We survived the first week of COVID terrorism. If everything goes well this week, the Titans will return to the field. We may also see Cam Newton return this week. If he can remain asymptomatic and have two consecutive days worth of negative tests. Unfortunately, we once again lost two first-round talent RBs for the foreseeable future. Austin Ekeler and Nick Chubb join a growing list of perennial pro bowl talent at the position who are out for an extended period. The big question on my mind is will the DFS sites immediately adjust returning players’ salaries their first week back, or will they let their algorithms do the work and provide us one or two weeks of bargains.
George Kittle’s price last week seemed a bit low and both Jamison Crowder and Deebo Samuel feel underpriced despite successful returns last week. Will we see a $7K Christian McCaffrey later this year, or maybe a $6.5K Michael Thomas (and I mean the New Orleans’ one)? Further murking the waters, Cam Newton isn’t even available on the DK Millionaire slate. If he ends up playing will they quietly add him to the player pool? Plus, we have our first “scheduled” byes of the year…Welcome to Week 5!
DFS: The Primetime Slate
It seems like every season the Minnesota Vikings have to travel to Seattle for a primetime game, and every season they get pummeled in that game. The Vikes won’t have to deal with a twelfth man this week, but even if you gave the Vikings the twelfth man on defense, they couldn’t stop Russell Wilson. I’ll give Mike Zimmer credit, he has his kiddie corps at CB improving each week. Still, this is going to be a massacre of epic proportions. The SNF production team is already suggesting that you shield your children’s’ eyes from the impending horror. They even gave the broadcast a TV-MA rating due to graphic violence. Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees never caused this much carnage.
As for Kirk Cousins, he will assume his normal Primetime Scream Queen role as the victim who hides behind the wall of chainsaws instead of getting into the running car. Seattle’s secondary is actually more horrific than the Vikings, but Kirk has turned into a pumpkin every time he has appeared in primetime. MNF features two noted pass defenses, so by process of elimination Kirk is probably QB2 on the slate. Still, it is a scary proposition to play him. All last week, we were expecting Chris Carson to miss the game following an injury and that Carlos Hyde would step into the starting role. Somewhere during the middle of the week, Carson got healthy and Hyde ended up needing to visit Dr. Jekyll. Both should be active this week, and Carson is the RB3 on the board with Hyde rolling in at RB6. Minnesota has played better in the last two weeks because they have #LetCookRuss. Dalvin Cook is earning every dollar of his big extension. He also does not have the primetime curse around his neck that Cousins has.
Cook and Alvin Kamara should be your RB1 and RB2 in some order and both should be in your lineup. Ignore Tyler Lockett’s down Week 4 performance. You can start either Lockett or DK Metcalf as a safe WR2 this week. Even David Moore is in play at WR3. Despite his QB’s woes, the clear WR1 on this slate is Adam Thielen. With the development of Justin Jefferson as a legit option B, Thielen has more room to work. If you doubt Thielen’s potential here, consider Jefferson because the Vikings will have to throw to stay close. Jacob Hollister had a big game in their last meeting, he is now third on the Seattle TE pecking order. Greg Olsen sits on top of that depth chart and he has always beat up on the Vikes.
In the last three weeks, Minnesota has given up big yardage to Jordan Akins/Darren Fells, Jonnu Smith, and Mo Alie-Cox. If it wasn’t for the potentail of a Hollister or Will Dissly vulture, Olsen would be TE1. I’ll give him TE2 instead. Hollister and Dissly are both Showdown slate worthy but not trustworthy enough unless an injury occurs. Kyle Rudolph is always a red zone threat but his usage has been sporadic. He gets no better than TE3 here, and perhaps TE4 if Jared Cook returns. Irv Smith Senior has almost as many targets as his son this year. That is all you need to know about his usage. I’d consider Seattle’s defense since Cousins will make some mistakes, but probably choose from the MNF game instead.
The Saints at home are always capable of blowing up. Of course, it is a lot easier when Michael Thomas is on the field. With a Week 6 bye, there is a strong likelihood that Thomas sits out one more game. Drew Brees looks every one of his 41 years when you watch him out there without Thomas. Still, he quietly has averaged 282-2 in the three games without him. This is not a good matchup for him, so 250-2 sounds like his ceiling, especially if there is no Thomas. Justin Herbert has played well enough to earn the Los Angeles starting job, regardless of what their coach says. This isn’t a great matchup on paper, but New Orleans is missing some CBs right now with both Janoris Jenkins and Marshon Lattimore missing last week’s game.
Watch the injury wire as the week progresses, if they are both out again, bump Herbert’s confidence level up slightly. He could possibly have more value than Brees. Alvin Kamara is a set it an forget it play at RB1 most weeks. This week, you could argue for Cook over him, but keep it simple and just play both of them. Latavius Murray is a cheaper FLEX option, who can score a TD at any time, still his price seems high for a non-every-down back. I’d only use him as a pivot when you don’t want to spend full price for Kamara. Joshua Kelley is now the undisputed RB1 in Los Angeles. He didn’t do much last week, and the matchup is not great here. Still, volume backs have fared well against New Orleans and receiving backs have been particularly useful. He will be RB4 on the slate, but I feel better about him at FLEX than Latavius. Justin Jackson got some run last week, but did nothing. Against a worse team, I might consider him FLEX-Worthy, but not here.
If Michael Thomas plays, he is a clear WR1 candidate. The usually elite Chargers’ secondary has struggled mightily the last couple weeks. I’m still not confident enough in the usage of Emmanuel Sanders to roll him out as anything more than a WR3. Tre’Quan Smith is the better play and could be considered as a WR2. I won’t be digging any lower than this. Mike Williams missed last week’s game with a hamstring injury. His fantasy owners probably feel he has missed the entire season due to his lack of production. Keep him on your bench even if he plays. Keenan Allen has turned into a target hog with Herbert under center. If Lattimore remains out, Allen will compete with Thielen for WR1 honors on this slate.
In Williams’ absence, both Jalen Guyton and Tyron Johnson scored long TDs. This is Guyton’s second long score of the year, so he might make a sneaky punt WR3 play and he is a must play in Showdown. Jared Cook missed last week’s game with a groin injury. He hasn’t done much when healthy this year. The Chargers got lit up by the position last week, so if he plays you can consider him. Adam Trautman and Josh Hill did nothing in his absence, so leave them on your bench. Hunter Henry gets all of Justin Herbert’s targets that don’t go to Allen. He is no lower than TE2 on this slate. The XFL fan in me hopes Donald Parham becomes a top-ten TE next year after Henry moves on. He scored last week, but he is no more than a Showdown TD prayer play. Consider either of these defenses, but watch the injury reports since both have players who missed Week 4.
The Main Slate: My recommended DFS lineups
At DK: $7.4K for Dak Prescott. $6.7K for either James Robinson or Mike Davis. $4.3K for Damien Harris. $7.4K for Amari Cooper. $4.8K for Darius Slayton. $3K for Damiere Byrd. $6.6K for George Kittle. $5K for Antonio Gibson at FLEX. $4.2K for the Patriots’ defense.
At FD: $7.9K for Deshaun Watson. $7.9K for Clyde Edwards-Helaire. $6.8K for Davis. $7.8K for Cooper. $6.6K for Will Fuller. $5.8K for Slayton. $7.1K for Kittle. $5.8K for Gibson at FLEX. $4.2K for the Cardinals’ defense.
At Fanball (SuperFlex – includes Sun Night: Russell Wilson, Teddy Bridgewater (or San Francisco starter) at SF, Robinson, Davis, DK Metcalf, Adam Thielen, Byrd, Kittle, and Gibson at FLEX.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson | $7,900 | $8,900 |
| Patrick Mahomes | $7,700 | $9,000 |
| Josh Allen | $7,500 | $8,400 |
| Dak Prescott | $7,400 | $8,700 |
| Kyler Murray | $7,200 | $8,300 |
| Deshaun Watson | $6,900 | $7,900 |
| Cam Newton | XXXX | $7,800 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | $6,600 | $7,400 |
| Jared Goff | $6,500 | $7,500 |
| Gardner Minshew | $6,200 | $7,200 |
| Matt Ryan | $6,100 | $7,700 |
| Joe Burrow | $6,000 | $7,300 |
| Ryan Tannehill | $6,000 | $7,000 |
| Teddy Bridgewater | $5,900 | $7,100 |
| Philip Rivers | $5,800 | $6,900 |
| Baker Mayfield | $5,700 | $6,800 |
| Carson Wentz | $5,600 | $7,200 |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | $5,600 | $7,100 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | $5,500 | $6,700 |
| Sam Darnold | $5,500 | $6,600 |
| Daniel Jones | $5,400 | $7,000 |
| C.J. Beathard | $5,300 | $6,000 |
| Derek Carr | $5,300 | $6,900 |
| Drew Lock | $5,300 | $6,500 |
| Nick Mullens | $5,300 | $6,800 |
| Brett Rypien | $5,100 | $6,500 |
| Dwayne Haskins | $5,100 | $6,600 |
| Brian Hoyer | $4,900 | $6,700 |
| Blake Bortles | $4,800 | $6,400 |
| Jeff Driskel | $4,700 | $6,400 |
Quarterback
Weekly strategy – The Miami-Seattle contest is this week’s DAL-SEA contest from last week. Obviously, Ryan Fitzpatrick is not Dak Prescott. Still, Fitz is a capable veteran with some solid weapons around him. He also is considerably cheaper than Dak was last week. I love Fitzpatrick in DFS this week. This is truly the first time that we have had a high-leverage playable asset as a value-priced QB on the main slate. It should also be clear that Russell Wilson is a clear #1 option at the position once again. Among the pivots, up high are Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, and Deshaun Watson (assuming the Vikings/Texans game is played as planned). I can also go a little cheaper and use Joe Burrow, Gardner Minshew, or Baker Mayfield. That said, if I am going to spend down, I might as well spend down on Fitzpatrick.
Fantasy Four Pack
Russell Wilson, Seahawks @ MIA ($7800 DK, $9000 FD)
FD is giving Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson the CMAC treatment at QB pricing them both over $9K. Jackson has a slightly tougher matchup, but he is still a decent option, but Russell Wilson is on historical record pace. I doubt that Wilson will throw another five TDs, but 350-3 is a pretty impressive floor. Plus, there is an increased likelihood that Wilson could score a rushing TD with Chris Carson likely out.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens @ WAS ($8100 DK, $9600 FD)
Washington is going to have to deal with the problem of an angry Lamar Jackson this week. Jackson, coming off one of his worst performances ever, will no doubt be looking to recement himself as one of the top-three dynasty options despite his inability to win the big one versus Patrick Mahomes. The Football Team actually has a decent defense, especially up front. This is the only reason that I am not going to give Jackson a GREEN grade. That said, Lamar could easily channel his inner Hulk and turn himself green.
Dak Prescott, Cowboys vs. CLE ($7200 DK, $8200 FD)
Only two teams have allowed more passing TDs than Cleveland. One of those teams is the Dallas Cowboys. Baker Mayfield is not Russell Wilson, but he can use his weapons to keep this game competitive. This will force Dak Prescott to keep his foot on the accelerator. I’m certain that the SEA-MIA game will draw a lot of attention from the DFS world, making this contest a sneaky pivot, for both Dak and Baker.
Patrick Mahomes vs. NE ($7400 DK, $8700 FD)
Last week, Patrick Mahomes proved to the world that no team can truly stop him. New England will try here. The Lord knows, that Bill Belichick prides himself on taking away an opponents’ biggest weapon. Well, go ahead Bill. Try to take away Tyreek Hill and watch Travis Kelce beat you. Try to take away both of them and watch Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins beat you. Take away all four of them, and Mahomes will throw the ball to their fullback and their tackle-eligible and win that way. Simply put, there is no way to stop this offense. You can barely hope to contain it. Through three career meetings, Mahomes has averaged 2.6 TDs and 310 passing yards against the Patriots. That is always his floor.
DFS Sleepers
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins vs. SEA ($5400 DK, $7100 FD)
Ryan Fitzpatrick is my favorite sleeper of the week. Despite his puny DK price, he just missed making the top four overall for the week. Seattle has the second-best passing offense in football. The best passing offense in football belongs to whoever is facing them. Through three weeks, Seattle is allowing an average of 440 passing yards per game and two passing TDs per game. Plus they have also allowed two QB rushing TDs. Fitzpatrick is no spring chicken, but he has been known to rush one in from time to time. To fit all the top RBs and WRs into your lineup, Fitz is such a perfect play. My only concern here is that it seems like every season Ryan has one sure thing game that he underperforms in. Let us hope its not this one.
Baker Mayfield, Browns @ DAL ($5800 DK, $7000 FD)
Dallas will have no problem scoring at will in this game. This means, that Baker Mayfield will be forced to throw the ball extensively to stay in the game. With weapons such as Kareem Hunt, Nick Chubb, Austin Hooper, Odell Beckham, and Jarvis Landry, Baker has no excuses for not fighting here. Plus, since the game is in Dallas, Baker doesn’t have to worry about cleaning up the stadium afterward.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel Elliott | $7,800 | $9,000 |
| Derrick Henry | $7,000 | $8,600 |
| James Conner | $6,900 | $7,000 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | $6,800 | $7,900 |
| James Robinson | $6,700 | $6,600 |
| Kareem Hunt | $6,500 | $7,000 |
| Miles Sanders | $6,500 | $7,500 |
| Melvin Gordon | $6,400 | $6,500 |
| Mike Davis | $6,400 | $6,800 |
| Joe Mixon | $6,300 | $6,900 |
| Josh Jacobs | $6,300 | $8,200 |
| Jonathan Taylor | $6,200 | $7,100 |
| Raheem Mostert | $6,100 | $6,500 |
| Devin Singletary | $5,900 | $6,300 |
| Jerick McKinnon | $5,800 | $6,400 |
| Kenyan Drake | $5,700 | $6,200 |
| Todd Gurley | $5,700 | $6,700 |
| Mark Ingram | $5,400 | $6,100 |
| Darrell Henderson | $5,300 | $6,000 |
| Malcolm Brown | $5,300 | $5,400 |
| David Johnson | $5,200 | $6,400 |
| Le’Veon Bell | $5,100 | $6,000 |
| Antonio Gibson | $5,000 | $5,800 |
| Jeff Wilson | $5,000 | $6,200 |
| Rex Burkhead | $5,000 | $5,700 |
| James White | $4,900 | $5,100 |
| Myles Gaskin | $4,800 | $5,500 |
| Chase Edmonds | $4,700 | $5,900 |
| D’Ernest Johnson | $4,700 | $5,300 |
| Devonta Freeman | $4,600 | $5,500 |
| Zack Moss | $4,400 | $5,000 |
| J.K. Dobbins | $4,300 | $5,200 |
| Nyheim Hines | $4,300 | $5,100 |
| Dion Lewis | $4,200 | $5,000 |
| Phillip Lindsay | $4,200 | $4,700 |
| Duke Johnson | $4,100 | $4,600 |
| Boston Scott | $4,000 | $4,700 |
| Brian Hill | $4,000 | $4,800 |
| Cam Akers | $4,000 | $5,200 |
| Frank Gore | $4,000 | $5,300 |
| Gus Edwards | $4,000 | $4,600 |
| Jordan Wilkins | $4,000 | $4,800 |
| Wayne Gallman | $4,000 | $4,900 |
Running Back
Weekly strategy – Alvin Kamara is the easy lock and load option as long as Michael Thomas remains out. Even if Thomas returns, Kamara’s price tag makes him a safe 3x play. It would be very hard, but fitting both Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott into a lineup would be glorious. Dalvin Cook is a nice pivot play from those two, assuming the Vikings play their game. I will likely use one of that threesome paired with either James Robinson or Kenyan Drake. The other mid-priced RBs that I like this week are Devin Singletary, Darrell Henderson, Mike Davis, and Joe Mixon. This gives you a list of nine players to mix and match from in filling your RB1, RB2, and FLEX. The cheap options are just not interesting this week. I suppose that you could trot out Adrian Peterson for potential volume or Chase Edmonds for the great matchup, but I’d pass.
Fantasy Four Pack
Alvin Kamara, Saints @ DET ($8000 DK, $8800 FD)
Detroit hasn’t been nearly as bad against the run as you probably think. Still, Alvin Kamara is the New Orleans’ offense with Michael Thomas out. Now, should Thomas manage to return this week, lower your expectations slightly. Even then, he should be able to secure 125-2, with seven or more receptions. So, even with Thomas, Kamara is a lock for 3x performance. This price is just too low to not take advantage of.
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. CLE ($7800 DK, $9000 FD)
Cleveland’s RB rushing numbers against are very low. Of course, in the last two weeks, they have faced teams not interested in establishing the run. Dallas on the other hand will have every intention of steamrolling the Browns with Ezekiel Elliott. The DK price is very nice for Elliott, but I don’t love paying $9K for him on FD. Especially if this game becomes a shootout between two bad pass defenses. Fortunately, Zeke is used in the passing game as well.
Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ HOU ($7600 DK, $8700 FD)
Pay attention the next couple of days to verify that the Vikings are playing. As of today, Minnesota and Houston are scheduled to face off without postponement. Still, with CoVid issues related to the Vikings’ Week 3 opponent Tennessee, things could turn fast. Houston has allowed the most rushing yards to opposing RBs and they have given up a rushing TD to every #1 RB they have faced. Dalvin Cook was finally allowed to Russ this week, and he finished with 199 total yards and a score. I’d be happy with 2/3 of that here.
Kenyan Drake, Cardinals @ CAR ($6000 DK, $7000 FD)
Kenyan Drake has been so-so so far this year. Part of that is because Arizona has been so pass-happy. Part of that is also because Kliff Kingsbury is committed to giving Chase Edmonds significant touches. Finally, part of this is because Kyler Murray is channeling his inner Lamar Jackson. Drake won’t have any trouble putting up big yardage against a Carolina run defense that has been historically bad for a season plus now. The Panthers are allowing 188 total yards per game to opposing backs, 2.3 total touchdowns, and 11 receptions per game. Edmonds is also in play as a cheap punt, but Drake will top 125-1 without much effort.
DFS Sleepers
Devin Singletary, Bills @ LV ($5900 DK, $6000 FD)
Carolina is bad against RBs, and now in true Las Vegas form, the Raiders want their piece of the action. No team (including Carolina) has allowed more RB total yards. The Raiders are only tied with Carolina for the most total TDs allowed to the position. The Panthers still hold the advantage in RB receptions allowed, but Vegas is a close second and the Raiders have given up more RB receiving yards. What I am leading to is that while everyone knows that Carolina gets smoked by running backs, people may not be aware of how bad Vegas has been. Devin Singletary has had a slight advantage in touches over Zack Moss, and with Moss out last week, Singletary nearly reached his first two weeks stats combined. Early reports have Moss returning this week, but if he does miss this game or is limited, Singletary will go off. Of course, even if Moss plays Singletary should still post a big line here.
Mike Davis, Panthers vs. ARI ($5700 DK, $6300 FD)
So, is Christian McCaffrey a system RB? Mike Davis didn’t completely replicate McCaffrey’s production, but I’m certain his owners were not upset with 91 total yards, eight receptions, and a score. Arizona has been solid against the run, but they have allowed the fifth-most RB receiving yards, despite holding opponents to only 4.3 RB receptions per game. Davis’ price tag is only slightly higher than that of CMAC normally, which makes his ability to reach 3x value that much easier.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Hopkins | $8,500 | $8,700 |
| Michael Thomas | $7,600 | $8,800 |
| Tyler Lockett | $7,000 | $7,500 |
| Tyreek Hill | $6,900 | $8,000 |
| DK Metcalf | $6,800 | $6,900 |
| Stefon Diggs | $6,800 | $7,000 |
| Allen Robinson | $6,700 | $7,000 |
| Amari Cooper | $6,700 | $7,100 |
| Cooper Kupp | $6,700 | $7,200 |
| Adam Thielen | $6,600 | $7,100 |
| Keenan Allen | $6,500 | $6,900 |
| Mike Evans | $6,400 | $7,400 |
| Marquise Brown | $6,300 | $6,300 |
| Robert Woods | $6,300 | $6,700 |
| Michael Gallup | $6,200 | $5,900 |
| Tyler Boyd | $6,100 | $6,000 |
| DJ Chark | $6,000 | $6,800 |
| Kenny Golladay | $6,000 | $7,300 |
| Will Fuller | $5,900 | $6,100 |
| Odell Beckham | $5,800 | $6,600 |
| Terry McLaurin | $5,800 | $6,600 |
| DeVante Parker | $5,700 | $6,500 |
| Julian Edelman | $5,700 | $6,400 |
| DJ Moore | $5,600 | $6,800 |
| A.J. Green | $5,500 | $5,700 |
| CeeDee Lamb | $5,400 | $5,600 |
| Robby Anderson | $5,400 | $6,200 |
| T.Y. Hilton | $5,300 | $5,900 |
| Justin Jefferson | $5,200 | $5,400 |
| Jarvis Landry | $5,100 | $5,700 |
| John Brown | $5,100 | $6,100 |
| Darius Slayton | $5,000 | $5,500 |
| Tre’Quan Smith | $5,000 | $5,300 |
| Anthony Miller | $4,900 | $5,500 |
| Marvin Jones | $4,900 | $6,000 |
| Curtis Samuel | $4,800 | $5,100 |
| Emmanuel Sanders | $4,800 | $5,800 |
| Randall Cobb | $4,800 | $5,400 |
| Cole Beasley | $4,700 | $5,100 |
| Golden Tate | $4,600 | $5,300 |
| Hunter Renfrow | $4,600 | $5,300 |
| Andy Isabella | $4,500 | $5,000 |
| Brandin Cooks | $4,500 | $5,300 |
| Keelan Cole | $4,500 | $5,600 |
| Preston Williams | $4,500 | $5,500 |
| Tee Higgins | $4,500 | $5,300 |
| Christian Kirk | $4,400 | $5,400 |
| Larry Fitzgerald | $4,400 | $5,100 |
| Laviska Shenault | $4,400 | $5,200 |
| Sammy Watkins | $4,400 | $5,600 |
| Zach Pascal | $4,400 | $5,000 |
| Mecole Hardman | $4,300 | $5,200 |
| Mike Williams | $4,200 | $5,800 |
| Josh Reynolds | $4,100 | $4,600 |
| Scotty Miller | $4,100 | $5,000 |
| Danny Amendola | $4,000 | $5,100 |
| Miles Boykin | $4,000 | $4,700 |
| N’Keal Harry | $4,000 | $5,300 |
| Willie Snead | $4,000 | $5,200 |
| Demarcus Robinson | $3,900 | $4,900 |
| Chris Conley | $3,700 | $4,900 |
| Dontrelle Inman | $3,700 | $5,000 |
| Isaiah Ford | $3,700 | $4,600 |
| Steven Sims | $3,400 | $4.900 |
| Cedrick Wilson | $3,200 | $5,000 |
| Gabriel Davis | $3,200 | $4,600 |
| Kenny Stills | $3,200 | $4,700 |
| Damiere Byrd | $3,000 | $4,500 |
| Isaiah McKenzie | $3,000 | $4,500 |
Wide Receiver
Weekly strategy – Michael Thomas may return this week, but at what percent. I’d be more inclined to give him a chance if the sites had given us a returning from injury discount. It isn’t happening though, so just ignore him. I believe DeAndre Hopkins could have a very good game, but he has now missed a couple of consecutive practices this week. Check his Friday practice status before using him. Or better yet, just skip both of them and use your Cowboys and Seahawks again. Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, and Amari Cooper all should be in your consideration every week at WR1. Metcalf is my favorite this week as teams may be more in on Lockett due to his three scores last week. Lest they forget that DK should have had a second score as well, if not for his bone-headed play. If you don’t choose one of those three consider target hog Keenan Allen. For WR2 I am targeting one of the following: Tyler Boyd, Will Fuller, Odell Beckham, DeVante Parker (my favorite), or Jarvis Landry. If you spend less at RB2, you may consider starting three from the above two lists. Otherwise, there are several decent WR3 options. My favorites this week are Andy Isabella, Tee Higgins, Preston Williams (if you don’t use DaVante Parker), Cole Beasley (especially if John Brown misses the game), and Laviska Shenault. Beyond them, there are a few cheap punt choices. I won’t use them unless I end up $24K+ at RB/FLEX. Danny Amendola, the Bills’ reserve options if Brown doesn’t play, and Damiere Byrd are the ones that interest me the most.
Fantasy Four Pack
Tyler Lockett, Seahawks @ MIA ($7900 DK, $7500 FD)
Three TDs and 9-100 on a team-high 13 targets, Tyler Lockett won’t reach these lofty figures every week. Still, his elite-level speed puts him into a position to break any catch into a touchdown. He has topped 90 yards and/or scored in every contest this season. Both will happen this week, just don’t count on three scores. Last year, no team gave up more WR touchdowns than Miami. They’ve improved this season, but not that much.
DK Metcalf, Seahawks @ MIA ($6800 DK, $6900 FD)
Yes, the top two WR scorers this week will come from the same team. Russell Wilson tried to get DK Metcalf two deep TDs last week. Unfortunately for DK, his nonchalance ended up in a fumbled touchback on one of those attempts. Through three weeks, Metcalf has exactly four catches each week. He has topped 90 receiving yards in each of those games and he has scored in each of those games too. I expect more catches this week, but the 90+ yards and the TD are locks as well. I will actually have more exposure to Metcalf than Lockett due to the price difference and recency bias which may have the chalk bets on Lockett instead. Still, if you want to do the triple stack with Russell, go right ahead.
Amari Cooper, Cowboys vs. CLE ($6700 DK, $7100 FD)
Amari Cooper doesn’t get to face the rotten Seahawks’ pass defense this week. Fortunately for his owners, Cleveland’s secondary isn’t much better. Opposing #1 WRs are averaging 5.3-89 against them, but only one has scored so far. That said, they have faced two mediocre offenses and a Ravens’ offense that is more run-focused. Cooper is the safest option week-to-week in this passing offense, and 7-100-1 is always in play.
Keenan Allen, Chargers @ TB ($6500 DK, $6900 FD)
Justin Herbert is already a better QB than Tyrod Taylor could ever dream of being. He also knows to throw to pepper one of the surest-handed receivers in the recent history of football in Keenan Allen. The two games that the pair have played together have featured 29 targets for Allen, including 19 last week. This has worked out to 20-228-1 for Allen over that pair of games. Tampa Bay wasn’t tested Week 1 when Michael Thomas left the game early with an injury. Since then, they have given up 13-175 to Carolina and Denver’s #1 WRs. I shouldn’t have to tell you that Herbert is already a better QB than either Teddy Bridgewater or Jeff Driskel as well. For those wanting to pivot completely from the Seahawks game, this is the easy pick.
DFS Sleepers
DeVante Parker, Dolphins vs. SEA ($5700 DK, $6500 FD)
Whoever faces Seattle this season will have to chuck the pigskin repeatedly to stay in contention. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not opposed to that, he has nothing to lose. Through three games, NINE different WRs have topped 70 receiving yards against this defense. Plus, SIX of those nine topped 100 yards against them. Devante Parker is the clear cut #1 for Fitzpatrick, so this will be his best game to date. You can even get cute and consider starting Preston Williams and Isaiah Ford as discount punt WR3 plays.
Laviska Shenault, Jaguars @ CIN ($4400 DK, $5200 FD)
I’m not going to take anything away from running back, favorite, James Robinson, but he has a great change-of-pace replacement in Laviska Shenault. Oh yeah, he also is one of the better WRs on their team as well. The new-look Cincinnati’ secondary has actually gelled faster than I expected, but with Joe Burrow throwing the ball nearly 50 times per week, opposing offenses will throw the ball a ton too. A shootout environment can also be foreseen here since Burrow’s Bengals will be facing gunslinger Gardner Minshew. Between carries and catches, Shenault should have little trouble reaching 3x value in a poor man’s Percy Harvin sort of way.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Travis Kelce | $6,800 | $7,600 |
| Mark Andrews | $6,000 | $7,400 |
| Tyler Higbee | $5,700 | $6,000 |
| Jared Cook | $5,400 | $6,300 |
| Darren Waller | $5,200 | $6,700 |
| Mike Gesicki | $5,100 | $5,700 |
| T.J. Hockenson | $4,800 | $5,400 |
| Hunter Henry | $4,600 | $6,100 |
| Evan Engram | $4,400 | $5,600 |
| Dalton Schultz | $4,300 | $4,900 |
| Greg Olsen | $4,100 | $5,000 |
| Austin Hooper | $4,000 | $5,100 |
| Mo Alie-Cox | $3,900 | $5,300 |
| Jimmy Graham | $3,800 | $5,300 |
| Rob Gronkowski | $3,600 | $5,200 |
| Dawson Knox | $3,500 | $4,600 |
| Drew Sample | $3,500 | $4,700 |
| Jack Doyle | $3,500 | $5,000 |
| Logan Thomas | $3,500 | $4,900 |
| Tyler Eifert | $3,500 | $4,800 |
| Tyler Kroft | $3,400 | $4,700 |
| Jordan Akins | $3,300 | $4,900 |
| Kyle Rudolph | $3,300 | $4,800 |
| Ian Thomas | $3,000 | $4,400 |
| Jacob Hollister | $2,900 | $4,000 |
Tight End
Weekly strategy – I find myself looking at the top prices on the TE chart and questioning how Mike Gesicki, T.J. Hockenson, Hunter Henry, and Dalton Schultz are among the ten highest-priced. Even more amazingly, those are my favorite plays this week at the position. I don’t mind Travis Kelce at a reduced price, but he still has the specter of Bill Belichick staring at him. Mark Andrews also has a ridiculously low DK price, but his hands-of-stone showing last Monday has me fearing something is amiss in the city of Baltimore. Even Tyler Higbee has a reasonable price tag, but the Giants’ tight end coverage has been surprisingly effective this year. Gesicki and Schultz will probably be my top-two in terms of usage. I also will go to the Drew Sample well again despite his poor showing last week. Outside of that consider Jordan Akins and the Buffalo and Jacksonville TEs as potential punt fodder. Perhaps, you could even consider Ian Thomas, he is facing the Cardinals.
Fantasy Four Pack
Mark Andrews, Ravens @ WAS ($6000 DK, $7400 FD)
Yes, the drops Monday night were concerning. This is still Mark Andrews though. He has shown remarkable hands throughout his short career, so we can likely chalk up Monday to a fluke. The DK $6K price is absurdly low against Washington, but I don’t love the FD $7.4K. Coming off of a bad game, expect Lamar Jackson to pepper his favorite target early and often. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him lock up a pair of scores here.
Travis Kelce, Chiefs vs. NE ($6800 DK, $7600 FD)
Travis Kelce managed to put up a quality line against the tough as nails Ravens last week. He now was 85 or more receiving yards and/or a score in each game. New England does like to attempt to shut down a team’s best weapon, and they were successful in said goal against Darren Waller two weeks back. Still, Kelce has fared well against NE in the past averaging 5.7-52-0.5 over six games. Not elite trends, but certainly worth some exposure.
Tyler Higbee, Rams vs. NYG ($5700 DK, $6000 FD)
As I mentioned above, the Giants haven’t been horrible against opposing TEs. That alone raises a little worry in me. Nevertheless, the slate is a little thin up top. That elevates Tyler Higbee into a safe TE3/4 spot. Plus, the Giants stats may be slightly skewed here. They were dominant against the opposing TEs the first two weeks, but last week Jordan Reed and Ross Dwelley combined for 6-72. You don’t have to look far into recent history, last year they finished with the third-most TDs allowed to the position. I expect Los Angeles to run the ball a lot this game, but I also expect them to get Higbee back into the game script too.
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins vs. SEA ($5100 DK, $5700 FD)
Throughout this article, you’ve witnessed me bad-mouth Seattle’s pass defense repeatedly. Their TE defense doesn’t get a pass either. Their numbers look decent because their opponents have decimated them via the WR route, with nine WRs topping 70 receiving yards. When you look at the Dolphins’ offense, Mike Gesicki is no worse than their #3 option in the passing game. He has scored in back-to-back games and he went ham in Week 2 for 8-130 on 11 targets. There is a pretty clear path to targets here, and an even easier path to yardage.
DFS Sleepers
Dalton Schultz, Cowboys vs. CLE ($4300 DK, $4900 FD)
Even as the tenth-highest priced TE on DK this week, Dalton Schultz projects as a value. Cleveland finished last season allowing the second-most scores to the position. They are only fourth-worst in TDs allowed so far this season. Of course, they have also allowed the third-most receptions and tenth-highest number of receiving yards to the position through three weeks. Schultz’s numbers dipped from Week 2 to Week 3 as Cedrick Wilson stole the spotlight inside. I expect his numbers to trend back up here.
Drew Sample, Bengals vs. JAX ($3500 DK, $4700 FD)
Yes, I am going back to the small Drew Sample size play again. It burnt me badly last week, but I still have confidence in the young Bengal. Jacksonville has given up the fifth-most yardage and fourth-most TDs to the position, so opportunities should be there. Cincy wasn’t able to use their TEs last week, as they had to stay in and block to try and keep Joe Burrow upright. It didn’t work, Burrow was still planted eight times. Jacksonville’s pass rush is nowhere near as scary as Philly’s. They have exactly one sack in each of the first three games.
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