NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel - Week 8
NFL DFS season is in full swing as Week 8 approaches, and our expert analysts are breaking down NFL DFS lineup optimizer picks and projections for FanDuel and DraftKings. Sign up for RotoGrinders Premium for full access to our NFL lineup optimizer and fantasy football projections all season long.
No teams are on bye week this week and there are no overseas games either, so we have 26 teams to choose from on the main slate. QB chaos was the theme this week, as Ryan Tannehill, Daniel Jones, and Deshaun Watson are all out, while Kyler Murray is getting close to a return but is doubtful for this week. Brock Purdy was questionable but has cleared concussion protocol and will start this week, and Vrabel has said that both Will Levis and Malik Willis will get snaps at QB, so both are completely off my DFS radar this week. In other QB news, the top two picks from this year’s NFL Draft, CJ Stroud and Bryce Young, will be facing off in what should be a fun watch.
It’s also a slate with some of the lowest game totals for any single week in the NFL I can remember, as only three games have totals above 45, and none are above 48. Colder weather, a lot of backup QBs, top defenses, and no Bills/Chargers/Lions on the slate are all contributing factors to this, but like every week in the NFL, you know a few games are going to surprise us and turn into a shootout, so let’s look at some DFS plays that I’m targeting in some of those games!
NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer Picks for DraftKings
With plenty of affordable RBs with huge full-PPR upside, some strong salary saver TEs, and tons of cheap WRs, I’ll be looking to spend up at QB this week with Jalen Hurts or Lamar Jackson. The Jets DST ($4,000) is my favorite spend up defense for cash games, while the Falcons DST ($2,900) is my favorite salary saver against the Levis/Willis combo and the Titans’ 16.5 team total.
Alvin Kamara ($7,300)
Coming off a monster 12-catch game on 14 targets, I thought Kamara’s price would skyrocket to over $8,000 as he was just $6,900 last week, but to my bewilderment he only went up $400 and is an absolute steal this week. The Colts are allowing over 26 points per game, which is the 3rd most in the league, along with 118.7 rush yards per game, and in a projected close game, Kamara should be extremely busy in both the run and pass game, and I love that he’s game script proof. He is a cheat code in PPR formats this year, averaging almost 10 targets per game and almost 22 FPPG, so until his price starts getting closer to $8,500 I think he’s an immediate lock and load in cash games.
Breece Hall ($5,900)
I have to keep writing Hall up, as his salary continues not to match his floor/upside combo, especially in a fantastic matchup with the Giants this week. The G-Men are allowing 137.3 rush yards per game, and coming off his bye week, Hall is going to be fresh and ready to absolutely dominate this game in what should be pretty cold and wet conditions. Like Kamara, until Hall’s price starts to get about $1-2K higher than it is this week, you should keep locking him in your cash game lineup. I didn’t want to write up three RBs, but Travis Etienne ($7,200) is another underpriced RB in an excellent matchup, so I’ll likely use him in my flex spot this week.
Dalton Schultz ($3,900)
There are way too many excellent value WRs this week like Addison, Pickett, Flowers, Collins, McLaurin, Watson, London, Rice, Downs, and Bourne just to name ten, so I’ll be looking to spend down at WR from that group in order to fit in a top QB along with Kamara / Hall / Etienne at RB / Flex.
This lineup construction leaves enough salary for a cheap TE, and Schultz is easily my favorite for under $4,000. The Texans are coming off their bye but will still be without Robert Woods and Brevin Jordan, leaving a few extra targets available for Schultz, who has already seen 17 targets over his last two games. Schultz has also scored a TD in three straight games, and against a Panthers defense allowing the most points per game (30), Schultz should easily pay off his price tag even without scoring a TD. The 20+ FP upside he brings is just a bonus that makes him GPP viable as well.
NFL DFS Lineup Optimizer Picks for FanDuel
I’ll be doing a similar type of cash game build on FanDuel, with a top QB, cheap WRs/TE, and at least two of Kamara, Hall, Etienne, and Pollard at RB/Flex, with the Jets DST ($4,400). If you absolutely need to save salary, then I’d consider going with Stroud ($7,400) at QB, as I think the Texans could put up a big number on Carolina, and at RB I think Mattison ($6,100) is a very sneaky value play this week against a Packers defense allowing 143.7 rush yards per game.
Tony Pollard ($7,600)
Kamara ($8,300) and Hall ($7,200) are still cash game locks for me, but I prefer going with Pollard over Etienne ($8,700) if you want another top RB in your flex spot. I love Pollard’s $1,100 price discount to Etienne, and coming off his bye, I think a rested Pollard is in a nice spot for a massive breakout game at home against the Rams. Dallas has the 4th-highest projected team total of the slate, and of those top four, they’re the only ones playing at home in a dome. As 6.5-point favorites, I think they score early and often through Pollard and then lean on him late to grind the clock out.
Josh Downs ($6,100)
Downs is coming off his best game of the year (5-125-1) and has now gone for 10+ FP in three straight, but his salary hasn’t caught up to this production, and he is still way too cheap. He’s seen 6+ targets in each of the last three games, and with defenses focusing on stopping Taylor and Pittman, Downs has established himself as a go-to option for Minshew. As one-point underdogs at home this week, I think he’s just way too cheap given the upside he showed last week in a tough matchup.
Trey McBride ($4,700)
I still like Schultz ($5,800) as a cash game value TE, and I think George Kittle ($6,100) is also a great play with Samuel still out, but given the lineup construction I’m going with this week, I need a TE under $5,000, and McBride is by far my favorite target in that price range. Ertz went on IR and McBride is now the TE1 in Arizona. He will be looking at a big increase in snap count and target share. He was already seeing an increase in usage the last couple weeks with 11 total targets and 91 yards, and as almost 10-point underdogs this week, the Cardinals are going to be throwing the ball a ton in catch-up mode, giving McBride a fantastic opportunity at 10+ FP with a solid chance at a TD, so I’ll be taking the shot on him in cash games as a high-upside punt play to help fit in other guys on my must-play list.
Use Our DFS Lineup Optimizer for Week 8
Make sure to check out our in-house NFL DFS lineup optimizer, LineupHQ, to get a great look at even more top projected plays. It is by far the best place to build a large number of lineups quickly using your personalized build rules, ownership preferences, and stacks you want covered. You can also look at projected ownership to help you decide between players if you’d rather get leverage on the field with someone likely to see much lower ownership than similar plays at his position or price point.
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