Daily Fantasy Football Best Bargains 2022: Week 18 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
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers ($6,700/$5,400): Roethlisberger may be totally shot physically, but he’s got enough veteran savvy in him to take advantage of depleted secondaries, which we’ve seen him do vs. the Vikings (308 yards, three TDs) and Chargers (273 yards, three touchdowns) this season. Big Ben’s skill players are so good that they can help him pile up stats in great matchups, and that’s what the Ravens are this week, in what could be Roethlisberger’s final game. Big Ben is a safe bet for at least two touchdowns, and he may even post big yardage if Lamar Jackson can play and keep the scoring pace up.
Case Keenum, Browns ($6,300/$4,800): The Bengals have the NFL’s 24th-ranked pass DVOA per Football Outsiders and do not have a great deal to play for having clinched the division already. Cleveland’s passing game has been anemic this year, but part of that has been myriad injuries to Baker Mayfield, who stubbornly played through all of them. Keenum is no great shakes, but he’s a competent operator for an NFL offense, and he can probably get in the end zone twice vs. this defense if he focuses in on Jarvis Landry and David Njoku. More importantly, he’s available at a backup price.
Running Backs
Jaret Patterson, Football Team ($6,600/$5,300): Patterson looks to be the man in Washington’s backfield to close out the year, with J.D. McKissic and Antonio Gibson all banged up. The Giants’ defense awaits, and this team’s been yearning for the season to end for a long time now. Patterson has scored in two of his last three games, and should have a pretty big day with the job all to himself against a defense that’s given up. Start him confidently and expect strong RB2 numbers.
Saquon Barkley, Giants ($6,400/$6,100): It’s absolutely crazy to see how far the mighty Saquon Barkley has fallen, but the Giants are a train wreck. I’m nervous about including him here, but the price tag simply doesn’t match his talent, regardless of how trash his numbers have been all season. Head coach Joe Judge is fighting for his coaching life this week, and if he knows anything about football, he will lean heavily on Barkley, on the ground and in the air, to try to move the football. Down to his third-string QB, Judge needs to heavily feature the former No. 2 overall pick, and all that volume should result in usable fantasy numbers.
Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles ($4,800/$4,100): Gainwell has flashed big time ability this year, but his opportunity has been limited by a very crowded backfield. Now, Miles Sanders is injured, and Boston Scott and Jordan Howard may be out due to COVID protocols. At best, both of them will miss practice time, leaving Gainwell as possibly the only healthy Eagles RB of note. And if you haven’t been paying attention, the Eagles are running the ball like crazy. The matchup vs. Dallas is on the tougher side, but if he gets all the volume, he’ll still turn in RB2 numbers – with receptions – at the price of a bottom-of-the-barrel FLEX play. Just pay attention to the injury list throughout the week.
Wide Receivers
Darnell Mooney, Bears ($6,300/$5,900): Mooney’s been a roller coaster, but you can blame his terrible coaching and horrendous QB play. No matter who is under center, Mooney is open and heavily targeted. Against the Giants last week, that became seven catches, 69 yards and a touchdown. Expect similar results vs. the Vikings, whose defense stinks and are now eliminated from the playoff hunt.
Chase Claypool, Steelers ($5,800/$5,100): Claypool’s been a disaster this year, as his hoped-for breakout has been stunted by the erosion of Roethlisberger’s deep ball ability. Still, he’s seen six or more targets in three of his last four games, and that could result in a big play or two against the Ravens. The downside is enormous here, but he’s talented enough to deliver a WR1 performance. On a sub-$6,000 price tag, that is the kind of play that puts you in the money.
Russell Gage, Falcons ($5,700/$5,600): Gage’s usage has scaled back a bit, hurting his production badly, but I’m expecting a spike with TE Kyle Pitts nursing a hamstring injury. The Saints aren’t a particularly soft matchup, but volume is all you’re looking for here. Atlanta’s going to throw the ball, and without Pitts, double-digit looks are in Gage’s future.
Tight Ends
Zach Ertz, Cardinals ($5,600/$5,300): Ertz has been a target gobbler since DeAndre Hopkins got hurt, drawing 11, 13 and nine looks in the last three weeks. He hasn’t scored in any of these games either, but he’s been close, leading one to suspect some positive regression is in the offing. Seattle doesn’t defend the position well, so look for Ertz to cruise into the Top 5 this week at the position. Smash play.
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers ($5,200/$4,600): Freiermuth’s been a bit touchdown-dependent this season, and seven scores is more than we have any right to expect from a rookie TE. But the Ravens are super friendly to the position, and as I’ve already recommended Big Ben as a bargain QB, you should consider his TE as a super cheap stack. Baltimore allows the second-most points per game (8.9) to the position, and the third-most yards (65.7).
Dalton Schultz, Cowboys ($5,100/$5,300): Schultz has scored in two of his last three games, caught six or more in all three, and topped 50 yards in all three. He has a smash matchup vs. the Eagles, and his target share should remain consistent with Michael Gallup now out for the year. His floor is very low, but this looks like a TE1 finish.