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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 17 – WR, TE, DEF/ST

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

After discussing some quarterbacks and running backs who could be in line for big performances, it’s time to highlight some wide receivers, tight ends and defenses/special teams to target in Week 17. 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.

WIDE RECEIVERS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 17 - WR, TE, DEF/ST

Antonio Brown vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,700

The Steelers late-season collapse has left them needing to win in Week 17 and get some help to make the playoffs. That’s great news for DFS purposes because that means it will be business as usual for Brown and the rest of their starters. Brown destroyed the Saints last week, catching 14 of 19 targets for 185 yards and two touchdowns. He’s been a touchdown machine, in general, totaling a career-high 15 scores for the season. The Bengals have allowed the second-most touchdown passes (31) and the third-most passing yards per game (276) in the league, so look for Brown to thrive again Sunday.

Julian Edelman vs. New York Jets
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $7,600

Edelman was certainly busy last week with Josh Gordon no longer with the Patriots, catching six of 10 targets for 70 yards and a touchdown. He’s received at least 10 targets in six of his last eight games and should be locked in for a huge role again Sunday. The Patriots haven’t had much to play for in the last week of the regular season in recent years, but they do this week as they are still trying to secure a first-round bye. They even have an outside chance of clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Jets have allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game (255), making Edelman an excellent target.

Kenny Golladay vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $6,600

The Lions have struggled to put points on the board, scoring 17 points or fewer in each of their last five games. Golladay hasn’t found his way into the end zone in any of those contests, but that doesn’t mean that you should ignore him in DFS. He’s their top receiving option right now and he still gets plenty of targets. He only had six catches for 58 yards last week against the Vikings, although he did receive 15 targets. The Packers have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, so this could be a great opportunity for Golladay to end his season on a high note.

Jordy Nelson vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $4,900

Nelson was a valuable contributor in the Raiders defeat of the Broncos last week, catching seven of 10 targets for 75 yards. With the Raiders lacking talent at wide receiver due to injuries and the trade that sent Amari Cooper to the Cowboys, Nelson has been one of their main pass-catching weapons. He had plenty of success against the Chiefs in Week 13, posting 10 receptions for 97 yards. Considering how poorly the Chiefs continue to play defensively, this is a prime spot to deploy Nelson in tournament play.

TIGHT ENDS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 17 - WR, TE, DEF/ST

Travis Kelce vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $7,200

Back-to-back losses have put the Chiefs in a position where they still need to win Sunday to clinch their division and gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If they don’t win, then they are going to need a lot of help to achieve both feats. That sets them up to play this game like normal, which is great news for Kelce. He’s only posted 115 receiving yards and no touchdowns across their two losses, but he gets an excellent matchup against the Raiders, who have allowed 998 yards and nine touchdowns to tight ends this year. The last time these two teams met, Kelce torched the Raiders for 12 receptions, 168 yards, and two touchdowns.

Evan Engram vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $5,300

Injuries have put a damper on Engram’s second season in the league, but he’s come on strong with Odell Beckham Jr. (quadriceps) out. Across the three games that Beckham has missed, Engram has 17 receptions for 239 yards. The Cowboys have nothing left to play for in Week 17, so they might rest some of their top defensive players in preparation for the playoffs. The Giants are only playing for a high draft pick, so they might not rush Beckham back for this contest, either. If Beckham sits, Engram has plenty of upside.

C.J. Uzomah vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,500

This disaster of a season is finally getting ready to come to an end for the Bengals. They’ve limped their way to the finish line, losing most of their best skill players on offense. With few options left to throw to, Uzomah caught four of his five targets for 49 yards and a touchdown last week against the Browns. It seems unlikely that the Bengals would push wide receiver Tyler Boyd (knee) to play Sunday, so his absence would once again likely create an expanded role for Uzomah. That would be significant for his production potential since the Steelers have allowed 881 yards and seven touchdowns to tight ends this season.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 17 - WR, TE, DEF/ST

Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $3,700

The Seahawks have nothing left to play for having already secured a Wild Card spot. That might lead them to rest several players on both sides of the ball, but this is still a spot to consider deploying them in DFS. The Cardinals have been one of the worst offenses in the league, scoring 14 points or fewer in four of their last five games. They’ve also allowed quarterback Josh Rosen to be sacked at least two times in each of those five contests.

New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $2,100

The Cowboys have already clinched the NFC East and don’t have the ability to secure a first-round bye, so this is a meaningless contest for them. This is a prime opportunity for them to rest some of their starters, especially Ezekiel Elliott, who already has 304 rushing attempts. If he and quarterback Dak Prescott sit for some or all of this contest, the Giants defense has a chance to excel at home against the Cowboys’ backups.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 15 – WR, TE, DEF/ST

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

We’ve already discussed some of the top plays at quarterback and running back for Week 15 in DFS, so now let’s dive into the rest of the positions and target some of the best options to consider. 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.

WIDE RECEIVERS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 15 - WR, TE, DEF/ST

JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Smith-Schuster came away with another monster performance last week against the Raiders, catching eight of 12 targets for 130 yards and two touchdowns. With opposing defenses focusing their efforts on Antonio Brown, Smith-Schuster has been able to record seven games with at least 100 receiving yards this season. In fact, he has 91 receptions and 1,234 yards compared to 86 receptions and 1,063 yards for Brown. However, Brown has the edge in touchdowns with 12 compared to six for Smith-Schuster. This could be a high-scoring game against a Patriots offense that finally has a healthy complement of skill players, leaving Smith-Schuster with a high floor once again.

Tyler Boyd vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $5,700

It’s hard to get too excited about the Bengals’ passing attack with both Andy Dalton (thumb) and A.J. Green (foot) on the shelf. Jeff Driskel hasn’t exactly played well since taking over for Dalton, throwing for 406 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception over two games. Boyd hasn’t been able to find his way into the end zone, but he has been active with nine catches for 149 on 14 targets during that stretch. This is a favorable matchup against a Raiders defense that has allowed the most passing touchdowns (31) in the league, making Boyd a viable option despite Driskel’s lackluster play.

Robert Foster vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,300

The Bills were already extremely thin at wide receiver when they decided to release both Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes. Zay Jones is now their top receiver, but Foster also has a much larger role. He logged 96 percent of the Bills’ offensive snaps in Week 14, catching seven of eight targets for 104 yards. Actually, that marked the third time in the last four games where he racked up at least 94 yards. Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen isn’t a very accurate passer, but the amount of targets that Foster should receive makes him a viable cheap option in tournament play.

Jordy Nelson vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,200

Nelson seems to be over his battle with a knee injury, logging at least 90 percent of the Raiders’ offensive snaps in each of their last three games. He couldn’t get much going against a tough Ravens defense in Week 12, but he’s amassed 16 receptions for 145 yards across his last two games. With the Raiders short on talent after trading away Amari Cooper, Nelson received 18 targets during their last two contests. The Bengals allow the fourth-most passing yards per game (274) in the league, leaving Nelson as an intriguing cost-effective option for your entry.

TIGHT ENDS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 15 - WR, TE, DEF/ST

Rob Gronkowski vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $5,800

When Gronkowski is healthy, his upside is off the charts. The problem is, that’s been a rare occurrence this season. The good news for the Patriots is that he’s healthy right now and might be peaking at the time of the year when it matters the most. He made quick work of the Dolphins last week, catching all eight of his targets for 107 yards and one touchdown. That was his first 100-yard game since Week 1. Although he only has three touchdowns this season, two of them have come in the last three weeks. The Steelers have allowed 853 yards and seven touchdowns to tight ends, potentially setting up Gronkowski for another dominant performance.

Jared Cook vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,600

With the Raiders short on options at wide receiver, Cook has become one of the main weapons in their passing game. He’s already set career-highs in receptions (61), receiving yards (825) and touchdowns (six) with three games still to go. His last two games have been especially productive, catching 14 of 18 targets for 216 yards and a touchdown. Opposing tight ends have racked up 771 yards and seven touchdowns against the Bengals this year, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down Cook.

C.J. Uzomah vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $3,600

Uzomah hasn’t been overly productive with Driskel at the helm the last two weeks, catching eight of 10 targets for 70 yards. However, of all the healthy skill players that the Bengals have left, Uzomah being on the field for 85 percent of their offensive snaps is the second-highest mark on the team behind Boyd. The Raiders have been the worst team in football at defending tight ends, allowing 961 yards and nine touchdowns to the position. At this cheap price, Uzomah’s high snap rate makes him an intriguing tournament option.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 15 - WR, TE, DEF/ST

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – TIAA Bank Field
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $3,400

If you play in season-long fantasy, the demise of the Jaguars’ defense should serve as a reminder to never pay up for defenses early in drafts. They’ve regressed significantly after being one of the most stout units in the league last year, including allowing 30 points to the Titans in Week 14 and 24 points to the Bills in Week 12. Their sacks are down significantly and they haven’t been forcing a lot of turnovers, either. Despite all of that, they are still a great option in Week 15 against a Redskins team that has been decimated by injuries to the quarterback position. It’s to the point where Josh Johnson will start this game. To put that into perspective, prior to his relief effort of Mark Sanchez in Week 14, Johnson hadn’t thrown a pass in the NFL since 2011.

New York Giants vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $2,600

The Giants are coming on strong down the stretch, but it might be a case of too little, too late for their playoff chances. Not only are they scoring more points, but their defense has 10 sacks, five interceptions, a fumble recovery and two touchdowns across their last two games. That came against a Bears team starting Chase Daniels at quarterback and the aforementioned dumpster fire that is the Redskins’ quarterback situation, but at least they took care of business. The Titans offense isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, either, averaging just 19.3 points per game, leaving the Giants a viable option in tournament play.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 – Wide Receivers

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

Reader-only special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.

A lot of the top stars at wide receiver won’t be available for the main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 8. Adam Thielen, Julio Jones, Keenan Allen, Michael Thomas, and DeAndre Hopkins are among the players who are either on a bye or playing in prime time games. That being said, there is still plenty of talent available across the price scale.  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

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,500

Brown received a season-low six targets in Week 6, but he hauled in five of them for 105 yards and a touchdown. That marked Brown’s second consecutive game with at least 100 receiving yards and the fifth time in six contests that he found his way into the end zone. With six total touchdowns this season, he is only three scores away from matching his mark from all of last season. Even with being on a bye last week, Brown’s 72 targets rank sixth-most in the league.

Brown was able to take advantage of the Browns during their first meeting in Week 1, catching nine of 16 targets for 93 yards and a touchdown. The Browns have only allowed nine touchdown passes while generating 11 interceptions, but they have allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game (279). This game being played at home does work in Brown’s favor since his quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has historically played better at Heinz Field. While Roethlisberger has posted similar yardage totals at home and on the road this year, he has seven touchdowns and two interceptions in three home games compared to five touchdowns and four interceptions in three road contests.

A.J. Green vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Even with the Bengals’ offensive struggles in Week 7, Green still put up great numbers. He received a season-high 14 targets, converting them into seven receptions for 117 yards. That marked Green’s third straight game with at least 10 targets and the fourth time this season that he has finished with at least 85 yards. However, he did fail to reach the end zone for the third straight week.

While it is a bit concerning that Green has struggled to score touchdowns lately, he did record five of them across his first four games. He’s also finished with at least eight touchdowns in every season of his career in which he has played all 16 games. This is a prime matchup for him to find his way into the end zone again with the Bucs allowing the most passing touchdowns (18) in the league despite already having their bye week.

Tyreek Hill vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $8,600

Hill didn’t have a great performance yardage wise last week, catching seven passes for 68 yards. His 9.7 yards-per-reception was his second-lowest mark of the season. On the bright side, he still had 10 targets, marking the third time in the last four games that he had at least that many. Also, he scored a touchdown to bring his total to seven for the year, matching his mark from all of 2017.

The Chiefs offense leaves most of their skill players with significant upside with Hill maybe having the highest ceiling of them all. His 15.5 yards-per-reception rank him inside the top 20 in the league and his seven touchdown receptions are more than any other player. The Broncos have been much better at defending against the pass than the run this season, but Hill still has a high enough floor in this potent offense to be worth considering in cash contests.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Wide Receivers

Emmanuel Sanders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $6,500

The addition of Case Keenum at quarterback hasn’t exactly gone as well as the Broncos had hoped for, but he’s certainly provided a significant boost for Sanders. Last year, Sanders caught 47 of 92 targets for 555 yards and two touchdowns across 12 games. Through seven games this season, he has 46 receptions on 61 targets for 601 yards and three touchdowns. He had just a 51.5% catch rate last year, but that mark stands at 75.4% this season.

Sanders did leave their Week 7 game after injuring his ankle, but he’s had extra time to recover with that game being played on Thursday. All indications are that he should be able to play Sunday and the Broncos will certainly need him to try and keep pace with the Chiefs offense. The Chiefs defense did play much better against the Bengals. but they’ve still allowed the second-most passing yards per game (317).

Tyler Boyd vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $6,700

Boyd was one of the main players to suffer from the Bengals 10-point performance last week, catching three of four targets for just 27 yards. It was the first time this year he received less than five targets in a game and his three receptions were also his fewest since Week 1. He’s been a bit boom-or-bust, posting two 100-yard performances, but also recording three contests with fewer than 50 yards.

The Bengals continue to be short on pass-catching options with Tyler Eifert out for the season and John Ross unlikely to play in this game. That should be great news for Boyd because not only do the Bucs give up a ton of touchdowns, but they’ve also allowed the most passing yards per game (328). Boyd has been on the field for at least 93% of the team’s offensive snaps the last two weeks, so don’t be surprised if he has one of his best performances of the season Sunday.

Christian Kirk vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $4,500

The Cardinals offense is a disaster. They’ve scored fewer than 20 points in all but one game this season, which finally led to the firing of offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. Byron Leftwich now takes over the offensive reins, so it might take a couple of games to see how his play calling shakes out. That being said, it can’t be any worse than things were under McCoy’s tenure.

One player who has played fairly well despite the team’s struggles in Kirk, who has been on the field for 74% of their offensive snaps this season. He’s finished with at least 57 receiving yards in four of his last five games and has received at least five targets in five of his last six. Their offensive futility has resulted in him scoring only one touchdown, but that score did come against these same 49ers in Week 5. The 49ers defense has allowed 16 touchdown passes and recorded just one interception, so this looks like an opportunity to take a chance on Kirk in tournament play.

Jordy Nelson vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $4,700

This season has been a lost cause for the Raiders. The team traded away their best defensive player in Khalil Mack just before the start of the year and now they have dealt Amari Cooper to the Cowboys. Add in the fact that Marshawn Lynch was just placed on IR and this offense is severely lacking playmakers.

One of the last men left standing is Nelson. Outside of his 173-yard performance in Week 3, Nelson hasn’t finished with more than 50 receiving yards in another game this year. The good news is that he does have three touchdowns and he was tied with Cooper with 31 targets, so he could be even more involved moving forward. The Colts have been scoring in bunches of late, so the Raiders might need to lean on Nelson and the passing game to keep pace.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8 - Wide Receivers

Sammy Watkins vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,600

Watkins is coming off one of his better performances of the season in Week 7, catching four of seven targets for 74 yards. He has upside, but he also is very inconsistent, finishing with 21 yards or fewer three separate times. Hill and Travis Kelce are the clear top receiving options for the Chiefs, with both having at least 60 targets compared to Watkins’ 40. His price on DraftKings is somewhat reasonable based on his inconsistencies, but he’s still risky. Considering Boyd is close to the same price as Watkins on FanDuel, it might be prudent to avoid him all together there.

Marvin Jones Jr. vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,800

The Lions have three talented wide receivers, but they use a ton of three-receiver sets, helping Jones be on the field for 98% of their offensive snaps. With that being said, Jones’ 37 targets are third behind Golden Tate (57) and Kenny Golladay (43). Jones is only averaging 45 receiving yards per game, as a result, which is a far cry from his career-high 68.8 yards per game last year. The Seahawks have allowed the third-fewest receiving yards per game (206), leaving Jones with very little upside.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 – Wide Receivers

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

There were 20 wide receivers who came away with at least 100 receiving yards in Week 4, including four that had over 160 yards. There are plenty of great matchups in Week 5 to exploit, as well. 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

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Wide Receivers

Julio Jones vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,500

After scoring a measly three touchdowns in 2017, Jones has failed to reach the end zone across the first four games this year. The Falcons have only targeted Jones three times inside the red zone, which equates to 13.6% of their opportunities. To put that into perspective, other star receivers around the league who have received a higher percentage include Jarvis Landry (60%), Davante Adams (44.4%) and A.J. Green (36%).

The good news is that Jones has already amassed 29 receptions for 502 yards. His 46 targets are tied for fourth-most in the league. This should be a high-scoring game between two teams that have potent offenses and porous defenses. Jones might continue to struggle to score touchdowns, but with all the targets he receives, he still has a high floor in DFS.

Adam Thielen vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $7,700

Like Jones, Thielen struggled to find the end zone last year with only four scores despite hauling in 91 passes. Unlike Jones, Thielen hasn’t had similar issues this season, recording two touchdowns already. Although the Vikings have another extremely talented wide receiver in Stefon Diggs, it hasn’t stopped Thielen from leading the league with 56 targets. He hasn’t let those opportunities go to waste, posting 40 receptions for 473 yards.

Diggs might have the higher touchdown upside, but there is plenty of room within this offense for both players to be extremely productive every week. If anything, having the two of them makes it so opposing defenses can’t key in on either one of them. The Eagles defense has been stout against the run, but they are vulnerable in the passing game. Start Thielen with confidence.

JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,500

Smith-Schuster is coming off of his quietest performance of the season in Week 4, catching four passes for 60 yards. On a positive note, he did receive 11 targets in that contest and has received at least eight targets in all four games. His 49 total targets rank third in the league behind Thielen and his own teammate, Antonio Brown. Smith-Schuster’s 416 receiving yards also rank eighth, significantly ahead of Brown’s 272 yards.

Having Brown playing alongside him certainly takes some of the pressure off of Smith-Schuster. The Steelers are also still without the services of Le’Veon Bell, who catches a ton of passes out of the backfield. Based on how poorly the Steelers defense has played, they’ve had to throw the ball a lot to try and keep pace offensively. Scoring should be abundant in this contest, leaving Smith-Schuster with significant upside.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Wide Receivers

Tyler Boyd vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,700

The Bengals offense has been firing on all cylinders this season, scoring at least 34 points in three of four games. Andy Dalton has been a different quarterback, averaging 299.3 passing yards per game compared to 207.5 passing yards per game in 2017. One of the main beneficiaries of their offensive explosion has been Boyd, who has at least 91 receiving yards in three straight games. He received a staggering 15 targets in Week 4, hauling in 11 of them for 100 yards.

With defenses having to worry about A.J. Green, Boyd has shown he can be a viable secondary receiver. He should be even more heavily involved going forward after the Bengals lost tight end Tyler Eifert for the season due to an ankle injury. Eifert had 15 receptions on 19 targets so far this year. The Dolphins have allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game (285) heading into this matchup, making Boyd an excellent play at this reasonable price.

John Brown vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,600

Speaking of offenses who have been far more productive this season, the Ravens are averaging 30.8 points per contest. Injuries contributed to Brown appearing in only 10 games last year and he posted a dismal 38.2% catch rate when he was on the field. The Ravens added Michael Crabtree and Willie Snead to their wide receiver corps this year, but the emergence of Brown might be the biggest reason for their improved scoring output. His 50% catch rate still isn’t great, but his average of 22.5 yards per reception has helped him total 338 yards and three touchdowns.

Week 5 brings a matchup against a Browns team that has made some improvements on defense but was destroyed by Derek Carr last week for 437 yards and four touchdowns. Michael Crabtree leads the team with 36 targets, but he doesn’t have nearly the explosive upside that Brown does, averaging 10.2 yards per reception. If you plan to utilize a Ravens stack with Flacco as your quarterback, Brown is the top choice to pair with him in tournament play.

Dede Westbrook vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,700

Westbrook hasn’t had the most consistent of starts. He has posted 51 receiving yards or fewer in two of four games, but he recorded at least 82 yards in both of the other two contests. A lot of that falls on the shoulders of Blake Bortles, who threw for fewer than 180 yards in both of Westbrook’s unproductive games. The good news for Westbrook is that he leads the team with 28 targets.

The Jaguars have a great defense, but they will be tested this week by the Chiefs. If they can’t hold down Patrick Mahomes and company, the Jaguars might be forced to throw the ball more than usual. The loss of Leonard Fournette to a hamstring injury won’t help their running game, either. Westbrook doesn’t carry a lot of touchdown potential, but he should get enough passes thrown his way to be a viable option for your entry.

Jordy Nelson vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,500

Nelson’s first two games as a Raider did not go well, catching five of eight targets for 53 yards. He had his first big performance with his new team in Week 3, catching six passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. That yardage total was certainly a fluke and he came back down to Earth with 48 yards in Week 4. However, he chipped in another touchdown reception and received eight targets for the second time in as many weeks.

Amari Cooper is clearly the top wide receiver for the Raiders, but he hasn’t exactly been reliable, either. One player who has emerged as a productive part of the passing game is tight end Jared Cook, who already has 370 receiving yards after finishing with 688 yards in all of 2017. The Chargers defense hasn’t lived up to expectations so far this year, allowing 10 touchdown passes through the first four weeks. Nelson is very much a boom-or-bust option, but he’s intriguing in tournament play at this cheap price.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Wide Receivers

Larry Fitzgerald vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,700

The normally reliable Fitzgerald hasn’t been immune to the Cardinals offensive struggles, posting only 15 receptions and 141 receiving yards through four games. His streak of three straight seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards is very much in doubt. To make matters worse, he’s currently battling a hamstring injury. Even if he does tough it out and play Sunday, he’ still someone to stay away from when crafting your entry.

Devin Funchess vs. New York Giants
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,200

Funchess emerged as the Panthers top wide receiver last year and is off to another solid start with 14 receptions and 185 yards through three games. The loss of tight end Greg Olsen to yet another foot injury has opened up even more opportunities for Funchess to be productive. Unfortunately for Funchess, he’ll be matched up against standout cornerback Janoris Jenkins on Sunday, who helped limit Saints star receiver Michael Thomas to four catches and 47 yards last week.

Draftkings NFL Cash and GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

We have arrived to the Draftkings championship week. If you are fortunate enough to earn a seat, good luck to you as 200 entries compete for the $2 million top prize. The Draftkings main slate is a unique one this week with only 11 games. There are two games on Saturday along with the usual Thursday Night, Sunday Night, and Monday Night games that are not on the main slate. On top of that, we have six teams (Steelers, Patriots, Jags, Eagles, Rams, and Vikings) potentially able to clinch a playoff berth this week. Let’s dive right in.

Vegas

As a polar opposite of last week’s Vegas stats, this week features three teams that are double-digit favorites. The Saints are a massive 16 point favorite against the Jets. The Vikings are 11 point favorites at home against the Bengals, and the Jags are 10.5 home favorites against the Texans. Outside of these three teams, the Eagles (7.5) and Ravens (7.5) are road touchdown favorites, rounding out the largest spreads of the week.

There are a few games worth targeting this week, starting with the Pats at the Steelers, which has a slate high 53 game total. The Rams at Seahawks, Jets at Saints, and Packers at Panthers all have nice game totals over 47. Outside of those games, there aren’t any games with totals over 45.

As far as implied team totals, the Saints are the clear front-runners with an implied total of 31.75 points. The Pats have the second-best total of 28 points. The Vikings (26.5), Jags (25), Steelers (25), Panthers (24.75) and Seahawks (24.75) round out the top 5 highest implied team totals.

All this Vegas data was taken as of Wednesday night, so I strongly suggest checking back on Vegas Insiders on Sunday morning.

Quarterbacks

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Cam Newton (DK $6,400) – Cam comes into week 15 as one of my favorite quarterbacks of the week. He’s the 6th highest priced quarterback and has a really good matchup at home against the Packers (29th aFPA vs. QBs). We saw Deshone Kizer light up this same Packers secondary last week and scored 19.26 DK points, that’s about Cam’s floor. Cam performs much better as a home favorite opposed to as a  home underdog, and that is the situation he finds himself in this week. His team’s implied total is in the top 5 of the slate (24.75) and I expect this game to be a lot closer than most anticipate. I also love Cam’s rushing upside. Since week 6, Cam has rushed the ball more than 9 times in all but two games. Cam has a nice floor with his rushing upside and has a good ceiling of close to 30 points.

Drew Brees (DK $6,500) – An interesting pivot off Cam would be to pay the extra $100 to get to Drew Brees. Brees isn’t the same Brees we’ve grown to know with the Saints offense constantly throwing the ball 40+ times. Because of the Saints dynamic rushing duo, Brees has failed to meet salary expectations 5 of the last 6 games. Brees has only met salary expectation at home twice this season. All this points to a sneaky gpp play with Brees going up against the Jets funnel defense as they rank 32nd in aFPA to QB’s and are 7th in aFPA to RBs. Brees’ floor is much lower than Newton, but his ceiling always makes him appealing for tournaments.

Blake Bortles (DK $5,700) – Scraping the bottom of the barrel for a value QB is really difficult this week. With the limited number of games, there is a limited number of value quarterbacks on the slate. I’m more than likely going to stay in the midrange ($6,000 – $7,000). But if you are really looking for value, I would say take a look at Bortles. Bortles is coming off of two really decent games in which he combined to throw for 577 yards with 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions (46.58 DK points). This week he faces a horrible Texans defense that ranks 30th in aFPA to opposing quarterbacks. Believe it or not, I may have talked myself into playing Bortles as I’m writing this.

Cash:

C. Newton, C. Keenum, B. Roethlisberger, R. Wilson, B. Bortles

GPP:

D. Brees, T. Brady, A. Rodgers, J. Goff

Running Backs

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Le’Veon Bell (DK $9,300) –  Finally we get the opportunity to roster Le’Veon in the main slate. Bell is the highest priced back, $700 more than Kamara, and at this point, it doesn’t matter. He’s in a league of his own, and the upwards of $9,000 price tag doesn’t scare me. Bell has been priced over 9K almost every game this season and has smashed nearly every week. The past three games, Bell is averaging 33.66 DK points and is averaging over 25 touches per game. Although Bell has only carried the ball more than 20 times once the last three weeks, he’s still seeing double-digit targets and has converted that to over 270 receiving yards in the last three games.

Kenyan Drake (DK $5,800) – Kenyan Drake has been absolutely smashing since Damien Williams went down in week 12. Drake has taken over the Dolphins backfield and has produced better than Gase could have expected. In two games without Williams, Drake is playing 85% of the snaps, has 91% of the rushing attempts and has accumulated 234 yards with 1 touchdown and 8 receptions. He has accumulated 53.4 DK points in those two games. This week he goes up against the Bills defense that ranks 32nd in aFPA to opposing running backs and just got lit up by old man Frank Gore for 130 yards. Drake is the chalk this week.

** It’s worth checking William’s practice status as he is pushing to get back on the field. **

Jerick McKinnon (DK $4,800) – There isn’t a free square value play like there was last week with Gio Bernard, but this week McKinnon might rank as my favorite. McKinnon is the same price as Samaje Perine, who undoubtedly comes with a safer floor given that Washington isn’t utilizing a running back committee but I still like McKinnon. McKinnon is starting to separate himself from Latavius Murray, having played more snaps (53% to 46%) and received more of targets (18 to 8) in the past 4 weeks. Murray still sees the majority of the rushing attempts (60:43), but DK’s PPR format helps make McKinnon more valuable. McKinnon is a huge home favorite against the Bengal who rank 30th in aFPA allowed. I do have some hesitation that if the Vikings get out to a big lead, it could mean more of Murray pounding the ball opposed to McKinnon catching the ball out of the backfield, but I think this game is closer than most anticipate.

Cash:

L. Bell, T. Gurley, K. Drake, G. Bernard, S. Perine, L. McCoy

GPP:

A. Kamara > M. Ingram, L. Fournette, K. Williams, J. Ajayi, J. McKinnon, C. McCaffrey

Wide Receivers

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Michael Thomas (DK $7,400) – Outside of Antonio Brown ($9,100) the next best receiver to hit cash game value is Michael Thomas. He’s one of six active receivers averaging over 10 targets per game in the past month and this week he has a nice matchup against the Jets. The Jets rank 28th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers, and Thomas leads the team in targets with 125 on the season and 9.6 targets per game. Thomas has the better matchup than Hopkins at $7,700 and Thielen $7,600.

Devin Funchess (DK $6,600) – The other highest owned receiver along with Thomas might be Funchess. Funchess has either scored a touchdown or reached the 100-yard bonus each of his last 4 games and now gets one of the best matchups you could ask for against the Packers. The Packers are the worst team in the league against opposing wide receivers, and this game could very well shoot out if Aaron Rodgers suits up. Funchess leads the team in targets (39) since the Panthers traded Benjamin. You don’t always have to pair Cam with any of his receivers because of Cam’s rushing upside, but Funchess would be the ideal stack if you do.

AJ Green (DK $6,500) – AJ Green has seen a crazy price drop and is all the way down to $6,500. Green is a top 5 receiver in the league, and I’ll always be interested in Green at this price point. The problem is that Green is going up against the Vikings who rank 6th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers and will see a lot of Xavier Rhodes. Green may be a risk for cash games considering there is Funches around that price range. But I love getting exposure to him at his price in tournaments.

Jordy Nelson (DK $6,300) – The ghost of Jordy Nelson. He’s had a terrible year, but with the news that Aaron Rodgers could return, that could mean an uptick in targets for Nelson. Unfortunately, his price actually increased above $6,000, so he doesn’t come as much of a bargain. But he should come in at single-digit ownership, which makes for a nice tournament flyer.

Cash:

A. Brown, M. Thomas, D. Funches, A. Green, M. Goodwin, A. Jeffrey, R. Anderson, D. Westbrook

GPP:

A. Thielen, B. Cooks, D. Adams, J. Crowder, D. Baldwin, P. Richardson, R. Matthews

Tight End

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Zach Ertz (DK $6,000) – This week we don’t have the value that we had last week with Ertz missing the game making Trey Burton a plug and play. We’re still waiting to hear if Ertz will play this week, but if he does, he’s substantially cheaper than Gronk ($7,300). Even without Wentz, Nick Foles is a formattable backup quarterback. It doesn’t get much better than a matchup against the Giants who rank 26th in aFPA to tight ends. If Ertz is active, he should be considered the top play at tight end.

Jimmy Graham (DK $4,900) – Graham is an even bigger discount from the high priced tight ends. You can’t deny Graham’s red zone market share, and the matchup against the Rams should be a game that is back and forth. The Rams are respectable against tight ends (12th aFPA), but last time these two faced off Graham went for 15.7 DK points. The sub $5,000 price tag seems reasonable to me.

Vernon Davis (DK $3,900) – Davis might be my favorite punt play. He’s taken over the starting tight end job with Reed being placed on IR. The issue is he’s been relatively quiet the last four games only catching 7 balls for 117 yards. The bright side is that last week he saw his targets jump back up to 7 against the Chargers and he was able to find his way into the end zone. Below $4,000 against the Cardinals (18th aFPA vs. TE), I’ll take my chances here if I need salary relief.

Cash:

R. Gronkowski, Z. Ertz, J. Graham, V. Davis

GPP:

E. Engram, D. Walker, G. Olsen, C. Clay, A. Seferian-Jenkins

Defense

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15

Minnesota Vikings (DK $3,500) – The top five priced defense are all in positive spots. Of the five, I like the Vikings the most given their $1,000 salary savings from the Jags. They’re up against the Bengals who just got embarrassed by the 4-9 Bears. The Vikings are coming off of a disappointing loss and should look to rebound as huge home favorites.

Miami Dolphins (DK $2,700) – If Tyrod Taylor is ruled out on Sunday, that could leave Joe Webb starting for the Bills. Joe Webb showed some potential in the preseason, but the Dolphins defense just put out their best performance of the season beating the Patriots on Monday Night Football. Check the news on Taylor. If Taylor is out I wouldn’t mind taking a flyer on Miami.

 

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 5 Cash and GPP Plays

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

Week 5 brings us the first scheduled bye week (Tampa Bay and Miami week 1 bye week was obviously not scheduled). This leaves us incredibly thin at Quarterback if you are playing the main slate. *Note that Draftkings main slate does not include Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, nor Monday Night Football* This week we’ll be without the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins.

Let’s get to the position breakdown.

Quarterbacks

As I mentioned, QB is incredibly thin if you’re playing Draftkings main slate. With the teams on byes that leaves us without Brees, Ryan, Siemian, and Cousins. Each are quarterbacks who could warrant usage in a week with a solid matchup. The list of available quarterbacks becomes even shorter when you exclude the TNF, SNF, and MNF game. That removes Brady, Winston, A. Smith, and Watson from the slate. So as you can see we are missing quite a few relevant quarterbacks on the main slate. My best advice if you want to get exposure to any of these guys would be to play on the Thurs-Mon slate, but for the sake of consistency, I’ll only address players on the main slate.

Aaron Rodgers (DK $8,100, FD $9,500) – The highest priced QB on both sites and for a good reason. Rodgers comes into the game with the highest over/under at 52.5. The Packers are currently 2 point underdogs implied to score the second highest mark on the slate (25.25). Rodgers has played three of his first four games at home but was able to eclipse the 300-yard mark and throw two touchdowns against the Falcons in week 2. This week the Packers offense should look to rely more on Rodgers’ arm with Ty Montgomery expected to miss the game with a rib injury. Pay up for Rodgers if you can afford him in cash games.

Dak Prescott (DK $6,800, FD $7,700) – Staying in the same game, let’s go to the opposite side of the ball. Prescott and the Cowboys currently have the largest implied team total on the slate (27.25) and are at home against a Packers secondary that has yet to allow a 300-yard passer through the first four games. The Packers secondary has held opposing quarterbacks to an average of 210 yards and 1 touchdown. It is worth noting that three of those four games have been at home and against quarterbacks off to a slow start (Wilson, Dalton, and Glennon). The situation may not seem to be ideal for Prescott, but I expect the Packers secondary to regress a bit, especially with Rodgers needing to throw the ball more. Prescott does have some rushing equity, which could help him reach value. Currently, Dak is projected to score the fifth highest total according to Lineup Labs player pool.

Carson Palmer (DK $5,900, FD $7,200) – If you’re looking for value you may want to consider Carson Palmer, who is currently rated as our second highest points/dollar QB. Palmer is on the road facing the Eagles who have averaged 300 yards and 1.8 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks per game. The Cardinals are about a touchdown underdog so the game script could favor Palmer if the Cards fall behind and he has to throw 40+ times. Consider Palmer a gpp only flyer.

Other options to consider
Matthew Stafford (DK $6,300, FD $7,600) – Stafford is one of the most talented QBs on the slate but has a difficult matchup against the Panthers at home. The Panthers have averaged 211 passing yards and 1.3 touchdowns this season. They have shown vulnerabilities against good QBs, allowing Brees and Brady to combine for 527 yards and five touchdowns the last two weeks.

Brian Hoyer (DK $4,700, FD $6,500) – Again a pure value play that allows you to allocate salary at other positions, but Hoyer is facing a Colts defense that has averaged a touchdown and over 240 in every game this season.

Running Backs

Le’Veon Bell (DK $9,500, FD $9,500) – Finally, the Le ‘Veon we all grew to know and respect made an impact this season. Bell is coming off of a 39 touch game, in which he totaled 186 yards and two touchdowns against a solid Ravens defense. The Steelers are the biggest favorite on the slate (8.5) and are at home so Le’Veon checks all the boxes you’d want for your number 1 running back. The issue is trying to get the salary to pay up for him.

Todd Gurley II (DK $8,000, FD $7,800) – Gurley makes his way on the list over Zeke simply because of the salary savings you get. On DK you save $800, and on FD you save $900 from Zeke. I expect Zeke to have higher ownership than Gurley and rightfully so as Like Bell, Zeke is a home favorite and coming off of a big game. But here’s the kicker, Gurley is too. Surprisingly the Rams are a slight favorite over the Seahawks at home (-1) and are implied to score 24.25 points. Gurley has been heavily involved in the passing game this year and should get plenty of work in a game I expect to be a slugfest. Gurley is second in our projected points behind Bell.

Jonathan Stewart (DK $3,900, FD $5,700) – Looking for a value you may want to drop all the way down to Jonathan Stewart. Yes, I know his role has diminished since McCaffrey has joined the Panthers backfield, but Stewart has continued to get the majority of the carries. Through the first four weeks, Stewart has received 63% of the rushing attempts out of the Carolina backfield. Stewart is only playing in 42% of the snaps, which trails McCaffrey, but at 3,900 on DK if Stewart finds the end zone he could very well hit 3x value. Stewart is currently ranked as our top-rated value play according to DFSR projections.

GPP Flyer 

Joe Mixon (DK $5,500, FD $5,900) – His price actually dropped a couple of hundred dollars ($200) on DK, which is surprising. Coming into the season, it was only a matter of time before Mixon took over the Bengals backfield. Since firing Ken Zampese and appointing Bill Lazor as the OC, Mixon has received 52% of the snaps and 65 % of the rushing attempts out of the Bengals backfield. Last week Mixon had 17 rushes and four catches on four targets but was only able to muster 28 yards. He’s going up against a tough Bills defense, but as a 3 point home favorite, I can get around the idea of sprinkling in some Mixon on my GPP teams.

** It’s worth monitoring the Packers practice reports. Montgomery is expected to miss so that could lead to more opportunities for Aaron Jones. But at $5,100 on DK and $5,900 on FD, I’d rather take my chances with Mixon over Jones.

Other options to consider
Melvin Gordon, Jay Ajayi, Frank Gore, Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson, Bilal Powell, Wendell Smallwood.

Wide Receivers

Dez Bryant (DK $6,500, FD $7,800) – Dez is perhaps my favorite wide receiver to play this week for the sole reason that the game script may lead to more targets for Dez. Dez is currently 4th in the NFL in targets with 40, which is just over 42% of Dak Prescott’s targets. The Cowboys are implied to score over 27 points, and the game script could mean that the Dallas passing offense will need to be in full force, so I expect Bryant to get a lot of looks. Bryant only has a 40% catch rate on his targets, but that has a lot to do with the difficult matchups he’s had to deal with through the first four weeks of the season. I like a Dak and Dez stack to help differentiate lineups.

Jordy Nelson (DK $8,100, FD $8,600) – Jordy will be the most popular receiver in the slate. Nelson figures to get a lot of work considering that the Packers will abandon the run game and force Rodgers to throw 45+ times. Nelson is coming off of a week 3 where he caught 4 of his seven targets, which included two touchdowns against the Bears. Nelson has now caught over 60% of his targets and has scored four touchdowns in what really was only 3 full games on the field.

Randall Cobb (DK $6,700, FD $6,600) – If you have not noticed yet, I really like every aspect of this Green Bay vs. Dallas game. The Packers are going to be one dimensional, and I think the Cowboys are going to have to play catch up. But Cobb is my sneaky play here. With Ty out I can see a situation where Cobb gets some work out of the backfield, adding in 3-5 more touches for the game. Cobb does most of his damage in the slot, but if Adams and Montgomery are out, I see him playing the same role that Montgomery played last year where the Packers had backfield issues. This, of course, could make Geronimo Allison a play with Cobb getting less work in the slot. This entire Packers offense is a situation worth monitoring.

DeVante Parker (DK $6,600, FD $ 6,100) – It’s tough to trust any aspect of the Dolphins offense attack, especially when you consider that Jay Cutler hasn’t thrown for more than two touchdown passes in his last 16 starts. That being said, Parker is someone worth writing about. Parker is 18th in the league with 18 targets and has caught over 75% of those targets (14). The Titans rank 32nd in the league in aFPA to wide receivers, so this could be the breakout week for Parker.

Aldrick Robinson (DK $3,100, FD $4,600) – One of my favorite DFS writers, Adam Levitan love Aldrick for the sake of #Preseason. Aldrick has dominated preseason the past two years under Shanahan and now may get more of an opportunity with Marquise Goodwin in the concussion protocol. Last week Robinson had 12 targets in an 86% of the offensive snaps. If Goodwin is out, like I expect him to be, Robinson is likely to be a beneficiary. The 49ers are going up against the Colts secondary that has had a lot of trouble at WR this year.

Tight End

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (DK $3,500, FD $5,500) – I don’t know why I went away from playing tight ends against the Browns last week but lessoned learned and I’m not doing that again. The Browns rank 32nd against TE in aFPA, averaging just over 15 points per game. Jesse James lit up this defense in week 1 and so did Ben Watson, now after adding Tyler Kroft to the list, I can’t help but add ASJ to the list.

Delanie Walker (DK $4,700, FD $6,000) – Walker is 6th in the league in targets with 14 and now has to deal with a quarterback change with Mariota out. Matt Cassel will start this week and will likely be looking for a security blanket to dump the ball off to. Walker should be the most significant beneficiary of the Mariota injury. Walker is currently the third highest projected tight end according to our projections.

Tyler Kroft (DK $ 3,200, FD $5,500) – Kroft leads our projections as our top value play for the week. After a big performance against the Browns, Kroft figures to be an essential role in the Bengals red zone passing attack. Kroft caught six of his seven targets last week with Tyler Eifert out for the Bengals.

Defense

Pittsburgh Steelers (DK $3,900, FD $4,800) – The Steelers are the highest projected defense on both sites according to Lineup Labs and rightfully so. They are the biggest favorite on the slate, at home, and are going up against the Jags who are implied to score 17.5 points. The issue here is that they’re costly. They may be safe, but I’ll more than likely be looking elsewhere for defense.

San Francisco 49ers (DK $2,600, FD $4,200) – I think the 49ers are in a good spot to take advantage of a lousy offense. The Colts line gives up over 3 sacks per game, and the 49ers have a much improved defensive line. This 49er team has had a rough schedule to begin the season, but their defense has performed well even without their late first-round pick Reuben Foster.

 

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 5

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

We have hit bye weeks, leaving less options than normal for your DFS entry. While that means less unique lineup possibilities are available, that doesn’t mean there still aren’t plenty of great options to help you come away a winner. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Aaron Rodgers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $9,500

Rodgers is off to another great start this season as he has 1,146 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. While he had his lowest yardage total with only 179 yards Week 4, he also had his highest touchdown total with four. Starting running back Ty Montgomery was injured in that game and while word at this point is that he’s going to try and play in Week 5, expect him to be limited even if he takes the field. The Cowboys have allowed eight passing touchdowns this season, tied for fourth most in the NFL. With the offense squarely on the shoulders of Rodgers yet again this week, expect him to come through with a big performance.

Carson Palmer vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $5,900
FanDuel = $7,200

Palmer isn’t off to the best of starts this season as he has five touchdowns compared to five interceptions. However, he’s actually thrown for more yards than Rodgers has (1,282). He has thrown for at east 325 yards in each of the last three games, though it did come against three poor defenses in the Indianapolis Colts, Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He gets another favorable match up this week as the Eagles have allowed the second most net passing yards in the NFL. I think he has a relatively high floor considering how little he will cost you.

Eli Manning vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $6,100
FanDuel = $7,000

The Giants are off to a surprising 0-4 start and there has been a lot of blame placed on their offense, particularly their offensive line. While the offensive struggles were a big reason why they lost their first two games of the season, that hasn’t been the case the last two weeks. They have made some changes to their offensive line and are now getting the ball out of Manning’s hand quickly, resulting in at least 288 yards and two touchdowns for Eli in both of the last two games. They still have no running game, so it’s going to be up to Manning to help them finally get a win this week. The Chargers have allowed at least 24 points in three of their four games this season, so their defense is certainly no juggernaut. I like Manning to put up another valuable stat line this week.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Le’Veon Bell vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $9,500
FanDuel = $9,500

Bell is coming off of his best game of the season as he rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns to go along with four receptions and 42 receiving yards last week against the Baltimore Ravens. He only had 180 rushing yards and one touchdown through the first three weeks combined, which may have been a product of sitting out the preseason. Last week was a great sign that he is busting out of his slump and he gets a great match up this week against a Jaguars defense that has allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL. Pay up for Bell Sunday, he’ll be worth it.

Marshawn Lynch vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $5,100
FanDuel = $6,100

Lynch is not off to a very good start in his return from retirement as he only has 151 rushing yards and one touchdown through four games this season. He is only averaging 3.4 yards per carry, which would be the lowest of his career. A player known for being a workhorse, Lynch has received 12 or fewer rushing attempts in three of four games this season. That should change this week though with quarterback Derek Carr out due to injury. I expect Lynch to be significantly more involved in this game, which is good news considering the Ravens have allowed the eighth most rushing yards in the NFL this season. Look for a breakout performance from Beast Mode.

Andre Ellington vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,600
FanDuel = $5,400

Ellington has become a very important part of the Cardinals offense with David Johnson out, especially catching passes out of the backfield. While he hasn’t rushed for more than 22 yards in any game this season, he has 14 receptions on 24 targets for 145 yards over his last two games. Johnson caught 80 passes on 120 targets last season, so having their running backs catch passes is clearly a major part of their offensive scheme. I already mentioned the Eagles struggles in pass coverage, making Ellington a great play this week at a cheap price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Jordy Nelson vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $8,600

Nelson entered 2017 having scored at least 13 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons that he played. He’s well on his way to reaching that mark again this season as he already has five touchdowns.  Although he hasn’t recorded more than 79 receiving yards in any game so far, you don’t need a ton of yardage to be extremely valuable when you reach the end zone as often as Nelson does. There is a chance fellow receiver Davante Adams might be out for this game due to a concussion, which would leave Nelson to shoulder even more of the offensive load. Either way, the production from a Rodgers-Nelson stack this week is too good to pass up.

Larry Fitzgerald vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $6,700

Fitzgerald continues to produce as he has 276 receiving yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Even in his 14th year in the NFL, Fitzgerald is the focal point of the Cardinals receiving core and has received 41 targets this year as a result. He has received at least 100 targets in every season of his career, so this should come as no surprise. As you can tell, I like the match up for the Cardinals this week against a porous Eagles secondary. I expect another big performance from Fitzgerald in this contest.

DeVante Parker vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $6,100

It has been an ugly start for the Dolphins offense, but that’s not because of a lack of production from Parker as he has recorded at least 69 receiving yards and eight targets in all three games this season. That’s saying something considering the Dolphins only have 548 net passing yards this entire season. The Titans secondary has struggled as they are tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed this season with 11 and have also allowed the fourth most net passing yards. He presents a solid mid-tier priced option for Week 5.

Jermaine Kearse vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $5,600

After getting off to a hot start this season, Kearse has slowed considerably as he only has seven receptions for 59 yards over the last two games. He laid an egg last week with only 17 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it should be noted that the Jaguars have allowed the fewest net passing yards this season. Week 5 brings a much more favorable match up against a Browns defense who has allowed the fourth most yards per pass attempt and third most passing touchdowns in the NFL. I expect Kearse to get back on track with a valuable performance Sunday.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Zach Ertz vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium = Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,200
FanDuel = $6,600

Ertz has been heavily involved in the Eagles offense this season as he has received at least eight targets in all four games. He has cashed in on his opportunities as he had at least 81 receiving yards in three of those four games. The Eagles made some significant changes to their receivers this off season, leaving Ertz as a player who quarterback Carson Wentz has a comfort level with from last year. Although Ertz only has one touchdown this season, the volume of targets he receives makes him another valuable option Week 5.

Hunter Henry vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,200

Henry is off to a terrible start this season as he only has nine receptions, 96 receiving yards and one touchdown through the first four games. His lack of touchdowns is surprising as he had eight touchdowns in 2016. That being said, I’m going to take a risk on playing him this week. The Giants have really struggled to cover tight ends as they have allowed 309 yards and five touchdowns against them this season. At such a cheap price, Henry makes a lot of sense for your entry.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $3,900
FanDuel = $4,800

The Steelers defense has allowed nine points in two of the last three games and has allowed more than 20 points only one time this season. They have done a good job forcing turnovers as well as they have four interceptions and three fumble recoveries this season. Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has been turnover prone during his career, so this could be a tough task for him on the road Sunday. In a week where I don’t think there is one defense that stands out as the obvious play, I believe the Steelers have the potential to be very productive.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,500

While I think Lynch is primed for a big game, that doesn’t mean the Ravens defense as a whole still doesn’t have value. With Carr out, EJ Manuel will be starting at quarterback. For his career, Manuel has 16 interceptions to go along with only 19 passing touchdowns. He threw an interception in relief of Carr last week against the Denver Broncos as well. The Ravens defense has nine interceptions this season, most in the NFL. That’s not a recipe for success for Manuel.