DFS Building Blocks – Week 14

It was a messy opening slate to Sunday’s games in week 13, with not many touchdowns or fantasy performances to speak of. We were saved in the evening slate, especially if you opted for the San Francisco stack on DK like we did.

We also took a last-minute flyer on Flacco on FanDuel, which worked out well. We’ve got some similar cheap QB situations this week.

This week is the last week with byes, so we should be spoilt for choice next week. There are some intriguing options to consider this week, headlined by the Chiefs and Bills, which will surely deliver. San Francisco has another great matchup with their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks.

It is worth mentioning that there is some troubling weather around this weekend. It will be worth checking on this closer to the day, in case you need to make some last-minute changes. But note that most people tend to overrate the impact of weather, so we can get some good ownership advantages in those games. And remember that bad weather usually favors the offenses. Let’s see what Week 14 has in store for us.

Game Overviews

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Buccaneers (+100) ; Falcons (-120)
Spread: Atlanta Falcons -1.5

Total: 39.5

It’s heating up in the NFC South, with just one game separating the division-leading Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both sides offer up a relatively simple fantasy picture.

For Tampa Bay, you only want to be looking at Rachaad White and Mike Evans. They are putting together elite seasons at their positions and it doesn’t really matter who they are playing against. Mike Evans is so talented and getting so much volume that he is a great play every week, and White is a better pass catcher than rusher, which gives him a very high floor and ceiling every week.

This is a crucial divisional game, and Tampa should look to these two players to move the ball. Cade Otton could be useful as well at the tight end position. Atlanta is a bottom 10 defense against tight ends and he has popped up with a few big games.

On the Atlanta side, you wish there was a better quarterback. The Tampa Bay secondary is calling to be passed on, but there is no way you can start Desmond Ridder. I will, however, be happy to recommend Drake London this week, as they may have to target him a bit more due to the Buccaneers’ good run defense.

Tampa Bay is giving up the third-fewest fantasy points to the position, but you should still be happy to go with Bijan Robinson. He is an exciting talent and absorbing a bell-cow role now.

Overally, this could be a slower, back and forth game that won’t be a priority for me.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Mayfield + White + Evans + London

Evans + Bijan

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Bijan

White

London

Evans

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Otton

Godwin

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears

Location: Soldier Field, Chicago

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Lions (-170) ; Bears (+145)
Spread: Detroit Lions -3.5

Total: 43.5

I have a stat that might surprise you, although not if you’ve been reading us for a  while. The Chicago Bears, who currently have a 4-8 record, are giving up the fewest rushing yards per game. Opponents are averaging just 79 rushing yards per game against them, which makes this clash very interesting.

The Lions love to run the ball. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have been fantastic fantasy plays (if they were a single running back) and even with the Bears’ run defense doing a good job, they could find some success, but they take away too much from each other to be playable this week. The Detroit offensive line is one of the best in the league.

As per usual, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta are top options at their positions. LaPorta stole the show last week with 140 yards and a touchdown. He’s a stud.

DJ Moore offers a fantastic option on the Chicago side to round out a stack on this game. He is averaging 146 yards and a touchdown in his last four games with a healthy Justin Fields. He should get peppered with targets again as Chicago’s best route to keeping up with Detroit. And Kmet has been a multi-TD favorite of Fields in the past.

This is a great game to target this week. I may start with Fields for the rushing upside he adds. I’m not going out of my way to add any Lions players to the stack because they spread it around so much, but if you want to bet on this being the game of the week can certainly add St. Brown or LaPorta… or go with the cheaper Jameson Williams who is getting himself involved one way or the other.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Fields + Moore + Kmet (+Williams)

Goff + Gibbs + Moore + LaPorta

Goff + Amon-Ra + Moore + LaPorta

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Amon-Ra

Moore

LaPorta

Cole Kmet

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Jameson Williams

Roschon Johnson

Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Colts (-115) ; Bengals (-105)

Spread: Indianapolis Colts -1

Total: 43.5

Are the Bengals back in the playoff hunt? After Jake Browning completed 32 of his 37 pass attempts last week, they might just be. A clash with the plucky Colts is another great test.

I am not ready to recommend Browning just yet, but it does make Jamar Chase, Joe Mixon and maybe Tee Higgins more attractive options. It wasn’t all short passes that got the Bengals by last week, with a few deeper shots sent out as well. Chase looks like a good bet to me, as the Bengals made it a clear plan to get the ball in his hands as much as possible.

Tanner Hudson as a sleeper tight end also looks good. He has started to emerge and is clearly an athletic talent. At just $2,800 on DraftKings, he could help counteract paying up for Chase.

To go up against the Bengals boys in a stack, there are a couple of obvious standouts. Michael Pittman has turned into a PPR dream, getting over 12 targets in each of his last three games. He is used so much in the quick passing game that I think he is matchup-proof.

Zack Moss also goes down as a good start. Cincinnati is giving up 4.8 yards per carry, which is behind only Denver. I expect Moss to see plenty of work this weekend, as both a rusher and a receiver. He and Pittman stacked together should go well. He tanked as super chalk last week in a known difficult matchup – but a matchup that he previously torched. He’ll still be popular this week, but in an even greater matchup, he’s a near must-start again. Although, can make a strong case for fading him at his ownership levels. At minimum, need to get unique with your pairing with him so you lower the effective ownership of him. Moss + Chase or Moss + Colts DEF. Or Downs instead of Moss. Or Moss + Pittman/Downs. Or the overstack below.

This is another game that you could build overstacks around.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Minshew + Moss + Pittman + Chase + Hudson

Browning + Moss + Chase (+ Mixon)

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Moss

Mixon

Pittman

Downs

Chase

Higgins

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Hudson

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns

Location: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Jaguars (+145) ; Browns (-170)

Spread: Cleveland Browns -3

Total: 30.5

This game looks like it could feature Joe Flacco vs CJ Beathard at the quarterback positions. Trevor Lawrence is practicing in a limited capacity, but who knows if they will actually want to risk it.

If Beathard plays, you can take all Jacksonville receivers off your board. The Browns are giving up just 83 passing yards per game when at home, and the weather looks like it could be an issue in this one. Even if Lawrence plays, I still think you stay well away from Calvin Ridley and the pass catchers.

You can consider Travis Etienne though. It is better to attack Cleveland on the ground and he can chip in as a receiver as well. If Beathard goes, D’Earnest Johnson might even come into play as a cheap lottery pick in the flex. He has been getting more looks to ease the workload on Etienne and they would surely hammer the running backs in that scenario.

Joe Flacco does actually make the Cleveland pass attack more interesting. Amari Cooper looks set to miss, which should send even more targets to Elijah Moore, who had 12 last week. I like Moore as a cheap option.

David Njoku is also a good option, and Jerome Ford is the clear favorite in the backfield. Flacco helps Cleveland move the ball better, which helps Ford, who has the bigger role as a rusher and receiver.

Browns DEF is also strongly in play, but they’ll be popular as they’re pretty cheap this week.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Ford + Etienne + Moore

Ford + Browns DEF

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Ford

Etienne

Moore

Njoku

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

D’Earnest Johnson

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints

Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Panthers (+195) ; Saints (-230)

Spread: New Orleans Saints -5

Total: 37.5

As per usual, we will be saying a hard no to almost everyone on the Carolina side of things. The one player that is worth considering is Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers have decided that he is the focal point of the offense. He had 19 touches two weeks ago before taking 25 carries for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns last week. He is basically the whole offense at this point.

For New Orleans, I love Alvin Kamara again this week, and Chris Olave should continue to see plenty of targets without Michael Thomas on the field. The one question mark is that Jameis Winston is coming in to play quarterback, and it’s difficult to forecast how that will go.

I think it is a good thing for Olave, who Winston likes to target. Kamara may get a few less check-downs, but the matchup is so good. The Panthers are giving up the second most fantasy points to the position.

I also like Taysom Hill this week. I think they will involve him even more without Carr. He had 13 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown last week, and I think he should see more usage like that. The Saints could give us some fantasy joy this weekend. More Hill usage actually lowers my excitement for Kamara at his price, but feel free to go to either.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Winston + Kamara + Hubbard + Olave

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Kamara

Hubbard

Olave

Hill

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Juwan Johnson

Houston Texans @ New York Jets

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Texans (-210) ; Jets (+175)

Spread: Houston Texans -3.5

Total: 32.5

The pain never seems to end for New York Jets fans, who will once again be watching Zach Wilson lead their team. In fairness to Wilson, he does give them the best chance to win, but that is more of a reflection of how bad the other options are.

I don’t like trusting any of the Jets playmakers, but if you want to play one, it would be Garret Wilson. Zach Wilson did at least pepper him with targets earlier in the year and he could break any of them loose. You could also look the way of Breece Hall, but he has ceded a bit more work to Dalvin Cook and is facing some stacked boxes. Wilson does also get Tyler Conklin involved for a cheaper punt at TE.

On the Houston side, the injury to Tank Dell has made Nico Collins a locked-and-loaded wide receiver one for the rest of the year. Despite that, a matchup with the Jets’ elite secondary will scare me off him this week. They are giving up the fewest fantasy points to the position this year, and I would rather go for someone in a better matchup. In your larger tournament lineups though, Collins is still a great pick as someone who should get a ton of volume and could produce at low ownership.

The Jets’ secondary is so good that it scares me off almost all of the Houston pass-catchers. The Jets are, however, bottom-five against tight ends, which makes Dalton Schultz a viable option. They can be beaten on the ground as well, but Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary simply take work away from each other, making them both unplayable.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

No.

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Hall

Wilson

Collins

Schultz

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Noah Brown

Robert Woods

Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens

Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Money Line: Rams (+270) ; Ravens (-340)

Spread: Baltimore Ravens -7

Total: 40.5

The Rams swept aside the Browns last week, and now turn their attention to another AFC North foe, the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are a significantly better team. They are in the hunt for the number one seed and boast a well-balanced offense. A Super Bowl futures bet on the Ravens might not be a bad idea.

The Rams’ defense is young and inexperienced, and the Ravens should have no problem racking up a score, despite the Rams ranking as a top 11 run and pass defense in fantasy. This Baltimore offense is slick and their playmakers are in good spots this week.

Gus Edwards and Keaton Mitchell have begun to split work more evenly in the backfield. Having now benefited from a bye week, I would expect to see Mitchell get even more work. At just $4,900 on DraftKings, I love him this week.

Zay Flowers is the other rookie who could have a big game, with Odell Beckham registering as a great value at $3,800. He sees a lot of targets from Lamar. The player that should benefit the most this week though is Likely. He’s looking popular, but the matchup warrants it.

On the other side of the ball, it is a brutal matchup. Baltimore is giving up the second-fewest fantasy points to the wide receiver position and the 5th fewest to running backs. As a result, I don’t want exposure to any Rams players, other than Kyren Williams. Williams is clearly a very talented player and should see lots of work in the receiving game. He will get opportunities regardless of the game script.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Jackson + Williams + Odell

Jackson + Williams + Flowers + Likely

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Williams

Mitchell

Edwards

Flowers

Beckham

Likely

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Tutu Atwell

Minnesota Vikings @ Las Vegas Raiders

Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Time: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET

Money Line: Vikings (-150) ; Raiders (+130)

Spread: Minnesota Vikings -3

Total: 40.5

What version of Josh Dobbs will we get coming out of the bye? Will we have the exciting, athletic quarterback who beat the Saints and Falcons in back-to-back weeks? Or will we get the 4-interception quarterback who lost to the Bears? The shine came off him in Arizona and I worry the same is happening in Minnesota. As a result, I will be steering clear of any Viking player not named TJ Hockenson.

Yes, Justin Jefferson is returning, but I want to avoid paying up for him in his first game back from injury, which is also his first game with Dobbs. His return will take targets away from Jordan Addison, but Dobbs loves to target tight ends. Give me all the TJ Hockenson against the Raiders’ bad defense.

When the Raiders are on offense, I don’t expect to see too many fireworks with Aidan O’Connell at the helm. Minnesota is giving up the 4th fewest points to running backs, which takes Josh Jacobs out of the equation for me. He should get some good targets, but his 3.5 yards per carry on the year concerns me.

The secondary is the best place to attack Minnesota, which means Davante Adams is in play. At $7,500 on DraftKings though, I wouldn’t blame you if you looked elsewhere. It is difficult to pay that price for someone catching balls from Aidan O’Connell, although the volume as the first-read in the offense should be there.

Would it be crazy to look back Sunday night at a Adams + Jefferson lineup winning all the money? Maybe?

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Adams + Hockenson

Adams + Jefferson

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Jacobs

Chandler

Adams

Jefferson

Addison

Hockenson

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Michael Mayer

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Time: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET

Money Line: Seahawks (+450) ; 49ers (-600)

Spread: San Francisco 49ers -10.5

Total: 46.5

Can the MVP hype continue for Purdy? He had a relatively quiet game when these two teams faced off two weeks ago, but he did deliver a beautiful strike to Brandon Aiyuk for a deep touchdown. This offense is so efficient that the main protagonists are all getting home, even on low targets.

Christian McCaffrey will be the most expensive non-quarterback in DFS this week, but I can’t put you off him. The Seahawks are best attacked on the ground, and McCaffrey truly does it all. I will also be opting for Deebo over the other pass catchers. The linebackers are the best people to attack in Seattle, and Deebo is a true menace.

On the Seattle side, I wouldn’t be going back to the well with Geno. He was awesome against Dallas but the 49ers’ defense is a better unit and it will be hostile in Levi’s Stadium.

The good news is that Geno did look healthier and more decisive against Dallas. That means I would be happy to entrust DK Metcalf with a start if you want someone on the Seattle side. Don’t opt for the running backs though. Injuries to Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet make them impossible to trust if they play.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Purdy + CMC + Deebo + Metcalf

CMC + 49ers DEF

Deebo + 49ers DEF

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

CMC

Deebo

Aiyuk

Metcalf

Lockett

Kittle

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs

Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Time: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET

Money Line: Bills (+100) ; Chiefs (-120)

Spread: Kansas City Chiefs -1.5

Total: 48.5

One of the stand-out games of the week will take place at Arrowhead this weekend. The Buffalo Bills desperately need a win, and I think they will put out a good performance this week. Stacks built around this game will be popular, but rightfully so. Amazingly, Allen getting a little overlooked in ownership again, just like a couple weeks ago against the Eagles when he won us a lot of money.

The Chiefs have the better defense and benefit from home-field advantage, but I think the likes of Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, James Cook and Dalton Kincaid are all good options. My favorite player on the Buffalo side this week is Cook, who has been much more involved since Joe Brady took over. I expect this to be a high-scoring game, and Cook’s increased usage in the passing game should lead to a good outing.

Our options on the Kansas City side are Mahomes, CEH or McKinnon, Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. Buffalo is giving up a generous 4.7 yards per carry on the ground, and I could see the Chiefs trying to establish the run to create a balanced offense, but with Pachecho out they may just lean on Mahomes all game.

Kelce’s play has dipped recently, with injuries appearing to hamper him and fewer Red Zone drives generating fewer points. Nevertheless, he is still Mahomes’ top option and the target he locks on to when the pressure is on. I like those two to have a big week this week.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Mahomes + Cook + Davis + Kelce (+Rice)

Allen + Cook + Diggs + Kelce (+Rice)

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Cook

CEH

Diggs

Davis

Rice

Kelce

Kincaid

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Khalil Shakir

Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers

Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Time: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET

Money Line: Broncos (+130) ; Chargers (-150)

Spread: Los Angeles Chargers -3

Total: 43.5

This divisional match to close out the slate is closer than you would have expected a month or so ago. Russell Wilson had been protecting the ball well but threw three interceptions last week. Courtland Sutton snagged another touchdown, which means he has scored in all but three of his games. The Chargers defense are giving up the third most points to wide receivers, so I like Sutton this week.

The other option to consider in Denver is Javonte Williams. He has had a few underwhelming weeks, but the Broncos should be able to move the ball in this game. A punt on Javonte and Sutton could be a fun play. Keep the exposure low though, we have to remember this is Denver we are talking about.

The Chargers were also underwhelming last week. They beat New England but only put up 6 points. With Keenan Allen clearly struggling with injury, Austin Ekeler declining and Quentin Johnston dropping everything, they are becoming hard to trust. I will be avoiding a Charger stack this week, but I like Gerald Everett as a standalone tight end option. The Broncos are giving up the most fantasy points to the tight end position, and Everett should see plenty of targets with everyone else struggling.

With Ekeler in the doghouse, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a breakout here in a tournament lineup.

Building Blocks (stacks to build around)

Herbert + Williams + Sutton + Allen + Everett

Ekeler + Jeudy/Sutton

Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)

Williams

Ekeler

Allen

Sutton

Everett

Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field

tournament)

Quentin Johnston

The Lineup Build

There are a few iffy matchups this week, which makes it easier to pinpoint the games to target. For me, a Lions stack with DJ Moore representing the opposition should be fruitful. The Lions are slick on offense and Moore is smashing it when Fields is on the pitch.

I will also be hitting the 49ers up again, and expect DK Metcalf to have a better game against Charvarius Ward this week.

The final two games I like are the Chiefs vs Bills and the Bengals vs Colts. I think I will pay up for Mahomes and Kelce this week to head up a stack from that game, and I will definitely find a way to fit in some from the Bengals and Colts game.

FD

The best discount on Mahomes comes on FanDuel, so he and Kelce come in here. James Cook and Gabe Davis come in for Buffalo. Davis is cheaper than Diggs and should see less of LaJarius Sneed. He knows how to have a big game against KC!

Play around with that core and see what else you can add. Can also start it with Allen.

Could add Javonte Williams, who forms a mini-stack with Courtland Sutton in the second wide receiver slot. Zay Flowers looks to be a good value at $6,500, as does Josh Downs at $5,900 in the flex.

That leaves just enough money to stick the Vikings in at defense against the Raiders.

I’ll also be heavily considering a Fields + Moore + Kmet + Williams stack here. Can get Cook + McKinnon in to represent the other game.

DK

Purdy, CMC and Samuel are backed to go big again in my DraftKings lineup, with DK Metcalf coming in for the Seahawks. Keaton Mitchell is our cheaper RB option with big upside, forming a Ravens stack with Zay Flowers in our final wide receiver slot.

Gerald Everett comes in at tight end, with Khalil Shakir saving us some cash in the flex.

The Falcons are the defense of choice after their big game last week.

Should note that the Fields stack that I liked on FD is even more attractive from a pricing standpoint on DK.

Can also start that top lineup Lamar instead of Purdy and see how you like it.

Yahoo

The Lions are the focus here, with Goff, Gibbs and LaPorta coming in for Detroit. DJ Moore should see plenty of action as the Bears try to keep up, so he starts our wide receiver corps.

I love the mini stack of Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara this week, so we pay up for them and commit to finding bargains for the rest of the lineup.

Those bargains come in the shape of Elijah Moore and Alec Pierce, with the Chiefs looking like a great value on defense, giving us lots of leverage in a lineup that otherwise doesn’t feature that game.