Fan Duel Strategy Week 4: 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
Josh Rosen, Dolphins ($6,200): Rosen is a bizarre choice since the Dolphins, as a whole, have been utter garbage. However, FanDuel’s pricing isn’t excellent for finding quarterbacks lower than the average price of $6,666 and Rosen is one of the few starters who checks that box. Rosen’s career isn’t encouraging, but this is the first week in which the Dolphins get to face a below-average defense. Per FootballOutsiders, the Chargers have the NFL’s fourth-worst pass defense through three weeks, so I think Rosen might actually be able to manage a fantasy-relevant performance for an affordable price.
Running Backs
Kerryon Johnson, Lions ($6,500): Johnson is a star-caliber RB who has seen his price drop thanks to three straight games with fewer than 50 rushing yards. Luckily, his talent in the passing game has enabled him to at least produce useful yards from scrimmage, and get in the end zone in each of the last two games. The Chiefs represent an opportunity for Johnson to get on track on the ground, as they have the NFL’s worst run defense in football. They are also vulnerable in the passing game to the RB, so it’s an ideal situation for Johnson to take advantage of, even if the game script dictates that Detroit throw the ball 50+ times. It’s rare to get a RB this talented at this price, and even rarer when there’s a great matchup too.
Wayne Gallman, Giants ($5,800): Gallman isn’t the greatest running back, but the Giants have a rookie quarterback and a weak receiving corps, and that equals volume to me. I love me some volume, especially vs. a bad defense, and Gallman has shown in the pass that he has some receiving chops as well. I don’t think this is a particularly high-upside play, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least for Gallman to finish the game with multiple touchdowns.
Wide Receivers
Terry McLaurin, Redskins ($6,300): The Giants’ defense is just a mess all over, so it’s a great day when you can grab a team’s No. 1 pass catcher against them for a below average price. McLaurin is averaging eight targets per game, and those are valuable against a secondary that seems like it’s just dying to give up big plays a few times a quarter. If this becomes a surprising shootout thanks to lousy defenses, McLaurin will likely be a standout.
Mecole Hardman, Chiefs ($6,500): Hardman carries some risk because even without Tyreek Hill on the field, he hasn’t been a high-reception receiver. When he does catch the ball, however, he’s averaging 26.3 damn yards per reception. Oh, and he has Patrick Mahomes throwing the ball, so of course two of his six catches on the season are touchdowns. The Lions aren’t a trainwreck on defense like they’ve been in the past, but it really doesn’t matter against Mahomes. The Chiefs strike like lightning against anyone in their path, and right now Hardman is in Hill’s role with just about as much speed to burn.
Preston Williams, Dolphins ($5,200): It may wind up being the saddest stack in a while, but if you ride with Rosen, then Preston Williams should be paired up with him. Miami’s receivers are hideous, but Williams has been steadily targeted since Week 1, and he maxed out vs. Dallas on Sunday with 12 passes from Rosen. He only caught four of the 12 passes, but that kind of volume is critical for reliable output. He’s gone over 60 yards in back-to-back games, and the Chargers defense may just be pliable enough for the ‘Fins to score an offensive touchdown.
Tight Ends
Will Dissly, Seahawks ($5,400): Dissly has the best matchup a TE can have this week, a date with the Cardinals. Dissly isn’t just a TD-dependent option with a great matchup. He has seen five and seven targets, respectively, in the past two games, and he’s had 50 or more yards in both. Tight end isn’t a position where there are a ton of numbers to be had, so a player who can reliably avoid a zero while offering touchdown upside is extremely valuable. If you don’t splurge on the top guys – Travis Kelce, Evan Engram etc. – then Dissly is your man.