Daily Fantasy Football Best Bargains Week 8 Values on Draft Kings

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 DraftKings that will let you splurge elsewhere. And remember, scoring is IMPORTANT. Here is DraftKings’ scoring system.

Quarterbacks

Derek Carr, Raiders ($5,500): Carr has been a shockingly stable QB week to week for fantasy players, and this week should be no different. Cash in now before the price really catches up with his production. The Raiders’ receiving corps is short on glossy names, but very long on game breaking speed. Henry Ruggs and Nelson Agholor have been breaking big plays regularly, and TE Darren Waller has become an elite pass-catching TE. Cleveland has a solid pass rush, but comes in as the 25th-ranked pass defense in football per Football Outsiders, so Carr is a great bargain.

Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers ($5,400): Garoppolo is highly inconsistent, but he’s proven he can blow  up in the right matchup. This week is that matchup. Seattle cannot stop opposing passing games, and the 49ers, who typically love running the ball down your throat, are without Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman (probably), and Jeff Wilson Jr. Those missing RBs, combined with Seattle’s own explosive offense, could force Jimmy G to wing it. If so, there are only two defenses (Atlanta, Jacksonville) that are better for opposing QBs to pile up points.

Running Backs

D’Andre  Swift, Lions ($5,300): Swift’s role is growing in Detroit’s potent offense, and this week bodes well for his snap percentage. The Colts have one of the NFL’s better rushing defenses, but Swift is established as the preferred receiving back for the Lions, and the Colts have just the No. 20 DVOA vs. RBs in the passing game. It may be tough sledding for Swift when he carries the rock, but in this matchup it won’t make sense for Adrian Peterson or Kerryon Johnson to even be on the field, so opportunity alone should make Swift worth a play.

La’Mical Perine, Jets ($4,300): Perine was on the field for 58% of the Jets’ snaps in Week 6, and that rose to 70% last week vs. the Bills, and he scored a touchdown in the process. The Jets offense is abysmal, so I wouldn’t bank on Perine going nuts here. But Kansas City has the second-worst rushing defense in football per Football Outsiders, and the Jets’ running game looked vastly better with LT Mekhi Becton in the lineup. The Chiefs will probably boat race the Jets early – the spread opened at 20.5 points – which could still work in Perine’s favor. Clearly this is a team looking toward the future, so they’re invested in finding out if they have a RB to build on.

Malcolm Brown, Rams ($4,700): Brown has become a clear second fiddle in this offense, but that’s a strong role when the Rams run so much, and Cam Akers is out of the picture. The matchup with Miami pits Brown against the NFL’s weakest run defense, and he’s still garnering meaningful attempts at the goal line. His 10-carry, 57-yard, one touchdown performance last week vs. Chicago is probably a baseline for him here. Maybe the touchdown comes, maybe it doesn’t; even 10 carries vs. Miami will be decent for a FLEX play.

Wide Receivers

Henry Ruggs III, Raiders ($4,900): Ruggs is risky; he’s only seen three targets in each of his last three games. The upshot is that he’s averaging nearly 12 yards per target, and more than 17 yards per reception. Ruggs does not need volume to put up a massive fantasy game, and this week he takes on a Browns secondary allowing an even 10 points per game to opposing WR1s. Cleveland will give Ruggs the chance to make a huge play or two, and I’ve already offered my faith to Carr at the top here. This looks like quite the sexy stack.

A.J. Green, Bengals ($4,500): After a disastrous start to the year, A.J. Green has looked like himself the last two weeks in one of the NFL’s most pass-heavy offenses. He has seen nine or more targets four times this season, and been in double-digits in each of the last two weeks. He hasn’t found the end zone yet, but 15 receptions in two games, and 80+ yards in each of his last two are reminiscent of the A.G. Green of old. With Tennessee’s surprisingly porous pass defense on the schedule this week, Green looks like quite the steal at $4,500.

Darius Slayton, Giants ($4,800): On the surface, the matchup looks bad for Slayton. Tampa Bay has one of the best overall defenses in football, they rank first against the pass, and Daniel Jones has been a dumpster fire as a passer. Still, Slayton is the Giants’ No. 1 receiver, and Tampa Bay has quietly allowed the fourth-most points per game to WR1s this year. Despite that fact, their DVOA vs. WR1s also ranks first, so there is definitely risk in playing Slayton. But if you want some skin in the Monday night game on the Giants’ side, Slayton is probably the best bet.

Tight Ends

Darren Waller, Raiders ($5,600): I’m cheating this week as Waller does cost more than $5,500, but at $5,600 he’s a must-play. Cleveland leads the NFL in points allowed to the TE, and the difference in quality between Waller and guys like Travis Kelce and George Kittle is slimmer than you think. Waller is a great receiving option, and a target hound, a rarity for the position. He has scored a TD in three of Las Vegas’ five games, and he’s probably going to score again in this one, or top 100 receiving yards. Maybe both! Play Waller, he’s my favorite play of the week.

Mike Gesicki, Dolphins ($4,900): Want to live dangerously? The Rams allow about 7.8 points per game to the TE position, where the Dolphins happen to have the freakishly athletic Mike Gesicki. The problem for Geicki is his range out outcomes; he’s had three games with one or fewer receptions, and he totally goosed those who played him last week vs. the Jets. The Jets! I won’t lie and guarantee a great game here, but know that Gesicki is also capable of eight-catch, 130-yard, one touchdown games like he rattled off in Week 2 vs. Buffalo.  High risk here, but a good price, and Top 5 TE reward.

Ian Thomas, Panthers ($2,700): Looking for an absolute clearance sale TE? Ian Thomas is your guy. There’s a great chance for a zero here, but Atlanta’s got one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, and particularly enjoys letting TEs score touchdowns. He’s on the field between 55-70% of the time, so opportunity should present itself tonight. But don’t be mad if he gives you a goose egg, the sub-$3,000 price tag more than builds in that risk.