Like many others, when I first started playing DFS I would just take shots at tournaments and hope to hit it big overnight, but that’s not a winning strategy in this game. This series will help you go from being a “Joe” to a pro.
Throughout the season I’ll post my bankroll so you can view my weekly progress. This year, my starting bankroll will be $1,000 on DraftKings and $1,000 on FanDuel. I do this as a way to show how your bankroll can go through some valleys and peaks throughout the season. Experienced players aren’t winning 100 percent of the time — they face losing weeks like everyone else. The important thing is to be profitable at the end of Week 17. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Week 7 Thought Process
These are the weeks that makes this game fun. Tighter salaries are going to force us to find some quality salary savers and after a weekend of sweating it out, we will have a much better idea of where we stand against the best DFS minds. Last week I went against my better judgement and paid down at my second running back and flex spot on DraftKings and that went about how you would’ve expected it to. Luckily on FanDuel things went much better and I’m now winning 65 percent of my games on FD. We will go back to the old tried and true method of attempting to fit in at the very least two of the elite RB plays. Since I hardly ever pay way down at quarterback, I’ll be looking to identify a few cheaper options at receiver in cash.
Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz will probably be the only QB I play in cash games this week. I’ve seen some love out there for lower end guys like C.J. Beathard and Baker Mayfield because of their salaries and matchups. While I could see that working out, I’m just not the type of player that is willing to plug in a questionable QB, especially if they’re expected to be chasing. In Mayfield’s case specifically, he’s a rookie underdog on the road.
The Eagles are nearly five point favorites at home and face a Panthers defense ranked 21st in terms of passing DVOA through six games. Vegas has them projected right around the sweet spot of 25 points and the Panthers have allowed multiple touchdown passes to their last four opponents. It seems to be flying under the radar but Wentz is playing fairly similar to how he played through the first six weeks of 2017.
If you need a few extra hundred, our FFGhost believes Joe Flacco is a strong DraftKings cash play
Running Back
As a rule, never fade Todd Gurley ever. It sounds ridiculous but I can’t trust Alvin Kamara in cash this week so Ezekiel Elliott is in play against the 30th ranked rush defense in DVOA. Christian McCaffrey probably won’t hit his ceiling in a tough matchup against the Eagles, so I’m thinking James White might be a pretty nice pivot off of him.
Marlon Mack. The ideal cash game RB is a home favorite in a good matchup on a competent offense. Calling the Colts offense competent might be a slight stretch but at $4,400 on DraftKings and $5,900 on FanDuel, Mack looks like a screaming value.
He’s only been active for two games but he has received some encouraging usage and has the fourth best matchup according to the Buy Low Machine. If the snaps concern you, keep in mind the more popular Sony Michel is still only averaging 26.6 snaps per game.
Wide Receiver
Deandre Hopkins (if healthy) makes for a strong GPP play. According to Football Outsiders, the Jaguars are ranked 23rd against a teams No. 1 wide receiver. The Vikings are in a tougher matchup than most people might realize but Stefon Diggs is also a nice tournament option. Robert Woods is one of Michael Dubner’s FanDuel core plays and might be worth the heavy price tag with the Cooper Kupp injury. I keep lighting money on fire playing Jarvis Landry and he’s dead to me if he can’t get it done against the awful Buccaneers defense. It never feels good to have him in your lineup but Devin Funchess is still receiving at least seven targets in every game.
Cheap options to look at in cash:
Chris Godwin
Antonio Callaway
Jermaine Kearse
Willie Snead. If you need ten points, he does it in his sleep.
Tight End
Over the last three weeks, no tight end has more targets than David Njoku. He’s becoming Mayfield’s most reliable option and this game has potential to be a shootout. Kyle Rudolph is fairly interesting as he’s received at least five targets in every game since week one and the Jets defense is tough on the perimeter.
Gerald Everett. If you need a deep sleeper because of the tight salary, Everett has some appeal. The Rams have the highest projected total this week and will be without their touchdown leader for receivers, Cooper Kupp. The 49ers have been gashed by athletic TE’s Jimmy Graham and Travis Kelce, allowing 100 receiving yards to both and they allowed the ghost of Antonio Gates to catch a touchdown. Everett is obviously not anywhere close to those players in terms of overall talent but he has an 84th percentile Sparq score and should receive opportunities in this matchup.
