The NFL has completely unhinged their COVID protocols after last week’s schedule debacle. At this point, we are not expecting any more rescheduling tumult, but if we do, trust that I will update the DFS info to give you the best chance to dominate. Let’s make this weekend a Merry Christmas for all!
DFS: The X-Mas Sleigh-t
With all of the other reindeer battling COVID, Cleveland is hoping Baker Mayfield will be able to return and guide the coursers into Lambeau Field. Baker Claus may be coming to town, but we know that he won’t be gifting Alice Cooper’s boots to any of the Pack. I’m more concerned about him leaving points off the board than gifts under the tree this time. With three more reliable offenses on this slate, I cannot rank Baker higher than QB4. Case Keenum also missed Monday’s game and Nick Mullens got the start. Neither is as reliable as Mayfield, so if either was forced to start it wouldn’t help their cause.
Aaron Rodgers will face a very solid Cleveland defense that will definitely be bringing their sack to this holiday party. Unfortunately for them, when you sack Rodgers, the candy cane striped elves usually whistle for a penalty. Even in a less than jolly matchup, Rodgers is the top QB on this board.
Coming on a short week, I doubt that Cleveland will get Kareem Hunt back for this game. That should mean all aboard the Nick Chubb Express. Certainly, D’Ernest Johnson will see some work in the passing game. His value could be higher than expected if the game script derails the Chubb train. Chubb is the likely RB2 on this slate and Johnson can be the RB5/6. If Hunt plays, he could move into RB5 consideration as well.
Aaron Jones is such an effective RB that it pains me that Green Bay still feels the need to use AJ Dillon frequently in his stead. I’m taking nothing away from Dillon, who is built like the abominable snowman. I just would prefer to see the Packers feature one of them and not just mix and match. Multi-dimensional backs have had the most success against Cleveland this season. Jones has been more active in the passing game than Dillon, so I give him the RB3 nod and Dillon no higher than RB5.
Jarvis Landry should be back for this game. I’m not sure that I would recommend him here since Green Bay may have all three of their top CBs ready for this game. He would be my WR5 at best. Donovan Peoples-Jones is also in the hard-to-trust category here. One of these two will score. My money is on DPJ on a deep pass as Cleveland plays from behind. Don’t reach for any depth WRs here.
Unless you have been living in the North Pole for the last half-decade, you know that Davante Adams is one of the best WRs in football. He is easily the top WR on this slate. Just know that since early in the season, Cleveland had allowed more WR2s to have big games than WR1s. So expect points from Adams, but temper your ceiling. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was back physically healthy, then he caught COVID. If he plays, he should be a solid WR3 option for you this week. That is especially so, if you want to avoid the 100 percent ownership of Adams. Allen Lazard is also back active for Green Bay. If they both play, Lazard will have more receptions than MVS but fewer yards.
David Njoku and Austin Hooper are both in the TE2 consideration this week. Green Bay is just so-so against the position (especially Darnell Savage – who stunk up the joint last week), and this slate is lacking in reliable targets. I prefer Hooper (but he will need to clear COVID protocols on the short week), but either can be used comfortably since Cleveland throws to their TEs almost as much as their WRs. Harrison Bryant returned last week. If Hooper is out, I could see using Bryant in Showdown contests.
Josiah Deguara has struggled every time that I have gone to bat for him. So for his sake, I will say “don’t play him”. Cleveland has been run through by superstar TEs this season. Deguara is not a superstar, nor a star, heck he isn’t even a meteor. He is more like a lump of coal in your stocking. Now that I have said this, I am sure that he will go for 6-70-2. NOT! I forgot how physically large Mercedes Lewis is. There was a time with Jacksonville where he was a prototypical red-zone threat akin to someone like Jimmy Graham. Now he is just a depth piece. He can be ignored outside of Showdown contests.
I can see using Green Bay at defense this week, especially if Cleveland remains shorthanded by COVID cases. I don’t love any of the other defenses on this docket, so they are probably the safest play.
Instead of demanding figgy pudding on Christmas night, I am demanding Frank Reich let Carson Wentz throw the ball some more. Arizona has been reliably mediocre against the pass this season. Plus, they are coming off a game in which Jared Goff lit them up like a Clark Griswold Christmas light display. Wentz is still the QB3 on this slate, but I don’t mind pivoting to him here.
Kyler Murray delivered a big bah humbug to everyone who started him in Week 15. Indy has allowed only five passing TDs over their last five games despite facing both Josh Allen and Tom Brady in that string. I’m still ranking Murray a hair above Wentz because of his rushing potential. That said, the season-long loss of DeAndre Hopkins (and an ankle injury for Rondale Moore as well) is not going to help Murray’s potential.
Jonathan Taylor is the fantasy gift that keeps on giving. As I go to bed Friday night, visions of Taylor TDs will be dancing in my head. Every elite RB to face Arizona has dominated them. Taylor is a lock for RB1 here and should top 125 total yards and score at least once. Nyheim Hines vultured Taylor last week. It was also his only opportunity of the game. I’m not concerned about him being a factor here.
Both Chase Edmonds and James Conner played last week versus Detroit. Surprisingly, Conner, on a bad ankle, had more targets in the passing game than Edmonds. Even more surprisingly, neither scored against the Lions. With them back into a split workload, it is hard to rely on either of them. Conner as the goal-line threat gets the nominal RB4 slot here and Edmonds RB6 at best. That said, Conner hasn’t practiced as of Thursday, so there is a chance he misses this game. If he sits out, Edmonds is safe to roll out as RB4.
Michael Pittman made the referee’s naughty list last week by having his helmet ripped off of his head by an unruly defender. Maybe the ref should have checked the list twice before this questionable call. On this slate, I have Pittman as the WR2 as long as no one from Arizona attempts to rip his helmet off, too. Zach Pascal can be considered as a possible WR3 since non-WR1s have scored in four of the last five games against Arizona. This matchup isn’t strong enough to deploy T.Y. Hilton. You can use him in Showdown just not here in the main tourney. Ashton Dulin is also a fun Showdown play. He doesn’t get many touches, but when he does touch the ball, he is a threat to score.
As predicted, the absence of DeAndre Hopkins led to another big game by Christian Kirk. He is my WR3 here and I will have a lot of exposure to him. A.J. Green also had a solid game, and he can be considered in the WR5/6 range, especially if Rondale Moore misses this game with an ankle injury. If Moore plays, slide Green’s value down slightly. As for Moore, I’d be concerned about reinjury. So, he will not be in any of my lineups. Some undrafted WR named Antoine Wesley had eight targets last week. This was his third eye-raising performance of the season (all in games without Nuk). I might swing him out as a punt WR3 or Showdown captain just to see what happens. His value could be sneaky good if Moore is out.
Jack Doyle is my TE3 here. The matchup is not good, and he hasn’t done jack in the last two games. Remember when Mo Alie-Cox was a thing? He has had four catches on twelve targets since Week 7. That is not Mo Alie-Cox, that is LESS Alie-Cox.
With the injuries to the Arizona WR corps, Zach Ertz finished second in receptions, yardage, and targets last week. He has been heavily involved in this offense ever since the Cards acquired him from Philly. Meanwhile, Indy has gone pear-shaped against TEs allowing an average of 7-78 with four TDs over their last seven contests. Start Zach with confidence as the top TE on this slate.
Either of these defenses could be used as a pivot from Green Bay. That said, neither of them is that great. Kyler Murray has been a wee bit more loosey-goosey with the ball recently. So, if I was to pick one of these two, I would go with Indy.
DFS: The Primetime Slate
Garrett Gilbert got the start Tuesday evening against Philly. This wasn’t by choice as both Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen missed the game due to COVID. Heinicke was activated and will start this game. Dallas has an imposing real-life defense. That said, they allow some fantasy points. Heinicke will battle for the QB2/3 slot with Tua Tagovailoa.
Dak Prescott is the most talented QB on this slate. He also has the best matchup on the slate, the best WR corps on the slate, arguably the best TE on the slate, and the second-best backfield on the slate. Starting someone other than him is purely looking to be contrarian.
J.D. McKissic was put on IR. Antonio Gibson … running the ball against Dallas is hard. Having said that, know that Gibson averaged over six YPC and scored four times versus Dallas in 2020. Of course, that was also pre-Micah Parsons. Gibson is the RB3 here, provided a toe injury from last week’s game doesn’t prove costly. Backup Jaret Patterson is the RB6, at best, if Gibson is active.
Ezekiel Elliott continues to split opportunities with Tony Pollard despite Pollard’s torn plantar fascia. Washington is elite against the run but biblically bad against pass-catching backs. Zeke has a nearly 3-2 target lead over Pollard on the season. So he is a clear choice here. I’ll rank Zeke as RB2 on this board and give Pollard the RB4 nod at best.
The Football Team has played musical chairs behind Terry McLaurin at WR all season. Scary Terry will draw Trevon Diggs in coverage. This is both a blessing and a curse. Opposing QBs are afraid to throw it in his direction because he is such a ball hawk. That said, he has also been burnt like a batch of chestnuts left roasting in the fire overnight. Slot and possession receivers have also had success against Dallas this year. This puts a healthy Curtis Samuel into play. Of course, Samuel is not and has not been at any point this season HEALTHY. If he finds his way onto the field you can play him as a sneaky WR3. Otherwise, consider his understudy, Adam Humphries, as a WR3, too. Cam Sims actually had a big game versus Dallas in Week 14. That was predominantly because McLaurin got injured early and Sims filled his role in the offense. If Terry plays, you can mostly ignore Sims here. DeAndre Carter did some stuff earlier this year, as did Dyami Brown. I just don’t trust this passing offense enough to go that deep.
Dallas finally has their top three WRs all healthy at the same time. Now they get to face a rotten Washington secondary. Yes, please! CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup have been the top options for Dallas over the last month. Lamb gets the WR1 role this week, and Gallup is no worse than WR5. Amari Cooper is also in the WR5 range. The depth WRs for Dallas: Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown, and Malik Turner have all gone back to their complementary roles with the return to health of the starters. Any of them could be used in Showdown slates, but Wilson is the only one I’d consider punting with on the main tourney,
Ricky Seals-Jones has the second-best matchup among the TEs on this slate. That said, none of the matchups is elite. So, I will still rank him at TE3. RSJ has been battling a non-COVID illness, so if that limits him, consider John Bates as a deep punt play.
The Football team is actually decent against TEs. That said, Dalton Schultz is the second-most talented TE on this board, and it will be hard to fade him against a subpar secondary. I’m afraid he might be over-owned, so I think this is a good spot to pivot away.
Consider Dallas’ defense with Heinicke starting at QB for WFT. Do not consider the Washington defense in any circumstance.
Tua Tagovailoa gets a tough matchup against a defense that just shut down Tom Brady. New Orleans has allowed a fairly large number of passing yards this season, but only four teams have allowed fewer passing scores. I still think Tua is the QB2 here.
Both Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian find themselves on the COVID list as of Thursday. This means something called Ian Book will get the start. Frankly speaking, he won’t need much to look more competent than Hill and Siemian throwing the ball. Of course, the Saints lose Hill’s rushing ability, which should boost the value of their RBs. With the unread Book at QB, he is the clear QB4 on this slate.
So, Duke Johnson, huh? I didn’t have that one on my 2021 bingo card. The Saints are a beast to run on, but they struggle at times with pass-catching backs. Prior to this season, Duke’s primary role has been as a change-of-pace pass catcher. He still is no better than RB5 here, just know that he could be a sneaky play. Myles Gaskin got hosed by Duke last week. This week, I want nothing to do with Gaskin here. I have him ranked at RB7, and I see no reason whatsoever to play him. Gaskin’s value will be even lower if Phillip Lindsay returns this week.
Alvin Kamara is the RB1 here. Miami’s run defense may look stout on paper, but they have faced one above-average RB since Week 6. Prior to that, they were getting gouged by equally subpar talent. I’m not going to expect the world here, but he should outproduce the other RBs on the board (especially with Taysom Hill out). Mark Ingram returned from COVID last week but didn’t do much against a tough TB defense. I’m not sure there is enough potential equity here for Ingram to be a value. He is probably the RB6 on this board, but his value would only come if Kamara gets knocked out of the game.
Jaylen Waddle missed last week’s game with COVID. He will return this week. This week he will likely lock horns with Marshon Lattimore. Normally this would be scary. Of course, Waddle has fared well all season even against elite corners. He is no worse than WR5 here. I love him at WR2 this week in my lineups because people might fade him based on the matchup. DeVante Parker gets the easier defensive matchup and the much cheaper price. He will fly under the radar as well, making him a great WR3 option. Albert Wilson has been a favorite of mine on DK where the full PPR gives him big value potential. His numbers may be down with both Parker and Waddle active, but he could be worth a punt WR3 dart throw. I wouldn’t go any deeper here, though.
The Saints’ passing offense is bad. This is partially due to Taysom Hill and partially due to a mediocre corps of receiving talent. As I mentioned above, Ian Book can’t be that much worse than Hill at throwing the ball. Marquez Callaway is the safest play and I will make him a WR3 this week against a bad Miami pass defense. Tre’Quan Smith wouldn’t even be in discussion against a decent defense. Against Miami, he could be a punt WR3. Somehow Lil’ Jordan Humphrey is higher on the Saints depth chart than Kenny Stills. Stills was a healthy scratch in Week 15. That is absurd. He is more talented than any active WR not named Callaway for New Orleans currently. His inactivity is mind-blowingly confusing. If Stills is allowed to play, this is a revenge game for him.
Mike Gesicki is the best TE on this slate. The matchup isn’t great, but none of the TE matchups are. Gesicki has seen the third-most targets and receptions among TEs and the fifth-most receiving yards. The one thing he has not seen is a bunch of scoring opportunities. Much like Dalton Schultz, he will be highly owned. I’m just not sure I can fade him here.
Adam Trautman returned from injury last week. He promptly did nothing. Miami has given up a ton of yardage to the TE position. I still have him ranked as TE4 on the slate, but he might be a sneaky pivot play, especially since young QBs like to lean on their TEs.
I don’t mind either of these defenses. That said, I still will probably go with the masses and use Dallas. Either of these teams feels like a pivot, at best. With Miami getting the inexperienced QB, they might have a high ownership figure, too. That could lure some of the players away from Dallas – I’d like that very much.
The Main Slate: My recommended DFS lineups
At DK: $5.9k for Joe Burrow. $5.9k for Josh Robinson. $6.7k for Cordarrelle Patterson. $7.1k for Ja’Marr Chase. $5.3k for Odell Beckham. $4.9k for Antonio Brown. $7k for Mark Andrews. $4.4k for Samaje Perine (if Joe Mixon does not play, or $4.2k for Justin Jackson if Austin Ekeler does not play, or $4.5k for Craig Reynolds) at FLEX. $2.6k for the Atlanta Falcons defense.
At FD: $7.1k for Burrow. $8.2k for Robinson. $5.8k for Michael Carter (or $5.9k for Rhamondre Stevenson if Damien Harris does not play, or $5.4k for Jackson if Ekeler doesn’t play). $9.8k for Cooper Kupp. $7.1k for Chase. $5.6k for Jamison Crowder. $5.9k for Dallas Goedert. $6.6k for David Montgomery at FLEX. $3.8k for the Falcons defense.
At Fanball (SuperFlex – includes Sun Night): Dak Prescott, Burrow at SF, Montgomery, and Robinson, No more than $5.4k for FLEX (Stevenson, J.Jackson, Reynolds, Perine, or Kyle Pitts), Chase, A.Brown, CeeDee Lamb, and Andrews at TE.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes | $7,700 | $8,700 |
| Josh Allen | $7,500 | $8,500 |
| Tom Brady | $7,400 | $8,400 |
| Justin Herbert | $7,200 | $8,400 |
| Lamar Jackson | $6,900 | $7,800 |
| Matthew Stafford | $6,700 | $7,900 |
| Jalen Hurts | $6,400 | $7,700 |
| Kirk Cousins | $6,200 | $7,300 |
| Russell Wilson | $6,100 | $7,500 |
| Tyler Huntley | $6,000 | $7,500 |
| Joe Burrow | $5,900 | $7,100 |
| Derek Carr | $5,800 | $7,000 |
| Cam Newton | $5,600 | $7,200 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | $5,500 | $6,800 |
| Davis Mills | $5,500 | $6,600 |
| Jared Goff | $5,400 | $7,100 |
| Matt Ryan | $5,400 | $6,800 |
| Mac Jones | $5,300 | $6,700 |
| Zach Wilson | $5,300 | $6,600 |
| Justin Fields | $5,200 | $7,000 |
| Drew Lock | $5,100 | $6,600 |
| Mike Glennon | $5,100 | $6,400 |
| Jake Fromm | $5,000 | $6,400 |
| Trevor Lawrence | $5,000 | $6,500 |
| Sam Darnold | $4,000 | $6,200 |
Quarterback
Weekly strategy – It feels like the Grinch has stolen the QB room for this week. Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, Jalen Hurts, and Joe Burrow are the only players I feel really confident in. If Jared Goff plays, I could see using him. I also don’t hate Justin Fields, Drew Lock, and Davis Mills.
Fantasy Four-pack
Matthew Stafford, Rams @ MIN
($6,700 DK, $7,900 FD)
Minnesota just cut one of their starting cornerbacks. Now they have to face the Rams offense. Not the best timing Vikings. Stafford should have little trouble throwing for three scores here.
Justin Herbert, Chargers @ HOU
($7,200 DK, $8,400 FD)
With questions circling Austin Ekeler’s status, Herbert may need to carry the load this week. Houston can be beaten through the air or on the ground so either way, LA will be successful. Heck, even if Ekeler plays, Herbert should still be a lock for 275-2 as his floor.
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Jalen Hurts, Eagles vs. NYG
($6,400 DK, $7,700 FD)
I’ll be the first to admit that I did not buy into Hurts this season. Still, Philly has embraced his skills and limitations. He can run the ball with the best of them and he takes all of the TD carries. Including four games with multiple rushing scores and eight games with more than 50 rushing yards. They also have the perfect complement to his short-field passing accuracy in Dallas Goedert. Only seven teams have allowed more passing TDs than the Giants. Hurts will end up with three total scores here.
Joe Burrow, Bengals vs. BAL
($5,900 DK, $7,100 FD)
Burrow will likely have a limited version of his starting RB, so he will need to shoulder the load this week. Baltimore should make that easy on him. They have given up the second-worst eight passing scores over the last four weeks. Back in Week 7, Burrow threw for 416-3 against Baltimore. That was before Baltimore lost the rest of its secondary.
DFS Sleepers
Jared Goff, Lions @ ATL
($5,400 DK, $7,100 FD)
Goff is currently on the COVID list, but he is vaccinated and has no symptoms. It remains to be seen if he is allowed to play this weekend, but based on the announced changes in policy it seems like he should be allowed to. Atlanta has allowed the third-most passing TDs, so it would behoove Goff to clear protocol. Over the last four weeks, only three QBs have more passing TDs than him.
Drew Lock, Broncos @ LV
($5,100 DK, $6,600 FD)
Lock did nothing last week to drive confidence heading into this game. Still, the Raiders have gone so pear-shaped that I could step in and throw for 250-2 against them. Lock has a sleigh-load of weapons to work with and I particularly like the stack with Noah Fant this week.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Ekeler | $8,100 | $9,400 |
| Najee Harris | $7,400 | $8,400 |
| Joe Mixon | $6,900 | $7,500 |
| Alexander Mattison | $6,800 | $5,500 |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | $6,700 | $7,200 |
| Saquon Barkley | $6,500 | $7,000 |
| D’Andre Swift | $6,300 | $7,800 |
| Javonte Williams | $6,100 | $6,300 |
| Josh Jacobs | $6,000 | $6,800 |
| James Robinson | $5,900 | $8,200 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | $5,800 | $6,500 |
| Melvin Gordon | $5,800 | $6,300 |
| Darrell Henderson | $5,700 | $6,900 |
| David Montgomery | $5,700 | $6,600 |
| Damien Harris | $5,600 | $6,600 |
| Miles Sanders | $5,600 | $6,400 |
| Rashaad Penny | $5,500 | $6,100 |
| Sony Michel | $5,500 | $6,900 |
| Chuba Hubbard | $5,400 | $5,500 |
| Devonta Freeman | $5,300 | $5,600 |
| Michael Carter | $5,200 | $5,800 |
| Devin Singletary | $5,100 | $5,800 |
| Ronald Jones | $5,100 | $5,400 |
| Jamaal Williams | $5,000 | $6,700 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | $5,000 | $5,900 |
| Mike Davis | $4,900 | $5,500 |
| Tevin Coleman | $4,800 | $5,700 |
| Darrel Williams | $4,600 | $5,700 |
| Ameer Abdullah | $4,500 | $5,100 |
| Craig Reynolds | $4,500 | $6,000 |
| Rex Burkhead | $4,500 | $5,400 |
| Ty Johnson | $4,500 | $4,900 |
| David Johnson | $4,400 | $5,200 |
| Ke’Shawn Vaughn | $4,400 | $4,700 |
| Latavius Murray | $4,400 | $5,300 |
| Samaje Perine | $4,400 | $6,200 |
| Jordan Howard | $4,300 | $5,700 |
| Brandon Bolden | $4,200 | $4,900 |
| Justin Jackson | $4,200 | $5,400 |
Running Back
Weekly strategy – There are several discount RBs who could be in play as COVID and injuries shake out this week. If Austin Ekeler plays, he is set up to be a stud. If he doesn’t play, Justin Jackson would become a must-start. Joe Mixon is rumored to be ready to play despite his ankle injury. His matchup is considerably sketchier (as is his reinjury history). If he is limited or out, a full workload for Samaje Perine could prove volume valuable. Cordarrelle Patterson and James Robinson have the best matchups on paper. You will need to start one (if not both of them). Other midtier options that I like include both Broncos, David Montgomery, Alexander Mattison, and Miles Sanders. If Damien Harris misses another game, Rhamondre Stevenson will be a solid play. Of course, knowing Bill Belichick. He could choose to make Stevenson a healthy scratch and give all of the work to Brandon Bolden. I also like Ronald Jones and Michael Carter as discount pivots who should see sizeable volume. The legend of Craig Reynolds may slip into the rearview mirror as the Detroit backfield gets healthy. That said, if Jamaal Williams and/or D’Andre Swift miss this game, you might be able to squeeze one more start out of him.
Fantasy Four-pack
Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ HOU
($8,100 DK, $9,400 FD)
After two days of covert responses, Los Angeles finally admitted that Ekeler missed practice early this week due to COVID. To me, that sounds like tampering with the injury report. Of course, this ranking is based on him suiting up and playing. No team has allowed more total RB scores over the last four weeks. So Ekeler should have little trouble scoring here, too. If, by chance, Austin remains out Justin Jackson is a must-start.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons vs. DET
($6,700 DK, $7,200 FD)
Detroit is the perfect cure for a struggling rushing attack. The 22 total RB scores they have allowed are worsted by only the Jets. It also includes a league-worst eight RB receiving scores. Patterson has seen his usage drop off in recent weeks, but it is all coming back here. The only way he doesn’t reach 125 combo yards and score twice is if Mike Davis actually does something. Yeah, I don’t like those odds, either.
James Robinson, Jaguars @ NYJ
($5,900 DK, $8,200 FD)
This may be the biggest spread in salary I have ever witnessed between the two sites. Robinson will hit 3x on DK. He may even hit 4x. Still, he may struggle to reach 3x on FD. The Jets are bad enough against the run to at least make it interesting.
Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams, Broncos @ LV
($5,800 DK, $6,300 FD & $6,100 DK, $6,300 FD)
Choosing between the Denver RBs is always tough. Against Vegas, it won’t matter which one you play, because they will both hit 3x as long as they don’t get hurt. Each is nursing an injury coming into this game, so check back on Friday and Saturday to confirm their practice statuses. If one should miss this game, the other could be the top scorer on the slate.
DFS Sleepers
David Montgomery, Bears @ SEA
($5,700 DK, $6,600 FD)
Seattle has allowed the most RB receptions and receiving yards. This is Montgomery’s forte (and ironically his predecessor in Chicago, Matt Forte’s forte as well). I guess Chicago likes dumping the ball off to their backs. Of course, part of it is that their QBs have not had the skill to get the ball downfield consistently. Over the last three weeks, he leads the league in RB receptions and targets. Seattle isn’t much better against rushers on the ground, so as long as the score doesn’t get out of hand, Monty should be a tournament casher this week.
Ronald Jones, Buccaneers @ CAR
($5,100 DK, $5,400 FD)
We all know how this is going to end. Jones is going to cough up a fumble in the first quarter and then ride pine the rest of the game. Still, if Santa brings Jones a bottle of Stick-Um for his hands, his volume this week could produce a Christmas miracle. The Panthers are middle-of-the-pack against the run, but they are much easier to run on than throw against. Plus, Tom Brady needs all the potential targets he can find right now.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Kupp | $9,100 | $9,800 |
| Tyreek Hill | $8,400 | $8,700 |
| Justin Jefferson | $8,100 | $8,400 |
| Keenan Allen | $7,700 | $7,700 |
| Stefon Diggs | $7,600 | $7,500 |
| Diontae Johnson | $7,500 | $7,400 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | $7,100 | $7,100 |
| Mike Evans | $7,000 | $7,600 |
| Adam Thielen | $6,900 | $7,200 |
| Hunter Renfrow | $6,800 | $7,100 |
| Tyler Lockett | $6,700 | $7,300 |
| DK Metcalf | $6,400 | $6,700 |
| Brandin Cooks | $6,300 | $6,900 |
| Tee Higgins | $6,200 | $6,500 |
| Mike Williams | $6,100 | $6,600 |
| DeVonta Smith | $6,000 | $5,900 |
| Russell Gage | $5,900 | $6,700 |
| Marquise Brown | $5,800 | $6,400 |
| DJ Moore | $5,700 | $6,400 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | $5,600 | $6,500 |
| Van Jefferson | $5,500 | $6,300 |
| Darnell Mooney | $5,400 | $6,100 |
| Kenny Golladay | $5,300 | $5,500 |
| Odell Beckham | $5,300 | $6,600 |
| Chase Claypool | $5,100 | $5,900 |
| Tyler Boyd | $5,100 | $6,200 |
| Jamison Crowder | $5,000 | $5,600 |
| Jerry Jeudy | $5,000 | $5,800 |
| Kendrick Bourne | $5,000 | $5,600 |
| Antonio Brown | $4,900 | $7,000 |
| Jakobi Meyers | $4,900 | $5,700 |
| Robby Anderson | $4,900 | $5,300 |
| K.J. Osborn | $4,800 | $6,000 |
| Gabriel Davis | $4,700 | $5,300 |
| Josh Reynolds | $4,600 | $5,400 |
| Rashod Bateman | $4,500 | $5,600 |
| Tim Patrick | $4,500 | $5,600 |
| Marvin Jones | $4,400 | $5,600 |
| Breshad Perriman | $4,200 | $4,700 |
| Courtland Sutton | $4,200 | $5,400 |
| Darius Slayton | $4,200 | $5,200 |
| Laviska Shenault | $4,100 | $5,400 |
| Allen Robinson | $4,000 | $5,500 |
| Emmanuel Sanders | $4,000 | $5,600 |
| Jalen Guyton | $3,900 | $5,300 |
| Kalif Raymond | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Sammy Watkins | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Tyler Johnson | $3,900 | $5,000 |
| Kalif Raymond | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Sammy Watkins | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Tyler Johnson | $3,900 | $5,000 |
| Kalif Raymond | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Sammy Watkins | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Tyler Johnson | $3,900 | $5,000 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | $3,800 | $5,100 |
| Quez Watkins | $3,800 | $5,300 |
| DeSean Jackson | $3,700 | $5,100 |
| Jakeem Grant | $3,700 | $5,100 |
| James Washington | $3,700 | $5,200 |
| Nelson Agholor | $3,600 | $5,400 |
| Scotty Miller | $3,600 | $4,900 |
| Braxton Berrios | $3,500 | $5,300 |
| Laquon Treadwell | $3,500 | $5,300 |
| Mecole Hardman | $3,500 | $5,200 |
| Zay Jones | $3,500 | $5,000 |
| Freddie Swain | $3,400 | $4,800 |
| Nico Collins | $3,400 | $5,200 |
| Byron Pringle | $3,300 | $5,200 |
| Chris Conley | $3,300 | $4,900 |
| Damiere Byrd | $3,300 | $4,900 |
| Bryan Edwards | $3,200 | $5,200 |
| Josh Gordon | $3,100 | $4,800 |
| Jaelon Darden | $3,000 | $4,600 |
Wide Receiver
Weekly strategy – I really like the idea of spending up at WR this week. With so many potential bargains at RB, it should be easy to do. Tyreek Hill dealing with COVID protocols is the only high-priced option who concerns me. Keenan Allen, Cooper Kupp, and Ja’Marr Chase are my three favorite plays. I will have at least one of that threesome in all of my lineups. If I don’t use Chase, either Tee Higgins or Tyler Boyd could be in at WR2. I also like DeVonta Smith, DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Russell Gage, both backup Rams, and both starters for Detroit (assuming Jared Goff plays). WR3 must be Antonio Brown on DK. His FD price is a little high so, you can weigh your options there. The other choices at WR3 are Jamison Crowder, both starters for the Patriots, every starter for Denver except Courtland Sutton, and any of the Jaguars. If I choose to punt at WR3, I could use Tyler Johnson or one of the KC backups if Hill and Travis Kelce miss this game.
Fantasy Four-pack
Cooper Kupp, Rams @ MIN
($9,100 DK, $9,800 FD)
The price is so darn high, but I still think that it is possible that Kupp hits 3x here. Minnesota is weak in their secondary, and unlike when they faced Chicago, they actually have other significant pass-catching threats to be aware of here. It is that sheer volume of weapons that is the only reason why I am not guaranteeing a two-TD game here. That said, I would not be surprised to see a final line of 12-140-2 here.
Keenan Allen, Chargers @ HOU
($7,700 DK, $7,700 FD)
Since Week 8, Allen is fourth in the league in targets and third in receptions, despite missing a game during that stretch. Meanwhile, Houston has struggled against stud possession receivers all season.
Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals vs. BAL
($7,100 DK, $7,100 FD)
Did you see what Chase did to Baltimore in Week 7? That was before Baltimore lost all of their secondary starters. Since that game, Chase has fizzled but the Ravens have fizzled more.
Justin Jefferson, Vikings vs. LAR
($8,100 DK, $8,400 FD)
Opposing WRs don’t produce much against Jalen Ramsey because most QBs are afraid to throw his direction. If Adam Thielen returns it may alter Minnesota’s strategy, but if not, Jefferson will see his standard double-digit targets. He also has scored and/or topped 80 yards in all but two games. Plus, only one WR has more yards this season and he (Cooper Kupp) is also playing in this game. Can you say “run-it-back game stack?”
DFS Sleepers
Jamison Crowder, Jets vs. JAX
($5,000 DK, $5,600 FD)
With Elijah Moore out, Crowder led the Jets in receiving last week. This week he faces a Jacksonville defense that has struggled with slot and possession receivers all season. Crowder did suffer a calf issue earlier this week, so if he is limited or out, Braxton Berrios will get to take advantage of this matchup. Either of these two will make a great play here.
Antonio Brown, Buccaneers @ CAR
($4,900 DK, $7,000 FD)
This is a combination of his price on DK and the fact that Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, and likely Mike Evans will miss this game. Tom Brady has to throw the ball to someone. Carolina is good against the pass but volume alone puts Brown in play.
| DraftKings | FanDuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Travis Kelce | $7,300 | $7,800 |
| Mark Andrews | $7,000 | $8,000 |
| Rob Gronkowski | $6,200 | $6,700 |
| Darren Waller | $6,000 | $6,500 |
| Kyle Pitts | $5,800 | $5,900 |
| Dawson Knox | $5,300 | $6,100 |
| Dallas Goedert | $5,100 | $5,900 |
| Hunter Henry | $4,700 | $6,000 |
| Noah Fant | $4,400 | $5,600 |
| Pat Freiermuth | $4,300 | $5,100 |
| Tyler Conklin | $3,900 | $5,200 |
| Tyler Higbee | $3,800 | $5,500 |
| Gerald Everett | $3,700 | $4,900 |
| Foster Moreau | $3,600 | $5,200 |
| Jared Cook | $3,500 | $5,100 |
| Evan Engram | $3,400 | $5,000 |
| Cole Kmet | $3,300 | $5,000 |
| James O’Shaughnessy | $3,200 | $5,300 |
| Albert Okwuegbunam | $3,100 | $4,900 |
| C.J. Uzomah | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Dan Arnold | $2,900 | $5,000 |
| Kyle Rudolph | $2,700 | $4,400 |
| Kendall Blanton | $2,600 | $4,500 |
| Pharoah Brown | $2,600 | $4,400 |
| Tommy Tremble | $2,600 | $4,500 |
| Blake Bell | $2,500 | $4,200 |
| Brevin Jordan | $2,500 | $4,800 |
| Brock Wright | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Cameron Brate | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Jonnu Smith | $2,500 | $4,600 |
| Noah Gray | $2,500 | $4,100 |
| Tyler Kroft | $2,500 | $4,400 |
Tight End
Weekly strategy – I will have a hard time choosing my TE this week. There are many that I like here and very few that I do not trust. Mark Andrews is the obvious pay-up choice. Rob Gronkowski has a tough matchup, but much like Antonio Brown, someone has to catch the ball there. Kyle Pitts, Dallas Goedert, and Noah Fant all have easy matchups. If I don’t use one of those five, I will likely punt with Jared Cook, James O’Shaugnessy, C.J. Uzomah, Cameron Brate, or one of the Giants.
Fantasy Four-pack
Mark Andrews, Ravens @ CIN
($7,000 DK, $8,000 FD)
Andrews has been white-hot regardless of who has been at QB. Meanwhile, over their last nine games, Cincy has allowed an average of 6.7-80 to the position with five TDs allowed.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles vs. NYG
($5,100 DK, $5,900 FD)
Much like Andrews, Goedert has been on fire regardless of who starts at QB. Over the last four weeks, only two teams have allowed more receptions to the position. If you are starting Jalen Hurts (and you should), stack him with Goedert and possibly DeVonta Smith.
Rob Gronkowski, Buccaneers @ CAR
($6,200 DK, $6,700 FD)
Carolina is middle-of-the-pack against the TE position. It might not matter against Gronk since he may be targeted 15-plus times this week. With all of the injuries last week, Gronk saw 11 targets but only caught two of them. He is too good to fail like that again.
Noah Fant, Broncos @ LV
($4,400 DK, $5,600 FD)
Vegas is fourth-worst in receptions versus the position. They are second-worst in TDs allowed and they have given up the fifth-most receiving yards to the position. Meanwhile, Fant leads all of Denver in receptions and is second on the team in targets and third in receiving yards. Plus, Drew Lock seemed to be in sync with him last week.
DFS Sleepers
James O’Shaughnessy, Jaguars @ NYJ
($3,200 DK, $5,300 FD)
Over the last four weeks, the Jets are bottom five in every significant category against the position. During this same time frame, O’Shaughnessy returned and has become one of Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets. Of course, Dan Arnold has been designated to return from IR, so keep an eye on his status to see if he is activated this week. An Arnold return will likely hurt O’Shaughnessy’s value. No team has scored fewer points than Jacksonville and no team has allowed more points than the Jets. Something has to give this week.
Jared Cook, Chargers @ HOU
($3,500 DK, $5,100 FD)
With Donald Parham assumedly out following his scary concussion last week, Cook will get to feast alone on the Houston defense. The Texans have faced only three upper-echelon TEs, all three had huge games. That said, Cook isn’t upper-echelon. I’d call him more “veteran-solid,” and his value should be heightened without Parham stealing red-zone looks. Only two teams are allowing more red-zone scoring visits per game, so Cook might steal a TD here (especially if Austin Ekeler is out).
