We’re bringing you NFL DFS analysis that breaks down the Super Bowl Showdown contests — helping you win big money in the big game!
Let’s start off by acknowledging that the Chiefs are 3.5 point favorites on the road against the best QB in NFL history, and that the chalkiest game script would make Tom Brady the most likely candidate to rack up the most points on either site – especially considering how much the Bucs spread the ball around to multiple receivers.
If the Chiefs jump out to any kind of lead in this road game, there’s a very good chance the Bucs will make a run – and there’s not much of a chance the Chiefs blow out Tampa Bay on their home turf.
There are some interesting pricing options we should observe – most notably the low DK price on Ronald Jones II and the relatively high tag for Clyde Edwards-Helaire on both sites. Neither of these guys should be written off. I’ll be mixing in hares of both backs considering their talents and the long time they’ve had to recover from injuries – not to mention the relatively low ownership they’ll garner despite soaring upside. I’m comfortable using both in 2/10 builds, and one or the other in three of the remaining eight. Darrel Williams may be the better Chiefs back to own assuming a Bucs win, since he’s the more prolific pass catcher of the two Chiefs backs (excluding Le’Veon Bell – who is expected to be available in an admittedly uncertain role).
Considering how bad the Chiefs run defense is, there’s even a chance that I play both Leonard Fournette and Jones in the one or two contrarian builds (out of ten) that DON’T feature Tom Brady – whose last Super Bowl performance (2018 season) was an unmitigated bust: 262-0-1 in a 13-3 win against a stalwart Rams defense. But this Chiefs defense is not the same animal as that Rams unit – and I’m fairly certain the Chiefs would prefer a 60+ point game total to a defensive battle.
The Bucs defense, on the other hand, will have the most trouble stopping Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill – both of whom offer mismatches for contrasting reasons – Kelce for his size and ability to manhandle smaller defenders in the middle of the field and in the red zone, and Hill for his blazing speed and the separation he gets in the open field. Both should be chalky, but paired with the right QB (it’s going to be very difficult to fit both Brady and Patrick Mahomes), either of these players has a good chance to post 25+ fantasy points.
Having the Bucs DST in a stack with Jones is probably the best contrarian RB/DST route we can go, and it leaves plenty of salary for working in Mahomes/Kelce or Mahomes/Hill.
There’s also some merit to playing the Bucs TEs (one or both of Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate) in a stack with Brady – and it’s actually one of the ways to get both QBs in your lineup. This is assuming Mahomes does enough running and throwing himself to warrant consideration in a shootout at that obscene price tag. Gronk should be ready for a bigger workload in the biggest game he’s played since SB LIII, and Brate has five or more targets in three straight games. About one-quarter of the receiving yardage against the Chiefs came via the TE position this season, and Brate and Gronk’s usage in Week 12 against the Chiefs (Gronk ran 27 routes and caught 7-106-0 on eight targets; Brate saw six targets on 20 routes) fits that narrative. If Brady’s passing numbers soar, it’s very possible that him with WR/TE/TE could be the winning stack.
We’re not ignoring Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and we’re certainly looking the way of Scotty Miller for his price – but unless we hear that Antonio Brown is 100 percent and prepping for a big role, I’m comfortable leaving him out of the equation this week. If he’s active, he’ll garner some minimal ownership, but he’s yet to make a huge impact on this Bucs team except as a distraction, and we’ve got to take a stand somewhere. Evans and Godwin are way too expensive to play together along with Brady and the requisite Chiefs players.
Let’s talk briefly about defense/special teams. The pairings that work best for using a DST assume a defensive or special teams TD, so using one of the Bucs RBs with Jaydon Mickens (just $200 at FLEX on DK) and the Bucs DST could work. Conversely, the Chiefs DST could be paired with Mecole Hardman, who is $5,600 but offers some upside in the regular offense on end-arounds or quick-hitting catch-and-run plays that find him in space and galloping for greatness.
Let’s summarize and look at some Captain/MVP possibilities:
With these prices and scenarios in mind, let’s look at some of the possibilities on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
The 1.5x bonus is nice, but you’ve got to pay the piper for it. We’ve discussed Brady as the best possible captain choice and how you can make it work with Scotty Miller and TEs, but if you roll that way in a smattering of your MME builds you really have to alternate some Chiefs (CEH/Hill or CEH/Kelce).
This is also the only site we can utilize some of the DST touchdown stacks (with the kick returners), so bear that in mind.
It’s also the site where we can roll the dice on RoJo or play around with the idea of using the salary-saving Scotty Miller as captain. And since we have to fill six spots, kickers are a little more in play than they are on FD – where there are just five slots.
While things are a little more straightforward on FD (higher minimum price, no defenses and flat cost for all positions) you have to get a little more creative to build a unique lineup. This makes single-entry tournaments even more attractive and means you can more comfortably roster a big-impact, large-volume skill position players who’s not a QB (I’m looking at all four RBs, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin if you’re looking for a narrow player pool).
That said, I still prefer Tom Brady in the captain spot on FD. He’s got a lot of productive pass-catching weapons, he likes to spread it around, and he’s going to rack up points in about eight of the 10 narratives we’ve discussed.
I probably won’t be using kickers in my FD builds.
A couple more things:
Lastly — keep an eye out for injury updates and breaking news right up to lock for NFL DFS. A lot can happen the night before a Super Bowl, even during the time of COVID.
Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins (calf) had been trending in the right direction and will suit up for Super Bowl LV. While his usage in the big game is a huge question mark, he probably won’t receive his normal complement of snaps and routes. Just because he’s active doesn’t mean he should be a staple of your builds, and he’s certainly not cash-viable. Chiefs C Daniel Kilgore (COVID-19 precautions) was also cleared for the Super Bowl after testing negative all week as a high-risk close contact — but that’s just context. Explosive but underutilized WR Demarcus Robinson has also been removed from the team’s COVID list and will be available.
Antonio Brown (knee) and Cameron Brate (back) are also active, which means the Bucs will be at full strength offensively despite Brown’s previous inactivity and Brate’s back injury he sustained in practice this week. I’m still hesitant to play Brown, and Brate’s DFS upside depends largely on snap count and red zone usage.
The season continues with the first of two Monday night showdowns, and we’ve got the breakdown to help you win big in the last two Week 4 NFL DFS contests!
DraftKings calls them “Showdowns,” and FanDuel doesn’t really have a name for them other than “Single-Game Contests,” but whatever we call them they require an understanding of game narratives and game theory – which means we need to target low-ownership players that will give us the best opportunities within the narratives and game outcomes we’re expecting.
My picks will focus almost exclusively on finding GPP-winning combinations that have a chance at taking down the contests you’re entering, be they single-entry or MME. While we can’t cover all the possible combos or provide full lineups for you to deploy, the goal here is to give you the tools to win and highlight some names that will help make for profitable results.
If I enter five lineups in a large-field GPP, at least three of those lineups will focus on the most likely game outcome (based on Vegas odds, props and totals), with one or two contrarian builds. As we know, late-breaking news can have a significant effect on full slates, and that’s just amplified with single-game contests. If you have any questions leading up to lock, please consult our NFL DFS experts in Discord.
Let’s get to the game!
Some notes on the differences between MVP on FanDuel and DraftKings: The 1.5x point boost on FD comes with no salary penalty, while and DK also bumps the salary to 1.5x – a crucial factor in deciding who we can and cannot afford on both sites. We can use this to our advantage on FD by occasionally targeting non-QBs to establish more variance and more unique lineups, and on DK it allows us to build more hearty overall stacks when we punt the MVP position with a cheap but high-upside player.
Pricing is much softer this week and given the depressed pricing on the Patriots RBs and secondary receiving options (after Julian Edelman), it’s much easier to field a showdown lineup with Patrick Mahomes as captain.
I’m still very much interested in using RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and using him up top frees up even more salary to stack up Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce, or even WR Tyreek Hill.
The key to smashing this showdown will be which two Patriots offensive players you select, and there’s a few combos I have interest in. But we also need to get shares of Mecole Hardman and DeMarcus Robinson, who are both very affordable.
I also have plenty of interest in the Chiefs DST in this matchup, if for any other reason than this will not be your typical Bill Belichick-coached Patriots team, and the tight travel schedule and limited preparation could lead to more mistakes than we’ve become accustomed to. With Cam Newton (COVID-19) unavailable for Monday’s game, Brian Hoyer is the starting QB. And while his price is affordable, I don’t have a ton of interest in using him against the formidable Chiefs unit.
Both James White (who is playing but missed the last two weeks) and Julian Edelman (questionable, knee) are question marks, so the two best Patriots offensive players to target might be Rex Burkhead and N’Keal Harry. If Edelman is healthy, he’s probably worth using, and White (the definition of a boom-or-bust DFS play tonight) is a complete wild card with Sony Michel already ruled out and the Pats needing live bodies for their backfield.
Remember to build your team based on a narrative that makes sense, and utilize the WinDaily fantasy toolbox for cheatsheets and projections that can help you tremendously with lineup building.
DO: Build a trio (or quartet) of offensive weapons for a team that makes sense together
DON’T: Use Patriots-heavy stacks over the Chiefs tonight. I just don’t see it working out given the events of the past few days.
DO: Use the projected team totals to shade one way or the other with your selections.
DON’T: Build a showdown lineup without at least three Chiefs players – it’s not the time to get cute.
Now that we’ve established some narratives and MVP candidates, the best way to round out this piece is with a list of my favorite options in descending order, based on overall value (a combo of salary and projected points):
The NFL DFS season continues with the Monday night showdown, and we’ve got the breakdown to help you win big money in the final Week 3 NFL DFS contests!
DraftKings calls them “Showdowns,” and FanDuel doesn’t really have a name for them other than “Single-Game Contests,” but whatever we call them they require an understanding of game narratives and game theory – which means we need to target low-ownership players that will give us the best opportunities within the narratives and game outcomes we’re expecting.
My picks will focus almost exclusively on finding GPP-winning combinations that have a chance at taking down the contests you’re entering, be they single-entry or MME. While we can’t cover all the possible combos or provide full lineups for you to deploy, the goal here is to give you the tools to win and highlight some names that will help make for profitable results.
If I enter five lineups in a large-field GPP, at least three of those lineups will focus on the most likely game outcome (based on Vegas odds, props and totals), with one or two contrarian builds. As we know, late-breaking news can have a significant effect on full slates, and that’s just amplified with single-game contests. If you have any questions leading up to lock, please consult our NFL DFS experts in Discord.
Let’s get to the game!
Some notes on the differences between MVP on FanDuel and DraftKings: The 1.5x point boost on FD comes with no salary penalty, while and DK also bumps the salary to 1.5x – a crucial factor in deciding who we can and cannot afford on both sites. We can use this to our advantage on FD by occasionally targeting non-QBs to establish more variance and more unique lineups, and on DK it allows us to build more hearty overall stacks when we punt the MVP position with a cheap but high-upside player.
Pricing is incredibly tight this week for the Monday night showdown, with both QBs over $16K on FanDuel, making it nearly impossible to fit both in without punting more than one spot. But because of Lamar Jackson’s ability to take over the game (and let’s face it – his team is the favorite to win tonight), we have to consider him for the MVP spot. It’s a lot more feasible on FD, but the move on DraftKings may be to find a low-owned CPT by picking one of the TEs (Travis Kelce is my favorite play) or a different Chiefs position player who might find a loophole in the Ravens defense to exploit. I may have one or two lineups with Patrick Mahomes as MVP, but I prefer Jackson.
The matchup for Mahomes is bad, and it’s not much better for Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but at least the latter’s ability to rack up PPR points (full on DK, half on FD) makes him a worthy flex play in Ravens stacks that focus on Jackson and TE Mark Andrews.
Tyreek Hill’s speed makes him worthy of consideration, and if we’re fading Hill then we’ve got to have some shares of Mecole Hardman, who’s yet to really break out this season despite his ubiquitous big-play ability.
The strategy of starting two Ravens RBs like Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins is viable, but assuming they both score enough to warrant inclusion means we’re probably using Mahomes and the Chiefs passing game with them instead of Lamar.
Normally I’d ignore the kickers, but in a game that could see this many points, we have to consider that some of them will come via the legs of Justin Tucker and Harrison Butker.
Remember to build your team based on a narrative that makes sense, and utilize the WinDaily fantasy toolbox for cheatsheets and projections that can help you tremendously with lineup building.
DO: Build a trio (or quartet) of offensive weapons for a team that makes sense together
DON’T: Play both defenses in this one.
DO: Use the projected team totals to shade one way or the other with your selections.
DON’T: Use players with almost no shot of seeing the field, regardless of their salary – though sub-$2K players on DraftKings (who may have some impact in possible game narratives) include Gus Edwards (Ravens blowout) and Darwin Thompson (Darrel Williams ankle issues).
Now that we’ve established some narratives and MVP candidates, the best way to round out this piece is with a list of my favorite options in descending order, based on overall value (a combo of salary and projected points):
The NFL DFS season kicks off with a Thursday night showdown, and we’ve got the breakdown to help you win big money in the first Week 1 NFL DFS contests!
DraftKings calls them “Showdowns,” and FanDuel doesn’t really have a name for them other than “Single-Game Contests,” but whatever we call them they require an understanding of game narratives and game theory – which means we need to target low-ownership players that will give us the best opportunities within the narratives and game outcomes we’re expecting.
My picks will focus almost exclusively on finding GPP-winning combinations that have a chance at taking down the contests you’re entering, be they single-entry or MME. While we can’t cover all the possible combos or provide full lineups for you to deploy, the goal here is to give you the tools to win and highlight some names that will help make for profitable results.
Let’s say I enter five lineups in a large-field GPP. At least three of those lineups will focus on the most likely game outcome (based on Vegas odds, props and totals), with one or two contrarian builds. As we know, late-breaking news can have a significant effect on full slates, and that’s just amplified with single-game contests. If you have any questions leading up to lock, please consult our NFL DFS experts in Discord.
Let’s get to the game!
Some notes on the differences between MVP on FanDuel and DraftKings: The 1.5x point boost on FD comes with no salary penalty, while and DK also bumps the salary to 1.5x – a crucial factor in deciding who we can and cannot afford on both sites. We can use this to our advantage on FD by occasionally targeting non-QBs to establish more variance and more unique lineups, and on DK it allows us to build more hearty overall stacks when we punt the MVP position with a cheap but high-upside player.
Chalk: Patrick Mahomes (DK $18,900, FD $16,500)
Pivot: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (DK $13,200, FD $12,000)
Lower-risk Contrarian #1: DeShaun Watson (DK $17,700, FD $15,000)
High-upside Contrarian #2: Will Fuller V (DK $12,000, FD $10,500)
High-risk Contrarian #3: Randall Cobb (DK $6,300, FD $8,500)
DK-only Punts: Chiefs DST ($5,100) and Darrel Williams ($2,700)
With the Chiefs listed as 9-10 point favorites with a 31.75 implied team total in the season opener, we’re going to see Mahomes as MVP in the vast majority of FD lineups and a healthy portion on DK. I’m calling the Chiefs rookie RB “CEH” to avoid too much typing, and I’m going to have a fair share of him at the top spot as well. He’s not a bad anchor if we want to build out with the Chiefs DST, Mahomes and a couple Texans.
The path to a low-owned lottery ticket with plenty of upside comes with a great deal of risk if we use Watson, but I’ll have at least one in five GPP lineups that uses this strategy. We’ve seen Watson have many an explosive second half with the Texans trailing by multiple scores and that’s just what could happen here if the Chiefs D does its job in the first half and relaxes with a two or three-score lead in the fourth quarter.
Fuller, when healthy (or simple active) is a dangerous man. He’s my favorite Texans player and another possible candidate. Whether Brandin Cooks sits or not, we can give Randall Cobb a huge bump, as he’s always capable of big plays out of the slot and a TD or two. Hint: DeShaun Watson loves throwing to the slot…
On DK, it might pair to have some shares of the Chiefs DST in the MVP slot if we’re looking to get three more Chiefs and one of the two Johnsons (David or Duke) with Fuller.
The largest unknown in this game is probably how the Chiefs will utilize their RBs (CEH, Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson), so exploring some different combinations there will be key. I like Darrel Williams a lot because he’s the Chiefs’ top pass-blocking back and short-yardage guy – and he’ll see a handful of touches/targets with the possibility of 8-10 if he gets a “hot hand.” At just $2,700 (just $1,800 in a utility slot), he could be a gamebreaker if he hits his 15-20 point upside.
Now that we’ve established some narratives and MVP candidates, the best way to round out this piece is with a list of my favorite options in descending order, based on overall value:
Good luck this week and don’t hesitate to get in Discord and pepper our writers with any question you may have!
Image Courtesy of Smashdown Sports News
We had a brilliant week for our last article, hitting on players like Amari Cooper, Nelson Agholor, D.J. Moore and Demarcus Robinson. That’s really all we can ask for from our guys and we’re going to look to keep that momentum rolling here. With that in mind, let’s get into our Week 4 wide receiver options.
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Allen is the top receiver in fantasy right now and that’s terrifying news for the Dolphins defense. Let’s start with that matchup, with Miami ranked dead-last in yardage allowed and points surrendered. That’s horrific and it makes Allen the clear-cut top option for cash game receiver of the day. The numbers from the Chargers WR are simply absurd, with Allen collecting 29 receptions for 404 yards and three TDs through the first three games. More importantly, he leads the NFL with 42 total targets, which is amazingly nine targets above the player in second. Any player getting 14 targets per game against a defense like this is a recipe for raging success.
While there are a million options on this offense, it’s becoming quite clear that Kupp is the apple of Jared Goff’s eye. It seemed like he was making every reception in the Sunday Night game and it’s no surprise when you see his 11 receptions for 102 yards and a TD. That followed up a 120-yard gem in Week 2, as he now has 32 targets in three games, the sixth-best mark in the NFL.
What adds to his intrigue is the fact that he’s one of the league leaders in red-zone targets dating back to last season and it’s quite evident that Goff just adores Kupp. Getting to face Tampa Bay is nothing we need to worry about either, allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing WRs last season. While they’ve been better this year, they’ve faced horrible passing attacks like the Giants, 49ers and Panthers, which means they’re seriously due for some negative regression.
Lockett is coming off one of the best games of his career, accumulating 11 receptions for 154 yards and a TD in the Week 3 loss to the Saints. That gem showed the sort of potential that this dude has, as he now has double-digit catches in back-to-back games. That tells us that Russell Wilson really trusts this kid and he should be well on his way to a career year with Doug Baldwin now out of the picture. The best part about this play is his matchup though, facing an Arizona team without Patrick Peterson and Robert Alford. Those are the Cardinals two best corners and that’s a major reason why they rank 30th in total defense.
It’s hard to pick between these two guys, so let’s just get both of them in here. With Tyreek Hill sidelined, these two have skyrocketed into fantasy relevance. Patrick Mahomes is a major reason why, as he can make any wide receiver look like a Hall-of-Famer. That’s what Robinson and Hardman look like right now, with Robinson averaging 28.6 DK points over the last two games while Hardman is averaging 17.3 DK points per game in that same span.
That would make me believe that Robinson is the better option but both of these guys are in play. The snap count tells us that Robinson is the superior option too, playing 65.6 snaps per game since Hill went down while Hardman is averaging 50 snaps per game in that span. That’s bad news for this struggling secondary, with the Lions owning a 26th OPRK against WRs according to DraftKings.
These prices are downright insulting. The man known as “Scary Terry” has been special in his first three games in the NFL and it appears that he’s the focal point of this Washington offense. That’s evident by the fact that he leads this team with 16 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns. That alone is impressive but he’s also leading the way with 24 targets while playing over 90 percent of the team’s snaps. That’s incredible usage from a rookie and it’s becoming clear that he’s Case Keenum’s best friend. That sort of usage pairs beautifully with this matchup, with the Giants allowing the most passing yards in the NFL this season.
With Odell Beckham out of the picture, it’s now time for Shepard to thrive. He’s doing just that in this role, leading the Giants WRs with 13 catches for 142 yards in two games played. Most importantly, he’s got 16 targets in his two games while averaging 65 snaps per game. That snap rate is one of the best in the NFL and it’s going to be hard to keep him off the field with such limited options available.
In the last two games without Beckham last season, Shepard accrued 10 catches for an additional 180 yards and it’s clear that he’s the top receiving option on this team. The matchup against Washington is simply a bonus, with the Redskins allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing WRs this season.
It blows my mind that these sites are keeping Brown’s price so affordable. He’s been the Bills top receiver this season and it’s evident that he’s the focal point of their offense. Not only is he leading all Buffalo’s position players in snaps, he also leads the team 23 targets. That’s led to 18 catches for 246 yards and a TD through his first three games, which is unbelievable production from someone in this price range.
While the Patriots do have a stingy defense, the Bills should be throwing a lot in this game. The reason for that is because they’re a 6.5-point underdog, which should guarantee Josh Allen at least 30 pass attempts and Brown 10 targets. In his one game against the Patriots last year, Allen attempted a career-high 41 passes in a losing effort, which would be the perfect scenario for Brown to get double-digit targets.
Brandon C. Williams and Antonio D’Arcangelis look back at the Week 3 performances of Daniel Jones and Kyle Allen while also getting an early jump on the best options at quarterback for Week 4. The duo also share their best waiver wire plays for Week 4 on the 9/24 Fantasy Podcast.
Is the Panthers-Texans game a slugfest between Kyle Allen and Deshaun Watson? With Russell Wilson scoring Fantasy points at will, has he established himself as the top Fantasy QB not named Patrick Mahomes? Speaking of Mahomes, he and the Chiefs visit the Lions. The waiver wire has Giants RB Wayne Gallman and Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman topping the list on the 9/24 Fantasy Podcast.
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We actually got a touchdown from all three of our GPP wide receivers last week, so we obviously had the right idea. Our GPP WRs weren’t quite as successful but that’s going to happen with such volatile receiving options. I feel way more comfortable about this group of WRs though, so let’s get into our Week 2 Wide Receiver breakdown!
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This is going to be the game that people are going to target for DFS. It’s really easy to see why, as the 53-point total is the highest of the week. That’s really no surprise with both of these team’s possessing two of the best offenses in football and it should be an old fashioned shootout. While picking which Rams receiver will be successful is a difficult task, knowing which Saints receiver will go off is way easier to figure out. It’s Michael Thomas, ALL DAY!
This guy led the league in receptions last season and backed that up with 10 catches for 123 yards in Week 1. He also led the Saints with 13 targets in that game and that’s pretty much what we’ve come to expect from the Saints stud. Not to mention, the Rams allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing WRs last season, with Thomas accruing season-highs with 12 catches and 211 yards in his Week 9 meeting against them last year.
It’s going to be tough to fade Watkins even though he’s likely to be one of the chalkiest players on the board. The simple fact is, Watkins is now the top receiver for the best offense in football. The reason for that is because Tyreek Hill suffered a collarbone injury in Week 1, which allowed Watkins to generate nine catches for 199 yards and three TDs. That’s the best performance of his career and health is really all we can ask for when discussing Watkins. Facing the Raiders is simply a bonus, with this defense allowing the most points in the NFL last season.
There’s going to a theme in this article and it’s that we want to exploit the top receiver for their respective offenses. Brown has found himself in that role for the Bills and it was evident when he led the way with seven catches for 123 yards and a TD in Week 1. Getting 10 targets is equally as valuable and it’s clear that he’s now the focal point of this offense. That alone makes him a great option but facing a Giants secondary who just allowed Dak Prescott and the Cowboys throw for 405 yards is simply the icing on the cake.
While this FanDuel price is in line with my expectations, this DraftKings price is simply ridiculous. With Antonio Brown now out of the picture, Williams has found himself as the clear-cut number one receiver on this team. That led to him collecting six receptions for 105 yards and a TD in Week 1, doing that damage against a good Broncos secondary.
This Chiefs secondary isn’t quite as good, allowing opposing WRs to score the fifth-most fantasy points against them last season. Playing catchup should only help, with the Raiders expected to trail throughout, thus forcing them to throw more than usual.
Brown might be the biggest standout of Week 1 and this looks like a brand-new Ravens team. Baltimore spent a first-round pick on this guy and the 147 receiving yards and two TDs in Week 1 justifies that selection. We’re talking about a guy who ran a 4.22 40-yard dash and he is simply one of the fastest players in the game.
The reason he’s a GPP target and not a cash game play is because he only played 12 snaps last week but the 59-10 scoreline surely played a factor in that. It’s not like this defense is much better than the Dolphins one from last week, as the Cardinals are without their top two corners in Robert Alford and Patrick Peterson.
I’ve actually written up Parker as a bust in numerous articles in past seasons but now that everyone feels like he’s bad, we can jump back on him. These prices are downright insulting and we can’t argue with the fact that he’s the best receiver on this team. While playing for Miami obviously sucks, it may have him in line for a career season. The reason for that is because they should be trailing in nearly every game, thus garnering him more targets in catchup time.
Getting seven targets in about one half in Week 1 was a very promising sign and Ryan Fitzpatrick is more than capable of supporting a top receiver. With the Dolphins entering this matchup as an 18-point underdog, look for Fitz to have 40-plus pass attempts and Parker getting at least a quarter of those targets.
Cooper Kupp has been a favorite of Jared Goff’s and could see double-digit targets in that Rams-Saints shootout.
John Ross had a career-best seven catches for 158 yards and two TDs in Week 1 and is getting easier coverage with Tyler Boyd taking the top corner and A.J. Green being sidelined.
Donte Moncrief was atrocious in Week 1 but he still saw 10 targets and appears to be the number-two receiver for this pass-happy offense. His prices are just way too low.
With Tyreek Hill injured, look for Mecole Hardman or DeMarcus Robinson to see more opportunities.
Michael Thomas featured image via Jack Kurzenknabe
Whether you’re in a PPR, half-point PPR, or standard scoring league, here are six fantasy football sleepers that you should target in your season-long drafts!
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I know, I know, Leonard Fournette absolutely should not be considered among “sleepers”, but he is being quite overlooked in drafts. Currently being selected as the 14th running back off the board, Fournette has plenty of upside to offer fantasy players. With Nick Foles now under center, the Jaguars offense is already miles ahead of where they were this time last year with Blake Bortles.
Fournette’s production was nothing to write home about when he was on the field in 2018, but with a healthy off-season, a new offense led by new Offensive Coordinator, John DeFilippo, and a competent starting Quarterback, there should be plenty of reasons to buy-in to shares of Leonard Fournette in 2019.
I’d advise fantasy players to draft Fournette before Melvin Gordon, Joe Mixon, and Le’Veon Bell… all of who are going in front of Leonard Fournette when looking at the NFFC’s Average Draft Position Report.
The 26 year-old wideout is primed up for a huge year in Chicago so he makes our sleepers rundown. Like Fournette, health has always been a bit of an issue for Robinson. Everything that I’ve seen on Robinson this summer says that he is as explosive as ever and building great chemistry with third year Quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
This wide receiving core in Chicago does not impress me on paper, and second year standout Anthony Miller, is already banged up. If the Bears are going to move the ball through the air, they’re going to pepper Allen Robinson with targets.
I have him projected for 140 targets, 85 catches, and nine touchdowns. If I’m anywhere near accurate, Allen Robinson would finish well ahead of guys like Tyler Boyd, Calvin Ridley and D.J. Moore. All of those mentioned are currently being drafted in front of Allen Robinson.
The third name to mention in my fantasy football sleepers list is going to be rookie running back Miles Sanders. Again, none of these guys mentioned yet are really “sleepers”… more so bargain targets in your upcoming drafts.
Sanders has had an excellent summer in the Philadelphia Eagles system so far and should have every opportunity to lead this backfield in touches in the 2018 season. We all know what Jordan Howard brings to the table and that isn’t much.
Currently coming off the board in drafts as the 30th running back and as a mid-sixth round pick, why not take a chance on a guy who should be the bell cow for an explosive Eagles’ offense?
The rookie from Utah State looked explosive in the Chiefs’ preseason. Everyone seems to be talking about Darwin Thompson over the past couple of weeks, yet his ADP his not rising all that much so he is on my sleepers list.
Thompson is currently averaging five yards per carry in the preseason and another 12 yards per catch through the air. There are rumors that Carlos Hyde is on the hot seat and that should be music to the ears of Darwin Thompson.
This Kansas City offense is something fantasy players are going to want shares of, so why not take a flyer on Darwin Thompson in round 13 of your fantasy drafts? The sky is the limit!
I love targeting Hardman in fantasy drafts for the same reason I love targeting Darwin Thompson: CHEAP shares of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense.
Hardman is an uber-talented wideout from Georgia who made a name for himself at the NFL combine when he clocked a 4.33 40-yard dash. He has been quite active in the Cheifs’ preseason, leading them in receiving touchdowns and second on the team in receptions. Yes, Sammy Watkins is still on the Chiefs’ roster, but we all know he cannot stay on the field, so Hardman is here among the sleepers.
It is only a matter of time before Hardman is playing 70% or more of the Chiefs offensive snaps. He can blow the doors off of the defense like Tyreek Hill can, but he is also a pristine route-runner inside the hashes. I love the idea of drafting Hardman late and letting him become your WR3 (if not more) a few weeks into the season.
Remember Randall Cobb?
I most certainly do, and you should too. For a guy that used to be drafted in the first six rounds of fantasy drafts, 2019 Randall Cobb is the true reprsentation of what we look for in fantasy football sleepers.
With Cole Beasley leaving the team to join the Buffalo Bills, those middle of the field targets to the slot receiver are up for grabs. Dak Prescott loves to dump the ball off in the slot, and if healthy, the 29 year-old Cobb has the opportunity to revive his young career in Dallas.
I’d give him a slight bump up in PPR leagues, but he is worth a last-round pick in all formats if you want to add some depth to your fantasy receiving core. If he doesn’t work out, it didn’t cost you much
Randall Cobb Featured Image: Gabriel Cervantes
