DFS Strategy Week 4: Best Bargains on Draft Kings At Each Position
The best way to cash on weekly fantasy football sites is to load up on as many stars with good matchups as possible. Due to budget restraints, however, fantasy players must sacrifice other positions to nab the stars they want.
Here, you'll find the top bargains at each position on Draft Kings that will let you splurge elsewhere. And remember, scoring is IMPORTANT. Here is Draft Kings’ scoring system.
The bargains are listed in the order I like them.
Quarterbacks
Andy Dalton, Bengals ($5,400): Dalton has been one of the top performers at the QB position this season, but his long track record of mediocrity in his career has kept his price depressed. We’ve seen Dalton be a success story with talent around him, however, and he has weapons. A.J. Green is a stud, and Tyler Boyd is emerging as a quality No. 2. His offensive line is working well, and most importantly, he’s facing the Falcons. Atlanta’s defense is ranked 25th against the pass per FootballOutsiders.com, and has lost two safeties and their best cover linebacker. The defense is a mangled mess, and even if the Bengals don’t win, Dalton should rack up stats.
Baker Mayfield, Browns ($5,300): I’m not getting swept up in Mayfield hype. I think he has all the tools to produce for fantasy this season, but he is still a rookie who will have a steep learning curve in Cleveland. With that said, Mayfield gets to face Oakland’s 31st-ranked pass defense with a complement of skill players that are better than your father’s Browns. WR Jarvis Landry is an elite slot receiver, and the use of Mayfield’s rocket arm will be able to highlight Antonio Callaway’s speed against this porous secondary. On top of all that, Mayfield is very mobile and a gifted scrambler.
Andrew Luck, Colts ($5,500): Luck’s start to the season has raised a serious question; is his throwing arm permanently hindered from multiple shoulder procedures? Luck’s yards per pass attempt are down a ton from 2016, and last week he was literally removed for a Hail Mary attempt in favor of Jacoby Brissett. Not great, but these issues have lowered his price tag to an acceptable risk. The yards per attempt aren’t there, but he threw 53 passes in Week 1 and 40 last week. With that kind of volume the yards are going to be there, and his matchup with the Texans pits him against the 28th-best pass defense through three weeks.
Running Backs
Carlos Hyde, Browns ($5,500): Doubling up on Browns is weird, but Oakland is so bad a high-volume horse like Carlos Hyde is irresistible at an average price. Until last week Hyde’s yards per carry painted a picture of a player who was soon to give way to a younger competitor (Nick Chubb), but he carved up the Jets in primetime. Hyde has scored in all three of Cleveland’s games, including twice last week vs. the Jets. Expect him to find the end zone some more against the Khalil Mack-less, winless, Raiders.
Phillip Lindsay, Broncos ($4,500): Lindsay’s ejection last week turned him into a complete dud, but before his ill-advised punch. Lindsay had picked up 20 yards on four carries. Teammate Royce Freeman has scored the touchdowns for Denver, but Lindsay has just one fewer carry than Freeman despite missing the majority of Week 3. Lindsay is more well-rounded, and he seems to have the slightly better end of this platoon. Also, the Broncos are up against Kansas City’s dead-last defense, and a Chiefs offense that will force Denver into passing situations. That favors Lindsay, not Freeman.
James White, Patriots ($5,400): White has burned me plenty of times, but I feel comfortable returning to this well with Rex Burkhead on IR. White has scored twice in three weeks, and had a steady role every week as a passing downs back. Sony Michel is super talented, but his first week on the job proved he’s very shaky catching passes. The 3-0 Dolphins have been surprisingly good defensively, but they are a weak 22nd vs. RBs in the passing game. Don’t think Bill Belichick doesn’t know that.
Wide Receivers
Sterling Shepard, Giants ($4,900): Shepard is a very talented wide receiver, and the Giants’ offense has lost Evan Engram for the time being, a big mouth that needed to be fed at Shepard’s expense. The Giants are up against the Saints this week, who have been disgustingly poor on defense. Fire up any Giant, because they can all go off. Shepard just gets the nod here because of his tantalizing price tag.
DeVante Parker, Dolphins ($3,500): Parker’s super low price is because he didn’t play this year until last week, but he should resume his role as the WR1 for Miami. That bodes well for his production this week, as the Patriots have been the third-worst defense against WR1s through three weeks. Parker’s athleticism, plus Ryan Tannehill’s shocking effectiveness this year, make this a low-risk, high-reward play.
Marquise Goodwin, 49ers ($4,800): Goodwin has lost his QB Jimmy Garroppolo, but his deep speed makes him a big play threat regardless of the QB. Goodwin can run himself open, so even if C.J. Beathard is a below-average passer (he is), all he’ll have to do is drop into the arms of a wide open guy. Goodwin also should feast on the Chargers, who have no pass rush without Joey Bosa, and no CB Jason Verrett. The Chargers, a trendy preseason darling, rank last in the NFL vs. No. 1 receivers.
Tight Ends
Eric Ebron, Colts ($3,600): Ebron is a fantastic stack with Luck this week, as the Texans are the worst defense vs. TEs through three weeks. This isn’t just a matchup play though; Ebron is a legitimately talented pass catcher who scored in each of Indianapolis’ first two games, and was targeted ELEVEN!!! times in Week 3. Can’t recommend Ebron enough this week.
O.J. Howard, Buccaneers ($3,500): Howard has been making big plays all season, and last week he cemented himself as a reliable start when Ryan Fitzpatrick threw to him eight times. He turned those targets into six catches for 72 yards, fine production for the position. Physically, he’s up there with any tight end in the game, so if you are looking for upside, stay away from the establishment TEs, and give Howard a try. The Bears matchup will scare people away, but if you look deeper they only rank 20th vs. TEs.
Tyler Higbee, Rams ($2,600): Higbee can be interesting if you’re looking to spend rock bottom money on some TD upside. The Rams play on Thursday vs. the Vikings; Minnesota’s pass rush is sorely missing DE Everson Griffen, and they surprisingly rank just 24th vs. TEs. With all that in his favor, Higbee is still a risk to just be ignored in an offense stocked with playmakers. But in the red zone, he may find himself wide open while the Vikings focus on Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks and co. It’s risky, but you’ll have so much money on studs elsewhere that you might survive a really poor showing if he’s a dud.