DFS Alerts
Can This QB Backup A Strong Debut?
After a strong debut in his first start as a 49er in which he threw for nearly 300 yards against a stingy Bears team, Jimmy Garoppolo will look to improve upon that performance in Houston this week. A matchup against a Houston defense that ranks 15th in pass defense DVOA may seem risky, but Houston has had the luxury of playing a soft schedule and has been picked apart by every elite QB they have faced this season. With plenty of drives exchanged between two uptempo offenses, look for Garoppolo to easily pay off his very manageable price in a game with sneaky shootout potential.
I Got A Cheap Tight End That You (And Everyone Else) Might Be Interested In
With C.J. Fiedorowicz on the IR, the tight end position is essentially left all to Stephen Anderson. With Fiedorowicz going out early in Week 13, Anderson racked up 12 targets while also lining up some at wide receiver. While we shouldn’t be expecting that kind of volume again this week with Will Fuller’s likely return, Anderson will still see a ton of opportunities that he quite frankly is just not priced for. The 49ers defense ranks 30th in pass defense DVOA and has been giving up touchdowns to tight ends over recent weeks like they are going out of style. He is an absolute lock for me at his price tag in cash games on DraftKings. His salary relief may not be as necessary on FanDuel, but my initial lean is to still plug him in there as well in cash games so I can spend up everywhere else.
Back to the Well Again
I really thought they would raise Dede’s price this week on DK…and they did, but by just $100. Westbrook has taken a huge role in this offense since he has come back from injury. The last three weeks he has 9, 10, and 6 targets respectively, and he has been targeted around 30% of the time the Jags pass with him on the field. In this matchup you have a beat-up Seahawks defense that’s starting cornerbacks they never intended to play this season (see the Byron Maxwell signing), and it doesn’t hurt that Jacksonville is likely going to be coming from behind late in the game and will be forced to throw the ball. The Seahawks secondary is in shambles with both Sherman and Chancellor out for season, and they have gotten destroyed by the last two good slot WRs they’ve faced (30 DK points to Agholor and 24 DK points to Fitzgerald). This is a spot in which Westbrook realistically should be priced in the $6K range and will still likely be under-drafted at $4.2K. He is a lock for me for cash games this week and has the upside to take down a GPP too.
A Ton of Cheap Value in Week 14 = Pay for this WR in Cash Games
They don’t come much safer than DeAndre Hopkins this weekend. Since Tom Savage took over the job in Week 9, Nuk has played on 98% of the snaps while absorbing a massive 32% of the market share of targets. Will Fuller’s likely return could actually be a boon to Hopkins. His ability to stretch the field could take some of the defense’s attention away from Hopkins, which should help him haul in a greater percentage of all of those targets he sees (63 since Week 9 to be exact). Now Hopkins gets one of the best matchups on the board against a San Francisco defense that ranks 30th in pass defense DVOA. The spot here is just too good, and he is way too easy to fit due to a ton of cheap salary relief. Hopkins is a lock for cash games.
This Wide Receiver Is Just As Safe As Hopkins
Somehow Keenan Allen is falling under the radar in Week 14 despite his insane three-week stretch in which he amassed 33 receptions for 436 yards and 4 touchdowns. And due to the cheap value at our disposal this weekend, he is extremely easy to fit in alongside DeAndre Hopkins in cash games on FanDuel. Because he runs so many of his routes from the slot, Allen will largely avoid the coverage of Josh Norman. Despite ranking 12th in pass defense DVOA, the Redskins have given up plenty of big games to slot receivers this season. The floor on Allen is just too high for me not to fit him in on FanDuel, and I don’t have to sacrifice at other positions due to the nature of the slate.
Zach Ertz remains in protocol ahead of Sunday's game
Coach Doug Pederson confirmed that Ertz is still in concussion protocol and remains questionable for Sunday’s matchup vs the Rams. If Ertz is unable to go then Trey Burton could possibly see a bigger role in the Eagles offense on Sunday. It’s worth noting that the Rams rank 4th in DVOA against the TE so the matchup will not be easy for either player.
Other tagged players: Trey Burton
Tyron Smith questionable for Sunday
The Cowboys could be without Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith and Rt Lav’el Collins for Sunday’s game with the Giants. An offense already missing superstar Ezekiel Elliot has really struggled to find it’s rhythm when Tyron Smith has also missed. The Cowboys suffered a season-high 8 sacks to the Falcons in a game where Smith missed earlier this season. The Cowboys did receive good news on the defensive side of the ball as all-pro linebacker Sean Lee appears on track to play this Sunday. Lee has not played since week 10 and has clearly been missed by a defensive unit that has struggled to stop teams on a consistent basis.
Antonio Brown not on the final injury report
As expected the Pitsburg Steelers are going to stick to their plan in terms of getting Brown ready for the game. Suffering from a nasty toe injury, the plan for Brown is to rest and get treatment on the toe during the week to ensure that he is ready for gameday. Known for his relentless work ethic in practice, Brown admitted in his post-game interview last week that he must stick to the process and trust that the lack of weekly reps and preparation will not outweigh the importance of rest and recovery.
Jimmy Graham not on final injury report
Playing with injuries has been a theme for the last few weeks for Graham. The designation of no injury this weeks report could signal improved health ahead of a tough week 14 matchup with the Jaguars. Graham has received a league-high 15 targets inside the 10-yard line, converting them into seven touchdowns. With Doug Baldwin likely to draw the attention of Jalen Ramsey, Graham should see a healthy amount of looks from Russell Wilson this week.
Kenny Britt waived by the Browns
The emergence of Josh Gordon in a Cleveland Browns uniform made it easy for the team to part ways with the veteran Britt. Gordon converted 11 targets against the Chargers into 4 catches and 85 yards last week and is quickly asserting himself as the main target of Deshone Kizer moving forward. Britt should clear waivers thus making him a free agent to sign with any team that has interest.
Other tagged players: Josh Gordon Amari Cooper limited in practice questionable Sunday
Still not expected to play Sunday vs the Chiefs, Cooper attempted a limited practice on Friday. His attempt to give it a go today hints that there is a small chance he plays, but with early reports announcing him out, there is a strong chance that he will miss this week. Cooper had his best game of the season in a Thursday night matchup vs the Chiefs in week seven. Look for Seth Roberts to step up as a popular streaming wide receiver option this week. The Raiders will get back Michael Crabtree from suspension this week making him the clear-cut number one option in the passing game, but there should still be plenty of targets for Roberts if Copper is out.
Matthew Stafford questionable but expected to play on Sunday
Barring any major setbacks with his injured hand, Matthew Stafford appears ready to take the field in a week 14 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Stafford is indeed healthy enough to perform at a high level, he will get the benefit of facing the league’s 31st ranked defense in terms of DVOA. At $6,300 on DraftKings, Stafford is in line to be one of the highest projected quarterbacks of the week. Lions RB Ameer Abdullah remains questionable to play this week and if he does not suit up then we can expect Theo Reddick to gain touches in both the passing and running game this week.
Other tagged players: Ameer Abdullah Adrian Peterson out Sunday
For the second straight week, Adrian Peterson will spend his Sunday on the sidelines. While it appears that his neck injury may not require surgery, the team is not comfortable enough with putting him back into action until he is ready. Kerwynn Williams will face a tough Titans rush defense this week and should be in line for 15 to 20 carries if Peterson does not play. The Cardinals will also be without WR John Brown, but they will have Patrick Peterson in the secondary for their matchup vs the Titans this weekend.
Orleans Darkwa questionable for Sunday
Darkwa is questionable for this week’s game vs the Dallas Cowboys. As the primary running back since week 8, Darkwa is not someone that we normally look to target. The Cowboys are expected to get run stopper, Sean Lee, back this week, so whether it’s Darkwa or any other combination of NY running backs the prospect of gaining an edge through this backfield is unlikely.
Doug Martin to start Sunday
The return of Doug Martin as a starter for the Buccaneers is not good for DFS players. In addition to Martin being highly unproductive as a back this season, his return makes it harder to find value in the Tampa Bay backfield. With Martin out last week, Peyton Barber out-snapped Jacquizz Rodgers 52-5 and rushed for 102 yards on 23 carries. The addition of Martin to this backfield makes it harder to declare any real value to the three backs, as the Buccaneers are likely to use all three moving forward. On the season Martin is averaging 3.2 yards per carry.