The NFL season won't slow down, and crunch time is quickly approaching as the playoff picture is starting to develop week after week. At this point in the season, it's not hard to tell which teams are contenders, and which teams are pretenders. From a fantasy standpoint though, there's plenty of value everywhere. Now that we are more than halfway through the season, we can figure out who can consistently produce in terms of fantasy football.
Just because select players let you down all season, doesn't mean that they can't have a good week here and there. We're going to dive into Week 15 and find the find the best value plays that will give you a bang for your buck. After all, you don't want to just pay for a name. So, while you're setting your early game slates for Saturday, keep in mind that everybody is playing. You want to be different and find the guy who will go off on your team, but not anybody else's.
That's what we're going to break down here. We will go over some of the best bargain plays, that issue high-upside for cheap. And I will also throw in some obvious cash plays for you grinders out there that need to know who is undoubtedly going to go off this weekend.
So, for those of you who are new to DraftKings, or maybe you even need a refresher, let's go over the rules real quick.
The Rules of The Game
DraftKings is pretty simple and straightforward. Although there are many different games, you can play, and slates you can get involved in, we are going to stick with the classic slate for Saturday, December 15th, 2018. Here are the only two matchups that will be involved in the slate on Saturday.
- Houston Texans @ New York Jets
- Cleveland Browns @ Denver Broncos
Just like any Daily Fantasy platform, you are issued a salary for each individual contest. Each lineup will have $50k available. Every player will have a price tag on them based on their value each week. For this slate, Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the most expensive, while the New York Jets defense is the cheapest. You cannot exceed the $50k salary, but you also don't have to use it all up.
While I suggest using up the majority of the $50k salary, you don't have to if it isn't necessary. In GPP games, the idea is to find the cheapest players with low ownership percentage and high ceilings. If you figure that out, then you most likely won't go over the limit. Don't make that second-guess your picks. Just because you still have money available, doesn't mean it needs to be spent. If you love your lineup, roll with it.
Okay, enough chit-chat, let's get into this.
Quarterbacks
As always, there's a ton of value with quarterbacks during the Sunday slate. With so many games throughout the afternoon, there will be more than a few quarterbacks who have the opportunity to score well over 20 points. When it comes to the QB, it's typically best to not pay up for the most prominent name.
There's value elsewhere that's much more important. But in this case, there aren't many passers to choose from, so we'll go with the best two available no matter what. Here are our top two rated quarterbacks for Week 14, along with an optimal lineup containing our top play for the week.
Deshaun Watson - $6,800
The Houston Texans had a slow start to the year, but as of late they have been on a role. They could thank quarterback Deshaun Watson for a lot of their success. And not only is Watson a gamer, but he's surrounded by some very talented weapons as well. Unfortunately, the Texans are looking to be without one of their receivers, but it should make a huge difference. As long as DeAndre Hopkins is healthy and ready to roll, Watson should have himself a stellar day. And he might be the most expensive quarterback available, but he definitely issues the most-upside.
Baker Mayfield - $6,400
Cleveland Browns rookie Baker Mayfield quickly won over the starting position, but he slowly took over became a valuable fantasy play. At this point, Mayfield's price is finally starting to get up there with the other big-named quarterbacks, but he's also worth it. Granted, Mayfield will have a mistake here and there, but for the most part, he's been a spark on the Cleveland offense, which has been great for his fantasy numbers as well.
Running Backs
How tough is it to predict running backs for fantasy in this day and age? With all of the running back committee's forming, it's difficult to figure who is going to be the runner that finds the end zone on a consistent basis. Sometimes, you have to decide if you want the guy with all of the yards and touches with no scores. Or if you want the guy with hardly any touches and yards, with one or potentially two scores.
For Week 15, I'd say go with the guy who is going to get a significant workload in both areas of the game. On the ground, and through the air. You seriously cannot go wrong with that. The more opportunity for points, the better off you'll be.
Phillip Lindsay - $7,200
Denver Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay is projected to outperform all of the other running backs on the slate on Saturday, rightfully so. As he has been averaging 16 points-per-game, he matches up well against a weak Cleveland run-defense that has allowed the sixth-most amount of points to running backs in fantasy. Not only is he the most productive back on the slate, but Cleveland struggles the most against the run on the board. It's a winning situation all around for Phillip Lindsay, and the best part about it is his price tag isn't through the roof.
Elijah McGuire - $4,000
New York Jets backup running back Elijah McGuire is going to issue the most value for the Saturday slate. With Isaiah Crowell out and on the Injured Reserve for the Jets this week, McGuire is going to step into a more prominent role for New York's backfield. Since McGuire hasn't played much this season, his price tag remains fairly low. Not only is there an excellent opportunity for McGuire to go off this week, but it won't take a lot for him to exceed his value, which makes him perhaps the most significant bargain player on the slate.
Wide Receivers
Similar to the backfield situation, this week has a lot of favorable matchups between wideouts and defense's, but it's not going to come cheap. If you want to pay up for one big name and utilize two under the radar guys, then go for it. Some of these matchups for the big names are almost too good to pass up anyway.
DeAndre Hopkins - $8,700
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that DeAndre Hopkins is going to be the best wideout on the board for the Saturday slate. The Houston Texans wideout catches everything and produces a solid 20-points-per-game. Over the last few weeks, Hopkins has been dealing with some nagging injuries, but he's still been able to produce. This week, he's fully healthy and shouldn't experience any setbacks against a struggling New York Jets defense. Pairing up Watson and Hopkins is a no-brainer on Saturday.
Courtland Sutton - $5,000
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Courtland Sutton is pretty much going to have the passing game to himself on Saturday, so it's only right that he's utilized. With Demaryius Thomas out of the picture, and now Emmanuel Sanders landing on the Injured Reserve, Sutton automatically becomes the number one target, and the most reliable pass catcher on the field. Now, don't expect a monster day for Sutton, as Case Keenum has been known to struggle this season. But if you want a guy that's going to have a significant amount of opportunities, then Sutton is definitely the guy this week.
Robby Anderson - $4,200
On a bigger slate, I wouldn't suggest paying up for Robby Anderson, as the Jets passing offense has been horrible as of late. But since there are only two games and no stack that's worth breaking the bank for, then it's better to pretty much spread the ball around. The Jets will have Darnold this week, so maybe there will be an increase in the passing game. Considering that Robby Anderson is Darnold's favorite receiver, then it only makes sense to utilize him. Earlier on in the year, Anderson was a monstrous deep threat. But after a few injury setbacks, and his quarterback hitting his rookie wall, their production hit a speed bump.
Tight Ends
Tight Ends are becoming like kickers nowadays. While the good ones can get you 10-15 points on a consistent basis, the rest of them are like a dime-a-dozen that can get you 8-10 points. You shouldn't typically go crazy for tight ends not named Travis Kelce, George Kittle, or even Zach Ertz.
Find someone who is reliable, and is likely to get some red zone targets. Like I said, unless you want to pay up for a tight end, who happens to be just another wide receiver, then you shouldn't expect too much out of these guys on a weekly basis. Find somebody cheap, who can get over ten points and you're solid.
Chris Herndon - $3,000
With Saturday's slate not being the most appealing lineup for tight ends, it's best to roll with the tight end who is giving you a bang for your buck, and spending wisely elsewhere. By no means do I believe Chris Herndon is going to go off, but he's about as cheap as a defense this week. You can't go wrong with his price tag, and the risk could potentially come with a lot of reward for a fairly low price. There isn't much of a safe play this week at tight end, so it's best to take a risk at the position.
David Njoku - $3,800
Not a thrill seeker? Want a guy who has a wide range of points, but just isn't consistently putting up big numbers? Then pay the extra $800 for Cleveland Browns' David Njoku. He may not be in an elite tier for tight ends, but Njoku is a solid contributor when it comes to fantasy. The only issue is that he cannot be consistent. One week he will have around seven points, and the next week he will have somewhere around 15. Seeing as though he has a decent matchup in front of him, Njoku will be worth his price tag, being that he is the most expensive guy on this slate for Saturday.
The Optimal Lineup
QB - Deshaun Watson $6.8K
RB - Phillip Lindsay $7.2K
RB - Elijah McGuire $4.0K
WR - DeAndre Hopkins $8.7K
WR - Courtland Sutton $5.0K
WR - Robby Anderson $4.2K
TE - David Njoku $3.8K
FLEX - Nick Chubb $7.6K
D/ST - Broncos $2.5K
DraftKings NFL Picks: Optimal Lineup for Saturday Slate Week 15