Daily Fantasy Football Best Bargains Week 5 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
Daniel Jones, Giants ($5,400): Jones has been absolutely atrocious this season, and has failed to throw a touchdown pass in his last three games. It’s definitely a gamble rolling with him, but last season proved he can light it up in the right matchups, and Dallas is certainly the right matchup. They rank 25th in pass defense per Football Outsiders, have given up more than 250 passing yards in three out of four games, and allowed at least 380 total yards in every game in 2020. Jones may never be an elite QB, but if you believe in positive regression (you should), then he’s way overdue for a massive outing. Keep in mind, Jones has had one of the toughest slates in the NFL to start, opening with games against Pittsburgh, Chicago, San Francisco and the Rams. Take advantage of this steep price drop.
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers ($5,500): Garoppolo is quietly steady and productive, and if he can get back in the lineup, he’ll have his top WR, Deebo Samuel, back in action. Samuel’s return, Brandon Aiyuk’s emergence, and Jerick McKinnon’s passing chops out of the backfield are all pluses, as is arguably the best TE in football in George Kittle. He’ll be matched up with the Dolphins this week, who have the 28th-ranked pass defense, and second-worst overall defense in football. If Garoppolo is held out, identify the 49ers QB (Nick Mullens or C.J. Beathard) and start them, as they’ll be even cheaper than Jimmy G.
Running Backs
Antonio Gibson, Washington ($5,000): Gibson’s price is still low because he continues to cede work to lesser players, but Washington has committed to feeding him where it counts. He’s scored in three straight games, and now gets a date with the Rams, who surprisingly trot out the NFL’s fifth-worst run defense. Gibson should find the end zone again in this matchup if the Football Team manages to avoid being swallowed whole by Aaron Donald, making him a strong RB2 at a backup price.
Devonta Freeman, Giants ($4,600): Freeman is the RB to own from the Giants, and while that’s not a super impressive statement, this week’s clash should be a fantasy bonanza. And all the bargains are on Big Blue’s side. The Cowboys have allowed more than 100 rushing yards in all four of their games, and allowed 307 to the Browns last week. Freeman and the Giants don’t have Cleveland’s capability on the ground, but he will have an opportunity to score. Oh, and his four receptions last week are very encouraging and meaningfully raise his floor.
Mark Ingram, Ravens ($5,400): Ingram’s become a touchdown-dependent FLEX type, which is tough to understand after he dominated last year. The good news is that he’s scored in two of his last three games, despite seeing fewer than 10 carries in three straight games. Cincinnati’s got the 21st-ranked run defense, and Week 4 was the first time they didn’t give up at least 100 rushing yards. Baltimore’s three-headed running dragon is beyond frustrating for us fantasy players, but Ingram is definitely the preferred option at the goal line, and he still has big play potential. With Ingram, you’re getting better than usual odds for a touchdown at this price.
Wide Receivers
Justin Jefferson, Vikings ($5,500): Jefferson has blown up the last two weeks, posting 11 receptions, 278 yards and a touchdown with a matchup against Seattle, the NFL’s fourth-worst passing defense, on the slate. Seattle has the 22nd-ranked DVOA vs. No. 2 receivers, and the Seahawks are allowing 90 yards per game to WR2s. Everything is lined up for Jefferson to go off again, especially since the Seahawks’ offense might force Minnesota to throw the ball more than they’d like.
Darius Slayton, Giants, ($4,800): Production has been a bit light for Slayton, but he’s due. His target share is healthy – six or more targets in three straight games – and he’s on the field for almost every snap. This week’s matchup is extremely inviting, and makes him a beautiful stack with Daniel Jones. I’m basically in on all Giants’ offensive players this week, but Slayton’s 15.7 yards per reception are particularly appealing based on Dallas’ porous secondary. Don’t be afraid to fire him up.
Tight Ends
Evan Engram, Giants ($4,600): Continuing the theme of loving the Giants this week, Engram has been a disappointment waiting to go off. He has seen at least five targets in every game this year, and saw a season-high 10 last week vs. the Rams. Dallas is surrendering 8.9 points per game to the position, so if we love Jones, it’s probably worth your while to throw Engram in there as well and have multiple stabs at the points pie.
Hunter Henry, Chargers ($4,300): Henry hasn’t found the end zone yet, which is pretty strange for him. That should switch this week, when the Chargers face New Orleans, a team that could force a high scoring affair, and also allows 10.4 points per game to the TE, the second-worst mark in the NFL. Henry is appealing because he’s due to score, has a great matchup, and also has a high floor; he’s hit 50 yards in three of four weeks this year. All at a low, low price.
Mo Alie-Cox, Colts ($4,200): If you want to live on the edge, Mo Alie-Cox is interesting. He has a 111-yard game (Week 2) and has scored in back-to-back weeks. He’s also seen five targets in the last two weeks, and on Sunday his 13-yard touchdown grab was his only catch. The zero risk is very high here, but he’s enormous and Philip Rivers is known to rely on his TEs, especially near the red zone. Be aware that this can backfire, but Cleveland allows the most points in the league to TEs, so he can be played.