The Russell Wilson-Tyler Lockett combo has won me some major money twice this season. In Week 3, I had those two, Mike Evans, and Christian McCaffrey in my lineup en route to a top three finish. Last week, I had those four in my lineup en route to a top three finish.
But this week, the Seahawks are tasked with playing against the horrifying 49ers defense. Seriously, how happy must Richard Sherman be right now? That was an incredible acquisition that is paying off big time for San Fran, and Sherman has been a terrific presence so far. It makes it a lot harder to trust Russell and Lockett in these circumstances. Who can help you compensate for two of the most reliable DFS picks of the year? Let’s find out.
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
Kyler Murray ($6,500/$7,700)
I see myself going with Murray a lot this season in DFS. His price never really seems to change, and he often sees a cool 18-22 fantasy points. His legs give him a chance to earn some points on the ground, and though the fierce backfield duo of David Johnson and Kenyan Drake can give opposing defenses problems, any matchup with the Buccaneers points more towards an air-based battle. Russell Wilson torched them for five touchdowns last week, and the Cardinals are one of the few pass defenses that are more torchable than are both the Buccaneers and Seahawks. Look for a lot of points here, and Murray should easily exceed his DFS price.
Lamar Jackson ($7,300/$8,600)
He’s the most expensive quarterback in both formats, but there’s a good reason for that, and his price isn’t so much higher than other quarterbacks that it makes it too far of a reach to obtain his services. The Bengals are really bad. We know that. We also know that the questionable designation next to Jackson’s name, in addition to his high price, may dissuade some people from drafting him. The questionable designation isn’t for an injury, though, but for an illness, and he doesn’t carry a risk of missing this game. So, a low-percentage of ownership combined with an infinite ceiling means that Jackson is as strong an option as ever this week.
Other options: Ryan Tannehill ($5,100/$7,200 – more worth it on DraftKings)
Running Back
Devin Singletary ($5,000/$6,700)
Singletary is very affordable, especially on DraftKings, and has a juicy matchup against a reeling Browns team. The Bills have been viewed as a “fake” team this year based on their record, and I kind of buy into that. This game is one that Vegas thinks will be a close one despite the discrepancy between the two teams’ records, so Singletary should be leaned on heavily. It also seems like the Bills are ready to trust him as a lead back as Frank Gore is finally taking a back seat, and this could be one of the final weeks that you can get such bargain value for the rookie.
Jaylen Samuels ($6,300/$6,200 – FanDuel only)
Samuels caught 13 balls last week. 13 balls. James Conner has been ruled out again, as has Benny Snell, and so he will be featured prominently once again. This is also a game where the script should be favorable for player like Samuels, as Rudolph should be throwing the ball often to keep up with the Rams, and Samuels is his favorite option for an underneath route, a screen, or a last-second dump off. He was unable to find the end zone last week, but if one of his double-digit receptions can go for paydirt, he’ll pay off his price with ease.
Other options: Saquon Barkley ($8,800/$8,600 – more worth it on FanDuel); Alvin Kamara ($8,200/$8,300 – more worth it on FanDuel)
Wide Receiver
Cooper Kupp ($7,300/$8,100)
I’m pretty confused as to why Kupp is ranked as the No. 7 receiver of the week on DraftKings. He just went off for, oh, 220 yards or so. Brandin Cooks is doubtful to take the field, and Robert Woods still takes some attention off of Kupp. Kupp has proven his consistency every game this season, and Goff absolutely loves throwing it his way. As a matter of fact, I kind of expected Kupp to be a no-doubt top three pick in DFS this week, which FanDuel came close to. Either way, he’s an easy choice to deploy. The only problem is that his ownership will likely be very high. Fading him in just one of your lineups isn’t a bad idea.
Golden Tate ($5,900/$6,300)
The Jets are just a hilarious concept of a team. With high expectations coming into the year, they followed up a pretty creepy, ghost-filled performance with a loss to the Jets. It can only go up from here, right? Wrong. What better way to cap off a miserable run with a loss at MetLife to the nearly-as-bad Giants. With Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram sidelined, Tate should see a load of targets come his way, and he’s not so expensive for a number one receiver against a miserable defense.
Other options: Adam Humphries ($3,500/$5,300); DeVante Parker ($4,800/$5,800)
Tight End
Mike Gesicki ($3,100/$5,300)
He’s a no-brainer on DraftKings, but even on FanDuel it seems like he’s well-worth the buy. He’s a freak athlete, and this is another game that the Dolphins actually have a chance to win with Brian Hoyer running the show on the opposing side. It should be competitive throughout, and the Colts linebacker crew has been fairly inadequate against opposing tight ends this season, as they are a bottom-10 defense against the position.
Other options: Eric Ebron ($3,900/$4,900); Travis Kelce ($6,400/$6,700 – more worth it on FanDuel)
Defense
Cleveland Browns ($2,500/$3,500)
I love using Vegas’s line in this one to show that the Browns are actually pretty likely to pull out this win. They haven’t been a very good defensive unit this year, but they certainly aren’t awful, and the Bills are very vulnerable to turning the ball over. The Browns will need to get a big turnover if they want to stay competitive, making me think that the oddsmakers could see a pick-six happening. There’s a lot of speculation and gut-feeling here, but I feel strangely confident.
