their offense is still led by Todd Gurley. That was clear last year when Goff’s 477 pass attempts were the fourth-fewest for any quarterback who played at least 15 games. The only players who attempted fewer were DeShone Kizer, Jacoby Brissett, and Marcus Mariota. His ceiling isn’t very high, so it might be best to avoid Goff at this price, even though this isn’t a bad matchup.

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,500

Fitzpatrick was likely the biggest surprise of the opening week. Filling in for the suspended Jameis Winston, he torched the Saints for 417 passing yards and four touchdowns. He completed 75% of his passes and didn’t throw a single interception. For good measure, he added 36 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Fitzpatrick is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, but it’s highly unlikely he comes close to matching this performance since he threw three touchdowns in three starts combined last year. He’ll also be facing a much tougher Eagles defense, so even though he’s cheap, I’d stay away from him in tournament play.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 – Quarterbacks

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Early bird special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

The NFL season is finally here! Along with it comes another exciting year of daily fantasy football. We’ll be doing things a little differently as we look to help you fatten your wallet. We’ll be churning out four articles a week, including one each for quarterbacks, runnings backs, wide receivers and a combined piece for tight ends and defenses/special teams.

In each article, we’ll highlight some players that work for cash or GPP contents. We’ll also highlight some players to avoid as your craft your lineup. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 - Quarterbacks

Tom Brady vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $7,200

Brady had another stellar campaign in 2017, finishing with 4,577 passing yards and 32 touchdowns. It marked the sixth time in the last seven seasons that he finished with at least 4,100 yards with the only time he didn’t reach that plateau being the 2016 season when he played only 12 games due to a suspension. He also threw just eight interceptions, marking his fourth-straight season with less than 10 picks.

There has been a lot of talk heading into Week 1 about the Patriots lack of wide receivers with Julian Edelman suspended. Chris Hogan will lead that unit for now, but Brady still has star tight end Rob Gronkowski at his disposal. He also has excellent pass-catching running backs in James White and Rex Burkhead. He’ll get a favorable matchup right out of the gates against a Texans defense that allowed the second-most fantasy points per game last year to opposing quarterbacks. They did add safety Tyrann Mathieu during the offseason, but their secondary is still ranked 25th by Pro Football Focus. Brady is a safe bet to have a productive Week 1.

Drew Brees vs. Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,800

The Saints turned to a more run-heavy offense last season, which resulted in a down performance from Brees. He had a stellar 72% completion percentage, but his 536 pass attempts were his lowest mark since 2009. He also threw just 23 touchdown passes, breaking a streak of nine consecutive seasons with at least 30. On a positive note, he only threw eight interceptions, his fewest since 2004.

The Saints’ running game last year was led by the two-headed monster of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. Ingram will be suspended for the first four games of the season, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Saints relied a little more on the passing game to help spell Kamara. The Saints not only have star wideout Michael Thomas, but they also added Cameron Meredith to go along with Ted Ginn Jr. A healthy Ben Watson could be a sneaky valuable weapon at tight end, as well. The Buccaneers have the 31st ranked secondary according to Pro Football Focus, leaving Brees with a high floor for this contest.

Cam Newton vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $6,900

Although Newton’s 59.1% completion percentage last year was a significant improvement from 2016, it still resulted in his fourth straight season with a completion percentage under 60%. His 3,302 passing yards were his lowest total since 2014 and he threw 16 interceptions compared to 22 touchdowns. He was a tremendous weapon in the rushing attack, though, gaining a career-high 754 yards on the ground. He also finished with six rushing scores and has at least five rushing touchdowns in every season of his career.

Part of the reason for Newton’s poor passing numbers last year may have been due to his lack of weapons. Greg Olsen missed much of the season due to injury and the Panthers were very thin at wide receiver. Olsen enters this season healthy and they added Torrey Smith and rookie D.J. Moore to go along with the emerging Devin Funchess at wide receiver. While Newton might not have as high of a ceiling as Brady and Brees, his ability to run the ball gives him a high floor most weeks.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 - Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $6,400

Rivers is still posting big numbers as he enters his 16th season in the NFL. He finished 2017 with 4,515 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. He also attempted at least 570 passes and had a completion percentage of at least 60% for the fourth straight season. If you play season-long fantasy, he’s one of the more underrated safe bets to provide valuable numbers at the quarterback position.

He enters this season with plenty of weapons around him. Keenan Allen has been one of the best wide receivers in the league and promising young wide receiver Mike Williams is finally healthy heading into this year, providing Rivers with another big red zone target. The Chargers lost Hunter Henry to a torn ACL, but just brought back Antonio Gates, who has developed a great relationship with Rivers over their long careers together. The Chiefs were tied for the eighth-most fantasy points allowed per game to opposing quarterbacks last year and might be even worse in 2018 after trading star cornerback Marcus Peters to the Rams.

Andy Dalton vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,800

Dalton had what may have been the worst season of his career last year. He averaged a career-low 207.5 yards per game and his 59.9% completion percentage was his worst mark since his rookie campaign. He only had 15 combined interceptions in 2015 and 2016, but he threw 12 picks last year.

The Bengals offense could be better this season with Joe Mixon looking to break out in his second season in the league. They still have star receiver A.J. Green to go with an emerging John Ross, who opened some eyes in the preseason. Don’t be surprised if they have a huge Week 1 against the Colts, who have the league’s worst secondary according to Pro Football Focus. At this cheap price, Dalton has the potential to provide significant value.

Case Keenum vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,100

Keenum earned a starting role with the Vikings last year and helped lead them into the playoffs. Although his 3,547 passing yards wasn’t off the charts, he had a 67.6% completion percentage to go along with 22 touchdown passes and just 7 interceptions. The Vikings made a big splash bringing in Kirk Cousins during the offseason, which ultimately resulted in Keenum joining the Broncos.

Keenum had two extremely talented pass catchers with the Vikings in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. He’ll see a downgrade at that position with the Broncos, but Demaryius and Emmanuel Sanders are still a formidable duo. They also drafted the very promising Courtland Sutton and should have a solid rushing attack with Royce Freeman and Devontae Booker. The “Legion of Boom” era is a thing of the past in Seattle as their secondary looks susceptible this year, especially with Earl Thomas still holding out. Even if Thomas does return to the team before this game, Keenum still has some upside in tournament play.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 - Quarterbacks

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Minnesota Vikings
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $5,700

Jimmy Garopplo started off his career with the 49ers in style. He only played in six games, five of which were starts, but he averaged 260 yards per contest. His seven passing touchdowns weren’t great, but he had a 67.4% completion percentage and showed a glimpse of what many believe is a bright future in the NFL. However, he draws a tough matchup this week against a very stout Vikings defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFL last year.  There will be plenty of weeks that you want to roll with Garoppolo for your entry, but this might not be one of them.

Patrick Mahomes II vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $6,000

The Chiefs dealt Alex Smith to the Redskins to replace Cousins, handing over the reins to Mahomes. Selected 10th overall in the 2017 draft, it was only a matter of time before Mahomes took over the starting quarterback job. He has a big arm with talented playmakers around him including Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Kareem Hunt, which should serve him well. However, he could be turnover prone and may go through some growing pains. Although cornerback Jason Verrett has already been lost for the season with a torn Achilles, the Chargers still have an extremely talented secondary and an excellent pass rush anchored by Joey Bosa. I’d much rather take a chance on someone like Dalton rather than Mahomes if you want to go with a cheap quarterback in tournament play.

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

* Cesar Becerra *

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17

As I prefaced the article last week, the final two weeks of the NFL season are often the toughest to digest from a DFS perspective. Last week we didn’t see any teams rest any of their star players, but this week we have an entirely different scenario. We’ve already received reports that the Steelers, Rams, Eagles, Chiefs, and potentially the Vikings and Jaguars are all resting their starters.

We have a few teams like the Vikings, Saints, Panthers, Falcons, Seahawks, Patriots, Steelers,  Ravens, Chargers, Titans, and Bills all still fighting for either their playoff lives of their playoff positioning. Here is a thorough look at what the Week 17 playoff scenarios look like.

 

Vegas

As you’d expect with all the late news about teams sitting their star players we’ve seen a lot of movement within the Vegas lines. The largest line movement of the week was a 10 point swing with the 49ers going from +6.5 underdogs to a -3.5 favorite. The following are the biggest shifts in the Vegas lines Browns (+14.5 to 7), Colts ( +o to -5.5), Cowboys (+1 to -3), Seahawks (-7.5 to -10), and Jags (+5 to +3).

Despite the line movements, there are still seven teams that are more than a touchdown favorite, the Patriots (-16.5), Vikings (-13), Seahawks (-10), Ravens (-10), Chargers (-7.5), Steelers & Saints (-7). Most of these teams also sit with the highest implied team total starting with the Patriots (30). Followed by Saints (28.25), Vikings (26.25), Ravens (25), Lions (24.74), Chargers (24.75), Falcons (24.5), Seahawks (24.25), and 49ers (23.25).

There aren’t many games with incredibly high over/under with only two games sitting with a game total over 45, (NO @ TB 49.5) and (ATL @ CAR 45). There are 8 games  (CIN @ BAL 40), (CHI @ MIN 39.5), (WAS @ NYG 39.5), (DAL @ PHI 39), (ARI @ SEA 38.5), (KC @ DEN 38.5), (CLE @ PIT 36.5) with game totals of 40 points or less, which leaves game stacks hard to come by for this slate.

This data was taken as of Friday afternoon, but as always, you should always check back at Vegas Insiders on Sunday morning.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17 - Lineuplabs.com

Russell Wilson (DK $6,900) – Wilson might be the safest play at quarterback this week, and unfortunately, he doesn’t come cheap as he is the highest priced quarterback on the slate. But with all these secondary players playing this week, there is a ton of value on this slate. Wilson checks the all the boxes you would ask for during week 17. He has a decent team total (24.25), is playing as a home favorite, and is playing for their playoff lives. He’s facing the Cardinals who rank 8th in aFPA, but Wilson has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league following the Seahawks’ bye this season.

Jimmy Garoppolo (DK $6,700) –  At this point, nothing else can be said other than Jimmy G is the GOAT. He is coming off of a week where he destroyed the best defense in the league by completing 70% of his passes. He has exceeded his value in 3 of his first 4 starts with the 49ers and now faces the Rams who will likely be rolling out second stringers. The matchup doesn’t look great on paper (Rams rank 5th in aFPA vs. QB), but the 49ers offense is white hot right now and if the Rams most of their starters, look for Garoppolo to have a field day to ride into the offseason with a perfect 7-0 record as a starter.

Patrick Mahomes (DK $4,700) – After the news broke that Andy Reid was going to rest Alex Smith in the final regular season game, Mahomes immediately became the best value play at the quarterback position. During the preseason, Mahomes completed  63% his 54 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also showed his athleticism that we saw so much in college with 8 rushes for 44 yards. I’ve noted in the past that the Broncos secondary is not as scary as they used to be (16th in aFPA) and have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns in the league (29). Mahomes will be the chalk for people paying down at QB

Cash:

R. Wilson, J. Garoppolo, C. Newton,  P. Mahomes, K. Cousins, P. Mahomes

GPP:

(all of above), M. Stafford, P. Rivers, T. Taylor, M. Ryan, J. Brissett

Running backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17 - Lineuplabs.com

Alvin Kamara (DK $7,900) – With the news that Bell and Gurley are sitting the high tier at running back is very thin. I also expect Kareem Hunt (7,600), Leonard Fournette (7,100), and potentially Melvin Gordon (7,400) to all sit or be very limited so I will be staying away from them. That makes Kamara my favorite high priced back. Kamara has seen his price dip below 8k for the first time since in five weeks, which is appropriate given that he hasn’t met salary expectations in 3 of the last 4 games. This week the Saints still have an opportunity to clinch the division and are going up against the Bucs who rank 21st in aFPA against running backs. Kamara already destroyed the Bucs back in week 9 when he put up 32.2 DK points and totaled 2 touchdowns with 152 yards.

Kenyan Drake (DK $7,200) – I surprisingly haven’t heard many people talking up Drake this week, so it seems that I will be overexposed to the field this week. Drake has crushed value in 4 of his past 5 games and last week he only got 13 touches because of the game flow. This week the Dolphins are at small underdogs (+2.5) at home against the Bills. The Bills are dead last in aFPA, and Drake smashed them two weeks ago for 23.3 DK points and 113 total yards with one score. Drake is coming in as a sneaky tournament play. I’m not sure if I can play him in cash given the uber chalk  Dion Lewis is $400 cheaper, but I like him as a pivot for tournaments.

Derrick Henry (DK $5,500) – Henry is finally expected to work as the Titans’ featured back with DeMarco Murray expected to either be limited or inactive with an MCL sprain. Football fans have long been waiting for the former Heisman trophy winner to get a full workload and he appears in line for that against the Jags who have a run funnel defense, ranking 25th in aFPA vs. running backs and 9th in aFPA vs. quarterbacks. Henry is the chalk for value running backs this week.

Cash:

A. Kamara, D. Lewis, M. Ingram, C. McCaffrey, D. Henry

GPP:

(all of above), K. Drake, E. Elliott, C. Hyde, A. Collins, J. Williams

Wide Receivers

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17 - Lineuplabs.com

Julio Jones (DK $8,200) – Julio comes in as the chalk this week at wide receiver.  He’s averaging at least 7 targets the past 16 games and is going up against the Panthers who rank 30th in aFPA. In Julio’s first time facing the Panthers, he went off for 20.8 DK points with 6 catches for 118 yards. In a must-win game for the Falcons, look for Matt Ryan to force feed Julio like he did last week against the Saints. Julio will be the highest owned receiver, but I don’t mind pivoting to Keenan Allen against the Raiders (22nd aFPA vs. WR) if you’re willing to eat the ownership on Julio.

TY Hilton (DK $5,900) – Hilton is the other chalk wide receiver. He’s coming off of a 6 catch, 100-yard performance against the Ravens who are a top 10 team against defending wide receivers. Hilton now gets the Texans who are dead last in aFPA to wide receivers. Earlier this season Hilton torched the Texans for 37.5 DK points on 5 catches for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hilton has 29 targets in the past 4 weeks of tough matchups (Baltimore (12), Broncos (7), Bills (4), & Jags (6). He is 48 yards shy of his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season, so I expect Brissett to feed him the ball.

Randall Cobb (DK $4,700) – With the reports that Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson will be out week 17, that makes Cobb the new number 1 target for Brett Hundley. Cobb has 29 targets in the past 3 weeks, and the supporting cast will feature Geronimo Allison (3,200) and Michael Clark (3,000). Cobb should be a lock to see double-digit targets and goes up against the Lions who rank 26th in aFPA.

Cash:

J. Jones, K. Allen, A. Green, T. Hilton, M. Goodwin, D. Baldwin, M. Jones, M. Thomas

GPP:

(all of above), J. Crowder, R. Anderson, R. Cobb, J. Doctson, W. Fuller, D. Amendola

Tight End

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17

Rob Gronkowski (DK $7,000) – Gronk earns a $2M bonus if he accomplishes either of these stats. 11 catches for 80 on the season or 116 yards to reach 1,200 for the season. #NarrativeStreet.

Greg Olsen (DK $5,600) – Greg Olsen has seen a total of 18 targets in his last two games since returning from injured reserve. In that span, he has 12 catches for 143 yards and 1 touchdown. This week he faces the Falcons in a pivotal game for the Panthers to clinch the division. Olsen could see anywhere between 6-10 targets against the Falcons who rank 14th in aFPA.

Vance McDonald (DK $2,700) – In the past two games where McDonald was active, he has seen 11 targets for 8 catches and 104 yards. McDonald has worked his way into becoming the primary pass catcher over Jesse James and faces the Browns who rank 27th in aFPA to opposing tight ends. In a game that doesn’t feature Ben, Brown, or Bell, Landry Jones could check down to McDonald often.

Cash:

R. Gronkowski, G. Olsen, J. Doyle, C. Clay

GPP:

(all of above), J. Graham, E. Ebron

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 17

Seattle Seahawks (DK $3,400) – I like the Seattle defense to step up big at home in a must-win game against Drew Stanton. They aren’t quite the same legion of boom that they were a few years ago, but they are coming off of their best performance of the season (20 DK points) with 3 turnovers. Stanton hasn’t been awful but did throw 2 interceptions last week against the putrid Giants secondary.

Cash:

Patriots, Seahawks, 49ers

GPP:

Ravens, Vikings, Chiefs

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

The NFL regular season comes to a close this week with playoff positioning still to be determined. While several playoff teams are still battling for seeding, there are some that have nothing left to play for, so there is a chance they could rest their starters. Even with a few stars possibly resting this week, there are still plenty of great options for your daily fantasy football entry. Put your favorite 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**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
DraftKings = $6,700
FanDuel = $7,700

Garoppolo had the most impressive performance of his brief 49ers career in Week 16, throwing for 242 yards and two touchdowns against a tough Jacksonville Jaguars defense. He also chipped in a rushing touchdown, marking his second career game with at least three touchdowns. Not only was it impressive that he played so well against a good defense, but also considering he has very limited offensive weapons around him. The Rams are resting several key players this week with a first-round bye out of each, leaving Garoppolo as someone to consider for your entry.

Kirk Cousins vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $6,200
FanDuel = $7,600

While this has been a disappointing season for the Redskins, Cousins is only three touchdown passes away from setting a new career-high and throwing at least 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career. Week 17 brings an excellent matchup against a Giants defense that is riddled with injuries and playing extremely poorly. The Giants enter Sunday allowing the second-most net passing yards per game (260) and have allowed the most passing touchdowns (32) in the league. Cardinals backup quarterback Drew Stanton managed to throw for 209 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants in Week 16, so the far more talented Cousins might be in for a big day.

Jacoby Brissett vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $6,600

Brissett doesn’t jump off the page as a viable option Sunday as he enters Week 17 having thrown for less than 200 yards in four of his last five games. While he can help out with some rushing yards, he hasn’t of late, posting 36 total rushing yards over his last three games. That being said, he gets a favorable matchup this week against a Texans defense that is tied for the second-most touchdown passes allowed (29) in the league. Brissett threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns against them earlier this season, so he is a viable option if you want to go with a cheaper quarterback.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

LeSean McCoy vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $8,000
FanDuel = $8,200

Despite all their struggles this season, the Bills are surprisingly still in the playoff hunt. With average at best quarterback play from Tyrod Taylor, they will likely lean heavily on McCoy to try and make the postseason Sunday. McCoy continues to rack up yards both on the ground and in the passing game, posting at least 96 total yards in four straight games. One of those games came against these same Dolphins when not only did he have 96 total yards, but he also had two total touchdowns. Expect him to get plenty of touches and provide value again in Week 17.

C.J. Anderson vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Sports Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,900

Anderson is finally getting consistent work for the Broncos as they turn to their rushing attack to cover up their hole at quarterback. Anderson was even heavily involved in the passing game in Week 16, hauling in seven of nine targets for 45 yards. Volume is the key for Anderson as he is averaging 98 rushing yards in the six games that he received at least 16 carries this season. The Chiefs struggle to stop the run and have allowed the fourth-most rushing touchdowns (15) in the league. This is a very reasonable price for Anderson considering his upside.

Derrick Henry vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $5,800

Titans starting running back DeMarco Murray has an MCL tear heading into Week 17 and while he hasn’t been officially ruled out yet, the chances of him playing aren’t great. If he does manage to find his way onto the field, he would likely only play a limited role at best. Henry is in line to see increased carries as a result, something that has been few and far between this season. He only received 11 or more carries in seven games this season but managed to average 75.8 rushing yards in those games. Volume alone makes him a viable option at this price in Week 17.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Field
DraftKings = $8,400
FanDuel = $9,100

It’s amazing to see what Hopkins has been able to accomplish despite all the Texans issues at quarterback this season. Despite catching passes from Tom Savage and T.J. Yates, Hopkins still has 34 receptions for 499 yards and four touchdowns in his last five games. To no surprise, he played well in his previous meeting against the Colts this season when he caught six of 16 targets for 86 yards and one touchdown. The Colts allow the third-most net passing yards per game (255) in the league, so expect another big game from Hopkins on Sunday.

JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $7,300

Smith-Schuster took over as the Steelers number one wide receiver with Antonio Brown (calf) out in Week 16, finishing with six receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown. Brown will be out again in Week 17, leaving Smith-Schuster to get plenty of opportunities to produce. While the Steelers have already clinched a first-round bye, they still have something to play for this week as they try to clinch the number one seed in the AFC. Considering he gets to face the winless Browns, Smith-Schuster could have an excellent performance Sunday.

Jamison Crowder vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $7,000

Crowder only has three receiving touchdowns this season, but they have all come in his last five games. One of those games was against the Giants when he finished with seven receptions, 141 yards, and one touchdown. He’s approaching a bit of a milestone Sunday as he is only four targets away from receiving at least 100 in a season for the first time of his career. With the Giants deficiencies and injuries on defense already detailed, Crowder might be able to end his season with a bang in Week 17.

Keelan Cole vs. Tennesee Titans
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
DraftKings = $5,700
FanDuel = $5,900

To say Cole is finishing the season on a high note is an understatement. With 16 receptions, 393 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his last three games, Cole has been an excellent option at a cheap price in DFS. His price is still reasonable for Week 17, especially considering the Jaguars are still dealing with multiple injuries to wide receivers. With another big role likely on tap, Cole is definitely someone to consider for your entry.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

Antonio Gates vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – StubHub Center
DraftKings = $4,200
FanDuel = $5,700

With Hunter Henry (abdomen) on IR, Gates stepped back into a familiar starting role in Week 16. He had a throwback performance, hauling in six of eight targets for 81 yards and a touchdown. He’ll look to finish off the season strong against a Raiders defense that has allowed the most receiving yards (992) to tight ends this season. The price is right to take a chance that he reaches the end zone again Sunday.

Jack Doyle vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Lucas Oil Field
DraftKings = $4,700
FanDuel = $5,400

Doyle has had an excellent season for the Colts, setting career-highs in targets (103), receptions (76) and receiving yards (652). While he only has three touchdowns, his role in the passing game has still provided him with value. He played well in his previous meeting this season against the Texans, recording eight receptions on nine targets for 63 yards. That should come as no surprise as the Texans have allowed 77 receptions for 884 yards to tight ends this season, both of which put them in the bottom-ten in the league. Expect another solid performance from Doyle in Week 17.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 17

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,200
FanDuel = $4,600

The Redskins defense has been productive lately, recording 16 sacks, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries in their last five games. One of those was against these same Giants, who scored only 10 points in the game. The Giants have even fewer healthy players now as they are dealing with injuries to Sterling Shepard (neck) and Evan Engram (ribs), both of whom are listed as questionable for Week 17. Don’t expect the Giants to be able to score much (if at all) in this game.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
DraftKings = $2,100
FanDuel = $4,000

The Rams are resting up for the playoffs and have already ruled out Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, and some key offensive lineman for Week 17. Sean Mannion will start at quarterback, but only has 16 passing attempts in his NFL career. Malcolm Brown is expected to start at running back and he only has 192 rushing yards on 49 attempts this season. With so many backups taking the field, the 49ers defense might be worth the risk in tournament play at this dirt cheap price.

Draftkings NFL Cash and GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Week 14 is not a pretty slate by any means. This week marks the fourth week in a row that we will be without the Steelers offense and will also be missing the Patriots, Saints, and Falcons. There’s a lot of value found at the running back position, so depending on what you do at that position, it will help you differentiate your lineup. Let’s dive into it.

Vegas

Since Vegas lines have become such a huge part of the DFS community and are where most DFS players start their research, I decided to write up a portion outlining the big Vegas numbers. All Vegas totals will be taken from Vegas Insider page on Wednesday.

As if Wednesday night there is no current game lines on the Lions at Bucs and Colts at Bills. Outside of that, this week doesn’t feature any game with a huge spread. The Chargers are the biggest favorite of the week (-6) but still are within a touchdown. The Cowboys (-4), Chiefs (-4), Packers (-3.5), Titans (-3), Texans (-3), Rams (-2.5), Jags (-2.5), Vikings (-2.5), and Jets (-1) are all very marginal favorites this week.

This week doesn’t feature a lot of teams with extremely high team totals. There are nine teams currently implied to score more than three touchdowns, headlined by the Chargers with a team total of 26 points. The Chiefs (25.75), Rams (25.25), Titans (23.5), Texans (23.5), Cowboys (22.75), Eagles (22.75), Bengals (22.25), and Packers (22) round out the teams implied to score more than 21 points.

In regards to game totals, there are three game totals over 45 points. The Eagles at the Rams lead the list with a 48 over/under, followed by KC @ OAK (47.5), and LAC @ WAS (46). Of these three games, the Eagles and Rams game has seen the largest total movement with a 3 point drop from the opening 51 game total.

As with every week, check pack the Vegas Insider page on Sunday morning to get the latest Vegas data.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Quarterbacks are very thin this week on the Draftkings main slate. We will be without Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Ben Roethlisberger. Yikes.

Alex Smith (DK $6,500) – I feel like I am chasing my tail after Smith’s 23.48 point performance last week. But I expect most people to flock to Smith due to recency bias and the favorable matchup he has this week against the Raiders. Smith is going up against a Raiders defense that ranks 25th in the league in aFPA. The Raiders are riding a two-game winning streak to put them back into contention for first place in the AFC West, but have faced pedestrian quarterbacks the last two weeks. They held both Geno Smith and Paxton Lynch in check. But before that, they were lit up by Brady (28.6 FP), Cutler (27.4), Taylor (16.7), and Alex Smith (28.68). A lot is riding on this game so Smith will look to snap the four-game losing streak and regain the lead in the West. One stat worth noting if you are playing Smith, with the field, Smith has failed to meet salary expectations 4 of the last six times he was priced at $6,000 range.

Russell Wilson (DK $6,200) – At $6,200 this is the lowest price we’ve seen Russell Wilson since November of 2016. That’s insane when you consider the fact that Wilson leads all quarterbacks in scoring after his bye week. Wilson has been smashing as of late, accumulating at least 24 points in 8 of his last 10 games. Now, this week he’s priced down severely because of his tough matchup on the road against the Jaguars. The Jags rank 1st in the league in aFPA this season and are even more dominant at home than on the road. The Jags have allowed an average of 11.61 Draftking points to opposing QBs at home. When you factor that defense dominance with Wilson’s home/road splits, it doesn’t look like an ideal situation for Wilson. It’s just tough for me to write off Wilson given his production the past 10 games and his dramatic price difference. Wilson is an ideal GPP play to hedge off the field.

Jimmy Garoppolo (DK $5,500) – The lower tier is where I will likely land on quarterbacks this week. Jimmy G got his first start last week and certainly passed the eye test. Although he didn’t throw a touchdown and only scored 11.52 DK points, he completed 70% of his passes and missed the 300-yard bonus by only 7 yards. Outside of that, he looked poised under Shanahan’s offense and was able to cut through the Bears defense with just half a playbook. Now Jimmy G finds himself as a road dog against the Texans who rank 30th in aFPA. The Texan’s defense has struggled this season once JJ Watt went down and this figures to be a close game. I think this game has sneaky shootout potential and like how Garoppolo’s savings round out my lineup.

Cash:

A. Smith, J. Garoppolo, M. Stafford (If active), J. Winston

GPP:

R. Wilson, C. Wentz, J. Goff, B. Gabbert

Running Backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Running back offers a lot of value and the top tier running backs are all in difficult spots.

LeSean McCoy (DK $7,200) – McCoy is the only running back of the top five priced backs that is expected to exceed his implied projected point based on salary. Unfortunately, as I write this, there is no line out for this game due to the Bills not naming their QB starter. But I expect to be a slight favorite at home, which benefits McCoy. McCoy has a seen his price drop to the low $7,000 for the first time since September of this season. He’s received 15 targets in the last four weeks and figures to see more check downs if Perriman is under center. The Colts rank 30th in aFPA to opposing running backs, which is why I boost McCoy slightly over Gurley for the price savings. McCoy is still a wait and see based on the Vegas line, but I like him in the higher tier.

Lamar Miller (DK $5,800) – I mentioned earlier that I like this game as a sneaky shootout. Lamar Miller is in theory in a good spot. He’s a 3 point home favorite and is going up against a 49er defense that ranks 31st in aFPA this season. I would note that Miller has only carried the ball more than 20 times once in his last six games and has yet to eclipse the 100-yard mark this season. The 49ers have only allowed 100-yard rushers to 3 running backs (Gurley, Elliott, and Peterson) this season, so their ranking may be a little misleading.  I do like that Miller is averaging more at least 3 targets the last four games, but he hasn’t entirely been efficient with those opportunities. Miller is a decent cash gameplay if you need the salary relief from the top tier and want to differentiate from the value plays I’ll talk about next.

Giovani Bernard (DK $3,100) – The free square of the week. Bernard is the chalk running back this week assuming Mixon is out this week. He is near minimum price and was slashing through the Steelers defense on Monday night. There’s not much more to say here other than Bernard is near min salary and has 20+ touch upside against a Bears defense that is banged up on the defensive line. If Mixon is out, just lock Bernard in and eat the massive ownership.

Cash:

G. Bernard, T. Gurley, M. Gordon, L. McCoy, L. Miller, R. Barber (Doug Martin inactive), J. Howard

GPP:

K. Hunt, S. Perine, M. Lynch, A. Morris

Wide receivers

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Wide Receivers are where you will more than likely differentiate your lineup. There are good plays at the top and in the mid-range.

DeAndre Hopkins (DK $8,500) – Hopkins is a target monster and is going up against the 49ers who rank 16th in aFPA. Hopkins has received more than 10 targets in 7 of the last 8 games. He’s exceeded value in all but one game this season and should have a big game against the 49ers secondary. If you’re paying up for any wide receiver, don’t over think it.

Josh Gordon (DK $5,500) – Every real football fan was watching Gordon last week to see if he would show any signs of the superstar he was when he first came into the league. Well if you ask me, Gordon looked a bit rusty and had some issues catching some of the balls but saw a significant amount of targets. Last week Gordon went up against a tough Chargers secondary and still saw 11 targets. This week he has what comes across as a dream matchup against the Packers who rank 32nd in aFPA. Gordon will likely be heavily owned given his talent level and his good matchup, I’m just not sold on him yet. I also don’t see how Corey Coleman ($4,100) who led the team in receiving before Gordon was activated completely disappears with 0 catches. I understand why people are on Gordon, but I might be lower than the field on him. 

Sterling Shepard (DK $5,300) – I think he’s my preferred pivot off Gordon. Before his injury that sidelined him for 3 weeks, he was averaging 12 targets in week 7 and 8. Last week he disappointed with only 3 catches, but that was with Geno Smith under center. Now he’s $1,700 cheaper, in a good matchup, and has Eli Manning back under center. He’s going up against the Cowboys who rank 25th in aFPA allowed to wide receivers. I like the Giants to keep this game close, so I expect Shepard to get the volume he saw before he got hurt.

Trent Taylor (DK $3,300) – My favorite punt play at wide receiver. With Jimmy Garoppolo he came up big in what Kyle Shanahan called his “Michael Jordan game given he was puking before the game last week. Sickness and all, the rookie came away with catching 6 of his 6 targets for 92 yards and looked like Julian Edelman for Garoppolo early last year.

Cash:

D. Hopkins, L. Fitzgerald, A. Green, A. Thielen, J. Gordon, G. Tate, S. Shepard, E. Sanders

GPP:

K. Allen, T. Hill, D. Bryant, D. Adams, M. Crabtree, S. Diggs, C. Coleman, G. Tate, M. Goodwin, D. Thomas,

Tight End:

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

A lot of value opens up at tight end this week. As always you can be contrarian by paying up for the studs like Kelce, but this week the way to go for cash games is down at the barrel.

Stephen Anderson (DK $3,200) – Anderson had a breakout game last week against the Titans filling in for Bruce Ellington and Cj Fiedorowicz. Anderson saw 12 targets and caught 5 of them for 79 yards and a touchdown. Anderson was a wide receiver in college and is a freak athlete and will figure to see work out of the slot this week. It’s worth monitoring if Will Fuller will play this week as that may eat into some of his targets. But Anderson should be a popular value play.

Trey Burton (DK $2,900) – Zach Ertz is in the concussion protocol. At this point there isn’t much being reported other than Ertz is with the team. IF Ertz is inactive, this opens up a ton of value at tight end, and Burton will almost be another lock and play. When Ertz missed week 9 against the Broncos, Burton filled in with 2 catches for 41 yards and a touchdown pass.

Cash:

T. Kelce, J.Witten, S. Anderson, T. Burton (Ertz), A. Seferian-Jenkins

GPP:

H. Henry, K. Rudolph, C. Clay, J. Graham

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 14

Cincinnati Bengals (DK $3,300) – I like the Bengals this week as a home favorite against a team that has an implied total of 16.25.

New York Jets (DK $3,300) – The Broncos offensive line is vulnerable right now. That means Leonard Williams will have several opportunities to get to Trevor Siemian.

Cash:

Bengals, Packers, Jets

GPP:

Jaguars, Titans, Vikings