LOGIN

It would be fun to play in a 60,000 person DFS tournament against 59,999 DFS equivalents of the Dallas Cowboys. The amount of chances that they’ve had to run away with the abysmal NFC Least and put the Eagles’ hopes away is ridiculous. It would be like if you drafted Kirk Cousins this week (don’t) with a huge expectation of his performance against Detroit, and though he didn’t perform up to par, the other 59,999 teams chose either Devlin Hodges, or Gardner Minshew, or Eli Manning (don’t take them, either) and just begged you to stay in the running.

But the point of this article is to help you win even if the other 59,999 teams are the DFS equivalent of the Ravens. Which, ironically, is the opponent of my top pick for quarterback this weekend.

Because DraftKings and FanDuel offer different prices for certain players and have a different cash total overall, one option may be better for a certain app than for the other app, and that will be noted. The first price is their DraftKings cost, and the second is the FanDuel cost.

Quarterback

Josh Allen ($6,200/$7,800)

I expect Josh Allen to run the ball a ton in this game. Like a metric shit-ton. The Ravens blitz nearly half the time, and Allen leads all of football in improvised QB runs. And he’s freakishly athletic to, and though he doesn’t have the same game-breaking speed or agility that Lamar Jackson has, he can hold his own and has several plays, whether improvised or designed, where he really shows off his talents. In a game that many think Buffalo can win, Allen will have a busy day fighting against a really talented offense and keeping his team close.

Carson Wentz ($6,100/$7,700)

The Eagles may be a mess, but Wentz’s fantasy numbers in the first week of healthy receivers were good. And that was with an easy touchdown dropped by the usually sure-handed Zach Ertz. Given the atrocity that is the New York Giants secondary, and the desperation mode that the Eagles continue to play in, and the fact that Doug Pederson literally seems allergic to running the ball more than 25 times in a game, Wentz has a big day ahead at a very affordable price.

Other options: Ryan Fitzpatrick ($6,000/$7,400); Russell Wilson ($6,900/$8,000)

Running Back

Nick Chubb ($8,000/$7,900 – more worth it on FanDuel)

The Browns have not yet been afforded the luxury of playing against the Bengals this year, and of all the offensive weapons who should be licking their chops at Week 14’s matchup, Nick Chubb sits atop the list. The Bengals have been downright shredded by opposing running backs in different games this season, including ceding over 100 yards on the ground in 7 different games and touchdowns in eight of them. Chubb, quietly leading the NFL in rushing yardage over Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry, should easily top 100 yards rushing, should contribute through the air, and should find the end zone in a great matchup.

James White ($5,500/$6,000)

It’s hard to know whether James White’s explosion last week against the Texans will raise his fantasy stock or conversely make DFS players intentionally avoid him as a fade play. However, the matchup this week is very similar: an offensive-minded team that struggles to defend against running backs, especially pass-catching running backs. White used this model to perfection against the Texans, and the Chiefs are a team that should allow Brady to throw a lot of dump-off passes to White and watch the veteran go.

Other options: Devonta Freeman ($5,400/$6,000)

Wide Receiver

Sterling Shepard ($5,100/$5,900)

Playing the Eagles is an opportunity for opposing wide receivers to feast (see: DeVante Parker absolutely tearing them up last week). But there is another reason to like Sterling Shepard this week, even with the return of Golden Tate. Eli Manning, the longtime quarterback for Shepard throughout his Giants career, will return Monday night to make this game more watchable. And additionally, it will make Shepard a whole lot more playable this weekend, as he and Eli are in sync while the rest of the Giants lineup is relatively new to Eli (Darius Slayton, Golden Tate, a hobbled Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley, etc.). At his price point, it’s hard to resist taking a stab at Shepard.

DJ Moore ($7,000/$7,100)

Who knew that DJ Moore was a top-eight leader in both receptions and receiving yards? I sure didn’t. With McCaffrey stealing the show and the continuing QB controversy between Cam Newton and Kyle Allen (Will Grier, anybody?), it’s easy to overlook just how good Moore has been. His floor is as high as it gets right now, as he is averaging over 10 targets per game over the past eight weeks. He has hit the 70-yard marker in seven of those eight games, and has caught at least five balls in all of them. His touchdowns, though inconsistent, have been more prominent of late, as he has scored three in the past two weeks. And the matchup with the Falcons is especially attractive, as he was targeted 15 times just a few weeks ago when these two squads faced off earlier in the year. 

Other options: DeVante Parker ($6,900/$7,200); Tyler Boyd ($5,900/$6,300); Robby Anderson ($5,100/$6,400 – more worth it on DraftKings)

Tight End

The Studs

Rewind to the beginning of the season, and roll with a stud. Kelce, Kittle, or Ertz. I think that all three of them are bound to have a good week. The Patriots don’t make it easy on any opponent, but Sharp Football Stats shows that they are susceptible to one play – deep balls to tight ends – that Mahomes and Kelce thrive at. Ertz has a lot on his mind after a horrible game against Miami that actually directly attributed to the loss, but a bounce back game against the lowly Giants is all too likely a reality. And Kittle, though my least favorite of these three choices, is also the one who has proven time and time again to be an absolutely fundamental piece of his franchise. In a potential NFC Championship preview, Jimmy G should lean on his best weapon to build a potent offensive attack.

Defense

Los Angeles Chargers ($2,800/$4,600)

The discrepancy here between DraftKings and FanDuel is a noticeable one, even when considering their differences in budgets and pricing overall. However, even at FanDuel’s relatively steep price, I still think it’s worth it to buy into a home favorite against a team undergoing a complete QB crisis. Minshew Mania seemed to fade away pretty hard at the end of his run as a starter, and I have no reason to believe that he’ll come back on the scene and take the league by storm like he did the first time. I expect the Chargers to make him look like a backup in this one and force a lot of mistakes.