DFS Alerts
Tom Brady (knee) limited in practice Wednesday for the Patriots
Tom Brady (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday for the Patriots. At this point there is nothing to suggest he is in any danger of missing the team’s Week 13 home matchup with the Vikings, and should be expected to once again start under center and lead the Patriots offense. The Patriots currently have an implied team total of 27 points in what figures to be one of the better games of the weekend showcasing two potential playoff teams.
Calvin Ridley (ankle, elbow) logs a limited practice Wednesday for the Falcons
Calvin Ridley (ankle, elbow) logged a limited practice Wednesday for the Falcons. A this point Ridley appears likely to play and see his normal workload this weekend against the Ravens, where he will find himself in a difficult matchup against a strong Baltimore pass-defense. Nonetheless the Falcons are currently pushing a 25 point projected team total and are playing at home, so Ridley makes for an interesting contrarian option this weekend who will be priced-down due to the difficult matchup.
Stefon Diggs (knee) doesn't practice Wednesday, Adam Thielen (calf) limited for the Vikings
Stefon Diggs (knee) didn’t practice Wednesday, while Adam Thielen (calf) was limited for the Vikings. Thielen has been carrying the limited designation at practice for weeks now, but it clearly isn’t slowing him down come game time based on his 8 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown this past week vs Green Bay. Expect Thielen to see a similar workload this week against New England, where the Vikings will need to move the ball through the air if they hope to keep up with the Patriots offense. Diggs’s absence is somewhat concerning as it wasn’t clear that he sustained any injuries this past weekend, but as of now there is nothing to suggest he won’t be a go for Sunday either. Keep an eye on both players’ practice statuses heading into the weekend to ensure neither suffer a setback and are good to go vs New England.
Other tagged players: Adam Thielen Vance McDonald (hip) not practicing Wednesday
Vance McDonald did not practice Wednesday for the Steelers due to a hip injury. If McDonald were unable to suit up for the team’s Week 13 Sunday night matchup with the Chargers it would mean more looks for Jesse James at the tight end position. Keep an eye on McDonald’s status throughout the week to get a better idea of if his Wednesday absence was ultimately more maintenance-related or if he is in serious jeopardy of missing this weekend’s game.
Cheap WR Leads League in Yards-Per-Catch
Courtland Sutton has yet to take off after the Demaryius Thomas trade, but the Broncos have faced some difficult defenses in Pittsburgh and the Chargers the past two weeks, who rank 6th and 7th respectively in fewest passing yards per game allowed. This week Denver faces a Cincinnati team that ranks 31st in passing yards per game allowed, and the Broncos are 4-point favorites on the road. Sutton ranks second on the team with 473 receiving yards and carries an outstanding 19.7 yards-per-reception, which leads the NFL. Sutton has major upside this Sunday facing the Bengals and is available for a very affordable price across sites.
Kenyan Drake (shoulder) and Devante Parker (shoulder) both log limited practices Wednesday for the Dolphins
Kenyan Drake (shoulder) and Devante Parker (shoulder) were both limited in practice Wednesday for the Dolphins. At this point there is nothing to suggest either player is likely to miss the team’s Week 13 matchup with the Bills, and both should be expected to handle their usual workloads. That said, keep an eye on their practice status heading into the weekend to ensure neither suffers a setback. The Dolphins currently have an implied team total of 22.5 points in the winnable home matchup with Buffalo.
Other tagged players: DeVante Parker Salary Saver Receiver Taking on Expanded Role
With Marvin Jones out for the rest of the season and Golden Tate in Philadelphia, there are some receiving targets to spare and so far the beneficiary has been Bruce Ellington. Ellington has seen 16 targets over the past two games and has pulled down 12 receptions. The yardage numbers aren’t spectacular with only 80 yards combined in those two game, but this week Detroit will have to keep up with a Rams team that ranks 27th in the league in passing yards-per-attempt allowed. Ellington is near minimum price and is worth a look as a salary-saver across DFS sites this week.
QBs Sam Darnold (foot) and Josh McCown (back, hand) both limited in practice Wednesday for the Jets. WR Robby Anderson (ankle) doesn't practice.
QBs Sam Darnold (foot) and Josh McCown (back, hand) were both limited in practice Wednesday for the Jets, while WR Robby Anderson (ankle) didn’t practice. Darnold has been ramping up practice participation after missing the past two weeks with a foot strain, but initial reports out of Jets camp suggested that Darnold was more likely to make his return for the team’s Week 14 matchup with the Bills, as opposed to this weekend vs the Titans. That may depend somewhat on the health of backup QB Josh McCown, who was also limited today. Robby Anderson also appears at risk to miss another contest due to his ankle injury, however all three players’ practice statuses heading into the weekend will need to be monitored to get a better idea of their individual availability.
Other tagged players: Josh McCown, Robbie Chosen T.Y. Hilton (groin) and Eric Ebron (back) both not practicing Wednesday for the Colts
T.Y. Hilton (groin) and Eric Ebron (back) were both unable to practice Wednesday for the Colts. With Jack Doyle landing on IR this week due to a kidney injury, both players’ statuses for Week 13 are even more significant than usual, as the two figure to be the most heavily targeted pass catchers for QB Andrew Luck moving forward. If they end up being able to suit up this weekend, they may benefit from the absence of Jaylen Ramsey from the Jaguars secondary, who is reportedly in danger of missing the game due to an injury of his own. Keep an eye on both players’ practice status in the days leading up to Sunday to get a better idea of their availability.
Other tagged players: Eric Ebron A.J. Green (toe) logs limited practice Wednesday for the Bengals
A.J. Green (toe) was able to log a limited practice Wednesday for the Bengals, after confirming earlier today that he plans to return to the field for the team’s Week 13 matchup with the Broncos. That said, Green’s outlook for the rest of the season has been lessened by the loss of Andy Dalton for the season. This Sunday, Green will have his first in-game opportunity at developing chemistry with QB Jeff Driskel, who will be the team’s starter under center moving forward.
Changes Mean Opportunity On This Team
The Jaguars will be rolling out an offense with some new (but vaguely familiar) faces in Week 13, with Carlos Hyde and T.J. Yeldon sitting in for the suspended Leonard Fournette, and Cody Kessler taking over from Blake Bortles at quarterback. Jacksonville gets a home game against Indianapolis this weekend, and the Colts give up the second-highest completion percentage to opposing QBs at 71.8%, as well as ranking 20th in the league in passing yards-per-game allowed, putting Kessler in some position for success. That could be good news for Wide Receivers like Dede Westbrook, who leads the team with 528 receiving yards and is tied for the team lead with 4 receiving touchdowns. Hyde and Yeldon are also worth a look as a backfield by committee at near-minimum price.
Other tagged players: Dede Westbrook, Carlos Hyde, T.J. Yeldon Melvin Gordon (knee) not practicing Wednesday
Melvin Gordon (knee) is not practicing Wednesday for the Chargers. This is no surprise, as Gordon is considered week-to-week and is extremely unlikely to suit up for Week 13. Look for Austin Ekeler to lead the Chargers backfield in Gordon’s absence, and be heavily involved in both the run and pass games.
Geoff Swaim (wrist) will not play Thursday night for Cowboys
Geoff Swaim will not play Thursday night for the Cowboys due to a wrist injury. The tight end position isn’t relied on heavily by the Dallas offense as far as the passing game is concerned, and this week against the Saints figures to be no different. In Swaim’s absence in the team’s Week 12 win against the Redskins, fellow tight ends Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz saw two targets and one target respectively, and a similar target share can be expected this week. Look for Dallas to lean on Ezekiel Elliot and Amari Cooper as the two most consistent offensive weapons around QB Dak Prescott in the Thursday night matchup.
Tre'Quan Smith practices fully Wednesday, not on injury report for TNF
Tre’Quan Smith practices fully Wednesday and is not on the injury report for tomorrow night. He missed the Thanksgiving night game which afforded Keith Kirkwood and Tommylee Lewis extra opportunity and both responded with a touchdown. Lewis may not end up playing any offensive snaps with Smith back while Kirkwood’s role may diminish some, although he had just one catch against Atlanta. Smith has been a much better DFS asset at home, but this environment doesn’t necessarily bode poorly considering that the Cowboys corners tend to be more of a problem for physical receivers.
Other tagged players: Keith Kirkwood, Tommylee Lewis
WR Curtis Samuel (hamstring) was a DNP at Wednesday's practice
With Devin Funchess looking questionable at best for Week 13, opportunity awaits Samuel if he can recover from a sore hamstring after seeing nearly 100% of snaps in Week 12. However, it should be noted he only saw 2 targets in that affair. If both wideouts are sidelined Sunday, look for D.J. Moore to be a very popular pick. Moore has produced 248 yards on 15 catches over the last 2 weeks and would make for an excellent option against a Bucs pass defense ranked last in DVOA.
As reported by: Jourdan Rodrigue Other tagged players: D.J. Moore, Devin Funchess