Header Image - PICK LIKE THE PROS

Tag Archives

3 Articles

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 – Running Backs

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

We’ve passed the last bye weeks of the season, so Week 13 will bring a full slate of games in the NFL. With plenty of options to wade through, let’s dive right in and highlight a few running backs that stand out with favorable matchups, and a couple to avoid. 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 13 - Running Backs

Kareem Hunt vs. Oakland Raiders
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $7,800

With all of the prolific passing numbers put up by the Chiefs and Rams in Week 11, Hunt didn’t get a lot of work on the ground. He did make the most of his opportunities, carrying the ball 14 times for 70 yards. His involvement in the passing game wasn’t great, either, but he did turn his four targets into three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. With that score, Hunt already has 14 total touchdowns.

There are few running backs with as high of a floor as Hunt. Not only does the Chiefs offense put him in a lot of great positions to score touchdowns, but he is averaging 109.3 total yards per game. The Raiders have allowed the most rushing yards per game (151.4) in the league, so expect Hunt to have another excellent performance Sunday. The only cause for concern with him is if the Chiefs jump out to a big lead and rest Hunt in the fourth quarter. However, if they do score a lot early, it could be in large part because of Hunt’s efforts.

Christian McCaffrey vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $8,800
Draft Kings = $8,800

McCaffrey couldn’t have looked any more dominant than he did last week against the Seahawks. They had no answer for him on the ground, allowing him to rack up 125 yards and a touchdown on just 17 carries. Things were equally as impressive for McCaffrey in the passing game, catching all 11 of his targets for 112 yards and another touchdown. If you rostered him in DFS or season-long, you likely came away as a winner.

It’s highly unlikely that McCaffrey matches that performance this week, but this is a matchup for him to exploit against the Bucs. They’ve allowed 14 rushing touchdowns this year and four more scores through the air to opposing running backs. When these two teams met in Week 9, McCaffrey finished with 79 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and 78 receiving yards on five receptions.

Aaron Jones vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $6,700

The Packers are slumping right now, but it certainly isn’t due to the play of Jones. He was effective again in Week 12 against the Vikings, rushing 17 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. While his 21 receiving yards weren’t great, it was important that he received five targets. With his role starting to expand as we head down the stretch, Jones has received at least five targets in three straight games.

The talent level seemed pretty obvious with Jones, but it took a while for the Packers coaching staff to give him the lead role. That time is finally here with Jones being on the field for at least 74 percent of their offensive snaps in each of the last three games. There’s no reason to believe that will change this week, setting him up for possibly a career day against a Cardinals team that has allowed the most rushing touchdowns (16) and third-most rushing yards per game (144.8).

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 - Running Backs

Phillip Lindsay vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium
FanDuel = $7,000
DraftKings = $5,400

Don’t look now, but the Broncos have won back-to-back games against two tough teams in the Chargers and Steelers. Their passing attack has been awful this year, but Lindsay has established himself as a weapon on the ground. Despite receiving just 14 carries in Week 12, Lindsay ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. That’s particularly impressive considering the Steelers are allowing only 4.2 yards-per-carry for the season, overall.

Next up for Lindsay and the Broncos is a matchup against a Bengals team that just lost their starting quarterback for the year and might still be without their best wide receiver in A.J. Green (toe). Their struggles likely won’t be limited to their offense, though, since they have allowed an average of 37.8 points over their last five games. They particularly struggle in the running game, allowing 147.5 rushing yards per game to go along with 14 touchdowns.

Gus Edwards vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800

If you play in season-long fantasy, a player like Edwards coming out of nowhere to play well can help propel you into the playoffs if you were lucky enough to snap him up off waivers. He was heavily involved again Sunday versus the Raiders, carrying the ball 23 times for 118 yards. His usage in the passing game has been non-existent, but it’s hard to argue against his success with 233 rushing yards over two games since assuming the lead running back role.

The key to Edwards’ success might be Lamar Jackson remaining as the Ravens quarterback. With Jackson’s own ability to rush the ball, the duo creates a nightmare for opposing defenses. Initial reports indicate Joe Flacco (hip) isn’t ready to return, so it’s hard to see Edwards’ role fading with Jackson still running the offense. The Falcons allow the third-most yards-per-carry (5.1), making Edwards a potential steal in DFS, especially at his price on DraftKings.

Lamar Miller vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – NRG Stadium
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $4,600

Miller burst out for a 97-yard touchdown run in Week 12 against the Titans, helping propel him to 162 rushing yards for the game, overall. He only received 12 carries, but it marked the third time in his last five games that Miller rushed for at least 100 yards. It’s no coincidence that he ran for a touchdown in each of those contests, which accounted for all three of his rushing touchdowns this season.

Miller is peaking at the right time for Texans, which has helped them reel off eight straight wins after starting out 0-3. Alfred Blue does cut into his carries, but Miller has been on the field for at least 62 percent of the Texans offensive snaps in five of his last six games. During that stretch, Blue didn’t log more than 48 percent of their snaps in any contest. The Browns have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (131.8) to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns, making Miller a great target in tournament play.

Jalen Richard vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $4,800
DraftKings = $4,300

Looking at Richard’s line from Week 12 doesn’t exactly install a whole lot of confidence in playing him for Week 13 in DFS. He only had one carry for one yard and caught two of four targets for an additional 15 yards. The Raiders were down big early, but Richard still couldn’t get much going in the passing attack with the Raiders having to throw a lot in an attempt to catch up.

If you want to roll with Richard, make sure you do so with the understanding that he won’t provide much in terms of rushing yards. He did post 61 yards on the ground in Week 11 against the Cardinals, but that’s more than half of his total for the entire year. His main source of value is in the passing game with a career-high 53 receptions on 63 targets. The Raiders should have to throw a lot in an attempt to keep up with the Chiefs high-powered offense, meaning Richard might be more involved then their primary rusher, Dough Martin, who only has 17 targets all year.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 13 - Running Backs

Tevin Coleman vs. Baltimore Ravens
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $6,200
DraftKings = $4,500

Coleman was completely shut down on the ground by the Saints last week with only six yards on eight carries. His three catches for 17 yards weren’t great, either, but he somewhat salvaged his line with a receiving touchdown. The Saints have arguably the best rushing defense in the league, so it’s not a surprise that Coleman struggled. Things won’t get much easier for him in Week 13 against the Ravens, who allow the third-fewest rushing yards per game (92.1).

Peyton Barber vs. Carolina Panthers
Stadium – Raymond James Stadium
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $3,700

Barber has reached the end zone in both of his last two games while racking up 153 yards on the ground. The Bucs have struggled to run the ball most of the season, but that didn’t stop them from giving Barber 18 carries in both of those contests. This isn’t shaping up to be a matchup to exploit, though, against a Panthers team that is allowing just 4.1 yards-per-carry. When these two teams met earlier in the year, Barber had only 31 yards on 11 carries.

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 7 – Running Backs

*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 4 – Running Backs

*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*

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

The Panthers and Redskins will be the first two teams with bye weeks this season, meaning Christian McCaffrey, Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson all won’t be available for your DFS entry in Week 4. However, there are still some great matchups to exploit, so let’s dig into the position to see where you can gain an edge. 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 4 - Running Backs

Alvin Kamara vs. New York Giants
Stadium – MetLife Stadium
FanDuel = $9,100
DraftKings = $9,600

Kamara is certainly not your traditional running back. He’s averaged 3.8 yards-per-carry through the first three weeks, totaling 141 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. His big impact comes in the passing attack as he already has 30 receptions on 38 targets for 289 yards and a touchdown. Not only has he received the most targets of any running back in football, but he has the fourth-most targets overall behind only Adam Thielen (44), Antonio Brown (42) and his teammate Michael Thomas (40).

This will be the last game of Mark Ingram’s suspension to start the season, so there is no question that Kamara will receive a heavy workload once again. With the number of passes he gets thrown his way, he has an extremely high floor. This is also a good matchup against a Giants defense that has allowed 165 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns to running backs through the first three weeks. Kamara won’t come cheap, but he should be worth it.

Ezekiel Elliott vs. Detroit Lions
Stadium – AT&T Stadium
FanDuel = $8,200
DraftKings = $7,700

The Cowboys are severely lacking talent at wide receiver, squarely putting the offense on the shoulders of Elliott. Their offensive line isn’t as formidable as it has been in recent seasons, but Elliott is still averaging 5.7 yards-per-carry and has two rushing touchdowns this season. He hasn’t been able to rack up many receiving yards, but he has already received 18 targets after getting 38 targets over 10 games in 2017.

Although his touchdown upside is limited based on the Cowboys’ offensive struggles, this is a great matchup for Elliott. The Lions have been awful against the run, allowing a league-high 5.4 yards-per-carry. The Lions also have a high-powered offense, so the Cowboys would be wise to lean heavily on Elliott in attempt to eat up the clock and keep the ball out of Matthew Stafford’s hands.

Giovani Bernard vs. Atlanta Falcons
Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $6,300

Bernard filled the role of lead running back for the Bengals in Week 3 with Joe Mixon sidelined due to a knee injury. He came through with a well-rounded performance, rushing 12 times for 61 yards and a touchdown while catching five of nine targets for 25 yards. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd was the only other Bengal to receive a carry in this game and Bernard’s nine targets also lead the team.

Mixon is expected to be out again for Week 4, leaving Bernard with a great opportunity to provide value. The Falcons defense has been decimated by injuries and has already lost linebacker Deion Jones and safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen. Over the last two weeks, they have allowed 29 receptions and 226 receiving yards to opposing running backs. Bernard isn’t overly expensive, either, making him a great player to build your lineup around.

GPP TOURNAMENT OPTIONS

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 4 - Running Backs

Lamar Miller vs. Indianapolis Colts
Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,000

Miller found tough sledding against the Giants in Week 3, rushing 10 times for only 10 yards. He was still able to salvage his afternoon, though, by hauling in five of six targets for 41 yards and a touchdown. He was running well heading into that game, averaging 4.9 yards-per-carry against the Patriots and Titans over his first two contests. The Giants do have a great run-stuffer Damon Harrison in the middle of their defensive line, so it wasn’t exactly a great matchup for Miller on Sunday.

Things swing back in Miller’s favor this week against a Colts run defense that allowed 142 rushing yards last week to the combination of Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, and Josh Adams. They struggled against Mixon in Week 1, allowing him to rush for 95 yards on only 17 carries. Miller doesn’t have much competition for carries behind him, so he could be worth the risk at this reasonable price on both sites.

Chris Carson vs. Arizona Cardinals
Stadium – State Farm Stadium
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,600

The Seahawks have had a murky running back situation to start the year. Carson only totaled 13 carries over the first two games, but he averaged 5.8 yards-per-carry. They handed the reins over to him last week against the Cowboys and he cashed in with 102 yards and a touchdown on 32 attempts. Rashaad Penny, his main competition for carries, had only three attempts for five yards.

It can be tough to gauge head coach Pete Carroll, but Carson figures to be the lead back for Week 4 based on his performance Sunday. It also shouldn’t go unnoticed that they had success running the ball last week in what was the first game of the season for offensive guard D.J. Fluker, who is very good in the running game. The Cardinals have allowed 131.3 rushing yards per game and five rushing touchdowns so far this season, making Carson an intriguing option to consider.

Marshawn Lynch vs. Cleveland Browns
Stadium – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $4,800

Lynch hasn’t had any eye-opening performances yet this season, averaging 56.7 rushing yards per contest. He hasn’t provided much value in the passing game, either, catching six of seven targets for 33 yards. The one positive to latch on to is that he has scored a touchdown in each contest.  He already has 10 rushing attempts inside the red zone, which is good for fourth in the league behind Todd Gurley, Alvin Kamara and Adrian Peterson.

The Browns do have an improving defense and have allowed just 3.7 yards-per-carry this season, but they have given up four scores on the ground. Although Derek Carr has already thrown five interceptions, he has been able to move the ball up and down the field by averaging 312 passing yards per game. He only has two touchdown passes, though, as the Raiders have shown they prefer to turn to Lynch when they have the ball in close. Lynch might be hard pressed to rush for 100 yards in this game, but he has a good chance of reaching the end zone.

Aaron Jones vs. Buffalo Bills
Stadium – Lambeau Field
FanDuel = $5,500
DraftKings = $4,100

Jones made his season debut Week 3 after missing the first two games due to a suspension. The Packers didn’t have many rushing attempts since they got down big and had to play catch up, but Jones did lead the team in rushing attempts (six) and rushing yards (42). He showed promise in limited action last year, as well, averaging 5.5 yards-per-carry on 81 attempts. If you are looking for a downside with Jones, though, it’s that he’s clearly a secondary option catching passes out of the backfield behind Ty Montgomery.

The Bills came out of nowhere to put a hurting on the Vikings last week, but don’t expect similar results on the road at Lambeau Field. If the Packers race out to an early lead, they could be run-heavy down the stretch. The Bills have also allowed four rushing touchdowns this year, continuing a trend from last season where they couldn’t keep opposing running backs out of the end zone. Jones might see more carries in this contest, making him someone to at least consider at this cheap price in tournament play.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

NFL Daily Fantasy Football Recommendations for Week 4 - Running Backs

Isaiah Crowell vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stadium – TIAA Bank Field
FanDuel = $6,400
DraftKings = $3,700

Crowell got a bit of revenge against his former team in the Browns with two rushing touchdowns Thursday. He already has four touchdowns for the season after scoring just twice all of last season. The problem is he only averaged 2.5 yards-per-carry the last two weeks and gets a tough matchup against the vaunted Jaguars defense Sunday. I think his 102-yard performance in Week 1 is more of an outlier than anything else, so I’d stay away from using Crowell in this contest.

Peyton Barber vs. Chicago Bears
Stadium – Soldier Field
FanDuel = $6,000
DraftKings = $3,800

Barber has seen his carries decrease in each of the first three games, bottoming out at eight carries for 33 yards on Monday night. The Bucs gave him 16 carries in Week 2, but he came away with only 22 yards. Their offense is clearly built around their talented wide receiver trio of Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin, who have all been extremely productive with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. Don’t expect them to rely too much on their rushing attack Sunday against a Bears team that has allowed an average of 3.4 yards-per-carry and has yet to allow a rushing touchdown.