DFS Alerts
Don't sleep on Michael Crabtree
With the Jets secondary expected to focus on Amari Cooper, Crabtree may end up finishing the day with a higher target total considering Cooper is expected to be shadowed by Darrelle Revis. It’s very rare that you can find a WR who is averaging over 9 targets per game (9.3) at under $6K on FanDuel, but Crabtree sits at a very appealing $5,700 price tag this week. Crabtree will run his routes against Antonio Cromartie on the outside and Buster Skrine in the slot, but he’ll be in a better match-up than Cooper regardless. He’s certainly a candidate to get into double digit targets given the Jets extremely stout run defense.
Justin Forsett offers great DFS value in Week 8
Priced at just $6,900 on FanDuel and $6,100 on DraftKings, Forsett is in a great spot this week against a Chargers defense that has allowed the most FPs to RBs; they’ve surrendered an average of over 120 rushing yards per game (to RBs alone) and considering they possess a much stronger pass defense, the Ravens would be wise to feed Forsett a heavy workload. After a slow Week 7 where he carried the ball just 12 times, expect him to be at or near the 20 carry mark on Sunday. Our experts have ranked him as the 5th best RB play of the week on FanDuel.
As reported by: RotoGrinders Expert Rankings Dez Bryant expected to play, but will be on a snap count
It’s unclear what his actual snap count will be, but Bryant isn’t expected to play his normal allotment of snaps. Bryant is tentatively expected to return on Sunday against a Seahawks secondary that may shadow him with Richard Sherman, so he’s not a recommended DFS option given his obstacles this week. Bryant’s return is a big boost to the Cowboys offense and once Tony Romo returns, Bryant will be entrenched again as a high-upside play. The entire Cowboys offense, except potentially Darren McFadden (who is priced under $4,000 on DraftKings) is best left alone this week.
As reported by: Dallas Morning News Carlos Hyde ruled out for Sunday
Carlos Hyde has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game with the Rams. It’s unclear who will draw the start in his place at this point, but it’s likely that we’ll see a committee led by Reggie Bush and Mike Davis, with Jarryd Hayne also in the mix. Bush is likely to see all of the passing down work and should easily exceed his season-high carry total of 4. He’s still nothing more than a GPP play for now. Mike Davis and Jarryd Hayne also figure to see snaps, but neither back is likely to see more than 6-10 touches.
As reported by: Matt Barrows Andre Ellington's workload to increase?
The report is pretty vague, but it sounds like Ellington is set to see an uptick in touches this week against Cleveland. The Browns allow a league high 133 yards per game (to RBs) on the ground, so it may just be that the Cardinals will employ a more run-heavy approach this week. Ellington has been sharing secondary work with David Johnson, but it sounds like he’ll end up being the primary receiving back against Cleveland and could offer nice value on full-point PPR sites. He does possess big play ability, but Ellington is relegated to GPP-only for now.
As reported by: Mike Jurecki on Twitter Anquan Boldin listed as questionable, but says he'll play
Boldin apparently has “no doubt” that he’ll play on Sunday. He tweaked his hamstring in practice on Thursday, and was likely just held out today as a precaution. While it’s nice to see that Boldin is confident in regards to his status against the Rams, he’s not a highly thought of DFS option this week against a stingy Rams defense. As long as Boldin is relying on Colin Kaepernick’s arm, he’ll be impossible to count on.
As reported by: Joe Fann on Twitter Leonard Hankerson will not play in Week 8
Leonard Hankerson has been ruled out for Sunday’s game with the Buccaneers. While this will open up playing time for Roddy White, he’s still not an attractive DFS play given his very limited role to this point in the year. Julio Jones was an elite play at WR before this news, and is still a nice high-floor/high-ceiling play against Tampa. Jones looked healthy last weekend after having a nice 10-day break, so there’s no reason to worry about a nagging injury with him. Justin Hardy will be active on Sunday and while he’s not a recommended DFS target, he could be worth a look as a deep GPP punt play.
As reported by: Jennifer Millman on Twitter Marcus Mariota out for Week 8
While he reportedly made strides this week, Mariota still isn’t healthy enough to take the field in Week 8. Zach Mettenberger will draw the start for the Titans on Sunday, but after a dismal performance at home against a beatable Falcons secondary last week, Mettenberger is not a DFS option this weekend. This doesn’t affect the Titans other skill position plays much, but none of them were terribly intriguing options even with Mariota healthy. Delanie Walker looks like the one Titans pass-catcher that may be worth a look in tournaments.
As reported by: @Titans on Twitter Steve Smith practices Friday, should play Sunday
Per Jamison Hensley, Smith looked to be running with a limp in practice and clearly wasn’t 100%, but if he’s able to play effectively with broken bones in his back, this ailment shouldn’t keep him out of action. The Chargers secondary has been stout this season (they’ve been a much easier team to run the ball against), but Smith is sitting below $7,000 on FanDuel, which puts him squarely into play as a GPP candidate. As the clear top target in the Baltimore passing game, Smith should see his normal allotment of targets on Sunday.
As reported by: Jamison Hensley on Twitter Darren McFadden set to lead Dallas backfield
With Joseph Randle ruled out yesterday, DMC will be the horse in the Cowboys backfield on Sunday, albeit against a stingy Seattle front seven. The dilemma with McFadden, especially on DraftKings where he’s priced at $3,800, is that despite the bad match-up, he’s ticketed for 15+ touches and will be an every-down back for Dallas with Christine Michael spelling him at times. If you are punting a RB spot or are looking for a cheap FLEX option, McFadden offers solid value on DraftKings.
Adrian Peterson back at practice on Friday
AP is dealing with hip, finger and ankle injuries, but is all set to play against the Bears on Sunday. Chicago owns a middle of the road run defense in 2015, but we can expect 20+ touches for Peterson on Sunday and that alone makes him a solid DFS tournament target this weekend. With Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, Devonta Freeman and Matt Forte expected to be more popular, Peterson could surprisingly be a sneaky contrarian play.
As reported by: Ben Goessling on Twitter Josh McCown to start vs. Cardinals
There wasn’t much doubt regarding McCown’s status after he returned to practice yesterday, and this confirms that he’ll be the Browns starter against a tough Arizona defense in Week 8. The Cardinals lead the league in interceptions and possess a lot of big play ability in the secondary, which makes their D/ST unit a more attractive target than any of the Browns skill position players. McCown may benefit from a high volume of pass attempts assuming the Browns fall behind early, but he’s best left untouched for DFS purposes this weekend.
As reported by: Jeremy Fowler on Twitter Big Ben all set for Week 8
Ben Roethlisberger experienced “no issues” with his knee after getting in another full practice on Thursday. He slides right back as a top option when healthy, although he’s someone you’ll want to steer away from in DFS cash games until he proves he’s healthy. With Roethlisberger back in the fold, the DFS value of Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant takes a nice spike, as does the value of Heath Miller as a deep GPP play.
As reported by: Ed Bouchette on Twitter John Brown to miss Week 8?
After playing injured in Week 7, it’s looking like John Brown will end up missing Sunday’s game against the Browns. Michael Floyd would be the biggest beneficiary of his absence, as he’d be afforded snaps in two WR sets and would be the primary deep threat for Carson Palmer. Floyd caught just three passes on four targets this past week, but one of them went for a touchdown and his snap count has been steadily rising as the season wears on. Expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 targets for Floyd on Sunday if Brown sits, which would make him a prime DFS tournament target at $4,900 on FanDuel and $3,500 on DraftKings.
As reported by: Darren Urban on Twitter Steve Smith makes an appearance on Week 8 injury report
Per the Baltimore Sun, Sr. “tweaked” his knee in practice. For now, it doesn’t appear to be a concern for his Week 8 availability, but his status will be worth double checking on Friday. Smith’s price at some DFS outlets is still a tier or two below where it should be ($6,700 on FanDuel), so he’s a nice tournament target assuming he suits up. He appears to be over his back injury from earlier in the year, and while the San Diego pass defense is solid, Smith should still see a healthy allotment of targets as the clear top option in the passing game.
As reported by: Jeff Zrebiec on Twitter