Noto's Key Personnel: Week 16 - Main Slate
A daily fantasy sports OG, Notorious has been roaming the DFS streets ever since they were invented. So, who better to walk you through all of the key NFL DFS positions each week? Noto has racked up multiple live final seats and several six-figure tournament wins in his DFS career, and he will mix it up in all different types of contests. In his Key Personnel article, he will walk you through his favorite NFL DFS picks, ways to pivot away from the chalk, and overall strategy for the upcoming slate.
As is the case most weeks, there were some good and bad calls in Week 15. Prioritizing the cheap running backs over the likes of Christian McCaffrey and Kyren Williams was a grave mistake, but we did have some nice calls in Rashee Rice, Jayden Reed, and David Njoku.
Before we get into this week’s slate, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! It’s going to be tempting to spend all Saturday, Sunday, and Monday building and sweating lineups, but make sure to take a break from DFS and spend some quality time with your loved ones.
When it comes to the main slate, this is one of the uglier ones in recent memory. Most of the elite quarterbacks and running backs are on different slates. This makes lineup building a bit more difficult and could lead to a lot of bad chalk. This is a week where I don’t mind being a little different from the masses, even in cash games and small-field tournaments.
NFL DFS Top Picks & Plays: Noto’s Key Personnel for Week 16
Quarterback
EXPERT PLAY TAGS
Justin Fields: $7,100 DK / $8,300 FD
Joe Flacco: $5,500 DK / $7,100 FD
It’s hard not to lock in Justin Fields this week. With the absence of Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and other elite quarterbacks, Fields offers the highest ceiling of any signal caller on this slate. He has averaged just under 50 rushing yards per game this season and has thrown at least 1 touchdown pass in 3 of his last 4 games. He has two obvious stacking mates, and he draws the best matchup on the slate. The Cardinals are 31st in DVOA against the pass and 25th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks this season.
Say what you want about Joe Flacco, but he is not afraid of throwing the ball down the field. He might throw an interception or two each week, but that will only lead to more pass attempts. Since taking over as the starting quarterback, he has thrown the ball 45, 44, and 45 times. We don’t see that type of volume very often. I expect it to continue this week against the Texans, who have turned into a pass-funnel matchup (5th in DVOA against the run, 23rd in DVOA against the pass).
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