Minnesota Vikings – Page 3

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 – TE/DEF/ST

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 12, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

If you thought the tight end was position was thin in previous weeks, buckle up for the Week 6 schedule. The Eagles, Chiefs, and Patriots all won’t play during the main slate in DFS, leaving the position lacking the majority of the usual top options. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players, and defenses/special teams, to target or avoid as you create your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 - TE/DEF/ST

Eric Ebron vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,400

With Jack Doyle out with an injury, it’s been the Ebron show in Indianapolis. He had a monster performance Week 5 against the Patriots, catching nine of 15 targets for 105 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the third straight week that Ebron has received at least 10 targets and the fourth time in five games that he has scored at least one touchdown. The yardage total was a bit out of character for him, though, considering he hadn’t posted more than 51 yards in any of his previous three contests.

Not only is Doyle likely to sit out again Sunday, but so is the Colts top wide receiver in T.Y. Hilton. Ebron should again get all the targets he can handle and be one of their main weapons when they get into the red zone. He now has 12 red zone targets this season, which is double Hilton’s mark of six that is second-highest on the team. The Jets have defended tight ends well this season, but Ebron should still get enough targets to provide a high floor. He did sit out practice both Wednesday and Thursday to rest a few injuries, but there has been no indication that he won’t play at this time.

Kyle Rudolph vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,400

There is no question that Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are the main offensive weapons in the Vikings passing attack. The two have combined for 121 targets and 84 receptions. That being said, the Vikings have been one of the most pass-heavy teams in the league. Rudolph hasn’t had any eye-popping performances yet, but he does have at least five targets and at least five receptions in four straight games.

His worst yardage total came in Week 1 when he only caught one pass for 11 yards, but that one reception was for a touchdown. He’s finished with at least 41 yards in all four games since and has significant touchdown upside. Ebron might have the highest floor of any tight end this week, but Rudolph has also been a steady contributor who is worth considering in cash games.

Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $3,300

The Bears defense comes into this game well rested after a bye week. They had a very impressive performance Week 4 against a Bucs offense that entered the game firing on all cylinders, holding them to 10 points. Not only did they force four sacks, but they also recorded three interceptions. The Bears have posted at least four sacks and one interception in each of their four contests so far.

The Dolphins started the season 3-0, but have come back to reality with losses in both of their last two games. They scored a combined 24 points in those matchups as Ryan Tannehill threw only one touchdown compared to two interceptions. With the way the Bears are able to put pressure on the quarterback, this game could be a nightmare for the Dolphins.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 - TE/DEF/ST

David Njoku vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,800

Njoku continued to show a good relationship with Baker Mayfield during Week 5 in a win over the Ravens. The Ravens have a strong defense, but Njoku was able to catch six of 11 targets for a season-high 69 yards. Njoku is still looking for his first touchdown of the season, but he’s clearly established himself as one of the top pass-catchers in the Browns offense by receiving at least seven targets in four of five games.

Njoku has been on the field for 83% of the Browns offensive plays, which is second on the team only to Jarvis Landry (92%). His 34 targets are also second to Landry and just ahead of Antonio Callaway (30). The Browns offense is more explosive with Mayfield at quarterback, which should lead to added opportunities for Njoku again Sunday.

Vance McDonald vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,400

McDonald laid an egg last week in what looked like a chance to shine against a bad Falcons secondary. He finished with one reception on two targets for six yards after receiving at least three targets in each of his first three games. The Steelers were up big after three quarters, which led to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to attempt a season-low 29 passes. He had averaged 46.5 pass attempts across his first four games.

On a positive note, McDonald was on the field for 61% of the Steelers offensive plays last week, which was actually higher than his season average of 54%. Some people may be wary of playing him this week after his poor stat line, but don’t overlook him in tournament play. He still carries upside and can help with your budget at this cheap price.

Miami Dolphins vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $2,600

The Bengals scored 27 points against the Dolphins last week, but they were aided by two defensive scores. The Dolphins defense didn’t play all that poorly and their special teams provided a punt return for a touchdown. With yet another interception, the Dolphins have at least one pick in each game this year and lead the league with 10 overall.

The Dolphins have done a good job keeping opposing teams out of the end zone, although they haven’t exactly faced a bunch of offensive juggernauts with some of their opponents including the Titans, Jets, and Raiders. The Bears may have exploded for 48 points in Week 4, but quarterback Mitch Trubisky had two touchdowns and three interceptions over the first three weeks. Both defenses in this game could be strong plays with the Dolphins being the more cost-effective option to consider in tournament play.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 - TE/DEF/ST

Greg Olsen vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,300

Olsen reinjured his foot in the first game of the season and hasn’t played since. He’s decided to put off surgery in an attempt to play again this year and is trending in the right direction to return for Week 6. As one of their top pass-catching options, his return would be a welcome sight for the Panthers’ offense. However, it’s unclear how much he’ll be able to play in this contest and how effective he’ll be in his first game in over a month. It might be best to take a wait and see approach with Olsen before rostering him in DFS.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $2,700

The Chargers had by far their best defensive showing of the season last week by holding the Raiders to 10 points. They had allowed an average of 30 points over their first four games. They have faced two great offenses in the Chiefs and Rams, but their other three games this year have come against poor offensive teams in the Bills, 49ers, and Raiders. The Browns now have a more explosive element to their offense with Mayfield and they have a few talented options around him, so it wouldn’t be all that surprising for them to have a strong showing this week. I’d particularly stay away from the Chargers based on their FanDuel price, but they might be best to avoid on both sites.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 – Wide Receivers

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 11, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

The Giants, Chiefs, and Packers all won’t be part of the main slate for DFS in Week 6, but there are still plenty of great wide receiver options to help you bring home some money. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 - Wide Receivers

A.J. Green vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Green topped 100 receiving yards for the first time this season during Week 5, hauling in six of 10 targets for 112 yards. Although his yardage totals haven’t always been great, Green has received at least eight targets in all five contests. This is nothing new for Green considering he has never received fewer than 100 targets in a season during his career. That’s especially impressive since he has played 13 or fewer games in a season twice.

The Bengals offense has been much improved, which has helped Green record five touchdowns. While he only had 12 total touchdowns the last two seasons, Green had recorded at least 10 scores in three of the previous four campaigns before that stretch. The Steelers have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (296) and are tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed (13), leaving Green with a high floor Sunday.

Adam Thielen vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel – $8,600
DraftKings = $8,500

Simply put, Thielen is a target machine. His 66 targets are tied for the league lead with Antonio Brown and his 47 receptions are more than any other player. The problem for Thielen last year was that he received plenty of passes thrown his way, but he was only able to convert them into three touchdowns. He’s already matched that mark this season to go along with at least 105 yards in each contest.

There are few sure things in DFS, but Thielen has one of the highest floors of any receiver in the league. The Vikings offense has been explosive with Kirk Cousins at the helm, resulting in them attempting the third-most passes in the league. The Vikings might get up big in this game against the inferior Cardinals, but Thielen will still get plenty of opportunities to provide value.

Julio Jones vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $7,900

The drought continues for Jones. He has failed to find the end zone this season and has scored just three touchdowns total since the start of the 2017 season. He had his worst performance of the year in Week 5, catching five of nine targets for 62 yards. On the bright side, it was the fourth time this season that Jones has received at least nine targets.

Jones’ lack of touchdowns might scare some people away from using him at this price. However, this is a stellar matchup against the Bucs. They have allowed the most passing yards per game (358) and are tied with the Steelers for the most touchdown passes allowed (13) despite only playing four games. When these two teams met in Atlanta last year, Jones exploded for 12 catches on 15 targets for 253 yards and two touchdowns. This is as good an opportunity as any for Jones to find the end zone.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 - Wide Receivers

Tyler Boyd vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $6,000

Boyd was flying high heading into Week 5 against the Dolphins having posted at least 91 receiving yards in three straight games. He was heavily involved with seven targets, but he was only able to turn that into four catches for 44 yards. He also failed to score a touchdown for the second straight week against a Dolphins defense that has only allowed six scores through the air all season.

Although his results last week were a disappointment, it was encouraging to see him receive so many targets. He and Green are actually tied for the team lead with 43 targets each. After them, the next two players with the most targets are both injured in Giovani Bernard (21) and Tyler Eifert (19). With how poorly the Steelers defense has played against the pass this season, there is plenty of room for both Green and Boyd to be productive Sunday.

Mohamed Sanu vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,800

The sexy names in the Falcons wide receiver corp are Jones and emerging rookie Calvin Ridley. While they might grab all the headlines, don’t sleep on Sanu. He had another big game last week against the Steelers with 73 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. It marked the second time in the last three weeks that Sanu found the end zone and the fourth time in five games that he has received at least six targets.

Sanu has been on the field for 81% of the Falcons offensive plays this season, which is second-highest on the team only to tight end Austin Hooper. By comparison, Ridley has only been on the field 61% of the time. Ridley might have the highest touchdown upside and Jones may receive more targets, but Sanu can provide value in his own right. Considering how cheap he is on both sites, he could be a great option against the porous Bucs secondary.

Keke Coutee vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,600

The Texans have two excellent wide receivers in DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. Both are having great seasons with quarterback Deshaun Watson back from a torn ACL. Another player who is starting to emerge for the Texans is Coutee, who missed the first three games due to a hamstring injury. He debuted in style Week 4 against the Colts, catching 11 of 15 targets for 109 yards. He followed that up with six catches on seven targets for 51 yards and a touchdown Week 5.

Can Coutee keep up this kind of production playing alongside two other great receivers? Well, working in his favor is the fact that the Texans run a lot of three-receiver sets. That has resulted in Coutee being on the field for 82% of the teams offensive plays since his return. His upside isn’t nearly as high as that of Hopkins or Fuller, but it doesn’t have to be for him to be a viable option in tournament play at this price.

Chester Rogers vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,500

The Colts were extremely thin on pass-catching options for Week 5 with both T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle out due to injury. Rogers was heavily involved, as a result, catching eight of 11 targets for 66 yards. Doyle was out for Week 4, too, and Hilton was also injured during that game, which helped Rogers catch eight of 11 targets for 85 yards.

Injuries will be a problem for the Colts again for Week 6 with both Hilton and Doyle unlikely to play. Eric Ebron has helped make up for the loss of Doyle, but the Colts wide receiver trio of Rogers, Ryan Grant, and Zach Pascal are left to fill the significant void created by Hilton’s absence. Rogers hasn’t shown to have big-play upside, but 22 targets across two games in certainly encouraging for his potential output Sunday.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6 - Wide Receivers

Allen Robinson vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,700

The Bears badly needed to add talent at wide receiver during the offseason, resulting in Robinson being their prized acquisition. He posted 10 catches on 14 targets in Week 2, but only accumulated 83 yards. He has yet to top 100 receiving yards in a game this season and has finished with 61 or fewer receiving yards in three of four contests. The Dolphins have done a great job keeping opposing receivers out of the end zone, leaving Robinson with little upside.

Corey Davis vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,800

Davis followed up his monster performance Week 4 against the Eagles with just four catches on six targets for 49 yards last week against the Bills. Considering he has 62 receiving yards or fewer in four of five games, that game against the Eagles is more of an outlier than anything else. The Ravens have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game (215), so don’t expect Davis to be overly productive.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 – Wide Receivers

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 4, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

There were 20 wide receivers who came away with at least 100 receiving yards in Week 4, including four that had over 160 yards. There are plenty of great matchups in Week 5 to exploit, as well. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Wide Receivers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Wide Receivers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Wide Receivers

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

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

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

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

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 – Running Backs

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on October 3, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

One of the top-tier DFS options at running back was lost last week as Leonard Fournette reaggravated his hamstring injury. While he will be on the sidelines for Week 5, Joe Mixon and Devonta Freeman could be making a return to their respective squads. Let’s dig into the running back position to see where you can gain the edge in DFS. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Running Backs

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $9,100
DraftKings = $9,400

Gurley is as consistent as it comes at the running back position. He has at least 100 total yards in three of four games this season and has recorded at least one touchdown in all four. The Rams have also given him at least 17 rushing attempts in every game and he’s seen at least six targets in three of them. With a talented wide receiver trio to support the emerging Jared Goff at quarterback, defenses can’t key in on Gurley anymore.

Sunday brings an excellent matchup for Gurley as the Seahawks have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game (122.5) and the eighth-most yards-per-carry (4.6). They also suffered a tough blow last week when star safety Earl Thomas was lost for the season due to a broken leg. This game could get out of hand in a hurry for the Seahawks as their offense has struggled, as well, which could lead to a steady dose of Gurley in the second half. Don’t hesitate to pay up to get him into your entry.

Melvin Gordon vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $8,600

Gordon hasn’t received more than 15 rushing attempts in a game this season, but he’s been able to accumulate 276 rushing yards because of his career-high 6.1 yards-per-carry. The Chargers have also made him a primary option in the passing game with his 34 targets ranking second on the team behind Keenan Allen (36). Last year, Gordon finished with 58 receptions on 83 targets for 476 yards and four touchdowns. He already has 24 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns across four games.

Austin Eckler has emerged as a quality second running back, but Gordon has still played at least 72 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in three of their four games. The only game he didn’t was their blowout win over the Bills where he left early with an injury. He won’t get a much easier matchup than he will in Week 5 against the Raiders, who have allowed the third-most rushing yards per game (139.3) and the second-most yards-per-carry (5.6).

Christian McCaffrey vs. New York Giants
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $8,000

The Panthers come into this game well rested after being one of the first teams to have a bye week this season. McCaffrey had the most impressive rushing performance of his career in Week 3, carrying the ball 28 times for 184 yards. Before that contest, he hadn’t received more than 15 rushing attempts in a game during his career and had never even topped 70 rushing yards. Known more for his pass-catching abilities, McCaffrey already has 26 targets through just three games.

Things won’t exactly be easy for him on the ground Sunday against the Giants, who have one of the best run stoppers in the league in Damon Harrison. However, they were torched by Alvin Kamara on Sunday for 134 yards on 19 carries. Even if McCaffrey doesn’t have as many yards on the ground, he has a high floor in DFS based on his involvement in the passing game.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Running Backs

James Conner vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,500

Things couldn’t have gone any better for Conner in Week 1 as he replaced Le’Veon Bell, rushing 31 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He also chipped in five receptions on six targets for 57 yards. While it looked like the Steelers wouldn’t skip a beat with him leading their backfield, Conner has only totaled 97 yards on 32 carries in three games since. On the bright side, he did record 13 catches on 18 targets for 107 yards during that stretch.

With the news that Bell plans to return to the Steelers before their Week 8 game, Conner’s days as a starter are numbered. He has a favorable opportunity to get back on track Sunday against the Falcons, who have allowed the eighth-most rushing yards per game (119) and have been torched for 42 receptions and 310 receiving yards by opposing running backs. Even if the Steelers have to throw a lot to keep up with the Falcons’ explosive offense, Conner has a high ceiling this week.

T.J. Yeldon vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,600

With Fournette going down once again, Yeldon should step in as the lead back for the Jaguars. He played well after Fournette departed early last week, finishing with 100 total yards and two total touchdowns. Over the previous two games that Fournette missed, Yeldon had 102 rushing yards and 59 receiving yards. The Jaguars have used him a lot in the passing game, throwing at least five passes his way in three of four games.

It’s well known that the Chiefs secondary has been porous this season, but they’ve also allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (123.3) and the most receiving yards to opossing running backs (385) by a hefty margin. Corey Grant will get some work, too, but not enough to deal a significant blow to Yeldon’s upside. At this price, he’s hard to pass up in tournament play even if he is expected to be highly-owned.

Matt Breida vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,700

This has quickly turned into a lost season for the 49ers with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jerick McKinnon both suffering torn ACL’s. The injury to McKinnon has opened up added opportunities for Breida, who began the year in a timeshare with Alfred Morris. While Morris is still a threat for carries, he’s only averaging 3.8 yards-per-carry and is not a viable option in the passing game. Even though Breida is battling a shoulder injury, he’s been much more explosive by averaging 7.6 yards-per-carry.

Breida is also a better threat to catch passes, receiving 12 targets through four games compared to five for Morris. Breida’s shoulder is still bothering him, but if he can play Week 5, he could be in line for a monster performance. The Cardinals have not only allowed the second-most rushing yards per game (142.3), but they’ve also allowed the most rushing touchdowns (seven).

Aaron Jones vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,300

After missing the first two weeks due to a suspension, the Packers only gave Jones six carries in Week 3. He took advantage of his opportunity with 42 rushing yards, showing he is the most explosive player out of their running back trio that also consists of Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery. They gave him 11 carries against the Bills on Sunday, which he turned into 65 yards and a touchdown.

Montgomery, a former wide receiver, is clearly the best pass-catching option in the Packers backfield, but they would be wise to give Jones more carries. Williams has only averaged 3.4 yards-per-carry after averaging 3.6 yards-per-carry on 153 attempts last year. The real question is, how long with head coach Mike McCarthy continue to stubbornly stick with Williams? If we had a clearer picture, Jones certainly wouldn’t be priced this cheap against a Lions defense that has allowed the most rushing yards per game (157.8). I still think he’s talented enough to provide value even if he doesn’t get the bulk of the carries considering this matchup.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 - Running Backs

Jay Ajayi vs. Minnesota Vikings
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,100

Ajayi returned after sitting out Week 3 due to a back injury, carrying the ball 15 times for 70 yards against the Titans on Sunday. The Eagles have a lot of options at running back, which has limited Ajayi to playing no more than 53% of their offensive snaps in any of the three games that he played. The Vikings defense hasn’t been nearly as tough this year, but they have limited teams to 104 rushing yards per contest. The Eagles running back situation just isn’t set up for Ajayi to provide significant value.

Dalvin Cook vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Century Link Field
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,300

Speaking of running backs who have dealt with injury, Cook missed Week 3 with a hamstring issue and was limited by the injury in his return Sunday against the Rams, finishing with 20 yards on 10 carries. He’s listed as questionable for Week 5, but even if he does play, he may once again see a limited workload. Considering the Eagles have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (63.8), Cook is too risky.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 – TE/DEF/ST

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on September 21, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

The tight end position has grown even thinner due to some key injuries through the first two weeks, but there is still value to be found at the position. There are also some defenses who could be primed to dominate in Week 3. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players, and defenses/special teams, to target or avoid as you create your DFS entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - TE/DEF/ST

Travis Kelce vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $6,700

Kelce had a quiet performance Week 1, finishing with one catch for six yards. However, he did receive six targets, so it was only a matter of time before he had his first big game of the season. That came last week when he hauled in seven of 10 targets for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a shootout against the Steelers.

There is no question that Kelce is one of the top tight ends in the league. After his Week 1 dud, it was reassuring to see him get back on track so quickly with his new quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have a ton of weapons on offense, but Kelce is still going to get a hefty amount of targets. This has the potential to be another high-scoring affair, leaving Kelce with a high floor once again.

Jordan Reed vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $5,400

The most important note on Reed is that through two weeks of the season, he’s still healthy. Injuries have put a huge damper on his production in recent years, but he’s one of the more talented pass-catching tight ends when he’s on the field. He’s already received 13 targets through the first two weeks, converting them into 10 receptions, 103 yards, and a touchdown.

It’s no surprise that Reed has a 76.9% catch rate so far as he has never finished a season with a catch rate lower than 74.2%. His 13 targets are second on the team behind running back Chris Thompson (21) and he’s going to remain one of Alex Smith’s top options for as long as he can stay on the field. The Redskins might be required to throw the ball more in this matchup to keep pace with the Packers prolific offense, which could create even more opportunities for Reed to provide value.

Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,300

The Vikings defense had an impressive first game of the season against the 49ers, producing three sacks, three interceptions, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown. They had a much tougher task against the Packers on the road last week, even with Aaron Rodgers battling a knee injury. They managed to record three sacks but allowed 23 points in what was largely an average performance at best.

Things swing back in their favor for Week 3 against the Bills. The Bills are a team to target opposing defenses against just about every week. Josh Allen has already taken over at quarterback and although he was much better than Nathan Peterman was in Week 1, he is still in the early stages of his professional development. He also doesn’t have great skill players around him and could be without his best one in LeSean McCoy, who is dealing with a rib injury. Don’t overthink this one, roll with the Vikings at home.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - TE/DEF/ST

George Kittle vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,500

Kittle was a breakout candidate heading into this season based on his success after Jimmy Garoppolo took over as the 49ers quarterback last year. He got off to a great start, catching five of nine targets for 90 yards in Week 1. He entered Week 2 with a juicy matchup against the Lions, but he couldn’t cash in, catching two of four targets for 22 yards. The 49ers did race out to an early lead, so they didn’t have to throw the ball as much late in the game.

Kittle looks to get back on track Sunday in a game where scoring should be abundant. The 49ers may also get wide receiver Marquise Goodwin back from injury, which is good for Kittle since Goodwin would require a significant amount of attention from the Chiefs defense. Don’t get too discouraged after one poor week, Kittle has plenty of upside.

Will Dissly vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,300

The Seahawks didn’t have much wide receiver depth, to begin with, then they lost Doug Baldwin to a knee injury. Dissly has been forced into a more prominent role, receiving five targets in both of the team’s first two games. He scored a touchdown in both games, as well, and posted 105 yards in Week 1.

Baldwin should be out again for Week 3, leaving Russell Wilson thin on options. Baldwin has received at least 100 targets in three straight seasons, so it’s going to take more than one player to make up for his loss. The Cowboys have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends through the first two weeks, making Dissly an intriguing option at such a cheap price on both sites.

Chicago Bears vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $3,500

Khalil Mack has had an instant impact on the Bears defense, leaving them with 10 sacks over the first two weeks. They’ve also recorded one interception, one fumble recovery, and one touchdown in both games, proving to be one of the most productive fantasy defenses, even if they do allow opponents to put some points on the board.

This matchup against the Cardinals couldn’t get much better. Sam Bradford has been an absolute disaster so far, throwing for 243 yards and two interceptions while still searching for his first touchdown. There has been some talk about getting David Johnson more involved and getting him the ball in situations where he can be successful, but with Bradford at the helm, this is not going to be an explosive offense. If you don’t want to use the Vikings, the Bears are another great option, especially at their reasonable price.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - TE/DEF/ST

Jimmy Graham vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,900

Graham had his best game as a Packer in Week 2, hauling in six of eight targets for 95 yards. His day could have been even better had a touchdown reception not been nullified by a penalty committed by his offensive line. Even with his big performance, he’s still a risky play on a weekly basis. He had only two catches for eight yards Week 1 and has largely become a touchdown-dependent option the last couple of seasons. He’s not cheap, so it might be best to spend your money elsewhere.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $3,100

This is more about the other options available Sunday than it is about the Rams defense. They have certainly been stout and may have the most talented group of defenders in the league, especially in their secondary. The Chargers, on the other hand, have an explosive offense and have scored 59 points through the first two weeks. While I don’t expect them to have nearly as much success against the Rams, they could put up a couple of big plays. With the Vikings, Bears and even the Jaguars, who face the Titans possibly without Marcus Mariota, all facing much worse offenses, this might be a week to pass on the Rams.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 – Wide Receivers

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on September 20, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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Through the first two weeks of the season, there have been 25 instances where a wide receiver has finished with at least 100 yards in a game. Not only have they been racking up yardage, but 13 wideouts have at least two touchdowns so far. There should be plenty of productive performances this week, as well, so let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your DFS entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Wide Receivers

Michael Thomas vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $8,900

Thomas has been dominant through the first two weeks, hauling in 28 of 30 targets for 269 yards and three touchdowns. While his 93.3% catch rate is certainly not sustainable, the amount of passes he is getting thrown his way is going to remain high. He received 121 targets in his rookie season and followed that up with 149 targets last year, which was tied for sixth-most in the NFL.

The Falcons haven’t allowed much production from wide receivers so far, but they haven’t exactly faced a ton of talent. Week 1 brought a matchup against an Eagles team missing their top wideout in Alshon Jeffery due to injury. Last week they faced the Panthers, who have some promising young talent in Devin Funchess and D.J. Moore, but they are still trying to establish themselves as reliable options. Expect Thomas to have a high floor considering his massive role in the Saints offense, especially since his seven red zone targets are the second most in the league this year.

Stefon Diggs vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $7,700

Diggs had a fairly quiet performance in Week 1 with only 43 receiving yards, but he still received six targets and scored a touchdown. He had a massive game Sunday against the Packers, catching nine of 13 targets for two touchdowns. He’s quickly developed a strong relationship with Kirk Cousins, who has already thrown for 669 yards through two games. Case Keenum did a nice job for the Vikings last year, but Cousins presents a higher-upside quarterback for Diggs and the rest of the Vikings receivers.

This stands out as a great matchup against the Bills, who are one of the worst teams in the league and have problems keeping their offense on the field. They also don’t have the strongest secondary and even went through the debacle of Vontae Davis retiring at halftime last week. There is some concern that the Vikings will be running the ball a lot during the second if this game gets out of hand, but Diggs should still get enough opportunities to provide significant value.

Tyreek Hill vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $8,500

The Chiefs offense looks like a video game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been amazing out of the gate, throwing 10 touchdown passes without an interception. He also has a 69.1% completion rate. He has plenty of weapons around him, but Hill might be the most dangerous. Hill has shown his big-play ability often through the first two weeks, totaling 259 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He’s averaging 21.6 yards per reception.

The 49ers will have their hands full with the Chiefs offense. They are coming off a poor showing against the Lions where they allowed Matthew Stafford to throw for 347 yards and three touchdowns. Both Golden Tate and Kenny Golladay finished with at least 89 receiving yards in that contest. This should be another high-scoring game when you consider how poorly the Chiefs defense has played, as well, so don’t hesitate to add Hill to your lineup.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Wide Receivers

Will Fuller vs. New York Giants
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $5,900

Fuller missed Week 1 due to a hamstring injury, which was a big blow to the Texans offense. He returned in style for Week 2, catching eight of nine targets for 113 yards and one touchdown. His presence has made a huge difference for Deshaun Watson who has averaged 35.4 fantasy points per game in his career in games that Fuller has played compared to just 17.4 fantasy points per game without him.

The Giants have done a nice job limiting receiving yards this year, but they haven’t exactly faced two offensive juggernauts in the Jaguars and Cowboys. They have a strong cornerback duo of Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple, but they don’t have much depth past those two players. Apple is currently dealing with a groin injury and it looks like a real possibility that he won’t be able to play this week. If he can’t, the Giants are going to be hard-pressed to slow down Fuller. He’s a lock for me if Apple sits, but Fuller can still provide value even if Apple is ultimately able to play.

Nelson Agholor vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,100

Agholor only had 33 receiving yards in Week 1, but his role in the Eagles offense was clear as he hauled in eight of 10 targets. He received another 12 targets last week and was able to cash that in for eight receptions, 88 yards, and a touchdown. The Eagles were dealt another injury at receiver during that game as Mike Wallace suffered a leg injury that has since landed him on IR.

Jeffery’s status for Week 3 is still uncertain, but if he doesn’t play, Agholor is again going to get all the targets he can handle. He’ll also be catching passes from Carson Wentz for the first time this season. Although Wentz will be playing for the first time in nine months after suffering a torn ACL, the Eagles have been very calculated with his recovery and held him out until they felt comfortable that he was completely healthy. Wentz might be a little rusty, but Agholor still has plenty of upside at this price.

Marquise Goodwin vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,500

The 49ers offense was expected to take a significant step forward with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm for an entire season. One of his most talented weapons is Goodwin, who unfortunately suffered a quad injury Week 1. Although he did return to that game, the injury forced him to miss Sunday’s contest against the Lions. While it’s still unclear if he will play in Week 3, it’s encouraging that he was a limited participant in practice Wednesday.

Goodwin has a tremendously high ceiling. His full-season pace based on the five games that Garoppolo started last year would have put him at 138 targets, 93 receptions, and 1,229 yards. If he can return for Sunday, the sky is the limit against the horrid Chiefs secondary that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers through two games.

Dede Westbrook vs. Tennesee Titans
Stadium – TIAA Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,600

The Jaguars lost Marquise Lee to injury before the season began, dealing a tough blow to their wide receiver group. Westbrook and Keelan Cole have emerged as their top-two options so far with Westbrook receiving at least five targets in both games this year. He’s averaging 14.9 yards per reception and has already scored a touchdown after reaching the end zone only one time all last year.

In an impressive win against the Patriots last week, the Jaguars threw the ball 45 times. Some of that had to do with the fact that running back Leonard Fournette sat with an injury. With Fournette likely back this week, don’t be surprised to see them run the ball more. Even if that’s the case, Westbrook is still a cheap option worth considering for your entry because the Titans have allowed the second-most yards (469) to opposing wide receivers.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Wide Receivers

Keenan Allen vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,300

There is no question that Allen is one of the focal points of the Chargers offense. Over the first two games of the season, he’s recorded 14 catches on 19 targets for 175 yards and a touchdown. When healthy, he’s one of the best receivers in the league. However, this is a very tough matchup against the Rams and their stingy secondary that is led by Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. No wide receiver has posted more than 28 receiving yards against them this year. Considering the cost required to add Allen to your entry, it might be best to spend your money elsewhere.

Sterling Shepard vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,500

The Giants have a lot of talented skill players on offense, which was going to limit Shepard’s involvement, to an extent. To make matters even worse, their porous offensive line has left Eli Manning with very little time to work in the pocket. They aren’t moving the ball well or scoring many points, which has led Shepard to only eight catches and 72 yards through the first two weeks. Until they show more signs of life on offense, taking a chance on one of their secondary pass-catching options like Shepard seems like an unnecessary risk to take.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 – Quarterbacks

NFL Daily Fantasy Picks

by Mike Barner on September 18, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

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

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Quarterbacks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Quarterbacks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 3 - Quarterbacks

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

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

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

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

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations – Conference Championships

by Mike Barner on January 18, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations – Conference Championships

Find the valueable players during the 2018 NFL Wild Card Playoffs for as little as $18!

Find the valuable players during the 2018 NFL Wild Card Playoffs for as little as $18!

The NFL DFS season comes to a close with the Conference Championships on Sunday. Thank you for reading all of our articles throughout this season. We hope we were able to help you craft a winning entry more often than not. Let’s ride off into the sunset with one more big payday. 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. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,700
FanDuel = $9,000

Brady is well known for his success in the playoffs and started out true to form last weekend, throwing for 337 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans. He has by far the most playoff experience of any of the quarterbacks still playing, appearing in 11 career Conference Championship games. He threw for 2,756 yards and 15 touchdowns in those games. The Jaguars have an elite defense, but most teams still left standing at this point are going to be tough to score against. The Jaguars did allow 42 points to the Steelers last week, so they aren’t impenetrable. Brady is the most expensive quarterback, but he also has the highest upside.

Case Keenum vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $8,000

Keenum carried his excellent play during the regular season into the playoffs, throwing for 318 yards and one touchdown last week against the Saints. The fact that he played so well and helped lead an improbable comeback was especially impressive when you consider it was his first career start in the playoffs. The Eagles defense is no pushover, but they did allow 24 passing touchdowns this season, tied with the Patriots for the most among the four teams still playing. If you don’t want to pay up for Brady, Keenum should be the next best option.

RUNNING BACKS

Leonard Fournette vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,200
FanDuel = $8,500

Fournette is the one clear workhorse left at running back in the playoffs. He rushed 25 times for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the Divisional Round, marking his ninth game with at least 20 carries this season. He’s been fairly involved in the passing game as well, receiving at least four targets in five of his last six games. Although the Patriots allowed only six rushing touchdowns all season, they did allow an average of 114.8 rushing yards per game, placing them in the bottom half of the league. With plenty of carries likely on tap this week, Fournette is an excellent option for your entry.

Dion Lewis vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $7,700

Lewis racked up yardage against the Titans last week, rushing 15 times for 62 yards and hauling in nine of ten targets for 79 yards. It marked his third-straight game with at least 100 total yards, all of which came with Rex Burkhead (knee) injured. Burkhead is expected to be available to return this week, but he might not be able to resume his normal workload right away. Lewis has done nothing to lose any touches either. The Jaguars allowed 116.3 rushing yards per game during the regular season, the most of any of the four remaining teams. Look for Lewis to provide enough value again in this game.

Latavius Murray vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $5,700
FanDuel = $6,900

Murray has been splitting time with Jerick McKinnon in the Vikings backfield but had 20 rushing attempts last week compared to only eight for McKinnon. He rushed for just 50 yards, but he did manage to score a touchdown. He’s had a knack for reaching the end zone lately, scoring at least one touchdown in three of his last four games. The Eagles are tough against the run, but Murray can still provide value at this price based on his touchdown potential.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Adam Thielen vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $7,400

Thielen set career-highs across the board this season, finishing in the top-10 in the league in targets (142), receptions (91) and receiving yards (1,276). He only had four touchdowns, but still provided tremendous value in DFS most weeks. He showed no signs of slowing down last week against the Saints, hauling in six of nine targets for 74 yards. The Eagles allowed Julio Jones to record nine catches and 101 receiving yards for the Falcons in the Divisional Round, so they can give up some big performances. Volume alone makes Thielen worth consideration.

Stefon Diggs vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,900
FanDuel = $6,700

Diggs had 20 fewer receptions this regular season than he did in the previous year, but a lot of that was because his catch percentage dropped by almost nine percent. He still received 95 targets and finished with a career-high eight touchdowns. He made the most of his catches as well, averaging 13.3 yards per reception this season compared to only 10.8 yards per reception last year. Last week against the Saints, he caught six of 10 targets, finishing with 136 yards and, of course, the game-winning touchdown. Playing both he and Thielen in your lineup is not a bad idea when you consider the other options available during a limited week.

Marqise Lee vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $4,400
FanDuel = $6,100

Simply put, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has struggled to throw the ball in two games during the playoffs, combining to complete 26-of-49 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. He’s provided value with rushing yards, but that doesn’t help his receivers. The Jaguars might need to throw the ball more Sunday to keep up with the Patriots offense, which could mean added production for Lee. Lee received six targets last week against the Steelers and had 95 targets during the regular season as one of Bortles’ go-to options. Of all the receivers on the Jaguars, Lee might have the highest ceiling.

Chris Hogan vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $5,000
FanDuel = $6,100

Hogan only caught one of his four targets last week but salvaged the day by cashing in that one catch for a touchdown. Although he only played nine games during the regular season, he finished with a career-high five touchdown receptions. He averaged 6.6 targets per game, so he’s played a significant role in the Patriots offense when healthy. There aren’t a lot of great cheap options with so many excellent defenses taking the field Sunday, but Hogan’s touchdown potential gives him upside.

TIGHT ENDS

Rob Gronkowski vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,900
FanDuel = $8,400

Gronkowski had another dominant playoff performance against the Titans last week, catching six passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. In 11 career playoff games, Gronkowski has 835 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The Jaguars limited opposing tight ends to just five touchdowns during the regular season, but facing Gronkowski is an entirely different animal. He’s clearly the tight end with the highest ceiling in the Conference Championships.

Kyle Rudolph vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,100

Rudolph finished with 83 receptions and 840 yards in 2016 but had only 57 receptions for 532 yards this year. He saw a drastic decrease in targets, but still managed to score eight touchdowns, which was actually one more than last year. The Vikings look for him when they get in close as he received 18 targets inside the red zone this season. If you don’t want to pay up for Gronkowski, take a chance on Rudolph possibly scoring a touchdown in this game.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $4,900

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles wasn’t overly impressive against the Falcons last week, throwing for 246 yards and no touchdowns. He gets a tough matchup Sunday against a Vikings defense that allowed the second-fewest net passing yards per game (192) and the fewest touchdown passes (13) in the league during the regular season. With six interceptions in their last four games, the Vikings defense has excellent value Sunday.

New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $3,500
FanDuel = $5,200

With Bortles struggling, the Patriots defense could be in line for a big performance. They don’t create a ton of turnovers, but they do have 18 sacks in their last three games. Bortles really struggled on the road during the regular season, throwing only six touchdown passes to go along with eight interceptions away from EverBank Field. That’s not a recipe for success against the Patriots, who are dominant at home.

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round

by Cesar Becerra on January 12, 20180 Comments

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.

Find the valueable players during the 2018 NFL Wild Card Playoffs for as little as $18!

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.

As I mentioned above, the Patriots are the clear front-runners for this week with an implied team total of 30.25. The Vikings (25.25), Steelers (24.25), Falcons (22), and Saints (20.75) round out the top 5.

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

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round

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

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round

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

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round

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

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round

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

Draftkings NFL Cash & GPP Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Divisional Round

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

by Mike Barner on January 12, 20180 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations – Divisional Round

Find the valuable players during the 2018 NFL Wild Card Playoffs for as little as $18!

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

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations - Divisional Round

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

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations - Divisional Round

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

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations - Divisional Round

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

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations - Divisional Round

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

Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations - Divisional Round

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.

Tag Archives

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Eric Ebron vs. New York Jets Stadium – MetLife Stadium FanDuel = $6,500 DraftKings = $5,400

Kyle Rudolph vs. Arizona Cardinals Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium FanDuel = $6,200 DraftKings = $4,400

Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium FanDuel = $4,500 DraftKings = $3,300

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

David Njoku vs. Los Angeles Chargers Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $5,500 DraftKings = $3,800

Vance McDonald vs. Cincinnati Bengals Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $4,600 DraftKings = $3,400

Miami Dolphins vs. Chicago Bears Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium FanDuel = $3,500 DraftKings = $2,600

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Greg Olsen vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – FedEx Field FanDuel = $5,900 DraftKings = $4,300

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium FanDuel = $4,300 DraftKings = $2,700

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

A.J. Green vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $8,800 DraftKings = $8,000

Adam Thielen vs. Arizona Cardinals Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium FanDuel – $8,600 DraftKings = $8,500

Julio Jones vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium FanDuel = $8,500 DraftKings = $7,900

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Tyler Boyd vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium FanDuel = $6,300 DraftKings = $6,000

Mohamed Sanu vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium FanDuel = $5,800 DraftKings = $4,800

Keke Coutee vs. Buffalo Bills Stadium – NRG Stadium FanDuel = $5,700 DraftKings = $4,600

Chester Rogers vs. New York Jets Stadium – MetLife Stadium FanDuel = $5,700 DraftKings = $4,500

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Allen Robinson vs. Miami Dolphins Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium FanDuel = $6,500 DraftKings = $5,700

Corey Davis vs. Baltimore Ravens Stadium – Nissan Stadium FanDuel = $6,300 DraftKings = $5,800

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

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

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

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

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

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

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

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

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

PLAYERS TO AVOID

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

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

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Seahawks Stadium – CenturyLink Field FanDuel = $9,100 DraftKings = $9,400

Melvin Gordon vs. Oakland Raiders Stadium – StubHub Center FanDuel = $8,700 DraftKings = $8,600

Christian McCaffrey vs. New York Giants Stadium – Bank of America Stadium FanDuel = $8,100 DraftKings = $8,000

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

James Conner vs. Atlanta Falcons Stadium – Heinz Field FanDuel = $7,800 DraftKings = $7,500

T.J. Yeldon vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $6,500 DraftKings = $5,600

Matt Breida vs. Arizona Cardinals Stadium – Levi’s Stadium FanDuel = $6,200 DraftKings = $5,700

Aaron Jones vs. Detroit Lions Stadium – Ford Field FanDuel = $6,100 DraftKings = $4,300

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Jay Ajayi vs. Minnesota Vikings Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field FanDuel = $6,300 DraftKings = $5,100

Dalvin Cook vs. Philadelphia Eagles Stadium – Century Link Field FanDuel = $6,300 DraftKings = $5,300

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Travis Kelce vs. San Francisco 49ers Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $7,500 DraftKings = $6,700

Jordan Reed vs. Green Bay Packers Stadium – FedEx Field FanDuel = $6,000 DraftKings = $5,400

Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium FanDuel = $4,900 DraftKings = $4,300

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

George Kittle vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $5,800 DraftKings = $4,500

Will Dissly vs. Dallas Cowboys Stadium – CenturyLink Field FanDuel = $4,600 DraftKings = $3,300

Chicago Bears vs. Arizona Cardinals Stadium – State Farm Stadium FanDuel = $4,300 DraftKings = $3,500

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Jimmy Graham vs. Washington Redskins Stadium – FedEx Field FanDuel = $6,200 DraftKings = $4,900

Los Angeles Rams vs. Los Angeles Chargers Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum FanDuel = $4,700 DraftKings = $3,100

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

Michael Thomas vs. Atlanta Falcons Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium FanDuel = $9,000 DraftKings = $8,900

Stefon Diggs vs. Buffalo Bills Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium FanDuel = $8,300 DraftKings = $7,700

Tyreek Hill vs. San Francisco 49ers Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $8,200 DraftKings = $8,500

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

Will Fuller vs. New York Giants Stadium – NRG Stadium FanDuel = $7,200 DraftKings = $5,900

Nelson Agholor vs. Indianapolis Colts Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field FanDuel = $6,600 DraftKings = $6,100

Marquise Goodwin vs. Kansas City Chiefs Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium FanDuel = $5,800 DraftKings = $5,500

Dede Westbrook vs. Tennesee Titans Stadium – TIAA Bank Stadium FanDuel = $5,500 DraftKings = $4,600

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Keenan Allen vs. Los Angeles Rams Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum FanDuel = $8,000 DraftKings = $7,300

Sterling Shepard vs. Houston Texans Stadium – NRG Stadium FanDuel = $6,000 DraftKings = $4,500

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

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

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

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

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

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

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

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

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Eric Ebron vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,400

Kyle Rudolph vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,400

Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $3,300

David Njoku vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,800

Vance McDonald vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,400

Miami Dolphins vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $2,600

Greg Olsen vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,300

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $2,700

A.J. Green vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,000

Adam Thielen vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel – $8,600
DraftKings = $8,500

Julio Jones vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $7,900

Tyler Boyd vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $6,000

Mohamed Sanu vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,800

Keke Coutee vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,600

Chester Rogers vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,500

Allen Robinson vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,700

Corey Davis vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,800

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $9,100
DraftKings = $9,400

Melvin Gordon vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $8,600

Christian McCaffrey vs. New York Giants
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $8,000

James Conner vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,500

T.J. Yeldon vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,600

Matt Breida vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,700

Aaron Jones vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,300

Jay Ajayi vs. Minnesota Vikings
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,100

Dalvin Cook vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Century Link Field
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,300

Travis Kelce vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $6,700

Jordan Reed vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $5,400

Minnesota Vikings vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $4,900
DraftKings = $4,300

George Kittle vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,500

Will Dissly vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,300

Chicago Bears vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $3,500

Jimmy Graham vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,900

Los Angeles Rams vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $3,100

Michael Thomas vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $8,900

Stefon Diggs vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $7,700

Tyreek Hill vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $8,500

Will Fuller vs. New York Giants
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $5,900

Nelson Agholor vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $6,100

Marquise Goodwin vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $5,500

Dede Westbrook vs. Tennesee Titans
Stadium – TIAA Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,600

Keenan Allen vs. Los Angeles Rams
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,300

Sterling Shepard vs. Houston Texans
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

QUARTERBACKS

Tom Brady vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,700
FanDuel = $9,000

Case Keenum vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,600
FanDuel = $8,000

RUNNING BACKS

Leonard Fournette vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,200
FanDuel = $8,500

Dion Lewis vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $7,700

Latavius Murray vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $5,700
FanDuel = $6,900

WIDE RECEIVERS

Adam Thielen vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $7,400

Stefon Diggs vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,900
FanDuel = $6,700

Marqise Lee vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $4,400
FanDuel = $6,100

Chris Hogan vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $5,000
FanDuel = $6,100

TIGHT ENDS

Rob Gronkowski vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,900
FanDuel = $8,400

Kyle Rudolph vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,100

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $4,900

New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $3,500
FanDuel = $5,200

QUARTERBACKS

Tom Brady vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $8,800