DFS Alerts

Carson Palmer expected to pass the concussion protocol Tuesday

Adding to our previous report: Bruce Arians told the media today that he believes Palmer will clear the protocol tomorrow and be ready to start in their upcoming game with the Jets.

Jeremy Hill's injury not thought to be serious, should be back at practice Wednesday

Hill had his workload limited on Sunday due to a sore shoulder, but it doesn’t appear that it’ll be something that limits him going forward. Marvin Lewis said he expects Hill to begin practicing on Wednesday, and assuming he doesn’t suffer any setbacks during the week, he should take on his typical role on the road in New England. It’s not going to be a spot where we’ll suggest using him in DFS. If Hill does end up being limited at all, Giovani Bernard would stand to benefit.

Charles Sims (knee) placed on injured reserve

Sims injured his knee last week against the Broncos, which caused him to leave the field for a bit. Even though he finished the game, he ended up missing practice all of last week. Sims was already declared inactive for tonight’s game, but it appears the injury is serious enough to put his entire season in jeopardy. Jacquizz Rodgers will get the bulk of the work until Doug Martin returns. When Martin gets himself back in the lineup, his floor and ceiling should increase as he should see more snaps and passing down work. Rodgers is an unreliable backup, but he has a shot to prove otherwise tonight. He’s a risky play against a tough run defense, although he should see be on the field a lot and he’ll be fighting for future playing time.

Is there reason to be concerned about C.J. Anderson's usage?

As noted by NFL analyst extraordinaire Evan Silva, Devontae Booker has seen a steady increase in snaps. In week 1, Booker saw just 10% of the snaps for the Broncos. It’s increased steadily each of the past four weeks culminating in a 41% snap rate yesterday. What was seen as a breakout season for Anderson after his huge Week 1, now seems much more like last season – hit or miss. One takeaway from yesterdays game is that the Broncos were trailing and seem to favor Booker in passing down situations. That could be a reason for the dramatic increase in snaps this week, as the Broncos have been, for the most part, ahead in all of their games thus far. That said, it’s a situation that will require some scrutiny and at Anderson’s hefty price tag he’s probably best avoided in most DFS lineups, even in a plus match up against the Chargers this week on Thursday night.

A quick look ahead to good RB match ups for Week 6

It’s never too early to get started on your DFS research – here’s a quick look at some RB’s that will be in good spots this coming week.

DeMarco Murray, TEN – at home as a large favorite over the Browns, Murray will be a popular choice this week. He’s been dominant thus far this season, even in supposed bad match ups, and now gets what looks like a very favorable game against the winless team from Cleveland.

LeSean McCoy, BUF – similar to Murray in that he’s been dominating and has a great home match up. The 49ers have been getting gashed against the run and now have to travel to the East Coast for a 1pm start against the Bills.

Jordan Howard, CHI – Howard has made the most of his opportunity the past two weeks and now has a stranglehold on the Bears starting RB job. He gets a home game, as a slight favorite, against the Jaguars this week and while his price should increase, and his ownership will likely remain high despite that, he will still make for an excellent DFS option.

Charles Sims and Doug Martin both out tonight as expected for Tampa Bay

This is not surprising news as both were expected to be out. Jacquizz Rodgers will get the bulk of the work tonight for the Buccaneers and is in play for those playing slates involving the MNF game.

Cody Kessler should play against Titans this week

Per media reports, Browns QB Cody Kessler is expected to be back under center for the team this week in their game against the Titans after suffering a rib injury yesterday. We’ll keep you update if anything changes.

Carson Palmer still in concussion protocol but feels great

The Cardinals QB is still going through the league concussion protocol but feels great and appears to be tracking in the right direction. Arizona sure hopes he is able to play as there offense suffers a noticeable dip in efficiency with Drew Stanton at the helm. We’ll keep an eye on this and update you when more news comes in.

Virgil Green OUT against the Falcons

This is a bit of a surprise as he was able to practice all week. Jeff Heuerman and John Phillips will fill in at tight end, but neither are viable fantasy options. Paxton Lynch will favor Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas in the passing game against a weak defense.

Benny Cunningham inactive against Bills

Cunningham was limited in practice this week and questionable for the game. If anything, this gives a further uptick to Gurley’s already heavy workload. Cunningham comes in for some passing down work, which will now be left to Gurley. There has been talk all week about Gurley getting more involved in the passing game after he caught five balls last week. After getting stuffed the first four weeks on the ground, he could be in for a big game if the Rams successfully get him into space through the air.

Dan Bailey will kick for Cowboys today

Bailey was dealing with a sore back all week. The Cowboys brought in several kickers to try out, but didn’t end up signing anyone. There are other options at his price point, so it’s probably best to leave him off your rosters. However, beat writer David Helman reports that Bailey looks totally fine in warm ups from 40+ yards. If you want to take the risk, Bailey is an interesting contrarian option.

Clive Walford inactive against Chargers

Walford is third on the team in targets with 20. Mychal Rivera will get the start at tight end in his place. He’s only had one reception this season, but he is a capable receiver; in 2014 he had 58 receptions on 101 targets. Most of Walford’s targets are likely to go to Cooper and Crabtree though. The Chargers have a pretty weak defense, allowing 290 passing yards per game, fifth-worst in the NFL.

Antonio Gates officially active against Raiders

Adding to a previous report, Gates will definitely be in the lineup today. As we wrote earlier, he’s expected to be limited, which lowers his upside. Hunter Henry gets a downgrade, even in a nice spot, as it’ll be hard to predict his target share.

Dez Bryant inactive against Bengals

No surprise here as he was never really expected to play. Brice Butler is once again a very interesting GPP option. Filling in for Dez last week, Butler was tied for the team lead in targets (9) and hauled in 5 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys play at the second-lowest pace in the league, which always hinders fantasy production. Regardless, Butler is a lock to rack up some targets and he’s near the minimum across the industry.

Tevin Coleman will play against Broncos

Coleman is active, which was expected when doctors cleared him earlier in the week. There was some concern he would miss the game due to the sickle cell trait he carries; health issues can arise from it at high altitude and the Falcons are playing in Denver today. There’s a chance he’ll be limited, although the team says that won’t be the case. Coleman and Devonta Freeman have made an electric duo this season, but that’s hurt their individual fantasy values. Freeman is a pretty great value option on DraftKings as his price reflects his normal time share constraints. If anything, Freeman should lead the backfield in touches even if he doesn’t carry the bulk of the work. Denver struggles against the run, ranking 23rd in DVOA and adjusted line yards per carry, according to Football Outsiders. Freeman should be able to take advantage, he’s averaged 5.9 yards per rush so far.