Tag: blitzed podcast

The turkey came early this year (this past Sunday), and his name was Julio Jones. What a stinker from both him and Matt Ryan in arguably their easiest matchup of the season. Not the holiday pleasure that I was looking forward to. Fortunately, the afternoon slate and the primetime slate served up a healthier dose of stuffing, taters and pumpkin pie. That helped make up for my Julio induced gastric distress. Now that we have dispensed of our displeasure from this past weekend, it is time to loosen the belt and strap in the feedbag for a Turkey Day feast of fantasy football.

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions:

We get a rematch of last years’ Turkey Day opener as Chicago is traveling north to visit the Lions. Last year Chase Daniel outdueled Matthew Stafford and something called Taquan Mizzell scored a TD for the Bears, while the undead corpse of LeGarrette Blount stumbled over the stripe twice for Detroit. Blount is no longer in the league, and despite seeing proof to the opposite, I still don’t believe that Mizzell actually ever existed. Plus, Stafford is out with a broken back and Chase Daniel has found himself behind Mitch Trubisky (which is similar to being out of football in and of itself).

Trubisky is actually in play for a second straight week, and at his price, he might be a lineup staple for me. David Montgomery has done nothing this year, and not even a sharp matchup excites me to play him. He only posted 60 yards (roughly 3 YPC against Detroit earlier this year). Tarik Cohen actually is a better play with him pass-catching usage surging of late. His price and the lack of RB talent on this slate puts him in the spotlight at RB2 or FLEX. Allen Robinson will likely see a lot of Darius Slay, it didn’t keep him from a solid line a few weeks back. Still considering his price, and other better matchups, I’ll probably fade him. I’m actually more in on Anthony Miller and Taylor Gabriel as WR3/FLEX options as they have seen an uptick in targets the last couple weeks. The TE Plate is so empty for this slate, that Ben Braunecker is almost a possibility (he scored in their earlier meeting). Starting the Bears’ defense at their reduced price on DK is a MUST.

Jeff Driskel should get the start (watch his injury status) for Detroit and he is not in consideration based on the matchup. Driskel looked solid in his first couple of games, but this one is not going to shine his talents. He did post 267-1 in their earlier meeting, but that feels like a ceiling for him. Also, do not even consider David Blough if he starts. In fact, if Blough starts bench all the Lions. Bo Scarbrough looked much more comfortable as the lead back for Detroit than Ty Johnson did in their earlier meeting. I don’t love Scarbrough in this matchup, but he has FLEX appeal based on volume and his price. I could also see using J.D. McKissic at FLEX, since game flow may call for more passing than running. Ty Johnson is the green bean casserole of this slate. Everyone takes a scoop to appease whoever brought them, but no one actually eats a bite of them. Despite a small final line, Driskel did pepper Kenny Golladay, Danny Amendola and Marvin Jones with targets. Golladay got a score, and I like his chances of doing that again. Either Golladay or Jones could be a pivot from the top options at WR1/WR2, but know that they will probably split 150 yards and a single score. Amendola is a more intriguing option at WR3/FLEX. I doubt he scores, but I like him to rack up some receptions. T.J. Hockenson had zero targets last week, and he has disappeared from the game script. At least in Week 10, Hockenson saw some action. Last week, Logan Thomas got involved with a pair of catches, but he is just a guy. Don’t waste your time on any of these TEs. There is also no reason to consider the Lions’ defense, despite the hideous Trubisky chucking the rock for Chicago.

Buffalo Bills @ Dallas Cowboys:

Dak Prescott gets a second straight awful matchup. Buffalo has allowed very few QB scores this year. Dak’s best hope this week is with running one in. The DK price might entice you, but don’t overdo it. Ezekiel Elliott, on the other hand, is a stud this week and he must be in your lineup at RB1. He is the safest and best play at the position on the slate. Last week, Amari Cooper got shut down by Stephon Gilmore and now he faces off against an arguably even better, TreDavious White. Just leave Cooper on the bench. The other side of the field is more pass-friendly, so Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb are certainly WR2/WR3 options. However, much like the Lions’ offense, I wouldn’t expect more than one score between them. The Bills are also elite against TEs, so Jason Witten and Blake Jarwin should remain on your bench too. I don’t want to consider the Dallas’ defense here, as I think that Buffalo’s offense can move the ball on them.

Josh Allen is the second-best option at QB this slate. Dallas is middle-of-the-pack against the pass, but they have given up some solid days to rushing QBs. If I pivot from Drew Brees, Allen will be my choice. Devin Singletary has finally put Frank Gore out of his misery as the featured back for Buffalo. Singletary is the third-best RB on the docket, and I like him at RB2 or even at FLEX if I blow my wad on the position. Gore needs to remain out of your lineup unless Singletary hurts himself on the way to the stadium. The Cowboys have given up some solid days to slot receivers, and Cole Beasley has the revenge-game narrative working for him. I will have as many WR3 shares of him as possible. John Brown is also in play with his game-breaking speed. That said, opposing WR1s have not posted huge lines against Dallas all season, so he isn’t my first choice. Dawson Knox has the second-best matchup among TEs on this slate. If you don’t want to pay up for Jared Cook, just roster Knox and count your cash. I don’t mind playing the Buffalo defense here, but they are not my first choice.

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons:

We get another rematch from 2018 here. Last year, everyone, not named, Michael Thomas, scored a TD for New Orleans. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan had a huge day throwing the ball, while his team ran the ball like they were all Kalen Ballage.

Drew Brees had a poor Week 10 matchup against Atlanta. He didn’t throw for a ton of yards, and he also didn’t score any passing TDs. Somehow, Michael Thomas and Jared Cook both finished with big stat lines though. I expect this week to go much smoother for Brees, and he is my QB1 on the slate. Alvin Kamara is the RB2 on the slate, but his odd (STUPID) usage last week really leaves me scratching my head. If I am forced to choose between Kamara and Zeke, I will go with Zeke, just in case Sean Payton decides to use more Latavius Murray again here. Speaking of Murray, he makes a decent FLEX option, if you don’t go with Cohen or Singletary. Michael Thomas catches all the passes, making him the easy WR1. Ted Ginn is always in play as a FLEX, I’m not going to dig as far as Tre’Quan Smith though. Jared Cook is the obvious TE1 on this slate. If I cannot afford him, I’ll go with Dawson Knox. That said, the DK price is certainly doable. I could see using the New Orleans’ defense, but I feel better about using the Bears, at least at DK.

The Falcons’ value will be determined by whether or not Marshon Lattimore plays for New Orleans. If he is out this week, then bump up the value of all the Falcons’ passing game weapons. If Lattimore plays, Julio Jones might get shut down. Either way, Matt Ryan is in play at QB3 on the slate. Brian Hill has been an abject failure at RB. Qadree Ollison is clearly the goal line back anyways. Plus, New Orleans is elite against the run. There is always a chance that Devonta Freeman returns as well, but that just further muddies an already ugly situation. As I said above, Julio Jones will be an A+ start if there is no Marshon Lattimore. If Lattimore plays, Julio falls to C-grade at best. Either way, Calvin Ridley is the safer option. Ridley will likely fight with Kenny Golladay and John Brown as my choice at WR2. Russell Gage got a ton of targets last week. He is certainly in play at WR3/FLEX. A healthy Austin Hooper would be the easy TE1 slate on this slate. I doubt he will play. Jaeden Graham will likely get the start, and he has some value as the #3 TE on my board. The Falcons’ defense is improved, but not enough for me to play them here.

Here are my recommended lineups.

At DK: $6.2K for Josh Allen, $13.2K for Ezekiel Elliott and Devin Singletary, $9.1K for Michael Thomas, $6.6K for Calvin Ridley, $4.7K for Cole Beasley, $2.9K for Dawson Knox, $4.7K for Bo Scarbrough at FLEX, and $2.5K for the Bears defense.

At FD: $7.8K for Allen, $16.7K for Zeke and Alvin Kamara, $7.1K for Golladay, Ridley for $6.5K, and Beasley for $5.8K, $4.5K for Knox. $6.6K for Singletary at FLEX, and $5K for the Bears defense.

At Fanball (featuring SuperFlex): Drew Brees, Allen at SF, Kamara, Zeke, Singletary at FLEX, Michael Thomas, Beasley, and Danny Amendola at WR, and Knox.

At Fantasy Draft: Brees, Elliott, Kamara, Thomas, Beasley, Knox, Amendola, Bo Scarbrough, and the Bears’ Defense.

Quarterback

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Drew Brees	$6,800	$8,500
Matt Ryan	$6,400	$7,700
Josh Allen	$6,200	$7,800
Matthew Stafford	$6,000	$7,500
Dak Prescott	$5,700	$8,200
Jeff Driskel	$5,500	$7,000
Mitchell Trubisky	$5,300	$6,800
David Blough	$4,200	$6,000

Weekly strategy – Drew Brees and Josh Allen are the best plays. Matt Ryan is a possible pivot. Avoid Jeff Driskel and Dak Prescott. I can see using Mitch Trubisky as a punt.

Pay to Play:

Drew Brees, Saints @ ATL ($6800 DK, $8500 FD)
Atlanta held Drew Brees to an underwhelming 287-0 in their earlier meeting. This falls below his career average of just over 300 yards per game against the Falcons. In two meetings last year, Brees finished with nine total scores. He won’t get nine here, but three or four is certainly in play as the safest start on the list.

Stay Away:

Jeff Driskel, Lions vs. CHI ($5500 DK, $7000 FD)
First off, Driskel is dinged up. Secondly, Driskel is not very good. Third, Chicago has a stingy defense and a good pass rush. I wouldn’t play Dak Prescott either this week, in case you thought about that angle.

Value Play:

Mitchell Trubisky, Bears @ DET ($5300 DK, $6800 FD)
In four career games against Detroit, Mitchell Trubisky has nine touchdowns and only four turnovers. Compare that to his other 32 career regular season games where he has 38 total TDs and 39 turnovers. Meanwhile, Detroit has allowed three or more passing TDs in four of their last six contests. This included a three-touchdown day for Trubisky in Week 10.

Running Back

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Alvin Kamara	$8,100	$8,300
Ezekiel Elliott	$7,400	$8,400
Devin Singletary	$5,800	$6,600
Latavius Murray	$5,600	$6,200
David Montgomery	$5,400	$5,900
Devonta Freeman	$5,100	$6,200
Tarik Cohen	$5,000	$6,400
Tony Pollard	$4,900	$5,200
Bo Scarbrough	$4,700	$6,100
Brian Hill	$4,400	$5,500
Qadree Ollison	$4,100	$5,800
Frank Gore	$3,900	$5,400
J.D. McKissic	$3,700	$5,200
Ty Johnson	$3,500	$4,900
Kenjon Barner	$3,200	$5,100

Weekly strategy – I’m going to attempt to roster all three of: Ezekiel Elliott, Alvin Kamara and Devin Singletary. If I cannot afford all three, Kamara will likely be the odd man out. Tarik Cohen, Bo Scarbrough, J.D. McKissic and Latavius Murray are the only other guys I will consider for the FLEX.

Pay to Play:

Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. BUF ($7400 DK, $8400 FD)
It is tough to move the ball through the air against Buffalo. Fortunately for Dallas, it is fairly easy to move the ball on the ground against them. If you ignore the crappy Kalen Ballage performance in Week 11, Buffalo has allowed an average of 5.7 rushing yards per carry to opposing RBs over their other prior four games. Ezekiel Elliott will need to drive this offense to keep Dallas in this one. On a thin slate, he is far-and-away the safest option.

Stay Away:

David Montgomery, Bears @ DET ($5400 DK, $5900 FD)
Despite facing three middling or worse defenses in: Detroit, the Giants and the Rams the last three weeks, David Montgomery averaged a crappy 2.6 YPC. On the year, Montgomery has only topped 70 yards rushing once. This game sniffs of fool’s gold for him.

Value Play:

Tarik Cohen, Bears @ DET ($5000 DK, $6400 FD)
Now that we have stressed how bad David Montgomery has been, let’s consider his running mate, Tarik Cohen, and how well he has performed. He doesn’t have as many touches as Montgomery recently, but he has arguably done more with the ones he has been given. Either way, Cohen is undoubtedly the pass-catching option in this split backfield. This plays nicely into the matchup since Detroit has allowed six different RB groups to record five or more receptions. They also have given up 70+ RB receiving yards six times, and they have allowed seven running back receiving TDs.

Wide Receiver

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Michael Thomas	$9,100	$9,200
Julio Jones	$7,300	$7,800
Allen Robinson II	$6,700	$7,700
Calvin Ridley	$6,600	$6,500
John Brown	$6,300	$6,600
Kenny Golladay	$6,100	$7,100
Amari Cooper	$6,000	$7,900
Michael Gallup	$5,500	$6,800
Marvin Jones Jr.	$5,300	$6,400
Randall Cobb	$5,000	$6,000
Cole Beasley	$4,700	$5,800
Russell Gage	$4,500	$5,400
Taylor Gabriel	$4,300	$5,400
Danny Amendola	$4,100	$5,400
Anthony Miller	$3,900	$5,300
Ted Ginn Jr.	$3,800	$5,200
Tre’Quan Smith	$3,500	$4,500

Weekly strategy – Michael Thomas’ salary is high, but he deserves to be your WR1, if you can fit him under the cap. If not, Kenny Golladay makes a nice pivot. You could also consider Allen Robinson or John Brown. Calvin Ridley should be your WR2. Cole Beasley is my favorite WR3. I also like Danny Amendola, Russell Gage, Taylor Gabriel and Anthony Miller. Any of them could be my FLEX, if I don’t go 3RB.

Pay to Play:

Michael Thomas, Saints @ ATL ($9100 DK, $9200 FD)
The price for Michael Thomas is high, but much like Christian McCaffrey every week, it will be hard to fade him. Even with Brees struggling in their earlier meeting, Thomas hauled in 13 of his 14 targets for 152 yards. This was the fourth time in seven career meetings that Thomas had topped 100 yards against the Falcons. Thursday will run that number to five of eight.

Stay Away:

Amari Cooper, Cowboys vs. BUF ($6000 DK, $7900 FD)
Amari Cooper’s collection of minor injuries haven’t slowed him down, but the tough matchups have finally caught up with him. Stephon Gilmore took him completely out last week, and now he gets to lock horns with the equally tough, Tre’Davious White. The Bills’ secondary has held four different teams under ten total WR receptions. Not by one wide receiver, but by the entire franchise. It has actually been slot receivers who have had the most success against this defense. So, if you need to choose one part of the Cowboys’ passing attack, choose Randall Cobb.

Value Play:

Cole Beasley, Bills @ DAL ($4700 DK, $5800 FD)
Revenge game in play here for Cole Beasley. Plus, Dallas has given up some solid games to opposing slot receivers this year. With the game in Dallas, you know that Buffalo will do everything to get Beasley a TD. Considering that Beasley has scored in four of his last six contests, that touchdown seems like a lock.

Tight End

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Austin Hooper	$5,900	$6,600
Jared Cook	$4,800	$6,700
T.J. Hockenson	$3,400	$4,700
Jason Witten	$3,300	$5,500
Jaeden Graham	$3,100	$4,900
Blake Jarwin	$3,000	$4,800
Dawson Knox	$2,900	$4,500
Logan Thomas	$2,900	$4,700
Ben Braunecker	$2,800	$4,600

Weekly strategy – If Austin Hooper plays, I’d consider him. Otherwise, Jared Cook is as safe as it gets. If I don’t use him, I will likely use Dawson Knox or Jaeden Graham.

Pay to Play:

Jared Cook, Saints @ ATL ($4800 DK, $6700 FD)
The tight ends on this slate are awful. Jared Cook is the only one that is truly safe. Atlanta has allowed every quality TE they have faced to put up a solid line. This included giving up 6-74 to Cook back in Week 10. As the season has progressed, Drew Brees has started to trust Cook more. In fact, he has moved up to option three in this passing offense, behind Michael Thomas and Michael Thomas.

Stay Away:

Jason Witten, Cowboys vs. BUF ($3300 DK, $5500 FD)
Buffalo has allowed only one TE touchdown all season. Plus, they are giving up an average of only 3-33 to the position. Jason Witten struggled with holding onto the ball in the icky weather last week. He won’t have the weather to blame this week, but I still don’t trust him in this spot.

Value Play:

Dawson Knox, Bills @ DAL ($2900 DK, $4500 FD)
Dawson Knox has been hardly reliable this year. That said, this slate is devoid of any talent in a great spot. Knox has the physical tools, if not the opportunity. Plus, Dallas’ secondary has the lack of physical tools necessary to make Knox a nice sleeper. Prior to putting a cap on the Lions and Patriots the last two weeks, the Dallas defense had allowed an average of 6.4-63 to the position, including five TDs.

Well, last week was certainly a fun week. I had a rough start to the day but finished up with a big payday on Fanball. While it certainly wasn’t my biggest payday ever, it always feels remarkable to take down a GPP. But instead of taking down just one GPP, I managed to take down the four largest GPPs on the Fanball Super Flex slate. Incorporating Super Flex into full slate DFS is one of the things that I really enjoy about playing on Fanball. If you want to try your luck in that format, visit fanball.com. As always, you can find my non-Super Flex Fanball lineup below along with my recommended lineups for DraftKings, FanDuel, and FantasyDraft. Also, remember that next week we will have a bonus Dominator to help you set your Turkey Day lineups.

The Evening Slate:

The NFL flexed Green Bay at the 49ers into SNF. This should be a fun game. Both of these teams have quality offenses, and both have some cracks in their defensive armor. San Francisco has effectively shut down most of the QBs they have faced this year. However, in the last three weeks, they have faced Kyler Murray twice and Russell Wilson. These two have effectively caused San Fran fits with their ability to run the ball. Aaron Rodgers is hardly a running QB, but he is capable of scrambling, and he has his share of short-yardage TDs for his career. Rodgers is likely safe for 250-2 through the air, and he might score one on the ground. Jimmy Garoppolo has arguably the best matchup on this slate, and he didn’t seem to slump last week without George Kittle and with a dinged-up Emmanuel Sanders. I like Jimmy G. to approach 300 yards and throw for three TDs in this spot. The Niners’ run defense left the building five weeks ago. So, both Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are in play here, although neither is a blow-up play. I obviously lean towards Jones, but I could go with either of them at RB2. RB1 will be Tevin Coleman unless Matt Breida actually suits up. Green Bay is abhorrent against the run. If Breida plays, Jones likely becomes RB1 and Coleman and Breida are still both in play at both RB2 or FLEX. Every WR1 to face Green Bay has had success (especially the speedy ones). Sanders should post solid numbers here, a week further removed from his rib injury. If he was fully healthy, he would be the consensus WR1 here. With the injury, he still is a safe WR2. I am excited to play Deebo Samuel again this week. I have him with another 6-100-1 game and feel he actually has more upside than Sanders. I also like Kendrick Bourne, but would only use him as a FLEX, if I need to save money. Davante Adams is unplayable against this defense. Opposing #1 WRs have done NOTHING since Week 3. The best line over that span was 5-38. Christian Kirk (2x), Cooper Kupp, D.J. Moore, Tyler Lockett, Odell Beckham, and Terry McLaurin have all stunk up the joint against SF. WR2s have fared slightly better against the Niners, so Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison could be used at FLEX. That said, they have both done nothing recently to suggest they are worth playing here. I feel better about rolling out Allen Lazard at WR3/FLEX. Kittle (if he plays) will abuse this defense. If he doesn’t play, we will see another huge output from Ross Dwelley, since Green Bay is almost as bad at covering TEs as Arizona. Meanwhile, the 49ers have shut down almost every TE they have faced. So, Jimmy Graham is an easy pass here as the worst TE option on this slate. I’ll wait until Monday to choose my defense.

Monday night will be an interesting game. Los Angeles has allowed 45 rushing yards to opposing QBs. That is not per game – that is for the ENTIRE SEASON. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson has topped that rushing figure in every game except Week 1. In fact, he topped that figure on ONE carry against Cincy two weeks ago. It should be noted that the Rams have faced only one “rushing” QB this year, and that was Russell Wilson. If you take his numbers out of the equation, the Rams have allowed 12 QB rushing yards on 18 carries this year. So, this defense may be tough enough to put a slight muzzle around Jackson’s MVP campaign. Making matters worse, the Rams have allowed zero or one QB score in eight of ten games. So, even the Jackson TDs shouldn’t be presumed here. I expect talent alone to carry Jackson to a pair of TDs, but this may be his worst overall line of the year. The Ravens are equally stingy to opposing QBs. Only one team has scored more than one quarterback TD against this defense and that was back in Week 3. Jared Goff has been on a downward spiral recently and I just cannot trust him to throw for more than 200-1 here. That may be his ceiling this week. The Ravens have been bested by opposing RBs this year. So, Todd Gurley is a possible RB2 option, but I will likely use him as my FLEX. The Rams have been above average against the run, but they can be beaten (especially through the air). Mark Ingram is a capable receiver out of the backfield, so he could also be in RB2/FLEX consideration. That said, he will be much higher owned than Gurley, so I will likely lean towards Todd instead. With Goff shut down, the only WR I would trust here is Cooper Kupp. Slot receivers have fared well against this defense. His ownership could be down this week, following two awful performances. Use this to your advantage as you roll out Kupp at WR1. I’m not going to trust Robert Woods and his “personal situation” or Brandin Cooks fresh off of injury, in what will be a low-scoring contest. If Cooks and Woods are both out, Josh Reynolds might get slight FLEX appeal, otherwise he is firmly on your bench. Opposing WR1s have done zilch against the Rams. So, Marquise Brown has to stay on your bench. There isn’t another WR to trust here either. If there is a passing TD for Jackson here, it will go a TE. The Rams have given up huge games to every decent TE they have faced. I love Mark Andrews and he is the clear TE2 on this slate. Considering, the weak WR corps, I would also consider playing both Andrews and whoever starts for San Francisco. Gerald Everett played sparingly last week due to a wrist injury. This week he faces a team that has been very good against opposing TEs. I’m not counting on much here for him. He is TE3 at best this week. I could see playing either defense here, but Baltimore should be the more popular option. I lean towards the Ravens’ defense as well.

The Main Slate:

Quarterback sucks this week. Matt Ryan is an easy A+ play, but outside of him, it is a black hole. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston both look good on paper but each feels like a trap. Drew Brees and Derek Carr will likely be my pivot plays from Ryan. I could also consider Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield if I need to save money (or as my Super Flex play on Fanball). That said, their FD price isn’t much of a discount. Ryan Fitzpatrick on DK is the only punt play that I truly trust. If I want to be really ballsy, I might consider a roster with Dwayne Haskins or Chase Daniel. If I did, I’d have to hyper stack the rest of the lineup with superstars. Ryan, Brees and Carr will run 13% at DK and 14% on FD.

I may actually be forced to pass on Christian McCaffrey this week. He’ll still get his 20+ points, I just don’t see any route to 3x for him here. Alvin Kamara, on the other hand, is due a blow-up here at $2K less. Nick Chubb and Saquan Barkley are possible pivots, but I’m not 100% sold on either crushing it. If James Conner was playing, he has a good matchup, I just highly doubt he plays. If he is ruled out for this game, Jaylen Samuels suddenly becomes a strong RB2 option. I might use a Conner-less Samuels in that spot, or I may pair Kamara with Derrick Henry (DK only), LeVeon Bell or Joe Mixon. David Montgomery and Phillip Lindsay could also be in RB2 consideration, but I’d rather not be over-invested in either of them. I actually kind of hope that Montgomery doesn’t play, because then I can use Tarik Cohen at FLEX. Another possible FLEX is Derrius Guice, especially if Adrian Peterson ends up missing this game due to injury or healthy scratch. I would also have some FLEX appeal in Ronald Jones and Bo Scarbrough. Kamara paired with Henry, Bell or Mixon would run me no more than 30% on DK and 28% on FD. If you choose a FLEX from here keep them under 10%. When you do use C-Mac, consider pairing him with someone in the $5.5K range.

Mike Evans, Michael Thomas and Odell Beckham are all fair pivot plays from the mortal lock WR1 this week, Julio Jones. My feeling is that my WR2 will be from this list: Jarvis Landry, Jamison Crowder, Tyrell Williams and Davante Parker. I like several options at the WR3/FLEX range including: Hunter Renfrow, James Washington, Robby Anderson, Taylor Gabriel, Russell Gage and even Chris Conley. Jones and Landry (my favorite WR2 option) will run me 29% on DK and 25.5% on FD. I wouldn’t spend more than 10% on either WR3 or FLEX here.

Tight end is not pretty this week. The best play may be Ryan Griffin. I don’t mind Jacob Hollister or Jared Cook as pivots but Griffin is just in a better spot. With O.J. Howard in the permanent doghouse, I may also use Cameron Brate. Punt plays that I don’t hate include: Mike Gesicki, Vance McDonald, Dawson Knox and Jaeden Graham. I wouldn’t consider spending more than 9% here.

The Bills, Saints, and Lions are the safest plays but don’t sleep on the Falcons. None of those four will top 7% on DK and the highest priced one is only 8.3% on FD. The Falcons make a nice cheaper option on FD at just over 7%.

Here are my recommended lineups.

At DK: $6.7K for Matt Ryan. $8.2K for Alvin Kamara. $5.2K for Philip Lindsay. $8K for Julio Jones. $4.8K for Robby Anderson. $4.5K for Hunter Renfrow. $4.2K for Ryan Griffin. $5K or less for FLEX. $3.4K for the Bills’ defense.

At FD: $7.9K for Ryan. $8.3K for Kamara. $7.3K for LeVeon Bell. $15.3K total for Julio and Jarvis Landry. $5.9K for Renfrow at WR3. $5.6K for Griffin. $5.4K or less for FLEX (leaning Robby Anderson or Derrius Guice). $4.3K for the Falcons’ defense.

At Fanball (includes Sun Night): Ryan, Kamara, Derrick Henry, Julio, Renfrow, Allen Lazard, Ross Dwelley (assuming no Kittle, otherwise Cameron Brate), LeVeon, and the Falcons’ defense.

At Fantasy Draft (includes Sun Night): Ryan, Kamara, Saquan Barkley, Julio, Lazard, Dwelley (assuming no Kittle), Henry, David Montgomery (or Guice), and the Steelers’ defense.

Quarterback

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Russell Wilson	$6,800	$8,200
Matt Ryan	$6,700	$7,900
Drew Brees	$6,600	$8,500
Josh Allen	$6,400	$7,800
Matthew Stafford	$6,300	$7,900
Jameis Winston	$6,200	$7,600
Derek Carr	$6,100	$7,400
Dak Prescott	$6,000	$8,100
Tom Brady	$6,000	$7,700
Baker Mayfield	$5,900	$7,500
Sam Darnold	$5,800	$7,400
Daniel Jones	$5,700	$7,500
Carson Wentz	$5,600	$7,300
Jeff Driskel	$5,500	$7,300
Mason Rudolph	$5,500	$6,900
Nick Foles	$5,400	$7,200
Ryan Tannehill	$5,300	$7,100
Kyle Allen	$5,200	$6,600
Mitchell Trubisky	$5,100	$7,000
Chase Daniel	$5,000	$6,000
Ryan Fitzpatrick	$5,000	$7,100
Dwayne Haskins Jr.	$4,900	$6,700
Ryan Finley	$4,700	$6,300
Brandon Allen	$4,600	$6,600

Weekly strategy – Matt Ryan is the obvious play. I will also have some exposure to Drew Brees, Derek Carr, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield. Darnold is my favorite play from the pivot options. I could also see doing a cheap punt with Mason Rudolph, Ryan Fitzpatrick (DK Only), Dwayne Haskins or Chase Daniel. That said, Haskins and Daniel won’t come into play unless I intend to target a big package including four or more high dollar studs.

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Matt Ryan, Falcons vs. TB ($6700 DK, $7900 FD)
Over their last eight games, Tampa Bay has allowed a total of 26 QB scores. In addition, they are allowing 317 passing yards per game during that span. Matt Ryan has topped 300 passing yards in six of his last eight contests against Tampa Bay. This includes throwing for a combined 733-5 in two games last year. I have Ryan on 350-3 here, with 160-2 of that heading to Julio Jones.

Drew Brees, Saints vs. CAR ($6600 DK, $8500 FD)
The Panthers are actually pretty solid at keeping QBs out of the end zone with their passes. That said, they have given up huge passing yardage numbers in four of their last six games. Pairing that, with a surging Drew Brees should equate to a solid performance. Just don’t expect 300-3.

Sam Darnold, Jets vs. OAK ($5800 DK, $7400 FD)
It should stand out pretty clear and obvious how rough this slate is when Sam Darnold is the #3 QB in my rankings. I actually will have a ton of exposure to him as a smart pivot from Matt Ryan. He needs to be stacked with either Jamison Crowder or Robby Anderson, and potentially Ryan Griffin, in what should be a high scoring game. I would not be shocked to see Darnold go for 300-3 in this game.

Derek Carr, Raiders @ NYJ ($6100 DK, $7400 FD)
If Darnold is going to go off, then you have to know that Oakland will have to throw the ball too so that they can keep this one close. The Jets have allowed 12 passing TDs over the last four weeks, so Derek Carr should have some room to work with. I really love stacking him with Hunter Renfrow this week. While you are at it, re-stack the game with Crowder too.

Sleepers:

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins @ CLE ($5000 DK, $7100 FD)
The Browns have allowed multiple QB scores to every quarterback not named Luke Falk or Mason Rudolph. Meanwhile, Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to defy the years and the talent level of his supporting cast to post meaningful numbers for Miami. With two bad defenses facing off, both QBs could be a sneaky play. I must admit though, I don’t love that FD price.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers @ CIN ($5500 DK, $6900 FD)
Coming off an atrocious Week 11, Mason Rudolph could be a sneaky play here since very few people will trust him enough to start him. Cincy is at best middle-of-the-pack against the pass, but they did allow Rudolph to throw for 229-2 earlier this year. With half of his receiving corps dealing with concussions, Rudolph could look repeatedly to Vance McDonald and James Washington, making each of them a great stack option.

Running Back

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Christian McCaffrey	$10,500	$10,500
Alvin Kamara	$8,200	$8,300
Nick Chubb	$8,100	$8,200
James Conner	$8,000	$7,100
Saquon Barkley	$7,900	$7,900
Ezekiel Elliott	$7,500	$8,100
Josh Jacobs	$7,400	$8,000
Leonard Fournette	$7,300	$7,000
Jaylen Samuels	$7,200	$6,900
Derrick Henry	$6,900	$8,400
Chris Carson	$6,700	$7,700
Le’Veon Bell	$6,400	$7,300
Latavius Murray	$6,100	$5,400
Joe Mixon	$5,900	$6,700
Kareem Hunt	$5,600	$5,600
David Montgomery	$5,500	$6,600
Devin Singletary	$5,400	$6,300
James White	$5,300	$6,100
Phillip Lindsay	$5,200	$6,300
Devonta Freeman	$5,100	$6,200
Miles Sanders	$5,000	$5,600
Brian Hill	$4,900	$5,500
Jordan Howard	$4,800	$6,100
Ronald Jones II	$4,800	$6,000
Tarik Cohen	$4,800	$5,700
Derrius Guice	$4,700	$5,400
Sony Michel	$4,600	$6,300
Royce Freeman	$4,500	$5,300
J.D. McKissic	$4,400	$5,500
Kalen Ballage	$4,400	$5,500
Adrian Peterson	$4,300	$5,800
Rashaad Penny	$4,300	$4,900
Bo Scarbrough	$4,200	$6,400
Frank Gore	$4,100	$5,400
Trey Edmunds	$3,900	$5,400
Peyton Barber	$3,800	$5,500
Rex Burkhead	$3,700	$5,400
Ty Johnson	$3,700	$4,800

Weekly strategy – Alvin Kamara is super safe since he appears to have his full workload back. I will use him almost exclusively at RB1. If I don’t use him, I may pivot to Saquan Barkley, Nick Chubb, or whoever starts for the Steelers. I could also spend big here and roster two from that list. Most of the time I will pair Kamara with Derrick Henry, LeVeon Bell, Joe Mixon or Phillip Lindsay. Other possibilities I will consider at RB2 include: David Montgomery, Miles Sanders, Tarik Cohen, Derrius Guice, Ronald Jones and Bo Scarbrough. More than likely, I will use one of those players at FLEX. I will have at least one lineup featuring Christian McCaffrey in every tourney, but I know that his price is not easily utilized this week.

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. CAR ($8200 DK, $8300 FD)
Prior to holding the Brian Hill express in check last week, Carolina had given up 12 RB scores over their prior four games. The Panthers didn’t dramatically improve, Brian Hill just proved to not be the real deal. Alvin Kamara is the real deal, and he finally got in a full game’s complement of touches last week as Latavius Murray moved back to his COP role. If this continues (and I suspect it will) this means Kamara is poised for a huge game.

Christian McCaffrey, Panthers @ NO ($10500 DK, $10500 FD)
New Orleans is one of the best teams in the league against the run. Over their last eight games, they are allowing an average of 47 yards per game on the ground to opposing RBs. The potential saving grace for Christian McCaffrey this week is that New Orleans does give up a fair amount of receptions and passing yards to opposing backs. That plays into C-Mac’s strength. I’m not going to completely fade McCaffrey. I’m just not going to be heavily invested.

Nick Chubb, Browns vs. MIA ($8100 DK, $8200 FD)
If Kareem Hunt wasn’t a thing, Nick Chubb would get the top seat this week. Chubb has basically given up passing down duty to Hunt. Fortunately for Chubb, Miami is an equal opportunity suck on defense. They can’t stop opposing backs on the ground or through the air. In a way, this actually makes Hunt a possible sleeper too. Just know that Chubb will get his 125 yards and a score in this one as well.

Saquan Barkley, Giants @ CHI ($7900 DK, $7900 FD)
The Bears’ defense use to be strong against opposing backs. Unfortunately, they have fallen apart since Week 5, struggling against RBs both on the ground and through the air. Saquan Barkley had his bye week to stew over his worst career performance in Week 10. You know that he is chomping at the bit to shed that outing and deliver a performance worthy of his draft status. This may be the cheapest that Barkley will ever be again, use him while you can.

Sleepers:

Phillip Lindsay, Broncos @ BUF ($5200 DK, $6300 FD)
You can’t throw the ball outside against Buffalo, so you might as well run the ball or dump it off to your RBs. Over the last two games, Buffalo has allowed 20 receptions to opposing backs. This includes giving up five receptions to the stone hands of Kalen Ballage. If Ballage can catch five passes against this defense, Lindsay might catch 20 himself.

Derrius Guice, Redskins vs. DET ($4700 DK, $5400 FD)
Derrius Guice is back and he instantly becomes the most electrifying RB that Washington has had on their roster in several years. Yes, Adrian Peterson is still there, but Guice can do so much more at this point in his career than AD can do at this point in his career. Peterson is also battling some nagging injuries, so there is a chance that he misses this game. Heck, he could even end up a healthy scratch if Chris Thompson is cleared too. The Lions have allowed 17 total TDs to opposing backs. This includes at least one in every single game. Guice is a lock to score, but his total yardage will be determined by whether or not Peterson plays. If Adrian sits, Guice could put up 150-2 here.

Wide Receiver

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Michael Thomas	$9,300	$9,200
Julio Jones	$8,000	$8,400
Tyler Lockett	$7,600	$7,400
Mike Evans	$7,300	$8,000
Chris Godwin	$7,200	$7,800
Odell Beckham Jr.	$7,000	$7,000
Julian Edelman	$6,900	$7,500
John Brown	$6,700	$6,500
Amari Cooper	$6,600	$7,700
Kenny Golladay	$6,600	$7,800
Allen Robinson II	$6,500	$7,500
Calvin Ridley	$6,500	$6,700
DJ Chark Jr.	$6,400	$7,000
DJ Moore	$6,400	$6,400
DK Metcalf	$6,300	$6,700
Jarvis Landry	$6,300	$6,900
Courtland Sutton	$6,200	$6,800
Jamison Crowder	$6,200	$6,500
Marvin Jones Jr.	$6,100	$7,200
JuJu Smith-Schuster	$6,000	$6,500
Terry McLaurin	$6,000	$5,800
Michael Gallup	$5,900	$6,800
Tyrell Williams	$5,900	$6,400
Golden Tate	$5,700	$6,400
Mohamed Sanu	$5,500	$5,800
Curtis Samuel	$5,400	$5,700
Darius Slayton	$5,300	$6,300
DeVante Parker	$5,200	$6,000
Diontae Johnson	$5,100	$5,600
James Washington	$5,000	$6,100
Tyler Boyd	$5,000	$5,600
Alshon Jeffery	$4,900	$6,200
Sterling Shepard	$4,900	$6,500
Randall Cobb	$4,800	$6,000
Robby Anderson	$4,800	$5,400
A.J. Brown	$4,700	$5,300
Dede Westbrook	$4,600	$5,300
Hunter Renfrow	$4,500	$5,900
Cole Beasley	$4,400	$5,300
Danny Amendola	$4,400	$5,700
Corey Davis	$4,300	$5,200
Josh Gordon	$4,200	$5,100
Taylor Gabriel	$4,200	$5,600
Auden Tate	$4,100	$5,300
Chris Conley	$4,100	$5,700
Nelson Agholor	$4,100	$4,800
Phillip Dorsett II	$4,100	$5,400
Alex Erickson	$4,000	$4,700
Paul Richardson Jr.	$4,000	$5,000
Ted Ginn Jr.	$4,000	$5,200
Adam Humphries	$3,900	$5,300
Russell Gage	$3,900	$5,300
Demaryius Thomas	$3,800	$5,200
Tim Patrick	$3,000	$5,400

Weekly strategy – Julio Jones is a lock at WR1. The only players I will pivot from him with are Michael Thomas and Odell Beckham. If I could fit two of them in my lineup, I’d be happy to. I know that won’t likely happen, but it would be fun. The best secondary option would be fitting Jarvis Landry or Jamison Crowder in at WR2. There are several other players I like including: the Oakland receivers, Robby Anderson, DeVante Parker, Chris Conley, James Washington, Taylor Gabriel and Russell Gage. Gage will really be an interesting choice if you want to go mega-stack with Ryan-Julio-Falcons’ defense.

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Julio Jones, Falcons vs. TB ($8000 DK, $8400 FD)
In 14 career games against Tampa, Julio Jones has averaged 7.3 catches and 121 receiving yards per game. He also has 11 career receiving TDs against this secondary. Now fast forward to the present, this may be the worst secondary that Tampa has ever suited up against Julio. They have been destroyed by every WR1 not named Corey Davis. This includes a ridiculous 27-404-6 allowed to opposing WR1s over their last three games. Julio Jones has one career 250-yard game against this defense. He may repeat that feat this week. This is going to be chalk as hell, but with a floor of 8-130-1, you can’t fade him.

Michael Thomas, Saints vs. CAR ($9300 DK, $9200 FD)
Michael Thomas has double-digit targets in eight of ten games this year. He has also posted a minimum of 8 catches and 89 yards in all but one game. Of course, in that game, he still scored. The Panthers have allowed more than 240 WR receiving yards in four of their last six games. Thomas is option A, B and C in the Saints’ passing game. So, he could be in for another big game. If I go cheap at RB (and I’m not eager to), I could attempt to roster both Thomas and Julio.

Odell Beckham, Browns vs. MIA ($7000 DK, $7000 FD)
Odell Beckham is finally cheap enough and in a great matchup. Only two WR1s have failed to score at least one TD against the Dolphins’ pass defense. Beckham is finally starting to see a worthy target share. Against a lighter opponent such as this, he should finally hit pay dirt. Jarvis Landry is also a great play here if you can’t afford Beckham.

Mike Evans, Buccaneers @ ATL ($7300 DK, $8000 FD)
Only one WR1 to face Atlanta has not topped 100 yards, scored, or both. Mike Evans is averaging 5.6-86 with eight total TDs, in ten career games against Atlanta. Assuming that Jameis Winston doesn’t get yanked due to his INT issues, Evans should have a safe 7-75-1 floor.

Sleepers:

Jamison Crowder, Jets vs. OAK ($6200 DK, $6500 FD)
This game should be fairly high scoring since both defenses are weak. In that type of situation, I want as much exposure to the game as possible. Both Derek Carr and Sam Darnold make smart pivots from Matt Ryan (if you want to dodge the chalk). This makes both of their WR1s good stacks as well. Jamison Crowder has scored in three straight games, let’s make it four.

Hunter Renfrow, Raiders @ NYJ ($4500 DK, $5900 FD)
All the WRs are in play in this game. I especially like Hunter Renfrow since he is cheaper than Tyrell Williams. It also helps that the Jets have particularly struggled with opposing WR2s. Philip Dorsett (twice), Chris Conley, Preston Williams, Darius Slayton, and Kelvin Harmon have all made mincemeat of this defense. I like Renfrow to post 6-75-1 as a floor here.

Tight End

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Zach Ertz	$6,000	$6,100
Darren Waller	$5,700	$6,200
Evan Engram	$5,200	$6,400
Jared Cook	$4,500	$6,000
Jacob Hollister	$4,300	$5,800
Ryan Griffin	$4,200	$5,600
Greg Olsen	$4,100	$5,100
Noah Fant	$3,900	$5,100
Delanie Walker	$3,800	$5,400
Dallas Goedert	$3,700	$5,200
Cameron Brate	$3,600	$5,400
Jonnu Smith	$3,600	$5,300
Jason Witten	$3,500	$5,300
Vance McDonald	$3,500	$5,300
Mike Gesicki	$3,400	$5,000
T.J. Hockenson	$3,400	$4,900
Jaeden Graham	$3,300	$4,500
O.J. Howard	$3,300	$5,000
Ben Watson	$3,100	$5,300
Tyler Eifert	$3,100	$5,000
Dawson Knox	$3,000	$4,800
Rhett Ellison	$3,000	$5,000
Foster Moreau	$2,800	$4,700
Ben Braunecker	$2,700	$4,500

Weekly strategy – I hate almost all the TEs this week. Ryan Griffin has the greatest upside and crumb bums like Jared Cook and Jacob Hollister are among the top options. I also like Cameron Brate, Vance McDonald, Mike Gesicki, Ben Watson and the ultimate punt, Jaeden Graham. The best thing you can do here is just pray for a score.

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Ryan Griffin, Jets vs. OAK ($4200 DK, $5600 FD)
Presenting, your TE1 for the week (weak)…Ryan Griffin? Geesh, this is ugly, right? Actually, the ugly is Oakland’s handling of opposing TEs. Six teams have topped 65 TE receiving yards against them, and they have allowed four TE scores over their last five games.

Jared Cook, Saints vs. CAR ($4500 DK, $6000 FD)
Carolina is beatable by opposing TEs. Both mediocre and quality opposition has posted solid yardage and reception numbers against this defense. Jared Cook is starting to re-gel with Drew Brees, so he is as good a play as anyone this week. I like the DK price a lot more than the FD price, but Cook might still be a little over-owned on an otherwise weak TE slate.

Zach Ertz, Eagles vs. SEA ($6000 DK, $6100 FD)
This isn’t a bad matchup for Zach Ertz. In fact, I think Ertz has a solid floor of 6-60. Seattle can be beaten by opposing TEs. They have especially struggled against solid TEs (Austin Hooper, Gerald Everett and Vance McDonald). You could make the argument that Ertz is better than all three of them.

Jacob Hollister, Seahawks @ PHI ($4300 DK, $5800 FD)
Jacob Hollister could see a slight slide in targets with the returning Ed Dickson. That would be a punk move by Seattle. Hollister has looked very good in relief of the injured Will Dissly, and Dickson is just a grizzled vet that has never balled out when given the extended chance. Since Week 7, Hollister is 11^th among TEs in both targets and receptions. He is also tied for second in TDs scored over that stretch. If Dickson is active, Hollister might have a slightly smaller line. That said, Hollister still should roll up about 5-50, with a chance of a score. That scarily will be top five this week.

Sleepers:

Cameron Brate, Buccaneers @ ATL ($3600 DK, $5400 FD)
With O.J. Howard in the permanent doghouse, Cameron Brate exploded back onto the scene last week. Atlanta has given up big games to similarly skilled TEs recently. I could easily see Brate have a solid game here (think 6-60, maybe a score), but he won’t post another 10-73.

Vance McDonald, Steelers @ CIN ($3500 DK, $5300 FD)
Nearly half of the Steelers’ total targets for the season, may miss this game. If that is the case, Vance McDonald quickly becomes a volume-sleeper here. Mason Rudolph has targeted him seven times in each of the last three games. That number should rise here. The Bengals started the season solid against opposing TEs, but over their last two games, they have allowed 19-237-3 to the position.

Well, last week was crazy. So many absurdist outcomes, despite the small slate of games. Fortunately for my pocketbook, the Primetime slate was one of my biggest winners of the year. Let us hope for more sanity this week or at the very least some strong alcohol to mellow our spirits. Only four teams are on bye, so we have that going for us. Of course, those four teams each have a top ten fantasy running back.

The Evening Slate:

Sunday night, Chicago faces the Rams in a battle of which team has fallen harder this season. Coming into the year, both teams were on a positive trajectory led by a young franchise QB and a bevy of young talent on both sides of the ball. Now we are looking at two teams that will be very lucky to even make the playoffs. Both teams still are very strong against the pass, so I’m going to avoid both Jared Goff and Mitch Trubisky. I’d rank them three and four on this slate. The Bears’ run defense has struggled of late, but so has every part of the Rams’ rushing offense. With better matchups on Monday, I’m not going to overuse Todd Gurley. David Montgomery has a rough spot here as well, so I’ll fade him too. Tarik Cohen is my only thought here (and then only at FLEX). I want no part of Allen Robinson lined up against Jalen Ramsey (despite their familiarity with each other). Anthony Miller and Taylor Gabriel have both been hit or miss this year (mostly miss), so I will pass on them as well. Brandin Cooks’ brain looks like cottage cheese, and he is probably closer to early retirement than playing this week. This means that Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds should see more action. Last week, Cooper Kupp was so missing that milk cartons wouldn’t even show his image. That has to change this week. I don’t love the matchup, but Kupp always has slate-breaking potential, and hopefully, players will be skittish after last week. I may have some exposure to Woods (WR1) and Reynolds (WR3), but if I do choose a Ram, it will likely be Kupp. George Everett was the actual benefactor in Cooks’ absence last week. This week, he may be under-owned with Hunter Henry and Travis Kelce available on MNF. I love him at TE here, and possibly even at FLEX. The Rams are actually pretty atrocious at covering tight ends but do you really trust any of the Bears’ group. If two members of their TE-job squad are announced as out before the game, I may consider the third option for Chicago there, but otherwise no. The Rams’ defense is the best play on this slate, but it is closer than you might think. I have Chicago ranked third behind the Chiefs.

Monday night should be more offense forward. The Chiefs are also in LA, but considering the Chargers’ apathetic fan base, we will likely see more Chiefs jerseys than powder blues in the stands. Both QBs are in play, but Pat Mahomes is the obvious preferred option. At running back, Melvin Gordon is my top option of the week, and Damien Williams is my favorite #2 choice. Austin Ekeler could be used as a FLEX, but he isn’t my first thought there. Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill should be the top two WR options on this slate. I definitely want Hill in my lineup, but if I also roster Cooper Kupp, If I do go both Hill and Allen, I’ll probably pivot from Kupp to Josh Reynolds to save money. If I go Hill and Kupp, I’ll probably consider Mike Williams as my WR3. Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson are all in play at FLEX. Obviously, both Travis Kelce and Hunter Henry are great plays. I like Henry’s recent usage a bit more, so he will be my first choice. I wouldn’t be mad if you rostered them both. Heck, on Fanball, I could see rostering both of them and Gerald Everett. The Chiefs’ defense is a sneaky pivot here from the Rams. I also don’t hate the Chargers defense, but still have them ranked fourth on this docket.

The Main Slate:

There are five choices I like this week up top: Lamar Jackson, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Dak Prescott and Josh Allen. Brees might be the best option since owners are likely afraid to play him after he crapped the bed last week. That said, Jackson has a sweet matchup and Brady may have the best matchup of them all. There isn’t much I Like that is cheap here this week. I might have some access to Kyle Allen, Sam Darnold or Derek Carr, but I’m not going to get too crazy. The above five will cost me 13-16% on DK and 13-15% on FD.

Christian McCaffrey doesn’t have as great of a matchup this week, nevertheless, he needs to be considered. That said, I won’t have as much exposure to him as I had last week. The main reason being that Ezekiel Elliott is in a blow-up spot. I also will be all over Josh Jacobs and could go big and buy them both. I will definitely have at least one of these three in all of my lineups. There aren’t many other pivot options of interest to me. Perhaps Devin Singletary, but I’m going to remain concerned that Josh Allen or Frank Gore will steal red zone touches. My preference will be to go cheap at RB2. Brian Hill will be chalky, but the matchup screams play me. If I decide to pivot away from him at RB2, I may go with J.D. McKissic or Raheem Mostert. I could also consider one of them at FLEX (although I am leaning WR this week). Zeke and Jacobs will cost you a combined 32% on DK and 27% on FD. If I go Zeke and Hill, I will only be committed at 28% on DK and 24% on FD. If I do choose C-Mac, I will likely be forced to use one of the cheaper options.

This is the week to avoid the top dollar options at WR. That said, I love both Michael Thomas and Julian Edelman and could see me trying to fit both of them into my lineup. I will have at least one of those two as my WR1. Beyond them, you have to go all the way down to Michael Gallup to find another player I really like this week. Gallup or D.J. Moore might be a pivot from Edelman at WR2 if I cannot afford both Thomas and Julian. My WR3 will likely come from this list: Curtis Samuel, Jamison Crowder, Marquise Brown, Tyler Boyd, Mohamed Sanu, Randall Cobb, Phillip Dorsett and Deebo Samuel. That group, plus Ted Ginn and Demaryius Thomas are FLEX options as well. Thomas and Edelman will run 35% on DK, but only 27% on FD, making them easier to use together there. For DK, I would probably lean Thomas and either Gallup or Moore for $1K less. Don’t spend more than 12% for WR3 and keep your FLEX under 10%.

This TE corps is awful this week. The only sure thing is George Kittle, and he may not play. Jared Cook may end up being the best performer with all the injuries and bad matchups. His DK price is reasonable, but his FD price is high. This week, I will probably go cheap and roll with Jason Witten, Kyle Rudolph (If Adam Thielen doesn’t play), T.J. Hockenson or Ross Dwelley (If Kittle doesn’t play). If I really decide to punt, I might go Tyler Eifert, Luke Stocker or Dawson Knox. If you don’t get Kittle, just keep your spending under 8% here.

The Vikings, Jets and Saints are my three favorite defenses to play this week. None will cost you more than 7% on DK or 8% On FD.

Here are my recommended lineups.

At DK: $6.9K for Drew Brees. $6.9K for Josh Jacobs. $4.8K for Brian Hill. $9.9K for Michael Thomas. $10K total for WR2 and WR3 (leaning D.J. Moore and Deebo Samuel). $3.4K for Ross Dwelley. $4.6K for J.D. McKissic at FLEX. $3.4K for the Vikings’ defense.

At FD: $7.8K for Tom Brady. $8.4K for Ezekiel Elliott. $5.9K for Hill. $16.4K total for Thomas and Julian Edelman. $6K or less for WR3 (leaning Moore). $4.9K for Dwelley. $5.6K for Hollywood Brown at FLEX. $4.7K for the Vikings’ defense.

At Fanball (includes Sun Night): Kyle Allen, Christian McCaffrey, Zeke, Thomas, Curtis Samuel, Deebo Samuel, Dwelley, Hill, and the Jets’ defense.

At Fantasy Draft (includes Sun Night): Lamar Jackson, McCaffrey, Zeke, Moore, Deebo, Dwelley, Hill, McKissic, and the Jets’ defense.

Quarterback

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Lamar Jackson	$7,700	$8,800
Drew Brees	$6,900	$8,300
Deshaun Watson	$6,800	$8,200
Dak Prescott	$6,700	$8,100
Jimmy Garoppolo	$6,700	$8,000
Josh Allen	$6,600	$7,800
Jameis Winston	$6,500	$7,600
Tom Brady	$6,400	$7,800
Kirk Cousins	$6,300	$7,700
Matt Ryan	$6,200	$7,600
Derek Carr	$6,100	$7,400
Kyler Murray	$6,100	$7,600
Matthew Stafford	$6,000	$7,900
Jacoby Brissett	$5,900	$7,500
Sam Darnold	$5,700	$7,300
Nick Foles	$5,600	$7,000
Carson Wentz	$5,400	$7,000
Kyle Allen	$5,300	$7,200
Brian Hoyer	$5,200	$6,500
Ryan Fitzpatrick	$5,100	$7,100
Ryan Finley	$5,000	$6,300
Dwayne Haskins Jr.	$4,800	$6,500
Brandon Allen	$4,700	$6,800
Jeff Driskel	$4,600	$6,700

Weekly strategy – Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson are my favorite choices this week. Dak Prescott and Josh Allen will be my pivots. I will also have a small amount of exposure to Kyle Allen or Derek Carr (DK only). Allen, in particular, could be a fine punt play if you want to spend like the Yankees elsewhere (i.e. getting Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott and Michael Thomas).

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Lamar Jackson, Ravens vs. HOU ($7700 DK, $8800 FD)
Prior to keeping the Gardner Minshew-led Jaguars out of the end zone, Houston allowed 14 QB touchdowns over their prior four games. Lamar Jackson has been elite all year. Racking up points both on the ground and through the air. His scoring only appreciates in value when he adds on TDs. He has seven of those in just his last two games. Expect 200-2, and 80-1 here in a slate leading game.

Drew Brees, Saints @ TB ($6900 DK, $8300 FD)
Odds are that people will be hesitant to use Drew Brees after last weeks’ fiasco. Hopefully, that will keep his ownership down in GPPs. Tampa Bay has allowed 23 total TDs to opposing QBs since Week3 (seven games). This included a 332-4 to Teddy Bridgewater in Week 5. Brees could easily duplicate that figure.

Tom Brady, Patriots @ PHI ($6400 DK, $7800 FD)
You cannot run against Philadelphia. That said, most Pop Warner teams could throw for 300 yards against them. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will be anxious to wash away any Super Bowl memories of this matchup. Expect them to throw excessively, early and often. He probably won’t post another 500-yard passing game, but 375-3 is a safe floor.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys @ DET ($6700 DK, $8100 FD)
Detroit has allowed 15 passing TDs over their last five games. This includes nine over their last three games against: Derek Carr, Daniel Jones and Mitchell Trubisky. Dak Prescott is so much more talented than that threesome. If they can throw for three TDs. Dak is guaranteed to throw for three TDs. The only thing that may stunt Prescott’s final line is that Ezekiel Elliott may run for nearly 200 total yards as well.

Sleepers:

Sam Darnold, Jets @ WAS ($5700 DK, $7300 FD)
Washington’s defense has not allowed a ton of points to opposing QBs recently. Those numbers are slightly deceiving though. One of those games was an ugly Thursday meeting with Minnesota. One was a windy contest against San Francisco. Yet another was a battle of who wanted to lose more started against them by Josh Rosen. Prior to their recent “hot streak”, this defense allowed three passing TDs in four of five games to start the year. Sam Darnold isn’t going to blow up here, but 300-2 is certainly a possibility.

Kyle Allen, Panthers vs. ATL ($5300 DK, $7200 FD)
Atlanta allowed Drew Brees to throw for over 300 yards, but somehow managed to keep him out of the end zone. That performance was truly an outlier. Prior to that game, they had allowed multiple QB scores in every game. This included 18 over their prior five games. Kyle Allen has posted serviceable numbers in five of his seven starts. I really love the thought of pairing Allen with either Curtis Samuel or D.J. Moore. This combo would save me enough money to roster Christian McCaffrey, Michael Thomas and Ezekiel Elliott.

Running Back

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Christian McCaffrey	$10,500	$10,500
Ezekiel Elliott	$9,000	$8,400
Dalvin Cook	$8,900	$8,600
Leonard Fournette	$7,900	$7,200
Alvin Kamara	$7,400	$7,800
Le’Veon Bell	$7,200	$7,400
Josh Jacobs	$6,900	$8,000
Mark Ingram II	$6,600	$7,500
Marlon Mack	$6,400	$7,300
Latavius Murray	$6,200	$5,600
Tevin Coleman	$6,100	$6,700
Devin Singletary	$6,000	$6,500
Devonta Freeman	$5,900	$6,200
Joe Mixon	$5,500	$6,600
James White	$5,400	$6,100
Kenyan Drake	$5,400	$6,300
Phillip Lindsay	$5,300	$6,600
Ronald Jones II	$5,200	$6,400
David Johnson	$5,100	$6,200
Alexander Mattison	$5,000	$4,800
Sony Michel	$4,900	$6,300
Brian Hill	$4,800	$5,900
Royce Freeman	$4,800	$5,800
Derrius Guice	$4,700	$4,700
Jordan Howard	$4,700	$6,100
Carlos Hyde	$4,600	$6,300
J.D. McKissic	$4,600	$5,800
Adrian Peterson	$4,500	$6,300
Gus Edwards	$4,500	$4,800
Frank Gore	$4,400	$5,600
Kalen Ballage	$4,300	$5,300
Nyheim Hines	$4,200	$4,900
Miles Sanders	$4,100	$5,600
Duke Johnson	$4,000	$5,900
Chris Thompson	$3,900	$5,200
Rex Burkhead	$3,800	$4,900
Ty Johnson	$3,800	$5,400
Peyton Barber	$3,600	$5,500
Raheem Mostert	$3,400	$4,600
Darren Sproles	$3,300	$4,600

Weekly strategy – There are three top options this week: Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott and Josh Jacobs. The plan is to use at least one of these three in all of my lineups. The obvious choice is to pair one of them with a cheap volume option such as: J.D. McKissic or Brian Hill. Devin Singletary is the only other back that I will have a lot of exposure to. I’ll consider using both McKissic and Hill (or maybe Raheem Mostert) if I take my FLEX from this position.

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Christian McCaffrey, Panthers vs. ATL ($10500 DK, $10500 FD)
You know you want to do it. The Saints just recorded 12 running back receptions against this defense. Christian McCaffrey is in a golden spot to put up another 30-point performance. It may not equate to 3X, but it is hard to not love that kind of output.

Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys @ DET ($9000 DK, $8400 FD)
Ezekiel Elliott had an off day last week, against a short-handed Vikings’ run defense. Kudos to the Minnesota coaching staff for going out of their way to put a clamp down on Zeke. One of the biggest issues is that Dallas didn’t attempt to get the ball to Zeke in space via the pass. That will change this week. Detroit has allowed five different RB groups to top 70 receiving yards against them. They have also allowed at least one running back score in every game. Zeke should top 150 total yards this week and score twice as the Cowboys roll.

Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. CIN ($6900 DK, $8000 FD)
Cincinnati has allowed at least one RB score in all but one game this year. They are also allowing a 4.79 yard per carry average. Jacobs has topped 100 total yards in six of nine games. He also has three scores in the last two weeks. I like him to continue his scoring streak and top 100 yards again, but that $8K price on FD is less juicy than his DK price.

LeVeon Bell, Jets @ WAS ($7200 DK, $7400 FD)
LeVeon Bell has not been exciting this year. That said, he has been used often in the passing game. Opposing backs have racked up receptions and receiving yards against Washington all season. In addition, they have allowed opposing backs to top 100 yards in seven of nine games. Bell will haul in six passes and top 100 total yards here with a single score. Not a horrible line, I just wish he was slightly cheaper.

Sleepers:

Brian Hill, Falcons @ CAR ($4800 DK, $5900 FD)
Brian Hill will be a lock as chalk RB du jour this week. Considering the matchup, the lack of sure things this week, and his price, you can’t fade this spot. The only thing you could do is pivot to J.D. McKissic. As for me, I’m gonna eat this one and play the only healthy back on the Falcons as he faces a Carolina defense that has allowed 12 running back scores over the last four games.

J.D. McKissic, Lions vs. DAL ($4600 DK, $5800 FD)
I will have several lineups featuring both J.D. McKissic and Brian Hill paired with one of the big dollar options. McKissic is also a “last man standing”, and after seeing what the Vikings were able to do to this Dallas defense through the air with Dalvin Cook, I expect McKissic to be used heavily in the passing game this week. The Cowboys have allowed an average of 6.7-53 through the air to opposing backs, that is McKissic’s floor here, any rushing yardage is gravy.

Wide Receiver

	DraftKings	FanDuel
Michael Thomas	$9,900	$9,000
DeAndre Hopkins	$8,100	$8,300
Amari Cooper	$7,700	$8,100
Julian Edelman	$7,600	$7,400
Julio Jones	$7,500	$7,800
Mike Evans	$7,400	$8,200
Chris Godwin	$7,300	$8,000
Emmanuel Sanders	$7,200	$6,900
Stefon Diggs	$6,900	$7,300
Adam Thielen	$6,800	$7,000
Kenny Golladay	$6,700	$7,600
T.Y. Hilton	$6,600	$7,300
Michael Gallup	$6,500	$6,700
John Brown	$6,400	$5,900
DJ Chark Jr.	$6,200	$6,000
A.J. Green	$6,100	$6,600
Courtland Sutton	$6,000	$6,600
DJ Moore	$5,900	$6,000
Marvin Jones Jr.	$5,900	$6,600
Will Fuller V	$5,800	$6,300
Zach Pascal	$5,800	$6,200
Christian Kirk	$5,700	$6,200
Jamison Crowder	$5,700	$6,500
Marquise Brown	$5,600	$5,600
Terry McLaurin	$5,600	$5,500
Calvin Ridley	$5,500	$5,500
Tyrell Williams	$5,400	$6,200
Curtis Samuel	$5,300	$6,300
Tyler Boyd	$5,200	$5,900
Mohamed Sanu	$5,100	$5,800
Larry Fitzgerald	$5,000	$5,400
Robby Anderson	$4,900	$5,400
Alshon Jeffery	$4,800	$6,200
Cole Beasley	$4,700	$5,500
DeVante Parker	$4,700	$5,600
Kenny Stills	$4,600	$5,500
Dede Westbrook	$4,500	$5,400
Chris Conley	$4,400	$5,500
Randall Cobb	$4,300	$5,400
Auden Tate	$4,200	$5,300
Danny Amendola	$4,200	$5,400
Phillip Dorsett II	$4,200	$5,300
Olabisi Johnson	$4,100	$5,000
Ted Ginn Jr.	$4,100	$5,200
Chester Rogers	$4,000	$5,200
Deebo Samuel	$4,000	$5,600
Hunter Renfrow	$4,000	$5,700
Nelson Agholor	$4,000	$4,800
Demaryius Thomas	$3,900	$5,200
Willie Snead IV	$3,900	$4,600
Paul Richardson Jr.	$3,800	$5,000
Marquise Goodwin	$3,700	$4,900
DaeSean Hamilton	$3,600	$5,300
Andy Isabella	$3,500	$5,200
Dante Pettis	$3,400	$4,800
Zay Jones	$3,300	$4,800
Jakobi Meyers	$3,200	$4,700
N’Keal Harry	$3,000	$5,000

Weekly strategy – While I would love to have both Michael Thomas and Julian Edelman in my lineup, I would have a very difficult time pulling that off. Amari Cooper and Julio Jones are both potential pivots at a slight savings. WR2 will likely come from this list: John Brown, Jamison Crowder, Randall Cobb, Hollywood Brown, one of the Panthers or one of the Patriots. I may also consider one of them at WR3 if I can afford it. That said, most of my WR3 exposure will be to Deebo Samuel and Demaryius Thomas. I may also use Ted Ginn in that role if I don’t roster Thomas.

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Michael Thomas, Saints @ TB ($9900 DK, $9000 FD)
Tampa has one of the worst passing defenses in modern football history. They have allowed 40-609-6 to opposing WRs the last two games. 15 different WRs have topped 70 yards against this defense this year. One of them was Michael Thomas back in Week 5. In that game, Thomas posted 11-182-2 and that was with Teddy Bridgewater at QB. Considering the matchup, a repeat performance is not out of the question. Thomas has faced Tampa six times in his career. The worst line he has posted was 8-65-0. Over his last three meetings with the Bucs, he has posted 38-460-3.

Julian Edelman, Patriots @ PHI ($7600 DK, $7400 FD)
Since Week 5, Julian Edelman is third in receptions and second in targets. Based on his volume usage, he should be in for another huge game against a defense that has allowed big games to every quality QB they have faced. Edelman should approach ten catches and 100 yards here.

Amari Cooper, Cowboys @ DET ($7700 DK, $8100 FD)
Detroit is starting to phone it in on defense. Meanwhile, Amari Cooper has scored and/or topped 100 yards in seven of nine contests. I don’t love his price compared to Edelman, but if you pivot to Dak Prescott at QB you might as well play his top WR as well.

Julio Jones, Falcons vs. CAR ($7500 DK, $7800 FD)
Julio Jones hasn’t scored since Week 3. Fortunately for his owners, his yardage has remained high. Carolina has allowed 15 or more WR receptions in six games this year. You can never trust Jones to score, but without Austin Hooper on the field, Julio should be targeted more often in the red zone.

Sleepers:

D.J. Moore, Panthers vs. ATL ($5900 DK, $6000 FD)
Atlanta has struggled all season against opposing WRs, but they have particularly been bad since Desmond Trufant was injured. Trufant claims he is going to play this week, but he is not guaranteed. Also, if he does play, he may line up on Curtis Samuel instead of Moore. This game should be higher scoring and that is why I like Kyle Allen as a sleeper. If I roster Allen, I will have one of Moore or Samuel in my lineup as well.

Deebo Samuel, 49ers vs. ARI ($4000 DK, $5600 FD)
Speaking of Samuels, Deebo Samuel has been solid all season, but now with Emmanuel Sanders dinged up he may need to be more than solid. Last week, he stepped up and posted 8-112 on 11 targets. In Week 9, Samuel posted 4-40 against these Cards, but that was with Sanders active. If Sanders isn’t active this weekend, expect Deebo to approach Sanders’ line of 7-112-1 from that earlier game. Even if Sanders plays, I like Samuel as an upside play at this cheap price.

Tight End

	DraftKings	FanDuel
George Kittle	$7,000	$7,500
Mark Andrews	$6,100	$6,900
Darren Waller	$5,500	$6,700
Zach Ertz	$5,000	$6,200
Jared Cook	$4,400	$6,000
Jack Doyle	$4,000	$5,400
Greg Olsen	$3,900	$5,100
Darren Fells	$3,800	$5,100
Jason Witten	$3,700	$5,600
Noah Fant	$3,700	$5,100
Eric Ebron	$3,600	$5,200
Kyle Rudolph	$3,600	$4,500
O.J. Howard	$3,600	$5,300
T.J. Hockenson	$3,600	$5,300
Mike Gesicki	$3,500	$5,100
Ross Dwelley	$3,400	$4,900
Cameron Brate	$3,300	$4,500
Dallas Goedert	$3,200	$5,000
Tyler Eifert	$3,200	$5,000
Irv Smith Jr.	$3,100	$4,700
Dawson Knox	$3,000	$4,500
Luke Stocker	$3,000	$4,000
Ben Watson	$2,900	$4,900

Weekly strategy – It is ugly this week. George Kittle probably won’t play. If he doesn’t, then Ross Dwelley is easy money and mega-chalk. Outside of that, there is a lot to not like here. Mark Andrews and Darren Waller will likely lead the group, but their prices are too high to be over-exposed to. Jared Cook might be my favorite play here, but only if I am not also using Michael Thomas. I’m also not keen on his FD price. If I don’t end up using Dwelley, I will probably go cheap and use Jason Witten, Kyle Rudolph, T.J. Hockenson, Tyler Eifert or Luke Stocker (if he plays).

Your Fantasy Four Pack:

Mark Andrews, Ravens vs. HOU ($6100 DK, $6900 FD)
Mark Andrews is the de facto top option on this slate. I don’t love him, but I do love his QB. I actually feel that Marquise Brown is the stack to play this week here, but considering how slim the TE pickings are, you could do a lot worse. Houston has given up TE scores two of the last three games.

Darren Waller, Raiders vs. CIN ($5500 DK, $6700 FD)
Speaking of Mark Andrews, Cincinnati just got destroyed by him for the second time this year. Strangely enough, Cincy has actually been pretty solid against the other TEs they have faced. Darren Waller is enough of an impact player to expect a solid performance here, just don’t expect Andrews-esque numbers.

Jared Cook, Saints @ TB ($4400 DK, $6000 FD)
Jared Cook may be the safest play on this slate. He has a cheaper price and a favorable matchup. He also was heavily utilized last week in his first game back with Drew Brees under center. Tampa has allowed all but one team to top 50 TE receiving yards this year. They also have allowed five teams to top 80 yards with the position. Plus, they have given up six scores in their last seven contests. 5-65-1 sounds about right for Cook.

T.J. Hockenson, Lions vs. DAL ($3600 DK, $5300 FD)
This should stress how bad it is. T.J. Hockenson has only 19 receptions since Week 1. What he has going for him is 13 targets over the last two weeks, including plenty of looks while playing from behind with Jeff Driskel at the helm last week. Detroit will be playing from behind again here, and Driskel will likely get another start. I would not be surprised to see even more targets headed Hock’s way. Dallas has allowed an average of 6.5-63 to the position. Plus, they have given up four TDs to opposing tight ends over the last four games.

Sleepers:

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings vs. DEN ($3600 DK, $4500 FD)
This all comes down to whether Adam Thielen plays. If Thielen rests one more week, then Kyle Rudolph could easily replicate his red-zone usage from last week. In the four games that Thielen has missed time recently, Rudolph and Irv Smith have combined for 32 catches and 260 yards. The biggest difference between the two though is that Rudy has four scores over this stretch.

Ross Dwelley, 49ers vs. ARI ($3400 DK, $4900 FD)
This play should be chalk if George Kittle cannot go. His price is low, he was used significantly last week, and Arizona doesn’t understand that TE is a pass-catching eligible position on the field.