Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson.
Matthew Stafford? Shit…
All week I had Wilson in my cash lineup, but with the news of Marquez Valdes-Scantling entering the starting lineup, I felt I needed to get him and Matthew Stafford in my cash lineup. MVS was not on the Cash Index last week, so I went off script, but that was a must-play I felt with Aaron Rodgers playing QB.
The swap actually worked out in the end, but only by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin.
Here’s my Week 5 Cash Lineup on DraftKings (again, can’t get the screenshots to show up properly).
QB – Matthew Stafford
RB1 – Todd Gurley
RB2 – Melvin Gordon
WR1 – Doug Baldwin
WR2 – Marvin Jones
WR3 – Marquez Valdes-Scantling
TE – Austin Sefarian-Jenkins
Flex – James Conner
D/ST – New York Jets
Total Score: 143.72
Analysis: I had Julio and CMC in my lineup most of the week, but no Gurley. I later came around to the idea that I needed to play Gurley, MG3 and had to have James Conner. Turned out those were the right calls. But receiver was dreadful outside of MVS. Baldwin was a disaster with 1 catch despite 84% of snaps played, Marvin Jones and Stafford luckily didn’t goose egg thanks to a red zone TD and ASJ got hurt. It was between Cincy and Jets at defense and ultimately went with Jets while Cincy scored 2 defensive TDs. Again, it was very close, within less than a point, to hit the cash line for me.
Season Cash Score – 3-2
Week 6 looks fairly ugly as far as games go on the main slate. The premier game is KC and New England on Sunday Night Football. There’s a couple of games that clearly have some fantasy goodness, but tight end might be the ugliest position of the year up to this point.
I wish you the best this week and that the player pools we provide have been helpful and beneficial to your bankroll. Good luck in Week 6!
QUARTERBACKS
Deshaun Watson – Houston Texans – $6,400
Analysis: The Texans’ running game is a mess and while Watson and company are taking on the Bills with a blowout factor, I think they get there because of the arm and legs of Watson. Keep an eye on this injury, but he should be fine. He’s got Nuk, Fuller and Keke Coutee, a rookie stud from Texas Tech, to air it out to. His legs add a floor and ceiling to his output every week.
Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers – $6,100
Analysis: Washington got waxed against the Saints on Monday night, so it’s already a short week for them. This price seems to cheap and he gets back Greg Olsen. His arm, goalline touchdown equity and his rushing ability raises his floor and ceiling in this matchup.
Jameis Winston – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $5,800
Analysis: See, GPP Index. But he has to be a cash game option this week with the implied total and Atlanta’s awful, injury-ridden defense.
Baker Mayfield – Cleveland Browns – $5,500
Analysis: Another QB with rushing upside in a game that could shoot out. The Chargers are giving up 284 yards passing and 26 points per game. Mayfield has thrown the ball 41 and 43 times in his first two starts. Cheap price for volume and upside against a bad defense.
RUNNING BACKS
Todd Gurley – Los Angeles Rams – $10,000
Analysis: Can you pay $10K for Gurley? In cash, you definitely can. The Jets just smoked this team on the ground and Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks could sit. Most notably, this game is going to be cold and there will be snow. Bump to running back facing Denver, who is allowing 139.6 yards per game on the ground and is 9th overall in fantasy points allowed to RBs. Rams are averaging 131 rushing yards per game.
Melvin Gordon – Los Angeles Chargers – $8,200
Analysis: Melvin Gordon has ridiculously weird home/road splits. He is actually better for fantasy on the road. He’s getting tons of targets, in a potential shootout and facing a Browns defense allowing 107 yards rushing and 8 targets to RBs per game.
James Conner – Pittsburgh Steelers – $7,700
Analysis; It’s his last go around before Le”Veon Bell returns to action (unless he’s traded). He’s the bellcow facing a Bengals defense that has allowed 28 fantasy points per game to the running back position. I don’t like Conner as much as last week, but he’s still a bellcow with pass-catching ability in a game with the second highest total of the week.
Joe Mixon – Cincinnati Bengals – $7,500
Analysis: The Browns and Kansas City roughed up this Steelers defense in Weeks 1 and 2. Pittsburgh has since been stout against RBs, but they have faced Tampa (no good RBs), Atlanta (fell behind early and had to abandon the run) and Baltimore, who continues to struggle in the running game. The Steelers are bottom of the pack in fantasy points allowed to RBs, but the numbers are skewed thanks to three straight games with poor talent on the opposite side.
Dalvin Cook – Minnesota Vikings – $5,700
Analysis: A full participant in practice Thursday and very little knowledge about Cook’s role on Sunday, he doesn’t carry an injury designation this early in the week. We have time to figure out more about whether Cook will get the full workload. He is on this list because he’s super cheap for his talent and the price is so cheap against a great matchup at home. Facing the Cardinals, Cook has a chance to make mince meat of a defense that is No. 1 in fantasy points allowed to RBs this season (39 fantasy points per game). Arizona also is allowing 130+ yards rushing and 1.40 TDs per game to RBs.
Marshawn Lynch – Oakland Raiders – $5,300
Analysis: Two words: Revenge Game. Beast Mode and the Raiders go to London to take on Seattle. He burned many last week, but his team got down early and they never recovered. I like Lynch and the Raiders as a bouceback candidate in a London game that typically features lots of points scored.
Carlos Hyde – Cleveland Browns – $4,900
Analysis: The cheapest bellcow running back of the slate. I like this play more for the savings, the touches and shootout potential. Hyde plays almost no matter what. Who would get me off of Hyde this week is if Isaiah Crowell sits against the Colts. Bilal Powell would be an automatic cash lock for me.
Ronald Jones – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $3,900
Analysis: After being inactive the first 3 games, Ronald Jones came into the Chicago game and garnered 10 carries and 2 receptions. I think it’s telling that he got that many touches in his first game. It was a tough matchup and now he gets a cupcake defense that is 3rd in fantasy points allowed to running backs. There’s tons of points to be had in this game and I think Jones is a great high-upside, punt play, even in cash.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers – $8,700
Analysis: Has a history of not meeting expectations against the Bengals. But the NFL is different in 2018. And so are the Bengals, who are allowing 276 yards and 26 points per game. Cincy is allowing 176 yards receiving per game to opposing wideouts. Brown is seeing insane targets and got back on track last week (and his price came down).
Mike Evans – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $8,100
Analysis; Mike Evans’ best fantasy asset gets his job back this week against the Falcons. In his last four games against Atlanta – 5-99-1, 11-150-2, 6-78-0 and 5-79-1. With no established run game and 3 other receivers that can open up the field, Evans is set up for an explosion spot in a game that features the highest O/U of the slate.
A.J. Green – Cincinnati Bengals – $8,000
Analysis: He’s going to see 8-10 targets a game, but they are always high-quality targets. He is likely to see Joe Haden coverage, but that’s a matchup Green has always won handily when Haden was younger and playing Cleveland. The Steelers are 4th in fantasy points allowed to receivers.
Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons – $7,900
Analysis: Will it ever happen? Will Julio reach paydirt this week? If it’s not this week, then I don’t know what the hell to do moving forward. Tampa is allowing 49 fantasy points, 185 yards and 2.25 touchdowns per game to receivers. Julio has 10 career TDs against Tampa. He has no more than 5 against any other team in the league. Send prayers.
Jarvis Landry – Cleveland Browns – $6,600
Analysis: Rishard Higgins is out, Antonio Callaway should see most of Casey Heyward, leaving Jarvis to operate freely in the middle of the field against the Chargers. With targets of 10, 10 and 14 in his past three games, Landry is a safe bet for tons of volume in a game that will require to score points through the passing game.
John Brown – Baltimore Ravens – $5,500
Analysis: With all the talk this week, it feels like Smokey is going to be a very popular cash play, and it’s hard to argue. He has targets of 10, 9, 7 and 14 in his last 4 games. He gets the Titans this week, a run funnel defense, so Baltimore should be having to throw a lot and often to put up points against Tennessee.
Jordy Nelson – Oakland Raiders – $4,900
Analysis: Jordy is operating out of the slot this season with lots of high-upside weapons around him. He’s had at least 4 catches, 40+ yards and a touchdown in his last 3 games. He’s had 8 targets in two of three of those games. Facing Seattle this week in London, Nelson will be a cheaper receiver play with lots of upside and a safe floor.
Keke Coutee – Houston Texans – $4,800
Analysis: My boy from Raider Land has 15 and 7 targets in his first two games in the NFL. He turned those targets into 11 and 6 catches for 160 yards and a score. With their running game in shambles and no reliable tight end, Coutee, a third receiver, has a solid target share for his price. I love this play even more should Full, who is often injured anyway, can’t suit up or is limited in any way.
Chester Rogers – Indianapolis Colts – $4,500
Analysis: This play looks ugly, or at least to me it does. But if TY Hilton AND Eric Ebron can’t suit up, Chester has the makings of being the No. 1 receiving option for Indy, who has thrown the ball 50 or more times in 3 of 5 games this season. Rogers has seen 11 targets in each of the last 2 games. Gotta watch the news here to see how his role shakes up. If TY and Ebron play, then I am not sure he’s really an option.
TIGHT END
David Njoku – Cleveland Browns – $3,800
Analysis: Baker Mayfield already loves to throw to Njoku with 11 and 7 targets the past two games. The Chargers have been stingy against TEs, but Njoku is an athletic freak who is going to bust out soon. I am not sure if I will go here in cash, but I like the volume and price for cash regardless. Erik Swoope could be the darling at TE this week and possibly an auto lock in cash should Eric Ebron be ruled out.
Austin Hooper – Atlanta Falcons – $3,500
Analysis: People are going to flock to Cameron Brate this week and I think it’s a mistake. For one, it’s Cameron Brate. Two, Winston hasn’t really thrown to the tight ends very much in his career and 3. O.J. Howard might be back. I’ll take the guy on the other side of the ball who is coming off a 9-catch, 12-target game. Now he gets the worst defense against tight ends as the Bucs have allowed 20.8 fantasy points and nearly 7 catches per game to the position.
Vance McDonald – Pittsburgh Steelers – $3,400
Analysis: I bit on the Vance McDonald chalk on FanDuel and it burned. Now no one will be on him and I think that’s a mistake. Despite sharing duties with Jesse James, Vance is clearly the better athlete and trusted by Big Ben. Cincy is top-10 in fantasy points per game to tight ends. I think this is merely a bounce-back play for me. I don’t think I actually go here in cash this week.
Ricky Seals-Jones – Arizona Cardinals – $2,700
Analysis: If Eric Ebron does play, then RSJ is likely my cash game TE this week. He should have favorable game script on the road in Minnesota, who should take command of this game early. He is coming off a high-target, no-catch game, but he has some of the highest air yards on his team. Minnesota has been a sieve to TE production this season, allowing the fifth-points fantasy points per game to the position.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Chicago Bears (at Miami Dolphins) – $3,300
Analysis: I love the Bears this week, despite being on the road. Miami and Ryan Tannehill are turnover prone and the Bears can force turnovers and get quarterback sacks in droves. You can have a hurricane narrative here as the Dolphins are playing in the wake of Hurricane Michael and its destruction. But the Bears are coming off a bye week and have had extra time to prepare for the Dolphins, another reason I love them this week.
Baltimore Ravens (at Tennessee Titans) – $2,800
Analysis: I don’t really know how the Titans are going to move the ball this week. Baltimore is stout up front against the run and the Titans can’t run the ball. Jimmy Smith is back and the Ravens will scheme to take Corey Davis out of the offense, forcing Marcus Mariota and whatever other trash Tennessee puts out there to beat them. The Titans are an interesting defense here too, but I don’t see many variables keeping the Ravens from possibly pitching a shut out and scoring points through sacks and turnovers.
Dallas Cowboys (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars) – $2,300
Analysis: Complete punt play here as the Cowboys welcome in turnover prone and garbage time king Blake Bortles, who will be without Leonard Fournette again this week. What the Jags do when Fournette is out is to throw the ball more than they want to run. The Cowboys are a stout defense at home and should be able to put lots of pressure on Blake Bortles in a very slow-paced, methodical game. Dallas will try to run the ball because that’s all they can do, so I am not sure if the Cowboys can really win one Jville takes Zeke out of the game plan. Anyway, Dallas can get sacks and force Bortles into bad decisions, in theory.
