Daily Fantasy Football Best Bargains 2021: Week 11 Top DFS Values on DraftKings and Fanduel
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 and DraftKings that will let you splurge elsewhere. And remember, scoring is IMPORTANT. Here are Fanduel’s and DraftKings’ scoring systems.
Quarterbacks
Mac Jones, Patriots ($7,000/$5,400): This week is just awful for QBs below the average player threshold, so rather than force a QB that fits the price tag, but could sink your entire lineup, I’d rather just highlight Mac Jones. He’s been phenomenal from a real-life standpoint, but mostly blah as a fantasy producer. Last week he threw for three touchdowns though, and he did so against the Browns, who can bring pressure. He will face a much softer defense this week, the Falcons, and he is getting them on a short turnaround since they play on Thursday. Atlanta has the NFL’s third-worst Pass DVOA and second-worst Weighted DVOA per Football Outsiders, while Jones currently ranks as PFF’s fifth-highest graded QB.
Running Backs
Myles Gaskin, Dolphins ($6,200/$5,700): Gaskin has been a massive disappointment all season, but DFS is about picking your spots. While he’s been ineffective, the opportunity has been there for Gaskin across the last four games, in which he’s seen double-digit rushing attempts every time. That kind of workload is very valuable when it comes against the Jets, who have the NFL’s second-worst rushing defense, and the Dolphins have two semi-injured QBs. He will be one of my favorite plays this week.
Michael Carter, Jets ($6,600/$5,800): Staying in the same game, Carter has fulfilled my preseason prophecy of seeing a bunch of work because the other Jets RBs are horrible. He has seen double-digit carries in each of his last six games, and seven of the Jets’ last eight, scoring four times in that span. The Dolphins defense has improved of late, but still ranks in the middle of the pack, and Carter is also useful as a receiver out of the backfield in the event the ‘Fins shut down the ground attack. With rookie Zach Wilson set to return, and vowing to learn from Mike White’s dump-off success stories, Carter is set up to provide a super high floor on this bargain price tag.
Adrian Peterson, Titans ($5,700/$4,800): Peterson has been a bit of a dud since joining Tennessee, logging 10 and eight carries in his first two games, posting back-to-back games of 21 rushing yards, and scoring once. D’Onta Foreman is the new hotness according to the narrative, but Peterson still saw opportunity near the goal line. If that is Peterson’s role, and there will be an even split in this backfield, it makes all the sense to choose Peterson of the three. Foreman may see more touches because he’s eaten into Jeremy McNichols’ passing game opportunities, but we want touchdowns. Those are going to go to the veteran.
Wide Receivers
Kadarius Toney, Giants ($5,500/$5,000): Toney’s back-to-back duds have really sunk his value, but we cannot forget how electric he was once given a chance. He lit up the Cowboys for 10 receptions and 189 yards, and had three catches for 36 yards against the Rams early in the first quarter before getting hurt. Toney might’ve been dealing with lingering effects of his injury, but coming off a bye against a Bucs secondary that is duct taped together at his point seems like a monster opportunity.
Corey Davis, Jets ($6,400/$5,000): I’m certainly a bit nervous about having this much investment in the Jets-Dolphins game, but Miami’s been unbelievably bad vs. WR1s this year. They have a -18.8% DVOA against them, and are allowing 9.8 points per game. Davis has been Jekyll and Hyde when he plays, but this looks like a smash matchup for him, and he has had three games with 90+ receiving yards.
Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers ($6,000/$5,000): Aiyuk has been an unmitigated disaster this year, but that’s irrelevant for DFS. Aiyuk’s out of the doghouse, and he’s been on the field for 88% or more of San Francisco’s snaps for three straight games. Before a low-target game on Monday, in which the 49ers manhandled the Rams on the ground, he had seen seven and eight targets in the previous two games, scoring vs. Arizona in Week 9. The 49ers have a smash matchup with the Jaguars, who have to be focusing on limiting Deebo Samuel. Aiyuk could thrive if he’s getting constant one-on-one chances.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet, Bears ($5,100/$3,400): Kmet might be my favorite play of the week. He’s super duper cheap, and gets to face the Ravens, a team that still has a reputation as a tough matchup but is actually lovely. Baltimore’s defense has been soft all season, but especially so against TEs, who score 8.9 points per game against them. Meanwhile Kmet is on the field all game, and has seen six or more targets in three straight. He’s scoring this week, and he may just have a huge game overall.
Zach Ertz, Cardinals ($5,000/$4,800): Ertz is just a steady cog in this offense now; you shouldn’t expect any smash games, but doughnuts also are off the table, even without Kyler Murray on the field. Now, with Murray possibly returning, his ceiling is raised as well as his chances of scoring a TD. Had he not been stopped on the goal line vs. the Packers, Ertz would have a touchdown in both of his games with Kyler under center. Seattle isn’t really a smash or stay-away matchup, so this is just betting on Ertz’ talent and role.