Fan Duel Strategy Week 9: Best Bargains 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 FanDuel that will let you splurge elsewhere. And remember, scoring is IMPORTANT. Here is FanDuel’s scoring system.
The bargains are listed in the order I like them.
Quarterbacks
Mitchell Trubisky, Bears ($6,500): I’ve been spilling a lot of ink about Trubisky this week, but pickings are slim at the position in terms of appealing bargains. I don’t believe in Trubisky much as a QB, but the matchup is excellent, he’s got big time rushing upside, and he’s prone to blowup games in good spots. Philly’s secondary has been shredded repeatedly this year, and so they are one of the few defenses you can feel okay throwing Trubisky out there against.
Running Backs
Phillip Lindsay, Broncos ($6,200): Lindsay’s usage is among the most maddening in football, as he consistently jumps off the screen as a super-talented RB, and he typically produces when he gets fed. Yet, he often sees fewer snaps than Royce Freeman, who despite being a second-round pick, rarely looks like the better player. Freeman has been limited this week in practice though after suffering a shoulder injury, which could push Lindsay into the 20+ touches category. Couple the Freeman injury with Joe Flacco being injured, and the Broncos should lean heavily on the run in a favorable matchup against the Browns. I’m a big fan of playing Lindsay this week.
Sony Michel, Patriots ($6,600): Michel has definitely not looked the part of a first round RB throughout his career, but he does get the workload of one. Michel has seen 16 or more carries in five straight games for the Patriots, who face a Ravens defense that has been overrated in 2019 based on reputation. The reality is they rank 21st against the run per Football Outsiders, and 13th against the pass, lending to a positive game script for Michel. He’s going to see a lot of work, and probably multiple goal line opportunities. I like Michel for 20+ carries and a touchdown.
Jordan Howard, Eagles ($6,300): While we’re on the subject of overrated defenses, the Bears run defense has been Swiss cheese of late, and are primed for Jordan Howard to run over in a revenge game. Miles Sanders has been looking like the back to own in Philly lately, but he got banged up last week. Howard is going to see work, and he’s quietly been a strong source of touchdowns. He has five on the season, and has received double-digit carries in six straight games, including 23 against Buffalo last Sunday. This matchup looks tough on paper, but Howard is probably going to deliver solid RB2 value.
Wide Receivers
D.J. Chark, Jaguars ($6,400): Chark enthusiasm might’ve waned a tad after two straight so-so efforts, but he got back on the horse against the Jets, ripping them for 79 yards and a touchdown (his sixth). Houston’s defense is depleted and porous; they rank 23rd vs. No. 1 receivers, and just lost J.J. Watt for the rest of the year, crippling their pass rush. Gardner Minshew should have time to find his top guy, and Chark’s got all the tools to punish Houston. He’s a WR1 this week.
Marvin Jones, Lions ($5,700): Jones has become one of the more boom-or-bust options available now that Kenny Golladay has blossomed into a consistent No. 1 for Detroit, but his “boom” looks like 93 yards and four touchdowns, which he did vs. the Vikings, or 101 yards and a TD like he put on Philly. This week the Lions get the Raiders, an awful pass defense which struggles against all pass-catchers. In situations like this, especially when Detroit has to throw a ton based on the wreckage they have at RB, I lean toward Jones because he’s cheaper and should produce.
Tyrell Williams, Raiders ($6,300): Williams has thrived now that he’s a No. 1 receiver, scoring a touchdown in every game he has played. That should be no different this week, as the Lions are coming to visit with their 22nd-ranked pass defense. He has seen six or more targets in all but one of his games this year, and maintained his yards per reception prowess (15.4). Williams has evolved into a borderline WR1; the fear here is that his touchdown pace is unsustainable, and he will need more consistent yardage output to remain at a high level. I’m treating him as a WR2 moving forward, which makes this a great buy in Week 9.
Tight Ends
Evan Engram, Giants ($6,300): You could pay for George Kittle this week, who gets the Cardinals tonight and should eviscerate them. Or, you could pay $900 less for Engram, who faces the Cowboys, who rank 31st against TEs. It’s rare to get that big a discount on a player who is equally talented. Engram’s Giants are a far worse team than Kittle’s 49ers, but Engram is going to draw his usual heavy target share and probably light up Dallas for 70+ yards and a touchdown. One of my favorite plays of the week, especially if Sterling Shepard continues to sit out while recovering from a concussion.
Zach Ertz, Eagles ($6,000): Ertz has been a massive letdown this year, but he’s about due for the “squeaky wheel” game. Even though Ertz hasn’t publicly spoken up about his evaporating target share and red zone opportunities for Dallas Goedert, Eagles fans and media members are noticing that Ertz is not being used much. Chicago’s injury-riddled defense ranks just 20th vs. TEs, so thus could be a nice get-right game as long as Khalil Mack doesn’t place Carson Wentz between two pieces of bread and consume him like a sandwich.