Header Image - PICK LIKE THE PROS
PICK LIKE THE PROSLineup Lab is an advanced MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL daily fantasy lineup optimizer for Fanduel, Draftkings, and Yahoo. Pros use a DFS optimizer, so why don't you? Pick like the pros. Use the worlds most advanced projections and optimization techniques. Join today, and start winning!
start winning

Tag Archives

5 Articles

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 – TE/DEF/ST

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

The tight end position has been pretty shallow in recent weeks, but it feels a little deeper for the Week 7 slate. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players, and defenses/special teams, to target or avoid as you create your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - TE/DEF/ST

Zach Ertz vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,100

For the first time this season, Ertz failed to receive at least 10 targets Week 6 against the Giants. He was still heavily involved, though, with seven receptions on nine targets. His 43 receiving yards were also a season-low, but he still managed to salvage his performance with a touchdown reception. This game was a prime example of why you want to pay up for Ertz in cash games. Even if the yardage total isn’t always there, he’s a weekly threat to find his way into the end zone.

Week 7 brings a favorable matchup for Ertz against a Panthers defense that has allowed 28 receptions, 297 receiving yards and three touchdowns to opposing tight ends. The Eagles have been more productive with Carson Wentz at quarterback, averaging 24.5 points in the four games he has started compared to 19.5 points in their first two games without him. Expect Ertz to see plenty of targets again in this contest.

Eric Ebron vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,400

Ebron had a cloudy prognosis heading into the start of the season with another quality tight end in Jack Doyle on the roster. However, Doyle’s early injury woes have opened up a huge role for Ebron. T.Y. Hilton went down recently as well, making Ebron one of the prime targets in the Colts passing game. He cashed in with another valuable performance in Week 6, catching four of seven targets for 71 yards and a touchdown.

With his score last week, Ebron has now reached the end zone in five of six games. He’s also received at least seven targets in four straight contests. It appears that Hilton has a good chance of returning to the field for Week 7, but Doyle will sit out once again. The Colts have attempted the most passes in the league (289), so there will still be more than enough targets available for Ebron even if Hilton does take the field.

Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $4,600
DraftKings = $3,400

The Vikings defense has had their struggles, but they had one of their best performances Week 6 when they held the Cardinals to 17 points, six of which came when the Cardinals defense returned a fumble for a touchdown. They logged four more sacks in that game and have now recorded at least three sacks in five of their six contests. The game also resulted in their first interception since Week 1.

Don’t be surprised if the Vikings pick off a pass or two Sunday facing Sam Darnold, who has thrown at least one interception in all but one game so far. Darnold hasn’t exactly been explosive yet, either, throwing for fewer than 200 yards four times. Things won’t get any easier for him this week with his favorite wide receiver Quincy Enunwa out with an ankle injury. Even though they will be on the road, the Vikings could be in for a stifling performance.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - TE/DEF/ST

Trey Burton vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $4,300

Burton isn’t exactly a great source for yards. He hasn’t topped more than 88 yards in a game this season and has three outings where he finished with 23 yards or fewer. One of those was last week against the Dolphins, but he did manage to find the end zone in that game. The Bears have only played five games, but Burton has already posted three touchdowns.

The Bears invested heavily in Burton during the offseason, but they have attempted the fewest passes in the league, which puts somewhat of a limit on his upside. The good news is that if the Bears defense can’t slow down the high-powered Patriots offense, Mitch Trubisky might be forced to throw the ball more. Burton may see a couple extra targets in this game, as a result, making him an intriguing option in tournament play.

David Njoku vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $4,200

Njoku received a season-high 12 targets in the Browns blowout loss to the Chargers in Week 6, finishing with seven catches for 55 yards and his first touchdown of the season. He’s been a big part of the Browns offense, receiving at least seven targets in all but one game. Josh Gordon may not have been playing well, but his departure was a positive one when for Njoku’s value for the rest of the year.

Baker Mayfield hasn’t played great since taking over at quarterback, but this could be the week he has a breakout performance. The Bucs have allowed the most passing yards per game (356) and are tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed (16) in the league. I actually believe Njoku has a higher upside this week than Burton, making him an even better play when you consider he’s slightly cheaper than Burton on both sites.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $3,300

If you’re looking at past performances by the Colts to try and gain some confidence in playing their defense this week, let me save you some time. They’ve been bad. Teams have scored at least 31 points against them in each of their last three games, one of which came against a Jets offense that isn’t exactly loaded with talent.

The reason why you should consider the Colts defense for Week 7 is because of how putrid the Bills are on offense. Things are only going to get worse for them Sunday with Josh Allen out due to an elbow injury. His backup Nathan Peterman has been so bad that the Bills are actually going to start Derek Anderson at quarterback, who just signed with the team less than two weeks ago. Even with how poorly they have played, this is a great spot for the Colts to thrive on defense.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - TE/DEF/ST

Greg Olsen vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,400

Olsen had been out since Week 1 with a foot injury, but he made his return last Sunday against the Redskins. The Panthers certainly weren’t cautious with him, putting him on the field for 98% of their offensive snaps. Olsen wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t great, either, with four catches on seven targets for 48 yards. Olsen has decided to put off foot surgery at this time, but who knows if he’s going to hold up for the rest of the season. This is a tough matchup against the Eagles, who have only allowed 19 receptions to opposing tight ends.

Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $3,500

Injuries have put a damper on the Rams defense, causing them to allow at least 23 points in each of their last four games. They only picked off one pass during that four-game stretch, as well. The 49ers have dealt with more than their fair share of injuries on offense, but C.J. Beathard has been much improved from last year. In each of his three starts, he has at least 248 passing yards and two touchdowns. He has been turnover prone, but the 49ers might be able to put up some points in this contest. That limits the upside for the Rams defense, so it might not be worth paying the premium required to get them into your entry.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 – Wide Receivers

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

If you’re playing the main Sunday afternoon slate in DFS for Week 7, some of the key players who won’t be available at wide receiver include Antonio Brown, Davante Adams, Julio Jones, and Tyreek Hill. With so much of the top talent not at your disposal, the week might be more difficult to navigate than most. Let’s dive into the schedule and examine some players to target, and some to possibly avoid, as you create your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Wide Receivers

Adam Thielen vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $8,600

There has been no slowing down Thielen. He’s posted at least 100 receiving yards in all six games and with four touchdowns, he’s already matched his mark from all of last season. His 81 total targets also lead the NFL, nine ahead of the player with the second most, Antonio Brown. Add in his league-leading 712 receiving yards and Thielen has not only been one of the most reliable receivers in DFS, but he’s also been one with an extremely high upside.

It’s pretty easy to make an argument for Thielen to be in your lineup every week. The Jets doesn’t exactly provide an imposing matchup after they allowed Andrew Luck to throw for 301 yards against them with T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle on the sidelines. Thielen will eat up a significant portion of your budget, but he’s been worth every penny through the first six weeks.

Robert Woods vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $7,000

While Todd Gurley was chewing up the Broncos defense on the ground last week, Woods was hurting them in the receiving game with seven catches on 10 targets for 109 yards. It marked the second time this season that Woods received at least 10 targets in a contest and the third time in the last four weeks where he posted at least 100 yards. The Rams offense has been more explosive, helping Woods average 87.3 yards per game compared to 65.1 last season.

If anyone was concerned that the addition of Brandin Cooks would have a negative impact on Woods’ production, those concerns can be put to bed. Woods could be even more involved Week 7 with Cooper Kupp out with a knee injury. The 49ers are tied for the eighth-most passing yards allowed per game (279) and have allowed 14 passing touchdowns compared to just one interception, potentially setting up Woods for a big game.

Brandin Cooks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $7,100

It’s hard to deem Cooks’ campaign with the Patriots last year as a disappointment, but his 57% catch rate was the lowest mark of his career. He had a chance to shine as their top wide receiver, especially with Tom Brady throwing passes his way. The Rams have more talent at wide receiver, but their depth hasn’t slowed down Woods, who is averaging career-highs in yards per reception (18) and receiving yards per game (84.2).

Even though Woods is going to get plenty of targets, the absence of Kupp is going to benefit Cooks, as well. With how porous the 49ers secondary has been this season, both of the Rams’ top two receivers are strong plays this week. If you are looking for any sort of a differentiator between the two, Woods has three touchdowns compared to just one for Cooks. Regardless, both players warrant cash contest consideration.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Wide Receivers

Michael Crabtree vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $5,100

Crabtree was a huge addition for a Ravens team that severely lacked talent at wide receiver last year. He might be in the later stages of his career, but he entered 2018 with at least eight receiving touchdowns in each of the last three seasons. The Ravens have wasted no time making him an important part of their offense, giving him a team-high 55 targets. He’s coming off of his best game with the team, catching six of nine targets for 96 yards and a touchdown against the Titans.

Crabtree might not have the big-play ability that fellow receiver John Brown does, but he’s tied with tight end Nick Boyle for the most red zone targets (six) on the team. This could be one of the Ravens more productive offensive performances of the season since the Saints have allowed the third-most passing yards per game (298), making Crabtree an excellent option to target.

Jarvis Landry vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $7,300

The change at quarterback from Tyrod Taylor to Baker Mayfield hasn’t helped Landry’s value in the early going. Across the first three games of the season, Landry caught 20 of 37 targets for 278 yards. In three games since, he’s only hauled in 11 of 29 targets for 115 yards. The low point came in Week 6 because even though he received nine targets, he only had two receptions for 11 yards.

If there was ever a game for Landry and Mayfield to get on the same page, this is it. Mayfield is battling an ankle injury, but he’s expected to take the field. The Bucs have allowed the most passing yards per game (356) and are tied for the most passing touchdowns allowed (16) despite already having their bye week. Landry’s recent inconsistencies make him more of a tournament play than a cash play, but he does have a path to significant production Sunday.

Taylor Gabriel vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $5,900
DraftKings = $4,700

Gabriel’s career with the Bears started off with a whimper, recording 89 total receiving yards through the first three weeks. However, he was one of the main beneficiaries of the Bears 48-point explosion in Week 4, catching all seven of his targets for 104 yards and two touchdowns. To put that performance into perspective, he had one touchdown all of last season with the Falcons. The good news is that he followed up that strong outing with another big game in Week 6, hauling in each of his five targets for 110 yards.

The Bears have a good defense, but it’s no easy task facing the Patriots when Brady has a full complement of weapons. They may give up more points than they are accustomed too, potentially forcing Mitch Trubisky to throw the ball more in an effort to keep pace. With Gabriel’s explosive speed, he has the potential to turn any reception into a significant gain. At this price, he’s hard to pass up based on his upside.

Jermaine Kearse vs. Minnesota Vikings
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $4,100

The Jets have what they hope to be their quarterback of the future in Sam Darnold. He’s had some expected highs and lows through the first six games, but it’s clear that he’s quickly developed a good relationship with receiver Quincy Enunwa, who received 37 targets across the Jets first four games. However, Enunwa hasn’t been healthy the last two weeks, opening the door for Kearse to catch nine of 10 targets for 94 yards in Week 6.

Enunwa has already been ruled out for Week 7 and the Jets could be even thinner at receiver with Terrelle Pryor dealing with a groin injury. If Pryor can’t play either, that’s going to leave Kearse and Robby Anderson with expanded roles. Even if Pryor does play, this is still a favorable matchup for Kearse to provide value. The Vikings have been stout against the run, but they’ve been susceptible to giving up yards through the air.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Wide Receivers

Michael Thomas vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $7,900

Thomas was a monster over his first three games, recording 38 receptions on 40 targets for 398 yards and three touchdowns. However, in the following two contests, he posted a combined eight catches on nine targets for 121 yards. This is not a great opportunity for him to put up a rebound performance since the Ravens are tied for the fewest passing yards allowed per game (188) in the league. If you want to pay up at wide receiver, go with Thielen over Thomas.

Cole Beasley vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $3,900

The Cowboys have a tremendous running back in Ezekiel Elliott, but their lack of talent at wide receiver has led them to average the fourth-fewest passing yards per game (172). However, they had an unexpected 40-point performance against the Jaguars last week in which Beasley hauled in nine of 11 targets for 101 yards and two touchdowns. That was especially surprising since it came on the heels of a one-catch, eight-yard game in Week 5. He’s still cheap on DraftKings, but his price on FanDuel is outrageous.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 – Running Backs

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

The running back position isn’t very deep for Week 7 because not only are four teams on a bye, but Saquon Barkley, David Johnson, and Kareem Hunt also won’t be available for the main Sunday afternoon slate in DFS because they play in primetime games. Let’s dig into the position to see where you can gain the edge for your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Running Backs

Todd Gurley vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $10,200
DraftKings = $9,800

Gurley dominated the Broncos last week, rushing 28 times for 208 yards and two touchdowns. After posting 13 rushing touchdowns in 2017, he already has nine through the first six weeks. He’s also been heavily involved in the passing game, receiving at least five targets in five of six games and posting two receiving scores.

It’s pick-your-poison when it comes to trying to defend against the Rams. Quarterback Jared Goff has shown significant improvement and they have a trio of excellent wide receivers, although Cooper Kupp likely won’t play in Week 7 due to a knee injury. Gurley is often put in great positions to score touchdowns and has one of the highest floors at any position in DFS, as a result. Don’t expect the 49ers to be able to slow him down.

Ezekiel Elliott vs. Washington Redskins
Stadium – FedEx Field
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $8,100

The Cowboys pulled off a surprising 40-7 drubbing of the Jaguars on Sunday. Elliott played a key role in their victory, rushing 24 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. That marked the third time in the last four weeks that Elliot has rushed for at least 100 yards. He also converted his only target into an 11-yard score.

Outside of Week 6, the Cowboys offense hasn’t been very good this season. Elliott has been limited to four total touchdowns, as a result, but he’s been heavily involved with 117 carries and 23 receptions on 30 targets. His involvement in the passing game has provided a significant boost to his value after he had just 26 receptions on 38 targets across 10 games last year. The Redskins defense isn’t exactly a favorable matchup, but Elliott gets enough volume in the offense to still be worth considering in cash tournaments.

Christian McCaffrey vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,700

The Redskins stymied McCaffrey last week, holding him to 20 yards on eight carries. The Panthers were playing catchup after being down 14-0 after the first quarter, which was a big reason why McCaffrey had so few carries. Luckily, he’s a significant part of their passing game and finished the contest with seven catches on eight targets for 46 yards.

It was encouraging to see McCaffrey get so many targets even with tight end Greg Olsen returning from injury. Although McCaffrey did have an outlier performance where he rushed for 184 yards on 28 carries in Week 3, the majority of his value comes from his pass-catching abilities. The Eagles have been stout against the run, but they are tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed to opposing running backs (41).

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Running Backs

Tarik Cohen vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,600
DraftKings = $5,100

Cohen got off to a quiet start this year but had his breakout game Week 4 when he not only rushed for 53 yards on 13 carries, but he also caught seven of eight targets for 121 yards and a touchdown. His speed and ability to catch passes out of the backfield makes him a tough cover for opposing defenses. The Bears had a bye for Week 5, but Cohen was productive again last week against the Dolphins, catching seven of nine targets for 90 yards and another touchdown.

Cohen does have to split backfield duties with Jordan Howard, but Howard has seen his percentage of snaps decrease each of the last three games, bottoming out at 51% in Week 6 compared to 49% for Cohen. If the Bears defense has trouble slowing down the Patriots, Cohen would likely be more involved in a high-scoring game as he’s a far superior pass catcher. He’s a bit risky, but there is plenty of upside here if the game flow falls in his favor.

Carlos Hyde vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $4,700

The Browns had their doors blown off by the Chargers last week as they were down 21-6 at the half and ultimately lost 38-14. As a result of the early lopsided score, Hyde finished with a season-low 14 carries for 34 yards. He also failed to receive a target for the first time this season, although he’s never logged more than three targets in any contest this season.

Maybe the most concerning part of Hyde’s poor performance was that he averaged just 2.4 yards-per-carry. That marked the third game this season where he has averaged less than three yards-per-carry. On the plus side, he has already scored five touchdowns. The Bucs haven’t given up a ton of rushing yards, but opposing offenses have only rushed the ball against them 112 times, fourth-fewest attempts in the NFL. They give up a lot of yards through the air, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Hyde at least finds himself in a favorable position to reach the end zone in this contest.

Kenyan Drake vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $4,900

Drake is involved in a frustrating timeshare for fantasy purposes with the ageless Frank Gore. Drake hasn’t logged more than 14 carries in any game this season, as a result. His best performance came in Week 5, but that was mostly attributed to his seven catches on 11 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. The passing game is one area that he has been able to separate himself from Gore, receiving 31 targets compared to Gore’s five.

Don’t expect things to shift any in terms of his workload this week, but that doesn’t mean Drake can’t provide value. The Lions have allowed three running backs to rush for over 100 yards in a game this season and have allowed the third-most rushing yard per game (145.8), overall. His upside isn’t off the charts due to Gore’s presence, but Drake is still someone to consider in tournament play.

Peyton Barber vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $3,800

The Bucs running game has been horrendous. Entering Week 6, Barber had rushed for 33 yards or fewer in three straight games and rookie Ronald Jones is still very much a work in progress. Barber finally showed signs of life in Jameis Winston’s return as the starting quarterback Sunday, rushing 13 times for 82 yards and catching all four of his targets for an additional 24 yards.

Barber still has a long way to go before you can feel very comfortable rolling with him in your lineup. However, it was encouraging to see him get 13 carries coming out of the bye week compared to only one for Jones. Barber appears to have a hold on the lead back job, for the time being, and gets a favorable matchup Week 7 against a Browns team that is tied for the sixth-most yards-per-carry allowed (4.7) and has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game (1382.).

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Running Backs

Mark Ingram vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,900

Alvin Kamara was a man possessed during Ingram’s four-game suspension. That didn’t matter for Ingram’s first game back, though, as he received 16 carries compared to just six for Kamara. Kamara was only on the field for 47% of the team’s offensive plays after being on the field for at least 71% of them in each of the previous four weeks. Some of that had to do with the Saints getting up big in that game, while some of it also might have been the Saints seeing an opportunity to give Kamara a little rest. Expect him to be much more involved Sunday. This isn’t a great matchup for the Saints’ running backs, either, with the Ravens allowing the third-fewest rushing yards per game (82.8).

Alex Collins vs. New Orleans Saints
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800

After averaging 4.6 yards-per-carry during his breakout campaign last year, Collins is only averaging 3.6 yards-per-carry this season. He did come away with two touchdowns last week, but Javorius Allen has been their preferred goal-line back. Allen has also been on the field for 47% of the team’s offensive plays this season compared to 43% for Collins. The Saints have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (71.4), leaving Collins with very little upside.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 – Quarterbacks

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

Quarterback depth will be tested in Week 7 with a season-high four teams on a bye. Combine that with Chiefs and Falcons playing Sunday and Monday night, respectively, and great quarterbacks including Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, and Matt Ryan all won’t be available for the main Sunday afternoon slate in DFS. Let’s examine some quarterbacks to target and avoid as you craft your lineup. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

CASH CONTEST OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Quarterbacks

Tom Brady vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $6,100

Brady had nine touchdown passes across his first four games this year, but he failed to post more than 277 passing yards in any of those contests and had less than 250 passing yards twice. The return of Julian Edelman in Week 5 has been a big boost for Brady, who has thrown for at least 340 yards in both games with one of his favorite targets on the field. The Patriots are still without Rex Burkhead, but Sony Michel has done a great job in his absence to help make the Patriots offense one of the most potent in the league.

It should be noted that Brady’s success the last two games did come against the Colts and Chiefs, two teams that have struggled against the pass. The Bears have been middle of the pack in terms of passing defense, but they have already generated 10 interceptions. In one of the most shocking performances during Week 6, they were lit up by Dolphins backup quarterback Brock Osweiler for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Brady has so many weapons around him now that he still has a high floor even in what isn’t the greatest of matchups on the road.

Andrew Luck vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $6,200

Luck missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, but he’s returned to his productive ways this year. He’s already thrown for at least 300 yards in four of six games and has at least three touchdown passes in each of the last three games. His recent performance is especially impressive when you consider both T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle have missed time with injuries.

Working in Luck’s favor is that the Colts running game hasn’t been great and their defense gives up a lot of points. That has required him to attempt an average of 48 passes per game. Even though the Bills have allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (219), the amount of passes Luck has to throw still gives him a high floor. The Bills might also have a hard time moving the ball with Josh Allen out due to his elbow injury, which could set the Colts up with some short fields.

Kirk Cousins vs. New York Jets
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $6,400

Cousins had arguably his worst game of the season Week 6, throwing for 233 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It marked the third time in the last four weeks that Cousins has failed to throw multiple touchdowns passes in a game, although he did help salvage his performance with a rushing touchdown. He also completed 70.6% of his passes in that game and has a 71.2% completion percentage for the season, overall.

The one thing that Cousins certainly isn’t lacking is weapons around him. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen may be the most dangerous wide receiver duo in the league and he has a great red zone target in tight end Kyle Rudolph. The Jets were lit up by Luck for  301 yards and four touchdowns last week and have shown to have some holes in their secondary, potentially setting up Cousins for a valuable performance.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Quarterbacks

Jameis Winston vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $6,300

Winston made his first start in Week 6 after serving a three-game suspension to begin the season. It was a great matchup against a porous Falcons secondary and he certainly didn’t disappoint, throwing for 395 yards and four touchdowns. However, he did throw two interceptions and has had problems with turnovers in his career.

Everything is shaping up for Winston to be a valuable performer from here on out. The Bucs rushing attack has been terrible, but Winston has plenty of excellent pass-catching options at wide receiver and tight end. Their defense has also been one of the worst in the league, which forces their offense to throw a lot to try and stay in games. The Browns defense has provided more resistance to opposing offenses this season and turnovers are always a concern with Winston, but he’s still someone to consider in tournament play.

Mitch Trubisky vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,600

The Bears went into their bye Week 5 riding the high of a 48-10 victory over the Bucs in Week 4. Trubisky exploded in that game for 354 yards and six touchdowns on only 26 passing attempts. Week 6 didn’t exactly bring a great matchup against the Dolphins, but Trubisky carried over his improved play by throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns. He was aided by that game going into overtime, but he has now thrown at least two touchdown passes in three of his last four games.

Working in Trubisky’s favor Sunday is the fact that the Patriots have allowed the third-most passing touchdowns (15) behind only the Falcons and Bucs. He may also be required to throw the ball more to keep up with the Patriots offense. This game being played at home also helps his cause since he has 12 touchdowns across eight career games at Soldiers Field compared to just six over nine road contests.

Baker Mayfield vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $7,100
DraftKings = $5,800

Mayfield had an ugly game Sunday, but his receivers didn’t exactly help his cause. Mayfield finished with an unsightly 47.8% completion percentage and has failed to complete more than 58.1% of his passes in any of his three starts. Not only did record just 238 passing yards and one touchdown, but Mayfield also threw two picks against the Chargers and picked up an ankle injury.

Initial reports have been positive about Mayfield’s injury, so everything is trending towards him playing against the Bucs. This is certainly a matchup to exploit considering the Bucs have not only allowed the most passing touchdowns in the league, but they’ve also allowed the most passing yards per game (356). They’ve only recorded one interception, as well. At this cheap price, Mayfield is a great option in tournament play.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 - Quarterbacks

Drew Brees vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $5,700

After finishing with only 23 touchdown passes last year, Brees also has 11 through five games. He still hasn’t thrown a pick and is averaging 331.6 passing yards per game, which would be the second-highest mark of his career. So, why should you avoid him Sunday? Well, for starters, the Ravens are tied for the fewest passing yards allowed per game (188) and have only allowed six scores through the air. With Mark Ingram also back from suspension, the Saints have their two-headed monster of Ingram and Alvin Kamara back. That duo produced 20 rushing touchdowns last season. Brees could be someone to avoid on both sites, but I’d especially stay away from him at his price on FanDuel.

Deshaun Watson vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – TIAA Bank Field
FanDuel = $7,500
DraftKings = $5,500

Watson has constantly been under pressure this season. He was sacked seven times by the Bills on Sunday and has been sacked 25 times already this season. Although he has some talented receivers, it’s hard to have a lot of success when you don’t get any time to throw to them. Turnovers have been a problem, as well, with Watson throwing seven picks compared to nine touchdowns. The Jaguars defense hasn’t been as stout as last year, but they do have 14 sacks. They have also allowed only five touchdowns through the air, the fewest in the league. With limited upside, this isn’t shaping up to be a week to roll with Watson.

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 7 – Draftkings Cash and Gpp Plays

by Cesar Becerra 0 Comments

Week 7 is an interesting week that doesn’t feature many heavy favorites. The biggest favorite on the slate are the Dallas Cowboys against the San Francisco 49ers, and the spread is at 6. The big game that most people would like to target is the Falcons at Patriots. However, since Draftkings recently removed the Sunday Night Game off of the Main slate, that game is not available on unless you play the Thursday through Monday slate. Since this article is mainly driven on the DraftKings main slate, I will not be addressing plays from the Sunday Night Game.

For Sunday’s Main slate there are four games that have respectable game totals. The Saints (26.5) at Packers (21) lead the way with a 47.5 over/under followed by the the Rams (25) at Cardinals (21.75) with a 47 o/u. The Browns (20.5) at Titans (26) and the Cowboys (26.25) at 49ers (20.25) both have a total of 46.5. Outside of those games, Vegas sees a lot of cross off games like the Jets (17.75) at Dolphins (20.75), Vikings (22.75) at Ravens (17.25), and even Bears (17.75) at Seahawks (23). Each of these games has over/under of 41 points or less.

Quarterbacks

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 7 - Draftkings Cash and Gpp Plays

Tyrod Taylor (DK $5,100) – Taylor might be the highest owned quarterback this week. Taylor is coming off of a bye and is going up against the Bucs who rank 27th DVOA against the pass this season. This gamer currently doesn’t have a line because of the injury status of Jameis Winston, but this game should feature a fair amount of possessions with both teams ranked in the top 15 of the pace of play. Taylor always provides nice rushing upside. We’ve seen Taylor rush for more than seven attempts in all but one game this season. He has yet to find the end zone on the ground, but he could be in for some positive regression.

Dak Prescott (DK $7,300) – The top projected quarterback on the board according to our partner 4for4 projections is Dak. Unfortunately, he doesn’t come cheap as he’s the second highest priced QB on the slate behind Drew Brees. Dak is going up against the 49ers defense that ranked 32 DVOA against the pass, and the Cowboys are projected to score 26+ points. I think this game has some sneaky shootout potential with both defenses ranking in the bottom half of the league (DAL 22nd DVOA). I also think Dak will be a nice pivot off of Elliott who is the chalkier play in this game.

Ben Roethlisberger (DK $6,200) – I haven’t played Ben all year, and I’m pretty happy about that. A big reason why I don’t play Ben is because of his home and road splits. This week, Ben finds himself on the positive side of that splits at home against the Bengals. The Bengals are a far from ideal matchup as they rank 8th DVOA against the pass this season. But he had a nice bounce-back effort last week against the Chiefs after a performance that had him contemplating retirement against the Jags. Ben is a little risky due to his matchup and his performance this season. I just think he has so many talented weapons on his side that this offense has to get it rolling at some point. He’ll be low owned, and the game should stay close, so I like the game script for this matchup.

GPP Value Play

Brett Hundley (DK $5,100) – I keep seeing Hundley’s name on Twitter so it makes me think he won’t be as low owned as I expect but he’s a nice pivot from Taylor. Hundley didn’t look so great replacing Rodgers last week, but this week he gets a full week with the first-team offense. Hundley has been in the Packers organization for the last three season and has a good amount of weapons at his disposal. I expect Drew Brees and the Saints to light up the Packers, so that gives Hundley plenty of opportunity to throw the ball playing catchup. Hundley did rush for over 1,700 yards and 30 touchdowns at UCLA so he can make some plays with his feet. At 5.1K it doesn’t take much to hit value.

Cash Considerations:
D. Brees, D. Prescott, T. Taylor.

GPP:
B. Roethlisberger, B. Hundley, C. Palmer.

 

Running BacksNFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 7 - Draftkings Cash and Gpp Plays

Todd Gurley (DK $8,200) – Gurley leads all the running backs in terms of projected raw points. Yes, even over Bell, Elliott, and Fournette who are all priced higher than him. Each of those backs are in great spots as well, but the 4for4 projections as of Wednesday night has Gurley as the frontrunner. Gurley is in an ideal spot for a running back. He’s a home favorite on a team implied to score over 25 points and has received 30 targets this season. The concern is that he’s facing a Cardinals defense that ranks 2nd DVOA against the run.

Jay Ajayi (DK $6,200) – If we’re looking for highest projection of points per dollar, Ajayi leads the charge per the 4for4 projections. Ajayi is projected at over 18 points and with his 6.2k price tag he comes in at over 3x value. Ajayi is also in the same situation as Gurley as he’s a home favorite (-3) against the Jets who rank 21st DVOA against the run. I typically like to target running backs that have more targets upside, but Ajayi has seen some 10 targets the past four weeks. He’s playing on 72% of the snaps and has 88% of the rushing attempts. This game could be low scoring, and if the Dolphins are around their implied total, Ajayi figures to be the primary beneficiary.

Jerick McKinnon (DK $6,300) – We saw McKinnon go off last week for both rushing TD and receiving TD when he was chalk. This week his ownership should regress back down to average as he’s seen his price spike up over $1k. Mckinnon is a home favorite against the Ravens. The Ravens have one of the best passing defenses and have a modest rushing defense so their somewhat of a funnel defense. Baltimore ranks 17th DOVA against the run. If the Vikings are going to attack this Ravens defense, it’s going to have to do so on the ground since Diggs has not practiced and Keenum will be behind center. I’d lean Ajayi over Mckinnon if I had to choose between the two.

GPP Value Play

Alvin Kamara (DK $5,600) – Kamara disappointed some people last week after being out produced by Mark Ingram. Last week Kamara was out snapped 30:47 by Mark Ingram and only received 29% of the rushing attempts out of the Saints backfield. We knew going into last week that Ingram was still the early downs back and Kamara would get his opportunity during 3rd downs. Kamara caught all 4 of his targets last week but only produced 12 receiving yards. He’s still a talented back, and at 5.6K he’s still relatively cheap to garnish some GPP consideration.

Cash + GPP Plays:
Gurley, Bell, Ajayi, Fournette, Elliott, Ingram.

Gpp Plays:
McCoy, Hyde, McCaffrey, Kamara, McKinnon, Henry (if Murray is out Henry is a top play).

Wide Receivers

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 7 - Draftkings Cash and Gpp Plays

Aj Green (DK $8,300) – Currently the second highest priced wideout and the second highest projected receiver on our board, Aj Green is a great play this week. Since changing offensive coordinators, Green leads the team in targets with 33 (11/game) and has scored three straight weeks. Bill Lazor is making an effort to get the ball to Green, and he’s showing them why by posting up monster games. He’s priced up with Antonio Brown, but if you want to make a contrarian lineup, paying up for both of these receivers and finding value at running back is a good way to do so.

Dez Bryant (DK $7,800) – Dez and the Cowboys receivers are going up against the 49ers who rank dead last DVOA against opposing receivers this season. Bryant has a solid floor with over 11 projected targets according to 4for4. At $7,800 he’s the third highest priced receiver on the board and has the third highest projection of the week. I think this game could be a sneaky shootout and I think a Bryant/Dak stack could be a nice hedge from the Cowboys running game.

Devante Adams (DK $5,800) – Adams was Hundley’s favorite target last week after replacing Rodgers. Adams had a difficult matchup last week against Xavier Rhodes but still saw 10 targets from Hundley. He was able to produce 5 catches for 55 yards and a score with those Targets. This week he’s going up against a Saints defense that ranks 12th DVOA against receivers, but I see Adams getting an ample amount of targets in this one.

GPP Value Play

Bennie Fowler (DK $3,300) – Emmanuel Sanders is expected to miss this week, and Fowler figures to set into Sanders’ role. Fowler saw 8 targets from Siemian last week and played 75 % of the snaps. He only has 13 catches on the season, but most of his production has come from the slot. Now he should get some time as the 2nd receiver behind Thomas. Fowler did score twice against the Chargers in week 1, so there could be something he sees against this Charger defense.

Cash + GPP Plays:
Brown, Green, Bryant, Thomas, Fitzgerald, Landry, Baldwin, Adams, Garcon.

GPP Plays:
E. Decker, K. Benjamin, J. Nelson, K. Allen, R. Matthews, M. Lee, B. Fowler, R. Woods.

Tight End

NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 7 - Draftkings Cash and Gpp Plays

Delanie Walker (DK $5,800) – Walker has had a down start to the season, yet to find the end zone. But what do I always say? Play tight ends against the Browns. This week Walker is that tight end. He is second on the team in targets only behind Rishard Matthews but is averaging 14% targets per snap. He is, however, the most expensive tight end on the board.

George Kittle (DK $3,600) – Kittle’s price is starting to rise against with his production the last two weeks. In the past two weeks, Kittle has had 17 targets and has caught 13 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. This week the 49ers will roll out rookie QB CJ Beathard who out of Iowa. Beathard and Kittle were teammates for four years in college. The rookie could lean on Kittle to move the ball. The Cowboys also rank 31st in DVOA against the tight ends this season.

GPP Value Play

Zach Miller (DK $3,200) – Miller has seen an uptick in production since the Bears made the movie to first-round draft pick Mitchell Trubisky. Miller has 5 receptions on 10 targets with Trubisky under center and has scored twice the past two weeks. Miller is a nice value play at this price.

Cash:
Kittle, ASJ, Witten, Graham.

GPP:
Walker, Engram, Miller, Kroft, Bennett, Fleener.

Defense
NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football Week 7 - Draftkings Cash and Gpp Plays

Rams (DK $2,600) – Defenses are so volatile I usually tend to look for the defense with the best value. The Rams rank third in our projected points per dollar scoring and are home favorites against the Cardinals. The Cardinals offense airs out the ball quite a bit and gives up a lot of sacks. The Rams front seven should be able to put pressure on Palmer and get a few sack in this game.