The Detroit Lions kicked off Week 14 with a 34-31 victory over the Packers. Dan Campbell once again showcased his aggressive coaching style and Detroit continues to look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
This will mark the final week of bye weeks across the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, and Washington Commanders each have the week off. This puts some fantasy football participants in a difficult spot, as this is likely the final week of the regular season in most leagues.
Thankfully, choosing your DraftKings DFS lineups allows you to pick your roster from scratch on an everyweek basis. 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, but here are some lower-budget names who could help you win your competitions!
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterbacks:
Jameis Winston ($5,400)
If there is one thing clear about Jameis Winston, he will keep things interesting. The Browns’ starting quarterback is coming off a performance on Monday Night which about sums up the Jameis Winston experience. The Florida State product completed 34 of his 58 pass attempts for 497 yards and four passing touchdowns. Unfortunately, he also threw three interceptions with two of them being returned for a touchdown in the 41-32 loss.
While poor decision-making is maddening when factoring in the team’s chances to win, it is far less disruptive from a DFS perspective. Winston finished as the top-performing fantasy quarterback last week based on DraftKings scoring, producing 39.0 points. No other quarterback was within eight fantasy points of Winston’s impact and he trailed only Jerry Jeudy, who caught 235 of Winston’s passing yards, as the top overall fantasy performer on the week.
Heading into this week, the Browns are set to play the Steelers. Pittsburgh is a hard-nosed defensive team and is playing its best football at the right time of year. Overall it rank sixth in points and yards allowed while leading the NFL in turnovers forced. However, it’s have struggled a bit against the pass, ranking 18th in passing yards allowed and 14th in net yards per pass attempt. The Denver Broncos also entered last week with a similar reputation and Winston still had an incredible statistical game. While you will have to live with the inevitable turnovers, expect there to be more good than bad with Winston this week from a fantasy perspective. Count on him to drastically outperform his price point as the 14th most expensive quarterback and buckle up for some must-watch football.
Bryce Young ($5,200)
The Carolina Panthers enter the week as the biggest underdogs as they prepare to face off with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are coming off an impressive victory over the Ravens last week and are playing their best football in the home stretch of the season. In contrast, the Panthers enter this matchup with a 3-9 record, although they have shown some signs of life in recent weeks.
It has been a rollercoaster for Young since being selected as the number one overall pick in last year’s draft. He hit a low point earlier this year when the team elected to bench Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. This seems to have been what the 23-year-old needed as he has looked rejuvenated in recent weeks. He is coming off 298 passing yards last week against the Buccaneers which marks the second-most passing yards he has recorded in a game at the NFL level.
While the Eagles’ defense has been impressive, expect Young to have plenty of opportunities to throw the ball. This game has a chance to get out of hand early and Philadelphia will be motivated to rest some of their top defensive players. Carolina will solely be focused on Young’s development, and expect them to make it a point to put him in positions to keep making plays regardless of what the score is. Garbage time points count the same from a DFS perspective and look for Young to outperform his pricepoint as the 16th most expensive quarterback.
Running Backs
Tyrone Tracy Jr. ($5,800)
The New York Giants will face off with the New Orleans Saints this week and also are on the list of teams that have shifted their focus to next season. The Daniel Jones experience was cut short as he was cut from the team midseason to further solidify this being a wasted year. Regardless, the NFL season will be played out and New York still must continue to show up on the field. Plenty of players and coaches are playing for future job security and still carry high levels of motivation.
Enter Tyrone Tracy Jr who fits this exact description. The rookie has continued to see his role in the offense grow as the season progressed. Tracy has carried the ball 125 times this season, which he has converted to 619 yards and four touchdowns. He also has added 24 receptions for 178 yards through the air. Tracy has 16 or more carries in five of the last eight games and recorded 11 or more touches in each of the past five games.
This week’s matchup with the Saints also presents a favorable opportunity for Tracy. New Orleans ranks 19th in points allowed and 30th in total yards given up. They also are 26th in rushing yards allowed, 25th in rushing touchdowns given up, and 31st in net yards per rush attempt. Count on Tracy to get the primary opportunities out of the Giants backfield and have a chance to do some real damage against a struggling Saints’ defense.
Isaac Guerendo ($5,400)
The running back injury issues continue for the San Francisco 49ers. Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason were both placed on IR this week leaving the backfield as shorthanded as it has been all season. Enter Isaac Guerendo who will serve as the lead back this week. The rookie has received just 42 carries this season due to the more notable names ahead of him on the depth chart.
While it is a limited sample size, Guerendo has shown some flashes in these opportunities. The Louisville product has run for 246 yards and two touchdowns in these 42 opportunities, which comes out to an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. This includes taking 10 carries for 99 yards against the Seahawks in Week 6, as well as 14 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys in Week 8. He has recorded a 9.5% explosive run rate, a 21% missed tackle rate, and 2.33 yards after contact per attempt.
San Francisco will face off with the Chicago Bears this week. Neither team has the outlook they hoped for at this point in the season. Chicago has struggled to stop the run this year and ranks 25th in rushing yards allowed, 19th in rushing yards conceded, and 29th in net yards per rush attempt. Opportunity is the greatest indicator of production and expect Guerendo to make the most of his opportunity with the injuries ahead of him.
Wide Receivers
Brian Thomas Jr. ($5,800)
It has been a disastrous season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but rookie Brian Thomas Jr has been a bright spot. The LSU product has recorded 46 catches for 765 yards and six touchdowns on the year. He ranks as the 16th-best wide receiver this season based on DraftKings scoring.
Thomas has recorded at least two catches in every game this season and is coming off a season-high 10 targets last week. Mac Jones will step in to replace Trevor Lawrence following his injury. While this is a hit to the overall offense, it has not impacted the outlook of Thomas much. The rookie recorded 158 receiving yards across the past two weeks with Jones serving as the primary quarterback in each.
The Jaguars will play the Tennessee Titans this week. Tennesse ranks 27th in points allowed this season and also turns the ball over at the second-highest rate offensively. Thomas is the clear-cut top wide receiver for the Jaguars and should continue to see plenty of opportunity against a vulnerable defense. While his price point increased from $5,500 last week to $5,800 this week, expect him to still outperform this as the 18th most expensive wide receiver.
Keenan Allen ($5,600)
Keenan Allen finished last week as the fifth-highest-scoring fantasy wide receiver based on DraftKings scoring. The veteran broke out, recording five receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns during the Thanksgiving thriller against the Lions. On the season, the veteran has tallied 44 receptions for 441 yards and five touchdowns. He ranks second on the Bears in receptions, trailing D.J. Moore, but is tied for the most receiving touchdowns on the team.
While the Bears no longer are the playoff hopefuls it was projected they would be, there is still a clear focus for the remainder of the season. Caleb Williams will continue to play through his rookie growing pains and the organization will look to build him up before the offseason hits. This is the exact reason that Allen was brought to Chicago and his role will not change moving forward.
The coaching issues have been evident for Chicago all season and the team finally made the midseason change. It will be interesting to see what kind of spark this can provide, but Williams will continue to let it fly and Allen will be ready to be a recipient. The Bears are facing off with the 49ers this week who have not lived up to their usual defensive identity. San Francisco ranks 24th in points allowed and has not held an opponent below 20 points since Week 4. Allen has come on strong as the season has progressed and look for him to build off the chemistry he has grown with his rookie quarterback.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine ($4,700)
One of the more pleasant surprises at the end of this season has been the breakout of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The fifth-year wide receiver has found the end zone in seven of the past eight weeks, including two touchdowns last week. He also tallied 117 receiving yards against the Vikings three weeks ago and has tallied at least two receptions in each of the past seven weeks. The Indiana product is now tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns on the season across the entire NFL.
While skeptics have waited for this hot stretch to cool off, Westbrook-Ikhine simply keeps producing. He finished as the 12th-ranked wide receiver based on DraftKings scoring last week and has been a top-24 wide receiver four times across the past eight weeks. Westbrook-Ikhine has climbed to 53rd-ranked fantasy wide receiver on the season after logging one total catch across the first five weeks.
For better or for worse, Will Levis is willing to let it fly and give his wide receivers a chance to make plays. Turnover issues continue to be what plagues his NFL outlook and the remainder of the season is an important stretch for his future. While it is fair to still be skeptical of Westbrook-Ikhine based on him combining for 10 total touchdowns across his first four seasons, there are worse swings to take than plugging him into your lineup at a $4,700 price point.
Tight End
T.J. Hockenson ($4,300)
T.J. Hockenson enters this week as the 11th most expensive tight end. Hockenson missed the early part of the season recovering from last year’s ACL tear. While he has not sky-rocketed back to being one of the top tight ends, the 27-year-old’s production has still been solid.
Across the five games he has played, Hockeson has tallied 23 receptions for 254 yards but has yet to make it into the end zone. He had his breakout performance in Week 12 against the Bears, logging seven receptions for 114 yards. Unfortunately, he took a step back last week recording three catches for 28 yards.
Heading into this week the Vikings will face off with Atlanta Falcons. Hockenson has had success against Atlanta in his career, logging 12 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown across two matchups. The Falcons rank 22nd in points allowed and 21st in yards given up this season. Atlanta has allowed an average of 45.3 receiving yards to tight ends this season and Hockenson is a more superior talent than many they have faced. Look for the Vikings’ standout to outperform his price point and put forth a solid performance this week.
Grant Calcaterra ($3,500)
Dallas Goedert has returned to the all-too-familiar place on the injured reserve and will miss his fourth game this season as the Eagles face the Panthers. This paves the way for Grant Calcaterra to step into a more active role in the passing game.
On the season overall, Calcaterra has recorded 17 catches for 216 yards. During the three-game absence by Goedert in the middle of the season, Calcaterra tallied nine catches for 93 yards. While the numbers do not pop, he moves well in space and has a favorable matchup this week.
The Eagles are set to face off with the Carolina Panthers this week who rank last in points allowed, 31st in yards given up, and 29th in passing touchdowns conceded. This is a matchup that has a chance to get out of control early with the Eagles having won eight straight games entering this matchup. Expect them to open up the playbook a bit more and for Calcaterra to see some additional opportunities as Philadelphia looks to protect their more notable wide receivers. Don’t be surprised if this is the week Calcaterra records his first touchdown this season, and feel confident in him outperforming his price point as the 17th most expensive tight end.
Defense & Special Teams
Jacksonville Jaguars Defense & Special Teams ($2,600)
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been a dreadful defense this season. They rank 29th in points allowed, dead last in yards given up, 31st in first downs given up, and 31st in turnovers forced. While there is not much internal reason for belief in a turnaround, the Jaguars have a favorable matchup against the Tennesse Titans this week.
Tennessee enters this matchup with a 3-9 record and has struggled on both sides of the ball. The Titans rank 28th in points scored, 29th in yards gained, and have turned the ball over the second-most times in the NFL. Will Levis continues to be thrown to the wolves and play through his turnover issues while lacking the ability to lead a truly dangerous offense.
While this is for this week only, consider allocating funds for other positions and getting by with the Jaguars. Levis is enough of a wild card that there could be some favorable turnover opportunities, and it is unlikely Tennessee is capable of producing enough offensive damage to make it a negative fantasy day.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
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.
