We are back to only four teams being on a bye in Week 11. However, if you’re playing the main Sunday afternoon slate in DFS, the running back position is missing several key names with the Packers, Seahawks and Giants on byes and the Browns, Steelers, Rams and Chargers playing in prime time.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 9 – Quarterbacks and Running Backs
The main Sunday slate in DFS for Week 9 will be missing some big names at various positions with the Saints and Rams on a bye and the Patriots, Ravens and Cowboys among the teams playing in prime time. With that being said, there are still several quarterbacks and running backs that are in a position to thrive.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 5 – Quarterbacks
Believe it or not, we are already a quarter of the way through the NFL season. The quarterback landscape is certainly very different since we started things off four weeks ago, which has caused significant ramifications across DFS. Let’s break things down for Week 5 and highlight some of the best players at the position to consider, as well as a couple to avoid.
Read MoreNFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 17 – QB & RB
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
The last week of the NFL regular season is here. Every team plays Sunday, so there are a ton of options to choose from in DFS. Here are some quarterbacks and running back who stand out as potential difference makers. 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.
QUARTERBACKS
Patrick Mahomes vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $9,500
DraftKings = $7,100
The Chiefs have lost back-to-back games, so they still need to win Sunday to clinch the AFC West and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That’s great news for DFS purposes since it keeps one of the most potent offenses in the league in play. Despite their recent struggles as a team, Mahomes still has at least two touchdown passes in 10 straight games, boosting his total to 48 for the season. This is a stellar matchup for him against the Raiders, who have allowed the most touchdown passes (34) in the league. The first time these two teams met, Mahomes threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns.
Ben Roethlisberger vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,700
DraftKings = $7,000
With four losses across their last five games, the Steelers find themselves needing to win this game against the Bengals and get a little help to make it into the playoffs. Luckily their part at least sets up well for them to succeed, getting to play at home against the injury-riddled Bengals. Roethlisberger’s home and road splits haven’t been as drastic this season, but he has 18 touchdown passes over seven home games compared to 15 scores across eight games on the road. Not only is the Bengals’ offensive limping heading into their contest, but their defense is tied for the second-most touchdown passes allowed (31) and has allowed the third-most passing yards per game (276).
Josh Allen vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $7,700
DraftKings = $6,000
The Patriots did a good job bottling up Allen on the ground in Week 16, holding him to 30 yards on five carries. Allen again provided inconsistent production through the air, completing 20 of 41 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Week 17 brings a much easier matchup for him at home against the Dolphins. When these two teams faced off in Week 13, Allen turned nine carries into 135 yards. He also posted his only multi-passing touchdown performance of the year in that game, so he’s at least someone to consider in tournament play.
Derek Carr vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,100
It’s been a lost season for the Raiders, but they’ve actually won two of their last three games down the stretch. Even though they won last week against the Broncos, Carr was held in check, finishing with just 167 passing yards. It should be noted, though, that he only needed to attempt 26 passes with the Raiders jumping out to a big lead early. Prior to that quiet performance, Carr had totaled six touchdown passes and no interceptions across his previous three games. In fact, Carr hasn’t thrown a pick since Week 5. The Chiefs continue to have a swiss-cheese-like secondary, which leaves Carr with significant upside. He certainly had plenty of success against them in Week 13, throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns.
RUNNING BACKS
Damien Williams vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $6,100
Spencer Ware (hamstring) was unable to take the field again last week, setting up Williams to lead the Chief’s backfield. He logged 73 percent of their offensive snaps, finishing with 103 rushing yards on 13 carries. He also caught all seven of his targets for 37 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs do need to win this game as previously discussed, but it shouldn’t exactly be an overwhelming task against the far inferior Raiders. They might not rush Ware back into action, so if he sits, Williams again has significant upside. It’s definitely a favorable matchup with the Raiders allowing the third-most rushing yards per game (143.3).
Chris Carson vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – CenturyLink Field
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $6,500
The Seahawks have already clinched a wildcard spot, so they don’t really have anything left to play for. That makes rolling with their offensive players a bit of a risky proposition, especially considering the potential blowout factor against a horrid Cardinals squad. Carson does come into this game extremely hot, rushing for 325 yards and four touchdowns across his last three games. Despite not being on the field for more than 59 percent of the Seahawks’ offensive snaps during any of those games, Carson still received at least 22 carries in each contest. The Cardinals allow by far the most rushing yards per game (153.1), so adding Carson to your entry might be a risk worth taking.
Elijah McGuire vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $5,300
With Isaiah Crowell (toe) out for the season, McGuire is the main man in the Jets’ backfield. He hasn’t been efficient in his two starts, turning 32 carries into just 77 yards. However, he has scored a rushing touchdown in both contests and even chipped in a receiving score last week against the Packers. The Jets also like to use him in the passing game, giving him nine targets over that two-game stretch. Don’t expect his efficiency to improve drastically against the Patriots, but he should get enough volume to once again be a viable option.
C.J. Anderson vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $5,400
The Rams decided to hold out Todd Gurley (knee) in Week 16, which opened up a starting role for Anderson. He just joined the team a couple of weeks ago, but that didn’t stop him from turning 20 carries into 167 yards and a touchdown. The Rams are still looking to clinch a first-round bye, but this shouldn’t be an overly challenging game playing at home against the 49ers. If Gurley isn’t completely healthy, it makes little sense to play him. If he does play, it also makes little sense to give him a ton of work. Anderson isn’t all that cheap anymore, but he could still provide value Sunday.
Doug Martin vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $4,400
The Raiders have pretty evenly split snaps in their backfield between Martin and Jalen Richard since Marshawn Lynch (groin) was lost for the season. Martin had his best performance last week against the Broncos, carrying the ball 21 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. While his yardage totals haven’t always been great, he has found his way into the end zone in four of his last five games. The Chiefs allow the fifth-most rushing yards per game (132.5), leaving Martin with some appeal in tournament play based on his cheap price.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 15 – QB & RB
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
Reader-only discount! Use code EBIRD15 at checkout to save 15%.
Week 15 brings a bit of an odd schedule in the NFL with two games being played on Saturday. That leaves fewer options to choose from for the main Sunday slate in DFS, but there are still plenty of great players available. Let’s highlight some quarterbacks and running backs that could help you finish the day a winner. 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.
QUARTERBACKS
Ben Roethlisberger vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Heinz Field
FanDuel = $8,600
DraftKings = $6,600
Roethlisberger injured his ribs last week against the Raiders but was able to return late in the game. Considering he was on the sidelines for a good chunk of the contest, his 282 passing yards and two touchdowns resulted in a pretty good performance. All indications right now are that he plans to take the field in this matchup against the Patriots. Roethlisberger is averaging more passing yards per game on the road this year, but he has 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions across seven road games compared to 16 touchdowns and four interceptions over six games at home. The Patriots have allowed 26 touchdowns through the air, potentially setting up Roethlisberger for another meaty stat line.
Russell Wilson vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $6,700
What a disaster of a performance from Wilson against the Vikings in Week 14. He completed only 10 of 20 passes for 72 yards and one interception. The Seahawks run the ball a ton, which does somewhat limit Wilson’s upside. He’s been able to provide value in DFS mostly based on his ability to provide touchdowns, throwing for at least two scores in all but two games this season. Look for him to get back on track in Week 15 against a bad 49ers’ secondary that is tied for the third-most passing touchdowns allowed (28) in the league and has recorded just two interceptions.
Josh Allen vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – New Era Field
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $5,800
Allen did not have a good passing game in Week 14 against the Jets, completing 18 of 36 passes for 206 yards and two interceptions. He failed to throw for a touchdown yet again and only has five across nine games. However, he continued to do damage with his legs, rushing nine times for 101 yards and a touchdown. Across his last three games, Allen has 335 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. His lack of talent at wide receiver and overall inexperience may continue to leave him with lackluster passing stats, but his ability to accumulate yards on the ground makes him someone to consider in tournament play.
Derek Carr vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,400
The Raiders pulled out a shocking win against the Steelers last week and Carr was one of the main reasons for their success. He finished with 322 passing yards and two touchdowns, leaving him with eight touchdowns and no interceptions across his last four games. That’s pretty impressive considering two of those games were against the Ravens and Cardinals. He’ll face a much easier task in Week 15 against the Bengals, who have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (274) to go along with 27 passing touchdowns. At his cheap price on both sites, he might be worth considering despite the lack of playmakers around him.
RUNNING BACKS
Ezekiel Elliott vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $9,000
The Cowboys earned a huge divisional win against the Eagles in Week 14. It’s no surprise that Elliott played well in the victory, rushing 28 times for 113 yards. Not only that, but he caught 12 of his season-high 13 targets for an additional 79 yards. He’s become a significant weapon in the Cowboys’ passing attack this season, receiving 81 targets through 13 games. That gives him immense upside considering he has gained at least 100 yards on the ground in seven games this year, as well. The Colts have been one of the better teams against the run, but facing Elliott is a completely different animal. He still makes for a safe option in cash contests.
Joe Mixon vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $6,100
With Andy Dalton (thumb) and A.J. Green (foot) out for the year, the Bengals offense is a shell of its former self. They turned to Mixon to lead their attack in Week 14, giving him a season-high 26 carries. He certainly didn’t disappoint with 111 yards and a touchdown. With fewer weapons to catch passes for the Bengals, Mixon also hauled in five of his six targets for 27 yards. He’s rushed for at least 82 yards in each of the last three games and should get all the work he can handle again in Week 15. That’s great news since the Raiders allow the second-most rushing yards per game (144.5).
Doug Martin vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $4,700
To say Martin was inefficient last week against the Steelers would be an understatement. He was heavily involved with 16 carries but turned them into just 32 yards. Luckily, he somewhat salvaged his performance with a touchdown. The silver lining here was the significant workload that he received and the fact that his touchdown marked his third score across the last three games. The Raiders should continue to give him the bulk of the carries Sunday, which could lead him to a valuable performance since the Bengals have allowed the most rushing yards per game (148.1) and second-most rushing touchdowns (17).
Dalvin Cook vs. Miami Dolphins
Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $6,500
The Vikings offense was awful against the Seahawks on Monday, scoring just seven points. That leaves them with 17 total points over their last two games. Cook was one of the few players who had a respectable performance in Week 15, accumulating 83 total yards and a touchdown. It was also encouraging to see him on the field for 77 percent of the Vikings’ offensive snaps compared to just 20 percent for Latavious Murray. The Dolphins are tied for the third-most rushing yards allowed per game (139.5), leaving Cook as an excellent target in tournament play, especially based on his price on FanDuel.
Jeff Wilson Jr. vs. Seattle Seahawks
Stadium – Levi’s Stadium
FanDuel = $6,100
DraftKings = $4,600
Wilson was plenty involved in Week 14 filling in for the injured Matt Breida (ankle), logging 86 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps. He only had two targets thrown his way, but he did carry the ball 23 times for 90 yards. Breida has battled various injuries throughout the season and his status for Week 15 is still very much in doubt. If he is unable to play, Wilson would likely again handle the bulk of the work in the 49ers’ backfield. The Seahawks don’t give up a ton of yards on the ground, overall, but they do allow five yards-per-carry, which is tied for the third-most in the league.
NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 4 – Quarterbacks
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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After three weeks of a full schedule, Week 4 brings two teams on a bye with the Redskins and the Panthers getting an early breather. The Chiefs also play on Monday, taking their high-flying offensive weapons out of the equation if you playing the main Sunday slate in DFS. However, there are still plenty of great matchups to take advantage of at the quarterback position. Let’s examine some players to target and avoid as you craft your entry. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
CASH CONTEST OPTIONS
Aaron Rodgers vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $6,800
Last year, Rodgers threw for at least 300 yards in each of the first three games of this season. Through the first three weeks of 2018, Rodgers has yet to reach that mark. He continued to battle through a knee injury Sunday against the Redskins, throwing for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Although his yardage totals haven’t been great, he does have six touchdown passes and has yet to throw an interception.
Rodgers is certainly not going to be completely healthy again Sunday, but he could be in line for one of his best performances of the year. The Bills pulled off a miraculous upset against the Vikings last week, but that game was at home. Playing on the road in Lambeau Field is a completely different story. The Bills have allowed seven touchdown passes and recorded only one interception through the first three weeks, setting up Rodgers with a high floor in this contest.
Matt Ryan vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $8,100
DraftKings = $6,100
Ryan’s season started with a whimper, registering 251 yards, one interception and no touchdowns Week 1 on the road against the Eagles. To say he’s bounced back well would be an understatement. In the last two games, Ryan has thrown for 646 yards, seven touchdowns and has even chipped in two rushing touchdowns. He completed just 48.8% of his passes in Week 1 but has completed 77.8% of his passes since.
Week 4 brings a third-straight home game for Ryan and the Falcons. They’ll face a Bengals defense that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through the first three weeks. The Bengals didn’t exactly get lit up by Cam Newton last week, but the Panthers offense is built around their running game, which is not the case for the Falcons. Their wide receiver trio of Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Mohamed Sanu can cause a lot of problems for opposing defenses, so don’t hesitate to roll with Ryan for your entry.
Philip Rivers vs. San Francisco 49ers
Stadium – StubHub Center
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $6,500
Sunday’s game against the Rams wasn’t pretty for Rivers, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 226 yards. He still threw two touchdown passes and avoided being intercepted, but it wasn’t all that surprising that he didn’t have a banner day against a tough Rams defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The two touchdown passes by Rivers were the first they had allowed this year.
Things swing back in Rivers’ favor for Week 4 against a 49ers team that is still reeling from the loss of their franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn in ACL. Their defense was torched in that contest, allowing Patrick Mahomes to rack up 314 yards and three touchdowns. The 49ers have now allowed eight touchdown passes and are still looking for their first interception. They will be short-handed in the secondary with Richard Sherman already ruled out due to a calf injury, potentially setting up Rivers for a productive afternoon.
GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS
Andy Dalton vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $7,400
DraftKings = $5,400
Dalton provided a mixed-bag against the Panthers in Week 3. While his 352 passing yards and two touchdowns look nice, he also threw four interceptions in the Bengals first loss of the year. His yardage total was boosted by his 46 pass attempts, which marked his second consecutive week with at least 40 attempts. He threw at least 40 passes in a game only two times all of last season.
The Bengals have a much easier matchup Sunday against a Falcons defense that is missing several key players due to injury, including linebacker Deion Jones and safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen. They have allowed 731 passing yards and six passing touchdowns to quarterbacks over the last two games, leaving Dalton as an excellent option in tournament play based on his upside.
Baker Mayfield vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $5,300
The Browns finally ended their long losing streak and basically did so on the shoulders of Mayfield, who came in at quarterback after Tyrod Taylor left Thursday’s game due to a concussion. Although Mayfield didn’t throw a touchdown, he completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards and added some much-needed life to their offense. The Browns have already named Mayfield as the starting quarterback for Week 4, a job he should hold onto for the rest of the season, barring injury.
Playing on the road on the West Coast isn’t exactly ideal for a rookie quarterback’s first career start, but the Raiders don’t have an imposing defense. The trading of Khalil Mack has significantly hurt their pass rush as they have only three sacks through the first three weeks., which is the fewest in the NFL. Their lack of pressure has only resulted in one interception, as well. Don’t be surprised if Mayfield thrives in this game.
Ryan Tannehill vs. New England Patriots
Stadium – Gillette Stadium
FanDuel = $6,800
DraftKings = $5,500
Who would have thought that heading into this AFC East matchup that the Dolphins would be 3-0 while the Patriots would be 1-2? A lot of the Dolphins success can be attributed to Tannehill, who has completed at least 71.4% of his passes and thrown at least two touchdowns in each of the first three weeks. He’s also provided some value with his legs, rushing 15 times for 74 yards.
While the Dolphins’ start has been impressive, this will be by far their toughest task of the season facing the Patriots on the road. It might not be all that bad for Tannehill and their offense, though, since the Patriots have allowed 25.7 points per game across the first three weeks. The Dolphins are finally completely healthy at wide receiver, too, with DeVante Parker returning last week. I don’t think Tannehill has as high of a ceiling as Dalton and Mayfield do, but he can still provide value at this price.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Carson Wentz vs. Tennessee Titans
Stadium – Nissan Stadium
FanDuel = $7,300
DraftKings = $5,800
Wentz made his first start of the season Sunday, completing his return from a torn ACL suffered last year. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t awful either, throwing for 255 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It certainly didn’t help his cause that the Eagles were missing two of their top three wide receivers in Alshon Jeffery and Mike Wallace. They were also without Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles in their backfield. Ajayi and Sproles are expected to return for Week 4 and Jeffery might make his season debut, as well, which would certainly be a boost for their offense. That being said, Wentz is still coming off a long layoff, so it might be wise to spend your money elsewhere.
Derek Carr vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,100
The Raiders are a mess. They have led at the half in each of their first three games, but don’t have a win to show for it. Carr has posted a 76.6% completion rate and is averaging 312 passing yards per game, which would both be career-highs. However, he’s turned that into only two touchdown passes and he has five interceptions. The Browns defense has been much improved and has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. That’s especially impressive when you consider they have faced the Steelers and Saints already. Stay away from Carr when crafting your lineup.
Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 9
*Chris Durell*
Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 9
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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 DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 8
*Chris Durell*
Daily Fantasy DraftKings Pick’Em Breakdown – Week 8
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Tier 1
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
NFL Lineup Daily Fantasy Football: Week 2 Cash and GPP Plays
The NFL Week 2 slate kicks off with two games on the main slate that currently have Vegas over/under greater than 53. Per usual, these games will see the heaviest amount of ownership in cash games and tournaments. The difference this week from the first week is that these games actually consist of four high-powered offensive teams. Before I dive into this week’s positional breakdown, I’ll give a preview of the two games that could dictate the landscape of week 2.
Put our picks into the optimizer and let us help crunch the numbers, or browse through the Week 2 studs and sleepers with NFL Player Lab.
Patriots (31) @ Saints (24.5) o/u 54 (open) 55.5 (live)
The Patriots come into week 2 0-1 for the first time since 2014. If you’re panicking as a Patriots fan, you really shouldn’t, the last three times the Patriots started 0-1 they went on to win the Super Bowl. Bill Belichick is 42-6 following a loss. The Vegas lined open with the Patriots as a 4.5 point favorite but has since moved to a 6.5 favorite over the Saints giving the Patriots the highest implied team total on the main slate. They are going up against a Saints defense that just got lit up by Sam Bradford on Monday night football. Last season the Saints ranked 27th in the league in Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed (aFPA) and 23rd against opposing wide receivers. To say the Saints have a bad secondary is an understatement. So Tom Brady against the Saints after not throwing a touchdown pass in the first game of the season is in a great spot. The Patriots offense as a whole with 10 days to prepare for this week going up against a Saints defense that has had 5 days to prepare an irritated Belichick.
Now the Saints aren’t in a bad spot themselves. They are playing in what many of the DFS community call the Coors Field of the NFL, the Superdome. The Saints offense passed the ball on nearly 60% of their offensive plays in the first week against the Vikings. The fact that they are about a touchdown underdog shows that Vegas believes they could be trailing throughout the game and could lead to more of the same game script for the Saints offense. Drew Brees is notorious for his home and road splits, and this week he’s back at home, and the Saints offense has performed much better when playing at home.
We always got to remember that Vegas isn’t always 100 percent right, but they are often a good indicator of game scripts. Figuring out how to roster a few players in this game will be key having a successful week 2.
Packers (25.5) @ Falcons (28) o/u 53.5
These two teams meet up for the first time since the NFC Championship in a highly anticipated rematch. These two teams are also coming off of a week 1 offensive let down where they had similar positive Vegas numbers. Both teams had their fair share of concerns back in week 1. The Falcons were on the road, and the Packers were going up against an improved Seahawks defense. But onward to this week!
The Falcons return home where they flat out dominated the league with their high-powered offense. The difference is that this season they have a new offensive coordinator in Steve Sarkisian who managed the Falcons to a 57-43 pass to run ratio. Matt Ryan is going up against the Packers defense that was 31st in passing yards allowed and 29th in quarterback touchdowns. Matt Ryan at home against a mediocre Packers secondary is just as must as a lock as a top quarterback could be.
While the Falcons are favored by just under a field goal, the Packers implied total is also top 10 in the week. The Packers offenses threw at a 60-40 percent ratio against a tough Seattle passing defense and were able to manage over 300 yards. Aaron Rodgers has lit up the Falcons in his first two meetings against them accumulating 7 touchdowns on 573 yards against the Falcons.
This game will be featured as the Sunday night game, and you’d want to construct your lineups to have some exposure to this game or else you could see yourself dropping on the leaderboards.
Now that we looked into the two games that could have the highest impact on this week’s slate let’s take a look at a few other options at the different positions.
Quarterbacks:
If week 1 taught us anything, it was that paying up for the premium quarterbacks is over rated. The average quarterback scored 15.5 points on DraftKings and 14.62 points on FanDuel. We saw plenty of lineups at the top of the leaderboards with Carson Wentz and Matthew Stafford, and there were plenty of bust in the higher tier (I’m talking about your Russell Wilson). This week it may be harder to get away from the top tier (Brady, Brees, Rodgers, and Ryan) but there are always a few options in the middle and lower tier we can consider.
Derek Carr (DK $7,200, FD $8,300)
There are two quarterbacks that I like this week as a pivot from the quarterbacks mentioned above and the first is Derek Carr. Carr is coming off a week 1 performance where the Raiders offense controlled the game against an improved Titans defense and Carr completed over 68% of his passes. This week the Raiders are a huge 14 point favorites (second biggest on the slate) with an implied total of 28.5 at home against the Jets. The Jets have among one of the worst defenses in the league and last year allowed 30 passing touchdowns, which ranked in the bottom 10 in the league. The Jets also have a funnel defense which could force the Raiders to more passing situations with the Jets ability to limit the run game.
Russell Wilson (DK $6,800, FD $8,100)
Similar to Carr, Wilson comes into week 2 with an implied total of 28 points at home against a 49ers team that also allowed 30 passing touchdowns last year. The 49ers front seven is much improved from last season but could be limited depending on the status of rookie linebacker Reuben Foster. In week 1 the Seahawks had a 60-40 pass to run ratio, and Pete Caroll could look to stick with that ratio as Seattle has a lot of question marks in their backfield. Wilson has traditionally performed better at home than on the road, and Wilson is averaging 2.83 DK points at home than on the road. Wilson has averaged 19.7 DK points against the 49ers at home in two meetings against them in his career. These two quarterbacks are likely to be the most popular pivot from the high priced guys.
Carson Palmer (DK $6,000, FD $7,500)
Palmer did not look good against the Lions last week. He completed just 56% of his passes and threw 3 bad interceptions that allowed the Lions to come from behind and steal a victory. The bright side is that Palmer did throw the ball 48 times. The Cardinals also lost their star running back, David Johnson and have a mess in the backfield. Although Johnson is a huge weapon for Palmer out of the backfield, this could force even more passing plays for Palmer. This week Palmer is going up against a Colts defense that just got exposed for a 300 yard game by Jared Goff and a mediocre Rams offense. The Cardinals are an 8.5 road favorite with a score of 25.75. Palmer doesn’t quite check all the boxes you’d like to see for a quarterback, but he’s worth a flyer in tournaments, especially if you stack him with Larry Fitzgerald.
Joe Flacco (DK $5,200, FD $7,000)
Recovering from back injury, Flacco was eased back into live action in week 1. The Ravens protected Flacco by running the ball 71% of their offensive plays, but Flacco has a juicy matchup against the Browns. With an implied total of 23.5 and an 8 point favorite, the Ravens could very well continue to run the ball, but Flacco could be a big part of getting the big league for the Ravens. The Browns cut Joe Haden this preseason and ranked 30th against the pass last season DVOA, so this could be a get well game for Flacco down at $5,200 on Draftkings.
Running Backs:
Last week I was a part of #TeamJamEmIn and rostered both LeVeon Bell and David Johnson. It didn’t work so well last week, and we no longer have that option with DJ out until possibly December. This week there aren’t a lot of backs that fill the bill with situations I like (home favorites with a high team total), but I’ll give you a few that stand out.
Melvin Gordon (DK $7,000, FD $7,600)
Gordon is insanely cheap on FanDuel, but he’s also relatively cheap on DraftkKngs as well. Due to the amount of volume he receives, he could be a steal at that mid-tier price point. Last week, Gordon had a pretty solid showing on the road against a tough Broncos defense. He totaled 23 touches and 79 yards and a touchdown (16.4 FDp & 18.9 DKp). This week Gordon is one of the few running backs that check all the boxes for being a home favorite running back with a decent team total. Gordon is the 6th highest price running back on DraftKings and 10th on Fanduel so he could warrant lower than expected ownership on DK considering he’s $200 more than Kareem Hunt.
Ty Montgomery (DK $5,800, FD $6,500)
If you’re looking for another non-expensive running back look no further than Montgomery. Montgomery is the 15th most expensive back on DK and 20th on FD. When you look at Montgomery’s game log in week 1, the one thing that stands out was his pass catching ability. A former receiver converted to running back, Montgomery caught each of his 4 targets against the Seahawks and turned that into 19.3 DK points. Although Montgomery is a road underdog against, he does have a high team total (25.25) in a game that is projected to be a shootout (53.5 o/u) and faces a Falcons defense that ranked dead last this past season in allowing running backs receptions (109) and yards (870). Montgomery is a good way to get exposure to this game at a very cheap cost.
Kareem Hunt (DK $6,800, FD $7,800)
The rookie burst onto the scene last week with a huge night racking up 248 total yards and 3 TD’s in 23 touches against a much improved Patriots defense. Hunt is likely to be very popular this week as he’s up against the Eagles who rank 22nd in aFPA per 4for4. Hunt is one of those running backs that check all the boxes as he’s a home favorite (-4.5) with an implied total of 26 points. It’s important to note that he’s not as cheap on FanDuel, where he is the 7th highest priced back.
Jacquizz Rodgers (DK $4,400, FD $6,000)
Rodgers will get his first of three starts as the Bucs premier back with Doug Martin suspended for three games this season. Rodgers had over 17 touches per game in spot starts last season and could be in for a heavy workload as a home favorite against the Bears. The Bears do have an improved front 7, so I could see a game script where Dirk Koetter elects to test out Winston’s new weapons on offense. Rodgers is cheap and should get anywhere from 15-18 touches in the game.
Tarik Cohen (DK $4,1000, FD $7,000) – A road underdog that has the game script that will likely feature a pass-catching running back. The Bears showed that Cohen is their clear pass catching back.
Wide Receivers
In a slate that features four high-powered offenses with great Vegas totals, all of the high-priced receivers are in good spots this week to have a monster year. Antonio Brown is a beneficiary of Big Ben’s home splits and the same goes for Julio Jones.
Julio Jones (DK $9,200, FD $8,800)
Julio is in a ridiculous matchup. We’ve already talked about his high team total and the fact that that game has shootout written all over it. On top of all that, Jones is going up against the Packers defense that ranked 29th in wide receiver fantasy points allowed last season. Even last week when they bottled up Wilson, Baldwin was still able to manage a decent 63 yards on 4 catches. Julio will go up against Damarious Randall who allowed the second-most fantasy points per snap on a per-route basis in week 1 per Mike Clay. Julio and Ryan at home are a dynamic duo and could be in line for a monster game.
Brandin Cooks (DK $8,200, FD $7,900)
Another wide receiver in a high over/under game. Naturally, Cooks would have to make this list. He’s returning to the Superdome to play against his former team #NarrativeStreet. The Patriots were already without Julian Edelman and are more than likely to be without Danny Amendola who has not practiced this week due to a concussion and knee injury sustained in week 1. The Patriots will likely have two healthy receivers who are familiar with the playbook and Cooks has the upside to have a huge game.
Larry Fitzgerald (DK $6,500, FD $6,600)
Fitzgerald is a stud in the first six weeks of the season. Last week he received a team-high 13 targets and caught 6 of them for 74 yards. This week without David Johnson I expect the Cardinals to rely heavily on the passing game. We already talked about how the Colts got torn apart by a mediocre Rams offense. The savvy vet Fitzgerald is almost a sure bet to find the end zone.
Marqise Lee (DK $3,800, FD $5,900)
If you’re looking for value, unfortunately, it may lie on Marqise Lee. Lee could be the benefactor from the injury that causes Allen Robinson to miss the rest of the season. Lee is likely to move into the starting wide receiver spot and will play alongside Allen Hurns who caught under 50% of his targets last season. Lee was held without a catch last week against the Texans, but he should be in line to see more volume this week. Bortles leaves a lot to be desired, but Lee is very cheap and could help you fit in some of these top priced studs.
Adam Thielen (DK $ 5,000, FD $5,800)
Thielen had a breakout game 1 of the 2017 season on Monday night. He racked up 157 yards on 9 catches and out-targeted the Vikings number 1 receiver Diggs. He’s not a big red zone factor for Bradford, but his game script does indicate the Vikings could be playing catch up and throwing a lot as a 5.5 underdog against the Steelers on the road.
Tight End
Tight End is a position I traditionally like to find value. This week is no different. While there are viable top-tier options that are worthy of rostering, I find that in this week it’s easier for roster construction to find value at tight end.
Coby Fleener (DK $3,100, FD $5,300)
Fleener will be the consensus chalk on DraftKings. As the 15th price tight end, Fleener opens up a lot of salary to afford a higher priced stud. Fleener looks to benefit from the absence of Willie Snead as in the two games without Snead, Fleener has averaged 8.5 targets for an average of 81 yards and a touchdown. The Saints are a home underdog, but Fleener has traditionally done better at home. Fleener is looking to be like the free square that Ertz was last week.
Jared Cook (DK $3,300, FD $5,100)
I like Jared Cook as a pivot off Fleener’s high ownership this week. Cook receiver 20% of the target market shares in an Oakland offense that is implied to score the second most points on the slate. He looked like a nice security blanket for Carr down the seems and is an excellent pivot from both Fleener and the popular Carr/Cooper or Carr/Crabtree stack. He’s up against a Jets funnel defense that allowed the third-most touchdowns to tight ends last season.
Gpp consideration
Carles Clay (DK $3,300, FD $5,100)
Another pivot from Fleener, Clay led the Bills with 9 targets in week 1. Clay is going up against the Panthers who allowed the second-most touchdowns last season.
Defense
If week 2 is as crazy as week 1 was we better be ready to hit on defense. Last week we saw 4 different defense score over 20 DK points, and it was almost impossible to land atop the leaderboards without them.
Oakland Raiders (DK $3,500, FD $5,300)
There are a few chalk options this week, starting with the Raiders.They’re at home and face a Jets team that is implied for 15 points (second lowest on the slate). The Raiders are coming off of an impressive performance on the road against a much improved Titans offense. Playing the Raiders with Marshawn Lynch could be a nice way to get exposure to the game on both sides of the ball.
Baltimore Ravens (DK $3,700, FD $4,700)
A better play on FanDuel, the Ravens defense comes into week 2 in a great spot. After holding the Bengals to 0 points in week 1, the Ravens shift their focus to the Browns. Like the Raiders, the Ravens are a double-digit (10) favorite against a poor offense. Although the Brown showed some promise last week against the Steelers, the Ravens are at home and had a 71% run percentage last week, which suggest there could be very limited possessions in this game. The Browns are implied to score 15.5 points (third worst on the slate), so the Ravens could be a nice pivot for teams that want to save the $200 with the Raiders.
Other considerations;
Seattle Seahawks (DK $4,000, FD $5,400)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DK $3,200, FD $4,500)