Daily Fantasy Football Best Bargains 2022: Week 5 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
Teddy Bridgewater, Dolphins ($6,400/$5,400): At this point we know who Bridgewater is, and that is not typically a fantasy relevant QB. However, if you’re looking for bottom of the barrel prices, Bridgewater is very intriguing this week. He has a date with the Jets, one of the friendliest pass defenses in the NFL, and he has the best weapons at his disposal that he’s ever had in his career. The Jets’ best DB is a rookie, Sauce Gardner, who figures to be tested by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and whoever Gardner is not on has the potential to feast. Don’t make playing Bridgewater a habit, but with these receivers, and this matchup, a QB1 finish is possible.
Running Backs
J.K. Dobbins, Ravens ($6,500/$5,600): Dobbins was an RB1 last week against Buffalo, one of the league’s most stout run defenses. His production was bolstered by two short yardage touchdowns, but the important aspects of the performance were he came out healthy, and played 50% of the snaps. Expect an even higher snap rate moving forward with Justice Hill on the mend. The Ravens’ offense figures to be among the NFL’s best and highest scoring, as well as highest-volume on the ground. With Dobbins spearheading that ground attack, he’s going to be a strong option all year long, so take advantage of this price while you can get it.
Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots ($6,000/$5,500): Stevenson has been a bit underwhelming in 2022 because of his workload share with Damien Harris, who costs a bit more than him this week. Harris has monopolized TDs so far, but Stevenson is actually on the field more, and this week’s matchup with Detroit offers opportunity for both backs to eat. The Lions have been uncharacteristically potent offensively, so if they can strike fast and force New England into a pass-heavy game script, that means much more time for Stevenson against the league’s worst run defense per Football Outsiders’ DVOA. Even if that doesn’t happen, he is still seeing double-digit carries per game, which should be enough for him to provide useful stats.
Nyheim Hines, Colts ($6,300/$5,500): Hines is not expected to be a bell cow in light of Jonathan Taylor being ruled out for this week, but Hines should see a healthy increase in his usage for Thursday night. He’s primarily a receiving back, but when given ample opportunity, Hines has also proven he can be an efficient rusher capable of massive plays. That won’t be easy against the Denver defense, but he can expect to be targeted pretty heavily on a short week in an offense that doesn’t have solidified receiving options beyond Michael Pittman.
Wide Receivers
Terry McLaurin, Commanders ($6,500/$6,200): McLaurin has only scored one touchdown this year, and hasn’t been the target hound many expected due to the rise of Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson as legitimate threats. Dotson is out though, which clarifies the pecking order a bit, and just in time for a matchup against the Titans. Tennessee’s defense is fourth-worst in football against the pass per Football Outsiders, so this matchup has blowup game written all over it for McLaurin, who is averaging the most yards per reception of his career.
Devin Duvernay, Ravens ($6,000/$4,400): Duvernay has been impressive for the Ravens, who were presumed in the preseason to have a very weak receiving corps. He’s consistently hovered around the 50-yard mark in 2022, and scored twice in four games. This week he faces the Bengals in primetime, who are allowing a league-worst 11.6 points per game to WR1s. With Rashod Bateman nursing a foot injury, Duvernay should assume that role and find the end zone as Lamar Jackson looks to rebound from an off game in the rain vs. Buffalo.
Garrett Wilson, Jets ($6,000/$5,200): Wilson cooled off in Zach Wilson’s debut, and while most will connect that to him lacking the same connection with his fellow Wilson that he had with Flacco, I’m writing it off. Garrett Wilson still saw six targets, and he showed his chunk play potential in the fourth quarter. Miami should score on the Jets, forcing them to be pass-happy yet again, and the Dolphins have been among the league’s worst pass defenses. A Garrett Wilson bounce back game is very easy to see.
Tight Ends
Dallas Goedert, Eagles ($6,100/$4,700): Goedert has been one of the best TEs in the league, and fantasy this year, but his low TD total is masking it. Jalen Hurts’ improvements have directly benefitted Goedert, who has gone over 60 yards in three of four games. This week he gets the NFL’s second-worst defense in terms of yardage against opposing TEs, and the Eagles have been rolling through teams. The Cardinals figure to be in for a rough day, and Goedert will be a major reason.
Darren Waller, Raiders ($5,900/$5,400): Waller has been very quiet in the last two games, posting back-to-back three-catch games in which he failed to get past 25 yards. That’ll end Sunday, because the Chiefs will force the Raiders to air it out, and they also allow the most points to the position in the NFL (9.1) through four games. Get him in your lineup.
Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($5,600/$4,400): If you can’t quite fit Waller in your budget, and you either hate yourself or have an affinity for heartburn, you can roll with Pitts. He is even more physically gifted than Waller, and his matchup with the Buccaneers is appealing. Tampa Bay also gives up 9.1 points per game to the TE position, and should also force the Falcons to chuck it with Chris Godwin and Julio Jones back in action. If Pitts cannot get it going here, then maybe he’s just not an option in 2022.