Each week, we’ll be recapping the decisions of the masses and discerning the takeaways that can be applied to future DraftKings NFL contests, focusing on topics like game theory and lineup-building strategies, with the hope of giving everyone the tools to become better DraftKings NFL DFS players. In addition to the recap, this article will also function as a “first look” at the next NFL main slate, giving some initial thoughts on the teams and prices.
The DraftKings Championship Series is the king of competitions, minting 100 millionaires in the 2021-22 season. For more info on the series and all of the events, visit our DraftKings Championship Series Information page.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $3M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st + ToC Entry]
Fantasy Football World Championship
The 2021 Fantasy Football World Championship, one of the biggest events of the year for the DraftKings Championship Series, took place this past Sunday, December 19. Live from Miami, a collection of the world’s best NFL DFS players were in attendance to compete for the historic top prize — with $2.5 million going to the winner. “Vassa” made his way to the top of the leaderboard, and was ultimately crowned champion with an impressive lineup that avoided many of the landmines in what wound up being a very messy Week 15 slate. More on all of that below:
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23118184/Screen_Shot_2021_12_21_at_1.21.09_PM.png)
The most obvious decision point in Week 15 was in the Jaguars’ backfield, where James Robinson was certain to be a popular play with just a $5,400 price tag and a coaching change that figured to result in increased volume. Vassa’s winning lineup left Robinson out, but it actually didn’t make much of a difference as many of the running backs, including Robinson, finished with scores between 15 and 20 fantasy points. The more relevant running back fade wound up being Michael Carter, who scored just three fantasy points for the Jets, likely seeing an uptick in ownership (32 percent) due to competitors pairing him with the also very popular Dolphins stack on the other side of the game. Vassa also avoided a 22.5% owned Myles Gaskin, who scored just 5.4 fantasy points, so while his own running backs weren’t extraordinary, they still managed to give him a significant leg up on the field.
The quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) and defense (San Francisco 49ers) had moderate outcomes as well, and the difference-making players in this lineup wound up coming from the wide receiver and tight end positions. Gabriel Davis (28.5 percent owned) became nearly essential chalk to have after scoring two touchdowns with just a $3,700 salary, but Mark Andrews made the largest impact in the late window for the Ravens. Andrews completed Vassa’s game stack of the Packers-Ravens matchup, and he was by far the most important piece, posting 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in 38.6 fantasy points. Andrews was mildly popular at 11.5% ownership, but the rest of this roster was effective enough to set it apart from the handful of other Andrews lineups. As mentioned above, Vassa will be entered into the DraftKings Championship Series Tournament of Champions, in addition to his $2.5M top prize.
First Look at Week 16
Week 16 is headlined by another pivotal matchup for the Bills and Patriots, but Josh Allen ($7,500) and the other high-priced quarterbacks may not be very appealing choices due to a combination of difficult matchups and injury concerns. Matthew Stafford ($6,700) and Kirk Cousins ($6,200) are likely going to make up a popular game stack for their head-to-head matchup, and Jalen Hurts ($6,400) is in a solid spot against the Giants as well.
Austin Ekeler’s ($8,100) status is uncertain heading into Week 16, but there’s still a chance he could play in Sunday’s plus matchup against the Texans. If he doesn’t play, it’ll probably mean a heavy workload for Justin Jackson ($4,200), who would surely wind up as an extremely popular play as the lead back for the Chargers in that scenario. The same is true for Ronald Jones ($5,100) if Leonard Fournette ($7,300) can’t suit up for the Buccaneers against the Panthers, but the overall point is that a lot more will be decided at this position later on in the week.
Cooper Kupp ($9,100) is once again the most expensive wide receiver for Week 16, and rightfully so, as he’s averaging 27.6 fantasy points per game this season. He’ll still probably wind up as one of the most popular players on the slate too, especially if there are cheap running backs to use that make the expensive players easier to fit. There’s certainly a lot that could change before Sunday, but as it stands, the best wide receiver value plays are coming from the Buccaneers, where Chris Godwin will be out after suffering an ACL tear against the Saints. Mike Evans ($7,000) and Antonio Brown ($4,900) may be out too, so a handful of sub-4K options on the Bucs could become prominent targets.
Travis Kelce ($7,300) is the top tight end on the board and enters Week 16 off of a monster game against the Chargers, but he may be out this week due to COVID protocols. Mark Andrews ($7,000) is priced up after a huge game, but like with Kupp, this could be a week where paying up across the board is much easier than normal. Rob Gronkowski ($6,200) could be an appealing option too if the Bucs are missing most of their main wide receivers.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $3M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st + ToC Entry]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat. (CT).
21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.