Daily fantasy often requires a short memory. Don’t get sucked into the prior week’s performance, good or bad. Take a macro approach now that we have a usable data sample size. Relying on Rudy’s Tools (comes with a free 7-day trial) is a great way to achieve that. Eliminate your bias by starting your research there. Here are a few plays I like this week…
QB
- Ben Roethlisberger, $8400:Â There’s a real glut at the top of the QB price chart this week. I’ll take the one that’s at home in the highest over/under of the week. Neither team is likely to play much defense in this one. I expect a better day from James Conner, but the Steelers have gone to the air rather quickly when the bullets have started to fly. This isn’t a spot to get cute. Make sure to own plenty of shares in this game.
- Blake Bortles, $7000: What, you didn’t get enough punishment from rostering the BB express in week 3? I guess not. That’s just part of the Bortles experience. Let’s you know you’re truly alive. This week, against the Chiefs bottom 3 defensive unit will be different, I swear. Bortles also tends to go off in games without Leonard Fournette, week 3 notwithstanding. Pat Mahomes may also have the firepower to score points on their defense, so a better game script should ensue.
RB
- Christian McCaffrey, $8100:Â I’m absolutely on team cram ’em in if you want to go Gordon/Gurley, but that requires tricky salary acrobatics. CMC can free up a few bucks for you and still provide the floor with upside we want in the backfield. The Giants linebackers are their weakness, usually meaning TE production. The Panthers lost Greg Olson, and run the short passing game through McCaffrey.
- Derrick Henry, $5800: This is definitely a GPP play. Henry has been on fantasy production milk cartons so far. That should change against the hapless Bills. The Titan defense matches up well with the remedial Buffalo offense. They should control this game and the Bills can certainly be run on. The staff wants to get Henry 15-20 touches, when possible. This is the ideal spot for his bruising style.
WR
- Juju Smith-Schuster, $8000:Â I’m really just using his name to up my word count. That and the Falcons defensive interior being rather swiss cheese like. Now they have to cover one of the best slot WRs in the league. A great game script will lead to Ben’s safety valve feasting.
- Kenny Golladay, $6300: Babytron was just quiet enough against Dallas (4/4/74) to keep his price, and ownership, down this week. He’s going to abuse the Packer CBs at home this week. Golladay has begun the process of pushing Marvin Jones to the TD wayside. That continues in an NFC North barnburner this week.
TE
- Jimmy Graham, $6100: Given that none of the Green Bay receiving core is practicing, Graham’s usage figures to get an uptick. Especially in the red zone, where he still has above-average jump ball ability.
- Tyler Kroft, $4500:Â We’ll find out this week, but I think Kroft steps into Tyler Eifert’s role over C.J. Uzomah. There will be competition for snaps and targets between the two. I get the feeling the staff will keep Uzomah in his TE2 role, though. Miami’s Xavien Howard is capable of limiting A.J. Green’s target share. The Bengals backfield is hurting. Things should shift to Tylers Kroft and Boyd.
DEF
- Titans, $3900: Tennessee showed a strong pass rush against the Eagles solid front last week. Buffalo does not have an OL that could be called any synonym of solid. Josh Allen also tries to make a play no matter how unadvisable. They’ll be the chalk for good reason.
- Rams, $4700:Â As long as Germain Ifedi is a starting lineman for the Seahawks they will struggle to pass protect. He gives away playcalls with his stance and is just plain bad. That’s trouble against this Rams aggressive front seven.
