The NFL playoffs are already creeping onto the horizon with the midpoint of the season nearly here.
No NFL teams are on a bye this week, providing a full slate of Sunday games. The Los Angeles Rams kicked off the Week 8 slate with a 30-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. There are no overseas games this week to kick off the early morning, and just one Sunday Night game and one Monday Night game on the slate. Despite the seemingly normal setup, there is sure to be the usual madness.
As you seek to maximize your DFS lineups, here’s a look at a few players who could have the inside track to outperform their price points. Be sure to get some superstars in your lineup still, but here are some lower-budget names who could help you win your competitions!
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterbacks:
Tua Tagovailoa ($6,100)
Regardless of the concerns surrounding the situation, Tua Tagovailoa is set to return to the field this week for the Dolphins. The team has hit a complete lull following his concussion in Week 2, failing to generate any sort of regular offense. The Dolphins rank dead last in points per game this season with 11.7 on the year and failed to tally more than 15 points in a game without the Alabama product.
It will be interesting to see if the offense looks any different, but expect Tagovailoa to keep the game simple in his first game back. Look for the offense to be focused on quick plays to get the ball out of his hands and for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to become more of a story. Tagovailoa led all quarterbacks in time to release last season and still holds this title so far this year.
Entering as the 13th-most expensive quarterback this week, there is value in putting Tua Tagovailoa back in your lineups. Expect the Dolphins’ offense to return to its high-flying production with their signal caller back under center. They have a great chance in this matchup as they will face the Arizona Cardinals who rank 25th in scoring and 27th in yards allowed on the season. They also are 31st in net yards per pass attempt. Expect Tagovailoa to pick up where he left up and produce a strong performance in Week 8 with some big plays from Hill and Waddle on the way.
Bo Nix ($5,600)
There will continue to be some growing pains as Bo Nix’s rookie year continues. Even so, his fantasy relevancy has grown in a major way. Nix is averaging 15.5 fantasy points per game this season but has had 20+ fantasy points in two of the past three weeks based on DraftKings scoring. After sitting near dead last among quarterbacks in fantasy production for most of the year, Nix has climbed to 20th overall. Expect this to continue moving forward.
This is a great opportunity for Nix to take another stride forward as the Broncos face off with the Panthers. Carolina ranks dead last in points allowed, 30th in yards given up, and dead last in net yards per pass attempt. It has allowed at least 330 yards in every game, including over 420 yards in each of the past three games.
Nix went the first three weeks of the season without throwing a touchdown and had four interceptions during this time. Since this point, he has thrown for five touchdowns and just one interception. Expect the Broncos quarterback to utilize both his arm and legs and for Nix to outperform his price point as the 21st most expensive quarterback if you are in a pinch.
Running Backs
Javonte Williams ($6,000)
While the concerns regarding the Panthers’ ability to stop the pass are legitimate, their track record against the rush is even worse. Carolina is dead last in rushing yards and touchdowns allowed and has only held an opponent under 128 rushing yards once this season.
Expect the Broncos to utilize Javonte Williams heavily in this game. Williams is coming off his best performance of the season in which he recorded 88 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns with his 14 carries. This marked his best-rushing performance of the season and the first time Williams reached paydirt on the year.
Look for both Williams and the Broncos to build off this performance. The Panthers are beat up this week with an injury report that includes seven players being ruled out, two players listed as doubtful, nine players considered questionable, and 22 total players on the injury report. Most notably, both Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson will miss the game and Bryce Young is set to return as the starting quarterback. This game has all the making of a blowout and there should be plenty of available production for Javonte Williams.
Raheem Mostert ($5,900)
It is a bit surprising how night and day different the Dolphins’ offense looked when Tua Tagoavailoa was under center compared to the past four games. Regardless, the Pro Bowl quarterback has returned and the offense should be expected to resume as such.
Raheem Mostert had a slow start to the season which involved him missing three weeks due to injury. He returned to the field in Week 5 in which he tallied 19 carries for 80 yards. Following the Week 6 bye, Mostert tallied 11 carries for 50 yards. While De’Von Achane will be a part of the rushing attack as well, Mostert is due for a breakout in touchdown production. The 32-year-old led the NFL last season with 18 rushing touchdowns and 21 total on the year. He has failed to reach the end zone yet this year and this is due to change soon.
As the Dolphins face off with the Cardinals, expect the floodgates to open. Look for a strong scoring attack from Miami and for Mostert to get his touches around the goal line. As the 26th most-expensive running back, Mostert could be worth a flyer this week.
Wide Receivers
Amari Cooper ($6,000)
The Buffalo Bills made a significant midseason move by trading for Amari Cooper. The five-time Pro Bowl pass-catcher had a solid debut in which he tallied four receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut. With another week to get familiar with the playbook and get on the same page with Josh Allen, expect Cooper to build off this performance.
Buffalo is set to face off with the Seahawks this week. Seattle has found its identity on the offensive side of the ball but has struggled to get stops this year. They rank 19th in points allowed and 20th in yards given up on the season.
While Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman will remain relevant to the offense, Amari Cooper is the most talented wide receiver on the roster by a notable margin. The Bills traded for the star for a reason. With their deep playoff aspirations still in play for the season, expect the Bills to have Cooper on the fast track for getting familiar with the offense. Expect them to make a conscious effort to get the ball in Cooper’s hands and for the former Browns’ standout to outperform his pricepoint as the 26th most-expensive wide receiver.
Dontayvion Wicks ($5,300)
The Green Bay Packers have a strong wide receiver group who have been vital to Jordan Love’s success. Dontayvion Wicks is firmly in this mix but has not reached his peak for the season. Wicks is tied with Jayden Reed for the most targets with 38 on the season. However, he ranks fifth in receptions with 14 and fourth in yards with 181 on the season.
There should be plenty of opportunity for each Packers wide receiver this week as they face off with the Jaguars. Jacksonville ranks 30th in points allowed and 27th in yards given up. They also have allowed the most passing touchdowns of any team in the NFL and rank 31st in passing yards allowed.
Expect Wicks’ best performances for him to still be ahead of him and for his 36.8% catch percentage to increase moving forward. On top of this, both Christian Watson and Jayden Reed are dealing with some injury issues that could limit their impact. Expect Wicks to build off the 48 yards and a touchdown he produced last week and have a chance for his best performance of the season against this Jaguars defense. Take a flyer at his $5,300 price point and expect the usual number of targets to be sent in Wicks’ direction.
Tight End
Zach Ertz ($4,200)
There will be plenty of eyes on this matchup as the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders face off. Jayden Daniels’ status remains uncertain but the hope is for the top two quarterbacks of last year’s draft class to face off. Regardless if Daniels can play or if Marcus Mariota steps in, expect Zach Ertz to have a solid day.
In fact, Ertz is higher on my list if Mariota is forced into action. The former Super Bowl champion recorded his first touchdown of the season last week with Mariota under center. He also has at least two receptions in every game this season and tallied four catches in each of the past two weeks.
While Ertz is not going to make defenders miss in the open field or be a big play threat, he is a reliable pass-catcher who can still have a positive impact on the game. Expect either Mariota or Daniels to lean on the veteran and for Ertz to have a successful game. Considering how poor the level of production has been for tight ends across the board, Ertz is in a stronger position than most when it comes to guaranteed targets.
Grant Calcaterra ($2,300)
The Philadelphia Eagles will be without Dallas Goedert this week as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury. Goedert will leave some large shoes to fill in the offense, but look towards Grant Calcaterra to step in and produce.
On the season overall, Calcaterra has tallied nine receptions for 128 yards. He has logged at least 37% of offensive snaps in every game this season, including games in which Goedert was active. Calcaterra has tallied as many as 67 yards and could be in for an even more impressive performance. The 25-year-old moves well in the open field and is capable of beating a man in open space in a way even Goedert can’t quite achieve.
The Eagles are set to face off with the Bengals this week which is the most dynamic offense they have faced this year. Don’t be surprised if this game turns into a shootout. Look for Calcaterra to be involved in the offense throughout and for him to vastly outperform his price point as the 22nd most expensive tight end.
Defense & Special Teams
New Orleans Saints ($2,600)
The New Orleans Saints are set to take on the Los Angeles Chargers this week. The Chargers have embraced an old-school style of play and are comfortable with each game being a low-scoring matchup. On the season overall, Los Angeles ranks 26th in points and 25th in yards produced. They have thrown the ball the fourth-fewest times of any team in the NFL and have not scored more than 26 points in a game this season.
While New Orleans has not been good this season, ranking last in yards allowed and 26th in scoring, this is a solid matchup for them. They have managed to force the fourth-most turnovers and also rank third in passing touchdowns allowed.
If the Saints are to have any chance in this game, it is going to need to be a low-scoring matchup. Spencer Rattler has not shown the ability to generate enough offense for New Orleans and the team has tallied just 37 points in his two starts. Expect this to be a sloppy game in which neither team makes much of a dent in the scoring total. While it may not be the most entertaining football, it should lead to a positive defensive performance.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
