The Chiefs, Vikings and Chargers are among the four teams who are on a bye in Week 12, leaving us without the services of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Dalvin Cook and Melvin Gordon in DFS. As we wade through who is still available, here are some quarterbacks and running backs who could be in line for productive afternoons.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 – Quarterbacks
We have four teams on a bye during Week 6 and one game in London that has an early start time Sunday, leaving us with fewer options than normal for the main DFS slate. With that being said, there are still some very intriguing quarterbacks to discuss.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – Quarterbacks
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
The stretch run of the NFL season is here. There are no teams on a bye in Week 13, leaving a bevy of quarterbacks to choose from in DFS. Let’s examine some players to target and avoid as you 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
Patrick Mahomes vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $7,600
The last time we saw Mahomes on the field was in Week 11 during that thrilling game against the Rams. He had a monster performance with 478 yards and six touchdowns. Believe it or not, that was actually his second game of the season with six passing touchdowns. The only downside to his performance was that he turned the ball over a total of five times with three interceptions and two fumbles.
The Chiefs enjoyed a bye for Week 12 and now face a much easier opponent in the Raiders. Even though this could become a blowout in which Mahomes isn’t required to throw the ball much late in the game, that doesn’t mean he won’t be very productive along the way. The Raiders get virtually no pressure on opposing quarterbacks and are tied for the second-most passing touchdowns allowed (25) in the league.
Cam Newton vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $6,600
After starting out the season 6-2, the Panthers have lost three straight games. They suffered a tough loss to the Seahawks at home last week, but it was still another productive performance from Newton. He completed 25 of 30 pass attempts for 256 yards and two touchdowns while also chipping in 63 yards on the ground. That marked the fourth time in the last five games that’s posted a completion percentage of at least 72.4 percent and his 10th straight contest with at least two touchdown passes.
Newton gets a stellar matchup this week against a bad Bucs secondary that has allowed the most passing touchdowns (26) and the sixth-most passing yards per game (274). They did play well against the 49ers last week, but facing Nick Mullens and his depleted wide receiver group isn’t exactly a herculean task. The Panthers hung 42 points on the Bucs when these two played each other in Week 9, a game in which Newton had 247 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Jared Goff vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,400
As impressive as Mahomes was during their matchup, Goff was just as good with 413 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and one score on the ground. That marked his second game with at least 400 passing yards this season and the third time in his last four contests that he threw for at least three touchdowns. It’s also important to note that he has just one interception across his last five games.
The Rams also had the luxury of a bye last week and will now travel to Detroit to face a Lions team that is in line for another disappointing year at 4-7. They don’t give up a ton of yards through the air, but the Lions have allowed 24 passing touchdowns compared to just four interceptions. This also has the makings of a potential blowout, but Goff is still a great option in cash contests due to his touchdown upside.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Russell Wilson vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $6,300
After struggling to score at the beginning of the season, the Seahawks have produced at least 27 points in each of their last three games. Wilson had his best game of the year in Week 12, throwing for 339 yards and two touchdowns against the Panthers. That was the first time he topped 300 passing yards in a game, but it was also his seventh-straight contest with at least two touchdowns.
The Seahawks have a run-heavy offense, which sometimes doesn’t always lead to huge yardage totals from Wilson. However, that hasn’t stopped him from throwing for 25 touchdowns, leaving him with a great chance to throw for at least 30 scores for the third time in his career. The 49ers have allowed 23 passing touchdowns and picked off just two passes all season, so expect Wilson to thrive in this contest.
Jameis Winston vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $6,000
Things couldn’t have gone much better for Winston in his return as the starting quarterback last week against the 49ers. He completed 76.3 percent of his passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns while adding 24 rushing yards. Maybe the most important stat is that he wasn’t intercepted for the first time this season.
The Bucs beat the 49ers comfortably, holding them to just nine points. Don’t expect their defense to play nearly as well against the Panthers, which should require Winston to throw the ball more to keep up. The Panthers are vulnerable through the air having allowed 25 touchdown passes, although it is a bit concerning for Winston that they also have 11 interceptions. His history with turnovers makes him a bit risky, but he still has enough upside to make him a viable option in tournament play.
Lamar Jackson vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,900
He didn’t exactly face a tough opponent in the Raiders, but Jackson helped lead the Ravens to another win in Week 12. His passing numbers weren’t stellar, completing 14 of 25 attempts for 178 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. However, he continued to dominate with his legs, rushing 11 times for 71 yards and a touchdown. Through two starts, Jackson has an insane 190 rushing yards.
The Ravens quarterback situation is one to monitor closely. Joe Flacco (hip) has still not been cleared to return, which could lead Jackson to start again in Week 13. Even if Flacco is healthy enough to play, there is no guarantee he regains his starting job. There have already been reports that the Ravens might use both quarterbacks in games. If Flacco is out against the Falcons, this is a great opportunity for Jackson since the Falcons have allowed the seventh-most rushing yards (205) and three rushing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Matt Ryan vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $5,600
The Falcons couldn’t pull out a win against the Saints last week, but Ryan still played well with 377 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan gets the benefit of playing this game at home and has some great weapons at wide receiver, but this is not a very favorable matchup against a Ravens team that allows the second-fewest passing yards per game (203). Ryan might not be a total flop and isn’t priced overly high on DraftKings, but his price on FanDuel is less than appealing.
Case Keenum vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $5,200
On the surface, this might stand out as a great matchup against a Bengals defense that couldn’t be playing much worse. They’ve allowed the second-most passing yards per game (292) and were just destroyed by the Browns. However, Keenum is having a poor season with 13 touchdown passes compared to 10 interceptions. He hasn’t thrown for at least 300 yards in a game since Week 6 and has thrown for 205 yards or fewer in back-to-back contests. If you want to take a chance on a cheap option in tournament play, look elsewhere.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 – Quarterbacks
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
Quarterback depth will be somewhat tested in Week 6 if you are playing the main Sunday slate in DFS. Both the Saints and Lions are on a bye, which means no Drew Brees or Matthew Stafford. Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers all won’t be available, either, with the Chiefs and Patriots facing off Sunday night and the Packers hosting the 49ers on Monday. There is still value to be had, though, so let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you 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
Ben Roethlisberger vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $6,500
The Steelers won handily over the Falcons in Week 5, limiting Roethlisberger to a season-low 29 pass attempts due to their big lead. He made the most of his opportunities, racking up 250 yards and three touchdowns. Although he did throw an interception for his third straight game, he’s also thrown at least three touchdown passes in three of his last four contests.
With the Steelers still without star running back Le’Veon Bell, Roethlisberger is averaging a career-high 332.8 passing yards per game. James Conner has had a couple of strong performances in Bell’s absence, but Roethlisberger and their receivers have shined. Roethlisberger traditionally has better numbers at home than he does on the road, but he still has a high floor in this game. He showed he can take advantage of poor defenses on the road Week 3 when he lit up the Bucs for 353 yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals haven’t played as poorly as the Bucs, but they have already allowed 10 touchdown passes.
Matt Ryan vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $6,800
Ryan departed last week’s game early with a foot injury, but that had a lot to do with the lopsided score. The Falcons didn’t have a strong offensive performance, resulting in Ryan throwing for 285 yards and a touchdown. It was the first time since Week 1 that Ryan didn’t record at least two touchdowns in a game. The good news is that he’s expected to be fine for this matchup with the Bucs.
The Bucs defense has struggled mightily to defend the pass, allowing a league-high 358 passing yards per game. Despite being on their bye during Week 5, the Bucs are still tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed (13). They only have one interception, too, providing very little resistance to opposing offenses. The Falcons have scored at least 31 points in each of their three home games this season, so look for Ryan to bounce back in a big way Sunday.
Deshaun Watson vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $6,400
Watson was rusty Week 1 in what was his first game back from a torn ACL, throwing for 175 yards to go along with one touchdown and one pick against the Patriots. He’s been a different quarterback since, throwing for at least 300 yards in each of his next four games. Turnovers have still been a problem with him throwing one interception in each of those contests, but he’s also chipped in eight total touchdowns.
The added value that Watson provides with his legs goes a long way towards giving him a high floor. He has at least five rushing attempts and 36 rushing yards in all five games. The Bills defense played well at home against the Titans last week, but the Titans don’t exactly have an overwhelming offense. Watson has two of the most dynamic wide receivers in the league to support him in DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, which helps with his touchdown upside.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Andy Dalton vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $6,300
Dalton had arguably his worst performance of the year Week 5, throwing for 248 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It was the first time he threw for less than two scores in a game and marked the second time he accumulated less than 250 yards through the air. He did only have 30 pass attempts, though, which was his fewest since Week 1.
Week 6 brings a chance for Dalton to get back on track against a Steelers defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (296) and is tied with the Bucs for the most passing touchdowns allowed (13). This has the potential to be a high-scoring game based on the Steelers explosive offense, so Dalton could be a great option in tournament play at a cheaper price than Big Ben.
Jameis Winston vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,800
Winston was reinstated from his three-game suspension and eligible to play Week 4, but he didn’t start because of the hot streak that Ryan Fitzpatrick was on. That streak ended in a hurry in that contest against the Bears, ultimately leading to Winston coming in for relief of Fitzpatrick. Winston didn’t exactly shine, either, finishing with 145 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Winston has been able to use the bye week to get ready for this game, which should leave him more prepared than he was for his relief role against the Bears. Turnovers have plagued Winston during his career and his 61.1% career completion percentage also leaves a lot to be desired. Even with that being said, he has a great wide receiver trio around him and will have to throw the ball a lot based on the Bucs defensive deficiencies. The Falcons have allowed 12 touchdown passes this year and their defense has been decimated by injuries, potentially setting up Winston for a valuable performance.
Baker Mayfield vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $5,500
Mayfield was faced with a tough task Week 5 against a Ravens defense that was playing well and getting back cornerback Jimmy Smith from suspension. His 342 passing yards were nice, but he only completed 58.1% of his passes and recorded one touchdown to go along with one interception. In both of his starts since taking over for Tyrod Taylor, Mayfield has completed less than 59% of his passes. On the plus side, he has attempted at least 40 passes in both of those contests.
Sunday brings a much easier task against the Chargers, who have allowed 270 passing yards per game compared to just 215 passing yards per game allowed by the Ravens. The Charges have also given up 11 touchdown passes while the Ravens have only allowed six. Mayfield is going to have his ups and downs throughout his rookie campaign, but he has enough upside to be worth considering at this price for Week 6.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Mitch Trubisky vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,300
The Bears had a bye week to bask in the glory of their 48-10 demolishing of the Bucs in Week 4. Trubisky’s play was the highlight of that game since he finished with 354 yards and a staggering six touchdown passes. Don’t get too excited, though, because Trubisky only had two touchdown passes in three games total before Week 4. The Dolphins secondary has given up some yards, but they have only allowed six touchdown passes and recorded a league-high 10 interceptions. Expect Trubisky to come crashing back down to Earth in this contest.
Alex Smith vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,400
How smart do the Chiefs look right now for moving on from Smith to start the Patrick Mahomes era? Smith had a fine stint with the Chiefs, but their offense was never nearly as explosive with him at the helm. The same issue has carried over with him to the Redskins, who are only averaging 20.8 points per game. Smith has failed to throw a touchdown pass in two of their four contests and only has four total scores through the air this season. He’s not expensive, but he doesn’t have enough upside to even warrant taking a chance on in tournament play.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 – Quarterbacks
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
There are only two teams on byes for Week 5, leaving plenty of options to choose from for your DFS entry. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you 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
Ben Roethlisberger vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $6,900
Roethlisberger entered Week 4 having thrown for at least 335 yards in each of the first three games this year. He also had six touchdown passes combined over the last two weeks. While he wasn’t terrible Sunday against the Ravens, it was a subpar performance by his standards with only 274 passing yards and a touchdown. Although he finished with only a 57.5% completion percentage, his 47 pass attempts marked the third time he has attempted at least 40 passes in a game in the early going.
Week 5 brings a stellar matchup for Roethlisberger against a Falcons defense that has been decimated by injuries out of the gate. The Falcons have allowed the eighth-most passing yards per game (284) and have only recorded three interceptions. Teams have had no problems finding the end zone against them, in general, as they have allowed 30.5 points per game. This could be a high-scoring game considering the Steelers have plenty of their own defensive liabilities, leaving Roethlisberger with an extremely high floor.
Matt Ryan vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $6,600
Ryan has come out firing to start the season, averaging a career-high 329 passing yards per contest. After recording only 20 touchdown passes in 2017, he already has 10 through the first four weeks. All of those touchdowns have actually come across the last three games since he was shut out against the Eagles in Week 1. It should be noted that was also the only game that he has played on the road this season, which is where they will be playing Sunday after three straight home games.
The addition of Calvin Ridley has been a big boost for Ryan as he adds another weapon who has shown a knack for scoring touchdowns in his rookie season. Julio Jones is still looking for his first score of the year, but he has an insane 502 receiving yards already. The dynamic duo, along with the reliable Mohamed Sanu, causes plenty of problems for opposing defenses. The Steelers defense has been even worse than the Falcons, allowing the fourth-most passing yards per game (305) in the league.
Philip Rivers vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $6,700
Rivers went off for 424 passing yards Week 1 against the Chiefs, but he hasn’t topped 256 passing yards in a game since. The good news is that hasn’t stopped him from being a reliable contributor in DFS because he has thrown at least two touchdown passes in all four games this season. Turnovers have plagued him a few times in his career, but he’s only been picked off twice so far.
There are a lot of big names at the quarterback position and Rivers hasn’t had a lot of success in the playoffs, so he sometimes doesn’t get the recognition that he deserves. He has recorded at least 4,286 passing yards and 28 touchdown passes in five straight seasons and hasn’t thrown fewer than 25 touchdowns in a year since 2007. The Raiders have had a hard time generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, so expect Rivers to come through with another valuable performance.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Andy Dalton vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,900
Talk about a turnaround for Dalton. He averaged only 207.5 passing yards per game last year and posted a 59.9% completion percentage that was his lowest mark since his rookie season. The first four weeks have brought completely different results as he is averaging 299.3 passing yards per game and has a 65.6% completion percentage. Although he did have one ugly four-interception performance, he has logged at least two touchdown passes in all four contests.
One of the big reasons for Dalton’s improved numbers has been the emergence of Tyler Boyd, who is finally healthy and putting up big numbers. His performance has also helped take some of the pressure off of A.J. Green as opposing defenses finally have another receiver to worry about. The Dolphins do have the most interceptions (nine) in the league, but they have also allowed the seventh-most passing yards per contest (285). I wouldn’t be surprised if Dalton throws at least one pick in this game, but he should produce enough across the board to be worth considering in tournament play.
Joe Flacco vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $5,400
The Ravens had an eye towards the future during the 2018 Draft, selecting quarterback Lamar Jackson to hopefully be their successor to Flacco. It certainly made sense for them to select a young quarterback since Flacco was coming off of a season where he averaged 196.3 passing yards per game and had 18 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions. It should be noted, though, that Flacco didn’t exactly have great weapons around him. The addition of Michael Crabtree and a healthy John Brown have helped Flacco show he still has some gas left in the tank, resulting in him averaging 313 passing yards per game and throwing eight touchdowns across the first four weeks.
Flacco’s improved play has been one of the main reasons why the Ravens are off to a 3-1 start despite the fact that they are averaging a league-low 3.1 yards-per-carry. It’s not as if they have shied away from running the ball, either, as they are actually tied for the fourth-most rushing attempts (114). Flacco will lead his team into this road game against Browns, who have allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game (276) and just allowed Derek Carr to throw for 437 yards and four touchdowns in Week 4.
Blake Bortles vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,500
If you’ve rostered Bortles in DFS this season, it’s been a hit-or-miss proposition. In weeks one and three, he threw for a combined 331 yards and one touchdown. In weeks two and four, he threw for 764 yards and six touchdowns. Week 4 brought his most efficient game of the year as he completed 76.3% of his passes against the Jets, which is a sharp contrast from his 54.6% completion percentage Week 1 against the Giants.
The Jaguars will be forced to lean on Bortles more heavily again this week after Leonard Fournette reaggravated his hamstring injury and will be forced back to the sidelines. The Jaguars have a stout defense, but they face a tough task in slowing down the Chiefs’ high-powered offense. Bortles might be forced to throw the ball a lot to keep pace, especially if they can’t get their running game working without Fournette. His inconsistency certainly makes him a risky play, but I think it’s a risk worth taking based on the Chiefs allowing the second-most passing yards (329) per game.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Russell Wilson vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $5,100
Wilson came through with 298 passing yards and three touchdowns Week 1, but it’s been all downhill for him since. He hasn’t topped 200 passing yards in either of the last two weeks and failed to a throw a touchdown Sunday against the Cardinals. The Seahawks have had an inconsistent running attack and Doug Baldwin is still working his way back to being completely healthy after suffering a knee injury, which certainly hasn’t helped Wilson’s cause. The Rams are missing Aqib Talib at cornerback, but they have a ton of talent on defense, which is going to limit Wilson’s upside.
Baker Mayfield vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $5,300
Mayfield didn’t exactly have ideal conditions for the first start of his career having to play on the road on the West Coast. He came through with 295 passing yards and two touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions and lost two fumbles. There is no question that Mayfield has a ton of talent, but he’s going to have growing pains as he gets acclimated to the NFL. This is not a good matchup for him against a Ravens defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game (193) and also gets cornerback Jimmy Smith back from a four-game suspension.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 4 – Quarterbacks
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Early bird special! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
After three weeks of a full schedule, Week 4 brings two teams on a bye with the Redskins and the Panthers getting an early breather. The Chiefs also play on Monday, taking their high-flying offensive weapons out of the equation if you playing the main Sunday slate in DFS. However, there are still plenty of great matchups to take advantage of at the quarterback position. Let’s examine some players to target and avoid as you craft your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
CASH CONTEST OPTIONS
Aaron Rodgers vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $6,800
Last year, Rodgers threw for at least 300 yards in each of the first three games of this season. Through the first three weeks of 2018, Rodgers has yet to reach that mark. He continued to battle through a knee injury Sunday against the Redskins, throwing for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Although his yardage totals haven’t been great, he does have six touchdown passes and has yet to throw an interception.
Rodgers is certainly not going to be completely healthy again Sunday, but he could be in line for one of his best performances of the year. The Bills pulled off a miraculous upset against the Vikings last week, but that game was at home. Playing on the road in Lambeau Field is a completely different story. The Bills have allowed seven touchdown passes and recorded only one interception through the first three weeks, setting up Rodgers with a high floor in this contest.
Matt Ryan vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $6,100
Ryan’s season started with a whimper, registering 251 yards, one interception and no touchdowns Week 1 on the road against the Eagles. To say he’s bounced back well would be an understatement. In the last two games, Ryan has thrown for 646 yards, seven touchdowns and has even chipped in two rushing touchdowns. He completed just 48.8% of his passes in Week 1 but has completed 77.8% of his passes since.
Week 4 brings a third-straight home game for Ryan and the Falcons. They’ll face a Bengals defense that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through the first three weeks. The Bengals didn’t exactly get lit up by Cam Newton last week, but the Panthers offense is built around their running game, which is not the case for the Falcons. Their wide receiver trio of Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Mohamed Sanu can cause a lot of problems for opposing defenses, so don’t hesitate to roll with Ryan for your entry.
Philip Rivers vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $6,500
Sunday’s game against the Rams wasn’t pretty for Rivers, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 226 yards. He still threw two touchdown passes and avoided being intercepted, but it wasn’t all that surprising that he didn’t have a banner day against a tough Rams defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The two touchdown passes by Rivers were the first they had allowed this year.
Things swing back in Rivers’ favor for Week 4 against a 49ers team that is still reeling from the loss of their franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn in ACL. Their defense was torched in that contest, allowing Patrick Mahomes to rack up 314 yards and three touchdowns. The 49ers have now allowed eight touchdown passes and are still looking for their first interception. They will be short-handed in the secondary with Richard Sherman already ruled out due to a calf injury, potentially setting up Rivers for a productive afternoon.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Andy Dalton vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,400
Dalton provided a mixed-bag against the Panthers in Week 3. While his 352 passing yards and two touchdowns look nice, he also threw four interceptions in the Bengals first loss of the year. His yardage total was boosted by his 46 pass attempts, which marked his second consecutive week with at least 40 attempts. He threw at least 40 passes in a game only two times all of last season.
The Bengals have a much easier matchup Sunday against a Falcons defense that is missing several key players due to injury, including linebacker Deion Jones and safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen. They have allowed 731 passing yards and six passing touchdowns to quarterbacks over the last two games, leaving Dalton as an excellent option in tournament play based on his upside.
Baker Mayfield vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $5,300
The Browns finally ended their long losing streak and basically did so on the shoulders of Mayfield, who came in at quarterback after Tyrod Taylor left Thursday’s game due to a concussion. Although Mayfield didn’t throw a touchdown, he completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and added some much-needed life to their offense. The Browns have already named Mayfield as the starting quarterback for Week 4, a job he should hold onto for the rest of the season, barring injury.
Playing on the road on the West Coast isn’t exactly ideal for a rookie quarterback’s first career start, but the Raiders don’t have an imposing defense. The trading of Khalil Mack has significantly hurt their pass rush as they have only three sacks through the first three weeks., which is the fewest in the NFL. Their lack of pressure has only resulted in one interception, as well. Don’t be surprised if Mayfield thrives in this game.
Ryan Tannehill vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,500
Who would have thought that heading into this AFC East matchup that the Dolphins would be 3-0 while the Patriots would be 1-2? A lot of the Dolphins success can be attributed to Tannehill, who has completed at least 71.4% of his passes and thrown at least two touchdowns in each of the first three weeks. He’s also provided some value with his legs, rushing 15 times for 74 yards.
While the Dolphins’ start has been impressive, this will be by far their toughest task of the season facing the Patriots on the road. It might not be all that bad for Tannehill and their offense, though, since the Patriots have allowed 25.7 points per game across the first three weeks. The Dolphins are finally completely healthy at wide receiver, too, with DeVante Parker returning last week. I don’t think Tannehill has as high of a ceiling as Dalton and Mayfield do, but he can still provide value at this price.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Carson Wentz vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $5,800
Wentz made his first start of the season Sunday, completing his return from a torn ACL suffered last year. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t awful either, throwing for 255 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It certainly didn’t help his cause that the Eagles were missing two of their top three wide receivers in Alshon Jeffery and Mike Wallace. They were also without Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles in their backfield. Ajayi and Sproles are expected to return for Week 4 and Jeffery might make his season debut, as well, which would certainly be a boost for their offense. That being said, Wentz is still coming off a long layoff, so it might be wise to spend your money elsewhere.
Derek Carr vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,100
The Raiders are a mess. They have led at the half in each of their first three games, but don’t have a win to show for it. Carr has posted a 76.6% completion rate and is averaging 312 passing yards per game, which would both be career-highs. However, he’s turned that into only two touchdown passes and he has five interceptions. The Browns defense has been much improved and has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. That’s especially impressive when you consider they have faced the Steelers and Saints already. Stay away from Carr when crafting your lineup.
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
Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7
*Mike Barner*
Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 7
Week 7 may not have a ton of great match ups on the schedule, but it will be highlighted by a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. While that should be an exciting game, hopefully the best part of your Week 7 is bringing home money playing DFS. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.
**QUARTERBACKS**
Matt Ryan vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,500
FanDuel = $8,700
Ryan and the Falcons offense have struggled this season, resulting in a 3-2 record. Ryan has only thrown for more than 300 yards in a game once this season, which came in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. He has also thrown more than one touchdown pass in a game only once this season and has six touchdowns passes and six interceptions overall. With that being said, I still like him a lot in this contest against a Patriots defense that has allowed the most net passing yards in the NFL and is tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed. If there was ever a week for a breakout performance from Ryan, this is it.
Kirk Cousins vs Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,500
FanDuel = $7,500
Cousins comes into Week 7 on a hot streak as he has thrown at least two touchdowns in each of the last three games while also throwing for at least 330 yards in two of those three contests. He has nine touchdowns compared to only two interceptions this season. Not really known for his running, Cousins already has a career-high 103 rushing yards this season. Week 7 brings a match up against an Eagles defense that has allowed the fourth most net passing yards per game this season. Expect a valuable performance from Cousins Sunday.
Brett Hundley vs New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Lambeau Field
DraftKings = $5,100
FanDuel = $6,500
Hundley replaced injured star quarterback Aaron Rodgers last week against the Minnesota Vikings and struggled as he threw for 157 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. With Rodgers possibly out for the season, Hundley will get a chance to make a name for himself. While you should expect him to struggle at times, Week 7 presents an interesting opportunity against the Saints. Not only have Saints allowed the fifth most net passing yards per game, but Hundley is going to have to try and keep up with their high scoring offense. If you need a cheap quarterback, Hundley is your man.
**RUNNING BACKS**
Devonta Freeman vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $7,800
I’ve already detailed how much the Patriots struggle in pass coverage, but they don’t do much better against the run either as they have allowed 4.7 yards per carry and 116 rushing yards per game. Although the Falcons offense has struggled, it hasn’t kept Freeman out of the end zone as he has five rushing touchdowns this season. This has the makings of a shootout, which could lead to plenty of scoring chances for Freeman.
Jerick McKinnon vs Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,000
McKinnon has played his way into the starting running back role over Latavius Murray as he has 164 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards and three total touchdowns over his last two games. His role in the passing game creates extra value as he hauled in 11 catches on 12 targets over those two contests. Week 7 brings the opportunity to cash in against a Ravens defense that has allowed the third most rushing yards per game. Roll with McKinnon and enjoy the production.
Duke Johnson Jr. vs Tennessee Titans
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,500
Johnson struggled against the Houston Texans last week as he rushed for 40 yards on five carries and had three receptions for minus one yard. Don’t read too much into that though as quarterback Kevin Hogan was terrible in the contest. DeShone Kizer will start this week in place of Hogan and while Kizer has struggled too, he seems to have good chemistry with Johnson. In four games entering Week 6, Johnson had logged 21 receptions on 26 targets for 250 yards with Kizer at the helm. Use him this week, especially considering his cheap price.
**WIDE RECEIVERS**
Dez Bryant vs San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $7,800
FanDuel = $8,200
Other than Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, Bryant has received at least eight targets in each game this season. He has turned those opportunities into points as he has scored in three of the last four games. Week 7 brings a promising match up against the 49ers as they have allowed the sixth most net passing yards per game this season. A lot of elite receivers have tough match ups this week, leaving Bryant as one of the better expensive options.
Pierre Garcon vs Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $6,700
Although Garcon is still looking for his first touchdown of the season, he is off to a solid start with the 49ers as he has 33 receptions for 434 yards. He is a major part of their offense, evident by his 56 targets already this season. The Cowboys could be in for a big offensive performance in this game, leaving the 49ers to play catch up and throw the ball a lot. Considering the volume Garcon regularly receives, he should be very productive Sunday.
Nelson Agholor vs Washington Redskins
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,900
Agholor is in the midst of a breakout season as he enters Week 7 with 321 receiving yards, which is only 44 yards less than his previous career high for a single season. While he doesn’t get a ton of targets, he has cashed in on his opportunities as he has a 66.7% catch percentage this season. This week brings a rematch against a Washington team that he posted six catches, 86 receiving yards and one touchdown against Week 1. Make sure to plug him into your entry at this cheap price.
Rishard Matthews vs Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $5,500
Matthews is not off to a great start this season as he has recorded 49 or less receiving yards in three of six games. He has also struggled to find the end zone as he only has one touchdown. All that being said, he gets to face a Browns defense that is tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed this season. Mattews has a chance to far outproduce his price point in this contest.
**TIGHT ENDS**
Jimmy Graham vs New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,800
Graham has finally become a focal point of the Seahawks offense as he has received at least eight targets in two of the last three games. He also scored his first touchdown in the Seahawks last game against the Los Angeles Rams. This is a juicy match up for Graham Sunday against a Giants team that really struggles to defend tight ends. The Giants have allowed the most receiving yards (432) and touchdowns (7) to tight ends this season. Look for Graham to cash in on their continued struggles.
Austin Hooper vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $4,100
FanDuel = $5,000
Hooper stormed out of the gate this season with 128 receiving yards and a touchdown Week 1. However, he followed that up with 16 yards total over the next two weeks. It seems he has righted the ship with 98 yards total in the last two weeks. The Falcons are finally throwing him the ball more as he had 16 targets over the last two weeks compared to six over the first three weeks. He doesn’t cost much, making him a great option Sunday if you can’t afford to put Graham in your lineup.
**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $5,400
The Jaguars defense has created a ton of havoc this season as they lead the NFL in both sacks (23) and interceptions (10). That’s fantasy gold. They get to face a Colts offense that is only averaging 19.8 points per game this season while starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett only has three passing touchdowns. The Jaguars present the best option at defense for Week 7.
New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $3,000
FanDuel = $4,400
The Dolphins have averaging only 12.2 points per game this season, far and away the worst in the NFL. Starting quarterback Jay Cutler only has five touchdowns compared to four interceptions this season and star running back Jay Ajayi is still looking for his first score of the season. At this price, the Jets defense provides great value for Week 7.
NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 3 Cash and GPP Plays
We close the book on Week 2 of the NFL season after a relatively chalky NFL slate. We saw several of the obvious plays hit like Tom Brady, Ty Montgomery, Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen, and even Coby Fleener all hit value
Now we transition to Week 3, which opens up as an unusual ten home teams as current underdogs. The Patriots, Eagles, Panthers, Titans, and Packers are the only home teams that are favored in the main slate. That doesn’t exactly say everything about the slate quite yet; it just means ownership may be more spread out than what we’ve seen the first two weeks. So without further or do, let’s dive in.
Quarterbacks
Matt Ryan (DK $7,100, FD $8,500) – One of the first things I look for when looking into Quarterbacks are team implied totals. Matt Ryan comes in after a dominant performance against the Packers on Sunday Night Football with an implied team total of 26.75 against the Lions. That’s good enough for third highest on the slate behind only the Patriots and the Raiders. The Lions are currently 12 worst in the league by averaging 236 passing yards per game and are averaging 40 passing attempts allowed per game. This game originally opened up with a 48.5 o/u and has since moved to 50.5, which is good enough for the second highest total of the week. The game is on the road for the Falcons, and Ryan is known for performing better at home, so there is a reason to temper expectations. But in a matchup against an improved Lions offense with a secondary bad secondary, the game flow could mean Ryan will a lot of opportunities to chuck the ball.
Matthew Stafford (DK $6,200, FD $7,900) – Pivoting to the other side of the ball, Stafford has done reasonably well his first two weeks against the Cardinals and the Giants. Two opponents that are tougher on paper than his matchup this week. Stafford comes into the week as a 3 point underdog and with an implied team total of 23.75. Stafford is returning home where he threw for 4 touchdowns and 292 yards in Week 1 against a good Cardinals secondary. Out of all the games this week, this Lions/Falcons game is my favorite for quarterback points.
Kirk Cousins (DK $6,100, FD $7,600) – Cousins has been disappointing the first two weeks. He had a disappointing game on the road against the Rams and was mediocre against the Eagles in the opening week. This week could potentially be a rebound spot for Cousins. He’s at home facing a Raiders defense that has been overachieving the first two weeks of the season. The Raiders are averaging only 200 passing yards per game and have only allowed two passing touchdowns on the year. Last year the Raiders were one of the worst secondaries in the league and did very little to improve that unit this offseason. Oakland does have one of the league’s best offenses in the league, which explains the high o/u at 54 (highest of the week). Give me a low-owned Kirk Cousins against a weak secondary at home, even as a 3 point underdog.
Value QB
Andy Dalton (DK $5,100, FD $6,800) – Andy Dalton has been terrible the first two weeks. In fact, the entire Bengals offense has as they are 1 of 2 teams (49ers) that have yet to find the end zone this season. That being said, Dalton has had two difficult matchups after facing the Ravens and the Texans on a short week. The Bengals opened the week as a 10 point underdog on the road against the Packers, but have since narrowed the line to +8.5. Aaron Rodgers is without a doubt looking to light up the scoreboard after getting run over by the Falcons (again) on national TV, so I expect Dalton to have plenty of garbage time opportunities to throw the ball.
Running Backs
Le’Veon Bell (DK $8,800, FD $8,700) – To say Bell has been disappointing the first two weeks is an understatement. He’s been so disappointing that Elliott eclipsed him as the most expensive running back on this week. But this week could be the week we get Bell at depressed ownership and in a bounce-back spot. He doesn’t quite check all the boxes going up against an improved front seven in Chicago, but the Steelers are 7 point favorites. We saw Bell get 27 rushes last week and also 4 targets, so the volume is much improved after that bizarre first week. We all know Big Ben’s struggles on the road, yet the Steelers are still are implied to score 26 points. This should be a get well spot for Bell.
CJ Anderson (DK $5,800, FD $6,900) – Anderson is way too cheap on DK at 5.8k. The Broncos have shown that Anderson is the feature back while Jamaal Charles has only found his way on the field in passing situations. Anderson owns 70% of the Broncos rushing attempts after two weeks and has produced just under 200 yards (199). He also has 4 catches on 6 targets, which adds to his value on DK. The Broncos are a 3 point favorite against the Bills in a game that could feature both running backs with their pedestrian passing games and minimal projections. Anderson is projected as the third best running pack (point per dollar) on LineupLabs.
Isaiah Crowell (DK $4,800, FD $6,600) – If you drafted Crowell as I did in season long or redraft leagues, you’re probably frustrated with the thought of playing him in DFS. But the truth is, if there is ever a spot to play Crowell, it might be this week. Crowell is facing a Colts defense whose defensive line may have more holes than swiss cheese. This game has one of the lowest totals on the week and rightfully so as both teams have young offenses. Crowell does have the luxury of running behind the best offensive line in the league per PFF.com, so this could be a breakout week for Crowell.
GPP Flyer
Mike Gillislee (DK $5,700, FD $6,800) – Probably the better site to play him is on FD since he’s so touchdown dependent, but that’s exactly why he’s a shot in the dark. Gillislee has scored 4 touchdowns in the first two weeks. He leads the league in rushes inside the 5-yard line, converting each 4 of his carries into touchdowns. Although Gillislee is touchdown dependent, he does own 59% of the market share of rushes out of the Patriots backfield. The Pats are the biggest favorite of the week (13.5), and at home so Gillislee should get a shot at a cheap TD.
Cash game plays not noted above: M. Gordon, K. Hunt, J. Ajayi, T. Montgomery.
GPP Flyers: L.McCoy, D. Freeman, C. McCaffrey
Wide Receivers:
AJ Green (DK $8,100, FD $ 7,500) – I talked about Green’s quarterback up top. I like the idea of targeting this game from the Bengals passing attack with the likelihood that they will be playing catch-up for the majority of the game. Green currently accounts for 30% of the Bengals’ targets through the first two games of the season. He’s seen 18 targets and has caught 10 of them for 141 yards. He has yet to find the end zone, but as I mentioned with Dalton, they have had two tough matchups. This week they go up against a Packers secondary that got torched by Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu in really what was only one-half of competitive football. The Packers rank 18th in the league in FP allowed to opposing WR by allowing 18 points through the first two weeks. I can see Green getting one, possibly two touchdowns in garbage time.
Michael Crabtree (DK $7,400, FD $7,700) – I really thought that Amari Cooper was going to peak this season and Crabtree was going to begin declining. That clearly wasn’t the case last week when Crabtree scored 3 times on 6 targets, while Cooper only saw 5. I still think this may happen, but at least for this week, Crabtree might be the play over Cooper again. The big reason is that I expect Josh Norman to spend most of his time against Cooper, which would leave Crabtree lined up against Bashaud Breeland who currently has a PFF grade of 67.2. If Crabtree does face Breeland throughout the game, he should be able to find the end zone again.
Value
Rashard Higgins (DK $4,000, FD $5,100) – Higgins got a lot more playing time once the Brown’s top receiver Corey Coleman left the game. Coleman was eventually placed on IR and Higgins looks to be the biggest beneficiary from the move. Higgins got 11 targets from Kizer and caught 7 for 95 yards last week.
Devin Funchess (DK $4,200, FD $4,800) – With the injury to tight end Greg Olsen, Cam Newton will have to find someone over the middle of the field to dump the ball off. Per PFF.com, Funches is expected to lineup in 2 and 3 wide receiver sets against P.J. Williams. Williams is by far the Saints worst graded corner (42.7) in a secondary that has gotten torched by Brady and Bradford to begin the season. With Olsen out that’s going to open up more targets for the Panthers passing attack. I expect McCaffrey to see an uptick in targets but Funches should also benefit from Olsen’s absence.
** Devonte Adams is practically a free square if Nelson and Cobb are out **
GPP Flyer
DeAndre Hopkins (DK $6,200, FD $ 7,500) – Similar to Green’s situation, Hopkins is likely to find his team chasing a high-powered offense. Hopkins is currently third in the NFL in targets with 13 and also leads the NFL in team target market share 54.2%. It’s amazing how Watson just continues to chuck the ball Hopkins way. The Pats are currently 29th in the league against WR by allowing an average of 27.6 points to opposing wideouts. Hopkins is GPP only because Belichick is notorious for taking away the opposing team’s best weapon, which is Nuke.
Other Middle/Top Tier Options: M. Evans (GPP), K. Allen (Cash), D. Baldwin (GPP), T. Hill (Cash)
Tight End
For the first time this season there isn’t a clear-cut chalk tight end that will be heavily owned in cash games. At least for now. Below are a few of the best options when considering price per dollar spent.
Martellus Bennett (DK $4,400, FD $ 5,600) – Bennett is the tight end that I’m watching pretty closely. As I’m writing this Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb have missed practice early in the week after leaving last week’s game against the Falcons. If one or neither of these players play that leaves plenty of targets up for grabs for the Packers, pass catchers, and I expect Bennett to be a beneficiary. Last week Bennett saw 11 targets with both Nelson and Cobb out of the game. Bennett would face a Bengals defense that ranked 30th in the league against tight ends last season.
Jack Doyle (DK $ 3,600, FD $5,300) – Doyle may be the heaviest owned TE on the week considering many DFS players will stick to recency bias and save their money by using Doyle as their value play. Doyle is certainly cheap and is coming off of a nice outing with Colts’ new quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Brissett targeted Doyle 8 times last week and Doyle caught every one of those targets and gained 79 yards to lead the team in receiving.
GPP Flyer
Jordan Reed (DK $5,400, FD $ 6,700) – Reed is limited to a tournament play only because he has missed practice early this week. Reed is listed as questionable which is likely to drive down his ownership. I already expressed my interest in the ‘skins offense in the QB section and I think adding Reed to a game stack for this Sunday night hammer could lead to a big payoff. Reed is among the top 5 TE in targets this season accounting for 20% of the team’s targets.
Cash game plays not noted above: Z. Ertz, T. Kelce, E. Ebron
Gpp Flyer: R. Gronkowski, D. Allen (if Gronk is inactive)
Defense
With 10 home teams as current underdogs ownership is likely to be spread out at defense.
New England Patriots (DK $3,800, FD $4,900) – The Patriots are at home facing the Texans who are implied to score a slate low 15.25 points. According to Vegas, they seem like the safest play. The issue is that they’re the most expensive option on DK and 4th most expensive on FD. If you’re able to fit them in your lineups, you probably should. Belichick will without a doubt have a scheme to unravel rookie QB Deshaun Watson
Tennessee Titans (DK $ 2,700, FD $4,300) – If you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel on defense I won’t blame you. As we get deeper in the week, I find myself justifying using the Titans for a few reasons. They’re home favorites (-3), Russell Wilson’s terrible home/road splits, and the Seahawks’ team total has dropped from 20.25 to 19.75. The Seahawks haven’t got their offense going this season and were lucky to survive a home game against the 49ers. The Titans like to control the clock by running the ball which could limit possessions, which limits scoring
Daily Fantasy Football: NFL DFS Week 1 Cash and GPP Picks
Quarterbacks:
Quarterback is the most underpriced position in both Draftkings and Fanduel. The main reason why the quarterback position is wildly underpriced is that there isn’t a large gap between the top scoring QB opposed to the 12th scoring QB. It also has to due in large part with the fact that their scoring is weighted lower than other positions. QB’s receive 4 points per touchdown and 1 point for every 25 yards gained. If you play on Draftkings they give a bonus for quarterbacks that throw over 300 yards. That may alter your decision making because it makes quarterbacks more reliant on touchdowns in FanDuel than in Draftkings. Now that we broke down the scoring discrepancies, let’s take a look at a few quarterbacks you should be targeting for both cash and gpp games.
Cash:
Marcus Mariota (DK $6,700, FD $7,700)
Mariota comes into week 1 as the consensus chalk quarterback. The 6th highest priced QB on DK and 7th highest priced QB on FD, Mariota won’t be heavily owned because of his bargain price. Instead, Mariota will likely be the highest owned QB in cash games because of his favorable Vegas totals. The Titans come into week one as a 3.5 point favorite against the Raiders in a game that features the highest over/under 50.5. This high over/under gives the Titans an implied total of 26.5 points, good enough for second on this slate only behind the Steelers. Quarterbacks with similar Vegas totals have gone on to perform well in the past. Mariota has had the best red zone touchdown efficiency rating since joining the league in 2015. When you add up all that and include that the Raiders had one of the worst secondaries in the league last season, you can see why Mariota is expected to be the highest owned quarterback.
GPP:
Russell Wilson (DK $ 6,900, FD $8,000)
After a let down 2016 season, Wilson finds himself looking to hit the refresh button. His fantasy production last season took a dip because he only rushed for 259 yards on the season with one rushing touchdown. It’s been heavily reported that Wilson changed his workout routine over the offseason and is looking to recapture his 2015 form this season. Well, week 1 is a nice opportunity for Wilson to put his new offseason regime to the test against the Packers. The Packers allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game last season and did hardly anything to improve their secondary in the offseason. This game opened up with an over/under just under 50 but has since increased to 51, giving this game the highest over/under on the slate. The Seahawks are on road underdogs, and that generally isn’t a recipe for success, but the Packers secondary is bad enough for you to consider taking a flier on Wilson in tournaments.
Plays worth considering in Cash & GPP:
Matt Ryan (DK $6,900, FD $8,500) – The Falcons are tied for 1st on the slate for implied team points with 27.5. Matt Ryan is going up against a Bears defense that is significantly improved in the front seven and new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian could look to air it out in their first game to get Falcon’s fans over their 28-3 blown Super Bowl win. However, Ryan does come with some red flags as he is playing on the road and there truly is no way of telling how the offense will function without Kyle Shanahan.
Ben Roethlisberger ($DK 7,300, FD $8,200) – Big Ben comes in with the same implied team total as the Falcons. He’s playing an abysmal Browns team and is an 8.5 point favorite. Ben will have his full assortment of weapons to his use with the return of LeVeon Bell and Martavis Bryant. The concern here is Ben’s home and road splits.
Running Backs
The running back position is almost always dominated by Le’Veon Bell (DK $9,800, FD $9,300) and David Johnson (DK $9,400, FD $9,400). This week is no different. Both are elite plays and expect to be the highest owned backs in this slate. Now the question is if you can play both of them. The answer is yes. There’s certainly enough value in other positions that allow you to make your lineup construction with these two elite backs. But if you have to choose one over the other I like Johnson over Bell because of the simple fact that the game has a closer spread and David Johnson plays for a Cardinal team that has fewer mouths to feed than the Steelers.
Chalk
Todd Gurley (DK $6,000, FD $7,300)
If you’re looking for a chalk alternative from the two safe, elite backs look no further than Todd Gurley. More of a value on Draftkings than Fanduel, Gurley comes into week 1 in an elite spot. The Rams are currently home favorite against the Andrew Luck-less Colts and have seen the Vegas line shift them from 3 point underdogs to 4 point favorites. With a poor offensive line and Jeff Fisher calling the plays last season, Gurley had a letdown year after being selected as the number 1 RB in most season-long drafts last season. This year the Rams have made some moves to improve their offensive line and also brought in Sean McVay to jumpstart their offense. Gurley should have an ample amount of opportunities to get to the 100 yard DK bonus and could even fall into the endzone.
GPP
Carlos Hyde (DK $4,600, FD $6,800)
If you’re looking for a cheap running back in your roster construction, Carlos Hyde is your answer. With Joe William landing on the IR and Tim Hightower being a surprise cut out of the 49ers camp, Hyde only has to share targets with undrafted rookie Matt Breida. Hyde should be a lock for 25 touches with Kyle Shanahan calling the plays now and his price on both sites could help open up salary in other roster spots.
Wide Receivers
Depending on lineup construction, wide receiver could be where you really differentiate yourself from the field. The top 3 studs are all in strong positions. Antonio Brown (DK $ 8,800, FD $9,100), Julio Jones (DK $8,500, FD $9,000), and AJ Green (DK $8,000, FD $ 8,400) are all in spots where we can see them have a big game. But let’s take an audible into some plays that people may be overlooking
Doug Baldwin (DK $6,700, FD $7,500)
I mentioned how the Seahawks passing offense was in a good spot against the Packers. The game flow looks to be in Baldwin’s favor as the Packers had the worst secondary in the league last season, and quite frankly their cornerbacks don’t scare any passing attack. Baldwin will face either Quinten Rollins, Davon House, or Damarious Randall neither was graded higher than top 50 of Pro Football Focus Cornerback Rankings.
Kendall Wright (DK $3,200, FD $5,200)
Kendall Wright looks poised to take advantage of a Bears receiving corp that is extremely depleted after losing Cameron Meredith for the season. Although Wright is not listed as the number two receiver behind Kevin White, Wright will be on the field in three wide receiver sets. That may sound concerning, but during preseason the first-team Bears offense ran three wide receiver sets 14 out of their 15 plays, so Wright is a sneaky cheap option to get some much volume. Wright was signed by the Bears after his previous work with offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. Under Loggains, Wright saw and an average of 8.7 targets per game back in 2013. In a game that the Bears are heavy underdogs against the Falcons, the offense could be throwing the ball more than 40 times opening up cheap targets for Wright to snag.
Amari Cooper (DK $7,200, FD $7,600)
Amari Cooper should be another popular play. Playing in the game with the highest over/under on the slate, Cooper is going to have an ample of opportunities to bring in targets. The Titans last season ranked in the bottom of the league in points per game allowed to wide receiver, and with a duel of Cooper and Crabtree, the Raiders passing game could be in store for a big game.
Larry Fitzgerald (DK $5,900, FD $6,400)
Fitz is a veteran that could be heavily owned in this first few weeks. The one thing about the vet is that he has some drastic splits from the first half of the season and the second. Fitzgerald has averaged 13.9 points in the first 6 games of the season compared to 11.3 games in the second half. The Cardinals passing offense faces the Lions who were 32nd in DVOA.
** Fanduel only ** Terrelle Pryor (FD $6,200) is extremely underpriced in Fanduel. Although his preseason action with Kirk Cousins left a lot to be desired, Pryor should see a massive target amount.
Tight End
Drafting a tight end in DFS is often dependent on the site you play. In Draftkings touchdowns become less important than targets, while on Fanduel touchdowns valued higher than targets/receptions.
Chalk
Draftkings – Zach Ertz (DK $4,300, FD $6,100)
Ertz is the uber chalk on Draftkings. With the Eagles getting rid of Jordan Matthews and Alshon Jeffery expecting to be shadowed by Josh Norman, Ertz becomes the immediate beneficiary of targets from Carson Wentz. Ertz doesn’t have the touchdown upside that others like Jared Cook or Tyler Eifert may have, but his price and volume make him a nice cash play on Draftkings.
Fanduel – Tyler Eifert (DK $4,600, FD $6,100)
Eifert is an example of how site determines what would be the better player. With Green sucking up most of the targets, Eifert is left with minimal targets. Fortunately for Eifert, he scored on over 40% of his targets last season. Although that number is likely to regress, Eifert is at a good price for such a volatile position.
Defense
Los Angeles Rams (DK $3,200, FD $4,600)
The Rams’ defense is in a good spot as a 4 point home favorite against a team that doesn’t have their starting quarterback. The Colts could very much be a train wreck come Sunday, and although the Rams will likely be without their All-Pro Aaron Donald, their defense should be able to handle Scott Tolzien and Frank Gore.
Houston Texans (DK $3,800, FD 5,100)
The Texans are the chalkiest defense with the highest upside. Aside from the fact that they are with the most talented defense in a prime matchup, they get to face Blake Bortles. Bortles looked dreadful this preseason and last year ranked in the bottom-10 in interception rate (3.7%). They are the most expensive defensive option out of the other chalk defense.