If you missed out on the playoffs in your season-long fantasy football league, don’t get too down. There is still plenty of fun to be had in DFS for Week 14.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
The good news is that there are no teams on a bye in Week 13. The bad news is that we have three games on Thanksgiving, so we still have a somewhat limited amount of options for the main Sunday slate in DFS. With that being said, several of the top offenses will be at our disposal, which should make for an interesting group of games.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 11 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
We are back to only four teams being on a bye in Week 11. However, if you’re playing the main Sunday afternoon slate in DFS, the running back position is missing several key names with the Packers, Seahawks and Giants on byes and the Browns, Steelers, Rams and Chargers playing in prime time.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
The main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 9 will be missing some big names at various positions with the Saints and Rams on a bye and the Patriots, Ravens and Cowboys among the teams playing in prime time. With that being said, there are still several quarterbacks and running backs that are in a position to thrive.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 – Running Backs
*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 to target for cash or GPP contents. We’ll also highlight some players to avoid as your craft your lineup. 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
Alvin Kamara vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $8,500
Selected in the third round of the 2017 Draft, there wasn’t a lot of buzz around Kamara heading into last year. The Saints already had the productive Mark Ingram on their roster and had also added Adrian Peterson. However, Kamara wasted no time making a name for himself, ultimately forcing his way into a prominent role. He finished with 728 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on only 120 carries. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he also hauled in 81 of 100 targets for 826 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
The Saints will be forced to ride Kamara out of the gate with Ingram serving a four-game suspension. They did bring in Mike Gillislee after he was cut by the Patriots, but don’t expect him to get many carries. The Buccaneers could be tough against the run this season, but with Kamara’s heavy workload and ability to contribute in the passing game, he still has a very high floor.
Melvin Gordon vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $6,800
Gordon was a workhorse for the Chargers in 2017, rushing 284 times for 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had his best season in the passing attack, catching 58 of 83 targets for 476 yards and four touchdowns. Although Austin Ekeler showed some promise in the preseason, Gordon is certainly going to get all the carries he can handle again this year.
Gordon draws a great matchup Week 1 against a Chiefs defense that allowed the eighth-most rushing yards in the NFL last year. They were also tied for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns allowed. They likely won’t be much better this season, either, with Pro Football Focus ranking them 31st against the run.
Alex Collins vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $5,600
Collins wasn’t able to find a role with the Seahawks, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2016. He joined the Ravens after being released and was part of a running backs group that included Terrance West, Danny Woodhead, and Javorius Allen. Injuries and ineffective play quickly vaulted Collins into a prominent role. He didn’t let his opportunity go to waste, finishing the season with 212 carries, 973 rushing yards, and six touchdowns. The one drawback was that he wasn’t overly involved in the passing game, catching 23 of 36 targets for just 187 yards.
The Ravens head into this year with the intent of giving Collins a significant workload once again. Week 1 brings a contest against a Bills team that is starting Nathan Peterman at quarterback and is lacking talent at wide receiver. They may have a hard time putting points on the board, which could lead to plenty of carries for Collins if the Ravens get up big early and try to run out the clock. Don’t count on him to catch many passes out of the backfield, but Collins still has a floor high at this reasonable price.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Royce Freeman vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Broncos Stadium at Mile High
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,500
The Broncos moved on from C.J. Anderson this offseason, selecting Freeman in the third round of the draft. He was a star at Oregon, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and recording 60 rushing touchdowns over four seasons.
Freeman showed promise during the preseason and enters Week 1 at the top of the Broncos depth chart at running back. Devontae Booker will likely be their preferred option in passing situations, but he’s only averaged 3.6 yards per carry during his NFL carrier. The Seahawks lost both Sheldon Richardson and Michael Bennett during the offseason and enter 2018 with the 24th ranked defense against the run according to Pro Football Focus.
Duke Johnson Jr. vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,700
Johnson doesn’t see much action in the running game, rushing just 82 times for 348 yards in 2017. His value comes from his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He set career highs last year in targets (93), receptions (74), receiving yards (693) and receiving touchdowns (three).
The Browns underwent a major overhaul during the offseason, adding Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry, Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb to their offense. There are certainly more mouths to feed, but Taylor is also a significant improvement over the quarterbacks Johnson played with last year. Hyde figures to lead the Browns rushing attack, but Johnson should still catch enough passes to warrant consideration for your entry.
James White vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,000
The Patriots had a lot of depth in their backfield last year with White, Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead, and Gillislee. White doesn’t normally get many carries as he’s a better weapon catching passes. Even with the crowded bunch, White caught 56 of 72 targets for 429 yards and three touchdowns.
Lewis has moved on to the Titans, but the Patriots drafted Sony Michel in the first round and signed Jeremy Hill to further bolster their running back group. Michel has battled a knee injury during the preseason and while he still may return for Week 1, it would be surprising to see him have a significant role. Burkhead is dealing with a knee injury of his own, but it appears he’ll be ready to go for this game. Even if he does play, expect White to be heavily involved in the passing game with the Patriots lack of depth at wide receiver due to the Julian Edelman suspension.
Jordan Wilkins vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $3,700
The Colts finished tied for the fifth-worst yards per carry (3.7) in the NFL last year. They were led by Frank Gore, who had 961 rushing yards on 261 carries. With Gore now a member of the Dolphins, the starting running back job is up for grabs in Indianapolis.
One option to possibly start was Robert Turbin, but he’s currently serving a four-game suspension. Another candidate is Marlon Mack, but he might not be able to play Week 1 due to a hamstring injury. If he can’t go, Wilkins will likely get the opportunity to start. He’ll lose some carries to Nyheim Hines and/or Christine Michael, but neither of them is an overly impressive runner. The Bengals will be without key run defender Vontaze Burfict due to another suspension, making Wilkins possibly worth the risk in tournament play at his dirt cheap price.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Le’Veon Bell vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $9,400
There is no doubt that Le’Veon Bell is one of the elite running backs in the NFL. The problem is his contract dispute with the Steelers. As of the writing of this article, Bell had still not reported to the team. Even if he does report before Sunday, he’s cutting it very close in terms of game preparation. He participated in his first practice the Monday before Week 1 in 2017 and finished with a season-low 10 carries in that game. At this lofty price, Bell is too much of a risk.
Saquon Barkley vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $6,700
The Giants underwent significant organizational changes after a disastrous 2017 campaign riddled with injuries and poor play. They ended up with the second pick in the draft as a result and ultimately decided to select Barkley instead of a successor to Eli Manning. Barkley is an elite talent who projects to have a strong season behind an improved offensive line. He’s dealt with a hamstring injury during the preseason, but he’s declared himself completely healthy heading into this game. However, he has to face a loaded Jaguars defense that enters ranked seventh against the run by Pro Football Focus. There will be plenty of weeks where you want to include Barkley in your entry, but I don’t think this is one of them.
NFL Divisional Round DFS Strategy: Advice, Picks, Sleepers for Draftkings, Fanduel Playoff Tournaments
*Chris Tierney – cstcst*
NFL Divisional Round DFS Strategy: Advice, Picks, Sleepers for Draftkings, Fanduel Playoff Tournaments
If you’re playing DFS this weekend don’t get fancy. Who is going to win the game and how? Answer these questions for yourself prior to constructing anything from a lineup perspective. Making more than one lineup? Alter who will win and how a bit and construct again, all while keeping a similar core lineup.
As Demarcus Robinson and Josh Hill demonstrated last weekend, roughly one obscure player POPS in each playoff game. It will likely take having one of these guys on your squad to take down a large GPP. Rostering players such as these are a true dart throw and the risk often outweighs the reward. My dart throws this week are Vance McDonald and Corey Davis. Both guys can make the big play and both have decent matchups. The Jags have a great defensive backfield and are also adept at rushing the passer. Quick hitting plays to the TE and RB are two ways to attach a defense like the Jaguars. Vance McDonald made some big plays for the 49ers last season and has seen his role expand down the stretch after being injured for much of the season. Corey Davis’s role continues to expand in the Titans passing game. He had a serviceable game last weekend and faces another spotty secondary this week in a game where his offense will likely have to throw the football.
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.
Atlanta (-3.5, 41) at Philadelphia
On paper, this sure looks like a 26-13 or thereabouts Falcons win. They are a veteran-led group with an improving defense who is accustomed to the pressures of the playoffs. Paper doesn’t mean much come kickoff. This will be an interesting game and it will be roaring in Philly. There are some interesting options here but this game isn’t where the majority of my focus will be this weekend.
DFS Chalk: Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Zack Ertz, Devonta Freeman
DFS Value: Nick Foles, Nelson Agholor, Tevin Coleman, Mohamed Sanu, Jay Ajayi
Tennessee at New England (-14, 48)
This game has the opportunity to shoot out. Will the real New England defense please stand up? Statistically, they’ve been one of the worst units in the NFL this season but they’ve bowed their backs when it mattered most, allowing them to take the Division and home-field advantage yet again. Tennessee’s pass defense has been a sieve which shines a light upon his Greatness and his favorite Tight End. I think New England wins here, but I think it will be more difficult than many expect. The Titans gained some confidence last weekend and I expect their offense to have some success. I think there are a bunch of players worth rostering in this game. Remember, Belichick likes to neutralize one aspect of his opponent’s offense. That has to be the Tennessee running-game right? #gametheory – Tennessee passing attack is interesting to me in GPP situations. The return of Hogan should lighten the targets to Cooks here.
DFS Chalk: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Dion Lewis, Delanie Walker, Derrick Henry
DFS Value: Corey Davis, Eric Decker, James White, Rex Burkhead, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Rishard Matthews
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh (-7, 41)
Sunday should be the fun day for this weekends slate and kicks off with a very interesting matchup in Pittsburgh. If Ryan Shazier were healthy, I’d think this was a slam dunk Steelers victory. As we all now, he sadly is not (keep on getting well Ryan!), and the Steelers run defense has not looked the same. They’ll copy the Bills blueprint and load the box with eight men. Will Nathan Hackett trust Blake Bortles here? Will they allow him to attack this Steelers defense down the field with Lee, Hurns and Westbrook? That is likely their plan and without something like it, they’ll be cleaning out their lockers early next week. The Steelers offense has the tough chore of the Jaguars defense. The Jags will slow the Steelers down some here, but the Jags offense has to apply pressure to this Steelers team. An upset here wouldn’t shock me but I think this is perhaps the most interesting matchup of the playoffs thus far and will be telling about the Steelers Championship hopes.
DFS Chalk: Big Ben, LeVeon Bell, Leonard Fournette, Antonio Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster
DFS Value: Vance McDonald, Dede Westbrook, Mercedes Lewis, Marqise Lee
New Orleans at Minnesota (-4.5, 46.5)
Like our Carolina | New Orleans call last week, this is the one with the best opportunity to shoot out and could be a thrilling final game to the weekend. The Vikings are legit, but so are the Saints. Both of these teams are formidable on both sides of the ball and both teams have offensive players who can score from anywhere on the field. I prefer Minnesota here but as anyone who follows the NFL knows, the Saints offense is capable of moving 85 yards in two or three plays at any time.
DFS Chalk: Case Keenum, Adam Thielen, Stephon Diggs, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara
DFS Value: Latavius Murray, Jerick McKinnon, Kyle Rudolph, Ted Ginn, Brandon Coleman, Josh Hill
Top GPP Stacks:
1a: Case Keenum, Jerick Mckinnon, Stephon Diggs, Michael Thomas
2a: Tom Brady, James White, Rob Gronkowski, Corey Davis
Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round
Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round
Next week will feature a small two-game slate with the Conference Championships. This week’s NFL Divisional round is the final four-game slate of the NFL season. We have some exciting games this week on both the NFC and AFC, so let’s dive in.
Vegas
The Vegas numbers this week features a little bit of everything. We have the Patriots as the team with the best Vegas data, and we have two games that feature pretty close spreads in Minnesota and Philadelphia.
The Patriots are also featured in the game with the highest game total with the over/under sitting at 47. But unfortunately, the Patriots dominate that game with as 13.5 points favorites over the Titans (16.75), which makes the game not ideal for stacking in hopes of a two-way shootout.
The Saints (20.75) at Vikings (25.25) is not far behind with a game total of 46. The Vikings are favored by 4.5 points at home so that game if any, seems most likely to shoot out between the two teams.
The other two games Falcons @ Eagles and Jaguars @ Steelers both have a game total sitting at 41. The Steelers (24.25) are 7.5 point favorites at home, while the Falcons (22) are the only road team favored this week by 3 points.
Injuries aren’t expected to play a significant role this week. But DeMarco Murray has already been ruled out for the second consecutive week, and Antonio Brown is fully expected to be back on the field for the Steelers. Be sure to follow our News page at Lineup Labs for any last minute news.
Quarterbacks
Case Keenum ($6,100) – Sitting in the mid-range of quarterback pricing, Keenum is my cash game play this week. He’s $900 cheaper than Brady at the top, and $1,100 more expensive than Blake Bortles. Keenum hasn’t exactly set the world on fire over his past four games but comes into the week with the second-best Vegas data of all quarterbacks. Keenum has thrown at least two touchdowns in four of his last six games and is averaging over 30 attempts during that span. The Saints pass defense is respectable with Marshon Lattimore (4th via PFF), Ken Crawley (28th via PFF), and (PJ Williams 83rd via PFF) at cornerback, but they have also given up 58.38 DK points over the past two weeks to Cam (28.66) and Winston (29.72). Over the last two games, the Saints have given up a total of 712 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. Keenum also gets the benefit of having an extra week to prepare and playing the game at home in an indoor stadium. I like the savings with Keenum.
Tom Brady ($7,000) – Brady is in a class of his own this week. With the highest projected team total at home against the best possible matchup in the playoffs. Brady is almost a sure bet to lead the quarterbacks in scoring. The reason why he’s a tournament play for me is that I’d rather use the savings at wide receiver this week. There’s not much convincing I need to do to justify playing Brady at home in the playoffs.
Running backs
Le’Veon Bell ($9,600) – As the case last week with Todd Gurley, this week atop the running back pricing, Bell is hugely overpriced from the other running backs and in a far from the ideal matchup. Bell is $1,800 more expensive than the second highest priced back Kamara ($7,800) yet; he’s still the best bet to reach value with the highest floor and ceiling. This week Bell comes in averaging over 20 DK points for the month and faces a Jags defense that forces opposing offenses to run the ball. The Steelers are a home favorite (-7.5) going up against the Jags defense that picked off Ben Roethlisberger 5 times in their matchup this season. With Antonio Brown potentially playing decoy out on the field, the Steelers could continue to force the ball to Bell who has at least six passing targets in his past seven games. Bell should be in line for 25-30 touches this week in a game that will likely feature terrible weather. According to CBS Pittsburgh, the game temperature is likely to sit in the teens at the start of the game and could see snow flurries and wind speeds near 20MPH. If that weather holds up, there’s no reason why the Steelers would test the Jags secondary and avoid giving the ball to Bell.
Devonta Freeman ($5,900) – Despite only getting two receiving targets last week and averaging 3.7 yards per carry, Freeman was able to turn in an atrocious game into a modest one on the road against the Rams. While I generally don’t like playing running backs on the road, Freeman comes into play as a top 3 projected running back to reach value this week. Freeman has actually produced better on the road than at home this season and has had two of his best games on the season on the road against the Bucs (33.4) and Lions (25.8). At a sub $6,000 price, I like playing Freeman as a favorite going up against the Nick Foles led Eagles who could turn the ball over, which would lead to a shorter field for Atlanta. Freeman should expect to see anywhere from 18-23 touches this week.
Dion Lewis ($6,600)/James White ($4,300)/Rex Burkhead ($5,700) – It’s worth monitoring the Patriots running back situation. Both White and Burkhead returned to practice this week, and the Pats are fully expected to have their trio of running backs available. If Burkhead plays, he is expected to be limited. When he was in the mix, White saw a drop off in playing time with Lewis being the early down backs and Burkhead working out of the passing game. If they all are active, I’d only consider playing Lewis for salary relief. But if only Lewis and White are active I don’t mind playing White because of the work he could see in the passing game and his cheap price tag.
Wide Receiver
Brandin Cooks ($7,000) – From the high priced range, I like Brandin Cooks this week a tad bit more than Adam Thielen ($7,600) for the savings. Cooks is a cheaper way to get exposure to Brady and has been a target monster for the Patriots passing attack this season. Cooks will be facing Adoree’ Jackson who ranks 39th via PFF, but we saw last Tyreek Hill have success against the Titans secondary last week. It’s also worth monitoring if Chris Hogan will play. He’s expected to but if he misses that should bump up Cooks’ target projection.
Mohamed Sanu ($5,700) – Sanu continues to remain involved in the Falcons passing attack over the past four games. In his last four games, Sanu has 30 targets and 17 receptions for 200 yards. He’s affordable under 6K and only needs 5 for 70 to reach value for you. He should see a lot of Jalen Mills who’s a decent cornerback, but if Ronald Darby shadows Julio Jones, Ryan could force more targets Sanu’s way.
Nelson Agholor ($4,800) – Agholor has seen an uptick in production since Nick Foles took over at quarterback for the injured Carson Wentz. He’s seen his market share of targets rise, while Alshon Jeffery has seen his targets decrease. In three games with Foles as the quarterback, Jeffrey has 14 targets to Agholor’s 19. Agholor has upside to make a big play anytime; he’s on the field so one big catch could give you all need to make value.
Tight End
Zach Ertz ($5,800) – Ertz has been one of the few Eagles players whose production has not faltered since Nick Foles took over for Wentz. In the first two full games with Foles under center, Ertz has 25 targets and 15 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown. On top of that, Ertz has five targets within the red zone with Foles under center. Of course, Gronk is viewed as the top tight end option on the board, but Ertz has been just as productive as Gronk this season. If Ertz is going to continue to be fed with targets, it almost makes him a lock and play with a $1,300 savings from Gronk.
Delanie Walker ($5,000) – Walker is coming off of a nice game against the Chiefs in the Wild Card round. He saw 8 targets and 6 catches for 74 yards. Who knows, he may have even added a touchdown if Mariota didn’t do that touchdown pass to himself within the 5-yard line. He’s the number one receiver for the Titans, and if the game script goes as Vegas thinks it will go, Mariota will be throwing quite a bit. Walker could potentially see double-digit targets, and if he catches 7 for 70, he doesn’t kill your lineup.
Defense
Minnesota Vikings ($2,900) – The chalky plays are going to be the Steelers and the Eagles. I like saving the salary and taking a shot with the Vikings defense. The Saints running backs showed last week that they could be stopped and the Vikings defense is better than the Panthers. Defense is so volatile, so I will almost always look for the team that offers up the most value per dollar.
Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations – Divisional Round
*Mike Barner*
Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations – Divisional Round
The NFL season is nearing a close as this will be the last weekend with at least four games on the schedule. There aren’t a lot of options to choose from for DFS, but there are several elite players still available. 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**
Tom Brady vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $8,800
Not only is Brady one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he looks to have the best matchup at the position this week. The Titans managed to pull off the upset on Wild Card Weekend by beating the Chiefs, who lost yet another home playoff game. During the regular season, the Titans allowed the most passing touchdowns (27) of any team still alive this weekend. Brady has been excellent over 13 games in the Divisional Round in his career, throwing for 3,700 yards and 26 touchdowns. Look for him to have another big performance Saturday.
Matt Ryan vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $5,700
FanDuel = $7,700
Ryan threw 38 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 2016, but took a step backward this year with only 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He again put forth a lackluster performance Wild Card Weekend against the Rams, throwing for just 218 yards and one touchdown. He never threw more than two touchdown passes in a game this season and had 11 games with one or no touchdowns. The Eagles were in the middle-of-the-pack this season in terms of passing defense, allowing 24 passing touchdowns and an average of 227 net passing yards per game. Ryan doesn’t have a high ceiling, but with many of the quarterbacks facing tough defenses this week, he’s still someone to consider.
Marcus Mariota vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $5,900
FanDuel = $7,500
Mariota had an extremely disappointing regular season, throwing only 13 touchdown passes to along with a career-high 15 interceptions. He did have five rushing touchdowns, but that still wasn’t enough to make him a viable fantasy option. He benefited from a bizarre play against the Chiefs last week where he caught his own deflected pass for a touchdown, leaving him with two touchdown passes in the game. That marked only the fourth time this season he has thrown for more than one score in a game. The Patriots could get up big early in this game, which would likely lead to extra passing opportunities for Mariota. If you are looking for a cheap option at quarterback, that kind of volume puts Mariota into the discussion.
**RUNNING BACKS**
Le’Veon Bell vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $9,600
FanDuel = $9,400
Bell had another stellar regular season for the Steelers, surpassing 1,800 total yards for the third time in the last four seasons. He also set career-highs in rushing attempts (321), receptions (85) and rushing touchdowns (9). The Jaguars allowed an average of 116.3 rushing yards per game in the regular season, which is the most of any of the teams still in the playoffs. The Jaguars defense, in general, is no walk in the park, but Bell’s elite talent still makes him worth paying up for this week.
Dion Lewis vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium- Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $7,600
Patriots running backs have been a source of frustration for fantasy owners in recent years, but Lewis stepped up to be a valuable option over the second half of this season. Over the last six games, he rushed for 510 yards and three touchdowns. He also received some work in the passing game, hauling in 18 receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns over that same stretch. Rex Burkhead (knee) still doesn’t appear to be fully healthy, so he could be limited if he is able to suit up for Saturday. Even if he does play, Lewis can still provide value for your entry.
Derrick Henry vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $6,700
Henry shined filling in for DeMarco Murray (knee) last weekend, rushing for 156 yards and one touchdown while also catching two passes for 35 yards. He carried the ball 23 times, marking only the second time he received at least 20 carries in a game this season. Murray has already been ruled out for the Divisional Round, leaving Henry as the main back for another week. There is the risk that this could turn into a game of catchup for the Titans offense, which would force them to pass more than normal in the second half. However, they will likely run a lot early to try and keep the ball out of Brady’s hands. Henry might not be able to duplicate his excellent performance from last week, but volume alone makes him someone to target at this price.
**WIDE RECEIVERS**
Julio Jones vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,900
FanDuel = $8,800
Jones had a great season in terms of receiving yards but again struggled to reach the end zone, scoring only three touchdowns this season. Two of the three came in one game against the Buccaneers, making his total look even worse. He wasted no time in the playoffs though, hauling in nine catches for 94 yards and one touchdown last week against a tough Rams defense. Jones has stepped up his game when it matters the most, scoring six touchdowns in seven playoff games for his career. With Antonio Brown forced to play against cornerback Jalen Ramsey of the Jaguars, Jones might be the better option to pay up for this week.
JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $7,000
Smith-Schuster finished the season strong, recording 21 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games. Two of those came with Brown injured, so Smith-Schuster may receive fewer targets with him expected to return this week. Even so, Brown has a tough matchup against Ramsey, so Smith-Schuster could still play a very big role in this game. The Steelers offense is much better at home as well, making Smith-Schuster someone to consider at this reasonable price.
Nelson Agholor vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,800
FanDuel = $6,400
Agholor had a breakout campaign this year, setting career-highs across the board. Much of that can be attributed to the stellar play of quarterback Carson Wentz (knee), who unfortunately is out for the rest of the season. Nick Foles is a competent backup, but his upside is limited at best. The good news is Agholor may have a favorable matchup as most of his receptions come in the middle of the field. Last week, the Falcons allowed Cooper Kupp, who also works over the middle of the field, to record eight receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown. If you want to take a chance on any of the Eagles wide receivers, Agholor might be the one to consider.
Eric Decker vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $4,800
Decker only caught two of his five targets last week for 21 yards but salvaged his performance with a touchdown. The good news is that he received at least five targets for the sixth straight game. The Patriots did allow the third-most net passing yards per game (251) during the regular season, but a lot of that was due to teams trying to play catchup with the Patriots offense. It still counts the same for fantasy purposes, making Decker worth taking a chance on in tournament play considering how little he will cost you.
**TIGHT ENDS**
Rob Gronkowski vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,100
FanDuel = $8,500
The Titans struggled to defend tight ends during the regular season, allowing 853 receiving yards and five touchdowns to the position. They looked to be well on their way to getting lit up by Travis Kelce last week, who had 66 yards and one touchdown before leaving in the second quarter with a concussion. Gronkowski is the most expensive tight end by far this week, but he could feast in this game.
Delanie Walker vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $5,000
FanDuel = $6,200
Walker played well against the Chiefs in the first round, catching six of eight targets for 74 yards. He had another excellent season for the Titans as one of Mariota’s favorite targets, totaling at least 800 receiving yards for the fourth straight year. Like Decker, he could benefit from extra volume if the Titans get down big early and have to turn things over to their passing attack. If you don’t want to pay up for Gronkowski, Walker also has upside.
**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Heinz Field
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,300
Blake Bortles did not play well against the Bills last week and actually had more rushing yards (88) than passing yards (87) in the game. He completed only 52.2% of his passes in the first playoff game of his career. He gets a much tougher opponent in the Steelers this week, who tied for the fourth-fewest net passing yards allowed per game (201) during the regular season. They not only held teams to 20 passing touchdowns but were also able to generate 16 interceptions. This could be an ugly performance from Bortles, making the Steelers defense an excellent option for your entry.
Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,600
The Vikings defense was excellent this season, allowing the second-fewest net passing yards per game (192) and the second-fewest rushing yards per game (83.6) in the league. It’s not easy picking against quarterback Drew Brees in the playoffs, but the Vikings limited him and the Saints offense to 19 points in Week 1 this season. The Steelers defense is certainly the safer bet this week, but the Vikings are also worth considering if you need to save a little money at defense.
Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16
*Mike Barner*
Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 16
With only two weeks left in the regular season, that also means only two weeks left with a full slate of options in DFS. Let’s take full advantage this week and try to bring home the big bucks. 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**
Russell Wilson vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $9,000
The only team that seems to be able to slow down Wilson lately is the Los Angeles Rams. In two games against them, he’s only averaged 170 passing yards and one passing touchdown. In his last eight games against other teams, he’s averaging 288 passing yards and 2.6 passing touchdowns. He’ll get to face the Cowboys in Week 16, a team tied for the third-most touchdown passes allowed (26) in the league. With a more favorable opponent on tap, look for Wilson to rebound with a big performance.
Blake Bortles vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $6,500
FanDuel = $7,600
If you play in season-long fantasy leagues, how crazy is it that Bortles might be one of the quarterbacks you are most confident in starting down the stretch? He’s been rolling of late, throwing for at least 268 yards and two touchdowns in three straight games. All three were homes games, but he’s not facing one of the tougher secondaries in the league on the road in San Francisco on Sunday. While Bortles has been turnover prone in his career, the 49ers have the third-fewest interceptions (seven) in the league this year. If you don’t want to pay up for Wilson, Bortles is someone to consider.
Drew Stanton vs. New York Giants
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,000
Stanton started two games earlier this season before suffering a knee injury and played fairly well, throwing for at least 201 yards and one touchdown in both games. He’ll return to the starting lineup Week 16 with Blaine Gabbert being benched due to his struggles. Normally you wouldn’t want to look at Stanton, but he gets the Giants this week. The Giants defense is riddled with injuries, especially in the secondary. While Stanton is certainly not as talented, backup quarterback turned starter Nick Foles threw for four touchdowns against the Giants last week. He will only cost you the minimum, so he might be worth the risk in tournament play.
**RUNNING BACKS**
Le’Veon Bell vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $9,900
FanDuel = $9,300
Bell likely has the highest floor of any running back in DFS based on his role in both the rushing and passing games. He put that on full display Week 15 against the Patriots, cashing in 24 rushing attempts and six targets for 165 total yards and one touchdown. He has at least 100 total yards in six straight games, scoring five touchdowns over that stretch. With Antonio Brown (calf) out for Week 16, he should have an even bigger role in the offense. Don’t overthink this one, Bell is an elite option again this week.
Dion Lewis vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $6,000
FanDuel = $6,700
Lewis continues to see a steady role in the Patriots rushing attack, recording at least 10 carries in eight of his last nine games. He had a solid performance against these same Bills in Week 13, rushing 15 times for 92 yards. The Patriots will likely be without Rex Burkhead (knee) this week, who rushed for two touchdowns in that game. While James White will probably take on some added work with Burkhead out, it’s reasonable to think Lewis might not lose as many carries near the goal line like he has to Burkhead. The price is right to consider Lewis again this week.
C.J. Anderson vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $6,200
Anderson had his best game of the season last week, rushing 30 times for 158 yards. The volume was key as he has rushed for at least 81 yards in four of the five games that he received at least 20 carries in this season. The Redskins are not good against the run as they have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (123.4) in the NFL this season. It’s been a lost year for the Broncos, but Anderson has enough promise to warrant adding to your entry for Week 16.
**WIDE RECEIVERS**
Michael Thomas vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,600
FanDuel = $8,200
Thomas was expected to have an even larger role in the Saints offense this year with Brandin Cooks being traded to the Patriots and he has delivered, receiving the fifth-most targets (136) in the league. Although he only has five touchdowns, three of them have come in the last three games. His 1,085 receiving yards are sixth-most among all receivers, so he has tremendous upside even in weeks where he’s not scoring touchdowns. He hauled in 10 of 14 targets for 117 yards and one touchdown in Week 14 against these same Falcons on the road, so expect another big game at home this week.
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,400
FanDuel = $8,100
It’s amazing to think about the numbers Hopkins has been able to put up with all the injuries the Texans have suffered at quarterback. He’s the focal point of their offense, receiving at least 13 targets in three straight games. Although he only had four catches Week 15, he made the most of them by posting 80 yards and one touchdown. It doesn’t matter who will be throwing him passes Sunday, Hopkins still has great upside.
JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,400
FanDuel = $7,000
The Steelers lost Antonio Brown (calf) during Week 15, leaving Smith-Schuster to finish with six receptions for 114 yards. With Brown already ruled out for Week 16, Smith-Schuster will likely occupy a bigger role in Pittsburgh’s passing attack. The Texans allow the sixth-most net passing yards per game (248) and are tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed (27) in the league, which could mean excellent numbers from Smith-Schuster this week.
Keelan Cole vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $4,700
FanDuel = $5,300
Cole destroyed the Texans last week, posting 186 receiving yards and one touchdown. Marqise Lee (ankle) missed the game, opening up Cole to receive a season-high nine targets. Lee might not be able to return this week, which would likely mean more targets for Cole again. The 49ers aren’t great at defending the pass as they have allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns (25) in the league. Cole definitely gets a boost in value if Lee doesn’t play, but he should still be considered even if Lee returns based on this price.
**TIGHT ENDS**
Rob Gronkowski vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $8,400
There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Gronk crushing the Bills. He destroyed them again in Week 13, recording nine catches for 147 yards. In 12 career games against the Bills, he has 960 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. With 18 receptions and 325 receiving yards over his last two games, don’t hesitate to pay up for him based on this juicy matchup.
Antonio Gates vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $2,500
FanDuel = $4,500
The Chargers lost a big weapon in their offense this week as Hunter Henry (abdomen) was placed on injured reserve. Henry had received at least five targets in four straight games entering Week 15, posting two touchdowns over that stretch. With Henry now out, Gates has an opportunity to finish the season on a high note. He has developed a great relationship with quarterback Philip Rivers over the years, so he has an added advantage over many backups in similar situations. The Jets have allowed eight touchdowns to tight ends this season, leaving Gates with potential at this cheap price.
**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**
Los Angeles Chargers vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $4,900
The Jets weren’t exactly a juggernaut on offense, to begin with, but have taken a step backward with the loss of starting quarterback Josh McCown (hand). Bryce Petty was terrible last week against the Saints, completing only 19-of-39 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He’s already been named the starter again for Week 16, which is great news for the Chargers defense. The Chargers have 11 interceptions in their last six games, so things could get ugly for Petty and the Jets in a hurry.
Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
DraftKings = $2,900
FanDuel = $4,600
The Lions defense has been excellent of late, recording five sacks, five interceptions, and three fumble recoveries in their last two games. They get to face a Bengals team playing out the string in Week 16 that has lost by a combined score of 67-14 over their last two games. It was so bad in Week 15 that the Bengals benched Andy Dalton for A.J. McCarron. With little promise on offense for the Bengals, look for the Lions to provide plenty of value for your entry.
Draftkings NFL Cash and GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 15
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
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
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
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
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
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.