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I’m not sure if we can replicate Week 5’s DFS picks, so many diamonds were uncovered in the rough. Players like Tyrone Tracy Jr., Tucker Kraft, and Joe Flacco all made the Breakdown which would have catapulted your lineups past the money line in your cash games and GPPs. On to Week 6, let’s try to make some more DFS magic as we chop it up in this article to figure out our paths to victory. Only ten games again this week due to the byes, so here we go…

Stay tuned to all our injury news, updates, and building advice on Discord. Also, check out our Optimizer and Projection Models to get the best possible performance from your lineups. Also, check back into the article during the week as we approach kickoff for more content, as more game breakdowns will be available as we approach the Sunday Slate.

Sunday Main Slate 10/13/24

Commanders @ Ravens (-6.5) (O/U 52.5)

What a game to kick off the slate. Two of this season’s most dynamic quarterbacks will go head-to-head as Jayden Daniels travels to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson. Both are on heaters while leading their teams to victories as the Ravens have won their last three games and the Commanders have won four of their first five in 2024.

In a matchup with a 52.5 total, we can’t go wrong with any players for DFS. The rookie Jayden Daniels continues to lead the league in completion percentage (82%) and rushing touchdowns for quarterbacks (4). His arsenal will be in full effect, especially Terry McLaurin, who ranks third in deep ball catches with eight, and draws a favorable matchup against Marlon Humphries. Humphries was torched last game by Ja’Maar Chase’s 10 REC/193 YDS/2 TD stat line and has a rating of +18.8 to opposing wide receivers for the year.

The same goes for the Baltimore offense, fresh from scoring 41 points in their win on the road in Cincinnati. Lamar will get the matchup of the season, facing a secondary that has exploited all year in Washington (31st in PaTDs allowed with 11). Although we will never be sure which tight end will be productive from week to week, we can count on Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers to be involved in this game. Flowers should see plenty of St. Juste (+24.3 cover rating) lining up opposite of him, so expect to see plenty of targets in his direction.

Cash: Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Derrick Henry

GPP: Zay Flowers, Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, Rashod Bateman, Zach Ertz

Update: Brian Robinson Jr. is OUT

Cardinals @ Packers (-5) (O/U 49.5)

Here is another game to invest in for DFS, a nearly 50-total featuring two explosive offenses. Both clubs are also coming off decisive wins on the road and looking to keep their momentum moving. There are plenty of pieces here again to consider for DFS, let’s check them out.

Jordan Love is finally back to full health, as he showed us in LA, but he is not quite back for fantasy yet. Only 17 fantasy points, but I’m more than willing to roll the dice on a Jordan Love three weeks removed from his injury going up against the Cardinals’ 27th-ranked defense in points allowed. Receiver Christian Watson will miss another game of what looks to be multiple, but the Packers will get Romeo Doubs back from a suspension. Jayden Reed, Tucker Kraft, and Dontavion Wicks all viable this week, and Josh Jacobs will see a run defense that has allowed eight rushing touchdowns and 24th in DVOA to opposing running backs.

We can expect another nice turnout for the Cards again this week, as Kyler Murray put the team on his back to defeat the Niners last weekend as seven-point dogs. The Packers have been weak at defending the pass, especially since corner Jaire Alexander went down with a groin injury a couple of weeks ago. Their run defense has been suspect all year long, allowing proven running backs such as Saquon Barkley and Kyren Williams to have field days. James Conner is one of those backs, and Murray could very well use his legs too on Sunday. Play your Cards for Cash games and GPPs.

Cash: Josh Jacobs, James Conner

GPP: Jordan Love, Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jayden Reed, Trey McBride, Tucker Kraft, Romeo Doubs

Update: Christian Watson is questionable

Texans @ Patriots (+7) (O/U 37.5)

Houston will fly out to Massachusettes to face the bottom feeders of the AFC East, the New England Patriots. The Texans are coming off a victory over another AFC East team the Bills, where The Pats suffered their fourth-straight loss to Miami. Not much appeal here for DFS, but we can take a look and see on a flyer for GPPs.

Low-score totals are great for spotting defenses and running backs to draft. The Pats will be rolling out their first-round pick, number three overall Drake Maye to start this week. Since we have no idea where the ball will be going for New England, Maye and the offense will be high risk, but high reward since the ownership will be very low. We can be comfortable using the Texans’ defense, however, since rookie signal callers do make mistakes. Houston ranks 17th overall on defense.

The Texans did receive some bad news this week, as Nico Collins will need to be placed on IR due to a hamstring. This news brings Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell up the pecking order in targets, along with tight end Dalton Schultz. Running back Joe Mixon is trending toward missing another game because of a bum ankle, with Dameon Pierce still limited in practice (hamstring). We could yet again see Cam Akers season for a third week straight, but I’d rather take a shot against the gross Patriots’ secondary that has coughed up close to 1,200 passing yards already this season.

Cash: Tank Dell, Houston DST

GPP: CJ Stroud, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Gibson, DeMario Douglas, Drake Maye, Ja’Lynn Polk, Dalton Schultz

Update: Rhamondre Stevenson is OUT, Dameon Pierce is not on the injury report, Joe Mixon Expected to play

Bucs @ Saints (+3) (O/U 42)

Two NFC South rivals will look to bounce back after coming up short in both of their Week 5 matchups. Tampa played well in a shootout with Kirk Cousins in Atlanta, but the Saints looked stagnant and perplexed against a solid Kansas City defense. New Orleans also suffered a huge loss at quarterback with Derek Carr tearing his oblique in the fourth quarter, putting him week-to-week according to head coach Dennis Allen.

In Carr’s absence, the Saints will dial up their fifth-round draft pick Spencer Rattler to lead the offense. Although he is min-priced and a DFS diamond for tournaments, the targets will be unpredictable, and we will need to wait and see how his offense is run. Rattler had a decent preseason, completing 52% of his passes with one touchdown and zero picks. Tampa Bay’s defense will be the week’s most popular rostered defense, just don’t pair Rattler with the Tampa D (it would be a conflict of interest), make separate lineups.

The Bucs’ injury report showed Rachaad White popping up with a foot injury, so we’ll need to keep an eye on his status, even though Bucky Irving is obviously moving in on his job. It will be the same old song and dance with Baker, Godwin, and Evans, but Cade Otton draws an advantageous matchup against a Saints’ defense that ranks 31st facing opposing tight ends. All great options for tournaments, we can’t go wrong with owning a few Bucs this Slate.

Cash: Bucs DST

GPP: Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving, Spencer Rattler, Cade Otton, Rashid Shaheed

Update: Rachaad White is Doubtful

Browns @ Eagles (-8.5) (O/U 43.5)

The Dog Pound travels to the City of Brotherly Love to take on an Eagles team fresh off of a bye week that looks on track to being 100% offensive. Back in Week 4, we witnessed Philadelphia get their keesters handed to them by the Bucs, who scored on command that game. If you’ve seen the highlights of Cleveland’s last outing, you wouldn’t have missed quarterback Deshaun Watson walking off the field on fourth down and giving up on his team against Washington.

After watching what happened on the field between Deshaun Watson and head coach Kevin Stefanski, I realized it would be very difficult to trust the offense until we see a change at quarterback. What was displayed against Washington was brutal on the eyes, so anyone for the Browns should be kept in tournaments. The Eagles DST will be another popular defense on the slate. But If I had to take a shot on one of the Browns it would be Amari Cooper. He’s seen 18 targets in his last two games and a nice matchup against Darius Slay who has been a shell of his former self (+18% to opposing receivers)

The Eagles will hit the field well-rested and hungry to get back on the right track at home. Expect to see a lot of emotions released on a Browns defense that allowed 34 points to a rookie-led offense a week ago. Jalen Hurts and company get the green light for DFS in this matchup. We have to monitor AJ Brown and Devonta Smith’s injury status going into the weekend, which will play a big role in deciding our choices for rostering.

Cash: Jalen Hurts, Eagles DST

GPP: Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Amari Cooper

Colts @ Titans (+1) (O/U 43)

Tennessee will host the Colts this weekend at home, who are loaded with injuries. The Titans will come out well-rested,from a Week 5 bye and desperate for a win. Indianapolis, who is also looking to get back into the win column, will need to do so without a few key pieces of their offense.

Michael Pittman and Josh Downs are the latest Colts to join Jonathan Taylor on the injury report this weekend. However, quarterback Anthony Richardson is trending in the right direction by practicing in full all week. If both receivers sit out, Alec Pierce and the rookie Adonai Mitchell will be in the driver’s seat for a full target share with Anthony Richardson, so keep a close eye on the news this weekend. Jonathon Taylor continues to miss practice, which leaves the entire backfield to Trey Sermon one more time. Sermon scored twice and caught all seven of his targets from Flacco in Week 5.

Tennessee sits in a great spot to return from their bye week, as they will face the 29th-ranked passing and 31st-ranked rushing defense. Tony Pollard will be a lock for Cash, with Ridley, and Hopkins all viable options for tournaments. Ridley draws the best match-up facing corner Sam Womack (+26.5 cover rating). The Jaguars’ rookie Brian Thomas Jr. (5 REC/122 YDS/1 TD) feasted from Womack’s lackluster defense. Stay away from the Titans quarterback situation, as Levis could get pulled again for Mason Rudolph.

Cash: Tony Pollard

GPP: Trey Sermon, Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell (if Pittman/Downs do not play), DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, Joe Flacco

Update: Michael Pittman and Josh Downs are expected to play, Jonathan Taylor is OUT, Joe Flacco will start

Chargers @ Broncos (-3) (O/U 35.5)

LA also coming off a bye will travel to Mile High Stadium to battle the white-hot Broncos who are on a three-game winning streak. The total is disgusting, as both teams play at a very low pace and take pride in their defenses. We may just play it safe with both teams’ DSTs, but let’s dive into a few other players for tournaments.

Denver’s Bo Nix is quietly getting better from week to week, throwing for two touchdowns with a 70% completion in Week 5. But he will face the 5th-ranked passing defense in LA and would be pretty risky to roll out for DFS. I would be willing to take a shot again on Javonte Williams, the Broncos’ back was money in the bank last week. He regained the majority of the snap share (60.1%) and averaged well over 5 yards per carry adding 5 catches for 50 yards.

The same goes for Justin Herbert this week, not that he’s been a gunslinger at quarterback this season anyway. Denver is ranked second in points allowed, and third in total yardage. The ground game will be key for LA, and it’s been all J.K. Dobbins from the start. He worked his way to a 70% snap share in Week 4 but has fizzled out his last two games to single-digit fantasy points. Gus Edwards is trending in the wrong direction and is not practicing this week. Dobbins will be in sole control of the backfield if Gus sits, but he’s only a GPP player.

Cash: Broncos DST, Chargers DST

GPP: JK Dobbins, Javonte Williams, Bo Nix

Update: Gus Edwards is OUT

Update: Josh Reynolds placed on IR

Steelers @ Raiders (+3) (O/U 36.5)

The Steelers will head over to Vegas while they recover from a loss in Dallas to square off against a Raiders team ready for tank mode. Davante Adams is still on the trade block while Zamir White is set to miss his second straight contest, and both still cannot foresee who will start at quarterback from week in and week out. Another nauseating total of 36.5 to dissect, so let’s get it over with.

Davante Adams is still looking for a new place to call home, but until then he will nurse his so-called hamstring injury and sit out yet again. This situation continues to force the ball into the hands of rookie tight end Brock Bowers and wideout Tre Tucker. Quarterbacks in Vegas are useless for DFS, as Gardner Minshew or Aiden O’Connell can be pulled at any given situation, The matchup is tough enough as it is, so keep everyone in silver and black in tournaments while they face the number two defense in the league in points allowed.

Justin Fields will get the nod once again to start for the Steelers, but buyer beware. Russell Wilson has been cleared to play but will be listed as the number two QB to start the game. If Fields continues to struggle as he did against Dallas, Tomlin will be prepared to yank him out. Either way, George Pickens and Pat Friermuth should be safe to roster regardless of who is under center.

Jaylen Warren is set to miss another game, which will give another full workload to Najee Harris. The matchup is decent, Vegas is 22nd in DVOA to opposing running backs and was extremely generous to Javonte Williams for fantasy last weekend (16 FPTS).

Cash: Najee Harris, Steelers DST

GPP: Justin Fields, George Pickens, Alexander Mattison, Tre Tucker, Brock Bowers, Pat Freiermuth, Vegas DST

Update: Jakobi Meyers is Doubtful

Falcons @ Panthers (+6) (O/U 47.5)

Atlanta returns to the slate off of a long week’s rest after defeating the Bucs in a come-from-behind fashion victory last Thursday. They’ll get a divisional game in Carolina, where the matchups will be fruitful. The Panthers and Andy Dalton have finally come back to Earth, taking their lumps in another loss in Chicago. Carolina will be home, but the momentum will be tough to stop of the Falcons.

Five hundred yards, over five football fields Kirk Cousins threw for last weekend. If you’re looking to chase fantasy points, look no further than this game on the slate. Carolina’s defense continues to struggle, now listing Jadaveon Clowney as a DNP on Friday. They’ve allowed the most rushing and second-most passing touchdowns in the league, so everybody for Atlanta is a green light for DFS.

The total is 47.5 for a reason, as bad as Carolina’s defense is, they are still capable of moving the chains. For the Panthers angle of DFS, I would lean to ride the hot hand of Chuba Hubbard, but only in GPPs. The Falcons average close to 150 rushing yards per game, and he is the only back in town until Jonathan Brooks is ready to go. Hubbard has crushed his salary, rushing for over 100 yards in two of his last three games (97 last week) with three touchdowns.

Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette pooped up questionable, so if you are considering any other pieces to this offense besides Hubbard, keep a close eye on practice news. The Falcons were picked apart in their secondary by Baker Mayfield in the first half last Thursday, but the caliber of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin is not equal to Johnson and Legette. Keep them away from Cash games.

Cash: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Chuba Hubbard

GPP: Kirk Cousins, Diontae Johnson (if healthy), Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts, Xavier Legette

Lions @ Cowboys (+3) (O/U 52.5)

Last, but certainly not least, we have the barn-burner of the afternoon as Detroit flies into Dallas. Both teams are coming off of huge wins, with Detroit being very well rested returning from their bye week. The total spells it out plain as day, and the spread dictates a back-and-forth type of game flow. I feel this game will show plenty of ownership on the slate, so let’s check it out.

Detroit will look to establish the run game early on, and Dallas has been a turnstile to opposing running backs, allowing the fifth most touchdowns so far this season with eight, and tenth most yards (675). Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have both been equally effective for fantasy value, so you can’t go wrong in their timeshare (each averaging 17 FPTS per game).

When the run game gets going, Goff will start up the play action. The passing targets have all gone to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, who has put a lid on Sam La Porta’s opportunities because of his breakout. La Porta should only be used in GPPs. until Willams takes his foot off the gas.

The writing is on the wall in the Cowboys’ locker room, bring your “A” game. Whatever drama is going on between Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb needs to be put to bed, because Detroit will have no problem scoring on this defense potentially missing Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs.

This game will rest in Dak’s arm. Detroit is ranked 27th in defending the pass, now we know Lamb should be effective, but the real question is will Jalen Tolbert? He’ll line up across from Terrion Arnold, whose coverage is absolute garbage (+24.8). Tolbert and Jake Ferguson will both reap the benefits of more targets thanks to Brandin Cooks landing on IR.

As for a Cowboy running back, we love Dowdle for his pass-catching ability and role in the hurry-up offense. Zeke Elliot’s wheels have fallen off the axle and Dalvin Cook has been MIA, leaving Dowdle, Luepke, and Deuce Vaughn as the last backs standing.

Cash: David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown

GPP: Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Jake Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert, Jameson Williams, Rico Dowdle, Sam La Porta

Thanks for reading my NFL DFS Game by Game Breakdown for Week 6! Remember to check back daily for more updates and content up until kickoff. You can reach me on X @JoeDiCarlo78 or in our Discord tag me @DiCarlo78 for any lineup build opinions or questions, always here to help! Gain access to our Projection Models and jump into our Discord where we will have our experts and myself talking plays across every sport 24/7/365!

The byes have arrived here in Week 5, causing the Main Slate to get chopped down to ten games. Week 4 was successful for DFS as we hit on plenty of players like Justin Fields and Tre Tucker. The injuries just keep on coming as well. Rashee Rice was the toughest of them all to absorb last week, an ACL that may force him out for the season. On to Week 5 fellas, there is more money to be made, so let’s break down this slate.

Stay tuned to all our injury news, updates, and building advice on Discord. Also, check out our Optimizer and Projection Models to get the best possible performance from your lineups. Also, check back into the article during the week as we approach kickoff for more content, as more game breakdowns will be available as we approach the Sunday Slate.

Sunday Main Slate 10/6/24

Browns @ Commanders (-3.5) (O/U 44.5)

The Commanders welcome the Browns to the DC area, looking to make it three wins in a row at home. Jayden Daniels has lived up to his second-overall pick value, leading his team to two straight wins. The Browns are currently on the other side of the spectrum, losing three of four games, most recently to the lowly Raiders thanks to costly penalties that stole an 82-yard touchdown from Amari Cooper. But can we trust Deshaun Watson this week or throw in the towel on Cleveland for DFS?

Watson will get the best matchup of the season against one of the worst secondaries in football (31st in passing yards allowed/32nd in PaTDS). But with the Browns and how their season has been so far, they could screw up a wet dream. Watson, Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Jerome Ford remain as GPP candidates this week until we see something different.

The 2024 Second-Overall Pick has lived up to the hype. Jayden Daniels has already been mentioned for MVP, the rookie has completed 82% of his passes through four games and is making all of his teammates’ fantasy viable. But he’ll have a tougher mountain to climb this weekend. Although the Browns have struggled offensively, the defense has kept opposing teams honest holding them to 21 points or less in their last three games. Daniels is still safe for Cash, but Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson, and Zach Ertz should be kept in GPPs. Austin Ekeler could make it back this week, so don’t go chasing Jeremy McNichols this week.

Cash: Jayden Daniels

GPP: Deshaun Watson, Amari Cooper, Jerome Ford, Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler (if healthy)

Update: Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler, and David Njoku will play

Ravens @ Bengals (+2.5) (O/U 50.5)

Here we go into the AFC North for a divisional game with a juicy 50 point total between the Ravens and Bengals. Baltimore will attempt to keep the momentum moving on the road in Cincinnati after easily winning against Buffalo on Sunday night. The Bengals finally got into the win column defeating Carolina in Week 4 after starting the season 0-3. This should be a good game to target for DFS because of each team’s firepower and familiarity between both teams.

The run game of the Ravens has been a run-away train so far this season. There has been no answer to stopping Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry from knifing through opposing defenses (708 TOT RuYds/7 TDS in four games). Cincinnati’s 25th in rushing yards allowed (145 yards avg. per game), so we can lock both Ravens in for Cash. However, the Ravens’ receiving core has been an anomaly this year, since we never know where the targets will go from weekly. All should be left out of Cash and kept in tournaments for now.

The Bengals’ offense seemed to look better against Carolina last week, but then again, who doesn’t? Tee Higgins will be into his third game of the season this week, which should give him enough reps to get back up to speed. Joe Burrow depends on both Higgins and Chase to be on the field to move the football. His arm will be crucial in this matchup, as Baltimore only gives up 57 yards rushing per game, but 257 yards per game through the air (29th in the NFL). All three will make awesome GPP candidates (Chase can be a Cash-game move), especially tight-end Mike Gesicki. The Ravens rank second to last defending tight ends.

Cash: Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Ja’Maar Chase

GPP: Zay Flowers, Justice Hill, Isaiah Likely, Tee Higgins, Joe Burrow, Mike Gesicki, Chase Brown

Bills @ Texans (+1) (O/U 47.5)

The Bills were humiliated in Baltimore on Sunday night, taking their first loss on the chin. They’ll be out for blood in Houston, but not if CJ Stroud has something to say about it. We have a razor-close spread and a decent size total score, so we should see some back-and-forth action on both sides of the endzone.

You already know where I will start here…Stefon Diggs’s revenge game. If you don’t think that Diggs wasn’t staring at his calendar since the NFL announced the schedule, think again. However, the path to beating Buffalo is by foot where they are ranked 30th, as to the pass as they rank second in coverage. We must monitor the Texans’ running back situation as Joe Mixon may return to the lineup. But let’s start Stroud with his receivers in GPPs only.

Josh Allen is coming off his worst game of the season, as Baltimore put the Bills in a chokehold. Allen will need to do better than only 180 yards passing with zero touchdowns, and only 21 yards rushing. Houston’s defense is not as intense, being 23rd in DVOA to opposing quarterbacks, so expect Allen to bounce back this weekend. But he cannot do it alone. James Cook will also need to shoulder some of the workload, and not disappear like he did in Baltimore. Houston only allows 112 yards per game rushing, but expect Cook to see more passing work out of the backfield with a banged-up Khalil Shakir.

Cash: Josh Allen, Joe Mixon (if healthy)

GPP: CJ Stroud, Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, James Cook, Dalton Kincaid

Update: Joe Mixon, Khalil Shakir are OUT

Panthers @ Bears (-3.5) (O/U 42)

Carolina fell back to earth after losing a high-scoring game to the Bengals on Sunday, but Dalton kept his former team honest. They’ll visit the Windy City to battle the Bears, whose defense for the second time this season has bailed them out for the win. Chicago ranks third in recovered turnovers with a total of eight on the year, Chicago could be sitting at 0-4 if not for their defense. There will be plenty for DFS when Carolina is on the slate, so let’s dive in.

At age 36, Andy Dalton has resurrected the Panthers’ offense. Diontae Johnson has been the biggest beneficiary, in both games he has seen 15 receptions from 27 targets with 205 yards and two touchdowns. The rookie Xavier Legette also saw a bump in production, filling the shoes of the injured Adam Thielen (6 REC/66 YDS/TD). Running back Chuba Hubbard for the second straight game broke 100 yards rushing a hit paydirt, cementing this Panthers offense is now legit under the Red Rifleman. Let’s keep them all in GPPs because of the 8th-ranked overall Bears defense for now.

On the flip side, the Bears will see a superb matchup hosting Carolina. They’re currently dead last in points allowed per game, and check all the boxes for a pillow soft run defense (bottom five in yards allowed, touchdowns, and attempts). D’Andre Swift finally came to work last weekend, scoring well close to 30 fantasy points thanks to his seven catches for 72 yards to go along with 93 yards rushing and a TD. It’ll be tough to fade Swift this week, I have him in Cash as he is still priced under $6K on DraftKings.

Panthers’ cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson have held their ground in the secondary (9th ranked in the league for coverage), limiting Ja’Maar Chase to only three receptions in Week 4. By all means Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore are viable weapons for Caleb Williams, but I’d lean to using them in GPPs.

Cash: D’Andre Swift, Bears DST

GPP: Andy Dalton, Caleb Williams, Diontae Johnson (if healthy), Xavier Legette, D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, Roschon Johnson

Colts @ Jaguars (-2.5) (O/U 46.5)

Indy got the W against Pittsburgh thanks to the veteran Joe Flacco filling in for Anthony Richardson leaving the game with an oblique injury. They’ll take on a winless Jaguars team desperate to turn their season around at 0-4. A ton is at stake in Jacksonville, and jobs are at stake, so we can expect them to come out swinging in front of a home crowd this Sunday. Richardson is 50/50 to start as of Thursday, so we must monitor his status for DFS purposes.

Joe Flacco is a solid Cash/GPP move if Richardson can’t suit up. We saw flashes of his arm talent last season in Cleveland and last week when he threw two touchdowns. Either quarterback faces the most generous of secondaries in Jacksonville (32nd in DVOA), but I would prefer to see Flacco start for his lower price tag and ability to bring up the value to receivers Michael Pittman and Josh Downs.

In the Colts’ backfield, however, it looks like Jonathan Taylor may not play on that ankle sprain this week. Trey Sermon will be on deck, but his price on DraftKings has already been adjusted.,j so keep him in GPPs if Taylor sits out.

The Jaguars also get a solid matchup, as the Colts’ defense ranks 30th overall, and dead last in stopping the run and points allowed. If Lawrence and head coach Doug Pederson want to keep their jobs, Sunday is the day to prove their worth. Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas, Travis Etienne, and company all can be rolled out on the slate, Cash Games, and or GPPs. When two horrific defenses are on opposite sidelines of the field, we invest in the offenses for DFS. This game is my watering hole on the slate.

Cash: Trevor Lawrence, Joe Flacco (if Richardson is OUT)

GPP: Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Trey Sermon, Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas, Gabe Davis (if healthy), Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, Evan Engram (if healthy)

Update: Jonathan Taylor is OUT, Richardson is doubtful

Two

Dolphins @ Patriots (-1) (O/U 35.5)

Grossest game on the slate by a landslide, especially if you watched Miami on Thursday Night Football. The Fins are helpless until they have a competent quarterback, whereas Tyler Huntley appears to need more time studying the playbook. The Pats will try to secure a win at home with Jacoby Brissett remaining at quarterback. Brissett had a rough visit to the Bay Area (19-28/168 YDS/1 TD/1 INT) but will look to rebound against Miami.

Since Brissett has been struggling at QB, perhaps New England will look to the running game. The matchup is tasty, as Miami averages 119 yards allowed per game to running backs. But head coach Jerod Mayo has announced to possibly start Antonio Gibson over Rhamondre Stevenson this week due to his fumbling tendencies this season. Not much else I would roster for GPPs besides the Patriots’ backs and their defense. There are way too many options on this slate for DFS, but you’ll get no ownership in this game if you’re looking to break the slate.

Miami is sad to watch, so much talent on the field is just rotting to waste. Tyler Huntley does give them a good shot to move the chains, possibly this week after some practice under his belt. The Patriots have allowed 254 yards per game through the air (28th in the league) this season, can Huntley capitalize? Anything is possible, But he’s a Millymaker QB and only worth of high entry tournaments. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can be rostered in standard-size GPPs, and the Fins D too.

Cash: Pats DST, Dolphins DST

GPP: Antonio Gibson, Rhamondre Stevenson, Tyler Huntley, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle

Update: Raheem Mostert will play

Cardinals @ Niners (-7.5) (O/U 49.5)

We now land on another divisional matchup as Arizona will try to pick up the pieces and find a win in San Fransisco. The Cardinals have not been able to stay competitive in games lately, mainly because of their play calling. The Niners steamrolled over the Patriots in last week’s game and will look to double down on the Cardinals.

If the Cardinals want to stay in the game, they will need Kyler Murray to lean on his arm. The matchup isn’t the greatest (Niners allow 199 PaYards/game, 96 RuYards/game), but those numbers have been padded from recently playing a Jocoby Brissett ran offense. With Trey McBride set to return from a concussion, Arizona will be at full strength offensively. Murray, Harrison Jr., McBride, and James Conner are a full go for lineups this weekend.

San Fransisco will be a must-owned team for rostering in DFS this weekend, as the matchup will be too good to pass up. Brock Purdy without Christian McCaffrey has picked up the slack in leading the offense. He’ll face a Cardinals team that’s 28th in DVOA to opposing quarterbacks. And speaking of slack, how about Jordan Mason this season… an absolute stud. He’s averaged over 111 yards per game along with 20 fantasy PPR points for the season. He’ll aim to feast once again this week on a Cardinals defense that allows over 146 rushing yards per game. Locks for Cash games, and Deebo, Aiyuk, and George Kittle for GPPs.

Cash: Brock Purdy, Jordan Mason, Kyler Murray

GPP: Marvin Harrison Jr, James Conner, Trey McBride, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle

Update: Trey McBride questionable

Raiders @ Broncos (-2.5) (O/U 36.5)

Two of the worst offenses in the league will battle it out in this AFC West Divisional meeting. Both clubs are coming off grueling wins against tough defenses, but I’m sure we will see some gruesome stats in this contest also. No Davante Adams again for the Raiders, who has a hamstring and trade demands out to ownership, so we’ll have one less receiver to worry about. The low total and tight spread scream at us to keep scrolling for DFS, but there are always plays in each contest. Let’s check it out.

Tre Tucker was the only player for Vegas who scored double-digit fantasy points last week, but can he do it again? Denver ranks third overall defending the pass, so it may not be wise to target any pass catchers for Vegas this week. If Denver’s Patrick Surtain shadows Jakobi Meyers, Tucker should have another nice day.

Their backfield has also been a mess with Zamir White and Alexander Mattison (31st in the league in total rushing yards). The safest bet is to roll with Denver’s DST, but news has broke that Zamir White has been ruled out, so Mattison could be in your lineup for value.

Denver has slowly begun to put the pieces together on offense, in the last two weeks we’ve seen Courtland Sutton score double-digit fantasy points (20 targets/10 REC/128 YDS/1 TD). He should see the Raiders Jack Jones line up across him this week, who has been awful (+22 coverage rating).

Overall it could be a sloppy game, so the Raiders DST would make sense in this spot also, Bo Nix may see a ton of pressure If Maxx Crosby is healthy enough to suit up.

Cash: Denver DST, Raiders DST

GPP: Tre Tucker, Alexander Mattison (Zamir White is OUT), Courtland Sutton

Packers @ Rams (+3) (O/U 48)

Two NFC rivals will face off after each suffered humiliating losses in Week 4. Minnesota ran up the score 28-0 in the first half, putting the game way out of reach for the Packers. The Rams, well they lost to a tenacious pass coverage that forced a few turnovers. Both clubs will look to get back on the right track in Week 5, and the total with the close spread is enticing for DFS.

How will Green Bay attack the Rams? On the ground and through the air. LA is dead last in rushing yards allowed (662), and 28th ranked in YPC (5.0). They’ve also allowed the fifth-most passing touchdowns with eight already this year. But the Packers will be a little thin at receiver this week, with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs listed as doubtful. Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks will be chalky and usable for Cash, with Josh Jacobs also at running back. If you’re looking to get frisky, punt on Malik Heath or Bo Melton at receiver. Jordan Love spreads the ball around like a jelly sandwich and can be a lock to be involved this week if Watson and Doubs are out.

LA and Matt Stafford should be getting Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back soon, but until then it will be the Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington show at receiver, each logging over 90% of the snap share. But the Rams’ main source of production is you know who…Kyren Williams. He’s scored in every game this season (6 TOT TDs). The Packers happen to be very generous to opposing backs, allowing an average of 110 yards per game (21st in DVOA). He’s a lock for Cash with the rest of his teammates in GPPs.

Cash: Kyren Williams, Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft

GPP: Jordan Love, Matt Stafford, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell, Bo Melton, Malik Heath, Colby Parkinson

Giants @ Seahawks (-7) (O/U 42.5)

Last but not least the New York Giants will travel out west to take on the Seahawks. However, they’ll be without their number-one weapon Malik Nabers, who is still in concussion protocol. Running back Devin Singletary also won’t take the field this weekend, which will leave Daniel Jones to be a potential deer in headlights come Sunday afternoon. Seattle will look to rebound after a tough loss in Detroit which was very high scoring.

The Giants will have some big shoes to fill with Nabers and Singletary out of the lineup. The next men up would be Wan’Dale Robinson and Tyrone Tracy Jr. to take over the lead roles at their positions. It’s not the most tempting to take a shot on, but Tracey provides a ton of cap space and will not need much production to meet value. Instead of Robinson, who is already priced up ($5,600 on DraftKings), take a shot on Darius Slay ton ($3,900 on DraftKings). There’s a ton of chemistry between him and Jones since he entered the league in 2019, and if Robinson draws the majority of attention from Woolen or Witherspoon, Slayton could cash you in.

If New York does in fact struggle offensively come Sunday, Seattle should eat up a lot of clock with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet if it gets out of hand. DK Metcalf will draw the matchup of the week in Deonte Banks, who was just scorched last weekend by CeeDee Lamb who took an 86-yard catch to the house last Thursday night. The Seattle DST is also a play in this contest, since we may see some turnovers from a thin Giants’ offense.

Cash: Seattle DST, Kenneth Walker, D.K. Metcalf

GPP: Tyrone Tracy Jr., Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Zach Charbonnet

Thanks for reading my NFL DFS Game by Game Breakdown for Week 5! Remember to check back daily for more content up until kickoff. You can reach me on X @JoeDiCarlo78 or in our Discord tag me @DiCarlo78 for any lineup build opinions or questions, always here to help! Gain access to our Projection Models and jump into our Discord where we will have our experts and myself talking plays across every sport 24/7/365!