It’s already been a war of attrition in fantasy football this season. Injuries and erratic offenses have made setting a lineup more challenging than ever. What could take the difficulty up another notch? Bye weeks.
Four different clubs won’t be suiting up on Sunday. That limits the options even further for fantasy football managers. Still, there’s several playmakers to choose from on Sunday’s ten-game featured slate. Which under-the-radar players warrant a closer look?
Here are three value plays to consider in all DFS contests before Week 5’s games kick off.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
RB Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints vs. NYG ($4,400)
For years, Alvin Kamara ($5,900) has held a vice grip over the RB1 job in New Orleans. That’s unlikely to change any time soon. Still, with this rebuilding club at 0-4, there’s not much reason to drain the veteran. We saw signs of a potential changing of the guard in Week 4. Backup Kendre Miller recorded 11 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo.
The 23-year-old has been largely ineffective during his first two seasons in the NFL. Over 18 career games played, Miller has gained 589 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. Still, there’s reason to believe Sunday’s matchup could lead to a breakout performance. The Giants have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. If the Saints hold a late lead, their RB2 should see plenty of work.
WR Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans at ARI ($4,100)
Safe to say, the 0-4 Titans have disappointed so far. Coming into the season, it was apparent that this group was in the midst of a rebuild. However, first-overall pick Cam Ward ($4,600) has looked uninspiring under center. In fairness to the rookie quarterback, his teammates haven’t been much help. Veterans such as Tony Pollard ($5,400) and Calvin Ridley ($4,800) haven’t been reliable for Tennessee. To make matters even worse, the latter of the two is questionable to play with a knee/elbow injury.
A pleasant surprise for the Titans so far has been fourth-round pick Elic Ayomanor. The wide receiver has caught 12 balls for 151 yards and two touchdowns. If Ridley can’t go on Sunday, he becomes the team’s de facto WR1. Even if the veteran suits up at less than 100%, Ayomanor should have a busy outing. The Cardinals have allowed the 13th-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts. In Week 4, the Stanford alum handled a position-leading 82% of Tennessee’s offensive snaps. In addition, he paced the squad with seven targets during a dismal 26-0 shutout. Similar usage this weekend could deliver impressive results.
RB Trevor Etienne, Carolina Panthers vs. MIA ($4,000)
Chuba Hubbard (calf) has already been ruled out for Week 5. That leaves Rico Dowdle ($4,300) in line to start for the Panthers. The former Cowboys running back has been unremarkable in limited duty, gaining 103 yards from scrimmage on 33 touches. Still, given his status as a fifth-year pro, head coach Dave Canales doesn’t have much of a choice. With that being said, there’s room for more than one Carolina rusher to make an impact. Backup Trevor Etienne saw some work during last week’s blowout loss vs. New England. The rookie garnered a career-high 11 snaps, gaining 33 yards on seven carries.
Entering Sunday, Etienne is an obvious candidate for an expanded role. At 5’11”, Dowdle isn’t a workhorse such as Hubbard; anything above a 60% snap share would be surprising. To make things more enticing, this is an ideal spot for the Panthers to put up points. Their opponents, the Dolphins, are allowing the seventh-most yards per game (378.8). In addition, Miami has surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs. For managers looking to spend more at other positions, Etienne makes a ton of sense at $4,000.
