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Today I’ll be highlighting one of my favorite contests on MKF, the Touchdown Dance. This Sunday MKF is running a special contest where if you play in a $5+ Touchdown Dance contest and all 3 of your players score a touchdown you get share of the jackpot. Today’s jackpot is $5,000!
Let’s dig in and see if we can find some touchdowns!
Jonathan Taylor vs. Buffalo Bills
Jonathan Taylor is quickly becoming a top back in the league. He’s rushed for over 100 yards in 5 out of the last 7 weeks and has rushing touchdowns in all 7 of those games. After a solid rookie season last year in which he rushed for over 1,100 yards, he’s well on pace to crush that number this year as he’s already over 900 yards through 10 weeks. He is the Colts offense at this point.
The match up this weekend is a tough one for Taylor. There’s no sugar coating it. However, if the Colts have any chance of keeping this one close they’ll need a solid game out of Taylor. Confidence Level – High
Myles Gaskin vs. New York Jets
This weekend we get to see what wins out. Bad Defense or Bad Running Back. I was a little harsh there. Myles Gaskin isn’t a bad running back. He’s just not very good. That said, no team in either conference has given up more rushing touchdowns than the New York Jets. They’ve given up 17 of them this year. The next closest team is the Chargers at 12. They haven’t had a game w/out giving up a rushing touchdown since week 1.
Another factor leading me down the Gaskin rabbit hole is that he’s still the main guy in the red zone. Although he had a goose egg in the red zone against the bills in week 8, he saw 5 red zone attempts in week 7, 3 in week 9, and 4 in week 10. Those attempts are absolute gold and while he hasn’t had much success in converting those into touchdowns, he’s facing as easy of an opponent as possible this weekend. Confidence Level – It’s Gaskin so not overly high, but high.
Nick Chubb vs. Detroit Lions
With Nick Chubb suiting up this weekend vs. Detroit, I’m all in on him getting a touchdown. The Lions, similar to the Jets, are one of the worst teams against running backs. There are 3 teams that have given up more than 10 rushing touchdowns this season and I’ve already highlighted the other 2 in the Gaskin section. Lions are team number 3 as they’ve given up 10 rushing touchdowns.
If he’s 100% over his spat with Covid, he should be coming into this game with fresh legs. Chubb has been extremely solid when on the field this season. He’s only had one game under 80 yards and has multiple 100 yard rushing games. He also has 6 rushing touchdowns through 7 games played. Chubb stands an excellent chance to add to that number if he plays. Confidence Level – High
Other guys I also like this weekend are AJ Dillon vs. a suspect Vikings D and either D’Onta Foreman or Adrian Peterson.
Good luck and hope to share the $5k with you!
Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @rangerzfan79 and be sure to sign up for an ALL ACCESS GOLD ACCOUNT here at Win Daily Sports. Gain access to our Projection Models and jump into our Discord where we will have our experts talking plays across every sport and slate! !
We are here ladies and gentlemen! Week 4 is upon us and we have loads of content coming out over the next few days to help you take down your GPP’s and cash in your 50/50’s and Double-Ups. Be sure to hop in discord to get all of the updated information leading up to the first kick. When you have time, be sure to check out Stix’s Cash Game and GPP articles, as he will provide his own insights on some of the plays below and will likely have some guys that I didn’t even consider. I will not waste a ton of your time here as I know what you are here for so enjoy the WDS: Week 4 NFL Running Back DFS Breakdown 10.3
***Note to all new players: Any players that may list in cash are viable options for GPP play. Just understand that Cash plays are likely to have higher ownership.***
(if you do not want to use Javonte because of the timeshare Michael Carter is in a great spot as a pivot at 5%)
I will continue to beat this drum because it is only a matter of time before his talent results in a GPP takedown. With Melvin Gordon playing well, people will continue to avoid playing him in a 50/50 time share situation until the status quo changes. As a rookie he already has all of the tools to be an elite three down back but there is one thing people do not know, yet. He is one of the most intelligent people on the football field full stop. Not only does he understand his role, he understands the roles of every other player on the field which combined with his physical skills can and will make him an elite running back in this league the moment he gets the backfield to himself. Against the Ravens his pass catching ability is going to be vital (remember what I said about Swift last week being able to exploit the linebackers and safety’s). He will be finding open zones due to the cover 1 free concepts that are perfect for his open field agility and ability to break tackles. Gordon is questionable as of now but most people will stay away due to not knowing if he will be the main guy in the late games.
Chubb is another player that I will continue to ride until he finally explodes and the fact that you can get him for only 7K, at under 4% ownership, against a bottom three run defense, in a pickem game, with a 51.5 total screams GPP play. Last week the Browns finally gave us the volume that we were expecting from Chubb with 22 carries. Luckily for us this week he only gained 84 yards and failed to get into the end zone for the first time in the regular season since week 10 of 2020. Chubb is an elite back averaging 5.5 yards per carry and Jarvis Landry will be out for at least a few more weeks. While Beckham will try to put the team on his back the Browns are at their absolute best when controlling the game from the ground.
The Eagles coaching staff embarrassed themselves on a nationally televised game and has everyone asking them why they would choose to not even consider running the football against a team that was short two of their defensive linemen and was susceptible to the run. Miles Sanders racked up 27 yards on only two carries and 28 yards on only three catches. It was an embarrassing game plan, so I am fairly certain after all of those questions and the clear accuracy issues of Jalen Hurts that they will make more of an effort to at minimum run enough to keep the Chiefs honest. I just do not see a scenario where Sirianni bails on his run game to an embarrassing degree two weeks in a row.
Also Consider: Zack Moss (3.5%), Michael Carter (5%), Antonio Gibson (10%)
This doesn’t take much explanation, his price will continue to climb from here and he is in a prime spot against the Jets. One thing that I would like to point out that Adam already has. Henry is now being used in the passing game. He is on pace for 73 targets this season dwarfing his career-high of 31. So now we have Derrick Henry catching four or five passes a game and his rushing volume is still the best in the league. Add in no AJ Brown and he is a must for your cash contests. Draftkings has not caught up to what Henry is doing in PPR. He is $1,000 too cheap this week.
I told you guys way back in the preseason that Nagy was going to have to sacrifice his play-calling duties to have a chance to keep his job. Well, four weeks in, and the rumors are that Nagy quietly surrendered the play-calling back to Lazor this week. When that happened last season David had the best six-game stretch of his career rushing for 598 yards with seven rushing TDs and 24 catches for 226 yards and one TD. The icing on the cake is that we get to enjoy this change at the same time that the Bears match up against a competitive but defensively inept Lions squad. Sadly his ownership will be high but I am still going to mix him into my GPP’s as well as Cash contests. Happy Monty day!
I haven’t been on the Kamara train this season but this is an absolute smash spot against the Giants this week. The Giants are a little better than people give them credit for against the run but they are by no means great. Washington ended up being a random shootout on a Thursday night and they abandoned the run. Atlanta is…..Atlanta right now. Denver is the only other team they faced with a legit run game and they tore them up to the tune of 165 yards on the ground. One thing at least to this point that I will say is that I was mistaken about the volume he would get in the run game. He has exceeded 20 carries in 2 of 3 and while his receiving numbers are down with Winston he is still getting at least four targets a game which still gives him some upside in that regard.
Also Consider: Alvin Kamara (18%), D’Andre Swift (15%), Chubba Hubbard (25%/FD), Najee Harris (15%)
It is time folks and I wish you all great success in in 2021 and beyond and our WDS: Week 4 NFL Running Back DFS Breakdown 10.3 helps you towards your goals. It is time to start digging into DFS and make sure that we have our processes in place for a successful 2021 NFL campaign. If you have any questions about the Running Back DFS Breakdown, I will be available in the WinDaily Discord chat. Don’t forget to subscribe to the WinDaily Youtube channel and follow me @stoweby and @WinDailySports on Twitter to stay current and up to date on all of our fresh new content!
We are here ladies and gentlemen! Week 3 is upon us and we have loads of content coming out over the next few days to help you take down your GPP’s and cash in your 50/50’s and Double-Ups. Be sure to hop in discord to get all of the updated information leading up to the first kick. When you have time, be sure to check out the game by game article that Adam put out as it has a ton of information for every single game on the slate. I will not waste a ton of your time here as I know what you are here for so enjoy the WDS: Week 3 NFL Running Back DFS Breakdown 9.26
****My Christian McCaffrey disclaimer is null and void this week but enjoy locking him in 100% of you lineups on Thursday Night Football****
***Note to all new players: Any players that I list in cash are viable options for GPP play. Just understand that Cash plays are likely to have higher ownership.***
I may have to include Henry with CMC as a weekly play in my Running Back DFS breakdown if he goes off again this week. For those who missed the boat on Stix telling everyone to get on the King Henry train last week, you have my sincerest condolences. You will not get him at 5% ownership at any point again this season. He is currently projected as one of the highest-owned running backs this week and will likely remain as such for the rest of the year. With the problems that the Colts are likely to have on the offensive side of the ball this week with a banged-up QB and offensive line, the game script has little chance of going in a direction that keeps Henry off the field. We are looking at another 25 carries and plenty of touchdown equity Sunday.
Back to the well again as Carson has another juicy matchup that will likely result in a score that is reasonable for cash game play. His yards per carry, touches, and receiving number were down/non-existent from week one to week two but Carson managed to sneak into the end zone twice. As far as matchups go, you couldn’t ask for more. The Vikings defense is weak across the board and the 55.5 point game total is the best on the slate. I expect plenty of people to target the passing game but Carson will get his usual 12-15 carries, 3-5 targets, and be in a good position for scoring opportunities again.
The verdict is still out on this one but I think that week three is going to be the week that everyone decides to roster Saquon. While his production was underwhelming, his snap share went from 48% to 84% between week one and week two, he gets several extra days of rest playing last Thursday, and the Washington Football Team has held both the Chargers and Giants running backs to under 100 yards in the first two weeks. While the Falcons did reasonably well against the Bucs there are two differences. First, Saquon is infinitely more talented than Ronald Jones or Leonard Fournette. Second, and more importantly, if you listened to our conversation about Dean Pees’s Falcons defense in week one, you know that it involves a ton of secondary blitzes, and how that can be attacked by mobile quarterbacks. Once a running QB burns Pees, he will account for it, leaving the second level wide open for a running back to break free. Barkley is too big for a safety, too fast for a linebacker. This is going to be fun. But sadly I do not think we can get him at low ownership. I hope I’m wrong.
Also Consider: Dalvin Cook (or Mattison if Cook is out), Ty’Son Williams, Austin Ekeler
When it comes to running backs, especially in the modern era of football where shared backfields are the norm, volume is key, and nobody outside of Derrick Henry has more touches than the 49 of Joe Mixon through two weeks. While the Steelers defense is solid as ever Defensive end Carlos Davis and Linebacker Alex Highsmith have both missed practice this week and TJ Watt has been limited with a groin issue, giving us a sneaky opportunity for Mixon to break off some chunk plays at what is looking like depressed ownership. We saw last week against the Bears that Cincy is going to lean on the running game regardless of the game script or defensive strength. And with Big Ben and Dionte Hightower injured to go along with that horrid offensive front of the Steelers the Bengals should not find themselves in a position where they will need to completely abandon the run.
At first, glance when you look at the Raven’s defense it looks pretty clear that the one strength they may have is slowing the run and the way to attack them is with the tight ends up the seams. While it is true that tight end coverage has been a huge issue, the underlying reason for it is also the reason that I want to roster Swift in GPP’s. The linebackers are failing terribly in pass coverage responsibilities. Malik Harrison and Patrick Queen have looked especially bad, seemingly forgetting their responsibilities multiple times a drive and leaving huge holes for running backs, full back, and tight ends to attack for huge gains. Swift is not giving us much in terms of rushing volume but his volume in the passing games gives him enormous upside this week in a game total of over 50. As always with him before rostering, check out his practice participation since he is still dealing with a groin issue.
My final Running Back DFS play is none other than Javonte Williams. Yes, he ended up burning us last week but I am going right back to the well this week. The game total is pathetic against the Jets at 41 points but the implied total for the Broncos is 25.5 and Denver is a huge favorite. Two things stood out last week. First, Williams was close on three separate occasions to breaking loose for huge plays including two that could have been touchdowns. Second, and most importantly for this game 9 of Williams’s 13 carries last week and 21 of his 27 carries overall have come when the Broncos are tied or ahead. The Broncos should get a few extra short-field opportunities and if you have not seen this guy run yet, please go look. He looks incredible and will be taking over the lion’s share of the opportunities from Melvin Gordon sooner rather than later.
Also Consider: Chase Edmonds, Nick Chubb, Jonathan Taylor
It is time folks and I wish you all great success in in 2021 and beyond and our WDS: Week 3 NFL Running Back DFS Breakdown 9.26 helps you towards your goals. It is time to start digging into DFS and make sure that we have our processes in place for a successful 2021 NFL campaign. If you have any questions about the Running Back DFS Breakdown, I will be available in the WinDaily Discord chat. Don’t forget to subscribe to the WinDaily Youtube channel and follow me @stoweby and @WinDailySports on Twitter to stay current and up to date on all of our fresh new content!
We are here ladies and gentlemen! Week 2 is upon us and we have loads of content coming out over the next few days to help you take down your GPP’s and cash in your 50/50’s and Double-Ups. Be sure to hop in discord to get all of the updated information leading up to the first kick. When you have time, be sure to check out the data driven article that Jared put out reviewing week one, we will referenced it heavily for the targets and touches livestream and it provides needed data for this weeks slate. I will not waste a ton of your time here as I know what you are here for so enjoy the WDS: Week 2 NFL Running Back DFS Breakdown 9.19
I am going to put this at the top of my articles until the status quo changes. If you want to play Christian McCaffrey and can afford him, go for it. His floor/ceiling combination is unmatched from week to week. This just saves me a few minutes for every Running Back DFS Breakdown just stating the obvious.
***Note to all new players: Any players that may list in cash are viable options for GPP play. Just understand that Cash plays are likely to have higher ownership.***
I will add ownership percentages to the article later in the week. Those numbers do not really paint a clear picture until Friday. Plays may adjust due to those numbers so be sure to check back. I’ll update accordingly.
I thought that Chubb was going to be the big chalk this week in cash games due to talent and matchup. But everything points to 6-8% of rosters having him so I LOVE him for GPP.
Urban Meyer looked lost in his head coaching debut. Choosing to throw the ball 51 times against the worst running defense in the league even though Carlos Hyde averaged 4.9 YPC and James Robinson averaged 5.0. The Browns will not make that same mistake and as far as pure running backs go there is arguably no one better than Chubb. I know that some have a concern with Hunt taking targets and touches but there is no reason to be. He is going to go ham on the Texans this week.
I am thinking this one ends up in the cash category but I’m waiting on ownership info to come out before moving. After watching the replay of the Bears/Rams I can find no smart reason for why Nagy was taking Monty off of the field for Damien Williams. Why take a guy who is ripping off 8+ yard carries the entire game for anything other than needing a breather for a play? Why has Williams randomly starting drives? Why in God’s name are you running end arounds with Marquis Goodwin? Why do you not utilize play action when you have David Montgomery running the ball? Make no mistake, Nagy’s job is on the line in the coming weeks and if he continues to make these mistakes he will no longer be a part of the Bears organization, and year in and year out Cincy’s defenses allows over 5 yards per carry so doing anything besides handing Monty the ball 25 times right up the middle will tell you all you need to know about his future. Montgomery has been nothing short of a revelation over the last eight games and he somehow looks faster, stronger, and has better vision than at any point in his career.
I know he coughed up a fumble but I do not see Bill benching their best running back for a single indiscretion and the coaching staff has already voiced their confidence in his ability to “step up” . No better place to step up than an opportunity against a Jets defense that has been bottom five in every measurable category for almost a decade. He lacks receiving upside but has that ever stopped us from playing guys like Derrick Henry or Nick Chubb? If he gets 20-25 carries it will largely come out even in the end. 160 yards rushing is just as good as 100 yards rushing and 3 grabs for 30 yards.
Also Consider: Derrick Henry, Miles Sanders
I’m thinking that some of you have noticed something about several of my plays this week. When it comes to GPP’s this week something that I am planning to do is target these high total games. While people flock to the receivers and tight ends I am completely comfortable taking a back like Carson due to his ability to catch out of the backfield. The Titan’s defense struggled to stop every facet of the Cardinals offense in week one and the Seahawks are arguably better in every facet. When I first saw that Seattle kept five running backs on the roster going into the first week I was a little worried but those concerns were completely unwarranted as Carson carried the ball 16 times for 93 yards, caught all three of his targets for 26 yards, and accounted for 78% of the running back snaps. While everyone is (justifiably) stacking the receivers, take a lineup or two and replace your second receiver with Carson and reap the benefit.
The ownership has heavily skewed towards Zeke as chalk, so while he is no longer a GPP play everything that I saw last week still remains, only now I can recommend as cash only.
One thing stood out to me when I gave the game another watch. Only four running plays of the 77 offensive snaps were designed to take place inside the numbers. Even though Zeke is trimmed down a bit, Pollard is better suited to that style, so it made it appear that Pollard was the guy even though Elliot played 84% of the snaps compared to 24% for Tony. The Bucs were thin defensively in the secondary and the Cowboys were (successfully) beating them out there all night. At the same time, Zeke was tasked with protecting Dak with no Zack Martin on the O-Line and he did a phenomenal job as the Cowboys only allowed ONE sack. Sunday, Martin will be back in action so that need will not be there. The Chargers may have some pieces on defense, but nowhere near the caliber of Tampa, especially up front. Even with Fitzpatrick’s hip injury, Gibson was still producing and ripping off chunk plays with interior runs. While everyone is ready to write Elliott off I am going to lean into him having a huge game. I just think the echo chamber surrounding him has reached an extreme and we get 2019 Zeke in week two.
My final selection for my running back DFS breakdown in none other than Austin Ekeler. It was a little strange seeing him get zero targets in week one but I am willing to chalk that up to a tough Washington defense, the fact that the Chargers did not get him in reps in the preseason, and a leg injury that they wanted to be cautious with. With a 55 point total and a soft Dallas defense, this is shaping up to be a smash spot for Austin. The best part about it is that if you are going to stack this game you are not sacrificing upside due to what should be a heavy utilization in the passing game. Even without a single target in week one he got 15 touches and scored a touchdown giving me a ton of optimism about his upside on Sunday.
Also Consider: Alvin Kamara, Joe Mixon, Najee Harris
It is time folks and I wish you all great success in in 2021 and beyond and our WDS: Week 2 NFL Running Back DFS Breakdown 9.19 helps you towards your goals. It is time to start digging into DFS and make sure that we have our processes in place for a successful 2021 NFL campaign. If you have any questions about the Running Back DFS Breakdown, I will be available in the WinDaily Discord chat. Don’t forget to subscribe to the WinDaily Youtube channel and follow me @stoweby and @WinDailySports on Twitter to stay current and up to date on all of our fresh new content!
The NFL DFS season continues with this week’s Monday night showdown, and we’re helping you win big money in the final Week 14 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.
Last season, it would have sounded a bit crazy to suggest that Baker Mayfield would be a viable pivot from Lamar Jackson in this matchup, but here we are. You’re probably going to need at least one of them in your lineup this week, and there’s a few ways we can even fit both.
Neither of these defenses has played up to their abilities the past couple of weeks, but both are capable of posting double-digit fantasy totals, so we’ll have to keep them in mind as we construct our showdown rosters. They haven’t met since Week 1, when the Ravens were dominant from the start – and if I had to lean toward one of them it would be the Ravens DST since the Browns DST will be without Denzel Ward (calf).
The Ravens have several position players of interest, with Mark Andrews and rookie J.K. Dobbins sporting the highest upside. Andrews had a pair of TDs in the first meeting with Cleveland, and is coming off a two-game absence due to COVID-19, while Dobbins has assumed a much larger workload with capable RB Gus Edwards and veteran Mark Ingram II taking a backseat in recent weeks.
I like the price and target total over the past four weeks (25) for Willie Snead IV, and while it’s hard to trust Marquise Brown, Hollywood is always a big play away from making a huge impact. Devin Duvernay is a longshot DFS play but a very talented rookie WR and playmaker and capable of filling out a winning GPP entry.
For the Browns, we need to prioritize Nick Chubb, who has TDs and 100+ rushing yards in three of his past four games (and 522 total yards over that four-game span as well) since returning from a knee injury. Kareem Hunt is an expensive but viable change-of-pace back who lacks the same upside unless the Browns are in a negative game script – a possibility we should plan for in some of our GPPs.
Receivers Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins are soaking up most of the targets, and both have ben productive, while Austin Hooper’s absence (doubtful with a neck injury) could mean more looks for explosive rookie TE Harrison Bryant. Opportunistic rookie wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones is also a viable option with plenty of big play ability, especially in play action. It’ll also be interesting to see if recently acquired deep threat Marvin Hall sees some action, as he’s a game-breaking value at $300/200 on DK if he catches even one long throw.
As always, we should consider Ravens K Justin Tucker, who has at least 8 DK points in nine of 12 games this season (and double-digit fantasy output in five of those games) and Cody Parkey, who has 31 DK points over his last three games.
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: Go into your GPP builds without a narrative plan this week. Use the writeup and flex list below to help narrow your player pool and find a winning path.
DO: Include Nick Chubb somewhere. He’s been averaging about 100 yards and a TD every week since coming back, so I wouldn’t recommended fading him without using Kareem Hunt in a negative game script narrative build.
DON’T: Play anyone who is inactive. Pay attention to the breaking news and pivot as needed.
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 Thursday night showdown, and we’ve got the breakdown to help you win big money in the Week 2 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 get in the game with a gold account and 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 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: Joe Burrow (DK $16,200, FD $14,500)
Pivot: Baker Mayfield (DK $15,300, FD $15,000)
Contrarian #1: Joe Mixon (DK $12,900, FD $13,000)
Contrarian #2: Tyler Boyd (DK $10,500, FD $10,000)
Contrarian #3: Nick Chubb (DK $11,400, FD $13,500)
This is a pretty straight-forward Showdown slate, and I’m leaning toward using Joe Burrow as my MVP based on his ability to score on the ground or via the air with both his WRs and RBs.
I think the most ownership will end up with Burrow as the top guy, though I understand the contrarian pivot to Mayfield or a guy like Joe Mixon – the player likely to have the most touches in this game.
Both defenses are pretty banged up, and while the total is just 43.5, I’m expecting a higher-scoring game. If you have to play a defense in the top spot, make it the Browns (because of their pass rush) and fill in the rest of your lineups accordingly based on that narrative.
I’d steer clear of using a kicker in the MVP slot in this game because we probably don’t need to go there.
Remember to build your team based on a narrative that makes sense.
DO: Build a trio (or quartet) of offensive weapons for a team that makes sense together
DON’T: Use Joe Burrow as your MVP with no Bengals position players and the Browns DST.
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.
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):
We’ve got your NFL Week 17 DFSplays – the best RBs to use in the main slate, as well as some contrarian picksto help you win big!
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DK ($10,000) FD ($11,000)
McCaffrey is the best fantasy RB in the game and has a chance to finish with over 1,000 yards this season for both rushing and receiving. He is only 67 yards short on the receiving end, so expect the Panthers to let him rack up the receptions and eclipse that mark. In a week with plenty of uncertainty, Panthers’ interim coach Perry Fewell has already stated he has no plans to pull CMC early in Week 17.
DK ($8,000) FD ($8,700)
Zeke should be involved in the Cowboys offense early andoften, and while his workload and productionthis year haven’t been up to his usual standards, he’s still running theball well when given the chance. Just last week against a tough run defense,he had 20 touches and played on 97 percent of the snaps, rushing for 84 yards.Now he gets the lackluster Washington run defense (ranked 28th inthe NFL) in a game the Cowboys should win. He’s one of the top cash game plays forWeek 17.
Also consider:Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb
DK ($6,900) FD ($7,300)
The Colts wrap up the season against the Jaguars, who have given up 5.14 yards per carry this season and more than 30 fantasy points a game to opposing runners – the second most in the NFL on both counts. This Jags defense allowed Mack to gash them for 109 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in Week 11, and Mack’s 7.8 yards per attempt during that game ranks as the RB’s highest since Week 6 of 2017. He’s a great GPP play on a team that hasn’t been throwing it too well.
DK ($4,900) FD ($6,500)
Michel should tear this Miami run defense to shreds, andhis price is obscenely low on DK. He’s a viable GPP play on both sits, however,and should have pretty low ownership on FD where he’s priced between PhillipLindsay and Damien Williams. I think his upside is a little higher than both thosecapable backs, even with the crowded backfield in New England, because he couldeasily rush for two or three TDs. We’ve been burned by him before, but if youcan stand a little risk, this feels like a big Michel week.
Also consider: Derrick Henry, Phillip Lindsay
DK ($8,700) FD ($9,300)
Barkley doesn’t have the best matchup on paper, but the Giants are using him an awful lot lately and he’s shown explosiveness that’s been missing for most of 2019, averaging 40.1 DraftKings points over his past two games. The volume is there, and the price is still affordable. I’m in love with Barkley as a low-owned contrarian play in a week that might have the DFS masses looking elsewhere.
DK ($7,100) FD (7,300)
Drake is coming off another monster game where he carried the ball 24 times for 166 yards and two TDs, adding 3-18-0 receiving in a stunning win over the Seahawks. He now looks to cap off an unexpectedly productive season in a Week 17 road game against the Rams. It’s not a great spot, but we’ve seen Drake rise to the occasion in a tough matchup before, and there’s a lot of free agency money at stake for him.
Also consider: Austin Ekeler, Devonta Freeman
DK ($4,700) FD ($6,400)
Williams was the workhorse last week for the Chiefs and hegets a favorable home matchup against a faltering division rival. The Chargersallow 110.3 rushing yards per game, making Williams a high-upside play in aleading role.
DK ($3,900) FD ($5,100)
Thompson got some involvement in the running game lastweek, carrying the ball eight times for 34 yards to go along with his usualpassing game role (4-18-0 on four targets). His skill set fits in nicely for thismatchup with the Cowboys, and we could see him get a lot more targets his wayin what should be a negative game script. The price is right on DK, but I’llstay away on FD.
Additional plays: Mike Boone, Kareem Hunt, Kerryon Johnson
Goal: 47.5, Prize: 2x
I am looking at three RBs from this game to meet this modest total of 47.5 to pay 2x, including Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt. If you are skittish about playing three RBs from this game, feel free to mix in a WR for Chubb or Hunt, but I really like the volume of all these backs here.
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