As far as injuries go, Week 14 was simply brutal. With so many players set to be sidelined for Week 15, we have some interesting choices to make in DFS. Let’s dive into the quarterback and running back positions and discuss some options that stand out.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14 – Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
With no teams on a bye for Week 14, we have a bevy of options at both wide receiver and tight end to pick from in DFS.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
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 – Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
It’s been a rough few weeks recently with regards to viable tight end options in DFS, but things are shaping up to be much more favorable at the position for Week 13.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 10 – Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
While Week 10 is certainly not lacking top-tier wide receivers, the overall depth at tight end is thin with six teams on a bye.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 – Wide Receivers
Despite four teams being on a bye, Week 6 still brings a loaded group of high-end wide receiver options. Not only that, but there are several cheaper players who could provide significant value.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 – Running Backs
The running back landscape for Week 6 in DFS is going to be very different. If you’re playing in the main Sunday afternoon slate, Christian McCaffrey, Aaron Jones, Marlon Mack and James White are just a few of the names who won’t be at your disposal either because their team is on a bye or they are playing in a prime time game.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 1 – Quarterbacks
The long wait is finally over! The month of September is here, and with it, comes the start of the NFL season. That also means we have some DFS fun to partake in. Let’s start out by breaking down the quarterback position for Week 1.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 16 – WR, TE, DEF/ST
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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We only have two weeks left with a full slate of games in the NFL. After examining some quarterbacks and running backs to target for Week 16, let’s now highlight some wide receivers, tight ends and defenses/special teams that have favorable matchups. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
WIDE RECEIVERS
DeAndre Hopkins vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $8,600
Hopkins couldn’t have played any better last week against the Jets. He caught 10 of his 11 targets, marking his third game this season with 10 receptions. Not only did he finish with a season-high 170 yards, but he also scored two touchdowns. With 11 touchdowns for the season to go along with 94 receptions, Hopkins has one of the highest floors among wide receivers in DFS. Week 16 brings another opportunity for him to shine against a banged up Eagles secondary that has allowed the second-most passing yards per game (281) in the league.
Amari Cooper vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $7,500
There has been a lot made about how the addition of Cooper has improved the Cowboys’ offense, but he’s still struggled to be consistent. In his six games with the Raiders, he had four games with 17 receiving yards or fewer, but he had at least 116 yards in both of the other two contests. Across seven games with the Cowboys, he’s posted 58 yards or fewer three times. However, he finished with at least 180 yards and two touchdowns twice. He’s coming off of a dud last week against the Colts, but it should be noted that contest was on the road. Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott has much better numbers playing at home, so don’t be surprised if Cooper excels in this matchup against a Bucs defense that has allowed 30 passing touchdowns.
Robby Anderson vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,500
Anderson had a breakout campaign last year, but the change to Sam Darnold at quarterback has dealt a significant blow to his numbers. Over his first nine games this season, Anderson finished with 44 receiving yards or fewer eight times. The duo appears to finally be on the same page now, leaving Anderson to record 172 yards and two touchdowns over his last two games. Anderson received a season-high 11 targets with Quincy Enunwa (ankle) out last week and could again be extremely busy with Enunwa’s status very much in doubt for Week 16.
John Ross vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $3,800
The Bengals probably can’t wait for this season to be over. Injuries have completely derailed their offense, the latest of which was suffered by wide receiver Tyler Boyd (knee) last week. He has an MCL sprain and hasn’t practiced yet this week, so it seems highly unlikely that he’s going to play. If he doesn’t suit up, Ross is in line to be their top receiving threat. He’s battling his own ankle issue, but he has been a limited participant in practice so far, which is encouraging. The Browns allow the third-most passing yards per game (275), making Ross a viable cheap option in tournament play.
TIGHT ENDS
Zach Ertz vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,900
Nick Foles might be one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, but Ertz hasn’t topped 48 receiving yards in any of the three games that Foles has started this year. He had only three receptions last week against the Rams, but he did at least receive seven targets. His upside might not be as high as it was when Carson Wentz (back) was at the helm, but the Texans have allowed 889 yards and seven touchdowns to opposing tight ends. His price is still high on FanDuel, but it’s decreased significantly on DraftKings, making him a potential bargain at his position.
David Njoku vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,300
DraftKings = $3,800
Njoku has been on the field for at least 81 percent of the Browns’ offensive snaps in each of the last three games and has 15 targets to show for it. He didn’t do much with those targets, though, recording nine receptions for 73 yards. It’s hard to get too excited about him based on those stats, but the Bengals have allowed 839 yards and eight touchdowns to tight ends. The last time these two teams met, Njoku finished with five receptions, 63 yards, and a touchdown. If you want to take the cheap route at tight end in tournament play, Njoku is a viable option,
C.J. Uzomah vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $3,300
Uzomah had a favorable matchup last week against a Raiders team that has been mauled by tight ends, but he only caught one of his five targets for 27 yards. If you’re looking for a silver lining, at least Uzomah has received at least five targets in four of his last five contests. With the Bengals running out of healthy wide receivers, they may be forced to throw the ball more his way. The Browns have also struggled against tight ends, allowing 862 yards and six touchdowns to the position. In their last meeting, Uzomah caught six of 12 targets for 39 yards.
DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS
Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $3,200
Yes, the Rams gave up 30 points last week to the Eagles with Foles at quarterback. However, they are still a great option against the Cardinals. Josh Rosen has been awful of late, totaling 521 passing yards, three interceptions and no touchdowns across his last three games. He’s also been sacked 11 times during that stretch, so expect the Rams defense to wreak havoc Sunday.
Miami Dolphins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $2,700
This season turned into a disaster for the Jaguars. They neglected to address the quarterback position over the summer, leaving Blake Bortles to retain his starting role. He played so poorly that they have actually turned to Cody Kessler as their starter. While it’s hard to imagine, they’ve been even worse with him leading the way, scoring just one offensive touchdown across his three starts. The Dolphins defense is nothing special, but this matchup is almost too good to pass up.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 – Running Backs
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
The running back position isn’t very deep for Week 7 because not only are four teams on a bye, but Saquon Barkley, David Johnson, and Kareem Hunt also won’t be available for the main Sunday afternoon slate in DFS because they play in primetime games. Let’s dig into the position to see where you can gain the edge for 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
Todd Gurley vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $10,200
DraftKings = $9,800
Gurley dominated the Broncos last week, rushing 28 times for 208 yards and two touchdowns. After posting 13 rushing touchdowns in 2017, he already has nine through the first six weeks. He’s also been heavily involved in the passing game, receiving at least five targets in five of six games and posting two receiving scores.
It’s pick-your-poison when it comes to trying to defend against the Rams. Quarterback Jared Goff has shown significant improvement and they have a trio of excellent wide receivers, although Cooper Kupp likely won’t play in Week 7 due to a knee injury. Gurley is often put in great positions to score touchdowns and has one of the highest floors at any position in DFS, as a result. Don’t expect the 49ers to be able to slow him down.
Ezekiel Elliott vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $8,100
The Cowboys pulled off a surprising 40-7 drubbing of the Jaguars on Sunday. Elliott played a key role in their victory, rushing 24 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. That marked the third time in the last four weeks that Elliot has rushed for at least 100 yards. He also converted his only target into an 11-yard score.
Outside of Week 6, the Cowboys offense hasn’t been very good this season. Elliott has been limited to four total touchdowns, as a result, but he’s been heavily involved with 117 carries and 23 receptions on 30 targets. His involvement in the passing game has provided a significant boost to his value after he had just 26 receptions on 38 targets across 10 games last year. The Redskins defense isn’t exactly a favorable matchup, but Elliott gets enough volume in the offense to still be worth considering in cash tournaments.
Christian McCaffrey vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,700
The Redskins stymied McCaffrey last week, holding him to 20 yards on eight carries. The Panthers were playing catchup after being down 14-0 after the first quarter, which was a big reason why McCaffrey had so few carries. Luckily, he’s a significant part of their passing game and finished the contest with seven catches on eight targets for 46 yards.
It was encouraging to see McCaffrey get so many targets even with tight end Greg Olsen returning from injury. Although McCaffrey did have an outlier performance where he rushed for 184 yards on 28 carries in Week 3, the majority of his value comes from his pass-catching abilities. The Eagles have been stout against the run, but they are tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed to opposing running backs (41).
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Tarik Cohen vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $5,100
Cohen got off to a quiet start this year but had his breakout game Week 4 when he not only rushed for 53 yards on 13 carries, but he also caught seven of eight targets for 121 yards and a touchdown. His speed and ability to catch passes out of the backfield makes him a tough cover for opposing defenses. The Bears had a bye for Week 5, but Cohen was productive again last week against the Dolphins, catching seven of nine targets for 90 yards and another touchdown.
Cohen does have to split backfield duties with Jordan Howard, but Howard has seen his percentage of snaps decrease each of the last three games, bottoming out at 51% in Week 6 compared to 49% for Cohen. If the Bears defense has trouble slowing down the Patriots, Cohen would likely be more involved in a high-scoring game as he’s a far superior pass catcher. He’s a bit risky, but there is plenty of upside here if the game flow falls in his favor.
Carlos Hyde vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $4,700
The Browns had their doors blown off by the Chargers last week as they were down 21-6 at the half and ultimately lost 38-14. As a result of the early lopsided score, Hyde finished with a season-low 14 carries for 34 yards. He also failed to receive a target for the first time this season, although he’s never logged more than three targets in any contest this season.
Maybe the most concerning part of Hyde’s poor performance was that he averaged just 2.4 yards-per-carry. That marked the third game this season where he has averaged less than three yards-per-carry. On the plus side, he has already scored five touchdowns. The Bucs haven’t given up a ton of rushing yards, but opposing offenses have only rushed the ball against them 112 times, fourth-fewest attempts in the NFL. They give up a lot of yards through the air, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Hyde at least finds himself in a favorable position to reach the end zone in this contest.
Kenyan Drake vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $4,900
Drake is involved in a frustrating timeshare for fantasy purposes with the ageless Frank Gore. Drake hasn’t logged more than 14 carries in any game this season, as a result. His best performance came in Week 5, but that was mostly attributed to his seven catches on 11 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. The passing game is one area that he has been able to separate himself from Gore, receiving 31 targets compared to Gore’s five.
Don’t expect things to shift any in terms of his workload this week, but that doesn’t mean Drake can’t provide value. The Lions have allowed three running backs to rush for over 100 yards in a game this season and have allowed the third-most rushing yard per game (145.8), overall. His upside isn’t off the charts due to Gore’s presence, but Drake is still someone to consider in tournament play.
Peyton Barber vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $3,800
The Bucs running game has been horrendous. Entering Week 6, Barber had rushed for 33 yards or fewer in three straight games and rookie Ronald Jones is still very much a work in progress. Barber finally showed signs of life in Jameis Winston’s return as the starting quarterback Sunday, rushing 13 times for 82 yards and catching all four of his targets for an additional 24 yards.
Barber still has a long way to go before you can feel very comfortable rolling with him in your lineup. However, it was encouraging to see him get 13 carries coming out of the bye week compared to only one for Jones. Barber appears to have a hold on the lead back job, for the time being, and gets a favorable matchup Week 7 against a Browns team that is tied for the sixth-most yards-per-carry allowed (4.7) and has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game (1382.).
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Mark Ingram vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,900
Alvin Kamara was a man possessed during Ingram’s four-game suspension. That didn’t matter for Ingram’s first game back, though, as he received 16 carries compared to just six for Kamara. Kamara was only on the field for 47% of the team’s offensive plays after being on the field for at least 71% of them in each of the previous four weeks. Some of that had to do with the Saints getting up big in that game, while some of it also might have been the Saints seeing an opportunity to give Kamara a little rest. Expect him to be much more involved Sunday. This isn’t a great matchup for the Saints’ running backs, either, with the Ravens allowing the third-fewest rushing yards per game (82.8).
Alex Collins vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800
After averaging 4.6 yards-per-carry during his breakout campaign last year, Collins is only averaging 3.6 yards-per-carry this season. He did come away with two touchdowns last week, but Javorius Allen has been their preferred goal-line back. Allen has also been on the field for 47% of the team’s offensive plays this season compared to 43% for Collins. The Saints have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (71.4), leaving Collins with very little upside.