The NFL season is winding down, and Week 18 has eight games to fulfill your palate in the 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 a trio of under-the-radar options that can help give you a critical edge.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $150K Early Only Rush [$50K to 1st] (Early Only)
DraftKings Value Picks
Michael Penix Jr. ($5,400)
With a majority of teams ready to shift gears to the postseason or their next vacation destination, it’s crucial to hone in on players with something worth fighting for. Atlanta has a puncher’s chance of winning the NFC South and will trot out rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., hoping he can deliver his end of the bargain. The 2023 Heisman runner-up has looked solid in his first two starts. The southpaw has sometimes looked uncomfortable in the pocket, leading to choppy footwork and, thus, inaccurate strikes.
Penix has an impressive collection of talent around him. He was thrown into the fire and has done enough for his squad to compete. The more he gets comfortable, the better his ceiling will be. This is one of the best pure passers in recent college football history and has only scratched the surface of his talent. Penix gets a favorable matchup against a Carolina bunch 31st in DVOA. It’s wise to back the first-year signal caller fighting to establish himself as a pro.
Jalen McMillan ($5,100)
A late push for “All Value MVP,” Penix’s University of Washington teammate, Jalen McMillan, has seen his stock skyrocket over the last month. The third-round pick started his campaign in the shadow of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. When the latter went down with a gruesome ankle injury, the rookie pass catcher took his place on the depth chart. It took some time, but McMillan has become a revelation.
McMillan has scored at least 16 fantasy points in his prior four outings, including 23 in his most recent performance. He’s found the end zone six times in that span and has quickly developed an impressive rapport with Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay is in with a win and will lean on their young weapon to get them to a home playoff game. McMillan has the pleasure of squaring off with an abysmal New Orleans group that rolled over a long time ago — he will be in for another productive afternoon.
Kayshon Boutte ($4,200)
With so few compelling matchups of note, I had to find a different angle. New England is in a full tank. If they lose, they capture the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. For a franchise void of an identity outside of budding superstars Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez, it could be the golden ticket the franchise has yearned for. Although a victory would be crippling, that’s not how players operate. These men go to battle with the objective of coming out on top, not to move up draft boards. Kayshon Boutte is one of the lone wideouts who make noise for this dreadful team.
Boutte has emerged as a threat on the perimeter, using his size and speed to do some damage. He’s had at least five targets in eight of his last nine showings and has improved dramatically. This roster will see dramatic turnover, and Boutte is competing to avoid the roster bubble in the summer. His DFS standing has been shaky, but he could take advantage of the Buffalo backup secondary.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $150K 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.
