Week 13 of the NFL season is underway, and there are seven matchups in an action-packed early window.
DraftKings is offering an early slate DFS contest for the chance to win $50,000. I’ve gone through all the contests and highlighted three under-the-radar options that can help give you a crucial edge.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $225K Early Only Rush [$50K to 1st] (Early Only)
DraftKings Value Picks
Justin Herbert ($5,600)
Heading into Monday night, Justin Herbert was amid the most impressive stretch of his career. The underwhelming output against Baltimore might’ve signaled an end to that hot streak, but the performance wasn’t as lackluster as the box score indicates.
Herbert, the best downfield thrower in the league, struggled with his deep accuracy, notably having shaky chemistry with perimeter threat Josh Palmer. Even so, various critical drops and crippling penalties ultimately did Los Angeles in and negatively affected what could’ve been an impressive offensive showing.
Herbert was still able to muster 17 fantasy points in defeat, his sixth straight outing crossing that threshold. He faces an Atlanta defense that is generationally inept at rushing the passer and allows the sixth most points to opposing signal callers. If Herbert continues to be a threat with his legs and plays turnover-free football, he is a high-end budget option in a prime position to reach his ceiling.
Brian Thomas Jr. ($5,500)
After an explosive start to his campaign, Brian Thomas Jr. slowly faded from the headlines as Jacksonville stumbled further down the standings. The first-year wideout is a physical specimen with the tools to be an elite top option. The rookie has enough speed and size to threaten vertically and snag fifty-fifty balls or work underneath and do his damage after the catch.
Even being saddled with Mac Jones tossing him the rock, Thomas Jr. still found ways to be productive. Even on the wrong side of a blowout against Detroit, the LSU product managed five catches for 82 yards. With Trevor Lawrence back under center, Thomas Jr. is in a much better position to succeed, especially against a Houston secondary he hung 21.9 fantasy points on in Week 4.
Hunter Henry ($4,200)
Hunter Henry is still severely undervalued. Being the best pass catcher on an inept offense isn’t a massive accomplishment, but the veteran tight end provides enough of a spark to garner praise. At 29, he doesn’t have the same acceleration he had in his younger years, but he always seems to make the right play. Henry has a reliable pair of hands and isn’t afraid to go over the middle. Every big play tends to come in his direction, and he is the go-to weapon in the endzone.
Henry gets a date with Indianapolis, who is top-ten in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. He averages nine points per game on the season but isn’t touchdown-dependent. If he can find the endzone, his DFS value becomes more intriguing and is cheap enough to warrant a dice roll.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $225K Early Only Rush [$50K to 1st] (Early Only)
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is xaiver-aguiar) 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.
