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Daily Fantasy Football Lineup Recommendations for Week 9

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 9

Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code "NLA5017"

Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code “NLA5017”

After one of the more active trade deadlines we have seen in the NFL, several players will see a major adjustment in their fantasy value. Throw that in with six teams being on a bye this week and that could make for some unexpected DFS lineups. Don’t worry though, there are still plenty of viable options to help you bring home some cash. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Deshaun Watson vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $9,600

Watson is putting up insane numbers as he has thrown 16 touchdown passes over the last four games. It’s hard to imagine he started this season as the backup quarterback. Not only is he providing excellent numbers through the passing game, but he has also rushed for at least 31 yards in four of the last six games. Sunday brings a great match up against a Colts defense that has allowed the second most net passing yards in the NFL. Pay up for Watson.

Drew Brees vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $8,300

Brees doesn’t come into this game firing on all cylinders as he has thrown for less than 300 yards in four of his last five games and has thrown for only two touchdowns in his last two games combined. The Saints rushing duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara has taken some pressure off of Brees and has been able to punch in several scores of late, taking some red zone pass attempts away from Brees. This could be a breakout week for Brees though as the Buccaneers have allowed the third most net passing yards per game this season. In a week with limited options, Brees is one of the best.

Jared Goff vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $7,600

Goff has had a hard time finding the end zone of late as he only has two passing touchdowns over his last three games combined. Don’t get overly concerned though as those three games were against the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Arizona Cardinals. The Giants defense is not nearly as impressive and will be without top cornerback Janoris Jenkins as he is suspended for this game. If you need to save money at quarterback, look no further than Goff.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Lamar Miller vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,200
FanDuel = $7,500

Miller has been helped greatly by the rapid ascent of Watson as defenses can no longer stack the box against the Texans to stop the run. Miller has scored four total touchdowns over his last four games and has gained at least 81 total yards in three of those four games. The Colts defense isn’t much better against the run as they have allowed the most rushing touchdowns (10) in the NFL this season. Look for another productive game from Miller.

Alvin Kamara vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $6,600

Kamara has really benefited from Adrian Peterson being traded to the Arizona Cardinals as he has become an excellent compliment to Ingram. He has a significant role in the passing game as he has recorded at least 48 receiving yards in three of the last four games. I already documented the struggles the Buccaneers have defending the pass, meaning Kamara could provide excellent value at this price.

Kenyan Drake vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium = Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $4,500

With the trade sending Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles, Drake should find himself with a more significant role in Miami. You can’t really take much stock in his numbers this year as Ajayi handled much of the work load for the Dolphins, leaving Drake with only 10 total carries. Based on volume alone, it’s hard to pass up taking a chance on Drake at this bargain price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $9,200
FanDuel = $9,100

After struggling last year, Hopkins has been revived with Watson throwing him passes now. He has received at least 11 targets in three of the last four games and already has 76 targets in 7 games this season. Not only is he putting up great yardage totals, but he has also scored at least one touchdown in each of the last four games. With all the problems the Colts’ defense has, Hopkins is a great play this week as well.

Jarvis Landry vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,000

The Dolphins offense is a mess, but that hasn’t stopped Landry from receiving a whopping 80 targets this year. Not known for his ability to reach the end zone, Landry actually has three touchdowns receptions, which is only one shy of his season total from 2016. The Dolphins may be forced to throw the ball a lot to keep up with the Raiders offense, leaving Landry with another heavy work load Sunday.

Devin Funchess vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Bank of America Stadium
DraftKings = $5,400
FanDuel = $6,100

The Panthers traded wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills Tuesday, leaving Funchess as the number one receiver in Carolina. His 33 receptions this season have already set a new career high and he is close to setting new career bests in receiving yards and touchdowns as well. While he has failed to exceed 41 receiving yards in any of his last three games, the volume he should see in his new role makes him a valuable option at this price.

Cooper Kupp vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $6,000

Kupp has had a bit of an inconsistent rookie season as he enters this game with only 23 receptions on 42 targets for 316 yards and three touchdowns. However, two of his touchdowns have come over the last four games and he had a season high 10 targets in his last game against the Arizona Cardinals. With the Giants down their best cornerback in Jenkins, Kupp should be met with less resistance in this game. At this price, he’s worth the risk.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Zach Ertz vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $7,600

Ertz has been a touchdown machine of late as he has at least one score in each of the last four games. He’s developed a great relationship with emerging quarterback Carson Wentz and is well on his way to establishing new career highs across the board. The Broncos are excellent against the pass overall, but struggle to defend tight ends. They have allowed 543 receiving yards and four touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season. Start Ertz with confidence this week.

Jared Cook vs. Miami Dolphons
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,500

A quick glance at Cook’s numbers aren’t very reassuring as he has 46 receiving yards or less in five of his last seven games. However, this a favorable match up against a Dolphins defense that has allowed 358 receiving yards and four touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season. If you need to save money at tight end, Cook is someone to consider.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – EverBank Field
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,300

The Jaguars defense has been a valuable DFS commodity as they lead the NFL in sacks (33) and are tied for the third most interceptions (10). The Bengals have allowed 22 sacks this season, so the potential is there for the Jaguars defense to rack up sacks again in this contest. They will cost a lot, but should be well worth it this week.

Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
Stadium – Lambeau Field
DraftKings = $3,000
FanDuel = $4,500

It would have been hard to imagine liking an opposing defense playing at Lambeau Field at the start of this season, but I’m going in that direction this week. The loss of quarterback Aaron Rodgers has crippled the Packers offense as Brett Hundley has really struggled. Over the last two games, Hundley only has 244 passing yards, one passing touchdown and four interceptions. The Lions have 10 interceptions this season, so Hundley could be in for another rough game. If you want to go with a more budget friendly defense for Week 9, look no further than the Lions.

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 9

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 9

For a limited time use code "NLA5017" to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

For a limited time use code “NLA5017” to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

 

 

Tier 1

I will start with wide receiver Julio Jones in the first tier. Although the Falcons rank in the top half of the league in DVOA pass offense(15th) and passing yards per game(251.1), it has been a disappointing fantasy season for Julio who has just one touchdown and has also only seen double-digit targets twice this season. Now he gets one of his toughest matchups of the season vs. a Panthers team that ranks 7th in DVOA vs. the pass and 8th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. he would be my separation play in this tier but would only consider if you are multi-entering. Both running backs enter this week as favorites but I prefer Todd Gurley on the road for a couple reasons starting with the fact Fournette is coming off an ankle injury. Both the Giants(120.7) and Bengals(111.9) have sub-par rush defenses but looking at DVOA ranks vs. the rush, Gurley has the edge as the Giants rank 24th while the Bengals rank 10th. The final straw is the targets as DraftKings is a full PPR site and Gurley is receiving 5.4 targets per week while Fournette is averaging just 2.9 per week.

Tier 2

Now, this is where it gets really interesting. First of all, we have the most unsustainable form I have ever seen with Will Fuller as he has just 13 receptions this season and seven of them have gone for touchdowns. That is about as crazy as it sounds but he does have one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league, DeShaun Watson, with absolutely full trust in his skill. He also gets an elite matchup vs. the Colts who have allowed the second-most passing yards per game(290.4), rank 30th in DVOA vs. the pass, and 27th in DraftKings points per game to wideouts. Fade at your own risk! Then we have another wideout in Mike Evans who has been a target monster since entering the league and ranks 4th this season with 9.4 per game but gets a tough matchup vs. a much-improved Saints defense that ranks 4th in DVOA vs. the pass and 16th in DraftKings points allowed to wideouts. It would also be a huge downgrade for Evans should his quarterback, Jameis Winston, miss week 9 as he is dealing with a shoulder injury. Stay tuned. On the other side of the ball is our third choice with Saints running back, Mark Ingram who is in a plus situation as the Saints are currently seven-point home favorites. The Bucs sit mid-pack allowing 111.7 yards per game on the ground, rank 20th in DVOA vs. the run and 23rd in DraftKings points allowed to running backs. Then combine that with the fact Ingram has been red-hot since the departure of Adrian Peterson as he has received 65 carries and rushed for 294 yards(4.5 yards per carry) in the last three games.

Tier 3

Only four options in the third tier but some tough decisions to make as all four get near elite matchups vs. teams ranking in the bottom third in DraftKings points allowed to their respective positions. Mark Ingram was discussed in the previous tier and I prefer him over Kamara who has received 10 carries just once this season and is more of a third-down back who gets work when the Saints are down. That should not be the case this week as they are huge 13 point home favorites to the Bucs who could be without their star quarterback. Speaking of questionable players, Lamar Miller is questionable in week 9 with a knee injury and was limited in Wednesday’s practice. If he plays, he is likely to be the highest owned in this tier anyway coming off a fantastic week where he scored twice. I spoke about Zach Ertz last and how I was fading him in the toughest matchup of the season for him was dead wrong. He continued to be Carson Wentz’ top target in the red and he also leads the league with six red-zone touchdowns, having caught eight of his 10 targets inside the 20-yard-line. This week he faces a Broncos defense who has had a ton of trouble with tight ends ranking 30th in DraftKings points allowed to the position. He is my top pick in this tier.

Tier 4

Now we jump into the quarterbacks and it won’t be easy as three of them(Wentz, Mariota, Ryan) face defenses ranked inside the Top 10 of DraftKings points allowed to the position and all but Cam Newton face defenses ranked inside the Top 15 in DVOA vs. the pass. Looking at each quarterback’s last four starts, only Jameis Winston has multiple 300+ yard passing games but has only tallied four touchdowns in those games and like I mentioned earlier, is questionable to play this week with a shoulder injury. The other high-risk option in this tier is Marcus Mariota who has 830 passing yards in his last four games with just three touchdown passes but is coming out of a bye week and is reported to be 100% after dealing with a hamstring injury for some time now. I am not at all interested in using him in a tough matchup vs. the Ravens who rank 2nd in DVOA vs. the pass and 2nd in DraftKings points allowed to quarterbacks. Like last week, I will turn to MVP candidate, Carson Wentz, who has been extremely consistent with 1,005 yards passing and 13 touchdowns over his last four games. He gets a tough matchup vs. a Broncos defense who hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer all season but that should only help with his ownership in the tier.

Tier 5

For starters, we can eliminate Trevor Siemian off the list as head coach, Vance Joseph, announced it would be Brock Osweiler under center this week for the Broncos. Andy Dalton will be starting this week but he is also a scratch off my list as he faces the league’s #1 defense when looking at passing yards allowed per game(161.7), DVOA vs. the pass, and DraftKings points allowed to the quarterback. The next option that gets crossed off for me is Blake Bortles despite coming off his best start of the year. He just doesn’t have the targets with Allen Robinson on the shelf and also doesn’t have to force the ball downfield often with an elite defense and one fo the rookie of the year candidates in Leonard Fournette at running back. That leaves two sophomore quarterbacks who are both on the road this week with decent matchups as the Giants(27th) and Texans(29th) both rank near the bottom of the league in DraftKings points per game allowed to the quarterback. Of those two options, I prefer Jared Goff as the Rams rank 10th in DVOA vs. the pass while the Colts sit way down in 30th. While Brissett has the best overall target in T.Y. Hilton, Goff has the better collective group with Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp at his disposal. I wouldn’t fault you for playing either this week, but I will be leaning on Goff and the Rams.

Tier 6

Like the previous tier, we can eliminate players and it starts with Kelvin Benjamin who was traded to the Bills and per DraftKings, will not accrue fantasy points this week. Another situation we will have to monitor as the week goes on is the status of Devonta Freeman who suffered a shoulder injury and was limited in Wednesday’s practice. Even if he plays, I will be avoiding as he gets a tough matchup vs. a Panthers defense that ranks Top 5 in rushing yards allowed(81.6 per game) and fourth in DraftKings points allowed to running backs. Wide receiver A.J. Green leads all players in this tier with 17.7 DK points per game but gets a very tough matchup this week vs. an elite Jaguars defense at home and will likely be shadowed all day by Jalen Ramsay who currently ranks #3 when looking at PFF’s cornerback rankings. My favorite play in this tier is Christian McCaffrey who is already getting elite targets(8.3 per game) and with Benjamin shipped out of town, could see even more volume moving forward.

Tier 7

Another tough tier this week as DeSean Jackson may be without his quarterback and also faces a tough Saints defense that ranks 4th in DVOA vs. the pass. The same tough matchups exist for Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, and Mohamed Sanu who face defenses (Rams & Panthers) who rank Top 10 in DVOA vs. the pass. For me, I will be turning to Tedd Ginn Jr. of the Saints who gets a near elite matchup vs. the Bucs who rank 31st in DVOA vs. the pass and dead last in DraftKings points allowed to wideouts. The consistency hasn’t been there but Ginn is a home run threat and may not even have to face slot corner, Brent Grimes, who is questionable. The Vegas total(50.5) is one of the highest of the week and I am willing to take a risk here.

Tier 8

I will lead off with the tight ends in this tier as they both have shown consistency and upside. Cameron Brate is only seeing 58% of the snaps for the Bucs this season but continues to be utilized heavily when in the game as he has five straight games with 60 or more yards and has already scored four touchdowns. He gets a tough matchup this week against the Saints who rank Top 5 in both DVOA vs. the pass and DraftKings points allowed to tight ends. At the position, I prefer Jack Doyle who is coming off a 100-yard game and his second touchdown of the season but it’s the volume I like more than anything. He is second to T.Y. Hilton on the team with 6.9 targets per week. The two other plays I will be targeting in this final tier will be Panthers wideout Devin Funchess who has now become the #1 wideout in Carolina with the trade of Kelvin Benjamin at the trade deadline. The matchup is a toss up for me as the Falcons rank 12th when looking at DraftKings points given up but then rank 25th when looking at DVOA vs. the pass. Funchess isn’t going to break any long runs after the catch but should see 10+ targets and be a key in the redzone for Cam Newton. The final play I like in this tier is rookie Joe Mixon who somewhat broke out last week after 91 receiving yards and saw his biggest snap count share of the season at 63% vs. Jeremy Hill who seen is lowest at 13%. He also gets an elite matchup vs. the Jaguars who despite being a top defense against the pass, have been awful against the run and rank 32nd in rush yards per game allowed(138.6) and 32nd in DVOA vs. the run.

 

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!

 

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 8

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 8

Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code "NLA5017"

Get our NFL Seasonal package for 50% off for a LIMITED TIME using code “NLA5017”

Week 8 looked like a week that was going to be missing several key players with six teams on a bye, including the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants. However, with Aaron Rodgers, David Johnson and Odell Beckham Jr. out for most (if not all) of the season with injuries, the damage was already done. Luckily DFS gives you the opportunity to still come away a winner even with some of the best players in the game unavailable. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Carson Wentz vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,200
FanDuel = $7,900

To say Wentz is on fire is an understatement. Over his last three games, he has thrown 11 touchdown passes compared to only two interceptions. He already has 17 touchdowns passes this season, passing his total of 16 for all of 2016. Not only is he throwing for more touchdowns, but he only has four total interceptions compared to 14 last year. This a great matchup Sunday against a 49ers defense that has allowed 259 net passing yards per game and 12 touchdown passes, both of which are towards the bottom of the NFL.

Jameis Winston vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings = $6,100
FanDuel = $7,600

Winston entered Week 7 against the Buffalo Bills coming off of a shoulder injury, but he showed no ill effects as he threw for 384 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. That’s impressive on the road in Buffalo. If you exclude the previous Week 6 contest where he left early with the injury, he has thrown for at least 328 yards in each of his last four full games. Expect him to throw a lot again Sunday and put up valuable numbers against the Panthers.

Josh McCown vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,600
FanDuel = $7,300

Don’t look now, but McCown has thrown for at least two touchdown passes in each of his last three games. Although he only threw for 209 yards last week against the Miami Dolphins, he threw a season high three touchdown passes and also had a rushing touchdown. The Falcons defense doesn’t create a lot of turnovers as they only have two interceptions to go along with nine passing touchdowns allowed this season. With only a few elite options this week, McCown has the potential to put up valuable numbers at a reasonable price.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Le’Veon Bell vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Ford Field
DraftKings = $9,300
FanDuel = $9,400

The key for Bell this season has been volume as he has rushed for at least 134 yards in all three games where he received at least 32 carries. The good news is that all three of those game have come over the last four weeks as the Steelers have been making a concerted effort to stick with the run. It hasn’t hurt Bell’s involvement in the passing game though as he has received at least six targets in four of the last five games. Look for him to put up big numbers again Sunday.

Mark Ingram vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $7,400
FanDuel = $7,200

Ingram has become more involved in the rushing attack since Adrian Peterson was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. He has not let the opportunity go to waste as he has rushed for at last 105 yards and one touchdown in both of his last two games. He’s also been involved in the pass catching side of things as he has received at least five targets and hauled in at least four receptions in both of those games as well. Look for him to continue to get plenty of volume Sunday, making for a solid play against the Bears.

Wendell Smallwood vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,500

Smallwood returned from injury Week 7 to rush for 25 yards on eight carries and catch two passes for 14 yards. While those numbers aren’t impressive, LeGarrette Blount struggled in the game as well as he only had 29 yards on 14 carries. Week 8 brings a matchup against a 49ers defense that has allowed the fourth most rushing yards in the league this season. He’s cheap enough to take the risk on this week if you need to save money at running back.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

A.J. Green vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
DraftKings = $8,600
FanDuel = $8,500

Green is coming off of a tough game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as he hauled in only three catches for 41 yards. Don’t be overly concerned though as the Steelers have allowed the fewest net passing yards in the NFL. His overall production this season has been solid as he has 35 receptions on 57 targets for 545 yards and three touchdowns. Week 8 brings a great matchup against the Colts, who have allowed the second most net passing yards this season. This is the week to pay up for Green.

Michael Crabtree vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – New Era Field
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,200

Simply put, Crabtree is a touchdown machine. He has scored in each of the last three games and has six touchdowns on the season overall. He’s heavily involved in the passing attack in general as he is averaging just under seven targets per game. While the Raiders successfully got Amari Copper more involved in the offense last week, Crabtree still received seven targets in the game. After Winston and the Buccaneers receivers lit up the Bills last week, Crabtree could be in for another strong performance.

Kelvin Benjamin vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
DraftKings = $6,400
FanDuel = $6,600

The Panthers offense has been inconsistent this season, resulting in only 29 receptions on 44 targets for 436 yards and one touchdown for Benjamin. He had scored at least seven touchdowns in each of his first two seasons in the NFL, so his inability to reach the end zone has been a disappointment. There is potential for him to succeed this week though against the Buccaneers as they have allowed the third most net passing yards per game in the NFL this season. Benjamin posted 163 receiving yards and a touchdown against them in two games last year and I expect him to be productive in their first meeting this year.

Marquise Goodwin vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $3,900
FanDuel = $4,900

With so many teams on a bye, there aren’t many intriguing cheap options at wide receiver. Goodwin hauled in four of eight targets for 80 yards last week against the Dallas Cowboys and has at least 80 receiving yards in two of his last three games. The Eagles might be up big early in this game, resulting in the 49ers needing to throw a lot. The Eagles defense has allowed the fourth most net passing yards per game this season, so be willing to take the risk on Goodwin if you want to spend money elsewhere this week.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Zach Ertz vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $7,000
FanDuel = $7,300

Ertz has scored at least one touchdown in four of the last five games and his five touchdowns on the season have already established a new career high. He has 58 targets this season and if he stays healthy, he should easily receive at least 100 targets for the third consecutive season. With an emerging young quarterback in Wentz having a lot of trust in him, Ertz should be another excellent play this week.

Kyle Rudolph vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Twickenham Stadium
DraftKings = $4,500
FanDuel = $5,800

Rudolph’s numbers don’t jump off the page as he only has 26 receptions, 244 yards and two touchdowns this season. He has been more involved in the offense over the last three games though, hauling in 16 receptions on 25 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown. Week 8 brings a favorable matchup against the Browns as they have allowed 487 receiving yards and five touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Twickenham Stadium
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,300

The Browns offense is an absolute mess as they continue to struggle to find a competent starting quarterback. As a result, they are averaging an NFL-worst 14.7 points per game. The Vikings defense has been excellent at getting to the quarterback as they have 16 sacks over the last four games. Expect them to shut down the Browns in this contest.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
DraftKings = $3,500
FanDuel = $4,900

It’s been a struggle for the Broncos to score points this season as they are only averaging 18.0 points per game. If you think that’s bad, they are averaging a paltry 8.0 points per game on the road. That doesn’t bode well for playing in the unfriendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium. Expect this to be another struggle for them to score, making the Chiefs a solid play at this price.

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 8

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 8

For a limited time use code "NLA5017" to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

For a limited time use code “NLA5017” to receive the rest of the NFL season for 50% off!

 

Tier 1

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

There are only three players in the first tier again this week but the decision is much tougher. Both LeSean McCoy and Julio Jones are coming off a week in which they reached the endzone for the first time in 2017 while A.J. Green had a down week in a divisional matchup vs. the Steelers. This week they all get near elite matchups and it starts with LeSean McCoy who faces a Raiders team that ranks 20th in DVOA vs. the rush, and 18th in DraftKings points per game vs. the running back position(113.9 yards per game). The Bills are at home where they have yet to lose a game this season and open as slight favorites(-2.5) and with the lack of receiving options, will rely heavily on McCoy. He is my top choice in this tier. If you are looking to go with a wideout here, I prefer Julio who gets a slightly better matchup vs. a Jets team that ranks 23rd in DVOA vs. pass and 27th in DraftKings points per game to the position. What scares me most about A.J. Green this week is that the Bengals are currently double-digit favorites which could take the game script away from Green as they could focus more on getting the run game going this week.

Tier 2

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Looking at the running backs in the second tier, there is a case to be made for and against both of them. Melvin Gordon gets the much better matchup facing a Patriots team that ranks 26th in DVOA vs. the rush and 29th in DraftKings points allowed to running backs but Chargers are currently 7.5 point dogs which doesn’t bode well for Gordon’s projected carries. The good news is that he ranks 6th among running backs with 6.1 targets to game. For Ingram who has the lesser of the matchups vs. the Bears who rank 16th in DVOA vs. the rush and 14th in DraftKings points per game allowed, he does have the projected game script in his favor as the Saints sits as large nine-point favorites. He also sits in the Top 10 with 5.1 targets per game and has been much more effective since the departure of Adrian Peterson with back to back 100-yard rushing games. With all that said, I lean Ingram in this spot, even over Mike Evans who has been a beast with touchdowns in three of his last four games. The issue with Evans is the matchup vs. the Panthers who rank Top 10 in DraftKings points allowed to wideout this season and have allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game through the air(180.7).

Tier 3

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Naturally, Tom Brady will see a lot of ownership in a pick’em format and it makes sense as the Pats have the #2 passing offense with 300 yards per game. The issue for me in Week 8 is the matchup vs. the Chargers who rank 8th in DVOA vs. the pass, have allowed the fifth-fewest yards per game through the air(185.4), and rank 6th in DraftKings points allowed to the QB position. The other seasoned veteran, Drew Brees, also gets a tough matchup vs. a Bears team that ranks 10th in DVOA vs. the pass and 6th in DraftKings points allowed to the position. Cam Newton has been struggling big time following his back to back 300+ yard games with just one touchdown in his last two games while not breaking the 250-yard mark. Matt Ryan also falls in the struggling quarterback column as he has not broken the 300-yard mark since week one and has just seven touchdowns all season. He would be my low-owned contrarian play in this range as he is starting to target Julio Jones more and faces a Jets team that ranks 23rd in DVOA vs. the pass and ranks 20th in passing yards per game allowed(231.3). My favorite play in this tier is young Carson Wentz who has helped the Eagles to the top overall record in the league. He has been dominant over the last three weeks with 794 yards passing and 11 touchdowns while averaging 28.6 DraftKings points per game. He also gets an elite home matchup vs. a 49ers team that ranks 29th in DVOA vs. the pass and 31st in DraftKings points allowed to the quarterback.

Tier 4

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

I suspect in this tier a lot of people will be chasing points with Derek Carr and Jameis Winston who are both coming off monster games. I am not buying into it as Winston faces a very stout Panthers defense that has limited opposing quarterbacks to the fourth lowest passing yards per game(180.7) and ninth fewest DraftKings points per game. Carr also gets a tough matchup going on the road to Buffalo to face a Bills team that ranks 11th in DVOA vs. the pass and 11th in DraftKings points per game allowed to the position. The Raiders wideouts also have some tough matchups as they will face E.J. Gaines and Tre’Davious White who rank 34th and 4th when looking at PFF’s cornerback rankings. I do like Andy Dalton as a low-owned option in this range but like I mentioned with A.J. Green, I think the game script gets the Bengals away from the pass as they sit as double-digit home favorites. My favorite play in this range is Philip Rivers who shouldn’t have an issue with game script facing a New England team that leads the league with 410 yards per game and sit as 7.5 point favorites at home. I have a feeling the Chargers will be chasing most of the game and that means volume for Rivers and his receiving core. While the Pats defense looked better last week, they still rank 28th in DVOA vs. the pass and dead last in DraftKings points per game allowed to quarterbacks.

Tier 5

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Tier 5 gives us two elite tight ends with monster upside but the issue is they both get very tough matchups vs. teams that rank inside the Top 5 when looking at Draftkings points per game allowed to the position. I just finished telling you how Rivers was my top QB in the fourth tier so I naturally like the upside that Keenan Allen provides as his top target. I also doubt he will be the highest owned player in this tier either as he has struggled this season with just one touchdown(week 1) but sits Top 5 in targets and could easily breakout vs. a Pats team that ranks 30th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. Of the two running backs, I prefer Jordan Howard who continues to see the volume and gets a plus matchup vs. the Saints who are giving up 114 rush yards and 26.9 DraftKings points per game.

Tier 6

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

In Tier 6 we have five wideouts and Christian McCaffrey who has been used almost primarily like a wideout for the Panthers. His average of 8.4 targets per week not only leads all running backs in 2017 but would also rank him 13th if he were a wide receiver. He has not received double-digit carries in a game since week one but could possibly get a little more volume this week as Jonathan Stewart is dealing with a toe injury. If that is the case, he gets a nice matchup this week vs. the Bucs who have allowed 113.7 rushing yards per game and rank 23rd overall when looking at DraftKings points per game allowed to running backs. His teammate Kelvin Benjamin is my favorite target in this tier as he gets a nice matchup vs. a weak Bucs secondary that has allowed the third most passing yards per game(294.8) and rank dead last in DraftKings points per game to wideouts. I like the upside that the New England offense presents with Tom Brady under center but will be avoiding the situation this week as the Chargers outside cornerbacks ranks #9 and #11 out of 112 cornerbacks when looking at Pro Football Focus and rank 5th overall in passing yards allowed per game(185.4).

Tier 7

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

Combining opportunity and matchup in this tier, I turn to Pierre Garcon who leads all players(in the tier) with nine targets per game and gets a matchup vs. an Eagles secondary that ranks 28th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts. The game script is also right for the picking as the 49ers are 13 point underdogs and should be forced to throw the ball a ton. I mentioned Kelvin Benjamin in the last tier and if you are not using him there, I would consider using Devin Funchess in this tier as the Bucs secondary, as I already mentioned, is bad. Both of their outside corners(Brent Grimes & Robert McLain) rank outside the Top 65 in PFF’s rankings. Nelson Agholor is also a nice high upside play in this tier. The floor is low as he only sees an average of five targets per week but he knows how to gain yards after the catch and reach the endzone and has done so in three straight weeks.

Tier 8

Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Who to pick, who to pick? --- Every week Lineuplab.com has the answers!

With the news on Wednesday that Michael Thomas is dealing with a knee injury, I like the upside that Tedd Ginn Jr. provides. He is coming off a monster week where he went off for 141 yards and has scored twice in his last four games. Even with Michael Thomas in the game, teams have been blanketing coverage his direction forcing Drew Brees to go other directions and Ginn has been the benefactor. In a similar situation, I also like Mohamed Sanu of the Falcons as the Jets are likely to shadow Julio Jones with Morriss Claiborne which could open up extra targets for Sanu who is coming off a decent week where he caught six of his 10 targets for 65 yards. The final play I would consider in this range is tight end Hunter Henry who has all but taken over for future Hall of Famer, Antonio Gates. He has seen 80%+ snaps in back to back weeks while has seen just 57% and a season-low 31% last week. In those two weeks, Henry has caught nine of 12 targets for 163 yards and scored a touchdown in the two weeks prior to that. He gets a nice matchup this week vs. the Pats who rank 26th in DraftKings points allowed to the position.

 

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!

 

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 7

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

Week 7 may not have a ton of great match ups on the schedule, but it will be highlighted by a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. While that should be an exciting game, hopefully the best part of your Week 7 is bringing home money playing DFS. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

**QUARTERBACKS**

Matt Ryan vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,500
FanDuel = $8,700

Ryan and the Falcons offense have struggled this season, resulting in a 3-2 record. Ryan has only thrown for more than 300 yards in a game once this season, which came in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. He has also thrown more than one touchdown pass in a game only once this season and has six touchdowns passes and six interceptions overall. With that being said, I still like him a lot in this contest against a Patriots defense that has allowed the most net passing yards in the NFL and is tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed. If there was ever a week for a breakout performance from Ryan, this is it.

Kirk Cousins vs Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $6,500
FanDuel = $7,500

Cousins comes into Week 7 on a hot streak as he has thrown at least two touchdowns in each of the last three games while also throwing for at least 330 yards in two of those three contests. He has nine touchdowns compared to only two interceptions this season. Not really known for his running, Cousins already has a career-high 103 rushing yards this season. Week 7 brings a match up against an Eagles defense that has allowed the fourth most net passing yards per game this season. Expect a valuable performance from Cousins Sunday.

Brett Hundley vs New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Lambeau Field
DraftKings = $5,100
FanDuel = $6,500

Hundley replaced injured star quarterback Aaron Rodgers last week against the Minnesota Vikings and struggled as he threw for 157 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. With Rodgers possibly out for the season, Hundley will get a chance to make a name for himself. While you should expect him to struggle at times, Week 7 presents an interesting opportunity against the Saints. Not only have Saints allowed the fifth most net passing yards per game, but Hundley is going to have to try and keep up with their high scoring offense. If you need a cheap quarterback, Hundley is your man.

**RUNNING BACKS**

Devonta Freeman vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $7,300
FanDuel = $7,800

I’ve already detailed how much the Patriots struggle in pass coverage, but they don’t do much better against the run either as they have allowed 4.7 yards per carry and 116 rushing yards per game. Although the Falcons offense has struggled, it hasn’t kept Freeman out of the end zone as he has five rushing touchdowns this season. This has the makings of a shootout, which could lead to plenty of scoring chances for Freeman.

Jerick McKinnon vs Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
DraftKings = $6,300
FanDuel = $7,000

McKinnon has played his way into the starting running back role over Latavius Murray as he has 164 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards and three total touchdowns over his last two games.  His role in the passing game creates extra value as he hauled in 11 catches on 12 targets over those two contests. Week 7 brings the opportunity to cash in against a Ravens defense that has allowed the third most rushing yards per game. Roll with McKinnon and enjoy the production.

Duke Johnson Jr. vs Tennessee Titans
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,500

Johnson struggled against the Houston Texans last week as he rushed for 40 yards on five carries and had three receptions for minus one yard. Don’t read too much into that though as quarterback Kevin Hogan was terrible in the contest. DeShone Kizer will start this week in place of Hogan and while Kizer has struggled too, he seems to have good chemistry with Johnson. In four games entering Week 6, Johnson had logged 21 receptions on 26 targets for 250 yards with Kizer at the helm. Use him this week, especially considering his cheap price.

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

Dez Bryant vs San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $7,800
FanDuel = $8,200

Other than Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, Bryant has received at least eight targets in each game this season. He has turned those opportunities into points as he has scored in three of the last four games. Week 7 brings a promising match up against the 49ers as they have allowed the sixth most net passing yards per game this season. A lot of elite receivers have tough match ups this week, leaving Bryant as one of the better expensive options.

Pierre Garcon vs Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $6,700

Although Garcon is still looking for his first touchdown of the season, he is off to a solid start with the 49ers as he has 33 receptions for 434 yards. He is a major part of their offense, evident by his 56 targets already this season. The Cowboys could be in for a big offensive performance in this game, leaving the 49ers to play catch up and throw the ball a lot. Considering the volume Garcon regularly receives, he should be very productive Sunday.

Nelson Agholor vs Washington Redskins
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,900

Agholor is in the midst of a breakout season as he enters Week 7 with 321 receiving yards, which is only 44 yards less than his previous career high for a single season. While he doesn’t get a ton of targets, he has cashed in on his opportunities as he has a 66.7% catch percentage this season. This week brings a rematch against a Washington team that he posted six catches, 86 receiving yards and one touchdown against Week 1. Make sure to plug him into your entry at this cheap price.

Rishard Matthews vs Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
DraftKings = $5,500
FanDuel = $5,500

Matthews is not off to a great start this season as he has recorded 49 or less receiving yards in three of six games. He has also struggled to find the end zone as he only has one touchdown. All that being said, he gets to face a Browns defense that is tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed this season. Mattews has a chance to far outproduce his price point in this contest.

**TIGHT ENDS**

Jimmy Graham vs New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,900
FanDuel = $5,800

Graham has finally become a focal point of the Seahawks offense as he has received at least eight targets in two of the last three games. He also scored his first touchdown in the Seahawks last game against the Los Angeles Rams. This is a juicy match up for Graham Sunday against a Giants team that really struggles to defend tight ends. The Giants have allowed the most receiving yards (432) and touchdowns (7) to tight ends this season. Look for Graham to cash in on their continued struggles.

Austin Hooper vs New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
DraftKings = $4,100
FanDuel = $5,000

Hooper stormed out of the gate this season with 128 receiving yards and a touchdown Week 1. However, he followed that up with 16 yards total over the next two weeks. It seems he has righted the ship with 98 yards total in the last two weeks. The Falcons are finally throwing him the ball more as he had 16 targets over the last two weeks compared to six over the first three weeks. He doesn’t cost much, making him a great option Sunday if you can’t afford to put Graham in your lineup.

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $5,400

The Jaguars defense has created a ton of havoc this season as they lead the NFL in both sacks (23) and interceptions (10). That’s fantasy gold. They get to face a Colts offense that is only averaging 19.8 points per game this season while starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett only has three passing touchdowns. The Jaguars present the best option at defense for Week 7.

New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
DraftKings = $3,000
FanDuel = $4,400

The Dolphins have averaging only 12.2 points per game this season, far and away the worst in the NFL. Starting quarterback Jay Cutler only has five touchdowns compared to four interceptions this season and star running back Jay Ajayi is still looking for his first score of the season. At this price, the Jets defense provides great value for Week 7.

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 7

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 7

Lineuplab.com - Start Winning on Draftkings and Fanduel

Welcome back for another week of daily fantasy football. The decisions are really starting to get interesting no matter the format you are playing as injuries are starting to pile up across the league. The good thing about the Pick’Em contests on DraftKings is that the decisions are not nearly as difficult. Let’s jump in and break down the players in each tier along with my favorite picks in each.

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

Tier 1

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

Rookie Leonard Fournette is neck and neck with Todd Gurley when looking at fantasy points per game this season. Fournette has the edge in rushing as he trails only Kareem Hunt in rushing yards with 596(4.6 per carry) while Gurley has 521 yards(4.2 per carry). Gurley has the slight lead in PPR points per game due to his 5.0 targets per game and 245 receiving yards while Fournette is averaging 3.3 targets per game with 145 yards receiving. Of the two backs, I lean Gurley as Fournette is questionable with an ankle injury and even if he plays could be limited as Chris Ivory looked good as his backup last week. If you are looking to go a bit off the board, LeSean McCoy is likely going to be lower owned than Gurley and has out targeted both the other backs averaging 6.4 per week. It makes sense as Tyrod Taylor doesn’t really have many targets these days. He gets a matchup vs. the Bucs who could be without Jameis Winston this week which should help with the game flow giving McCoy some extra opportunities if the Bills can get ahead early.

Tier 2

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

The second tier gives us three target monsters all on the road. Fitzgerald has been the most productive this season averaging 10.3 targets per game with 465 yards and three touchdowns but has the toughest matchup of the bunch vs. the Rams who rank 7th overall in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts and will see a lot of Nickell Robey-Coleman who has graded out as a Top 30 cornerback via Pro Football Focus. Mike Evans has yet to break 100 yards in a game and comes with a ton of risk if Jameis Winston should sit out. He also gets a tough matchup vs. the Bills who do sit in the middle of the pack when looking at the DraftKings points per game but rank 3rd overall when looking at DVOA defense vs. the pass. Michael Thomas trails both in targets per game(8.6) but gets the best matchup facing the Packers who rank 20th in DraftKings points per game and 19th when looking at DVOA defense vs. the pass. He also has the highest upside quarterback throwing to him in Drew Brees.

Tier 3

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

Right off the top, I will be fading both Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston for injury reasons. I already discussed Winston’s questionable tag as he is dealing with a shoulder issue and did not attempt any passes in Wednesday’s portion of practice. Mariota is working on a short week after returning for the Monday night game and was limited in the sense that he remained in the pocket for the majority of the game and only attempted two rushes for zero yards. For me this week, it is either Carson Palmer or Drew Brees depending on who you chose in the tier before between Thomas or Fitzgerald. I will be splitting my exposure between them and favor Brees slightly as he gets the better matchup vs. the Packers who rank 19th in DVOA defense vs. the pass this season.

Tier 4

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

In the fourth tier, we get some middle of the road quarterbacks and all but Josh McCown face a defense that rank outside the Top 25 in DraftKings points per game to the position. Looking at the matchup and the weapons available to each, I favor Jared Goff in this tier who not has been the most productive but also sees a large gap in offense vs. defense as the Rams rank 5th in DVOA offense while the Cardinals rank 24th in DVOA offense. Alos, looking at Vegas lines, the Rams have the highest projected point total at the moment at 25.5 with Jaguars and Blake Bortles up next with 23.5 but I don’t trust Bortles one bit without his top wideout, Allen Robinson who was lost for the season. My second choice in this tier would be Tyrod Taylor who faces a Bucs defense that ranks 31st in DVOA defense vs. the pass and DraftKings points per game allowed to the position. He also adds the ability to rush the ball as he has done so 32 times this season for 121 yards.

Tier 5

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

For the record, I am a die-hard Vikings fan but will be avoiding both McKinnon and Thielen this week as this game has one of the lowest point totals of the week at 40. Not only that but the Ravens have allowed under 190 yards passing to their opponents and rank 2nd when looking at DVOA defense vs. the pass. When looking at the other two receivers, I prefer Jarvis Landry who has been Jay Cutler’s favorite option and sits second to only Antonio Brown with 11.4 targets per week. Kelvin Benjamin also sits with a questionable tag after leaving Wednesday’s practice with another knee injury. We are then left with two running backs who were teammates just two weeks ago but with Peterson being traded to the Cardinals, opens up more touches for both of them. In his first game with the Cards, Peterson went far and above expectation rushing 26 times for 134 yards with two touchdowns and looked like the “All Day” of old. While Ingram and the Saints have the edge when looking at Vegas(-5.5 favorites & 26.5 point projection), Peterson has the matchup edge as the Rams rank dead last in DraftKings points allowed per game to the running back position. I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with either this week.

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

Tier 6

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

The selection in tier six gets bigger but is not short of tough decisions. It starts with the injuries as Devonta Parker, DeMarco Murray, and Stefon Diggs all missed practice on Wednesday and are questionable to play on Sunday. Then we have a pair of wideouts who come with a ton of risk. It starts with Jordy Nelson who leads the league with six touchdown catches but lost his MVP quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, for the foreseeable future. Then we have last season’s receiving yards leader, T.Y. Hilton, who faces one of the toughest matchups in the league against a Jaguars team who has limited opponents to 166 yards per game and rank #1 when looking at DVOA defense vs. the pass. For me in this tier, it comes down to one of the three other running backs and I am torn between Jay Ajayi of the Dolphins and Christian McCaffrey of the Panthers. Ajayi has the preferred matchup vs. the Jets who rank 25th in DVOA defense vs. the rush and 26th in DraftKings points allowed to running backs while McCaffrey has been a PPR beast as he leads all backs with 8.3 targets per game and has totaled 293 yards and two touchdowns. It comes down to personal preference and for me, I will be splitting them and constructing multiple Pick’Em lineups.

Tier 7

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown - Week 7 - October 21, 2017

The next tier gives us our first look at some tight ends and both have excellent matchups. Delanie Walker will be the lowest owned of the two as he is having a disappointing season, reaching the end zone just once through a rush. He gets an elite matchup vs. the Browns who rank dead last in DraftKings points per game to the position. Seferian-Jenkins has been targeted 19 times over the last two weeks, catching 14 of them and has scored a touchdown in both games. I think both make nice separation plays with the chalk picks in the other tiers but my favorite play in this tier is easily Davante Adams who was targeted 10 times by Brett Hundley last week after Rodgers exited the game and scored a touchdown. With most of the attention paid to Jordy Nelson, like most weeks, Adams should once again see a high target share vs. the Saints who rank 26th in DraftKings points per game allowed to wideouts.

Tier 8

DraftKings Pick'Em Breakdown

The final tier is another tough one and to start off, I will be avoiding Sammy Watkins who is likely going to draw shadow coverage from Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals. I think this is going to open up rookie Cooper Kupp in the slot to see possibly a team-high amount of targets this week in a much better matchup. I also really like the matchup for Duke Johnson this week facing a Titans team that ranks 25th in DVOA defense vs. the pass and the Browns have been using him almost exclusively as a receiving option. He is likely lower owned as well coming off a down week where he rushed for 40 yards and caught just three of five targets for -1 yards. This week it will be Deshon Kizer back behind center who he has been much more comfortable with this season.

 

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!






NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 6 Cash and GPP Plays

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

The Week 6 teams on bye aren’t as difficult to overcome compared to last week’s teams. This week the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks are all on bye. That being said there are a few games that are worth targeting if you are starting your research with Vegas totals. There are 7 games with a game total over 46 points, including the most appealing of them all in New Orleans (50). Let’s take a look at some plays this week from each position.

Quarterback:

NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints - Lineup lab

As I’ve mentioned throughout this year, quarterback ownership is almost always spread out equally, that there rarely is a QB that we see over 20% owned. That figures to be the case this week with several good options on the slate.

Drew Brees (DK $7,200, FD $8,600) – Brees is surprisingly not the highest priced QB on neither DK or FD. He’s the third priced QB on both sites and is in a pretty damn good spot. If you’re a football fan, you’re well aware of Bree’s home and road splits. Brees has averaged over 300 yards and has had a 2:1 TD to interception ratio in dome stadiums. This week Brees is at home coming off a bye against a Lions team that has been over performing to start the season. To add more frosting to the cake, Brees is a slight home favorite implied to score 27.25 points. This game has the slates highest over/under (50), so Vegas is expecting these two teams to light up the scoreboard. Brees will be popular this week.

Matthew Stafford (DK $ 6,500, FD $8,500) – For all the reasons mentioned in the Brees section, I think Stafford will be popular on this slate. He’s $700 cheaper on DK than Brees so the savings could make him higher owned than Brees, but on FD he’s essentially a pick ‘em with only $100 separating the two. This game is one of the few games with a high total and a relatively close spread so if any game is going to shoot out; it will likely be this one.

Deshaun Watson (DK $6,700, FD $7,900) – Watson is another QB I expect will garnish some ownership based on his recent play. Watson has averaged 31.8 DK points over the past 3 weeks, and his price spike reflects his performance. He does have a good matchup as a home favorite against the Browns who are worst in the league in adjusted fantasy points allowed (26.3). His rushing ability gives him a nice floor for cash games, but in gpps, I like fading him for my favorite quarterback on the week (next player). He’s not a bad play at all, but he’s gotten to be a little too expensive for my taste, especially when you consider that most of his TD production last week came during garbage time against the Chiefs.

Kirk Cousins (DK $6,800, FD $ 7,800) – Cousins is the same price point as the last two QBs I mentioned above, and I feel he will be the least owned, which is why I like him for gpps. Cousins is coming off of a bye week and facing the 49ers who are coming off their second consecutive road overtime loss. Cousins and the Redskins go into week 6 with the highest implied team total (28.8) and are 10.5 point favorites. The 49ers are probably the best winless team in the league, losing 4 games by a combined 11 points, but their secondary can be attacked. Per PFF, the 49ers have 3 of the worst rated corners. Dontae Johnson rated no. 108 of 109, Rashard Robinson is no. 104, and K’Waun Williams is no. 99. The Redskins should be able to attack through the air, especially with Rob Kelly expected to be out.

Bargain Barrel:

Carson Palmer, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett

Running Backs:

NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - DeVonta Freeman - Lineuplab.com

Kareem Hunt (DK $8,200, FD $9,300) – I wasn’t going to write up Hunt because by now you should be aware of the amount of volume he’s been getting this season. On DK he’s $1,400 cheap than Bell, which is insane when you factor in that the Chiefs are home favorites over the Steelers. Hunt lost a lot of fantasy points last week with two flukey touchdowns by Charcandrick West. This week Hunt is going up against the Steelers who are 31st DVOA against the run and just got burned for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns from top rookie Leonard Fournette. Hunt is currently projected as our top RB this week over Bell, regardless of price.

Leonard Fournette (DK, $8,000, FD, $8,600) – Speaking of rookies. It’s about time to start talking about Fournette on a consistent basis. He’s averaging 24 touches per game and has scored in all but one game this season. There’s no secret the Jags are trying to keep the ball out of Bortles’ hands as much, which leads to Fournette carrying the offensive workload. Through the first 5 weeks, Fournette has received 70% of the carries and has been targeted 15 times. He’s going up against a Rams defense that ranks 32nd in aFPA (32.8). The Jags are a slight home favorite, so that also bodes well for Fournette.

Devonta Freeman (DK $7,400, FD $ 8,500) – Freeman is the better play on DK since his salary gives you bigger savings from the two backs mentioned above. Freeman has the luxury of playing behind the number 1 rated run blocking offensive line according to PFF. The Falcons are among the biggest home favorites this week (11.5) and are implied to score over 28 points. The Dolphins rank in the middle of the pack in aFPA with an average of 21 PPG. There’s always a concern with splitting carries with Tevin Coleman, but through the Falcons first 4 games, Freeman has 73% of the carries compared to Coleman’s 27%.

Mark Ingram (DK $4,400, FD $ 5,900) – A true committee that a lot of DFS players will have their eye on. With the trade of Adrian Peterson, this backfield is now a true timeshare between Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara (DK $4,500, FD $ 5,800). My initial thought is that Kamara will be the more popular back because of his involvement in the passing game and his big game before last week’s bye. Kamara went for 25.6 DK points on 10 receptions for 71 yards and a TD. This game has shootout written all over it so Kamara could continue to see more passing targets out of the backfield. My only concern here is that although Ingram is being phased out by the coaches, he’s still seeing over 55% of the carries and 36% of the targets. Ingram does have pass-catching upside and is still the goal line back, so he’d be the preferred choice on FD. However, on DK I think I’d have to lean on Kamara for the bigger PPR upside.

Jerick McKinnon (DK $4,100, FD $5,600) – Another running back situation that people will monitor is the Vikings’ committee. Last week in their first week without Delvin Cook, McKinnon saw 67% of the snaps compared to Murray who saw 31%. The carries were 55% for McKinnon and 41% to Murray. McKinnon led all backs with 6 receptions on 6 targets, while Murray seemed to be phased out in the second half. McKinnon was more successful with his workload averaging 5.9 YPC compared to Murray’s 2.6. McKinnon is currently rated as our top value play (points per dollar) on DK and FD.

Chris Thompson (DK $5,000) – A nice GPP pivot off the chalkier cheaper options I mentioned above. If Rob Kelly misses like the reports indicate he is, Thompson could be a great gpp option against the 49ers. He’s not that cheap on DK but has a lot of upside. Samaje Perine could work the early downs but Thompson is the featured back in the passing game, which I expect the Redskins to focus on.

Other Viable Options:

CJ Anderson, M. Gordon, T. Gurley, A. Jones *T. Montgomery out*, L. Miller, E. McGuire.

Wide Receivers:

NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - DeAndre Hopkins - Lineup Lab 

Wide Receiver is a little more open season when compared to running backs. There are a lot of teams that are big favorites so there are really only a few passing offenses that you want to use.

DeAndre Hopkins (DK $8,100, FD $8,000) – Nuke’s price took a STEEP hike on DK, rising over $1,700 after a 3 touchdown performance against the Chiefs. But even at over 8K, that price is finally warranted for a guy that is receiving over 12 targets per game. Through 5 weeks of the season, Hopkins only trails Antonio Brown for most targets in the league. This week Hopkins has an above average matchup against Jason McCourty, who actually has a great grade on PFF(91.7), but the past two seasons he’s averaged a grade in the mid 50’s. It’s also worth noting that Hopkins is expected to lineup against Jamar Taylor (has a 45.1 PFF rating) in two WR sets. Hopkins should be able to produce with the 12+ targets he’s expected to see.

Julio Jones (DK, $8,300, FD $8,400) – I have yet to roster Julio this season, and thankfully so. Julio has yet to score this year and only has 30 targets on the season (4 games). But I have a feeling this is the week we see Julio get back on track. The Falcons are really thin at WR and Julio will be facing either Cordrea Tankersley or Xavien Howard. Regardless of who Julio matches up against, he’s virtually matchup proof. Julio notoriously plays better at home than on the road. It’s about time Julio finds the endzone this week.

Pierre Garcon (DK $ 6,300, FD $6,800) – I loved Garcon last week against the Colts despite going up against Vontae Davis. This week I want to go back to the well in a game that I expect the 49ers to be trailing. The Redskins will be without Josh Norman which helps Garcon. Garcon is currently 8th in the league in targets with 44 through 5 games. This week Garcon could face Quinton Dunbar and Bashaud Breeland who are both targetable corners. I expect Garcon to get 10-12 targets this game and can very well see him putting up over 14 fantasy points.

Adam Thielen (DK $6,000 FD $6,500) – Thielen gets a great matchup here against a bad Packers secondary. Thielen is the primary slot receiver for the Vikings so he’ll face Quinten Rollins who is one of the worst slot corners according to PFF. The Packers should jump out to an early lead, which would mean the Vikings would have to pass the ball more. It’s worth monitoring Bradford’s status as game day gets closer.

Cash Viable Plays:

M. Thomas, K.Allen, L. Fitzgerald, J. Landry, G. Tate,  C. Hogan, A. Cooper.

Gpp Flyers:

D. Jackson, John Brown, M. Jones Jr., T. Hill, D. Amendola, B. Cooks, T. Pryor Sr.

Value Receivers

A. Wilson, J. Kearse, J. Crowder.

Tight Ends:

Hunter Henry - NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - San Diego Chargers - Lineuplab.com

Hunter Henry (DK $4,100, FD $5,400) – Henry looks to have finally taken over the tight end position for the Chargers. After 3 weeks of force-feeding Antonio Gates, Henry has finally become a part of the offense. He has now scored in two straight weeks. He ran 33 routes in over 75% of snaps he played last week.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (DK $4,300, FD $5,600) – ASJ came through last week by scoring a touchdown. That now gives him an average of 6 targets the past 3 weeks. He’s going up against the Patriots who will get out to a big lead and have allowed the most passing yards in the league. 

Travis Kelce (DK $6,100, FD $7,200) – Kelce is the top projected TE on both sites this week. Kelce has 20 targets the last two weeks. Keep an eye out on the Chiefs injury report to make sure Kelce is active.

Defense:

 NFL Lineups Daily Fantasy Football - Baltimore Ravens - Lineuplab.com

There are 5 teams that are currently more than a touchdown favorite. The Patriots are the only team in that bunch that is not at home. The Ravens (16.5), Falcons (17.25), Redskins (18), Texans (18.5), and the Patriots (20) are all going up against teams implied to score less than 20 points. Defense is very volatile so any one of these could land atop the leaderboards. The Ravens are currently our top projected defense. While the Bucs are the best value projected to score nearly 3x.

Good Luck!






Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 6

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 6

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

With four teams on a bye this week and injuries mounting across the NFL, some unexpected players will be valuable options in DFS. Their names might not be flashy, but their potential to produce should not be overlooked. Put your favorite daily fantasy football recommendations from the article below in our lineup optimizer and hit calculate. You can let it fill in the rest of the spots for you or choose your personal favorites from the NFL Player Lab.

Deshaun Watson - Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Lineup Lab

**QUARTERBACKS**

Deshaun Watson vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $6,700
FanDuel = $7,900

Watson has burst onto the scene this season and has established himself not only as the starting quarterback of the future for the Texans, but also a valuable fantasy option. He has already thrown for 1,072 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions to go along with 179 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Although some of his production came in garbage time last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, he still finished the game with a whopping five touchdowns. Week 6 brings a favorable matchup against the Browns who have allowed 11 passing touchdowns this season, tied for second-most in the NFL. Start Watson with confidence.

Kirk Cousins vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – FedEx Field
DraftKings = $6,800
FanDuel = $7,800

After a rough first two games this season, Cousins turned things around as he threw for 585 yards and five touchdowns combined Weeks 3 and 4. With Washington coming off of its bye week, they have had extra time to prepare for an already weak 49ers passing defense that has allowed the seventh most net passing yards in the NFL. The last two weeks, they allowed Jacoby Brissett to throw for 314 yards and Carson Palmer to throw for 357 yards. Cousins is a much better quarterback than both of them and I expect him to put up big numbers Week 6.

Josh McCown vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $5,200
FanDuel = $6,900

I never thought I’d be recommending you play McCown this season, but I’m doing just that this week. The Jets are off to a surprising 3-2 start and McCown has been a steadying veteran presence at quarterback for them. While he has helped them improve in the win column, his numbers aren’t great as he has five touchdowns compared to four interceptions through five weeks. The reason I’m inclined to give him a shot Sunday is because the Patriots have allowed the most net passing yards per game this season. The Jets may also need to throw the ball more in an effort to keep up with the Patriots offense, so go with McCown if you need a cheap quarterback for your entry.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Kareem Hunt - Lineup Lab

**RUNNING BACKS**

Kareem Hunt vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
DraftKings = $8,200
FanDuel = $9,300

Hunt continues to be a reliable fantasy option as he has rushed for at least 100 yards in four of five games this season. While he hasn’t scored in either of his last two games, he still has four rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns on the season overall. Week 6 brings a great match up against a Steelers defense that allows the fifth most rushing yards per game in the NFL. Fellow rookie Leonard Fournette exploded for 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns last week against the Steelers, so the Steelers could be sick of seeing rookie running backs after this contest.

Marshawn Lynch vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
DraftKings = $5,000
FanDuel = $6,000

Lynch had a favorable matchup last week against the Ravens and while he only had 43 rushing yards on 12 carries, he did find the end zone for the second time this season. He has rushed for 45 yards or less in four of five games this season, but I’m rolling with him against the Chargers in Week 6. The Chargers are allowing an average of 161 rushing yards per game, most in the NFL. Did you see what the Giants did to them last week? The Giants, who have one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL, managed to come away with 152 rushing yards. That’s scary. I can’t pass up Lynch in this matchup considering his cheap price.

Andre Ellington vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $5,300
FanDuel = $5,500

Ellington is clearly not a factor in the running game for the Cardinals as he only has 49 total rushing yards this season. He is a major factor in the passing attack though as he already has 257 receiving yards on 28 receptions. The last two games have been even better for Ellington as he has 18 receptions on 24 targets for 151 yards. Don’t worry about the addition of Adrian Peterson, Ellington is clearly their passing-down back. The Buccaneers have allowed the second most net passing yards per game this season, making Ellington a great option again this week at a cheap price.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - DeAndre Hopkins - Lineuplab

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

DeAndre Hopkins vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – NRG Stadium
DraftKings = $8,100
FanDuel = $8,000

Week 5 wasn’t looking great for Hopkins, but he cashed in for two touchdowns during garbage time to finish with three scores and 52 yards on the day. Hopkins had a rough 2016 season, finishing with 78 receptions on 151 targets, 954 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He already has 35 receptions on 61 targets, 363 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season. Clearly Watson’s preferred receiving option, Hopkins has racked up at least 12 targets in four of five games this season. I’m a big fan of a Watson/Hopkins stack this week.

DeSean Jackson vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – University of Phoenix Stadium
DraftKings = $5,800
FanDuel = $6,400

Jackson has had an inconsistent start to his Buccaneers’ career, recording 39 receiving yards or less in two games while hauling in at least 84 receiving yards in the other two contests. He is coming off of his best game last week against the Patriots where he had five receptions on nine targets for 106 yards. He gets the Cardinals this week and while much is made about star cornerback Patrick Peterson, he will be matched up against Mike Evans in this game. The Cardinals have actually allowed 10 passing touchdowns this season, tied for third most in the NFL. Look for Jackson to take advantage of their other cornerbacks in this contest.

Jermaine Kearse vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,800
FanDuel = $6,100

Yes, I again like Kearse. It’s hard not to when he is so cheap every week. The Jets don’t have great receiving options, leaving Kearse with a prominent role each week. He had 38 yards on four receptions last week, but also reached the end zone for the third time this season. I believe the Jets are going to have to throw more than they usually do in this game, leaving Kearse with even more targets coming his way. I’m on his bandwagon again Week 6.

Marvin Jones Jr. vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome
DraftKings = $4,600
FanDuel = $5,900

Jones has not put up big yardage totals this season as he has 42 yards or less in four of five games. However, he does have two touchdowns this season and has received at least six targets in two of the last three weeks. I like this matchup against the Saints who have allowed the fifth most net passing yards per game this season. The Lions might find themselves in a high scoring game on the road, meaning Jones has the potential to outproduce his price point Sunday.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Austin Seferian Jenkins - Lineuplab.com

**TIGHT ENDS**

Austin Seferian Jenkins vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
DraftKings = $4,300
FanDuel = $5,600

If you had told me before the start of the season I’d be recommending three Jets offensive players in a game against the Patriots, I would have told you that you were crazy. Well, I guess I’m the crazy one this week. Seferian-Jenkins is another viable fantasy option after reaching the end zone for the first time last week against the Browns. While he hasn’t hauled in more than 46 receiving yards in any of his three games this season, he has received at least six targets in a game twice. I expect him to be heavily involved Sunday.

Evan Engram vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Sports Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $3,800
FanDuel = $5,300

It’s not too often that a team loses their top three receivers in one game, but that’s exactly what happened to the Giants last week against the Chargers. By the end of the game, they only had one healthy wide receiver, meaning Engram was forced to play the role of wide receiver. The Giants are plucking guys off their practice squad to fill out their receiving core for Week 6, so expect Engram to be one of their main pass-catching options. While the Broncos pass defense is tough, they have allowed 245 receiving yards on 24 receptions to tight ends this season.

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations - Denver Broncos - Lineuplab.com

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

Denver Broncos vs. New York Giants
Stadium – Sport Authority Field at Mile High
DraftKings = $4,000
FanDuel = $5,400

This is going to be one ugly game for the Giants. I already mentioned they are decimated at receiver, but now they have to face a Broncos defense that has four interceptions and 10 sacks this season. The Giants offensive line is really bad and quarterback Eli Manning can be turnover prone. They are the most expensive defense this week, but this match up is too good to pass up for the Broncos.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
DraftKings = $3,700
FanDuel = $4,900

The Ravens get to face rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky after he made his first start for the Bears last week, completing 15 of 25 passes for 128 yards, one touchdown and one interception at home against the Minnesota Vikings. He gets a tough test on the road Week 6 against a Ravens defense that has the second most interceptions in the NFL. A rookie quarterback making his first career start on the road is a great recipe for success for an opposing defense, making the Ravens a great option this week.






Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*

Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations – Week 5

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

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

**QUARTERBACKS**

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

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

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

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

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

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

**RUNNING BACKS**

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

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

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

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

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

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

**WIDE RECEIVERS**

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**TIGHT ENDS**

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

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

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

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

**DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS**

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

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

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

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

 

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 5

by Chris Durell 0 Comments

*Chris Durell*

DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 5

Lineuplab.com - Start Winning on Draftkings and Fanduel

Week four of the NFL season is in the books and we now move on to the bye weeks. Technically the Tampa Bay and Miami have already had their bye week due to Hurricane Irma but this week four teams(Atlanta, Denver, Washington, New Orleans) will be getting a break from the action. With the limited games, the DraftKings Pick’Em “Early Only” contest is limited to just six tiers this week so let’s jump and take a look at some of the top picks.

Tier 1

The first tier gives us eight quarterbacks with a lack of top matchups when looking at DraftKings points allowed to the position as the Lions, Jaguars, Panthers, and Bills all rank Top 10 in that area. My top options in this tier is Carson Palmer who faces a Eagles team that has allowed the sixth-most DraftKings per game(20.3) to quarterbacks and the third-most passing yards per game(285). If the Eagles are unable to get pressure on Palmer this week it could spell trouble for the secondary as the Cardinals have a speedy wide receiver core with J.J. Nelson and John Brown and then have to deal with Larry Fitzgerald who may have the most reliable hands in the league. Palmer will most likely be the chalk here as he currently sits third in tags at the QB position when looking at FanShareSports. Next on my list is Eli Manning who trails on Carson Palmer in attempts this season after tossing it up 47 and 49 times over the last two weeks. The Giants are desperate for their first win of the season and Eli has the advantage of throwing to one of, if not the best wideout in the game with Odell Beckham Jr. The matchup isn’t great, by any means, as the Chargers rank 13th in DK points allowed to QB’s this season but that should only help keep his ownership down and that appears to be the case as he ranks 10th in tags on FanShare as of Wednesday night.

Tier 2

In the second tier, we get a nice mix of elite wideouts and running backs. For the wide receivers, Antonio Brown gets the toughest matchup facing the Jags who have allowed the fewest passing yard per game(147) and rank 2nd in DK points per game allowed to receivers. This has me leaning Le’Veon Bell who is coming off a huge bounce-back week where he rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns while catching four of six balls for an additional 42 yards. While the Jags have been dominant against the passing game, the same can’t be said for their rush defense as they have allowed the most yards per game(165.5) and rank 26th in DK points per game to the position. I am also in favor of rookie Leonard Fournette on the other side of the ball as the Steelers, like the Jags have been dominant vs. the pass but weak vs. the run. I talked about Eli above being one of my favorite quarterbacks due to the volume which automatically has me drifting towards OBJ who is averaging 8.3 targets per game. The only risk here is that he has been limited in practice this week due to an ankle injury. If it’s volume you are after, don’t discount the matchup for Keenan Allen who is likely going to see a ton of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as he is averaging 10 targets per game and already has two 100-yard games in 2017. While the Dolphins pass game ranks in the bottom of the league(28th in passing DVOA), I do like DeVante Parker this week as the Titans rank 31st in DK points per game allowed to wideouts and Parker is averaging nine targets per game and has over 75 yards in each game so far.

Tier 3

In the third tier, I favor the wideouts who all get matchups vs. teams who rank 25th or worse when looking at DraftKings points allowed to the position. By default, I lean Larry Fitzgerald as I mentioned Carson Palmer in the QB section being my favorite. Even at 34 years of age, Fitzgerald has not lost a step and still remains up there with the games elite. He sits fifth in targets per game(10.3) and has scored a touchdown in back to back contests. My second favorite wideout is Pierre Garcon who is likely going to be lower owned coming off a poor outing vs. the Cardinals but consider he had a very tough matchup vs. Patrick Peterson. Garcon is the leading receiver for the 49ers and is averaging 8.3 targets per game and has a good shot to score his first touchdown of the season. Of the four running backs, I lean Melvin Gordon who faces a Giants defense that has allowed the fifth most rushing yards per game(142.8) and should see some added volume after making it clear he has been frustrated with his overall touches.

Tier 4

We get a couple tight ends in this tier but I will be avoiding them as it’s a vulnerable position and both players get tough matchups s the Bengals and Cardinals rank Top 5 against the position. Of the two running backs, I lean Christian McCaffrey who is getting a whopping 7.3 targets per game. This should continue in Week 5 as the Lions have held opponents to 86.3 rushing yards per game which has been Jonathan Stewart’s department through four weeks. Looking at the wideouts, I favor Rishard Matthews who faces a Dolphins defense who has allowed sixth-most passing yards per game(272.3) and ranks 21st in DK points allowed to the position.

Tier 5

The decisions become a bit more tricky as we get into the final two tiers but there are a couple players who stand out. First of all, I like Duke Johnson over Joe Mixon at the running back position as he faces a Jets team that ranks 27th in DVOA defense vs. the run. He gets out-touched in the run game by Isaiah Crowell but has a rushing touchdown in back to back games and provides most of his value via the passing game. He has seen his target share rise each week with 5, 6, 7, and 10 targets and now has over 200 yards through the air. I won’t be touching Alshon Jeffery in any format this week as not only has he underperformed through four weeks, he also gets a terrible matchup and is likely to be shadowed by Patrick Peterson. I like Sterling Shepard and John Brown in this tier who make nice stacking options with their quarterbacks(Manning & Palmer) who I mentioned in tier one.

Tier 6

Things get even tougher in the final tier this week as there is no one name that stands out, which I guess should help level out the ownership. I love the speed of J.J. Nelson vs. the Eagles defense but he presents a ton of risk as he has taken the biggest hit since the return of John Brown who I mentioned earlier. I do, however, like his teammate Andre Ellington who is working in a committee with Chris Johnson and despite being out-touched in the run game over the past three weeks(36-12), has been getting the majority of the targets out of the backfield(27 last three games) and has piled up 157 yards receiving over the past three games. Despite a tough matchup vs. the Panthers, my only other target in this tier is Ameer Abdullah who scored his first touchdown last week on a seaosn high 20 carries and 94 yards.

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions leading up to Sunday morning lineup lock, be sure to hit me up on Twitter(@Jager_Bombs9). Good luck everyone!