Fan Duel Strategy Week 17: 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
Drew Lock, Broncos ($7,100): Lock comes in at above the $6,600 threshold I strive to stay under for FanDuel, but QB bargains are just hard to find this year. Lock has turned in back-to-back duds, so at this point he’s a highly risky option. He also put 309 yards and three touchdowns on the Texans just three weeks ago, so the upside is there in good matchups. Oakland is the third-best matchup in the NFL per Football Outsiders, so he will be a strong play despite his inconsistency and lack of cache.
Devlin Hodges, Steelers ($6,500): Hodges is bottom of the barrel in terms of starter quality, but he’s the cheapest QB you can find who will actually start and he’ll have the luxury of facing lots of backups on the Ravens’ defense. Hodges has thrown six interceptions in the last two games, and his floor is very low. His ceiling isn’t the highest either, but with Baltimore leaning on reserves, it’s possible for Hodges to scrape his way to a middle-of-the-pack finish. I won’t be playing him, but there’s at least one starting QB below the average price.
Running Backs
Latavius Murray, Saints ($5,400): New Orleans has a lot to play for, so this isn’t a scenario in which Alvin Kamara will be sitting on the sidelines. However, the Panthers have taken full ownership of the NFL’s worst rushing defense this season, and that sets up well for Murray to crack double-digit carries. Even if he’s not as gifted as other RBs, and despite lower volume, even 12 attempts against the Panthers are extremely valuable touches. The Saints are going to rely heavily on the ground and pound, especially with Drew Brees nursing a sore knee, so I am expecting Murray to return to the TD column in Week 17.
Carlos Hyde, Texans ($6,400): Hyde does not have a premier matchup on the slate in Tennessee, but they’re not an incredibly stout run defense either. Hyde’s typical workload is such that he should be productive against the Titans, and in fact he trampled them two weeks ago to the tune of 104 yards and a touchdown on 26 attempts. The focus of most defenses is Deshaun Watson and then DeAndre Hopkins, so Hyde should be able to be useful this week.
Adrian Peterson, Redskins ($6,300): Peterson remains a volume beast despite his elderly (for a RB) age. He has scored in four consecutive games, and only fallen below 66 yards once in that span. There’s a small chance Peterson doesn’t see his usual workload in this game, as Washington’s defense is putrid and Dallas could boat race them out of the gate in a must-win game. If this plays out more typically as an NFC East slugfest, however, Peterson is going to find himself with around 20 carries, 80ish yards, and a trip or two to the end zone.
Wide Receivers
Michael Gallup, Cowboys ($6,500): Gallup is the No. 2 receiver in the Dallas offense, but absolutely the most consistent. Washington ranks dead last against No. 2 receivers, so that right there is a reason to fire up Gallup in the regular season finale. Beyond that, Gallup has seen six or more targets in seven of his last eight games, and is due for a touchdown since he hasn’t scored since Week 10. With a matchup this good, Gallup should shine with the entire offense playing for their postseason.
Greg Ward, Eagles ($5,600): Ward is a steal at this price based on the stakes of Philadelphia’s game vs. the Giants, and his current role. The Eagles’ receiving corps is decimated by injury, leaving Ward as the No. 1 receiver. He’s seen 14 targets in the last two games, catching 11 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. The jury’s out on his ultimate ceiling as an NFL pass-catcher, but so far he’s been able to get the job done, and he now gets the NFL’s worst defense against No. 1 receivers. I think the Eagles, who control their own destiny, will come out sharp and that means Carson Wentz finding Ward often.
Golden Tate, Giants ($5,900): Tate’s stock is up with rookie Darius Slayton dealing with a knee injury, and the Giants might be involved in a shootout if Carson Wentz brings his A game in this must-win Week 17 game. With Slayton missing most of last week’s game, Tate was targeted 11 times by Daniel Jones, who went nuts on the Redskins, reeling in six passes for 96 yards. Sprinkle in some revenge game narrative for Tate, who was very disappointing in Philly last season for eight games before redeeming himself with a playoff touchdown, and he’s looking like a pretty safe value.
Tight Ends
Dallas Goedert, Eagles ($6,400): Goedert has gone from touchdown-dependent TE2 for the Eagles, to a fairly consistent and important cog in the Eagles’ pass offense due to their many injuries. Goedert has topped 40 yards in four straight games, caught at least three passes in those games, and notched five touchdowns on the year. Last week featured a 91-yard, one-touchdown line that is likely closer to what we’ll see rest of season with all these receivers missing. I still prefer Zach Ertz, but Goedert is a healthy option with such a poor pass defense like the Giants’ trying to stop him.
Jack Doyle, Colts ($6,000): Doyle hasn’t thrived like many expected once Eric Ebron went on IR, but this week represents a golden opportunity for him to finish strong. The Jaguars rank 30th in the NFL against opposing TEs, and Doyle’s targets are actually not horrible for the position. His low yardage and lack of fantasy impact belie the fact that he’s seen at least four targets in every game since Week 12, and as many as 11 in a single game. Doyle should be targeted a bunch vs. the Jags, and stands a good chance of rediscovering the end zone.
Jason Witten, Cowboys ($5,600): Witten has a fairly low ceiling, even in a matchup as fantastic as this one vs. Washington. However, last week was the first time all year Witten has seen fewer than four targets, so he’s bankable for a TE1 performance on Sunday. Even if he sees just four looks from Dak Prescott, as he’s seen seven times this year, those four targets are great opportunities to do damage when they come against the ‘Skins. Fire him up with confidence, but just don’t go in expecting a blowup game. If you prefer upside plays at TE, steer clear. This is a move to lock up a high floor.