DFS PROS favorite plays: Wildcard Weekend

Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 16 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.

Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Wild Card Weekend of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.

QUARTERBACKS

DREW BREES- $6600 DRAFTKINGS, $8500 FANDUEL

Brees should be the safest quarterback of the slate. Safe for cash games while still providing the upside needed for tournaments. He has averaged 22 DraftKings points on the season and is coming off four straight strong performances. The fact the Saints are at home playing in the dome gives him and this offense a boost as well. Vegas has this game as the highest total of the weekend which bodes well for the entire offense. Pair Brees with Thomas in cash games and thank me later.

RUSSELL WILSON- $6800 DRAFTKINGS, $7900 FANDUEL

Wilson will have to do everything in order for the Seahawks to win on the road in Philadelphia. They will need him to lead the offense through the air and the ground. His dual-threat capabilities put him as one of the top quarterbacks of the slate for me. It’s a road matchup and a flight across the country but it’s a soft matchup against the 21st ranked defense against quarterbacks. Russell is averaging 21 points per game and I’m expecting more in a high scoring shootout in Philadelphia.

RUNNING BACKS

ALVIN KAMARA- $7400 DRAFTKINGS, $8200 FANDUEL

I think the running back position makes or breaks you this weekend. I love the run that Derrick Henry has been on this season but I’m going to fade him in a matchup versus the New England Patriots. Alvin Kamara has been picking up steam towards the end of the season and I like the spot for him. The Vikings rank 14th against opposing running backs and I have the Saints winning this one easy with Kamara carrying heavy workload on the ground and as a receiver as well. He is a slightly better value on DraftKings but I will have him on FanDuel as well.

JAMES WHITE- $5700 DRAFTKINGS, $6200 FANDUEL

At the time I’m writing this there are some questions marks at the running back position with certain players questionable. So make sure you check the reports prior to game time. You will need value out of one of your running back positions and I think White is the way to go. Especially on sites like DraftKings which are a full point per reception. Playing New England running backs is always a scary situation but the floor White gets in receiving yards helps make the decision easier.

WIDE RECEIVERS

MICHAEL THOMAS- $9300 DRAFTKINGS, $8900 FANDUEL

Michael Thomas finished the season with more receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns than some entire teams receiving cores. He has been super consistent and will be the number 1 option every time Brees drops back to pass. He will be high owned for good reason but also will be a lock in my lineup. I have him outscoring any positional player with the best overall matchup on the board going against the Vikings secondary which ranks 29th against opposing wide receivers. Lock Thomas in and get cute with other players in your lineup.

ADAM THIELEN- $6200 DRAFTKINGS, $6200 FANDUEL

Adam Thielen is an elite wide receiver priced like a mid-tier player. Thielen, for the most part, has been resting since week 9 but should play a major role if the Vikings can keep this close. The way to attack the Saints is through the air where they rank 25th against opposing wide receivers. The Vikings should be playing from behind in this game and will have to score to keep up. I will be stacking this game up from the Saints side and I think Thielen is the best player to run it back with. If you don’t like Thielen feel free playing Lockett, Metcalf, or John Brown as other options.

TIGHT ENDS

JACOB HOLLISTER- $4300 DRAFTKINGS, $5700 FANDUEL

I want to attack Philadelphia through the air and will be rostering Wilson with the Seattle receiving core. Hollister has been a steady force in the offense during the second half of the season and I’m calling for a touchdown this weekend. With Hollister as the third option for Seattle he should be in for at least a 5 reception and 50 yard receiving game which locks him in as a solid value play at tight end. Once he finds his way into the end zone he crushes value and becomes the difference maker in your lineup.

DALLAS GOEDERT- $5200 DRAFTKINGS, $6700 FANDUEL

With Ertz still questionable Goedert is the premier target at tight end. He will be very highly owned and the top tight end play if Ertz is out. Seattle is one of the worst defenses in the league covering the tight end and currently ranks 30th. Whether Ertz is in or out Goedert is a strong play. The only reason you fade him is if you want to play the ownership game and hope he goes over-owned and underperforms like he did last week.

DEFENSES

SAINTS- $3000 DRAFTKINGS, $4700 FANDUEL

The Saints are a safe defense playing at home with upside. They bring pressure and are facing an injury-plagued offense in the Vikings. They force turnovers and have 51 sacks on the season so we should see a solid game at of them here.

BILLS- $3100 DRAFTKINGS, $4000 FANDUEL

I like the Bills to win this game outright and upset the Texans on the road. If you make sports investments I like taking the bills with the points and like them for value at defense on FanDuel specifically. We need savings where we can find them and with all the variance with defenses, I’ll gladly take the discount. They have averaged 8 points per game on the season and the Texans have trouble protecting the quarterback. We should see 3-5 sacks and a turnover in this one and I believe the Bills will try to control the clock and slow this game down.

Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than seven years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.

DFS PROS favorite plays: Week 17

QUARTERBACKS

MATT RYAN- $6500 DRAFTKINGS, $7800 FANDUEL

Matt Ryan strolls into Week 17 with a dream matchup vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ryan has been super consistent all season and is averaging 21.9 DraftKings points per game. Tampa Bay is allowing 269 passing yards per game and ranks 23rd against opposing quarterbacks. This is not a game with playoff implications but I will target it for the shootout potential and high over-under. The ideal pairing would be with either Julio Jones or Austin Hooper for your stack.

JAMEIS WINSTON- $6600 DRAFTKINGS, $8100 FANDUEL

I mentioned above that this game has zero playoff implications which worries me a bit but it’s still a game to target due to it being the highest total of the slate at 48 points. Winston is far from perfect and not the quarterback that I would build my franchise around but I don’t mind playing him for DFS purposes. He has averaged 23 points per game and has 30-40 point upside. Combine that with the fact weather shouldn’t be a concern in Tampa and this Atlanta defense is suspect to say the least and we have the upside we need with Winston. We can find a cheap pairing with Howard or Watson and stack them with Winston in Week 17.

RUNNING BACKS

SAQUON BARKLEY- $8700 DRAFTKINGS, $9300 FANDUEL
I will play the trends and if you have followed my column the last 2 weeks I was on Barkley. I told everyone I was doubling down on him last week and I will continue playing him for a 3rd straight week. Barkley has reclaimed his role just in time for fantasy drafts next season where he will be in the mix again in the top 5. Barkley is coming off a 33 and 46 point performance the last 2 weeks and now faces the Eagles with upset on his mind. Narratives are a real thing and I think Barkley would like nothing more than to end the season strong and ruin the day for their rivals in the Eagles.

AARON JONES- $8200 DRAFTKINGS, $8000 FANDUEL

Aaron Jones has quietly scored 19 touchdowns on the season and I can almost guarantee he will hit 20 before the end of the season. Jones has averaged 21 fantasy points per game and has come on strong towards the end of the season. This matchup versus the Lions is one of the best on paper and I think the Packers will dominate this game and exploit the weak run defense of the Lions. Detroit ranks 29th against opposing running backs and Jones should be a lock of 1-2 touchdowns and another 100 yard game in week 17.

WIDE RECEIVERS

JULIO JONES- $8500 DRAFTKINGS, $8500 FANDUEL
Just like Saquon Barkley, Julio Jones is making a late-season push for next year’s fantasy drafts. He is coming off of a 41 and 29 point performance the past 2 weeks and should be in line for another monster game versus the Buccaneers. As the time I am writing this Julio has had limited practice participation so keep an eye on the reports but this has been the case in previous weeks. If Julio plays he will be a top 5 wide receiver by the day’s end. If for any reason he misses pivot to Russel Gage for an extreme value.
A.J. BROWN- $7000 DRAFTKINGS, $7200 FANDUEL
A.J. Brown will be looking to eclipse the 1000 yard mark in Week 17 and with only 73 yards to go, I believe he finds a way to exceed the mark. He has been great in 4 of the last 5 games and has exceeded 25 DraftKings points in the 3 of the 5. He gets a great matchup in Week 17 versus the 22nd ranked team versus wide receivers. Houston has been beaten through the air and has allowed 270 yards per game passing. I love the pairing of Tannehill to Brown in my tournament lineups on both sites.

TIGHT ENDS

TYLER HIGBEE $5600 DRAFTKINGS, $6900 FANDUEL

The late-season trends continue and this article is feeling more like a second half of the season awards show. This is Higbee’s fantasy performance over the past 4 weeks on DraftKings: 26.7, 21.6, 26.1, and 22.4. That’s the best tight end streak that I can remember, and I would bet my fantasy dollars that continues in Week 17. Just like the rest of the tight ends all season Higbee lit up the Cardinals for 26.7 fantasy points in Week 13 and he will be a lock in all my lineups at tight end.

AUSTIN HOOPER- $5800 DRAFTKINGS, $6000 FANDUEL

Hooper started the season very strong and then went down with an injury and hasn’t really been the same. A matchup versus the Buccaneers should change things for him. Hooper has averaged 15 points per game and provides a safe floor at a volatile tight end position. Factor that with how bad Tampa Bay covers the tight end, almost a league-worst 29th and we should have a safe floor with upside for both cash games and tournaments.

DEFENSES

PACKERS- $3000 DRAFTKINGS, $4800 FANDUEL

The Green Bay Packers have rounded out to a balanced team on both sides and their defense has been consistently good over the past 4 weeks. The Lions have all but given up on the season and I love to see a matchup of a solid defense fighting for playoff seeding versus a team full of injuries and an unstable quarterback. The Packers provide a nice value on both sites along with a solid floor to mold your lineups with.

STEELERS- $3000 DRAFTKINGS, $3500 FANDUEL

The Steelers defense was priced down on both sites prior to the announcement that the Ravens will be sitting most of their offensive starters. They went from having to defend the future MVP, Lamar Jackson, to now a matchup against RGIII and a crew full of backups. Combine that with the fact the Steelers have something to play for and we have a great value defense. The Steelers defense has averaged 11 points per game, has a great matchup, and is the best salary saving defense with upside in Week 17.

Will Wall Street gamble on DraftKings? Sports betting giant plans to go public, close two mergers

Sports betting giant DraftKings plans to merge with two other firms and go public, the Boston-based company announced Monday. DraftKings said it will complete its merger with gambling tech firm SBTech and acquisition company Diamond Eagle …

Sports betting giant DraftKings plans to merge with two other firms and go public, the Boston-based company announced Monday.

DraftKings said it will complete its merger with gambling tech firm SBTech and acquisition company Diamond Eagle Acquisition sometime in the first half of 2020.

DraftKings said the combined company will be valued at $3.3 billion, and it will have $500 million on hand once the deal is complete.

The new company will retain the DraftKings moniker and company co-founder and CEO Jason Robins will continue to lead it, along with a management team that includes co-founders Paul Liberman and Matt Kalish.

DraftKings said it will also reincorporate in Nevada but remain physically headquartered in Boston, where it’s one of the city’s largest tech companies, with roughly 600 workers in its recently opened headquarters in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.

The three companies are merging through a special purpose acquisition, a method of taking a company public that differs from the more familiar initial public offering, or IPO, process, DraftKings said.

The new company will effectively assume Diamond Eagle’s publicly-traded status, though under a new stock ticker symbol.

It will also receive a $400 million infusion from the Los Angeles-based company, which was founded earlier this year by Jeff Sagansky, a former president of CBS Entertainment, and Harry Sloan, a former chairman and CEO of MGM, in order to invest in media and digital entertainment ventures.

SBTech’s management team, meanwhile, will be integrated into the new company, but the details of that won’t be made public until next year, according to DraftKings.

The company has offices on the Isle of Man, in London and elsewhere in Europe, and provides sports betting software and programs to gambling operations globally. It was founded in 2007.

DraftKings was founded in Boston in 2012 as a purveyor of daily fantasy sports contests, which are are online games that challenge players to build rosters of actual athletes in order to vie for cash and other prizes based on how those athletes do in games.

The company has since expanded into online and retail sports books operations in the handful of states that have legalized sports betting, including Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Iowa, Mississippi, New Jersey and New York.

DraftKings had previously attempted to merge with its chief rival, FanDuel.

But the two companies scrapped the plans in 2017 after the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of California and the District of Columbia sued to block it over antitrust concerns.

New York-based FanDuel completed a merger with Dublin-based gaming giant Paddy Power Betfair last year instead.

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DFS PROS favorite plays: Week 16

Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 15 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.

QUARTERBACKS

LAMAR JACKSON- $8000 DRAFTKINGS, $9300 FANDUEL

Lamar Jackson is the favorite for the MVP and has received the most votes for the Pro Bowl. There is a very good chance he won’t be attending the Pro Bowl because these Ravens are for real. Not too long ago, Jackson was sitting in the green room of the NFL draft with his head down waiting to be drafted. He was left as the last man in the room and is now he is carving up defenses and taking names. Take advantage of his dual-threat capabilities in Week 16 and let others make the mistake of not paying up for him in cash games. I love Lamar in a dream matchup versus the Browns for both cash games and tournaments so find value elsewhere and lock him in.

DAK PRESCOTT- $6400 DRAFTKINGS, $8000 FANDUEL

This is a must-win game for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys versus their in-division rival Philadelphia Eagles. Prescott wasn’t needed much in a Week 7 massacre of the Eagles when he put up 21 points in a 37-10 victory. This time he will be going on the road and I expect more of a back and forth game where Dak will be needed to throw for four quarters. Prescott has averaged 23 points on the season and gets a cupcake matchup versus the 23rd ranked defense against opposing quarterbacks. This secondary will be exploitable and I love the Prescott to Cooper stack for tournaments.

RUNNING BACKS

SAQUON BARKLEY- $8300 DRAFTKINGS, $8800 FANDUEL

I had Saquon higher than most professionals last week and I will double down on the call this week. He’s coming off a 33 point performance on DraftKings in Week 15 and I can see a way he matches or exceeds that in Week 16. The Redskins are ranked 27th against opposing running backs which should leave gaping holes for Barkley in both the running and passing game. I like Barkley for both cash and tournaments and I believe he outscores all the other top-end backs who have tougher matchups this week.

JOE MIXON- $6600 DRAFTKINGS, $7800 FANDUEL

Over the course of the season, I have yet to call on Mixon or many Bengals to carry my fantasy teams, but this will be the week to buy low on Mixon on DraftKings at $6600. Mixon is coming off 3 strong games against tough defenses and now gets to carve up a league-worst run defense in the Miami Dolphins. Barkley just dropped 33 points on this Dolphin defense and at this price on DraftKings I will be happy with a 20+ point performance. Mixon has two consecutive 100 yard games and I think he is line for a third straight in Week 16.

WIDE RECEIVERS

MICHAEL THOMAS- $7700 DRAFTKINGS, $9000 FANDUEL

The award for the top fantasy wide receiver this year goes to Michael Thomas and it’s not even close. He has gone for 33 fantasy points in his last two games and is averaging 25 on the season. Thomas should be a lock in your cash games and the first receiver chosen. Find value elsewhere and find a way to lock in Thomas versus the 19th worst defense against wide receivers. Barring any injury, I don’t see any way he gets less than 20+ points versus the Tennessee Titans in Week 16.

AMARI COOPER- $7200 DRAFTKINGS, $7700 FANDUEL

I like to target Amari Cooper more when he’s playing at home in Dallas but this matchup is too juicy to turn down. Like I stated above this is a must-win for Dallas if they want to make a playoff run and I believe Cooper steps up and claims his title of an “Elite Receiver” after this game. He has a safe floor on the season and has averaged 17 points per game. Couple that with the fact he is going against an Eagles secondary who ranks 27th against opposing wide receivers and we now have a safe floor with high upside. Cooper hauled in 5 receptions for 106 yards in their first matchup and I think he outdoes that in Week 16.

TIGHT ENDS

ZACK ERTZ- $6400 DRAFTKINGS, $6900 FANDUEL

With all the injuries the Eagles have on offense Ertz is the safe way to attack this Cowboys defense. The Eagles will have to keep pace with the Cowboys in what I expect to be a high scoring back and forth affair. Ertz is getting the majority of targets in the passing game and is the first option whenever they get in the red zone. He has the upside to double the points of any tight end of the slate and is averaging 15 points per game. He comes in as my number 1 overall play at tight end in Week 16.

JACOB HOLLISTER– $4200 DRAFTKINGS, $5700 FANDUEL

There is a simple rule in fantasy football over the past 3 years. Target the tight end against the Arizona Cardinals. For whatever reason, the Cardinals love to leave tight ends wide open every single week and that is the reason I will be targeting Hollister. Take the discount with Hollister who has come on towards the end of the season and pay up at wide receiver instead. This should be a double-digit game for Hollister and I wouldn’t be surprised if he found a way to exceed 15 or even 20 DraftKings points this week.

DEFENSES

RAVENS- $4000 DRAFTKINGS, $4500 FANDUEL

This Raven defense is getting stronger every week and I believe they are a true Super Bowl contender. I think this week they make another strong statement by embarrassing Baker Mayfield. I personally think Mayfield is less than mediocre and the Ravens will apply pressure all day and force him to make mistakes, take sacks, and crumble with frustration. This receiving core has already abandoned ship. The Ravens are smelling blood in the water and will be fishing for turnovers.

BRONCOS- $3500 DRAFTKINGS, $5000 FANDUEL

The Broncos get a home matchup in the cold confines of mile high. This Denver defense is better than people believe and I think they go under-owned this week. After an impressive Thanksgiving day game David Blough and this Lion offense has sputtered. Blough has 5 turnovers now in 3 games and should be in line for a couple more in Week 16. Lock in these Broncos at home for both cash games and tournaments.