DFS Building Blocks – Week 13
Hopefully, last week’s Thanksgiving games gave you something to be thankful for. There were plenty of high-scoring outings to benefit from, including another Cowboys’ hammering and more fun for the 49ers. Dak Prescott is benefitting from a pass-heavy attack plan by Mike McCarthy, and the Cowboy pass catchers are proving to be reliable beneficiaries.
The biggest shock on Thursday’s Thanksgiving slate came from Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. Love has been improving in recent weeks, but a 268-yard, 3-touchdown performance in Prime Time showed just how good he can be. A Green Bay heavy stack on Thursday Night would have put you in line for a good payout, so hopefully you were on board the Love train.
Let’s see what winners we can find for this Sunday’s slate!
Game Overviews
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Indianapolis Colts (-115) ; Tennessee Titans (-105)
Spread: Indianapolis Colts -1
Total: 42.5; Opened: 41.5
Gardner Minshew versus Will Levis doesn’t scream fantasy points, but there are a few plays that interest me. In fact, the Colts offense could be in for a good week. Jonathan Taylor’s injury makes Zack Moss a locked and loaded top-10 option. You can expect him to handle a bell-cow role that gives him a very high ceiling in a game where the Colts should maintain a positive game script. He’s a must-start on DK and a near must-start on FD.
The best matchup though is for the Colts receivers. Michael Pittman has had 12 or more targets in four of his last six games, collecting 10 receptions for 107 yards last week. The secondary is the best place to attack Tennessee, so we should see a similar stat line for Pittman this week. At $7,100 on DraftKings, I think he is a great value.
The same goes for Josh Downs. He also had 13 targets last week, but was only able to collect 5 of them for 43 yards. This might keep him under the radar, which I will gladly capitalize on. He is $5,100 on DraftKings but has great upside this week. Some of my early lineups have me fading Zach Moss on FD and playing Josh Downs instead. Perfect example of a leverage play off the super popular Moss.
Your best option on the Tennessee side is Derrick Henry, who at $6,800 is also a great value. His low price comes as a consequence of this offense being fairly underwhelming under the stewardship of rookie quarterback Will Levis. At that price though, I think Henry is worth a punt. He should remain the focal point of the Tennessee offense and the matchup against the Colts is good.
I am not keen to recommend anyone else in Tennessee though. Will Levis is not reliable enough as a passer to support his pass catchers, and Deandre Hopkins has only had 10 targets across his last two games.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Minshew + Moss + Henry + Pittman
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Moss
Henry
Pittman
Downs
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Chigoziem Okonkwo
Tyjae Spears
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Los Angeles Chargers (-240) ; New England Patriots (+200)
Spread: Los Angeles Chargers -5.5
Total: 40.5; Opened: 41.5
The vibes are very low for both of these franchises, with the Patriots on track for a top-two pick and the Chargers enduring yet another failed season. There are enough fantasy options here to keep us interested though.
Justin Herbert is having a good season, despite his lack of weapons. A stack of Herbert, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen is a good option, as they are the primary sources of any yardage and scores. The Chargers should move the ball in this game, and I could see these three players putting up points for you.
I also like the Chargers defense in this one. They are a talent-poor unit, but Bailey Zappe under center for New England suggests some turnovers and a low-scoring game could be on the way.
On the other side of the ball, I love Rhamondre Stevenson on DK this week. His price tag of $6,000 is very generous and he has a dream matchup. I think we should expect a heavy dose of check-downs from Zappe, which considerably raises Stevenson’s floor and ceiling.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Herbert + Ekeler + Stevenson + Allen
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Ekeler
Stevenson
Zeke
Allen
Henry
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Jaylen Guyton
Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Detroit Lions (-210) ; New Orleans Saints (+175)
Spread: Detroit Lions -4.5
Total: 46.5; Opened: 44.5
What do we make of the Lions after last week’s Thanksgiving loss? Jared Goff has now had a couple of bad games in a row, throwing for three interceptions against the Bears before last week’s loss to the Packers. He now has to face the Saints’ talented defense, making him a tricky recommendation.
He has the pass catchers available to negate most bad matchups, but any more errors could lead the Lions to rely even more on their running backs. As a result, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs both remain as excellent options. Only $200 separates them in price and it is a coin flip as to who has the big game. Despite Gibbs getting the passing work, I will lean towards Montgomery this week who gets the redzone work. The Lions need a reset win and they trust him more in the big moments.
Amon-Ra St Brown and Sam LaPorta are pretty automatic, so you can lock them in as well.
The Saints face an uphill battle this week. Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed are all out with injuries, which doesn’t leave any appealing pass-cathing options for Derek Carr. As a consequence, I think this should be another Taysom Hill week, with Alvin Kamara also set to receive a monster number of passes.
The final shout goes to Juwan Johnson. He had a season-high seven targets last week, and that should increase with the loss of all the Saints’ talented receivers.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Goff + Montgomery + Amon-Ra + Hill
Goff + Kamara + Amon-Ra + LaPorta + Hill + Johnson
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Montgomery
Gibbs
Kamara
Amon-Ra
LaPorta
Hill
Johnson
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Jameson Williams
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Atlanta Falcons (-150) ; New York Jets (+130)
Spread: Atlanta Falcons -3
Total: 33.5; Opened: 35.5
The Tim Boyle show continues, making the Atlanta Falcons’ defense a good play this week. Miami racked up 24 points against Boyle last week, so the Falcons will be popular this week.
Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are the only Jets players you can look at. Both are capped massively by the state of the New York offense but should get enough volume. I would worry more about Wilson who has a tough matchup against AJ Terrell, who can shut down elite receivers.
The Jets also have a shutdown corner in Sauce Gardner. This makes Drake London unplayable, especially considering he also has to deal with a wayward quarterback and low volume. It is very difficult to attack the Jets cornerbacks, who have given up the fewest yards to the wide receiver position in the NFL.
The best place to attack the Jets is on the ground or through the tight end position. This makes Jonnu Smith and Bijan Robinson appealing options. I would prefer Smith over Kyle Pitts, as Smith is used more like an orthodox tight end, whereas Pitts does his work further downfield.
Bijan Robinson has now taken control of the Atlanta backfield, handling 16 carries and 6 targets last week, resulting in 2 touchdowns. The Jets are a bottom-10 team against running backs in fantasy, so Bijan should be the focal point of the offense this week.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Bijan + Hall + Smith
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Bijan
Hall
Wilson
Smith
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Cordarrelle Patterson
Arizona Cardinals @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Location: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Arizona Cardinals (+200) ; Pittsburgh Steelers (-240)
Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -5.5
Total: 41.5; Opened: 39.5
The next lucky team to play the Cardinals’ awful defense is the Pittsburgh Steelers. I would recommend good exposure to the Pittsburgh playmakers and will certainly be considering building one of my DFS lineups around this game.
The standout matchup is for the Steelers running backs, who go up against an Arizona defense who is giving up the third most yards per game on the ground. The Steelers like to run the ball and both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris should see plenty of work in a good game script this weekend. Harris tends to get the most carries and is fresh off a 6.6 yards per carry game, so he gets the nod for me, but the upside is capped with Warren in the mix.
In the receiving game, I like George Pickens this week. The Steelers’ front office have expressed their desire to get him the ball more, and the Cardinals’ secondary is giving up the highest completion percentage in the NFL. Diontae Johnson will likely be popular and should receive the most targets, but I like Pickens to get loose for a few deeper connections this week.
Pat Freiermuth is also very much in play after Pittsburgh made such an effort to make him the focus of the passing attack last week, but the Cardinals have improved since the days of “always play TEs against Arizona”.
I also like the Cardinals pass-catchers this week, with Marquise Brown and Trey McBride continuing to be excellent options. Kyler Murray would be the quarterback of choice between the two to take to the field at Acrisure Stadium. Pickett has only thrown 6 touchdowns all year and Murray’s work as a rusher gives him a very solid floor with good upside.
Greg Dortch is in the mix again as a cheap option with a great role with Michael Wilson out.
James Connor will be left out of my lineups/ He split snaps relatively evenly with Michael Carter last week and I think the Cardinals will want to pass it deep given they are trying to evaluate the team with Kyler Murray.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Murray + Harris + Brown + Pickens + McBride
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Dortch
Connor
Harris
Warren
Brown
Pickens
Johnson
Freiermuth
McBride
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Carolina Panthers (+200) ; Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-240)
Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -5
Total: 36.5; Opened: 38.5
Let’s get Carolina out of the way first. You can’t play any of them outside of lottery picks on Thielen and Mingo.
The Buccaneers, however, should be popular this week. Mayfield is playing well enough to service his playmakers, most notably Mike Evans and Rachaad White.
The Panthers are giving up the third most points to the running back position, and White’s additional usage as a receiver makes him one of the hottest starts of the week. He should explode.
Mike Evans could also go big. He has had 31 targets over the last three weeks and torched the Panthers for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns last year. Both he and White should be highly owned.
Cade Otton has chipped in with a few good games, so could be a good option if you need to save money at tight end. I wouldn’t be looking anywhere else on the Buccaneers’ offense though. It should run through White and Evans.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Mayfield + White + Evans
White + Thielen
White + Bucs DEF
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
White
Evans
Otton
Bucs DEF
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Deven Thompkins
Thielen
Mingo
Miami Dolphins @ Washington Commanders
Location: FedExField, Landover, Maryland
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Miami Dolphins (-425) ; Washington Commanders (+340)
Spread: Miami Dolphins -9.5
Total: 49.5; Opened: 49.5
The Washington Commanders are simply not good on defense, and they now have to try and stop Mike McDaniels’ genius offensive unit, the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa might be the most popular quarterback on the week, and you will have to pay up for his receivers if you want them. They will likely explode though, so it would be money well spent. I’ll be targeting this game in my primary lineup, looking for some unique ways to stack it up.
It is harder to figure out what to do with the Miami backfield. De’Von Achane should be making his return, which adds a third name to a committee that already features Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson. Achane has by far the highest ceiling, despite not knowing exactly how many snaps he will get with his injury concerns. With Zach Moss the clear value option on the slate, and Achane returning, no one wants to pay up for Mostert… except me. The Dolphins passing game will get the focus, but it’s not hard to see Mostert getting a couple TDs here.
The Commanders should also be able to put up some points. Sam Howell has posted over 300 yards in four of his last five games, which shows there are fantasy points to be had. The trouble is, he shares the love with a wide range of pass catchers. Last week, Curtis Samuel was the main beneficiary. I don’t mind him as a lottery pick, but his presence makes it hard to trust Terry McLaurin and impossible to trust Jahan Dotson. Logan Thomas is okay for your tight end spot though.
Finally, the return of Antonio Gibson makes it tougher to opt for Brian Robinson as your running back. Robinson was putting out some elite fantasy games with Gibson out of the lineup, thanks to him absorbing Gibson’s pass-catching roles. With Gibson back in the lineup, Robinson’s targets dropped down again. The Commanders look likely to be in a negative game script this week, so I don’t like Robinson as an option.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Tua + Achane/Mostert + Hill + Samuel + Thomas
Howell + Mostert + Hill + Samuel + Thomas
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Achane
Mostert
Hill
Waddle
Samuel
Thomas
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Antonio Gibson
Denver Broncos @ Houston Texans
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET
Money Line: Denver Broncos (+155) ; Houston Texans (-185)
Spread: Houston Texans -3.5
Total: 47.5; Opened: 44.5
This is a much more intriguing matchup than it looked at the beginning of the season. The Texans are the fan favorites at the moment, facing off against a Broncos team that have now won five games in a row. The best matchups here are for Devin Singletary against the awful Broncos run defense and Courtland Sutton against the leaky Texans secondary.
Sutton is on an impressive stretch of games, solidifying himself as the clear number-one target for Russell Wilson. The Broncos should be able to move the ball against the Texans’ defense, making Javonte Williams a good start at running back. It is important to proceed with caution here, but dare I say, a Broncos stack could be an interesting play. The Texans will undoubtedly put up points, and a stack of Wilson + Williams + Sutton will have to do the heavy lifting for Denver.
The Texans know how to put up points, and there are plenty of options to choose from. However, it is worth noting that the Broncos have been relatively stingy against the wide receiver position. They have a talented secondary, which, combined with a bad run defense, encourages offenses to prefer the running game as a way to move the ball.
As a result, I won’t be recommending a pass-heavy Texans stack, but Brevin Jordan filling in for Dalton Schultz has a nice matchup and is makes a unique mini-stack with Singletary.
As previously mentioned, Devin Singletary is in a great spot. He has taken the lead role in the Texans backfield and now gets to go up against a Broncos run defense that is giving up the most points to the position.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Wilson + Williams + Sutton + Dell
Singletary + Jordan
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Williams
Singletary
Sutton
Dell
Collins
Jordan
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Dameon Pierce
Cleveland Browns @ Los Angeles Rams
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Time: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Money Line: Cleveland Browns (+160) ; Los Angeles Rams (-190)
Spread: Los Angeles Rams -3.5
Total: 39.5; Opened: 38.5
The Rams have returned to full health and the results were spectacular last week, dispatching the Cardinals to the tune of 37 – 14. Now, the Browns are a completely different challenge, boasting one of the best defenses in the league. It does cap the upside of our fantasy options, but there is still an avenue for success, particularly given that ownership should be low.
Kyren Williams is a true stud as a rusher and receiver. The ground is the place to attack Cleveland, and I see him having another big game, but he won’t be at the top of my RB list. In terms of the receivers, Puka Nacua is the only one I would recommend. Kupp has been struggling since his injury, but should still demand the most attention. That should free up a bit more space for Nacua to work. Higbee grabbed the two touchdowns last week, but I am not willing to go back there.
On the Browns side, David Njoku has been stepping up as the only viable pass catcher. He has been targeted heavily in the last few weeks and provides an easily accessible safety net for whoever starts at quarterback, which appears be Joe Flacco. Joe Flacco is elite though and he could get Amari Cooper going in this matchup, making him especially interesting on DK where volume is more valuable.
The running backs are also good options. The Browns are led by the run and a potential Joe Flacco appearance would funnel a lot of short targets their way. Jerome Ford is the most explosive of the two and gets the majority of the work, so I wouldn’t mind a bit of exposure to him. Don’t go crazy though, as this Browns offense won’t be putting up too many points.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Williams + Nacua + Njoku/Cooper
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Williams
Ford
Hunt
Nacua
Kupp
Njoku
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Atwell
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Money Line: San Francisco 49ers (-155) ; Philadelphia Eagles (+135)
Spread: San Francisco 49ers -3
Total: 47.5; Opened: 46.5
What a matchup to finish with. The two top teams in the NFC will go to battle, and there should be fantasy points galore. This is a huge test for Brock Purdy, who is enjoying a brilliant season so far. He is wheeling and dealing to his offensive weapons and now gets to go up against a very generous Eagles secondary which is giving up the fourth most passing yards per game.
They are giving up the most fantasy points to the wide receiver position, which makes Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Purdy great starts. The edge definitely goes to Aiyuk this week, as he is used much more like a traditional receiver.
The 49ers will have to rack up points if they are going to win this week, and the Eagles’ elite run defense means that all the damage will need to be done in the passing game. Still, Christian McCaffrey is a dual-threat weapon and can be trusted every week, with George Kittle also coming into play.
The matchup is much tougher for the Eagles’ playmakers, but you can go to them nevertheless. DeVonta Smith is my preferred wide receiver. 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward shut down DK Metcalf last week and will likely focus on AJ Brown this week. Brown should still have a good game, but the increase in targets for Smith after Goedert’s injury makes him a great option at a cheaper price.
D’Andre Swift should be left out though. The 49ers are excellent against the run and Jalen Hurts steals a lot of rushing touchdowns away from Swift. The upside is not as high and not worth the risk in what could be a pass-friendly game script.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Hurts + CMC + Aiyuk + Smith
Purdy + Aiyuk + Smith + Kittle
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
CMC
Aiyuk
Deebo
Smith
Brown
Kittle
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Olamide Zaccheaus
The Lineup Build
Two clear games to target this week with the Dolphins and Commanders and the Dolphins and 49ers. I’ll focus more on the Dolphins and Commanders but both games are great. After the monster Bills and Eagles game last week, we could see a repeat with the 49ers, but I’ll be a bit more cautious here looking for an old-fashioned NFC East battle that could disappoint some.
There are a surprisingly high number of other appealing options this week, which should spread out the chalk and give us some interesting ownership percentages. I like the Chargers this week. They have struggled recently, which could scare people off them. But you know exactly where the production will come from and they should put up points.
The other game that I like is the Steelers and Arizona clash, with the Steelers’ running backs pairing up quite nicely with the Cardinals’ pass catchers for a potentially productive stack.
Finally, the Saints and Lions game is very intriguing to me. We know who will rack up the points for the Lions, and I could see some big games for Kamara and the tight ends going in the other direction.
FD
I’ll get a little unique by starting with Powell instead of Tua. I’ll add Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas, with Mostert and either Hill or Waddle on the other side. I’ll need to play around with salary savers to see what works.
I’ll be trying to fit Rachaad White and Devin Singletary in. Then I’ll go with Zach Moss if I need the savings, or I may go up to Mostert like above.
If you want to take a fade on the two big games, can opt for the Steelers and Cardinals game on FanDuel. Kyler Murray comes in with Marquise Brown and Trey McBride. Najee Harris and George Pickens come in for Pittsburgh. I like Pickens to get loose on a few deeper passes this weekend.
This is also the spot where we can include our mini-Tampa stack of Rachaad White and Mike Evans, going up against Carolina.
Finally, Zeke is our cheaper option in the flex and the Rams’ defense is the pick, going up against Cleveland. Note, if you can find another $100 you can move up to Moss in the flex. Perhaps moving down from Najee to Warren or going to Dortch instead of Brown. Play around and see what you like.
DK
I’ll start here with the 49ers and Eagles as Purdy gets more favorable pricing than Howell on DK. Purdy plus Aiyuk plus Smith for a small game stack. I’ll add White, Singletary, and Moss.
I’ll play around with the rest but plenty of salary savers I can fill in.
If you fade the big two on DK, Jared Goff and the Lions work. Montgomery and Amon-Ra are the chosen Detroit playmakers, with Kamara and Juwan Johnson representing the opposition. Johnson is $1,900 cheaper than Taysom Hill, which looks like a good value to me with his expected role in the receiving game this week.
Greg Dortch saves us some money at the second wide receiver slot, meaning we can afford Diontae Johnson at $5,000 in the third. Zack Moss at $4,600 is completely mispriced, and we can’t avoid the chalk with him. Finally, the Jets’ defense comes in to tackle the Atlanta Falcons.
Yahoo
Keenan Allen is the most expensive player in our Chargers stack, and he is best valued on Yahoo, so we go Charger-heavy here. Herbert and Ekeler join Allen, with Rhamondre Stevenson and Demario Douglas coming in for New England.
Josh Downs takes the final wide receiver slot, and Pat Freiermuth comes in at tight end. I go cheap at defense with the Detroit Lions against the Saints, leaving enough for Puka Nacua in the flex. I think Nacua sees more work than Kupp against Cleveland this weekend.
Hopefully, last week’s Thanksgiving games gave you something to be thankful for. There were plenty of high-scoring outings to benefit from, including another Cowboys’ hammering and more fun for the 49ers. Dak Prescott is benefitting from a pass-heavy attack plan by Mike McCarthy, and the Cowboy pass catchers are proving to be reliable beneficiaries.
The biggest shock on Thursday’s Thanksgiving slate came from Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. Love has been improving in recent weeks, but a 268-yard, 3-touchdown performance in Prime Time showed just how good he can be. A Green Bay heavy stack on Thursday Night would have put you in line for a good payout, so hopefully you were on board the Love train.
Let’s see what winners we can find for this Sunday’s slate!
Game Overviews
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Indianapolis Colts (-115) ; Tennessee Titans (-105)
Spread: Indianapolis Colts -1
Total: 42.5; Opened: 41.5
Gardner Minshew versus Will Levis doesn’t scream fantasy points, but there are a few plays that interest me. In fact, the Colts offense could be in for a good week. Jonathan Taylor’s injury makes Zack Moss a locked and loaded top-10 option. You can expect him to handle a bell-cow role that gives him a very high ceiling in a game where the Colts should maintain a positive game script. He’s a must-start on DK and a near must-start on FD.
The best matchup though is for the Colts receivers. Michael Pittman has had 12 or more targets in four of his last six games, collecting 10 receptions for 107 yards last week. The secondary is the best place to attack Tennessee, so we should see a similar stat line for Pittman this week. At $7,100 on DraftKings, I think he is a great value.
The same goes for Josh Downs. He also had 13 targets last week, but was only able to collect 5 of them for 43 yards. This might keep him under the radar, which I will gladly capitalize on. He is $5,100 on DraftKings but has great upside this week. Some of my early lineups have me fading Zach Moss on FD and playing Josh Downs instead. Perfect example of a leverage play off the super popular Moss.
Your best option on the Tennessee side is Derrick Henry, who at $6,800 is also a great value. His low price comes as a consequence of this offense being fairly underwhelming under the stewardship of rookie quarterback Will Levis. At that price though, I think Henry is worth a punt. He should remain the focal point of the Tennessee offense and the matchup against the Colts is good.
I am not keen to recommend anyone else in Tennessee though. Will Levis is not reliable enough as a passer to support his pass catchers, and Deandre Hopkins has only had 10 targets across his last two games.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Minshew + Moss + Henry + Pittman
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Moss
Henry
Pittman
Downs
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Chigoziem Okonkwo
Tyjae Spears
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Los Angeles Chargers (-240) ; New England Patriots (+200)
Spread: Los Angeles Chargers -5.5
Total: 40.5; Opened: 41.5
The vibes are very low for both of these franchises, with the Patriots on track for a top-two pick and the Chargers enduring yet another failed season. There are enough fantasy options here to keep us interested though.
Justin Herbert is having a good season, despite his lack of weapons. A stack of Herbert, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen is a good option, as they are the primary sources of any yardage and scores. The Chargers should move the ball in this game, and I could see these three players putting up points for you.
I also like the Chargers defense in this one. They are a talent-poor unit, but Bailey Zappe under center for New England suggests some turnovers and a low-scoring game could be on the way.
On the other side of the ball, I love Rhamondre Stevenson on DK this week. His price tag of $6,000 is very generous and he has a dream matchup. I think we should expect a heavy dose of check-downs from Zappe, which considerably raises Stevenson’s floor and ceiling.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Herbert + Ekeler + Stevenson + Allen
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Ekeler
Stevenson
Zeke
Allen
Henry
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Jaylen Guyton
Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Detroit Lions (-210) ; New Orleans Saints (+175)
Spread: Detroit Lions -4.5
Total: 46.5; Opened: 44.5
What do we make of the Lions after last week’s Thanksgiving loss? Jared Goff has now had a couple of bad games in a row, throwing for three interceptions against the Bears before last week’s loss to the Packers. He now has to face the Saints’ talented defense, making him a tricky recommendation.
He has the pass catchers available to negate most bad matchups, but any more errors could lead the Lions to rely even more on their running backs. As a result, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs both remain as excellent options. Only $200 separates them in price and it is a coin flip as to who has the big game. Despite Gibbs getting the passing work, I will lean towards Montgomery this week who gets the redzone work. The Lions need a reset win and they trust him more in the big moments.
Amon-Ra St Brown and Sam LaPorta are pretty automatic, so you can lock them in as well.
The Saints face an uphill battle this week. Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed are all out with injuries, which doesn’t leave any appealing pass-cathing options for Derek Carr. As a consequence, I think this should be another Taysom Hill week, with Alvin Kamara also set to receive a monster number of passes.
The final shout goes to Juwan Johnson. He had a season-high seven targets last week, and that should increase with the loss of all the Saints’ talented receivers.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Goff + Montgomery + Amon-Ra + Hill
Goff + Kamara + Amon-Ra + LaPorta + Hill + Johnson
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Montgomery
Gibbs
Kamara
Amon-Ra
LaPorta
Hill
Johnson
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Jameson Williams
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Atlanta Falcons (-150) ; New York Jets (+130)
Spread: Atlanta Falcons -3
Total: 33.5; Opened: 35.5
The Tim Boyle show continues, making the Atlanta Falcons’ defense a good play this week. Miami racked up 24 points against Boyle last week, so the Falcons will be popular this week.
Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are the only Jets players you can look at. Both are capped massively by the state of the New York offense but should get enough volume. I would worry more about Wilson who has a tough matchup against AJ Terrell, who can shut down elite receivers.
The Jets also have a shutdown corner in Sauce Gardner. This makes Drake London unplayable, especially considering he also has to deal with a wayward quarterback and low volume. It is very difficult to attack the Jets cornerbacks, who have given up the fewest yards to the wide receiver position in the NFL.
The best place to attack the Jets is on the ground or through the tight end position. This makes Jonnu Smith and Bijan Robinson appealing options. I would prefer Smith over Kyle Pitts, as Smith is used more like an orthodox tight end, whereas Pitts does his work further downfield.
Bijan Robinson has now taken control of the Atlanta backfield, handling 16 carries and 6 targets last week, resulting in 2 touchdowns. The Jets are a bottom-10 team against running backs in fantasy, so Bijan should be the focal point of the offense this week.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Bijan + Hall + Smith
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Bijan
Hall
Wilson
Smith
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Cordarrelle Patterson
Arizona Cardinals @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Location: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Arizona Cardinals (+200) ; Pittsburgh Steelers (-240)
Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers -5.5
Total: 41.5; Opened: 39.5
The next lucky team to play the Cardinals’ awful defense is the Pittsburgh Steelers. I would recommend good exposure to the Pittsburgh playmakers and will certainly be considering building one of my DFS lineups around this game.
The standout matchup is for the Steelers running backs, who go up against an Arizona defense who is giving up the third most yards per game on the ground. The Steelers like to run the ball and both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris should see plenty of work in a good game script this weekend. Harris tends to get the most carries and is fresh off a 6.6 yards per carry game, so he gets the nod for me, but the upside is capped with Warren in the mix.
In the receiving game, I like George Pickens this week. The Steelers’ front office have expressed their desire to get him the ball more, and the Cardinals’ secondary is giving up the highest completion percentage in the NFL. Diontae Johnson will likely be popular and should receive the most targets, but I like Pickens to get loose for a few deeper connections this week.
Pat Freiermuth is also very much in play after Pittsburgh made such an effort to make him the focus of the passing attack last week, but the Cardinals have improved since the days of “always play TEs against Arizona”.
I also like the Cardinals pass-catchers this week, with Marquise Brown and Trey McBride continuing to be excellent options. Kyler Murray would be the quarterback of choice between the two to take to the field at Acrisure Stadium. Pickett has only thrown 6 touchdowns all year and Murray’s work as a rusher gives him a very solid floor with good upside.
Greg Dortch is in the mix again as a cheap option with a great role with Michael Wilson out.
James Connor will be left out of my lineups/ He split snaps relatively evenly with Michael Carter last week and I think the Cardinals will want to pass it deep given they are trying to evaluate the team with Kyler Murray.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Murray + Harris + Brown + Pickens + McBride
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Dortch
Connor
Harris
Warren
Brown
Pickens
Johnson
Freiermuth
McBride
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Carolina Panthers (+200) ; Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-240)
Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -5
Total: 36.5; Opened: 38.5
Let’s get Carolina out of the way first. You can’t play any of them outside of lottery picks on Thielen and Mingo.
The Buccaneers, however, should be popular this week. Mayfield is playing well enough to service his playmakers, most notably Mike Evans and Rachaad White.
The Panthers are giving up the third most points to the running back position, and White’s additional usage as a receiver makes him one of the hottest starts of the week. He should explode.
Mike Evans could also go big. He has had 31 targets over the last three weeks and torched the Panthers for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns last year. Both he and White should be highly owned.
Cade Otton has chipped in with a few good games, so could be a good option if you need to save money at tight end. I wouldn’t be looking anywhere else on the Buccaneers’ offense though. It should run through White and Evans.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Mayfield + White + Evans
White + Thielen
White + Bucs DEF
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
White
Evans
Otton
Bucs DEF
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Deven Thompkins
Thielen
Mingo
Miami Dolphins @ Washington Commanders
Location: FedExField, Landover, Maryland
Time: Sunday 1 p.m. ET
Money Line: Miami Dolphins (-425) ; Washington Commanders (+340)
Spread: Miami Dolphins -9.5
Total: 49.5; Opened: 49.5
The Washington Commanders are simply not good on defense, and they now have to try and stop Mike McDaniels’ genius offensive unit, the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa might be the most popular quarterback on the week, and you will have to pay up for his receivers if you want them. They will likely explode though, so it would be money well spent. I’ll be targeting this game in my primary lineup, looking for some unique ways to stack it up.
It is harder to figure out what to do with the Miami backfield. De’Von Achane should be making his return, which adds a third name to a committee that already features Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson. Achane has by far the highest ceiling, despite not knowing exactly how many snaps he will get with his injury concerns. With Zach Moss the clear value option on the slate, and Achane returning, no one wants to pay up for Mostert… except me. The Dolphins passing game will get the focus, but it’s not hard to see Mostert getting a couple TDs here.
The Commanders should also be able to put up some points. Sam Howell has posted over 300 yards in four of his last five games, which shows there are fantasy points to be had. The trouble is, he shares the love with a wide range of pass catchers. Last week, Curtis Samuel was the main beneficiary. I don’t mind him as a lottery pick, but his presence makes it hard to trust Terry McLaurin and impossible to trust Jahan Dotson. Logan Thomas is okay for your tight end spot though.
Finally, the return of Antonio Gibson makes it tougher to opt for Brian Robinson as your running back. Robinson was putting out some elite fantasy games with Gibson out of the lineup, thanks to him absorbing Gibson’s pass-catching roles. With Gibson back in the lineup, Robinson’s targets dropped down again. The Commanders look likely to be in a negative game script this week, so I don’t like Robinson as an option.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Tua + Achane/Mostert + Hill + Samuel + Thomas
Howell + Mostert + Hill + Samuel + Thomas
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Achane
Mostert
Hill
Waddle
Samuel
Thomas
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Antonio Gibson
Denver Broncos @ Houston Texans
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET
Money Line: Denver Broncos (+155) ; Houston Texans (-185)
Spread: Houston Texans -3.5
Total: 47.5; Opened: 44.5
This is a much more intriguing matchup than it looked at the beginning of the season. The Texans are the fan favorites at the moment, facing off against a Broncos team that have now won five games in a row. The best matchups here are for Devin Singletary against the awful Broncos run defense and Courtland Sutton against the leaky Texans secondary.
Sutton is on an impressive stretch of games, solidifying himself as the clear number-one target for Russell Wilson. The Broncos should be able to move the ball against the Texans’ defense, making Javonte Williams a good start at running back. It is important to proceed with caution here, but dare I say, a Broncos stack could be an interesting play. The Texans will undoubtedly put up points, and a stack of Wilson + Williams + Sutton will have to do the heavy lifting for Denver.
The Texans know how to put up points, and there are plenty of options to choose from. However, it is worth noting that the Broncos have been relatively stingy against the wide receiver position. They have a talented secondary, which, combined with a bad run defense, encourages offenses to prefer the running game as a way to move the ball.
As a result, I won’t be recommending a pass-heavy Texans stack, but Brevin Jordan filling in for Dalton Schultz has a nice matchup and is makes a unique mini-stack with Singletary.
As previously mentioned, Devin Singletary is in a great spot. He has taken the lead role in the Texans backfield and now gets to go up against a Broncos run defense that is giving up the most points to the position.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Wilson + Williams + Sutton + Dell
Singletary + Jordan
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Williams
Singletary
Sutton
Dell
Collins
Jordan
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Dameon Pierce
Cleveland Browns @ Los Angeles Rams
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Time: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Money Line: Cleveland Browns (+160) ; Los Angeles Rams (-190)
Spread: Los Angeles Rams -3.5
Total: 39.5; Opened: 38.5
The Rams have returned to full health and the results were spectacular last week, dispatching the Cardinals to the tune of 37 – 14. Now, the Browns are a completely different challenge, boasting one of the best defenses in the league. It does cap the upside of our fantasy options, but there is still an avenue for success, particularly given that ownership should be low.
Kyren Williams is a true stud as a rusher and receiver. The ground is the place to attack Cleveland, and I see him having another big game, but he won’t be at the top of my RB list. In terms of the receivers, Puka Nacua is the only one I would recommend. Kupp has been struggling since his injury, but should still demand the most attention. That should free up a bit more space for Nacua to work. Higbee grabbed the two touchdowns last week, but I am not willing to go back there.
On the Browns side, David Njoku has been stepping up as the only viable pass catcher. He has been targeted heavily in the last few weeks and provides an easily accessible safety net for whoever starts at quarterback, which appears be Joe Flacco. Joe Flacco is elite though and he could get Amari Cooper going in this matchup, making him especially interesting on DK where volume is more valuable.
The running backs are also good options. The Browns are led by the run and a potential Joe Flacco appearance would funnel a lot of short targets their way. Jerome Ford is the most explosive of the two and gets the majority of the work, so I wouldn’t mind a bit of exposure to him. Don’t go crazy though, as this Browns offense won’t be putting up too many points.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Williams + Nacua + Njoku/Cooper
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
Williams
Ford
Hunt
Nacua
Kupp
Njoku
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Atwell
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Money Line: San Francisco 49ers (-155) ; Philadelphia Eagles (+135)
Spread: San Francisco 49ers -3
Total: 47.5; Opened: 46.5
What a matchup to finish with. The two top teams in the NFC will go to battle, and there should be fantasy points galore. This is a huge test for Brock Purdy, who is enjoying a brilliant season so far. He is wheeling and dealing to his offensive weapons and now gets to go up against a very generous Eagles secondary which is giving up the fourth most passing yards per game.
They are giving up the most fantasy points to the wide receiver position, which makes Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Purdy great starts. The edge definitely goes to Aiyuk this week, as he is used much more like a traditional receiver.
The 49ers will have to rack up points if they are going to win this week, and the Eagles’ elite run defense means that all the damage will need to be done in the passing game. Still, Christian McCaffrey is a dual-threat weapon and can be trusted every week, with George Kittle also coming into play.
The matchup is much tougher for the Eagles’ playmakers, but you can go to them nevertheless. DeVonta Smith is my preferred wide receiver. 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward shut down DK Metcalf last week and will likely focus on AJ Brown this week. Brown should still have a good game, but the increase in targets for Smith after Goedert’s injury makes him a great option at a cheaper price.
D’Andre Swift should be left out though. The 49ers are excellent against the run and Jalen Hurts steals a lot of rushing touchdowns away from Swift. The upside is not as high and not worth the risk in what could be a pass-friendly game script.
Building Blocks (stacks to build around)
Hurts + CMC + Aiyuk + Smith
Purdy + Aiyuk + Smith + Kittle
Individual Plays (players that can be rostered alone to fill out your lineups that are built around other stacks)
CMC
Aiyuk
Deebo
Smith
Brown
Kittle
Lottery Picks (stacks and individual players that can surprise in a large-field
tournament)
Olamide Zaccheaus
The Lineup Build
Two clear games to target this week with the Dolphins and Commanders and the Dolphins and 49ers. I’ll focus more on the Dolphins and Commanders but both games are great. After the monster Bills and Eagles game last week, we could see a repeat with the 49ers, but I’ll be a bit more cautious here looking for an old-fashioned NFC East battle that could disappoint some.
There are a surprisingly high number of other appealing options this week, which should spread out the chalk and give us some interesting ownership percentages. I like the Chargers this week. They have struggled recently, which could scare people off them. But you know exactly where the production will come from and they should put up points.
The other game that I like is the Steelers and Arizona clash, with the Steelers’ running backs pairing up quite nicely with the Cardinals’ pass catchers for a potentially productive stack.
Finally, the Saints and Lions game is very intriguing to me. We know who will rack up the points for the Lions, and I could see some big games for Kamara and the tight ends going in the other direction.
FD
I’ll get a little unique by starting with Powell instead of Tua. I’ll add Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas, with Mostert and either Hill or Waddle on the other side. I’ll need to play around with salary savers to see what works.
I’ll be trying to fit Rachaad White and Devin Singletary in. Then I’ll go with Zach Moss if I need the savings, or I may go up to Mostert like above.
If you want to take a fade on the two big games, can opt for the Steelers and Cardinals game on FanDuel. Kyler Murray comes in with Marquise Brown and Trey McBride. Najee Harris and George Pickens come in for Pittsburgh. I like Pickens to get loose on a few deeper passes this weekend.
This is also the spot where we can include our mini-Tampa stack of Rachaad White and Mike Evans, going up against Carolina.
Finally, Zeke is our cheaper option in the flex and the Rams’ defense is the pick, going up against Cleveland. Note, if you can find another $100 you can move up to Moss in the flex. Perhaps moving down from Najee to Warren or going to Dortch instead of Brown. Play around and see what you like.
DK
I’ll start here with the 49ers and Eagles as Purdy gets more favorable pricing than Howell on DK. Purdy plus Aiyuk plus Smith for a small game stack. I’ll add White, Singletary, and Moss.
I’ll play around with the rest but plenty of salary savers I can fill in.
If you fade the big two on DK, Jared Goff and the Lions work. Montgomery and Amon-Ra are the chosen Detroit playmakers, with Kamara and Juwan Johnson representing the opposition. Johnson is $1,900 cheaper than Taysom Hill, which looks like a good value to me with his expected role in the receiving game this week.
Greg Dortch saves us some money at the second wide receiver slot, meaning we can afford Diontae Johnson at $5,000 in the third. Zack Moss at $4,600 is completely mispriced, and we can’t avoid the chalk with him. Finally, the Jets’ defense comes in to tackle the Atlanta Falcons.
Yahoo
Keenan Allen is the most expensive player in our Chargers stack, and he is best valued on Yahoo, so we go Charger-heavy here. Herbert and Ekeler join Allen, with Rhamondre Stevenson and Demario Douglas coming in for New England.
Josh Downs takes the final wide receiver slot, and Pat Freiermuth comes in at tight end. I go cheap at defense with the Detroit Lions against the Saints, leaving enough for Puka Nacua in the flex. I think Nacua sees more work than Kupp against Cleveland this weekend.