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NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

If you didn’t make the playoffs in your season-long fantasy football league, the fun isn’t over yet. Every week is a new opportunity to bring home some cash in DFS. We already discussed quarterbacks to target and avoid in DFS for Week 14, so now let’s dive into the rest of the positions to hopefully help you bring home some cash. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

RUNNING BACKS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14

Christian McCaffrey vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $9,100
DraftKings = $9,300

McCaffrey continued his run of dominance against the Bucs in Week 13, turning 10 carries into 106 yards. He also caught nine of 10 targets for 55 yards and a touchdown. Not only has he been racking up yards in bunches, but he has 10 touchdowns across his last five games. Maybe the craziest stat of them all for McCaffrey is that he has been on the field for 97 percent of the Panthers offensive snaps. This is shaping up to be another great matchup for him in Week 14 against a Browns defense that has allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (136.4) in the league to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns.

Aaron Jones vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,200

Jones looked to finally be establishing himself as the lead running back for the Packers, but he was only on the field for 51 percent of their offensive snaps in Week 13. Even with his limited playing time, he still managed to score a touchdown for the fourth straight game. Maybe the biggest boost for his value moving forward was the dismissal of head coach Mike McCarthy after their embarrassing loss last week to the Cardinals. Despite is seeming obvious that Jones is their best running back, McCarthy still continued to force Jamaal Williams onto the field. If Jones gets the bulk of the carries in Week 14, he could explode against a Falcons defense that has allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game (130.7) and 14 touchdowns on the ground.

Jeff Wilson Jr. vs. Denver Broncos
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $3,800

There was a lot of excitement around the 49ers heading into the season, but injuries have decimated them to the point where they are one of the worst teams in the league. Their most recent injury came to running back Matt Breida (ankle), who has already been ruled out for Week 14. Wilson did a nice job after Breida went down against the Seahawks, carrying the ball 15 times for 61 yards and catching eight of nine targets for 73 yards. He’ll likely get all the work he can handle Sunday, making him an extremely appealing option in tournament play based on his cheap price on both sites.

WIDE RECEIVERS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14

Keenan Allen vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $7,900
DraftKings = $7,400

The Chargers were involved in a high-scoring affair against the Steelers last week, resulting in Allen catching 14 of 19 targets for 148 yards and a touchdown. He’s really started to turn things on down the stretch, hauling in 42 of 57 targets for 490 yards and four touchdowns across his last five games. That recent hot streak has left him just four yards shy of reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight year. Expect him to blow past that number against the Bengals, who have allowed the second-most passing yards per game (280) and 26 passing touchdowns.

Chris Godwin vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,900

Godwin had one of the best games of his young career last week against the Panthers, catching five of six targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. It was certainly a favorable matchup against a porous Panthers secondary, but Godwin was also heavily involved because of the absence of DeSean Jackson (thumb). He was actually on the field for a season-high 80 percent of the Bucs offensive snaps. If Jackson is unable to play again in Week 14, Godwin is an excellent target against a Saints team that has allowed the third-most passing yards per game (279).

Courtland Sutton vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $5,600
DraftKings = $4,500

The Broncos certainly don’t have an electric passing attack, but Sutton was productive in Week 13 with four catches on seven targets for 85 yards and a touchdown. He’s already received an expanded role after the Broncos traded Demaryius Thomas to the Texans and will be even more involved now after Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles) was placed on IR on Wednesday. This could be a dream matchup against the 49ers, who have allowed 27 passing touchdowns and picked off just two passes all season.

TIGHT ENDS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14

Zach Ertz vs. Dallas Cowboys
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $6,400

The Eagles came away with a big divisional win against the Redskins last week, a game that saw Ertz catch nine of 10 targets for 83 yards. That marked the eighth game this season that Ertz has received at least 10 targets and his sixth with at least nine receptions. The Cowboys have had trouble slowing down tight ends this season, allowing 725 yards and five touchdowns to the position. That included Ertz destroying them in Week 10 for 14 catches, 145 yards, and two touchdowns. It will certainly be difficult for Ertz to duplicate those numbers, but he still has an extremely high floor.

Vance McDonald vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $3,800

McDonald isn’t exactly on a roll right now with 28 receiving yards or fewer in four of his last five games. However, he received at least five targets in four of those five contests and also recorded touchdowns. The presence of Jesse James does eat into some of McDonald’s playing time, but he’s received 56 targets this year compared to just 35 for James. If you want to take a risk on a cheaper tight end in tournament play, the Raiders have allowed 896 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to the position this year.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14

Denver Broncos vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $3,600

Don’t look now, but the Broncos have won three straight games. Two of those victories were even against tough teams in the Chargers and Steelers. They have been winning on not only the strength of their running game but also their defense, which allowed a total of 49 points across those three games. They’ve also done a great job of creating turnovers during their winning streak with five interceptions and four fumble recovers. With all of the injuries that the 49ers have on offense, the Broncos defense has a favorable chance to keep things rolling again Sunday.

New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $3,500
DraftKings = $2,500

The Giants allowed 27 points in their overtime victory against the Bears last week, but they did post five sacks, one fumble recovery and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. They took advantage of backup quarterback Chase Daniels and will face another backup in Mark Sanchez on Sunday, who has only been on the Redskins roster for a couple of weeks. The loss of safety Landon Collins (shoulder) is a huge blow for the Giants, but with all of the injuries the Redskins have suffered on offense, they should at least be considered in tournament play.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14 – Quarterbacks

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

If you didn’t make the playoffs in your season-long fantasy football league, the fun isn’t over yet. Every week is a new opportunity to bring home some cash in DFS. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you craft your lineup for Week 14. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14 - Quarterbacks

Ben Roethlisberger vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $6,800

The Steelers were involved in a shootout against the Chargers last week, ultimately losing 33-30 at home. Roethlisberger did throw for two touchdowns, but he had just 281 yards. That marked the first time since Week 9 that he had thrown for fewer than 300 yards in a game. He was also picked off again, leaving him with six interceptions across his last three games. The good news is that he attempted 45 passes and has at least 40 pass attempts in nine of 12 games.

Roethlisberger’s interceptions are up this year, but so are his touchdowns and passing yards per game. His touchdowns numbers are still much better at home (16) than on the road (10), but he is averaging 350.5 passing yards per game on the road. The Raiders struggle to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and have allowed the most passing touchdowns (29) in the league, leaving Roethlisberger with a very high floor in this contest.

Drew Brees vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $6,600

It’s tough for the road team to win on Thursday Night Football, but the Saints laid an egg offensively against the Cowboys by scoring 10 points last week. Brees was as much to blame as anyone, throwing for just 127 yards to go along with one touchdown and one interception. The fact that he attempted just 28 passes didn’t help his cause, but he had four touchdowns across only 22 pass attempts the previous week against the Falcons.

Believe it or not, Brees has now thrown for fewer than 200 yards in a game three times this season. The Saints have a great running back duo of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, which doesn’t always leave Brees with a ton of passing attempts. He has largely made up for that lack of volume, though, with 30 touchdowns. When the Saints and Bucs squared off in Week 1, Brees had 439 yards and three touchdowns. Considering the Bucs have allowed the second-most touchdowns through the air (28), expect Brees to have a big bounce-back performance.

Philip Rivers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $8,300
DraftKings = $6,500

The Chargers big win on the road against the Steelers last week has them riding high as they approach a spot in the playoffs. Rivers was right at the forefront of their victory, throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He’s only thrown for at least 300 yards one time across his last five games, but he’s thrown at least two touchdown passes in every game this season.

The loss of star running back Melvin Gordon (knee) was significant for the Chargers, but there is hope that he might not be out for too long. Even if he does return for Week 14, this is a prime spot to use Rivers in DFS. The Bengals injuries on offense might grab all the headlines, but their defense has been atrocious, allowing the second-most passing yards per game (280) to go along with 26 passing touchdowns.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14 - Quarterbacks

Jameis Winston vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $6,200

Winston’s second stint as the Bucs quarterback this season has been significantly better than his first. He came through with another strong performance in Week 13 against the Panthers, throwing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. His 66.7 percent completion percentage wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was key that he didn’t throw an interception. After being plagued by turnovers throughout his career, Winston has yet to be intercepted across two games since regaining a starting role.

It should be noted that his last two games have come against the 49ers and Panthers, both of which have their holes in pass coverage. The Saints aren’t exactly defensive juggernauts, though, since they have allowed the third-most passing yards per game (279). This game being played at home is also a big plus for Winston considering how well the Saints play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. His turnover history always leaves him with some risk, but there is also upside here in tournament play.

Baker Mayfield vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,800

Week 13 against the Texans was not one of Mayfield’s finer performances. He did throw for 397 yards, but he had only one touchdown and three interceptions. That broke a streak of five-straight games with at least two touchdowns and two straight games without an interception. With only 13 points, it also marked the first time in the last three games that the Browns failed to score at least 21 points.

A lot of Mayfield’s struggles last week might have just been because the Browns were on the road against the red-hot Texans, who have won nine straight. Mayfield gets a much easier task this week at home against the Panthers, who have allowed 27 touchdowns through the air. Mayfield’s pass attempts are sometimes limited due to how well Nick Chubb is running the ball, but he’s still someone to consider based on this matchup.

Josh Allen vs. New York Jets
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,500

Allen only completed 54.6 percent of his passes against the Dolphins last week, finishing with 231 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. However, he did a ton of damage with his legs, running for 135 yards on nine carries. This comes on the heels of rushing for 99 yards in Week 12 against the Jaguars. He actually has almost as many rushing touchdowns (four) as he does passing touchdowns (five) this season.

Lamar Jackson of the Ravens might grab all the headlines, but Allen’s ability to rack up rushing yards should not go unnoticed. He still has a lot of improving to do in the passing game and he might not be a consistent contributor in that area until next season. This is an opportunity to target him in DFS, though, considering how poorly the Jets have played. They’ve lost six straight games, one of them was 41-10 against the Bills when Matt Barkley was at quarterback.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 14 - Quarterbacks

Tom Brady vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $5,800

The Patriots are loaded at running back with Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead all finally healthy. They haven’t needed to rely as much on the arm of Brady, leaving him to throw a total of four touchdowns across his last five games. The Dolphins are one of the worst teams in the league against the run, so the Patriots might not need Brady to throw much in Week 14, either. He’s not overly expensive on either site, but it still might be best to avoid him for your entry.

Matthew Stafford vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $6,700
DraftKings = $5,200

The wheels have come off for the Lions. They are 1-5 over their last six games, which included brutal matchups against the Seahawks, Vikings, Bears, and Rams. The Cardinals might not have a good record, but they have allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game (220). Stafford has a total of four touchdown passes and five interceptions in his last five games, leaving him with very little upside despite his cheap price.

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 14

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
June special! Use Code PAMLB30 at checkout

If you are playing in a head-to-head fantasy league, using starting pitchers that have two starts in a week can give you a significant edge over your opponent. Here are some starters who will each start two games in the week ahead that you should either target or avoid for your lineup.

Starters With Favorable Matchups

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 14

James Paxton, Seattle Mariners: at BAL, vs. KC

Paxton continues to serve as the ace of the Mariners’ staff, recording a 3.72 ERA, 3.09 FIP and a 1.12 WHIP. He has increased his K/9 each of the last four seasons, topping out at an 11.5 K/9 this year. He’s hit a bit of a rough patch, allowing 10 runs over 7.1 innings in his last two starts. They came against the Red Sox and Yankees, though, two of the top offensive teams in baseball. He’ll get the opposite end of the spectrum in Week 14 as the Royals and Orioles are the bottom two teams in baseball in terms of runs scored. The Royals do have the fewest strikeouts in baseball, but that didn’t stop Paxton from striking them out 10 times over six innings in their first meeting this season.

Cole Hamels, Texas Rangers: vs. SD, vs. CWS

Hamels has a 3.41 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, but his 5.14 FIP suggests he hasn’t exactly pitched that well. He’s been aided by a .253 opponents BABIP, which is 30 points lower than his career mark. He has also allowed 1.8 HR/9, which is by far the highest of his career. On the plus side, his strikeout percentage is up from 17.1% last year to 23.4% this season. He may not be the pitcher that he once was in his prime, but he can still provide plenty of value in the right matchup. The Padres and White Sox are both in the bottom-eight in baseball in runs scored and OPS against left-handed pitching, so this could be one of those very productive weeks for Hamels.

Jameson Taillon, Pittsburgh Pirates: at NYM, at SD

Taillon’s 4.03 ERA doesn’t look great, but it should be noted that a lot of the damage done to his ERA came in three starts where he allowed 18 runs in 11 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his other 12 starts, including in each of his last five outings. His career-high 9.7% swinging strike rate has also resulted in an 8.5 K/9. The Mets don’t have a great lineup, to begin with, but they could be without one of their best hitters in Brandon Nimmo (finger) in Taillon’s first start of the week Monday. His second start comes against a Padres team that has the lowest OPS against right-handed pitchers (.657) in baseball.

Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks: at MIA, vs. SF

Godley has issued 4.4 BB/9, which has helped lead to a bloated 1.49 WHIP. His 4.64 ERA isn’t terrible considering his WHIP, but it’s hard to have consistent success when allowing so many baserunners. He does have strikeout upside with a 9.0 K/9 and he has allowed no more than two earned runs in four of his last five starts. The Marlins have scored the third-fewest runs (283) and have hit the fewest home runs (60) in baseball, setting things up nicely for Godley in his first start of the week. The Giants offense hasn’t been that bad, but they have struck out the fifth-most times (720).

Starters to Avoid

MLB Fantasy Baseball Schedule Analysis for Week 14

Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds: at ATL, vs. MIL

Mahle has a respectable 3.89 ERA, but several of his supporting numbers raise causes for concern. He has a 4.90 FIP and a 1.38 WHIP, with the WHIP being especially scary when you consider his 1.7 HR/9. He has also allowed a 41.5% hard-hit rate. Even though he held the Braves to three runs and recorded 11 strikeouts over six innings in their first meeting this season, the Braves have a very tough lineup that has scored the fifth-most runs (378). He was lucky to only allow two runs over five innings in his first start this season against the Brewers because he allowed 11 baserunners in that outing. This might be the week to place him on your bench.

Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals: vs. LAA, at SEA

The wheels are starting to fall off for Junis, who has a 6.75 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP in four June starts. His opponents’ BABIP wasn’t terribly high over that stretch either at .300, but he allowed seven home runs in 24 innings. As a result of his recent poor performance, he now has a 4.43 ERA and a 4.98 FIP on the season overall. The Angels have hit the fourth-most home runs (107) in baseball and the Mariners have put up some big offensive numbers lately, making Junis too much of a risk for Week 14.

Jonathan Loaisiga, New York Yankees: at PHI, vs. BOS

With the Yankees down two starting pitchers, they had to recall Loaisiga from Double-A to help fill out their rotation. His 4.32 ERA in Double-A was nothing to write home about, but he showed tremendous strikeout upside with an 11.5 K/9 and excellent control with a 1.1 BB/9. He had six strikeouts over five scoreless innings in his first start against the Rays but allowed three runs in only 3.2 innings in his second start against the Mariners. Getting to play the Phillies in Philadelphia where there is no DH isn’t necessarily a poor matchup, but his second start against the Red Sox makes him someone to avoid altogether.