NFL DFS Quick Hits - Week 5
Welcome to the first edition of NFL Quick Hits, which will be a fast and easy read for those looking to pick up on some stats that most of the general public may be overlooking.
This column will operate much like the Harper’s Index – I’ll list one interesting stat per team, and most of these nuggets aren’t easily found by simply landing on one of our stat pages. I won’t be making start/sit recommendations here, so you’ll have to make decisions on your own based on the information listed below.
Let’s get into the Week 5 breakdown…
- Philadelphia – Detroit is allowing a 120.2 passer rating (worst in NFL), and is also allowing a TD every 11.67 pass attempts (worst in NFL).
- Detroit – The Eagles are the only defense that has yet to allow a passing touchdown this season.
- Houston – Minnesota has held Odell Beckham to 3-23 (9 targets) and Kelvin Benjamin to 0-0 (1 target) the last two weeks.
- Minnesota – Despite holding opponents to 18.2 PPG, the Texans have allowed the fourth-highest YPC (4.6) and sixth-most rush yards per game (125.2).
- Indianapolis – Andrew Luck has been sacked a league-high 15 times, but the Bears rank 27th in sacks this season with just six. Each of the four teams Indy has faced ranks inside the top 12 in sacks.
- Chicago – Alshon Jeffery has yet to see more than seven targets in a game this season, but ranked in the top-10 in targets and red-zone targets last season.
- New England – Without Tom Brady at the helm through four games, the Patriots averaged the fewest passing attempts per game in the NFL. They averaged the fourth highest % in 2015 with Brady playing in all 16 games.
- Cleveland – The Browns have allowed the most receptions (32) and second-most receiving yards (325) to opposing TEs. Even with Gronk logging higher snap counts, Martellus Bennett was in on 97% of New England’s offensive plays in Week 4.
- Miami – DeVante Parker will run most of his routes against Perrish Cox, who is Pro Football Focus’ second-lowest-graded CB. Cox has given up big stat lines to Marvin Jones, Stefon Diggs, Michael Crabtree and Will Fuller.
- Tennessee – Miami has faced at least 30 rush attempts in each game this season, which has a lot to do with their inefficient offense – they rank dead last in plays per possession.
- Baltimore – The Redskins have allowed 4.9 YPC, second-worst mark in the league, and have allowed at least 100 yards rushing in each game this year.
- Washington – The Ravens have held opposing TEs to 15-135 through four weeks without allowing a TD, and have allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game.
- Pittsburgh – The Jets have allowed 9.7 yards per attempt to QBs – worst in the league – along with the most completions of 40+ yards.
- New York Jets – Brandon Marshall is tied for the league-lead in red-zone targets with eight, yet has secured just one. He’s seen at least eight targets in each game and saw 12 last week even with Richard Sherman following him around the field.
- Atlanta – Matt Ryan leads the league in passer rating (126.3) and has been sacked just nine times, but will face off with a Denver defense that has racked up the most sacks (17) among teams that have played just four games (Arizona has 18 after Thursday’s game). Denver also leads the league in QB hits (39).
- Denver – Emmanuel Sanders is tied for the league-lead in red-zone targets (8) and figures to see less of Desmond Trufant than teammate Demaryius Thomas. Sanders is sixth in targets per game among WRs.
- Cincinnati – Dallas ranks second in time of possession through four weeks at 35:20, trailing only Philadelphia at 36:47. Much of that can be attributed to the early season success of Ezekiel Elliott.
- Dallas – Through four weeks, Jeremy Kerley is the opposing WR with the highest yardage total against the Cowboys (88). Odell Beckham, DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White have all been held to fewer than 75 yards.
- Buffalo – The Rams have allowed the most receptions (69) to the WR spot so far this year. They’ve also seen a league high 113 targets. With Sammy Watkins inactive the past two games, Robert Woods has seen 18 targets and is still priced near the minimum on most sites.
- Los Angeles – Both the Rams and Bills rank in the bottom-four in offensive plays per game.
- Oakland – Amari Cooper has yet to secure a TD this season, but will face a Chargers defense that will be without Jason Verrett and Brandon Flowers. Only Odell Beckham (39) and Kevin White (36) have more targets than Cooper (35) without recording a TD.
- San Diego – Melvin Gordon has just 71 yards on 35 carries over the past two games, but has salvaged his DFS output with three TDs over that span. Almost 49% of his production this season has come from TDs.
- New York Giants – In eight games without Larry Donnell active last year, Will Tye saw at least six targets in six of those games. Green Bay is allowing 75.0 YPG to TEs through four weeks (sixth most).
- Green Bay – Jordy Nelson leads all WRs with a 26.67% red-zone percentage of workload. He’s tied for the league-lead in red-zone targets.
- Carolina – The Buccaneers have allowed the third highest QB rating (106.5) and have allowed the most yards per completion in the league (13.3).
- Tampa Bay – Jameis Winston has averaged the most pass attempts per game this season, with Mike Evans leading the league in targets. The Bucs have averaged the most offensive plays per game.