The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the road this week, taking on the Buffalo Bills primetime on Thursday night. Both teams are coming off losses and have been struggling on offense, which means that it’ll be tougher to pick the right players when it comes to DFS. That said, here are some players to target and a couple to avoid for this week’s Thursday Night Football game.
NFL DFS Showdown strategy: Buccaneers vs. Bills
Captain’s Picks
Josh Allen, QB, Bills ($17,700)
While Allen hasn’t been as explosive as he’s been in years prior (he only has one 300-yard game this year), I still like his chances to put together a big game against the Buccaneers in what could be a low-scoring game. Allen hasn’t done much with his legs over the past couple of weeks, but I’m expecting that to change this week.
Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers ($15,000)
After only having 49 yards receiving against the Lions two weeks ago, Evans had 82 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons last week (which he did while being out-targeted by Chris Godwin). He’s had eight targets in five of his last six games, so the volume is there. He should have a solid game on Thursday even if the Buccaneers’ offense struggles.
FLEX Options
Stefon Diggs, WR, Bills, $11,400
Don’t let the 58 yards last week fool you, Diggs is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He’s recorded six touchdowns this season and is on pace for his third consecutive season with double-digit touchdowns, and has recorded 11 targets in five of the seven games he’s played in this season.
Chris Godwin, WR, Bucs, $7,800
As mentioned above, Godwin out-targeted Evans last week and has had four caches of 20 or more yards in the last three games. He was a non-participant in practice on Monday due to a neck injury which is something to keep an eye on, but if he does end up playing then he should have the volume necessary to have an impact on Thursday.
Players to Avoid
Raachad White, RB, Buccaneers, $8,000
Stay away from White this week. While he’s averaging 13.8 carries per game, he’s only cleared this line in two of the six games he’s played in this year, he’s only recorded more than 40 yards rushing twice this year. He doesn’t provide a ton of value in the red zone (he’s rushed for just one touchdown this year) and doesn’t do much with his catches out of the backfield. That’s a recipe for a slow night from White.
James Cook, RB, Bills, $8,600
I’m fading both running backs tonight. Cook tallied over 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown last week but hasn’t rushed for more than 60 yards in three of his last four games. The Bucs have a stingy run defense (they allow just 3.8 yards per carry), so it’ll be a slow night for Cook.