Category: Fantasy Football

Daily Fantasy: The one Washington player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Is DraftKings sleeping on this running back? (Hint: Yes.)

There might be a sneaky solid play on the Washington Football Team in Week 1, as it faces the Philadelphia Eagles. Because Washington looks so depleted, there may only be one smart play: running back Antonio Gibson, who is sitting deep down the board at his position with a $4,000 salary.

It looks like the team wants to highlight the rookie, a Memphis product and a third-round draft choice, after cutting Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice. Gibson only has Bryce Love and Peyton Barber as a source of competition.

Though Gibson is converting from receiver at Memphis, he’s going to play for coach Ron Rivera, who engineered Christian McCaffrey’s success as both a pass-catcher and a runner. If Rivera can manage just a fraction of that success with Gibson, he’ll have an outstanding season in 2020.

The rest of the offense might be due for a tough season opener — and likely a tough season. Receiver Terry McLaurin put together a very respectable rookie season, with 58 catches, 919 yards and seven touchdowns. But he’s sure to get increased attention in Week 1, and though the Eagles secondary has long been a bunch of slouches for years, they acquired cornerback Darius Slay in 2020. He could erase — or at least limit — McLaurin during the season opener. If McLaurin struggles, then it’s easy to imagine the rest of the passing offense doing the same, with quarterback Dwayne Haskins and company having difficulty moving the ball.

So the team may need a big game from Gibson, both as a runner and a check-down option in Week 1.

Daily Fantasy: The one Browns player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

The Browns committed dollars and draft picks to players to help their running game. Expect Nick Chubb to be the benefactor of that in Week 1.

The 2020 NFL season is upon and the Cleveland Browns will open up against a familiar foe in what should be a physical AFC North confrontation against the Baltimore Ravens.

With the fantasy football season in full swing, this opening week matchup presents some challenges in deciding what one player on Cleveland’s roster to hitch your wagon to in Week 1 on the road in Baltimore.

The Browns — led by Chubb’s 1,494 rushing yards — averaged nearly 119 rushing yards per game last season, the 12th-highest mark in the league. And that was with mediocre-at-best play from their tackles. During the offseason, former Eagles executive and new Browns GM, Andrew Berry, addressed that issue. He signed former All-Pro tackle in Jack Conklin in March, then drafted Alabama product Jedrick Wills Jr. at No. 10 overall to help establish a culture of dominance in the trenches. With that goal set in stone, Chubb has to be your fantasy player this week.

Kareem Hunt got a new contract, but Chubb is the engine that’ll make the Browns offensive train move and he’s already feasted on the Ravens, battering Baltimore to the tune of 183 total yards and three touchdowns in a Week 4 meeting on the road.

With the pandemic impacting offseason work and OTAs, the one thing the Browns will be able to do once they step off the bus is run the ball and look for Chubb to get the bulk of the carries early on and often.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Cowboys player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

This Cowboy is going to blow up in Week 1.

Dak Prescott won’t be a bargain play in Week 1, but he’s the one Dallas Cowboys player you need to start on DraftKings. Even as QB3 with a salary of $6,900, Prescott should come out firing in a high-scoring contest against the Los Angeles Rams.

Surely, Mike McCarthy will want to show off the work he’s done with Kellen Moore this offseason. Moore was one of the more promising offensive coordinators in 2020 before Jason Garrett sunk the Cowboys season. With new leadership, it seems Prescott is due for a huge season. It doesn’t hurt that the Cowboys will have receivers Amari Coopers and Michael Gallup returning alongside running back Ezekiel Elliott. To add to that embarrassment of riches, the Cowboys drafted Ceedee Lamb, arguably the best receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, at 17th overall. He was simply too talented for them to pass, even when they didn’t need another receiver. And perhaps Dallas has a breakout candidate at tight end in Blake Jarwin.

This all adds up to a huge season for Prescott and an impressive Week 1 for him. The Rams defense isn’t a bunch of pushovers, however. Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill are good players. And, of course, defensive tackle Aaron Donald is one of the best players in the NFL. But L.A. doesn’t seem to have the depth that they’ll need to stop a group of skill players as well-rounded as the one Dallas has.

Start Prescott in the your Daily Fantasy and DraftKings rosters for Week 1 and enjoy the show.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Cowboys player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

This Cowboy is going to blow up in Week 1.

Dak Prescott won’t be a bargain play in Week 1, but he’s the one Dallas Cowboys player you need to start on DraftKings. Even as QB3 with a salary of $6,900, Prescott should come out firing in a high-scoring contest against the Los Angeles Rams.

Surely, Mike McCarthy will want to show off the work he’s done with Kellen Moore this offseason. Moore was one of the more promising offensive coordinators in 2020 before Jason Garrett sunk the Cowboys season. With new leadership, it seems Prescott is due for a huge season. It doesn’t hurt that the Cowboys will have receivers Amari Coopers and Michael Gallup returning alongside running back Ezekiel Elliott. To add to that embarrassment of riches, the Cowboys drafted Ceedee Lamb, arguably the best receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, at 17th overall. He was simply too talented for them to pass, even when they didn’t need another receiver. And perhaps Dallas has a breakout candidate at tight end in Blake Jarwin.

This all adds up to a huge season for Prescott and an impressive Week 1 for him. The Rams defense isn’t a bunch of pushovers, however. Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill are good players. And, of course, defensive tackle Aaron Donald is one of the best players in the NFL. But L.A. doesn’t seem to have the depth that they’ll need to stop a group of skill players as well-rounded as the one Dallas has.

Start Prescott in the your Daily Fantasy and DraftKings rosters for Week 1 and enjoy the show.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Titans player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Titans tight end Jonnu Smith could be a DFS sleeper in Week 1.

The Tennessee Titans will go on the road in Week 1 to face the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football on Sept. 14. The game, televised on ESPN, will feature several notable fantasy football options.

For the Titans, running back Derrick Henry is the big name in fantasy, but he has an expensive price tag ($7,900) in DraftKings’ daily fantasy salary cap challenge (roster limit: $50,000). With an average of $5,500 available to spend on each player, it’s probably not worth splurging on Henry.

When Tennessee faced Denver in Week 6 last year, Henry was limited to just 28 rushing yards on 15 carries. Henry will likely have a better game in Monday’s season opener but his DFS cap hit it too big to justify.

Instead, fantasy owners should consider playing tight end Jonnu Smith.

Denver’s defense allowed the sixth-most receptions to tight ends last season (90) and the fourth-most yards (974). The Broncos only allowed three touchdowns to TEs in 2019 but that might have been more of a coincidence than an intentional effort to lock down tight ends in the red zone.

The Broncos’ top coverage linebacker, Mark Barron, has a hamstring injury and might not play in Denver’s season opener. If Barron doesn’t suit up in Week 1, the Broncos’ defense might struggle to cover TEs even more than usual.

Titans tight ends totaled five catches for 76 yards in a 16-0 loss to Denver last season. With Delanie Walker no longer part of the team, Smith has emerged as the No. 1 tight end on Tennessee’s depth chart and he could be a DFS sleeper in Week 1 with an intriguing matchup against the Broncos.

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Beat Bettis challenge: Can you defeat Jerome Bettis in fantasy football?

Former Pittsburgh Steeler and Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis is challenging you to a weekly fantasy series to win cash and prizes.

Former Steeler and Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis has teamed up with Modelo and DraftKings to celebrate the return of football.

In doing so, Bettis has a challenge for you: Beat him in fantasy football –DraftKings style — with the Beat Bettis challenge.

The fantasy football series, exclusively on DraftKings, gives NFL fans who “beat Bettis” a $5,000 split. After the nine-week contest ends, the grand prize winner gets a trip for two to Las Vegas and two tickets to a future Las Vegas Raiders football game.

In talking with Bettis, his enthusiasm was evident. He’s thrilled about the Beat Bettis challenge and thinks fans should be, too.

“I’m excited to motivate fans to compete against me in this Beat Bettis challenge fantasy football series,” Bettis told Steelers Wire. “If they can beat my score each week, then they’ll have a chance to share in $5,000. If they can bring their fighting spirit week-to-week and go head-to-head against me, if they think they have what it takes, then all they have to do is sign up, and we can get it on!”

“Teaming up with Modelo is that it’s such an authentic partnership,” Bettis said. “We both champion the fighting spirit, and that’s really what motivated me to want to be involved in this partnership.”

“When I think about my fighting spirit, it showed itself when I was going to retire back in ’04, and I decided to come back for another year to try to become a champion. That’s where I was really able to see it in me, burning brightly.”

To help tell the story of Bettis’ fighting spirit, Modelo produced a short appropriately titled, “The Fighting Spirit of Jerome Bettis“. To film the spot, Bettis returned to the scene of his last stop in Detroit and was flooded with emotions reminiscing about the 2006 Super Bowl.

“To go back to certain spots on the field and think about those moments… Coming out of the tunnel and remembering all of those Terrible Towels swirling, and the energy that was in the building, it was really special. To know that [the Steelers] had the fighting spirit. That’s what it was about.”

That’s why it all ties in to [the campaign] with Modelo.

For more info about the free 21+ Beat Bettis challenge, go to DraftKings.com/Modelo. Better yet, download the DraftKings mobile app.

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Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott projected for over 1,800 total yards in 2020

What kind of season might Elliott have in the reloaded Dallas offense? Wash, rinse, repeat for the star from Ohio State.

The Dallas Cowboys have had the league’s best rushing back over the last four seasons. With a reinforced passing game, there is a question of what exactly Ezekiel Elliott will be able to accomplish in 2020. Even with the addition of future No. 1 wideout CeeDee lamb and the idea of an increased workload for second-year back Tony Pollard, Elliott should still get his numbers in 2020.

In fact, The Huddle is predicting Elliott to surpass his 2019 totals for both total yards from scrimmage and touchdowns, seeing an 1,850-yard, 16 touchdown season for the fifth-year back. With 50 catches projected, he comes in as the second-ranked back behind Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey.

Elliott is a lock for a top-5 season so long as he remains healthy and not suspended. He rolled up 1.357 yards and 12 scores on 301 rushes and added 54 catches for 420 yards and two more TDs. The O-line returns intact other than replacing the center with another veteran. The rushing schedule was one of the tougher in 2019 and lines up as the 6th easiest. Virtually no downside here.

Elliott is now in an offense that will feature 11 personnel in the majority of open snaps. That will not only impact the pre-snap looks he receives, but also how the defense actually plays him, with having to account for Lamb and 1,100-yard receivers from 2019, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup.

Per Pro Football Focus, Elliott averaged 5.1 yards per carry when rushing in 11 personnel, fifth-highest among the 23 NFL players with at least 80 eligible carries in 2019. Additionally, Elliott led the NFL in rushing yards from 11 personnel with 823 yards on 161 attempts. With WRs Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Lamb, defenses must respect the Cowboys’ ability to pass and generally will be forced to replace at least one linebacker with a defensive back, switching to a nickel or dime sub-package.

There are a few unknowns with head coach Mike McCarthy coming in, but he seems to be holding somewhat true to the edict that Kellen Moore will be in primary control of the Cowboys offense in 2020. Elliott himself seems giddy about all of the talent, on the offense and around the team, calling it the best roster he’s been on since coming to Dallas in 2016.

Dominate your fantasy football league with TheHuddle.com. Custom rankings! Sleepers! New customers, take 20% this year’s subscription. Order now!

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The Browns Wire Podcast: Browns Week 1 betting, CFB preview and fantasy mock draft

Josh and Adam break it all down with special guest Ryan Keefe

Welcome to The Browns Wire Podcast, hosted by Josh Keatley (@JoshKeatley16). This week, Adam Moore (@Moore2102) and I speak to Ryan Keeffe (@rkweefe) and talk about a wide range of topics:

  • The week one Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens spread
  • College Football odds and predictions
  • Fantasy football mock draft

Listen in to all the action here.

It’s also available on all of your favorite podcast apps, including iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher and Spotify. Thanks for listening!

Can Texans RB David Johnson crack 1,000 yards rushing?

Houston Texans running back David Johnson hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards since 2016. Can he do it in his first year with a new team?

The Houston Texans shored up their run game with the acquisition of running back David Johnson from the Arizona Cardinals.

As part of the club’s offensive philosophy to surround quarterback Deshaun Watson with a plethora of weapons and allow him to make the best decision on where the football needs to go, adding Johnson gives Houston another productive player in their offense.

For fantasy football players, what they want to know is how effective Johnson can be in an offense where he is one of many weapons, not the bell cow as he was in 2016. Will Johnson even get the chance to cross the 1,000-yard rushing mark, a feat he has not replicated since 2016?

According to TheHuddle.com, Johnson is projected to have 950 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, which isn’t so bad. However, the former All-Pro is projected to have just 19 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown. Johnson would produce 159 fantasy points for the whole season, the 27th-most in the NFL.

What could be Johnson’s saving grace, and perhaps that of his fantasy owners, is playing behind the Texans’ offensive line, which is returning the same five starters for the first time since 2011. It is worth mentioning because that same offensive line paved the way for Carlos Hyde to earn his first career 1,000-yard rushing season and earn another contract with the Seattle Seahawks. If a former 2014 second-round pick such as Hyde could find that type of revitalization in Houston, what could Johnson find?

Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who takes over for coach Bill O’Brien as the play-caller, seeks to put opposing defenses into conflict, and Johnson’s skills as a pass-catcher and purely as a runner initiate those conflicts. However, Johnson’s ability to dominate fantasy football may be the one aspect of his career that isn’t revitalized in Houston.

Dominate your fantasy football league with TheHuddle.com. Custom rankings! Sleepers! New customers, take 20% this year’s subscription. Order now

Lions rookie RB D’Andre Swift projected to top 1,100 total yards

Swift’s total gets a nice boost from his receiving prowess

When the Detroit Lions took D’Andre Swift early in the second round (No. 35 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft, immediately fans started speculating what type of immediate impact the former Georgia star can have on the team’s lackluster rushing attack.

Sometimes it’s good to look at what the unbiased, unvested interests see. That’s where the good folks at The Huddle come in, and they are pretty bullish on Swift being a success. Their aggregate fantasy football projections have Swift rushing for 880 yards and catching 30 passes for 260 yards. The total of 1,140 yards from scrimmage ranks Swift third amongst rookie RBs, behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Kansas City and the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor.

Of course, Swift has been battling injury throughout training camp and his health status is uncertain entering the final couple days of training camp. The lack of work this summer could cut into his workload in the regular season, especially if Kerryon Johnson can stay healthy.

Dominate your fantasy football league with TheHuddle.com. Custom rankings! Sleepers! New customers, take 20% this year’s subscription. Order now!