NFL DFS Building Blocks Week 14
Welcome to Week 14’s DFS preview! With six teams on bye this week, we have our final 10-game main slate of the season. Whether you want a distraction from a must-win fantasy matchup or have already secured your spot in (or out of) the fantasy playoffs, this is a great week to get involved with some DFS. Let’s dive right into it!
Game Overviews
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
Projected Totals: Jets 19.5, Dolphins 25.5
These two teams are both full of big names that aren’t living up to expectations. For the Dolphins, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are being out-produced by Jonnu Smith (De’Von Achane is killing it, at least). Meanwhile, the Jets have Aaron Rodgers, Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, and Davante Adams … and a total below 20 points against an average defense. There’s talent to chase here, but it’s hard to know who to trust. Aside from Jonnu and Achane, of course, although their prices are finally catching up to their production.
Quarterbacks
With quite a few big names either on bye or playing in prime time this week, Tua Tagovailoa is the third most expensive QB on both Yahoo and FanDuel (he is the QB4 on DK). That’s a bit misleading, as his salaries are much lower than the two dual-threat studs above him in pricing, but Tua still feels a bit expensive for my liking this week. For all their struggles, the Jets’ defense still gives up the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league. They’re weaker against QB rushing, but Tua isn’t much of a runner. Unless you’re building a full Dolphins stack, I recommend avoiding Tagovailoa this week. His production has been solid lately, but I’d rather pay up, pay down, or just play Baker Mayfield at similar prices. However, if I’m going to pay down, it’s not going to be with Aaron Rodgers. With zero top-eight weekly finishes all season, he simply doesn’t provide the ceiling to be tempting in tournaments, and his floor certainly isn’t cash-game viable.
Running Backs
De’Von Achane has been a smash play pretty much whenever Tua is active, but his salary is finally starting to reflect his production. Absurd receiving usage means he’s still a totally valid play (especially given the projected rostership of two of the other most expensive RBs on this slate), but he’s not the must-play he’s been in previous weeks. Breece Hall did not practice on either Wednesday or Thursday with a knee injury, putting his status for this week firmly in doubt. Even if he’s in, he’s a very risky play given the injury and how volatile his usage has been. If he’s out, Braelon Allen will be a hugely chalky value play, with good reason. Update: Hall has been listed as Doubtful, which is basically as good as Out.
Wide Receivers
There’s a whole lot of wide receiver talent in this matchup, but it’s very hard to trust any of them. For the Dolphins, Jaylen Waddle doesn’t see consistent enough usage (15% target share for the season) to be trustworthy, although he did finally give us a ceiling outcome a couple of weeks ago. Tyreek Hill at least sees more targets than Waddle, but he’s still priced much higher than his production this season deserves. Both are high-risk/high-reward plays. The Jets’ receivers, Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, have both seen elite usage since Adams joined the team, combining for a 52% target share (split fairly evenly between the two of them). But they are both massively underperforming their volume, meaning they are also priced higher than their recent production. You can play them and hope for positive regression, but I’m probably staying away given the Jets clearly have systemic issues.
Tight Ends
Jonnu Smith is up to the TE4 on all sites, and even that may still be underselling his production. Since Tua’s return from the IR, he leads Miami’s pass-catchers with a 21% target share and ranks fifth among TEs in Half-PPR points per game. He’s certainly in play. Tyler Conklin isn’t involved enough in the Jets’ offense to consider.
Defenses
Except on Yahoo, where they are cheap enough to be tempting, I’m not playing the Dolphins’ defense. I’m also avoiding the Jets’ defense in a tough matchup without Sauce Gardner.
Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings
Projected Totals: Falcons 20.5, Vikings 26.5
In theory, this should be the Kirk Cousins revenge game. In practice, Cousins may be embarrassed at his old home, as he has been looking every bit like a 36-year-old coming off an Achilles injury in recent weeks. Meanwhile, the Vikings are tied for the second-highest total on the slate, but they’ve been spreading the ball around enough to make things tricky.
Quarterbacks
Even with the revenge narrative, I’m not playing immobile Kirk Cousins against the Vikings’ elite (and blitz-heavy) defense. Sam Darnold is a bit more interesting. The Falcons’ defense has been very beatable, and he actually projects as one of the better plays on the slate from a pure points-per-dollar lens. The question is what he can provide in terms of a ceiling.
Running Backs
I’m worried about Aaron Jones in this one. After fumbling on two of his first four touches (and in each of the previous two games) last week, he was essentially benched for most of the game. He returned to score a game-winning receiving TD and Kevin O’Connell had nothing but good things to say about the veteran after the contest, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a solid amount of Cam Akers. With that in mind, I lean toward fading Jones, although this is a good matchup, and his prices are not bad at all (except on Yahoo). This is also a tricky spot for Bijan Robinson, but he has been seeing truly elite usage in recent weeks. The Vikings’ defense is a bad matchup for RBs, although they do allow above-average numbers in terms of receiving out of the backfield, which is a viable path for Bijan to have a huge day.
Wide Receivers
It’s crazy that it feels as though Justin Jefferson is priced cheaper than usual despite being the WR2 on all platforms. With that said, it makes sense — he simply hasn’t had many (if any?) truly elite ceiling outcomes this season. I’m never going to say you shouldn’t play Justin Jefferson, but I don’t think he’ll be in many of my lineups this week. Jordan Addison is also mostly only appealing if you are building a Vikings stack (which is a totally viable play), as he doesn’t see much volume on a week-to-week basis. For the Falcons, Drake London is the obvious main WR to consider. He feels underpriced on DK in particular and the one weak spot in the Vikings’ defense is against WRs, where they are the softest schedule-adjusted matchup. Darnell Mooney is also an option, as he has seen very solid usage all year, but he seems more likely to be pulled down by an overall offensive down day.
Tight Ends
T.J. Hockenson is very cheap on DraftKings, where he is an appealing value TE. Otherwise, I’m fading him, as his route participation is still not where we really want it to be. Speaking of bad route participation rates, Kyle Pitts’ usage has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. You could make an argument that he is too cheap for his ceiling, but I’m not playing him this week.
Defenses
I like the Vikings’ defense as a pay-up option this week. They project to be hardly rostered and could take advantage of Cousins’ mobility issues. I’m not playing the Falcons’ defense.
New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants
Projected Totals: Saints 23.5, Giants 18.5
On the one hand, both of these teams are offensively challenged and dealing with tons of injuries. On the other hand, both of these teams are also defensively challenged. Could we see a surprise shootout? Probably not, but stranger things have happened.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr and Drew Lock are both just cheap enough to be tempting as value plays. Lock, in particular, is hugely cheap for a starting quarterback in a decent matchup. But it’s just hard to see either of them providing much of a ceiling — especially if Malik Nabers is out for the Giants (more on him later).
Running Backs
Alvin Kamara projects to be absolutely massively rostered, for good reason. With Taysom Hill now gone, he is probably over 50% of a Saints’ offense that has a decent total against the Giants’ defense, which should go from bad to really bad without Dexter Lawrence. He’s a play in all formats. Tyrone Tracy is also cheap enough to be interesting; the Saints’ run defense is also bad, and he has explosive ability. However, he is risky, as the Giants’ whole offense could collapse, and Devin Singletary is still involved.
Wide Receivers
The only Saints receiver to consider is Marquez Valdes-Scantling. His volume has been minimal, but he has been running hot on TDs and big plays since moving to New Orleans. With his price up somewhat, I’m not playing him. For the Giants, Malik Nabers suddenly looks highly questionable after missing Friday’s practice with a hip flexor issue. Even if he’s in, I probably won’t play him given his injury and QB situations. If he’s out, Wan’Dale Robinson and especially Darius Slayton become relevant as value options, although they are still risky.
Tight Ends
With Taysom exiting early, Juwan Johnson trailed only MVS in routes and tied for the team lead in targets last week. I like him as a value option at very low prices, although the Giants have been the toughest defense in the league against tight ends this season. With Theo Johnson done for the year, no Giants TE is worth considering.
Defenses
The Saints’ defense is certainly worth considering against Drew Lock. I’m not playing the Giants’ defense without their best player.
Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Projected Totals: Panthers 16.5, Eagles 29.5
The Panthers have been playing better lately, but this game still has one of the most lopsided spreads we’ve seen all season. With a 30-point total, the big question is whether the Eagles will spread things around or simply feed Saquon Barkley all day. They’ve been the most run-heavy team all season, and that trend has only increased in recent weeks.
Quarterbacks
That run-heavy offense is the only thing keeping Jalen Hurts from being a no-brainer play. Even still, he’s a very good option. He could get there with Tush Push touchdowns and efficiency on a low-volume day, and there’s always a chance that the Eagles either choose to throw a bit more or are pushed a bit by the Panthers’ improved offense. Speaking of that improved offense, I’m afraid it hasn’t improved enough for me to play Bryce Young against the Eagles’ red-hot defense.
Running Backs
Saquon Barkley is absurdly expensive on all three sites, but he’s still very much in play. He has scored over 30 Half-PPR points in three of the last five weeks and now gets to face the worst run defense in the NFL. He’s just expensive enough not to be a lock-button option, as he could have a monster game and still not be a must-have at these prices. But I still will be making sure he is in at least some of my lineups. I’m not playing Chuba Hubbard, who lost volume to Jonathon Brooks last week, in this brutal matchup.
Wide Receivers
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both feel just like their quarterback. They absolutely could smash, but there’s a real chance the Eagles simply don’t need them to. Of the two, I prefer Smith, as he is cheap enough that he can pay off with just one big play. AJB is the WR1 in salary on DK and FD, and I can imagine a lot of scenarios where he starts hot but then cools off as the Eagles coast to a win (just like happened last week). Still, he is undoubtedly an option in this environment. For the Panthers, I’m most interested in Adam Thielen. David Moore and Xavier Legette are cheaper, but the Eagles are a brutal matchup for outside WRs. They are closer to average in terms of slot production allowed, giving Thielen the best chance of getting something done in this game. He’s an okay option, although we may be relying on some garbage time production from the veteran.
Tight Ends
With Dallas Goedert out, Grant Calcaterra is back in play as a value option. This is especially true because the Panthers have been the softest defense against TEs all season. If Ja’Tavion Sanders is in, I’m not playing any Panthers TEs. If he’s out, Tommy Tremble becomes appealing as a punt play thanks to his absurd 98% Week 14 route participation rate.
Defenses
The Eagles’ defense is expensive, but they could be worth it. The Panthers’ defense is cheap but absolutely not worth the risk.
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected Totals: Browns 18.5, Steelers 26.5
I’m honestly surprised to see the Browns’ total this low. They put up 24 points against this same Steelers team just two weeks ago (in the snow, no less) and just dropped 32 on an elite Denver defense. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson and Pittsburgh just keep rolling — does anyone remember Justin Fields?
Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston is tempting as a high-risk/high-reward value option. He won’t keep having big days forever, but no other QB at his price point (or on this whole slate) has 58-attempt/497-yard upside. Russell Wilson is less exciting, but he also is worth considering against a Cleveland defense that has struggled lately. With that said, I probably won’t be playing him. The Steelers don’t want to pass unless they have to, and if they have to, it probably means Winston is having a hot game, so we might as well play him over Russ.
Running Backs
Nick Chubb is clearly the inferior RB at this point, but he is involved enough to make Jerome Ford also unplayable in this tough matchup. Najee Haris is also losing work to Jaylen Warren, but he is still seeing enough work of his own to be worth considering. Warren himself isn’t quite cheap enough to be playable as the Steelers’ RB2, but his volume has grown to the point that I thought twice about it.
Wide Receivers
Jerry Jeudy just had one of the performances of the season on Monday Night Football. He is averaging excellent numbers with Winston under center. If we take them at face value, he’s a smash play. If we expect some volume regression from Jameis to go with struggles against the Steelers’ defense, things get trickier. A similar logic applies to Elijah Moore at lower prices but with not-quite-as-excellent production over the last few weeks. On the Steelers’ side, the only WR I am really considering is George Pickens. He can be played on his own or in a stack with Russ.
Tight Ends
David Njoku joins the list of Browns pass-catchers who have benefitted from moving from the worst quarterback in the league to one of the most productive. The Steelers are also weakest against TEs, so he’s in play as a mid-range option. I’m not playing Pat Freiermuth, who was solid last week but still posted just a 61% route participation rate.
Defenses
The Browns’ defense projects to be very popular as a value option on DK (and to a lesser extent on the other two sites), but I’m not sure I want in. They simply aren’t a good defense, and the Steelers’ offense has been solid in recent weeks. The Steelers’ defense is a bit more tempting if you think we get a down game from Winston, but they’re certainly risky — I don’t think even Winston will throw two pick-sixes in back-to-back weeks, so they will have a bad outing if he goes off.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projected Totals: Raiders 19.5, Buccaneers 26.5
The Raiders have one of the lowest totals on the slate, but their offense is so condensed that they still have some appealing options. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have been one of the league’s best offenses all season and now get to face a terrible Raiders defense. This one is legitimately interesting on both sides.
Quarterbacks
I think a stack with Baker Mayfield and one or two (or even three?) of his weapons is definitely viable. He can also be played naked, but he is priced up enough that it makes more sense to me to assume that if he hits he bring at least Mike Evans along for the ride. The Buccaneers are one of the easiest matchups for opposing quarterbacks, and Aidan O’Connell is super cheap on DK, making him an intriguing value option if you want to pay up for multiple of the big names on this slate. Otherwise, I’m avoiding AOC.
Running Backs
I’ll get the easy one out of the way first, as I’m not touching any of the Raiders’ RBs. Zamir White is out again, Alexander Mattison might be active to join Sincere McCormick and Ameer Abdullah; none of it really matters. Things are trickier on the Buccaneers’ side. Bucky Irving is coming off a huge game and gets another great matchup. But he didn’t practice until Friday with a hip issue and still split not far from 50/50 with Rachaad White last week. If Irving looks truly 100% coming in, he’s playable. If he’s out, both White and especially Sean Tucker are appealing. If Irving is in but iffy, I’m fading this backfield.
Wide Receivers
Jakobi Meyers has been seeing truly elite volume and now gets a great matchup. However, his prices are all over the place. He’s very much in play on DK, okay on FD, and a bit expensive for my taste on Yahoo. His price has risen, but I love Mike Evans. He is the clear alpha in Tampa’s passing offense with Chris Godwin out, and they are willing to pass even when leading. I also don’t think we should discount the narrative that Baker and the rest of this offense really want to help Evans keep his 1,000-yard streak alive — this may be a decent spot to pad some stats. Jalen McMillan is the Buccaneers’ WR2 and just cheap enough to be worth considering, but he really hasn’t done much — the same applies to Tre Tucker on the other side.
Tight Ends
Brock Bowers has arrived as the consensus TE1 in both projections and prices. He can be absolutely be played if you have the cash. I also don’t hate Cade Otton, as the Raiders are particularly bad at defending TEs and his price has fallen with Evans’ return.
Defenses
Except on Yahoo, where they are cheaper, I’m not playing the Buccaneers’ defense. The Raiders’ defense also isn’t very appealing.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
Projected Totals: Jaguars 17.5, Titans 21.5
The Jaguars already had the worst defense in the league; with Trevor Lawrence on IR, they may also have the worst offense. The question is whether the Titans will be able to fully take advantage — their 21.5-point total says no, but I have some hope.
Quarterbacks
To be fair to Mac Jones, he looked solid after taking over for T-Law part of the way into Week 13. However, that was the only time he has looked anything other than terrible in a Jaguars uniform. His prices aren’t low enough for him to be intriguing. However, Will Levis is priced cheaply enough that I am tempted by him against the league’s worst pass defense. It’s certainly risky, but he could absolutely find 20+ points in this matchup and pay off his salaries.
Running Backs
In games where the Titans aren’t playing from behind, Tony Pollard has seen excellent workloads. He also still saw great usage last week even with Tyjae Spears being healthy, which hasn’t always been the case this season. In this great matchup at not-too-bad prices, Pollard is absolutely in play. For the Jaguars, Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby will likely split work against a solid Titans defense. I don’t have much interest in either of them.
Wide Receivers
If you’ve been reading these articles, you know I have been loving Calvin Ridley’s usage over the last month, so I am absolutely going to play him against the worst pass defense in the league. I’m even tempted by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who is obviously running hot on TDs but did see a season-high eight targets last week and has had target shares above 19% over each of the last two weeks. On the Jaguars’ side, Brian Thomas Jr. is more talented than his price tag, but it’s hard to pay up for him with Jones under center. Still, he just needs one big play to have a good day, so he’s not entirely off the table as a mid-range option. Parker Washington is also worth mentioning, coming off a 12-target game and still priced very low (except on FD) — but that’s a risky punt play.
Tight Ends
I’m not playing Chigoziem Okonkwo, but Evan Engram deserves at least a closer look. He will see more targets than anyone with a similar salary; the issue is that his ceiling is very low with T-Law out.
Defenses
At not-too-bad prices against Mac Jones, the Titans’ defense is a very solid option this week. Levis’ tendency to take huge numbers of sacks means the Jaguars’ defense is also worth considering at low prices. However, they’re terrible, so there’s a lot of risk in clicking that button.
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
Projected Totals: Seahawks 21.5, Cardinals 23.5
These two teams met just two weeks ago in what ended up being a very disappointing 16-6 game. Unfortunately, both of these defenses are trending upward, so I’m worried we will get another 60 minutes of divisional ugliness. With that said, there’s also a chance we see the other end of the spectrum and this is the must-include game of the week.
Quarterbacks
Kyler Murray definitely has the ceiling to more than pay off his price tag, but he also brings a low floor (below 17.5 points in three of his last four outings). He’s an option, either alone or paired with one or more of his pass-catchers. Early in the season, I was very excited about Geno Smith due to Seattle being one of the pass-happiest teams in the league. Geno never really came through with a boom game, and they’ve cooled down in terms of pass rate vs. expected. He’s not a completely terrible option, but I won’t be playing him this week.
Running Backs
James Conner projects well in terms of volume vs. salary. The biggest issue with him this week is that there are so many appealing RB plays that finding room for him as a mid-range option may be tricky. For the Seahawks, Kenneth Walker is legitimately questionable after not practicing on Friday. If he’s out, Zach Charbonnet is a no-brainer value play. If he’s in, things are trickier. After a very hot start to the season with truly elite usage, Walker has been very disappointing of late — he’s a home-run hitter as a rusher, and the home runs haven’t been coming. The usage is still there, though, so he’s worth considering if he is active.
Wide Receivers
Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn’t lived up to expectations, but he’s still worth considering at mid-range prices in a potentially exciting matchup. Be warned, though, his production has been very boom-or-bust. Michael Wilson sees a few targets each week and is cheap enough to be a name to know if you’re trying to jam in more than one of the very tempting expensive plays on this slate. For the Seahawks, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is more expensive across the board than DK Metcalf, which means I would rather play Metcalf. JSN has been very productive of late, but Metcalf has outpaced him in target share and nearly doubled him in air yards since returning from injury. With that said, both are viable, with the exception of JSN as the second-most-expensive WR on the Yahoo slate.
Tight Ends
He’s been overshadowed by Bowers and still is yet to score a receiving TD in 2024, but Trey McBride has also emerged as a truly dominant fantasy TE. He’s in play every week, bringing a ceiling and floor that few players at the position can match. Noah Fant doesn’t bring either of those, so I’m not playing him.
Defenses
I honestly think both the Seahawks’ defense and Cardinals’ defense deserve a bit more respect than their projected rostership indicates. They both rank in the top three defenses in the league in EPA per play over the last five weeks, and their prices aren’t too bad. Of the two, I prefer Arizona, as Seattle’s O-line is very weak.
Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams
Projected Totals: Bills 26.5, Rams 22.5
Despite having the higher total (and one of the highest on the slate), the Bills are a much less appealing fantasy team than the Rams. Where Sean McVay’s offense is hyper-concentrated, the only Bill who reliably touches the ball is Josh Allen. Still, there are definitely points to be scored in this matchup.
Quarterbacks
He hasn’t been his usual fantasy-wrecking self this season, but on a slate without many other top-tier QBs, Josh Allen is a very intriguing play. He has scored 20+ fantasy points in each of his last seven games, and we know his ceiling is week-winning. Matthew Stafford has been much better since getting his top two receivers back, but he does have a tough matchup in the Bills’ defense. If you’re playing him, he should be stacked with at least one of Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp.
Running Backs
Like their teams, these two backs score points in very different ways. Kyren Williams isn’t very efficient, but he gets it done on pure volume. James Cook sees one of the worst workloads of a starting RB in the league, but he has provided absolutely excellent efficiency all season. Personally, I’d rather bet on Williams’ volume than Cook’s efficiency, but both are playable this week.
Wide Receivers
The Bills’ WR room is a mess. Amari Cooper still isn’t playing a full complement of routes, Keon Coleman is still questionable with a wrist injury, and guys like Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel see just enough involvement that I feel obligated to mention them. The closest thing to a bankable option is Khalil Shakir, and even he has averaged just a 70% route participation rate for the season (although that number has been higher over the last several weeks). Shakir is playable, but I lean towards fading him — the Rams’ defense is a much tougher matchup for slot WRs than WRs in general. Things are easier on the LA side, where it’s all about Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp (unless you want to punt on another Demarcus Robinson TD). Nacua is more expensive, but he is also more explosive and sees better usage. With that said, Kupp’s usage is also excellent, so both can be played despite a tough matchup.
Tight Ends
There isn’t really any TE I want to play in this matchup. Dalton Kincaid might be back this week, and Dawson Knox has been priced up regardless (except on Yahoo). If Kincaid is in, he’s worth considering, but his production was uninspiring even when he was 100% healthy. The Rams have reverted to a complete TE-by-committee approach, with no one player at even a 25% route participation rate in Week 13.
Defenses
I don’t have any interest in the Rams’ defense or the Bills’ defense this week.
Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers
Projected Totals: Bears 19.5, 49ers 24.5
The 49ers are spiraling, with seemingly half of their roster injured and their playoff hopes essentially dead. Meanwhile, the Bears fired their head coach this week, but they have looked much more competent offensively under Thomas Brown. Even still, these totals show that the 49ers are still the much better team (in theory).
Quarterbacks
I’m not particularly interested in Brock Purdy without Trent Williams against a good Bears pass defense. However, the lack of CMC and another week to heal his shoulder does mean he might return to scrambling more. Caleb Williams is a bit more tempting, as he has taken huge steps forward in Chicago’s new offense. With that said, the 49ers’ defense has been a bad matchup for QBs all season, and I’m not sure whether the easy-button offense will work as well for Caleb if Chicago finds themselves playing from behind.
Running Backs
Isaac Guerendo’s projected rostership is shockingly low (except on Yahoo, where he is a 100% lock play at the minimum price). There are reasons to think twice, as the 49ers have been struggling as a whole and Guerendo isn’t much of a pass-catcher. But at the end of the day, he’s a hyperathletic player who will be the RB1 in Kyle Shanahan’s offense against a bad run defense at RB2 prices. He’s not a must-play (except on Yahoo) … but he’s close. Meanwhile, D’Andre Swift gets a lot more appealing with Roschon Johnson ruled out. Swift himself is questionable with a quad injury, but he should see great volume if he is able to play. With that said, there are so many appealing RB options on this slate (Guerendo included) that a mediocre rusher on a team with a low total isn’t too appealing.
Wide Receivers
I am willing to throw away last week’s ugly snow game for the 49ers’ passing offense, which leads to me being in on Jauan Jennings (except perhaps on Yahoo). His price is simply too low for how he has been used without Brandon Aiyuk in this offense. For all his struggles, Deebo Samuel has also maintained over a 20% target share, and he could see extra carries with all the Niners’ RB injuries. However, his price hasn’t fallen far enough (except on Yahoo) for me to really want to play him. The change at OC has been huge for both DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. DJM has seen a huge increase in screens and other designed touches, while Allen is racking up targets. This is a tough matchup, but I still think they are both worth considering. Rome Odunze has also seen decent usage, but I find it hard to believe the week it turns into points will come against this tough 49ers defense.
Tight Ends
Especially at lower projected rostership than McBride and Bowers, George Kittle is definitely an option. He can’t keep up with that duo in terms of floor, but he might even have them beat when it comes to ceiling. I’m not playing Cole Kmet.
Defenses
I’m not particularly interested in the Bears’ defense, as I think the 49ers still have enough playmakers (and Shanahan) to remain competent offensively. The 49ers’ defense is a bit more interesting, as I do think there is a world in which the Bears’ offensive improvements all come crashing down at once. With that said, they are still a bit more expensive than I would have hoped they might be, especially if Nick Bosa is out.
Lineups
Before I dive into the specifics of these lineups, I want to point out that this slate is a particularly tricky one in terms of late injury news. Players like Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall, Malik Nabers, Bucky Irving, D’Andre Swift, DJ Moore, Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid, and probably others I’m forgetting all seem legitimately questionable. And every player ruled out means another player jumps up as a value — especially at RB. Guerendo is already an obvious value spot, but we may suddenly be spoiled by the likes of Allen and Charbonnet. Make sure you check on Sunday morning before submitting your final lineups.
DraftKings
Cash Game
Guerendo is going to be in all three of my cash game lineups, and I’m not even going to think twice about it. In this case, I’m also going to pay up for Barkley, as there is enough value on this slate to make that work. In this case, I’m going to assume Hall is out and play Braelon Allen at FLEX. Let’s take the Saints’ defense against Drew Lock, plus two underpriced WR1s with the initials of JJ in Jeudy and Jennings. If we add in Darnold at QB, that leaves us with $10,700 and just two slots (WR and TE). There are plenty of good ways to finish things off.
Tournament
What if Aidan O’Connell can take advantage of the Buccaneers’ defense? He’s so cheap that it won’t take much for him to get there. If we’re playing AOC, we have to stack him with one or both of his weapons (Meyers and Bowers), and in this case, I’m going to fully commit with both. Let’s also add in Mike Evans coming back the other way. I’m going to risk it and fade Barkley, instead playing DeVonta to hopefully capture a TD or two from that juicy 29.5-point total. If we’re fading Saquon, we need another RB who can at least come close to keeping up with him, and I like paying up for Achane at low rostership. I also want to play the Titans’ defense against the Jaguars. That leaves us just $9,100 for our final two spots, FLEX and RB. Personally, I lean toward punting the FLEX and paying up at least to a mid-range RB, but there are plenty of options.
FanDuel
Cash Game
Pricing seems lighter on FanDuel this week, so let’s take advantage. Barkley + Allen at the top, and we’ll even sneak in Kelce from the Sunday night game (which is on FD’s main slate) at TE. I did promise that Guerendo would be in all of my cash lineups, so here he goes. I’ll also go back to Ridley and DJ Moore. Add in a pay-down defense (Tennesse or Jacksonville), and then fill the final two spots with your favorite safe plays of the week.
Tournament
I knew I wanted to do it somewhere, and this is where they are both relatively cheapest, so I’m going to send it with a Will Levis/Calvin Ridley stack. If we then eat some chalk in Guerendo, we have enough cash to pay up for Barkley AND Bowers. From there, I like a correlated play of Pickens and Jeudy from the Steelers/Browns game to finish our receiver slots. That leaves plenty of money for a defense and a solid flex play.
Yahoo
Cash Game
Guerendo and Allen are both no-brainers at the stone-cold minimum. We can double-down on the 49ers’ offense with Deebo, who is incredibly cheap thanks to his run of terrible performances. We can fill our flex right away with Kamara at a relatively cheap salary (technically put Guerendo in your flex due to his later matchup). Levis at just $20 against the Jaguars’ defense is also too cheap to pass up. We suddenly have an absolutely absurd amount of money for our final four spots (TE, WR, WR, DEF). Personally, I will definitely be paying up for Bowers, but I’ll leave it up to you to fill the final three spots.
Tournament
I always get weird with the Yahoo tournament lineup, and this week is no exception. I’m going to fade Guerendo at the minimum, but I’ll still play a 49ers stack with Purdy and Deebo. We can add in DJM coming back the way. Of course, we’ll need some value to keep up with the Guerendo rosters, so let’s play Allen as our $10 starting RB of choice. Let’s also pay up the huge $40 for Saquon, which I can’t imagine many people will be doing without taking the discount for Guerendo. In order to help us get there, let’s assume Walker is out by playing Charbonnet (we can pivot to Guerendo if needed) and also pay down at DST with the Cardinals. That leaves enough money for a mid-range TE and a pay-up WR, or vice versa. Pick your poison.